Shadow:. Hey every one I hope your comfy..I kinda got carried away on the chapter... hehe ..... Thanks for the Reviews everyone.
Last time on Adaptation......
Prowl and four other mechs slammed on the breaks as they headed out of the base, when they picked up a message on the public channel.
"Prowl. Chromia, Arcee, Firestar and I will be joining you. Wait for us out side the City's perimeter."
Silence hung in the air as a chill shivered threw the circuits of the bots in the corridor from the Commanders fury that echoed threw the internal COM.
The mechs continued to the perimiter as a small yellow bot looked over at the green replica that walked next to him.
"That femme thcarerth the thlag out of me…"
"No slag!"
Presently....
The screen flickered to life, Max sat in front of the camera facing backwards tugging at something in the dark. A white tail flashed back and forth over her head as a growl filled the room. "Jax! Give me back my boot!" A playful growl was the only response as the battle for the shoe went on. Each combatant grunting or growling as they tried to get the prize from the other. Max let out a cry as she was suddenly yanked back topping out of her seat and onto the floor in a tangle of limbs. one foot was clad in a black hiking boot, the other was half covered in a sock that flopped around as she righted her self and retreated in to the darkness, grumbling under her breath. "Gimme that." The young woman reappeared with a scowl on her face as she plopped back down setting a partly chewed boot on the desk. Her hands and elbows were wrapped in bandages as she readjusted the camera. Jax trotted up from the shadows with a toothy grin, his tongue hung from the side of his mouth as he panted eye balling the chewed on boot. Max glared sideways at her dog and snatched the shoe from the desk. "Dont think I for got about that toothpaste critter breath..." Jax whined and laid his head on his paws.
Auto-log: 1964786,
I finally made it to the medical center… It was a lot farther then I thought… Ok ok... I got lost... Easy to do in a dump like this... I was surprised when I saw that the pharmacy was well stocked. Heck every room was pretty well stocked. It looked like no one had been in there for ages. Like someone stocked the place then vanished… Maybe it's the wall, I don't know how many people would be crazy enough to have a shelter this close to the Aliens… Ok well so maybe I am a little crazy... what can I say I live and toalk to a dog that eats death and rotting things! But still, it's a little weird to find a medical center that hasn't been sacked. Speaking of the Aliens, I was almost turned in to a flattened Max pancake by two of them, one of them had the word police on it… What a police is I don't know, but what ever they are they can't be good cause I saw the words. "punish and enslave…" painted on the back. Just the sight of the black and white car gave me the creeps. The Robot it turns in to is like something you'd see in a nightmare!! I didn't get a good look at the other black and white car. it turns in to a robot to... I was to busy trying to avoid getting squished flat to do anything but jump over it's hood… Seeing one was enough, I didn't want to stick around for number two, three, four, five and six. Plus I kind a messed up my ankle tripping over a pipe on the way back… Stupid huh? I survive two killer Aliens but get done in by a firckin' metal pipe? Gotta go and brush Jax's teeth...
Max out.
Just before the screen goes dark, Jax starts barking as six bright red lights appear in the shadows.
The full moon hung over the remains of the city, casting the abandoned buildings and rubble in an eerie silver glow.
In the streets below a white form rushed out of the shadows, followed quickly behind by a larger slim form that slipped from shadow to shadow.
The only sounds that could be heard were the soft moan of the wind that passed threw broken windows and the squeak of a near by rusted hinge.
Max poked her head from around a corner, sharp green eyes scanned the shadows.
A soft blue Chem-light reflected off of pale skin, as she pulled a large piece of paper from her back pocket, for what seemed like the hundredth time that night and unfolded it…
Jax trotted up ahead nose to the ground ears flicking this way and that.
Now and then he would raise his head and look back at his human with a huff as if to say. "Hurry it up already." Before going back to sniffing at the ground.
Max squinted her eyes as she glanced down a the raged map.
"Slow down Jax…The darn building should be here some where."
The young woman waved the glowing stick over the map squinting as she traced the street lines with her finger.
"The medical center should be down one more block."
Max looked up and cringed when something dead smelling caught her nose.
The Siberian husky was laying about three feet away chewing on some thing dark and fuzzy in his paws.
"Oh yuck Jax, don't eat that! You don't even know what is it...or in this case was…"
The husky just looked at Max with a look that said. "So?" Before returning on his snack.
The young woman grimaced as her face turned a faint shade of green.
She folded the map and stuffed it into her Hardpak and took off in to the shadows trying to get up wind of the smell.
Jax happily followed, his smelly treasure dangling from his jaws.
"Don't even think about coming any where near me this morning… I half half a mind to leave you out side."
Jax trotted up to his human and tried to shove the dead thing into her left hand.
" Ah! Gross! Jax knock it off!!"
The dog just ran head shaking the thing in his mouth, causing bits of dead fur and flesh to fling this way and that.
"Ugh.. My hands going to fall off now. Hope your happy Jax. Pray to God the med center has disinfectant."
Jax paused in playing with his new chew toy and stared into the shadows as Maxine walked by his nose twitched as his ear stood strait.
"Come on Jax…I think I see the center."
The dog snorted and followed the young woman around the corner of a half crumbled building.
***
Unknown to the young woman and dog, a black and white car sat in the shadows.
Moonlight reflected off the door panel showing a seal with a robotic triangular face in the center that glared menacingly out into the shadows.
The vehicle pulled into the street following the two to the rundown building, watching as the young woman climbed threw one of the broken windows.
" Lord Megatron, Barricade reporting in."
"Report Barricade."
"I believe I have found the reason the Autobots have mobilized. I have just spotted a human youngling wandering threw the remains of Mission City. Seems as though the organics have yet to completely perish."
Silence rang threw the secure link as the Decepticon leader pondered this new info.
"Hmmm, Bring it in… perhaps it has some useful information. Besides Scalpel has been want a test subject for quite some time. The last subject succumbed to the virus."
"As you command Lord Megatron."
Barricade settled back onto his axles and cycled air his sensors targeting the building the human had entered.
He would have much rather smashed threw the building to retrieve the human.
Unfortunately that would draw the Autobots attention, tht was something he wish to avoid...
Besides the freaky little medic likes his subjects undamaged.
The Decepticon shuddered, He was just glad he wasn't under the medics "care."
Maybe he would have a little fun with it before taking it back to base.
***
Behind the mech, six sets of crimson optics narrowed.
"So that is what their called... Tasty little creatures theses… Humans. It's been awhile since I had a fresh victim. Perhaps I will invite the little creature for fuel."
The feminine voice hissed softly in faint laughter as the blood red orbs faded silently into the shadows.
***
Max sneezed, kicking up another cloud of dust for the tenth time since she had entered the building.
Jax had taken off chasing after a mouse or something, leaving her to travel the pitch black hall on her own.
"At least he isn't here kicking up more of this fricken dust."
She thought as another sneeze tore through her sinuses.
"Ugh.. I hate this place…Who's brilliant idea was it anyway?"
"Oh right... That was me…Hehe. I must be truly losing it if I keep talking to myself like this..."
Most of the rooms had been stocked with bandages, Med kits, and the like, she had only taken bandages and all of the med-kits.
Max stopped and held the chem-light up to a panel on the wall that read "pharmacy" a door stood just to the right of it.
The young woman knelt next to the door pulling a small pouch from her pocket, she unfolded the cloth and pulled out two metal picks.
Max twisted an turned the picks until she heard a :click: signifying the lock releasing.
She placed the picks back in to the pouch and stood, dusting her self off she opened the door and held up the glow stick.
What she saw made her jaw practically hit the floor.
The room was huge. Shelves lined the walls, stacked high with boxes of various sizes some where open with things sticking out, others still had the factory seal the young woman unsung her hardpak and opened it.
She went threw the boxes one by one throwing in bottle of antibiotics, medicated lotions, powders, eye drops and even medicated tooth paste…
"Jax will be needing this."
There was also, pain killers, vitamins, and splints, there was even a few box's of ointment for acid burns.
She filled her Hardpac the rest of the way with a little of everything.
Max walked out of the room pack slung over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her.
Jax chose that time to appear out of nowhere jumping up and licking at her face.
Max pushed the dog off and scrubbed at her face to remove the slobber .
"Yuck... I got some tooth past just for you mister dead-rotting-rodent-halitosis-breath. Come on lets get out of here. It's probably close to sunrise and the aliens well be out in-mass soon."
***
Prowl patrolled the streets on the outskirts of the city.
Chromia followed close behind, Sideswipe and the twins, had reported picking up a Decepticon signal for a short time before it cut out.
Meaning there was a Con' hiding somewhere in the city.
Both Autobots came to a stop in front of some rubble from a collapsed building in the middle of the street, leaving only enough room for a two wheeled vehicle to pass by.
Chromia pulled along side the security officer her front tire bumping his bumper.
"I'll go ahead, you go around. I'll contact you if I find any thing…"
"Be careful there could be more then one out there."
The motorcycle beside him revved it's engine.
"I hope so... I haven't gotten to blast any thing lately and Ironhide would just love a reason to try out his new cannon upgrades."
Prowl cycled air as he backed up and turned around, as Chromia took off over the pile her tires kicking up bits of brick that pinged off the mechs armor..
"Don't do any thing that will get your aft scrapped… Call for back up if you get in to trouble."
Chromia's laughter rang threw the COM link as it was severed.
Some cycles Prowl wondered if the Femme and her cannon crazy sparkmate didn't need a processor evaluation...
***
Max climbed out of the window slowly, avoiding all the broken glass.
She didn't want to end using one of the med kits so soon.
She had just turned to watch as Jax leapt out of the window.
When she was blinded by a pair of lights forcing her to shield her eyes with her right arm as she tried to get a good look at what ever was in front of her.
The sound of an engine roaring made her blood run cold and freezing her in place, as a black and white car pulled slowly out of the shadows.
"Greatings fleshling."
An Alien!
Jax's barking snapped her from her fear freeing her feet.
"Run Jax!"
Maxine spun around and took off threw the parking lot as the squeal of tires filled the air.
The young woman dodged around husks of cars and cleared a barrier, hoping to put some distance in between them.
The car didn't even slow down as it smashed through the cars.
The barrier didn't even stand a chance as it exploded in a shower of concrete.
The young woman cringed as she raced down the street heart pounding in her chest.
Jax turned right running into one of the buildings along the street, Max following close behind.
She screamed and covered her head with her arms as the alien car drove right threw the wall sending bits of the ceiling raining down on them both.
Jax skidded to a stop in front of a window and paced unsure here to go next.
Max just crossed her arms in front of her face and jumped threw the glass.
: So much for not using the Med kit: She thought as shards sliced threw her arm.
The young woman hurried down the back street, a large garbage truck sat in the middle of the road.
The sound of the car crashing threw building sent her running to the truck, she hit the ground and rolled underneath to the other side of the vehicle.
"That should stop it… or at least slow it down a bit."
Max looked around for Jax and found him further down the street looking back at her as she started to run over to him.
Both human and husky stopped and turned in shock as the building they just passed through crumple to the ground in a cloud of dust.
It wasn't the crumbling building the had Maxine thinking she was stuck in a nightmare.
It was the black and white car that had chased them was nowhere to be seen, in it's pace was a giant robot with crimson eyes that lumbered threw the cloud of dust.
The robot picked up the garbage truck in one hand and threw it over it's shoulder as though it was nothing more then a child's toy.
"Come to me fleshling… it is useless to flee. I will catch you."
Max watched in growing horror as the robot collapsed in on it's self folding back into the black and white car.
Max didn't even hesitate, she spun around and took off down the street as the Robot/car engine roared behind her.
***
Prowl hit the breaks as he watched a building a few klicks away, collapse in on it's self.
Not long after, he picked up a Decepticon signal in the same area of the building.
" Elita, Chromia, Arcee, Sideswipe, I just picked up a decepticon signal in the vicinity."
"Way ahead of you Prowl meet you in a few breems. Elita-1 out. "
Tires squealed as Prowl took off towards the signal and the rising dust cloud.
Max ran full tilt down the street, her boots slipping on loose gravel as a high powered engine roared behind her.
The young woman glanced back as the giant Robot/black and white car from hell, charged after her.
Shelter was just a little ways she could make it..she had to make it!
Max turned back around just in time to see the front end of another black and white car come from behind the corner.
The young woman had maybe a fraction of a second to judge speed, height, distance, and momentum, needed.
Before she slammed her hands down onto the moving vehicle.
Using the side of the hood as a spring board to launch her self in to the air and over the side of car.
Time seemed to slow as Max closed her eyes.
Not wanting to see the glass wind shield smack into her if she had judged anything wrong.
The med kits in her bag would then be of little use to her as a smear on the front of the car.
"All that effort wasted."
Time resumed it's normal course, as the wind was knocked from her lungs when she hit the ground feet first and rolled to absorb the shock of impact.
The Hardpac on her back throwing her forward.
A few seconds later she heard the crunch of metal as one black and white car slam in to the other.
"Then again maybe not..."
Max jumped up and fled as three motorcycles and a silver car transformed into giant Robots and pounced on the first black and white one as it and the other transformed and began to fight.
The young woman took a chance and looked back her eyes widened at the sight behind her.
The motor cycles, took pot shots with what looked like energy weapons, and dodged the claws of the red eyed Robot.
The Silver one slashed at it with twin glowing swords... Till he was knocked into a near by building by a weird yo-yo looking thing.
The other black and white one hi one had bright blue eyes, knocked the red eyed Robot back several feet with a punch to the side of the head.
The blue and pink robots turned glowing blue eyes on the young woman as she cried out when she tripped over a pipe sticking out of a pile of rubble.
Max managed to scramble to her feet and limp out of the city, the sounds of clashing metal could be heard in the distance as she made it to her shelter.
***
Elita-1 and Chromia silently followed the small organics as they fled to a small grass field.
They watched as the human pulled something from it's pocket, optics flickered in surprise as the hologram in the center of the field faded.
Revealing a hidden door in the ground that folded back allowing the organics to enter the shelter, the hologram reappeared was the doors folded back into place.
Tapping the side of her helm, Elita COMed the security officer.
"Prowl; We found the human. Chromia, and I are not far from it's dwelling."
"Affirmative Barricade has retreated. Arcee, Sideswipe, and I will be there shortly."
***
Max turned off the camera on her Autolog, and turned around to see what Jax was going nuts over.
The young woman froze in her seat her eyes widened and her face paled at the sight of the Giant metallic spider that filled up the back of her shelter.
A large hole in the concrete showed where it had gotten in.
Jax was on the ground silent and wrapped in a strange glowing goo.
" I like what you have done to the place. Could do with a little less light though."
Max jumped from her chair and rushed towards the exit.
"Ah, ah, ah,…. Not so fast."
The last thing Max saw was her hand reaching out for the emergency release for the doors, before something struck her in the back of the neck.
Her body quickly became numb and everything went dark…
T.B.C...
Next time on Adaptation...
Maxine awoke to the feeling of pins and needles tingling threw her body.
Her head felt strangely heavy like she had been hanging upside down for two long.
When she forced her heavy eye lids open, she flinched back and cried out when she came face to face with a mummified skull.
It's eyes where sunk in and it's mouth was open in a silent scream.
She tried to cry out and to back away from the body, but found herself wrapped from nose to foot in the same stuff the skeleton below her was wrapped in.
What ever it was it was sticky and strong, it also stunk.
Max clenched her eyes shut so she could think with out staring death in the face while she felt for her hidden knives.
She hissed slightly when one of the smaller ones in her sleeve nicked her arm.
Pain is good means the stuff isn't cutting off circulation, it also woke her up.
It took a while, but she was able to slice the sticky stuff open causing her to crash head fist in to the skeletons lap right next to her sword...
The young woman's stomach turned as she looked around.
The room was filed with bodies human and animal alike, in the middle of the room laid a blue giant robot, only this one was grey and seemed lifeless.
The Robot brought back everything that had happened, the attack a the med center, the Red eyed and the blue eyed Robots fighting.
The metal spider!
Shadow:. There ya go everyone hope it wasn't to long I'll try ands take it easy next chapter. ^_~ Please review it keeps my world partially sane..kinda.
Shadow signing out....
