Weee, here it is. Chapter Eight: ) Didn't mean to keep you all waiting two whole days. xD I was too busy yesterday to get enough of the chapter done and y'know how school interferes. x3 But, without further ado, I did it, and I had fun with this chapter. : D I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. I was gunna add moreeee, but meh. I can wait I'm sure. x3
Okay, enough of me. Read and reviewww. : )
Chapter Eight – The Kidnap is Schemed
At the Sight of the Attack on Bumblebee's District
The entire district was but heaps of steaming metal and fires that slowly began to die down, flames crackling whilst licking up whatever was in their pathways. Autobot corpses lied on top of one another, limp, lifeless, some of their optics still open and flickering. Sparks beat their last with withering thrums, supporting life no more to the body it had once belonged too.
Death hung in the air like a stench.
The sight was truly horrendous, with the light rain and thundering blue black sky that made everything even more like a nightmare gone to reality. The storm refused to cease, thundering and striking lightning throughout the dark clouds. No Autobot could have survived such an unexpected attack.
It was horror to them all, but to some, it was sweet, glorious victory.
And those some included a mech of eighteen feet with red optics that could truly pierce any Autobot's spark like an energon blade, and faceplate as cold and hard as his war-edged spark.
Designation: Barricade.
The mech clicked the tips of his claws in satisfaction, letting an evil smirk move across his faceplate. He paced around slowly and admired the work that had been done, watching as the drones finished their tasks. They checked to make sure every corpse was actually dead, and that no spark was left beating. Drones fired at the bodies and moved along, disappearing over the hillsides to return to their bases.
Everything had fallen according to plan.
Barricade grinned wider.
"The orders here have been fulfilled," he said softly to himself, chuckling deeply. "Everything is exactly how Lord Megatron wished."
From behind him, a jet engine roared, growing louder and louder with each astrosecond. Barricade turned to see the metal taloned feet of Starscream dig into the dirt ground with a massive thud, the Decepticon's red optics slowly turning to his as he straightened himself to his normal thirty one feet stature. He hissed.
"My orders have been completed," he told Barricade in his raspy voice, grinning. "Another district terminated with a matter of breems." Another snickering hiss escaped his modulators.
Barricade nodded, turning his optics to the sky as thunder clapped. "Lord Megatron will reward us greatly," he mused with a smile. "Two districts in a matter of breems…"
"Yes, a record indeed. Our reward shall be exceptional," the jet grinned.
Barricade's optics fell to the mud floor as he continued his pace, arms crossed across his steel colored chest. He ambled over to the faint yellow and black corpse of a femme, her blue optics still flickering up at the sky. Energon trickled from the open wound in her spark chamber, onto the mud below her, creating a murky puddle. Barricade eased his foot into her side, watching as she limply lied there.
She didn't react the slightest.
Starscream stepped over, his form towering over the scout's. "A femme…" he grunted, scarlet optics scanning. "I find it rare to see them on Cybertron anymore."
Barricade nodded slowly. "Yes, and even more unusual," he started, looking over the body. "…there was a youngling with her. I believe the two were sparkling and femme…Creator and Creation."
Starscream raised an optic ridge. "That is rare," he said quietly. "The femme is dead…What did you do with the youngling?" He grinned. "I hope you saved it as a pet." His eager claws flexed.
The scout didn't answer for a few astroseconds. He sighed. "I killed the femme. I didn't savage the youngling for our pet, Starscream," he told the fighter jet. "I left him to himself."
Starscream growled, optics flaring. "You what?"
"Starscream, why should I have wasted my own time killing a youngling?" he asked, sighing. "To do such a thing would have no purpose."
Starscream grunted. "We need to find that youngling to be a pet for our Lord," he said lowly. "Megatron would only be pleased."
The Decepticon's optics trailed to the muddy ground, scanning for any sign of tiny footsteps. The mech paused when coming upon footsteps a little larger than his, leading away from the battle grounds. They led away in a direction that no Decepticon bases were situated, and this rung alarms in Starscream's processor. If they led in a direction where no Decepticon bases were located, they had to be Autobot's, leading to their base.
The Decepticon grinned and began following the footsteps. "Excellent," he purred.
Barricade raised an optic ridge. "And just where are you going off to?"
"Following these footprints, you imprudent scout," the mech hissed with a smile, optics flashing. "They could lead to an Autobot base." His modulators crackled in thrill.
Barricade furrowed his brow. "We should search like this?" he asked, stepping to Starscream's side. "We're too exposed. Any Autobot squad could discover two prowling Decepticons."
Starscream made a sound of indifference. "Any Autobot team is no match for us," he said firmly. "I believe we just destroyed two districts within breems. What good is a single team?"
"We did destroy the districts, but with the help of drones given to us by our Lord."
Starscream sighed. "The drones are nothing, but metal and circuitry, robots programmed to do what they are ordered under all circumstances. Ours cannot disobey our Lord, and they are certainly not worthy soldiers such as us."
Barricade frowned. Sure, the drones were programmed and not particularly strong like them, but…Slag it. He rested his case and followed alongside Starscream with scanning optics.
"I only hope your decision is wise," he sighed. "…Possibly to earn ourselves an even greater reward."
"Scout, I know perfectly well that these tracks lead to somewhere," Starscream shot back. "Their size is greater than mine and probably as large as Megatron's himself. You can only imagine who this could be…"
Barricade's optics gleamed evilly and he snickered. "The Autobot commander himself…" he grinned.
Starscream nodded. "Yes, yes, exactly." He pointed a claw at the scout at his side, then the massive footprint on the ground. "Report to Megatron and tell him of our discovery, and what we plan to do." He smiled. "Tell him Optimus Prime will soon be in our optic ranges."
Barricade didn't hesitate to click on a private communication channel to his Lord, his cold spark thrumming in excitement as the near future became a major anticipation to him. "Yes, Starscream," he said. "I can hardly wait…"
/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\
At the Autobot Base
Jazz's optics gleamed into the wonderfully blue ones of the bot in his hands, watching as Bumblebee grinned from receptor to receptor. He lifted a single claw to the mechling's head, stroking the yellow metal between his drooping antennae. Bumblebee purred happily and nestled his cheekplate against Jazz's.
"Rrrrrr…" the bot purred, giggling.
Jazz laughed and pulled the bot away to throw him up into the air, grinning widely as his audios caught the wonderful squeals and giggles Bumblebee shouted in his smiles. He tossed Bumblebee again and again, catching him gingerly every time.
"How ya likin' that, Bee?" he grinned.
"Jazz, higher!!" Bumblebee giggled, little yellow hands reaching into the air.
Jazz chuckled and couldn't refuse the younglings' demand, throwing Bumblebee high until he barely grazed the ceiling. The mechling squealed with his head back, purring excitedly once his little form plopped safely into Jazz's secure hands. He couldn't stop giggling, his form shaking.
Jazz laughed with him. "You're silly, kid," he said with gleaming optics, roughly russlting his palm on top of Bumblebee's yellow head. Bumblebee closed his optics and smiled, purring.
"Am I?" his tiny voice giggled.
"Uh huh," the mech answered casually. "Very."
"Rrrrrr…"
Ratchet walked from one end of the hall, pointlessly examining one of his hands as he passed the two. His deep blue optics lifted as Jazz tossed the bot into the air again, ridges arching.
"Jazz, don't do that," he sighed, gently heeding. "That's dangerous, you know that."
The silver mech scoffed, catching Bumblebee gingerly in his claws again. "Oh, mute it," he laughed, bringing the gurgling bot against his chest. "I wasn' gonna drop 'im."
Ratchet mumbled under his breath, shaking his head before he disappeared into his quarters. Jazz shrugged and looked down into wide, baby blue optics that were staring up at him, smiling as his claws stroked Bumblebee's head slowly.
"Whatcha wanna do, little guy?" he asked in a light chuckle, slowly circling the tip of one silver claw around one yellow antenna. "Huh?"
Bumblebee opened his little mouth to say something, but his words were cut short when a shiver snaked down his spine, the high sensitivity of the wires in his antenna making his frame shiver. He giggled and shut his optic, burying his little head into Jazz's spark as if to kill the shivers that quaked his system. He purred, letting Jazz's hand cup around his body and ease him against a warm spark.
"Mmm," he hummed, opening his optics to Jazz's. "Where's Optimus?"
Jazz laughed and turned on his heel, walking slowly down the hall. "Bee, yer' always missin' him, y'know that?" he grinned, giving Bumblebee a friendly smack on the back of his head.
Bumblebee smiled. "I love him," he said softly. "A-And I wanna talk to him."
Jazz nodded. "I know, I know. C'mon." He hoisted Bumblebee onto his shoulder, letting the bot tuck his tiny head in the crook of his neck. His purring rattled his neck's wires and tickled him to the point of grinning from receptor to receptor. "Let's get you to him, huh?"
"M'hmm…"
"And he's already here," rumbled a gentle voice from behind them.
Jazz turned with his optics widened, a ridge arching slowly once he met his commander's gaze. The second lieutenant stumbled backwards at the gallant mech's sudden appearance, slowly moving Bumblebee from his shoulder to his arms.
"H-Hey, when'dja get there?" he said nervously, drawing Bumblebee against his chest. "I didn't see ya."
Optimus gave a small smile. "Yes, well, I had been looking for the youngling myself," he said, optics dropping to Bumblebee's wide pair. His smile dropped. "I would like to speak to him as well." His optics narrowed. "To clarify a few things…"
Bumblebee whirred and sat himself upright, remaining against Jazz's spark. He looked from the second lieutenant to Optimus with confused optics, innocence all over his faceplate. He blinked at the towering mech at last.
"D-Did I do something wrong?" he stuttered in a small voice. "I-I'm sorry."
Optimus shook his head with a smile. "No, youngling, you did nothing wrong," he sighed in a chuckle, reaching over to take Bumblebee in his hands. "Now, come along. Say goodbye to Jazz now."
Bumblebee chirped as Optimus bounced him up against his shoulder, then turned his little body to wave a tiny yellow hand at the silver mech.
"Bye bye, Jazz," he frowned apologetically. "M-M'sorry."
Jazz smiled, throwing a wave as he set down for the opposite end. "Nahhh, don't worry about it," he said casually. He grinned. "Seeya, kid."
/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\
Outside the Autobot Base
Starscream came to a slow halt as the footsteps ended at a downward sloping hill, then continued a massive stride ahead, heading toward what looked like a giant collection of tall trees. The Decepticon narrowed his optics and zoomed, zeroing in at the space between the trees. He noticed something metal hidden in them, the top of whatever it was peeking over the tops of the trees, and an evil smile curved his metal lips. Starscream hissed excitedly as the scout stepped at his side.
He knew exactly what that was.
"What do you see?" asked Barricade, slitting his own optics.
Starscream laughed. "The Autobot base!" he grinned, clicking his claws together. "We've located it, Barricade. We've found it!" He turned and gave a face. "I told you."
Barricade's optics widened as he, too, noticed the well-hidden, Autobot base. He grinned slowly, optics flaring excitedly as his spark skipped in its chamber.
"Optimus Prime is within our grasp!" he chuckled. His optics shot to the jet. "We must alert the drones, contact them, and lead them toward this base. A fleet of drones could easily wipe out such a puny squad."
Starscream cackled at the thought of success, at the thoughts of reward and promotion! His optics continued scanning greedily, looking for any trace of a possible Autobot. "First of all…" He straightened up and pointed a single claw before him.
"The base as windows," he said, lowering his hand. "Have Frenzy look through them, cautiously, and report back with everything he scans."
Barricade nodded and let a panel of his steel colored chest plate slide aside, allowing the smaller mech harvested within it to pop out and land on his feet. Frenzy talked furiously fast to no one in particular, pacing around eagerly before stiffening when Starscream pointed ahead.
"The base, Frenzy," the towering mech ordered. "Look through its windows, then report back once you have visuals on any of the Autobots." He growled the last word as if it were a curse.
Frenzy muttered to himself in Cybertronian as he marched down the hill on cautious toes, his many blue optics scanning on high alert. Barricade's own widened and he stepped forward, an alarm ringing in his CPU.
"The sensors, watch out for them!" he called at the mech. "Do not trigger the alarms!"
Frenzy halted. He looked back at the mechs behind him, growling.
"What am I supposed to do?" he clicked in their language.
Barricade frowned, optics scanning intently on any possible security field that could be around the base. He snarled as there indeed was one, a dome surrounding the entire structure, pulsing quicker and quicker as Frenzy eased toward it.
"Frenzy, stop there," he ordered. "What can you see from your position?"
Frenzy rose onto the tips of his toes, peering into one of the tiny windows.
His visual was set and clear.
Inside, the unmistakable Optimus Prime…
Coolant surging through his systems at a sudden heated temperature and he cursed under his breath, snarling. He rumbled angrily in his throat, then stopped immediately when his optics fell to a youngling in his hands. The mechling was yellow and black, smiling up at the mech that held him in such a fatherly manner.
Frenzy had seen enough.
He didn't hesitate to run back clumsily, words of Cybertronian sputtering from his mouth.
Frenzy clicked and grunted, telling them, "A youngling! Youngling!" He pointed back at the base. "Optimus Prime is inside base too, holding youngling." His hands clasped together. "The two…attached."
Starscream laughed lowly in his modulators, grinning. "Optimus Prime…attached to the youngling?" He laughed again. "Excellent!"
Barricade raised an optic ridge. "I don't understand how that is excellent."
"You fool, we can steal the youngling from him!" the jet chuckled. "…Injure him by wrenching his spark first. And once the youngling is gone in our grasp, his depression will be immense enough to distract his entire squad, thus giving us the clearance to launch our attack." He threw his head back and laughed, claws clicking. "Perfect!"
Barricade grinned, as did Frenzy and the two laughed evilly. "It'll be the perfect moment to strike…" his optics gleamed. "And when shall we be stealing this youngling for ourselves?"
Starscream turned from the base, and the others followed the second-in-command to their Leader obediently, eagerness alive in their ice cold sparks.
"We will kidnap the youngling soon," the jet told them, his smile wide on his faceplate. "And I tell you both, by nightfall, the little one will be in our claws."
I tried portraying the Cons as best as I could. x3 I'm not that good at bein' evil. xD Anywhoo, review! (that rhymes.)
