Optimus and Smokescreen rode side-by-side, the two of them silent on their way back to their old base.
Without his equipment, Ratchet wouldn't be able to locate them, so the only way they had any chance of finding each other without purposefully exposing themselves to mankind would be to return to the MECH infested base.
Neither of them had any clue where they were, but eventually they'd have to find something familiar.
The only real threat that Optimus worried about was whether they'd be able to make it to base. Both him and Smokescreen were low on energon.
A distant, chopping sound was heard and Optimus slowed to a stop, looking around with dread as the sound grew closer.
A helicopter approached and Optimus tensed. MECH.
It circled them a few times before staying in place.
"It's following us until backup arrives." Smokescreen realized.
Optimus growled and transformed. "It can only follow one of us."
Smokescreen began to transform but Optimus held out his hand. "You are injured. Logically, they will follow me, so I will lead them away. Get as far away from here as possible."
"But what about you?" Smokescreen asked.
"I will be fine." Optimus assured him. "Now go."
Smokescreen hesitated before reluctantly turning back and speeding away, determined to find the Autobots so that they could help Optimus. Smokescreen himself was in no condition to be anything other than a burden.
Optimus narrowed his eyes at the helicopter and remained in place, refusing to pointlessly run from it. Being an aerial vehicle, it was far better suited for the chase.
Instead, he raised his blaster and shot at it. Instantly, the helicopter swerved to the side, avoiding each blaster expertly.
Optimus was reluctant to fire too quickly. If he lost too much energon, then there was no hope of surviving this.
On the horizon, multiple vehicles and helicopters began to approach. Optimus got into a battle stance. He would have to be fast and alert if he was to avoid their electric projectiles.
From behind him, a noise was heard and Optimus turned, almost sighing in relief at the sight of a groundbridge.
Wait.
Ratchet didn't have a groundbridge anymore.
Megatron himself stepped through, eyes gleaming victoriously at the Prime. "Why, Optimus, what a surprise it is to see you out here."
Optimus glared, but his determination grew at the sight of another enemy. Perhaps he was fated to die at the hands of MECH. But if Optimus was going down, he was taking Megatron with him.
"Your human allies?" Megatron asked, glancing at the helicopters and cars that were almost upon them.
"On the contrary..." Optimus lunged forward, jabbing his sword at the warlord.
Megatron grabbed Optimus arm and spun him around, roughly slamming the Prime into the dirt and pinning him down.
"That was easy." Megatron stated, his eyes narrowing as he observed Optimus.
The warlord's eyes landed on Optimus's neck cables, which were torn from the energon tubes. Megatron's eyes widened ever so slightly before an electric device slammed into his back.
Megatron roared and tried to rip it off, but he was unable to reach the device, as it was on his back.
Optimus tried to sit up, but the impact from Megatron slamming him down made the Prime even weaker, added to his severe energon loss. Optimus's arms buckled and he crumpled downward.
YOU ARE READING
Raider Red
Fanfiction"You belong wherever you chose to be." "If a bird choses to live in the ocean, it will drown." Red Bishop was the second in command of MECH, and the feared, cold-hearted daughter of Silas Bishop. It was her mission to gather intelligence on the...
