Chapter Thirty-Two
Running out of Time
As part of Leonardo's plan, Raphael, Monalisa and Michelangelo walked with Bulkhead as they carried a fire extinguisher in their hands as well as their weapons and looked around for any scraplets running about to attack.
"Never thought I'd find myself being a protector of a giant autoboot, Mona, Raph." Michelangelo whispered to his brother and sister.
"I know right!" Raphael agreed "It's surreal!" he looked up at Bulkhead who was darting his optics as well as his head like a meerkat as well as pointing his cannon fists around.
"The girls found the first one here…right?" Bulkhead asked nervously until suddenly, the lights went out and a high-pitched, girlie scream filled the hallway making both turtles jump then the lights came back on again.
"Did you just scream like a little girl?" Monalisa asked with an amused smirk as she turned towards Bulkhead.
"No…" Bulkhead denied quickly but he then shook his head avoiding the eyes of the two turtles and lizard.
"Maybe…" He admitted.
"Can we talk about this later?" He added.
Raphael just shrugged and turned to Michelangelo.
"I think he's got a more girly scream than you Mikey!" he smirked to which Monalisa nodded in agreement.
Michelangelo looked offended, but he couldn't help but admit it as they continued scouting the base for any Scraplets.
As they continued down the hallway, they didn't see any scraplets but they did hear a few scuttling sounds which made Bulkhead feel worried, but before long his nerves got the better of him and he started to shoot at the walls making the two turtles and Monalisa dash ahead to get out of the way of any falling debris.
As he fired another shot at the ceiling as load of cables fell on top of the wrecker and he began swatting them and squealing in fear.
Raphael, Monalisa and Michelangelo watched in amazement as well as disbelief seeing the giant autobot squealing and panicking before they shouted up at him.
"What the shell?" Monalisa cried.
"Bulkhead! Hey! Bulkhead!" Raphael yelled.
"You're fine dude!" Michelangelo shouted "it's not scraplets! It's just a bunch of cables!"
Hearing their voices, Bulkhead stopped screaming and struggling and realised they were right,
"Ah ha! Right! Cables!" He said sheepishly before laughing and tugging at one to prove his point.
Yet as he did, dozens of Scraplets rained down on him from above, which caused him to start screaming fear and start trying to brush them off yet Michelangelo, Monalisa and Raphael ran forward to help and started spraying the fire extinguisher at the Scraplets swarming Bulkhead's body and the ground around him before brandishing their weapons to strike them down.
Michelangelo flipped around striking many with his nun chucks, Monalisa sliced many down with her fans whilst Raphael stabbed with his sais.
As that was happening, Pandora and Kemeko walked with Bumblebee as they searched for Scraplets.
Bumblebee bleeped and whirred in worry as he followed Pandora whilst Kemeko walked behind him watching his back.
As they walked, they saw where the Scraplets had chewed through an air vent.
"Don't these things ever stop eating?" Pandora asked in annoyance as they ran over to the damaged air vent and the two girls stepped back, so Bumblebee got analyse it.
The Scout then ripped the vent off, and the girls jumped in front with their fire extinguishers at the ready, yet they didn't see any scraplets.
But what they did hear was the sounds of clanging behind them, it sounded rather far away but it started to get louder, and the girls realised that the scraplets were in another vent behind them and getting closer to their location!
Quick as a flash, a swarm of Scraplets appeared from a vent in the floor, jaws open and closing hungrily as they went for their prey, and Bumblebee started shooting at them, yet it was hopeless as he couldn't take them all down, but Kemeko and Pandora leapt into action and started spraying the ravenous creatures with their fire extinguishers!
"Freeze fuckers!" Pandora roared as she sprayed a group of Scraplets closest to her then threw Mr Swinger about to strike them as well as jab her tail blade at them like a scorpion.
Kemeko did the same with her tantos, slicing Scraplets with those and she also threw her boomerang blade taking down several who got close to Bumblebee.
Meanwhile in the Arctic, Optimus, Ironhide and Arcee huddled in the cave Ironhide had spotted and were able to find shelter from the blizzard but not from the cold.
Optimus sat with Ironhide on his right and Arcee on his left, all three tried to keep awake yet their energy was fading, and they were all finding it hard to stay awake.
Optimus looked over at Arcee and saw that her optics were closed.
"Arcee, wake up!" He ordered gently before looking over at Ironhide who still had his eyes open but just by an inch.
Arcee groaned and moved.
"Just resting my eyes." She murmured as she rubbed her optics.
"The longer we remain alert, the longer we remain alive." Optimus told his comrades.
"Easier said than done Prime!" Ironhide struggled "What do you suggest?"
"Wait. How about a game?" Arcee suggested. "Let's play 'Who Screwed Things Up Back at Base'?"
"Hmmm, that's a good idea..." Ironhide said.
"Our predicament could be the result of a simple malfunction." Optimus stated.
"Caused by Bulkhead." Arcee guessed with a smile.
"Let's see, no com-link, maybe even no power." Ironhide mused. "The big lug probably tripped over a cord. He's never been too graceful."
"Remember when we were all still new to the Earth and Bulkhead walked into those power lines?" Arcee chuckled at the memory. "Who knew he could dance like that?"
Ironhide laughed as he remembered that memory.
"Bulkhead maybe…too large…for this world, but his inner strength is without bounds. One must not be measured by size alone." Optimus said confidently to which Ironhide and Arcee nodded in agreement.
Back in the main area of the Silo, Ratchet was busy working with Donatello helping him as Leonardo and Splinter stood guard and keeping their eyes out for any Scraplets.
Both the rat and turtle armed with fire extinguishers, keeping their ears open for the sounds of Scraplets and their ninja ears had heard Bulkhead and Bumblebee's blasters going off.
"How's it going over there, Donnie, Ratchet?" Leonardo asked.
"I've repaired the damaged conductors and rerouted the central conduits, but the Ground Bridge still won't receive power." Ratchet growled as he slammed his fist into the floor in frustration.
"Maybe the damage they did is affecting the Ground Bridge from somewhere else?" Donatello suggested looking up at the Autobot Medic.
Ratchet looked at the brainy turtle and was about to speak when they heard a metallic clicking sound coming from somewhere close. Readying their extinguishers, the turtles and Splinter saw many Scraplets coming out of the exhaustion vent high up on the wall.
The Scraplets observed the area locking their sights onto Ratchet and the same drilling sound was heard as they bared their teeth hungrily and advanced on Ratchet jumping off the wall and flying towards their meal!
"Whoa Fucking Shell!" Leonardo shouted in surprise as he brandished his katana.
"They can fly?! You never said they could fly!"
Ratchet fell backwards on the floor as the scraplets went for him, yet the two turtles and Rat moved quickly.
"Ratchet, get down!" Splinter ordered as he, Donatello and Leonardo got into action!
Splinter and Donatello sprayed their fire extinguishers whilst Leonardo leapt around and sliced and diced at the advancing scraplets yet many more appeared and attacked Ratchet despite the two turtles and rat's actions.
As that happened, Bulkhead and Bumblebee entered the area with Kemeko, Pandora, Monalisa, Raphael and Michelangelo with them.
"Ratchet, get the patch kit!" Bulkhead barked.
"We're leaking Energon like...Whoa!" He stopped in his tracks as he saw the many scraplets
No sooner had the two other Autobots arrived than the Scraplets flew right at them!
Pandora glowered as she saw them!
"Attack!" she bellowed as she leapt up and swung Mr Swinger about.
"Come out you greedy fuckers!" she hollered whilst Michelangelo and Raphael blasted with their fire extinguishers and Monalisa and Kemeko joined the hybrid with their weapons to take down the Scraplets to save their Autobot friends as well as recover Optimus, Ironhide and Arcee from the Arctic.
Meanwhile in the Arctic, hidden in the cave, Optimus, Arcee, and Ironhide were all panting heavily as they tried to stay awake, their systems were failing due to the cold, and they were starting to lose hope that Ratchet was going to bridge them back anytime soon.
"You know the worst part?" Arcee asked. "After battling Decepticons all these years, getting smacked down, shot at, blown up. This is how our lights go out."
"I know what you mean." Ironhide said as he looked down at Arcee then up at the skies.
"If I'm honest, I had hoped that if I even went offline, I'd be in some sort of glorious battle against the Cons, not freezing to death in this Earth Wasteland!"
"Arcee, Ironhide," Optimus spoke up "This may not be the finish we had planned, but if this is indeed the end…" Optimus said reaching out his hands to his two friends and Team-mates.
"If we are to become one with the All Spark…"
"It's been an honour serving with you, Optimus Prime, Ironhide." Arcee said with a small smile.
"Likewise, Arcee, and you too Optimus." Ironhide replied "Darn tootin..." he then looked up at the skies as a dreamy expression crossed his face and he looked over to Optimus who looked back at him with the same look.
"I wish I could see them... One last time..."
Oh dear...is it too late for our heroes here? Check back to find out! Although I'm sure many of you know what's coming next!