Author's Note: I'm so sorry! I know it's been way too long since I last updated. I'm going to spare you my profound excuses. I made this chapter EXTRA long in the hopes you don't throw me off of the cliff I left you hanging on! :D Hopefully I can focus more on this story now that I've removed one I was in the middle of writing since I completely lost my inspiration and not many people liked it…including me, and I'm the one who wrote it lol. I sort of finished another one (kind of)…I left it as a sort of ending/prelude to an eventual sequel.
I'm in the process of writing an original science fiction novel that I really want to publish one of these days. I'm already at page 43! I've also composed a soundtrack that would accompany it should my book become famous enough to one day be a movie. ;)
The whole point of trying to limit myself by finishing/discontinuing stories is so that I'm not overwhelmed…. Regardless I believe this story is one that I will finish for certain! :D
ONE LAST NOTE! - Just so you know I envision Optimus's arm blades protracting from his forearm and sliding over his wrist above his hand, like in the Michael Bay movies- (Don't get me started when it comes to that TF serial killer...) -rather than in the Prime show where his whole hand disappears and is replaced with a sword. That was always weird to me. You can imagine this as you see fit, I'm just giving you the heads up since I've written it this way. THANKS!
CHAPTER 7
"Optimus! I've been expecting you!"
"Megatron…" Optimus growled with narrowed optics as his arch-rival leered at him from across the glade. The leader of the Autobots glanced down at Jack, seconds before Megatron fully entered the clearing and gave him a stern look—one that Jack could easily read despite the fact a battle mask currently obscured most of it.
"Stay behind me. Keep out of sight. Return to the park entrance and do not return…no matter what you may hear." Optimus ordered softly but firmly.
Jack nodded with wide eyes and then made a hasty retreat towards the dirt road that would lead him back to the security gate.
Optimus then focused his full attention on his foe. He was confident that Megatron was ignorant of the child's presence. His confidence was immediately shattered seconds later and was replaced with momentary, spark-wrenching fear when the Decepticon leader acknowledged that he caught wind of what Optimus was trying to hide. Megatron simply raised his right hand and used his index finger to slowly, yet repeatedly point in the direction behind the Autobot leader where Jack was still fleeing… with a wicked grin of absolute glee.
Optimus managed to mask most of his initial terror as he shook himself free from the paralyzing effect that such a reviled emotion evoked. He held his ground and chose to retract his arm blades, preferring fists over weapons. It gave his hands greater range of motion should the need arise to fight his opponent in hand-to-hand combat. His mind raced with thousands of thought processes all at once.
Why was Megatron here? Why was he here alone? He rarely challenged him personally. What was his motivation? Who or what, was he really after? Was it Jack? Why else would he have pointed towards the path Jack was using to escape? It was rather convenient for Megatron to meet him here…too convenient. This couldn't be a chance encounter. It appeared to be nothing short of a grand coincidence… but Optimus Prime didn't believe in coincidence…only the illusion of coincidence.
His thought process ground to a screeching halt at the startling sound of Megatron's harsh laughter. The Autobot leader internally berated himself for his inattentiveness. If he and Jack were going to get out of their current dilemma alive, Optimus knew he had to remain alert. One more slip up like that…
The leader of the Autobots shuddered as virtually every possible worst-case scenario seared through his already overworked processor in less than a nanosecond.
Megatron laughed as he watched the human child escape and shouted after him.
"Don't go far, boy! I'm coming for you next!"
Megatron gave the Autobot leader a haughty smirk when he took notice of his wide optics and protective posture. Optimus Prime was a fool for bringing the boy here with him!
"Did you honestly believe that the child would escape my notice? I could hear his diminutive footfalls through the fallen leaves minutes before I made my presence known…and I could smell his fear long before he departed…" the Decepticon leader sneered.
"Leave him out of this, Megatron. This is between you and me!"
"Indeed it is…but once your spark has been extinguished, I promise you…the boy will be mine."
Optimus's optics narrowed and he growled as he slid into a fighting stance.
"If that is what you desire…then you'll have to go through me."
"I intend to! Thank you for answering my summons by the way. Although I'm rather disappointed that you fell for such a simple ruse..."
Megatron held up the locator beacon and replayed the transmission between Optimus and "Arcee". Only this time…
Optimus clenched his hands into fists when he heard Megatron's clever ploy. The transmission between himself and Arcee was a trap! In fact it wasn't really Arcee's voice at all—Megatron disguised his own using a voice modulator.
So Jack had been right...
Prime immediately recognized his oversight with deep loathing. How could he have been so foolish? The coordinates for this impromptu rendezvous was the perfect place for such an encounter. Remote and far from prying human eyes. The Autobot leader mentally chided himself for ignoring the plain, yet contradictive subtleties found within the wording of the message.
"—found nothing and yet there seems to be a beacon according to our scanners. We swept the place and it was clean. The only thing we found were traces of those ionized Cybertonium particles. We thought you might want to look into it."
He should have paid more attention…
Optimus Prime vowed he would not make the same mistake twice.
"If you came here to retrieve the artifact, it's long gone. We don't have it."
"I know you don't. I didn't come here for a mere trinket," the Decepticon leader scoffed as though Prime were an ignorant youngling.
"Then why are you here?" Optimus questioned warily. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like the answer.
"Why do you think? It's time to end our conflict permanently! Only one of us will walk away this time! I've made sure of it. Your com-link is jammed, so don't expect a rescue. I have Soundwave to thank for that. Now what is that phrase you seem to take an obsessive liking to? 'One shall stand and one shall fall'? Very fitting, for fall you shall!"
Megatron charged up his arm mounted fusion cannon and aimed it at his hated arch-nemesis. Optimus was already moving before he had the chance to fire. The Autobot leader tackled him and didn't grace his long-time rival with a response as they engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
For Optimus, it was not surprising that his communications were down. He didn't need an expert to tell him that. He knew they'd been disabled from the moment he set foot in the glade, right as Megatron made his grand appearance.
Optimus Prime was far from worried. There were a few times in the past when Megatron challenged him alone. So far, the Autobot leader kept a pretty good track record with victories outweighing defeats. When it came to one-on-one battles with Megatron, Optimus almost always came out on top.
However, something about this personal challenge felt…off to him somehow. Prime had the feeling that something dire was going to happen. That it was going to have a drastic impact on the future…
"You were foolish to bring the boy here. That's not like you…seeing as how you have a weak-minded, loathsomely stubborn nature when it comes to protecting and saving every living thing. Well I promise you, Prime. I shall be sure to bring great pain upon him as soon as I'm finished with you."
"You won't succeed, Megatron! Not while I still function!"
"You cannot protect that insect forever. Tell me, why does this human appeal to you more than any other? Why go so far as to risk your life to save such a worthless creature…one who is so undeserving of life?"
"You are forgetting Megatron…Primus created all life. Including the humans." The Autobot leader growled deeply as he protracted his right sword blade from the hidden sheath in his forearm.
"Your little pet is an abomination…a weakling who is unfit and undeserving of life."
"You call Jack an abomination? You know as well as I do, that Primus is incapable of creating those. Only Unicron holds that power," Optimus countered as he rolled clear of a cannon blast. "By allowing Unicron to darken and twist your very spark, you became ripe for the molding. The chaos bringer created an abomination all right…but that abomination… is you."
"Ah! So at last the little one has a name. Jack. He'll be the first human I enslave after I've conquered this world. Thanks for the compliment by the way…" Megatron smirked with wicked delight when Optimus went on the offensive and launched his first attack with an enraged war cry.
The Decepticon leader's own sword extended from his arm guard and he clashed blades with the Autobot leader, sending sparks flying.
Luckily the forest was still drenched from a twelve hour downpour of heavy rain, so there was little to no chance that any vegetation would catch on fire. Optimus was thankful for this. He could only imagine how Agent Fowler would react if half the forest burned down…
As they fought, Megatron purposefully gave Optimus the upper hand…simply so he could better observe his opponents flaws and exploit his rival's weaknesses. The Autobot leader's strength was his brilliant, calm, and calculating mind. Optimus Prime was well-known to remain stoic and reserved. If it weren't for those traits, he might have been defeated millennia ago.
Megatron knew this. They'd been fighting an ageless war for eons after all.
So his goal was to corrupt the delicate balance between logic and emotion.
He could already see the simmering anger within Prime's optics…it was a flickering flame. Megatron knew that to achieve certain victory, sometimes patience was the key. He watched and waited for the perfect opportunity, in which time he would take that small flame of anger within Optimus Prime and coax it into a roaring, raging inferno.
It wasn't difficult to successfully goad many of his past opponents into dropping their usually taciturn personas in exchange for an all-encompassing, emotional eruption. Optimus Prime was the only one in history that ever proved to be the rare exception.
The Decepticon leader was baffled beyond reason when he realized that baiting his current enemy with verbal taunts was quite easy this time…it was completely out of character for Optimus. It usually took more than this to break him… What would normally have taken a prolonged battle to augment some form of emotional response took less than a minute.
"Do you know what I'm going to do with the boy once I've finally caught him? I won't kill him right away…of that I can promise you. So I shall grant him a fate worse than death."
"You'll never get within a league of him! I won't let you!"
"Your overconfidence in your abilities to protect the child will be your downfall."
As they continued to fight, Megatron's verbal jabs and taunts began to do exactly as he'd been hoping for. Optimus's defenses were weakening. Optimus Prime must really care for this boy… perhaps he could use that to his advantage.
"Rather than kill the child…perhaps I'll make him my personal slave. Or better yet, my little pet!"
Megatron knew that Prime's compassion for lesser creatures made him predictable in battle. If those he was so desperately trying to protect were caught in the middle of the titans' battles…or were individually targeted, Optimus immediately went on the defensive and did everything in his power to prevent the Decepticons from achieving their intended goal.
Therefore, it was not that difficult for Megatron to manipulate the course of the battle. He simply fueled his own attacks commingled with threats against the human boy's safety to force Prime on the defensive. The Decepticon leader had to play his role or risk arousing Optimus's suspicion. It wasn't that difficult since Megatron was usually the savagely offensive one… especially when it came to fulfilling his promises to eliminate something or someone. His threats were never to be ignored or taken lightly and Prime knew that. Megatron always vowed to stop at nothing to see his murderous intentions through. If he failed to make Optimus believe that his target was Jack and not himself…Megatron's efforts were in vain.
Optimus parried and counter-attacked the Decepticon leader's every blow. He seemed to be focusing more on their physical battle rather than their verbal one. So far, Prime appeared outwardly calm despite Megatron's jibes regarding Jackson Darby.
Optimus knew that words, despite their potential to deeply wound, were still more or less just empty air.
Then why couldn't he simply ignore them?
"NEVER! The child's life and his destiny...are to remain FREE!" Optimus shouted as he locked blades moments later with his wily combatant.
Megatron laughed maniacally as he thought of something truly diabolical…it would stoke the forge and at last ignite the long dormant feelings that Optimus had suppressed for countless years. There was no doubt about it. Megatron would no longer have to continue his little ruse once Prime completely abandoned his defensive way of thinking in exchange for aggressive domination.
"In the beginning, I think the first thing I will have my obedient little slave do is mount your head upon one of the walls in my throne room-"
"Don't push me Megatron!" Optimus snarled with the promise of retribution should he ignore his warning.
Megatron released a wicked laugh as he ducked to avoid decapitation…the irony. He had a feeling Prime did that on purpose in retaliation for his insult.
"—then after he's helped me display your cold, lifeless shell within my hall…that's when I'll turn him from slave into pet. I'm sure the boy at that point will be far too traumatized to continue his role as a slave, especially after he is forced to polish your corpse twice a day. My hard-earned trophies must always remain spotless after all…otherwise they just aren't worth displaying."
That one remark was all it took to make Optimus crack. Prime's reaction was just as Megatron envisioned. He couldn't believe it…
"That will NEVER be Jack's future!" Optimus shouted as he felt tendrils of hot, blazing fury slowly begin to creep into his spark. It was beginning to consume him like a cancer and threatened to bring with it an encroaching darkness.
Now the Autobot leader fueled his attacks with raw, unbridled emotion.
His already palpable rage was steadily mounting, like a dormant volcano about to erupt, despite his best efforts to control it. Optimus of course was doing his best to put a lid on it but for some reason, this time was different. Why was it so hard to reign in? Why was he losing control?
His mind raced as his spark began to beat erratically. He wasn't often subjected to unleashing raw emotion on such a massive scale.
Optimus delivered a powerful side-kick and sent Megatron flying to the far side of the glade. Optimus placed a hand over his chest and paused mid-battle to try to fully grasp and to try understand what was truly happening to him.
Then without warning, everything fell into place.
Jackson Darby. He was the catalyst!
Optimus realized in that moment…that he loved him as though he were his youngling! He viewed Jack as though he were his son and now he was savagely fighting in an effort to protect him from certain termination at Megatron's merciless hands. It was a very strong, paternal instinct. One that Optimus Prime never imagined would overcome him.
The Autobots over the centuries considered each other as family, especially team Prime. However, this was foreign…this was different. It was new…and he couldn't remember ever experiencing such an amazing thing before.
In the midst of the war that ravaged their home planet, parental ties and bonds with surviving younglings became less frequent as countless generations were lost in the destructive wake of the Decepticons' cruelty. Due to their helpless and vulnerable nature the sparklings and younglings were always targeted for termination first. The last thing that the Deceptions wanted to deal with were additional Autobot recruits.
In passing centuries, the Autobots no longer had the time or enough resources to nurture and care for newer generations as their dwindling army desperately fought to protect and preserve them. The Autobots gave it their all and many sacrifices were made…but in the end… their noble efforts failed. Cybertronian youth centers were destroyed by Megatron and the Decepticons. They were bombed to piles of rubble. To ensure that all of the sparklings and younglings were permanently offline, Megatron sent in search and destroy ground units to comb through the twisted wreckage to finish off any survivors. The unforgivable, mass genocide continued until it had swept across the entire surface of their planet, endangering the Cybertronian race. It brought them to near extinction.
The few civilians that miraculously survived the initial destruction, managed to escape with the Autobot's help, and were shuttled off-world. Many important relics and data-cubes containing the historical and collective knowledge of their race were sent along with them. The Autobots could only hope that their departing kin would remain safe as they journeyed forth to find for themselves a new life amongst the stars. Primus willing, they would find a secure haven. A place free from the horrors of war. They were going to survive and ensure that their race wasn't annihilated from the face of their world forever as the Autobots remained behind to deal with their shared enemy. They would patiently wait, care for the little ones who were smuggled to safety, and stay hidden …until the time came at last for them to return home.
While death and destruction continued to reign supreme across Cybertron, ruthlessly and systematically erasing all traces of life, the Autobots despaired… for all hope seemed lost. Then in that hour, Primus restored their faith. He brought to them a precious gift beyond measure…
It was days after the last shuttle launch, when Trailbreaker stumbled upon an amazing discovery during a scouting mission. The younglings were not as extinct as they were first led to believe…
There was one sole survivor, barely alive, found within the rubble and shattered remains of one of the youth centers. The youngling was none other than Bumblebee. Upon first glance he appeared as lifeless as all the others scattered throughout the vicinity. The little one was partially buried beneath the debris and from the look of it, had sustained substantial injury. The Autobot turned to leave, unable to bear the sight of the bloody and senseless aftermath wrought by the Decepticons' sparkless slaughter. Trailbreaker only took two steps when he heard the impossible.
The youngling whimpered and released a pained and mournful sounding croon. The Autobot whirled around with wide, disbelieving optics, and with a commingled cry of stunned and joyful amazement he rushed back to the youngling. The Autobot scout offered up a desperate prayer to Primus, begging the Creator to keep the little one alive as he viciously clawed away at the rubble that was currently trapping the youngling with tears in his optics. Trailbreaker at last pulled Bumblebee from the wreckage and immediately took the wounded Cybertronian child back to the Autobots' main headquarters, where they healed him, took him in, and raised him as their own.
Since that fateful day, everyone unanimously voted long ago that they would wait until the war was over to rebuild their world and prosper their race. Bumblebee to their knowledge was currently the youngest living member of their kind. Optimus Prime always had strong feelings for the little one and mentored him over the years. He did form a sort of familial link with Bee as the youngling matured. However, back on Cybertron, Prowl was the one who claimed guardianship of Bee while the child was still very young...young enough for Bumblebee to forge a strong bond with whomever fulfilled the parental role he was devoid of whilst caring for him.
What Optimus was feeling now for Jack-had to be the resurgence of what their race had long since forgotten.
It was… -beautiful-and it was something he never wanted to lose. Optimus was willing to sacrifice everything for the boy. Even at the cost of his own life. But that was not an option in this duel. If he perished…no one would be able to protect the child. Whether Jack knew it or not…he needed him. To always be there for him.
Optimus Prime no longer feared the dark stirrings within his spark. Deep down he knew it was wrong and that he needed to think rationally but for once in his life he didn't care. The wonderful, awe inspiring feeling was all-encompassing…the purity and light of it was far too valuable and precious, so much so that Prime would be damned if he allowed Megatron to snuff it out and destroy it. He was going to fight to the death to keep it safe and he was going to stop at nothing until the sole threat was removed from the picture completely.
The leader of the Autobots had now become blind by these newfound paternal instincts and his inexperienced emotions quickly clouded his judgment, as he failed to recognize the true gravity of his situation.
If he kept battling the way he was, he was doomed to failure. His logical mind was screaming a shrill warning, one that in the past he never ignored-but Optimus already crossed the boundary of no return. He no longer fought with clarity of mind…but solely with his spark.
With every verbal jab and taunt that Megatron issued against the boy and with every promised threat to destroy team Prime's eldest human youngling…no, his youngling…Optimus immediately and quite possessively corrected, seemed to wound the Autobot leader more than the child, had Jack remained to watch the drama unfold.
His battle with Megatron continued to rage until the generally peace-loving Autobot began to notice the recent destruction around them that the two of them caused. What had he done? Optimus Prime felt his tanks churn at the sight and with it a newfound revelation…
He was losing.
Optimus now saw it.
Megatron already knew it.
What would become of him, should he succumb to his rage and lose complete control of himself? Optimus vowed the day he became a Prime, to always walk a noble path and to never be led astray. Could he keep that promise now?
With every despicable word that gushed from Megatron's hateful lips, the further Optimus fell into darkness…
"Once I have defeated you and I claim dominion over this planet…I shall enslave the human race after I've killed those too weak to serve me. Should Jack prove his strength, I'll guarantee the human child you are so foolishly trying to protect, the rare opportunity for a life far better than the rest of his wretched kind. He will become the first gladiator. Humans and Decepticons alike will revere him once he's had a taste of victory. Victory only achieved once he's craved and submitted himself to pure, unbridled blood-lust. Rather Decepticon-like, wouldn't you say?"
"Megatron, stop! Don't!" Optimus Prime growled with narrowed optics.
That was when Megatron heard something else in Prime's voice. It was so soft and subtle, he barely took notice of it. It surprised him. Optimus knew he was going to fail and that in minutes he was going to succumb to his rage. The leader of the Decepticons grinned in dark satisfaction. If his audios heard the minute tones correctly…Prime had just whimpered…he was actually pleading and begging with him now. Pleading for Megatron to end the onslaught of verbal atrocities that were destroying his mind and slowly crushing his spark.
So it had finally come to this…
"I'm afraid I can't stop Optimus. I'm just getting started…" Megatron cruelly laughed.
This was going far better than he'd ever hoped to imagine…
The Decepticon leader resumed verbal combat as he easily parried and blocked Optimus's every melee attack.
"Jack will fight ruthlessly to the death in the honor of my name. I promise I will train Jack well…he could at least survive long enough to reach adulthood. Should he surpass even my expectations, I may promote him to the rank of honorary Decepticon." Megatron grinned cruelly and then released a dark, delighted cackle at Optimus's reaction.
"NOT WHILE I STILL FUNCTION!"
Megatron continued pretending to ignore him as he raised his sword to block a crazed swing from his agitated adversary.
"I have many more devious ideas of course. Let me share them with you…"
Optimus did not acknowledge him that time and focused solely on his mission to deliver a well-timed strike. He had a battle move he intended to use…but unfortunately after millions of years of fighting with Megatron, both bots already learned, mastered, and knew every single one of each other's fighting techniques and attack methods. They were both very predictable in that regard. That was probably why neither of them had destroyed the other yet.
The Autobot leader lunged forward with his right sword while simultaneously protracting his left blade. Using his right arm blade, he feinted his original lunge that had been aimed for the Deception leader's right shoulder, in exchange for a downward slash at Megatron's left thigh. Almost simultaneously, he brought his left sword up until his fist was touching the side of his battle mask in order to deliver additional momentum and stability as he swung his blade in a wide arc-that if left unblocked, would hit the Deception leader's left side.
Megatron immediately recognized Prime's well-rehearsed attack. He paused for a moment, as though stumped…like he'd never encountered such a strategy, simply to give Optimus false hope that he would succeed. At the last second, Megatron performed the same parry and counter-attack he'd executed at least nine billion times during the endless centuries spent with Optimus on the battlefield. He didn't even bother blocking the first lunge since Prime had already begun to execute a feint. He easily blocked the blow intended for his left thigh and immediately swung his arm blade over to knock Optimus's sword aside to completely deflect the blow to his left flank.
As soon as Megatron finished counter-attacking, Optimus retracted both arm blades and punched Megatron square in his facial plates with his right fist, sending the Decepticon leader crashing to the ground.
Megatron was not at all deterred. Physical combat was not Megatron's primary goal. He needed to resume his original mission if he wished to succeed. If he did not, then his arch-rival would extinguish the growing maelstrom that he'd worked so hard to create in the first place.
Megatron at last noticed that the once pure, brilliant blue optics that Optimus and all of the Autobots' were renowned for…was quickly changing for Prime into a purple tinge as hatred continued to consume and taint his righteous spark like a poison. How could he have missed such a crucial detail? Megatron gave him a toothy grin, one that would have made Jack Darby's skin crawl had he been there to see it.
"DON'T make me do something you'll regret!" Optimus snarled his warning with a dangerous edge in his voice. He glared daggers at Megatron as he protracted both swords from his wrist gauntlets and assaulted his adversary with renewed vigor. He forced Megatron on the defensive, unaware that Megatron was allowing him to win.
The Autobot leader was fighting with a ferocity that neither of them had seen since their preliminary battle back on Cybertron…right after Optimus became a Prime. The anger that Optimus fought with the day he first set foot on the battlefield millennia ago as he faced his arch-nemesis-had been righteous anger. The rage Optimus was using now…was far from righteous. He was giving in to dark, all-consuming blood-lust.
It made Megatron crack yet another cruel smile as he dodged a lunge that would have impaled him if he hadn't side-stepped in time.
"My, my Optimus…you do have quite a temper today. Quite unbecoming of a Prime, wouldn't you say?"
Megatron's words startled Optimus and gave him pause. He was unprepared when Megatron retracted his sword and used his arm-cannon to shoot him square in the chest. It hit the Autobot leader like a wrecking ball and sent him hurtling meters away…once again destroying trees and a plethora of plant life. Optimus groaned as he struggled to stand back up. Part of his chest armor was scorched but apart from that, he was relatively unscathed.
Megatron had no intention of destroying his opponent in such a manner…secretly he'd only used a small fraction of the power his cannon usually generated. The Decepticon leader stood a few yards away and leered down at his fallen rival.
"I'm starting to wonder…is the human child anything like you? Would the boy be willing to sacrifice his freedom and his life to save yours? I think it's time we found out, don't you?"
Megatron turned to leave and was surprised when he was pulled down to the ground. Optimus found the strength to tackle him after grabbing his heel strut, yanking his legs out from beneath him.
The Decepticon leader laughed maniacally at Optimus's tenacity. Their one-on-one battles were never dull! He protracted his right sword again after kicking Optimus in the face, forcing the Autobot leader to release his desperate hold on him. He scrambled back to his feet and watched as Prime did the same.
They were both smeared with mud, grass, and leaves thanks to the soggy ground. Neither of them noticed, nor did they care. Megatron gave Optimus an amused smirk as his enemy glared darkly at him. The Decepticon leader knew he'd won…despite the fact their battle was not yet over. It was clear to see in Optimus's optics.
Prime's purple tinged optics were now turning into a light shade of red.
If only Optimus could see himself now, to see what he'd become. Megatron was tempted to grant the Autobot leader a chance to survive…to live with the guilt of how closely he'd allowed himself to be pushed down the evil path he swore he'd never tread.
He was almost going to miss him.
Almost.
The time had finally come at last, for Megatron to push Optimus over the teetering edge he'd been so stubbornly clinging to. Hatred would force the matrix of leadership to activate a sort of 'power down' mode, separating its pure energy from that of the tainted Autobot leader's spark as a self-preservation protocol to prevent corruption. Optimus would still retain his memory since the Matrix was still fully intact and was still imprinted with Optimus's spark signature. The whole affair would drain a good fraction of energy out of Optimus and weaken him as well.
At least that was the rumor…long before he and Optimus became mortal enemies. Megatron wasn't sure if it would even work. It was worth a try. He had nothing else to lose.
"My little slave will do my every bidding. I will force Jack to commit atrocities beyond mortal reckoning! He will most likely beg for death in the beginning. That will change over time. He'll become completely withdrawn from the world due to his shattered mind…ultimately turning him from human, into a mere vegetab-"
Optimus screamed in rage as he knocked Megatron's blade aside and grabbed Megatron by both shoulders. The Autobot leader yanked him forward and kneed him in his midsection, doubling him over. Then as Megatron began to stand to regain his footing, Optimus delivered a well-timed and perfectly executed uppercut and smashed his fist beneath Megatron's chin, sending the overbearing Decepticon leader flying backwards as his neck snapped upward from the hard blow. A few trees were snapped and uprooted during Megatron's fall.
Optimus slowly stalked towards his foe with rage burning in his purple tinged optics…promising great pain. For the first time in millennia, the life-protecting, habitat preserving Autobot completely ignored the destruction around them, for his optics were set solely on his foe.
Megatron had already recovered from the attack and stood smugly a few yards away in a completely relaxed posture although his arm-blade remained extended.
"I take it you don't approve of my plans?"
"YOU WILL NEVER…touch him or any other human while I stand! IF YOU EVEN TRY…I will KILL you, Megatron. That's a PROMISE," Optimus snarled darkly as they once again engaged in a duel.
"Is that so? Who says that I need to touch him? Soundwave has been working on a brilliant invention. His ability to trifle through another's mind has been amplified tenfold. He now has the power to control and dominate an unwilling mind. I have chosen the boy to be the first of many new recruits. He WILL join me, Prime. He will love and worship me…and come to hate and loathe the very core of you! Human minds are so weak…he'll be ours within seconds…"
Optimus screamed in outrage and fought like one possessed.
At long last, the rumor concerning the nature of the Matrix of Leadership was finally confirmed.
The Autobot leader suddenly cried out in mid-battle as though in great pain and fell to his knees clutching his chest with one hand. Megatron briefly ended their duel and backed away, watching with great interest. Optimus's pain seemed to momentarily intensify, forcing the already kneeling Autobot leader to drop down on all fours. His head bowed and he groaned as he supported his weight with one hand. His other was pressed firmly on his chest, directly above where his spark would be…almost as if he were trying to keep his very spark from ejecting out of its spark-chamber. The sight of Prime virtually bowing down to him, even though Megatron was sure that it wasn't the case here, made his already dark grin widen considerably.
His wicked smile became a wicked laugh once he caught sight of Prime's face as the Autobot leader at last raised his bowed head to look at him.
His optics were now a bright, crimson, red.
The Autobot leader crawled back up and slightly swayed on his feet for a second as his red optics shot daggers through Megatron's own. With a scream of absolute hatred, Optimus re-engaged their duel although it quickly became apparent that a great amount of energy had been drained from him earlier when the Matrix of Leadership initiated its power-down.
All too soon, Optimus's systems overheated from the severe strain as the dark maelstrom of emotions overwhelmed and consumed the last of his spark energy. Now exhausted, his attacks began to slow. That still didn't stop him. He was far too stubborn to give up so easily. Megatron expected nothing less. What he was waiting for now, was one critical mistake…one small flaw within Optimus's faltering and rather erratic fighting technique.
His patience paid off. Soon he spotted it. After exchanging a couple of aggressive blows and wild swings, Optimus made an effort to finish his flurry with one attempted, impaling lunge with his right arm, leaving his midsection utterly exposed.
He was wide open.
It was now or never…
Megatron ducked as his opponent's blade whistled over his head and then side-stepped to dodge the near fatal lunge. Then he unexpectedly grabbed a hold of Optimus's arm before the Autobot leader could pull it back, preventing him from using his melee weapon and yanked him forward, forcing the Prime to stumble. His small misstep sealed his fate as Megatron reared his sword for the killing blow.
Optimus released a very loud, agonizing cry as Megatron's unforgiving blade pierced through his thick, reinforced, outer-chest armor and then bit deeply into his internal wiring, energon lines, and living circuitry—thus impaling him. It all happened so fast, he'd been stupid and abandoned all logical thought processes for raw emotion.
Megatron manipulated him. Megatron used his compassionate feelings for Jack to inadvertently dominate his mind. That was the reason why he was lured here…the trap was created solely for his downfall.
The leader of the Decepticons still had a hold of him and rather than releasing him or extracting his sword, he pulled Optimus closer still, until the two were practically embracing. Megatron then softly growled, the growl sounding more like a purr, in his right audio and added insult to injury.
"You failed. Despair… knowing that the human child is now my property. You call me a monster? Die now with the knowledge that the boy shall become what you fear. I will turn him…into me."
With one… final… savage twist, Megatron retracted his arm blade, forcing Prime to issue yet another pained cry. He then lightly shoved Optimus off of him, forcing the Autobot leader to take a few stumbling, steps backward. His battle mask slid back into his helm seemingly of its own accord.
Optimus Prime stood there frozen for a moment with wide optics as he met Megatron's cold and pitiless stare, devoid of even the slightest shred of empathy. Prime instinctively pressed one hand firmly over the mortal wound that Megatron just inflicted on him in a desperate attempt to stem the bleeding-his processor unable to fully grasp the fact that his efforts were in vain. Seconds later, Optimus pulled his hand away to look down at the gaping hole in his chest in utter confusion as though it was never meant to be there. His expression turned into one of shocked denial as he pulled his hand away to look at the energon that now drenched it. Megatron's optics brightened with sick satisfaction as he savored the look of pure horror and disbelief that was plastered on Optimus's face.
Megatron then took a step forward, lifted his right leg, and mercilessly delivered a strong front-kick that hit his defeated rival's lower midsection and sent Optimus flying away from him. Megatron watched Prime sail backwards to crash painfully to the unforgiving ground. Megatron then slowly ambled towards his broken and fallen rival with the intention of watching the last of the flickering light fade from his dimming optics…
Then something happened. It caught Megatron completely off guard, robbing him of the chance to savor and revel in his victory.
He heard a scream. A human scream. He turned partially to identify the owner of the voice, only to be blinded by a searing, painful light that exploded right in front of his optical sensors. He roared in rage and became even more incensed when he discovered that his optical repair systems could not reboot for another three and a half more minutes. He was completely devoid of sight and for the first time in millions of years, the leader of the Decepticons…was helpless.
Jack sprinted across the glade, occasionally vaulting over, and sliding beneath fallen tree trunks. He slid down and scrambled up out of the large, muddy, impact craters that now dotted and transformed the small area of the forest into a wasted ruin, just so he could reach his guardian. He was gasping for breath once he finally made it to Optimus's side and slid to a stop just inches away from his unmasked face. The look of agony the Autobot leader bore, frightened him. Prime's optics had reverted back to a purple tinge but were slowly returning to their original blue.
"Jack…" Optimus nearly whispered. "…you have to get out of here. Please…"
"NO! I'm not leaving you! Ratchet showed me how to do first-aid for Cybertronian trauma victims. Now I'm beginning to think it's because the doc always has your welfare in mind…now hold still." Jack ordered firmly, almost sounding like a near replica of the infamous Autobot CMO.
The teenage boy pulled out his emergency repair kit, one that Ratchet had given to him as a gift. Jack Darby never imagined there would come a day when he would have an urgent need for it.
He would have to thank Ratchet once they made it back to base.
His hands began to shake as beads of nervous sweat continually rolled down the side of his face, only to be simply wiped away seconds later with the damp sleeve of his sweat soaked clothing, accumulated from all of the running he'd done within the past hour. He sorted through his tools after clambering atop Optimus's chest, careful to mind the dire wound that the large bot sustained. He felt immensely relieved to see that his spark chamber had not been pierced and remained fully intact. Megatron's blade missed it by approximately three feet.
Jack was on the verge of an all-out anxiety attack when he heard Megatron behind him, snarling and roaring like an escaped demon from the gates of hell, as he stumbled around still clawing at his optics as though there was an invisible blanket covering them. Luckily the Decepticon leader was too far away for Jack to worry about being stepped on…for the moment.
Jack tried to get his breathing and shaking hands under control as he tightened his grip on the large wrench in his hand and choked on a barely contained sob. The teen was startled when Optimus gently took his small hand within two of his large fingers and carefully rubbed his palm in an attempt to calm him.
The Autobot leader's purple-tinged optics returned to their original cerulean blue as the last of his burning hatred melted away.
Jack locked eyes with Prime's briefly flickering azure ones. For the first time, it was if they were permitted the rare chance to look deep into each other's souls. It took less than five seconds within normal space and time…for the duo, it felt like a small eternity as the familial bond that they already shared seemed to strengthen.
The roars, harsh screams, and death threats that Megatron issued behind them all became muffled background noise. It was almost as if Jack were hearing the outside world from beneath a gently, flowing stream of steady water…the terror that he previously felt trickled away and was replaced with a serenity of the like he never thought possible.
His former trembling ceased. In some unexplainable way…it was almost as if Optimus had lent him, some of his courage.
Now with unwavering, newfound determination, Jack set to work sealing the worst of the energon leaks. He re-attached torn wiring and soldered them back together as a sort of temporary tourniquet by using a mini blow-torch to cauterize the fuel lines that were ripped open by Megatron's blade. The teen felt a small bout of nausea when he realized the extent of the damage that was inflicted. After soldering he used a special adhesive that Ratchet made himself, to patch the repair work, so that the major, necessary components needed for at least one transformation into vehicle mode were now operational. It was most likely the only way the two of them would escape this encounter alive. In the condition Optimus was in…the Autobot leader would consider himself lucky if he had the strength to walk half a mile…
Jack tried to remain calm as the internal timer set within his mind began to alert him that they had roughly 60 seconds until his ingeniously invented flash-flare wore off and Megatron's optics came back online. The butterflies in his stomach and the persistent urgency that they needed to escape, quickly poured large amounts of adrenaline coursing through his veins. As uncomfortable as it felt, in the long run it did aid him in his triage repair work by helping him to speed things up a bit.
Jack was able to cauterize and prevent Optimus's broken energon lines from leaking and before long, he had the worst of the damage temporarily patched but knew it was not a real fix. Optimus was definitely going to need Ratchet's expertise on this one…
"Come on, Optimus! I hate to rush you but you have to get up! You have to transform. Can you do that?"
Optimus shuddered as he struggled to crawl into a sitting position and groaned.
"I'll try…"
That's when Jack realized that the death threats Megatron was previously issuing and the large titan's heavy stumbling had ceased.
Jack turned his head around with dread. His eyes flickered upwards and to his horror he saw that the effects of his weaponized flare had finally worn off. Megatron stood yards away glaring hatefully down at the two of them.
Jackson Darby shuddered at the Decepticon leader's enraged expression. It promised an excruciating death and long-lasting retribution…
Then it occurred to him…Megatron wasn't looking at Optimus Prime…he had his sole focus on him.
"Your interference, Jack…will cost you your life! Who would like to die first?!" Megatron snarled as he aimed his fusion cannon at them.
"Sorry to disappoint…but the grim reaper has an extensive list-and we're not on it today!"
Jack Darby quickly drew his extensively modified flare gun from where he'd had it tucked safely away behind his back, right at the waistline of his jeans, and was more than relieved that it had remained hidden beneath his shirt the entire time to conceal it from view.
He was so very thankful that he'd had the presence of mind to reload his flare gun earlier while he'd rushed to his guardian's side.
Jackson Darby caught Megatron by surprise the first time. He could only hope he'd be able to do so once more, as he sent up a silent prayer. With a deep frown of his own he quickly aimed at Megatron's face and hastily pulled the trigger.
Megatron howled in outrage as he was blinded a second time, only now his repair systems were able to marginally compensate and reduced the repair time by 20 percent. That still didn't stop the behemoth from releasing a string of profane curses now that the human child outsmarted and incapacitated him twice.
"I will KILL you for this child! I will find you of that I can promise!"
Jack ignored him and encouraged Optimus.
"Come on Optimus…we have to hurry. I don't know how long that flare will last this time…you can transform, I believe in you."
It took over a minute for Optimus to finally succeed after many failed attempts but once he finally did Jack took a step on Prime's running boards beneath the driver's side door and clung to it as he directed his guardian on where to go. Jack wasn't going to take any chances by worsening Prime's health. So he didn't bother climbing in to the Autobot leader's front seat. The teen actually had to forcefully shut Optimus's door closed a couple of times because the stubborn bot kept insisting that Jack get in regardless.
As they left the clearing far behind them, Jack entered a numeric pass-code, confirmed that the function he was about to activate was very much intentional, and then tapped a button on the main screen of his cell phone before tossing it over the side to land in a passing bush along the way. It was yet another one of his clever inventions that would buy them time. Time enough to hopefully find and establish some form of communications link with the Autobot base. The only problem now was, his cell phone was gone and if Megatron was smart enough to have recorded the frequency of his speech pattern then using any other satellite connected cell phone would lead the Con straight to them.
They would have to find a pay phone. Pay phones ran direct lines through the city's power cables and were therefore nearly untraceable.
Yet there was another problem…they were in the middle of nowhere. Where could they possibly hope to find one? Jack was more than elated when he spotted a structure of some sort in the distance. He held a hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the blinding sun.
It was a gas station!
He groaned when he saw that it was out of service. Well, they were going to put it into service. It was their only chance.
Ten minutes of travel time had gone by from the Cybertronian death arena to the partially concealed car lot behind the gas-station. He had Prime pull into the old abandoned repair shop adjacent to the little convenience store that now had empty shelves. Dust accumulated within the buildings and the metallic hinges and locks on the windowsills and doors were thickly rusted.
After they were safely out of sight and Optimus parked within the shop, Jack was going to firmly instruct that Optimus remain alert but his guardian had already shut down into repair stasis. The boy cursed and began to pace in front of Optimus as panic began to overwhelm him.
Megatron was no doubt hunting for them now. Jack wouldn't put it past the Decepticon leader. He had nearly killed Optimus Prime after all and would probably stop at nothing to finish the job. This was probably going to be the last opportunity he would get for perhaps millennia to vanquish his foe forever.
Jack was never going to let that happen!
His cell phone that he threw into that nearby bush along the way was set with a detonation timer. It would no doubt explode once the Con examined it. The phone repeated set intervals of chiming and vibrations that would capture Megatron's attention and lead him over to his little trap. The small tremors released from the phone would shake the leaves and make it sound and appear as if someone was hiding there.
He took in a few, calming, ragged breaths and tapped his forehead with his fingers as he tried to think his way through their current dilemma. Jack looked at Optimus and figured the smart thing to do, was immediately conceal Prime's vehicle form.
After minutes of searching, he found a large, brown, dusty old tarp. It wasn't large enough to conceal him entirely but they would have to make due. He clambered atop his guardian's recharging body and pulled the tarp over the front half of his truck mode. Jack then slid down from his perch and took a second to ensure that his makeshift, ingenious camouflage net did the trick.
As he turned to leave, his eyes caught sight of something trickling beneath his guardian. Upon closer inspection, Jack noticed something dire.
Optimus was leaking energon. The temporary, life sustaining first aid treatment he performed during Optimus's 'rescue' was now failing. He needed to get Prime back to base only they had a serious problem now…
It was after Jack made it all the way back to the park entry gate right when Optimus's battle began that occurred over an hour ago, that he discovered that there was no cell phone reception for miles. He couldn't call the base and request back-up or even a ground bridge…
And there was no WAY he was going to abandon his guardian.
Now in hindsight, Jack was thankful he didn't logically continue to hasten further away to get a minute amount of reception. If he had…Optimus would probably be dead right now.
So now it was up to him to ensure that the Autobot leader returned to the others in one piece, or in the very least, alive. The sixteen-year-old boy grabbed a plastic, yet durable creeper board from a nearby workbench, and hardly noticed his good fortune-that it was the only thing in the entire shop that wasn't broken or run down. He didn't even bother wiping off the dust and oil stains that had accumulated on it…
He flopped down on his backside, planted both feet against the floor, and in one solid kick, he sent himself rolling beneath Optimus's truck mode. Jack immediately assessed the situation and took note of the worst of the damage that needed immediate triage repair. It looked like one of the fuel lines that he previously soldered had torn wide open. Bright blue energon was leaking in a continuous, steady stream to puddle beneath the Autobot leader's vehicle form. Jack's eyes widened in horror at the sight and he couldn't stop a stress induced curse from screaming passed his lips.
"SHIT!"
Jack tried not to panic when he reached over the side of the creeper board he was on, only to grasp empty air. He searched all around the creeper for the backpack that he thought he brought with him before his desperate slide beneath the formidable semi-truck, only to remember that he stupidly left it near Prime's front bumper. He snarled and cursed his own stupidity as he prepared to launch himself back to where he left it.
"DAMN IT! YOU FREAKING IDIOT!"
He yanked himself out from beneath Prime and growled as he snatched it…and then shot like a rocket back to his former place beneath Optimus's damaged chassis. He pulled out all of the tools that he needed and felt his heart begin to sink when he saw how dangerously low his supply cache was. Jack could only pray that his mild delay wasn't going to be a costly mistake. He tore open his repair kit and searched for the necessary supplies he needed to patch it up.
"You aren't going to die on me, Optimus. I won't let you," Jack mumbled with a defiant edge, as if daring the unconscious Autobot leader to argue with him.
He re-soldered the torn fuel line, applied an adhesive, and then used a strong roll of electrical tape to secure it for added measure. He breathed a sigh of relief when he finished and wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand, believing the worst was over.
Then he heard a tiny 'cling' from somewhere nearby that sounded oddly like a dropped coin. Jack was a mechanic in the making…and he could tell the difference between a dropped coin and a dropped metal bolt or a lug nut. He craned his neck to look for the source of the noise and directed his attention to the upper right quadrant of Optimus's chassis—about two feet from his head. His eyebrows shot up into his hairline when he spotted the dropped bolt on the floor directly beneath a panel that Jack secured back in the forest.
That's an easy fix.
It took less than twenty seconds for Jack to screw it back in.
His eyes widened and his jaw dropped a second later. He grabbed his short cropped hair and yanked on it with a frustrated scream when two more bolts popped out of the same panel.
"ARGH! I JUST FIXED THAT!"
Jack took his battery powered screwdriver and began to roll himself a little closer so he could pick them up off of the floor.
Suddenly, he released a high pitched, girlish sounding scream when the panel completely burst open. A small tangle of damaged and sparking wires fell out and hung a few inches above the metallic objects he was so desperately trying to reach.
"YOU'VE GOT TO BE FREAKING KIDDING ME!" Jack screamed as he threw a wrench across the floor with an angry snarl. Fortunately it was a tool he no longer needed.
He managed to swipe up the bolts and gave Optimus's right front tire an aggravated kick and growled at him.
"Stop being so difficult! Just cooperate!"
Ten minutes later, Jack finished his emergency repair work and put his supplies away after double and even triple checking nearly every inch of Optimus's frame and undercarriage…paranoid that he missed something critical. If Optimus died… Jack would curse his own incompetence and most likely kill himself for failing to catch any possible wound that he might have overlooked.
Once he felt confident enough that Optimus wasn't going to fall apart in his absence, Jack began his secondary mission. He needed to find a way to contact the Autobot base. Gas stations usually had pay phones didn't they?
When Jack ran outside, his eyes widened in horror at what he saw.
Optimus had inadvertently leaked a trail of energon during their getaway. And there was no knowing when and where the trail began.
For what felt like the tenth time that day, Jack vehemently cursed.
"DAMN IT!"
He had to find a way to obscure it or else Megatron would find them for certain!
Jack raked a hand through his hair and forced himself to take slow, deep breaths. He tried to remember what Ratchet taught him. Energon could be washed away, leaving minimal to no trace left behind. Under normal circumstances and in a proper medical facility as Ratchet mentioned in the past, there was a specific chemical compound that could do the trick IF Jack was able to find the right supplies…
The teenage boy used a spare, rusty tire-iron to shatter one of the grungy, dust covered windows and removed all of the glass. He then proceeded to climb through and began to desperately search the abandoned convenience store for any supplies that might have miraculously been left behind when it closed down.
After roughly three minutes of searching, since the convenience store was bare and rather small, Jack couldn't find anything… at least anything he currently needed. The only items left in the store were a couple of empty soda cans, a small box of baking soda, half a bottle of oil, and a broken handle from a wooden broom. Jack growled in frustration and kicked one of the empty cans across the room. He clenched his hands into fists and stared down at the floor with gritted teeth. He felt like screaming out his aggravation…and sobbing out his hopeless despair.
How could he protect Optimus? He was gravely injured, and couldn't really move since he was currently stasis-locked as his repair systems stabilized him, and probably couldn't transform. Jack felt his body growing numb as the gravity of their situation hit him like a wrecking ball. He climbed out of the shattered window he'd cleared away and returned to the dilapidated repair shop. With dull eyes, Jack picked up a can of oil that was sitting innocently on a workbench, only to find it empty. It merely served to worsen his already pessimistic mood. With an enraged scream he threw it with extreme force to the other side of the room. He heard something clatter…a bucket or something must have fallen.
Jack Darby partially pulled the tarp back that was covering the hood of Prime's engine block. He went to stand in front of Optimus's grill and fell to his knees with eyes firmly shut. He rested his forehead against the Autobot leader's dented grill and curled his hands into fists. He gently thumped them against Prime's recharging chassis and clenched his teeth as he felt hot tears forming beneath his eyelids. He was too angry…too upset to let them fall.
Until the memory of what they'd just been through replayed over and over in his head…as if mocking him for his failure. He blamed himself. Jack honestly believed that if he hadn't of tagged along with Optimus that day, then they wouldn't be in the situation they were in right now. After all, it was his fault that his father was hunting for him…it was his fault that Optimus drove him out to Dane county to ditch his stalker…if they hadn't of already been out this far, then he wouldn't of come. He only answered the call and went to investigate because they were the nearest to the wildlife reserve.
Jack finally released a strangled sob and at long last, he finally allowed the hot, angry tears that he'd been withholding to run freely.
"Optimus…I'm so…so sorry…" Jack coarsely whispered as the pain and the sting of his self-blame started to run rampant within his breaking heart.
His breathing hitched a moment as he swallowed a thick lump in his throat and then he resumed his one-sided conversation with Optimus. He figured that his guardian couldn't hear him in power-down mode…at least that was what Ratchet claimed. Still, Jack felt the need to tell him, whether he could hear him or not. A small part of him hoped that he did…
"Please…how do I fix this? I need you to wake up…you have to tell me! I need to protect you! I don't know what to do...I can't hide the energon trail you leaked! Megatron is going to track us down and find us here!" The teen choked as he struggled to contain another sob.
Jack was not generally the type to cry—but this time…he was willing to make an exception. His body began to shake as his sobs and cries became louder and more violent. `
"Optimus…please don't die! I can't do this without you!" he mumbled hoarsely as he wiped the tears off with his sleeve.
After he'd expelled what he hoped would be the last of his tears, he finally stood back up. With dull eyes he looked at the near lifeless shell of his guardian. The only way he knew Optimus was still alive was the soft heat and slight vibration that pulsed through his outer shell. He ran his hand through his short cropped, black hair and released an exhausted, heavy sigh.
Then Jack did something he'd never done before.
He leaned against Optimus's driver's side door and gave him an embrace…well at least the best one he could hope to give, considering the bot's formidable size even in vehicle form. Rather than stretching his arms out, he simply pressed himself against his driver's side door with splayed palms.
"Don't leave me, Optimus…you're the closest thing to a father that I've ever known. I…I love you."
As Jack Darby rested his cheek upon the smooth, warm metallic surface, something strange happened…
A strange tingling feeling began to creep through his fingers and then traveled down the length of his entire body. Then suddenly, it felt as if he'd been struck by a bolt of lightning. It was overpowering, overwhelming…but it didn't hurt and it wasn't uncomfortable. It sort of felt to Jack as though he had consumed countless mugs of caffeinated coffee.
Then his vision went completely white and he no longer felt himself within the confines of the repair shop. In place of it, were flashes…images of things he was certain that he'd never seen before. Were these Optimus's memories? He felt incredibly confused…
They continued to flash in rapid succession and then suddenly slowed.
Jack found himself in a glowing white room with multiple holo-screens that were projecting without the aid of any device. They encircled him and whenever he turned to look at one, a small fragment of video would play. He slowly walked around until at last, one screen in particular stood out from all the rest. The outlines of the screen were green and there was a power button right in the middle of it. Jack released a derisive snort when he recognized the power icon. It looked a lot like the one found on Raf's video game console.
He continued to stare at it and was unsure if he should even touch it. When the green outlines of the screen began to flash, he took that as a sign and without batting an eye, Jack pressed his palm against the large screen.
A blue bolt of electrical lightning shot out and engulfed him as images seared through his mind…only this time, instead of memories…they were instructions.
Then seconds later he felt himself falling into a black abyss and the white room vanished.
Jack jolted awake and found himself sprawled out on the floor. He slowly sat up and groaned. Once he was back on his feet, he dusted off his clothes and nearly swayed on his feet as a fleeting bout of dizziness hit him. His head was spinning and his mind was foggy for a moment as he tried to make sense of what just occurred. Then everything came rushing back.
The teen smiled when he remembered the very brief message that Optimus had given him during that strange…whatever it was that just happened.
/"Jack…thank you for believing in me. Now it's my turn, to believe in you…"/
The human youth gently patted Optimus's hood as his smile widened. The teenage boy's former despondency was soon replaced with defiant determination.
He now knew what he had to do. It brought tears of great relief as he began to follow the strangely imparted, yet unmistakable mental instructions. With narrowed eyes and a devious smirk, he loaded the last flare into his gun. After ensuring that his shoes were tightly laced, he barged out of the repair shop door.
Without looking back, Jackson Darby began to run.
He ran and didn't stop. Hope was finally restored...for he now held the answers to his desperate prayers.
Jack knew how to save Optimus…
TO BE CONTINUED!
Author's Note: I wanted to post this chapter on July 3rd but wasn't finished editing this…took forever since I'm a total OCD freak when it comes to writing lol. I know this story is really about June and I'm going to get to that very soon. This event with Jack saving Optimus ties in with the main plot so sometime in the next chapter or so she will return! :D Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!