"What's taking them so long?" Bulkhead asked, turning his hands into impatient fists. "They should'a called back by now,"
"Tricking a Decepticon is not as easy as it seems, Bulkhead. Especially for a child. Give them time, whether they are learning their parts...or speaking with them right now," said Ratchet.
"Why can't we call one of them to check up? You know, just in case?" said Smokescreen.
"We have no knowledge of what may be occurring at this moment. Given this situation, Shockwave will no doubt be obedient to his leader, and Jack has enough experience with Megatron to realize the brutality of the Decepticons. We must give them time," Optimus Prime ordered, stepping forward in his own body.
"Speaking of time," said Ratchet. "How are your conditions? How's Nurse Darby?"
"Fine. Thanks for the concern," she said, waving them down by a nearby ladder. "I'll miss that height, though."
"Miss Darby," said Agent Fowler, assisting the woman up the ladder. "I'm glad to see yourself in your own shoes. However, I must ask, how did you and Optimus get...switched back again?"
"Optimus held that...scepter-thing, and it just began to glow again. We were swapped back properly, just like that. It didn't work when Ratchet, Arcee, Bulkhead, or Smokescreen held it. It didn't work for me either, after I became Optimus, of course. It's like...," However, June shook her head and waved the thought away. She looked back at the Autobots and appeared stressed. "How're the kids?"
"No response yet. But that could mean a lot of things, especially success. As Optimus said before, we must be patient," Ratchet assured.
"Oh, I'm so sorry to interrupt your little motivational ramble, but would you mind releasing us from these shackles!?" Starscream cried, using Rafael's small body to squirm in futile against the metal bindings. "We can't even do anything in these...meat puppets!"
"Um, hello?" cried June. "We can hear you,"
"Someone's gonna have to take this Decepticon down a notch or two," Agent Fowler warned, slamming his fists together. June pulled him back by his shoulder and a shake of her head.
"There's a time and a place for this. Not here. Not now," she said disapprovingly.
"I'm not going to stand by and let them insult the kids, or June and Fowler. Can we just put a gag on them? I hate hearing their voices, knowing it's not really them talking..." said Bulkhead, wearily sounding.
"Agreed. I've heard enough obscenities come from...'Jack's' mouth today," Arcee agreed, sadly.
"I've got some real rags being held in my office. It'll just be a moment until we're back in action," said Fowler, rushing to up the stairs. "Would you care to join me, Miss Darby?"
"You know what...sure. Okay, Agent Fowler," she replied.
"Please, call me Bill," said the man.
"June."
Optimus cautiously turned his gaze to Megatron, who had a wicked grin. Neither one of them moved, and they were trapped in each other's deadly glares. Soon, Megatron lazily tossed his head up, and Optimus looked away, shaking his head disapprovingly.
"Did you...hypnotize him?" Knockout whispered to his master.
"Don't be a fool, Knockout," Megatron bitterly replied. "I am simply using the Autobots' weaknesses against them."
After a moment of silence, Knockout questionably asked, "The humans? We, the humans?"
"Never mind him, my liege. Knockout is not nearly as exceptional as I am in the art of deceit. As I am the youngest of the humans and the most favorable, allow me to work my magic," Starscream bragged.
"What are you up to?" Bulkhead asked threateningly, approaching them.
"Nothing," Starscream lied.
"What's going on?" Arcee inquired, approaching them.
"They were whispering to each other. I don't like it one bit, 'Cee," the green Autobot confided with her. Bumblebee noticed the commotion and was drawn to them as well, whirring a few sentences in response.
"Ooh, are we playing charades?" Smokescreen joked, cramming between Bumblebee and Bulkhead.
"Hardly," said Arcee, looking at Starscream coldly.
Not liking the intimidating looks, Starscream coughed to ease the negative attention on him. Megatron growled to his Second-in-Command to take action in his plan, and Knockout attempted to kick his leg. Starscream looked at Bumblebee, and a plan formed in his wicked mind.
"Bumblebee!" he suddenly exclaimed, in the most innocent and scared voice he could muster up in those moments.
This simple word caught everybody by surprise, and the Autobots were in shock. Megatron looked to him approvingly and Knockout snickered to himself. The commotion had drawn Optimus, Ultra Magnus and Ratchet's notice.
"Terrible," Knockout whispered to himself. "But very effective,"
"Don't you dare," Arcee warned, pointing a finger to Starscream. Bumblebee had taken a few steps back in alarm and growing guilt.
"Bumblebee! I thought we were friends! Why would you do this to me? Bumblebee," Starscream continued, sounding more and more displeased and similar to the human's body he was inhabiting.
The yellow and black Autobot was shaking his head rigorously. His unusually loud and drawn out beeps were the perfect reactions Starscream was looking for. He lost his innocent act and gave a sinister grin to the recovering Cybertronians in front of him. Bulkhead touched his shoulders and quickly guided him away as Starscream and Knockout laughed maniacally.
"Bulkhead! Wait! Please, let me go! Why are you doing this?" Knockout cried, picking up on the game.
"You. Are not. Miko!" Bulkhead shouted very angrily. He let go of Bumblebee, and his hands were balled into tight, impatient fists. This outburst only made the two Decepticons laugh hardier.
Optimus Prime gently laid a hand on both Bulkhead and Bumblebee's shoulders and led them out of the base fairly quickly to compose themselves. When the Prime slowly returned with a frightening stare, the babbling Decepticons were silenced. He held a punishing look, but Megatron proudly looked away.
"There are ways to impose reasonable punishments physically for your situation," Optimus Prime said so tightly that the words were barely passing his mouth.
Agent Fowler's office door opened with he and June stepping out with rags in their arms. Megatron looked back and forth between the Prime's heavy glance and William's entertained ready-for-justice expression.
"You will not touch ME!" Megatron screamed, fighting against the restraints the agent put on his mouth.
"You're not going to cause anymore problems for us, dino-bot," the man replied, dusting off his hands and looking back and forth between the tied prisoners and the Autobots. The latter had confused expressions. "What?" Agent Fowler questioned.
Jack stammered, but the blaster was beginning to make an uncomfortable buzzing sound, and a powerful light began to grow from inside. He froze, unable to move or even blink in the mercy of the Energon about to fire into 'his' face.
"Stop!" Miko shouted, thrashing from Soundwave's tendrils pinning her to the desert ground.
Shockwave leaned back and stared at her with his one red eye. "Speak, impostor, for my patience is wearing thin. Do you believe it is logical to keep faulty apparitions alive once they are discovered?"
"How did you know we were fakes?" she asked, surprisingly timid.
"Lord Megatron sends binary inscriptions with each mission to promise our master is truly our own, or for any other emergency unmentioned. Now, it has paid off. A false semblance of our liege has been conjured. Do not prepare to face your demise, as it will be swift, but most likely extremely painful," the singular-eyed Decepticon spoke.
"Wait! You don't even know where the real Megatron, Knockout and Starscream are! Without us, and our bodies, you'll never see them again!" the girl shouted, confidence radiating through her with each word.
The statement was true. They were essential for the Decepticons, but the moment that thought went into her head, she felt a sickening realization that hadn't occurred to her before. She, Jack and Raf could defeat the Decepticon leader, save Cybertron and Earth...but to achieve this they would need to sacrifice themselves.
Shockwave looked back at the silent predator-like Decepticon. With a wave of his hand, Soundwave released them without hesitation from his higher superior. Miko gave a sigh of relief, however they were far from over.
"You have yourfreedom - short-term. Now reveal, imperfect speakers, as would be most logical in your situation: Where is Megatron and his acolytes?" Shockwave spoke with his utmost tolerance.
"Aco-whatties?" Miko innocently inquired.
"Knockout and Starscream are in the same place as Megatron. And their location...," Jack answered questionably. "They're still in the cave."
Shockwave merely responded, "Are they? If you are being dishonest with us, our sensors can easily indicate and track their Energon signatures-,"
"We are humans - I, uh, were. We were humans, and that relic switched our bodies with Megatron and the others. Humans don't have Energon in them. We three ran from the cave, so they're still inside. They could be lost, or even hurt. Humans aren't as resilient as Cybertronians, you know," the courageous boy said, finishing his fabrications.
Shockwave and Soundwave exchanged glances. After a few moments of the first glaring back and forth among the Decepti-kids, he finally came to a conclusion. "Soundwave will survey the cave and find our liege and colleagues. I will remain here and ensure you do not escape."
Soundwave nodded, and slowly made his way towards the beckoning cave. In the time it took for him to actually go into the cave, the moments between the four remaining 'Decepticons' were very silent. Shockwave had a blaster as an intimidation device as the three children were not currently restrained. However, with no battle experience among any of them, they knew they were no match again him. Or, so they underestimated themselves.
Every fidget or head turn caused Shockwave to point his blaster at them until they froze, and he'd put it pack down. After this happening several times, the children all wondered near the same amount of time of what he'd do if they all moved at the same time. Raf was able to capture an ounce of bravery, and jumped up. Jack dashed to the right, and Miko charged straight for Shockwave to ensure the two boys' safety.
"Eat dirt, Cyclopes!" she cried, digging 'her' fingers into the ground and throwing the pebbles and debris into his face.
She hopped off of him, and he rubbed at his eye, shouting obscenities. The three gathered behind him, and they were out of ideas. Jack looked at the large canon on 'his' arm and pointed it at Shockwave.
"Do you know what you're doing?" Miko exclaimed.
"Does anybody?" he replied.
He concentrated, and he felt a drainage of power leave his body and collect at his arm. A familiar whirring noise began, and a dark glow emanated from the opening of the gun. A loud KRR-PANG! filled his hearing, and a bright blue luminescence temporarily obstructed his view, before he saw Shockwave several meters farther, and smoke rising from his torso.
"I...did...," Jack muttered to himself in awe, but Miko grabbed his arm and pulled him away, running.
"Famous last words, eh?" she commented. She then put 'her' fingers to the earpiece on their heads, and demanded, "Ratchet! Get us out of here, pronto!"
A recognizable Ground Bridge opened up nearby, but a sound distracted them. Soundwave charged from the cave and upon fully exiting, transformed in a sleek, dark jet and raced towards them. Raf and Miko pulled Jack along, and they charged into the colorful vortex. It closed moments before the Decepticon could enter, and he maneuvered out of the direction of the ground, and changed back into his original form. He watched Shockwave weakly roll over on his side with a groan. The silent seeker made his way to the injured brute.
"Lord Megatron was not in the cave, neither were his minions or the relic?" he questioned. Soundwave nodded. "And the impostors still cannot be detected, however, Energon currently flows through their veins?" Soundwave once again confirmed his words. "They were not ordinary humans. They're with the Autobots, and they cannot hide forever. Once they leave their protective husks, we will find them, and we will take their sparks in our very own hands."
Soundwave created a Ground Bridge for the Nemesis, grabbed a hold of the damaged Shockwave and dragged him through.