Twist

Chapter 20: Teams?

Temptest waved at Raf, drawing his attention away from the presumed terrorist. "They're from another dimension where the Autobots are the good guys."

The three children stared at her, blinking in confusion.

"Way to break it to them," Ratchet scoffed.

"Children," Megatron started with a gentle, but authoritative voice. "I understand that much has been changing lately, and for some time, the Autobots have been our sworn enemies, but due to an experiment and a relic used by the warlord, Optimus, we have been placed in a complicated situation... but these four Autobots, I can assure you, have no malicious intent."

Megatron made optic contact with Optimus and frowned. "As far as we have seen."

"You mean to say that they're... not evil?" Miko pouted.

Rafael sighed in relief when Temptest nodded.

"So why can't they go back to wherever they came from?" Jack questioned.

"Ultra Magnus stole the interdimensional relic," Ratchet huffed, ignoring the glare Megatron shot him. "If we had it, we'd be out of your hair already."

Optimus took two steps forward, still keeping a large distance between himself and the children. "I am very sorry for the troubles my counterpart has caused you, but I hope that with the time we have stranded in your world, we may be able to alleviate some of the harm."

The kids looked at each other, unsure.

Megatron cleared his throat. "That aside, we have lost the other Decepticons during our time away. Do you know what happened to them?"

"Oh!" Miko glanced at Optimus warily before looking up at Megatron. "Soundwave was trying to find out what happened to you, so they tried bargaining with Ultra Magnus—"

Megatron groaned.

"—which was a mistake. He told us he'd go sneak on the Ark and find out if the Autobots knew anything, but about an hour after he left, the Autobots attacked. We had to evacuate the base. Soundwave said that Ultra Magnus must have stuck a tracker to them and sold the information to the Autobots."

Temptest frowned. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would he help Megatron escape, but then sell out the rest of the team?"

"It makes perfect sense," Megatron argued. "Ultra Magnus is a rogue. He wants everyone gone, so he did whatever hurts both teams."

Optimus pursed his derma, but said nothing.

"Where are they now?" Temptest questioned.

"Well, Knockout is probably waiting to pick us up from school, but he and Soundwave have been staying with Airachnid."

"Airachnid?" Temptest groaned while Megatron simply rubbed his face tiredly.

"She's been pretty nice," Rafael finally spoke up. "She really likes our planet."

Temptest crossed her arms. "Yeah, that's part of the problem."

Megatron shook his helm and sighed. "We need to regroup with the others and come up with a plan. Bumblebee, would you take the children back to school?"

"Alone?" Optimus inquired.

"I don't need Knockout meeting Arcee yet," Megatron explained. "He's emotionally unstable. I don't know how he would react to the kids with his enemy in a public setting."

"I can fly over them," Temptest volunteered. "It would be good to see a friendly face."

Optimus bit his derma. "Very well."

Megatron nodded.

Temptest walked over to Bumblebee. "I guess there are perks to being dead in other dimensions, huh?"

He whirled loudly. "As long as—not kidnapping—again."

She snorted.

Bumblebee transformed and opened his doors for the kids to get in. Temptest gave them an encouraging smile when they hesitated. After everyone was situated, the two of them left, leaving the base quiet with Megatron, Optimus, and Ratchet.

Megatron quickly looked at Optimus. "We need to talk. Alone."

Ratchet scowled. "Alone is rather suspicious."

"I assure you, we are evenly matched enough that you would have time to aid your leader if the two of us were to fight," Megatron walked up to Optimus.

Optimus nodded. "Please leave us for a moment."

Megatron waited until the medic was outside before speaking. "You and I, in our respective dimensions, have been enemies for a very long time. I'm sure you can understand why I am hesitant to trust you."

Optimus regarded him carefully. "I understand."

"Then you also understand that as long as we are on this planet, I am in charge of any operations launched in regards to my team or the humans here," Megatron told him.

Optimus raised his helm slightly, almost as if he was seizing the silver mech up. "You have a deal, with the exception of the safety of my own team. You have no permission to give them orders."

"Fine then," Megatron decided. "As for social borders, you are not allowed to be alone with any of the children, nor are any of your subordinates. And–"

"My teammates," Optimus interrupted. "They are my team. I am not the Optimus Prime you know."

"Teammates, then," Megatron nodded. "And stay away from Temptest."

Optimus tilted his helm.

Megatron crossed his arms. "I've already had one Optimus lose his mind over her. Whether you are the same mech or not, I'm not taking the chance. She's my soldier and under my protection. You are to stay away."

"Temptest may not agree with that," Optimus said slowly. "She does not seem to appreciate your paranoia."

Megatron scowled. "I know... but I'm asking you to."

Optimus was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Very well."

"Ahem," Megatron's comms crackled. "Sir... we found something."

"Are the kids secure?" Megatron demanded, turning away from Optimus.

"Yeah, they're okay. There's no danger," Temptest explained. "In fact... we may have a lead on a solution for our stranded Autobots."

"Spit it out," Megatron urged. "What is it?"

"Well," Temptest cleared her throat. "We found Ultra Magnus's body... and it looks like he was shot with a fusion cannon."