Transformers: Shattered Glass

Chapter 12- The Diversion

Colorado River, 1913
The diversion of the Colorado River was complete after eleven years. Herbert Hoover and his wife, Lou, looked at a map on a wooden table. With them was a young man named Roy Thompson who was listening to their story of how they became involved. "You're Herbert Hoover!" stated Roy. "You know more about soil and... stuff than anybody. You wrote the book on mining and nobody is going how to divert the Colorado River and finally excavate that cube!" Hoover nodded, "And I figured that the cube would be better off out of that mud pit in sector nine. Maybe when we move it safely to sector seven, my wife can get back to what it's made of." He then pointed backwards with his right thumb and added, "And how it connects to the Mega-Man up north." Theodore Wells comes up to them and asked, "Herbert and Lou, are you trying to fill the lad's head with ideas?" Roy praised, "Gosh, sir. I didn't know that things were exciting in the old days." Wells cocked an eyebrow at Roy and repeated, "Old days?" Shaking this off, Wells continued, "Anyway, Thompson. I radioed Alpha Base. No sign of Simmons. They haven't heard from him since he boarded the ship, and that a week ago he arrived in port." Hoover asked, "Should we be worried?" Wells sighed as he murmured, "Only for Clara." Lou asked, "What, Mr. Wells?" Wells answered quickly, "I said, I'm sure things will clear up... but we better get down to the cube."

Wells arrived on the empty riverbank in time to see his estranged partner Walter Simmons with the humongous cube wrapped around in chains connected to a nearby crane. "Simmons!" exclaimed Wells. "What the deuce are you doing?" Simmons answered nonchalantly, "Getting things done. It's about time you and your team got here, Wells. I've been here since last night. I raised the workers and we're excavating the cube presently. I think the big fat government has made you slow, Theodore." He turns to see Wells and added, "What would you do without me?" Wells gripped on Simmons' shoulder and scolded, "Have you lost your damn mind?! Your wife, Clara, is barely holding herself together! You're nothing but a memory if anything to your own daughter, Margaret! And you came here last night?" Simmons brushed Wells' hand off and said, "Get your hand off me, Theodore." The crane hoisted the cube up as Simmons berated, "You spent years wasting our team's talents on wild goose chases. It's time that changed. All you've done is doing what the president tells you to do! What happened to the work we began? Did it die with Agent North?" Wells had no answer for that as Simmons pointed out, "Look, the markings on the cube is the same we found on the Mega-Man. This is all that matters!" He faced Wells and added, "Yet your superiors don't even believe in the second Mega-Man." Wells sighed, "We didn't have evidence to suggest that..." He looked down at the hole below the cube and pointed at something glowing in the pitch darkness. "Were you anticipating that, Walter?" asked Wells. Simmons was amazed at this and recalled, "We saw a glow like that in the Sierra Nevada mountains, before the Mega-Man... We've got to go inside, Theodore." Wells agreed, "I suppose so. Like the old days." The others joined the two men as Roy said slack jawed, "You... you lifted the cube, boss." Wells and Simmons turned to see them. Wells introduced, "Walter Simmons- you've never formally met the rest of my crew at Beta Command. This is our metal expert, Lou Hoover... our youngest member, Roy Thompson... and Lou's husband, Herbert." Wells looked down at the hole and ordered, "All of you- grab your guns. We're going in."

The five entered inside the cave as they cautiously looked around with their guns ready. Roy asked, "You've seen this before, right?" Simmons explained, "Yes, in the mountains of California." Wells added, "And hundreds of years ago." Simmons recounted, "We didn't have time to explore the caves after we opened fire on the inhabitants!" Wells reminded, "They were brainless beasts, Walter. But... hell, it's good to have you among the living." Simmons shrugged, "We didn't know the caves went this far." Lou looked around and analyzed the glowing materials on the cave walls. "It's not even warm," said Lou as she rubbed her hand against it. "What is it? Is it radioactive?" Simmons answered, "Simple iron pyrite." She said in disbelief, "That's not possible. Not even close to possible." Roy guessed, "The cube must be providing a power source." Wells said apprehensively, "I'm more concerned about the cave beasties. Why haven't we..." Roy's eyes widened in surprise as he pointed to a bloody pile of strange creatures. The group went over to analyze the remains as Hoover gaped, "Good Lord, there are dozens. They've been shot..." Lou added, "And cut and burned..."

Wells and Simmons looked at each other as Simmons said, "Theodore. What you said before that I was among the living, again." Wells nodded, "Yes, well, ironic word choice, I'll admit, but I meant-" Simmons interrupted, "You meant I was done with my obsession, didn't you?" Wells put a hand on his shoulder and said truthfully, "Walter, I missed having adventures with you. Your family has missed you." Simmons rubbed his right temple and responded, "That is what I was afraid of. You don't understand. This... is a reminder of our past. It doesn't mean that the adventures were equally important..." His words were interrupted by a loud mechanical noise as the group turned to see a pair of glowing dark blue lights peer down at them. Wells and Simmons' blood went cold as they recognized those dark blue lights. Out of the shadows stood a fifty foot tall behemoth that was chalk white with some purple stripes with metallic whiskers on its face and wings on its back holding an massive axe in its right hand.

It glared down at both Wells and Simmons in burning recognition. "What is that?" asked Hoover in fearful awe. Wells gasped, "That's the second Mega-Man that killed Agent North!" Simmons nodded, "I believe so, and I believe..." Wells finished, "It recognizes us!" Roy and Lou began shooting at the being but the bullets merely bounced off. Hoover grabs his wife and pulls her away as he exclaimed, "Are you mad, woman? Run!" Roy urged, "Go! Get your wife out of here!" Lou scoffed, "His wife is more than capable of taking care of-" The being swung its axe on the cave floor as she finished, "Herself!" Wells shot at the behemoth and shouted impatiently, "Will you idiots get out here?! This is no time for battle of the sexes!" Wells nearly got crushed as everyone began climbing up out of the cave.

Exiting the hole, Simmons ordered, "It's coming! It's after us! Cut the cable!" Roy retorted, "We can't! Wells is still in there!" Simmons insisted, "I know that! But that thing must be stopped! Drop the cube!"