Trials, Tribulations, and Transformations
XXI - Zero Hour Part Two
Santa Fe, New Mexico - May 8th, 2011 - Sunday, 8:30 am
Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is the oldest state capital in the United States. It is notorious for its beautiful scenery as well as its rich history of the Nativr Americans that once inhabited it before the colonists build their city upon their land.
Among its beautiful scenery were the vast canyons and mountains that surrounded the town, in every direction. In one particular canyon, one which overlooked the city, there was a small hidden bunker inside, not one made by humans, but one crafted by another race, one of alien origin
."Arcee, this place is amazing!" Jack exclaimed.
Arcee smiled grimly. "I know. I hoped we'd never have to resort to using one of these."
"Why's that?" Miko asked. "This place rocks."
Jack looked at her. "Pun intended?"
"Nope," Miko replied. "Totally unintended."
"An answer to your question Miko," Arcee said. "These bunkers were placed here as a contingency plan should the Autobots' base of operations ever become compromised."
Miko purses her lip. "What's a contingency plan? Is that even a word?"
"Miko," Jack said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "A contingency plan is something done in preparation for a future event that is possible but uncertain."
Miko smirked. "You got a dictionary hidden in that mass of hair or something?"
Jack chuckled. "I read a lot. More so since we went into hiding."
"So have I."
"I know."
Arcee pressed a hidden panel in the wall of the bunker, which revealed a holographic keypad. After pressing a number of keys on said keypad, a large section of the wall converted and shifted into a miniature version of an Autobot mainframe. A seat emerged from the floor and shifted into place to compensate for Arcee's small size. She sat down in it and began executing a command in the mainframe.
"Whoa," Miko said, her eyes full of wonder at the sight.
"Wow," Jack said equally as marveled. "What are you doing Arcee?"
"Scanning the surrounding area for MECH activity. Though the groundbridge we used was brief, it's possible they might've picked up its energy signature."
"But they'll be hard pressed to track us down. All of us have split up via groundbridge and even MECH can't hunt all of us at once," Jack said in a calculating way.
"Exactly," Arcee said. "But they might try anyway and I don't want to take any chances."
"What about the 'Cons?" Miko asked nervously. "They can't track this place anymore than they could the original base, right?"
Arcee smiled. "They'll have a harder time to find it, yes. This base is too small and its walls are too well reinforced for it to go under the 'Cons' radar. And no one knows its location but Optimus and myself."
"No one but you and Optimus?" Miko asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I was only given its exact location this morning. Only Optimus had their locations and would only divulge them until needed. That way, there's no way their locations can get out in case any of us are captured."
"So there are other bases like this one?" Jack asked. "And only the ones using theirs know where it is?"
"Yes. Exactly."
"Can we call them?" Miko asked.
"Not right now I'm afraid," Arcee said. "The purpose of these bases is to keep us hidden. If we attempt to contact them here, we might risk exposing the location of this base."
"How long do we have to stay here?" Miko asked, almost whining.
"Until Optimus contacts us."
Jack clenched his jaw anxiously. "Do you know how long until he does?"
"He gave an estimated time: three days."
Miko gasped. "We have to be cooped up in this...place for three days?!"
Arcee looked pointedly at Miko. "This place is the safest we're going to get Miko. But if need be, you and Jack can leave to get some air, but only if I'm with you. We can't afford not to be discreet."
"What if MECH or the 'Cons find us?" Jack asked.
"Jack, they can't find this base because it's too well hidden. They couldn't find our other base in the past two earth-decades. These smaller ones have been here for centuries. The only ones who know about it are the three of us and Optimus. But if we so happen to run into MECH or the 'Cons, we run for it but we do not lead them back here. We need to lose them first. If the base is compromised, we'll have lost our best place of hiding."
Miko shuddered. "Wow, this is intense."
"Intense?" Jack said as though he hadn't heard correctly. "Not the word I'd use to describe the situation we're in Miko...buuuut you're not wrong."
Miko smiled. "Just trying to keep a level head."
"I hear ya," Jack said. "You're taking all this very well."
"What can I say? I'm an adventurer."
"When were you not?" Jack asked grinning.
Boulder, Colorado - 9:00 am
"Aren't the mountains beautiful?"
Vince shrugged as he had his elbow on the windowsill of his seat.. "They're nice, I guess. But we're not here for sightseeing Jon, we're hiding."
"So what?" Jon said. "Doesn't mean we can't enjoy the ride while we still can."
"You're taking this awfully well Jon," Katie said, sitting in the right backseat. "Aren't you scared?"
"Scared?" Jon answered. "I'm trying not to be so I'm occupying myself. The key thing is not to panic."
"Panic?" Sierra said nervously from the center backseat. "Who's panicking? I'm not panicking."
Katie grabbed her friend by the arm. "Siri! Breathe!"
Sierra, almost hyperventilating, took a deep breath, exhaled and repeated the process.
Katie massaged her shoulders very gently while her friend did her breathing.
In a matter of moments, Sierra's breathing returned to normal and she relaxed.
For the moment anyway.
"You doing ok Sierra?" Agent Fowler asked, who did not take his eyes off the road in front of him, even though he knew he did not need to.
An indignant voice emitted from the audio speakers in the van.
"Ok?!" it cried. "Fowler, seriously?!"
"It's a fair and thoughtful question Bulkhead," Fowler said.
"Like scrap it is!" Bulkhead roared. "We're on the run and you're treating this like a vacation! Well it ain't Fowler, it's war and now these kids, including your own, are caught up in it!"
Sierra burst into tears. She covered her face in her hands and Katie held her in her arms.
Vince looked up, anger in his eyes. "Quite the charmer huh?"
Bulkhead said nothing, cursing himself inwardly for his inconsideration.
Fowler glared at the radio as though he were staring the Wrecker in the face. "Maybe you should keep quiet until we reach our destination two-ton."
Bulkhead did not answer with words. But the action of turning off his audio systems - which was equivalent to a radio system turning off - was answer enough.
"So where are we going dad? Jon asked. "I mean exactly where are we going?"
"Someplace hidden son. Only Bulkhead knows where it is and for now, it's best if only he knows."
"Why?" Vince asked.
"Discretion," Fowler answered evenly. "And that's all you need to know."
Vince scoffed but said nothing more. His severe expression fell into a sympathetic one as he laid a comforting hand on Sierra's back, who was still shaking in near-hysterical tears. Her best friend Katie continued to hold her in her arms, rocking her back and forth, whispering words of consolation all the while.
Jon watched the scene sadly through the rear view mirror. "Do we have an ETA?"
Fowler observes the radio. "Bulkhead?"
The radio read in digital texting, 7 minutes.
Fowler nodded. "Not much longer kids. Bulkhead, pull over for a second."
Bulkhead pulled over to the side of the road and put himself in parking.
Fowler reached back so that he could look at the red-haired, hysterical girl.
"Sierra," Fowler said gently.
Said girl, now sobbing softly, looked up from her friend's shoulder to look at the Special Agent.
Her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks stained with tears.
"I know it's tough, I really do," Fowler said. "But you gotta keep your head."
Sierra sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I'm...I'm sorry, I must look like an idiot."
"Go ahead, be as idiotic as you want," Fowler said firmly. "You can dance a jig or even stick your head out of the sunroof, as long you don't panic Sierra. That is the key in this situation, not to panic. Ok?"
Sierra nodded. "Ok," she croaked.
Fowler smiled.
But then his smile fell into a look of shock and alarm as the vehicle suddenly moved at an alarming speed.
Everyone was thrown back into their seats by the sudden impact of speed.
"Bulkhead! What are you-?!"
"Incoming bogies! And they're coming fast!"
"What?!" Fowler cried.
Denver, Colorado - 9:00 am
"How do you think the others are doing?"
"I'm sure they're fine Sari," Dr. Sumdac said, trying to sound assuring. But judging by the slight quiver in his movements, even his own daughter could tell that he was quite shaken.
"Fine maybe, but far from safe," Captain Fanzone said, not taking his eyes off the road. "The same goes for us."
"Captain!" Dr. Sumdac snapped.
"It's true," Fanzone said dryly.
Before Dr. Sumdac could give an angry retort, his daughter cut him off. "It's ok dad, I may only be 13 years old but I'm not naive. I know how bad our situation. I know it's a matter of life and death. I know we are being hunted. I know."
Dr. Sumdac looked at his daughter through the rear view mirror with grim sadness. And yet he was proud of her, very proud of her.
She has too much of her mother in her.
Momentarily lost in his nostalgic train of thought, Dr. Sumdac heard a sentence but did not quite get the entirety of it.
"...the key is…" Dr. Sumdac heard Raf Esquivel say from his side in the backseat.
Dr. Sumdac in a near panic rush, turned to face the boy genius. "I'm sorry Rafael, what did you say?" he said rather quickly and almost in a demanding way.
Rafael was rather surprised and bewildered by this sudden reaction, almost as much as Sari was. "I-I said that the k-key is not to puh-puh-panic," He said a bit shakily.
"Oh," Dr, Sumdac said now sounding quite sheepish. "Of course, very good." He turned back around just as quickly and sat back in his seat as though nothing had happened.
Sari looked in Raf's direction. Since when does he stutter?
"Dad?" Sari said, cocking an eyebrow. "What was that about?"
"What was 'what' about?" Dr. Sumdac said trying to sound innocent.
Sari narrowed her eyes slightly and crossed her arms. "You freaked out just now. You never freak out. What was it that Raffy said that got to you?"
Dr. Sumdac nervously pulled on the collar of his jacket. As the reality sunk in of his outburst, he slumped in shame. "I...I'm sorry Sari and to you as well Rafael, I don't know what came over me."
"It's ok Dr," Raf said, adjusting his glasses. "This is a very rough situation and I know that's putting it lightly."
Sari smiled. He's so sweet. "So nothing's wrong dad?"
"No no Sari, I'm alright. I promise."
Sari was not convinced but she decided to leave it alone for now.
Something's up, I just know it.
"Uncle Carm?"
The police captain answered curtly as usual. "Yeah?"
"Where are we going exactly?"
"Can't tell ya," Fanzone said. "But you'll see when we get there."
"It's safe of course," Raf said anxiously.
"Fowler says it is."
"And Optimus of course," Dr. Sumdac said.
Captain Fanzone let out an exasperated groan as though the mention of the Prime's name offended him.
Raf felt like his heart was burning. The way this man regularly showed contempt towards the Autobots, against Optimus of all people, he didn't like it one bit.
"What do you have against Optimus?" Raf asked suddenly.
Captain Fanzone was almost startled.
"What'd you say?"
Raf adjusted his glasses.
His eyes were narrowed slightly.
"You did not bother to hide your contempt for the Autobots since day one, especially towards Optimus? Why?"
Captain Fanzone flinched. A surge of anger rose up in his bosom and he was tempted to tell this...this boy off. But given his years as an agent of law enforcement, as a police captain, he had acquired certain disciplines including the means to quell his anger.
Instead of raging, he answered calmly, "I don't know these...aliens. And yet I have to place my life including the lives of my charges into their massive, robotic hands."
"But you can count on them anyway," Raf said with thinly-veiled anger. "Surely you heard enough of them to know that their sparks are in the right place."
Fanzone raised an eyebrow. "Their what?"
"Their sparks," Raf said. "It is the Cybertronian equivalent of a heart."
"Oh, is that so?" Fanzone said sarcastically. "So they're not just robots, they're alive?"
Rafael stood his ground. "That's right."
"That's enough!"
Fanzone and Rafael almost jumped in their seats.
"I will not have us wasting time!" Dr. Sumdac snapped. "I will not have us wasting precious time which could be used for planning how we're going to survive!"
The professor turned to his bodyguard and oldest friend. "Captain Fanzone, not another crossword of our protectors, is that understood?"
"Yes sir," Captain Fanzone said meekly.
"And Rafael?"
Raf adjusted his glasses nervously as he made eye contact with the professor who was looking at him through the rear view mirror. It was a stern look but not an unkind one.
"I understand your anger Rafael, it is valid but now is not the time to be disputing the value of Autobots."
"Of course professor," Raf replied.
Nodding in acknowledgment, Sumdac pulled out a scrap of paper, took out a pair of reading glasses and observed the paper as though it were a fine piece of art.
"What is that?" Raf asked.
"A diagram and list of clues of where the base is."
Captain Fanzone frowned. "Why's it in print form?"
Dr. Sumdac smiled. "Because paper can't be hacked."
"Brilliant!" Raf exclaimed in astonishment. "How much longer?"
"Just a few minutes," Dr. Sumdac answered. "It's just a bit of way down this road, then through a woodland trail and at the base of one of the Rocky Mountains."
"A base concealed in the base of a mountain?" Sari said.
"Yes, a rather elegant location indeed."
Undisclosed location
"Lord Megatron?"
The hulking and menacing form of the Leader of the Decepticons stood upright and rigid. His hands were folded behind his back as he observed the steady stream of data in the number of screens on the main bridge of the Nemesis Warship.
He did not move an inch when he answered the soldier who had addressed him.
"Speak."
The Vehicon trooper flinched upon hearing the commanding yet grave voice of his master. He thought he might've gotten used to it by now if he did not find his leader's disposition so foreboding.
In a fraction of a second, he straightened himself out and composed himself. "Reports have come in of what humans call an organic tracking chip, one that has only moments ago been reactivated, one that belongs to a Special Agent William Fowler."
Megatron turned to look at the Vehicon. His legendary glare was unsettling but the Vehicon managed to force himself from recoiling.
"Reactivated you say?"
"Y-Yes my liege," The Vehicon answered. "We don't know why but Soundwave seems to believe that someone within their government has reactivated it so that his location could be revealed."
A traitor among their ranks. A MECH agent no doubt.
"Anything else?"
"There are four human life signs, belonging to youths, accompanying him. The Autobots' pets no doubt."
Megatron smirked. "One of which is Fowler's offspring no doubt."
The Vehicon nodded. "Yes my lord. And also, Soundwave has detected several oncoming bogies closing in on their position. They're hostile and they're not any of our troops."
MECH.
"Any sign of any Autobots?" Megatron asked.
"None that we could see. It's possible that they might be cloaked sir."
Impossible. The Autobots do not possess the technology to mask their energy signatures.
"Shall we move to extract Lord Megatron?"
"No," Megatron said firmly holding up a dismissive hand. "We observe and wait for an opportunity."
The Vehicon knew better than to object but being the bold one he was, he answered before he could censor it.
"And risk losing invaluable hostages as well as intel my liege?"
Megatron grimaced. "What did you say?"
The Vehicon choked. "I-I...that is to say…the Autobots value their human pets and we could use them my liege."
Megatron raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
"Uh yes, they will have had access to many Autobot secrets. We could use that and we cannot afford to lose them to whomever is stalking them at this moment."
Megatron did not lose his frown but he did not seem less pleased.
"Very well," Megatron replied after a considerable moment of contemplation. "Send for Breakdown."
"He's resting my liege."
Megatron fixed the Vehicon with a look of warning.
The Vehicon trembled. "A-At once Lord Megatron."
The Vehicon turned to leave but was stopped when a massive clawed hand was placed on his shoulder.
He froze and barely kept himself from trembling.
Megatron looked at him with a searching look. "What is your name?"
"M-my name?"
"Answer."
"S-Stockade my liege," he stuttered. "My name is Stockade."
Megatron nodded in acknowledgement. "Go. Fetch Breakdown and tell him to make haste."
"At once my liege."
The Vehicon - Stockade - bowed and swept out of the Bridge.
Megatron watched him go.
Once the automatic doors sealed behind Stockade, Megatron noticed that several Vehicons below the Bridge had turned from their stations to observe the interaction between himself and Stockade.
They immediately returned to their stations when Megatron gave them a threatening look.
Satisfied, he turned back to the monitors. He frowned as his sense of foreboding continued to unsettle his mind.
What are you up to Optimus? How have you masked your signal as well as those of your soldiers? Have you discovered designs for groundbreaking cloaking technology from that data cylinder? Is it so effective that not even Soundwave can find you?
Megatron stroked his chin and he grimaced as a new thought occurred to him.
Or has your distress signal reached your own communication officer? One who may very well be on par with my own.
Megatron had hoped he was wrong. And yet the grim anticipation of an even greater challenge was palpable to him.
He smiled. I'm confident you will not disappoint Optimus.
Voice Cast
Jack Darby - Josh Keaton
Miko Nakadai - Tania Gunadi
Arcee - Sumalee Montano
Agent William Fowler - Ernie Hudson
Jonathan Fowler - Shameik Moore
Vince Raider - Brad Raider
Sierra Krosney - Alexandra Krosney
Katie Steinfeld - Hailee Steinfeld
Raf Esquivel - Andy Pessoa
Sari Sumdac - Grace Rolek
Dr. Isaac Sumdac - Tom Kenny
Captain Carmine Fanzone - Kurtwood Smith
Megatron - Frank Welker
Stockade - Andre Sogliuzzo