Sorry for the long wait, I have had no time. Also, the next few chapters should be quicker. Hopefully. Honestly, I only just decided how this story will end... oh well.
I will have to edit the last few chapters, as the website apparently hated me and removed some of the old lines used to show a change in location.
XxXxXxX
"Where's Miko?!" Roared Bulkhead at the human that had been so mysterious for so long. Jordan looked up at the sound, somewhat nonplussed by the sudden noise.
"Pardon?"
"You heard me, little glitch!" The giant mech took a step towards the secretive human who was connected to everything that had gone wrong. As Bulkhead reached down, Optimus Prime strode into the room.
"Bulkhead, do not harm the human." Optimus' booming voice commanded obedience, but the giant green mech was too consumed by rage to hear.
"Tell me now, before I punt you further than a football, insect."
The room went so quiet that a needle-drop could be heard. Bulkhead froze, optics wide open and mouth agape. Optimus also froze for a split second, before
giving an order with a deadly calm.
"Bulkhead, go relieve Arcee of patrol duty."
The mech, still too shocked to say anything, went to have Ratchet open a groundbridge. Optimus watched this, then turned back to the human that Bulkhead was taking his anger out on. Optimus kneeled on one knee, locking eyes with Jordan.
"I apologize for Bulkhead's behavior. We should not blame you for what the Chosen has done. I hope you can forgive him."
Jordan held the stare for a few moments, trying to decide what to say, eventually settling on the truth.
"You know, I know one of those Chosen."
Another moment of silence. A faint noise in the background.
"You know them?" Optimus said that neutrally, knowing to reserve judgement.
"Not all of them, just one."
"And who is that?"
Jordan said nothing, listening intently. He glowed brightly before looking at the hall behind Optimus.
"Come on out, Moronatron. I know you're there. You may as well take part in this conversation."
Megatron crept out from the hallway, powering up his hand-cannon.
"Listen to me, fragger. I am willing to things to you far worse than any measly Autobot could dream of."
"Megatron!" Yelled Optimus Prime, true anger in his voice. "Stop threatening the human! Now, Jordan, who is it that you know?"
Jordan smirked, before turning around and walking a few steps.
"You have seen the human with them, right?"
"Yes, the one who was with Predaking, correct?"
"Yes, sure. He is the one that Primus was referring to."
"So even those 'Chosen' have tried to utilize the human factor?" Spat Megatron, his disdain evident.
"No duh, Megatwat. There is something else I need to tell you-" Before either Jordan could continue or Megatron could interject, Knockout ran into the room. He was sporting a dent similar in size and shape to a wrench.
"That demon medic of yours wants you to hurry. Those 'Chosen' homewreckers are threatening to finally off Starscream. Can you believe that Ratchet dented my paint job?! I spent so much time on it!" Knockout ended, high-pitched and whiny.
"You don't see the irony of you calling Ratchet a demon medic?" Asked Jordan. Knockout appeared confused, but Megatron prevented any response.
"If anyone is offlining that traitorous Second of mine, it will be me!" Megatron left, leaving the others with no choice but to follow.
They soon reached where Ratchet and the rest of the Autobots and Decepticons were gathered.
"Prime, look at what they sent us!" Ratchet began the video while everyone watched intently.
The video opened on a dark room, with only Starscream visible. He was in obsidian-black shackles, chained to a wall with his arms above his head. His ankles were likewise chained to the wall, with his wings being covered in the black material. He was passed out and hung limply, but seemed otherwise unharmed. The way he hung, he looked liked a piece of meat at a butcher's shop. A silver, skeletal mech walked over to Starscream, and broke a metal ball under Starscream's face. A blue smoke came out, rousing the Decepticon awake. He immediately began to struggle and yell.
"Set me free, fragger! I will kill you all! I will tear your sparks out so quickly you will be able to see them before offlining!"
The silver mech said nothing, turning to the camera and pointing behind it. allowed the gathered crowd to see the mech's face. It looked sad, depressed even. However, as it pointed, there was a flash of sadistic glee in it's optics. Starscream saw what was being pointed at, and immediately went quiet. Then he began to ramble.
"I am sorry for what I said. You are truly kind and merciful. Do you want Energon? I can get you Energon. I can tell you where our base is. Whatever you want, I can get-"
The silver mech slapped Starscream, leaving five horizontal cuts along the side of the prisoner's face. He appeared both astounded and furious.
"How dare you, do you know who I am!" A deep growl began behind the camera at this, silencing the indignation. A giant orange shape leapt at Starscream from off camera, going face to face with the chained mech. Predaking transformed, towering over Starscream in both his alt mode and anthropomorphic. He grabbed the middle of Starscream's arm hard enough for even Jordan to hear the sound of groaning metal. Starscream howled in agony, trying and failing to wrench himself away from the giant mech. After a few moments of the sound of a wounded animal, the silver mech spoke up.
"Now Predaking, Starscream is incapable of doing anything at all. Please release the pathetic one."
At the sound of the mech's quiet voice, Predaking leaned in closer to Starscream to give a deep, resonating growl before throwing the Decepticon Seeker against the wall. Starscream stared at the screen, clearly traumatized.
"Poor villain, chained deep below the skin of Unicron. As you can see," The mech turned towards the camera too. "We know the best way to deal with a treacherous flier such as this one. Shame he will never again be able to feel the freedom of the open sky. Instead, he will live out the rest of his short life as little more than the knuckle bone of a cow, chewed up and buried where none will ever find it. That is, unless we can come to a deal." The mech walked near the now-quivering Starscream. Using a long, spindly finger, The mech pushed up Starscream's face until they were eye-to-eye. After a few tense moments, the mech turned back toward the audience before whispering so quietly that every Autobot and Decepticon leaned forward.
""Starscream has 36 hours before the boss hands him over to the Predacons for justice. If a deal has not been made before then, no promises can be made that he will not… deteriorate. At least the Predacons will be happy. You can find us where the red elephant walks."
The video went black. Megatron snarled and hit a table, causing a shattering sound.
"Megatron, I needed that!" Ratchet grabbed an unseen wrench and threw it at the Decepticon leader.
"Frag you. Now, insect, tell me who you know and I may choose to spare your pathetic life."
"Megatron, violence will find neither Starscream nor our friends." Optimus Prime stated. "Jordan Creedy, do you know where the Chosen are?"
Jordan stared intently at Optimus for a moment, before thinking out loud.
"Jack, Miko, and Raf have told me a lot about Nevada. There is a natural formation called the Elephant Rock. Perhaps we can find them there."
XxXxXxX
"So, what do you think?" Asked Spectre. The children, fidgeting nervously, were unwilling to answer. Except for Miko, who, after a moment, spoke out.
""Why is Zane so weird?" Jack and Raf stared at her in shock, unable to react. The robot merely laughed, a cheery sound.
"He's no more strange than any other of you insects. A bit stressed, sure. But not weird. Now, how has your stay been? We had a rather intense advertising campaign, and wish to ensure that it went well with our target audience."
"Will we be able to visit our families?" Asked Jack. Spectre drew back in shock.
"What are you- what?! Yes, of course! We aren't monsters, just Sparkless. I do not know how Zane plans to do that, but he will definitely allow you to do so, though you may have to remind him. Is there anything you will need while here?"
Raf began to grow more confident. "Can we get some food?"
"That would be helpful, wouldn't it? I will make you dinner when it is time. Now," Spectre grew serious. "Tell me the honest truth. What do you think of our little family?"
The kids, clearly panicked, just glanced at each other. Raf, realizing no one wanted to answer, took it upon himself to do so.
"I don't know. You seem nice, Zane seems strange, and the rest seem like they want to hurt us. Oh yeah, that one robot - Omicron? - he doesn't seem to like us at all."
"Oh, Omicron? He's harmless. He just doesn't like any human, even the boss himself… Don't tell them I said that. Regardless, I can assure you that none of us will hurt you. Actually, follow me." Spectre turned around and glided off, forcing the kids to run after him. He took them down a few hallways, all lit by an unnatural light that gave everything a bright and unsettling glow. They reached a large room, lined with metal columns and a large computer setup against one wall. As the group grew neared the computer, multiple Sparkless appeared from behind the columns.
The kids hurried to stay caught up with Spectre, but even still the Sparkless, due to their larger sizes, quickly gained on the smaller leaders. Spectre abruptly stopped a meter away from the computer, causing Jack, Miko, and Raf to walk into him. The only Chosen they trusted remained silent, almost causing Miko to speak up before a face appeared on the biggest monitor. The voice was that of the disembodied voice from earlier, Omicron.
"Oh, if it isn't the humans. Clearly Spectre must like you, if he chose to… introduce us. I will admit, this is an unexpected development. Forgive me, I do not yet have hands with which to shake your own. Now, Spectre, tell me. Why did you bring these humans here?"
"They aren't prisoners, so I thought that they could meet the rest of you. Now, you three have already spoken to Omicron, but I thought you may as well meet him in person-"