Twist

Chapter 21: Doppelgangers

By the time Megatron, Arcee, and Optimus arrived at the body, Temptest and Bumblebee had already been reunited with Knockout. Temptest was in the middle of talking to the cherry red vehicle when the three pulled up and his optics widened dramatically.

"Are you sure?" Knockout whispered.

"Yeah, he's good," Temptest assured him. "I'll tell you all about it later."

Megatron looked down at the still frame in the center of their circle and knelt. He examined the wound that had burned a hole through the spark, glanced at his cannon, and frowned.

Knockout walked over and pointed down. "It has the necessary circumference, texture, and spacing that we can assume he was initially shot once by his own weapon from behind and then stabbed through the gut, and then a fusion cannon eerily similar to yours was pressed against his spark chamber before it fired. There were two perps, one victim, and they wasted no time in killing him. It was definitely some sort of ambush."

Arcee blinked. "Knockout is smart?"

Knockout glared at her. "Smarter than you."

Arcee gawked, but Optimus only shook his helm at her and stepped forward. "Does this mean that Megatron is here?"

"I've already asked Soundwave to run a scan on the area's energy levels, but he's not here yet..." Knockout trailed off and frowned at the ground. "There was a scuffle."

"Is that surprising?" Megatron questioned.

Knockout looked back at Ultra Magnus's dead frame and tilted his helm curiously. "Ultra Magnus didn't get enough time to retaliate. I'm guessing... whoever shot him from behind attacked their partner in crime after the deed was done."

"Who do we know that constantly betrays their allies?" Temptest sighed. "Too bad he is the one dead."

"Or it could be a traitor from our world," Arcee suggested. "Starscream wouldn't be above an ambush."

Temptest sneered. "Starscream wouldn't— whatever."

"Megatron," Optimus glanced at the silver mech who perked up at the sound of his name, "our Megatron would have been above an ambush. He would have preferred a large spectacle and he certainly would not have asked Starscream for help."

"So... we don't know who did it?" Bumblebee beeped slowly.

"One Megatron and one mystery," Knockout finalized.

"So you can figure out Megatron's blaster signature, but not the one on his back?" Temptest scowled. "I thought that was beneath your expertise."

"I already told you he was shot by his own weapon, so unless we have two Ultra..." Knockout trailed off. "Do we?"

Optimus shook his helm. "I have difficulty imagining Ultra Magnus ever aligning himself with Megatron, regardless of their goals."

"Yeah, if he broke the rulebook, it would probably break my processor," Arcee snorted.

Bumblebee beeped. "How long until Ratchet finds a way to contact the others? He could ask them."

"We're not sure if that's possible without the relic," Optimus told him, "but Ratchet is doing his best to prepare."

"The last guy who had the relic is terminated," Temptest pointed out. "How are we supposed to get it now?"

The sound of approaching jet engines pulled everyone's attention away from the conversation. The Autobots tensed, but Megatron's faceplates spread with a grin.

"Soundwave," Megatron greeted once the black drone landed. "I'm glad to know you are well."

Knockout cleared his throat awkwardly and looked at Temptest warningly. The femme frowned.