Transformers: Shattered Glass

Chapter 17- Visions And Transfers

Boston Secure Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, 1924
It had been over 26 years since the former feared pirate captain Archibald Amundsen Witwicky had visitors come visit him in his hospital room. He was still blinded from when he saw his "Devil," frozen in the Arctic Circle where he last made his voyage three years prior. The captain was also still insane, claiming to have seen the future. A city in shambles, where advanced automobiles and aircraft warred against each other with many innocent civilians were caught in the middle. "Their War, Our World!" ranted Witwicky. "Their War, Our World! Their War, Our World!" A doctor and nurse finally came in to the room with a tank full of chloroform gas and a breathing apparatus. The doctor put the breathing apparatus on his mouth as the nurse turned the chloroform gas tank to make Witwicky sleep as he muttered tiredly, "Their... War... Our... World..."

Then other people came inside as the doctor and nurse turned around to address them. It was Witwicky's son and mob boss Clarence Witwicky along with a couple gangsters in pinstriped suits and fedoras. "So, how is he, doc?" asked Clarence. The doctor answered, "We haven't made any progress with your father, I'm afraid. We've tried all forms of therapies and medications. Repeatedly, he hasn't been able to respond to any of it." Clarence sighed heavily as one of his men asked, "Why does he keep sayin', 'Their War, Our World?' Is he talkin' about the war?" The doctor answered, "Quite frankly, we don't know what war specifically. The Spanish American War or our recent one from a few years ago. He once claimed to have seen a city in the future where cars and biplanes fought each other in. Whatever he saw in the North Pole, he would give Jules Verne a run for his money." Clarence questioned, "So what can you do for him?" The doctor suggested, "We could relocate him to a different facility in Baton Rouge. Maybe they could help. All I need is a family member to sign a consent agreement to transfer him."

Later
Clarence and his men exited the hospital and entered into their limousine. "Where to, sir?" asked the driver. "Home," replied Clarence as the driver acknowledged and started the vehicle. Then the limousine drove off. "Well, boss," commented one of the mobsters. "Guess your father's still gotta little scurvy, huh?" Clarence gave a cold stare at the mobster which made him look nervous. Then the mob boss chuckled, "Yeah, a little scurvy." The mobster started to laugh nervously to which Clarence joined in before he punched the mobster's face, leaving a dime-shaped scar which started bleeding. Clarence pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the mobster's blood off of his diamond ring. "If you want to keep your job or want a new pair of cement shoes," threatened Clarence. "You don't ever insult my father."

Witwicky Mansion, Springfield, Missouri, Days Later
Clarence Witwicky sat in his living room, looking at old photographs of him and his father. Smiling, he recalled when he and his father went fishing together. The two were on a boat for about two or three hours on a boat during a hot summer day until finally Clarence caught a big bass. Of course, Archibald had to help him reel it in before the fishing rod would snap in half. The two made it to shore together and posed for the photo. That was the greatest time of his life.

When Clarence got older, he got more involved in the family business. There were times when he would join his father in his ship, even getting to know the crew of pirates. However, Clarence preferred to stay close to the city rather than the ocean. Despite this, tons of money was being made from the drug trafficking, as long as the right people were being paid to look the other way.

One day, Clarence heard that his father and crewmen got hired to do a particular job by some kind of powerful organization. This would be last time he saw his father, before he went blind and driven to insanity in the Arctic Circle. Clarence still wanted answers for what happened to his father, but no one truly knew what the job was or the organization. Clarence vowed that one day, either he or his future kin will find the answers and make the organization pay for what they've done to the Witwicky name. Clarence angrily clenched his fist, peering down at his ring, recalling one of his subordinates' mocking of his father. The Witwicky name was once uttered in fear, but now, it was replaced by mockery. "We will go harder on anyone who dares to laugh at the Witwicky crime family again," vowed Clarence solemnly, shutting the photo book. "Then they'll remember why they fear us."

Psychopathic Institute for the Long-Term Insane, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
A strapped Archibald Witwicky was escorted into his new home. His rambling of the future and the "Devil's" burning eyes gave the driver and orderlies nothing but headaches.

"Their War, Our World!" shouted the deranged blind man, wearing a straight jacket with his sleeves strapped to his back. "Our machines will rise up against us in the future! The Devil in ice showed me!" His psychologist, a mustached man with platinum hair and glasses named Dr. Curtis let out a heavy sigh as he nodded, "Yes, the 'devil in ice.' Tell me, Mr. Witwicky--" Witwicky insisted, "Captain! I'm Captain Archibald Witwicky!" With a roll of his eyes, Curtis corrected, "Of course, captain. Tell me, the 'devil in ice' made you 'see the future.' Which you described had Ford Model T's and biplanes 'rise up against us.'" Witwicky suddenly stood up as an orderly struggled to get him to sit down. "You're not listening to me!" screamed Witwicky lividly. "I saw the future! They are coming!" Curtis pulled out a syringe and pricked on Witwicky's arm to hopefully calm him down.

Later
Dr. Curtis sighed as he finished sedating the former pirate captain. "We're going to have to put him into isolation," said Curtis conclusively to the orderly. "With all these psychotic episodes keep coming, he'll cause a ruckus with the other patients." The orderly nodded, "His family wants us to make him feel better." Curtis shook his head and responded, "I can't exactly make promises. His insanity was brought on by physical and emotional trauma by whatever the hell was in the North Pole." The orderly asked, "So you believe him about the 'devil?'" Curtis scoffed, "Personally, I think he slipped and fell in the ice, hitting his head hard enough to make him blind and have brain damage." The doctor and orderly walked off, leaving Witwicky to get carried by two other orderlies to isolation.