Ch. 189
Knockout stared down with wide optics. He was in charge. He was in charge. Let them know that. Establish dominance. They will fear and respect you. But don't let them know you're afraid. How did the other Autobots control them?
Raf kept tapping away at his tablet, trying to get a connection to the outside world while Jack watched on helplessly.
"I'm still not getting a signal, even with a boost," Raf grumbled, "We have to get in touch with everybody and get help! What if they find Bumblebee and catch him?"
Jack shook his head, "No way, we won't let that happen. And 'Bee is faster than those guys, don't sweat it..."
Knockout continued to stare down at his two new responsibilities. The fear was consuming him. He had to act soon.
Jack sighed, "Ok, so we're not in the best position right now, but if we double back and then try to find a tunnel that could lead us back to Bumblebee, that may be our best bet."
"What about calling the team?" Raf asked worriedly, "They need to know what's going on."
The older boy frowned in thought, "Well, would we have enough time to do that and get to 'Bee? I mean, if time is of the essence and all..."
"We'll have to make time. There won't be any of us left here if we get caught."
"But our being there to save Bumblebee, if he even needs it, will give us a better chance of all of us making it out before-"
"I am in charge!"
Raf and Jack abruptly stopped speaking to look up at the red mech, whose faceplates were flushed with embarrassment.
'Good', Knockout thought, 'be their leader.'
Jack shrugged, "Ok, what do you think we should do?"
"First off, no back talk!" the medic winced at the comment he blurted out and waved a servo, "Um, no never mind... but do remember that! And first order of business is... doing what Bumblebee said! Head to the exit, make our way out. We'll decide how to continue from there!"
Raf frowned a little, "That's it?"
Knockout nodded and took out his prod, pointing back the way they came with it, "If we over plan now, we're doomed to failure. So, let's mush on! Walk, walk, one, two, three, four!"
The red mech marched down the tunnel, children in tow, and kept his optics peeled for any signs of danger as they traveled. He hoped that Bumblebee would find them and resume the 'human watch' responsibilities. He certainly didn't want to get himself resigned to the task forever...
"It's been too long!"
"He'll be here. One more minute."
"... I'm calling base."
Knockout quirked an optical ridge at Raf, "You have a signal?"
The boy nodded, "Faint, but I should be able to get something out."
They had made it out. The twists and turns of the cave were little more than a memory now. A slow, agonizing memory because like frag was Knockout going to transform and let the humans ride inside him. He made them walk.
Jack paced as he looked back at the cave mouth, shaking his head, "Raf's right, it's been too long. Maybe his path was blocked or maybe his tunnel didn't lead to the outside... he wouldn't be taking this longer otherwise. Or else maybe-"
The older boy stopped. You never voiced those problems aloud, you hoped they didn't happen.
But Knockout knew what he was saying and sighed, "Yes, that could also have been a possibility. Probably why we didn't see any troops on the way out. That quake was a rough one. If his tunnel led him back to that main chamber and they were all there making sure repairs could be made quickly..."
Slag it all, the medic had to go back in. The scout, if they were indeed beginning to entertain the idea of capture, would be brought back to the Nemesis and put before Megatron. It wouldn't take much to imagine what would happen next.
Raf growled at his tablet and shook it, "It's not working!"
"Was it damaged in the quake?" Knockout asked as he knelt down.
The younger boy shrugged, "Maybe... It's either that or the signal's being jammed. Can we risk using your COMM?"
The red mech grimaced. Soundwave had been very clear about the use of their COMMs. Until he could be sure that the Harbinger wouldn't send their communications to the Nemesis, they were to retain COMM silence. Which was why Raf's device was so crucial.
Knockout shrugged, "I don't like Soundwave's angry side. Let's skip it..."
He glanced back at the cave mouth. What was his best option? He couldn't leave the yellow mech behind, that would be suicide to all of them. But could he really risk going back in? Sure, if he had less to worry about...
Knockout slowly smiled, "Ok... Ok! New plan! You two, to the bushes! Hide and work on calling base while I go back in for Bumblebee. This is the best option."
Jack crossed his arms, "Shouldn't we stick together?"
The medic glared, "Shouldn't you listen to the one in charge who is obviously me? I called it. Now go," he pointed with his prod to a line of trees a small distance away, "bushes, now."
Jack rolled his eyes and Raf grumbled, pouting quietly, "Those are trees, not bushes."
"Well just shush and hide in them!"
Knockout watched the humans begrudgingly oblige to his command. The red mech turned quickly to look at the cave mouth and sighed, a little more excited than he was before.
'Humans', he thought as he ran back into the cave, 'nothing but hard work and trouble.'