Hello everyone! I feel like this is just going to be the norm from now on for quite a while. An update here and there with random breaks of silence for long periods of time. Sorry! I had a rare moment of free time here (Strep throat struck again), and I wanted to get another chapter written, so I did! Enjoy!
Switchshade felt his spark thrumming rapidly in his chassis as he struggled to remain calm. Beside him, Bumblebee was completely silent, and Switchshade couldn't teek anything from the yellow mech, but the darker mech doubted he was much calmer. How are we going to get Jack to safety? Above them, Knockout's engine revved once, then went utterly, eerily silent, and Switchshade was grateful he was in alt-mode lest he begin trembling. A moment that seemed an eternity passed, and then suddenly Knockout took off, driving past the bridge and their hiding place. Switchshade and Bumblebee remained still and silent for a long moment more, daring to hope they might escape without confrontation, when seemingly out of nowhere, an earth vehicle suddenly drove up to them.
Faintly, Switchshade heard Jack exclaim, "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me !" The ex-Con watched as another human, approximately Jack's age if the dark mech had to guess, stepped out of his car and stalked towards Bumblebee. The second human growled Jack's secondary designation as he moved threateningly towards him, but Switchshade knew Bumblebee would be more than capable of protecting Jack from another human. Much more concerning was the stalling of tires in the distance, and the clear sound of the Decepticon medic turning around to come back. Fragging Scrap!
Switchshade tensed, his transformation seams itching as he struggled to keep himself in alt-mode. Lord Prime would not be pleased in the slightest if Switchshade were fool enough to reveal their existence to an outside human. He couldn't stop an alarmed exclamation when an all-too-familiar clawed hand suddenly reached down from the bridge above and snatched the second human from the ground. Switchshade immediately transformed, catching the edge of the bridge and hauling himself up in time to see Knockout throw the human into the air, transforming into his own alt-mode and catching the human easily in his front seat. Quickly securing the dazed victim with what appeared the equivalent of a human seatbelt, the medic chuckled darkly, taunting, "What are you going to do, traitor?" before taking off. Switchshade moved to follow instantly, tearing off without even glancing back at Jack, who had tried to run up the ridge to see where Knockout had gone.
The darker mech struggled to keep up with Knockout, who had clearly only been playing with the human drivers before. His sleek red frame darted ahead, and Switchshade found himself struggling to keep up. Still, the captive human had seemed to know Jack, and while Lord Prime would be most displeased if Switchshade revealed the existence of Cybertronian kind on earth, the dark mech couldn't help but think that perhaps, Lord Prime would indeed approve of a rescue of an innocent human. Regardless, Knockout couldn't have anything good in mind when he captured this human, and Switchshade knew fault would fall upon him if he stood by and did nothing when it was within his power to act.
Knockout drove even faster it seemed, and Switchshade sent a silent grateful prayer to Primus for Ratchet's incredible abilities as he managed to keep the Decepticon in his sights. Several weeks ago, he would never have been able to keep pace with Knockout like this, and Switchshade could only attribute his newfound stamina to a combination of excellent medical care and a consistent energon supply. Putting on another burst of speed, he drew closer to the medic, and realized Knockout was entering another tiny human town. Switchshade came up to within a few yards of the medic, and they moved in sync through the center of the quiet town. Switchshade nearly stalled in astonishment when, to their right, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Arcee with Jack upon her suddenly pick up their trail behind him. How by the Allspark did they get here so fast? The ex-Con knew he'd catch Pit for it later, but he carefully did not respond to any of the comms the Autobots tried to send him. Right now, he had to focus on catching Knockout.
So focused on was he on his goal, Switchshade scarcely noticed as Knockout took a sharp right turn into an abandoned warehouse parking lot, and then slowed slightly as he noticed the medic suddenly turn around to face him and then stop. Switchshade quickly transformed back to his root mode and stalked forward, onlining his right blaster, and transforming his left servo into a blade. The human still trapped in Knockout's front seat was clearly unconscious, and would have no memory of this event, so Switchshade felt safe in doing so. "Let him go, Knockout. He is an innocent with no part in this war."
Knockout's only reply was an arrogant laugh, and Switchshade fell easily to one knee to avoid the swipe that came from his unprotected backplates. Spinning as he fell, the dark mech slashed out with his left servo's blade, catching a snarl from the large blue mech before him. Breakdown quickly recovered from the surprise, a wicked grin of his own crossing the brutal faceplates. "Always were a sneaky little scraplet. You may as well surrender now-you know there's no way you can defeat either of us alone."
"He's not alone." Bulkhead's voice was far colder than any Switchshade had heard from the green Wrecker yet, and the ex-Con was quick to dodge another blow from Breakdown, even as Bumblebee and Bulkhead hurried forward to engage the blue Decepticon as well. Switchshade delivered a swift kick to Breakdown's helm, following it up with several blasts from his right servo, but it was clear only minimal damage was done. He ducked another blow, only to get blindsided by a quick left uppercut that sent his significantly smaller frame flying back several yards to land heavily on the ground. The dark mech quickly rolled up to his pedes, preparing to leap back at the blue 'Con, but was quickly distracted by the sight of Arcee perched atop Knockout's alt-mode as the red medic tore out of the parking lot. A glance back at Bumblebee and Bulkhead showed the two working in easy tandem, holding Breakdown at bay, and Switchshade made his decision.
Once again in his alt-mode, Switchshade tore off after Knockout once again, keeping an optic on Arcee as he went. The femme was clinging on with surprising success until the medic took a sharp turn and flung her off to the left. Switchshade didn't take a moment to make certain she was alright, instead choosing to stay right on the medic's bumper as the femme growled in wordless rage behind him. The dark mech heard her transform nearly before she collided with the ground, and within astrokliks she was as far behind Switchshade as he was behind Knockout.
Once again, however, the medic sped up, and Arcee began to fall behind as Switchshade forcibly pushed himself to increase his own speed. He finally, painstakingly began to gain ground, and pulled up alongside Knockout's left. A quick scan of the 'Con revealed the human held captive on the medic's right side, and so Switchshade held no qualms against ramming into the side of the medic with all of his strength. The desperate pit maneuver had exactly the effect the darker mech had hoped for, as the medic struggled to stabilize himself from the unexpected impact. Both slowed significantly, and Switchshade prepared himself to transform and attack more efficiently, when suddenly a loud sound came from Knockout's other side, a sound that set both current Decepticon and ex-Con to shivering in unspeakable fear with the overwhelming wave of clear rage emanating from the newly-arrived mech. Lord Prime had come.