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"FRAG. How did I fraggin' forget about Soundwave?! I mean I knew he wouldn't stay down for long but-" Knockout's last few words were lost in the loud screech of his tires and the roar of his engine as he fish tailed around a corner and zoomed down the hallway.
Jack twisted around in the seat and looked through Knockout's rear window, watching as Soundwave came around the corner after them. "H-he's still after us!"
"Yeah, thanks for the tip. I couldn't see that for myself." Suddenly Jack felt himself twisted around and pulled down into the seat as Knockout's seatbelt strapped him firmly into place, "You'll probably to want to be buckled up for this."
In one smooth motion, Knockout turned his wheel sharply to the left spinning himself around, and shifted into reverse, continuing to drive away from Soundwave but now facing the 'Con as he approached. As he sped backwards down the hall, he let out a sonic blast from the weapon still clipped to his door.
Soundwave was visibly shaken by the attack; he paused his pursuit for a moment, his lower arms and digits trembling slightly. However the Resonance Blaster's effect on him appeared to be no where near as devastating as it had been on its other victims as he was only immobilized for a moment, and then still able to keep up the chase.
"What the slag?!" Knockout shouted, "It's barely affecting him!"
"Well he is Soundwave…" Jack offered, "Maybe there's more to it than just being a name?"
Knockout's only reply was a frustrated growl as he spun his wheel, turning back around and driving forwards again. The force of the turn jerked Jack sideways, despite the seatbelt wrapped around him, and he hit his head on Knockout's window. He groaned as he twisted back around, "Aaaghh… c-could you maybe be a little gentler?" he grumbled rubbing his head, "It's been kind of a rough day-"
"I have more important things to worry about than your comfort!" Knockout interrupted angrily, "Like how the frag are we going to shake Soundwave?"
As he finished speaking he took a hard turn, swerving around another corner. He drove just a bit further before slamming on his brakes. Dreadwing and a group of no less than seven Vehicons were coming straight at them.
Spotting Knockout ahead, Dreadwing paused and pulled out his blaster cannon, "Knockout!" he called, "Don't make this any harder than it has to be; give yourself up!" The Vehicons around him followed his lead and readied their blasters.
"Hmm…" Knockout mumbled as he eyed their weapons, "So kid, I have an idea… but you might not like it."
"What-?" Before Jack could finish asking, Knockout floored his gas pedal and sped towards Dreadwing and the Vehicons. "WHOA! Okay I definitely don't like this plan!"
Seeing that Knockout had no intention of surrendering, Dreadwing lowered his cannon, "Open fire!" he commanded, and he and the Vehicons began unleashing a barrage of blaster fire down the hallway… just as Soundwave came around the corner.
Being in his vehicle form he was low and fast, so Knockout was easily able to swerve about and dodge the oncoming lasers. Soundwave, on the other hand, was a much larger target and almost immediately took a heavy hit from Dreadwing's cannon, sending him spiraling backwards and crashing to the ground.
Seeing he'd struck Soundwave, Dreadwing pulled his cannon up, "Soundwave! Are you-?" he broke off mid-sentence as Knockout zoomed between his legs and past him and the Vehicons. Spinning around, he lowered his cannon again and growled, "Decepticons! Destroy the traitor!"
As they began raining blaster fire towards him again, Knockout swiveled around to face them and activated the Resonance Blaster. The rain of lasers ceased almost immediately as the cannon fell from Dreadwing's grasp and he doubled over in pain, clutching at his helm and falling to his knees.
After what felt like ages, the painful throbbing in Dreadwing's audio receptors subsided and it was quiet again, save for the groans and whines of the Vehicons. He lifted his head out of his servos and glared down the hallway where Knockout had been a minute before. It was empty; Knockout had already disappeared around some distant corner.
Pushing himself up off his knees, Dreadwing looked around to the Vehicons collapsed around him, "On your feet, soldiers!" he commanded, "Knockout is getting away!"
The drones staggered about, tripping over each other as they tried to remain upright. Dreadwing sighed as he watched them awkwardly shuffle down the hall. He was still feeling somewhat dizzy himself as he turned and went back for Soundwave, even stumbling slightly as he approached the mech.
"Soundwave?" he offered as he got closer, "Are you online?"
Soundwave lifted his head slightly at the question as if it were obvious. Though actually, he hadn't been a moment ago. As his visuals came back up he noticed his visor now had the tiniest hint of a crack in the center; a ghost of the one it had before. Knockout's shoddy repair job; just one more thing he had to repay the medic for, as well as the nice new laser blasts he was sporting.
Dreadwing was telling him something but Soundwave hardly cared. He leapt to his feet and pushed past the first lieutenant, rushing down the hallway.
"Soundwave, wait!" Dreadwing called after him, "You're injured, you don't have to-" his voice faded as Soundwave transformed and blasted off down the hallway. Dreadwing didn't know- and he couldn't know- that he did have to. Knockout needed to be terminated, and Soundwave needed to be the one to do it.
"Ha ha ha! Did you see Dreadwing's face?" Knockout cackled as he turned sharply around another corner, driving forwards again, "Slag that felt good- I've been wanting to put that spawn of a glitch in his place since-"
"Uuurgh…" Jack interrupted Knockout's boasting with a groan; those latest spins along with executing Knockout's 'plan' were weighing hard on his stomach. "I think I'm gonna be sick…"
"HEY. Don't go spilling your nasty organic digestive fluids on my dash!" Knockout's voice lost the playfulness it had a moment ago and was stern again, "I can still change my mind about this whole teamwork thing."
"No, no don't worry- I'm good." Jack choked back his nausea and held up a hand reassuringly.
"Hmm." Knockout didn't seem convinced but he continued anyway, "Alright… if we head down a few levels to the lower air hangar we'll be able to fly out of here… and hopefully without much resistance. They shouldn't be looking for us that far down."
Jack nodded glancing over at the red Autobot relic taking up the seat next to him; the thing just barely squeezed into the space allotted for it in Knockout's cabin. "Yeah… I sure hope this thing still works." he mumbled.
Arcee found herself fervently pacing in front of the groundbridge. She had her arms folded tightly across her chassis with one digit extended, ready to jump up to her comm link and answer an incoming call.
"Arcee-"
"What?" she spat out the word, not looking up or halting her pace.
"I think you should take a seat." Ratchet continued, a note of concern in his voice, "I know this is especially hard for you… but we need to try and remain calm-"
Arcee stopped and glared at the medic, "Knockout's abandoned Jack once already!" she snapped, "And now we don't even have a way of communicating with him?! And you think I need to-?" her sentence was cut off as she felt Optimus place a servo on her shoulder.
"What we really need is to have faith in Jack." he said, meeting Arcee's optics with his own, "He has proven to us many times that he is capable of navigating himself and others through dangerous situations. We must believe he will come out of this one safely as well."
Optimus removed his servo from Arcee's shoulder and she nodded as the weight was lifted off, feeling a little bit of the emotional weight go with it. The Prime always knew just what to say, and of course he was right. Jack was hardly the kid she'd first met outside that burger joint anymore, and she did trust him to be safe… it was Knockout she didn't trust.
Suddenly the main computer came to life, emitting a string of low beeps, shattering the quiet moment and making all of them jump.
"Is that-?" Arcee asked hopefully.
"No, it's the proximity sensor." Ratchet replied, turning to the monitor. He accessed the main security cameras and a white sedan came into view, "Oh it's June." the dread apparent in his voice.
Arcee tensed up again. She supposed it had been too much to hope for that June would show up after Jack had been safely retrieved and she could avoid having to share this anxious waiting with her. There was a loud tire screech as the car came barreling down the entryway corridor and into the main room. The doors flew open the moment the car halted and June and Agent Fowler stepped out of the car.
"Sorry, 'Bots-" Fowler said closing his door, "I couldn't keep her away."
"If my son is in danger I need to be here so I know what's happening." June said fiercely, glaring at Fowler. Then she turned to Arcee, about to speak.
"Just a moment, June." Ratchet interjected, "We have new information about Jack's status."
Both June and Fowler looked quickly over to the medic, waiting to hear the news.
"We were able to make contact through Rafael's computer which was brought on board their warship." Ratchet explained, "It seems Jack has managed to… well… befriend, I suppose, one of the Decepticons. The two of them are making their way off the ship as we speak… unfortunately we lost contact with them a few minutes ago, but Jack is going to contact us again once he is out of range of the ship's shielding. Once he does we'll have his coordinates and we'll be able to bridge him back."
"So what we just wait?" June demanded, "Isn't there anything we can do to help them?"
"Not until we have the coordinates." Ratchet admitted solemnly.
June took a long, weighted breath and shook her head, "I can't believe this…" she grumbled, clutching her arms tight across her chest. Agent Fowler approached her and took hold of one of her arms.
"Come on now, June. Let's take a seat." he said, leading her over to the ramp and up towards the couch.
Arcee watched her walk over and quietly sit; folding her hands tightly in her lap. She wanted so badly to reach out, to say something, anything comforting but she couldn't come up with any words. In fact, Optimus' reassurance earlier seemed almost empty when she looked at June; her eyes wide and her face lined with the worry of a mother who couldn't help her son…
The femme began silently making a list of all the things she would do to Knockout if he didn't come through… not just for Jack, but for June as well now.