Ruby - Transformers: The Last Knight

The Missing

Stonehench still stood. The rocks were coated in black ash, but they remained in their circular formation. The rest of the English countryside did not fair so well. All around, as far as the eye could see, the land was dead. Barren and brown, littered with rubble, it was as if Quintessa's reaction had sucked all the colour out of the earth. All of the life. The wasteland went on for miles in unnatural silence. 

Optimus touched down and skidded to a stop, kicking up a cloud of dust. He released Tom and flexed his fingers. The metal joints clicked and popped. 

Tom stared up into the blood red sky. There was no second planet anymore, just a haze of smoke and a scattering of ash. 

"No..." he whispered. 

"Optimus! Optimus!"

The autobots ran over. Far in the distance, the special forces base was dissembling, preparing to go home, now that their victory ensured they had homes to go back to. 

Bumble Bee, Hound, Drift and Crosshairs gathered around Optimus. Lennox, Cade and Simmons climbed down from their feet. 

Cade patted Tom on the shoulder and knelt down next to him;

"You alright man?"

Tom didn't remember falling to his knees. He opened his mouth to answer, but his throat closed up. The scent of burning rot stuck in his nose, yet it was not what choked him. 

"Where's Ruby."

Everyone looked from Tom to Optimus, waiting for an answer. The silence was tense, empty. No one dared to break it, to accept the unseen truth.

Bee whined.

"Well?" demanded Hound.

Optimus blinked his blue optics and bowed his head;

"Quintessa took her."

Cade rubbed a hand down his face and started to pace. 

"Took her where?" cried Simmons, "We destroyed Cybertron for god's sake!" 

"I do not know," said Optimus, "I have failed her," his affirmative voice trembled, "I have failed you all. How can you ever forgive me?"

"We have to find her, now!" said Hound, "Drift, get scanning,"

"Tom," Lennox held out a hand to him. 

He continued to stare at the ground. He reached past Lennox's offer and plucked something shiny from the rubble. Tears spilled over, tracking down the dirt on his cheeks.

"Oh my god..." said Lennox softly.

Panic rose in Tom's stomach. He was going to be sick. 

Cade caught sight of the metal in Tom's grip and punched the nearest rock.

"Son of a- ow," he looked from his newly broken hand to his burned one, not knowing which one to cradle.

Simmons swore under his breath. Optimus turned his back on them, unable to look at it.

Ruby's bracelet sparked like a severed cable. It sent jolts of electricity up Tom's hand. He refused to let it go. He embraced the pain. He never should have let her go. He'd still have her here, rather than her bracelet. It was like holding her beating heart. 

"That's good," said Drift, "I can use it to find her."

"You don't understand," Tom croaked, "She can't survive without the bracelet."

Lennox stepped in, "She'll have some time, we just need to hurry-"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Tom shouted,

Cade spread his arms; "Then make us understand!"

With tears rolling freely down his face, Tom held up his chin and said; "Ruby's sick. She's dying," he sobbed, "She's been dying ever since the bracelet was activated." His eyes flicked to Optimus. 

"Explain."

"The metal in her body is not compatible with her organic tissues. It's been poisoning her, slowly, discreetly. I discovered it when- when she was at KSI. I've been monitoring it ever since. Her power has been getting stronger because it's winning. Her cancer is spiralling out of control along with her power. We worked out she had about ten months left."

"Cancer? She's never looked sick," said Cade, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"The bracelet has been regulating the cancer," said Tom, trying to channel his doctor side, "It constantly heals the symptoms, stops the sickness, weakness, and pain. But it can't cure her. And without this-" he waved the bracelet "-she'll get really sick."

"Of course," said Simmons, smacking himself in the forehead, "It's so obvious. Simple biology. How did I not see this!?"

Optimus turned and fixed Tom in his intense blue gaze; "How long?"

Tom knew what he meant. How long would Ruby survive without help.

"I would have said days," Tom wiped his eyes, "But after being stuck in that reaction? Hours, maybe. If that. I don't know." His lip quivered, "God she must be in so much pain."

"If she's still alive,"

"Hound!" snapped Optimus. He whirled round and grabbed the fat autobot by the throat, "We do not speak like that!" He threw him backwards, and they all stepped out of his reach; "We will have hope."

"Okay. Where do we start?" said Crosshairs, his voice higher than usual.

"We will split into two teams," said Optimus, "I will lead the search party. Tom, you will lead the research team. I will find Ruby. You will find a cure."

"I'll help," said Simmons.

"No." Tom snarled. He got up and marched right over to Optimus, "I'm not going to wait around for you to bring her to me. You left her!" He jabbed his finger at Optimus' ankle, "She is my fiancé, and I am not going to leave her fate in your hands!"

Hound whistled. 

Optimus blinked. "Fiancé?"

"Oh boy." 

"Drift, I think we'd better get your scanners going," said Crosshairs quickly.

"Good idea," said Simmons, scurrying backwards, "I'll call in a favour with a friend of mine who runs a research lab."

"I know a mad scientist," Lennox piped up, "Does that help?"

"It all helps, soldier boy," then Simmons lowered his voice, his eye on Optimus and Tom, "We'd better get going before the next world-ending disaster,"

Optimus appeared speechless. It was terrifying, like the seconds counting down to an explosion. Cade grabbed Tom and dragged him after Lennox and Simmons, leaving the autobots to deal with their stunned leader.