Transformers: Shattered Glass

Chapter 23- Project: Iceman

Hoover Dam, Late Fall, 1935
Walter Simmons watched as the Mega-Man from the Arctic Circle was being transported onto a giant cart escorted by many Sector Seven soldiers into the Hoover Dam. The Mega-Man was still frozen in place, reaching up with an outstretched hand. Upon seeing him for once out of ice for once, Simmons noted the mechanical being's posture and wondered, "Pray tell, how did you feel when you first came to our world? What did you think? I suppose you never expected yourself to get frozen upon arrival?" For a moment, Simmons swore he saw the Mega-Man's cyan eyes flickering like a broken lightbulb, as if the being could remember...

The Mega-Man's external body temperature was still very high from when it made planetfall. The mechanized being looked around his surroundings, seeing it had landed where a blizzard was brewing. However, the ground where the Mega-Man's feet were began to melt and crack. The ground split apart, instantly sending it into the dark subzero liquid.

Its body weight and temperature sent the Mega-Man deep underwater as it struggled desperately trying to swim himself up to the surface. The Mega-Man's knees and joints froze up as the rest of his body go rigid and the rest of him drowned deep underwater.

Simmons followed with the escort, not breaking eye contact with the white and black robot with blue and red striped wings on its back. He was then startled a bit by another Sector Seven agent, who happened to be same one he spoke to a few months back. "Sir, I'll be happy to report that the holding cell for N.B.E.-01 is working order," stated the agent. Simmons lifted an eyebrow and repeated, "'N.B.E.-01?'" His younger colleague explained, "N.B.E., or Non-Biological Extraterrestrial. It's what everyone's calling him. But officially it's called, Project: Iceman." The older man nodded in agreement as the agent asked, "How did you come up with 'Mega-Man' name?"

A chalk white and a purple striped robot with dark blue glowing eyes, metallic whiskers on its face and had wings on its back faced against the frozen robot, their respective eyes facing each other as the two made sounds that emanated from their mouths.

"I heard our frozen friend and another of his kind speak to each other just when it was only the seven of us," explained Simmons. "It was in a tongue I didn't understand, and I could only make out one word. Mega." His younger counterpart stopped shortly to process this before following along.

Later
Simmons watched from as the Iceman was put into place in his new home, his right arm reaching out towards Simmons and the metallic visage facing him as well. "What is that on its right arm?" asked the young agent. "It looks like a cannon." Simmons nodded, "Indeed. Have it removed and place it in a separate bunker. If a malfunction happens or if the liquid nitrogen fails, we don't want our new guest attempt an escape." The agent nodded, "Of course, sir." He left Simmons' side to carry out his orders.

Simmons stared long and hard at N.B.E.-01 whom he had obsessed over for 36 years. Despite being trapped in the ice, the scientists and engineers under Simmons' command had been hard at work studying the Iceman's body. The inner workings of N.B.E.-01 recently gave them advancements in the automobile industry. Simmons thought to himself of what new technologies could be developed from studying N.B.E.-01. "We've just barely scratched the surface," mumbled Simmons to himself. "If only I had more time... I'd stay a little longer." He sighed with disappointment with himself, internally cursing of how time had no longer became his ally.

"I retire soon, did you know that?"

"That's really why I'm here. I just wanted one last look before I become one of the masses."

Simmons lifted his left arm to mirror N.B.E.-01, as if trying to reach the mechanical alien being's right hand. "I see you haven't much changed, Walter," said a familiar voice from behind. Simmons turned around to see his former partner Theodore Joseph Wells, whose age matched his. The two old men looked up to see N.B.E.-01, who hadn't much changed since they first saw it in 1899. "Do you think they age?" asked Simmons. "Same as us?" Wells pondered at this at first before he answered, "I would guess so, given the other one we saw looked to be older than the Iceman. And the others Roy saw in Europe and the one in Westchester." Simmons looked away and admitted, "I do envy their species' longevity. History as we know it now is under question. How long have they been among us? Have they met Beethoven? Mozart? Da Vinci? Darwin? Lincoln?" Wells lifted his eyebrows as he replied, "I suppose we won't have a chance to find out. We're a bunch of old men, Walter, in a game for the young and the hungry." The two old men looked at each other's gaze and returned to face N.B.E.-01 once again. "Suddenly retirement sounds like defeat," said Simmons woefully. "So much in front of us yet so far from it we are..." Wells nodded, "Perhaps for the best, Walter. You've wasted your life for these things... Maybe it's time you let go." His former friend looked at him with distraught and refused, "Even in retirement, I can't. It's my life's work, and nothing else matters." Wells sighed, realizing it was a fool's errand for him to convince Simmons to leave behind his obsession, even in retirement.

"You asked me not to let this consume me, Theo? A man died under my watch. How can I not let it consume me?"

"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!"

"You meant I was done with my obsession, didn't you?"

"Walter, I missed having adventures with you. Your family has missed you."

"That is what I was afraid of. You don't understand."

"Theo, is Walter..."

"Clara. Walter is fine... but he's not the man I knew and he's not the one you deserve. I can't stand by anymore. I'm leaving and... Leave here with me, Clara. And... forget about Walter."

Without a word, Wells left his former friend as he then bumped into both Roy Thompson and Margo Simmons. "Hey, Mr. Wells," greeted Roy. "Havin' one last look 'round before retirement?" Wells nodded, "Indeed." The old man turned to Margo and asked gently, "Are you sure you're going to okay here?" She nodded assuredly, "I will, Wells. Thompson and I handled Bonnie and Clyde and their car robot last year. We can handle anything these N.B.E.'s can throw at us." Wells placed a hand on her shoulder and added, "I hope so... for the sake of Billy..." Margo reassured, "I won't let my... father's obsession overcome me. I promise for the young man we both love." Wells nodded before he left the hallway, taking note of his framed photograph with his name among the six other men who founded Sector Seven.