Chapter 136
=0=At the house in Snowmass
They watched as the Decepticons in the house broke down their set up, boxing the mini-cons to stow them in a truck. The truck took off with that and a couple of other things and was followed by two sedans and a large rugged Ram Charger. They passed Jazz, himself parked behind a stand of trees in someone's driveway. Heading out, he radioed ahead that Shockwave was on his way.
They drove out of Snowmass unaware that a series of Autobots were following them and when they got to Glenwood Springs they turned off to pulled up before Thunder River Self Storage on County Road. Opening a large storage chamber, they off loaded the crate and all their other equipment, locking it then taking off in the gathering gloom.
Jazz directed Ironhide, Perceptor and Bumblebee to check it out and find out what they were storing inside. Smokescreen, Trailbreaker and Wheeljack would go with him and maintain surveillance. Prime and Fulton would follow them at a distance to prevent the Decepticons from knowing of their presence by spotting his distinctive format.
It was dark when they reached Country Road 154 and drove slowly past Nelson's Auto Body. No one was around so they rolled past to park in the darkness behind the facility before transforming.
Perceptor who was glancing around found the area quiet and lifeless. He walked to the fence and scanned it. "There are security features, Ironhide," he said in his cultured voice. "I will take them out of the equation." He subspaced a box with a laser light which he flashed at the fence. It blinked red and the system was down.
Boosting Bumblebee over the fence, they clambered over as well to hurry to the long building, pausing to let the lights of a car going down County Road to Spring Valley Road pass them by. When it was dark they moved onward with Perceptor scanning for Cybertronian signatures. The last unit in the facility alerted so they focused their attentions on getting inside.
It was tall and a steel door blocked their access. A simple welding tool took the lock away so they slid it up to go inside and closed it behind them. Standing in a large room with a high ceiling, Bumblebee turned on his headlights. They looked at several boxes, one of them rather large.
Perceptor scanned them then turned to Ironhide alarmed. "There are two mini-cons inside that big box and they aren't in very good shape."
Ironhide commed Prime. :Ironhide to Prime:
:Prime here:
:Prime, we found the facility and in the big box are two mini-cons. I think they used them to power link. Perceptor says they aren't in a good way."
It was silent a moment then Prime spoke again. :Get them out of there. Bring them with us. Catalog the contents of the rest of the room but bring them along. We cannot leave them:
:Acknowledged: Ironhide looked at them with doubt and anger on his face. "We have to bring them. It gripes me that this could alert that slagger but we can't leave them."
Bumblebee moved to the box to carefully wrench the lid off. Lifting it, he peered down to look at the two of mini-cons with a sick expression.
Ironhide moved to the box and gently pushed Bumblebee aside. Reaching down inside, he carefully pulled up a small vehicle, blue and white in color. Setting it on the ground he pulled up another, an all white mini car. Holding it, he watched as Perceptor scanned the first one finding faint signs of life. He looked up with a frown. "We have to get them to Ratchet as soon as we can."
Ironhide nodded then glanced at Bumblebee. "Put the lid back on. We have to scan the entire contents of this place, then get to some place where we can get an airlift. I'll call Springer."
:Ironhide to Springer:
:Springer here, Hide:
:We need you to pick up two casualties. Mini-cons used as power links:
:Frag. Where do you want me to come?:
:I'm sending you the coordinates. Do you have Nast yet?:
:He's driving up now:
:Can you take two minis?:
:I'll try. We can squeeze them in or I'll take them one at a time to Silverbolt:
:Good idea. We'll bring them to the coordinates. Ironhide out: Turning to the others, he glanced around "You got it all, Perceptor?"
The red bot nodded as he stared at the mini-bot lying still on the floor, stuck in vehicle mode and barely hanging on. "We better hurry."
Checking that everything was in order they retraced their steps as Ironhide carried one mini-con and Perceptor and Bumblebee hoisting to carry the other. They transformed and with one mini-con strapped into Ironhide's bed and the other waiting in the darkness at the storage facility, Ironhide rolled out onto Country Road, crossed I-82 and drove up Old State Highway 82. It was a long slow drive down Country Road 109 until they reached Ironbridge Golf Club. Turning into a tip out, they off loaded Ironhide and watched as Springer settled down into the open space nearby without running lights.
Bumblebee helped Ironhide load the little silent mini-con as he also watched for trouble in the trees that lined that part of the road.
:Can you take another one, Springer?: Ironhide leaned in to ask over the comm, ignoring Nast who sat huddled in the corner next to the silent mini-con.
"No can do, Hide. I'll jet this one and Nast to Silverbolt, then come back. I can take the other one directly to Diego. Can you hold the line here for about a few?:
:We'll wait here for you: Ironhide replied.
Nast watched the big black demonic Autobot standing half in the door of the jet without moving a muscle. The Autobot wasn't looking at him as he stood in the doorway. The little car he had jammed inside was of a design he'd never seen before, something alien and sleek. It was banged up and silent, a strange and melancholy silent. He turned his head away and huddled in his comfortable seat, trying to remember when he wasn't living in a nightmare.
Ironhide stepped back and the door closed as Springer lifted off silently. He looked at Bee. "We have to get the other one and bring him and Perceptor here. He'll be back for him."
Bumblebee nodded as the distress he felt over this was clear on his face. Transforming, the two drove back to the storage facility and repeated the process. By the time they were loaded and driving back Springer had reached Denver and Silverbolt.
N.E.S.T. soldiers took Nast on board. The soldiers procured equipment and finally removed the battered mini-con from Springer to secure it inside the hold of the jet. When he was free Springer lifted off and flashed through the night on his mission of mercy.
=0=On the road
The roads weren't very good but the state was out blading snow off of them. The caravan of Decepticons were pushing through heading toward Denver. Behind them, ever changing places and mixing up the surveillance was a number of concept, vintage and elite model vehicles. At the very end driving sedately followed a 1986 Peterbilt semi tractor truck. Colonel Fulton who was on the radio with Denver sat in the driver's seat and relayed the news that one mini-con was placed on board and the other, one in worse shape was jetting to Diego with Springer.
Ratchet had been alerted and was waiting.
By the time they left Silverthorne it was snowing hard and visibility was almost nil. Using sensors, flying with instruments so to speak, they kept on the trail. The snow turned to slush and roads became nearly impossible. As they reached the halfway point to Denver from Silverthorne, a truck jackknifed as they spun sideways. Cars were taken out and piled up. Visibility dropped to nothing and they were cut off though the Decepticons managed to avoid the pile up as they disappeared into the night.
Jazz, edging around with an almost supernatural modus slid sideways into a berm. For a moment he sat there, then he transformed to move as swiftly as he could to get around the pile up, transforming once more to disappear as well. They came to a stop as Optimus finally caught up and as they sat together waiting until they could move without letting anyone know they were who they actually were, the Decepticons disappeared off their sensors.
It was frustrating as hell.
=0=Jazz
He crept along looking for tail lights but he didn't find them. They'd pulled off a roadside long enough to transform and fly below the radar toward the north. Giving up driving, not a long suit for Decepticons by any measure, they took their chances in the air. They made it to the far north and burst upward heading out in the flow of solar energy and the shimmering cover of the aurora borealis. They were gone as swiftly as they came but at no point in the defensive grid that surrounded the solar system were they off the radar at Autobot City or Diego Garcia.
=0=Silverbolt
Nast sat on his butt leaning against the wall. Armed soldiers dressed in civilian clothes sat with him. A dented and much abused mini-con was strapped down silently waiting for lift off. Silverbolt monitored it sending information to Ratchet who was walking to the tarmac in Diego Garcia to supervise the off loading of the one that Springer had brought to them. He was making his approach and would be there shortly.
All they had to do in Denver now was sit and wait for the other Autobots to return. Outside, the runways struggled to clear the snow and flights backed up as they were canceled due to the massive storm over the area. When the others finally came it would be much worse, closing the airport and all the others in the area. No one else would be flying for a couple of days. They, however would transform, load up and Silverbolt would rise up taking them into the dark storm filled skies and back toward the balmy climate of Diego Garcia. When they got there, Ratchet and Prowl would be waiting for them.