TF Backstories: Reality

Chapter 11: Shock

I'm tired. That's all I know.

I feel weak... Exhausted. Though oddly enough, I feel okay at the same time.

The wind is blowing against my face, and everything around me zooms past in a big blur of colors and shapes.

The speed terrifies me, but it's just so exhilarating.

I want to slow down, but I feel like I'm not supposed to. Like someone watching is going to look down at me for even thinking of decreasing my speed. Like I'm supposed to set the example...

But I'm just so worn out.

I want to sleep.

Sleep...

"I am still uncomfortable with the idea."

"The equipment cannot be moved from the medbay, Optimus. We will have to take him out from the brig to the upper levels. It isn't just the temporary patch that needs to be removed. I need to make sure that the system locks I installed are functioning properly."

The Prime nodded stiffly, still quite ill at ease with the idea, but confident in the capabilities of his team and his medical officer.

"Hey, I get that making sure that the 'Con won't cause problems is important... But I still don't like the thought him being anywhere near our section of the medbay either." William Lennox also voiced out.

The previously mentioned section was just one level above the autobot medical facilities. A flight of human-sized stairs connected both areas, and though that would never had been any use for a cybertronian, its simple presence somehow made Lennox and some of the other humans uneasy.

"Barricade is smart enough to know that he is outmatched and outnumbered." Ratchet supplied wearily. He had already repeated himself several times over. He had repeatedly assured everyone that he had deactivated Barricade's weapons system and taken out those that he could.

If the decepticon made any attempt at escaping, he would have to brawl his way out first.

"The bot's gonna be there for a few hours... max. I'm preeet-ty sure he won't be able to do anything." Simmons said confidently. "The damsel's gonna be fine!" He waved a hand dismissively.

Few ever really took the agent seriously, but there was no arguing anymore.

Ratchet had to do his job while the others prepared for Jazz's deep sea interment which was set for the day after the next. The whole team of autobots would be attending the ceremony, and it would not do to leave the decepticon unchecked.

Besides, the docbot looked just about ready to start throwing wrenches at anyone who wanted to keep delaying his work.

Anybody who disagreed simply stayed silent this time.

With a resolute nod, the medical officer turned to leave for the base's brig.

"I still don't understand why we can't just send the punk to the matrix already." Ironhide grunted before following the grumpy doctor down the hallway.

Everyone did indeed wonder that. It had already been quite some time, and Barricade had never given up any relevant information no matter how many times he had been interrogated and sometimes threatened with experimentation by Simmons (though Optimus would never have allowed it).

Over two weeks had passed since they had relocated to Sector 7's Nevada bunker which was more suitable for Autobot operations than their first location (they would have returned to the Hoover Dam base, which would have been even more ideal, but it had been compromised). Nearly a month total had flown by since the mess in Mission City.