The Hunt (TFP Book 2)

Chapter 10

"Smokescreen come in!" Rachet yelled as he typed. "Wheeljack!" He had lost everyone's signal simultaneously. He scanned the areas they had been sent to.

"Bumblebee! Arcee! Respond!" He yelled. Static met his ears and he couldn't locate any of them. He frantically typed and searched for them.

"Bulkhead! Answer me!" He all but screamed.

Static met him and he clenched his fists. It was as though the static was mocking him. The computer glitched out and he completely lost their locations.

"OPTIMUS!!" He yelled in frustration. No response.

Rachet gripped the console, sighed and hung his head. What had happened to them? Why couldn't he reach anyone?

The sound of a vehicle approaching filled his ears. Confused he looked up towards the entrance, but the noise had stopped. He moved away from the computer and grabbed the rail for support. He waited but didn't see or hear anything else. His heart beat faster as he tried to decide if he had imagined the noise or not.

The doctor grabbed his cane and narrowed his eyes as he took a few steps forward. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as the silence stretched on. He heard footsteps approaching and his eyes widened as some men dressed in black turned the corner. The leader stopped at the bottom of the stairs and smiled wickedly up at him.

"Silas." Rachet growled. "How did you get in here?" He asked as he glared.

"An excellent question for a better time." The man said smiling wickedly.

Rachet heard a thud and turned around to see some men drop down behind him. He shifted his weight so he could stand better, and swung his cane at the first man that ran at him. The cane clipped the man in the chest and he stumbled into his partner.

The other men looked at him slightly shocked. Rachet gripped the rail with one hand to steady himself, then let go and continued to fight the other men off. He swung at their heads and managed to knock out a few. Once they went down or backed off, he heard someone behind him. He spun around and swung his weapon as he did. He came face to face with Silas who caught the cane. The two men glared at each other.

"I've underestimated you, doctor." He said as he smirked. "I won't make that mistake again." He yanked the cane out of his hand and snapped it in two against his leg.

"I needed that." Rachet seethed as he continued to glared at the man.

"I know." He said as he smiled wickedly. One of his men got up, grabbed the back of Rachets head, and smacked it into the rail. The doctor crumbled to the floor without a sound.

"But you don't need it anymore." He said as he dropped the now broken cane. He smiled again and signaled for his men to start working.

~~~

Rachet felt himself coming around a while later. He heard people in the background talking and moving things. He realized he was sitting against the rail, and his head hurt. He slowly remembered what had happened and how the team was now scattered across the States. He opened his eyes and furrowed his brow as he looked around.

He saw Silas and a few others with their backs to him as they worked on the computer. He looked down and saw his broken cane a few feet away. He moved to reach for it but his hands didn't respond. He looked to his side and realized they had hand cuffed both his hands around a rail next to him that connected to the floor. He tugged at it a little but it was useless.

"Ah, you're awake." He looked up to see Silas standing over him. The man crouched down and smirked.

"Whatever it is I'm not helping." Rachet growled as he glared. The man chuckled.

"I don't need your help, doctor. You're about as useless as they come." He sneered as he stood up and walked back to the computer.

Rachet tugged on the cuffs again and glanced at the clock. The kids would be here soon. He had to warn them to stay away. He looked back at the man that had taken over the base.

"I'm sure you're wondering how we got in here." Silas said as he smirked again.

"I don't really care right now." Rachet grumbled as he tugged again. The villain turned back to the computer and typed something in. After a moment he walked over with a syringe.

"You said that you wouldn't help me." He said as he approached. The doctor kicked at him and another man walked over and held him still.

"I know this is your bad leg." Silas growled as he set his hand on it and pressed down. Rachet yelled through gritted teeth. "I suggest you cooperate." He said. The other man grabbed his sleeve and pushed it up past his elbow.

"When I found out the giant robots were human. I started to wonder, how it happened." He said as he stuck the needle into the doctors arm. The medic grunted as the needle jabbed him.

"What had caused it?" He pulled on the syringe and collected Rachets blood. "Are they completely human?" He pulled it out and looked at the contents inside. "Or are they still alien?" He looked at the doctor and pressed harder on his leg. Rachet yelled again and squeezed his eyes shut.

"This will tell me what I want to know." He said as he stood up and gave the syringe to one of his men. The doctor glared up at him as he breathed heavily.

"You....won't...." Rachet panted as the pain started to subside.

"Won't what? Get away with it?" He sneered.

"No....you won't...find what...you're looking for..." The doctor growled. The two men glared at each other.

"You don't know that." Silas said angrily. He looked down the stairs and smiled wickedly. Rachet looked over and saw two men leading a frightened girl with purple hair up the stairs. They stood her in front of him. The doctor looked at her scared face then glared at the villain.

"This is Mikos friend Jinx..." Silas said, she looked at Rachet. "and my niece." The villain smiled wickedly and the girl smirked at the prisoner. The doctors eyes widened for a moment, then he glared at them and clenched his fists. His team was in danger because of this girl.