"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Amy shouted at the top of her lungs, looking at Clark in disbelief. "You're gonna give that psycho what he wants?!"
"Would you rather me leave Pete, Chloe, and Lana to die?" Clark asked, turning to look at Amy with a fierce gaze. "Or worse?! I don't have much of a choice!"
"You always have a choice, Clark!" Amy argued back, moving in front of Clark the moment he jumped back down to the human area. "You can't seriously be thinking about going through with this!"
"Clark, this is a trap." Optimus warned the Kent man. "Megatron knows he has leverage against you, and he will use it against you."
"Clark, stop, please!" Talida said, escaping Jack's grip as she joined Amy in front of the Kent man. "Megatron will stop at nothing to hurt you, kill you, or use you!"
"I don't care." Clark said, not stopping at all, pushing his way past them as he approached the stairs. "My blabbermouth put them in danger, and I will not let them suffer for it."
"Megatron knows more of your kind than I do, Clark." Optimus warned gravely, causing Clark to stop and look up at him. "He will make sure that you have no way to safely rescue your friends. He wants to use you."
"Daddy, please, don't go!" Krystal's arms wrapped around Clark's waist from behind him, catching him off guard as he looked at his daughter in surprise. "I don't want the mean robot to have you!"
"Krys, I-"
"No!" The little girl's voice hitched in a sob as she hugged her father tighter. "No, no, no!"
"Krystal…" Clark's voice broke slightly at the site of his daughter, tears flowing down her face as she tucked her head into his shirt. "Please-"
"I don't want you to go! I don't want you to go…"
The site was heartbreaking, for everyone involved, and it only made it that much harder for Clark to go through with his decision.
"Krys…" Clark spoke gently, his voice soft as he pried his daughter's hands from his shirt, turning around to face her and crouching down. "I'll be back."
"B-but-"
"Krystal." Clark's voice was firm, but soft, as he interrupted what was most certainly another objection. "I will be back." He assured her, smiling as he gently rubbed her shoulders. "There's nothing on this Earth that can hurt me."
"W-What about the purple stuff?"
"The purple stuff?" Clark asked in confusion, raising an eyebrow. "What purple stuff?"
"The s-stuff that hurt you, Tally, and Arcee." Krystal clarified, referencing the events from when Clark first helped the Autobots.
Admittedly, her recollection of the incident surprised almost everyone there.
"The Dark Energon?" Bulkhead asked, glancing towards Optimus. "From when we thought Cliffjumper was alive?"
"Almost certainly." Optimus nodded as he turned his attention back to the Kent child.
"The p-purple stuff h-hurt you." Krystal recalled, trying to wipe away her tears, stuttering quite badly as she attempted to reign in the waterworks traveling down her face. "It m-made you tired. You n-never tired."
Clark was admittedly unsure of how to respond to that. Of all the people to bring up a good point other than simple worry for him, he had not at all been expecting it to be Krystal.
But Clark was quick to think.
"It only happened when I touched the purple stuff, remember?" Clark asked, a small smile on his face. "As long as it doesn't touch me, it can't hurt me." He assured. "And only the dead ones leak it, right? So there won't be anymore!"
Ratchet and Optimus both looked at each other with knowing glances.
"Unfortunately, that may not be the case, Clark." Optimus spoke, catching Clark's attention. "Though he may not be aware of your weakness to Dark Energon, Megatron may in fact be able to harm you."
"How so?" Clark asked, standing to his feet in confusion. "I mean, I know he has more of the dark stuff, but what's it matter if he never has the chance to use it?"
"Because Megatron has infused his very spark with Dark Energon, Clark." Ratchet explained to the man. "It's how he is able to control the Cybertronian dead. Dark Energon flows through his veins."
"Even if you physically outmatch Megatron, he is the only person who can harm you with Energon blasts, because of the Dark Energon within him." Optimus warned Clark. "Assuming Megatron or the other Decepticons are unaware, you are still walking into a trap, of which, you may not return."
At that declaration, Clark found himself thinking for a moment.
Pete, Chloe, and Lana were his best friends. He couldn't… no, he wouldn't leave them to the Decepticons. If what Talida suffered was any indication, the three were in for immense suffering if Clark did nothing. And considering that Chloe is pregnant, not to mention that they'd been his friends since they were kids…
But on the other hand… he was walking into the hornet's nest. Whether they knew it or not, the Decepticons had something capable of hurting him. Megatron himself was the only Decepticon- the only Cybertronian, capable of hurting Clark. And he needed to be there for Amy and Krystal…
This wasn't like the other times. Here, he was putting his life at risk.
But in the end, there was only one decision Clark could possibly make.
"I have to do it." He declared, looking up at Optimus. "You cannot condone even a single human casualty, Optimus? I can't condone the injury, or death, of anyone close to me."
Everyone was stunned by the declaration. For the first time since he'd joined the Autobots, there was a possibility that he may be hurt.
And he was still going through with it.
Clark's gaze snapped to Ratchet. "Open it."
With a solemn expression, Ratchet nodded, and turned towards the GroundBridge controls.
"Clark, please!" Amy's hand caught Clark's as he walked down the steps, forcing him to stop once more as he turned to look at his fiancee. "I'm begging you, please." Her voice hitched as tears of her own began to fall. "There has to be another way."
Clark stared at Amy, his expression soft, before he moved closer to her.
Cupping her face in his hands, Clark kissed Amy, his eyes fading shut as he gave her one last comfort.
Amy gripped Clark's wrists as her own eyes clenched shut, able to taste her own tears in the kiss, before Clark pulled away from her.
With a look of guilt on his face.
"I'm sorry, Amy." He said, his voice quiet, but sincere. "Take care of Krystal."
And then he turned away and continued down the steps.
Clark gave a sigh to steady his nerves, reinforcing his conviction as he approached the GroundBridge.
And Amy could only watch as the one she loves walked into the Lion's den.
And the moment the GroundBridge closed behind Clark, Amy collapsed, holding a hand to her mouth as she sobbed in emotional agony, fearful for her fiance.
For her Sparkmate.
Clark had to admit, of all the places he was expected to meet Malita, this was not at all where he was expecting.
"How cliche." Clark muttered as he glanced around at his surroundings. "The Empire State Building."
"Perhaps…" The familiar, anger inducing voice of Malita caught his attention, and he turned around to find the teen approaching, adorned in her usual clothing, scars on full display. "But I've always enjoyed the view of the city."
"Wouldn't you have a better view from that warship of yours?" Clark couldn't help but ask with a raised eyebrow.
"When it passes over the city, yes." Malita acknowledged with a nod, leaning against the protective barrier and looking out over the city. "But that's not often, and besides, this building is… important to me."
"Odd, considering you seem intent on conquering the planet and looking down on humans." Clark remarked with an eyeroll. "You're more Decepticon than person."
"Decepticons are people." Malita snarled. "Remember that."
"No." Clark taunted with a shake of his head. "I don't think I will, whore."
Malita growled. "Say another word and the pregnant one has a miscarriage." She threatened.
At the words, Clark's entire demeanor darkened even more than it already had.
"If so much as a single hair is singed on any of them…" Clark whispered darkly, closing the distance as he leaned close to Malita. "I will take that warship of yours out of the air, and I will slaughter every creature on there. And I will make sure that," Clark pointed towards the shoulder he'd scarred. "Is what you wish for when I'm done."
Malita glared right back at Clark. "Noted. Now let's return before I decide that I want a new plaything." She snarled, smirking at the rage on Clark's face.
As much as Clark wanted to rip Malita to pieces right here and now… he knew he couldn't.
Not yet.
"Fine." Clark growled. "Let's go."
With an arrogant smirk on her face, Malita nodded. "Good dog." She taunted, to Clark's irritation. "Soundwave, open the GroundBridge."
A few seconds later, the familiar site and sound of GroundBridge, swirling to life, filled Clark's vision. Any other time, this would be a sign of safe passage, a path to a destination or place he'd come to consider home.
But not this time.
No… this time, it was a path straight into Hell.
Clark found himself hesitating for a moment, something that didn't escape Malita's attention as she immediately began walking into the GroundBridge.
"Come on, Clark." Malita said, glancing back towards Clark with a smirk. "You're my prisoner, now."
Clark narrowed his eyes as he glared at the techno-organic teen, but he said nothing.
Silently, he followed her into the portal.
The simple walk seemed to stretch for miles, a sinking feeling welling deep in the pit of Clark's stomach as he followed who had become one of his most hated enemies to her base. Her home.
Where his closest friends were being held against their will.
The green glow of the GroundBridge surrounded Clark, and though it was usually comforting, now, it was foreboding.
His entire body was tense as he walked through the vortex.
When they finally appeared on the other side, he could see that they prepared for his arrival, as best as they could.
An entire army of Vehicons stood, every single one of them with their blasters deployed, all of them aimed at the GroundBridge exit.
At Clark.
In the middle of them, stood Starscream, who had his hands behind his back, an arrogant smirk on his face as he eyed Clark.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Kryptonian who attacked my beloved." Starscream spoke, chuckling slightly at his own words. "My, how the tables do turn."
Clark was silent, glaring at Starscream with nothing but anger in his expression, to the seeker's delight.
"Oh, angry, are we?" Starscream taunted, causing Malita's own smirk to widen even more as he lowered his hand down to scoop her up, settling her on his shoulder as he brought his hands behind his back once more.
Clark didn't respond.
"The silent treatment, huh?" Malita noted with a raised eyebrow. "Let's see how well that fares with Father." She remarked, turning her gaze towards Starscream. "Take us to him."
"As you wish, my dear." Starscream said with a nod, before turning away from Clark and marching off. "Escort us to Lord Megatron." He ordered the Vehicons.
The Vehicons spread out around Clark as he followed Starscream, each one aiming a weapon at the man, though, it was more for their own comfort than it was to actually hold him.
They all knew, if Clark wanted to, if he chose to, he could slaughter every single one of them with his bare hands in less than a second.
But he wasn't willing to risk his friend's lives.
Malita readjusted herself on Starscream's shoulder, turning to face Clark with her grin still settled firmly on her face.
"So, after everything you've done to us, everything you put me through… you give yourself up? Just like that?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, looking down at Clark with amusement in her eyes. "What happened to big bad Clark Kent?"
Clark's eyes flicked in her direction, but they stayed focused ahead of him, doing his best to ignore her.
Malita scoffed at the display. "All that power, and you care for those lesser than you."
"You're lesser than me, I don't care for you." Clark snarked, unable to hide the tiniest of grins on his face when he noticed Malita scowl at his words.
Malita threw a glare at a Vehicon who snickered at the jab, before she turned her attention back to Clark. "I'm lesser than you? I am the daughter of Cybertron's greatest warrior!"
"You say that like it means something." Clark remarked with an even tone. "Actually, it does. It means you're probably a piece of shit like him."
"The strong live, the weak die." Malita replied with a shrug.
"And you're still alive, why?" Clark jabbed with a raised eyebrow. "You ain't strong, not at all. Tally's stronger than you."
"That brat Talida?!" Malita remarked with wide eyes, before she threw her head back and let out a bonechilling laugh. "That brat couldn't take two weeks of torture! She got captured by simple Vehcons!"
"And yet, she refuses to let the trauma control her." Clark retorted, finally glancing up at Malita with a glare. "Can you say the same?"
Malita's eyes widened at his question. On instinct, she opened her mouth to answer, before stopping herself as she realized something.
She couldn't say the same.
She really couldn't.
Malita found herself pondering Clark's words, unable to believe that he'd actually had a point. She didn't want to accept that her nemesis was stronger than her in any regard.
But unfortunately… she may not have a choice.
Seeing that his words had shut Malita up, Clark turned his attention back towards his path, following Starscream and the armada of Vehicons.
They led him to the command deck, and between the legs of the Vehicons, he could see Soundwave working diligently at a computer station, and it looked as though his visor had finally been repaired.
"Lord Megatron." Starscream spoke, announcing their presence to someone ahead, someone who''s own form Starscream blocked… if only because they were a fair distance away. "We bring you the Kryptonian." He informed his leader as he stepped out of the way. "We bring you… Clark Kent."
Now that Starscream was out of the way, Clark could see the massive shape ahead, standing at the command terminal of the Nemesis, gazing out at the orange skies beyond. Gunmetal silver made up most of the Cybertronian's paint, with splotches of purple in various areas, namely, at the middle of his back.
Clark watched the Decepticon leader turn around, his footsteps sending immense vibrations through the ground as he turned around to face the one he'd heard so much about.
And Clark had to admit, even for himself… Megatron looked terrifying.
It seemed as if most of the Decepticons had a sort of menacing, spiky aesthetic. Even Skyquake had, and he still did. But Megatron was something else… something so much more terrifying.
His eyes were a blood red color, glowing with malice and cruelty Clark never would've believed was possible. His teeth were sharp as he let out a grin, akin to the kind of demonic smiles you'd see in a horror movie, and his scarred face only added to the intimidation factor.
"Ah." Megatron said, turning himself to face Clark fully as he marched towards the man. "Clark Kent. The Last Kryptonian." He spoke as he began walking towards Clark, every footstep rattling Clark's bones as he approached.
"And you're Megatron." Clark remarked, craning his neck more and more to maintain eye contact with the Decepticon leader. "The one who's trying to take over my world after you destroyed your own."
"Your world?" Megatron questioned with an amused smirk. "I was under the impression that you were a Kryptonian."
"My biology doesn't matter." Clark stated with a glare. "I was raised here. My friends and family is here. This is where my home is." He declared confidently, not at all intimidated by the large being in front of him. "This is my planet."
"Intriguing way of looking at things." Megatron remarked, raising an eyebrow at Clark. "But I always assumed that Earth was my planet." He smirked down at Clark.
"Not on your life, Megsy." Clark snarled.
"Oh, temperamental, I see." Megatron laughed at Clark's words. "In any case, I wish to offer you a proposal."
Clark raised an eyebrow. "Really? What makes you think I'm interested in anything you have to say?"
Megatron smirked, before he gestured behind Clark.
Clark turned to look behind him in the direction Megatron was pointing, before he let out a gasp of horror.
Soundwave was approaching them, with Pete and Chloe both in one hand, and Lana in the other.
"Clark?" Pete gasped out when he spotted his best friend.
"Clark, what the hell is going on?!" Lana asked in a panicked voice when she spotted Clark. "What are these things?!"
Clark didn't respond, only staring in horror, before his attention was pulled back to the Decepticon leader by Megatron's own amused laugh.
"Well… it would seem I have your attention." He commented as he looked down at Clark with an amused smirk. "So, shall I begin?"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HIM?!"
Deep down, Amy knew the truth. None of the Autobots would've been able to stop Clark, no matter how much they might have wanted to.
Clark had more power than all of them combined.
But for the first time in her life, she was facing the possibility that Clark wouldn't be coming back. That he would actually get killed. She was panicking. She was hurt, angry, scared.
She was hysterical. And she needed to blame someone.
Unfortunately for the Autobot leader, that someone was him.
"Amy, I-"
"YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY!" Amy shouted, glaring at the Autobot leader through her tear stained gaze. "HE WALKED RIGHT OUT AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO STOP HIM!"
"Amy, I know that you are upset-"
"WE ARE WAY PAST UPSET, PRIME!" Amy interrupted Optimus once more, and everyone else could only watch, too scared to even try to interrupt hysterical woman. "HE'S GONNA GET HIMSELF KILLED!"
"Hey, I've fought alongside Clark." Bulkhead spoke up, catching Amy's attention. "Sure, Megatron might be able to hurt him, but he has to be able to hit him." He reminded the woman in an attempt to calm her down.
"Yeah, let's leave it to chance, Bulkhead!" Amy retorted, snapping her entire body to face the wrecker. "Maybe Clark is okay! Maybe he can avoid getting shot at! Maybe he can focus on fighting god knows how many Decepticons, while searching for, and then saving, three PEOPLE!"
"Hey, Amy, how about we just calm down?" Jack proposed, walking up to the woman with his hands raised into a calming gesture.
Amy didn't take kindly to it at all.
"Don't tell me to calm down, Jack!" Amy whirled around on the teen, causing him to jump back in surprise. "Clark just handed himself over to Megatron and… and…"
Amy went quiet, trying to find the words she was looking for as she clenched her fist and closed her eyes, before her breath hitched as she let out a sob.
"Mommy?" Krystal was the next person to approach her mother, her own gaze muddled by the tears flowing down her face. "Will Daddy be alright?"
Her daughter's question was one that there was no happy answer to. And as much as Amy would like to tell her daughter that he'd be fine…
She couldn't lie to her.
"I-I don't know, sweetie." Amy admitted, wiping her tears as she got down on her knees, sitting in front of her daughter as she tried vainly to dry her tears. "I wish I did, God, I really wish I did, but I don't know, Sweetie." She admitted, the words coming out in a ramble that were hard to understand behind the sobs of anguish.
Krystal looked at her mother for a moment, not at all liking the answer as she turned to look up at Optimus. "Can't you help him, Optimus?"
Optimus looked at Krystal for a moment, unsure of how to answer. "I… I will try, little one." He promised.
Jack watched the scene, his heart breaking at the sight of the family torn apart, and he turned his gaze towards his own girlfriend.
His eyes widened when he spotted her sobbing on the couch, trying to stifle them.
"Lida." Jack gasped as he immediately moved towards his girlfriend, taking a seat next to her on the couch and tugging her towards him. "Lida, come on, look at me."
"I can't lose him too, Jack." Talida whimpered as she turned towards Jack, pressing her face into his shoulder.
Jack ignored the tears soaking his shirt. He had plenty just like it at home. Talida needed him right now.
"H-He is the c-closest thing I have to a human f-father." She admitted to her boyfriend, hugging him close. "H-He is f-family. I c-care for h-him like I c-care for Dad."
"I know, Lida. I know." Jack said, rubbing Talida's shoulder comfortingly as he hugged her. "I care for him like that too."
"R-Really?" Talida asked, glancing up at Jack in surprise.
Jack let a small smile worm it's way. "He was in my life just like he was yours, remember?" He reminded her gently. "He was there when my Dad wasn't."
Meanwhile, Miko and Raf both felt like the odd ones out.
"This blows." Miko said dejectedly, looking down at her feet. "Clark had helped us out so much, and we can't do anything to help him." She mumbled.
Raf nodded in agreement. "How do you think I feel? I was able to track down Agent Fowler while he was on the Decepticon warship, but I can't track Clark like that."
Arcee slowly walked over to her sparkmate, resting her hand upon his own. "Hey, are you alright?"
"No, I'm not, Arcee." He admitted, looking down at her with a guilty look. "I got Clark involved in this, I allowed him to go with us to the mines in search of Cliffjumper. And now, Megatron may very well have him in his claws."
"It's not your fault, Optimus." Arcee assured him gently. "He went cause Talida went. And Talida went because… because I convinced you to let her." Arcee's own look turned guilty. "I'm not a big fan of the guy, but I'm the reason he went into the mines with us that day, not you."
"No, Arcee, the blame does fall on my shoulders." Optimus said firmly, placing a hand on the femme's shoulders. "I am the leader of this team, and Clark's involvement occurred with my permission."
"Neither of you should blame yourself." Ratchet interrupted the couple's words. "Regardless of your decision, Optimus, or your beliefs, a part of me suspects that Clark might have followed you anyway." He admitted, turning to look at the two.
"How to you figure that?" Arcee asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Because it seems to me that Clark has a penchant for helping if he can." Ratchet answered simply. "In spite of his recklessness and his rather rude demeanor, Clark wishes to help those closest to him in any way he can."
Though it didn't make them feel any better, the medic's words to lift the weight of some guilt off both their shoulders.
"When my own wisdom fails, I can always count on your own, old friend." Optimus said, smiling at the medic. "Thank you."
"The medic's job is to heal." Ratchet commented, glancing towards Amy, who was still hugging Krystal tightly, attempting to comfort her daughter as best as she could in spite of her own struggles. "That doesn't always mean physical wounds."
Skyquake found himself feeling useless. He'd been told that his emergence from stasis and his joining to Team Prime would've been a boon.
Instead, their most powerful member had handed himself to the worst person he possibly could've, knowing that there was a possibility he wasn't coming back.
If only they could've helped him in some way. Even if it was to-
Wait.
Wait a second!
"We have the human phones patched into the Autobot Comlink system, right?" Skyquake suddenly spoke up, catching everyone's attention.
"Yes, we do." Ratchet nodded, noticing the way Skyquake's face lit up at the prospect. "Why?"
"Our sensors can detect any Autobot signal anywhere on Earth unless a shielding is in place." Skyquake recalled, moving towards the computer console. "May I?"
"Of course." Ratchet nodded, moving out of the way and allowing Skyquake to take over. "But, may I ask why?"
"The shielding only works if it's programmed to shield the specific frequency." Skyquake clarified as he began typing away. "For example, our base's shielding prevents us from being detected, and from triangulating our position from within the base. However, the Decepticon Warship does not do that."
"We can detect our own life signals on the Decepticon Warship." Ratchet remarked, looking at Skyquake. "Because-"
"Because the Nemesis has cloaking capabilities, not shielding capabilities." Skyquake revealed, catching everyone's attention. "Though the warship and the Decepticon life signals on board are cloaked, our own are not when we're present on the warship. And if Clark's phone has been patched into the comlink system-"
"Then we can track his position upon the Nemesis." Optimus finished, causing everyone's attention to snap towards the Autobot leader.
"What?!" Talida said, jumping to her feet.
"We can?!" Amy asked, hope filling her tone, replacing the anguish that was present.
As if it was fate, at that moment, Skyquake finished typing his commands on the computer.
On the screen, the map zoomed out, before zooming in on a different location.
Everyone watched with bated breaths as the map honed in on what Skyquake had typed in…
Before an Autobot Beacon popped on the screen.
"There!" Skyquake said, backing away from the terminal. "That's where Clark is!"
"Then we haven't a moment to lose." Optimus declared, turning to look at Ratchet. "Ratchet, open the GroundBridge."
"You want me to do what?!"
"Become my finest weapon." Megatron said, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "I cannot allow the Autobots to have such a powerful asset on their side. Join the Decepticons, and no harm shall come to your friends."
Clark looked up at Megatron with a glare. "You want me to be a weapon? Is that all you see me as?"
"Yes." Megatron responded bluntly. "You would never willingly join the Decepticons, but your destructive potential is far too valuable to me to be left in the Autobots' hands." He explained to the man.
Clark scoffed. "Yeah. I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less from someone who disturbs the dead." He remarked with a sigh.
Megatron let out a chuckle. "So, what will it be, Kent?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "WIll you join me? Or will I have Soundwave grind your friends into pulp?"
Clark turned his gaze towards his friend, each one of them staring at him with a horrified gaze as they realized the position he was put in.
"Don't do it, man." Pete, oddly enough, was the first one to speak. "I don't want to live in a world run by a dictator." He said, looking at Clark.
"Quiet, human." Starscream growled, glaring at Pete. "Your opinion doesn't matter here."
"It matters to Clark, you pile of bolts." Lana remarked, a noticeable quiver still in her voice, but a defiant undertone was present. "It's his decision to join you, and I'd rather not live in the world Hitler wanted."
"Why you-" Malita went to take a step towards Soundwave, raising a hand with flames, only to stop when Clark suddenly appeared in front of her.
"I will kill everyone here if you even try it." He threatened, his eyes glowing red with hate as he glared at the techno-organic teen.
"Malita." Megatron spoke sternly, glaring at his daughter. "Stand down."
Malita growled, but she knew better than to disobey her father, backing away from Clark with a glare.
"And you." Megatron turned his attention towards Pete, Lana, and Chloe. "It would suit you best to remain silent, unless you wish for the blonde one to have… what do you humans call it? A miscarriage?" He gave a cruel smile at the horrified looks on their faces.
"You're a monster." Chloe whispered in horror, tears of fear running down her face.
"Yes, I am." Megatron acknowledged with a smirk.
"No." Clark said, looking at Megatron with narrowed eyes, catching the Decepticon Leader's attention.
"No?" Megatron asked with a raised eyebrow.
"This is my home." Clark declared, looking up at Megatron with a fierce gaze. "I will not let you destroy it."
Megatron looked at Clark for a moment. "If that is your choice, then so be it." He turned to look at Soundwave. "Crush them."
"No!" Clark said, jerking on Soundwave almost immediately, his eyes glowing red.
Having experienced combat with the Kryptonian first hand, Soundwave knew exactly what was coming.
He immediately rolled out of the way, just barely dodging a blast of heat vision, eliciting cries of terror and surprise from the three humans. Jumping into the air, Soundwave transformed, flying out of the command deck and through the corridor with his captives in his cockpit.
"Get back here, you son of a bitch!" Clark was ready to charge after Soundwave, only to let out a grunt as a clawed hand backhanded him, sending him flying.
"You won't reach your friends, Kryptonian." Starscream sneered as he looked at Clark, flexing his claws as Malita stood next to him, allowing flames to engulf her hands. "They will die."
"Not if I have anything to say about it." Clark snarled, his eyes glowing red as he stood to his feet.
The exchange was interrupted by a GroundBridge portal opening, catching everyone's attention.
"What in the Pits?!" Megatron snarled as he snapped towards the Ground Bridge portal.
Not even a second later, a battle cry echoed through the command deck as Skyquake's large form came charging out of the GroundBridge. Starscream only had a second to let out an undignified yelp, before Skyquake's large form crashed into him.
Malita had just barely jumped out of the way, turning to look at the GroundBridge, before she barely dodged an attack by Talida, raising her hands to block a flame enhanced attack.
"Talida." Malita growled as she glared at her nemesis, while the rest of the Autobots, sans Ratchet, came through the GroundBridge.
"We're getting our friends out of here, Malita." Talida declared, her eyes glowing blue as she glared at her enemy. "All of them."
Malita snarled, her eyes glowing red to match Talida's own blue ones, as they charged each other.
Arcee, Bumblebee, and Optimus all fanned out, Optimus going after Megatron while Arcee and Bumblebee focused on the Vehicons. Meanwhile, Bulkhead ran towards Clark, while Skyquake focused on Starscream.
"You alright?" Bulkhead asked as he stopped next to Clark, as the GroundBridge portal closed.
"I think you know the answer to that." Clark said as he glanced towards Bulkhead. "Soundwave took off down the corridor with Pete, Lana, and Chloe." He informed the wrecker.
"I'll go after him." Bulkhead said, looking down at Clark. "I'll get them back."
"Be careful." Clark said, looking up at Bulkhead. "I'm going after Megatron." He growled, glaring at the Decepticon leader.
"Got it." Bulkhead nodded, before turning and taking off down the corridor.
Meanwhile, Optimus and Megatron were having a staredown.
"Optimus. What a surprise." Megatron remarked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the Prime. "I'm curious to know how you were able to find us."
"That's none of your concern, Megatron." Optimus retorted, deploying his blade. "Where are the humans?"
Megatron smirked as he deployed his own blade. "Soundwave is disposing of them at the moment." He taunted the Autobot leader. "You're too late." With those words, He raised his hand in the air, moving to to wing his blade at Optimus.
Optimus raised his own blade to block it, but Megatron's own never connected, as a blue blur slammed into the Decepticon leader's chest, sending him flying across the command deck.
Optimus watched his nemesis slam against the wall in surprise, before turning to find Clark standing in Megatron's place, glaring at the Decepticon with rage.
"I hope you don't mind the company, Prime." Clark said as he rolled his shoulders. "But I have a bone to pick with him."
Optimus looked at Clark for a moment, before he turned to glare at Megatron. "The help is appreciated, Clark." He said.
Megatron climbed to his feet slowly, not expecting the hit that had surprised him as he looked up at Optimus and Clark.
"Two against one?" He remarked with a raised eyebrow. "Hardly fair."
"You don't deserve fair." Clark snarled as he took a combat position, Optimus mirroring him.
"We will rescue the humans, Megatron." Optimus declared, glaring at his old enemy.
Megatron gritted his teeth, before letting out a warcry as he charged the two.
Optimus returned the charge in kind, while Clark instead ran off, moving to flank the Decepticon leader.
The battle had begun.
Through the corridors of the Nemesis, any Vehicon in Soundwave's way barely had time to get out of the seeker's path. Unfortunately, they were usually too distracted by the Decepticon Communications officer to avoid the angry wrecker following him.
"Get back here, Soundwave!" Bulkhead growled, driving as fast as he could after the Decepticon. His engine roared through the halls of the Nemesis, matched only by the whistle of Soundwave's own jet engines.
The Decepticon remained silent, as always, but Bulkhead could hear the panicked cries of the humans within Soundwave's cockpit, and it was only spurring him even more.
"Come on, come on…" Bulkhead muttered urgently to himself as he drove after Soundwave. He deployed his vehicle blaster, aiming it at Soundwave before firing.
The Energon Blast was a lucky one, as the wrecker managed to clip the Decepticon's wing, causing him to slam into the corridor walls as he tried to correct himself.
Realizing he was only damaging himself, Soundwave transformed, sending the humans flying into the air as he landed, sliding across the floor of the Nemesis.
Bulkhead was quick to react when he spotted the falling humans, quickly transforming into his robot mode as he raised his hands.
He managed to catch Pete and Chloe in one hand, while he caught Lana with his other.
"Chloe!" Pete shouted, turning his attention to his wife. "Are you alright?"
The woman was very clearly shaken, but she nodded, pressing herself against her husband as she hugged him. "I'm fine."
"Thank god!" Lana couldn't help but say as she looked up at Bulkhead. "Thank you!"
Bulkhead nodded. "Glad to help." He said, before turning to look at Soundwave.
Soundwave said nothing, and his visor gave nothing away for what he was feeling, but Bulkhead had a pretty good idea of how Soundwave felt at the moment, considering the blackened metal of his arm and the scratch marks along his chest.
Bulkhead glared at the Decepticon Communications officer, lowering Pete, Chloe, and Lana to the ground as he braced himself.
Soundwave made no sound, instead, he deployed his tendrils, all of them hovering menacingly as they faced Bulkhead.
Bulkhead's eyes widened in surprise, before he raised his arms as the tendrils lashed out, grunting as they scratched at his arms, sending him skidding back across the ground.
Soundwave immediately lunged towards the humans, intent on grabbing them as his tendrils occupied Bulkhead, but the Wrecker was quick to notice, quickly grabbing the flailing tendrils and yanking them with a grunt.
Soundwave found himself pulled away from the humans and closer to Bulkhead, stumbling in surprise towards the Wrecker as the larger bot let go of the tendrils with one hand, pulling it back into a fist as he punched the Decepticon square in the visor.
Soundwave's head launched back, and he retracted his tendrils back into his person as he realized that they weren't going to be of help against this particular Autobot.
Bulkhead simply glared at the communications officer as he stumbled back. "Wanna dance?" Bulkhead asked, shifting his hand into a wrecking ball as he took a combat stance.
Soundwave said nothing. Instead, he transformed and flew off.
"You kidnap humans now, Malita? Talida questioned her nemesis as she dodged a flaming right hook from her enemy.
"Kent scarred me because I hurt you." Malita sneered as she followed up with a kick to Talida's head, to which Talida ducked under. "Because you couldn't take a little punishment."
Talida retaliated by slamming her own TK charged fist into Malita's face, sending her skidding back. "You tortured me for two weeks!" She shouted, her eyes glowing blue with anger.
"And how good it felt." Malita smirked, knowing she was striking a nerve. She swiftly dodged a blast of Talida's heat vision, only to raise her hands to block a kick coming straight for her face.
"You talk a big game, but do you think you could've taken it if we switched places?" She asked with a growl. "I bet you'd let it control you for the rest of your life."
Malita's smirk vanished at Talida's words. "Shut up." She snarled as she lunged at Talida, who dodged and retaliated with a punch to Malita's jaw, causing the girl's head to whip in the opposite direction.
"It's not so fun when someone strikes your nerve, is it?" Talida taunted, dodging another wild, rage-filled swing and countering with a flaming punch to Malita's gut. "I thought you were trained by Megatron himself?"
"SHUT UP!" Malita shouted, launching a torrent of heated flames at Talida, who responded in kind with a torrent of frozen flames.
The flames clashed against each other, struggling to overwhelm the opposing force with little success.
Both had their eyes glowing as they poured as much power as they possibly could into their flames.
Slowly, Malita's own flames began to overwhelm Talida's freezing ones, her better experience with her abilities giving her the advantage she needed.
Talida groaned as she was slowly being overwhelmed. As her powers had only kicked in recently, they weren't as matured as Malita's were, and she found herself unable to compete with the older techno-organic's experience.
"What's wrong, Tally?" Malita taunted, grinning like a madwoman. "Can't take the heat?"
Talida gritted her teeth as she glared at her nemesis past the wall of flame they were creating. The blue glow of her eyes grew brighter as the anger and hatred built within her, and she let the fury against the girl in front of her bubble to the surface.
"SCREW YOU!" Talida shouted at the top of her lungs as the power behind her eyes built up, before she let it all out with a rage filled yell, activating her heat vision.
Malita ceased her wall of flames, as did Talida, as she Decepticon techno-organic shouted in pain as Talida's heat vision seared her injured shoulder.
"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" Talida continued to shout, firing her Heat Vision in a continuous blast as she tried to hit Malita.
Malita gritted her teeth as she erected a TK shield, stopping the heat vision in it's tracks, though, with a struggle.
Heat vision was much more powerful, more concussive, than the heat and ice flames of their abilities were, and as such, it was much harder to withstand against with a TK shield.
Gritting her teeth, Talida oured as much power as she could into her heat vision. Clark had left his mark on Malita for her.
It was Talida's turn to do it herself.
Meanwhile, Megatron wasn't faring the best against both Clark and Optimus.
Megatron let out a grunt as he parried a swipe of Optimus sword, retaliating with a punch to the Autobot Leader's face, sending him skidding back.
Clark was quick to punish the Decepticon, running up along Megatron's body and delivering a jarring punch to the Decepticon leader's helm.
Megatron growled as he tried to hone his eyes on the Kryptonian, only to find himself receiving a punch to his helm, courtesy of Optimus.
"You are outnumbered, Megatron." Optimus warned the Decepticon. "You and I are equal in combat, and you cannot face both myself and Clark."
Megatron growled as he raised hand, retracting his sword as he aimed his fusion cannon at Optimus. "You underestimate me, Optimus." Megatron snarled as he fired at the Autobot leader, causing Optimus to strafe to the right, deploying his own blaster as he fired back at Megatron.
Megatron let out a growl as Optimus' less powerful blaster landed a few shots on him, but he didn't have long to try and retaliate before his right foot was knocked out from under him by Clark, bringing him to one knee.
Clark immediately turned around and snagged Megatron by the foot, yanking him and spinning on his own. He built up speed, using Megatron's weight to his advantage as before he let go of the mech, sending him flying across the command deck.
"You're going down, bucket head." Clark snarled as Megatron dented the wall he hit, crumpling to the ground from the impact.
Megatron glared at Clark, wiping a small trail of Energon that ran from his lip. "I don't think so, Kryptonian."
His eyes flicked towards Talida, who was still trying to incinerate Malita with her own heat vision.
Clark's gaze followed Megatron's turning to look at the teen he saw as a second child. And his eyes widened as he realized Megatron's intentions.
Too late.
Megatron's hand shot up, aiming his fusion cannon at Talida, to Optimus and Clark's horror.
"TALIDA!" Optimus shouted in horror as both Malita and Talida turned towards him, letting his emotions spill over as Megatron fired.
And Clark's mind was in overdrive.
His perception of time altered, slowed to a crawl.
He could see every little change in Talida's facial expression.
He could see the blue glow fading from her eyes every millisecond.
He could see the Energon blast moving, slowed, but still quite fast in his view.
To anyone else's view, he was a blur, moving within an instant. But in his own, he was sprinting as fast as he possibly could towards Talida.
As the Energon Blast approached Talida's form, who was still processing what she was seeing, Clark barely beat it, snagging the techno-organic teen by the collar and throwing her to the side gently, out of the way as he stood where she had.
And then, time resumed.
And he was consumed with pain.
Then… nothing.
No one was sure of what to say. All battles had ceased, everything was quiet. Bulkhead had just arrived back with Pete, Lana, and Chloe just in time to witness what had happened.
Clark was sent flying by the Energon blast, his body limp as it landed on the ground with a dull thud.
His clothes were burnt and torn, and his body was coated in burns and cuts as it laid, unmoving.
He was unconscious… hopefully.
Bulkhead stared with his mouth open in disbelief.
Pete's eyes were open wide in shock.
Lana and Chloe both had their hands over their mouths in horror as they saw the body of their best friend.
Optimus was staring in horror.
Arcee and Bumblebee looked on with looks of shock on their faces.
Skyquake was looking at Clark's body with disbelief.
Malita looked surprised by the turn of events.
Starscream had a pleased smile on his face.
And Megatron… was grinning.
"Clark?" Talida whispered in disbelief, horror slowly filling her person as she stared at Clark's prone form, slowly processing what she was looking at, before she scrambled to her feet and towards Clark's limp form. "CLARK!"
"So… my theory was correct." Megatron muttered with an amused tone as he stood to his feet. "Kryptonians are vulnerable to Dark Energon."
"Clark!" Pete shouted in horror as he stared at the body of his best friend.
"No!" Lana exclaimed in anguish.
"Oh my god." Chloe whispered, covering her mouth in horror.
"Oh Primus, Clark!" Talida exclaimed as she stopped next to Clark's unconscious body, gripping his shoulders as he shook his limp form frantically. "Please god, Primus, anything, wake up!" The tears flowed freely from her face as she looked as tried anything she could to wake the man she saw as a second father.
The site should've brought pleasure to Malita. The man who scarred her was injured, and her mortal enemy was in anguish.
Instead, all she could feel was agony, horror. A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. A sense of deja vu.
*"NO, MOMMY! PLEASE! WAKE UP!"*
Guilt.
"So it would seem that the Kryptonians are finally extinct." Megatron declared with a smirk as he walked closer towards Talida, charging up his fusion cannon. "Perhaps now, I can be rid of my nosy niece as well."
Malita's gaze snapped towards her father. And for the first time in her life, she was worried for Talida.
"No!" Optimus shouted in horror, charging towards Megatron.
Megatron grinned as he charged his fusion cannon, taking aim towards Malita.
And then, a miracle.
Clark's eyes snapped open, causing Talida to gasp, before he sat up, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him and out of the way in one quick motion as he activated his heat vision.
Megatron had no time to react, before the red lancing beams of heat hit him square in the chest.
Directly in his spark chamber.
Everyone watched in surprise as the tables turned. Megatron froze as pain unlike any he'd felt before lit up his chest as Clark's heat vision seared through the layers of metal.
It was agony in it's purest form.
When Clark finally let up, Megatron stood, wide-eyed, unable to say or do anything, with a gaping hole burned into his chest, revealing the Dark Energon shard within his spark chamber.
And then… the Decepticon Leader collapsed.
After a few seconds of staring at the scene in shock, unable to believe what had just heard, Clark broke the silence when he flopped back down on the ground.
"Ow…" He groaned out, hissing in pain as he looked down at Talida with a small smile. "Not to self, Dark Energon: Bad."
"Oh thank Primus!" Talida exclaimed, jerking Clark up and into a hug. "You scared the hell out of me!"
"How do you think I feel?" Clark asked with a pained voice.
"Ratchet, we have accomplished our mission." Optimus informed the Autobot medic over the comlink, eyeing Bulkhead, who held the rejoicing humans in his grip. "We require GroundBridge, now." He ordered, eyeing the site of his daughter fussing over Clark.
For once, the Decepticons didn't try to chase or stop them.
"Oh my god!"
Amy was rushing down the steps the moment she spotted Clark coming through, being supported by Talida and Pete as she took in the burns, cuts, and torn clothing on his person.
Clark himself was letting out small hisses of pain as he was guided back inside the base, not at all used to any sort of pain.
"Sorry, buddy." Pete apologized as he led Clark further in the base, while the other Autobots followed.
"What happened?" Ratchet asked, turning to look at Optimus.
"Clark protected Talida from being killed by Megatron." Optimus informed the Autobot medic.
"Not to mention frying ol' Bucket Head's spark chamber." Bulkhead commented with a smile. "He's pushing up lugnuts, now!"
"You son of a bitch." Amy snapped, glaring at Clark as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him from Talida and Pete's grip.
"Ow, Amy!" Cark grunted in pain. "Goddamn!"
"Serves you right." Amy remarked, though Clark knew she didn't mean any of it. Clark hugged her back in spite of his pain.
"I know I scared you, Amy. And I'm sorry." He apologized, leaning into her hair and kissing her head. "But hey, I'm fine."
"You better be." Amy muttered, hugging Clark tightly.
"Daddy?" Krystal's voice caught Clark's attention, and he turned to find his daughter approaching him and Amy slowly, concern written all over his features.
And in spite of his pain, Clark smiled.
"Come here, rascal." He said, opening his arm and inviting the child in for a hug.
Krystal beamed at the offer, gladly accepting it as she ran towards her parents, gladly joining in on the hug.
Clark let out a grunt of pain as Krystal slammed into him, but he refused to show it. For his daughter's sake.
"So," Lana spoke up, interrupting the moment with a small smile. "You mentioned your new friends had a secret that wasn't yours to tell." She remarked, causing the three to turn their attention towards her.
"It wouldn't be that they're really sentient alien robots, would it?" Chloe asked with a raised eyebrow.
Clark glanced up at Optimus for a moment, before he let out a small chuckle as he directed his gaze back towards his best friends. "You all might want to take a seat. It's a long story."
"We got nothing but time, Clark." Pete said with a smile.