Chapter 7
Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but it is a little hard for me to write this story and I had other stories to work on. I finally chose Wheeljack's sparkmate, Skyfire. The only reason I didn't use him before was because I read a fanfic a while ago and the author spoke of him as if he owned him, so… Anyway, enjoy the chapter.
Ratchet looked up at the sound of a knock on the medbay door. He was standing near Jazz, checking his and the Twins' vitals. They were stable for now, but what Ratchet and the other 'Bots were really hoping for was their awakening.
The medic sat the datapad down on a nearby table and walked over to the door. He opened it and revealed First Aid. Ratchet already knew why the mech was here, so he went over to the table and handed his successor the datapad with Jazz's information on it before leaving the medbay wordlessly.
As he walked back to his and his leader's quarters, he received a comm link from Prowl.
::Ratchet, this is Prowl. Report to the meeting room immediately.::
The chartreuse medic sighed and turned on his heels, heading for the meeting room. When he got there, he was greeted by Prowl, Ironhide, Jolt, Lennox, and Epps. There was a seat waiting for him, the one next to Prime's. It was where he always sat, beside Optimus, across from Prowl, and Ironhide on his other side. He sat down and looked at everyone, wondering why he was called here.
"Ratchet, how have you been?" Prowl asked. He could see a small bit of worry in the SIC's optics and he forced a smile.
"You already know the answer to that."
Prowl sighed and handed him a datapad. Ratchet read the datapad carefully and arched an eyebrow ridge at the information. On the datapad was a list of instructions and a carefully detailed plan on how to get Optimus back from Megatron and the Decepticons. It was ingenious really, but there was one problem that Ratchet was quick to point out.
"Prowl, how are we going to do this when we don't even know where the base is located?" Lennox jumped in and answered for Prowl.
"We've been able to rule out a few choices. Since there was no trace of marine life such as algae or seaweed or anything of the sort on Jazz or the Twins, we ruled out water. If the base was located underwater, they would have some sort of marine life on them and it could have been possible for it to get on Jazz or the Twins while they were fighting. It doesn't make it impossible for the base to be located underwater, but it makes it less likely."
"We've also ruled out forest," said Prowl. "In the past few weeks, we've fought the Decepticons and never smelled any sort of pine coming from them. As Major Lennox said, it doesn't rule out the forest completely, but it still makes it less likely. First Aid did, however, find dust on all of the three of them."
"I'm aware. He took a sample of it and studied it— found out it was from the desert," Ratchet said.
"And this led us to believe that that is where the base is located. Jazz and the Twins weren't found in a desert. Bumblebee and Jolt are scouting in a desert near the location in which we found Jazz and the Twins now. They're searching for the base and if they can't find it, they'll try to find tire tracks."
"And if it was a Seeker?"
"All of the Decepticon Seekers were at the battle with us. Unless they had a new arrival, which I doubt because we would have been able to detect it, it isn't possible for it to have been a Seeker."
Ratchet looked thoughtful. It was a really good plan and they now had a general search area. If the base was indeed located in the desert, the plan would be perfect, being that it was designed specifically for a desert fight. The medic smiled at the information.
Optimus, we'll find you soon, he thought to himself.
Bumblebee and Jolt were cruising in the Amargosa Desert, jumping at everything that moved. It was a burning 102 degrees Fahrenheit and the mechs were getting tired. They had been searching for the base for the past five hours and it took them hours to get there from their base in Northern California. The dust and small pebbles were constantly irritating their gears and joints, but they were doing this regardless to save their leader and give the Autobots the hope they needed.
Bumblebee was chatting quietly with Jolt, discussing recent events and insulting the Decepticons and their leaders. They would pause every once in a while to thoroughly look around them, only finding tumbleweeds, rocky hills, and sand as far as the optic could see. The ride was becoming bumpy, much to the 'Bots irritation.
Bumblebee was losing hope at this rate. If there was a base out here, it was hidden pretty damn well. He couldn't even detect a nearby energy signature, leading him to believe that there was no base out here. Before he commed Jolt to inform him of this, a flash of silver caught his optic. He stopped and transformed, prompting Jolt to do the same. He looked to the east and saw it… there.
The Decepticon base stood tall and proud, two 'Cons standing near what would be considered the front doors, guarding it and keeping watch. Bumblebee gaped and blinked at the sight, hoping it wasn't a mirage as Sam had informed him. Jolt looked at the yellow mech, and Bumblebee, who felt his stare, looked back at him.
Using his fixed voice processors, he said, "Contact Prowl. Tell him we found the base."
Overhead, a Seeker flew by and the two 'Bots hid behind a small mountain of sand.
Megatron, the Fallen, Starscream, and Soundwave sat in the Decepticon meeting room, discussing a new plan when Megatron got a comm link from one of the patrolling Seekers.
::Lord Megatron.:: the mech said.
::What is it?:: he barked.
::I have spotted two Autobots near the base:: Megatron's optics widened before he smirked cruelly. He ended the conversation and commed another Decepticon.
::Switchblade.:: Megatron said.
::Yes, Lord Megatron?:: a raspy voice replied.
::There are two Autobots right outside the base. You know what to do. Make sure one of them is left to send the message.::
::I live only to serve you, Lord Megatron.::
Switchblade stalked out of his quarters and headed for the nearest exit, grinning evilly. The mech was slender, built for speed and agility. Armed with an Energon dagger and pulse cannon, the speed of a Seeker, and processors almost as good as Prowl's, Switchblade was a deadly hunter. Megatron found him on Cybertron eons ago, hunting bounties and assassinating important political figures, starting riots across the planet. He was a Decepticon before the Decepticons were officially a faction in the war, a real killer and Megatron wanted him on his side. The assassin was a deep gray 2009 Ferrari 599, and while he wasn't the biggest Decepticon, he was still as deadly as they come.
He transformed and zoomed out of the base, picking up a trail of dust. The Autobots wouldn't know what hit them.
Bumblebee looked at Jolt. "Did you send the message?"
"I can't," Jolt growled. "There's a jammer nearby. But this doesn't make any sense. Why is the 'Con base out in the open like this? Megatron can't be that dumb."
"I don't know, but we can't leave without telling someone."
"How do you expect to do that?" Bumblebee was about to respond, but he didn't when he heard the sound of an engine nearing them. He slowly peaked from their hiding spot and saw an unknown Decepticon heading their way.
"We've been spotted. We need to go," Bee murmured lowly. Jolt huffed and readied his whips.
"You said it yourself; we can't leave without telling someone that we found the base."
"We can always find it again but we need to leave right now!" Bee hissed. When the sound of the engine stopped, the two 'Bots looked puzzled and peaked from their hiding place again to find the 'Con standing right in front of the hill they were hiding behind. The mech grinned at them, his blood red optics sparkling with amusement and malevolence.
"Well, well, well," the Decepticon crowed. "What have we here? A little far from home, aren't you Autoscum?"
Jolt glared as his whips began to crackle with electricity. Before either 'Bot could do anything else, Switchblade grabbed Bee by his neck and tossed him over his shoulder. Jolt looked shocked, but began to attack anyway. He took his whips and tried to slash at the 'Con, but Switchblade dodged it too easily for Jolt's comfort. As the blue Autobot looked around, trying to find him, he was stabbed in the shoulder from behind. He hissed and turned around to see that Switchblade was nearing Bumblebee.
Jolt charged, ignoring his wound and doubling the amount of watts charging through his whips, swinging them around and missing again. Bumblebee got up and charged his cannon, aiming for Switchblade, who was facing Jolt smirking at him challengingly. The scout fired and the 'Con ducked, easily avoiding the shot. As it neared Jolt, the blue mech readied his whips and sliced the bullet in half, sending the pieces in opposite directions. The pieces hit the ground, crackling with electricity.
Studying the situation carefully, Switchblade did a backflip, soaring through the air and landing behind Bumblebee before charging. The yellow mech barely had time to register what was happening as the assassin grabbed his neck again. The scout thrashed and grabbed at his hands, but Switchblade used two fingers to roughly press into a spot on his neck. The yellow mech stopped thrashing and his optics went black abruptly. Jolt gasped and feared that the Decepticon had offlined him, his legs becoming numb and still mid-run, but he recognized the way Bumblebee looked, the way he was still and appeared lifeless. But he still had an energy signature.
This was the mech that forced the Twins and Jazz into medical stasis. This was the mech that disabled four Autobots. This was mech was dangerous.
Jolt gritted his denta and snarled at the Decepticon, who smirked back at him and tossed Bumblebee by his leg. The downed scout lay at his feet, unresponsive and deathly still. "Who are you?"
"Who I am isn't important, Autobot. But my designation is Switchblade. Lord Megatron and the Fallen, my masters, don't like trespassers. If you know what's good for you, then stay away, or at least bring more than your measly scout with you," Switchblade jeered before transforming and going back to the base.
Jolt bent down and picked Bumblebee up gently, running as far away as possible from the 'Con base and hissing at the gaping wound in his shoulder. When he was far enough from the jammer to comm the base, he did just that and looked down at Bumblebee, sighing with regret.
::Jolt to Autobot base, do you read me?::
::Wheeljack to Jolt. Primus, mech, we've been trying to reach you for hours!::
::Wheeljack, send help. I found the 'Con base, but Bumblebee is down. Getting Optimus out of there will be harder than we thought.::
And that's the end of the chapter. I know they didn't have a base in California, but this is how I imagined things might have gone before they got to their base in Washington. Hope you enjoyed.
Denali Prime out.