Operation: Reverse
"It seems you've recovered well, Optimus. No infection, and while there'll be a nasty scar left behind, it's looking good. You should be back to peak condition in no time."
"Thank you, Dr. Cable." I said, as upon his instruction I pulled my shirt back down into place, and leaned up into a sitting position, placing my hands on either side of the bench as he took a few steps back. "If you have any trouble with it, you need to tell us. As for what I was talking about you the other day, all the test results have come back. And I must say, I'm impressed. All of your attributes are beyond my wildest desires." He began to walk away as he spoke, and with an eyebrow lifted, I walked after him, keeping in step, with my arms crossed over my chest. "And what do you mean?"
"Well, your DNA, for instance. It's a lot different from mine or anyone else in N.E.S.T., but I guess that's what is to be expected. But each of you would be in peak physical condition. And then what I find the most fascinating . . . what I find the most fascinating is that either your aging is incredibly slowed, or you don't age at all. For instance, if you all had to stay how you are now, fifty years from this point, you'd still look the same."
"I see."
"But I suppose it would put a wrench in your plans . . ."
"Two years should not be that much of a problem." I said, as he nodded once. "That's good. Alright, I release you, no more having to go down to the hospital for updates."
This brought a small smile to my face, yet I didn't reply to it, but turned and stuck out a hand in his direction, which he gladly grasped and shook. "I'll be seeing you around, Optimus Prime."
When we came to a pair of double doors, he went a different direction than me, going right to leave the base while we went left. After discovering that there had been Decepticon activity within the old headquarters, we had moved yet again. This location was closer to Los Angeles, on the very outskirts, yet this quarters' existence was only known to the country's President and the members of N.E.S.T. and a few other officials. It had taken some time to get familiar with it, but now I could easily navigate it without much of a hindrance. I pushed past the last set of double doors before entering a room where all of the other Autobots were. There were chairs, couches, and stools; it was made to look like a lounge in one area, and it was where we had gathered already on more than a few occasions. Upon my approach, Bumblebee and Smokescreen's heads turned, smiles appearing on each of their faces. "Optimus!"
Iron Hide turned from the game that he and Drift were struggling to beat, and he waved, moving one hand off of the controller while pressing a button in the middle that paused the screen. Drift let loose a groan of disapproval yet turned when he heard his comrade say, "How'd the checkup go?"
"I no longer require medical attention." I said. "But that is not the news I wish to bring you. Where is Ratchet and Wheeljack?"
"In the other room, with the BigGuy." Bumblebee answered, jabbing a thumb at the door that led to the next room where the large computer had been set up. I nodded my thanks, and moved to go get them, yet Smokescreen was already moving. He opened the door and called their names through, before returning to the couch and leaping over the back, coming to a short stop beside Bumblebee, who looked up from the pad he had grasped in his hands in mild annoyance, causing Smokescreen to gain a bit of pink on his cheeks and shrug.
"What's going on?" Ratchet asked as he walked through, Wheeljack following at his heels. He spotted me, and nodded once. "I see."
"We must begin planning. This next operation will be toward returning us to automatous robotic organisms. We will reverse our current predicament by taking the Machine from the Decepticons."
"But it only works once every two years, as you've already explained." Wheeljack interjected, crouching on the arm of the couch that Iron Hide and Drift were looking at me from. Jazz looked my way and nodded, while Prowl stared blankly at the floor but seemed to be listening, and confirmed this by mumbling, "Yet as far as Megatron's concerned, we're in shambles, and our precious Optimus Prime is dead."
"We have the element of surprise!" Smokescreen said excitedly. I nodded once. "We will go undercover, and reside like normal humans, while searching for the doctor that Megatron mentioned."
"Dr. Tully?" Ratchet asked, and I nodded once. "He is the only one that would be able to tell us how to work it."
"We activated it by walking, didn't we? There weren't any buttons pushed." Bumblebee said.
"The fountain." Iron Hide, Drift, Jazz and Wheeljack said in unison. And I nodded. "It is my intention that we somehow convince Tully to at least tell us how to reverse this, if it's possible."
"And if it's not reversible?" Prowl said suddenly, speaking for the second time today, a rare occurrence in itself. "If there is no way back?"
"If there's a way into a situation, there's always a way out." Smokescreen said, and Jazz nodded in agreement, though his face held its own bit of skepticism.
"We just need time, and Dr. Tully. I am sure that the effects are reversible."
"So . . . Operation: Reverse." Bumblebee mused. "The 'Cons won't even know what hit 'em."
