Chapter Eighteen: Calm Before The Storm
Cade's thumb hovered over the call icon. He hesitated, a foot drumming against the floor. He should have done this sooner, but the events of the past few days left him unable to get some time alone with a well-rested mind. That, and he had lost his old cell phone when the Decepticons had attacked the junkyard. So he tried to borrow one from Fowler. To his shock, Fowler gave him a computer tablet instead.
He had been staring at the screen for fifteen minutes now, however, unable to press the green icon.
With a grimace, he lowered the silver tablet and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He had called Tessa several times during the years he and the bots were hiding, so this was nothing new. But all of it had been one-sided calls from his daughter through a secured line. They hadn't tried video calling, nor did Cade want to risk it. He didn't even know what she looked like now.
Three years. Has it really been that long since he last saw Tessa? Lennox had told him that she was fine, and that she was still in college. It was the very first thing he had requested from the colonel after they had returned from England, to know how Tessa was doing. No doubt she was worried sick after the news of the attack in London.
Cade sighed and steeled his nerves. He pressed the button. As the call went on, he scratched at his clean-shaven chin, glad that he took some time to look as presentable as he could. He had even gotten a clean shirt and jeans.
The ring continued. Cade glanced at the clock. It was half past nine in the evening. Was Tessa already asleep? It was Wednesday, so she should have classes tomorrow. Maybe he should call some other—
There was a click, and Cade instinctively brought his gaze back to the tablet screen.
"Dad?"
Cade's breath caught for a moment. Tessa's shock expression was crisp and vivid, almost as if he was looking at her in person. But that didn't register in his mind, for now he could see his daughter without any fear of waking up one day inside a holding cell.
Tessa looked almost the same as she did three years ago, but Cade could see how being independent had transformed her. Gone were the piercings in her ears, though she still kept the pendant. Her hair was shorter, which made her look mature.
"Dad, is that really you?" She repeated, sitting straighter on the bed, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Hey," Cade finally said with a smile, blinking back the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes.
Tessa covered her mouth with one hand as her gaze turned tearful. She lowered it and stammered, "Oh my god. How… I… I saw the news, Dad. I saw Bumblebee and the others. Are you still in…?"
"No. We've been back Stateside since yesterday."
"Are you in prison?"
Cade chuckled at that. "No, sweetheart. We're in a secret facility. I can't tell you much because it's classified, but we're fine. We're…"
He couldn't finish the sentence. Even after hearing the President's announcement, and even now when he could finally speak to his daughter without fear of being tracked down and dragged into prison, he still couldn't believe it. Everything felt surreal, like a dream he didn't want to wake up from.
But this was no dream. This was reality.
"Free," Cade said at last. Tessa was close to tears now, beaming with happiness. But like him, she was doing her best not to cry.
"I knew you guys could do it."
"Well, it's a team effort. Besides, these guys know that the Autobots are the only ones who can stop the Decepticons. They have to be worse than idiots if they still keep ignoring that."
Tessa laughed as she shifted on her bed. "Even if we have superheroes now?"
Cade snorted at that. True, the world may have a bunch of people with superpowers and advanced technology protecting it now, but they certainly weren't present when Chicago happened. They also almost failed to defend New York from an alien invasion when he knew that the Autobots could have done the same, and succeeded with fewer casualties, if only the alliance hadn't been severed.
"You know my answer to that. Anyway, how are you?"
"I'm fine, Dad. College life, and city life, is different from what I am used to. But I'm managing. I also took a part-time job in a diner. I know Joyce promised to take care of my school expenses, but I want to save up."
"You're in a dorm?"
"Yes. All my friends are nice, Dad. You'll love them! They don't think the Autobots are bad either, and…"
Cade smiled as his daughter continued talking about her new life. He was glad that she had finally found a semblance of normalcy despite her experiences. It was hard to imagine that she was the same girl three years ago, and Cade was proud of what she had become.
"How's your relationship going with Shane?" he asked during a brief lull in the conversation, taking a sip from a glass of water.
This time, it was Tessa who snorted. "I broke up with him last year."
He nearly choked at that. "Why?" While he never liked the guy, Cade knew that his love for Tessa was sincere. Or at least that was what he thought.
Tessa shrugged. "He had to go back to Ireland. We love each other, but I realized he loves racing more."
Cade grunted. If only he had known, he would have tracked Shane down and punched the living daylights out of him. Maybe he should ask Hound to trace his cell phone signals or something, and put it on his to-do list when they visit Burton someday again.
"Well, I'm sure you'll find a better guy out there." Then he added, "Just don't make a grandpa yet, sweetheart. You don't want to be like me."
Tessa chuckled. "Of course not, Dad. Starting a family is not yet on my mind. But enough about me. How are you and the others?" There was an eager note in her voice.
He wondered how much he could tell her. There was so much he wanted to say—a lot has happened in three years, and a few hours wouldn't be enough to recount all the events. But he was also considering Tessa's schedule.
In the end, Cade just gave her a summarized version, leaving out the most terrifying parts. He didn't want to worry Tessa too much, although despite his best efforts, Cade could tell that she had already guessed the unsaid things.
When he got to Crosshairs' death, Tessa grew quiet. She hadn't spent much time with the obnoxious sharpshooter, but Crosshairs had still helped Cade to save her. There was clear sadness in her voice as she said, "I'm sorry to hear that, Dad."
Cade shook his head. "It's fine. All of them knew what they had signed up for long before we were born. At least he went down fighting, which I know was what he wanted." He paused, wondering what else he could say. They've been talking for more than an hour now, and it was getting late.
"So, you adopted someone?" Tessa asked with a smile.
"More like she forced me to adopt her," Cade huffed, which made Tessa laugh softly. "But you'll love Izzy. Kid got a bit of an attitude problem, though."
"I hope you're not being too overprotective of her."
"Don't worry. She got some bots who do that for me." He snorted again. "She got spunk, I'll give you that. But she's a good kid. Helped us a lot of times."
"I wish I could meet her soon. I've always wanted a sister."
"I know. Don't worry. When this is over, we'll see each other again." Cade glanced at the clock. "Don't you have classes tomorrow?"
"I do," Tessa sighed. Cade knew that she didn't want to end the call yet, a sentiment he shared. There was still so much catching up he wanted to do, things he never got to tell his daughter.
"Listen. I have a flight tomorrow bound for Japan. Do you want anything?"
"Japan?" Tessa stared in surprise. "Dad, what are you going to do in Japan?"
"It's classified." Cade's expression was apologetic. "But relax. I'm not going alone, and we'll be back in three days."
Tessa looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I don't know. Maybe a good luck charm?" She chuckled.
Cade smiled teasingly. "Aren't you already a good luck charm?"
She rolled her eyes, huffing. "And yet I broke up with Shane. He's probably losing now, though."
They shared a laugh at that. It felt good talking to his daughter, just the two of them. All his troubles, his worries, simply melted just by hearing her laugh and seeing her so happy and content.
"All right," he said. "A good luck charm, then. Anything else?"
Tessa shook her head. She hesitated, then said, "Just promise me that you'll get home safe. All of you."
His expression softened, and Cade found himself touching the screen, wishing that he could just go with his daughter right there and then. He couldn't do that, not with the Decepticons hunting him. So, for now, he had to endure talking to her through the screen of a tablet computer.
"I promise."
"Careful, careful. That's it. Lower it gently."
Santos watched as the crane deposited the last Sentinel onto the ground, joining the rest of its brethren. He scrutinized the machine for any damages. At one hundred million dollars each, the Sentinels were not cheap hardwares, and he didn't want to hear Joshua Joyce rattling to them about getting so much as a scratch to his 'works of art'.
When he was satisfied that it was undamaged, Santos glanced around at the bustling Vehicle Bay. Scores of personnel hurried to and fro, inspecting the deliveries one by one. The attack helis and raptors were already settled in the hangar, so the maintenance crews were now checking the tanks and APVs. But the most important items were the twenty shining Sentinels standing in two rows, silent and awaiting activation.
Santos looked at the clipboard he was holding, which contained the specifications. All of them, he was relieved to know, were new models fresh from the production line, equipped with upgraded sensors and targeting systems. They would go a long way against the Decepticons when the time comes.
After everything was fully settled, Santos drove around the base using the newly issued service car, which looked like a modified golf cart. It was early afternoon, but there was not much else to do for him. Training session was over, and dinner would not be until six. There would be a meeting with the officers and commanders, but that was after dinner. He still had plenty of time.
Ever since his conversation with Izabella, Santos had grown conflicted. He still couldn't stand being around the Transformers for long periods of time, but his urge to pull the trigger every time he saw them had lessened. He could never forgive them for what had happened to his wife and daughter, but for some reason, he was no longer often plagued with nightmares of that day whenever he slept.
As his thoughts strayed, Santos found himself in an empty hall. The ceiling towered a hundred feet above him, and he stared up with a sour expression. Where was the exit to the East Wing again? The open space unnerved him.
Thankfully, he located the Spark Vault and asked one of the guards for directions. After thanking one of the guards, Santos drove away. He had not gone more than a hundred feet when the loud roar of a car engine caught his attention.
Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the Autobot Sunstreaker zooming around the corner and pulling over in front of the Vault's steel doors. The guards saluted as he transformed. One of them punched the code, and Sunstreaker entered as soon as the doors slid open.
Santos had never been inside the Spark Vault, but he knew it contained the sparks of every dead Transformers, at least those who had died on earth and had not been scrapped by various tech companies. He heard that a few of the bots would come sometimes and pay respect to their deceased comrades, and it was weird that soulless, albeit sentient and highly intelligent, machines would do that.
He grew up in a family of Catholics, and he had kept his faith even after his wife and daughter's deaths. He often visited their graves. But as he drove out of the hallway, Santos couldn't help but wonder if the Transformers actually worship a god of their own.
Breakfast the next morning was lively enough, but there was still tension between the TRF and SOED. They still refused to mingle with each other, though their interactions were civil enough. There were only two minor fights involving personnel from both sides, but those were only petty disputes about presumed stolen belongings and conflicting shower schedules.
After breakfast, it was time for the joint training session. Santos and his unit were not looking forward to it.
The first time they had trained with the Autobots after they arrived at the base, the session turned into a disaster. Everyone was using practice rounds, so no one was hurt, but the bots kept accidentally shooting the ground in front of the TRF. Santos had his fair share of getting peppered by paintballs, and it was one of the moments when he wished that he was using live rounds.
The main perpetrator was always Hound. Santos knew that the fat ass was targeting him on purpose, though the bot kept an innocent face and merely shrugged when Lennox called him out for it. There was one time when Santos and his squad was rushing a target in a simulated urban firefight, thinking that he had it pinned down, when Hound burst from a building and started spraying around. The target was destroyed, but Santos and his squad drenched in blue paint.
Events like that didn't ease the animosity between them—not that Santos really cared. Nor did he care that the Autobots' treatment of the SOED was slightly better. The bots were wary of them as well, but Santos had not seen any accidental shots when the two were training.
As they entered the training room, Santos briefly marveled at its size. No matter how many times he saw it. This wing of the base was divided in two sections. The first one was the Sparring Room, where bots and humans alike could have the chance to test their skills against one another in one-on-one fights, or in small groups. It was often used by the melee oriented Autobots, particularly Drift and Sunstreaker.
The second section was aptly called the Simulation Room. This was where team-based mock fights were held, implementing several scenarios such as siege holdouts and ambushes. The room was as large as a town, with a raised windowed observatory going around the room. The area in the center, the one they nicknamed the "Battle Ground", was a fully functional simulated environment the size of four football fields, which could be configured into various setups.
Right now, it was still in its urban configuration; Santos and his team grumbled, already expecting the outcome. Lennox and Ericson were waiting at the entrance along with Hound and some of the bots, including the Knights. Curiously enough, SOED's fast reaction force stood nearby, decked in full combat gear, checking their equipment.
"What's this? The schedule said it's our turn." Santos approached Lennox with a frown.
"Yeah, it is. But there's been a slight last minute change." Lennox glanced briefly at Ericson. "It's been decided that you and the other group will work together this time."
Santos's frown deepened at that, but he shrugged and went back to stand with his unit. They had not practiced together with the SOED yet, but he had seen how they operated during another training session. They were skilled, he would give them that, and highly cohesive and disciplined. But many, if not all, were once members of N.E.S.T. And judging by the cold glares they were sending his way, Santos knew it would be another difficult training session.
He scowled. It didn't matter as long as both sides didn't get in each other's way. He knew they would eventually have to work together, so it was best to smooth out any wrinkles in their teamwork now rather than during actual combat.
"All right, everyone gather up!" Ericson called. The groups filed in front of him, standing in loose clusters. "The purpose of this training is to improve our reaction time and strategies against attacks. The session will be extensive, so be prepared for a long morning. Standard blue team vs red team. Blue, the humans, will be defending. Red, the Autobots, will try to break through. Blue's mission is to hold out for as long as they can and keep the prop Omega Key from being taken, or eliminate the reds, whichever comes first.
"Blue has thirty minutes to set up and plan their defenses," Lennox added. "Once they have chosen a location, it will be relayed to the Autobots. The training will then begin. Any questions?"
There were a lot of shaking heads, including Santos. The objective was simple enough, though the TRF was more accustomed to offense than defense. Nevertheless, having the SOED by their side should compensate for that.
At Lennox's signal, the teams began their preparations. The training area was as large as a town, so there was plenty of room for everyone. As they strode inside, Santos scanned the surrounding urbanscape for a suitable base. The tallest houses were four stories high—perfect spots for snipers. There were scattered random vehicles, from SUVs to several trucks and buses, which should provide ample cover in the streets.
"That seems like a good place."
Santos glanced at Rick, the captain for SOED's force. With his intimidating, bear-like build and deep voice, he could make anyone piss their pants at his sight alone. Santos had only seen him a few times and never interacted with him until now, but he could tell that he was a capable commander.
He followed the direction Rick's finger was pointing to. It was an office building, three stories high, with a rooftop and a parking space filled with cars. The building sat in a corner, a grocery store next to it. On the opposite side was a four-story brownstone apartment.
Glancing at the perimeter, Santos noticed that it was not the tallest building, but it was located near the center, which would give them a three hundred and sixty degree view of the area. Lookouts could be posted in the apartment, and makeshift barricades could be erected around the building and street. It was a good place.
"All right. We'll set up shop here. I want snipers and spotter teams in the apartment, as well as sentries around the perimeter. Dennis, take a team and place proximity mines at the ends of this street."
As he began barking orders, Santos noticed that Rick and his team were heading for the office building. "Hey, where are you guys going?" he called after them, annoyed. He was not done speaking yet!
Rick turned to him with a slight frown. "We're going into position, of course."
"I haven't ordered that."
The man narrowed his eyes. "You're not supposed to. This is a joint training exercise, but that doesn't make you or me the commanding officer for both teams. You guys do your things your way, we'll do ours in our way."
Santos stood on the spot, stunned. The men under him murmured their displeasure at the rude treatment, but he barely heard them amid the blood roaring in his ears. He opened his mouth to retort, only to clamp it shut and glare at Rick. A vein bulged in Santos's forehead.
The asshole was acting all high and mighty because the Autobots didn't show much hostility against them. Rick was another Lennox, Santos could tell. Well, it wouldn't save the team from losing, what with that bullheaded attitude of his.
"Fine," Santos growled through clenched teeth, resisting the urge to rush at the man and pulverize his ugly face. "But don't get in our way."
He watched Rick shrug indifferently and march away with his unit. "What an asshole," Dennis muttered behind Santos.
"Don't worry," Santos said, his lips curled into a deep scowl. "They'll soon learn not to mess with us."
###
They had fortified the building within forty-five minutes.
It was a lot of work, but Santos was satisfied that they could make it under the allotted time. The extra fifteen minutes gave them enough of a breathing room to rest and review their defenses.
Since the TRF already took care of the sentries and proximity mines, it was the SOED who erected barricades and the rest of the defenses. The two groups, as was agreed upon, never helped each other, which was fine with Santos as long as Rick and his men did their job properly.
After the one hour mark, the training session finally began. Santos was just going over the map of the area with his lieutenants when the first explosions erupted.
The earpiece crackled to life. "One hostile spotted east, sir."
"Who?" Santos asked, already moving with his team toward the nearby glass windows. They were made from movie props, so they wouldn't cause any real injuries if they broke.
"Autobot Hound, sir."
Santos raised an eyebrow at that. The red team is immediately sending out their heavy hitters? He did not expect them to be this aggressive from the get-go, especially with the SOED as their opponent.
He peered outside, noting the pool and scattered splashes of blue paint at the end of the street to the left. There was no sign of Hound, or anyone else for that matter, but the guards have already gone into defensive positions.
"Alpha command to Bravo command, anything on your end?" Santos spoke through the comm link.
"Flyers spotted hovering a hundred meters west," Rick answered. "It's the twins."
Santos went over to the map spread along the table, drawing red circles where the Autobots had been seen. He regarded it carefully. The bots were obviously trying to bait them, sending in their strongest to force the blue team into pursuit. Which meant another force was lying in wait somewhere, ready to rush in once the defenders were gone. But where could they be hiding?
Another explosion boomed outside, accompanied this time by gunfire. Another spotter relayed his report: it was Cliffjumper, hiding behind a building and taking potshots at the defenders, who hid behind the makeshift barricades. Santos drew another circle, running a critical eye over the map. Both ends of the street had been attacked now, while Dreadwing and Skyquake lurked nearby.
A small part of him was glad that the Grandmasters were not included in the training program, having joined Cade in his mission to Japan, along with Prowl and Bumblebee. The session would have been over in minutes, if not seconds.
After another minute of staring at the map, Santos made his decision. "Dennis, Tyler, take your squads and support our boys down there. Boris, you and your team are with me. Get the launchers ready."
They soon made their way to the lobby, where sixty TRF troopers waited in tense silence. Rick's unit was in the adjacent building, refusing to stay in the same place as the TRF.
After Santos briefed his team of his plan, the group split up. The office building had a back entrance leading to a cramped alley, and it was here that Santos and his team filed out, emerging fifty meters behind Cliffjumper.
They moved away quietly, keeping to the shadows of the buildings. Cliffjumper had not noticed them, but they didn't lower their guard until the red Autobot was out of sight. When they rounded a corner, Santos checked the map.
Four Autobots had been accounted for, but Hound was nowhere in sight. Canopy, Trailbreaker, and Longarm often sat out of training sessions; Canopy because of his apparent lack of combat experience, Trailbreaker and Longarm for their important skills in engineering and construction. Besides, Santos had not seen them during the briefing earlier, so he knew that they were not part of the training.
That left Sunstreaker and Steelbane. And he was certain that they were the main assault team. The quickest way to end the training, then, was to find and eliminate them while Rick and his team hopefully held the fort down. But first, they had to take care of the flyers.
The twins soon came into view, still in their alternate forms. Santos had his men check the surrounding area for more possible hostiles, and when they found none, the squads took up positions behind their targets, silently getting within firing range of the oblivious Knights.
Santos waited a minute. And when he was sure that they were not in danger of being discovered, raised his fist. "Fir—"
A rocket streaked from a nearby building, heading for Dreadwing's right flank. The sound drew the Knight's attention, and he bellowed in alarm, swerving to avoid the projectile. It nearly hit Skyquake, but thanks to his twin's warning, the larger Knight dodged, and the rocket exploded high in the ceiling.
The TRF scattered as the two Knights turned their attention to them. Santos cursed. Who was that idiot who blew away their cover? As his men began firing, he saw puffs of smoke erupting from a grocery store, spewing paintballs high in the air. It was the SOED.
"What the hell are you doing here, Rick?" Santos yelled in his earpiece, following some of his men inside a house. "You were supposed to be guarding the base!"
Rick's voice had a hard edge as he retorted, "That's my line. You blew away our cover by showing yourselves."
"No, you blew away our cover. We're almost ready to bring them down when one of your men took the shot!"
"We were here first, dumbass!"
Santos almost stormed out of hiding to confront Rick personally. As things stood right now, however, he didn't have the luxury of doing that. Nor would it salvage the mess they were in.
"If only you've told me of your plan, we could ha—"
Santos was cut off by the sound of a buzzer, followed by an announcement from the speakers scattered across the Battle Ground. "Red team, Skyquake, out! Blue team, Nolan, Collins, Carter, James…"
As the list of names went on, Santos swore. It ended at twelve, more than half of the squad he had taken with him. There were only a hundred TRF troopers for this session, while Rick's group had about half of that number. He did not know how many men Rick had brought with him, but Santos assumed it was more than half judging by the gunfire.
There was a brief lull in the fighting as the eliminated participants exited the warzone, enough time for Santos to take a deep breath and calm himself down. In a more controlled voice, he said, "I lost about twelve men. Either you help me with this, or we lose this training session."
There was no penalty for failing the wargame, at least not yet, since this was meant to improve teamwork and tactical skills. And there was a part of Santos that expected to lose, what with the Knights present. But he'd be damned if he and his men didn't put up a good fight.
"Fine," Rick finally said after a moment of silence. "Dreadwing has flown away, so it's for your squad to come out. Meet me here right now."
Santos glanced at Boris, who gave him a reassuring nod despite the displeasure in his place. They quickly made their way toward the grocery store.
Rick met them at the entrance, his squad watching from inside. "What's the plan?" the captain asked without preamble, his forehead creased.
Regarding him with a slight scowl, Santos jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "We're doing a sweep. I figured that Sunstreaker and Steelbane are hiding somewhere nearby to catch us unawares."
Rick grunted. "The others are distractions, yes I know that. Why do you think we are here?"
Santos let that remark slide. "Good. That makes things easier." His gaze did a quick sweep of the grocery store. As he had thought, Rick's team numbered at least thirty. "We'll split into two groups. I'll need some of your boys. My team will act as vanguard. You follow close behind us. I found two locations where they could be hiding."
After seeing the map, Rick nodded begrudgingly. "Yeah, these two sounds plausible. Martin, you and your squad are with them."
They soon moved again. After several minutes, the second list of eliminated players were announced. Santos's jaw tightened. There were more than thirty names this time, all of which belonged to the blue team; their defenses were starting to crumble.
There was no sign of Hound or Dreadwing during their advance, so they quickly reached the first location. It was a large warehouse flanked on either side by two smaller ones, surrounded by several container trucks. Santos ordered a quick sweep for traps; there were none, but they were still cautious while they picked their way to the entrance.
Rick's group splintered off to go around and enter from the other side. Santos waited patiently behind one of the trucks. When Rick finally confirmed that he and his team were in position, Santos gave the signal.
It was dark inside, so they had to turn on their night-vision goggles to see anything. Santos wished they had some drones to use as scouts, but they were too expensive to utilize in training; they just have to make do with their own senses and skills.
The search took five minutes, during which they had linked up with Rick after combing through every corner. "Everything's clear on our side," he said, not disappointed.
Santos nodded, having expected that, though his stomach churned with sudden unease. Something nagged in his mind, a part of him that had spent several tours in the Middle-East surviving ambushes from ISIS. The warehouse was located four blocks away from the base, so it should be the perfect spot to hide in.
It was the perfect spot.
The wall to the left exploded and Sunstreaker charged in with a bellow, his dual automatic pistols roaring. Santos and Rick scattered with their men, ducking behind steel containers. The sudden glare of artificial lights made their night-vision goggles useless, so they immediately took them off while red paint showered around them.
"How the hell did we not notice him?" Santos yelled amid the sounds of gunfire. He looked over his cover and fired, hoping that a few would at least hit Sunstreaker. Since the Transformers were so big, it was decided that in order to eliminate them from the session, the blue team had to make a one meter wide blue splotch on the Autobots.
"He disguised himself too good," Rick said with a curse. "We need to flank him."
"Negative," Santos said. "Dreadwing might be out there. Besides, we're pinned down."
Rick snorted. "Actually, I have that already covered." Then he spoke to his earpiece. "Delta element, move in."
It only took a second for Santos to realize his plan. "Wait. You used us as bait?" He asked incredulously, staring wide-eyed at Rick. It was a crazy plan, and if this had been a real battle, it would have gotten them killed.
Rick shrugged. "I knew this might happen, so I prepared a contingency plan."
"Without telling me!"
"You never asked!"
Santos groaned, but said nothing. This was not the time to argue with an oaf like Rick, when they had more pressing matters than their lack of communication. But once this was over, especially if they lost, Santos would talk with him and settle things once and for all.
Sunstreaker was still blocking the large hole he had made, plunging the warehouse into semi-darkness. It was hard to hit him from this angle despite his size since the Autobot could perfectly see them while they could not, but Santos and his team simply had to wait until reinforcements arrived.
They did not have to wait long. There was a burst of gunfire from outside, and Sunstreaker turned with a growl. But there was not much else he could do. A rocket hit him square in the right leg, exploding in a fountain of blue paint.
"Hey, I just got this repainted today!" He complained, glaring at the soldiers. As he strode away, Santos noticed the narrow-eyed look he sent his way, followed by a chilling smirk.
Wasn't Sunstreaker supposed to be part of the main assault team?
"That's one down." Rick was already moving. "Let's get the next one. Dreadwing's probably in the second location…"
Santos didn't budge from his spot, staring at the hole Sunstreaker had made. His mind raced, gathering all the information and piecing the hints together. Now that he thought about it, Sunstreaker was not fit to lead a surprise attack. He was a melee warrior, and charging into gunfire was not his forte… Wait, why hadn't they seen Hound or the Knights again?
Realization struck Santos like lightning, and he swore harshly. "We need to get back. Now. We've been set up!"
Rick stared at him in confusion, but he followed Santis outside as he began to sprint, waving for the rest of the team. "What do you mean? Of course we've been set up. The bots somehow knew we were coming."
"Exactly," Santos said. "They knew we were coming because Sunstreaker acted as bait. The first attacks were not distractions."
Rick paled, mirroring Santos's own expression. How could they have missed this? Of course, the bots would not act so predictable; they had millennia of combat experiences, and tactical skills honed by countless battles. They had already done everything in the book. And with their time staying on earth, fighting alongside and against humans, that repertoire of knowledge had only grown.
The blue team was definitely going to lose.
"Well, that happened."
Lennox didn't know whether to laugh or feel pity toward the blue team as he reviewed the footage with Ericson. The TRF and SOED had lost in the most spectacular way possible, and it was because of one crucial element they lacked: teamwork.
Back when N.E.S.T. was first established, both humans and Autobots knew that in order to become a cohesive unit, they had to learn how to trust each other. Lennox and Epps had drilled that into the initial recruits, Optimus and Ironhide doing the same to the first wave of Autobots who had arrived on earth. It was why they could work together seamlessly over the years that followed, scoring victory after victory against the Decepticons.
While Lennox didn't doubt the TRF's capabilities and cohesion, he realized after seeing them train alongside a different unit that they were too independent, even prideful. Or at least Santos was; if it were Lennox down there, he would immediately formulate a plan with Rick, holding out inside the base until the opportunity presented itself where they could launch a counterattack.
But he could not fault the SOED captain, either. From what Ericson had told him, Rick hated the TRF with a fiery passion, particularly those who were once part of Cemetery Wind. Both of them didn't know why—Rick had not been a N.E.S.T. operative—but Lennox had a few guesses, especially since Rick's younger brother was a member. After all, some of his former men had lived with the Autobots for some time even after the alliance was dissolved, and all of them went missing shortly after.
Lennox's expression darkened. It was a subject he did not want to broach. The alliance was fragile, and they did not need something that could break it apart. What they needed was to strengthen it.
"What do you think went wrong here?" Ericson tapped at the screen showing Hound unleashing a hail of paintballs at the base defenders with a wide grin. "They were holding off pretty well, but the moment Santos and Rick went out, everything fell apart quickly."
"It's our fault," Lennox humbly admitted with a grimace. "TRF has a solid command structure, but most of the low-ranking officers are not properly trained."
Ericson gave him a curious glance. "What do you mean?"
Lennox shifted in his seat, his mouth set in a grim line. "TRF doesn't exactly support… creative minds."
It was one of the many things he had come to hate after joining the unit. Though everyone followed orders to the letter, it was all they could do: follow orders. There was no room for improvements in tactical skills, no cultivation of the mind. For TRF, shooting was the only important thing. And everything else was the job of field commanders such as himself and Santos and the top brasses who oversaw all of the operation.
Unlike N.E.S.T. In Lennox's former unit, your battlefield awareness and ability to adapt in an ever-changing situation were just as crucial as your skill in shooting a gun. It allowed him and Optimus to give the squads some level of autonomy, letting them be resourceful and decide on a course of action as they saw fit—a far cry from how TRF worked.
Of course, Lennox knew why. The UN did not want soldiers who could think for themselves and, quite possibly, a change of heart. These days, the UN seemed intent on binding everyone with useless treaties and accords.
"You mean they just want zombies."
Lennox snorted at that comment from Ericson. "That's actually a good way of putting it. But it's just one part of the problem. The two sides aren't willing to work with each other." He crossed his arms. "They have to settle their differences."
"That will be hard." Ericson looked doubtful. "I've known Rick for some years; he's good, but he's thick-headed and temperamental."
"Santos's the same," Lennox said lamely, and they both sighed. If they couldn't work this out soon, it would cause problems if they encountered the Decepticons again.
What would Optimus do in his position?
A decaying tree log split under his foot, making Prowl look down with another sigh. His body was not exactly meant for this kind of terrain, but he had to persevere and follow Cade. At least he was not cursing around and roaring like some beast, unlike the Grandmasters who had insisted on joining them.
"Grimlock hates forest," the gigantic leader of the Knights grumbled, tearing through a small cluster of cypress. Prowl winced. The Aokigahara forest was a protected reserve and tourist spot; he doubted if the Japanese government would take kindly to their rather destructive search.
"The sooner we're done here, the better," Slag agreed. "This place scrambles our navigational systems. Good thing we got Strafe watching over us high above. Otherwise, we might be lost here for days once the sun sets."
A large shadow passed overhead. Prowl glanced into the sky for a moment where Strafe circled close by. Some parts indeed mess up with their tracking functions, and they had been warned by the JSDF not to wander deeper. For some reason, signals were dampened here, preventing long-range communication.
No wonder it was the perfect spot for suicides… and hiding Ancient Cybertronian relics.
When they met with the Ikarugas, the well-mannered and solemn clan head, Saito Ikaruga, told them of a similar tale to Viviane's: their guardian, Stormwing, had also vanished without a trace, more than a hundred years ago this time. The clan head at the time, Naoto, buried the Omega Key somewhere in the forest, and left a map to his descendants.
They were following that map now, but during the course of a century, the forest had changed. The once visible paths were now overgrown with trees and shrubs, forcing them to make detours. It didn't help that the marked location was in a very dense part of the forest, where signals were almost non-existent.
It made Prowl wonder if Stormwing had left a signal dampener for Naoto. It would explain the unusual phenomena.
The sun was still high in the sky, so they still had a few hours left before they had to set up camp. Prowl was hoping it would not come to that. With the Grandmasters and three Autobots on this mission, the base back in Wyoming had its defense capabilities halved. If the Decepticons make a move, they would not be able to assist in repelling them.
"Overthinking again?" Drift asked beside him, his footsteps ever silent no matter where he walked.
Prowl nodded. "I'm worried about the others. The Decepticons could take advantage of our absence and steal the relics."
"Provided that they find the base in the first place."
"Never underestimate Airachnid; she's the reason for the mess between us."
Drift shot him a look of shock. "She's still alive?"
"And her sister, yes." Prowl sighed. "That's why I'm worried. Shatter and Dropkick may be good trackers, and we can never ignore Barricade's skills, but those twin spiders are different. We never know when they could be watching."
He did not miss the way Drift's optics darted around at that, scanning the area. When the former assassin caught him staring, Drift shrugged. "As you say, we never know when those two could be watching us."
Prowl shook his head at that and continued trudging through the forest, taking a glance at the rest of their group. Bumblebee was further ahead as vanguard, while their human companions were faring better than any of them. They were certainly not blundering about.
To pass the time, some of them struck up conversations with each other about the tourist spots they would have wanted to visit after they had acquired the key. Cade had already bought a few souvenirs for his daughter yesterday, though Prowl couldn't understand the logic of cat figurines bringing good fortune. There didn't seem to be anything impressive about them.
Drift had been in the country once, Prowl had learned, and he explained the intricacies of the Japanese people's traditions and beliefs. His mind couldn't still wrap around the unusual concepts, so Prowl merely nodded at his friend's explanation.
Before long, the trees grew denser, forcing them to take longer detours. But they were near, Prowl could sense it, even the Grandmasters too. The anomaly was getting stronger, and now he didn't know which was north and which was south. If not for the sun and Strafe's presence, Prowl would have no way of locating their destination.
"I think it's here!" one of the troopers called, holding an energon scanner.
Due to their immense size, the Grandmasters reached the site first, tearing the trees barring their way in the process. Cade checked the map and nodded in confirmation; the location matched the fading notes written on the thin paper.
The trooper was pointing the scanner to a depression on the ground, five feet wide and partially concealed by a ring of maple trees, which Slag tore away with a single swipe of his sword. They gathered around the depression, with several of the troopers holding shovels.
As they began to work, anticipation grew among the Grandmasters. Soon they could see a glint of gold in the dirt, and the humans attacked the soil with increased fervor. When they finished, everyone stood back and admired the relic shining brightly in the afternoon sun filtering through the forest canopy.
Cade and the others drew back as Grimlock knelt on the ground, scooping up the miniature Omega Key from where it lay. At his touch, the relic expanded, protruding from his palm. With careful slowness, Grimlock slid it inside his chest compartment, safe from the elements and away from prying eyes.
"I guess that's it, then," Lucas, one of Santos's lieutenants, said. "It's time for us to head back."
"Wait. There's something else in here." Cade approached the hole where they had excavated the Omega Key. Prowl squinted hard enough and started with surprise. There were two smaller devices buried along with the Omega Key.
Cade crouched to inspect them. "Looks like this is the one that's messing up with the signals." He held up a box-like object with his hands, now encased in the Apex Armor, and handed it to Prowl, who stared at it with interest. He had never seen a signal jammer powerful enough to affect an area as large as the forest, and small enough that it could be buried. The ones back on Cybertron were either massive towers, or had to be carried by a soldier.
"Here's the second one." Cade suddenly stiffened and glanced at Grimlock with a grave expression. "It's the same one we found in London, the one that Viviane's father left behind."
A deep growl sounded from Grimlock. "Show it," he said.
Pulling the disc out of the ground, Cade pressed a button. Prowl was there when Cade had recounted how the first one showed a holographic image of Viviane Wembly's father, so he was expecting the same thing to happen. But instead of a hologram, what only came out was the sound of metal striking metal and the pained roar of a beast that soon faded.
Silence engulfed them like a thick blanket. The TRF troopers glanced at each other in confusion, while the Grandmasters simply stared at the disc with concern.
"That's… Stormwing," Scorn said, receiving nods from Slag and Grimlock.
"Is he…?" Cade trailed off, his expression grim.
Slag's grip on his sword tightened. "Judging from what we'd heard just now, that seems likely." He shook his head, optics burning with restrained fury. "I will kill whoever did this to our brethren."
"Get in line, then," Scorn muttered.
With nothing else to do, the group made the trip back to the TRF's headquarters in Tokyo. It was just past midnight when they arrived at the compound, where the battalion garrisoned there welcomed them. Prowl had taken the signal jammer; with some tweaks, it should be useful for any battles in the future.
As Lucas made his way to report on and brief the base commander of their mission's success, a soldier ran up to him. There was a brief exchange, and Prowl heard Lucas swearing harshly. When he, along with everyone else, looked, Lucas's face was ashen. The TRF lieutenant glanced up at the Autobots, and his next words sent the temperature dropping.
"The base in Wyoming is under attack."
Sorry for the long delay! I've been working as a freelance line editor and beta reader in Fiverr, so I grew busy with a lot of clients for the entire February. Thankfully, I've got free time recently, though I still slogged through a large part of this chapter.
A big factor of that stems from being uncertain of how I would write Santos's POV. I didn't know much about military wargames, so I did my best to incorporate the research I did and my own take. Moreover, I had to create another OC, Rick, who would act as the exact opposite of Santos.
But despite that, I've had a lot of fun writing the other sections, particularly Cade's conversation with Tessa, who still broke up with Shane in this story, and the group's trip to Japan. I would have wanted that last part to be expanded, and indeed I initially planned on name-dropping a popular and fictional Japanese city as another reference, but I felt like it wouldn't fit with the pacing.
The forest of Aokigahara, however, is indeed a real place, infamously known as the Suicide Forest. There are rumors that it scrambles GPS signals, which is how people supposedly get lost, though that was proven to be a hoax. But for this story, I decided to take a creative liberty and incorporate that myth.
Now, let's move on to the Q&A!
In response to Julien Caeg's review: Yes, the relationship between Prowl and Drift is indeed my own take… I think? As I've said in the last chapter, I haven't seen every Transformer media, so I might be wrong XD Regarding Predaking, I would confirm that he's indeed been revived, which as you said is a taboo. As for Quintessa and the Quintessons, you'll have to find out what I've planned for them in the sequel.
In response to Autobot-Wolfsketch's review: No, Unicron will be the greatest antagonist for my Transformers fanfic series. There can be no other. ;)
Anyway, that should be it. The next chapter will be another big one since it's going to feature a lot of fight scenes. Thus, I don't know when I'll be able to post it. But I'll try before mid-March. No promises, though!
Please Read & Review! Until next time!
