Transformers Prime: Amulet of Life (#1) [Completed]

Chapter 18

Two weeks later
After I passed out and had that vision, no more came. I was kind of disappointed because I had gotten a lot of information out of the meeting with Primus. After two weeks, we still had found nothing on the location of the amulet of death, it seemed like it wasn't even on earth. For all we knew, it could be on Cybertron or on any other planet in the galaxy.

Jack was leaving to see his relatives tomorrow and was at home packing. The base had a completely different atmosphere without him. Miko was out with Bulkhead, so, Raf and I were alone in the base, minus the bots.

"Do you want to race?" Raf asked, very much bored.

"Sure," I shrugged, "I'm not doing anything else."

He grabbed the controllers from the coffee table and handed one to me. I thank him as I turned the TV and console on. They both sprang to life, and when the game loaded, we started to race. My fingers flew over the buttons in a blur. Raf's did the same.

After being beaten by Raf about ten times, Arcee held her hand to her com.

"Yeah, coming over now." With that she transformed and drove out of the base. I looked at Raf with a confused look on my face and he just shrugged in response and turned back to the TV.

We finished our race and I got beat yet again. I guess after playing with Bumblebee so much, Raf's skill level had improved. By a lot apparently. It probably also didn't help that I sucked at racing games. I just couldn't drive!

A few minutes later, Arcee returned with Jack. He swung his right leg over Arcee and pulled his helmet off.

"Hey guys," he said while scratching the back of his head. Only when Raf and I walked down the stairs to greet him did he asked where Miko was.

"Out with Bulkhead," Raf replied.

"Well, I have one hour before I leave so I thought I would come and hangout here for a bit," Jack explained.

My brow scrunched. "I though you were leaving tomorrow?"

"We are leaving today to arrive there tomorrow," Jack clarified. "What were you guys doing?"

"Getting absolutely destroyed in racing," I said sadly at the same time Raf said, "Racing."
Jack smiled at my remark.

With that we all walked up to the TV and continued to play. The way we did it, since there was only two controllers, was that the loser of the round would hand their controller to the other person that wasn't playing. I never won a round, except when Jack or Raf let me win, but I don't count that. It wasn't a fair win. Often, it was Jack and Raf playing, and they were pretty evenly matched. I just watched them and tried to pick out some hints on how to drive better.

Miko came later and joined us in our racing tournament. After we played for a bit, Jack went out for a drive with Arcee before he had to go. I just sat on the couch and thought about the meeting with Primus until Smokescreen scared me.

"You okay?" He asked, causing me to jump.

"Yeah, just thinking about my meeting Primus," I replied absently.

"Oh," Was all Smokescreen said. I heard a vehicle pull into base. I looked to see who it was and saw that Arcee had returned without Jack. She transformed and just walked away. I looked to Smokescreen and apologized before going after her.

"Did he say how long he would be gone for?" I asked once I caught up.

"A week," She replied bluntly.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, I guess. Just thinking of Cliff, and if Jack will be safe."

I thought for a moment. Who was Cliff? Then it came to me. Cliffjumper was Arcee's old partner, until Starscream killed him. The Autobots didn't talk about him that much about him, but I had heard hints a few times. There weren't a lot, but I had been able to piece together a rough picture. 

"You know Jack will be fine, if he is in danger, he'll call," I assured. "The cons don't even know that he left. He will be fine."

Elsewhere
"I'll be back in a week," Soundwave projected what Jack had said to Arcee just before he left.

Little did Arcee and Jack know that Laserbeak had been sitting in a tree near their location. After he had heard the conversation, he had returned back to the warship to report it.

"Perfect," Megatron said, his back to Soundwave with his hands behind his back. "Fetch Makeshift," He commanded.

A Vehicon ran off to do his master's biding. A moment later, he returned with a bot, hidden in the shadows. Soundwave's tentacles arms plunged into Makeshift. He stumbled backwards in suprise, then regained his balance.

"Why did you give me this human holoform?" Makeshift questioned, voice switching pitches and warbled as he spoke.

"You will infiltrate their base as that human. He left, so we will take his place. When you have achieved the goal, find out the location of their base," Megatron said. "Soundwave, set up the plan." Soundwave nodded his head silently,  then turned and walked away. "They will never see it coming," Megatron chuckled, his red optics narrowed in delight of the plan that could bring the endgame into his grasp.

Lora's P.O.V.
I sat on my bed, continuing to read my book, and getting lost in the fictional world that I loved so much. In mist the silence, I heard the ground bridge start up.

"Odd," I thought. No one was on a mission, but there could be Decepticon activity. I placed my book and my nightstand and ran to the main room. I emerged to see Optimus, Arcee, Wheeljack, Bulkhead and Smokescreen run through the bridge and disappear into the green vortex.

"What happened?" I asked, concerned. I had never felt this tense of an atmosphere the whole time I had been here.

"We got a message from the Decepticons that they had Jack," Ratchet said.

"How is that possible? He just left. And June, where is she?" I questioned, my voice raised.

"That's what we are trying to figure out," Ratchet replied tartly. I refrained from asking anymore questions and waited. After a long period of time, Optimus spoke.

"Open the ground bridge, we have Jack," he commanded. Ratchet hurried to open the ground bridge.

The green and blue swirling vortex opened and the bots came through, Arcee and Jack first. She put her blasters away as Bulkhead came through. Then Wheeljack and Smokescreen came through, Smokescreen had a fair amount of dints, scraps and was limping badly. Wheeljack was leaking Energon from various wounds. Finally Optimus came through with a shattered window, but other wise, uninjured. Ratchet helped Smokescreen over to the medical berth and Wheeljack followed. My first idea was to ask Smokescreen what happened, but since he was injured, I decided to ask Optimus.

"What happened out there?" I asked the Prime. Raf and Miko had gathered to listen to his response.

"When we arrived at the coordinates that Megatron sent, they demanded we hand you over for Jack's life."

"Why me?" I questioned, shocked.

"I fear that they want you for the amulet," he said, his face grave.

Arcee cut in and told what happened. "We refused, and they attacked us. Wheeljack and Smokescreen ran to get closer, but they were met by Insecticons. The rest of us fired back. I went after Soundwave, who was holding Jack, and wrestled Jack from him. Surprisingly, I got Jack without being injured. Optimus confronted Megatron and called for a ground bridge. Before the ground bridge appeared, an Incecticon damaged Smokescreen's leg. Then we came through," After Arcee finished the story, Jack approached us.

"What happened on your side?" I turned and asked him.

"I was outside of my relative's house, and wandering around town when they captured me. I overheard them talking about how they were going to use me as a bargaining chip for Lora. They want the relic, bad," he finished.

"Shouldn't you call June to let her know you're are okay?" Raf asked.

"Oh yeah, I'll go do that right now," He responded uncertainly.

"Why did he sound so uncertain and is acting off?" I wondered.  I shook the thoughts off. He probably was shaken up after being captured by the Deceptions. I know I was.