Chương 30: Chapter 15: Metal Buffet Part 1
These days, the cold reigns in the Arctic as the storms are raging like crazy. Recently the Autobots have detected some sort of energy, for some it was very familiar while for others mainly a certain rookie and revived Autobots haven't seen it yet as they split up to find the source.
"Nice place, although it's too cold for my taste." Smokescreen shivered as the cold wind blew by.
"No kidding." Bulkhead said as he was getting some sort of déjà vu as Bumblebee beeped while complaining about the cold.
"I know, Bee. We must be careful. If this is what we think it is, we better not mess up." Bulkhead said as he didn't look forward to having round 2 after their first encounter a few months ago.
"Bulkhead, have you found it yet?" Ratchet asked through the comm-link as Bulkhead answered.
"Not yet." Bullhead replied as the trio kept on looking.
At the base, Jack, Miko, Raf and Ratchet were waiting for them but they also got a sense of déjà vu from this kind of situation.
"We still have a long way to go before we find it." Bulkhead said as Ratchet nodded.
"Very well then. Keep looking. Optimus, do you read?" Ratchet nodded before switching comm-link to their Autobot leader.
Back at the Arctic, Optimus answered his comm-link as he was looking for the source of the energy that they detected.
"I hear you, Ratchet." Optimus replied as he was feeling the same déjà vu from this type of situation.
"Bulkhead's team just reported in. They haven't found anything yet. I was hoping you would have more luck." Ratchet said while hoping that he found it.
"I'm afraid not. We'll keep looking." Optimus said as he could tell that Ratchet was nodding as he kept looking.
Back at the base, Ratchet was nodding in understanding before he waited for the others to report if they found it.
"Understood." Ratchet said as he was keeping an eye on the screen as the kids minus Emily were watching the situation as they remembered this type of incident before.
"Have they found it yet?" Jack asked curiously as Ratchet shook his head.
"Not yet." Ratchet said as they nodded as Miko stood up.
"Don't worry, guys. We'll be ready for them." Miko said as Raf nodded in agreement as he won't fall for the same trick again with little pests.
"Yeah." Raf agreed but Ratchet stopped them as he glanced at them.
"Hold on, kids, there's no need for that. We won't be transporting this thing here. We all know what happened last time." Ratchet said as Miko sat back down with a pout but agreed to what Ratchet said.
"Yeah." Raf just nodded as Ratchet shook his head at them before looking back to the computers.
"Let me check with the other teams." Ratchet then comm-link the other team to see if they found anything.
"Arcee and Cliffjumper. Do you read me?" Ratchet asked and Cliffjumper answered as Ratchet could hear the wind blowing in the background.
"I hear you, Ratchet." Cliffjumper answered before Arcee answered as well.
"We haven't found anything yet." Arcee said as Ratchet told them to keep searching as he and kids were waiting patiently.
Back at the Arctic, Arcee and Cliffjumper were continuing to search for the thing that they were told to find.
"The storm is making things hard." Arcee said as Cliffjumper nodded as he agreed.
"It's like trying to find a voice box in a scrapyard." Cliffjumper said as Arcee had a scanner like the others which Ratchet gave them. It then started to beep like crazy as the two looked at each other and had one thing in mind. They found it.
"Hold on. My scanners are detecting something." Arcee told through the comm-link as she and Cliffjumper approached.
On the other team's side, Bulkhead's scanner is detecting something as the trio start to approach.
"Mine too." Bulkhead said.
With Optimus, he com-link with the others since he heard the conversation.
"Autobots, proceed with caution." Optimus warned them as they nodded.
All Autobot teams advance upon Optimus' orders before they all find what they were looking for before Optimus contacts the base.
"Ratchet."
Back at the base, the others looked at the computer as Optimus commlink.
"We've found it." The four smiled as Ratchet sighed in relief.
"Ah, good. It will soon be handled." Ratchet smiled as the kids had relieved smiles since they didn't have to deal with the infestation again.
They look up as Agent Fowler starts calling the base since he agreed to help contain whatever the bots found and was confused since they were making a fuss over it.
"Ratchet. The boys at the lab are ready to receive the booty." Ratchet nodded but he had to tell him a warning about it.
"Good, Agent Fowler, you must remind them to keep this thing under ice and not open it under any circumstances." Ratchet told him as Agent Fowler nodded.
"Will do. I'm approaching the location with the retrieval team." Ratchet nodded as all the four of them now waited.
Back at the Arctic, Agent Fowler has brought a whole bunch of helicopters to transport the thing they've found and to secure it.
"Attention all choppers. Let's take this thing home. And let's try to be careful." Agent Fowler said as they approached the sight. The Autobots looked up and saw that Agent Fowler was approaching with reinforcements to retrieve the object.
"That must be the cavalry." Bulkhead said as they watched them approach from a distance.
"Should we help them?" Smokescreen asked but Bulkhead shook his head since he knew that Agent Fowler knew what to do.
"Nah don't worry. They got it." Bulkhead said as Bumblebee beeped in agreement before suddenly every Autobot sensor started blinking blue meaning that their systems failures were imminent and Ratchet told them that they had to return to the base once it reached the blue zone.
"Autobots, return to base now. Ratchet, activate the ground bridge." Optimus said before using the comm-link to tell Ratchet that they need a ground bridge back to base.
"Right away, Optimus." Ratchet said before putting the codes to their coordinates.
Ratchet then opens up the ground bridge so that the other two teams can get back to base while Optimus stays to let Agent Fowler know that the Autobots need to get back to base before their system shuts down due to the freezing temperatures.
"Agent Fowler, I'm afraid to report that the Autobots and I must retreat for now. If we stay any longer, the cold temperatures will start affecting our systems." Agent Fowler saw Optimus and nodded as he replied.
"Roger that, Prime. Don't worry about us. Our boys can handle this." Agent Fowler replied as Optimus nodded as a ground bridge appeared.
"Very well then." Optimus said before he entered the portal that Ratchet opened up for him as it closed up.
After successfully finding the thing, they finally got back to the warmth and safety of the base and Ratchet started the defrosting procedure on them and Bulkhead and Smokescreen didn't like it one bit.
"Uh, how long is this gonna take?" Bulkhead asked as he didn't like staying still in one place but one stern look that Ratchet sent him made him stay put as their three human friends were watching them curiously.
"Long enough for you to go over the whole process." Ratchet told them and Smokescreen groaned in boredom.
"I'm getting bored." Smokescreen groaned as Arcee chuckled at the rookie.
"Good luck trying to get out of this one, rookie. Ratchet is as stubborn as he get when it comes to taking care of his patients." Arcee had a sly smirk as Smokescreen sent him a small glare.
"Not even Primus himself would make him change his mind." Cliffjumper knew from experience and he only got a wrench thrown his way before.
The computer then beeps indicating that the defrosting procedure is now over and done as Ratchet turns to them.
"There. It's done." Ratchet said as he took off the wires and Smokescreen stood up and was glad that it was over.
"Finally." Smokescreen whooped before Jack asked them something.
"So what happened to our thing back in the Arctic?" Jack asked curiously as Ratchet answered him.
"Agent Fowler and his men are still trying to recover it from the ice." Ratchet told him as Optimus agreed and hoped that nothing bad would happen.
"We must hope that Agent Fowler and his soldiers will prevail." Optimus said.
Meanwhile back at the Arctic, Agent Fowler and his men were still trying to get the object unstuck from the ice so they could get it back to a secure base.
"Come on, boys, keep going. The storm is getting worse." Agent Fowler said as he noticed that the snowstorm was worsening.
The soldiers nodded and started breaking the ice faster but little did they know was that someone was watching them from afar.
"So this is what Megatron sent us to find in the cold wretched desert? A box?" Starscream asked in confusion since the cons detected the same energy source back in the Nemesis.
"Whatever it is." Breakdown said as he looked at the scanner in his servo as it started to beep.
"It's picking up a lot of energy." Breakdown said as Knock Out has his arms cross but he was really annoyed since his paint job was getting frost all over.
"Yes, well it looks like it's too late. Can we go now? This wind is ruining my finish." Knock Out pointed out and they knew that they had to go before they froze into a Cybertronian ice cube.
"Not yet. We must determine where the humans are carrying this thing." Starscream said as Knock Out rolled his optics since he knows what will happen if they don't go back to the Nemesis, their systems will shut down.
"We can figure it out later. Soundwave has already deployed Laserbeak to follow the humans wherever they go." Knock Out said since he and Breakdown noticed Soundwave sending out Laserbeak to keep an eye on the humans.
"Soundwave, are you sure you're keeping an eye on the humans?" Starscream asked the silent mech as he nodded.
"Very well then. Decepticons, return to the ship." Starscream ordered and the three mechs were relieved to hear that as Soundwave opened up the ground bridge immediately and they walked in as it closed up behind them.
The U.S had the cargo well carried as they finally got it out of the ice but little did everyone know that someone else was watching that too and it was the people that Optimus called 'Decepticons in human skin.'
"MECH 1 to Silas. The U.S military has the thing we were looking for. Should we stop them?" One of the soldiers of MECH asked through the comm-link to their leader Silas who was watching from their new base.
"No, let them go. Put a tracker on them so we can know where they're heading." Silas replied through the comm-link as he was watching them through the camera.
"Yes, sir. Do it." The first MECH soldier replied before turning to one who nodded. The other soldier nodded back before shooting a tracker that landed in one of the choppers and it was well hidden.
"It's done, Silas." The soldier informed him as Silas was proud of the outcome.
At MECH's new base, Silas was watching the whole thing through the camera. It's best to observe and gather information to use.
"Good. Return to base. It's time to prepare. Whatever that thing is, MECH will surely gain something from it." Silas said as a new plan was forming in his mind.
Meanwhile back at the Autobot base, everyone were all holding in their breath while hoping nothing bad will happen to the US Military while Cliffjumper and Smokescreen went out to pick up Emily and possibly challenge her on a race to the base before Ratchet was getting annoyed at the quietness of the place.
"Why are you all so quiet?" Ratchet complained as he turned around to the others as Arcee had her arms cross.
"Since when do you complain about silence?" Arcee asked in confusion and curiosity as Ratchet gave her a pointed look.
"I like having some peace and quiet. That's different." Ratchet told them the difference between a peaceful silence rather than the tense one they're experiencing as Miko noticed as well.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but Ratchet's right. You guys are too quiet. What's wrong?" Miko asked as she knew that they had something in their minds.
"We were just thinking about... well, you know..." Arcee hesitated before everyone realized what Arcee was trying to say.
"Oh that yeah. Well... let's just hope nothing bad will happen." Jack rubs the back of his neck as he remembers the little incident.
"Yeah... I still remember how it went down. It was ugly." Bulkhead shuddered as Bumblebee whirred in agreement as he said that it was a painful experience.
"And painful." Bulkhead added.
"For you, yeah. But for some of us it was kind of a freezing situation." Arcee said since she remembered clearly how she and Optimus almost froze to death
"Right now worrying won't help us. We must consolidate ourselves so that nothing bad will happen." Optimus reassured them as they started to feel relieved.
"Don't worry, Bulkhead, I won't let anything bad happen to you." Miko grinned up to the green wrecker who grinned back.
"Same for you, Bee. Hey now that I think about it. Where's Emily?" Raf smiled at Bumblebee before he noticed a certain pale blonde haired 18 year old wasn't around. They took noticed it as well as Optimus saw that Emily wasn't present yet and wondered what she was doing at the moment"
"She had to work an extra shift at the K.O. I'm sure she's on the way right now." Jack told them since Emily asked Jack if there was any available spot to work at the K.O burger place as Raf nodded slowly.
"Okay..." Raf said slowly but Jack knew that something was bothering him.
"You okay, Raf?" Jack asked in concern as Raf looked up to them.
"I was just thinking... if what happened not long ago.... would affect her." Raf said as he was still pretty shocked about learning the truth about who Emily really is as the others were all surprised because they never asked themselves that question until Raf brought it up.
"True, that is a worrisome prospect. But I doubt we'll see it occur." Ratchet agreed but he knew that the news would hit Emily the hardest. A car horn is heard not too far and they perk up since they knew who that was.
"Speaking of which." Jack started to smile as Emily came riding in on her motorcycle along with Cliffjumper and Smokescreen right behind her. She turns off her engine as she kicks the stand before taking off her helmet as she smirks at the two mechs.
"Three in one week. I'm the best." Emily grinned as both Smokescreen and Cliffjumper transformed as Smokescreen was giving Emily a playful glare.
"I can't believe it. I lost again." Smokescreen complained since he and Cliffjumper lost to Emily in a race for the third time in a week.
"Better luck next time." Cliffjumper shrugged before he walked to Arcee who smiled at him
"You came back early." Jack told her as she put her helmet on the seat of her motorcycle.
"Yeah, well, the boss didn't want me to think he was playing favourite with you." She laughed as she remembered how she was working an extra hour as Jack nodded.
"I see." He nodded as she climbed up the railing.
"So what did I miss?" She asked them curiously as Miko shrugged.
"Nothing much." Miko said.
"Same old stuff." Raf pushed back his glasses as she nodded.
"Hmm I'm not surprised. It has been a while since we've seen some action. Hey what's up with that Arctic thingy you guys found?" Emily asked them since she remembered Cliffjumper and Smokescreen telling her about their little visit to the Arctic and shivered at the slight mention of the freezing place.
"Fowler had it handled." Arcee told her as Bulkhead nodded.
"No need to worry." Bulkhead reassured her as Bumblebee beeped in agreement but Emily can sense that they're worried about something.
"Why do you guys seem worried?" She asked them in concern and they had to stop themselves from going stiff except Optimus, Smokescreen and Cliffjumper as they saw how observant she was.
"Nothing to be alarmed, Emily." Ratchet told her but she can clearly see that they were worried about something.
"Well from what I can tell. This is kind of something to be worried about." Emily said before Optimus came up to her as she looked at him.
"Every situation has a worrisome prospect. But it's best not to worry about it too much to keep our minds clear." Optimus told her and reassured her as she bit her bottom lip before nodding.
"If you say so, Optimus. Um... Cliff, Smoke. Mind helping me with some stuff?" She looked at the two mechs who looked at her in surprise.
"Sure why not?" Cliffjumper shrugged as they followed Emily to somewhere secluded before Emily started talking about how they all seem worried about something.
"Optimus says that there's nothing to be worried about but I can tell by how they are acting that something is going on." She told them as they looked surprised when she stopped pacing while looking up to them.
"Seriously? I didn't notice." Smokescreen said in surprise as he and Cliffjumper didn't notice until now.
"You and me both, rookie." Cliffjumper agreed as he was feeling the tension in the air.
"Whatever it is, I'm starting to get worried." Emily said as she was worried for her friends and family as Smokescreen reassured her.
"Relax, I'm sure it's nothing." Smokescreen said but Emily wasn't convinced as she was still worried.
Meanwhile the others were talking about Emily and about what she is and they saw how quick she can tell that they were nervous and worried about something.
"Look, guys, I know we're trying not to risk too much of Emily's life after we've found out the truth. But this is kind of going too far. First we hide her about her true origins and now this?" Arcee told them their situation since they all agreed to each other not to tell Emily the truth and to wait for her until she was ready.
They look to where Emily and the two mech are as the trio were talking about something before they turned to Ratchet as he spoke up.
"Arcee, you have a right to feel concerned. But you must trust that we are doing the right thing to protect her." Ratchet said as he was starting to feel guilty for not telling Emily but he knew that she wouldn't take the news too lightly.
"I feel bad doing this. If I did something that would hurt Miko, I would never forgive myself." Bulkhead looked to where his human friend was as she smiled softly at him.
"Thanks, Bulk." Miko said as Bulkhead smiled back.
"Look, I care about Emily. Like we all do and I want to protect her at any cost, but this is wrong." Arcee looks down at her pede as she is worried how Emily will take the news and she can already imagine the human that she viewed as a daughter won't take it lightly.
"I'm with her on this one." Bulkhead muttered as Raf nodded.
"Me too." Raf agreed as Miko rubbed her arm.
"Don't forget me." Miko said as she looked to where Emily was as they followed her gaze as Bumblebee beeped sadly since he didn't want his friend that he viewed as a sister to get upset with the bots but the kids didn't know what and why the bots were worried.
"Your concerns are understandable. And rest assured that someday the time will come for us to reveal the truth." Optimus agreed with them but they knew that they had to wait before they could even tell Emily the truth and the others could see that Optimus cared for Emily the most.
The proximity sensors began blaring as Emily covered her ears with the kids as Ratchet went to the computer to see who it was.
"Proximity sensors. It must be Fowler." Ratchet said as he turned on the camera as the computer revealed that Agent Fowler was on the roof and was coming down in the elevator. The elevator doors opened up and Fowler came out to tell them something.
"Good news, Prime. Transport went off without a stitch and now our big booty has been put on ice and it's now guarded 24/7." They minus Emily sighed in relief at this.
"That's good to hear, Agent Fowler." Optimus said as Agent Fowler nodded but was still curious.
"I still don't get why you had me going through all this fuss just for a big box." Agent Fowler told them in confusion and he noticed Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Jack, Miko and Raf stiffened slightly as Arcee and Optimus looked at each other knowingly.
"Trust me, Agent Fowler. What's inside that box can cause big trouble." Jack said as he still remembered it. Talk about the little pest being cute at first only to almost eat the whole base.
"Not to mention serious damages." Miko added.
"Are you sure nothing bad will happen?" Raf was still unsure and concerned as Fowler took notice.
"Don't worry, son. This little thing is guarded in one the most highly secured Military bases. Plus I specifically ordered that no one had to have access until further notice. Besides, who would want that thing?" Fowler said before he noticed the newest human addition to the team as he became confused on who it was.
But it looks like Fowler just jinxed them since inside the thing that they found was another thing that will cause a whole lot of problems.
Meanwhile in the Nemesis, those who went to the Arctic were undergoing the defrosting process as Knock Out had to make sure that they didn't damage anything as Megatron was talking to them.
"I cannot believe that you dared to return on this very ship empty handed." Megatron sneered in annoyance as Starscream was a little nervous but informed him what happened.
"But, master, the humans had too much firepower. Plus in these conditions, it was too risky for us to fight them." Starscream said as Megatron sneered at him.
"Still a coward huh, Strarscream? Perhaps you should be reminded about what could happen to those who dare to fail me." Megatron started and Starscream's optics widened as he backed away instantly from slight fear.
"Forgive me, master. I never meant to disappoint you." Starscream apologized as Megatron nodded before turning to the medic of the cons.
"Knock Out, were you able to decipher anything about our Arctic exploration?" Megatron asked but Knock Out shook his head as he explained the situation.
"Not really Lord Megatron. By the time we found it, the humans were already there and they already had it ready for transportation. Of course before they left, Soundwave was able to dispatch Laserbeak to follow them. And he already had collected some information about this... box thingy." Knock Out said as Soundwave came up as his visor turned on as he showed the video where he recorded the humans unearthing the box.
"From what we can see, it would appear it's some kind of box." Breakdown said as Megatron took a closer look at the footage and saw the box before becoming surprised since he knew what it was.
"It's not just any box. It's a trap." Megatron said in surprise as the trio looked confused. The box thingy was a trap? But if it is, what kind of trap is it?
"A trap? But for what?" Knock Out asked curiously as Megatron continued to watch the footage.
"To deal a deadly blow to the Autobots. Have you found the location of where the humans have it guarded?" Megatron asked the silent mech as he nodded before Soundwave showed them the location of the box after Laserbeak came back.
"Laserbeak has already reported the place where the humans brought it and It's in some sort of highly secure military base. Their security looks tight and even if we're able to infiltrate the base, their weapons would turn us into scraps." Breakdown said as Megatron hummed in thought.
"Humans might have the firepower to repel us. But they won't be able to stop us." Megatron told them as he already had a plan.
"Lord Megatron, you're suggesting that we go there to steal that box do you?" Starscream asked as he knew Megatron all too well already.
"Suggesting? No. Ordering. Now go out there and bring me that box. NOW!" The sudden order made them almost jump from surprise but they quickly regained composure and bowed down.
"Yes, Lord Megatron." Starscream complied.
"We'll go at once, my liege." Knock Out added before the trio left their leader alone and started to prepare to get to the base.
Whatever it was, it's gonna be a whole lot of trouble for both cons and bots.
What's inside the box? Will they meet their demise at the small jaws of what's inside or befriend a new friend to the bots?
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực