15
Ratchet was listening intently into his con-link. When the conversation was cut off, he put a hand to the side of his head to try to hear a little better. "Nick? Are you still there? Is it the Decepticons?" Ratchet gave up when there was no answer.
Bumblebee looked up at the worried medic, "What's up, Ratchet?"
Ratchet shook his head, "I don't know. Nick called me, but was cut off for some reason. His last word sounded like he was trying to say Decepticons."
"If it had anything to do with deception, then it can't be good. Especially if he called you."
Ratchet nodded, "I'd better tell Optimus."
Optimus listened intently to Ratchet's recount of the conversation. He was silent for a moment, musing over Ratchet's thoughts. "If Nick asked for help; we will be too glad to give it," he said finally. "I'll take Ironhide, Prowl, Stalk, and Blurr. We'll go to where his signal was last and try to find him," the 'bots names that were called stood up. "Be ready for anything," Optimus told them. They nodded silently. Prime turned back to Ratchet, "Make sure Skidplate, Sideswipe, and Mirage get their vehicle forms."
"What about Grimlock?" Ratchet asked.
"He's a dino-bot," Optimus smiled, "he'll figure something out."
Ratchet relayed the coordinates of the last transmission, Optimus rolled out into the streets. Blurr scanned a snazzy sports car on the way there. When they got to where the signal had last been, they saw some skid marks on the asphalt making a U-turn. The 'bots followed them until the skid marks disappeared, and then Ratchet turned his scanner on at the "base" (piece of open land surrounded by scrap metal).
"Optimus," Ratchet reported, "there is a Decepticon signal about 500 meters due north. It is being joined by two others as we speak."
"I'm on it," Optimus said. The Autobots followed their leader. After a couple minutes, they saw a warehouse approaching. Optimus hit the brakes and swerved into the curve towards it. Everyone followed suite and looked for an opening.
They found one at the back of the warehouse, and they all transformed. Optimus shifted his hand to an energon sword, and pressed himself up against the wall. He peaked inside, and signaled for everyone to move in. Optimus and Ironhide were great at fighting on their own, but Stalk, Blurr, and Prowl stuck together as smaller 'bots.
They went down a small hallway, turned right, and stepped into a large, open space. Standing at the other end of the room was Blackout, Blitzblade, and another, smaller, Decepticon named Breakdown. They all had smirks on their faces, and Nick was lying unconscious on a table behind them.
"Well, well, well," Breakdown smiled, "if it isn't the great Optimus Prime and his companions."
"Say that again!" Stalk dared, pushing forward a little.
"Stand down!" Optimus ordered.
"Feisty, isn't she?" Blackout rumbled. Blurr grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Well," Breakdown hoisted a sword up, "I guess we need to start off this little dance." He raised the sword and the 'cons charged.
Blurr, Prowl, and Stalk bunched together as Blackout headed for them. The 'con raised his arm and shot at them. Stalk and Blurr hoisted Prowl into the air, and the two shot to the sides. As the 'con continued forward, Prowl landed on his head and he was driven to the ground. Stalk and Blurr grabbed both his arms and pulled him upright. Stalk dashed in front of him, and gave him an uppercut to the jaw.
Optimus and Blitzblade met with clashing swords. Prime shoved the larger 'con's sword out of the way and kicked him in the stomach. The 'con doubled up, but shoved his sword upward again. Prime barely dodged it, and the tip clipped his shoulder. Optimus brought his hands up over the 'con's head and smashed the back of his neck. The 'con collapsed onto the floor.
Ironhide and Breakdown exchanged blows like madmen. Sword to the arm, fist to the abdomen. Foot to the chin, knife-hand to the neck. After a little while, Prowl came up behind the 'con and got him into a tight head grip. Prowl slipped his hands under the 'con's arms and clasped them behind his neck. Ironhide assessed himself and covered gouge on his arm with his hand.
There was a slight whirring noise, and a projector appeared out of Laserbeak's mouth. The mini-con had been hiding there the whole time, taping the whole squabble and relaying it to the Decepticon base. Now someone wanted to speak.
The projection covered the whole far wall, and Megatron looked at them all. Everyone dropped what they were doing to look at the resurrected Decepticon leader.
"Megatron," Optimus said, "I knew you wouldn't stay gone for long."
"Prime," Megatron smirked, "same as always."
"I haven't had any reason to change."
"Well, this is a nice planet, isn't it? This will be a great place to build my empire."
"Over my cold circuits!" Optimus growled.
"You made the wrong choice all those years ago, Optimus," Megatron said, "I am assembling my Decepticon army as we speak."
"I will not let you take this planet!"
"Then I'll just have to destroy you, won't I?"
"You've tried."
"I will succeed this time. There were too many distractions on Cybertron. One day we will finish what was started all those eons ago."
"One shall stand, one shall fall. The next time we meet in battle, only one of us will come out alive."
"I look forward to it." The Decepticon leader looked over his shoulder, "Oh, you might want to check a town about twenty miles from here, I believe you call it Denver, in a few days. After we get the Allspark, we will take it."
"Wrong!" Prime stepped forward. "You will have to kill many a Prime before we let you take this planet."
"I thought you would say that," Megatron's optics darkened. "Decepticons, regroup."
The three Decepticons shot and slashed each Autobot in the back. They transformed, and raced out of the warehouse. The projection disappeared, and Laserbeak flew away.
"Cowards!" Stalk spat at them. She collapsed onto the ground, and Prowl and Ironhide shakily helped her up.
Optimus pushed himself up and walked over to the table. Nicholas Brunt was beginning to wake up, and his bleary eyes looked at Prime in confusion.
"Prime," he grunted as the Autobot leader picked him up, "thank you."
"No need to thank me," he replied.
The human sat and thought for a moment, "Let me make a phone call or two when we get to our…um…base. By tomorrow, we shall have a new base of operations, and the location of the Allspark."