Ghosts of the Present (Rescue Bots AU)

46. Send Us a Postcard From Jail!

The smoke trail the trapped trio had been following was faint and hard to follow at this point, but now they had Blades' headlights to lighten up the cavern and search the air for hints of it.

"Left." He informed, and they followed him until they paused, seeing something reflecting in the lights.

"Coyotes?" Cody asked softly, not sure if coyote eyes reflected green or not.

"No..."
Graham moved closer, moving his flashlight over the pile of soil and rock that stood ahead of them. As he moved the light over the green stones, they glistened, and he smiled. "It's the missing emeralds!"

"Look!" Blades pointed to a tiny rodent hopping along the rocks, "It's the rat I saw earlier!"

The rat hissed angrily and then dashed up and disappeared out of a hole in the ceiling... A hole in the ceiling!

"Moonlight!" Graham announced, "He just showed us the way out!"

"Thank you, Mr. Rat!"
Blades waved to the rodent and then slid his visor down. "Climb in my cab, I'll widen the opening."

Graham and Cody climbed inside quickly and then Blades pulled his fists back and slammed them into the stone; it crumbled easily with his full strength, and after a few good hits, he was able to haul himself up onto the ledge above. "Eh...! We made it!" He cheered as he looked up at the moon, "Thank Primus... And thank you, Mother..."

He let Cody and Graham back out of his cab and set them down, before tapping his commlink. "Chief? Chief Burns, do you copy?"

Blades! Dani's relieved voice rang out through the comms, Oh, thank God...! Are you okay? Are Cody and Graham with you?

"We're all fine, Dani. We made it out... Thanks to Graham."

That's great news, but- Whoa! Chief Burns' voice strained, and they heard Chase and Heatwave's sirens getting closer from further down the slope. We're kinda busy at the moment...!

Blades looked down as his brothers passed below them, hot on the heels of Chickadee in her ATV, and then he saw an explosion between Chickadee's ATV and Heatwave that nearly took the firetruck off the road. "Oh...!" He growled, "Oh Pits no! You did not just try to blow up my big brother!"

Cody sneered, "Whatcha gonna do about it...?"

Blades' brows furrowed, "I'm gonna make sure she's got license and registration for that ATV, and for handling explosives! That's what I'm gonna do!"

The flaring light from his energy form reappeared and this time he transformed intentionally. The surge of energy was back, but his processor was clear; there was no hesitation, no wondering if he would lose himself because this was himself, just another side. He flew up into the air and then took off down the cliffside after the ATV, like a bird swooping down on its prey.
He lingered along the edge of the trail, keeping at level with the ATV. So... His voice boomed, getting Chickadee's attention. ...You think you can take our emeralds, Half-Pint!? Hand over yer loot! This is a stick-up!

Chickadee looked to the side and it was quite clear that his ruse had worked; she was convinced he was the ghost of a Highwayman. She shrieked in terror and swerved away, right off of the trail and down into some trees where the others were waiting. The ATV was trashed, but she had fortunately caught herself on one of the branches.

"Ah-Ah surrender! Ah surrender!" She screamed as Boulder lifted his bucket and she dropped into it. "Just don't let it get me!"

"Don't let what get you?" Kade asked as he leaned over the end of Heatwave's ladder.