Ultra Magnus pulled back into base just as Ratchet was lowering Kerri down from his table. He transformed and walked over to the woman.
"Ratchet informed me that you were awake. How are you feeling?"
"I'm ok, Commander," she responded as she smiled up at the bot. "Ratchet said I'm free to go."
"Did Optimus Prime speak to you?"
"He did. He offered me help if I feel that I need it. I told him that I'm ok. But I'm open to it in the future if necessary."
"I still think that you need assistance in your recovery," interrupted Ratchet. "But it is your choice of course."
Ultra Magnus was relieved. He was worried that she would be furious with him, and worse, he was worried that she would leave them. But Kerri seemed happier than he had seen her in months, and he was glad that he had forced her to tell what happened. Telling them the truth had been the catalyst she needed to begin healing. She obviously wasn't completely recovered. That would take time. But she was strong and would recover from her ordeal, with help from her companions.
Kerri broke Magnus' thoughts by explaining to Ratchet that she needed to go home. She had no clothes here, and she wanted a hot shower. More importantly, she just wanted to be alone for a little while.
"I thought you were going to stay here for time being?" He asked the woman. "I still need to keep an optic on you."
Kerri sighed and looked at the doctor. "I just need a little time to myself. I won't be long. A quick shower and change of clothes and I'll be back."
"Well, I can't stop you,"he said, "although I wish you'd reconsider. If you won't do that, at least let one of us take you."
"Tell you what. How about you groundbridge me to my place?"
Ratchet rubbed his chin thoughtfully before agreeing to it. He walked over the controls and opened the groundbridge.
"I want you back here as soon as possible. Comm me when you're ready." He opened the groundbridge and Kerri headed for the swirling light.
"I'll see you both in a few hours," she smiled as she walked into the light and disappeared.
On board the Nemesis, Knockout was resting in his quarters when he got a ping from Soundwave. He had located the woman. Knockout sprang from his berth in excitement. He finally had her. After all of this time, she was going to be his again. He merely needed to collect her. But how? In his excitement, he had forgotten about how. He would need to sneak away under Megatron's ever present vigilance. He pinged Soundwave back.
: Where is Megatron?
: At present, he is at an energon mine with Shockwave. You have a small window of time.
"How very fortunate," chuckled Knockout. He knew better than to trust Soundwave, but he wasn't thinking logically. Right now, he was going to retrieve his prize.
Knockout raced to the bridge, where Soundwave was waiting to transport him to the surface.
"I'll be back shortly. Hopefully before Lord Megatron."
He drove through the groundbridge and disappeared.
Kerri walked out of the groundbridge and towards her apartment, keys in hand. She hadn't been alone in days and she was looking forward to some solitude. The Autobots obviously meant well, but she felt smothered when she didn't get time to herself. She was a loner by nature, and constant interaction left her anxious and exhausted. It was late afternoon, and the apartment complex was quiet. Her neighbors would be home in a few hours. In the meantime, she would enjoy the silence.
She entered her apartment and headed for the bedroom. She started the shower, letting it heat up while she undressed and laid out clothing to put on afterwards. Climbing into the steaming hot water felt like heaven. Every muscle in her body craved the warmth, and slowly, her anxiety began to melt away. The soap felt luxurious on her skin, and the lavender scent left her feeling calm. Her hair felt like it hadn't been washed in ages. It felt good to run her fingers through the thick soapy mass.
"God, I needed this," she exhaled. She was starting to feel like herself again, before the craziness that had crashed down upon her. She finished washing and rinsing, standing in the shower for several more minutes before the water started turning cold. She dried off before wrapping herself in her robe and her hair in a towel before heading to the bedroom.
Kerri sat on the edge of her bed. She wasn't ready to get dressed yet. She laid down in the bed. It was soft, warm, and inviting.
"Just a couple of hours of shut eye won't hurt," she said. I'll get back to the base before nightfall."
Kerri awoke with a start. Something was wrong, and her heart was gripped with icy fear. It was nighttime, and her apartment was dark. She sensed something in the darkness of the room, but couldn't see anything amiss. The woman quickly sprang up from the bed and looked around, trying to make her eyes adjust to the shadows. Somebody was in the room with her. She could feel it. Kerri backed herself into the corner until the backs of her legs met with the nightstand. She felt around on the stand and found her phone, which gripped in her hand while she cried out into the darkness.
"Who's here? Show yourself," she commanded, her words strained. He heart was pounding so hard she felt like it was going to explode from her chest.
"Have you forgotten me already, my dear Kerri? I had hoped to have a more lasting effect on you. A shame that you were taken away from me before I could truly make you mine. No matter, you are mine again."
That voice, no, no, no!
A tall human man stepped out from behind the door and turned on the bedroom light. The man was tall and muscular, and sported red hair. It was most certainly Knockout, but how?
Kerri was frozen in terror. The man stood in the middle of the room and turned slowly.
"Do you like it?", he asked coyly. "Just a little something I've been working on. I thought you might prefer this over my Decepticon form. Something a little more appealing to a human."
Kerri couldn't speak or move. As Knockout advanced towards her, she squeezed herself more into the corner. But there was nowhere to go. He was between her and the door. There was no escape that way. Her brain sought to regain control of her body as the Decepticon closed the space between them. He reached a hand up and unwrapped the towel from her damp hair, while simultaneously putting his other arm around her waist and pulling her to him.
"Mmmm, I've missed you, my dear. Your touch, your scent. You are intoxicating. I was quite upset when you left me."
"How-how did you find me?", she stammered.
"Soundwave is a master of communications. I merely sent him upon your trail."
Knockout ran his fingers through her hair. "But that doesn't matter. All that does matter is you back in my arms and soon, my berth. I will have to punish you for leaving me. You understand that, don't you? But know that I can never be too harsh with you."
Knockout knotted her hair in his hand and pulled her lips to his. His glossa forced its way into her mouth while his free servo worked its way under her robe.
Kerri felt like she was going to collapse on the floor in terror.
Think, think! If he gets you back to the Nemesis you'll never escape.
Then she remembered the phone in her hand. It was her only chance. She only had to push one button to comm Ratchet. Please, for the love of Primus, push the right one, she thought to herself.
Knockout released her mouth from the punishing kiss and made his way to her neck. He nipped at her collarbone while both servossqueezed her breasts underneath the robe that was now in danger of falling to the floor. Kerri took the opportunity to take a quick look at her phone. It was calling Ratchet. She managed to set the open phone back onto the nightstand and when into action.
"Please, Knockout, don't do this," she pleaded. "Why do you want me? I'm just a human. We're beneath you. Isn't that how Megatron feels?"
"I don't share Megatron's views on humans, at least when it comes to you, my dear. You excite me more than any creature ever has. I've missed you body beneath mine, writhing in pleasure and pain, screaming out my name. Primus, I can't wait to sink into your sweet valve again."
Kerri's breath caught in her throat. He was going to take her right here and now, and the Autobots apparently weren't going to reach her in time. She would have to fight him off alone.
"You're not getting me aboard the Nemesis again Knockout," she growled defiantly. "I'll die before I let you."
Knockout grabbed her by the hair again and forced her to look up into his red eyes. His other hand removed the belt that held the now falling robe on her body.
"Make no mistake about it, my dear," he answered her menacingly. "You are coming with me. But I'm not waiting until I get you back in my berth to have you again."
Knockout shoved her onto the bed as he kicked the robe out of the way. In a flash of light his clothing was gone. He climbed on top of the struggling woman and pinned her arms over her head with one hand, while the other crushed down on her hip. She winced and cried out in pain but kept fighting.
"Tsk, tsk. Why are you being so difficult about this? You know you-"
Suddenly the man bolted up from on top of her, a look a terror on his face, before disappearing. Kerri heard a crash outside and jumped from the bed to look out of the window. She gasped when she saw Ultra Magnus haul the red Aston Martin into the air before ripping the door off. She heard Knockout yell in pain before transforming into his robot form. Magnus hoisted the Decepticon higher into the air with a snarl before slamming his body into the concrete.
Kerri threw on her clothes and raced out of the apartment barefoot, not feeling the jagged rocks in the courtyard slicing her feet as she ran towards Magnus.
She reached the enraged Commander right as he leveled his weapon at Knockout's head.
"Lights out, you sick bastard," he growled as the gun began to fire up. But just as he was ready to deliver the fatal shot, the groundbridge opened, and Prime jumped out into the parking lot. He put his arms around Magnus and pulled him away from Knockout.
"Not here, Magnus," he commanded. He could already hear sirens in the distance. "We have to leave. Where's Kerri?"
"I'm here Optimus." She ran towards him as Prime struggled to pull Ultra Magnus back through the groundbridge. He scooped the woman up in his servo and ran into the swirling light as it closed behind them.