Ch. 86

"Two above, one below," Bulkhead murmured quietly not too far away, "That Hardshell bug, he's the one below, to your left."

Breakdown didn't respond. He was waiting. The blue mech had positioned himself accordingly. He was a little nervous about having all three Insecticons converging at once, but if they even took one out with this plan it would be fun.

Bulkhead had a stiff hold on a tree trunk he had 'procured'. This was all about timing...

Hardshell's loud shriek as the three pounced called that time and Breakdown allowed himself to trip out of harm's way before the first Insecticon brute could grab him, kicking up at another one into Bulkhead's direction.

"First up!" he hollered, rolling out of the way of the third Insecticon's claws.

Bulkhead popped up from the jungle brush with the tree trunk and smirked, pushing it up hard, "First down!" the end of the trunk went straight into the Insecticon's neck, severing the helm from the rest of the chassis and the bug dropped, the green mech shoving the trunk away from himself, "Perfect pitch, Breakdown!"

"What can I say?" the blue mech replied, irritating Hardshell as he easily dodged the Insecticon's slashes, "I never lost it!"

Hardshell roared at the pair, his remaining Insecticon lunging for Bulkhead, "We may have lost one, but we shall ensure your demise!"

Bulkhead laughed, punching the nameless Insecticon away with his wrecking ball, "That's what they all say, Shelly! Gotta say, it's getting old!"

The green Wrecker hit the Insecticon a second time, throwing it back into Hardshell, and the larger bug snarled, "Do you think this a game, Wrecker?!"

Bulkhead rolled his shoulder armor, shrugging, "Well, with the way you fight..."

Hardshell shrieked and lunged after the mech himself, dodging extra blaster fire from Breakdown as he slashed and scratched at Bulkhead. The second Insecticon finally pulled itself up and transformed, flying up and then back down to fire carefully at Breakdown. The blue mech jumped out of the way and fired back, chasing after the bug when it flew passed to circle again.

"Hey Bulk," Breakdown hollered, "what's say we play 'hide-and-seek' again? I like winning!"

Bulkhead punched up hard into Hardshell's maw with his wrecking ball, dodging a blow to the left but taking a punch in the faceplates from the right that sent him sprawling; he spat energon from his mouth and got up as he grumbled, "Fine by me!" he ran after the blue mech, listening as he heard Hardshell transform and follow behind them, "but we're gonna need some cover to make sure these two clowns don't cheat!"

The pair ducked into low hanging trees and disappeared into the growth, forcing the Insecticons to fly overhead. Hardshell could see glimpses of the two between the leaves and branches before they vanished all together.

"Wreckers," he hissed, "nothing more than overrated prey!"

His remaining Insecticon hovered beside him, growling, "They aim to spring a second trap upon us."

Hardshell flew in closer to the trees, "Yes, they do, but we shall not allow them this advantage. There is a human base just north of our location. We shall go there and see how quickly the Autobot tries to stop us."

The Insecticons pulled away, flying higher, and started heading north. Bulkhead scowled beneath the foliage.

"We gotta stop them."

Breakdown grabbed his arm as the green mech tried to move out, "Bulk. No."

Bulkhead pulled his arm back roughly, growling, "No? Breakdown, I get you're new to the whole Autobot way, but protecting humans is our number one priority."

"You think I don't get that?" the blue mech huffed quietly, "This has all the same signs of that battle just outside of Tarn. You, me, Jackie and Seaspray ducked under the 'Con's peds in some decimated buildings. They made themselves real loud, Bulk, and we took their intel and acted on it. How right were we then?"

Bulkhead sighed, "We weren't. But this isn't Cybertron. Human's maybe be tough, but they're a lot more fragile than we are... I can't risk this, even if it is the wrong move."

Breakdown grabbed his arm again, "Look, I'm not gonna be the one to bring you back to Miko all battered like Starscream on one of Megatron's bad days. If you're gonna do this, we gotta set a trap on top of theirs."

"Like what? First base near us is nowhere near the jungle. It's not like we could sneak up on them."

Breakdown let him go and rolled his shoulders, "Make'em come back to us. We'll go back further up the mountain and bring'em both down."

Bulkhead thought quietly and nodded, "What? The Double Drop?"

The blue mech waved a servo, "Maybe a play off that. But you play bait this time. They called you out."

Bulkhead huffed a small laugh, "Yeah, yeah, my turn..."

It had only been a few minutes, but the Insecticons hadn't had to wait long. Bulkhead's green vehicular form tore across the upper mountain, outside the cover of the jungle, at great speed. When the Insecticons saw him pass, they pounced, flying after him and firing their lasers at him.

Bulkhead groaned as he dodged and turned around hard, heading back where he had initially come from, "Breakdown," he COMMed, "I hate when you're right."

Breakdown chuckled in the other end, "I'm only right when it counts. I'm also in position, you just let me know when to jump."

Bulkhead pushed his engine harder, his tires digging into the terrain, "I have a visual on your boulder, give it five seconds..." he drew in closer, revving loudly so he could ensure he was heard, "four... three... two..."

As the green mech came in close, Breakdown launched himself hard and high into the air, his hammer transformed out. The metal weapon made sickening contact with the helm of Hardshell's companion and Breakdown crashed the Insecticon's chassis into a small crater in the ground below.

Hardshell roared and flew around the pair, firing rapidly and angrily as Bulkhead transformed and returned fire. Breakdown quickly rushed to the green mech's side to give aid, the single Insecticon proving hard to hit when a ground bridge opened behind them.

Bulkhead glanced at the bridge and frowned when a slim mech ran through, "Soundwave?"

Breakdown huffed, "What's he doing here?" he grumbled, "He has his own location."

Bulkhead readjusted his aim at Hardshell as the bug kept circling above them, "Look Soundwave, we're kinda busy having fun here with our target practice, so do you mind?"

"Wreckers: you are coming now."

Breakdown's optics widened and he finally looked at the usually silent mech, "Uh, Soundwave? Is something-"

"Correct: something is wrong. Soundwave: will explain along the way. Insection: simple ploy."

The pair grumbled and sighed, taking a few more pot shots at Hardshell to keep him back as they ran through the bridge. As the ground bridge disappeared, Hardshell transformed and landed roughly, roaring and screaming as he pounded his clawed servos into the cracked earth.