It was around twilight when the team of Autobots eventually arrived in Chicago. The sky was a dull grey and rain darkened the pavement in black spots. The Autobots drove through the centre of the city, the grey buildings matching the back-drop of the bleak sky. Chicago looked as if a battle had never happened. The buildings that had been raised to the ground had been masterfully rebuilt, and new buildings were under heavy construction. However, there was one thing that stood out to the whole of three Chicago skyline: Jewelers Tower was still coated in Cybertronian metallic alloy, the metal shining in the twilight sun, clearly marking the day the Earth was about to be turned into a new Cybertron.
"Man, talk about déjà vu." Braedey muttered to himself as he looks on.
"There is an abandoned church on the edge of the suburbs. It will only take about fifteen minutes to drive to the KSI factory from there." Optimus informed to everyone on the Comms.
"Is that where we're going to stay?" Braedey asked.
"Yes. The location is convenient and we are not likely to be bothered by anybody." Optimus added.
"Keep in formation, Autobots." Elita called next on Comms.
The Autobots soon arrive at the church and the humans all hopped out of the cabs of their vehicles, glad of the chance to stretch their legs after the long drive from Arizona. Daphne smiled as she hugged her father, saying to him that Elita was very fast and she enjoyed riding about with her.
An hour later, they were all settled in the church, which was completely empty, save for two dusty couches, a candle stand and a few religious figurines. The stain-glass windows hadn't seen a good clean for a few years at the very least, judging by the thick layer of dust that covered them. Daphne was curled up under a blanket on one couch whilst Henry occupied the other, all the while listening to Braedey. Ravage sat by their side. Braedey sat hunched over a paper in the corner, Optimus and the other Autobots looming over him. They murmured quietly to each other, working out a plan.
"Alright. There's a full-on manhunt out for all of us." Braedey stated. "If we're gonna beat Cemetery Wind, we need to be smart and tactical about this."
"So, what's your plan, humie?" Hound asked curiously as he knelt down to look on.
"Henry, Daphne. An old friend will be here soon to help. You three will be in charge of grabbing only the essentials. Food, water, nothing else." Braedey said to the two kids. "Grab what you need, be back no later than 7:00."
"So, who's this human you asked to help?" Crosshairs asked in suspicion.
"An old friend. We used to serve in NEST before it was disbanded." Braedey said back.
Just then, the rumble of a motor could be heard, the Autobots now getting tense for what it might be. A black 1970 Dodge Charger muscle car drove up and stops nearby, and behind the wheel is Scorcher Dragonfire himself, now with a black leather jacket and fingerless gloves, as well as goggles.
"Everyone, meet Scorcher." Braedey announced. "He and his lover Sheeva helped us during the Battle of Egypt."
Scorcher climbed out of the car, standing tall. "Autobots. So, seven years pass by after Chicago, and we meet here once again... It seems ironic?" He remarked.
"Scorcher, thanks again for coming on such short notice." Braedey thanked, the two sharing a brotherly embrace. "We need your help."
"Sure. What do you need?" Scorcher asked, while giving a salute over to the Autobots. Braedey soon explained the situation with then and Cemetery Wind, and the connection with KSI. "I see. This is definitely a very serious operation. I'll do what I can on my end."
"Chicago KSI headquarters is built like that of a fortress. We're all gonna find a way into their top-secret military wing. Find something to blackmail this company and the government. We're gonna get our freedom back once and for all." Braedey said to the others, then looked to Scorcher. "You work in KSI, don't you?"
"Of course. I even work in the department." Scorcher pointed out, which got their attention. "I can get in and get as much info about what is happening inside. I do have a meeting planned with the CEO Joshua Joyce in about an hour." He added.
"Damn, son." Bumblebee spoke up using his radio. "Looks like we've got a Mystery on our hands, gang."
"Bee is right. We need to find out more of what's going on inside of KSI so we can shut it down, and see what we can find." Braedey added in. "We'll need all the intel."
"I can do whatever I can on my end, and see if I can find a way to get any of you guys inside." Scorcher now said to them. "Maybe find something useful."
"Thanks a lot, Buster." Hound spoke up.
"Scorcher, we thank you for what you're doing." Optimus said to Scorcher. "And for you putting your life on the line."
"I'd do anything for friends and family." Scorcher replied back to them. "Sheeva, Maria, and Emma... I would do anything for them. Even for you."
"Best you get going." Elita advised. With that, Scorcher got back into his car, and he drove away to go to KSI.
"Ya think we can trust 'im?" Crosshairs asked to Braedey with a raised eyebrow.
"I trust him, Crosshairs. He helped out, and he'll do so again." Braedey spoke back firmly. "For the time being, we'll have to sit tight and wait. Scorcher's wife Sheeva will also help out with the clothes. Though I'd imagine they wouldn't let their kids be involved."
"Their actions and reasons are necessary, given the circumstances." Optimus agreed.
"Guess we got to wait on Dragonfire's behalf." Elita shrugged her shoulder plates.
Sure enough, after a few minutes of driving through the city, Scorcher arrived at KSI HQ, fortunately in the nick of time. He parked up his car, then heads on forth into the building, after going through keycard security, and he goes off to find Joshua Joyce with Darcy Tirrel in Joyce's office.
"Mr. Joyce, my apologies." Scorcher sighed in relief. "Just had to deal with some traffic. It's a nightmare."
"Mr. Dragonfire, glad to see you're here." Joyce acknowledged to him.
Darcy sighed in exasperation. "Why can't I get in touch with you?" She sighed.
"Miss Tirrel." Scorcher nodded casually. He found the blonde to be a bit of a pain, but he tolerated her every now and then.
Darcy now looked to Joyce as she gestured to some files in hand. "Don't you realise what these find means? The metal composition that coats the whole of Jewelers Tower clearly shows fragments within it that are unstable. This mineral you've got us digging up and looking for is a lot more dangerous than you think. And my people..."
Joyce picked up the file. "Darcy, I think that you've been out in the field for far too long. Why don't we discuss things over dinner? Ribs?" He offered.
Darcy scoffed. "Not a chance."
"You have no idea what's been happening here." Joshua now rips up Darcy's file. "We're about to make the quantum leap."
"What might that be?" Scorcher asked.
Later, Joyce lead Darcy and Scorcher over to one of the KSI labs, Joshua showing Darcy some kind of metallic alloy in broken shards going along a conveyor belt.
"What is this stuff?" Scorcher asked in curiosity.
"A rare and unique metal. Molecularly unstable." Joyce picked up a set of tweezers and picked up one piece of the metal. "Industrial uses: none. And then the aliens came, and we made the connection. It's what they're made of."
"It's their metal alloy of their bodies." Scorcher now realised.
"Correct." Joyce agreed, him now leading Darcy and Scorcher off to another part of the lab. "Come this way."
'So, KSI are collecting the metallic alloy from the bodies of the deceased Autobots and Decepticons that Cemetery Wind supplies KSI with.' Scorcher thought. 'The pieces are falling into place.'
Gill Wembley, one of the scientists, began to lead them into a tech lab. "It's the Holy Grail. "Transformium", that's what we're calling it." He announced.
Joyce pointed to him. "Focus-grouped. Catchy. Trademarked."
'Meh. Seems too tongue-and-cheek for me.' Scorcher shrugged mentally.
Wembley nodded. "Yeah. This is the greatest advance in modern physics since the splitting of the atom. It's programmable matter. And now, we've mapped its genome..."
"I." Joyce pointed out.
Wembley shrugged. "Now you've mapped its genome." He corrected.
"And now, we can begin to give it instructions." Joshua takes a small piece of the transformium as a white sphere into his hand and holds it up to Darcy.
Wembley stood by Darcy and Scorcher. "This is extremely good. Watch this." He pushed a button, and suddenly, the Transformium started changing shape, but with an electronic sound to it as Joyce danced his hands around with the programmable matter. "We can change anything into anything."
"Sensual, almost. Don't you think?" Joyce chuckles. "Do you like music?" Joshua makes the transformium turn into a Beats speaker. "The Pill."
"Impressive." Scorcher shrugged, Darcy in awe.
"Perhaps something a little more violent?" Joshua now makes the transformium change into a gun.
"Unique..." Scorcher mused.
Darcy looked in awe. "Oh, my God. You've done it."
Later, Joyce shows off concept art of robots on the moon and in other places around the world in a presentation room. "In aerospace, the military, we will own the entire robotics industry. All exploration. The oceans, space, everything. Wembley. What is this?" Joyce points over to the large monitor screen showing jellyfishes.
"The jellyfish commercial that you wanted. You said they were erotic yet deadly, like women." Wembley pointed out.
Joyce shook his head. "I never said that."
Gill Wembley nodded. "Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't." Joyce interjected.
Gill Wembley looked in confusion. "I definitely heard you say it, cause you were talking about your ex-girlfriend, who is sexy, but a bitch."
"Please don't eat on the tour." Joyce asked.
Gill points over to Darcy who is following behind Joshua and Scorcher as they walk out. "Is that her?"
Later on, Braedey was checking over Hound and Bumblebee's internal systems to see if they need any repairs or not, while Sheeva, who's arrived a little later after Scorcher had left for KSI, and she arrived back with the kids after getting their new clothes.
"Oh, there you are. What you get?" Braedey asked as he got down from Bumblebee's shoulder.
"I managed to find some fancy clothing and some relaxed clothes for you to replace your current attires." Sheeva explained as she walked up with the kids.
"Anything else?" Braedey asked.
"Got these." Daphne pulled out some packaged food. "This is what I could find."
"This will do." Braedey nodded back to her, then he looked over at Henry. "You alright?"
"Just a little stressed out here and there with what is happening right now." Henry said back.
"Just hope that Mr. Scorcher will be able to get some useful information." Daphne said softly, Bumblebee gently patting her head with his finger.
Back at KSI, Joyce was leading Darcy and Scorcher to see the military prototype drones. But as they do so, Scorcher took notice of something: one of the bays looks to have been broken into with a team of wrecking balls, with a number of people looking about to try and figure out what's happened.
"Mr. Joyce, was this where one of your prototypes was housed?" Scorcher asked his boss, Joyce looking on in shock and bewilderment of what's happened to the hangar bay.
Joyce looked at the damage sustained to the hangar, while also taking note of the security guards examine the area. "I don't understand. What happened here? What happened to Project G?"
'Project G? That sounds like trouble.' Scorcher thought to himself.
"We're still looking through security cameras. One moment, Project G was there, but then, the cameras go dark. A few moments later, the cameras come back online, and it was gone." One security guard informed to Joyce.
"How does someone just charge into KSI and steal a drone, much less one of such size?" Scorcher asked in bewilderment. He turns to Joyce. "Is there more?"
Joyce gestured to them to follow him. They make their way to another hangar bay, where many scientists and other technicians are working on the latest prototype.
"This is our 2nd military prototype,Motormaster." Joyce announced as they look at the robot before them. "Wait. I don't understand. Why does he keep turning out like this?" He questioned.
"We're not sure. Maybe it's just some bugs in the final rendering." Wembley answered back.
Scorcher eyed the robot that's being built before them. Motormaster looks to stand 40ft tall, around the same height as Optimus, however it has a gunmetal grey and silvery body colour, the rest of the form being symmetrical and streamlined, plus a turbine hole in the chestplate, while the helm looks like Optimus.
"I modelled Motormaster after Optimus Prime. Why does he keep looking like a combination of him and Megatron?" Joyce demanded, then relaxed. "Simple coding." Joyce suddenly gets angry and shouted out as he smacked against a screen. "Algorithms! Math! Why can't we make what we want to make, the way we want to make it?! Why?!" He demanded, then gestured to the hole in Motormaster. "And what about that big hole in the chest?"
Wembley shrugged. "I think it's bad-ass. I like it."
"Well, I hate it." Joyce scoffed.
Joshua now goes over to small glass cage, where Brains is being imprisoned, the little robot still alive and kicking, but stuck with his dead-end job.
Brains looks over his shoulder to see Joyce and sighed. "Oh, here he is. That bald-headed Doc Frankenstein. Ma'am, this is not legal. This is illegal experimentation. Aliens would never do this to people! Eat you, kill you, maybe, but that's it. This ain't right! Nobody puts baby in a box!" He berated. Joshua indicates for one of the scientist to hand him a remote which he then uses to give an Brains an electric shock.
"This little gentleman has been translating for us all the information that comes from these two heads. Their history, their science, everything." Joyce then saw one of the glass cages was broken into. "Megatron's head was taken as well?" He asked to the security guard, and he nodded reluctantly.
"Wait. You had both Megatron and Sentinel Prime's heads here?" Scorcher asked in surprise.
Darcy looked in surprise. "Where did you get all this?"
Joshua Joyce smiled casually. "Special government contract. Now we know everything about Transformers. And now, at long last, we can build them ourselves. And we can build them better."
After what happened in KSI, Scorcher said to Joyce he had to head home to take care of his kids who have gotten into an incident at school. However, unbeknown to Joyce or others, that was a cover story for him to slip away and head off back to the abandoned church, where Optimus, Braedey, and the other Autobots were hiding. He explained about the prototypes and about the metallic alloy they've gotten, on top of everything else.
"Okay. This is what I could find about what's going on behind the scenes. A couple times a day, KSI are moving in vehicle shipments for something called "scanning". Major security all over the place." Scorcher informed to the team.
"Right. So our best shot of getting into KSI is a back classified research entrance. Tomorrow morning, I'm gonna drive in with Bee and Scorcher, Henry also being assigned with us." Braedey stated, and the Autobots nodded in agreement.
"Me?" Henry squeaked. "Why?"
"So we can disguise ourselves as a father/son deal, and Scorcher will say he's showing us around." Braedey answered back.
"Makes sense." Scorcher agreed.
"What will the rest of us do while Dad and Bumblebee are infiltrating KSI?" Daphne now asked.
"Hopefully kill sumthin'!" Hound's voice echoed through the church, resounding within the humans' ribs.
"Hound. Enough." Optimus' tone is short and clipped. Hound waved a nonchalant hand in the general direction, but said nothing more. "Hound is hoping to avenge Ironhide." Optimus clarified to Daphne, his voice low.
Daphne raised her eyebrows in confusion. "Why?"
Braedey's gaze flickered to Hound, over to Daphne, and then back to Hound. "You see, Daph, Hound and Ironhide were bonded." Daphne looked over at Hound and in her mind's eye, she could see them together easily. Braedey could also see how they would fit together like two puzzle pieces. Ironhide's toughness and Hound's gruffness, like salt and vinegar. "They're old friends since before the war."
"I didn't know that." Daphne said.
"If you want, I'll tell ya about the ol' fool." Hound offered to Daphne, she turned on Optimus's knee to face him. "Boss?"
"It's up to Braedey, Hound." Optimus said.
"Of course." Braedey nodded back.
Hound extended a hand towards Daphne. "Wanna hear some stories about an ol' fool?" She climbed into his waiting hand. "You alright with heights, little red?"
"Yup. I don't mind it." Daphne shrugged.
Hound laughed, a rough gravely sound. "Fair enough." He lifted her up onto his shoulder. He was much smaller than Optimus, so he could stand easily in the church.
Optimus got to his feet. "In answer to your question, the rest of us will remain close to KSI in the event that we are needed for backup. There is a disused car park just behind the KSI facility." He moved away.
"Good plan. Scouts inspect the interior, then the rest of the military force charges in." Scorcher mused. "Good plan."
"Yeah. I'll make sure the girls are at a safe distance from the city when it goes down." Sheeva added in.
"Best you stay off the highways, just to be safe." Braedey suggested, his mind focused on the possibility on an ambush being there.
"What do you wanna know, girly?" Hound's optics were bright.
"How long were you and Ironhide bonded for?" Daphne asked curiously.
"About twelve thousand years, in your time scale, anyway. I came to Earth two years after him; and now, I don't even know if he's around or not!" His thick frame shook with barely suppressed anger. "By Primus, I miss that idiot." Daphne patted his shoulder a little awkwardly but reassuringly.
Nearby, Optimus and Braedey watch with amusement and curiosity in their optics. They look over to Henry, Scorcher, and Sheeva, the three of them being like a family, the brunette mentally hoping he can get Henry back to his family and without anything going wrong.
'With any luck, I'll find something of use...' Braedey thought.
The next morning, Bumblebee drives up to the gate checkpoint with Braedey, Scorcher and Henry in his cab, the muscle car Autobot stopping up at the checkpoint. Braedey and Henry have on sunglasses to hide their eyes and try to deter guards, Scorcher in his regular attire.
Braedey, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, looked back in the mirror, watching Henry shakily fumble with his badge. "Henry, will you just relax?"
"I really don't know about this, Mr. Martin." Henry muttered.
"Henry, suck in the gut, breathe, and do what I tell you." Braedey ordered. "Kapish?"
"You got it." Henry nodded timidly, just as they were called up to the checkpoint.
The KSI guard leaned down to Scorcher, looking him over casually. "Mr. Dragonfire, what a surprise. Taking this one in for scanning?" The guard asked.
"Of course. And to show an old friend and his son some of the cars here. They're motorheads." Scorcher smiled, and he handed the guard his security pass, who checked it and gave it back to Scorcher.
"Alright, you're good to go." The guard said, and they drove in, past the security check.
"And without a gun being discharged." Braedey said in a deathly silent tone.
Driving through the large pristine white building, Braedey stared out of Bee's tinted windows, blankly staring at the robots on display. They looked so realistic, so Cybertronian that he could have sworn they were of the same species, but their frozen stature and expressionless protoform's remind him otherwise. It was such a depressing, yet frightening thing to drive through.
Bee now drove into a large open room that was presenting a large robot that looked an awful lot like Bee, minus the colouring being in magenta and black, with a sleek supercar situated right next to it.
"We took old, alien technology and made it better in every way. Introducing Stinger. KSI. We make the world." Braedey, Henry, Bumblebee, and Scorcher all looked up at the KSI spokeswoman on the add, and then she looked over at the robot that is called Stinger, as he stood in the centre of the room, lifeless, yet somehow still living.
"That is a cool robot." Henry commented, and while Braedey, despised it himself, he couldn't help but silently agree. Stinger, while artificial and a mere piece of machinery, still looked like a wicked Cybertronian mech with all of the right upgrades here.
"He kind of looks like you, Bee." Braedey commented, climbing out of the car as Bee parked himself.
"Here is the past. And now the future." The advertisement continued.
"That's it! They're trying to build their own versions of the Autobots for their own agendas!" Braedey realised.
"At least they've got a good taste in cars." Scorcher said, and without warning, Bee's steering wheel extended, punching Scorcher in the face with a honk, before it pushed him into the leather of the seat, throttling him.
"You talk to me like that?" Bee yelled.
"Bee, please stop!" Scorcher cried, as he tried to push Bee off him, just as Braedey came over.
"Maybe don't say something like that." Braedey suggested, then patted the hood, and Bee reluctantly realised Scorcher's throat.
"Now get out of here." Bee said, and both Scorcher Henry complied, falling out of Bee.
"Stinger, inspired by Bumblebee, but better in every way." The spokeswoman stated, and Braedey's jaw dropped.
"What? Son of a... !" Bee locked his handbrake on and hit the accelerator, his engine snarling out like an angry dog.
"No! You have to calm down!" Braedey panicked, but Bee wasn't listening.
"He's crazy!" Henry yelled, and with that said, Bee started spinning around in angry circles, leaving tyre marks on the marble floor as he spun in angry doughnuts.
"Stop! Bumblebee!" Scorcher called.
"Bee, stop going psycho!" Braedey yelled, and luckily, Bee quickly stopped, but not just due to Braedey's pleas, it was due to the entrance of humans.
A group of people walked in from behind the screen, the group led by a man in large glasses, and a Chinese woman that was talking angrily, though Braedey had no idea what about. She didn't speak Chinese.
"My delicate flower, I can't understand you when you're angry. Actually, I ... I don't really understand you at all." Joyce stated.
"Our entire factory is up and running -" The girl was interrupted when Bee roared her engine angrily, still pissed off about the whole 'replacement' situation.
"Excuse me one second." Joyce said, and looked over and spotted Braedey, Henry, and Scorcher with Bumblebee. Though, he didn't register Bee as an Autobot. "Hey! Hey, you two! Grease monkeys!" He yelled, as he walked over to them.
"Mr. Joyce." Scorcher acknowledged, the man looking to him.
"Mr. Dragonfire, what the hell is going on here?" Joyce asked with a questionable look.
"Just thought I'd show an old friend and his son about the place." Scorcher shrugged. "That such a problem?"
"What's with this vintage crap? We're not scanning collector car junk. No offence." Joyce said to Scorcher, the former turning to Braedey. "What do you think it is that we make here? Hmm? We make poetry. We're poets. Alright? You work for me, you get one mistake. One. Understood?" He asked, and Braedey nodded.
"Yeah. It won't happen again." Braedey reassured.
"It certainly won't. So let's get this thing out of here. And you, too." Joyce said, before he turned around and walked back to the woman with Scorcher alongside, leaving with her and the KSI team. As they left, Scorcher then gave a hand gesture to Braedey to 'go'.
"Henry. Watch over Bee. I'm going to see what I can find around here. You two get out of here quickly and quietly." Braedey ordered, and he soon walked away.
The second Braedey and the group of scientists left the presentation room, Bumblebee transformed swiftly and determinedly into robot mode. Turning around to face Stinger, Bee glared at him angrily.
"Bee, you have to calm down now." Henry ordered, thought with a timid voice.
"I'm perfectly calm, dude." Bee replied, but the fisting of his hands proved otherwise.
"Y-You have to breathe, or do whatever you do." Henry stated with a stutter.
Bee stepped towards Stinger. "I'm calm. I'm calm. I'm not even touching it." He said, as he grabbed the robot by it's covered jaw and pulled its face down. "Okay, I'm barely touching it! I'm barely touching it." He dropped the robot's helm to walk towards the interview discussing about him and Stinger.
"Please turn back into a car now." Henry pleaded, as Bee passed him by.
"Get out of my face, alright?" Bee snapped back, waving Henry off, as Bee walked over to the interview on the screen.
"Our design team started with the Bumblebee." The KSI executive started.
"But really, this alien's design was decrepit and, let's face it, antique." The chief designer stated.
"What the f*k!" Bee beeped out in anger.
"Don't take it personally, Bee. Please don't!" Henry begged, but he was going unheard over the comments of the KSI team.
"Kind of old and ratty." The designer said, but what was next said crossed the line. "And I mean ugly."
"Oh, hell, no!" Bee yelled and Henry started to yell at him as Bee turned around and stomped towards Stinger.
"No! No!" Henry begged.
"You think you're better than me!" Bee yelled, and without hesitation, Bumblebee kicked Stinger in the back, knocking him down with a loud crash. "Yee-hah!" Bee cheered, as the robot fell to the ground.
Smiling proudly at his action, Bee transformed back into his alt-mode, and before anyone could come in, Henry jumped into Bumblebee's passenger seat, the muscle car racing out of the room.
"I told you, homeboy, can't touch this!" Bee played out, playing "Can't Touch This" over the radio.
Meanwhile, Braedey had grabbed a lab coat and makes his way around the lab. As he does so, he took note of the prototype bodies that were around, taking mental notes of the crude and man-made construction methods that were utilised with these forms, all the while passing by the vehicles being allocated to be scanned into these new robots.
'Scorcher was right. They're trying to improve on the original deign of the Autobots and Decepticons, but they are doing it all wrong.' Braedey thought to himself. 'Those convergenators and control lines can chafe and cause leaks in the hydraulics and pneumatics.' Braedey also took note of the damaged hangar bay that housed 'Project G', and it made him raise an eyebrow. 'Looks like some Decepticons have done a smash-and-grab. But for what reason and why?' He wondered.
Braedey soon spotted a red Ford pickup truck with a yellow stripe along the sides, outfitted with chunky off-road tyres and a light bar above its cab. Braedey, without anyone seeing him, he placed his hand against the hood of the vehicle, muttering softly in Cybertronian as a surge of energy formed through the vehicle. Silently, Braedey gave some hand gestures to the vehicle, and with a light rumble of its engine and its lights turning on, the vehicle rolled away, the silhouette of a human now in the driver's seat as it rolled away.
Eventually, Braedey made his way over to what could be best described as some kind of melting chamber. Wires trailed along the floor and up the wall, connected to various pieces of machinery. People in white coats bustled about the lab, adjusting numerous dials and switches. He then looked and he stopped when he saw the head of an all too familiar Autobot being melted down.
"Wheeljack... no..." Braedey muttered softly in sadness. He then took out the drone and he aims it at what's happening before him, sending the images forth to the Autobots.
Outside in the empty carpark, Optimus, Hound, Drift, Crosshairs, Knockout, and Elita were all parked up and waiting for any information from Braedey inside of KSI. As they sit and wait for the signal, Bumblebee drove up and came to a stop nearby.
"Everything okay?" Daphne asked to Henry.
"Yeah, though Bee had an issue with a new robot that is said to be better than him." Henry answered to her.
"They are building new models." Daphne muttered.
"Autobots. I'm in the building. You guys see this on camera?" Braedey's voice spoke up on Comms.
Up on the interior of Elita and Bee's roofs, Daphne and Henry could see a screen display with Wheeljack's head being melted down for the metal. It was all but a shock to everyone.
"They're melting down Wheeljack for his metal..." Braedey added.
Optimus transformed into robot mode, walking over to the wall marking the edge of the car park, knelt and slammed his fist into it. "They slaughtered Wheeljack!" The force of his blow desecrated the wall and knocked a lamp post clean out of its fixture. "I'm gonna tear them apart!"
And the Autobots were more than happy to take advantage of the situation. As Optimus transformed back into his alt form, the Autobots turned around swiftly and the hall started driving as fast as they dare towards KSI.
"Metal." Braedey turned to sees a blonde woman. Braedey knew her from Scorcher as Darcy, Joyce's assistant. "Just metal. That's what I always thought of them." She said as she looks on.
"They aren't just that, ma'am." Braedey argued calmly. "They're living beings just like us humans. With living souls."
Darcy now turned to him. "And you're working with Transformium?"
'Really? They call the protomatter 'Transformium'? Such a bad name.' Braedey thought mentally, then he nodded to Darcy. "Yes. I do work with it."
"I'm out there looking for it. There's just not much left to find." Darcy then opened up a large tub of melted Transformer metal. "That's how much you boys need this stuff. Reduced to melting down old evil Decepticons."
Braedey turned and shook his head. "No, Ma'am. You're mistaken. That's an Autobot, not a Decepticon. They're the ones who fought for us, not against us." He then gave a darkened look, his eyes glowing. "You must not judge appearances until you actually see it for real." With that, he walked away and left Darcy stunned for words.
As Braedey walked through the lab, he spotted various workers getting their badges checked over and over. Deciding this wasn't a good sign, Braedey quickly makes a break for it, sprinting away as fast as he can. Two guards chase after him as he hopped and slides over various parts of the facility, moving about like as if he's Spider-Man, whether it be leaping along the walls or even vaulting over the gate.
"FREEZE!"
Braedey slid to a halt as two guards then jump him with guns. Braedey sighed as he knew he cannot run from this, so he raised his hands as he's then pinned to the wall, cuffs being placed on him.
Unbeknown to anyone in KSI, the Autobots were now moving in and heading towards the KSI HQ, zooming in-between the cars and obstacles. As they drove along, Bumblebee was intentionally looking for a new alt-mode to change into.
Eventually, he spotted his next ride: a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro concept car driving down the street opposite. Bee quickly scans it as he came to a halt. Inside the cab, Daphne and Henry watched as Bee's alt-form start changing and modifying into the new vehicle, his black paint job changing into a spotless yellow with one black stripe going down his length.
"Very cool, Bee." Henry mused.
"Let's rock and roll!" Bumblebee announced, racing off after the Autobots towards KSI.
Inside the KSI building, Braedey was then seated down in an empty conference room. Joyce was nearby until he was called out of the room by someone.
"You guys can interrogate me all you want and use all the useless tricks you've got in the book. I'm not saying slag to any of you backstabbers." Braedey spoke back firmly.
Braedey then saw a man in his 50's and in a black business suit walk into the room and sat down across the table from him. "Mr. Martin, my name is Harold Attinger." He introduced himself.
"I know who you are, Attinger." Braedey snapped suddenly, Attinger now looking at him. "You served with the CIA for 25 years, and I know you're in charge of Cemetery Wind, your execution squad. You're responsible for the murders of countless Autobots."
"Mr. Martin, I know you're just trying to protect your family, that's admirable. I'm trying to defend the nation from an alien war. We've had a taste of what that looks like, and we're not gonna tolerate another." Attinger looked at the brunette before he sat down in front of him. "Now, there is a version of this: where you can go back home, your daughter goes off to school like normal, and you live out the rest of your life away from danger."
Braedey scoffed and gave a Megatron-like glare, his eyes narrowing as he snarled. "I'm supposed to believe that crap? After all the bullshit you've pulled over the last few days? Or should I say the last seven years? You invaded my home, you hold my daughter at gunpoint, you use your Decepticon bounty hunter to kill my friend and family, and I'm just supposed to believe you? Just like that?" He scoffed. "I'm not a simple-minded moron, Attinger."
Attinger just smiled. "We know what you've done, Mr. Martin. The lives you've saved, the wars you've fought in, the sacrifices you've made for your country. I respect that and you. But how long are you going to risk your life for a bunch of meaningless robots?"
Braedey suddenly slammed his fist down into the table, a massive dent and crack now being made in the shape of his hand, Attinger surprisingly jumping back. "THEY ARE NOT MEANINGLESS ROBOTS!! They are my family! They are more family than humanity itself!! I would lay down my life for them, even if it means to go against all of you humans!"
Attinger relaxed a bit, then he looked serious. "All of this can end right here and now, if you just answer one question: Where is Optimus Prime?"
Braedey gave a dark glare, a low growl coming from his throat. "I would rather die than sell out my father."
Outside the front entrance of KSI, Bee skids to a halt and piles out Henry, Elita rolling up to pick him up and keep him and Daphne away from the battle. Once they were clear, it was time for action.
Bumblebee revved his engine, charging forward at the entrance, people running for cover as Bumblebee now transformed into robot mode and crashed through KSI's reception, slamming through anything he can in the process. At the moment, Drift crashed through the window as he followed Bee through KSI, quickly transforming into his helicopter form, leading the group towards where Braedey was being held. Drift started flying up the opening of the glass, Bumblebee holding onto one of the skids as they rise into the air.
At the back entrance of the building, Optimus, Crosshairs, Knockout, and Hound all charge on through and make their way up the stairs through the building, shooting rounds into the air to scare the humans away as they head towards the labs inside.
Inside the conference room, Attinger and Braedey could hear the whirring of a helicopter, but it was coming from inside the building? They look back to see Drift and Bumblebee by the window, Attinger diving out of the way Bee kicks through the wall.
Braedey recovered from the crash and grinned, running towards them. "Come on! Let's get out of here!" Bee grabbed Braedey as they then fly off to rendezvous with the other Autobots.
"Let's roll." Braedey announced.
Elsewhere in the facility, Crosshairs jumped up on a large moving-container and fires his guns, everyone hearing this and now making them run for cover from the attack.
"Get out! All of you!" Optimus shouted out.
"Science fair's over, meatbags!" Hound sneered out aloud. KSI's robotic drones burst into flames and miniature explosions under the Autobots' fire.
Bee bursts into the basement with Drift behind him, and the three of them spotted their comrades. Crosshairs was shooting up all the equipment, large and small, while Hound was demolishing everything in side, Optimus angrily shooting one of the prototypes, even one called Oreo.
"Destroy the lab! Destroy it all!" Optimus shouted.
"No need to tell me twice." Braedey leaped forward and he kicked at rather large piece of equipment, caving it in, before he flew off on his own, Bee and Drift both spreading out as well. "Ha! Eat slag!"
"Yo! Guys, it's me! Break me out of this Frankenstein box!" Brains yelled out.
Braedey stopped and looked wide-eyes at Brains, the little Autobot that used to be his laptop. "Brains! You're online!"
"Braedey! Man, are you a sight for sore optics!" Brains laughed.
Braedey now formed a set of brass knuckles and hits the glass, shattering it into thousands of pieces, allowing Brains to jump on his shoulder. "Let's go!" Braedey armed his cannons on his arms and he joins up with the rest of the Autobots as they shoot the whole place. "Tear them apart!"
"Hey! Hey! Hey! STOP! That's company property!" The Autobots all turned to stare at Joshua Joyce, as he yelled out at Hound, who had just kicked a large mechanical box across the basement.
"They're not your property! They were my friends." Optimus stated, and the Autobots crowded around their leader, staring down at the man responsible for the hunting and slaughter of their friends.
With a huff, Hound cocked one of his blasters and aimed it right at Joshua's head, Brains quickly jumping off Braedey's shoulder to sit on the barrel of his gun, Braedey hovering in the air thanks to his back and foot thrusters while arming an Energon blade from his right arm. Bumblebee does the same and activates his cannon.
"Oh, you ain't talking so much now! You got the AllSpark and Hound in front of you, huh?" Brains taunted.
Joshua looked up at Braedey. "Mr. Martin, I see that you've completely abandoned and forsaken your human heritage." He stated, and both Optimus and Bee came to stand behind Braedey.
"Don't try to patronise me, Joyce. You and everyone else like you stopped considering me human the second we learned that my insides are Cybertronian." Braedey growled and he quickly snapped his head towards Hound as he walked towards Joshua, him and the other mechs wanting to protect their friend. "And I've forsaken you because of your disgusting actions over the last seven years."
"Just give me the word, I'll splatter him." Hound said, and Bee lit up his own gun, intent on defending his human friend. Optimus raised a restraining hand to Hound.
"Why don't you tell Itchy Fingers here that this is all the spoils of war. Dead metal. Innovation. What we do here is science, because if we don't do it, somebody else will. Because you cannot stop technology!" Joshua stated and the Autobots growled in furious anger.
Braedey lands on the ground with a thud, the ground cracking under his feet, then he abruptly grabs Joyce and throws him across the room. "THEY ARE NOT YOUR TECHNOLOGY! They are living breathing beings just like humans! They've risked their lives for us to fight against their own kind! And this is how you thank them?! BY HUNTING THEM AND TURNING THEM INTO YOUR FRANKENSTEIN SCIENCE PROJECTS?!" He yelled, his voice echoing as his eyes glow blue with anger, the Cybertronian markings on his arms also glowing vibrantly in response.
"Let me vaporise his ass." Hound begged.
"I broke the code. I own your whole genome." Joshua continued as he got back to his feet.
"You're nothing but a monster." Braedey all but snarled. "You don't know what you're dealing with."
"The world will know what you're doing here." Optimus stated, and Joshua scoffed.
"The world? The world will approve. We can make you now. Don't you get it? We don't need you anymore." Joshua declared to them.
"That was cruel..." Hound muttered.
Optimus picked up Braedey, putting him on his shoulder, and he straightened up. "Autobots, we're done." He stated, and he turned around, making his way to the exit.
"We're done? W-We're not gonna kick a little bit of ass?" Brains asked as the others turn on their heel and reluctantly followed their leader.
"I've been itching to kill something lately." Hound muttered.
Braedey looks back at Joyce. "Optimus, wait." The Autobots all halt as Braedey looked back at Joyce. "Know this, Joshua Joyce. You or Attinger ever come after the Autobots or my family again, I will hunt you both down and make you regret ever being brought into this world. And I swear upon it!"
Joyce just stared on at Braedey. With that, the brunette and the Autobots all depart and leave KSI before Cemetery Wind arrives on the scene.