Ruby - Transformers: The Last Knight

Desperate Measures

"You need to go, now!" cried Simmons, gesturing wildly to both Ruby and Cade, "You can't be here,"

"Well you brought us here!"

"Bee, help me out,"

With one sweeping maneuver the yellow autobot scoped up the both of them, transformed mid-roll, and began speeding back the way they had come, slipping and sliding over the muddy English hills.

Drift came over the radio, "Signals are popping up everywhere, I believe two of them may be Optimus and Megatron, they're heading straight for you!" 

"No!" cried Ruby, "Bee you have to take me back! I don't want to hurt you,"

The speedometer only climbed higher. 

"I'm going to land the ship at the manor," said Drift, "I'll meet you there,"

Cade pushed Ruby back against her seat, "Relax!"

"I have to get Tom, if they have him. If they don't I need to start looking elsewhere!"

Cade let her go and she stopped struggling, staring him down.

"Fine," she said, brushing long strands of hair out of her face; "Until sunrise. That's as long as I can wait, Cade," she flared her nostrils, trying to contain herself, her anger and her grief, "Then I'm going to get Tom, and I'll take down anyone in my way."

"Well, what if-"

"Anyone." Ruby repeated, "You'd do the same if it was Tessa."

Cade shut his mouth and gave a curt nod. His gaze went from Ruby's face to the bracelet, pulsing with power. He swallowed and looked out of the window at the black night the rest of the way.

*

One hour. That was all she had to wait. The sky had not yet lightened when Ruby heard him. She  was exploring the giant house, peering at ugly family portraits in the gallery with Cade trailing her, complaining about dust and the lack of house keeping. Bumble Bee managed to squeeze himself into the house since it had abnormally high ceilings and doorways. He bleated some radio nonsense about a message. But it wasn't Drift or Simmons who came over the comms system.

"Calling all Autobots,"

Ruby leapt to her feet and her heart jumped up her throat. Optimus Prime continued to talk:

"Our home awaits. For our world to live, this planet must die. Help me restore Cybertron!"

Then, right before the transmission cut off; "Hey! What are you doing?" The radio went silent.

Ruby's blood ran cold. Optimus had Tom. Or worse, Quintessa had Tom. 

Cade held his hands up like he was trying to steady an angry bear;

"Ruby, I know what you're thinking,"

Ruby blinked at him. She blinked at Bee. Then she bolted for the door.

Cade threw the token and it hit her on the back like a lightning strike. Ruby fell to her knees. The token plinked onto the wooden floor. Sparks crackled all over Ruby as she got to her feet. She arched her neck and crossed her jaw. She didn't want to do this. Bee aimed his canon blaster at her. He fired. 

Pottery shattered and wood splintered, but Ruby evaded the shot. She tore through the house, hot rage boiling in her blood, the bracelet circling her wrist like a white beacon of fire. 

"Stop!" cried Cade; he took out his gun and fired. 

Ruby whirled round before the bullet reached her. It hovered an inch from her nose. She lifted her glowing eyes to Cade and it whizzed over his shoulder, splitting the wall behind him. 

She took off again. Energy surged through her as she dodged round doorways and made for the garage. A knife whistled past her ear. Cade still wasn't getting it. Bee crashed through walls immediately behind them. 

Ruby came to an abrupt halt in the garage, hair swirling around her face, filling her nose with the smell of ash. Her eyes skipped over the old jaguar, the fifties Land Rover, and narrowed at a BMW. 

Bee's blaster climbed in pitch. It wasn't aimed at her, he was going to blow up the cars. It would slow her down but it certainly wouldn't stop her. She swiped a bulbous device off the nearest shelf and rolled it under Bee's legs. 

Don't stop to watch. 

This time, she heeded the old man's words. She threw herself in the BMW as the air was sucked from the room. She brought it to life with a single touch to the steering wheel. She had no idea where the door was. A red ball of energy from her palm blasted a big enough hole in the wall. She stomped on the gas pedal, and with a screech of tyres, was away. 

Bee and Cade watched her red tail lights disappear across the hills, unable to move inside the shrinking time freeze bubble.