Chapter 8: Close Calls

Starscream could not believe he was stuck in the bar with Thunderwing. He couldn't just get up and leave, that would be too awkward. He continued to drink the high grade without looking his way. But Thunderwing had started to take notice of the seeker beside him. He knew almost everyone in the city but he had never seen Starscream before. Mabye he was new.

"Hey seeker, haven't seen you around these parts!" Thunderwing nudged him.

Starscream nearly spat out his high grade but kept his mind straight and answered back.

"I'm just flying around exploring really." Starscream said trying not to sound scared.

Thunderwing hadn't heard about many seekers who would explore the planet during the days of conquering others. Thunderwing then took note of the faint blackness around Starscream's optic.

"You been in a fight?" Thunderwing asked.

Starscream didn't think it was that noticeable. Ugh, he was glad Soundwave killed that soilder who did it.

"Yeah, but...it's not a big deal." Starscream shrugged it off.

"Oh, well you've heard about Soundwave right?" Thunderwing asked him.

"Yeah, what about him?"

"I plan on capturing that brat and using his power to help in conquering other planets. But first, I want to fight him for it...combat is the best way to achieve power. Like I'm doing with these planets. Nothing is going to stop me. In fact, I plan on killing that other commander so I will be the only one left." Thunderwing laughed.

Starscream chuckled nervously with him before Thunderwing's face turned angry and suspicious.

"You're not a rebel are you?" Thunderwing bared his fangs.

Starscream mentally gulped. One wrong word, and it's the Well of Allsparks.

"N-no, of course I agree with your plans!" Starscream said.

Thunderwing eyed Starscream up and down looking for any signs of faking. Starscream put on the most serious face he could make.

"You better, do you know what happens to mechs who are against me?"

"Death."

"Yes, but they are beaten brutally to death." Thunderwing snarled clenching his claws into fists.

Starscream gulped and noticed his glass was empty. While Thunderwing talked to some others, Starscream paid for his drink and left not noticing that Thunderwing had looked back at him. Starscream walked normally out of the bar before sprinting away. Thunderwing excused himself and walked outside as well. Starscream could see Thunderwing's shadow coming out of the bar and scrambled into an alley and hid there. Thunderwing looked around but didn't see Starscream.

"Hmm." Thunderwing squinted his optics. "Something's off about that seeker. Next time I see him I'll confront him again."

Starscream heard Thunderwing transforming and flying away, possibly back to base. Starscream wiped his forehead.

"Phew, another close call, great!" Starscream scoffed and walked away to find the hidden allies.

Meanwhile, Rampage, Razorclaw, Ransack and Chop Shop were still spying on Soundwave and Goldbug. They still had no idea who Goldbug was and were planning to find out soon. The duo were deciding on a game to play.

"Hey Goldbug, how about we search for anything cool around here. Who knows what we might find." Soundwave suggested.

"Sure, sounds like fun! Alright you check over there and I'll check over here." Goldbug said.

"Alright we'll meet back at this spot in 30 minutes."

"Deal!"

The two seperated and were eager to find a few things. Soundwave checked by the empty stores while Goldbug stayed around the group of warehouses. Unfortunately, Goldbug was about to find something more than just treasure. Rampage, Razorclaw, Ransack and Chop Shop were around the warehouses arguing over who Goldbug really was.

"I'm telling you, he's probably a spy." Rampage said.

"No way, that kid is lucky to be alive if he has an eye patch!" Razorclaw argued.

"Dude, the patch is fake!"

"How do you know?"

"I can tell."

"How the hell can you tell?"

"I JUST KNOW!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME!"

While they were arguing, the two Insecticons groaned.

"Ugh, some Predacons. Why do we hang around these guys again?" Ransack asked.

"Entertainment." Chop Shop said.

"I'LL YELL AT WHOEVER I WANT!"

"YOU YELL AT ME AGAIN AND YOU'RE GONNA BE NEEDING AN EYE PATCH!"

"SHUT UP!"

Razorclaw lost it and tackled Rampage to the ground starting a fight. The Insecticons watched their idiot friends tussle. The four always got into brawls but believed it was the only way to solve their problems. Chop Shop and Ransack suddenly notice a shadow nearbye looking like Goldbug.

"Dude, do you see that?" Chop Shop asked.

"Yeah, let's go check it out!" Ransack suggested.

"Follow my lead."

The two mechs go around the warehouse in the opposite direction of the incoming figure. When the two quickly get around to the other side, there was Goldbug wondering where that fighting was coming from. They sneak up to Goldbug and tackle him hard to the ground. Ransack keeps Goldbug pinned while Chop Shop goes to tell their friends.

"If you two idiots are done scrapping, we just caught that weird kid!" Chop Shop said.

"Speak of the devil!" Rampage said.

Goldbug found out these guys were a lot stronger than he was though they looked to be 14 or 15 years old themselves. Ransack roughly picked him up and Goldbug found himself surrounded.

"Finally we caught you." Razorclaw stepped up.

All four of them looked angry and they were flexing their claws. Goldbug nervously looked at all of them...he knew the commander didn't like Insecticons or Predacons, so did they really work for them?

"Look, make this easy on yourself and tell us who you are. You look so familiar to that Bumblebee kid we heard about. And to add to that, you hang around Soundwave too much." Razorclaw explained.

"Wait, you know Soundwave?" Goldbug asked.

"Yeah, he's our friend. We knew him before he moved." Ransack said.

"Oh...so you don't work for the military? Some guys just like to assume I guess because they saw you guys leaving the base." Goldbug said.

"Only spying for info on Soundwave." Rampage said. "NOW WHO ARE YOU?"

"I actually am Bumblebee, just my codename is Goldbug."

"BUMBLEBEE? BUT HE'S DEAD!" Chop Shop gasped.

"No I'm right here. It was a cover-up story since I had to be hidden from the bounty hunters. I'm Soundwave's best friend." Goldbug explained.

"Oh!" The four nodded.

"We thought you were a spy." Ransack said.

"No way, and this patch is fake." Goldbug said sliding it off his optic.

"TOLD YOU!" Rampage smacked Razorclaw on the back of the head.

Razorclaw growled.

"Would you two knock it off already. So where is Soundwave now?" Chop Shop asked.

"Around the empty stores, we were looking for a few interesting things. And all I found were you guys." Goldbug said.

"We really need to see him." Rampage said.

"Don't worry, let's go find him." Goldbug said and they ran off.

Soundwave had yet to find anything interesting and was upset. He kicked an old can that flew into an alley.

"Aw man, nothing. There has to be something." Soundwave placed his claws on his hips in thought.

He could see a few shadows lurking behind him, he turned around fists clenched. It turned out to be Goldbug and the other four.

"Whoa whoa Soundwave! It's just me and your old friends." Goldbug said.

"SOUNDWAVE!" The four cheered.

"GUYS!" Soundwave cheered back walking over.

"Dude, who knew you would get so much attention around Cybertron." Razorclaw said.

"Yeah, of course the military really want my attention. I'm guessing you four are against me now?" Soundwave asked.

"No way dude! We're just spying on him, kinda like how we were spying on you two and mistook your friend as a spy." Rampage said.

"Oh, well I'm glad you guys are here. I hope you've been staying out of trouble." Soundwave smirked.

The four mechs look at each other nervously.

"Ugh, really? I thought you guys learned from your past mistakes!" Soundwave crossed his arms.

"Nah, we're still fighting, pranking and destroying." Razorclaw admitted.

It was true, they were notorious troublemakers back in Soundwave's old town. Besides fighting with each other, they got into giant brawls with other mechs and always won. They vandalized property, stolen money and even spray-painted buildings. Surprisingly they never get caught, mainly because Soundwave would aid them. They however never got to see his face.

"Of course, well look, it's getting late, I think it's time we find where Shockwave and Jazz went." Soundwave said.

"Hey what's that?" Ransack asked pointing to one warehouse that had a blue glow coming out the windows.

When they arrived, they see Warpath and Jazz watching the monitors.

"Hey, who are you?" Soundwave asked Warpath.

"Oh, I'm Warpath, I run a little rebel group here. I'm using these simulations as practice for them." Warpath said. "Who's your friends?"

"Oh this is Rampage, Razorclaw, Ransack and Chop Shop. I'm sure Jazz or Shockwave told you about Goldbug." Soundwave introduced them.

"Yeah Shockwave did and how you're the decider." Warpath said with a hint of anger in his voice.

Soundwave could tell that this was one mech you should never mess with. Now where was Shockwave?

"Hey where did Shockwave go?" Goldbug asked.

Suddenly, Shockwave materializes in front of them in a blue glow. When he fully appears he looks happy.

"Wow, now that was a good simulation." Shockwave said before turning to the duo with new company.

A few minutes later, Warpath explained to them how the simulations worked and Soundwave and Goldbug were eager to try it. They would need some practice since tomorrow they were heading out again, this time no more stops. First, Goldbug entered a battle race simulation that Shockwave, Jazz and Warpath joined. Their enemies were simulated versions of soilders. If any of the soilders blasted Goldbug or the other two, they were materialized back to reality. Next, Soundwave and Rampage entered a combat simulation where instead of fighting each other, they were fighting soilders. Upon learning about Soundwave's feral side, the four troublemakers didn't dare want to get on his bad side. Goldbug and Shockwave entered a shooting simulation where they had to shoot moving targets and Goldbug easily beat Shockwave who was dumbfounded. It felt uncomfortable to be zapped out of the simulation and materializing back to reality.

"Ugh, I could never get used to that!" Goldbug staggered around.

"I know what you mean." Soundwave grabbed his head.

After about 2 more hours of fighting, shooting, racing and materializing, they were all ready for recharge.

"Ugh, Starscream missed out." Soundwave said.

"I hope he's okay." Goldbug worried.

"He's fine, after all, he always gets out of a jam no matter what."

"Even get away from Thunderwing?"

Soundwave's optics widened. Shockwave had told them about his past with Thunderwing and how he's the most dangerous mech on Cybertron...at least next to Soundwave.

"Let's hope to Primus he survives." Soundwave said.

"Alright then, we should all pick our own warehouse to stay in for the night. There's no use going through a bunch of houses and wasting all night picking one out." Shockwave said.

Soundwave turned to Goldbug with a smirk behind his mask.

"Hey Goldy, mabye we should find our own warehouse to stay in." Soundwave purred.

"I love the way you think." Goldbug whispered back.

Warpath shut down the computers for the night and went to his own house. Jazz and Shockwave decided to share a warehouse. Rampage, Razorclaw, Ransack and Chop Shop got into an argument in their picked out warehouse over who did better in the simulations and decided to settle it by a having a big brawl that they made sure would last literally all night long. Meanwhile, Goldbug and Soundwave were in theirs checking the place out. Each warehouse had two floors with several rooms. There was a kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

"Wow, I never knew warehouses were so...roomy." Goldbug said.

"I know...hey...let's go upstairs." Soundwave purred grabbing Goldbug's aft.

"Hehehehe." Goldbug chuckled.

Upon entering a bedroom, Goldbug laid down his eye patch and Soundwave laid down his mask. Unknown to Soundwave, Goldbug grabbed something from the berth.

"Hey Soundwave."

"Yeah?"

"PILLOW FIGHT!"

Goldbug smacks Soundwave in the face with a pillow.

"OW! WHY YOU-"

Soundwave's feral side quickly took over and picked up the pillow that had hit him. He smacks Goldbug in the face with it but holds on to it.

"HAH!"

"Okay, if that's how it has to be." Goldbug sneered.

The two entered a brutal pillow fight that last for about 30 minutes. They were knocking each other around the room making cracks in the wall. Soundwave finally knocked Goldbug's pillow out of his hand. Goldbug went to grab his, tripping Soundwave in the process. Soundwave ran into him knocking Goldbug's pillow away and they fell onto the berth where Soundwave pinned him again.

"Hah, I won again!"

"Ugh, you got lucky. Next time...no mercy."

"None at all!"

The two began to kiss again, their claws digging into their backs and their systems heating up. After a minute they broke the kiss and panted.

"I love you so much Goldbug."

"I love you too Soundwave."

"Please Goldbug, can I call you Bumblebee when we are alone?"

"Sure...what's the harm."

Soundwave smiled before it quickly turned into a frown.

"What's wrong Soundwave?"

"I'm just worried about having those dreams again. You know the ones with Primus, Unicron and even myself."

"Don't worry, after all the info they gave you, you shouldn't have to worry about them until after your decision."

"But either way, one of them will be mad and probably hurt me."

"Whatever you decide...the other will have to understand. Just remember, you were basically formed by both of them. I know it's hard to chose...but...it's better to chose than be destroyed for not choosing. I'll be by your side through the end...trust me."

Soundwave sighed. That's really all that mattered right now.

"Thank you." Soundwave said giving him another kiss.

"Now come on, let's get some recharge." Bumblebee said.

"Yeah."

Soundwave got off Bumblebee and they cuddled before heading into recharge. Back at the main military base, Thunderwing was going through more Soundwave and Bumblebee pictures. It turns out, that first image of BB and Wave was not the only picture the military had. They hacked all their files for information and found tons of pictures taken the previous week. As the pictures were displayed, he noticed something odd about one of them.

"HEY! GO BACK TWO PICS!" Thunderwing ordered one of the soilders controlling the computers.

As the pictures went back, they pause at the odd one. Thunderwing looked closer. It was a picture of Soundwave and Bumblebee making funny faces and one of 'Waves tentacles holding the camera. If you look closely in the back, you could see someone else in the photo...someone very familiar.

"ZOOM IN!" Thunderwing demanded.

As the picture zoomed, Thunderwing growled and bared his fangs remembering that face.

"UNBELIEVABLE!" Thunderwing smashed a clawed fist into a wall.

There behind the duo, looking at the camera confused...was...Starscream...

To be continued...