Author's note. Sorry for taking so long to update, but very busy for the last couple of months. To recap, Megatron is getting suspicious of what happened to the kids, while the Autobots try to protect their young charges. Sideways is still lurking around, plotting. And if I haven't said it already Hoist is a bachelor, just to clear that up.
If you haven't already, check out my other two Armada stories, one's called Pets and the other Collars and Chains. Each is based on what might have happened if the incident with the Decepticons capturing the kids had gone a little different.
Enjoy and please review.
Wildrider's POV.
"Ya hooooo," Wildracer whooped as he roared across the desert, going at full speed. Behind him two cars raced at equally high speeds. At a signal from the yellow car, Wildracer slowed his speed, slow enough so that he didn't skid, and cruised so that the two cars could catch up.
"That was totally awesome," Wildracer gasped, revving his engine to demonstrate how much he was enjoying himself. Hotshot laughed.
"Glad you're enjoying yourself," he said as the trio of vehicles headed for the shadow of a cliff in order to make sure they weren't spotted. They had been doing this for nearly an hour, driving across the desert and then ducking out of sight, letting Wildracer to get fully used to his now form. This was however was the first time they had tried to go so fast.
"Wow, you did great," Sideswipe exclaimed. "It's like you've been a Transformer all your life."
"Well, my uncle used to take me on his bike, so I've got a little experience," Wildracer said with a grin in his voice. "And I've ridden a skateboard since I was seven, which means I've got good balance."
"You're doing great Racer" Hotshot said encouragingly. "The Decepticons will have no chance against us, with you kids on board."
"I wouldn't get too cocky if I were you," came a voice to one side.
They all screeched to a halt, and the two Autobots immediately transformed and pulled their guns out, aiming them right into the shadow of an overhang. Wildracer, still not used to transforming, was a little off the mark in returning to biped form and stopping to glare at the figure who immerged from the shadows.
"Sideways," Wildracer said hotly. "You creep, what do you want?"
"Racer, get back," Hotshot ordered, keeping the traitor covered. Sideways just leaned against the sun-kissed rock face, arms folded. They couldn't see his face, but they knew he was smirking under his mask as Wildracer did as he was told.
"Just observing your training," he replied.
"Yeah," growled Hotshot, he particularly despised Sideways, after the motorcycle had tricked him into giving the Decepticons the StarSabre. "Well as you can see, it's going great, just great."
"You really think these kids can take on the Decepticons?" Sideways sneered.
"They foiled your little plot easily enough," Sideswipe pointed out snidely.
Sideways's optics glittered dangerously but he didn't make a move.
"Yes," he hissed softly. "They did, didn't they?"
"Let me guess," Hotshot said angrily. "You're going to spill the oil to the Megatron about the kids."
"Oh, I'm not going to say anything to Megatron or his Decepticons."
"Why should we believe you?" Wildracer demanded as Sideways chuckled.
"They're going to find out easily enough without my help," he replied calmly. "After all, three Autobot Younglings are so much harder to conceal than three kids."
He took a step forward, causing Hotshot and Sideswipe to tense, but he didn't make another move. Sideways looked right at Wildracer and said.
"Watch yourselves, will you. After all Megatron doesn't forget grievances easily and at the moment his focus is on you and your friends, particularly on that little Femme. Wouldn't want any more accidents to happen, now would we?"
And with that, he disappeared.
Hotshot and Sideswipe didn't relaxed until they were sure the horned Mech wasn't about to return. Wildrader nervously shifted, aware of the great tension in the air as his friends slowly lowered their guns.
"What'll we do now," he asked as they slowly turned.
"Get back to base and tell Optimus what's happened," Hotshot replied, his voice showing how shaken he was. "There's nothing more to accomplish here, and we can't trust that traitor's word, he could easily tell the Cons to come here."
And with that Hotshot activated the Warp Gate and they were Warped away. As they disappeared, Wildrader felt a wave of disappointment, he'd really been enjoying himself out here in the sun and Sideways had to go and ruin it.
"This is so not cool," was his last though as they finally left the sun kissed plain.
Optimus's POV.
"This is not good," Scanvger said grimly as they all gathered around a table. Across the other side of the room, the kids were talking quietly amongst themselves as their guardians observed them.
"Indeed," said Optimus grimly, unable to fault Scavenger's view of the situation. The day had started out promising, they'd gotten in some good training time with the kids before each of their sessions was interrupted. First Starscream nearly caught Celeste while she was being taught how to fly by Jetfire, then Megatron had appeared where Optimus was training Radical.
Luckily Megatron hadn't seen Radical but his warning had been enough to seriously concern the Autobot leader. What was worse was that the Decepticon leader had made a good point, the kids were vulnerable and not just from the Decepticons. This brought the third incident foremost to everyone's processor, the incident with Sideways.
"Do you think he's gonna blab to the Cons?" asked Jetfire, voicing the biggest concern at the table.
"He said he wasn't going to," Hotshot said slowly. "And I can't believe I'm saying this but I think he's telling the truth."
"I think Hotshot's right," Sideswipe piped up. "He said he doesn't need to say anything, the Decepticons are going to find out on their own."
"Is it possible there's a hidden meaning behind those words," Red Alert suggested in his serious voice from beside Hotshot and Hoist.
"What do you mean," Scavenger said sharply.
"I mean what if Sideways knows something we don't," Red Alert said grimly. "Like when the next Minicon is going to show, meaning we will come into contact with the Decepticons."
"I don't understand, how would that mean there were going to find out about the kids," Hoist asked, his brow furrowed. "We don't have to take them with us to battle until their trained."
"Maybe because Sideways will see to it that the kids have to show up, in order to protect us perhaps," Scavenger suggested grimly to which Red Alert nodded, indicating that this had been his reasoning.
"They came for us once before," Optimus said quietly, looking over at the kids who didn't notice his stare. "And it doesn't take a genius to figure out that they'll do it again."
There was silence as the Autobots digested this, concern written all over their faces. What were they going to do?
"The Minicon might not show for a while yet," Sideswipe pointed that out.
"Unfortunately, we don't know either way," Optimus said with a sigh. "All we can do is make sure these kids are prepared for when the time comes."
"I only hope that time doesn't come until we, and they, are ready."
Megatron's POV.
"I don't like it my lord, I just don't like it," babbled Thrust as he waved his hands around in unnecessary gestures. Behind him Demolisher rolled his optics as Cyclonus cackled.
"Those Autobots are clearly up to know good," Thrust continued, stating the complete obvious.
"Undoubtedly," Megatron said dryly, his head leaning against one hand.
He did indeed know that Prime and his Autobots were up to something and he didn't like it. What's more he had a feeling it had something to do with those little brats, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what it could be. But he would find out, the recent encounters with the Autobots were proof of that, they had been close to discovering what the Autobots sought to hide.
"We need to find out what their up to," Thrust was just saying to which Demolisher sarcastically replied.
"No duh, genius and how do you suggest we do that when we don't know where their base is," the large Mech demanded, causing the cone headed Seeker to turn angrily to him.
Starscream looked over at his leader as the two Mechs started arguing.
"What do you think their up too?"
"I don't know, Starscream," Megatron replied grimly. "But one way or another, I'm going to find out."
Author's note. The Decepticons finally come face to face with the kids but what will happen? Find out in the next chapter of the Transformer kids. Till then.