Chapter 11

The Final Raid

The squad of autobots ran down the corridors avoiding or destroying any cameras they ran into. All optics and audio sensors were on high alert as they made their way deeper into the prison.

Optimus kept his backstruts to the wall and peeked around the corner. The next hallway was empty except for the shrapnel from a brunt, smoking door that had been blasted through.

"What is it boss bot?" Bulkhead whispered.

"Nothing, so far. Everyone keep a look out." The other followers nodded.

The prime ran at the door giving one giant swing with his axe; cutting away at the remaining debris. From the other side he could hear what sounded like muffled cries and roars.

Breaking away the last of the metal he slightly gasped at the site of hundreds of cells full of decepticons. "I guess this is the true sanctum of Kaon Prison." He mumbled walking through the hall of cells.

The others emerged with the same reaction as him, keeping to the far side of the path as possible, ignoring the cons chants and shouts.

Jady kept close behind Bumblebee as they made their way across the room, avoiding looking at the cons as they whistled and called.

"Hey! Sweetspark! Over here!"

"How about you skip shrimpy and get with a real bot?"

Bumblebee growled, making sure Jady kept behind him all the way. Ironhide also felt the need to protect and followed close behind her. Their guard slightly lowered as they finally reached the other side weaving through more halls, as unnoticed camera swerved in their direction.

~~~~"The enemy is drawing closer my lord." Shockwave explained with optic glued to the screen. "Shall I release some of our fellow cons upon them?"

"No. Let them come. I wouldn't want our new guests to miss this event." The decepticon leader smirked.

"And what a show it will be." Shortfuse chuckled.

"What are our plans of attack master?" Lugnut barged forward and fell to one knee.

"We wait."

~~~"Uhhh ok maybeeeee this one! Nope, uh, this one? No, nothing there ether." Phoenix tried every switch and button she could find but none had seem to work. She looked back quickly, sighing in relief that the unconscious Soundwave was still sprawled among the floor and broken crates. "Well that's one problem taken care of, now how do I….." she went on pressing and turning everything along the control board. "One of these has to work! I should try and- no I might blow there cover. Slag it!" Frustration finally maxing its peak; she slammed a servo down, accidently hitting a switch that started to flash. A beeping noise echoed through the room, "Oh boy…." She thought, watching the screen and through it the island shook.

The Island began to tremble; the troop clung onto whatever was in their reach.

"What the pit is going on!" Ironhide clung to a pipe that stuck up from the ground.

"I-I think Phoenix may have activated our side of the bridge!" Ratchet called from down the hall. "Now all we have to do is get to that control tower and turn on the slagging machine in there!"

"Wwwwhhaaaaa! Ya, if were not shake'in into pieces!" Bumblebee held onto Jady while hanging onto Bulkhead's pede at the same time, avoiding the falling debris from above.

Optimus used his axe to cut away the large chunks of metal that fell from above and around the floor. "We need to keep going! We don't know how long we have until they shut down the security systems."

"And release all those cons into the city." Jazz finished with a dreaded tone. "Let's move."

~~~~Shortfuse flailed his buzz saws overhead; cutting the falling ceiling pieces, others clung to control panels or did the same of cutting away debris. "Slag it! Shockwave, what the frag is happening?"

The one-optic mech tapped into the controls again, wiping away any small pieces that landed onto the platform. "Soundwave, what are you doing? You are reversing the process. Stop what you are doing this instant. Soundwave…..Soundwave?"

The lack of response aroused Megatron curiosity, looking over Shockwave's shoulder blade as the bot kept trying to get a response from the communications officer.

"Soundwave respond!"

"Sorry boys….." a femme's voice taunted over the com-link.

The Decepticon leader raised an optic ridge. "What? Who is this?"

"Wouldn't you like to know…."

"Is this an autobot? What have you done with Soundwave?" Shockwave intruded.

Shortfuse turned to the voice; it sounded…familiar somehow. He looked over to Khaos; who too paused at the voice.

"Sorry he can't come to the comlink right now, please leave a message after the beep." After the frequency was cut off he turned to the hunter bot again; he had vanished. Slightly surprised the mech looked about the room until he saw the flash of a tail tip disappear out the shattered window. Typical, but then again he always was a lone bot; never one for teams or to be around anyone for that matter.

Megatron clenched his fist in annoyance, "Shockwave find out what happened to Soundwave and who that bot was!"

"I am trying sir but this inadequate technology is not heeding to my demands." The one optic mech tapped away with his extensive claws.

"My ledge the intruders will be here soon we should prepare to battle!" Lugnut exclaimed.

"Prehapes you are right Lugnut. Shockwave; keep working on those bridge controls." He pulled out his double bladed sword. "But leave Optimus Prime to me. I want to finish him off personally."

"Sounds like you have quite the grudge against this 'Optimus'." Shortfuse smirked "Wouldn't be because of that little 'incident' that got you caught is it?"

Megaton's shadow over casted him, glaring at the shorter mech. Shortfuse only stared back unfazed. "Do not mock me Shortfuse; or it will be more then that scar on your optic that I shall mark on your frame."

Shortfuse's smirk faded but he did not look away from Megatron's icy glare.

BANG! The mech's turned to the doors; BANG! They started to dent inward. The decepticon smiled as the fleet of autobots smashed their way in; firing in every direction with Optimus in the lead. "And so we begin." He swung his sword into the fight

~~~~"Well that was fun while it lasted." Phoenix sighed. "Though absolutely terrifying at the same time. Now what to do next." She turned as she pondered, "Gasp!" she backed into the control panel; Soundwave was gone. All of her sensors were turned up high, looking throughout the room for any signs of movement. So far there was nothing but darkness and silence, "Alright big guy," she whispered softly "Where are you?"

She didn't want to leave the controls unattended but if she was to keep it in control without disruption; she had to rid of the cause of it before 'it'' got rid of her first.

Slowly stepping away, she took her whip out of its holder and activated it; allowing the long, blue, glowing cable to flow out of its handle onto the floor. "Come on, make a noise or something!" she whispered to the darkness.

"As you wish."

SMACK! Something large and heavy smacked into the back of her helm, sending her to stumble forward only a few feet. Turning, rubbing the back of the place of impact she stood battle ready facing the stereo mech that towered over her. She shuffled quickly to the side; hearing the screech of Ratbat soaring straight for her backstruts, flew a circle and perched itself on its master's shoulder.

"Objective: Dispose of femme and regain power to bridge."

"Not gonna happen!" the bird bot exclaimed.

"I do not take any seriousness to your minor threat. Ratbat engage." Heeding its master's command the bat bot took off Soundwave's shoulder, screeching an echo blast straight at Phoenix, sending her flying backwards but this time; she made sure to land on her pedes.

"Alright, I've had just about enough of you!"

The telepath made no movement; both bots were facing down each other with their own interrogating glares. Phoenix continued to stare the bot down when her audio sensor twitched upward hearing the oncoming flying rodent behind her. Turing, she faced the incoming bat bot, dogging its aerial attack by just a scratch of a wing tip against her side. Before it had the chance to turn Phoenix quickly grabbed its short legs and swung it around.

By the time Soundwave took notice and stepped forward to charge she leg go letting Ratbat smashed into his master's chest sending him back onto his aft.

She jumped on top of him with claws extended, but he slipped his pedes under and pushed, flipping her forward onto her own backstruts. She shook the blurriness from her vision just in time to see him standing over her about to stomp that very pede into her faceplate. As it came crashing down, Phoenix sprung upwards, grabbed a crate and chucked it at the mech's helm.

He smashed into pieces with a simple punch; but through the flying debris a blue cable shot out, wrapping around him and with a tug fell forward unable to move, struggling against the bonds.

It wasn't over yet, "One down," she looked up into the darkened ceiling "one rodent to go."

~~~~Optimus blocked Megatron's sword with his axe, shoving it away before returning the blow, only to be blocked himself.

"No stabilizers this time Optimus?" the con kicked the Prime in the chest with his pede; sending him flying into the wall behind him. Optimus grunted as his aft landed hard on the floor. "Have we finally come to realize that autobots are not worthy of a decepticon's abilities?"

"Not at all," the firetruck stood up, battle ready. "In fact an autobot doesn't need anything to defeat a con like you!" he charged forward toward Megatron, heaving his battle axe high above him. He let out a cry, slashing downward. Both bots swung mercilessly trying desperately to hit the other; avoiding the other bots who were in their own combats.

Bulkhead was in a one on one with Lugnut; both trying to sumo-style wrestle each other, and being the two biggest bots made them the hardest to avoid.

The twins took things to the Screamer clones Ramjet and Sunstreaker, as Bee, Jady and Ratchet battled with Blitzwing. Leaving Ironhide with Shockwave.

Shortfuse smirked at the sight of Sentinel and Jazz ready to take him on. "Well, this should be interesting." He cracked his knuckles, "I get to take on the elite's finest."

"The only thing you are doing is going straight back in a cell where you belong!" Sentinel held out his lance firmly.

"Oh ya think so do ya?"

"We know so." Jazz replied coldly with nun-chucks in servos. The black and orange decepticon released his buzz saws smirking and shook one digit at the autobots to come get him; both charged.

~~~~Phoenix tied the whip into a tight knot while surveillancing the shadowed ceiling; searching for any sign of Ratbat. She backed away from the struggling decepticon lowering and raising her audio sensor flaps hoping to catch any small sound. "Herrrreeeee batty batty batty." She cooed, searching around her dark surroundings.

Having no other weapon on her she extended her digits into claws; it wasn't much but it was all she had.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

She turned around swiftly, in sights of the bat bot; perched at the controls. "Uh oh!"

It pressed a button and pulled a switch so hard that the handle snapped off. Phoenix made a leap to grab him but only crashed into the controls as the bat took off towards it's master. "Oh scrap!"

~~~The bots stumbled and struggled to keep their balance avoiding more but smaller debris from above as the prison shook violently again.

"Shockwave what is cause of this?" Megatron cried; blocking one of Optimus' blows and shoving him back.

"I believe that Soundwave ggraahh…." the cyclopse grunted while wrestling with Ironhide, "has secured the bridge once again. He must have gotten rid of the pesky bot who was on the line before."

The hearing of the news put a grin on the con's faceplate.

Optimus dashed and swung his axe high only to miss as Megatron merely stepped to the side of his range. Before the Prime could recover and pull himself upward the decpticon leader swung his arm around the autobots mid-frame with a tight and vicious squeeze, pressed to his own frame.

The autobot struggled but could not move his arms upward in able to swing his axe.

The con held his sword up to his throat, "And now autobot; you and your pathetic little squadron will watch as the Decepticons who inhabit this Pithole will be released into your precocious city. Shockwave!"

"Yes, my lord."

Ironhide through a punch at the one optic mech only to be simply flicked off; with Shockwave grabbing hold of the incoming fist and chucking the orange bot across the room.

Ratchet was busy attacking the triple changer with his electromagnets when he heard a cry coming towards him "Heads up! Docbot!" The medic turned in time to feel the full blast of impact from the orange blurr; sending them both grinding against the floor.

Shockwave moved his claws swiftly across the panel, "How many shall I release?"

Megatron smirked still gripping on the struggling Prime, "All of them."

"As you wish." Even with no mouth the sneer behind his voice was clear. A large green, glowing button was pushed; while down below all the cell doors swung open. The cry of freedom from the Decepticons below echoed through the walls of the tower.

"You hear that Prime?" Megatron mocked "That is the sound of earth's demise."

~~~~Ratbat pulled at the knot with his fangs. "Oh no you don't!" Phoenix ran towards them. The bat bot released another echo blast sending the bird bot hurling backward, smashing her backstruts into the controls. Shaking the dizziness from her helm she lifted her sore frame from the floor and leaned against the panel, turning her back on the duo.

'I don't have time for them' she thought. 'If I don't get this thing running again the autobots and the city will be in trouble! Come on, think Phoenix! Think!'

The handle that was snapped had to be what reversed the bridge, only problem was; Ratbat could have dropped it anywhere. She looked behind to the floor, looking for any sign of the missing part. Daring to gaze up, Ratbat was luckily still trying to free his master, but who knew how much time that left.

All to be seen was just bits of broken crates and bits of metal, but wait….was that? A smooth looking piece of metal stuck out of the wooden debris, the bottom of it seeming to be mangled. "Gotcha!" Sparing no time the femme grabbed the missing handle.

"Now only problem is….how to fix it." She placed the handle back into its previous placement like a well-fitted puzzle piece.

Thoughts rushed through her cpu, until an old flashback came by; back when her and Rosie where still together in the woods one night. Rosie was gathering a pile of sticks in a circle of rocks. "What are you doing?" she would ask.

"I'm making a fireplace. You can't have a campout without a fireplace!" She replied cheerily.

"How are you supposed to make fire with just those sticks?" the bird bot cocked an eye ridge.

"There is a way, but I think it's better if you start it."

Phoenix gave her shocked look. "What?"

Rosie nodded.

"But how am I going to-"

"You ARE a fire bird; just…I dunno…think about breathing fire or something. It worked with transforming didn't it?"

Breath fire? Although it sounded nuts, she did have a point. It did work last time, maybe she just needed to put more energy into it. Closing her optic tight she put her thoughts into fire. Grunting and placing a servo over the small pit; a small ball of blue flame emerged from her palm.

"Keep going Phinny! Keep going!" Rosie cheered on.

With last bit of mental thought, her whole servo burst into blue fire; lighting the twigs underneath. "Ya! Whooohoo! Ya! That was the coolest thing ever!"

Phoenix opened her optics to the golden yellow flames of the pit. "I did it. YA! I DID IT! I'M AWSOME!" she cried pumping a fist into the sky.

Rosie giggled and hugged the bots knee "You have no idea." She whispered softly.

A small smile crossed her faceplate thinking of the warm memory, but the sound of beeping snapped her out of her trance. "Oh….right!" Placing her servo over where the handle snapped; she pushed her thoughts forward waiting for the pulse to come. In a sudden burst of blue flames the two have melted, fusing into each other until whole.

"Time to end this." She muttered pressing the button from before and reached for the handle.

"I cannot agree more." The fimilar voice creaked from behind.

Gasping she turned and ducked, avoiding the income fist. Ratbat was perched on the shoulder of the towering frame of Soundwave. The mech's yellow glowing visor narrowed. "This ends now."

Phoenix held her arm straight in front of her, ready to use her new ability upon him."Yes it does!"

Soundwave made the final charge. A pulse of energy surged through her frame, into her arm, suddenly the blue ornament that laid on top of her servo glowed and released a massive glowing orb; sending the duo backward, landing flat on top of the control panel.

"Wow…uh…that was," she gazed at the blue metal upon her servo, "different."

The unconscious decepticon slowly slipped off the panel, but not before the handle was caught under his arm and was switched. Phoenix came closer to the screen, no longer concerned about the con laying on the floor or Ratbat' who was slumped over the top of another screen. The island began to shake again, the water below staring to stir.

"It's all up to you guys now."

~~~The bots inside tried their best to stay balanced and avoiding the remaining of the falling debrie.

"No," Shockwave muttered "Impossible! Soundwave do you respond!"

Optimus was struggling with both his captor and the shaking ground below; the con was too busy with balancing himself he could not hear what was being said.

As he listened to the transmission and heard a very fimilar femme's voice.

"Again, sorry he's not here. Now why don't you just give it up now cons and make it easier on yourselfs? Cause from here on out your finished!"

Optimus smiled, "That they are Phoenix." Using the last of his strength, he rammed his elbows as hard as he could into Megatron's chest.

The decepticon dropped the autobot, grunting in slight pain from the shot but regained most of his balance, charging at his target and sword held high.

Shockwave moved quickly trying override.

"Hey decepticreep!" and deep country voice called. The one optic mech looked to see and angery looking Ironhide. "How about a little payback!" A quick smack arcoss the faceplate was enough to send the bot the ground. "Ya got this Ratchet?"

The medic nodded, "Ya, now you keep them cons busy while I try and fix this mess." With that the orange mech took off. Fiddling with a few of the controls the Island shook more viciously then before, knocking almost all the bots inside over.

Seeing that all control was lost; Megatron put away his sword, "We must leave now before the prison is bridged! Decepticons retreat!" and with being his final words the other decepticons ignored the autobots and did as their master ordered.

"Time to go." Shortfuse saluted and took off.

"Does that mean we win?" Bumblebee asked, clinging to the wall.

"None of the cons down below have left yet." Called Bulkhead.

"Well we better get out of here before we get bridged with them!" Ratchet cried.

Optimus looked outside of the broken window. It was true; the freed prisoners below were being thrown in every direction.

Looking to the outside of the walls he could see the crashing waves below. Maybe…just maybe. "Were going to jump." The sudden burst made the squadron of bots look at him like he had lost his processor.

"Come again sir?" Jady asked.

"If we are going to get out of here in time before prison returns to Cybertron we need to jump into the lake now!"

A sudden jolt convinced no one to argure, "Now everyone get back for a running start, and whatever you do make sure you aim this side of the wall!" The other bots nodded in agreement.

~~~Phoenix watched from the other side; the prison once again to slowly disappear and with a final flash it vanished. The circling clouds above faded away and the crashing waves smoothed into once a more peaceful lake.

She looked in every screen shot to see any signs of the group of bots. "Come on…where are you? Please sweet Primus tell me they made it."

She gazed over each one over and over again seeing no sign.

"Hello? Hello? Optimus? Jetstorm? Is anyone there? Please answer!" she cried through the com-link, but it remained silent. "Oh Primus…" she closed her optics sadly.

"Hey! There's no need for that!" a familiar voice chuckled.

"Optimus? YOUR ALL ALRIGHT!" Excitement ran through her circuitry as she gazed over the screens again until she found one; where just off the docks a small army of bots crawled out of the water as police cars drove away.

"Ya we are. Everybot got out safely and were on our way home."

"That's good to hear." She smiled.

"What about Soundwave? Are you still in any trouble?"

"Nothing I can't handle right now sir," Phoenix glanced over the mech's slumped over frame. "But I don't know how long he'll be that."

"Hang tight, we're coming for you. And Phoenix…."

"Yes?"

"Good job. Believe it or not; you really have saved this city."

Phoenix blushed, "Well.. I don't know about that sir but…thank you."

All the autobots; despite their aching frames, made their way to base, and spent no time trying to look for the entrance to the secret lab.

Below ground Phoenix sat amongst the crates, waiting for them, while watching over Soundwave. A shuffling noise from above caught her attention and ran to the elevator shaft, looking upward towards the light.

"Phoenix? You down there?" a voice she recognized as Jady's called down.

"Yes! I'm here! Hang on I'm coming up."

A screech from behind caused her to turn in time and duck as Ratbat flew by with a thin, blue box in its claws. She looked over to the control panel and screen; Soundwave had vanished. She could hear from above the gasps from the bots who watched the bat bot fly off.

'Phoenix? Phoenix! Are you still there?"

"Ya, I'm fine." Wanting to have no more of this place; she spread her wings, despite how sore they were from constantly landing on them and soared toward freedom.

Reaching surface, she welcomed the friendly faces that greeted her. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

"Being glad to be seeing you alright." Jetstorm gleamed.

"More or less" Ratchet mumbled looking over her battle damages.

"That was quite impressive Phoenix taking on a con like that." Optimus smiled.

The bird bot slightly blushed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Nah, I'm sure you guys could have taken him on no problem."

"Phoenix….decepticons are not easy to combat alone. What you managed to do was amazing for someone who has never faced one before. And I think we can all agree when I say; you really have saved this city and in a way us."

Around the room the bots nodded, even Sentinel. Phoenix felt her cheek arches burning and just smiled.

"Well even though the party's over I still have a lot of work to do on you lot!" Ratchet rambled with fists on waist. "Phoenix, you're first. Now let's not dwaddle I don't want to be doing this for the rest of the day." The medic turned and gestured her to follow, waving a digit in his direction.

"Can do." And she followed.

As she was lead toward the medbay the blue jet ran up behind her, placing a servo on her shoulder. "Phoenix," Jetstorm huffed "I just be wanting to be….telling you um…" his faceplate burned crimson, "Really you were astounding today." He smiled nervously as she smiled back.

"Thank you very much Jetstorm. But I bet you were braver then I was taking on all those cons."

"Hehe, nahh you…you just as brave, if not more!"

"That's sweet of you to say."

"Hello? What did I say about not wanting to be at this all day?" the Doc bot called from the other room.

"Sorry! I'm coming!" she turned back to a red faced Jetstorm. "I'll see you later. And by the way I do think you're a very courageous bot." she turned on her pede and left into the medbay leaving the blue jet to his thoughts.

"She think I'm courageous." He sang, walking away. "She think I'm courageous!"

"What that you saying brother?" Jetfire called from behind.

"Oh nothing brother just uh….over thinking." With a shrug the orange twin walked away.

"She think I courageous!"

To be continued…..