A/N: Welcome back!
This will be a shorter chapter compared to the last 2, mainly because I couldn't think of much to add in terms of Spider-Man stuff. This honestly must be the shortest chapter I've ever written.
I do not own Spider-Man or Transformers Prime, they are works of Marvel and Hasbro.
Spider's Rising: Part Three
Vroom!
Jack's eyes flashed as his enhanced senses heard the noise of a motorcycle engine staring up. Throwing on his clothes, he rushed to the garage and opened the door to see Arcee revving her engine.
"SHH! Are you crazy?! You'll wake up my Mom!" He yelled in a whisper.
"Grab your helmet. It's go time." Acree said, turning toward him.
Jack sighed. "It's Saturday." He moaned. He was hoping to get a couple more hours of shuteye.
"You can watch cartoons back at base with Bumblebee." Acree said, inching closer to him.
"Cartoons. I'm 16." He scoffed as he shut the door to go finish getting ready.
"And leave a note for your mom! She worries!" Arcee called.
'Don't need to tell me that.'
After getting his helmet and leaving a note for his mom, Jack, and Arcee pulled up next to a stop sign in the desert around the main base.
"Tighten your grip, Jack," Arcee said as she revved her engines.
"Whoa!" Jack yelped as she took off down the road, burning rubber as she performed a wheelie. He let out a chuckle. "Hey, what's with you Arcee?"
"Thought you might actually enjoy the ride if you weren't getting shot at." 'That and to make up for how I've been treating you.' She thought to herself.
Jack smirked underneath his helmet. "Oh, bring it!"
And bring it she did. They tore through the desert road, the wind streaking across his body. This is why he wanted a motorcycle. This feeling of freedom and a sense of nostalgia overtook Jack.
The last time he felt like this, without the danger of being shot at, was when his dad took him on a drive with his motorcycle, he was five at the time. His mom freaked out when she learned about it. It was then and there he knew he wanted a motorcycle. A part of him dreamed about riding off into the sunset with his old man.
He shook away those thoughts as bitter feelings started to bubble up. Those days were in the past. He didn't want his dad, memories of him or not, to ruin the experience he was having now. That's when an idea came to him.
"Hey, okay if I try something?" Jack asked. Ever since he got his powers, he's always wanted to do this on a motorcycle.
"Go for it." Arcee allowed.
Jack took a deep breath before he gripped the handles tighter and pushed his lower body into the air, his feet kicking the sky. He then spread his legs into a split. Then, deciding to be daring, he let go of one of the handles and held his hand to the side to balance himself.
He laughed as he performed a trick most daredevils wouldn't be able to pull off after practicing for most of their life. Sometimes having spider powers was awesome!
They continued the drive, Jack performing even more impressive feats of acrobatics while on the blue Autobot. All in all, it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning.
After driving for a while, Jack and Arcee made their way to the base, meeting with the other bots and humans. Entering the silo, the humans dismounted the bots, all of them shouting in joy and excitement.
"That was awesome!"
"Can we go again?"
"Sweet!"
Bulkhead grumbled as he opened his chest and pulled out an electric guitar.
"Sorry." Miko apologized as she took the guitar. "Must've left that in the backseat."
"Autobots. Prepare to…" Optimus trailed off.
"Roll out?" Acree predicted.
"Remain here." He said instead.
Jack sweatdropped. 'Then what was with the build-up? Also, how does one prepare to remain where they are?'
"Ratchet, you'll come with me," Optimus told the medic before turning to Jack's partner. "Arcee, we'll be outside communications range for some time. So I'm putting you in charge."
"Dude, you're biggest. You should be the boss." Miko said to Bulkhead.
'That shouldn't be a factor when deciding who should lead.' Jack thought before he looked back up to Optimus, noting his tall stature. 'Okay, maybe a little.'
"Um, he never picks me." Bulkhead admitted.
"I wonder why?" Jack asked rhetorically, recalling what happened yesterday when Bulkhead broke one of Ratchet's devices.
"Optimus," Arcee began, "With all due respect, playing bodyguard is one thing, babysittings another." Jack sighed at her comment as he walked to join the other humans. And just when he thought they were getting along. "Besides, Ratchet hasn't been in the field since the war."
"My pistons may be rusty, but my hearing is as sharp as ever," Ratchet called out, letting her know she was in the room.
"Gonna have to agree with the doc bot on this one," Jack said. "My mom's a nurse, and I'd honestly face another Decepticon than get on her bad side. She knows all the vital parts of the human body and how to mess them up in seriously twisted ways." He and the other humans shivered.
"For the moment, it is only reconnaissance," Optimus told them, however, there was something in his voice. Something Arcee picked up on.
"Then why do I hear an edge in your voice?"
"Arcee, much has changed in the last 24 hours, and we all need to adapt." Jack had a feeling that comment was also aimed at him. The Autobot leader then turned to his medic. "Ratchet, bridge us out."
Ratchet pulled the lever and the swirling green portal of the Groundbridge came to life. The two bots walked toward the bridge before disappearing into the vortex.
"Okay, chief, so, uh, what's on the activities list? Maybe some air hockey, or foosball? You guys have those, right?" Jack asked in a joking tone.
"I'm going on patrol." Arcee said as moved to the exit.
"But Optimus told us to stay." Bulkhead reminded.
"When you're in charge, you can call the shots." She then turned to the yellow bot. "Bee, with me."
Bumblebee let out a series of disappointed buzzes. He was really looking forward to hanging out with Raf and the others.
"Bulkhead, you're in charge," Arcee said before she and Bumblebee transformed and drove out of the base.
"So, uh, what's on the activities list?" He asked with a shrug. He then held his audio receptors at the sound of loud feedback, something you would hear from an instrument getting hooked up.
"How about…" Miko said as she hooked her guitar up to an amp that just happened to be lying around with a speaking next to it. "Band practice." She missed the look of annoyance on Jack's face. Seriously, doesn't this girl remember he has enhanced senses, including hearing?
"But, we're not a band." Raf pointed out.
"Why so antisocial?" Miko asked with a chuckle as she walked up to him. "Come on Raf. You play anything?"
"Um…" Raf trailed off as he then picked up his computer. "Keyboard?"
"Laptops and samples. Good. Jack?"
The enhanced teen rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I sometimes mess around on the harmonica." He admitted.
"Do I look like I do country?" Miko asked, gesturing to herself. He was about to answer when she spoke again. "Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming. Ooh! And maybe grow eight limbs! Can you do that?"
"Uh…" Jack started to talk but she walked away before he could say anything. Of course, he couldn't grow eight limbs!
…Right?
"Bulkhead, percussion." Miko continued, pointing at the big bot. "We'll go for big industrial sound. DIY, we're a band. You just gotta know the songs. This one's a ballad. 'My Fist, Your Face'."
She then strummed on the guitar and rock music started playing out of the speakers. Both human boys and bots had to cover their ears at the loud noise and Miko continued playing without a care in the world.
Despite how incredibly agitating it all was to his senses, Jack had to admit, this girl could play. Maybe she could make it big. If she didn't drive her bandmates crazy with her personality.
However, in between the loud noises, Jack picked up on the sound of a familiar alarm ringing throughout the base, as well as flashing green lights.
Bulkhead seem to notice to as he then tried to get Miko to stop. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!"
Miko soon stopped and gave the bot a disappointed look. "Come on. You can't handle raw power?"
"Proximity sensor. Quick, hide!" The bot told them. They moved to hide behind Bulkhead's left leg as the door to the elevator to the roof opened, revealing Agent Fowler.
"Prime!" The agent yelled as he looked around for the large red and blue Autobot leader.
"Agent Fowler," Bulkhead greeted the man. "Uh, he's not here. Nobody's here… except me of course." He said with a nervous chuckle.
"Well, where did he go?" Fowler questioned. "Wait, don't tell me, he's out pancaking a mini-mall."
Raf tried to get a better look at the agent but Jack soon pulled him back. The three humans tried to stay hidden, but the cord wasn't long enough on Miko's guitar, causing her to be pulled as they tried to stay out of behind Bulkhead's leg.
"Now, I don't know what language you bots speak on your planet. But Prime promised he would handle the Decepticons, and blowing a crater in the middle of Nebraska in not what the word 'handle' means in English. So you tell Prime…" The agent trailed off when he heard the sound feedback and saw a cord connecting to Bulkhead's leg.
"Since when are you bots' electric?"
Seeing as they couldn't hide anymore, the three kids came out from behind Bulkhead's leg and greeted the agent.
"Hey. How you doing?" Jack said, trying to imitate that one character's famous pickup line from one of his mom's favorite sitcoms.
"Contact with civilains!" Fowler yelled in shock and disappointment. "Team Prime has really gone off-book this time. Wait, don't tell me. You're running a daycare center."
"Seriously why does everybody think we need babysitters? I'm 16 for crying out loud!" Jack muttered to himself before speaking up. "Yeah, we're interns." He said with gusto.
"Student interns." Raf picked up on the lie.
"Yeah, earning extra credit in auto shop–"
"Robotics." Miko interrupted him.
There was silence for a short moment in the room. 'Seriously, what were we trying to accomplish with that lie?' Jack thought.
"Okay. Let's move." Fowler said as he walked down the stairs. "I'm taking all three of you into federal custody. It's for your own protection."
Bulkhead's foot then stomped in front of the kids, stopping Fowler in his tracks. "We're protecting them." He said with finality.
"Is that so?" Fowler challenged as he walked over to a payphone off to the side. "Well, maybe you could explain that to my superiors at the Pentagon?"
Jack paled. If the government got ahold of him and learned what he could do, they'd put him on a dissection table to try and figure out his powers.
"Don't use that phone it's," Bulkhead stretched forth his finger and crushed the phone booth before Fowler could make the call. "Out of order."
"This isn't over big butt! Not by a long shot!" And with that, Fowler made his way up the stairs and entered the elevator.
"Oh man, this is bad!" Jack began panicking as he held his head.
"Why?" Miko asked, not seeing what was so wrong.
"If the government gets ahold of us, then they'll figure out about me!" He yelled jabbing a thumb to himself. "And then they'll put me on a dissection table and tear me apart till they learn everything about my powers! I've seen the movies!"
Both Raf and Miko looked at Jack with bewildered expressions. The spider was overreacting.
Not long after Fowler left, another alarm rang throughout the base.
"My ears," Raf complained.
Bulkhead moved up to the console to see what the alert was. "It's an SOS. From Fowler." Bulkhead stuttered as tried to work the console, but he didn't know how. Ratchet did his best to keep him away from the console.
The alarm soon went silent as the SOS signal was then lost. "Did you trace it?" Raf asked.
"Location scan was incomplete. Oh, well." The Autobot shrugged and walked away without a care in the world.
"'Oh, well'? Seriously?" Jack asked in disbelief. Bulkhead was just gonna leave it at that.
"Fowler's a jerk." Bulkhead argued. "And besides, this way he won't be telling the Pentagon about you. Saves you that dissection table."
"Whoa! Whether you like the guy or not the Decepticons may have him. And believe me, I don't want to be dissected, but I'm not just gonna let the guy die because I don't like him." Jack stated. That wouldn't be what his mom would do. As a nurse, she had to deal with patients she didn't like all the time, but that didn't stop her from helping. It's one of the many principles she taught Jack.
"And Agent Fowler knows your location." Raf then gulped when he realized what that truly meant. "Our location."
"And did we not just witness how fast Fowler backs down from a bot?" Miko asked. "The Cons will totally make him squeal."
"But we lost the transmission. Fowler could be anywhere." Bulkhead said.
"Maybe I could narrow it down," Raf said as he kneeled down and pulled out his laptop. "About five years ago, the government started microchipping their agents–you know like owners do with pets."
The others all gave him confused looks. How did he know that?
Raf noticed their stares. "What? I saw it on TV." He revealed as he went back to work. "Anyway, if I can hack into the feds' mainframe, maybe I could pinpoint Fowler's coordinates."
"You know how to hack?" Miko asked in disbelief. "But you're like 2 years old." Jack looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Raf didn't look that young.
"12… and a quarter."
It didn't take long before Raf manage to have a rough estimate of Fowler's coordinates. After putting in the coordinates, Bulkhead left the three in the base, putting Jack in charge. However, as soon as he left, there was an immediate problem.
Miko was gone.
After frantically looking for her throughout the known base, Jack swinging through the corridors with his web shooters helped, they concluded that she must've gone with Bulkhead. They were kind of impressed that she somehow managed to sneak away from them and follow the giant bot.
"What should we do?" Raf asked as he and Jack stood on the platform designed for humans next to the Groundbridge controls. "Bulkhead may not even realize that she followed him."
"Miko hasn't seen the Cons in action like we have," Jack said, recalling the fear he felt when he first faced the Decepticons. While he did end up killing one, that was mostly due to luck and having the element of surprise. He wasn't really looking to any more interactions with the Cons if he could help it. "She has no idea."
Raf was typing away on the consul, which showed the coordinates Bulkhead and Miko were bridged to. "Those are the coordinates. Their destination's still locked in." He said as he looked at Jack, his expression silently asking, "What do we do?"
Jack took a second to think about it. The responsible thing to do would be to contact Arcee and Bumblebee, or even Optimus and Ratchet, inform them of the situation, and let them handle it. But that could take too long, and by then Miko could be captured, or worse.
Or… Jack himself could go rescue Miko and bring her back. He had powers and could easily just grab her and take her with him. However, a part of himself argued against that idea, telling him he shouldn't get any more involved. When he thought that, his mother's words came back to him, but this time, he looked back on them with the advice Optimus had given him, to look at it with a different meaning in mind.
"With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility."
As he thought about the phrase over and over again in his head, he kept trying to think of what other ways this phrase could be interpreted as. As he kept thinking, one idea stuck to him like his webs on the side of a building.
He had power. Power no human on Earth had. The power to change lives, maybe even history itself. Then shouldn't it be his duty, his moral obligation, his responsibility, to use that power for the good of others, instead of doing nothing with it?
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. So much so that he couldn't help but sigh in resignation as he came to a decision.
"Um, you're in charge." He told Raf as he turned and made his way to the Groundbridge.
"In charge of who?" He heard Raf ask as the boy moved to activate the Groundbridge.
Jack had already made it down to the runway by the time Raf managed to catch up with him. The two looked at each other for a moment before nodding and entering the portal, determined to bring their crazy adrenaline junkie friend back from the group of alien-robot Nazis.
What could possibly go wrong?
A/N: A lot.
Sorry this was such a short chapter, but like I said in the beginning, I couldn't really think of many ways how it could be all that different, even with Jack being Spider-Man, so I mainly added some internal musings of Jack, extra lines, and just left it at that. Some Prime Episodes will be like that going forward.
Still, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Hope the next chapter is out soon, and hope it will be longer.
Here's the preview.
Spider's Rising: Part Four:
As Team Prime works to save Agent Fowler from the Decepticons, Jack makes a decision regarding his place in the team.
See you all again soon!