Meanwhile, up and crossing over the Atlantic back to America is a USAF C-17 Globemaster transport jet, with Captain Lennox and his unit who have survived the base attack in Qatar. They also weren't alone, since they're bringing forth a piece of metal that came from a giant mechanical scorpion that attacked them.
This scorpion robot drove the soldiers into a village, then began firing a barrage of missiles, which destroyed the ruins that the village had grown around and critically injured one soldier Figueroa. Luckily, Lennox sent out a distress call to the Pentagon that had gotten through, and an MQ-1 Predator drone relayed images of the robot to astonished US military commanders. They immediately sent two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs to attack, with little to no effect, then followed up with an AC-130 Spectre gunship, which damaged the robot enough for him to dive back into the sand and escape, leaving its broken tail behind.
Among those who were looking at the metallic tail is Ken Norris. He is a male teenager of average height with a lean physique, matted brown hair worn in a medium length with some slight curls and sideburns, and brown eyes. He has on a red shirt covered by a black jacket with grey lining, black pants, and brown shoes.
(A/N: Ken belongs to RickyArgueta60 )
Ken has been assisting with the creation of some of the tools and equipment that the team have been using, as well as other machinery to assist them. He has also sent some of this prototypes to Braedey, who's a close friend of his since grade school, and he also has his girlfriend Jennifer, who happens to work in computers and also a hacker.
"It's like a self-regenerating molecular armour." One soldier commented as they looked at the tail.
"It's not like anything I've ever seen before." Ken noted as he stood by with Lennox and Epps. "This metal is unlike anything I've ever seen. Definitely not Earth-like." He then spotted a mark on the metal. "Hey. Look at this scorch mark where the sabot round hit. It's melted right through."
Lennox looked at the sabot round shot, then looked over to Epps. "Hey, aren't sabots hot-loaded for, like, a 6,000-degree magnesium burn?" He questioned.
"Close to it. It melts tank armour." Epps answered with a nod.
"So this metallic skin must react to extreme heat." Ken took note. "Best we take note of these."
Suddenly, the tail shot up and Epps jumped back before the tail could even stab him. Everyone looked back, just as the tail fell back into a limp state, and they began to quickly strap down the tail before it could attack again.
"Strap it down! Strap it!" Ken called. "This thing is beyond wicked in more ways than one."
"All right, get on the horn with Northern Command." Lennox said to Epps, the latter nodding back. "Tell them that our effective weapon is high-heat sabot rounds. Recommend we load them on all the gunships. Go."
Ken continued to stare at the tail in curiosity and with concern about what this thing is. He earlier got a brief text message from his girlfriend Jennifer Scott, and it read 'Found alien message signal'. After that, he didn't get anything else. It did leave him in concern, but he knew Jennifer can handle herself. All the while, he was curious about this 'alien' thing and what it means...
~*~*~
Back over in Braedey's hometown, the Autobots and their two human companions were heading forth to Braedey's home to retrieve the necklace and begin their hunt for the AllSpark before the Decepticons even find out it's location.
Anyone who would be out at the moment would notice the convoy of flashy coloured vehicles driving through the streets. The vehicles now pulled up to an alleyway as Braedey got out of Bumblebee.
"Okay. I'll go inside, find the necklace, then get it out to you." Braedey said to Optimus' truck form. He turned to Jasmine. "Can you keep an eye on them for five minutes?" He asked.
"I'll try to." Jasmine nodded back as Braedey ran forth to his house, running across the grass towards the back door.
"Hey. Thanks for staying on my path!" Ron called out from the back door. He was about to step out of the house, but Braedey stopped him.
"Sorry, hey! Sorry about the path. I'll sweep it up now. Sorry about earlier." Braedey began to apologise.
"Listen. You know, I buy half your car, then I bail you out of jail, and then, I just decided to do all your chores." Ron began to say.
"Listen, I'm sorry about that." Braedey said to him. "Besides, I can take care of it and...." He looked behind him and saw Optimus standing up hiding behind a large tree. "Actually, Uncle. I'll take the trash as well, I'll do that right now." He added on.
"I don't need you to strain yourself." Ron said as his nephew continued to block the door.
"No. I'm not straining myself, uncle. I'm gonna do the trash can, and scrape the grille right now." Braedey argued back, just as Bumblebee hid to his left, and Optimus stepped over the garden wall, trying to get into the backyard. "You know, uncle. I love you, Uncle Ron. So much."
"You know, Braedey. Your aunt wanted me to ground you cause you're three minutes late. Well, you're early, so guess I'm not grounding you." Ron pointed out to Braedey before heading back into the living room.
"Okay. Sleep good now." Braedey smiled, then turned back and saw the Autobots walk around the backyard. "What are you doing? Watch the path, please. WAIT!! No, no, no!" Braedey yelled as Optimus accidentally stepped on the bird bath in the middle of the path, shattering it into pieces!
"Sorry, my bad." Optimus quickly apologised.
"Optimus, you could've just waited outside for five minutes. God!" Braedey hissed, just as his pet Husky walked outside and saw Ironhide watching the drama. Jasmine ran into the backyard, her boyfriend running over to her. "I told you to watch over them." Braedey said to her.
"Okay, I'm sorry. Maybe they're all in a bit of a rush." Jasmine apologised and theorised.
"No kidding!" The two then heard barking and Braedey saw Shadow lift his leg up and peed on Ironhide's foot. "Shadow! Not on Ironhide! No no! Easy! This is Shadow!" Braedey pulled the dog back as Ironhide aimed his guns at the Husky. "He's my dog. Put your guns down."
"You have an infestation. Shall I terminate?" Ironhide stated as he continued to aim his cannons at the dog.
"No, this is my dog! Okay, everyone has dogs!" Ken stated. "They are man's best friend."
"He leaked lubricants all over my foot!" Ironhide huffed as he aimed at the dog.
"Hey. Easy, 'Hide." Bulkhead tried to calm down the GMC Autobot. "You don't wanna shoot a little animal like that?"
"He peed on you? Bad Shadow!" Braedey hissed at his pet, then pointed to the house. "Back inside. Go." He said, the Husky running off back inside.
"Bad Shadow." Ironhide sighed as he deactivated his guns. "That's gonna rust and stink." He mumbled.
"Just shut up and hide, please!" Braedey ordered as he now ran into the house, heading up to his bedroom.
"Just hurry." Optimus insisted. "Autobots, recon." He said to the others. Bumblebee knelt down and sees Braedey's Aunt and Uncle through the lower window and watched on in curiosity.
"You didn't ground him, did you?" Judy asked.
"Almost. Almost." Ron chuckled.
Braedey now arrived in his bedroom, taking some deep breaths to try and calm himself down. He managed to calm himself down, then began to take a look around the wall of artefacts to try and find the necklace. He then heard footsteps outside and he saw Optimus with Jasmine in his hand, holding her up to the window. Braedey breathed a quick sigh as he helped her into his room.
"Sorry. They really want the necklace." Jasmine said to him.
"Time is short. Please hurry." Optimus begged.
"Okay." Braedey looked to his artefacts wall. "It should be over somewhere here..."
Suddenly, Braedey and Jasmine heard mechanical gear shifting noises coming from outside the window in the backyard. "Now what?" Braedey groaned as he and Jasmine look outside to see the Autobots parked in the backyard and in vehicle forms. "What? This isn't hiding. This is my backyard, not a goddamn truck stop. Oh, for the love of...." Regardless, the two got back to work.
"Where do you think the necklace is?" Jasmine asked.
Braedey stopped and he realised something. "My backpack. I left it back downstairs in the kitchen, and I took out the necklace to hang it." He said.
Jasmine then saw movement coming from outside. "Braedey, it's Optimus. He's back." She whispered.
"Gotta deal with this." Braedey sighed as he rushed up to the window to find Optimus kneeling outside, and he was standing in the flower beds. "WHAT?!!"
Optimus followed his gaze and lifted his foot, stepping back a little. "Sorry."
"Optimus, listen to me. If my folks come out and see you all out here, they're going to freak out. Okay? My aunt has a bad temper. You've got to give me some time." Braedey explained to the Autobot leader.
Optimus sighed. "Then work faster, Braedey. We must have the necklace."
"I know, I'm doing my best. It takes time. I need five minutes min, ten tops? I'll get the necklace. You guys are causing a racket out there...." Braedey ranted.
"Okay. Calm down, calm down." Optimus said quietly. "We'll fall back to a safe perimeter."
Braedey sighed. "You guys gotta do something before something bad happens." He asked.
"Autobots, fall back." Optimus now told his Autobots, backing away from the window and backing away.
"Okay. Thank you." Braedey sighed in relief.
"Move." Ironhide yelled out to Ratchet, only to get cut off.
"What's the matter with you boys? Can't you both be quiet? He wants us to stay silent." Arcee hissed softly as the Autobots now retreated away from the house.
"Silent, he says." Bulkhead rolled his optics, before suddenly walking into the power lines, getting shocked by this, then he tripped and fell over onto a greenhouse next door, the ground shaking as a result.
Inside the house, Judy and Ron felt the ground shake from Bulkhead falling. "Earthquake!" Ron yelled. He now ran for the dining table and got underneath. "Judy! Duck and cover! Right now!"
Judy looked over and saw him. "How'd you get over there so fast?" She questioned.
Bulkhead then propped himself up and shook his head from the dizziness. "Wow! That was tingly. You gotta try that one day!" He said to Ironhide.
"Oh, Bulkhead." Arcee rolled her optics.
"Yeah, that looks fun." Ironhide scoffed, as the power outside shuts down, and the entire neighbourhood loses power as the lights go out.
Ron now has a flashlight and Judy has a baseball bat as they walked upstairs. "Braedey?" Ron called out.
"Braedey, you in there?" Judy said. They now saw a large light shine from underneath his door.
"Ratchet, point the light." Optimus said to Ratchet.
"Shut off the light!" Braedey said to Ratchet, who was shining his headlight in his room. He then motioned to Jasmine to hide behind his chair. "Stay there."
Ron tried to open the door but it's locked. "Braedey? Why is this door locked? You know the rules: I don't like locked doors in my house!"
"You know he'll start counting if you don't open the door!" Judy warned him.
Braedey now then opened the door. "Yeah, what's up? What's with the baseball bat?"
"Who were you talking to?" Ron inquired.
"To someone on the phone." Braedey replied.
"Why are you so sweaty and filthy?" Judy now asked.
"I'm a teen, you know? I was doing a workout routine!" Braedey
"Workout routine? We heard voices and noises and we thought-" Judy began.
"Doesn't matter what we thought." Ron then barged into the room. "What was that light?"
"What light? There was no light, Uncle Ron! I promise you!" Braedey protested back as his aunt and uncle step into his room. "Alright. I mean, you're the one with the flashlights! Why didn't you knock?"
"We did knock, for five minutes!" Ron cried.
"We did! I mean, were you...thinking about girls or...?" Judy now suggested.
"Aunt Judy, what are you insinuating? Do you think seriously lock my door just to think about girls?!" Braedey snapped back.
"Judy, come on! That's a guy thing!" Ron groaned.
"Yeah, it's a guy thing!" Braedey agreed with a nod. "So stop-"
"Okay, okay! Maybe just call it Braedey's happy time or-"
"Aunt Judy, just stop!" Braedey snapped, covering his ears.
"Well, I know we saw a light!" Ron said, now walking into Braedey's bathroom.
"Oh, the parents." Optimus whispered as the Autobots hide outside the house, the leader looking into the bathroom and saw Braedey's uncle. Optimus ducked away, inadvertently slamming into the house, causing another earthquake.
"Earthquake! It's another one. Get in the doorway." Ron called out from inside the house, quickly getting into the bathtub. "Aftershock, aftershock. God, I hate these."
"Hide." Optimus whispered loudly to the other 'Bots as they quickly go to hide. Bulkhead and Ironhide go behind the house, Bumblebee and Arcee underneath the house's backyard ceiling, Jazz looking around in confusion and saw Ron about to come and look out of the window, with Jazz quickly getting underneath Braedey's bedroom.
Ron looked out of the bathroom window and saw all of the destruction. He groaned in exasperation. "Oh no! The yard is destroyed. Judy? Better call the city, we've got a blown transformer. Power's sparking all over the place. Yard's a waste. Gone! The whole yard!"
Ironhide then pointed his guns at one of the windows. "The parents are so irritating. Can I blow them up? Please?" He asked.
"Ironhide, you know we don't harm humans." Optimus seethed. "What is with you?"
"I'm just saying we could. It's an option." Ironhide mumbled, lowering his cannons.
"Braedey, we know we heard you talking to someone!" Ron continued his interrogation.
"Look I swear, I wasn't-" Braedey insisted.
"H-Hi." The Witwickys now turned to see Jasmine standing up from hiding behind the chair. "I'm Jasmine. I'm ... I'm Braedey's girlfriend." She said to them.
"Gosh, you're just gorgeous! Isn't she gorgeous?" Judy chuckled.
Ron chortled and fist bumps Braedey, who was gritting his teeth. "She can hear you talking, Aunt Judy." The latter fumed.
"Thank you." Jasmine smiled with a giggle.
"Oh, my goodness. I'm so sorry you had to hear our little family discussion about..." Judy apologised to Jasmine.
"Aunt Judy. Where is my backpack?" Braedey now cuts her off.
"Oh, it's downstairs, in the kitchen." Judy answered.
"Great, thanks a lot!" Braedey nodded, he and Jasmine now running off downstairs.
Unbeknownst to them all, four large black GMC SUVs with red/blue lights built into its front grilles pull up in front of the house, as a group of men in black suits and even some in white hazmat suits climb out of the cars to make their way towards the house...