TransWarped (An Animated/Prime Crossover)

Chapter 2: The Arrival

Bulkhead exhaled slowly as he watched Wheeljack drive farther and farther away. Though they lost the Predacon bone to Starscream and his horde, Bulkhead thought they made good progress as a new team. Ultra Magnus was slightly more accepting of Wheeljack's personality and Miko's contribution to the team. For a moment, things were looking up.

And yet it wouldn't be enough to make Wheeljack stay.

"You gotta go after Wheeljack, Bulk!" Miko pleaded as she turned to her friend. She was in the Apex Armor and used its super strength to grip his arm tightly. She mustered up her most sympathetic puppy-eyed look. "You can't let him break up the band! We just got back together!"

Bulkhead shook his head before drawing his attention back to the human. He tried to stamp down his own hurt feelings. "It's best we let Jackie do what he wants. I've tried to convince Jackie to stay before and it didn't work."

"But if we let him leave now he might never come back!"

"I agree with Miko." Ultra Magnus chimed in from behind the duo, much to their surprise. The Autobot kept his optics on Wheeljack's retreating form and continued, "The Decepticons now have another sample of Predacon DNA and soon we will be dealing with many more Predacon clones. If we are to succeed in our fight against the Decepticons, we must stand as a united front. Despite his disrespect and flippant attitude regarding regulations, we need Wheeljack."

Miko beamed at Ultra Magnus before giving Bulkhead an encouraging push. "Go! Go! Go! Magnus and I will see you later!"

Bulkhead nodded his thanks before transforming and speeding towards Wheeljack as fast as his engine would allow. Wheeljack disappeared over the horizon by this point, but he hadn't returned to the base yet.

Bulkhead commed Ratchet just as the tell-tale portal formed meters in front of Wheeljack's speeding form. "Docbot, don't close the ground bridge yet! I'm right behind Wheeljack!" Bulkhead yelled over the sound of his overworked engine.

The doctor grunted an affirmation and it only took Bulkhead a few seconds longer before he passed through the ground bridge into Hangar E.

The green Wrecker transformed as soon as he passed the last green swirls of the ground bridge. To Bulkhead's surprise, Wheeljack hadn't stormed off the base.

Before Bulkhead could even acknowledge the others in the base, Agent Fowler walked out of his office with an announcement.

"Well, I just got wind of another Con hotspot right outside of Taos, New Mexico." Agent Fowler loudly proclaimed as he walked onto the yellow scaffolding. "And since Prime and his unit aren't back from oil country..."

Arcee took the hint and was already heading towards Bulkhead and the ground bridge terminal behind him."Raf, send a bridge to Fowler's coordinates. You two roll with me."

"Not today, alright." Wheeljack held up a servo, sparing Bulkhead a dejected glance.

"If you're okay with sending me out alone."

"Alone's how I prefer to roll."

At that comment, Bulkhead tried to step in. "Jackie, listen-"

"Not now, Bulk," Wheeljack grumbled.

Bulkhead's reply was cut off by an unfamiliar whirring noise. The ground bridge came to life behind him. The ground bridge portal slowly grew, but it glowed an unfamiliar aqua color rather than its usual mix of green, blue, and pink. Confusion and apprehension filled the atmosphere of the base.

"Uh, is that a normal color...?" Jack asked as he got off the couch. He discarded his game controller and walked to the edge of the concrete platform to get a closer look.