After leaving the base, Bumblebee drove over to where Jasmine was working. As they arrived, Braedey was taken aback by the sheer size and scale of the whole building before them.
It is a multi-purpose 13,197-square-meter (142,050-square-foot) building with areas that include a reception hall, auditorium, exhibition space, and stores. The style and symbolism of the building are based on Gothic architecture and designed to represent the shape of a ship looking over Lake Michigan. It also contains a movable, wing-like Burke brise soleil that opens up for a wingspan of 217ft (66m) during the day, folding over the tall, arched structure at night or during inclement weather.
"Once again, even when she isn't here, Jasmine always continues to find ways to shock the hell out of me." Braedey said in awe as he climbed out of Bee.
"Better suck in that gut when you go meet her boss." Bee whirred over the radio.
"Shut it and go park yourself, Bee!" Braedey snapped while giving a kick to Bee's tyre, the muscle car driving off to a parking spot. Braedey had changed from his military outfit into a blazer and black slacks and walks inside, clearing his throat. Braedey walked up to the front desk. "I'm here to see Jasmine Martin."
Braedey walked off to where the woman instructed him and he saw Jasmine, waving to her. Jasmine spots him and got up from her desk, running into his arms. "What are you doing here?" She asked in surprise.
"Well, just thought I'd drop in and give my wife a happy hello." Braedey shrugged, hugging her back, even lifting her off her feet. "Man, you told me this place was big, but I never expected it to look like Buckingham Palace with cars." He commented.
"And he's a really amazing guy." Jasmine stated.
Braedey stopped and raised an eyebrow. "Is he?"
"Braedey." The brunette now turned to see a man with black hair and dark blue eyes walking up to him. "Dylan Gould." The man introduced himself, shaking Braedey's hand. "Wow, you look more intimidating in person. Jasmine told me you looked tough but, man I am definitely impressed."
Braedey could sense something amiss with this male, but he decided to keep calm. He chuckled a little. "Thanks, I get that a lot. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Gould."
"Please, call me Dylan. Jasmine's told me a lot about you." Gould stated.
"Right back at you. This place is amazing." Braedey breathed, looking at the height of the building. "It's like the Starship Enterprise in here."
Gould laughed. "Thank you very much. It leaks. Before Jasmine came to help run the collection, it was just a complete mess. But now, the restorations are back on track. We're going to Pebble Beach this year, and we're gonna get a trophy for that stand right there." He gestured to the trophy wall. "You know why?" Gould asked. He then gestured to Jasmine. "Cause this woman right here, is my secret weapon."
Jasmine giggled in response. "Dylan, please. You're exaggerating. All I've done is help you get organized."
Braedey cocked an eyebrow, slightly losing his smile. "'Dylan'?"
"Oh, you have done much more than that, my Duchess." Gould praised.
Braedey fully lost his smile. "'Duchess'? Going off of a first name basis and nicknames?" He questions.
Gould nodded. "Yeah. The Duchess. You know, when she came to work for me, I said, 'It's easy to manage a country. Try managing a priceless collection of art'." He now gestured over to a nice parked car nearby. "Take a look at this 1939 Delahaye 165 Cabriolet. Designed by a Frenchman. Look at the curves. Elegant, isn't it? Beautiful. Sensual. Built to evoke the body of the ideal woman."
'Wow. Spoken like a perv.' Braedey thought to himself. Braedey could also see Gould was glancing at Jasmine.
"Come on." Gould said next, motioning for them to follow. "My dad had a 10 desk and a dream, and he built it into an empire." Gould directed them into another room with various automobiles and neon signs. Braedey whistled again in amazement. "We're the largest accounting firm in the US." Gould stated proudly. "I started up the venture side after he passed. Invest in the future. Try and bet on the winners. See, collecting cars helps me keep my sanity."
Braedey nodded before he saw a number of photos with Gould and Jasmine hung on the wall next to some various cars. Some with Gould being... rather too close to Jasmine. "You two look... good." He breathed out, all the while with holding back so much pent-up aggression of seeing this man with his wife.
"That was a good day, Dylan." Jasmine said looking at one of the photos.
Gould then pointed at another. "I haven't seen that one."
Jasmine shook her head in agreement. "No. Me, neither."
After being given the tour, Braedey and Jasmine both exit the building and walk to where Bumblebee was parked up. Gould waved at them as they leave, making Braedey give a fake smile and Jasmine waving back.
"Jasmine. Please don't wave." Braedey now begged through gritted teeth.
"What's the problem?" Jasmine asked. "Dylan's my boss. My job pays for our food, our rent."
"And my job keeps the places where you go to get the food INTACT." Braedey shot back. "Now get in."
Jasmine covers her mouth and laughed. "You're threatened by him!"
Braedey opens Bee's door and laughed hysterically while getting in. "Threatened?! No! What's there to be threatened by? His money? His good looks? The fact that he gives glances at my wife and gets rather uncomfortably close to her in photos?"
Jasmine just gives him a playful smile. "Aw, is my hubby mad?" Braedey abruptly slammed Bee's door extremely hard.
"Yo, why you messin' with me, man?" Bee said with feeling with his radio.
"Sorry about that, Bee." Braedey apologised back. "Please get in the car." He asked to Jasmine.
Jasmine opened the door and got in the passenger seat. "Braedey, tonnes of guys have gotten close to me and tried stuff, yet I've handled them perfectly well." She said to him.
"Yeah? Well, it's the type of guys that still pry, even when you've told them no." Braedey then gestured at Gould. "And that 'Dylan' is at the top by far."
"Never gonna give you up! Never gonna let you down! Never gonna run around and-" Bumblebee's radio chimes.
"SHUT UP BEE! Just drive, would you?!" Braedey grunted. Bee chirps and buzzes in laughter before he revved his engine, now driving off.
While this has been happening on Earth, the Autobot spacecraft known as the Xanthium, was making its way towards the Moon. Onboard were Optimus, Ratchet, and Elita-One. The ship is 350ft tall, 60ft in diameter, outfitted with 5 large and 6 small rocket engines. It had been built and designed by the Wreckers, and brought in the second wave of Autobots to Earth.
"Xanthium approaching Tranquility base." Optimus informed to NASA, bringing the vessel in for landing nearby the Apollo 11 landing site.
"Here's Houston, you're a go for landing, Xanthium." Houston responded back, the Xanthium heading forth towards the dark side of the moon.
Soon enough, the Cybertronian spacecraft lands on the moon's lunar surface nearby the Apollo 11 landing site. The craft still there along with the American flag Neil Armstrong set up back in 1969. Soft sounds of radio chatter in the background with a few rovers rolling along. The three Autobots check on their systems, taking note of how pretty Earth looks like and they know what they're fighting for.
"Ratchet, Elita, let's roll." Optimus announced and the two Autobots now heading forth towards the crashed remains of the ancient Autobot spaceship.
"This is definitely gonna be something." Elita mused to herself, she and the two male Autobots approaching the old remains of the Vanguard.
Because the moon's gravity was about one-sixth's of Earth, the fastest way to travel on foot is by skipping. By doing so, it didn't take long to reach the crash site of the Vanguard. Since the entrance had been blocked off with debris and lunar rock, the three Autobots have no other option than to cut into the hull of the ship. The trio now used their lasers to cut through the steel and alloy of the vessel, allowing all three of them to enter the ship.
"We're entering the Vanguard." Optimus informed over Comms to Houston.
As the three entered what was the Bridge of the Vanguard, Elita felt her voicebox hitch in her throat as she looked at the deceased Cybertronians that lay in their seats and across the floors around her. She looked over to Optimus, who placed his hand on her shoulder plate to provide comfort to her. Optimus now noticed a pressure button and pushed it down. Part of the floor now began to open up and start to lift up something from below deck, revealing a 37ft tall red robot with a helmet like Optimus, while having strands of metal like a beard or moustache, while there's five metallic pillars around his form.
"There he is. Sentinel Prime." Elita realised in awe. She then saw something, or rather someone, over nearby and walked over to it.
Ratchet took a scan of Sentinel's body. "His Energon levels are faint. He's gone into stasis lock. He locked himself away, to guard the pillars." He informed to Optimus and Elita, while picking up the red pillar.
Optimus now picked up the motionless body of his mentor. "Sentinel. You're coming home, old friend." He said sincerely.
"Optimus! Ratchet! Look who else I've found over here." Elita's voice called out, now getting the two Autobot's attention. She stood before a familiar blue Autobot's form lying before her. "Did not think we'd ever see you again, big guy..."
A day or two later on. The African Savannah, a tropical grassland with warm temperatures year-round, and with its highest seasonal rainfall in the summer. The savannah is characterised by grasses and small or dispersed trees that do not form a closed canopy, allowing sunlight to reach the ground.
The elephants and zebras around the savannah grazed amongst the grass, or even drinking water at the watering hole. Birds sit in some trees nearby, as they await for their time to take flight. But then, the peace and quiet, and the calmness of the watering hole, was then interrupted by something large approaching them, and coming to a stop with a hiss and crunch of metal.
What had approached the watering hole turne out to be a MACK Granite truck. But, this truck looke like it has seen better days, and looke more worse for wear. There's some metal jutting out of the front of the truck's grille and bumper, along with some metal up on the roof of the truck's cab, whilst chains and cables are wrapped around the front and back of the truck, along with a large tan-coloured torn-up tarpaulin being draped over the back of the truck.
Suddenly, gear shifting sounds begin to emanate from the vehicle. The entire truck started to shapeshift and morph, metal parts flying about the rising form, the chains clattering and sliding across the body, transforming into a human-like shape, but at a towering height. At the same time, the tarpaulin seemed to wrap around the top half of the form, as its transformation ended.
The end result is a Cybertronian standing 37ft tall, with a broad chest, a thin waist, thick lower legs and arms, along with broad shoulders, the body looking to be a male. The chains are wrapped around the chest like it's trying to hold it all together, whilst the rust seemed to fall out of spots across the body. The hands look like that of rusty old hook claws, whilst the feet are shaped like boxy elephant feet with claw-like toes on the front. A set of truck tyres can be seen on the inside of the ankles, whilst another can be seen on the back heels, with another hidden in its back. The tarpaulin seems to wrap along the shoulders and helm of the being, covering it like a masked hunter. Speaking of the helm, it takes the form of what appears to be a helmet with two spikes sticking out from the sides of its face, along with three spikes jutting out backwards from the forehead and two spikes either side of the facial plate. The face is the scheme of a grey colour, whilst it's scarred and rusted, but the right part of its facial plate and helm, just above the optic, looked like it had been ripped apart, revealing some bare metal underneath, along with part of the mechanical electrical brain, and the facial plate had red optics, along with sharp triangular shark teeth.
This was none other than Megatron himself, scarred, heavily damaged, and battered after the Battle of Egypt three years prior.
Megatron narrowed his red optics at many of the creatures surrounding him. He gave out a low deep roar, now scaring off the wildebeest and the zebras, making them run away, heading off deeper into the savannah. Megatron walked along for a few feet, then he reached his right hand over to something on his back, and he pulled out what looked to be a large fusion shotgun, which is rusty but amazingly still functional as a weapon. He gave a low growl, his shark-like teeth showing, as some elephants lifted their trunks to the Cybertronian, then began to walk away into the savannah in their herd.
"All... hail... Megatron." The Cybertronian growled, giving his name out, then placed his shotgun back into place behind his back.
Megatron walked up some kind of small junkyard camp in the savannah, a place of salvation for the rusting Decepticon. As he does so, he took off his cloak that was concealing the scars and wounds he had sustained from the Battle of Egypt, now stomping his way into the camp, and beginning to feed scraps of Energon to hatchlings.
Three years after the Battle of Egypt, Megatron has been hiding out in the plains of Namibia, Africa, in exile. There, still visibly bearing the scars of his battle with Optimus Prime, he spent most of his time sitting on a ramshackle throne of junk, with Starscream, Soundwave, Laserbeak, and Igor to command. He regularly went out to find food for the Hatchlings that lived in a collection of oil drums at the camp, occasionally scaring the local wildlife with his roaring and bellowing. Fortunately, he has a plan in the works regarding the 1960's Space Race.
"Ah, don't be greedy, my fragile ones." Megatron mused.
Just then, the sound of a jet could be heard in the distance, and coming in fast. Megatron looked to see a silvery-white and red McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II flying past, only for the jet to slowly start to bank around to the right.
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic Jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it was also adopted by the U.S Marine Corps and the U.S Air Force, and by the mid-1960s had become a major part of their air arms.
The F-4 jet flies in, but as it got close, the F-4 Phantom broke apart and began to change form, becoming a large robot.
'Blitzwing...' Megatron thought to himself.
The Decepticon, now identified as Blitzwing, stands 25ft tall, still sporting the colour scheme as the jet, the cockpit being part of the chest and abdomen, with the engine cowling and ducts as part of the shoulders, the engine components in his back and legs, the wings of the jet mode on his back, his feet also sporting jet and fuel components, while having sharp fingers and claws, a grey helm with red optics.
Blitzwing flew in, landing on the ground just nearby Megatron, lowering his helm to the Decepticon warlord. "I have returned, Lord Megatron." He greeted.
"What news do you bring, Blitzwing?" Megatron now asked.
"I've been able to make contact with Shockwave." Blitzwing informed. "He and the Driller Bot have managed to escape from Ukraine and are making their way forth to the United States."
"Excellent." Megatron mused.
Just then, Starscream flew in as his F-22 jet before shifting into robot mode, landing next to Blitzwing and Megatron on the ground, kicking up some dust in the process. "My poor master. How it pains me to see you so wounded, so weak-"
Megatron grunted in annoyance. "Spare me your theatrics, you gaseous sycophant!" He snapped at his compadre. "You know what you were told, which is nothing."
Just then, Soundwave now stepped into view, after shifting into robot mode, just as a vulture-like Decepticon codenamed Laserbeak flew in, landing on Soundwave's arm. "Soundwave reporting, Lord Megatron." The spymaster announced to his later.
"Soundwave." Blitzwing acknowledged.
"And what news from our little assassin?" Megatron now asked, referring to Laserbeak.
"Autobots have taken the bait. They have discovered the Vanguard, and returned with its cargo." Laserbeak informed to Megatron, his voice dark and sinister as he looks on.
Megatron stood up with a nod. "Excellent work. You did me great honour, tracking that ship to Earth's moon. Your human collaborators have served their purpose, Soundwave." He turned to face his spymaster, while Blitzwing took off alongside Laserbeak. "It's time to eliminate loose ends."
"Laserbeak, kill them all." Soundwave ordered.
"With pleasure." Laserbeak acknowledged.