Transformers: Shattered Glass

Chapter 41- Rejecting Initiative

Soviet Research Station Oktober, June 1965
Bill Simmons was once again forced to watch the same Felix the Cat episode again at full volume in his cell. From the other side of the bars, Joe Danco reached for the television and used the dial to turn down the volume. "What's the matter?" taunted Danco. "Too loud for you, ol' friend?" Bill could only glare at him as Danco let out a sigh and informed, "Look, I didn't come this way for small talk, Billy-Boy. The Russians plan on probin' the moon. They know what NASA knows, somethin's up there and all." He then pulled out Bill's mechanical hand which had been removed since his "stay." Danco scoffed, "Not so tough without this, are ya? With this, you coulda just break through the bars, beat my arse, and get ta see your precious Tova and your son, Seymour." Bill's blood went cold as he walked toward Danco with a hard stare. "It's simple," said Danco, undaunted as he pulled out a photo of a ten year old boy with olive skin and dark hair and showed it to Bill. "You tell the Russians what ya know, or your wife and son are dead..."

Using his only functioning hand, Bill grabbed Danco by the collar and slammed him on the bars several times. "You stay away from them, you son of a bitch!" yelled Bill. "Do you hear me, you fuck! You stay away from them!" Then he felt a vice like grip on his wrist which forced Bill to release Danco as he turned to see the blonde woman which the Russian general called Alice was responsible. Bill could recall that it had been eleven years since Alice and Danco brought him to Russia and she didn't look like she aged a single day. Danco fell on the floor, grunting as he looked to see Alice and questioned, "Whaddya want, lass? I had things under control."

She scoffed, "Not when I came here, tovarishch. The general wishes to see prisoner." Two Soviet soldiers came in as the cell door opened and they gripped Bill by the arms. Alice led the way as Danco watched before getting back up to follow them.

Eventually, they would enter a room full of Soviet scientists and soldiers and General Aleksei Morozov. However, much to the surprise of both Bill and even Danco, two familiar faces were also there. They were both Carter Newell and Dr. Kurt Jaeger! "Wha..." said Bill stunned. "Carter? Jaeger?" Newell could only smile as he said, "Bill, it's good to see you again after all this time. I assume you have questions." Bill demanded, "What the hell is going on? Why are you and the Russians all buddies now?" Newell nods as he explained, "I am simply negotiating your release to us, if you agree to join us. You see, when an N.B.E. killed my mother and father, I had an epiphany that day. Even more so when the N.B.E.'s from the Order of the Witwiccans that joined us in our fight in World War II and our current wars. What will happen if the N.B.E.'s that our government says we should trust, instead turn on us when we've run out of wars to fight? When coverups are no longer effective? The N.B.E.'s will set their sights on us, and make us their slaves, if not outright kill us." Bill listened to him ramble on as Newell added, "This alliance is only out of necessity should the worst happen, and help us be prepared."

Bill was not completely convinced as Newell studied him and claimed, "I understand your hesitation. To the outside world, we fight a battle of nations. Your patriotism is an admirable strength, but it is a weakness that the N.B.E.'s use to exploit us." Bill quickly spotted propane canisters as he asked, "So what exactly is it you're doing?" Newell insisted, "I am not like them Bill, if that is what you're referring to. Do you recall what happened in your mission at Castle Neuschwanstein? The only reason the N.B.E. did not attack you is because you convinced it that you were its ally. That the Order sent you." Bill did not say anything as Newell proposed, "Now there is a version of this conversation where you are freed, able to hug your wife again, and meet your son. All you have to do is join us and stop the N.B.E.'s before they invade us."

Meanwhile, Danco couldn't believe what he just found out. Both Newell and Jaeger were in league with Mozorov this whole time and they used him as a patsy. As much as he hated how the Simmons family overshadowed the Danco family in the creation of Sector Seven, what he hated more was being manipulated like how his grandfather was. Unbeknownst to the rest of the people in the room, Danco quickly caught onto Bill's plan as he stepped behind him and the Soviet soldiers.

"Are you in, Bill?" asked Newell, walking close to Bill. "Because when I take over Sector Seven, there's going to be real changes. Changes that have room for good men like you." Bill glared at Newell when he head butted him, staggering Newell back to Morozov and Jaeger as Danco punched one of the Soviet soldiers and Bill pushed the other one off of him. Mozorov ordered, "Ubeyte ikh!" He, Newell, and Jaeger along with the scientists would then retreat out of the room as the unlikely duo teamed up to fight against the Soviet soldiers.

Alice lunged forward to Bill to throttle him but Danco swung a bag that held Bill's metal hand to her face as Bill kicked her to the propane canisters. He quickly picked up a discarded gun and shot her several times which sent her sparkling with electricity. "We oughta go!" urged Danco. The two ran out and saw Newell, Mozorov, and Jaeger were already gone. "What are you, a triple agent?" questioned Bill. Danco responded, "Newell used me as a pawn, a patsy. Just like your family--" Then he let out a pained gasp, looking downwards to see a hole in his chest where his heart was supposed to be and collapsed onto the floor. Bill turned around to see Alice, now a dark blue humanoid robot holding up an arm cannon similar in design to a certain ZB-7.

Alice set her sights on Bill before a fiery explosion enveloped her as Bill dashed out of the Soviet Research Station Oktober and into the streets of Moscow.

Later
Bill managed to get into a crowd, his prosthetic hand now reattached to his arm and holding the photo of his son Seymour that Danco had before he died. After everything that had just happened, this much was clear. Bill planned to go back to the United States, meet up with his grandfather, and expose Newell and Jaeger collaborating with the Soviet Union.

Meanwhile
Newell could only grimace at the prospect of facing the possible consequences for his actions. Everything he built within Sector Seven and the Soviet Union should not be exposed. So many plans he had were barely on its feet yet. If Bill isn't stopped, then the United States government will nail him to the ground. "General, get your men together," ordered Newell to Mozorov. "Find Bill Simmons or everything we built twenty years ago will go down the drain." Mozorov nodded in agreement as the two looked at Jaeger and the Russian scientists worked on fixing a heavily damaged Alice. "What of her?" asked Mozorov. Newell answered, "She'll be coming with me in case if Bill finds a way back to the States." Mozorov nods in agreement as he gathers his soldiers to patrol Moscow. Newell continued to watch as Alice was still being repaired. "Oh, Bill," muttered Newell. "We would've worked so well together..."