Inevitable (Megatron x FEM/OC)

Chapter 28 - Solder

Optimus sped down the open road, canyon and sand for miles painting the horizon a rusty, burnt orange.

His small team of what remained of the autobots trailed close behind him, a small yellow Camaro sped up, keeping pace at the shoulder.

Anger coursed through his very being as he sent up a dust cloud in his wake. The autobot leader felt betrayed, but most of all, he was hurt.

After finding the small drone and tapping it for information, he could almost have purged his tanks when he saw the humans, those that he swore to entrust and protect, smelting down Ratchet and Leadfoot as if they were just scrap. As if they hadn't given their own to protect their planet.

Besides the apparent desecration of the dead, the autobot leader learned several other things; Megatron was alive and with a human in his corner, Lockdown was afoot and hunting them with said humans. Further inspection reveal the maker of the small drone: KSI. Kinetic Solutions. Defense, aerospace, and government contracts, ties with the CIA. The technology was theirs, the slaughter of their kind was in their name and bloodied their hands. 

The company, he found, was headquartered in Detroit, and so, that's where his wheels carried him.

He'd sworn to never kill humans, to never bring harm upon another living specie if he could help it, but when he finds out who's behind all the carnage, they were going to die, mark his words.

"No way to get inside without a battle." Hound had commented.

Pleasantries were the last thing on the autobot's mind, he wanted to right what was wrong and avenge his fallen comrades. Their deaths would not be in vain, he vowed that much. 

His encounter with Lockdown and the human black ops yielded much information. Certainly, they were were together under some sinister contract. But, something striking stood out...

His subordinates appeared Cybertronian or even Quintessan at a quick glance, but the way they moved, the way they fought, was anything but. There was no light, metaphorically, behind their optics. They were lifeless, devoid of sentience. It was wrong and defied the very laws of the universe.

Despite what he wanted, he could play by their rules.

____________________

Lauren awoke from her restless slumber without so much as a yawn. Rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes, she was quick to rise. Changing quickly, the woman was swift to make her way down to the main floor.

She did little in the way of greeting everyone else as she approached her tools and the small pile of odd ins-and-outs that Scalpel scrounged in her absence. It was a rather sizable pile considering the short notice and just how much effort the small decepticon had to go throw to drag it in. Odd pipes, both of the metal and plastic kind. Nuts, bolts, and screws of varying sizes. A car jack, and other bits and pieces she couldn't put names to.

"Howdy to you too, who took the jem out of your doughnut?" Nitrozeus emerged into the building.

Lauren turned to the small battery powered radio Scalpel had so graciously found. In truth, he probably wanted it for parts, but really what use would a radio from 2003 be? "Why do you talk like that?" She jabbed verbally at the tracker bot, her fingers filling with the small piece of technology.

The mech made his way around to her side. "Why do you talk like that, betsy. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."

A small smile graced her lips as she tuned into a radio station. The speakers were somewhat scratchy, but fiddling with the volume dial proved fruitful.