Saphira woke up when a beam of sunlight hits her face. She opened her eyes and blinked, nearly forgetting she was in Egypt when she saw the red, sandy, plains and rocky hills rolling by. She stretched out her body with a light yawn. She rubbed her eyes and glanced around. She smiled, Bee was taking a gentle drive at the moment and she was glad for that. She heard the sound of a packet crinkling and turned her head to see Wheelie holding out a packet of chips to her.
"I imagine this won't be much, but it is somethin'," Wheelie said with a smile, he turned his head and grabbed a bottle of water. "Oh well, breakfast."
Saphira grabbed them with a smile. "Thank you Wheelie. There should be more packets there. I'll open another shortly. Wake Simmons up, he should have something before we get busy." She turned her head to look out of the window. "I hope we are getting close."
"I think we are, the mountains of Petra are not far. I believe that is our destination." Wheelie picked up another chip pack and water bottle. "Hey! Wake up!" He threw the chips and bottle into Simmons' lap, startling him awake. "Your breakfast! The sun high and dry right now."
Simmons groaned, glancing down at the two items in his lap. "You call this breakfast?" He picked them up, glaring at both Saphira and Wheelie.
She frowned at him as she chewed on a chip. "This is all we got, Simmons. We can have a proper meal later."
He opened the packet and began to eat angrily, he definitely was showing he was not happy right now. "Alright…" He pulled out his GPS and pressed buttons on it. "There is a temple at the mountains that I presume we have to go to."
"A temple? Wouldn't that mean archaeologists have been there before?" Saphira asked with a concerned expression.
"Of course, but there likely is a secret that only we can find," He said as he focused on the GPS. "So at least we should keep that in mind. It might take a little while to figure it out though, but hopefully it won't take all day."
It might. Saphira was hoping for it to be that way too, but fate wasn't always going to be easy like that. Saphira finished one packet and Wheelie gave her another pack of chips to eat. She drank some of the water, she decided to ration it in case she needed to. Simmons had the same idea too it would seem as he too only drank a little of the water. They finished off all but two packs of chips, deciding they would have them later as lunch.
"Okay, we are pretty close now." Simmons looked at the GPS. "We should stop in about five minutes and go the rest of the way on foot. We don't need to leave clear tyre marks all the way to the temple."
"That sounds like a plan to me," Saphira said with a smile. "Still…odd that it might be where the temple is. The tomb being there, or even the temple itself, is kind of…unexpected."
"I agree. But…since transformers have been here a long time, it has become apparent there is a group of humans who had kept them secret. I think Everett, your grandfather, was part of it." He didn't look at Saphira as he spoke, and Saphira wasn't going to disagree. "It makes me wonder how long they've been here, and how long certain humans have known about them. Witwicky certainly wasn't the first when he stumbled upon NBE One."
"I think I will find that out when I turn eighteen. I look back at my memories though…some things back than makes sense now when it didn't before." Saphira thought back to when she used to visit her grandparents. Simmons looked at Saphira, intrigued to know more. "Whenever I stayed there, I remember sneaking out of my room to get a glass of water or juice, grandma and grandpa never scolded me for that. And sometimes I would see my grandfather coming from the basement door. I was never allowed down there. It was hidden behind a wardrobe door, I used to pretend I went to Narnia in there."
Simmons chuckled a little when she spoke about that. "I guess that will be the first thing you will do when you inherit that house."
"Of course. Now that I have a hint about this secret, I want to find out. However…" She paused as she thought about it. "I probably won't tell many people about what I find. I have a feeling the history about it is necessary to keep hidden."
"Even from your autobot friends?" Simmons asked curiously.
She smiled and did not respond. Of course, she would tell the autobots about what she finds. She feels it would include them anyway. She had no reason to hide it from them, it will be other humans she didn't want to tell. After all, she felt there was a reason why transformers were kept secret by powerful people for a long time. She definitely looked forward to her birthday now, mostly because she would get answers to questions.
"At least you can be left wonderin' all 'bout what Saphira knows when she inherits the property," Wheelie mocked Simmons with a grin. "She won't be tellin' nobody except us autobots. After all, humans have let her down."
She looked at Wheelie in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"
Wheelie tilts his head slightly and smiled at her. "Where were the humans after you returned home from Mission City, hmm? You got kicked out, you had to live in garage."
"I did that by choice, Wheelie. Besides, Lennox was more of a father to me than Michael ever was." She shakes her head and looks away. "I don't know what you're getting at."
Wheelie chuckled softly. "The way I see it, you could have been given a better life. Your people didn't reward you for savin' the world. What kind of gratitude is that? I tell ya, this is really sad to me."
He had a point, though Saphira also didn't want any reward. She was just doing what she thought was right. She also knew she wasn't protected by the government afterwards, she should have been and she knew it. But she was glad she wasn't because it would have felt more like a prison anyway.
"To be honest, Wheelie, I don't think it has all been bad. Sure, my best friends are autobots, Bee is my brother and…I see them as my family. But, that is mostly because I don't seem to get along with other people." She didn't think it was because there was a flaw in other people at all. "Even if you're someone who is a creep of course and is, by definition, an idiot who thought a badge could allow you to do anything and get away with…" Simmons frowned at that and rolled his eyes, making Wheelie grin. "Of course I would not get along with someone like that. We still don't. But, I do get along with some humans."
"I suppose that is true. Oh well…" Wheelie shrugged and relaxed in the backseat of the Camaro. "At least she likes me better than ya, Simmons."
The man did not respond to the scrap bot. Saphira chuckled softly, mostly because it was actually true that she liked Wheelie more than Simmons. But that was probably because she liked the autobots already, and she still had not forgotten how Simmons was when he had taken her from the house in handcuffs and made it clear he was eyeing her body. In fact, he was not shy about it, which was why Lennox and Robert had threatened him in the first place.
"Alright, looks like we are close enough. Bee, stop and we can get out." Simmons glanced out the window as Bee came to a stop with the other bots behind them. "Alright, Miss Prime, we can go."
She looked at him in surprise as Seymour stepped out. She followed suit with her frown. "Why did you call me, Miss Prime?"
He snorted a little with a smirk. "It does not get past me, missy. I know you have feelings for a certain autobot, one you want to revive. I am not stupid. But I doubt it is official, so I call you miss for now. I don't blame him though…you are very beautiful. Especially after filling out this past year."
Saphira groaned and rolled her eyes as the autobots transform. Seymour yelped in shock when both Bee and Barricade aim their weapons at him with glares, Wheelie sat on Bee's shoulder chuckling at Simmons cowering from the two bots. Saphira smirked, he got what he deserved and glanced at the mountains.
"I think he's learned his place, we can go." She gestured for them to follow as she walked ahead. "Do you know where to find this temple, Simmons? Otherwise, we will leave you roasting by the road."
Simmons said nothing as he walked behind her, holding up his GPS. Barricade said something in Cybertronian, the twins and Bee chuckle at whatever he said. Saphira wished she understood, but she decided maybe it was better she didn't know. She left it to her imagination.
"Well…we are on the right path, I think." Simmons was not sure as they walk towards the rocky hill, walking around large rocks. "It might take a bit of time to get there."
Saphira expected that, she said nothing as she kept walking. They reach a rockier area, she walked along it carefully so she would not slip and sprain an ankle. That was the last thing they needed right now. Bee, Barricade and the twins walk behind them, glancing around their surroundings and ensuring they were safe. Saphira felt very safe with the giant bots behind them, it was really great. They walk for ten minutes and both Saphira and Simmons were huffing as they got closer to their location. Or at least, Saphira hoped for that.
"How much further?" Saphira asked, taking a sip from her water bottle.
She glanced at him, he held his GPS in his hand with a focused gaze. "It's gotta be around here somewhere."
Saphira shakes her head and walked over to a rocky overlook and she gasped loudly. Her eyes widen and Simmons approached, widening his eyes as well as their eyes fell upon an ancient structure carved into the side of the cliff face. It was incredibly impressive, thousands of years old and still in near perfect condition. She smiled as she walked towards it, the doorway alone was very large, big enough for an autobot to fit inside.
"Spectacular," Skids said as he gazed up at the building. "Never seen a human structure like this."
"And they are not made like this anymore either," Saphira said as they walk towards it. "It is very impressive. Look at the size of that doorway…" She gestured towards it with a smile. "Transformers have got to have been here before."
"It would seem so," Barricade said as they approach the temple. "Hopefully it does hold the Matrix somewhere within. We need it."
Saphira and Simmons run to the entrance, climbing inside the temple to look around. Saphira glanced around curiously, it was completely bare. There was no furniture, there was a painting on the back wall that was faded, but there was nothing that she could see.
"Well, this is kind of disappointing," Barricade said as he gazed around the large room. He looked down at Saphira as she walked around, rubbing her run gently. "Let us know if you find anything. It has got to be here."
Simmons himself looked around, though he wasn't moving around like Saphira was. "Well…I would say we are in the right spot. It might not necessarily be here, right at the temple. I think maybe we should look around the temple."
"Oh yeah? Why should we listen to you, punk?" Skids asked bluntly, frowning at the man with his hands on his hips. "You did kidnap Bumblebee and froze him for experiments. You're just lucky to be here, it is a privilege for ya."
The man rolled his eyes with a groan. "Oh, shut up. You both are so annoying."
"Ya mean, he's annoyin'?" Mudflap shoves Skids' shoulder and chuckled at him. "I know, he's me brother. Sadly, me annoyin' brother!"
"Oh yeah! Ye no different!" Skids snapped back, shoving Mudflap back from him with a frown.
Saphira frowned at both young bots. "Will you quit it?!" She shouted at them, getting their attention. "I can't concentrate with you fighting. If you want to tussle, go outside and tussle."
"Eh, na, we good here!" Skids gestures two peace signs with his fingers. "I am peaceful, ya'll. So peaceful."
Mudflap rolled his eyes and tackled Skids. "How's dis for peaceful?!"
Simmons and Saphira yelp in surprise as the twins begin to roll on the ground. Saphira stepped away and pressed her back again the old painting as Skids throws Mudflap over his shoulder onto the ground. She gasped as the walls shudder around them and dust fall as they fight.
"Hope ya scared!" Skids laughed at his brother, seemingly victorious over him.
"Scared? Oh yeah, scared of yer ugly face!" Mudflap snapped, lunging at Skids and tossing him towards Saphira.
Saphira yelped and ducked away just as Skids' body hits the wall. She heard it crack and glanced up as Barricade grabbed Mudflap and Bee grabbed Skids, they slam both of the bots together before tossing them out. Barricade brushed his hands together like he was dusting them off and looked as Saphira as she approached the crack in the wall.
Simmons followed her and gazed at it curiously. "It that was just a mountain wall behind it, we would be able to tell."
She nodded in agreement. "I think…maybe there's something behind it. Help me remove this." She grabbed a piece of the broken wall and Simmons grabbed the other, they remove it and drop it on the ground. She gasped as she saw metal inside, and the markings on them. "Oh…" She ran her fingers along it with a smile. "It's the symbols! They're here." She turned her head to look at the bots. "Bee, can you shoot this?" Barricade frowned a little at Saphira. "Sorry, this is a one bot job." Barricade just shrugged as Saphira and Simmons run out of the way.
Bee stepped closer, charging his weapon as he gazed at the opening. He glanced around, making sure Saphira was away from the blast radius, Barricade had stepped by Saphira to cover her. He was relieved and shot the opening, Saphira had her ears covered and removed her hands to hear the sound of air rushing into the opening like a loud whistle. She ran back over and gazed inside, widening her eyes as she saw the dead, old, metal bodies in front of her. Simmons grabbed out a flashlight and turned it on, pointing it inside and Saphira carefully stepped inside.
He followed her, gazing around in awe. "Wow! The tomb of the Primes…" He was in complete disbelief. "Looks like Jetfire was not lying. Here lie the Primes of old…so, truly amazing!" He looked at the bodies with a smile and shouted, making Saphira flinch. "YO! YO!"
"Shh!" She hissed at him with a glare. "Don't disrespect them like that!"
The man shrugged and looked at her. "Now to find the Matrix."
Saphira glanced around and spotted a glimmer reflecting the light of the flashlight. In the palm of a giant hand, there was the Key resting within. Saphira stepped forward and gazed down at it, it was just as beautiful as it was in the projection Jetfire had shown. She smiled, feeling very excited and nervous at the same time.
"We've found it," She whispered, falling to her knees slowly and grasping both sides of the Key. "I guess only Primes can use this. That must be why the Primes even had it." She picked up the Matrix and it began to glow, sensing the contact it had. "I guess now, we wait for the…" She gasped mid-sentence when the Matrix suddenly turned to dust in her own hands. "What?! No, no, no!"
Simmons gazed at the dust with a great sadness upon his face as she sat there in disbelief. "Thousands of years turned to dust…I'm really sorry, Saphira."
Tears well up in her eyes as she carefully gathered some of the dust in her hand. "This isn't how this is supposed to end…this was supposed to save Optimus…"
She glanced up when she heard the echoing sound of aircraft approaching. "You hear that?" Simmons gasped, turning away from her. "US Air Force! C-17's!"
He ran out of the tomb, leaving Saphira alone. She felt no joy in hearing the aircraft, she looked back at the dust. The tomb was soon filled with the light from Bee and Barricade's eyes, Wheelie jumped in and turned on his light, looking at the dust with a sad expression.
"Gee…I am really sorry. That old bot must not have known this would happen." He looked at Saphira and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can't bring him back, Saphira. I really am sorry."
She glanced around at the Primes again as a couple tears fell from her eyes. "We could not have come this way for nothing! The Fallen would not have been after it if it didn't have any power left! There is a reason we are here…" She paused as she stared at the Prime in front of her, the one that held the Matrix in his palm. "You all protected this with your own bodies. I have so much respect for you all…there is a reason why I am here."
"It is okay, Saphira. Sometimes…these things happen." She ignored Barricade as he tried to soothe her sadness. "I have no doubt that Optimus would be very proud of you right now. You did not give up."
"I still won't give up!" Saphira stared at the dust, she wondered if there was a way to use it to bring Optimus back. "The voices and symbols in my head led us here for a purpose." She turned to Wheelie with a determined expression. "There is an empty bag that I left with Bee. It has the necklace Optimus gave me in it."
"What good would that do?" Wheelie asked with a frown.
"I need to try." She glanced back at the dust for a moment before looking back at Wheelie. "I would not expect Optimus to give up on me, unless there was no reason to hope. I feel the same about him right now."
Bee extends his hand through the opening, uncurling his fingers to reveal the bag. "Do what you need to do," He said through the radio.
She grabbed the bag and pulled out the small box, giving it back to Bee. "Set it with the emerald." She turned to the Matrix dust and dropped to her knees, carefully and quickly gathering the dust to fill the bag. "I believe this will work."
Barricade watched Saphira and his eyes soften slightly, her persistence to save the one she loves made his spark ached. She didn't feel the same way for him. "Would you have done the same for me, if it were me in Optimus's position?"
Saphira paused and looked at Barricade with a surprised expression. "What are you talking about?"
He gazed away for a moment. "You already know my feelings…it is the wrong thing to say right now."
"Oh, that's why he changed sides to the autobots. So he could show you he is good and get you to love him." Wheelie shakes his head in disappointment. "I hope that you don't expect her to fall into your arms if it doesn't work."
"In all honesty…" He turned his back to look back at Saphira. "I see now, that it is best I let you go." Saphira felt more tears fall at his admittance. "I understand it was foolish of me to believe I could have the same affection you have for Optimus. You two are not yet sparkmates…but I believe you will be very soon." She had not heard that term before, but Saphira could put two and two together. "Maybe I will find someone else…I am not sure."
She smiled at him. "I appreciate your honesty Barricade. I am sorry I cannot give you what you seek." He nodded slowly. "However, you should stay on our side. I doubt the decepticons will accept you back with open arms. I, honestly, like you a lot as a friend. I hope that won't bother you. If you find yourself in love with another human, I hope they deserve you."
Barricade appreciated Saphira's words and she looked back at the dust to keep filling the bag. "I will remain on your side, Saphira. We will bring Optimus back. We have to believe it will work. Optimus needs us all to believe."
She smiled as she gathered the dust. She made sure not to leave a spec behind, even though that was really hard to do. She tied the bag and made sure no dust could get through. She held the back tightly, it was the most precious thing she had right now and turned to leave. However, she paused for a moment and looked back at the Primes. She gave a respected bow and walked out of the tomb. She felt as though she should return to pay her respects to them.
"Alright, let's go," Saphira said, looking at the bots with a smile. "Care to carry me on the shoulder?"
"Me, or…?" Barricade asked, gesturing between himself and Bee.
"I call shotgun!" Wheelie snouted, jumping onto Bee's arm and climbed up to his shoulder. "You can go with Barricade." He smirked at her as Saphira rolled her eyes.
Barricade chuckled and lowered his hand to her. She climbed onto his palm and he lifts her to his shoulder to sit. She kissed his cheek gently, getting a surprised flinch from the bot. "I am really glad you are here, Barricade. Thank you."
"Anytime." Barricade smiled as he straightened up and turned to walk out of the temple. "The twins are keeping Simmons company up on that ledge. The planes are still flying around."
Saphira looked up at the sky, she could see the shadows of the two planes in the sky. She widened her eyes when she saw Optimus's body being dropped from one plane, followed by soldiers and other autobots. She was relieved when parachutes opened, at least they wouldn't crash-land. Simmons glanced at Saphira and blinked in surprise when he saw her sitting on Barricade's shoulder.
"They've dropped the big boy, Saphira," He said to her calmly. "What are we going to do without the Matrix?"
She held up the bag in her hand. "I have the dust in here. I will bring it to Optimus."
Simmons had an expression that said he didn't believe it would work. "So, pixie dust now, huh? I suppose we have something else to try. I hope it works, kid. I really hope it does."
She nodded back to him. "I hope so to. Shall we roll?"
"Absolutely! Back to the pyramids!" Barricade began to jog back towards the road with Bee following.
The twins were about to follow when Simmons yelled at them. "HEY! Don't forget a key person here!"
Skids and Mudflap stop, glancing at each other with grins. "I dunno, maybe we should leave him here, brother," Mudflap said with a fake shrug. "We know Saphira won't miss ya. Nor will we."
"I ain't puttin' you on me shoulder neither!" Skids giggled at Simmons as the man's shoulders slump and he began to run to catch up to the bots. "There we go! Move them little legs!"
"I won't forget this!" Simmons declared, he had a deep frown on his face. "I won't let Saphira forget!"
"I doubt she would forget, it too funny!" Skids mocked as he and Mudflap follow Simmons.
They were not going to leave him behind, but he did not get the luxury treatment like Saphira did. But, they did have to wait for him. Bee and Barricade transform, and wait for Simmons to arrive. Saphira chose to go with Bee again, after all the military would be expecting the yellow Camaro and not a dark, blue Challenger. When Simmons finally caught up to them, he was out of breath and drank down most of his water, though luckily there was more as Wheelie hands him another. The bots drive off back towards the pyramids where the soldiers were, Saphira hoped they would be spotted by them so they could get to them quickly.
