Throughout the entirety of the Nemesis, the alarms continued to blare, sending Vehicons into a frenzy. Blasters at the ready, many halls were filled with pounding feet as they rushed to find the intruders. Within the control room, Megatron stood silently, his optics narrowing as the warning sirens blared. His claws tapped rhythmically against the console, the metallic sound echoing ominously in the tense atmosphere. Next to him stood Soundwave, having long since returned after delivering the needed data to the medbay, the usual black visor flashing a red warning sign.
"Intruders Detected."
Megatron's expression darkened, his optics glowing a fierce red. "So predictable," he chuckled lowly, his voice a low rumble that sent a chill through the Decepticons gathered around him. "The Autobots think they can simply walk into my domain and leave unscathed? They are as foolish as they are desperate."
As usual, no response came from the silent Decepticon next to him, and the visor quickly returned to black. Megatron glanced at him before turning his gaze forward and activated his commlink. "Starscream, report."
The transmission crackled before Starscream's voice came through, slightly irritated. "I've just returned from the medbay, Lord Megatron. What do you require?"
"Deploy the Vehicons to intercept our guests. I want them distracted at every turn. Do not allow them to reach me or the girl."
Starscream gave a quick, nervous nod despite not being in the room. "Of course, Lord Megatron. I'll ensure they're properly… entertained." With that, he hurried off, barking orders into his commlink.
Megatron turned his attention to the live feed on the main monitor. The Autobots had breached the outer corridors, their movements swift and calculated. Optimus Prime was unmistakable at the front, his iconic silhouette a beacon of determination. The one called Arcee was close behind, her blades glinting under the dim red emergency lights. Bulkhead and Bumblebee covered the rear, their weapons primed and senses clearly on high alert. And, just around the corner, a troop of Vehicons was ready to stop them in their tracks.
As if on cue, the hallway erupted into chaos as blaster fire lit up the space. Bulkhead charged forward, his wrecking ball smashing into a group of Vehicons with brutal efficiency. Arcee darted between enemies, her blades slicing through armor with precision. Bumblebee provided cover, his rapid-fire shots keeping the remaining Vehicons pinned down. Despite the clear failure, the Decepticon leader watched on with a cruel smirk, quickly taking note of more Vehicons closing in on their location.
"Let them come," Megatron chuckled to himself. "The deeper they go, the more they play into my hands."
Next, his gaze shifted to the screen displaying the human's vitals. His smirk quickly fell into a scowl. Anna's condition was continuing to deteriorate, and the time had come for the final move. He would deal with her now. He had waited long enough. Now was the time to truly see if his experiment was a success or if the fragile human would succumb to the exposure instead. Either way, it would be a victory for him.
His crimson optics flickered with irritation as he tapped his claws against the console, contemplating the next steps. "Knock Out," he growled into the commlink, his voice smooth but filled with a dangerous edge. "Prepare to fortify the medbay and have the human removed. I'll be there shortly. Ensure the procedure is precise, and there are no mistakes."
There was a brief pause before Knock Out's voice crackled back through, laced with reluctance. "Yes, Lord Megatron. I'm preparing as we speak. But, I must warn you, this will be... complicated. As I tried to mention before, the girl has been inside you for far too long. Removing her might cause some... unforeseen complications."
Megatron's optics darkened. "I don't care for your excuses, Knock Out. Just do it. I'm coming to ensure everything goes according to plan."
With that, he cut off the commlink, his towering form moving swiftly through the Nemesis. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the hall as Megatron made his way to the medbay, his mind focused on the task ahead. The Autobots were getting closer, but it no longer mattered. He was going to finish this. Once Anna was out of his system, the Autobots would have nothing left to fight for.
The Decepticon leader strode through the ship's corridors, the faint hum of the emergency lights overhead guiding his path. As he neared the medbay, his expression hardened. It was time to put an end to this. But even as he approached, the weight of the decision pressed on him—removing Anna from his system was a moment he'd been planning for, but it still carried an undeniable sense of finality.
There would be no turning back.