This chapter is dedicated to my Grandpa B who sadly passed away this week. Anchors away.
Chapter Seven
Barricade was late for the battle in Mission City. He had allowed himself to fall back from the rest of his group to find out if Prime had offlined Bonecrusher.
This is not what Decepticons do; he thought to himself as he reached Bonecrusher, seeing that there was nothing to be done to save him, Prime had decapitated him. He paused to say a prayer to Primus that he would have mercy on Bonecrusher's spark and receive him in the Well of Sparks. Again thinking that Decepticons didn't pray to Primus.
As a youngling on Cybertron, Cade's father had beaten it into his head. Only the strong survive, weaklings get left behind. He was determined not to raise a weak son, Barricade didn't remember his mother, who had offlined when he was still a sparkling so it was just him and his father while growing up, and no matter what happened, Barricade loved his father and tried everything to earn his respect. Barricade in fact had only joined the Decepticon ranks to make his mech creator proud of him. He had said as much the day Barricade received the Decepticon insignia. A lot of the horrible things Barricade had done over the vorns were to make his mech creator proud of him. Even after his father was offlined on Cybertron, Barricade continued to do horrible things because he knew his father would have been proud because of it.
Barricade hated to admit it but if it wasn't for his mech creator, he would have joined the Autobot's side with a friend that really cared about his welfare. He could always turn to this friend the days his father beat him, or punished him by refusing to give him energon. He could still remember his friend's face when he told him that he was joining up with the Decepticons. They had a huge agreement and never spoke again, but he always saw the pain in his friend's eyes when they meet on the battle field. But he had chosen his path long ago and pushed all those thoughts aside as he drove into the heat of the battle.
Organics were screaming and running all over the place like mad. Lord Megatron was dueling with Prime. But what earned his attention was when he saw Ratchet and Ironhide running his way. He detected an organic running before them, which Barricade realized, had the All Spark! He quickly backed into an alley waiting for them to come within reach. He transformed into his bi-pedal form, ready to snatch the organic with the All Spark when he got closebehind.
Primus was against Barricade when that slagging Seeker Starscream landed in front of the organic, exchanging fire with Ratchet and Ironhide. As expected Starscream ran like a coward when the tide shifted, leaving a heavily injured Ironhide and Ratchet.
"Sam get to the building" he heard Ironhide say. That was when he noticed that it was the same organic, Ladiesman217. What luck, the little organic would be alone in his run with the artifact. All the Autobots were down as far as he could tell. But suddenly another organic appeared from out of the wreckage and ushered Sam to start running again. Barricade recognized the uniform to be one of this country's military.
Barricade drove down a side street, following the two, his curiosity rising as he watched the two run. The two looked strangely alike, not twins but there was a strong resemblance. They were running smoothly until Sam got hit by a car. Stupid organic,thought Barricade, snapping to attention as the cube hit the ground and the energy of the All Spark escape. He noticed that one of the blue waves hit the larger organic, causing it to clutch his head, pain clear on his face. That was interesting. The organic seemed to recover from the wave quickly and it had no effects on him as far as Barricade could see. He thought no more about it as the larger organic grabbed Sam and hauled him up for a ground running again towards the large white building.
Up the street Lord Megatron had finished Prime and turned his attention to finding the cube, he knew that the boy had it, but had lost sight of him with all the organics running around.
"Where is the cube!" he roared.
: Lord Megatron, the boy with the All Spark is running into a white building: commed Barricade, sending the location to Megatron.
: Excellent Barricade:
Lord Megatron was there in an instant, following the boys.
"Give me the cube boy!' he roared.
Barricade transformed into his bi-pedal form, and stood in front of the building as Megatron entered, just in case any Autobot tried to follow Megatron.
Barricade was shocked moments later when he heard the sound of the rocket launcher firing, and the building beside him exploded, and seconds later gunshots were heard. He backed up enough to see what was going on the roof. He gazed up at Megatron holding the larger organic in his hand. He heard the exchange that went on between the two, and watched mutely horrified as Megatron flung the boy over his shoulder, still alive! Before Barricade knew what he was doing, he was racing on his peds like a speed skater, a trick he had seen the Twins do, to where his scans said the boy had hit.
Barricade found the organic at the base of a brick building, in a pool his own blood, which was becoming larger by each second that passed.
Barricade quickly scanned the boy, and was shocked to find that the organics spark or heart as they called it, was still beating but getting weaker by the second. The next choice would change his life. Would he save the organics life, forever becoming an outcast from his fraction? Or let nature take its course and let the organic die. For some reason the thought of not doing anything for this organic without trying to save him, made Cade's spark run cold.
He carefully picked up the human; it lay lifeless in his claws. He was amazed on how fragile it felt, he knew they were breakable but this human seem to be as breakable as glass. He began to walk till he found a building that suited his needs, it was big enough so that he could stand up straight. Cade carefully laid the human on what he identified as a table. He looked up on the internet on how to clean wounds, and what could be done with the internal bleeding that his scans showed. The internet was bleak about how to stop internal building without opening him up. Which would be impossible to do since he didn't have the tool's in his hands to do surgery like Ratchet did.
Even though everything in his processor was telling him that it was a lost cause, if he walked away he could still stay with the Decepticons. He thought it out, the organic before him getting weaker each passing minute. In the end his spark decided for him; he would try everything in his power to make sure that this human survived. So he began to work on saving the boy's life.
=-=-d=-=-=-=-=-d=-=-=-=-=-=d=-=-d-d-d
The pain pulled Tyrell away from the comforting blackness that had wrapped around him like a warm blanket; it forced his eyes to snap open. He felt like he had hit a brick wall, and as the memories came pouring back, he realized that he had.
He looked around careful not to move his head only his eyes, a motion that didn't cause any pain. He saw that he was in the inside of a building, he couldn't understand it. Had he somehow went through a window, how was he even alive? He tried to raise his head, to get a look at his body, when a voice stopped him.
"Don't try to move fleshling, you will undo all my work that I have put into you."
Tyrell looked up at the robot that had appeared, towering over him. Tyrell noticed that he was about the same size as Bumblebee, and as his eyes focused on the symbol on his chest he realized that he was a Decepticon! He was too afraid to realize that Barricade had wood and bandages in his claws.
Barricade saw the fear flash through Ty's eyes as it landed on his fraction symbol, but ignored it as he bent down and went back to splintering Tyrell's legs, which confused Tyrell.
Sam had made 'Con's to be awful, killing humans and mechs without mercy. Yet here was one that was helping him. A stray thought ran through his head that he was only helping him so that later he could get information out of him, but he didn't think a Decepticon would go through all that trouble. Tyrell watched the Decepticon work awhile longer before he gathered the courage to ask a question, he took as big of breath that he dared and said. "If you're a Decepticon, why are you helping me? I thought your fraction hated humans"
It took a long moment before Barricade answered, so long that Tyrell thought he had offended the mech. Barricade did not stopping what he was doing when he finally answered. "Because fleshling, I, unlike other mechs didn't join the 'Cons because I wanted to. I joined because it made my father proud of me, and I did anything to make my father proud of me. I'm not like the other Decepticons, I still feel, love and fear. I don't know why I saved you, I think humans are the most disgusting things in all the universes, if you had asked me this morning if I would ever save a humans life I would have said no. Fleshling, I just followed my spark, and it said to help you. You would have offlined breems ago if I hadn't helped you."
Tyrell mind wrapped around the information, he relaxed. He realized that he believed everything that Barricade had just said, not just that but he trusted him too, it was like the feeling that he had back on the highway, and he realized that it was the same 'Con. The word police clearly visible on a piece of armor.
What Tyrell said next shocked Barricades processors, "Thank-you then for saving my life, I'm truly grateful."
A soft, small smile appeared on Barricade's face, he couldn't remember the last time he actually smiled a sincere smile "You're welcome fleshling"
The same smile appeared on Ty's face. "Tyrell or Ty, not fleshling, 'Con"
Cade smile grew, "Barricade or Cade, not 'Con, not anymore. I have forsaken my fraction by helping you. So at this point I'm officially neutral, the first one in probably a hundred vorns."
Silence descended on the pair Tyrell lay quietly watching Cade work for a while until his curiosity got the better of him again. "Since you have forbidden me to move, can you tell me how bad I am?"
Cade vented loudly, debating on where to start.
"Both of your legs are broken, along with several ribs and your right wrist and that's just the beginning. You had massive internal bleeding, but most of it has been stopped. Your left shoulder was dislocated. Your face is bruised and swollen, but otherwise your head is undamaged, but your neck was broken which is now being repaired as we speak. Other than that you have massive bruising and several cuts all over your body."
Tyrell gaped at all of his injuries, too startled to even talk. Barricade stayed silent as Tyrell went over all of the injuries. By all rights he should be dead. "How I'm I alive still? And what did you mean that my neck was being repaired as we speak?"
Barricade shook his head. "I don't know all the answer on how you are still alive. Your heart was somehow still beating when I found you. As to the second question, I injected you with nanites to stop the internal bleeding, and later help mend your bones back together. They are an advanced version of an immune system, they repair things that would else take months to repair in a matter of days. It will still be awhile before everything is back to its original state."
"So I'll be able to walk again, without crutches or anything like that?"
"Yes, and one more thing. How did you get that particular symbol on you hand?"
Tyrell knew what he meant. "I touched a tail section of a Decepticon that was a scorpion, can you tell me what it means?"
"It's an order to kill on sight" Barricade said matter of factly "It should disappear in a few months."
Tyrell was glad about this news he didn't want the symbol for the rest of his life, but something kept nagging at him. Then it hit him, Sam. How could he have forgotten about Sam? He fought down the panic that was rising in him and calmly asked Barricade.
"Do you know what happened to my brother Sam, who won the battle, the All Spark?"
Barricade again vented loudly. It frustrated him that he could give Tyrell an answer.
"I don't know Tyrell. When Megatron threw you, I followed. I don't know what happened to Sam, or who won the battle. I do know that probably the winning side has the All Spark. But I promise you this Tyrell. I will protect you, no matter who won with all my spark. All we can do is wait to see which fraction finds us first. I dare not move you more than I have already."
Tyrell nodded, afraid of what happened to Sam. Together Barricade and Tyrell waited in silence to be found. Until the pain became too much for Ty to bear and he once again fell into the blackness.
The Autobots had won, but the city had lost. Multiple buildings were badly damaged. Humans lay in the streets dead or badly hurt. The National Guard had arrived soon after the battle was over. The Autobots were trying to help as much as they could as they waited on word of what they should do next. The Guard had at first been suspicious about them but soon left there prejudices behind. With their advanced scanners they were able to detect living humans trapped in the rubble, and help dig them out from under the tons of cement that had fallen on top of them.
Ratchet made himself especially helpful by stationing himself with the human medics, all who were very weary of him. But that also soon changed as he used his scanners to tell the Paramedics what was wrong with the humans, saving precious minutes in critical diagnoses. It was during a lull in treating injured humans when he heard someone call his name.
"Ratchet"
Ratchet turned to see Ironhide carrying Jazz who was leaking energon from his mid-section. Ratchet abandoned the medics swearing, and rushed to Ironhide, gently taking Jazz to lay him down on the ground to work.
"Jazz, what happened?" demanded Ratchet as he begun to stop the leaking energon from Jazz's midsection.
Everything there looked like it had been stretched. Some lines had been snapped in half, looking as if they had been pulled apart. Other parts of Jazz's midsection had been smashed flat. Ratchet was amazed that Jazz was still online as he began to work.
"Megatron, he grabbed me after he blasted me" said Jazz as he winced from the pain. Ratchet knew he had to be in a lot of pain if he wasn't using his Earth accent. "Flew me up to a building where he landed on me. I blasted him with my cannons, asking if he wanted a piece of me. He said no, that he wanted two. Then he began to pull me in-half." Ratchet looked up from his work to look at Jazz, amazed. He wondered how the mech escaped the terrible fate, Ironhide wanted to know that as well. Very few mechs every escaped once trapped in those deadly claws.
"How did you escape" Ironhide grunted.
Jazz didn't answer for a moment his optics dimmed. For a minute Ratchet thought he had went into statis lock.
"A human, he shot a weapon that hit Megatron in the forehelm. It caused him to drop me, and that's when Optimus showed up. I forced myself to stay online until Ironhide here found me, so I knew that we had won."
Ironhide was amazed that a human had saved Jazz. He knew that Optimus, along with every other bot would like a chance to thank the human. "Would you recognize the human if you saw him again?"
"Ya, it was one of those soldiers that came with us from the dam. Funny thing was I thought it was Sam at first. Human looked just like him. I sure hope I see him again. Wanna thank 'im" said Jazz slipping back into his accent. Ratchet paused at his repairs on Jazz to look at Ironhide a question in his optics. They both were remembering the organic that had appeared after they battled with Starscream. He had looked just like Sam too. It was him that forced Sam to move again. If they were right this was the same soldier that helped Jazz. Neither bot knew what had happened to the soldier after that. They both wordlessly agreed with each other not to tell Jazz of this news.
"I'm sure he'll be around," murmured Ratchet before he began to go into one of his famous lectures. "Now Jazz, I want you to rest. I've repaired you enough that you'll be safe from offlining any time soon, but there are others that need my help" He silently slipped a small sedative into one of Jazz's energon lines before he began to walk back to the medics.
:Ironhide: commed Ratchet, not wanting Jazz to hear.
:Yes, Ratchet:
:Find out what happened to that human, Prime would know. I have a feeling we owe him more than Jazz's life:
Ironhide gave the slightest of nods for Ratchet to see before he left Jazz in search for Optimus. Not going very when he found him. He was speaking to Captain Lennox. Ironhide respectively waited until they were done and Lennox walked off before approaching Prime.
"Prime" he said stopping next to Optimus's right shoulder.
"Ironhide, it seems like we will be heading back to the Hoover Dam. Captain Lennox thinks it will be the best place for us now until we meet with their government.
"I hope Bumblebee will be okay with that." Both Autobots were aware of what had happened to Bee while he had been a prisoner. The thought made both Bots livid with anger, to think someone did that to their sweet youngling. They continued to stand in silence for a moment before Ironhide spoke again.
"I found Jazz, apparently a human distracted Megatron from destroying him until you arrived."
"Thank Primus, is he okay?"
"Ratchet patched him up, said he'd be fine in a couple of weeks."
Prime nodded. "I would like to thank this human, do you know who he is?"
"I was hoping you could tell me Prime. The same human came and protected Sam when Ratchet and myself were heavily injured by Starscream. The human in question looked alot like Sam."
Ironhide watched as his leader stilled. His face and optics took on a look of extreme sadness. It worried Ironhide. "Prime?"
"That human was Sam's older brother Tyrell. When they became trapped on the roof, Tyrell ordered Sam to hide behind a statue. When Megatron appeared on the roof, Tyrell fired at him, trying to protect Sam. Megatron grabbed him and after learning he was protecting his brother, threw Tyrell over his shoulder. His sacrifice allowed me enough time to be there when Sam fell."
Ironhide was surprised, the boy had sacrificed everything to save his brother.
"Has he been found?"
"Not yet, Lennox has a few men searching. As sorry as I'm to say it, the boy is probably dead. Sam says that Megatron threw him hard, that he went flying off. But rest assured when he is found, we will give him a hero's burial. We owe him that much, it is because of him that we have won."
Ironhide nodded. "How is Sam taking it?"
"Refuses to leave Bumblebee, even if Bumblebee would let him. Mikeala's with them also. Sam is blaming himself about what has happened. If you will excuse me, I need to check on the National Guard to see what else we can do to help."
"Of course Prime"
Ironhide commed Ratchet, sending him a data burst of everything Prime had said. Ironhide was about to leave to help the National Guard, when his scanners picked up an energon signature.
He ran after Prime catching up to him quickly. "Prime, I'm getting an energon signal, permission to investigate."
Prime halted in his tracks. "Can you tell if it's a Decepticon or Autobot?"
"Negative, but most likely a 'Con. An Autobot would have sent out an S.O.S by now"
Optimus thought for a second. "Permission granted, but Ironhide do not shoot unless shot at. Whoever it is, is probably injured."
"Yes Prime."
Ironhide changed into his alt mode and began to drive to the signature. He was puzzled why the mech wasn't covering up the signal. He could only speculate that the mech was either in statis or he was looking to go down in style. If it was the second one, Ironhide would willingly oblige.
The signal lead him to what looked like an abandoned warehouse. The signal was coming from within. He silently transformed, the giant doors looked like they had been opened recently, and as his optics focused he saw that there was a claw print on the handle, made out of human blood. Ironhide silently took out his cannons before bursting though the doorway finding his opponent quickly in the bare room. He blinked his optics in surprise, when he saw who was in front of him. It was Barricade! Like Ironhide he had his cannons out looking back at Ironhide with a weary expression.
"'Con" Ironhide spat, warming up his cannons, expecting the Decepticon to start blasting at any moment.
"Autobot" came the sharp reply. The mechs just stood there staring the other down in a Cybertonian- mexican standoff. Neither made the first move, till Barricade slightly shifted his weight, in a way that Ironhide assumed he had made his mind up about something.
"I take it that the Autobots won?"
"Yes"
"Megatron?"
"Offlined permanently," Ironhide wondered why Barricade didn't know this. Had he fled the battle before it was over, Decepticon cowardly scum…. Yet he couldn't recall having even seen Barricade at all since the fight with Optimus and Bonecrusher.
Barricade glared at Ironhide a moment longer processing the information before doing something that astonished the Autobot. He offlined his cannons transforming them back into his arms and then he deliberately turned his back on Ironhide, messing around on a table that was behind him. Ironhide stayed in his stance for a few minutes longer, waiting for Barricade to turn and attack. But when it didn't happen, Ironhide carefully inched around to see what Barricade was working on. He was shocked at what he saw. It was a human!
"What did you do to him Barricade" demanded Ironhide twirling his cannons aiming towards the cowards spark.
Barricade didn't stop checking the humans bandage while he answered, didn't look at Ironhide at all. "I saved him; he was practically dead when I found him." He turned to look Ironhide straight in the optics. "I kindly ask you Autobot that you allow me to take him to Ratchet. I've done all I can for him."
Ironhide was debating what to do when the human stirred. "Cade?" it asked sounded frightened. It held up one of his hands as if to touch the Decepticon. Barricade immediately turned towards the boy again showing Ironhide his back.
"It's okay," he murmured in a soft voice, "The Autobots won. I'm going to get you to Ratchet soon, I promise. Try to rest some more."
"Okay," came the soft reply.
It was obvious that the human needed help, even though he didn't trust Barricade he would bring him in.
"Alright 'Con, but you walk in front of me, and I want your weapons to stay offlined."
Barricade nodded, gently picked up the human. More gently then Ironhide thought a Decepticon could ever do. Barricade paused outside the door, he looked back and forth before he stepped out into the deserted street, Ironhide only steps behind him. AS they walked out onto the street, Ironhide had both of his cannons out ready to be used. To the west the sun was beginning to set.
Ironhide commed ahead.
:Hey Ratchet, got a 'Con with a very injured human coming your way:
Ratchet was alarmed. :Why would a 'Con have an injured human?:
:Can't say, found the 'Con in a warehouse. Was taking care of the human, said he saved him from dying:
:Which 'Con is it?:
"Barricade, we'll be there in a breem, Ironhide out:
:Fine. I'll contact Optimus.:
Ratchet began to prepare for the human Barricade was bringing.
:Prime, Ironhide sends word, the energon reading was Barricade. Said he found Barricade in an abandoned warehouse taking care of a human. Ironhide is bringing both here in less than a breem:
:I'll be there shortly.:
When Ironhide reached the medic area with his prisoner, Optimus was already there.
Ratchet watched with narrowed optics as Barricade brought his hands down from his chest. Ratchet scans showed a severely hurt human in those claws. He motioned Barricade to set the human down on a gurney that he had commandeered from the humans. They all watched amazed about how gently Barricade set the human down, it awoke as Barricade began to back away.
"Cade, don't leave me" begged the human. That stunned the three Autobots, this human was asking a Decepticon to stay with him.
"It's okay, your with the Autobots, they won't hurt you. You can trust them."
"Stay" was all the human said, whom had a scared look in his eyes as he glanced at the three Autobots. Optimus was surprised that this human trusted a Decepticon more than the Autobots.
"I will, I promised didn't I?" the human nodded at Barricade one last time, before passing out once again.
Ratchet immediately started running scans on the human to asset the damage. Barricade moved off to the side watching the medic. Optimus and Ironhide watched Barricade, the latter had his cannons still out.
Ratchet was surprised as he scanned the human. Even though his outside shell was basically destroyed, internally he was almost completely fine. He continued to scan, but stopped again suddenly shocked. Ratchet rescanned not believing what his scanners were telling him. He suddenly rounded on Barricade, his optics turned to blue ice. Ironhide could remember the few times that he had seen Ratchet's optics like that, he chuckled, Barricade was going to die.
"YOU gave him nanites!" said Ratchet in a slow controlled voice. Chills ran down Ironhide and Optimus spine, a controlled Ratchet was more dangerous than a yelling cursing Ratchet. They watched him grab the wrench he had worked on Jazz with and threw it at Barricade. It flew true, bouncing of Barricade's helm with a large clang, leaving a huge dent. Barricades growl of outrage was over powered by Ratchet's fury. "Do you even realize what could have happened? Nanites aren't programmed to fix organic species. He could have-"
"Died" demanded Barricade, his eyes began to glow. Ironhide brought his cannons up a little higher, aiming at Barricade's spark chamber. But, Barricade didn't move, except to bring up a pointing digit, pointed at the human. "He was dead anyway if I hadn't did what I did. Organics aren't made to slam into buildings, and then fall five stories to the concrete ground below. So yes Autobot scum, I made a choice. Do nothing and watch him die, or try something that possibly would save his life!"
Ratchet stared down Barricade with his icy eyes, only to be met with flaming red ones. They stared at each other until Ratchet finally vented and turned away back towards the boy.
"Did you give him anything else that would cause him to remain unconscious," Ratchet grunted, beginning to run his scans once more.
"No, the last time he woke, he said he was in pain. The pain of his injuries is too much for his mind so it has shut-down."
Ratchet went to the human medics and brought back a pain killer and hooked the boy up. Optimus after deeming the situation under control left to find Sam.
Sam felt so empty. Like a huge hole was in his chest were his heart should be. He wanted to scream, pound his fist on the ground, but lacked to drive to. He tried to swallow, however the lump from withholding his tears wouldn't allow him to. He was barely aware of Mikaela hugging him, as he struggled not to relive the past few hours, though he couldn't.
When Optimus had caught him, he had been in shock. He had just seen his brother thrown to his death. He pulled out of it when Optimus stated that Sam had risked his life for the cube, all Sam could say was "No sacrifice, no victory." Tyrell's last words to him.
Sam had watched the battle Optimus had fought with Megatron with growing hatred. When Optimus had yelled at him to put the cube in his chest, Sam had refused instead he went to the one that had caused all of this. He shoved the cube into Megatron, letting loose the anguish he was feeling. Everything after that was a blur. Optimus thanking him, Lennox demanding to know were Tyrell was. Bee…. He was with Bee now, curled up in a giant hand next to his chest; Mikaela sat with him, waiting for the transportation back to Hoover Dam. Dials, who had been given to Mikaela when Sam was told to run with the All-Spark sat in phone mode next to Mikaela. Bee hadn't put Sam down since when he struggled to tell Lennox what Megatron did to Tyrell, not even when Ratchet had reattached his feet. Bee clicked sadly as he looked down at his charge. He had liked Tyrell, he was sorry that he was gone before he got to know him better.
Sam knew that his brother was dead. Unlike him, there had been no Optimus to catch him. All the other bots had been in battle, so there was no one to help him. Sam had thought that the first time thinking Tyrell was dead was hard enough. That was a ripple to what he was feeling now. It had seemed like getting his brother back was a miracle just a few short hours. Now it seemed like it was a cruel joke, his brother had died to save him, Sam just didn't understand.
"Sam."
Sam drew himself out of the memories to look up at Optimus who held out his hand. Sam just stared at it, not comprehending what Optimus wanted. Bee looked at Optimus and then back at his charge, he raised his other hand and gently picked up Sam, separating him from Mikeala and set him into the hand. Optimus nodded once at Bee before he walked aways off, till they were free from destruction that had been wrecked that day.
Optimus looked down at the tiny human that he had befriended just a mere 24 hours ago, in that time short amount of time he thought of him as a friend. It was one of the reasons why it was so hard to say what he needed to say. "Sam, I'm sorry for what happened. It is my fault for bringing this war to your planet and getting you and your brother mixed up in this."
Sam looked up at Optimus, shocked at what the Autobot had just said. He looked at his hands sadly, he felt as if he had Tyrell's blood on them. "It's not your fault Optimus, its mine. If I hadn't tried to sell those glasses the Decepticons wouldn't have come here and Tyrell might still be alive."
"Sam" Optimus said gently. "You couldn't have changed what happened; it was destiny for all of this to come to pass. The Decepticons had already begun the search, it would have been only a matter of time before they came looking for you. Tyrell wouldn't have wanted you to blame yourself for what happened. I could tell he loved you very much."
"Ya, he was a great man. The best brother I could ask for." Speaking those words broke the dam that Sam had built and he finally let the tears fall freely down his face.
"He was a great hero. His sacrifice saved many lives, yourself and Jazz among them. I promise you Sam, the Autobots and I will make sure Tyrell is remembered and honored."
Sam nodded wiping the tears on his face away.
"How I'm I going to tell my parents about this?" asked Sam, his voice cracking.
"I'll tell them Sam."
Optimus looked down to find Captain Lennox with the rest of the Rangers near his feet. Optimus asked a silent question with his optics. Lennox shook his head no.
"The trailers are here for Jazz and Bumblebee, once they are loaded we will be ready to go back to the base."
"Thank-you Captain Lennox, I will inform my men."
Optimus left the Rangers and walked back to Bumblebee and gently returned his charge. Bumblebee clicked questionly, and all Optimus could do was shake his head, Bee gazed sadly on his charge.
"Bumblebee, Captain Lennox says the trailers are here, Ironhide will be here shortly to load you on it."
"Roger" came the scratchy reply. Optimus paused to give a small smile, glad that Bee's voice was finally coming back, he had missed the youngling's constant chatter. No one noticed when Dials suddenly transformed and stared in the direction Ratchet was in, with great skill he climbed down the Autobot and begun to run in the direction of Ratchet.
Optimus comed Ironhide to tell Ratchet that they were loading up and to help load Bee onto one.
Ratchet had finally made absolutely positive that the young man before him was stable. The nanites were mending his body fine. Though Ratchet wanted to be near the boy so he could make sure that he stayed that way. He looked down at the boy, "Looks like you coming with me" as the order came to load everything up.
"Ratchet watch the 'Con, I have to help Prime load Jazz and Bumblebee on those trailers" yelled Ironhide.
Ratchet turned to look at Barricade, having forgotten that he was still there. Barricade, he observed hadn't moved his optics off of the boy since the stare off. Not even when Ironhide had handcuffed his hands behind his back, none to gently.
Ratchet had to admit that Barricade had saved the boy's life. He had been surprised to find the boy's wounds had been washed before bandaging and the bandages were clean. Ratchet briefly turned his attention back to the boy. The pain medication was keeping his unconscious for now. He wondered who the boy was. Barricade had removed most of his clothing to get at the wounds, so he had no I.D as the humans called it. Also, the swelling, bruising, and cuts on the man's face was making it impossible for Ratchet to identify him by face recognition. The only thing Ratchet knew was that at one point in the young man's life that he had been in the Army, as the tattoo on his arm indicated. Yet, he couldn't determine the age of the boy, just that he was young and in excellent shape. Again he looked at Barricade, with a feeling that he knew exactly who the boy was, but for some reason not telling. Ratchet turned around as the sound of footsteps marked Ironhide's return.
"Ratchet were about ready to go, so if you're taking that human with us get him loaded up" snapped Ironhide as he marched towards Barricade. This blocked Barricade's view for a second, in which time Dials emerged from the rubble and climbed under the gurney.
Ratchet nodded, transforming into his vehicle mode. He instructed a couple of the remaining human medics to load the boy into him. As they were doing this, Ratchet watched Ironhide uncuffed Barricade.
Barricade sat there rubbing his wrists, making no move otherwise. Ironhide glared down at him, resisting the urge to drag him to his feet.
"Alright Decepticon here is how this is going down. You're going to transform and follow Ratchet out of here. And don't get any ideas; I'm going to be right here on your aft the whole time. If you make one move that I don't like I will blast you faster than you can say slag. This I can promise you."
Barricade looked up at Ironhide thinking a moment before slowly transforming down into his police car form, Ironhide followed suite soon after. They all waited until all the Autobots and soldiers that were going were assembled before they started off.
Optimus lead the convoy of vehicles out of Mission City just as the first stars began to appear in the night sky towards Hoover Dam.
Ratchet was too preoccupied to notice a certain sparkling crawl from under the gurney and settle down over the human's heart. Dials fell asleep listening to his guardian's heartbeat.