Terror resonated inside Wilson's hard drive as Swiftshadow bolted out the door. He could barely get a word out as she disappeared. His claws skittered across the floor as he tried to chase after Swiftshadow.
He cursed himself. He should've known that this would happen. The girl was not ready to face her past. Wilson didn't dare count the number of restless nights he had to sit through as she whimpered and wined. He could only whisper soothing murmurs in her ear as she twitched and jittered.
A hand reached down and grabbed him. He was about to squirm out of its grip when he realized that it was Carmen. She held him in her good arm as she raced after the dragon.
"Player, do have a lock on her?"
"The tracer indicates that she headed west." Player said.
Right, Wilson reminded himself. He was still patched into their comm system. Wilson focussed inward concentrating on the comm patch. He found himself inside the main server. Players codes and firewalls were quite impressive, Wilson mused. He soon fond what he was looking for. He wormed his way around a firewall and accessed the the tracers tracking systems.
"She's already several blocks away," Wilson hooked onto Carmen's coat and crawled up onto her shoulders.
"Then we'd better hurry," Gray sprinted next to them. The pair leapt out the window that Swiftshadow shattered during her others were no doubt boarding their cars to aid in the search. They grappled themselves onto the roof of the nearest building. Hopefully they would be able to spot her if she was in the sky.
Wilson directed them to Swiftshadow's location which by some miracle had stopped moving. A part of him was relieved but another part worried over the implications.
A petrified roar cut through the night.
They crested a roof peak only to be greeted by a horrifying scene. Lockdown lifting a writhing furious Swiftshadow trapped inside a net.
"Let her go," Carmen ordered the behemoth. Gray was slack jawed as he tried to process what he was seeing.
"Or you'll what? Throw another string at me?" Lockdown mocked. A callous smile stretched across his face. He was right, Carmen realized. There was nothing she could do to harm him. She doubted that any amount of earth currency would be able to buy him off. She was nothing compared to this titan.
"I'll do this," But she did have one thing. It wasn't much but it was all she had. She pulled out her laser cutter into Lockdowns eye and fired. The bounty hunter reeled and cursed as his optic fritzed at the sudden bright light.
The revving of an engine brought up a sliver of hope. But it was not any of ACME's fleet that came charging to the rescue.
A white sports car sped down the street. Green and red stripes lined its hood and roof. Its blinding headlights cast darkened shadows across Lockdown's face.
"You heard the lady!" Its panels buckled and shifted as it leapt into the air. The cars parts rearranged themselves into a large robot. It brought a fist down on lockdown's jaw. "Let her go!"
Lockdown dropped the net as he staggered from the impact. He retaliated with a swing from his hook. The newcomer parried with a drawn blade. Sparks flashed as the metal blades clashed. Metallic bangs and screeches grated on Carmen's ears pounded into her chest.
Carmen did not know who this guy was, but he seemed to be on their side. At least she hoped so.
"C'mon," She said pulling Graham out of his stupor. Hooking a grappling hook into an eave she rappelled down the building. Wilson twitched anxiously on her shoulders. Gray followed closely behind.
Swiftshadow gnashed at the net. Every thrash only ensnared her more. The cable net caught and hooked onto her horns and scales.
Carmen made a beeline for her. A large metal foot cut her off. The New comer was now on the defensive as Lockdown managed to dig his hook into his forearm. The newcomer grunted in pain as he shoved lockdown off of him. The hook tor away creating a large gash. Blue liquid dripped from the wound.
"Wheeljack!" Swiftshadow shouted. Driven on by fury she doubled her efforts to escape.
Lockdown laughed, "Is this what counts as a wrecker these days? Ive honestly had better challenges from a turbo fox,"
"I'm just getting warmed up," Wheeljack countered. The white mech jabbed a sword into Lockdown's shoulder. Lockdown grunted as he kicked Wheeljack away tearing the blade out.
Carmen wormed her way around the battling titans. They were surprisingly quick and agile for their size. One misplaced step or plasma blast would be the end of her. Gray remained close behind her as a blast tore a chunk out of the street. Dust and gravel rained down upon her hat. Wilson's sickle claws dug into her shoulders. The titans battle sounded like thunder.
Carmen skidded to Swiftshadow's side, pulling out her laser cutter. "I'm getting you out, Just hold on,"
"Hang still for minute there girl," Wilson joined Carmen in cutting the cables. Swiftshadow quieted her struggling as the pair worked to free her. One by one they snapped with a twang. The moment Carmen cut through a final cable, Swiftshadow sprang free.
"We've gotta help him," She said.
"I'm assuming you mean the white robot and not the guy trying to capture you," Said Wilson.
"Why would we do that?" Questioned Gray.
"Because he's a friend," She answered.
Swiftshadow knew she had to do something. She couldn't sit by and watch Wheeljack get pummelled into oblivion. The scarlet lightning bolt still indicated that the generator was still out of juice. She cursed. between all the craziness of the last couple of days she hadn't had the time or energy to charge the thing. Wilson was too busy fixing the Neural interface.
Another set of headlights pulled up to the group. For a moment Swiftshadow feared it was another Decepticon. The cars navy blue exterior showed that it was ACME's. Chase, Julia, Zack, Ivy, and Shadow-san raced up to the group.
"Whoa," Zack gaped, "This is like that Michael Bay movie, Go-bots: Knights of the moons extinction,"
"I don't think if you noticed, but what are we going to do against a twenty foot robot?" Gray point at the clashing Cybertronians. "I don't think that we have anything that could hurt them."
"You do," She said, "You have me. I just need a power source,"
"Doesn't Wilson have a taser?" Ivy questioned.
"I can't generate the necessary voltage. Even if I could It would no doubt drain my power cells completely leaving me dead as a doornail,"
Carmen's eyes widened with an idea, "Gray, do you have your crackle rod?"
"Yeah, but I've modified it so it can't do much more than stun," He said pulling a long taser stick out from his jacket.
"How many volts and amps can it max out?" Asked Wilson.
"Three hundred million volts and about thirty thousand amps" answered Gray. "But you'd only get one shot at that level,"
"How fast can you rewire that thing?" Said Carmen.
Gray looked out to the battling robots. Lockdown uppercutted Wheeljack's jaw. "Too long."
"Give me the device," Ordered Wilson.
Gray glanced at the device before handing it to the little dinosaur. Wilson scanned the rod before prying off a panel, exposing the raw circuits inside. Flicking out several tools from his claws he got to work.
"And done," Wilson announced handing the rod to Carmen.
"Everyone stand back," Swiftshadow aimed herself at the clashing titans. She felt Carmen land the live end of the rod on her neck. Electricity fired through her veins and coursed through her scales. Her back and wings zinged with the volts. She channelled it into throat and mouth.
Now all she needed was an opening. She had one shot and she didn't want to hit Wheeljack. It wasn't until Lockdown gave Wheeljack a well placed kick that she found that opening. By then her jaws ached from holding in that energy.
She fired.
Her aim was true. The bolt hit Lockdown square in the back. The mech shouted in pain as he staggered a step be fore falling to the ground, unconscious.
Swiftshadow panted as the static left her shoulders. "Hey, Wheeljack, Long time no see,"
"Now where'd you learn a trick like that?" Wheeljack wiped the energon off his blade.
"Dakota City," She felt Wilson settle himself on her shoulders.
"You know you threw the whole base into quite the tizzy when you ran off. Was pretty sure Ratchet was going have a spark attack looking for you."
"I know." Swiftshadow drooped with shame, "But I needed to figure myself out. Spread my own wings."
"I get it. I've done my fair share of lone wolfing," He winked at her.
"And who is this?" Said Chase.
"This is my friend Wheeljack," Swiftshadow Introduced the mech.
Lockdown groaned.
"Could you hold off Introductions I gotta take care of something real quick." Wheeljack walked over to the prone bounty hunter. He flipped Lockdown onto his front and fastened a pair of stasis cuffs on his wrists. He pulled out a data pad and typed in few commands.
The rumbling of engines drew Swiftshadow's attention to the sky. A spaceships lights shone down onto the street. It settled before a crew of flabbergasted faces. A ramp extended down as a pair of doors slid open with a hiss.
Wheeljack hoisted Lockdown up by the cuffs and dragged him into the vessel. Swiftshadow trotted up to the ramps base as Wheeljack secured Lockdown in a holding cell. She felt the others catch up to her as Wheeljack exited the ship.
"That takes care of that," He said dusting his hands off as he emerged. "Now where were we?"
"Introductions?" Said Zack.
"Right,"
"Firstly this here is my best friend and travel companion Wilson," Swiftshadow pointed to the robot dinosaur on her back.
"Travel companion, eh? Hopefully you've been keeping her out of trouble," Said Wheeljack.
"Trying." Responded, "Unfortunately trouble has a habit of finding us,"
"I hear ya," Wheeljack chuckled slightly, "And them?"
"This is Carmen, Zack, Ivy, Chase, Julia, and Shadow-san, They're a part of ACME and have been a huge help in recovering my memories," said Swiftshadow.
"So I am assuming that the machine worked?" Said Julia.
"Yup, I now know where home is," Swiftshadow cracked a smile, "Speaking of which, I kinda need a ride,"
"I'd be happy to oblige," Said Wheeljack stepping aside to allow Swiftshadow the board.
"Before you go," Julia stepped forward holding out the tome, "I think you'll need this,"
"Don't you need it to translate?" Said Wilson.
"No worries, I've made a digital copy," She winked. Wilson delicately took the book into his claws and held it close to his chest.
"Thank you," he said.
"So this it," Carmen stated, "Your finally going home,"
"Well I would take you all with me but you know…"
"I understand," Carmen voice echoed with hard won experience, " There are some things that are best done with limited company,"
"And if you need help wrangling a cursed gem out the hands of a bad guy," Said Ivy.
"You can call on us," Finished Zack.
"I'll keep that in mind," Swiftshadow grinned.
"We need to get moving before we attract unwanted attention," Wheeljack urged.
Swiftshadow nodded as she walked up the ramp. "It's been fun hanging with you guys,"
"Maybe the next time we meet, we wont end up fighting a flock of demonic sheep," said Carmen.
"I hope not. Once was more than enough," Swiftshadow stepped back as the ramp retreated into the ship and the doors slid shut.
Julien studied the scarlet ram in his hand intently. The sunlight glittered and danced over it surface. A fine addition to his collection. He placed it on the desk before him next to his other diamonds.
The bear, the raven, the stag, the ram, and finally the serpent that lay coiled on his lapel. Two more were left to collect. The wolf and the panther.
He scoured the internet for the wolf. The reports he found were quite discouraging. It had been stolen by a crook named Neal the Eel. While Neal had been arrested for attempted to rob the tower of London, the gem had remained unrecovered. Malic Korvoth was having difficulties in locating it.
That left the panther. It had once been located in the village of Dulsbury where his uncle once lived. It had been taken and moved to an unknown place of high security. But Malic said he could still feel its presence.
"Do we have the strength to go after the panther?" He asked aloud.
'More than enough,' The dark voice whispered back.
'Excellent,' Julien thought back.