Chapter 7: Cover
After about an hour, Bumblebee and Soundwave had finished talking about what they had done while they were seperated.
"Wow, I'm just glad you're okay." Soundwave said flying right over Goldbug.
"Yeah, thanks for caring. But think you can call me by my codename?" Goldbug asked.
"Sure...Goldbug..." Soundwave studdered still not used to the name.
"Don't worry, once this is all over, you won't have to worry about this whole "wanted" thing anymore. Besides, we'll probably be running the military. That's pretty cool."
"Wait, does that mean we won't be able to go back to Kaon?"
"I don't know, that place was boring."
"True. But the rest of our friends are there."
"Hmm."
Suddenly they hear several bounty hunter tank mechs and truck mechs heading their way. There were about 20 of them.
"THERE IS SOUNDWAVE! BLAST HIM!" One shouted.
Goldbug turned around and drove backwards taking out his guns. Soundwave also turned around and took aim. Shockwave and Jazz slowed down and fired as well. Starscream was too far away to hear anything so he kept flying.
"BOUNTY HUNTERS!" Goldbug shouted.
"KEEP THEM OFF ME!" Soundwave shouted.
Shockwave turned out to be an excellent shot as he took out two tanks making them barrel roll and explode. Five of the hunters were closing in on Goldbug who turned around forward and sped up. Soundwave, Shockwave and Jazz stayed with him. This had turned into a battle race. They all zoomed down the highway and eventually reach a ghost town where they seperated. Goldbug's cannons were out to his sides giving him the chance to destroy two hunters at the same time. Despite the risk of getting killed, Goldbug and Soundwave were having fun. Soundwave made crazy turns through the air. Goldbug drifted around turns, jumped over hills, and smashed through street signs.
"Hey, we should try a team attack!" Goldbug suggested.
Soundwave transformed and balanced on Goldbug's roof. The hunters were wondering what they were up to.
"TEAM ATTACK!" Both best friends yelled.
Goldbug fired his cannons while Soundwave released sonic waves pushing back the hunters and killing most of them. But then flying hunters appeared and fired at the duo.
"Oh great. Hey, looks like it's time to-"
"SWITCH!"
Goldbug transformed and leaped up while Soundwave transformed back to flight mode and Goldbug landed on his roof. Goldbug continued to fire while Soundwave flew around. As the flyers got closer, Soundwave teleported themselves away.
"HUH? WHERE DID THEY GO?" One of the flyers asked.
Suddenly the duo teleported right behind them and fired. The flyers were taken out quickly.
"Where did they all come from? And didn't Shockwave say some Predacons and Insecticons were after us?" Soundwave asked.
"Why would the commanders have those guys anyways. The military despises Predacons and Insecticons." Goldbug thought.
"Hey yeah you're right. Unless, our allies were just assuming they were after us."
"Mabye, let's talk to Shockwave."
"...Where is Shockwave?"
Shockwave and Jazz had led the remaining hunters down an old abandoned mine. Shockwave activated magnets wheels to stay connected to the track. Unfortunately for Jazz, he had to hang on to Shockwave's gun and fire from there.
"Hold still Shockwave, you're making me dizzy!" Jazz said as he wrapped his arm around the cannon and his body was flailing around from Shockwave moving it.
"It's about to get worse!" Shockwave warned as they approached an opening to a wild part of the mine.
There was a big drop and several twists and turns and finally the track ended like a ramp leading outside. Jazz held on tight as they went down the drop. The hunters had no idea what happened but it was too late for them to stop and they tumbled far below screaming. But Shockwave and Jazz were doing their own screaming. Jazz's claws began to dig deep lines into Shockwave's roof.
"OW JAZZ!" Shockwave grunted.
"WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?" Jazz screamed.
Eventually they raced up the ramp and through an opening flying up high in the air.
"We can't fly!" Jazz flapped his arms like a bird.
"NO SHIT!" Shockwave screamed as they fell down.
Suddenly they fall into a green swirly vortex and disappear. Turns out, Soundwave and groundbridged them to where they were at which was an old library. The vortex appeared beside Soundwave and Goldbug who laughed as Jazz and Shockwave flew out landing on the ground.
"You have groundbridge technology?" Shockwave asked.
"Yeah." Soundwave nodded. "Goldbug already knew that."
"Hey, where did Starscream go?" Goldbug asked.
"I told him to go ahead and look for our allies hiding in Tyger Pax. He'll be fine!" Jazz assured.
They all looked around, nobody else was in town but them. It looked like it hadn't been touched for about 100 eons. It was starting to get late again and very cold.
"Mabye we should stop here." Soundwave suggested.
"Yeah, I need a break after all that racing around, smashing and killing." Goldbug sighed.
"Wait...I know this place...Metroplex." Shockwave began to walk around.
"METROPLEX! You mean, the guy who's alt-mode is a city?" Goldbug began to tremble.
"Yeah. So don't make him angry." Shockwave warned.
"Well, apparently he was angry awhile ago since no one is here." Soundwave said.
Suddenly Soundwave could feel the energy inside him crackle all over his processor. He placed his hands to his audios and fell to his knees.
"What's wrong Soundwave?" Goldbug asked.
"I'm sensing an energy signature...from below." Soundwave said.
Suddenly to everyone's shock, a large part of the ground opened up in front of Soundwave and some stairs formed. Everyone was amazed.
"What's that?" Jazz asked.
"Let's find out." Shockwave said taking a step forward.
But just as he did, steel bars popped up and blocked Shockwave and Jazz's path. Goldbug however was able to move.
"I guess it's wants just us!" Goldbug shrugged.
The two ventured down the stairs watching as the place began to shift around. Walls, more stairs and platforms were created by themselves.
"What's going on?" Goldbug stayed close to Soundwave.
"Be calm, so far it seems like whatever it is doesn't want to hurt us." Soundwave said.
Finally they entered a room as the door opened by itself but closed right behind them with a slam making Goldbug jump. There in front of them was a white orb.
"Metroplex...is that you?" Soundwave called out.
Suddenly there was a booming voice that Soundwave thought was louder than Primus or Unicron.
"METROPLEX IDENTIFIES SOUNDWAVE THE DECIDER, AND BUMBLEBEE...CODENAME...GOLDBUG!" Metroplex said.
"Oh...my...Primus..." Goldbug whispered.
"Metroplex, why have you summon us?" Soundwave asked.
"Long have I waited for these final days of Cybertron. Your decision will determine my fate as well as everybody else. I only wish that you use your great power...to revive me and take a portion of my spark with you so I will live again in the future." Metroplex explained.
Soundwave felt sorry for him. It was a nice thing to do...so why not? He shut his optics and touched the white orb with a hand. Purple energy circled the orb and the whole place began to shake. Goldbug nearly fell on his aft. A piece of the orb broke off and landed in Soundwave's hand.
"I promise to keep it with me at all times Metroplex." Soundwave assured as the spark inserted itself into Soundwave's spark and stayed there.
"Thank you, now take a look outside." Metroplex said.
The floor where the two were standing lifted up like an elevator and there was an opening to the surface. Once they reached the top, they notice everything was refurbished and beautiful. Shockwave and Jazz were no longer blocked but instead were admiring the view.
"Wow, this is gorgeous." Goldbug said.
"Yeah, now this is a place I could live in. We should get our friends to live here." Soundwave said.
"We'll think about that." Goldbug chuckled.
The four began to explore the city and admire everything it had to offer. Jazz and Shockwave walked over to a warehouse that looked very familiar to Shockwave. They could hear what sounded like clattering and sparks flying.
"AAH! SCRAP THAT HURT!" Came a voice.
"Warpath?" Shockwave called out.
The doors opened and a cloud of dust poured out dirtying Shockwave and Jazz. When the dust cleared, Warpath came out dusting himself off.
"Ugh, all this dust ruined my paint job!" Jazz whined.
"Sorry guys I was...SHOCKWAVE?" Warpath gasped.
Warpath used to be a criminal who Shockwave was once sent to take down. Warpath was responsible for Shockwave's missing arm which Warpath accidentally blew off with his chest cannon while trying to escape. Shockwave threatened to literally beat him till his spark started to flicker the very next time he sees him. Warpath however was able to escape Shockwave and eventually changed his ways. Remembering all that, Warpath chuckled nervously as Shockwave recognized him.
"Oh Shockwave, I didn't expect to see you here. Actually, not ever." Warpath fiddled with his fingers.
"Hello, Warpath." Shockwave growled clenching his good clawed fist.
"Why are you here alone like this?" Jazz asked.
"Oh I'm not alone, I have an army here training to defeat the military, we're leaving tomorrow. We stay here to keep Metroplex company. Poor guy." Warpath shook his head. "We just our advanced training simulations up and ready."
"Training simlulations?" Jazz cocked his head to the side.
"Yeah, turns out they can help you learn faster." Warpath said.
Shockwave walked up closer to Warpath and bent down to his optic level. Warpath gulped.
"Surely you remember what I told you for next time we meet." Shockwave's voice lowered to a deep angry growl.
"That you were going to beat me until my spark begins to flicker? No I haven't forgot. But come on that was a long time ago." Warpath said as Shockwave began to back him up.
Jazz thought he should intervene and stayed close to them.
"Yeah, you're lucky my old arm is still usable." Shockwave sneered as he finally had Warpath backed into a corner.
Warpath winced as Shockwave raised his fist aiming for his face.
"WAIT SHOCKWAVE! Why would I purposely blow your arm off just because you were chasing me? I told you I had uncontrollable urges to blow up lots of things including stuff that threatened me. I was a wild youngling alright? I went to therapy for it and I'm much better, DON'T HURT ME!" Warpath begged.
But Shockwave swung anyway and crashed his fist into Warpth's mouth guard denting it. Warpath yelped in pain and Jazz got in between them.
"Whoa whoa whoa, that's enough Shockwave!" Jazz warned trying to push him back.
"Next time it's going to be your neck. But you're argument...is logical." Shockwave said backing off.
Warpath got up and tried to continue like that never happened.
"So...moving on." Warpath escorted them to a much larger room.
Inside, there was an open space where the simulations were used. On the walls were several computers that activated a certain simulation.
"Hmm, perhaps Soundwave and Goldbug could use these." Jazz thought.
"Possibly, they could use some more training." Shockwave agreed.
"I wonder where they went." Jazz thought.
It was now dark outside and Soundwave and Goldbug had decided to check out the old library. It was somewhere they could be...alone. Inside, all the books were still there sitting on different racks. The tables were round and had 4 chairs to each. It was quiet...like a library should be.
"Man, it's so quiet...too quiet." Goldbug said.
"Yeah...at least we're the only ones here." Soundwave turned to Goldbug.
Goldbug knew where Soundwave was trying to go with this. Soundwave took a talon and ran it down Bee's chest.
"You got an idea?" Goldbug smirked.
"Mabye I do." Soundwave purred looking Goldbug up and down.
Then, Goldbug had an idea. He quickly snatched Soundwave's mask off.
"HEY!" Soundwave whined.
"You want it? Come and get it." Goldbug teased running down an aisle.
Soundwave playfully chased after him all around the library.
"I'm gonna get you!" Soundwave warned.
"Ooh I'm so scared!" Goldbug teased.
They were reaching the far back of the library and towards a door that led to the basement. Soundwave ran faster and faster and tackled Goldbug through the door and tumbled down the stairs. Once they reached the bottom, Soundwave kicked Goldbug off of him and they both got in a fighting stance. The mask tumbled into a corner luckily not broken. The two were about to spar. Both began to circle each other, clawed fists clenched.
"You've never faced my feral side Goldy!" Soundwave smirked as his feral side took effect.
"It's worth trying." Goldbug said and took off his eye patch, throwing it down next to Soundwave's mask.
From the first day they met, it was Soundwave who taught Bumblebee how to fight and he became better every time. Soundwave motioned for Goldbug to come at him. Goldbug did so and their sparring match began. They went easy on each other knowing they needed to have all the energy they could keep for any hunters that could possibly find them that night. Most of the punches, kicks and clawing were blocked but they suffered a few blows. After about 10 minutes, Soundwave had Goldbug in a headlock.
"Gonna give up?"
"Not likely."
Goldbug used all his strength to flip Soundwave over him and on his back. Then Goldbug jumps on Soundwave where they started a wrestling match. They rolled around knocking into things trying to get the upper-hand. After about 5 minutes of tussling, Soundwave had pinned Goldbug down with his tentacles.
"I win!"
"This time!" Goldbug sneered.
"Aw Goldbug, you look so cute when you're upset." Soundwave teased.
"I'm not upset." Goldbug lied and pouted.
"Well, while we're here..."
Goldbug lowered his mouth guard and Soundwave leaned down to enter a passionate kiss with his best friend...no...lover. They had missed this, they wanted to do this so badly. And now they could. Luckily their moaning could not be heard by anyone. Their claws dug into each other's backs and Goldbug locked Soundwave's legs in. He could've flipped them over to piss off Soundwave but he'd rather have him on top. After another minute they broke the kiss. They smirked at each other. Soundwave started to slowly trail his claws down Bee's back and onto his aft. Goldbug's optics widened and Soundwave darkly chuckled.
"Wanna take this to the next level?" Soundwave growled.
"I don't see why not..." Goldbug purred.
Soundwave had to remember to punch Starscream since he was right about what he said about interfacing that morning. About an hour later, Goldbug and Soundwave exited the library.
"No one...is to know. Especially Starscream!" Soundwave warned.
"Our little secret." Goldbug winked at him.
"Hey...I wonder how Starscream is doing?" Soundwave wondered.
Little did they know, Rampage, Razorclaw, Ransack and Chop Shop had just entered the city. In the dangerous city of Tyger Pax, Starscream had just arrived. He landed on top of a building and looked around.
"Ah, Tyger Pax, one of the most dangerous cities on Cybertron." Starscream proclaimed.
As he jumped down to the sidewalk, he noticed several pictures of Thunderwing.
"So he must be one of the commanders. Apparently the main one. Hopefully I do not run into him." Starscream said shuttering at what could happen.
He contacted Shockwave who had just got done completing a simulation.
"Shockwave, I've arrived in Tyger Pax but...do you know anything about Thunderwing?" Starscream asked.
"Oh I know him alright, he's the main commander we have to stop. He started this whole thing and must be stopped. If you see him, do not blow our cover, just stay calm and stay away. He is extremely dangerous and won't hesitate to kill you just for looking at him the wrong way. "
"I got this!" Starscream assured. "Man I could go for a drink."
Surprisingly, 17 was the age on Cybertron that you could drink high grade and Starscream was lucky to be 17. He saw a bar across the street that didn't seem bad. Upon walking in, he discovered it must have been a pretty slow night. He walked right up to the bar and sat down ordering some high grade. That's when he saw something horrifying. Thunderwing was sitting right next to him drinking as well. Starscream's wings drooped and he had a look of horror on his face.
"Oh...shit..."
To be continued...