A/N: There is an oblique reference in the first part of this to another Transformers Prime story, one that I started after an intriguing summary, but due to the content, I simply could not finish. The content of it quite simply terrifies me, as does most of the other stories with that content. Oh, and to the reviewer who asked if Apocalypse will be showing up in this: the answer is no. However, the obvious repercussions of the events of Apocalypse will be showing here, and he will be referenced. Remember, this takes place 30 years after the movie.
More Than Meets the Eye
Chapter VIII: Crisscross
September 12, 2012-Alamo, NV
Two weeks into the new school year and Jack was the only one of his friends that could still take it easy, even with the SHIELD class work. Miko was behind in work already, (though that was possibly because of their last encounter with MECH/Hydra only a few days earlier,) and Raf had a big project he was working on that would hopefully help him get into whatever big college he wanted to go to. Oh well, it would be nice having the base to himself and the Bots. When he left the school though, he was shocked to find only Bee waiting for him. "Hey Jack, where's Raf?" he asked as Jack walked up to him.
"Hi Bee, Raf's working on a project right now. He's being oddly secretive about it. Oh, and his brothers are still there and they're going to take him home," Jack replied as he climbed in.
"Ah nuts, I had hoped to find out what the project was! He's been hinting about it since school started back up, but he hasn't said anything substantial. It's been driving me nuts! Sorry about it being me to pick you up, but Arcee's out on a scouting mission."
Jack understood him perfectly, but to maintain his cover, he pretended to guess at what the Camaro said. "Arcee's on a mission? Oh, well, at least I get to hang out with you, we don't get to do that much, do we?"
"No, but I can understand why. Who would want to hang out with someone they can't understand?" Bee said, utterly depressed.
"Hey, I want to hang with you, Bee," Jack said. He could have guessed what Bee was saying even without understanding him, the depression was all too clear in his beeps, whistles and other electronic sounds that made up his voice. "Hey, how about this: you and I do a little gaming tournament? I know Raf says you're the best he's ever played, and he's one of the best in Alamo."
"Sounds good to me," Bee said as they left the city limits. "Do you want to race or do a shoot-'em-up type? We have Star Wars: Battlefront II, Call of Duty, Resident Evil-"
"NO!" Jack shouted. "No zombies, ever!" Then Jack realized what he'd done. "Scrap," he whispered.
Bumblebee on the other hand had swerved to a stop in the middle of the road. "Wh-what did you say?" he asked. "Jack, can you understand me?"
Jack just shook his head. "Well, what's one more person? Yeah, I can understand you, Bee. Ever since you got back from the spacebridge mission."
"But how? I still don't understand how Raf can understand me, let alone you!"
"It's a long story, one that should probably wait until we get back to base," Jack replied.
"Does Arcee know?"
"Yeah, since just before we met Thor a couple months ago." Bee made a pleased sound at that before heading off to his destination, which had changed after learning about what Jack could do. Upon arriving, Jack got out, only to turn to Bee in confusion. "What are we doing at Worthington Peak?" he asked. Jack hadn't been to the mountain since his personal exploration and encounter with Blackout, no one had.
"Well, I got the feeling that you want to keep this a secret for now," Bumblebee explained. "So, how about those answers?"
Jack sighed; he had hoped to save the explanations to the others until after whoever was supposed to arrive actually had, he wouldn't have had to repeat himself so often then. "I have the memories and abilities of someone from another universe," he started before giving an even briefer account than he had Arcee, except for one thing. "You were Sam's guardian, Bee, and he still blames himself for your death."
"Why, what happened? How could he have been responsible?"
"You and Wheeljack had been captured, and you were crushed because of orders that Sam gave to a couple of Minicons. Really, it was pure chance that you died, but he won't listen to me," Jack explained.
"Wait, so he's still conscious in your mind?"
"Yeah, he's basically just another piece of programming, but yeah, he's still alive in there."
"Then Sam, this is for you: I don't blame you for my counterpart's death, and I doubt he would have either. Now, Jack, you up to going to base and doing some games? Raf's good, but it gets boring playing the same person all the time."
"Sure thing, just no zombies, okay?" Jack answered with a laugh as he got in.
"Why not? Is it because of the terrorcons?"
"Please, your zombies are lightweights compared to ours," Jack answered. "Our zombies are usually created due to a virus, and a highly communicable virus at that. A single bite is usually enough to spread it, and there's typically no cure," he finished, subconsciously rubbing his arm as he did so.
"Jack, are zombies real?" Bee asked upon noticing what Jack did.
"What? No, the only real zombies are the terrorcons. Why did you ask?"
"Because it almost seemed like you had experienced them yourself. You were rubbing your arm when you mentioned that it could be spread by bite."
"I was?" a surprised Jack asked. "I had no idea, but unless Hydra created them, or there's a mutant with that ability, zombies are pure fiction. Now, let's get to base and have some fun, what do you say? Oh, and since this will be our first, you can pick the game."
September 20, 2012-Alamo, NV
Three days into the grounding, and Jack was frustrated. Arcee had spoiled him when it came to transportation, he missed their talks. But his mom had been insistent: until his grades came up, there would be no meeting with his friends, and no Arcee. Fortunately she had bought the idea of Arcee staying with Raf's family during the grounding, which meant he didn't need to call her out of missions just to keep his mom happy. He was getting home late from work, and was shocked to find that she wasn't home yet. Even stranger was the fact that a package had come for him. What made that strange was the fact that he never got mail, mostly because they had moved so fast that Jack had never gotten the chance to tell his New York friends his new address.
Curious, he opened it, only for a tablet-like device to come out. And from the device came an all too familiar voice. "Hello, Jack."
"Silas," he growled out. "How did you find out where I live?"
"We know things about your family that even you don't know. For example, do you know where your mother is?"
Jack nearly lost his temper at that. "If you've harmed her, I swear to God-"
"Understand, Jack, we have no intention of hurting her. In fact, we'd like to reunite the two of you as soon as possible."
"Yeah, and what's the catch?"
"I just need you and Arcee to follow the coordinates programmed into the communicator. They'll lead you to the temporary facility I've set up just for this meeting."
"Hand over Arcee? I'd rather burn, but what choice do I have?"
"None, naturally. Oh, and don't call for help. The communicator has a signal that scramble's it's location, and all other forms of communication."
"Well then, we have a problem, because Arcee isn't here. So you better disable that signal, or I can't deliver your prize," Jack growled out. He hated that he had to make a decision like this, but Arcee would be able to protect herself. Fortunately, Silas turned off the scrambler, allowing Jack to make his call. "Jack to Omega One, Arcee, are you there?"
"As far as I know, she's in her quarters right now. What's up, Jack?"
"Bee? Silas has my mom, and he wants to trade her for Arcee. I have no choice."
"No, you don't," Arcee's reassuring voice stated. "I'll be there as soon as possible, Jack. Don't worry, we'll get her back."
Five minutes later, she had bridged over, and the partners were on their way out of Alamo and to the coordinates that Silas had provided, some 100 miles to the southeast. They arrived at the Cemex Mesquite Cement Plant about two hours later, only for them to be covered in red dots, obviously laser pointers. "So, what's the plan?"
"The usual," Arcee answered, as she revved up and prepared to charge the terrorists.
"Wait," Jack said, hearing something all too familiar. Then he recognized it.
Skinned her alive, ripped her apart
Scattered her ashes, buried her heart,
Rise up above it, high up above it to see
"Scrap! They've made a deal with Airachnid! Go, go, go!" Instantly the femme went ahead with her plan, but after only two minutes of driving through the group, MECH got a lucky shot in, knocking Jack off and Arcee on her side. Instantly, she was webbed up by Airachnid, and the duo were surrounded by their enemies. Once Jack was sitting up, he glared at Silas before stating "I knew you were low, Silas, but I didn't realize even Hydra was low enough to turn against their own species in exchange for alien knowledge."
"So, you know the truth, do you?" Silas asked, not even showing his shock at that fact. So long as the boy didn't tell anyone, or only the right people, then Hydra was safe in the shadows. "I suppose you know that our deal has changed," he stated, before ordering his men to search Jack.
"I knew that the second I realized Airachnid was here, scumbag," Jack stated after the search was done. Then to the shock of everyone there, he threw a punch at one of the MECH soldiers. The punch itself did nothing to the soldier but make him mad, so he threw a punch at the teen, throwing him into Silas. "I swear, I will see you destroyed, Silas," Jack growled out as he stood up.
"Like you tried to destroy me, Jack?" the all-too familiar voice called out. "I've spent a long time looking into how to pay you back, Jack. I'm still learning about humankind, but one thing is clear to me: you people care deeply about family. Therefore the sweetest revenge I could possibly devise is to make you watch as I tear your family apart!" Airachnid threatened. "Of course, you remember my fondness for sport, right? So I'll give you the opportunity to save your mother. I've stashed her nearby, and if you can save her by the stroke of midnight, I'll let both of you go, unharmed. What do you say?"
Jack gave an almost feral grin at her. "One of these days, I'm going to destroy you, Airachnid. You and MECH both," he vowed before charging out. As he ran, he scanned the tallest structures at the mine, knowing how spiders preferred heights. Also, he tapped his pocket in a particular pattern, one that he knew Fowler would recognize when he got the message. Finally, two minutes before midnight, he found her. "MOM!" he called out as he started running towards the tower she was on. As he climbed, he quickly pulled out his new pistol, safely hidden beneath the one part of him that was still completely human. Once he got to the top, he found Airachnid waiting for him, and he promptly shot her in the face. When that did nothing, he shot at her spider legs, which were currently the only things keeping her up there, and successfully knocked her to the bottom of the mine.
"Jack, what's going on? Who are these people, and what is that thing?" June demanded of her son.
"Long story short, I found myself in the middle of an alien war, and the humans here are a branch of Hydra that managed to survive. Problem is, they want to use the aliens to finish what Schmidt started," Jack explained. "Oh yeah, and my motorcycle? She's one of the aliens on our side," he finished with a grin. "Now, how to get you out safely?" he wondered.
Just then, Airachnid returned, stating "Sorry Jack, but you just lost!" Fortunately, just then Arcee appeared, hitting Airachnid and knocking her away from June. That allowed Jack to get back to focusing on saving his mom, but in his haste, he accidentally hit one of the controls for the plant. Watching as it went to work, it gave Jack an idea, if Arcee could help him finish it. Fortunately, Arcee managed to hit Airachnid into just the right place, which allowed Jack to hit another control and instantly, quick-dry cement started pouring onto the rogue Con.
Arcee then went to save June, just as Agent Fowler arrived with back-up. "That was a good idea swiping Silas' communicator, Jack. But if I'd known Cons were involved, I'd have called Prime."
"Eh, I think that would have been too much for Mom to handle for one night, Agent Fowler. Now, could you destroy that container the cement's pouring into?"
"Will do. You heard him, obliterate it." Unfortunately for them, all the helicopters guns managed to do was free the spider from her prison. Airachnid knew that she was outgunned and outmaneuvered, and decided to scan Fowler's helicopter, transform and escape. Unfortunately, Silas and the MECH soldiers with him decided to follow her lead and also managed to escape. Afterwards, Fowler tried to give the official cover to Mrs Darby, but she glared at him, making it clear that she wasn't going to buy it. The next day, Jack took her on the ride he promised, and she was introduced to the rest of the Autobots.
September 28, 2012-Autobot Outpost Omega One
A week later, and June Darby was still coming to the base to check on Jack, as if the five months with the Autobots hadn't convinced her that Arcee could keep him safe! Just as she was embarrassing him, again, the computers found what Ratchet identified as "an extremely unusual magnetic flux, for any planet."
"Magneto?" the two humans asked. When Arcee asked for clarification, Jack stated "He's a mutant with the ability to control metal. He became infamous after threatening President Nixon in 1975, admittedly for a very good reason. Then about 30 years ago, he nearly helped another mutant called Apocalypse destroy the world, but he also saved it when he turned on Apocalypse. He's been pretty quiet since then, actually. I wonder what he wants in Arizona," he thought aloud, having noticed where the flux was coming from.
June was impressed at Jack's knowledge of mutant history, and surprised at his statement about the attack on Nixon. She was about to ask what he meant when Bulkhead came in with Miko and Raf. Raf was quick to assure June that they had been safe, while Miko wondered what she had heard to cause June to ask how school was going. Arcee, who had had too much exposure to June in the past week, decided then and there to take the excuse Ratchet had provided. "Let's do this thing, Jack. I'd be very interested in meeting this Magneto character."
June was quick to complain about Jack going since she just got there, but Jack cut her off. "Mom, I get what you're trying to do, but you need to understand something. All three of us have been involved in this war for five months, and the Autobots know how to keep us safe in any circumstance. We've all been out on scouting missions, and yes, even in combat situations. Remember Airachnid, the giant spider? I first met her because of a scouting mission, and at the first sign that there was something wrong, Arcee tried to send me back to base. When that failed, she faced her fears in order to protect me. So please, just back off!" And with that, he walked off to join his partner, who had also been joined by Bulkhead, leaving only June and Ratchet with Miko and Raf.
"So, what's Magneto like," Arcee asked once they arrived near the coordinates.
"Well, according to rumor, he's a Jew who survived the Nazi Holocaust, so that's colored his perception of humanity. He is convinced that mutants will be treated the exact same way, so he argues for mutant supremacy and separation from the rest of humanity. Although the government considers him a terrorist, he never attacks a group or site unprovoked or without reason. Every single attack is against those who have directly attacked, are responsible for an attack, or are a clear threat to mutants. For example, the threat against Nixon I mentioned? Mutants had been revealed not a week before, and Nixon brought out a weapon to hunt down and destroy all mutants," Jack explained.
"He should have done that a lot sooner," an all too familiar voice stated.
"Miko," the trio groaned in unison. "What are you doing here?" Bulk asked as Arcee moved to radio the base.
"PLEASE don't send me back to helicopter mom! No offense, Jack," Miko stated.
"Don't worry, I completely understand. She hasn't hovered this much for eight years," Jack replied, nodding to his partner. Arcee instantly understood what he was signaling, and she couldn't blame him. By now, only Raf and Bee were still quite tolerant of June's hovering. (Ratchet was the one exception, and that only because he enjoyed speaking to another in the medical field. How odd was it that the four sets of Autobot and human would match so perfectly in personality?)
Speaking of matches in personality, once Miko knew that she wasn't leaving, she immediately had Bulk turn on one of her favorite songs, of a style that Bulkhead had also fallen in love with, and the other set of partners despised. How anyone could enjoy shriek rock was something beyond Jack's understanding. Then when Arcee tried to get them to stop by using her 'scouts should be silent but deadly' line, they only laughed at it before heading out to take point. "Wherever I go, I'm the third wheel," she complained. She probably didn't intend for Jack to hear, so he politely pretended not to and continued filling her in on Magneto when she asked.
Tracking the magnetic disturbance led not to Magneto as the Darbys had suspected, but instead to two spark songs that Jack recognized. One was the Two Steps From Hell song Destructo that belonged to Bulkhead's old rival Breakdown, and the all too familiar Night of the Hunter. The two Cons were fighting over some kind of handheld device, well, handheld for a 'Bot anyways. Arcee quickly identified it as the source of the magnetic disturbance and had Bulk launch her at the Decepticon duo, after ensuring that Miko was safe that is. She instantly forced the two combatants to separate and, when Airachnid insisted on taking her on, gave her a nice slash on the chest. "That's my girl," Jack said with pride.
Both of the Bots managed to defeat their opponents, but in doing so, they knocked the Cons towards the device, and Breakdown took it, and turned it on, creating a holographic display, and a humming orb of energy while Airachnid turned and decided to flee. Well, Jack couldn't allow that, so he started shooting at her, as with Arcee's help, he had managed to perfect his gunpowder/energon mixture, and the best amount of energon to add to his bullets in order to cause the most damage. But for once, the spider ignored Jack and dove back underground. Just as she escaped, Jack felt a force start pulling him to the device; him, and everything else made of metal. He was reunited with the Bots in midair, until Breakdown hit a switch on the device and all three went flying into a nearby rock. Miko quickly ran up to insist that Bulk go after the Cons. It was only when she grabbed her phone that they realized they might have a problem. "Hey, it's stuck!" she complained.
"Where's Arcee?" Bulk demanded.
Miko made the craziest comment, just before Arcee said "I'm right behind you." Bulkhead couldn't figure out what she meant, even as she and Jack struggled to free themselves from the Wrecker. "Arcee, I think we're in trouble," Jack stated from his place on Bulk's right side. Fortunately for him, his gun was stuck to his hand and not somewhere else.
"Three of you have been magnetized? Together?" Ratchet asked in shock and confusion when they decided to call in and update the base.
"No, Ratchet, to Megatron and Starscream. OF COURSE TOGETHER!" Jack yelled at the medic.
Ratchet looked at the comms in shock and confusion, then identified the device as "A polarity gauntlet. A deceptively simple but diabolic creation. It is probably only a residual magnetic charge providing your current ... attraction. But your current goal must be retrieving the gauntlet. Once Megatron gets his hands on the gauntlet-"
"We're all in big trouble," Jack finished.
"I'm not following, Jack," June stated.
"Mom, think about it, what are the bots made of? If Megatron got a hold of the Polarity Gauntlet, it would be like if the military decided to go to war with Magneto. Megatron could turn the Autobots own weapons against them, crush them, repel them, or even just put them all in a ball like we are now. Megatron would be able to win the war in a heartbeat with the flick of a switch," Jack explained.
"Fortunately for us, the gauntlet hasn't travelled far. I would strongly advise pursuit." Bulkhead was ready to roll out right then and there, until Jack and Arcee reminded him of their presence, which meant that they were forced to walk to the gauntlet.
Miko was extremely excited to go as well, but Arcee shut it down, telling her that she'd be going back since they now knew that they would be going into a combat situation. She immediately complained "You think Jack's mom is bad? You sound just like her!"
"Come on, Miko," Jack stated. "At least Arcee let you go on recon, if it were up to my mom, you wouldn't have even been able to do that!"
About thirty minutes later, they found Breakdown webbed up to an old, abandoned gas station. Jack knew that Airachnid had to be close, and sure enough, she showed up seconds later, giving Bulkhead the most foolish order she could: to turn around so his back was to her. "Whatever you say," Bulk stated with a smile in his voice. Instantly he turned around, allowing Arcee to fire on her rival with abandon, while Jack also made his presence known with careful shots at the joints in her extra limbs. Unfortunately, because of all the shooting, Airachnid dropped the gauntlet, causing it to activate again, pulling everything towards it until it released Breakdown from the webbing, allowing him to claim it and shut it down.
With Breakdown free, he and Airachnid teamed up once more. As per usual, Bulkhead took on Breakdown, while Arcee fought Airachnid, but due to the fact that they were still stuck to each other, Arcee was often pulled away from Airachnid, which in turn allowed Jack to shoot her, doing his best to actually pierce her spark chamber. Then Bulkhead turned around to face Airachnid, asking if Arcee needed any help. While Bulk fought the spider-bot (despite Arcee's protest,) Jack spotted Breakdown getting up from where Bulk tossed him. When the Con went for the gauntlet, Jack started shooting at his hand. "I'm going to crush you, you malfunctioning mechling!" the Con growled out.
"Oh, no you don't!" Arcee called out before launching herself off Bulkhead's back, blasting him the whole time. Arcee then fought the Con long enough for Jack to escape, then she and Bulkhead worked together to beat both Cons, with Arcee using the gauntlet to finish off Airachnid, leaving the two Cons stuck together, just as Arcee, Bulk and Jack had been. Upon returning to base, June and Arcee made up, with June apologizing for being so overprotective. Jack smiled, finally things were starting to look up.
A/N: For those who are curious, the story I referenced was Old Nightmare by KorovaMilkBar, an unlabeled Resident Evil crossover (unlabeled here meaning it doesn't identify itself as a crossover,) where Jack and June were survivors of Raccoon City, despite Jack having been bitten in the arm. Do NOT read unless you enjoy the games/movies, Jack being tortured emotionally and physically, and zombie apocalypse scenarios! My Jack was rubbing his arm because his experience with Sam has left him with a minimal, subconscious connection to his other selves, thus his own fear of zombies. Oh, and when I finally hit Season 2, you will hear the explanation for how Jack gained his ability to transform. Thank you Covenant of Primus!