One In A Billion | TFP

𝟎𝟎𝟏𝟐

My head throbbed with pain, and my suddenly hypersensitive vision was blurry as I tried to piece together my surroundings. The last thing I remembered was a brutal blow to the head, plunging me into darkness.

I made out electric chains, encircling my limbs. On instinct, I tried to break loose in them but that evidently wasn't much use. With every attempt to move or summon my powers, a searing shock streamed through my body, causing me to grit my teeth against the pain. 

"Damn it...where am I?" I cursed through gritted teeth. 

I scanned my surroundings—a deathly freezing room, whispering undercurrent, state-of-the-art sophisticated alien tech, garbled voices in my head. The tremulous expanse was large enough to fit 2 earths and the floor was so unnaturally far away that it kept shifting out of focus a few times.

I took in the sterile, metallic walls and the conspicuous absence of any exit. Panic started to well up within me, but I forced myself to mask my emotions. Freaking out was so unprofessional.

Suddenly, the automatic doors to the brig hissed open, revealing two menacing figures. A sleek and sinister Decepticon medic, cherry-red with a white visage, dark red for its cornea, and light red circles for each of its optics, and a hulking mechanical powerhouse, with an orange faceplate and a glowing golden optic, its other eye covered with what looked like a metal version of an eye patch, with a blue and silver paint job, entered the chamber. 

My eyes narrowed, anger flaring. "Decepticon scum," I snapped, voice trembling with anger. "What have you done to me? Let me go!"

The shiny red con smirked, exchanging a knowing glance with the bulky dude before the former sauntered closer to me, a cruel smirk playing on his metallic lips. "Oh, look at that, Breakdown. Our little prisoner is awake and feisty. I do love a challenge," the cherry mech mocked. 

Breakdown grinned. "Yeah, Knockout, she's got spirit. Just what we needed on this boring ship."

My muscles tensed as I struggled against my restraints, the electric shocks surging through me each time. My glacial eyes blazed with defiance. "You won't break me, Decepticons. I'll find a way out of here, and when I do, you'll regret ever capturing me."

Knockout leaned in close, his predatory smile inches from my face. "Oh, Ember, you're a real firecracker, aren't you? We're going to have so much fun with you."

My mind raced as I weighed my options. I had to find a way out of this situation, but for now, I was trapped on the Decepticon warship with no allies in sight. I was angry beyond comprehension, but a thought suddenly flashed through my head. Bitstream. He was the reason I was here. And suddenly, it all made sense.

When I visited him to negotiate, he had other intentions. The stiff thing that clubbed me from behind must've been him, and when I blacked out, he must've taken me to his place. My anger was already starting to bubble to the surface the longer I stayed idle. I felt my chains heat up and then zap my whole body, the same time I felt remnants of my magic flickering above the surface. 

I hissed in pain, as I leveled a deadly glare at both Cons. "Where is Bitstream," I asked, voice like a broken record.

Both Cons started at each other before Knockout stared back at me, poker-faced, "Glad you asked," he uncuffed me then snatched me in his grasp. Breakdown followed behind him as we exited the brig into the endless halls of the warship. 

As I entered the main expanse, the vast chamber loomed before me. Decepticons of all shapes and sizes moved about, their sinister red optics glowing with malevolence. My eyes darted around, scanning for any signs of weakness or opportunity.