To Silvane: Uh, you got a point. (sheepish grin). Thanks for pointing that out, though. You've given me an excellent idea.
chapter nine
There was some amount of conversation as the odd convoy made its way down the highway. Optimus was in the lead, flanked by Jazz and Ironhide. The others followed in a staggered line, with Ratchet and Bumblebee bringing up the rear while Sunstreaker and Sideswipe raced each other as much as they could and still stay in formation. Sam and Mikaela had stayed behind at the base, but only because Bumblebee made them. As for the others, they were hitching rides with their chosen Autobots.
Sunstreaker found it amusing. It might have been less so if the human/Autobot pairings were more even, he decided. For instance, Sing was in no way a leader and yet he was awfully attached to Optimus. Then again, O'Connell and Jones were nowhere near the trouble-making pranksters that Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were, and yet they were rarely seen away from the Twins. Briefly, Sunstreaker had wondered what had attracted O'Connell to him, but decided against asking him about it. After all, he had no idea why he himself was attached to the human either. It must have just been one of those things.
In fact, the only pairing that made any sense at all was Lennox and Ironhide. The Autobot weapons specialist and the shoot-first-ask-questions-later Marine leader. They, Sunstreaker decided, were created for each other.
Suddenly Mikaela's voice crackled over everyone's radio links, interrupting the conversation between them. "Guys? I think we have a slight problem."
"Define slight." Bumblebee said good-naturedly.
"The Palatka landfill has been closed down. Sam and I finally dug up some information on the place. Now it's an abandoned industrial park, or at least according to this it is." Mikaela sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have looked it up before I said anything."
"Twenty-five years is a long time." Anna said calmly. "Information changes."
"Still, it sucks."
"The place is abandoned, right?" Stringer asked. At Mikaela's affirmative, she added, "So what's the big deal? We can do what needs to be done no matter where we are."
"Buildings will make it harder for us to keep you safe." Ratchet pointed out.
"They'll also make it harder for the Decepticons to take us out." Jones pointed out from his place with Sideswipe. "We'll be fine."
"So long as the place actually is abandoned." O'Connell pointed out from Sunstreaker's cabin. "After all, the government has this annoying knack for using 'abandoned' to mean 'top secret'." Jones' groaned. O'Connell simply laughed. Sometimes it was way too easy to play off of the younger soldier's paranoia, and O'Connell enjoyed every minute of it.
Sing glanced at the dash. "We could always go in first and make sure nothing is going on." he told Optimus. "Clear out any civilians we find."
"Because Lennox is so good at doing that." Epps muttered.
Anna groaned, and Ironhide couldn't help but chuckle at her exasperation. "Are you still sore about that?" she demanded. "It got us out of there, didn't it?"
"I still think it could have been done a better way than running down the street screaming about a bomb threat." Epps countered.
"We will go to this industrial park." Optimus decided, not sure whether to be amused or exasperated at the by-play. They sounded so much like his own soldiers it was hard to remember that he was dealing with a group comprised of Autobots and humans. "Anna, I would like your team to check for civilians before the Decepticons arrive. We won't have much time."
"You got it." Anna assured him.
"We're not going to have air support this time." Stringer pointed out. "Anyone but me remember how to use rocket and grenade launchers?"
"They'd better, 'cause me and Ironhide got 'em." Anna said with a laugh. "We're ready to rock and roll."
"A human after my own spark." Ironhide teased.
"Primus help us all." Ratchet groaned.
/----/
The industrial park was dark and quiet. The place comprised of several single-story buildings – factories of some sort, Optimus decided – all surrounding a central five-story tower like spokes on a wheel. It was an odd setup, almost like a fortress. The Autobots assumed their mech modes once the humans were clear. Optimus turned to Ironhide. "Run a thermal scan." he instructed. "Tell me what you see." Something wasn't right.
Apparently the humans were picking up on it too. Weapons were already in hand, eyes flickering around nervously, trying to find the source of whatever was causing their unease. Anna was sticking close to her team, ready to cover them if circumstances forced them to bail. Still, they didn't have a choice. It was either here, or a fight at the base that was entirely too close to the city. At least here, industrial park or not, the battle would be contained.
"No humans." Ironhide reported a second later. "However, there is something on the third floor of that building in the center. A massive heat signature, but not organic."
"Computers?" Epps guessed.
"Possibly." Ironhide agreed. "It's not sophisticated enough to be Cybertronian."
Optimus made the decision. "Take up positions." he instructed. "It won't be long before the Decepticons arrive."
Anna turned to her team. "Epps, Stringer – with me. We're going to find out what that heat sig is. Jones, O'Connell, Sing, stay here. If that bug shows back up," she handed Sing the rocket launcher, "blow it back to the Pit where it belongs."
"You got it." Sing said, taking the launcher. "You guys just be careful, got it?"
"I'll go with you." Jazz said, shifting back into the Solstice alt mode. "Ironhide's got me curious now." He opened his doors, and the three humans quickly got inside. As he sped off, the other Autobots watched with concern. Bumblebee glanced over at Optimus, but the leader shook his head. There was really nothing they could do but watch. Jazz was a warrior. No matter how much it scared them when he went off on his own (and could anyone really blame them? They had lost their comrade once, after all) they couldn't confine him to base. It just wasn't in his nature to stay behind.
"Positions." Optimus ordered tiredly. "Let's end this."
Jazz had barely made it to the building when the first of the Decepticons arrived. True to form, Soundwave, Barricade, and Devistator were only the first wave. The Seekers were coming as well, and Jazz was pretty sure he heard Blackout in there somewhere. So seven Decepticons – eight, if one included Scorponok – versus seven Autobots and six very determined humans. Not exactly an even fight, but Jazz couldn't decide who's favor it worked for. He opened his doors, letting out the humans, and stood up. Jazz was smaller than most of the other mechs, but even he could reach the third story. He tapped on one of the windows, and it crashed to the ground.
"I'll give you a lift up." he said, lowering his hand. Epps climbed on first, followed quickly by Stringer and Lennox. The black soldier smiled up at him, and Jazz couldn't help but grin back. He gently deposited his cargo in the window. "Let me know when you need to get down."
"You might want to hide until then." Epps advised. "Odd objects draw gunfire."
"Then you're going to get shot at bad enough as it is." Jazz retorted in kind, but he put some distance between himself and the building. Then he hunkered down and waited.
Sooner or later, the Decepticons were going to take out the building, if for nothing more than the fact that it was odd, stuck out like a sore servo, and therefore was probably important to someone, somewhere. It was up to Jazz to make sure his new friends didn't get killed when that happened.