Chapter 3: Ransom For Hot Shot
Elsewhere, while the scene at the farm was unfolding, Chase was out on patrol in Milford. It wasn't too hard for the Police Bot to notice the stillness.
"It seems to be another quiet day in Milford." said Chase.
But then, Chase heard the sound of shouting. He soon traced the sound to outside a shop, where four boys were doing some skateboard stunts in front of it.
"Yo, check me out!" one of the boys said.
The boy then did a 360-degree turn in the air and landed safely on the ground. This caught the attention of the shopkeeper, who came outside with a slightly annoyed expression on his face.
"Can you boys do your stunts somewhere else, please?" he asked.
"Why should we?" another boy said.
Chase, who was parked nearby, transformed into robot mode and approached.
"Because he said "please"." he replied.
The skateboarder boys looked up at Chase with awe.
"Hey, it's Chase!" Boy 2 said.
"You know, boys, there's a skate park about three blocks away from here." Chase then said. "I suggest you take your activites there."
The boys agreed, then they picked up their skateboards and left. At that moment, a car zipped by at an erratic speed.
"Excuse me." Chase said the shopkeeper.
Chase then transformed into vehicle mode and took off after the speeding car, sirens blaring. After ordering the car to pull over, Chase went over to it as the driver rolled down his window.
"Sir, do you know how fast you were going?" he asked.
"I've got to get to the hospital!" the driver cried in a panic-stricken voice. "My wife's having a baby!"
Chase glanced at the front passenger seat and saw a pregnant woman. Right away, he knew the man was desperate.
"In that case, allow me to assist you." Chase offered.
Chase then transformed back into robot mode and took off again with his siren sounding, this time ahead of the soon-to-be parents. They soon arrived at the hospital, where two nurses were waiting with a wheelchair. The woman was helped into the wheelchair and was soon on her way to the maternity ward, with her husband following close behind. Chase watched in vehicle form with satisfaction as he watched this happen.
"Two more happy citizens." he said.
Just then, Heatwave called Chase on his comm.
"Chase, this is Heatwave." Heatwave said. "Do you read me?"
"Loud and clear, Heatwave." said Chase. "What do you need?"
"Hot Shot and I believe that the fire I sent him to put out was set by an arsonist." Heatwave explained. "I need you to assist him in the investigation. He'll be waiting for you by the farm gate."
"I'm on my way." agreed Chase.
After ending his call with Heatwave, Chase sped off to the farm. He soon arrived, but was surprised to find that Hot Shot was not where Heatwave said he would be.
"That's strange." said Chase. "Heatwave clearly said Hot Shot would be here waiting for me."
Chase then transformed into robot mode and walked past the gate to the exact area where Hot Shot's mission had taken place. Chase called out Hot Shot's name, assuming that the younger Rescue Bot was hiding somewhere as a joke.
"Hot Shot, this is no time for playing games." Chase said sternly. "We have work to do right now. There will be plenty of time for you to waste when we return to the Academy. Now, where are you?"
But then, Chase's audio receptors picked up the haunting sound of Fireplug howling. Hearing that caused Chase's feelings to change from sternness to worry.
"Fireplug, come!" Chase called.
Chase whistled, and it wasn't long before Fireplug came running up to him with something in his jaws.
"Sit." Chase commanded as he pointed downward.
Fireplug did as he was told, and again obeyed when Chase told him to drop whatever was in his jaws. As Chase watched the object fall onto the ground, a look of horror came across his face, and he immediately knew what it was as he picked it up to examine it.
"Hot Shot's Mul-T-Cog badge!" the Police Bot gasped.
The next thing Chase noticed was a series of footprints and tire tracks. While some of the tracks were easily determined to be his own and Hot Shot's, there were also a few he didn't recognize. There was also a slightly singed patch of grass where the EMP grenade had detonated. Seeing these made Chase realize that something was dreadfully wrong.
"I best return to the Academy and report this to Heatwave." Chase decided.
Chase transformed into vehicle mode and, after inviting Fireplug inside, sped off back to the Academy. When he returned, he went in search of Heatwave. He soon found him sparring with Quickshadow at the outdoor gym.
"Heatwave, Quickshadow, if you have a minute, I must discuss something with you." Chase said. "It's very important, and it concerns Hot Shot."
Upon hearing their son's name, Heatwave and Quickshadow went over to Chase.
"What is it, Chase?" asked Quickshadow.
"There is no easy way to say this, but I fear something terrible has happened to Hot Shot." Chase explained. "When I arrived at the farm, Hot Shot was nowhere in sight."
Heatwave and Quickshadow exchanged worried glances, then looked back at Chase.
"Are you sure about this, Chase?" Heatwave asked.
Chase nodded, and then he showed Heatwave and Quickshadow the badge, and when Quickshadow laid her optics on the badge, she completely broke down, and Heatwave comforted his wife while trying to wrap his head around what he had just learned from Chase.
"Who?" he asked. "Who could have done this?"
Meanwhile, when Hot Shot did eventually recover from the effects of the EMP grenade, he found himself strapped securely to a table of some sort.
"Hey, what is this?" he asked.
Hot Shot attempted to break free of his bonds, but it was no use. The young Rescue Bot suddenly felt himself being moved into an upright position.
"What's going on here?" Hot Shot demanded. "Is this some kind of sick joke? If it is, it's not funny!"
"This is no joke." a female voice applied.
At that moment, Madeline entered the room.
"So, you are the one called "Hot Shot"." she said. "I am Madeline Pynch, founder and CEO of Pynch Industries."
Hot Shot scowled deeply.
"My dad told me about you." he said. "And about all you did to cause trouble for him and his team."
"So he did." Madeline said with a nod. "Which is why I had my new friends bring you here."
"New friends?" asked Hot Shot. "Who are these "new friends"?"
"I'm glad you asked." Madeline smiled. "Come on out, boys!"
Lockdown and the rest of the Mercenaries entered the room. Seeing them made Hot Shot's expression change from anger to surprise.
"You!" he gasped. "You're the ones who kidnapped me!"
"That's right!" grinned Bug Bite.
"But why?" asked Hot Shot.
"It's simple." replied Madeline. "Revenge."
"Of course..." grumbled Hot Shot.
Madeline then looked at her lackeys.
"Stay here with him." she said. "I'm going to go make a call."
"Yes, ma'am." said Hardtop.
And with that, Madeline left. Meanwhile, back at the Academy, the other bots, aside from Quickshadow, had been assembled in the briefing room by Heatwave.
"What's up, Heatwave?" asked Boulder.
"I have some terrible news to share." said Heatwave. "I don't know how else to say this, but Hot Shot has been kidnapped."
The other bots were mortified when they heard this announcement, especially the JRBs.
"Who would do such a thing?" asked Whirl.
"I don't know, mate." shrugged Brushfire.
"What if it was a gang of rogue Decepticons?!" Hoist suggested.
"I doubt it." said Medix. "The last time I checked, there are currently no Decepticons from the war who are still at large."
"Well, if it wasn't rogue Decepticons, then who could it have been?" asked Wedge.
Just then, the screen in the briefing room turned on, and Madeline was seen.
"Greetings, Rescue Bots." she said.
The Rescue Bots' faces tensed up in anger when they saw Madeline, especially Heatwave.
"What do you want?" the Fire Bot snarled.
"I just wanted to let you know that I have your son." Madeline said. "And don't worry, I will gladly return him to you. However, I do have one condition."
"And that might be?" asked Chase.
"That you turn over any and all surplus amounts from your energon stores to me to manufacture my Pynch Cells." said Madeline. "Either that, or you simply work for Pynch Industries as free laborers."
"And what if we don't do either of those?" Heatwave growled.
"Then your son will stay where he is and be my slave." Madeline replied. "The choice is up to you. But you better hurry. You only have three days to make up your mind. Call me back when you have made your decision. Until then, ta-ta!"
And with that, Madeline ended the call, leaving the bots to discuss what they would do.
"What are we going to do, Heatwave?" Blades asked. "We can't possibly give her any of our energon! And I'm too afraid to ask what she means by "free labor"."
"I'm with you, Blades." said Boulder. "But those were Madeline's terms, and if we want Hot Shot back, we have no choice but to give in to her demands."
"Actually, there is a choice we can make." said Heatwave.
"What do you mean?" asked Blades.
Heatwave looked at Bumblebee.
"Bumblebee, get your friends from Crown City on the line." said Heatwave. "I have an idea."
End Of Chapter 3