Chapter 14
A/N: alright, onto the next chapter! Once again: I own nothing!
Telepathy
'Bee's speech
/comm-link/
Autobot Base August 13
/PRIME!/ Fowler shouted getting the attention of everyone in the base.
"Special Agent Fowler," Optimus replied calmly. "To what do we owe—"
/What else? Cons/ the agent interrupted. /I chased them off, but not before they blew me out of the sky!/
"Again?" Wally snickered.
/They tried a smash and grab for the DNGS/
"The what?"
/Dynamic Nuclear Generator System aka DNGS/ he said pressing a button revealing a crate. /It's a prototype that you helped Wayne Tech develop for alternative energy and is going to the coast for testing/
"That's absurd," Ratchet scoffed. "Why would Starscream bother with such primitive technology?"
"Hey! I happen to like our primitive technology!" Wally protested.
/I'm guessing to make a big, bad, primitive WMD. If this thing were to melt down, the radiation would hit this state and the four next door/
"Did he happen to say what state he was in?" Artemis asked.
/I'm a sitting duck here Prime. I need you to send a bridge, and get this thing to its destination before the Cons come back for it/
"Sending such a volatile device through a groundbridge is out of the question Agent Fowler. If there were to be an accident during the transfer, the radiation would propagate through the vortex, spreading it over possibly all fifty states and farther," Optimus stated and the team glanced between themselves.
/Got any better ideas?/
-.-
Rocky Mountains
Fowler sat next to Optimus in his vehicle looking over the multiple scanners and systems. "Can I drive?" he asked.
"No."
In the other vehicles Kid Flash was with Bulkhead arguing over what band to listen to, Miss Martian was flying the bioship in camouflage mode with up above, and Emerald was situated with 'Bee in his car. Revving their engines, they drove away from the crash site. Robin, Superboy, Aqualad, and Artemis were back at base.
/We're tracking your position. At this rate you should reach the drop off point by sundown/ Ratchet informed.
As they drove down the backroads, Optimus slowed down for an old truck driving along the road. Getting irritated, Fowler reached over and started slamming his hand on the horn. "MOVE IT GRAMPS!"
"Agent Fowler, is that really necessary?" Optimus asked pushing his hand away so he could drive.
"Don't tell me you're one of those textbook drivers," the agent grumbled as he watched the Camaro speed out in front of them. "You know, you're saving my bacon here Prime."
"I'm proud to be of service."
"Though my job would be easier if you and your Cons stuck to your own corner of the galaxy."
"Are you suggesting that no evil existed on your planet before our arrival?" Optimus asked.
"Uh…well…no…it was just a different kind of evil," he sputtered.
"From what I have seen from my work with the Justice League and other agencies, your world possesses many who are just as bad, if not worse, than the Decepticons," Optimus stated as the agent looked away.
"How about some music? You seem like a country sort of guy," Fowler suggested.
Up above, another was tracking the team, a helicopter. /They're transporting in an unarmed, civilian truck. Send in the ground units/
"We've got company," M'gann warned.
"This is so weird."
"You get used to it, recognize them?" Emerald asked.
"Yea! That's the Con who shot me down! Who is he?! Wingnut? Dingbat? Skyguy?"
"Watch your tailpipes," Bulkhead relayed as four cars with the same green design drove up behind them. "Feeling constricted without the use of my fists here boss."
"Autobots, remain in vehicular mode unless absolutely necessary, Miss Martian stay in camouflage mode, the rest of you, stay inside your transports unless it is necessary to come out," Optimus ordered.
"A whole team of Cons," Fowler muttered.
/What?/ Ratchet asked. /I'm not getting anything? They could be utilizing a cloaking technology and shielding their spark signatures/
One drove up to the front, 'Bee growled and tried to swerve around him, but he just swung over. Another car pulled up beside the trailer, the sunroof opened, revealing a masked man holding a gun. "Pull over!"
"Well I'll be scrapped!" Fowler gaped.
"Our assailants are not Decepticons, they are human," Optimus said.
/Human?!/
/Gentlemen, stop their engines/ the leader ordered.
The man prepared to fire, Optimus swerved, slamming the side of his truck into the smaller car. "Autobots, maintain cover, team, you are free to release cover, disarmament only."
Another vehicle pulled up on Prime's other side, Bumblebee swerved over, and hit his brakes, making the other guy hit him, throwing off his aim. Inside the car, Emerald put on her ring, allowing her now black and blue uniform to appear, opened the door, and flew out. "SURPRISE!" she said swinging a giant hammer, knocking the car off the road, and flipping it over.
"Those are not civilians," the leader said as he looked down to see the Lantern, looking behind him he saw the Martian ship come out of hiding. "It's the League."
Inside the truck, Fowler was starting to fell carsick at all the turns they were making down the road. Seeing the man looking like he was about to vomit all over his vehicle, Optimus opened the window, letting him get some much-needed air.
Kid Flash ran alongside the vehicles, sprinting over to one of the guys trying to get to the trailer hitch, he punched him in the face, sending him falling back into his car. Miss M sent a telekinetic blast towards the vehicle, making it flip over and crash.
/I do hope you take better care of the DNGS than you do your captives/ a voice said over the walkie-talkie.
"Special Agent William Fowler here! Identify yourself!"
/I am Silas, but of greater consequence to you: we are MECH. Fair warning, we will be helping ourselves to the device, even if it means inflicting casualties/
"That so? Tell me Si: what's the market price for a DNGS these days?!"
/What makes you think we intend to sell it Agent Fowler?/ Silas questioned. /There's a war brewing, between the new world order, and the newest. The victor, will be the side with the most innovative technology/
"Anyone else get the feeling he's somehow related to Lex Luthor here?" 'Bee asked.
"Me."
Behind them a guy shot several devices, forcing the back-hatch open.
"So Si, you think MECH as all the radical tech?" Fowler asked just as Arcee burst from the back on her motorcycle.
She landed on the hood of one car making it flip, the car behind it flipped over it and crashed in a fiery explosion.
"Later Si."
"Fowler, do not take this man lightly, Megatron preached the very same thing before plunging Cybertron into the Great War that destroyed our world," Optimus said, speaking up for the first time since their new adversary appeared.
/Optimus, you're almost to the drop point, five miles ahead to the south/ Robin informed.
-.-
Nemesis
"You're almost to the drop point, five miles ahead to the south," Soundwave relayed.
"So, the Autobots are outside the confines of their base?" Starscream mused. "And they sound otherwise engaged; meaning, they will never see us coming. Find them! And scrap them!"
"Yes, Lord Starscream," the troops said.
-.-
Rocky Mountains
"There's the destination point," Fowler said as they drove towards a tunnel with a train going towards one on a lower ridge.
"Keep a tight formation," Optimus said as they drove off the road, onto the ground beside the train, and into the tunnel.
In the back, Bulkhead stopped, transformed, and used his blasters to bring down the roof of the entrance before turning back and regrouping.
Bumblebee transformed and leapt onto the top of the train, tapping the sliding door.
"Tactical error, only one way out," Silas said as they flew over the tunnel and saw the vehicles exit, the Leaguers out of sight, no doubt already inside the transports. Hearing a jet, he looked on either side to see eight unusual looking jets fly past.
/Optimus, you have company/ Ratchet said.
"Decepticons?" Fowler asked.
The Cons fired and they took evasive action, their passengers clinging for dear life in the vehicles. Unfortunately, the trailer wasn't able to take the pressure and it snapped off, landing right into the missile fire.
"Sir, the DNGS…it didn't melt down," the helicopter piolet said.
"No…it didn't," Silas sgreed as they stared at the jets transforming in the air, landing on the ground.
"Fowler, I'm afraid maintaining our cover is no longer possible; team, get yourselves and Agent Fowler to the Bioship," Optimus said as they got out. /Ratchet, send a groundbridge for the team/ Transforming, Fowler found himself sitting queasily in the Prime's hand when he'd just been in the passenger seat a mere moment ago.
"Sorry, but I can't do that," he answered.
Nodding, Optimus set him on a rock, out of the way of the fight. "Stay here," he said as the bioship disappeared through the bridge.
"Ah, so these are the mighty Autobots," Silas smiled as he stared at the source of living technology.
"After a long road trip, if feels good to get out, stretch my limbs, and kick some Con tailpipe!" Bulkhead grinned smashing his fists together. Exchanging his hand for a wrecking ball the two sides charged each other.
Optimus smashed his way through one as Bulkhead crushed the other. Arcee shot under their limbs, hitting them everywhere while they didn't even land a blow on her. Bumblebee danced between two, letting them hit each other as they swung at him.
"Sir, if the DNGS wasn't in the truck?" the man asked.
"Right, that…"
/Agent Fowler, you certainly lead quite a life walking with Titians/ Silas said.
"Come down, I'll introduce ya."
/In another time, right now, I'm more concerned on how the DNGS vanished into thin air without a trace/
Flashback
Bumblebee transformed and swung himself onto the train car. Tapping on the sliding door, it opened, revealing a soldier. The scout gave a small wave as the trailer walls folded down. Emerald flew over and made a platform that Arcee carefully hefted the DNGS onto. The young Lantern lifted it towards 'Bee who set it inside the car.
The door closed and 'Bee transformed off, allowing Emerald to get inside, as Wally swung himself back into Bulkhead's truck. Arcee hopped off the trailer just as the walls folded back up, transforming just as they exited the tunnel.
/Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a train to catch/
/PRIME! SI GOT WISE TO PHASE TWO!/
Ignoring the ringing in his audios, Optimus hurled a vehicon back. "I understand," he said. The trunk of a tree slammed into his face, sending him over the cliff.
/Prime?! Do you read?! PRIME!/
-.-
Base
The team looked at each other nervously as they heard the sound of Optimus getting hit. "Optimus is down!" Wally said worriedly.
"And MECH's gonna grab the DNGS," Robin stated.
"Anyone got any ideas?" Superboy asked.
"OK! So, if MECH wants the DNGS, they need to get on the train," Artemis said.
"What if we get on first?! Human on human interference?!" Wally suggested.
"Absolutely not!" Ratchet declared.
"If we don't we could have a nuclear meltdown on our hands," Aqualad said.
"You want me to not only bridge you into a confined space, but one moving ninety-miles-an-hour?! I can't even count the number of ways that can go wrong! Mass Displacement Trauma, twisted limbs, metal burn…" Ratchet listed before looking at them. "Well…maybe not the last one. Regardless, it is nearly impossible to fix groundbridge coordinates on something moving at that speed!"
"Would it help to have live coordinates?" Robin asked pulling up the train's GPS location.
"Well…"
-.-
Unknown location
"Immobilize them," Silas commanded as they flew above the train. A man went to the gun-port and fired, a small device hit the front of the train, sending an electrical pulse through it, shocking all on board, knocking them out.
Inside the car, the bridge opened and the team fell into it. "We're in," Aqualad said.
/I read you/ Robin said.
Superboy opened the door, seeing the helicopter about to land on the train. "They're trying to land on the train," he warned.
/You're about to come to a fork, brace yourselves/ Robin cautioned as he hacked.
"What happened?!" Silas demanded as they were suddenly thrown off the train.
"Hacker," the piolet replied pressing a button. "Former hacker."
The car jolted as the copter landed. "So, what that buy us? Ten seconds?" KF scoffed.
"Rob's losing his touch," Emerald sighed.
-.-
Bulkhead hurled another Con off of him as Arcee chased another. Bumblebee ducked under one's arm as he swung, giving an uppercut before punching him in the faceplate, almost sending him over the cliff.
On a ledge, Optimus shook his head, finally gaining his bearings after such a hard fall. Looking up he saw the train speeding off with the helicopter on it.
-.-
The piece of the roof MECH was cutting through finally came down. "SURPRISE!" Emerald shouted as she flew up and hit as guy with a giant mallet. "Who ordered the party?! Because we packed the punch!"
At that moment, Superboy leapt out and landed on top, sending the men scrambling back. A water barrier surrounded them, before a red and yellow blur shoved them closer together. KF stopped by his cousin just as M'gann lifted them up Artemis fired an arrow, trapping them in a fast-solidifying foam.
"Sir!" the piolet said.
Silas looked away from the young heroes, towards the red and blue truck that was gaining on them. "Retreat." The helicopter took off and flew forwards down the track. "First rule of combat, never leave the enemy with the spoils," he said pulling out a high-tech weapon, firing he blew the track.
Emerald flew to the front, making a construct to try to slow down the train, Superboy joined her, pulling along the side, digging his feet into the ground. The rest of the team ducked their heads back in the train as Optimus shot by heading for the front.
-.-
"That's the last of them," Bulkhead said wiping his servos together.
"Where's Optimus?" Arcee asked.
"He had a train to catch," Fowler answered.
-.-
Optimus joined the other two at the front, who'd had some success at slowing the train down. Grabbing the other side, the three began to pulled back, slowing the train to a stop with a few meters to spare. Looking up they all saw the MECH copter hovering above them, Emerald started to fly up, but the massive arm of the Prime halted her attack.
"Well played," Silas said as they flew away. "But we will be leveling the playing field soon, even if we have to open a few of you up."
/Optimus? Are you and the children…intact?/ Ratchet asked.
"We're fine," he said. "Crisis averted."
"SOUVENIR!" Kid Flash shouted holding one on the men's masks.
