Chapter Eighty-Three

Hostage

Meanwhile on the Nemesis, Starscream stood behind Megatron at the helm of the ship as he spoke of Breakdown's situation.

"Lord Megatron." He said approaching the warlord who had his back to him as he stared at the grey skies through the front "I fear Breakdown has gone missing."

"The Autobots?" Megatron asked without turning around.

"According to the surveillance provided by the astonishingly accurate Soundwave." Starscream gestured to the faceless and silent Decepticon.

"Breakdown was abducted by humans." Starscream ended.

"Your point?" Megatron demanded, still not turning around.

"My strongest recommendation, we assemble as rescue team to hunt the vermin responsible for this outrage!" Starscream stated with a slight bow of his head and hoping he would get some praise for thinking of a fellow soldier.

He stood up straight waiting for said response from his leader, yet he was shocked to hear what Megatron had to say.

"Breakdown, is on his own!" the Warlord said, again not turning to face his second in command.

Starscream was alarmed and he got ready to argue but he stopped himself, as he was still on thin ice after he had tried to terminate Megatron and step into his place, he had tried to suck up to the warlord until he was on safe ground again.

"Master?" he questioned.

"If Breakdown allowed himself to be captured by those smaller than him, weaker than him, he deserves whatever fate awaits him!"

"But..." Starscream protested "Breakdown is a key player in our..." he stopped as he saw Megatron's shoulder tense up and he stepped back ready to flee in case Megatron decided to pound him for scrap again and he'd find himself back on Knockout's medical table.

"Your wisdom reigns supreme Lord Megatron." He grovelled before turning around and walking towards the back of the room.

"For now..." he growled.

Meanwhile Breakdown slowly opened his optics as he came to after being shocked into unconsciousness a while back.

He groaned as he tried to see where he was, and he saw he was in what looked like a warehouse with several machines with drills and needles above him.

Shaking the dizziness away he glared.

"What?" he demanded then tried to move his wrists and ankles only to find they were strapped down tightly.

The lights suddenly came on and he looked in front of him to see a raised platform and a white-haired man appeared followed by a couple of masked soldiers.

Breakdown glared as he saw them.

"Filthy Fleshlings!" he spat "Who do you think you are?"

The white-haired man turned to face him, and Breakdown could see many orange screens up behind him.

"We are Mech." He informed "And I am Silas."

"Release me now and I will let you live!" Breakdown demanded.

"I'm afraid you are far too valuable to us." Silas replied.

Breakdown chuckled mockingly.

"Ha! Megatron will never pay a ransom!"

Silas meanwhile smirked.

"Oh you misunderstand." He said "We don't want to ransom; we want only you! All of you!"

Breakdown glared up at Silas and again pulled at his restraints.

"Full disclosure?" Silas asked "We intend to pull you apart! Break you down, if you will! And we will utilize whatever we discover to develop a new generation of weaponry..." he clicked his fingers, and a masked man walked over next to Breakdown and the machines he had seen around him began to come alive and he saw clearly how they were large drills and lasers!

His spark beat in his chest in panic as he started to realise what they were going to do to him, but he glared in defiance.

"I'm afraid you won't survive the process." Silas continued to speak as he walked down the steps of the raised platform to where Breakdown was strapped down "So thank you in advance for your sacrifice, Mech is very much in your debt."

Breakdown looked over at Silas and narrowed his optics, showing the human he wasn't going to break before him.

"You're making a very big mistake little man!" he spat "When I'm finished with you, they'll have to scrap you off the floor!"

But Silas again just smirked.

"Since you evidently aren't squeamish." He said, "I'll allow you to watch!" he turned to the masked man who was standing on Breakdown's chest monitoring the machines.

"Are his pain receptors disabled?" he asked to which the man nodded.

"Good." Silas said pleased "Then he won't make as much noise, open him up!" he smirked, and Breakdown could only lie their helplessly as the masked man on his chest gave the order to start the machines and a drill started to come towards his face...

Back at the Autobot base, the Autobots were preparing to leave to rescue Breakdown.

The Hamato Clan except Splinter, Pandora and Kemeko were joining them as the Turtles and Monlisa could deal with Mech whilst the Autobots freed Bulkhead.

Well, almost all the Autobots were ready to go.

Bulkhead was sitting by the raised platform looking rather sulky and reluctant as he didn't want to rescue his rival, not after everything they had gone through, both during the war and recently.

Pandora meanwhile had been dismayed she and Kemeko weren't allowed to join them on this mission, but she decided to try and encourage Bulkhead to go and help.

"Come on Bulk!" she wheedled "You got to go with!"

"Don't wanna!" Bulkhead said in a stroppy tone and not looking at the hybrid.

"Bulkhead." Both the wrecker and Pandora looked over to Optimus who stood with Arcee, Bumblebee and Ironhide by the open Ground-Bridge.

"Optimus I'm sorry." Bulkhead said, "I just can't do it!" he defended.

"I support your choice." Optimus said softly.

"Wait what?" Bulkhead asked and Pandora cocked her head confused that Optimus was willing to let Bulkhead not join the mission.

"Give your History with Breakdown, your judgement may be clouded and thus jeopardize the mission." Optimus said before turning to Ratchet "Besides, the Decepticon maybe more need of a medic than another warrior."

"Locked and Loaded Optimus." Ratchet confirmed walking over to join the Prime.

Meanwhile the turtles and Monalisa hugged their daughters and nieces.

"Be good alright?" Leonardo said.

"Stay safe dad!" Kemeko said hugging her father.

"I will Lotus."

"Wish I could join you!" Pandora said, "I have encountered those bastards before!"

"We know Tigeress." Raphael said hugging his daughter along with Monalisa.

"But this is the second time we've had to face them; we don't know how dangerous they might be compared to the Foot or the Purple Dragons."

"Depending on how things go, you can join us next time eh?" Michelangelo winked at the hybrid to which Raphael nudged him in the plastron.

Donatello meanwhile gave Kemeko and Splinter a sheet of paper with instructions on how to use the ground-bridge controls.

"Seems easy enough." Kemeko smiled yet Splinter looked a little confused, but he agreed to give it a read through and follow Kemeko's instructions should it be needed.

"Stay safe my children." Splinter said.

"Indeed, good luck!" Fowler agreed with a salute.

The Hamato Clan bowed to Splinter and Fowler then hugging the girls one more time, they ran down the stairs making sure they had their weapons with them and shell-cells activated then joined the autobots.

"We're ready Prime!" Leonardo called up and Optimus nodded and turned to the Autobots.

"Autobots! Roll out!" he commanded and he along with his soldiers transformed and Leonardo jumped into Optimus's Truck form, Donatello with Ratchet, Raphael and Monalisa on Arcee and Michelangelo in Ironhide and they drove through the Ground-bridge before it powered down.

Bulkhead stared at the empty portal and frowned.

"Fine!" he grumbled "Happy hunting!"

He then heard a grunt from the high platform, and he looked over to see Pandora looking disappointed.

Bulkhead felt guilty that he had disappointed Pandora, but his feelings towards Breakdown overshadowed his want to please the hybrid girl, so he decided to change the subject.

"Uh, so what do you say eh? Monster movie marathon?" he asked trying to sound enthusiastic.

"Sure." Pandora shrugged.

"Sounds like a plan!" Kemeko said.

"Whoo! I'm in!" Agent Fowler agreed.

"You?" Kemeko asked the agent raising an eyebrow "You like horror movies?"

Agent Fowler grinned "Yeah! Always love a good scary movie with soda and popcorn on Friday nights!"

"Todays Tuesday." Pandora muttered in her disappointed tone.

"Who cares?" Agent Fowler asked, "I'm not needed at work till Thursday."

"Works for me!" Kemeko said "I'll get some snacks and drinks."

Splinter meanwhile went over to the armchair away from the TV.

"You girls, Bulkhead and Agent Fowler have fun." He said, "I'm going to do some reading over here."

"Okay Grandpa." Kemeko called over "We won't play the movie too loud!"

"Thank you Kemeko." Splinter said before making himself comfortable with a side lamp so he could do his reading and Fowler looked through the DVD collection to find the first movie for them to watch.

"Wow! You got quite the collection here!" he laughed as he held up on DVD after another.

As he was looking, Pandora walked over to help Kemeko search through the snacks and drinks they kept on the raised platform.

Since moving into the silo, they had a set of cabinets, and a fridge placed there and Kemeko soon found a couple of bags of popcorn and potato chips.

Pandora opened the fridge and chose some cola, lemonade and tango.

As the hybrid arranged everything, Kemeko leaned over to her cousin/honoured sister.

"Don't be disappointed in Bulkhead." She said, "He has his reasons!"

"I know!" Pandora replied, "But Optimus and your dad have a point about how the Autobot technology and biology shouldn't fall into the hands of those terrorists! Just like mum and Uncle T wouldn't allow the Foot to use their abilities from their DNA against us! And also, Bulkhead and Breakdown have a rivalry and are determined to bring the other down, and knowing Bulkhead, he'll want to smack down his opponent like the real warrior he is, not let some dumb humans do the dirty work for him!"

Kemeko was surprised as she listened to her cousin, yet she sighed.

"I get you Pandora." She said, "But Bulkhead has his reasons, and Optimus and the others will stop them, as Optimus said, he believes Ratchet might be needed more than Bulkhead and given how Bulkhead feels, his clouded might won't help in the mission!"

Pandora frowned.

"As grandpa has said before, one must have a clear mind when they go into battle." Kemeko continued "Come on, lets enjoy some movies until dad and the others come back."

Pandora sighed.

"Fine." She said, "If you say so." She picked up the drinks and walked over to the sofa where Fowler had picked up a DVD case.

"How about this one?" he asked holding up 'An American Werewolf in London'

"Sure!" Kemeko said placing the snacks down on the coffee table and Fowler placed the DVD into the machine before making himself comfortable.

Pandora joined him and poured Fowler, herself and Kemeko a drink of soda then looked over at Bulkhead who was leaning on the platform to watch the movie.

She couldn't help but feel disappointed in him that he didn't go with the others, and as much as she understood that he hated Breakdown, she felt he was letting the team down not going with them.

"I would never hesitate to go," she thought to herself "Not just because I want to be in on the action, but because I want to help, and if my worst enemy was a prisoner, I would want to free them, so I can face them in a re-match, and win! And not just win, but win with honour!"

Breakdown's in a right pickle, and Megatron's in no mood to save him.

Meanwhile Bulkhead doesn't wish to save his rival given their history and Pandora's feeling rather disappointed in the wrecker.

How will Optimus and his Team along with the Hamato Clan get on with this mission? Well stay tuned to find out!