TransWarped

Chapter 2: The Arrival

Bulkhead exhaled slowly as he watched Wheeljack's alternate mode get farther and farther away. Though they had lost the Predacon bone, 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. It hurt seeing his friend leave again but, "It's best we just let him go. I've tried to convince Jackie to stay before and it didn't work."

"But if we let him leave now he might not ever come back!"

"I agree with Miko." Ultra Magnus chimed in from behind the duo, much to their surprise. Miko and Bulkhead turned to Ultra Magnus. The Autobot kept his optics on Wheeljack's retreating form and continued, "The Decepticons now have another sample 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 had disappeared over the horizon by this point, but he hadn't gotten back to the base yet.

Bulkhead commed Ratchet just as the tell-tale portal formed meters in front of Wheeljack's speeding form. "Doc-bot, 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. Bulkhead took this as a good sign, it meant that Wheeljack hadn't completely made up his mind about leaving Team Prime yet.

"Well, I just got wind of another Con hotspot right outside of Taos, New Mexico." Agent Fowler announced as he walked out of his office 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, set a bridge for 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. The remaining members of Team Prime gaped in shock at the strange occurrence.

"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.