"With being able to Combine all together into one Ultra 'bot, we have a huge advantage against Steeljaw," Bumblebee announced greatly to the others who were wide awake in front of him. "But we don't have Drift, so how are we going to become the Ultra Bee combiner without him?" Sideswipe intervened with Bumblebee's 'great' news. The smile of the former scout's faceplate shown his joy had faltered as he had forgotten that their samurai wasn't present with them.
"Well since Steeljaw is-" Bumblebee was cut if by a sudden clang if metal as if someone pushed something. Or someone. "Personal space, Strongarm!" Sideswipe growled as she pushed her to the side. She showed him back, optics flaring with sudden anger. "I wasn't even In your space!" She shot back narrowing her optics.
"Sideswipe. Strongarm. Not the time," Bumblebee interjected into the conversation, knowing that his verbal actions weren't going to take place in their encounters. "Five. Foot. Radius, Strongarm," Sideswipe rumbled, folding his arms.
"Five foot radius, strongarm," She mocked quietly, folding her arms as well as she looked the opposite direction. Grimlock looked back and forth between the two, scratching his helm before looking up at Bumblebee who shrugged.
"Anyway, We'll be separating up into teams. Since I can't pull you two away," Bumblebee referred to Strongarm and Sideswipe. "You will be a scouting team. Take Grimlock with you just in case." Strongarm huffed, stubbornly refusing to look Sideswipe in the optic.
"Fixit, keep your com-link open to the rest of us. Without any equipment, we're scouting blindly," The Lieutenant muttered, tapping his audio receptor that led to his com system to assure its functioning.
Denny held Russell close, looking up at the gang of Autobots. "Would you need any assistance, Bee?" Denny asked, arching a brow. "I mean chores or anything that-" The former scout Rose a servo and shook his helm. "We can't risk you going out into the cave and having a Decepticon possibly skipping by," He said.
"You and Russell just try and get comfortable, we are most likely going to be here for awhile until we can find a new Base," Bee continued, wincing before a forced sigh became him. "I swear to Primus I will stab you with a pen!" The cadet yelled threateningly dragging the sports car to the ground roughly by his arm.
"Shut up with your pathetic threats!" Sideswipe screamed angrily and pushed Strongarm away. "Ew, shut yo with your pathetic threats," Strongarm mocked again, this time Sideswipe actually catching onto the words she said. "Oh. My. Primus. Stop mocking me!" The mech shouted angrily.
"Just when I thought they had matured," The Lieutenant muttered. "C'mon, we can patrol previous marks where we have encountered Steeljaw's gang," He announced, blinking before his facial expression turned into a look of failure.
"Let's hope we don't dismantle each other..." Bumblebee mumbled. "Let's rev up and roll out!" By that, Bumblebee advanced out of the cave, Grimlock following close behind. Strongarm punched Sideswipe stomping forward before transforming and speeding out. Sideswipe huffed and wiped his arm off like if dust were in his arm, transforming and speeding after her reluctantly.
"Sideswipe, Strongarm. Grim and I will be staying close by to the base. Please defeat the 'Cons and not each other," The former scout briefly repeated the plot before separating from Sideswipe and Strongarm with Grimlock into the trees that surrounded the caves.
Strongarm had ranked up her speed a little, avoiding the towering trees carefully and quickly. "We should check the wooded area, it would provide more cover from humans and for Decepticons," She muttered over the com-unit.
"No duh," Sideswipe responded, tilting his side mirrors in a nod, swerving slightly as they neared a densely wooded area that would claim the title as the forest. The two had driven up some more, the grounds clear, no commotion. Just silence.
"It's clear, let's go," Sideswipe said, reversing slowly. "Just wait, Sideswipe.." The cadet growled, transforming, protoblaster tight in grip. Silence followed minutes after, until rapid footsteps and panicked breathing. A human looked back frantically, slipping and regaining balance quickly.
The human coughed, stepping in various twigs and kicking up leaves into the dry air. "Someone, help!" The human yelled and started running faster as he stared back at the two giant robots far behind him.
Sideswipe converted to bi-ped mode, arching an optic ridge to his comrade. Sideswipe narrowed his optics, Quillfire and Thunderhooft grinned madly, returning back to their tasks. Thunderhooft pulled the Cybertronian shovel over his shoulder and stabbed it into the dirt, meanwhile Quillfire held a scanner.
"What are they digging for?" Sideswipe asked quietly, pulling his sword from its holster. "Do you think I'd know?" Strongarm hissed quietly, watching Quillfire's gaze drift over towards the rattling bushes and trees that the pair hidden behind.
"You there! Prepare to be obliterated by such a revolutionary figure!" Quillfire proclaimed raising his fist high. Strongarm motioned with her service to proceed forward, raising her protoblaster as she jumped out of the bushes.
Sideswipe quickly followed after her, a little bit behind her. "Stand down, Decepticons!" Strongarm warned, obviously expecting them to reject her offer. Instead, Quillfire had pulled out a weapon, shakily aiming it towards the team Autobots.
"Yous better stand down, ya Autobot scum," Thunderhooft bellowed from behind Quillfire, continuing his digging until he hit something beneath the soil. Strongarm blasted Quillfire, suddenly the opponent stepping back and firing aimlessly.
"We need to get Thunderhooft away from what he's doing, Sidesw-"
"Got it!" Sideswipe intervened before she could finish. The two nodded running towards Quillfire before Sideswipe had jumped above Strongarm. Quillfire watched the quick 'bot in the air, suddenly kicked off his sleep and forced to the ground by the quick teamwork of Sideswipe and Strongarm.
Sideswipe flipped off of Quillfire bringing his sword down onto Thunderhooft, knocking him off his feet and pausing his task. Sideswipe landed in front of him, turning around and narrowing his optics as Thunderhooft slowly rose to his peds.
Strongarm swung a punch, missing but shooting her protoblaster onto Quillfire's helm. He turned around, readying his quills. "You will be prosecuted for assaulting an officer of the law!" Strongarm threatened, stopping him from his actions by kicking him to the ground.
Meanwhile Sideswipe was holding up, vibrating violently as Thunderhooft complied more pressure on Sideswipe. Strongarm had already placed cuffs on Quillfire, instantaneously going to aid her partner.
"Hold on Sideswipe!" She shouted over, placing her protoblaster in her hostel and balling her serve in a fist. Electricity suddenly coursed through her as if she were Tasered by someone.
Quillfire was still cuffed and stuck in his spot. A maniac laugh escaped Steeljaw as he risen his gun. Sideswipe had already been knocked out and laying painfully by a tree.
"Tormenting Bumblebee will be more entertaining that I had thought," The figured robot that posed as a wolf spoke, grinning madly. "The Cadet along with her partner in crime surely will attract the lieutenant." He yanked up Quillfire and tossed strongarm over his shoulder while Thunderhooft grabbed Sideswipe.
∆•••∆
Bumblebee sighed before transforming in the dark forest near the cave. He and Grimlock had split up to cover more ground, of course trusting the Dinobot to take care of himself. His large size and strength have him a severe advantage against Decepticons. Though he would need to caution restraint for his own good.
Being the father-figure towards his team delivered reasons for worrying. Of course he could see the tensions or relationships that would manifest between every 'bot. The little brother Russell is to Sideswipe and how Grimlock is the big protective yet spontaneously crazy brother. How Strongarm and Sideswipe would have a bond stronger than being friends.
Drift was more of the uncle. His minicon were the younger cousins. They were younger than Sideswipe and Strongarm but have a heart like senior warriors would.
"Strongarm, Sideswipe, have you found anything?" Bumblebee's own worry for the two teenagers had given in. He waited for a response over the com arching an optic ridge as the worry started to fester stronger like a hurricane hovering and manifesting over the ocean.
"Strongarm, I repeat, is everything alright?" He asked again. Nothing. No response. The wind showered the leaves above him. Grimlock ran in, panting heavily as he arrived. "Nothin' to punch Bee, beside these trees," The dinobot mumbled, sadly flicking a tree. "Sideswipe and Strongarm aren't responding," Bumblebee responded, quickly walking forward.
"If their coms were damaged in any way, it should still transmit a faint signal," The Lieutenant mumbled. "I'll contact Denny and Russell. We'll be out a little bit later than we had planned." Grimlock scratched his chin and nodded. "Anything for them, Bee!" The dinobot nodded with a hopeful grin.
Bumblebee had a faint look if fear breaking free into his faceplate. His frown and the slightly wobbling of his optics given the expression of an unreadable look, externally. He'd do anything just to get them back. But he knows good and well that they can take care of themselves and make it through.
"We'll be waiting for ya, Bee, bring 'em back in one piece for us, please," Denny responded with a slight tone of worry over the com before cutting it off. "Come on, Grim. It's going to be awhile before we can actually get a more precise coordinate of where they are," The former scout mumbled, transforming and speeding off ahead of the dinobot.
"Hey, wait up!" Grimlock yelled over his roaring engines and loud stomping over the forest terrain.
∆•••∆
Sideswipe awoken from his unconscious state, groaning tiredly as his optics adjusted to the newly dark environment. It wasn't the cave, their were no rock walls, no Denny or Russell either. Something tangled around both of his servos and around his legs.
His bright blue optics broadened as chains wrapped him. Constricting him from moving. His sword was already removed from his holster, no use of trying to attack. He vented heavily, looking from both sides until he had spotted his partner in chains as well.
Strongarm was still unconscious, optics closed. She had a few bruises and marks that most likely were newly added. His chin was suddenly lifted up by the tip of his blade, yet he wasn't handling it.
"You and your partner have a remarkable relationship, do you know?" Steeljaw murmured, piercing into Sideswipe's metal, a dent placed where Steeljaw applied damage. The Red 'bot gulped down the fear he had been keeping, staring with a blank expression.
"Why'd you take us here?" Sideswipe uttered, narrowing his optics a little. "I'd honestly cherish your partner along with yourself as prizes, but you wouldn't be of much use," Steeljaw murmured with a mock smile. "But when your Lieutenant first breaks through, your sparks would be extinguished. And so will his," Steeljaw growled, poking the neck cables.
"But why let Bumblebee be entertained alone?" The wolf Decepticon growled, dragging the sword along the metal ground until he reached the cadet. "You have quite some time to discuss with your comrade," He dropped the sword beneath the cadet.
Sideswipe frowned. "Watch your back, Decepticon.." He mumbled angrily, his servo twitching. He hated being so constricted. One of his pet peeves. He grimaced lightly, staring at the ground beneath him.
"You're so stupid," He suddenly looked over at Strongarm who groaned. "Let's not play the 'Who's Been Stupid' game," He shot back.
You could barely even see in this place. A beam of sunlight peered through a crack in the ceiling. He wheezed and looked at Strongarm who was quiet.
"Bumblebee, you there?" Sideswipe commed through, looking at his shoulder that was replaced with a wheel. Fizz. Just fizz. He growled and would band his servo on the wall if he could reach it. He felt so helpless in these chains. He could only twist and turn and being so constricted. He had to keep moving. Especially when he threatened Strongarm.
"He said that Bee wasn't going to be the only one "entertained"," Sideswipe mumbled, making quotation marks with his servos above him. "I've already been bruised a bunch. I caught him red handed when chaining you up," Strongarm confessed her head nodding to the side.
"Then why didn-"
"He threatened you and already knocked me out before I could actually do anything," She interjected into his about-to-be rude remark. "Did he say he'd deactivate me?" He scoffed lightly with rolled optics.
"Well yeah."
"Well that was an unexpected turn of events, wasn't it?"
Strongarm growled, and if she could, she would punch him smack dab on the faceplate. She heard faint chatter in a compartment next door to them, most likely Steeljaw and his gang.
"What if the Autobots end up actually kickin' our tailpipe?" Thunderhooft growled questioningly. "Oh they wouldn't dare, as much as they value each other," Steeljaw sneered his metallic ear twitching. "How do yous know that?" Thunderhooft asked again with folded arms. "Yeah," Clampdown added, but shrunk back once he received a glare from Steeljaw.
"The affection in the bond with each bot is unlike any other. The delinquent and the cadet for example. Strongarm would be the first to witness harm. Once their beloved Bumblebee arrives, their sparks will be snuffed from their chassis," The wolf snarled clenching his fist tight lay with a devious grin.
"Earth will be for the Decepticons to rule. Their Guardian Angels will be exterminated without a trace."