XX
Ratchet felt the tugging of the cuffs on his wrists, sliding back and forth with the swaying of the truck. Riding on a train was one thing, riding in a truck was another. It seemed redundant to bots whose vehicle form was in fact a truck. It wasn't the important factor at this moment. At this time, Ratchet was far more concerned with getting out of the cuffs and getting to Optimus' side. Optimus. Was it official now?
"Primus," Ratchet sighed, leaning back. "What did we walk into? Was this his plan all along?"
The truck shuddered, slamming to a halt. Ratchet slid along the bench, hitting the divider was a thud. Kicking out, he shuffled back toward the door. There were no windows. Ratchet was forced to stress his audio receptors, straining to listen to the outside noise. Shouting. Gun fire. The shouting orders quickly shift to pleading, begging for mercy. The gun fire ruptured to explosions. Shuffling. Running. The metal of the door bent as a heavy banging berated it. Ratchet moved slightly away from the door.
The handles bent, throwing the door open. Ratchet adjusted his optics to the sudden light. Knockout reached in, dragging Ratchet out by his cuffs. He stumbled onto the ground, looking around in hopes of answers. His optics widened at the sight of numerous fallen guards. Shockwave had his gun arm raised, single optic scanning the horizon. Knockout's hand transformed into a saw, cutting open the cuffs. They landed hard upon the ground.
"What is happening!?" gasped Ratchet, rubbing his wrists.
"Not a clue," Knockout shrugged, transforming his hand back. "Trucks stopped for some reason. I already cut my cuffs. Shockwave busted out of his."
"Optimus!" Ratchet perked.
"He's in the front car…was in the front car," Knockout murmured, glancing over to the front of the convoy.
Ratchet peered around the edge of the truck, seeing the three cars in front of him. The first truck had been thrown, resting upside-down on the road, smoke and flames leaking from the engine. More fallen guards. Ratchet moved stiffly forward, rounding the truck. The majority of the destruction seemed to revolve around where the first truck once stood. Numerous guards torn and blown to bits scattered around one remaining bot. It towered over the fallen bodies, hands replaced with a gun and blade, faceplate covered, and optics staring forward as the rest of the body heaved, worn from the sudden explosion of energy it just experienced.
"Sweet Solus Prime…" muttered Ratchet, resting a hand on the side of the second truck.
The bot raised his head, turning his cold optics toward Ratchet. The medic narrowed his optics, looking over the being. Familiar? The bot began approaching, arms lowered but still weaponized. Ratchet perked, standing up taller. The aura surrounding him was different but it was still the same bot underneath.
"Optimus!" called Ratchet, stepping forward slightly.
Knockout grabbed his shoulder, pulling back.
"Are you crazy? Bot just took out six guards!" snapped Knockout.
"That's Optimus!" argued Ratchet, shrugging off Knockout and turning to face him.
"What was Orion isn't currently," Shockwave added, aiming his weapon at the approaching Optimus.
"No!" Ratchet shouted, forcing Shockwave to lower. "We're his friends! We aren't going to shot him!"
"Uh…Ratchet?" mumbled Knockout, pointing behind Ratchet.
Ratchet turned slowly, looking up at the now taller Optimus. He seemed to be breathing heavy, chest heaving in and out. His optics stared deep into Ratchet's. Ratchet gulped. Optimus raised his blade, keeping it below Ratchet's chin, within an inch of his throat.
"Optimus…it's me. It's Ratchet," Ratchet panted, looking up at Optimus. "We're all friends here."
Optimus didn't move.
"Please," Ratchet pleaded. "Wake up."
Orion opened his optics to a white room. He sat up, feeling the shimmering water around his feet. He stood up, looking around. Nothing. He couldn't see anything but he felt like something was there. Something big. It simply seemed like the white went on forever. Spinning around, he searched for an exit or proof of life. Instead, there was only the splashing of his feet in the inch level water.
"Hello!" he eventually called out.
Spinning around one last time, he spotted a figure. He stopped, staring. Tall. Red. Blue. Orion opened his mouth but closed it into a scowl. The bot looked at him, curious but unmoving. Without a thought, Orion stepped forward but found the bot remained the same distance away. No matter how many steps he took, he couldn't get any closer.
"Who are you!?" he snapped.
"Don't you know?"
The voice came from everywhere, echoing and reverting through the room and his very being. Orion grimaced, gripping his audio receptors. The echo was in his head. The voice was in his head.
"Who…"
"Optimus…"
The voice repeated the name, sometimes before the previous one had finished. The voices overlapped, echoing and endless. Orion screamed, falling to his knees as the voices continued.
"Stop!"
Silence.
Orion panted, hands falling to his side. Lifting his head, he found himself at the feet of a towering being. Was it the same as before? Was it still the Optimus from the other timeline?
"Where am I? What's going on?" whimpered Orion, shaking his head.
"Come back…"
The pristine of the room cracked, a dark and jagged line cutting the room in half. Orion leapt to his feet, looking around as the line shattered into more branches, cracking the room open. The voices continued, growing softer and pulling away, begging.
"Come back…"
"What's happening to me…?" whispered Orion, shutting his optics.
The room shattered.
Ratchet the felt the blade lower, moving away from its lethal position. Ratchet felt a wave of relief, watching the blade swivel, replaced with shaking hand. The gun soon switched as well. The fogginess of his optics faded, Optimus withdrew his faceplate, collapsing into Ratchet's arms. Being now bigger than the latter, Optimus' weight forced Ratchet backward into Knockout.
"Optimus!" gasped Ratchet, pushing him back up to his feet.
Knockout held out a hand, helping Ratchet keep Optimus balanced. He wearily looked around, eventually stopping and staring at the stars above. His mouth hung open, occasionally mumbling something indistinct.
"R-Ratchet?" he stuttered, lowering his head again.
"Yeah, Optimus?" chuckled Ratchet.
"Where are we?"
"Escaping a convoy," Knockout spoke flatly. Ratchet glared at him.
"Escaping?" muttered Optimus, gingerly moving his head to face Knockout. "Wha…what are we escaping from?"
"Arrest."
The Shockwave raised his weapon again as Knockout and Ratchet gently rotated Optimus around. His legs scuffed the ground, struggling to find their place as if this was the first time they were being used. The master of the guard stood, arms at his side, and chin pointed up.
"Ultra…Magnus…" sighed Optimus.
Ultra Magnus nodded, stepping forward. Keeping a safe distance, as Shockwave remained unmoved in his aiming, Ultra Magnus dropped his weapon, kicking it over to them. Knockout quickly took it up, aiming. Ultra Magnus raised his arms.
"What are you doing?" Ratchet questioned.
"You were right," he sighed, shaking his head. "The Council…it's all wrong. This? It's not right."
"You're…letting up escape…" Optimus nodded.
"All you have to do is take me out and take one of the remaining trucks," he instructed.
"You're helping us…" Optimus mumbled. "We can't just take your spark."
"Speak for yourself," muttered Knockout.
"Please," Ultra Magnus offered, reaching out with a step forward.
Shockwave fired, hitting Magnus' side and forcing the guard to the ground. He curled, holding his wound. Knockout stepped up, hitting him upside the head with the butt of the gun. His body relaxed some. Knockout turned back to the group with a grin. Ratchet frowned, shaking his head.
"He's not dead," snapped Knockout, motioning to the body. "He's just unconscious…"
"Let us move quickly before more guards arrive," commanded Shockwave. "I suggest taking the least damaged vehicle."
Knockout and Ratchet helped Optimus to the final truck in the convoy. They sat him in the back. Though he took up a great deal of it, Ratchet managed to squeeze himself in as well. Knockout shut the doors. After a moment, Ratchet heard Shockwave and Knockout enter the front of the truck, the engine start, and eventually the wheels moving forward again. A sliding window on the divider opened, revealing a grinning Knockout.
"Buckle up you two," he chuckled.
"Where are we…" yawned Optimus, looking around.
"Back to base. Collect our things. Move somewhere else," Ratchet offered.
"I have another lab we can use," Shockwave spoke. "We must move quickly before they catch wind of our escape."
"Ratchet…"
Ratchet looked up at Optimus. He looked tired.
"Yes, Optimus?"
"Thank you…for everything…"
Ratchet smiled lightly, watching Optimus slowly lose consciousness, head slumping and optics shutting. Ratchet's smile faded, optics looking over the bot. He was bigger but mostly the same. His chest compartment had barely changed. With an itching in the back of his mind, Ratchet leaned over, moving Optimus against him. Looking over his back, Ratchet found a deep socket in the center of the Prime's back. It was pale, drained of color. Touching it, the spot felt dead.