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Keep Driving
Chapter 9
Authors note:-
You'll have to forgive me, this should have been out a couple of days ago but the combination of a job interview and a few other things delayed me. Another thing is that this is a short chapter, I know that but anything else I write here would just be padding. There is an epilogue, but that picks up the story after a couple of weeks and ties the last plot threads together.
Sarah Lennox held her daughter tightly. 'It will all be alright. I promise.' she said to her daughter and brought up a spoonful of baby food. They sat on the couch in front of the TV. CNN had a live feed from where the giant robots were battling.
Little Annabelle, with the most perfect pout Sarah ever did see, pulled away. Clamping her tiny mouth shut the baby refused to eat. Sarah knew why, she wasn't hungry either. They were both worried about Will. As soon as the news had first showed that giant robot monster her husband ran for that beast of a truck.
She hadn't heard from him since then and with all that was happening out there she didn't know if Will was alive or not. It didn't look good either way, no one could survive what was happening out there and she knew her husband all too well. If he was still alive he'd be there, in the middle of it. Will couldn't help himself.
She watched as the smaller, but still quite big yellow robot came up to the camra crew 'Please,' It said, pleading with the military. 'There's nothing you can do to help. Get out of here!' Sarah wasn't stupid or a push over, she certainly wasn't going to believe what she saw on TV.
Still even a blind woman could tell there were two sides to this war and Earth was slap bang in the middle of it. For some reason the general, who her husband didn't like, couldn't see that. He really was a total ass. As he shouted up at the robot that was just trying to help there was aloud knocking at the door that set Annabelle screaming.
'Hush, hush now. There's nothing wrong, the bad things haven't come for you.' Sarah crooned. 'I've got to see who that is.' Putting the baby in her high seat Sarah went to the door.
Two army officers, in dress uniform, were there. They were the sort of people she was glad Will wasn't. Hard nosed and crew cut. They weren't soldiers, more bureaucrats in uniform. 'Mrs Lennox. can we come in.' the one on the left asked.
The one on the right didn't wait and pushed past her. The one that spoke first looked apologetic, not seeing another option she let him in. Sarah was glad they didn't give her their names, they were so bland looking that the only real difference between them was how they acted. The rude one looked down on the high chair. 'Yours?' They asked as if her daughter was an insect.
'Her name is Annabelle and yes she's my daughter. Now what do you want?'
'Your husband was William Lennox, United States Army Rangers.' the other one grunted as something cold settled in her gut.
'If you're here to tell me he's been hurt Thank you for your time, please go.' She managed to say without looking either of them in the eye.
'We can't do that.' The rude one sneered, 'He's dead. He was riding in one of those robot things when we took it out. We've been sent to find out what you traitors know.'
'His truck...' Sarah gasped. She had known there was something weird about it then it hit her. One word: "dead". 'My God no.' Sarah felt the strength in her legs leave and she grabbed hold of the back of the couch to keep standing.
The rude one didn't let up. He almost stood on her toes 'God's on our side lady, the United States. Who's side are you on?'
'Ease up Walker.' The other pushed him back. 'Ma'am, you have my condolences but we have to know. Did you know anything about these machines?'
Somehow she was able to hear them through the shock 'No. He didn't tell me.' Her eyes fell on the TV that had so captivated Annabelle. On it the small yellow robot bravely fought an enormous one, saving the news crew. Somehow he found the strength in her legs again. 'Now if you want to insult me go right ahead but my daughter has just lost a father she'll never get a chance to know. People like you disgrace everything people like him fight for. William would never betray his country.'
The rude one, Walker, took a few steps back while the other seemed to take it in his stride. 'Thank you.' he said. 'You understand we have to ask these things...' he trailed off. Sarah was far more interested in the TV. After looking so was he.
The ass of a General jumped on to the robot that had just saved his life and shot it. Sarah couldn't believe what she was seeing, it was like the guy didn't even care. Then, of all things, he started talking to the camera, like he was some sort of hero for shooting a man who saved his life. 'Son of a bitch.' The more intelligent of her guests whispered. 'Sorry for the language Ma'am.'
As the son of a bitch, which she had no problem calling him, basically gloated Will stormed into shot behind him. Face like a thunder cloud. Sarah felt her heart soar as he knocked the General out with one well placed punch.
She'd never remember what he said, only how good it felt to know he was still alive. Taking a deep breath Sarah turned on her visitors. They were both open mouthed and staring at her. 'You both heard my husband. Now thank you for your time. Please leave.'
Numbly they did, closing the door behind them as Sarah picked up Annabelle. 'Everything's going to be alright sweetie. Your daddy's still out there and he won't anything happen to you.'
Annabelle gurgled happily and waved at the screen. Just in time to see the giant silver robot that had levelled Mission City blow a hole in the red one.
'What's the damage?' He asked as Lennox decked out the human responsible for shooting the young 'bot.
'Bad.' It was, four hot load rounds at point blank range. Bumblebee was recklessly brave, almost to the point of idiocy, but that didn't mean he was super strong. In fact his armour plating was the thinnest of all of them. It made his headstrong nature even more impressive. Bumblebee would have sacrificed himself without a second thought for anyone here, human or Autobot.
The sabot rounds had punctured the flexible poly-steel membrane covering his face and buried themselves inside his head. One in a shattered optic, another in his vocal processor. The third had punched through an audio receptor. but it was the last one that did the real damage. Burning through the delicate neurological processor the round had lodged into his memory core.
Ratchet moved the scanner down. 'Come on Bee, I know you. Always lucky at times like this.'
The other Ratchet shook his head. 'There's nothing left.'
'That's where your wrong.' he said triumphantly as he saw the readings. 'Back-up memory core in the chest plate. Bumblebee downloaded just in the nick of time and his laser core is intact, his Spark's still online.'
'After all that damage? You really do build yourselves to last.' The sky darkened when something caught their attention. Megatron's last trick, distracting Prime just long enough to get a shot in. If there was nothing he could do to Astrotrain Ratchet hadn't a chance against the Leader of the Decepticons. Everyone else was too busy with their own problems or out of position. Prime was on his own.
John Keller looked up at the half finished screen. Somehow, thanks to Arcee, they had been able to rig up a direct video link to the President. The most powerful man in the world was on the other end and looking between their monitor and another. 'You have to understand I have to be seen doing something.'
Optimus Prime nodded. 'I can accept that. The people of your world need to know that they are safe, but is it better to do the wrong thing now. Rather than wait a while and figure out what the right thing to do is?'
'Of course.' The President drawled and Keller's poker face almost slipped into a wince. 'I can always have someone spin it that it was right at the time.'
Arcee, who was staying just out of the camera's view, looked stunned. The Autobot had never come across that sort of thinking before. Well, if you could call it thinking. Optimus, on the other hand, seemed to know a bit about politics. Enough to be polite at any rate. 'Yes I can understand that.' He lied convincingly, if John didn't know him he wouldn't have been able to tell how disgusted the Autobot leader was. 'Right now my friends are out there trying to help your people. If all goes well we can delay them long enough for our plan to work.'
The President wasn't looking at them. All his attention must have been on the news. 'What happens then?'
'With luck the Decepticons will be pulled off your planet, along with many Autobot's.'
So you'll be going home, you're leaving?' He asked hopefully.
'Not all of us, just some.' Optimus clarified and stopped. The President had seen something shocking. Arcee reacted too, taking a step back she bumped into the wall.
'No, Bumblebee!' She gasped and then fired a hologram of the news. It must have been recorded, but that didn't help with what Keller saw. The smallest of the Autobots from the other dimension was blown back when a Decepticon transformed into a space shuttle and took off. Skidding to a stop near General Marks Keller expected his rival to try something for a PR victory. Instead Keller watched in horror as the arrogant General climbed up on top of the Autobot and shot him.
It was political suicide and at any other time Keller would have punched the air in joy, but he didn't. He had accepted that these alien robots were alive, they might not be human but they had just as much right to live as any of God's creatures on this planet. What Marks had just done was murder. Plain and simple.
Optimus Prime's blue eyes flared sapphire. 'That man will answer to us. In every known law what I have have just seen was criminal.'
The President nodded. 'We can talk about it. But I don't know for how long.' Arcee changed the hologram from Bumblebee's charred corpse to another fight. The other Optimus was basted down by the silver and black Megatron, the two titans had changed the whole outcome of the battle. The Autobots were losing, then something else happened...
Staring down the the barrel of Megatron's cannon Optimus felt his processor race. He was in trouble, half his main systems and most of his back ups were off line. His self-repair systems were over stretched, with a mental command he prioritised the repairs. Fight now, survive later.
That didn't help the situation, Megatron had paused long enough to gloat but he wasn't going to wait around. Then he saw it, the gathering clouds overhead. It was happening far too fast t be natural. Then it hit him, atmospheric disruption. The side effect of the space bridge opening. Wheeljack had done it!
'I would have waited an eternity for this.' Megatron said. 'It's over Prime.'
'Never!' The Autobot leader shouted, dropping his shoulder Optimus was able to swing up and grab his Deception counterpart's gun arm. Holding him tight Optimus pushed with everything he had. Megatron could still fly off and escape. Opening dimension holes was tricky and dangerous, if they didn't scoop up everyone this time the next attempt could force the two universes together. Destroying both.
It was a desperate gamble but Optimus had no choice. Besides if he had learnt one thing as leader it was that sometimes you got lucky.
'You can't hold me forever Prime. You're too weak.'
Optimus held as tightly as he could. He could feel the teeth on his gears stripping, pulleys slipping and piston fluid leaking. Megatron was right. 'I don't have to hold you forever, just long enough.'
Megatron frowned as Optimus felt it. It was like gravity but different. Pulling at every part separately, in the same way. Lighter objects, like shrapnel, began to hover around them as the new force took hold. 'What are you... the space bridge!' The Decepticon realised
As he said it the heavens opened. Like a diamond sun in the heart of the gathering storm and intensely bright light winked into existence. 'NO!' Megatron bellowed into Optimus's face, his struggling became desperate. 'You can't stop me! This world is mine and not even you can stand in my way!' Lightning danced across the dark clouds, casting new shadows on the wrestling pair.
Optimus wanted to reply with a witty come back. Something to put the deranged Decepticon in his place, but all his strength and processor power was focussed on holding on.
'Not this time. Not now, not here!' Megatron continued to shout and struggle. 'This was to be my world, my universe. I was to rule all! No one can take that away from me. No one not even you Prime!'
As the Decepticon struggled with a maniac's strength all around them Decepticons and Autobots rose into the sky. The Starscream that Megatron had experimented on twisted. Components hastily installed tore free from his chassis. As the last part broke it's clamps the broken jet fell back down with a crash.
Still Megatron was fighting back and Prime's gears couldn't take anymore. The last piston gave and Megatron broke free. Firing randomly Megatron must have hoped he could hit something important. Proof that Optimus's archenemy was losing his logic processor Megatron even started shooting at the Space Bridge portal.
It didn't stop the inescapable pull, but Optimus still had to stop the random destruction raining down. He might not have the torque to hold with his shoulders anymore but Optimus's hands were still in working order. With luck his extra mass would pull Megatron up quicker.
His guess was right and together they were the last to leave this reality. Megatron screaming his defiance all the way.
End Chapter 9
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