Ruby - Transformers: Dark of the Moon fanfic

The Chase

"What you are about to see," said the Russians, "Is one of our country's biggest ever secrets. America was the first to send man to the moon, but Russia was the first to send camera."

The two men fumbled with a file as they spoke, and took out pictures.

"In 1959, there was nothing on the dark side of the moon, then, in 1961, there was this,"

He pointed to the pictures in turn. They were black and white, showing nothing but moon dust.

"Are they drag-marks?" asked Ruby.

"Indeed," nodded the Russian, "This was all way before Apollo 11 landed. Then there is this picture,"

He pulled out another one from the file, and Sam snatched it from his hand, "These are the pillars!"

The picture showed stacks and stacks of pillars, with marks scattered throughout the surrounding area. Sam flung the photo back and pulled at his hair, "The Decepticons already knew the Arc was there, they must have salvaged all of those pillars and hid them, probably here on Earth,"

"But," said Ruby, "If Sentinel is the only one who can control the pillars, why did they leave him behind?"

Sam's eyes widened as realization hit him, "Unless he is the one thing they still need?"

"Because the Decepticons didn't know how to bring him back," dread slowly filled Ruby, "So they tricked the Autobots into finding him so Optimus could revive him with the Matrix!"

Before she had formed even the skeleton of a plan, Ruby was sprinting back to Dino, Sideswipe and Bumble Bee, with Sam hot on her heels. Her mind reeled. What if they were too late?

The parked cars listened, and agreed. They managed to pick up Sentinel's signal a few miles away. Ruby slid into the driver's seat of Dino's Ferrari form. He roared to life and they sped off, drawing ahead.

They caught up with the huge fire truck which was Sentinel Prime, and made all haste for NEST. Ruby got straight on the phone to Mearing to explain:

"It was all a trick," she said, "Optimus did exactly as the Decepticons wanted him to do; now they'll all come for Sentinel."

On the other end of the line, Mearing was seething. She immediately made for her private helicopter, "We're going to NEST," she barked to the pilot.

"We've got Sentinel," said Ruby, "Optimus is twenty minutes behind, we'll meet you there,"

"Wait one second Ruby," Mearing tapped into the NEST energon detectors. Other than the Autobots, the radar picked up three new red dots, coming up behind them. She clicked in for a camera view.

"You still there? Good, three black SUVs are coming up hot behind you, flaw those alien engines and get Sentinel back to base NOW!" She slammed the phone down.

Ruby swiveled in her seat; Mearing wasn't kidding. Speeding along the highway, dodging around the traffic, were three identical SUVs. Black as night. Growling like panthers. Panthers about to pounce. Her cybertanium bracelet, fused with energy from the Allspark, grew hot. 

Strategies ran frantic through Ruby's mind. She couldn't knock them off the road without causing a huge accident. But they were catching up fast. Dino, Sideswipe and Bumble Bee closed in around Sentinel, leaving Simmons' car exposed at the back of their formation. Ruby watched in horror as the middle SUV transformed into a particularly ugly Decepticon. It raced along on four legs like a cheetah. It ate the ground up. The clack of its metal claws on the road vibrated through Ruby's ears.