A little sad chapter. Enjoy it!

Chapter thirteen: the memories - step seven

Once again, Jack found himself in the huge main room of the Hall of Records. By now it had become a familiar and safe place. In a sense, he felt almost at home. After all, this strange and extraordinary journey had really started from that particular place.

And once again the room was empty and silent. Jack took the opportunity to look around and think.

He felt lucky and privileged for the great experience that he was living. But it was also very scared. Until now, he hadn't had the opportunity and the time to rethink what Alpha Trion had revealed about him: Jack would guide his planet towards a future of peace ... oh come on, what nonsense!

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps, slow and noisy. They didn't belong to a single individual. The young human looked for the source of this noise. He found himself in front of other mechs. He easily recognized Optimus and Jazz. Along with them, there were an Autobot, very big, well-armed, with dark red frame. He looked like a war veteran.

The other mech was rather white, black and gray. He looked thoughtful, looked like one of those brains that Jack had once seen when he had visited a famous university. Then came a fifth mech and the teenager had no hesitation in recognizing: Bulmblebee.

The young scouts looked even younger. He came running, almost out of breath and stopped in front of Optimus.

"Sir ... I bring news from Tyger Pax" said in one breath the black and yellow mech "The Decepticons are about to launch a massive attack" he concluded while standing in front of his commander.

Optimus didn't answer, he took a moment to think.

"Optimus we must act quickly" said the mastermind mech.

"You're right Prowl ..." murmured Prime.

"I'll lead the team" said the dark red mech, beating a hand on his chest.

"No Ironhide, I need you here" Optimus was a master of action, one that was always at the forefront. But not this time. He began to walk back and forth with a serious and thoughtful look on his face "Tyger Pax is very close to Iacon, I cannot afford to send my best officers way. Ultra Magnus would manage the battle very well " then he turned directly to the Bumblebee "My friend, " he smiled a little and put both hands on the shoulders of the younger mech" Your orders are to return to Tyger Pax. Defend what is most precious for us ... ".

The young scout nodded, waved to the audience and left the room as well as running had arrived.

The last thing Jack saw before being wrapped in the familiar white light, was very worried expression on the face of Optimus Prime.

Arcee was sitting just outside the entrance of the base. She was alone. And she wanted to stay this way. So many things weighed in her spark and she had so many thoughts in the processors. She closed the eyes and let out a deep sigh.

" And so ... you and Prime ... " the deep voice of the former Decepticon leader interrupted her solitude.

Arcee looked up at the big mech and stared at him quizzically. Magatronus didn't wait for her formal invitation and sat down next to her.

"I knew that Optimus was a femme magnet ... but I didn't know about you two" he said with an ironic tone.

The Autobot femme began to smile "There has never been any us between me and Optimus ..." she said with a tone of regret "Or at least ... there has never been an affair between the two of us ... not in a conventional way".

"Why did not you ever tell what you felt?" asked softly Megatronus.

"I told him ... and ... " a slight note of irritation infiltrated in Arcee's words "but his position as Prime ... and then there was Elita ... and now ... ".

"And now he's gone ..." concluded Megatronus without taking his eyes off the pretty femme.

Arcee nodded and her eyes filled with tears. With a broken voice she tried to speak "And now I just had... nothing... I'm also losing Jack ... ".

"You are not going to lose Jack!" said with determination the big mech gray "Primus will not allow it ... nor Optimus " he concluded as he rose to his feet and went toward the inside of the base.

Even Arcee stood up "Megatronus!" Feeling called, the former Decepticon leader turned and waited for what the femme had to say "Thank you" she murmured.

Megatronus smiled and answered "'That's what friends are for" and disappeared into the darkness, as he had come.

Screams. Here's what Jack was hearing at that moment. They reminded him that time he was visiting her mother in the emergency room and just at that moment had come to the hospital the victim of a car accident. He remembered the desperate cries of the wife of the man and the screams of the doctor who was rescuing. It was the same kind of screams.

He looked around and knew at once that he was in a hospital. The place smelled of oil, fuel and death. Around him were several berths on which were lay wounded mechs : amputated limbs, lacerations, cuts, eyes gouged out. Jack looked around to find a point sure where to look.

It was then that he saw Ratchet. Beside him was Optimus.

The doctor was busy with a patient. Jack tried to approach for get a closer look.

"Oh my God ..." Jack sighed as wide-eyed and he brought his hands to his mouth. The patient whose Ratchet was working was Bumblebee and had a deep wound in the throat, from which flowed a large amount of energon. The young scouts had their eyes opened full of fear. Optimus gently stroked the head of the yellow and black mech, while Ratchet induced stasis.

Bumblebee's big and dark blue eyes became extinct.

"Let me work Prime!" the doctor said, annoyed. Optimus didn't answer and walked away. Jack decided to follow the big mech red and blue in the other and safer room.

Prime sat on the ground, with his back against the wall and legs close to his chest. He stood still and silent for some time. Pending.

Jack couldn't tell how much time had passed , but it was about to fall asleep when he was awakened by Jazz's shrill voice "Here you are Boss Bot".

Jack could not tell how much time had passed , but it was about to fall asleep when he was awakened by the shrill voice of Jazz " Here you are the head ."

Optimus was silent and seated. Jazz looked at him quizzically.

" What's up Optimus?" asked the mech black and white, worried.

"It 's all my fault ..." whispered Prime. Jazz said nothing. He knew that his friend was in need of time to show what troubled him .

"I started all this... the war. I knew I wasn't worthy of the title of Prime ... " said with resignation the young Prime.

"And why have you taken charge of this burden if you were so sure you will not be able to bear it ?" asked curious Jazz.

Optimus did not answer. But shortly after he continued to speak, "I sent him to Tyger Pax Bumblebee ... " he said in a small voice.

"Listen Prime!" Jazz's tone was now between annoyed and determined "You're not Primus and yuo are not infallible. Every day you give orders and someone dies for this ... but also save many others ... "and then Jazz knelt next to Optimus "You're just a mech, Orion ... but you're a great mech. A great friend and a great leader. Come on. Bumblebee will need us ... when he'll wake up".

And the two left the room. Before Jack could reach them, the scene in front of him became faded and the boy knew it was time for the umpteenth leap in time and space.

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