Fireflies

Chapter 14- A Reason to Fight

As soon as I had heard his voice a wave of terror struck me. Not all of it was my own though, I could feel Jazz's worry as I started to scramble behind the nearest wall. I looked to where the voice had chimed but I didn't see anything... Oh, no.. no there! On the top of the Pyramid I could barely make out his silver shape clinging to the peak, a triangular con on the other side of the peak with him. I lunged for the wall and pushed myself against the cool, dirty stone.

I couldn't face those red eyes again, those evil, red optics that hungered for blood and revenge. I still could feel his gaze on me that day he died, our eyes locked and a feral snarl adorning my face. I knew he'd remember me and that's the last thing I needed at this time.

Goosebumps rose up my body and I panted from stress. I needed to stay hidden, I needed to stay away from him and close to the humans.

Epps stood next to me, his gun at his side as he stared at something in the distance. I was about to ask what he was staring at and to yell for him to hide when I felt it. Distant popping noises could be heard and the ground shook slightly, as if miniature explosions were going off.

Epps turned to me then, his body set into battle mode, eyes hard. His mouth formed into a grim line as he finally spoke with an air that commanded obedience. "Follow me, Amy."

The drive to stay hidden was unrelenting, but I willed my mind to calm. I knew better than to ignore or defy orders from a seasoned soldier... if I wanted to live. I held my breath and released it slowly before nodding to him. Together, we jogged out from our hiding spot and to the rest of the soldiers who were crouched around stone debris. I pulled myself around behind the few feet of stone wall left so I couldn't see Megatron. Epps called to one of them "How many we got?"

The soldier responded "About 13 of them."

Epps snarled and backed up as he held his gun defensively "This ain't good. This ain't good." He caught sight of Lennox standing next to one of the pillars, looking out at the transforming decepticons. "We're about to get our asses whupped!"

Lennox's shoulders tensed as he turned around and stalked back towards Optimus' body. "Bravo-Charlie, kneel!"

At his command, the small set of soldiers with him gathered around as best they could and knelt onto the sand, eyes to their commander. Lennox knelt with them, holding his rifle pointed up and a hand on the ground to steady him. I knelt down in the sand next to Kayla, who was standing next to Optimus' head, her eyes focused on the incoming cons with a short glare.

"All right, those decepticons are searching for Sam. Whatever he has, he thinks it'll bring Optimus back to life, so our mission is to find him and get him to Optimus."

Lennox adjusted his footing to look at the rest of his men "We're gonna draw fire from the left flank. I need a scout group."

Ironhide stepped forward over us easily, changing something with his guns "I'm leading." The triplets followed his lead silently. Ironhide transformed into his alt mode and awaited orders, the triplets surrounding him with their blasters loaded.

Lennox nodded to the mech "Go up through the middle with Arcee and Ironhide!" When a group of his men followed he continued "All right, when you see the precious cargo, I want you to pop green smoke and come back through those pillars." He pointed to a set of pillars to our left "We'll have an ambush set. All right? Let's go. Move out!"

'Hoorah!" The men cheered as one.

I backed up against Optimus and pulled Firefly out of it's case at my hip, I would be ready to defend my friends, this time.