Fugitives

An Arrest

Knockout woke to the sound of soft beeping, rhythmic and steady, an sound familiar enough to him that he believed he was going to open his eyes and find himself in the Nemesis medbay. So when he opened his eyes to find himself in an unfamiliar white room, his heart monitor jumped.

Grunting as he attempted to sit himself up, a loud rattle and jerk on his left hand had him doing a double-take. Blinking away the blurry vision, Knockout focused on the handcuff chaining his hand to the berth.

Squinting, Knockout tugged at his wrist again, head flopping back onto the pillows. His heart-rate spike drastically when his memory came rushing back: the race, the painted hot rod, and the crash...

Daniele.

Knockout began to thrash, jerking at his restraint, as he began to call for his wife.

The door flew open, two officers rushing in with a nurse following closely behind. "Stand down! Stand down, now!!"

Hands were on him, pressing him down onto the bed as the nurse prepared an injection. "Daniele! Daniele Jarkistk!" Knockout shouted, arching up off the bed in his desperation to get to his wife. "No! Don't touch me!" He screamed, one of the officers throwing himself down across his legs to keep him from kicking, the other moving to pin down his wrists as he called for restraints.

"Enough! Stand down!"

Knockout was breathing heavily, effectively pinned down when an all-too familiar figure walked into the room, smug as could be.

"Fowler!" Knockout snarled, jerking again in an attempt to get free, the officers ensuring his movements were minimal.

"Will you agree to remain complacent if my agents were to release you?" Fowler questioned, not acknowledging the red-head's initial outburst.

Glaring venomously, Knockout was able to manage a short nod in response, waiting for the agents to back off before lunging for the older man.

Slammed back down to the bed, Knockout's head spun and his vision blurred. He could hear the nurse ordering them to stop, warning them of the 'consequences' of their actions.

Knockout clenched his teeth so hard that he could taste blood flood his mouth, the young human screaming in rage, the nurse preparing a needle out of the corner of his eye.

Slumping back against the bed, Knockout had to fight to keep from sobbing. "Daniele. Please..." He begged once more as the prick of a needle caused him to flinch.

"Stop." Fowler ordered once more, holding up a hand to gesture for the officers and nurse to back off, Knockout shaking although he didn't lash out again. He remained still, lying on his back, gaze fixated on the agent's face.

"Th-the other person in the car..." Knockout coughed, vision swimming when the movement sent a wave of dizziness through him, "where is she?"

"The hostage is safe. She is being cared for in a separate-"

Rage bubbled up in Knockout again. "She's MY WIFE!!!" He screamed, jerking at the handcuffs again. "MY WIFE!"

Straightening up to his full height, Fowler stared at the red-haired man for several moments before he motioned for the others in the room to leave. The officers glanced at each other, Knockout, then their superior, finally relenting as they slipped past the African and closed the door behind them.

"Do you really want to risk her safety?"

The question stopped Knockout cold, the ex-decepticon looking up with a stricken look on his face. "What? Wh-what do you mean?" He demanded fearfully, shaking his head slowly.