Worlds Apart
No place to run?
Hot Shot was growing impatient. Nothing seemed to be going right; however, it wasn't as if they had a plan in the first place. He had already been examined by the medic. It was a quiet room with no windows and a small air conditioning vent, which somehow kept the room near freezing. While in the lab, he overheard some very interesting things.
First being that his systems, compared to Perceptor's, were almost completely different. There was a mass shifter within Perceptor which made him the most unique being they had ever seen. Inside him, there was a port for an outside source of power. He knew it was a slot for a mini-con but he didn't want to tell anyone else that.
Second being that their Optimus had yet to reveal his name. None of their "captors" had said his true name and simply called him "the ring leader". Hot Shot couldn't help but laugh at the thought of it. Optimus was a rather softy from what Hot Shot had seen, barely a leader let alone a ring leader. No one else had given it up either. So why should he?
Third being that something odd was happening with the security monitors. The medic-"Ratchet"- had been complaining to another that something was jamming them. For the few days they'd been staying here, the cameras fell down each day at seven at night. It was something odd and no one could seem to fix it.
Currently, it was 18:37. Hot Shot could hear Prowl protesting before they were going to test his circuits. Hot Shot stood so close to the bars as if he could simply faze through them. He was waiting for anything. Something was going on, and he was going to be ready. Finally, two Autobots past with Prowl in tow.
"Let go of me!" Prowl ordered, pulling hard.
"Be quiet…" groaned one.
"Don't worry, Prowl," chuckled Hot Shot. "It won't hurt."
"Hot Shot!" Prowl ordered.
With that, Prowl disappeared down the hall. By this time, Perceptor had seen him and perked up. He looked both ways, almost expecting someone else to come with Optimus. Hot Shot sighed. Around this time, Perceptor seemed to get over excited. He'd heard about the jamming as well and expected a rescue. When he mentioned rescue, though, he never used DJ's name or anyone else he knew, as if he expected someone completely new was to come and save them.
"Give it up, Percy," groaned Hot Shot. "We're alone."
"No! Someone is going to come!" Perceptor assured.
"Yeah right," chuckled Hot Shot.
Suddenly, the room shook. Hot Shot fell forward, smashing into the bars. He heard Perceptor slip as well, the palm of his hand falling through the bars to rest on the floor with his fall. There was a scream down the other hall. There was a flash of gun fire. Prowl came scurrying down the hall, a foreign rifle in hand. He rushed past Perceptor's cell and went straight for Hot Shot.
"What do I do!" he howled.
"Open the door, stupid," Hot Shot ordered. "Then get Percy. We'll all go get Prime."
"Alright, stand back," Prowl huffed, pointing the gun at the lock.
Hot Shot jumped back as Prowl fired. The lock fell and the door swung open. Hot Shot chuckled and left his cell. The two spun around to unlock Perceptor. The scientist had slipped, spun around and knocked his head on the bars. He was slightly dizzy and confused but came willingly all the same.
"We need to go get the boss bot," explained Hot Shot. "What happened to the guards?"
"I don't know. There was a rumble, gun shots, and suddenly both were out cold. I got one of their guns though," Prowl offered.
"We don't know where Prime is!" Perceptor howled. "Where are we supposed to go!"
"We're going to ad-lib," Hot Shot instructed.
The three dashed down the empty hall, passing the unconscious guards. Hot Shot picked up a gun. While in their rush, they encountered a fork up ahead. The three stood for a long time, disagreeing on which way to go. Hot Shot insisted left. Prowl insisted right. Perceptor was still dizzy. Finally the earth rumbled once more, throwing each off balance.
"What's going on!" shouted Hot Shot.
The right hall collapsed. Hot Shot and Prowl exchanged looks and pulled Perceptor to the left hall. They kept running until, finally, finding a small fight in the midst of ending. Two Autobots groaned quietly on the group as their "Ring leader" powered down an interesting ax. Hot Shot whistled.
"Well, I'll be. Boss bot got some punch in him," Hot Shot chuckled.
"I went to the academy," shrugged Optimus. "Taught me some good fighting techniques."
"What is that?" Prowl asked.
"It seemed likes an Energon ax," offered Perceptor.
"How'd you know?" Optimus asked.
"Mine has something like that but much lower class I supposed," chuckled Perceptor.
"What's going on?" snapped Hot Shot.
"Someone has to be helping us," Optimus groaned.
"How do you know that?" Prowl asked.
"'Cause someone let me out that I haven't seen 'round this base the entire time," Optimus explained.
"They're this way!"
The group twirled around at the sound of oncoming people. Hot Shot looked to Optimus. The leader avoided contact. He didn't have the faintest idea of what to do. He was trying to find an open door or a crack in the wall, something to slip through. He found something else though. Or, rather, someone else.
It was a fairly short bot with white armor and golden joints. His optics were a bright purple but they darted around, as if frightened he'd get caught. He had the oddest symbol on him. It was a bright red like every Autobot has but it almost…Optimus chuckled. It was probably his optics messing with him.
"Quickly, you four!" he ordered.
"Are you the one helping us?" asked Optimus, getting the attention of the others.
"If I said yes, will you follow? Please before he figures out I'm here!" the bot groaned, racing through open doors.
"Well?" asked Hot Shot.
"Let's follow him," Optimus nodded, chasing after the strange bot.
Hot Shot looked to Prowl. The two looked at Perceptor. The scientist shrugged and trailed after Optimus with a small smile on his face. The two groaned and darted after. Through the doors, they entered a bright, open desert. The other bot had transformed into a plane. He flew high over head, gaining distance between him and the base.
"That isn't very Autobot style," mumbled Prowl.
"Hey! I've got flying Autobot friends," snapped Perceptor.
"I've got one too," Hot Shot sighed.
"Transform and follow him the best we can," ordered Optimus, transforming.
"But, Prime!" gasped Hot Shot, transforming. "We don't know who this guy is!"
"We didn't know who DJ was," offered Prowl, transforming.
"Where do I go!" whimpered Perceptor.
"Oh fine!" groaned Prowl, transforming back into robot mode. "You are not riding with me this time!"
"Yes, sir!" Perceptor nodded, transforming.
Prowl caught the scientist and placed him Hot Shot's front seat. Afterward, Prowl transformed again. Optimus took off ahead, Hot Shot trailing behind and Prowl bringing up the end. The group tried hard to follow the now far-flung plane in the distant. Optimus couldn't shake a feeling though, the same he had toward DJ. As if something was off.
"Optimus, I don't trust this guy!" Hot Shot called.
"His symbol is red," Optimus replied.
"Autobot symbols are red," replied Prowl.
"He didn't have an Autobot symbol," Optimus mumbled.
"What!" the two shouted.
"He had a red Decepticon symbol!" Optimus explained.