Insecticons howled and landed at the burning base. "Leave no stone unturned." Megatron commanded. "Master, look who we found. Pulled from the wreckage of his ship. Wheeljack." Starscream said. Two Vehicons were carrying, dragging the white Wrecker.
"So one survived. Take our guest back to the citadel for questioning. Back to Darkmount." Megatron said. "This is the dawning of a new age, my liege. The reign of Megatron." Starscream said. "You do have a way with words, Starscream. Make haste and unearth the Autobot corpses." Megatron said.
The Vehicons each moved a boulder. A gravely wounded Optimus was buried in the wreckage.
The Vehicons carried out Airachnid's Stasis pod and the Forge of Solus Prime. "The Forge of Solus Prime?! How is it that you've managed to materialize that, yet not the remains of a single Autobot?!" Megatron growled. "Answer your Lord and Master. Where are their bodies?!" Starscream demanded.
Smokescreen phased himself and a half-dead Optimus into a cave. "You're hurt, but you probably look way worse than you feel." Smokescreen said. Optimus groaned. "No, don't move or talk, just power down. Get your strength back. I got you covered." Smokescreen advised.
"The Autobots clearly Ground-Bridged from their base before it was destroyed. They could be anywhere." Megatron said as he and Starscream walked around the remains of Autobot base. "We must initiate global surveillance, my lord. Send search and destroy teams to every sector of this planet." Starscream suggested.
"Soundwave, monitor all Earth-based transmissions for any sign of Autobot communication. With each other or with their human counterparts." Megatron ordered. "Master." Starscream said. An army of human tanks and helicopters were coming for them. "Foolish humans. I shall deploy the armada." Starscream said.
"That won't be necessary, Starscream. Not when we can engage our enemy with newfound might." Megatron said and looked at Darkmount. One of the four fusion cannons at the top pointed downward. The barrel glowed green, and a stream of light erupted from Darkmount, straight at the military. The laser trapped all tanks and helicopters in a giant bubble before clumping them together and blowing them away.
Later, Jasper Nevada was in ruins. Fires sprang up everywhere. Darkmount stood above the destruction. Megatron sat on a throne made of purple ice. His original arm was reattached with a rebuilt fusion cannon and wrist sword mounted to it. "A new power dominates your world. Any further attempts to attack me will be met with even greater force. Your leaders should be advised that my fusion cannons possess enough firepower to decimate any densely populated area of my choosing, and I can plunge the entire planet into an ice age. I would, in all likelihood, set sights on your nation's capital for starters." Megatron said.
"Point taken. Now, what do you want from us?" Agent Fowler asked. "Nothing, Agent Fowler. The Decepticons mean no harm to humanity. We merely desire a place to call home." Megatron said. "No offense, Megatron, but I'm having a tough time swallowing all this since you seem so bent on plastering humankind under molten steel." Agent Fowler said.
"Agent Fowler, I admit that war brings out the worst in me, but the conflict with the Autobots is now over, and our quarrel has never been with your kind. Now that the one true enemy of the Decepticons is no more, my only wish is to coexist on this planet with the human race peacefully. Together, Agent Fowler, I believe that you and I can make that dream a reality." Megatron lied.
He hung up and stepped off his icy throne. "You too have a way with words, Master. I almost believed you myself." Starscream said. Megatron snickered. "Earth is our planet now, Starscream, and we shall finish what we started. Humankind has no idea what lies ahead for them." He said.
"Yes, General Bryce. Special containment protocol G-1000 has been executed as planned. Evacuation of Jasper Nevada was 100% successful. As far as its citizens or the media are concerned, the threat was a meteor shower, and the town is to remain quarantined until the resulting radiation can be dissipated. Sir, any form of retaliation would be too risky. I just need more time. Yes, I understand." Agent Fowler said to the general. He hung up.
June came in. "Agent Fowler, those medical supplies still haven't arrived. We have wounded men who need -" She started. "I'm doing the best I can, nurse Darby." Agent Fowler cut in. "Been busy juggling a bunch of nuke-happy generals who don't seem to care if they blow Nevada sky-high, and a Decepticon warlord who wants to make nice now that the Autobots are in the scrap yard! Megatron's opinion, not mine. He's feeding me a load of horse pucky, trying to crush our spirit." He ranted.
"Still no word from anyone?" June asked. "Listen, no contact only tells me that the main commlink went down when the base was pounded into pancake batter." Agent Fowler said. "But if I could just call Jack, Elsa, and Anna." June said. "You know it's too risky, so do the 'Bots. The 'Cons could trace any cellphone signal." Agent Fowler said.
"Then take me home. If Jack can't call, that's where he and the girls will look for me." June said. "Jasper's under complete 'Con lockdown. Nobody's getting back in there. The only ones who can fix this mess are Prime and his 'Bots. I'm sure their out there, keeping a low profile. They gotta be." Agent Fowler said.
A Vehicon flew through the air towards an interstate. "Scanning." He said as he scanned a truck, but it wasn't Optimus. He then scanned a black and yellow camaro but got no results. "Negative. No Autobot recognition." He said and flew away.
Thr camaro drove underneath a tree, and Raf stepped out. "Clear." He said. The camaro transformed into Bumblebee. He buzzed as he watched the Vehicon disappear into the sky. "Too close, but your paint job did the trick." Raf said. Bee tried to use his comms but beeped and buzzed when he got no results.
"The comms uplink is still down. Bee, I realize that Optimus sent us all to different locations to make us harder for the 'Cons to find, but if we don't know where in the world anyone else went. How are we gonna find them?" Raf asked. Bee buzzed again. "Rught, just keep heading toward Jasper, toward Megatron's giant fortress." Raf said.
In another part of America, Miko sighed. "I never knew there were so many rockies." She said as Bulkhead drove around a mountain. Miko grabbed her phone. "Miko!" Bulkhead said and stopped. "No cellphone, you know the rules!" Bulkhead reminded. "Dude, I wasn't calling anyone. Just playing a video game I already downloaded." Miko said and showed the game. "Sorry. I guess I'm a little on edge." Bulkhead apologized.
"Where are we headed anyway, Bulk? You got some sort of plan?" Miko asked. "We're following standard Wrecker protocol. "-Which is -" Miko started. "An emergency plan we followed during the war in case any Wrecker got stranded or separated from the unit. We'd always rendezvous with the exact same set of coordinates. If Jackie's still alive, he'll be there." Bulkhead explained.
"Don't stop now. I was just beginning to enjoy myself." Wheeljack said. "Believe me, Wheeljack. There is more where that came from. And you will tell me the location of your compatriots." Starscream said.
He ran an Energon prod against Wheeljack's chassis. "No matter what it takes or how long." He said. "Like I told you, they were expecting me. They never bothered to fill me in. So go ahead, knock yourself out." Wheeljack said.
A bunch of Vehicons flew around Darkmount as Knockout approached Megatron. "How may I serve you, Lord Megatron?" Knockout asked and kneeled. "Assemble a team and disembark for Cybertron immediately. While hunting Autobots remains paramount, we must not squander the opportunity to recover any Iacon Relics left behind in the chaos. For all we know, Optimus Prime is out there somewhere, planning to do the same." Megatron instructed.
Optimus groaned as he woke up. "It's okay, Optimus. You're with me, Smokescreen." Smokescreen said. "How did... I get here?" Optimus weakly asked. "When we were evacuating the base, just as the 'Cons opened fire, it was me, Chromia, Jetfire, and Cylconus' turns to Ground-Bridge away. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't let you face Megatron's army alone. So while the others weren't looking, I snuck back. But that's when the blast hit, and the whole joint came tumbling down. But I managed to pull you from the wreckage before the 'Cons dove in, using the Phase Shifter, which I managed to snag in all the confusion back on Cybertron. Um. I'm sorry I defied your orders." Smokescreen apologized.
Optimus stayed silent. "We're safe here, but we're down so deep. No one can pick up our signals. I'll have to scout above ground if we want to have any hope of finding Ratchet." Smokescreen said. "No. No hope." Optimus said. "What do you mean? The doc's the only one who can get you patched up." Smokescreen said. Optimus didn't say anything. "Optimus?" Smokescreen asked.
Arcee carried Jack, Elsa, and Anna to a power station. "What if Jasper wasn't evacuated in time? She could have been hurt or taken by the 'Cons." Jack said. "Jack." Arcee started. "And even if she did get out, she's got to be worried out of her mind, not knowing where we are." Jack said as Arcee transformed. "I wanna see Mama." Anna said.
"Guys, calm down. We'll get back to Jasper, find a way to reach your mother and the rest of the team." Arcee said. She noticed a flying object in the distance. "Stay here, could be a 'Con on our tail." She said. She transformed and drove off. Jack opened his phone and swapped the background of Arcee to June, Elsa, and Anna smiling. "Sorry, Mom. I'd call if I could." Jack whispered.
"One text couldn't hurt, could it?" He asked. Soundwave traced his signal. "Master." Starscream said. "Send in the troops." Megatron commanded and stood up. "And, Soundwave, I want a live feed." He said and transformed and flew for the Nemesis. Soundwave deployed Laserbeak.
June felt her phone vibrate. She stopped grabbing medical supplies to open her phone. "Jack! 'With Arcee, Elsa, and Anna. We're all safe. Love you.'" June felt tears build up in her eyes. "Agent Fowler, Jack, Elsa, and Anna are alive!" She said and ran out of the office.
Jack closed his phone, then heard whooshing. A Vehicon was flying towards them. "Scrap!" Elsa said. "Run!" Jack yelled when the Vehicon fired.
Arcee transformed and hid behind a rock as she aimed her cannons at the potential hostile, but it was a normal helicopter. "Oh, civilian." She said, then heard gunfire where she left Jack, Elsa, and Anna. "Kids!" She gasped and transformed.
More Vehicons joined the fight. "We are so toast." Jack said. They kept running. "Over the fence!" Jack said. The girls first climbed over the fence, and then Jack followed suit. A Vehicon's podshot blew Jack off the fence.
"Come on, Jackie!" Anna said as she and Elsa helped him up. The Vehicons blasted down the cellphone tower next to them. Elsa created an ice blast and blew the tower away, and they hid next to the nearby building. "Smile, girls. We're on Decepticon TV." Jack said when they saw Laserbeak coming at them.
Anna fearfully smiled. The Decepticons watched them. "Master, we have a visual." Starscream said. The kids hid underneath a semi-truck. The Vehicons blasted the truck away from them and began to circle around for another attack. Two other Vehicons fired. Elsa waved her hand, and the purple magic froze a Vehicon. The Vehicon fell to the ground and exploded from the impact.
The other Vehicon fired. Then Arcee appeared, transformed, grabbed the humans, and hid next to the destroyed semi-truck. Arcee kept shooting the Vehicons.
"How long does it take to exterminate a lone Autobot and her human pets?!" Megatron growled. "Well, in my experience -" Starscream started. "Not a riddle, Starscream." Megatron interrupted. "Sorry." Starscream said.
"Over there." Arcee said and transformed. Jack, Elsa, and Anna climbed onto her, and she drove for a nearby gas station. Laserbeak followed them. The humans jumped off, and Arcee transformed. "Not the best cover." Jack said. "We're not here to hide." Arcee said.
Two Vehicons transformed and pointed their weapons underneath the roof of the station, then a wave of purple magic froze their triangle-shaped cannons.
"Hey, guys! Unleaded or diesel?" Jack asked as.he held two nozzles spraying gasoline. A large puddle of flammable liquid formed in front of the Vehicons as Jack and Elsa ran for cover. The Vehicons aimed their cannons but forgot they were frozen solid. Arcee appeared from behind a van and fired at the gas. The entire station blew up into a yellow fireball. Killing the Vehicons and frying Laserbeak.
The surveillance was cut off. Megatron hissed.
"Let's roll before they send reinforcements." Arcee said and transformed. The three humans climbed onto her and fled.
Back on Cybertron, Knockout was leading a crew of Vehicons to find the relics. "Come on, fellas. Put your backs into it!" Knockout said. The automobile enthusiast noticed something on the ground. "The Apex Armor. Our illustrious leader will be pleased. Now, any sign of that Phase Shifter? I really like that thing." Knockout said. "Sir." A Vehicon said. "By the Allspark." Knockout gasped.
Soundwave extended his tentacles to repair Laserbeak. "Well, did any of the surveillance data survive?" Megatron asked. Soundwave ignored him. "A shame. We might have at least learned the direction in which Arcee and the humans fled." Starscream said.
"Clearly, we need to improve our methods of hunting Autobots and build upon the taxgical advantage that we've managed to secure." Megatron said. "Lord Megatron, I am ready to return to Darkmount, and I'm certain you'll want to see what I've uncovered." Knockout said.
"Soundwave, open a Space-Bridge portal." Megatron commanded. Soundwave finished repairing Laserbeak and opened a portal. Knockout stepped through. "I find myself in urgent need of good news. So please, Knockout, tell me that you found something useful." Megatron said.
"Some things, my liege, and someone." Knockout said. He stepped aside. Starscream gasped. "He... lives?" He asked as a familar, purple, one-opticed cyclops with a cannon for his left arm came through. "Shockwave." Megatron snickered. "Just the tactical advantage I need."