Chapter 14

Megatron entered the large chamber of the hollowed out asteroid. Daring to glance up from the console, Starscream noted that his face was a mixture of rage and amusement. The thought that Megatron may actually be going mad crossed his mind more than once. He swiftly looked back down at the console, his optics flitting up every now and then, taking stock of the situation. He was positioned someway from the silent, unconscious femme while he monitored her vitals and the soaring power levels within the machine. Following close behind his Commander was the telepath spy, Soundwave. Starscream immediately made himself think of something bland and uninteresting. Leaning forward slightly, Soundwave spoke intently with Megatron, his intent, unfeeling optics never leaving Starscream's face. The seeker could feel his body starting to over work itself, he fought to maintain control as his apprehension increased. His coolant fans switched to overdrive and he shuddered slightly as Megatron made his way over to his side.

"Status?"

"The Singularity machine is increasing power in increments. We should be ready for activation in one Earth hour." Starscream answered, his voice catching in his throat.

"An hour? You've already been here half that time, what's taking so long?" Megatron glared at him with cruel, calculating eyes. Withering under his gaze, Starscream forced himself not to obey the impulses screaming at him to shrink back, to flee from Megatron's presence. "It takes time, the spark is small, and the femme's body resists the drain."

Megatron narrowed his fiery optics, pausing to observe the captive Autobot. He leaned in closer to Starscream, who instantly froze.

"Why is she unconscious? If she's in recharge, the spark produces less energon and cycles it back into her body. She can fight it subconsciously." His powerful voice was no more than a whisper. Shifting nervously, Starscream didn't dare meet his gaze. "She was already uncons…"

All of a sudden Starscream felt his helm slam violently into the console. The force of the blow caused his optics to offline as he sprawled to the deck. There was another blow to his head, a white flash of pain shot across his optics then Starscream felt nothing as he blacked out from the blows reigning down on his helm.

Coming to, slowly, Starscream opened his eyes, pain filled his mind. His face and body ached to move. Part of his torso grinded painfully and he winced as he tried to sit up. Spying Megatron close by, he wondered how long he'd been out for and why Megatron was so angry, even for him. Noticing he was online, Megatron turned to him menacingly. Starscream had a feeling he was about to find out. A vast claw wrenched him off the floor by his throat, he choked painfully. His optics met Megatron's. Despite himself he squirmed in his grasp and tried to claw him off. Megatron squeezed ever so slightly, causing Starscream to whimper and go limp.

"Now that I have your attention Starscream, I want to know why it is that, you never listen to me."

"Lord Megatron I always… urrgghh." Megatron lashed his other talon across Starscream's face in a vicious slap. The seeker gasped in pain and shock.

"If you had listened Starscream, you would have known that the living battery had to be conscious to be used effectively." His voice dripped with menace like liquid poison. Megatron paused as Soundwave glided over to him. "She has been subjected to an EMP charge master. I can not make her come online. It will be some time."

Air hissed through Megatron's air intake valves as he felt his temper boiling over.

"Monitor her condition Soundwave." He hissed. Starscream's eyes grew wider as he realised what was crossing Megatron's mind.

"Megatron I did not know the effect. I would not have done so otherwise…" He trailed off pitifully; this seemed to anger Megatron more. He leaned in, his nose almost in contact with Starscream's. Starscream could feel the heated air seeping through his facial plates. Tensing, he tried to prepare himself for what was inevitably coming.

"You fail me more times than I can count Starscream and now you try to sabotage my plans…"

"No… I would never…"

"Enough, you're getting soft Starscream, since when did you care about the pain of an Autobot? Oh yes Soundwave has seen all your twisted, pathetic thoughts. Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out?"

"Megatron I…" Starscream's voice was little more than a high pitched whisper, he had some pride however, despite knowing how much it was going to hurt if he didn't, he would never beg for Megatron's mercy. He knew he was worth more to Megaton right now alive than dead, no matter how insane Megatron was becoming.

"You're pathetic Starscream." Megatron's growls reverberated through Starscream's armour. "You have betrayed me for the last time."

"Master… no…I…"

Starscream did not get chance to finish as Megatron landed a vicious punch to his head that stopped short of actually taking his head clean off. Starscream still online, cried out and struggled frantically to escape Megatron's evil grasp. His efforts were rewarded with his facial plates being mashed into the wall of the Asteroid. He could feel the rock crumble in his mouth, his facial armour buckling under the sheer force of the attack. Feeling the grip release, he slumped to the floor. Regaining some function he tried to scramble away from the imposing Megatron. Blinding pain seared into his back as Megatron placed a large foot in the centre of his spine and proceeded to wrench both his wings upwards. He screamed in agony, his arms clawing at his back. His processors flashed danger warnings across his optics as wires snapped and tore from his shoulders, he off lined and fell silent with a sob. Megatron wasn't done with the almost defeated seeker yet. Dropping him to the ground sharply he bodily lifted the limp form of his second in command and kicked him viciously in the mid section sending him flying across the rocky chamber. Landing close to the exit, Starscream laid unmoving, coolant and oil seeping slowly from his abused body. Megatron satisfied turned to Soundwave, "You are now promoted Soundwave. I trust you can make a better job of it than your predecessor?" Megatron's sardonic grin spread across his face as Soundwave accepted with a single nod.

"Excellent. Now see to it that our seeker is dealt with as discussed."

"Yes Megatron." Replied the emotionless voice, if Soundwave had any misgivings about what had just happened he did not show it. Megatron, satisfied, transformed and flew back to the Nemesis, leaving Soundwave in a chamber of uneasy silence. Glancing over to the exit of the chamber, he noted the trails of oil and coolant staining the rocks. The cowardly seeker had more strength than he'd given him credit for. He continued to work on the machine feeling an uncomfortable level of respect and pity for the Decepticon. Soundwave had kept to his part and he had played it well, as had Starscream even if he hadn't known he was playing it. Soundwave mused rather smugly to himself thinking of all the things one was capable of doing when inside someone else's head.

****

Trailblazer had made good time, using the vast highways wherever he could. He reached the distraught Mikaela and unconscious Sam's last known location within two hours of setting out. He drove slowly through the quiet suburban streets. It was past midnight, he scoured the neighbourhood. Simmons fidgeted in the driver's seat.

"Damn kids, never even bothered to leave a zip code. Then there's me, just look at me. I saved this country, hell I saved the world and now when they don't have me cooped up in that hangar gathering intelligence, which let me tell you, is less fun than working in my mama's deli, I get to play errand boy for the damn robots." He tutted, as he rapped on Trailblazer's dash. "Hey are you listening to me? I get sent on an important mission with the quietest of robots. Don't you say anything?"

Trailblazer hesitated, he didn't trust Simmons but then he didn't really trust anyone, he contemplated ignoring him but soon realised through Simmons's incessant talking that that was probably not going to help.

"What do you wish to talk about Seymour Simmons?"

"Hey kid, so you do have a tongue."

"Not as you would describe it, no. How is that relevant?"

"It's a figure of speech, geez. Do I have to teach you mechs everything?"

"You haven't taught us anything, apart from the human need to talk without actually saying much of importance."

Simmons's mouth fell open at the candid reply. He knew the mech wasn't goading him, he was too young and too new to planet Earth, to have even realised that he'd just told Simmons he talked too much.

"Let me tell you something kid, I have been in this business all my life, my father, his father it's the family business you could say. When I have something to say you better listen, it will save your giant metal..."

"We're here." Trailblazer interrupted, completely disinterested in what Simmons was about to tell him. Simmons's face contorted into a frustrated grimace. He got out of the car and slammed the door, rattling Trailblazer's interior. Sometimes it took all of a mech's patience not to just shoot some of the more annoying humans, he thought acidly.

Simmons tapped on the white door; he could hear movement from the other side. He whispered,

"Hey it's me Simmons, let me in, we've come to get you." The door opened slightly, Leo Spitz's tanned face peered round the frame. His eyes had dark shadows under them; he motioned sharply for Simmons to enter, before shutting and locking the door behind him.

"You do know that if they wanted to they could just come through the wall right?" Simmons's eyes twinkled in amusement at the younger man's reaction. His eyes went wide and his hands began trembling.

"Get out; just get out of my house…" He half joked was half serious with the former Sector Seven agent, who still managed to intimidate him. Mikaela sounded from the next room.

"Seymour, stop teasing Leo. You know he gets wound up easily. Come help me move Sam."

Leo pulled a face at Simmons, who arched his eyebrows, "You need your mommy to wipe your butt too?" The corner of his mouth twitched upward as he suppressed a chuckle.

"Well at least I don't live in MY mom's basement."

"Hey my mom lives with me remember? Big difference."

"Yeah sure." Leo smirked as he shouldered his way past Simmons into the next room. Simmons followed him. Lying on the nearby sofa was Sam Witwiky. His pallid complexion was a slight shock to Simmons, who had last seen the kid healthy and chattering as usual, only a few months before. Now his face looked older, sweat beaded on his brow, Mikaela dabbed at it lovingly. There was something seriously wrong with him, not including the injuries that he had obtained in yet another Decepticon attack. It had only been a couple of drones but they had sliced the young man up good. His torso was wrapped in a now red stained bandage, bruises littered his slight frame. His eyes were closed tightly; Simmons could see them rolling frantically beneath his eye lids, his lips moving in silent whispers, occasionally emitting a faint moan or whimper. Mikaela met Simmons's now shocked gaze, her eyes were sad yet determined.

"He's been like this for two days now. He started telling me of weird dreams he was having and then they started happening when he was awake. When we were attacked we got out, he was hurt but he was ok, then he just…" Her voice trailed off as she looked back to the still form of her boyfriend.

"We need to get him out of here. Now, it's not safe. The other robots, they'll know what to do." He placed a tentative hand on the young woman's shoulder. He wasn't used to giving sympathy, completely the opposite in fact. Seeing the kid lying there completely brought down by images in his head, frightened him. He hated to admit it but this kid had saved the world and the Autobot leader, he had started to believe there's nothing this young man couldn't do, he for one hated seeing him brought down to Earth so painfully.

"Let's go." He reached over and scooped up Sam from the couch. His thin frame held the weight of the smaller man quite easily. Leo arched his eyebrows in surprise, Simmons was stronger than he looked, probably all that secret agent training, he thought to himself. Slightly panicked he gathered some things quickly and followed Mikaela and Simmons to the red corvette waiting patiently on his drive. Simmons gently placed Sam on the backseat, making sure to buckle him in tightly. Mikaela got in beside him. Leo joined Simmons in the front as the powerful engine revved. They moved carefully through the dark streets as to not draw attention to themselves. When they hit the highway, Trailblazer accelerated confidently, while trying to maintain as smooth a ride as possible.

"You're new." Leo stated with a pat on the dash.

"My name is Trailblazer."

"Where's Bee?"

"He is on a mission, I was sent because I am the fastest and it is imperative that Prime gets Sam to safety, those are his orders."

"Not chatty is he?" Leo whispered to Simmons, who shrugged absently. "Try sitting in here just you and him, he starts insulting you."

Trailblazer tuned out the humans, their inane chatter did not interest him. He still hadn't warmed to this strange, fleshy, easily killed species. He was convinced they were not to be trusted. They were ruled too much by their petty and insignificant disputes. He had respect for the humans Lennox and Epps as they had proven themselves in battle, while he would never call them friends, he did trust them to an extent. Despite all his misgivings, Trailblazer was compelled to obey his Prime no matter how much he disagreed with his ideals. He was an Autobot, he'd never questioned his leader and was loyal to the last, even though Prime had not known he'd existed until a few months ago and had been rather surprised as to where he'd come from. He hadn't inquired further into his story however, this Trailblazer thought, was foolish of his leader, to simply trust a mech who said he was an Autobot and to take him at his word, Trailblazer would not have been so kind. Trailblazer was lost in his own thoughts and bitter memories as he sped down the highways. He did not pick up the faint radioactive signal that he had passed a couple of miles back, neither had he detected the signal following them, maintaining a safe distant out of site, tracking them carefully and with expert precision. It was a signal much more powerful for any simple drone to emit. They were being followed, dimmed red optics followed their movements, whoever it was, was biding their time, waiting for the right moment to act. All this went unnoticed to the young, impetuous Autobot too caught up in his own bitter, almost disloyal thoughts as the humans had started bickering in his front seat.