Authors Notes- And here I am back again with yet another chapter of Until You Are No More. As you can gather by now I only own the plot Hasbro owns Transformers. Now that we got that out of the way here is Chapter Four.
Chapter Four: He's Gone
Shockwave watched as Lord Megatron walked into his lab. The boy clutched tightly in his hand. Tears were streaming down the boys pale face. Good. Shockwave thought with mild annoyance. The boy had the nerve to escape when his back was turned, thus postponing his tests he was going to perform on the boy. So, if Lord Megatron hurt him just a little then it was well deserved. Shockwave watched as Megatron dropped Jack onto the table unceremoniously, and was rewarded with a grunt from Jack as he picked himself up.
"I trust you did not damage the test subject?" Shockwave asked, as he picked up a scanner. One he had reprogrammed to recognize organic lifeforms and everything else.
He watched as the boy looked up at him with wide eyes, as he backed away from him. Jack's back pressing up against the wall.
"Do not take me for a fool." Megatron growled, as he grabbed Jack by the front of his shirt with the tips of his fingers. Pulling him forward. "I know all too well that we need him intact for our little project to work, Shockwave, so don't you worry."
Releasing Jack Megatron moved off to the side as Shockwave scanned the boy. Jack whimpered faintly as he did so.
"But tell me," Megatron continued. As Shockwave typed something into the scanner. "Is it ready?"
That got Jack's attention, wiping at his eyes he looked up at the two. "Wh-what are you talking about?" He managed to choke out.
Both Shockwave and Megatron looked down at him. The corner of Megatron's mouth plate turning upwards.
"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to let you in on our little secret." As Megatron said this the two of them moved out of the way. And Jack's eyes settled on what he assumed was a downed Vehicon, Until he got a closer look, and saw that it wasn't.
Laying on the table beside his he saw the prone form of a Cybertronian. Its optics were offline, leaving the color to Jack's imagination. He hoped that whoever he or she was that it wasn't an Autobot. Its armor was a dark purple with gold highlights here and there. Was this poor soul a victim of the mad doctor Shockwave's gruesome and horrific experiments?
"That," Shockwave spoke after a few moments of silence. Jerking Jack from his thoughts. "Will be your new body."
And just like that it seemed like Jack's world crumbled even further. "W-what?" he boy choked out. They had to be joking, right? No, this was messed up. They wouldn't, couldn't do that to him. He was a human, and that was a Cybertronian body. It would never work.
"You'll kill me." Jack managed to choke out, bile rising in his throat, which he choked down. He was going to die here.
"I assure you," Shockwave, as he placed the scanner down, and turned back to a terrified Jack. "This will work." And with that the scientist left Jack alone with Megatron.
The Decepticon smiled at him, as tears welled in Jack's eyes once more. A sight, Megatron thought, as he brushed a talon across the boys cheek. Only to have Jack jerk away, that made the boy seem even more beautiful than when his eyes shone with anger or determination.
"P-please don't do this." Jack whimpered. "I'll do anything you want, just please don't do this."
"But this is what I want." Megatron said. "I know as a fragile, short-lived little human you are nothing to me. But if the transfer is successful, and I have hope that it will be and you will be far better than human. And above all Jack." Megatron said, tucking a taloned finger under Jack's chin, forcing the boy to look up at him. "You will be mine."
Jack was silent, as he looked up at Megatron, just as Shockwave spoke. "Lord Megatron we are ready."
Saying nothing Megatron wrapped his fingers around Jack once more. Lifting the protesting boy up, and placing him on the table next to his new body. Forcing the boy to lay down Megatron watched as energon binds shot out from the table to restrain the boy. Taking a step back Megatron leaned against the wall, arms crossed, smile never leaving his lip plates. As Shockwave typed something into the computer before glancing back at Megatron.
Megatron nodded, giving the scientist the go ahead as he pressed a button. And at that moment Jack's screams echoed all through the base. Soon... Megatron thought. Jackson Darby as they knew him would be no more...
This had to be a nightmare. June thought as she chewed on her finger nails until they were bloody. There was no way the Decepticons had her son. And yet it was true. Silence permeated all around the Autobot base as the Autobots conversed with themselves about the situation. While June sat on the couch, Raf on one side of her, Miko on the other. The kids doing their best to comfort the woman. And God bless their hearts it helped a little, even Agent Fowler tried to reassure her as he handed her a cup on coffee, which she gratefully took with shaking hands. What were they doing to him? Was he hurt? Was he scared? Was he calling out for her?
Oh, how she wished she could just rip out Megatron's spark for taking the one thing she held dear. Her son. Images of Jack flashing through her mind. However, before she could dwell on those thoughts of Jack, Arcee called her name, jerking her from her thoughts. Blinking a couple of times she looked to the blue Autobot. Arcee stared at her, hands on her hips as she looked to the older woman.
"Y-yes?" June asked. Had they found Jack?
"I said I'm taking you home." Arcee repeated.
"B-but what about Jack?" June asked, looking to Optimus and Ratchet.
The orange and white Autobot took a step forward, clearing his throat. Or at least that was what it sounded like to June. "We are doing all we can to find your son, Nurse Darby." Ratchet said. "But tracking down the Decepticon warship will take time, and if I'm being honest there is nothing you can really do right now."
June bristled at the doctors tone, when Optimus stepped forward. "June, I assure you we will do everything in our power to bring Jack back. No matter what-"
"Just like like you would do everything in your power to keep him safe?" June snapped. Blue eyes blazing.
Optimus seemed to flinch at her words. She was right, he had vowed to keep the children safe, and now one of his friends was in the clutches of the Decepticons. Optimus said nothing as the woman moved to where her car was parked. Only to be intercepted by Arcee.
"How about I give you a ride home?" Arcee asked, stopping the woman from opening the door to her car.
"Thanks but no thanks I'm fully capable of driving myself home." June snapped, and moved to open the driver side door once more. Only to have Arcee slam it shut on her once more.
Blinking June looked up into narrowed blue optics of Arcee burning into her eyes. Making her shiver. "I said I'll drive you home. You're in no condition to be driving anyway so please. Let me take you home." As Arcee said this, she transformed and waited somewhat impatiently for the woman to climb on.
Not saying another word Ratchet opened the ground bridge, allowing the two of them to drive through. "B-but what about my car?" June asked.
"You can retrieve it later." Ratchet told her.
Nodding June gripped Arcee's handle bars tighter, and allowed the femme to take her home. It wasn't long before they arrived at the Darby residence. June silently slid off of Arcee as the Autobot waited for the garage door to slide shut before transforming. June looked up at the Autobot that had been assigned to be her sons guardian. Anger swelling in her chest as Arcee looked down at her. Guilt shining in Arcee's optics as Arcee looked down at the human woman.
For the longest time the two stared at each other, until June turned away from the Autobot without another word. Arcee watched as June disappeared, before sighing. Slumping against the wall Arcee mentally kicked herself. How could she have been so careless? Jack had been her responsibility, her partner, her friend. And she had let him and June down. She had let him get captured by the 'Cons. But, she thought, optics blazing, she would do everything in her power to get him back. And not only would she get Jack back, but she would rip out Megatron's spark for taking Jack from her. Sighing Arcee sunk to the ground.
Jack, she thought, as her optics slid shut. Images of the boy flashing through her mind. Please hold on until we can find you.
Meanwhile June found that she could not sleep. The woman paced around her bedroom, her eyes glancing at the clock. Noting that it read 1AM, she should get some sleep. It would not do her any good to wear herself down. And yet, June couldn't bring herself to sleep. Jack was gone. Megatron had him. And she was powerless to do anything about it. Biting down on her bottom lip June began to rummage through her dresser, looking for...something.
When, ahah! She had found it! With a grunt she pulled out a heavy, well-worn photo album. Grabbing it she moved to sit at the edge of the bed, and began to flip through it. A faint smile forming on her lips, as she looked at the pictures she had taken of Jack over the years. Pictures of him playing with his friends when he was little. To when he had won his first spelling bee in the second grade. Pictures of him with his father teaching him how to ride a bike, to fish. God, how she missed those days.
Wiping the tears from her eyes she snapped the book shut, and dropped it onto the nightstand before collapsing onto the bed, sobbing. She didn't care about anything, she just wanted her son back. Letting out a loud, painfilled wail she sobbed well into the early morning, when sleep finally took her. Jack, she thought desperately, please be safe...
Megatron didn't know how long it had been since this little project had started. But he knew he was beginning to grow impatient as Jack's screams continued to echo all throughout the base. Until, after what seemed like forever the boy was still, silent. Megatron's optics fixing on the purple and gold form. Hope forming in the Decepticon leaders chest plate, as he saw the fingers on the Cybertronian body twitch. Had they succeeded? Megatron and Shockwave moved to where the body lay. Just as its optics snapped online. Bright, blue optics stared into Megatron's red ones as the body began to thrash.
"Shockwave." Megatron spoke. Looking to the scientist, as Shockwave typed something into the console.
"It appears the test was a success." Shockwave said.
Just as he said that the body on the table spoke. "W-what..." a static-filled voice choked out. Catching Megatron's attention. A voice Megatron knew all too well. Jack's voice.
"W-what have you done to me?" The mech on the table choked out. Bright blue optics looking up at Megatron questionably. A frown etched on the mechs face plate as he continued to look up at Megatron. "A-and who are you?"
Megatron blinked, before looking to Shockwave, who looked back at his master before turning to type something into the computer.. "Shockwave?" Megatron question, anger tinting his voice.
"It would seem Lord Megatron," Shockwave spoke, as he continued to type something into the console. "That in the process of transferring his mind into the body of the Cybertronian it ended up erasing his memories."
Optics narrowed Megatron moved towards Shockwave. "What do you mean?" He growled out.
"While it was a success it seems that while his mind is intact, his memories are not." Shockwave explained.
Megatron was silent as he took a moment to absorb this information, hand on his chin. When a cold, cruel smile formed on his face plate. Optics glued on the purple and gold mech, as he looked up at Megatron, confused. Sure, this might not be what Megatron had wanted, not be what Shockwave and Megatron had intended. But maybe just maybe this would work in his favor. Megatron's fingers trailed along the confused mechs cheek. Sure, he would have been happy if Jack had retained his memories, it would have been fun to break the boy while in his new body. But maybe, Megatron thought as he continued to look down at Jack.
This would work.
Just as he thought that Shockwave spoke again. "But there is a good chance he can regain his memories."
Megatron looked to him, eyebrow ridge arched. So there was a chance he could bring Jack back. Not like Megatron was going to complain the boy was his no matter what once more he turned his gaze to Jack once again. His smile growing wide, Jack was finally his, and his alone. Body and soul. And the Decepticon would kill anyone or anything that dare get in his way. Jack was his.
Authors Notes- I...wrote this, well, almost all of this in one sitting and now my butt hurts. But never less I hope you enjoy it. And this is The Exhausted Writer signing off, I hope you have a good day.