(Oops, I did forget about Wheeljack. This will be a short chapter I'm afraid but also important. You'll see what I mean at the end.)
"Reports are erratic at best but so far it appears that Autobots or Decepticons or whatever you want to call them now are swarming all over the city. Death toll is already possibly in the thousands," reported Morshower, briefing the President inside the Pentagon National Military Command Center.
"My god…How long before we can mobilize a counterattack?" asked the President. Suddenly, all the lights went out in the room. Everyone quickly started yelling at each other before the emergency lights kicked on.
"What happened?" Morshower asked one of the technicians.
"Power went out. Emergency generators are kicking in but the entire defense network is down. All communications including cell, satellite, even land lines are gone," replied the technician.
Soundwave continued to rain chaos upon the United States. Power, communications, all gone. Soon the country would be in a panic and be in no condition to oppose his masters. He also sent out false orders to various military divisions to deploy in random locations. The Decepticons underestimated the humans before but this time, they wouldn't be even a minor problem.
Within less than an hour, transformers swarmed around every bridge leading into Manhattan Island. They blasted anything that tried to move in. Underground, subway tunnels were patrolled by transformed subway trains that kill any human on sight. Nearly 1.5 million people were caroled out of their homes and offices and forced into Central Park.
Barricade watched along with the Dreads (Crankcase, Crowbar, and Hatchet) as humans marched down the streets, all with same look of terror and despair. "Look at them. All wondering why this is happening to them," said Crowbar.
"It's nothing less then what they all deserve after what they've done to us. Siding with the Autobots and holding Megatron prisoner," said Crankcase. Hatchet growled at some passing, ready to pounce on anything that gets out of line.
One of the humans suddenly breaks for an alleyway. Barricade smirked as Hatchet leaped ahead of the fleshling and cut him off. The Dread surrounded him. "He's mine," said Crowbar.
"No I get to kill him," said Crankcase. Hatchet growled in protest. The three continued to argue until Barricade shoved them aside and aimed his cannon at the fleshling.
"Stupid human," Barricade said. Suddenly, a hammer came flying out of nowhere and knocked him off his feet. Ultra Magnus stepped forward as his hammer flew back into his hand.
"I ordered no humans were to be killed," said Magnus.
"We don't take orders from you," snarled Crowbar. Magnus shot forward, hitting Crowbar in the face with his hammer and kicking Hatchet into a building. Crankcase tried to attacked but Magnus easily countered and shoved him against a building, putting his fusion cannon against the Decepticon's face.
"Yes you will," said Magnus before tossing Crankcase aside. Barricade wisely stayed on the ground. "Disobey me again and next time, I will do more then just damage you," he continued.
Sentinel stood on the top of a building, watching the insect masses forced into Central Park. As far as he was concerned, humans were insects. Every organic creature on this planet was so primitive and pathetic, nothing at all like Cybertronians. Even the primitive machines on Cybertron were beyond anything these creatures could hope to ever become.
Below him, the street exploded as the Driller rose out of the ground. It lifted its head to the top of the building before Shockwave emerged from his pet and stepped next to Sentinel. "I've collapsed all the tunnels leading into the island. The humans won't be able to use them anymore," reported Shockwave.
"Good," replied Sentinel. The sight of three flyers caught his attention. Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp transformed and landed on top of the building. The three opened their cargo holds and pulled out the five Pillars.
"Excellent. Now we can truly begin," said Sentinel.
Megatron landed on top of the Bank of America tower, dropping Sam and Carly on the roof. "Skywarp, get to my location immediately. I have an assignment for you," ordered Megatron into his com.
"You just made a big mistake pal if you think Optimus isn't gonna come," said Sam.
Megatron leaned his face close to the fleshling. "I'm counting on it boy,"
Skywarp arrived a few minutes later, transforming into his robot form and landing on the rooftop. "Watch these two. Once Optimus shows up, drop them," said Megatron before transforming and flying off.
Skywarp smirked and turned his head to the humans. "I've always wanted to see what happens to your little insect bodies when dropped from this height,"
Optimus, Ironhide, Bumblebee, Lennox, Epps, Brains, and Wheelie stopped on the outskirts of New Jersey and split up, taking the time to scout out Manhattan. They met up fifteen minutes later.
"Last chance to get out of this guys," Lennox told Brains and Wheelie.
"No way. Sam and the new Warrior Goddess might be annoying at times but they took me in. You're not leaving me out of this," said Wheelie.
"If Sentinel and Megatron win, there won't be anywhere in the world that I can hide. Might as well stand and fight while I can," said Brains.
Lennox gave them both a respective nod.
"They've sealed the island tight. Getting across via the bridges would be suicide," said Ironhide.
"The subway tunnels have been sealed off," said Epps.
"Then we'll swim for it but we need the element of surprise. We have to find an area less patrolled to enter through," said Optimus.
An object in the sky approached the area, a jet. Everyone quickly grabbed their weapons until they realized who it was. Air Raid transformed into his robot form, carrying Arcee on his back and landed on the ground. "Optimus, are we ever glad to see you," said Air Raid.
"Sentinel's gone mad. He turned most of Manhattan's machines into Cybertronians and now he's holding the other Autobots at gunpoint. We managed to escape but Sentinel has taken over the island. All the humans have been forced into Central Park," said Arcee.
"What are you planning Sentinel?" Optimus asked himself.
"Hey, did either of you see Megatron? He took Sam and Carly," Lennox asked Air Raid and Arcee.
"I did notice two humans on top of the second tallest building city and they were being guarded by Skywarp," said Air Raid.
"That has to be them. Megatron is daring us to attack. As soon as we do, he'll have them killed," said Optimus. Bumblebee moaned.
"Then what do we do?" asked Epps.
"Someone needs to move ahead of us and rescue them if possible," said Optimus.
"Optimus, there's one more thing. Ultra Magnus is working with Sentinel and the Decepticons," said Arcee.
Optimus was silent for a moment and then suddenly, punched through a nearby building in anger. "My two oldest friends. What has happened to you both?" he said. The other Autobots were hesistant to say anything at the moment, they've never seen Optimus so angry so before.
"What's Sentinel hoping to accomplish with all of this? We know he's got the Pillars now but what's his endgame?" asked Lennox.
Then it came to Optimus. He knew it had to be the reason because he knew Sentinel and how he thought. "He's going to use the Pillars to power the Cube. No matter how identical it is, it's not as powerful as the AllSpark. He needs more power and the Pillars provide just that. Perhaps more than enough to encompass this entire world."
Megatron landed next to Sentinel as the Autobot Commander was hooking cables into the Pillars. "I trust your little errand is complete?" asked Sentinel.
"Nothing that needs mentioning any further. The humans have been completely crippled. No one will be able to stop us now. How long until it is operational?" said Megatron.
"The process will take time. The power transfer must be precise or we risk destroying the Cube," said Sentinel as he attached the Pillar cables to the Cube. "Once it reaches maximum power, we only require my touch to activate it and then the effect will be worldwide. Every machine on this planet will become one of us. They will harvest Earth's resources and then, we can return to Cybertron and rebuild our home."
(I would have made this one longer but I wanted more time to write the action scenes. Hope you enjoyed and please review.)