After the victory of the 'Survival Race', Braedey placed the trophy on what was a shelf with some of the items he had collected, some of them being Cybertronian gadgets and devices that's once used by his enemies long ago. He smiled to himself in admiration over his victory in the race, he and Rin having done something. He then looked to Rin, who was doing some sketches, and they share a high-five together.
"Have to say, you did pretty well out there on the track, Rin." Braedey commented to Rin.
"Hey, you did just as good as well." Rin shrugged back, then saw the mail had come in. "Hey, check this out." She goes ahead and collects it, then she found a magazine with a short British male on the front cover of Racecar Magazine. "Richard 'Dickie' Ranford..."
"Who's he?" Braedey asked in confusion.
"You've never heard of Dickie Ranford? The wealthy trillionaire and CEO of Ranford Automotive, Ranford Airlines, and Ranford Cola?" Rin again asked, Braedey shaking his head in response. "Wow. Well, I guess I can't blame you, especially since you've been out and about with saving the world and whatnot." She shrugs.
"Well, that's what happens when you're someone like me." Braedey shrugged back, then held up the papers he copied from Speed. "And I'm still deciphering and analysing the papers for the Mach 6's gasless engine and what it all accumulates into."
"You're still working on that? Why?" Rin asked, sitting down next to him.
"If I can figure out what this means, we will be able to have a fully-functional gasless engine for the Mach 6, completing Speed Racer Senior's dream, and that can become the ultimate revolution of vehicular motion." Braedey answered. "It'll make companies like Zazic's fall into nothingness and cease to exist altogether."
"That's something else." Rin commented. She then saw a microscope with what looks like a bit of blue fluid in a Petri dish. "And what's this?"
"I've been working on refining Energon to work with normal internal combustion engines." Braedey stated to Rin, now showing what's on the Petri dish on screen. "For now, it's stable but I need to run a few more tests to be sure."
"Okay. Just so it doesn't blow out the engine block in one go." Rin took a guess. "That makes more sense."
"So far, I'm almost done with it. However, I'm still a long ways away from being able to finish the notes from Speed." Braedey pointed out. He then checks through them once more. "There's got to be a link that I'm not seeing here."
"Hopefully, you will figure it out." Rin gently patted his back. "By the way, the others are heading off to the cafeteria to get something. Wanna join with us?"
"Go. I'll catch up. Just gotta do some more deciphering on this and some extra schoolwork." Braedey answered to her.
"Alright. I'll try and keep Conor from eating all the food." Rin joked, she and Braedey both sharing a laugh before the former leaves.
Braedey rolled his eyes in amusement as he continued on with his work, all the while with enjoying the peace and quiet around him. He then got a message from Headmaster Spritle regarding a V.I.P race for some big-time sponsors like Shell, Pennzoil, Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, Apple, and other big-time sponsor groups that have assisted with the construction effort of the whole Racer Academy and even supplying the cars for those to race. Braedey got to his feet and immediately heads off to the office to go and see what Headmaster Spritle wants to say, the garage closing up and locking down with security systems online.
'Wonder what Spritle wants to discuss with me about with this whole race.' Braedey thought to himself as he heads to the main school building.
Unbeknown to anyone around the garages, the silhouette of a figure could be seen skulking around the shadows of the buildings, it's green eyes skulking left and right as if it's searching for something or someone. It then disappears into the shadows as the sound of a passing vehicle could be heard.
Meanwhile up in Headmaster Spritle's office, Braedey is with the headmaster of the school, alongside Ken, Blaze and Dante, the latter three having been called up to discuss about this matter.
"So, you would like myself, Blaze, Ken, and Dante to be bodyguards and security for the upcoming V.I.P race?" Braedey asked to Headmaster Spritle.
"Yes. Since we'll be having not just those representing the various companies, but also some scouts that will be seeking out for new drivers to race for them in their teams in professional racing." Headmaster Spritle now stated. "Unfortunately, you four won't be able to race but I'm sure your co-drivers wouldn't mind with taking the wheel."
"Okay, I get it." Ken snapped his fingers. "We let those like Jennifer, Clementine and Rin go and race in our cars, while we act as security."
"Exactly right, Ken." Headmaster Spritle acknowledged, then looked to Braedey. "Your area of expertise when it comes to dealing with hostile people and baddies gives you an advantage over others, and you'll know what to do."
"As do myself and Ken." Blaze added in. "We will be ready for whatever happens."
"Yeah. I'm down for that, too." Dante punches his fist into an open palm for emphasis. He always wanted to do something like this.
"I do want to say something." Blaze now spoke up. "At about 1400 hours local time yesterday, my scanners picked up on a Cybertronian signal approaching the academy. However, I was unable to triangulate its location now, nor was I able to detect if it were Autobot or Decepticon. It's as if it was scrambled or damaged." He then tapped the side of his head. "Maybe my scanner is faulty or something."
"Don't think so. Best we keep an eye and ear out for anything suspicious tomorrow." Braedey advised to the three males.
"Agreed." Everyone acknowledged in unison, then the four teenage males leave the headmaster's office.
"So, you think it's someone you've dealt with before?" Dante asked to Braedey, the four of them walking down the halls.
"I'm not sure who, but I don't like not knowing who or what we're dealing with until I get any answers or clues to who or what's our enemy." Braedey answered back, then he hands Bluetooth devices and Autobot badges. "Best we get ready for tomorrow. Report on Comms in case of any sign of suspicious activity."
"10-4, good buddy." Ken acknowledged.
"Let's roll." Blaze nodded sharply.
"Right, then." Dante smirked.
With that, the group of four head off back to the dorms to get ready for the V.I.P race day.
~*~*~
The next morning, banners and camera crews have all been set up and all are ready for the V.I.P race to start. Important dignitaries. representatives of the big-time sponsors and companies, and much more are arriving at Racer Academy to witness the upcoming race.
By the front gates and around the area, Braedey, Blaze, Ken, and Dante were on the lookout for anything and everything considered suspicious or even hostile in the area. Headmaster Spritle advised to them to report the manner immediately to them in case, and he'll call the race off for safety and security reasons.
"Transformer to Gov'ner. Anything in your sector?" Braedey asked on his Transformatrix.
"Negative on that, Transformer." Dante replied back. "All clear with vehicle checks and V.I.P identifications. So far, nothing out of the ordinary."
"Same here on my end, Transformer." Ken added in. "All checks on those in attendance are valid."
"Acknowledged, Omnitrix. Blaze, what's your 20?" Braedey now asked to his Autobot teammate.
"Doing another sweep around the academy grounds." Blaze responded back while in alt-mode, driving about cautiously as his built-in scanners check around the place. "Looks all clear on my sector."
"Very well. Rendezvous back to the track pit lane and be ready in case." Braedey stated to the others before he goes off to the track's pitlane.
As the four made their way over, they saw Rin, Jennifer, Clementine, and Asuga down on the startline with the BlueBolt, Gov'ner, Asuga's pink/white motorcycle, and Jennifer with the GT40, the girls all gearing up for the V.I.P race. Kou was also there, who saluted back then.
"Good luck, girls." Braedey announced.
"Take care." Dante added in.
"Show them what you can do!" Blaze included.
"All drivers, we're about one minute away before the V.I.P race begins." Headmaster Spritle's voice informed on the P.A system. "Report to your cars and be ready for the race. Good luck and be prepared."
The drivers climb into their cars, all of them strapping themselves in, as they got ready to race. Rin puts on a helmet, revving the BlueBolt's engine a few times as the other cars rev their motors. DJ Reyes wraps his black ascot around his neck, putting on black gloves, as he grips the steering wheel. Kou strapped himself in, his helmet on as he dropped the visor over his eyes, ready to go racing. Jennifer revved the GT40's engine for the off, while Clementine who's in a skintight black racing suit strapped herself into the Gov'ner.
"Showtime." DJ Reyes said, hanging his cross necklace from the rearview mirror.
"Let's get it on." Kou shifted his car into gear to go.
The countdown begins, then the green flag drops, and all the cars launch off the line!! The Mach 6 and Shooting Star now launch ahead, the Spoiled Brat trailing just behind them. Asuga's motorcycle now shot into the lead, the Mach 6 and Shooting Star behind it. The Transformer raced up behind the two, with DJ Reyes and his Dodge Charger closing in, Kou and the Silverbolt alongside the Transformer, Dante's car, alongside Jesse and Jared's just behind him, with the GT40 chasing on after them.
As the cars race about the course for the pilot lap, the section of track opens to reveal mechanical computer components. A second later, two large steel rings rise up from the track and lock together, forming one large steel arch ring, as the blue glow appears in the centre of the arch, creating the portal into the Virtual Track.
The racecars charge around the main circuit once more, then they enter through the blue portal. Once they entered the Virtual Track, everyone saw they were on the Aurora Cryopticon racetrack.
"Remember this track is full of tight and treacherous turns and straights, Rin. Be on your guard and be ready for anything." Braedey advised to Rin.
"Got it, Braedey." Rin informed back, then she began to race with with the other cars, sliding left and right while accelerating onward. "Man, you're not kidding. The track is like trying to fly a plane." She commented with wide eyes. "Whoo! I love this!"
"Magnifique!" Clementine added in as she races along, the Gov'ner sliding about left and right along the track. "This is beyond excellent."
"Keep the showboating to a minimum, ladies." Jennifer advised to the others, the GT40 cruising along at a good speed but still keeping up with the other cars.
But then, things didn't seem to go right for the cars. As both the Mach 6 and Shooting Star charge on ahead and take the lead from other drivers, a loud metallic snapping sound could be heard under the sleek black car, much to the Racer brother's surprise as X felt the steering wheel abruptly come loose and the car began to swerve around the track, Speed now trying to keep the Shooting Star on the track.
"X, what's going on?" Speed contacts X on Comms.
"I-I don't know, Speed! The steering just let go on me!" X called back, then he pushes down on the brake pedal, only for a grinding snap to also be heard. "And so are the brakes! I can't stop!"
It wasn't only X's car that was also effected. In fact, a number of the cars on the tracks were also suffering from breakages and failures in parts throughout their vehicles, and it seemed to be happening at the exact same time when X's Shooting Star suffered its failures. Those cars all began to lose control and they ended up being transported out of the Virtual Track at once, most of them ending up in a big pileup at the startline, much to the shock of those in the grandstands.
"Come on! Let's give them some help!" Braedey declared to the others, then slapped down the core of the Transformatrix, engulfing him in the blue flash.
"Get the fire extinguishers!" Dante grabs one extinguisher before throwing Kou another and the two sprint off towards the crashed cars.
"It's Hero Time!" Ken announced, spinning the dial then pushes down the core of the Omnitrix and is engulfed in the green flash.
As the blue flash fades from view, in Braedey's place is a 25ft tall red Autobot, with components of a firetruck around his form; a steel ladder on his back, a fireman's hat as part of the helm, the front grille and windshield on the chest and abdomen, firehoses built into his knuckles, wheels on the forearms and the ankles, and a blue visor over the blue optics. The Transformatrix symbol is displayed on his chest in the centre of the grille.
With the green flash, now in Ken's place is a red, mollusk-like alien with brown eyes, and a grey mouth that does not move when he speaks. Behind his legs and on the top of his arms are small grey spikes, black spots on his shoulders and legs, and on his hands are portholes, which he uses to shoot water. He also has four fingers with claws on them and on each of his feet is a grey spike. His lower torso is grey, with two spikes on the side of it. The Omnitrix symbol is in the centre of his chest.
Braedey: "Heatwave!"
Ken: "Water Hazard!"
With the two transformed, they sprinted off onto the track as all the other cars came back from the Virtual Track and stopped nearby. At once, Water Hazard began to extinguish the fires, Heatwave created a foam wall underneath the vehicles, Kou and Dante both shooting foam at the fires on the cars caught in the crash. Once done that, the two go in to get the drivers out of their cars and to get them to safety in case.
Headmaster Spritle ran up with Professors Winn and Aniskov alongside him. "Is everyone alright?" The former asked as Speed helped X out of the Shooting Star.
"We think so." Speed answered back. "X, you alright?"
"I think so. One moment, we were racing along. The next thing I know, my car just went out of control." X stated. "And I guess I'm not the only one."
"Yeah. This can't be coincidental." Water Hazard spoke up as he made his way over. "It's okay. It's me, Ken." He told the others.
"Any idea as to how this happened?" Professor Aniskov asked bluntly. "And how soon can we get another race underway?"
Heatwave walked over after having extinguished the fires. "Until we officially know for sure what caused this, I'd like all vehicles that have any and all mechanical faults be taken to the garages for immediate inspection, and to suspend any and all races for the time." He advised.
Headmaster Spritle nodded back in acknowledgement before getting the authorities to section off the whole racetrack, Heatwave and Four Arms both taking the marked and faulty cars away to the garages. As this is going on, Headmaster Spritle and the staff faculty had reported to the V.I.Ps about the situation and that the race will be suspended until further investigation into the incident, but once all issues have been dealt with, they will have an official race. It could take a day or two, so the V.I.Ps were given access to faculty rooms at the academy as well as accomodation for them all.
Down at the garages, Braedey, Rin, Blaze, Asuga, Ken, and the others were all currently looking through the Shooting Star to try and find the cause of what had happened to it as well as the other racecars.
"I just don't understand how this happened." X began to say. "I mean, the Shooting Star was working just fine earlier before the race. But the moment I go racing, the car goes out-of-control and breaks down." He sits down on a metal stool nearby. "Why is that-" The stool suddenly breaks underneath X and he falls over. "Ow. What in the-?"
"You okay?" Speed asked, helping his brother up.
"I think so." X nodded hesitantly.
"Best check your balance next time." Kou suggested to him.
"Well, look at that." Rin walked up and she picks up the stool to reveal one of the legs had been melted down. "This thing looks like it's been melted, like someone used a blowtorch on it. Maybe that's what happened?"
"Don't think so." Kou shook his head. "If someone has used a blowtorch, we would've found empty oxygen tanks that's needed for the fuel/air mixture around here. It would take a lot to cause some damage to the cars."
"I've not seen any blowtorch do that, or even what's on the ground down right here." Lucy pointed down to the floor, where what looks like a serious burn mark could be seen right on the concrete floor.
"Oui. That looks serious." Clementine commented.
"Huh. That's peculiar." Conor mused as he knelt down next to the burn mark. "Chim-Chim, take a scan." But instead of his mechanical monkey responding, all he got was silence. "Chim-Chim?" Conor and the others look to see the white robot monkey lying on his side with what looks like a corrosive burn to his side. "Chim-Chim!" Conor ran up in worry and he picked up the robot. "My little buddy! What happened to you?!"
"Looks like somebody got to Chim-Chim before he could even tell us about what was going on down here." Dante took a guess, then spotted something by the Shooting Star's steering rack. "Well, what do we have here?" He takes out some tools and removed the piece to reveal what looks like corrosion burn. "Corrosion..."
"But that's not even possible. Those parts are brand-new. I got them installed last week." X now pointed out.
"Check on all the cars here to see if there's similar corrosion damage and bring it here for examination." Braedey said to the others.
Asuga, Ken, Blaze, Lucy, Conor, Speed, Rin and the others now began to take a look at the wrecked cars to see if there is any similar corrosion damage to them inside or around and show it to Braedey so they could see what similarities there are. As they do so, they brought the corroded parts over to take a close look at them. As they looked, they could see the similar corrosion damage had been sustained to drivetrains, axles, steering racks, engine blocks, even tyres and wheels, as well as chassis braces of the cars. It was a miracle that none or the drivers got seriously hurt from the crash in the first place with the corrosion damage.
"Hmm... It definitely looks like there's been an act of sabotage on all of these cars." Ken commented after they have taken a look at the damaged parts. "But I have not seen a type of corrosion like this before."
Blaze takes a piece off before making it into a liquid, and drops it on a panel of alloy metal, which it burns a hole in it. "Whoa. It can even melt Cybertronian alloys. I'd like to run a few more tests to know more." He said.
"I'll help you with that." Rin suggested.
"Same here." Ken added.
"You do that. Some of us inform Headmaster Spritle we have a saboteur among us here at the campus, and to keep an eye and ear out." Kou announced, most of the group heading off to go warn Spritle about this news. "So, an individual who can cause this kind of damage, but does this only on some racecars behind everyone's backs? For what reason and why?" He now questioned.
"I'm not sure. But until we know for sure, we've got a dangerous individual upon the premises of the academy and who could pose a biological hazard to anyone." Braedey stated.
"And one who could put a Cybertronian down without any hesitation." Asuga adds in with dread in her voice.
~*~*~
A little later, the security around the campus has been heightened after they've been informed from Headmaster Spritle about the dangerous individual who has sabotaged the cars before the race. Spritle was very concerned for everyone's health and safety in response to this, and he wasn't taking any chances.
Asuga, meanwhile, she was doing another patrol up and around the campus grounds, even making her way up a satellite tower on the campus to get a better view of the area and to see if there's anything suspicious.
As she does so, Asuga's built-in scanners were picking up on a Cybertronian signal, but it wasn't coming from either the Transformatrix nor Blaze. She pulls out a set of super-zoom binoculars and now takes a look. As she does so, she could see what looks like a bright green tanker truck with a grey fuel tanker hitched behind it sitting out there in the middle of the desert road.
"Odd. Who'd leave a tanker truck exposed like that tin the desert?" Asuga questioned in confusion. She now decides to contact the others. "Asuga to Team Turbo. I've spotted what looks like an abandoned tanker truck on the road outside the academy. But my scanner is picking a Cybertronian signal coming from the truck."
"Understood, Asuga. I'll see if I can get in contact with my grandfather to see if he could lend some Autobot muscle, just in case this is bigger than any of us can handle." Braedey acknowledged back on Comms.
Suddenly, the satellite tower Asuga was standing on began to shudder and groan, forcing her to hold onto the metal. The tower creaked and groaned before a metallic snap could be heard from below, and the tower now began to fall towards the ground! Asuga held on tight as the tower crashed to the floor with a loud bang and heavy impact, Asuga leaping off at the last second and performing a tuck-and-roll, luckily getting away from the fallen tower.
"Okay... that's not good." Asuga muttered to herself.
"Asuga. You alright?" Speed asked as he ran up to her. "I saw you on the tower and I got worried."
"Been better, Speed." Asuga answered back as she dusts herself off. "I don't know what happened. I was just about to come down from there, but the tower just fell over."
"Well, I know what happened." Speed now pointed to the tower's base, where the steel looked to have some metallic corrosion, but it looks to have been melted by something. "Someone did this on purpose, cutting off satellite communications so nobody can call for help."
"That means nobody can send out a signal." Asuga realised. "Except for those with communications that have higher strength and range like the Transformatrix, Blaze and myself."
"Asuga. The cellphone system just went down. No signal is getting out of here." Braedey now reported in on Asuga's comms. "Nobody can get a signal in or out."
"I know. Speed and I are over at the fallen tower now." Asuga stated. "And there's more corrosion damage here. The metal looks to have turned into molten slag by something. Or someone." She now reported as she looks at the molten steel on the tower.
"Acknowledged. Blaze, Ken, and Conor are still looking to see what the variables are with this corrosion, and what's the connection." Braedey stated. "It'll take a bit of time, but we'll finally get an answer soon."
"Define 'soon'." Asuga asked.
"Maybe an hour or two." Braedey answered. "Martin out."
"Great. We don't have much on our saboteur, but we have enough of the incidents he's caused." Asuga now sighed.
Speed then spotted something on the ground. "But we can follow his tracks here." He pointed out what look like molten footprints in the concrete on the ground. "These tracks look fresh. We follow those, we find our saboteur."
"Okay. Let me get my game-face on." Asuga nodded, just as her alt-mode raced up and she mounts it. A second later, Asuga transformed into her robot mode, a pink/white 18ft fall curvy Amazon-like Autobot with heel wheels, wing-like protrusions behind her back, with her helm in the shape of Princess Leia's hairstyle.
"Cool." Speed commented. "You're... taller than I thought."
Asuga knelt down to his height. "If I were human, I'd either take that as an insult or compliment. Best you keep those opinions to yourself." She noted, Speed nodding quickly. "Now come on, let's go." With that, the two follow after the molten footprints.
The young human and Autobot began to sneak along behind buildings as they followed the footprints, all the while with keeping their eyes and ears out for anything suspicious or out of the ordinary. As they look around, they could see the footprints they were following look to emit some kind of faint green smoke, the smell that was emanating from them not very pleasant on their nose and olfactory sensors.
"Yeesh. Smells worse than Conor's socks." Speed winced in disgust.
"I don't even want to know." Asuga joked, then does a scan of the footprints. "These tracks are platform-style shoes. This individual might be a kind of supermodel or something."
"A supermodel who can corrode metal on cars and satellite towers? That doesn't make any sense." Speed remarked to Asuga's statement. "What if it's a very disgruntled worker who used to work here or even at Zazic Industries?" He suggested.
"Maybe. Zile Zazic has been known to fire staff who don't do what he wants." Asuga shrugged her shoulder plates. "But we need more evidence-"
Suddenly, a sharp and beyond intense pain struck Asuga against her right arm, making the Autobot howl out in pain as she fell over onto her side. Speed saw what looks like the armour plating of Asuga's right arm was melting from a blast of corrosive material, which also seems to melt the asphalt. Speed could see the silhouette of a figure slowly making its way towards them from the shadows of the nearby buildings, a waft of green smoke clouds slowly drifting towards them.
"Asuga, we gotta go! Now!" Speed said to Asuga urgently.
Asuga winced in pain, carefully picking up Speed before she races away on her wheeled heels, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake. As they ran to the garages to go find help, the figure stood there in the shadows, a faint green glow emanating from its eyes as it slunk back into the shadows..
~*~*~
"You didn't see who attacked you, only his silhouette?"
Back at the garages, Asuga was being tended to by Blaze and Braedey, the others all taken aback by the damage sustained to their friend's arm. There were hydraulic and electrical cables that have been heavily damaged by this blast of corrosion, and they'll need some emergency repairs and parts to make her better.
"N... No, we didn't. Speed and I were following the trail of molten footsteps, but that thing must've gotten the drop on us." Asuga winced as Blaze worked on fixing her wiring and damaged armour. "Ow! Careful, Blaze. I need those."
"Hold still, and you may keep them and your arm." Blaze stated back.
"You're lucky that corrosive blast got your arm instead of your Spark chamber. It would've been lights out if it had." Ken commented then stopped himself. "Wait... That didn't come out right. Sorry."
"It's okay." Asuga muttered. "I should've been more vigilant."
"Nobody is perfect, Asuga. But that is what makes us unique in our right." Braedey pointed out. "However, we did discover the corrosive substance we've found all seems to be a blend of Hydrochloric and Hydrofluoric Acids, plus Sulphuric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide, and even Fluoroantimonic Acid. It seems to be a blend of all the most toxic and dangerous acids blended into some kind of 'super-acid' that can melt through anything it touches. It may even turn a human being into a molten mess in seconds." He saw everyone looking very pale in the face from that. "Sorry. Didn't mean to put that in your heads."
"Do you know anything that could do that?" Ken asked. "It makes me think of one of the Circus Freaks that Ben Tennyson told me about before his passing."
"Oh, yeah. Acid Breath of the Circus Freakshows..." Braedey realised. "But his breath doesn't leave anything behind. It just melts things. And he's locked away in an energy-based holding cell far from anyone." He pointed out.
"So that cuts him out, and leaves us with no suspects." Kou sighed. "Speed, you mentioned that it could be a disgruntled worker who despise Zazic?"
"Yeah, but now that I think about it, as well a take into account the fact that Asuga nearly got taken offline, I'm not so sure." Speed shook his head.
"Who would go to these lengths to cause such trouble and for what reason?" Dante wondered. "Who and why?"
Just then, the sound of metallic sizzling and bubbling now got their attention as they look over to see a pair of green oozing hands reach under the garage door and suddenly force it open, now revealing a male figure made out of green toxic ooze with bright green eyes behind a pair of futuristic glasses, while wearing a stylised biohazard protective suit.
"At last I've found you.... Martin, you filthy machine." The figure spoke out, his voice distorted because of the ooze as it pointed at Braedey.
"No... I thought... It cannot be..." Braedey stepped back in shock and surprise.
"Well, there's the source of the corrosion." Conor said aloud.
"Who's that guy?" Speed asked in concern.
"Someone or something you know?" Dante asked to Braedey.
"Someone who hates you?" Kou suggested.
"Isn't that most baddies?" Blaze pointed out.
"What or who is this guy, anyway?" Asuga questioned. "Just so I know who struck me in the back."
"Or can we call it a guy?" Conor now asked. "I mean, just look at him. He looks like a living breathing slimeball in a suit with some funky goggles. Just look at that fashion sense, as well as him being able to speak in the first place. It's something rather-"
"Conor. Not now." Speed cuts him off.
"JUST RUN!" Braedey yelled, he and the others now dodging incoming acidic blasts before they run out of the garage.
"You cannot run away from me, you filthy machine." The figure declared.
"Eat this, slime-face!" Braedey abruptly grabbed a fire extinguisher from a wall and snapped off the top cap, sending the extinguisher flying at the molten figure like a rocket.
"Nice shot there." Dante called as the two ran after the others.
But as the acidic man grabbed it, the canister explodes in a cloud of white smoke, making the acid man cough and splutter, the hissing of his body being heard. He then looked around for his target, only to see he had escaped, much to his anger and frustration.
Meanwhile, Braedey and the others had made their way to another part of the school, luckily a hidden spot so they could regroup and think of another strategy. But some of them were taken aback by the melting man thing.
"Okay. WHAT in the name of Henry Ford himself was that ugly thing?!" Rin demanded. "Why was there a man made of molten acid liquid chasing after us??"
"And how does he know your last name?" Kou asked to Braedey.
"That thing... that was once a man. A man who despises anything robotic, especially sentient robots like Autobots and Decepticons." Braedey sighed. "That man was once known as Prometheus Black, but now, he's known as the supervillain called Meltdown."
"Meltdown... That's a cool name." Conor said, the others all giving him a 'really?' look. "What? What I say?"
"Conor, you say anything else, I'm taping that annoying mouth of yours shut." Kou threatened.
"Meltdown possesses a corrosive touch that can melt through just about anything, even Autobot armour, as well as the ability to sling blasts of acidic fluid from his hands. He has to wear a special protective suit to control his acidic abilities though." Braedey pointed out.
"How did Prometheus Black even become that... that thing we just saw?" X now asked. "What's his story?"
Braedey now explained about his involvement with how Meltdown became who he is now. About 2 years ago, Prometheus Black's biotechnology business was highly successful because it played off the citizens of Coolsville's fear of robots. Much of his money was made on makeovers of some of the city's less physically gifted individuals, but he finally staged a promotion aimed at getting himself a contract with the city's police force. Pitting a seemingly frail old man Colossus Rhodes against Braedey as Piledriver, he hoped to win the support of the city's police chief by showcasing the strength-inducing powers of his nano-technological steroids. Unfortunately, Rhodes proceeded to rampage out of control in the parking lot, who was fortunately stopped by the Autobots and Braedey's team, convincing the police chief and even the mayor to cancel all of Black's contracts with the city, leaving Black financially ruined.
In the wake of the parking lot brawl, Black discovered a small piece of Piledriver's armour, which had been knocked off during the fight, coated in the Autobot's hydraulic fluid. Seeking to prove the superiority of his bio-tech creations over the Autobots, he fused the fluid with his steroids, creating an acid that could even melt Transformer armour. Black presented his findings to his venture capital backers' representative and failed mayor candidate, Porter C. Powell, but Powell refused to supply him with any further money or test subjects. Enraged, Black smashed a rack of test tubes and beakers, scattering his acid across the laboratory. As the acid began eating through the counters and floor of the lab and alarms started blaring, Black inhaled the steroid-infused fumes as he staggered for the exit, and began to secrete acid through his pores. Driven insane by the accident and now calling himself "Meltdown", Black donned a protective suit and decided to take his revenge on those who have wronged him, first sabotaging a display of new police cars and armoured trucks. Not content with simply mindlessly damaging things, Meltdown next broke into Braedey's home, intending to lure the brunette hero so he could do away with Martin permanently. Thankfully, the Autobots were able to save Braedey's family, and proceeded to lure Meltdown away, only for him to be caught in an electromagnetic bio-shield he can't melt away before being taken away to prison for his attempt at taking one's life and many other charges on top of that.
"Whoa... He blames you for causing his business to go under, and even attempted to melt your family down in revenge?" Speed finally said after Braedey explained Prometheus' backstory.
"Unfortunately, yes." Braedey nodded. "He even called me quote unquote "filthy machine" because of my power to transform. He hates anything robotic and he will stop at nothing until all robots are gone for good in his mind."
"That guy sounds like a psychopath and a lunatic rolled into one." Dante declared. "A new word for him: a Psycholunatic."
"Not a bad word there." Kou commended, Dante nodding back.
"Okay. So you used an energy shield to contain him, so we can do that again. Easy." Conor stated.
"Conor, that shield was thanks to Ratchet but it was a prototype model." Braedey pointed out bluntly. "He's kept it locked up at Autobot base for refinement and hasn't used it again ever since Meltdown, because we all didn't think he'd break out of prison."
"Oh..." Conor felt deflated from realising his plan has a drawback.
"Guys, don't look now, but we're about to have company." Blaze pointed out.
The others looked over to see the tanker truck Asuga had told them was now racing towards them. A second later, the truck broke apart and transforms into a 40ft tall robot with a shape like Optimus, albeit one that is actually more boxy and sporting a lime green and purple paintjob, plus armed with a blaster and sword.
"Anything you know on this bot?" Clementine asked to Braedey.
"Never seen him before or since." Braedey answered. "But from the look on his face, he's no doubt a Decepticon, and one with the same acidic factor as of Meltdown."
"How right you are, Martin." The others look to see Meltdown walk by them to stand with the green/purple robot. "You could say, Toxitron and I have something in common: the factor for our acidic touch."
"So, you decided to come after me when you found out that I'm here at Racer Academy to exact your revenge against me." Braedey deduced. "On top of that, you came across this low-life Decepticon to assist you in your dirty work."
"What can I say, Martin? I'm a persuasive individual and once a shrewd businessman." Meltdown shrugged back. "Anyway, this is the only way to deal with you and all of you filthy machines and be rid of you for good."
"All just because I bested your biotech two years back and put you out of business? You are such a piece of work with you holding onto a grudge." Braedey scoffed in disgust and exasperation. "But after today, you won't be around to see the next sunrise." He declared, arming the Transformatrix.
"Same here." Ken added, arming his Omnitrix.
"I'll melt you before you, as you always say, "roll out" and fight." Meltdown gurgles as he shot an acidic blast at the two, Braedey and Ken both backpedaling and backflipping away from the incoming attack.
"Blaze, Asuga. You two take care of Toxitron. Ken and I got Meltdown." Braedey began to formulate a plan. "Dante, you and the others go and make sure everyone stays indoors until this is over." Dante saluted as he and the others head off at once.
"Let's go!" Blaze announced, transforming into robot mode with Asuga alongside him before both deliver a double haymaker at Toxitron, knocking down the toxic Cybertronian before it could attack back.
"You two really think you can beat me? I'd like to see you try." Meltdown laughed mockingly at the two.
Braedey: "Transform and Roll Out!"
Ken: "It's Hero Time!"
Ken pushes down the dial on the Omnitrix, engulfing him in the green flash. As the flash fades, now in his place is what appears to be a humanoid moth-man, covered in a blue and black cloak, giving it the appearance reminiscent of a phantom. Suddenly, the moth-man opens its cloak, upon doing so, reveals it to actually be its wings that are considerably large. Its body is relatively the same colour scheme as its cloak, the front of its torso being blue and the rest of its body being black, save for the few light blue splotches that were on its arms and legs, as well as the hints of blue on its face. Its teeth were also perpetually visible.
After avoiding the attack, Braedey tapped the Transformatrix dial. In a flash of blue, he is replaced by a 30ft tall Decepticon, its metallic body is lean and slender and its scheme is primarily black with purple highlights. But what really separates this form from the rest is, instead of a face or even a horizontal visor, this one's entire face is just a blank screen. And finally, the Transformatrix dial is in the centre of its chest.
Braedey: "Soundwave superior. Meltdown inferior."
Ken: "Big Chill!"
"It doesn't matter what kind of filthy machine you change into. I'll them them all into-" Meltdown didn't get to finish his sentence as Big Chill phases through his liquid body, freezing his left arm into ice. "Agh! What in-"
"Looks like freezing the acid really works." Big Chill commented, only for Meltdown to use his acidic power to melt away the ice around his left arm. "For a bit."
"Then we pin him down and freeze him until he cannot move no more." Soundwave suggested. "Laserbeak. Ravage, Eject." All of a sudden, two objects deployed from Soundwave's form. The chest piece on his torso broke off, and turns into the winged contraption Laserbeak. Next, a small black box shot out of Soundwave's back, and transforms into the jaguar-like creature Ravage.
"Operation: Wall. OF. SOUND!" Soundwave chanted.
Suddenly, a wall of sound-waves smashed into Meltdown, throwing him off his feet and crashing into the rock wall behind him. A section of the wall collapsed on top of him, burying him beneath a pile of crumbled rubble. The three 'Cons ceased their attack, analysing the scene keenly.
However, Ken sensed something amiss. "Soundwave, get back-!"
A short moment later, an explosion of acidic gas now blew the debris away. Standing there was Meltdown, his green eyes glaring viciously at Braedey.
"YOU'VE JUST MADE A BIG MISTAKE, YOU UGLY AND FILTHY BRAT!" the acid monster man bellowed.
"I make a lot of mistakes, but kicking your molten nonexistent hide isn't one of them." Soundwave stated.
"And that's putting it mildly to what we're going to do to you." Big Chill spoke out next.
Over by Blaze, Asuga, and their fight against Toxitron, the two Headmaster Autobots were both trading blows in tag-team motion, one charging on in as the other distracts the toxic Decepticon. From what they can see, it looks like Toxitron is rather slow on vocals and movements.
"Toxitron angry. Toxitron fight Autobots." Toxitron grunted behind his battle mask.
"He's slow for someone like him." Asuga commented to Blaze.
"Don't get cocky. We still have to find a way to put him down before he harms anyone." Blaze stated back. "See if you can find any weaknesses to exploit against Toxitron." He delivers a spinning fireball kick at the toxic Cybertronian, knocking him down.
"Easier said than done." Asuga noted before racing away from another of Toxitron's attacks.
Back in the fight, Meltdown growled savagely and swiped his hand in an arc motion. As a result, a wave of acid was discharged at Braedey; however, the three Decepticons were quick to jump over the wave as it passed them and melted the road behind them. Snarling in rage, Meltdown held out his hands and shot out more acid blasts. The three Cybertronians skillfully dodged the attacks. Whilst they jumped, ducked, and sidestepped the multiple acid projectiles fired at them, they split up until they surrounded Meltdown on all sides. Once they encircled him, they breathed in deeply and then let out powerful, sonic screams at him. Meltdown immediately covered where his ears would be, falling to a knee, as he screamed in agony. The powerful sound-waves were pummeling his body both inside and out, causing him a ton of pain. If it weren't for his endurance, he'd have been knocked out by now. While he's pinned down by the sonic attacks, Big Chill flew in and going intangible, freezing Meltdown in place. However, this wasn't doing as well as the two thought, with Meltdown able to use his acid on the ice and be rid of it before he'd freeze in place. Meltdown opened an eye and glares at the 'Cons around him. In swift motion, he held out his hands and fired acid blasts blasts out from his fingertips. Ravage was knocked down, resulting in it falling into stasis, his body folding up back into Soundwave's back. After seeing their comrade become struck down, the two remaining ceased their sonic attack. The acid man yelled, as he shot out another acid blast from his hands. Laserbeak tried to fly back, but fell to the ground with a screech after getting hit, then transformed back into Soundwave's chest piece.
"I don't think Ravage and Laserbeak can take another hit like that again." Soundwave commented to Big Chill.
We're gonna need more strength or more firepower." Ken called to Soundwave. "I suggest it's time to go Ultimate." Braedey realised Ken was right: they were going to need something more powerful.
Ken slapped the Omnitrix dial on his chest; this time, four spikes popped out as another green light enveloped Ken's body. The only noticeable change to Big Chill is that his body colour changed to an assortment of red, orange, and yellow to give him a fiery appearance.
"Ultimate Big Chill." Ken shouted.
Ken extended his arm and fired a stream of flames out from his hand. Meltdown grunted and was quick to jump into the air to avoid the attack; however, what he didn't notice was once Ultimate Big Chill's fire hit the ground, it suddenly turned into ice.
"You really believe a fire-breathing moth creature can defeat me? You're sorely mistaken!" Meltdown declared, then narrowed his eyes at Braedey. "But not until I be rid of you and get what you possess to give to my boss."
"Just one thing: you can't melt what you can't touch." Ultimate Big Chill stated, then turns intangible when Meltdown threw an acid ball at him. "See what I mean? Now, it's just you, us, and fire so cold it burns." He all but growled.
Before Braedey could also go ultimate, Meltdown threw an acid blast at Soundwave, the latter leaping back but inadvertently knocking into Toxitron, which then shot an enemy blast at the Transformatrix bearer, causing him to change back into human form.
"Watch it, Braedey!" Blaze carefully scooped up the brunette and got him out of the way of Toxitron's incoming foot, but the brunette ended up in front of Meltdown. "Oops."
"Finally..." Meltdown raised his hand, ready to melt Braedey right where he stood.
Ultimate Big Chill quickly became intangible and phased right into Meltdown before flying out of him. A second later, the acidic male's body began to slow and start to freeze, much to Meltdown's surprise. He then attempted to try and melt the ice, but the freezing effects was too fast as his body eventually became a frozen statue inside and out, unable to move an inch.
"Phew. Nice work, Ken." Braedey smiled, Ken turning back to human form. "And thanks for saving my bacon from meeting a rather... grizzly demise." He shuddered.
"Meltdown's not gonna melt his way out of that ice." Ken smirked, looking at the frozen Meltdown, whose eyes looking left and right, and unable to speak. "The ice from Ultimate Big Chill being so cold it burns, it'll keep him contained until your Human/Autobot Alliance teams come to take him away."
Just then, the two teens heard a loud crash and the yells from Blaze and Asuga. Braedey and Ken look over to see the two still fighting back against Toxitron, but the latter was blasting then with a type of energy beam that was making them fall to their knees.
"An Tox-En Blaster... Toxitron is trying to poison both Blaze and Asuga!" Braedey realised, then saw his Transformatrix wasn't working. "Stupid energy blast must've put the watch into lockdown mode. Ken! We need some serious muscle to deal with him!"
With that, Ken immediately slammed down the core of his watch, engulfing him in the flash of green light, Braedey shielding his eyes. Ken was enveloped in a green energy sphere as his form started to shift and change. His skeleton now expanded and grew in size, his muscular strength now increasing a thousand fold, as he grew a long tail, his body being covered in thick brown-orange scales.
As the flash fades, now standing in Ken's place is a 12ft-tall humanoid dinosaur, with brown, reptilian skin, and a tan underbelly and underarms. Its hands had no claws, nor did its feet. The Omnitrix dial was displayed on the centre of its chest.
"Humungousaur!" The Vaxasaurian roared, now in a power-up stance. "Who's the tough guy now, ugly?"
At once, the Vaxasaurian charged forward, the ground shaking in response as he sprinted forward at the toxic Decepticon. He jumped up and delivered a two-foot kick to the facial plate of Toxitron, knocking him back and dropping his blaster, Humungousaur crushing the blaster in the process. Blaze and Asuga sighed in relief as they slowly get to their feet.
"Thanks, Ken." Blaze muttered, shaking his helm to overcome his dizziness. "We need the backup for this 'toxi-Con'."
"Especially when he's sapped away most of our strength." Asuga added in, stumbling as she struggled to get to her feet.
"Toxitron fight dinosaur. Toxitron destroy Autobot and dinosaur." Toxitron grunted, then saw he was much taller than the Vaxasaurian. "Toxitron taller than dinosaur. Toxitron stronger.
Humungousaur grunted as he stepped back. "Wanna bet on that?" A second later, the Vaxasaurian now began to increase in size and strength, his dinosaur features becoming more pronounced, growing Stegosauride features such as plates on his back, a crest on his forehead, and spikes on his tail. The plates on his shoulders and arms also began to separate and grow, giving him a more ferocious look as he now reaches 60ft in height, towering above Toxitron.
"You want to fight against my friends? Then pick on someone your own size!" Humungousaur snarled, now delivering a rather devastating uppercut, smashing off parts across Toxitron's frame and sending him flying into the air before hitting the ground a few hundred feet away.
"Damn..." Was all Blaze could say after seeing that feat of strength as he looked at Humungousaur.
"That's some strength." Asuga added in, just as a Groundbridge opens nearby. "Here comes the cavalry."
~*~*~
A little later, Optimus, Ratchet, Bumblebee, as well as other Autobot forces with Grandpa Jackson, Jessie, and Rex alongside them, and they had put Toxitron and Meltdown into immediate custody, the latter enemy being put into an energy sphere to keep him contained.
"Let him stew away in his juices." Braedey grunted as Ratchet got the Transformatrix operational once again. "Thanks for that, Ratchet." He smiled.
"Good to see you again, Bee." Blaze smiled, the two shaking hands with one another.
"Same here, Arcee. Good to see you as well." Asuga shook hands with Arcee.
"Glad to see you're both back on your feet after what that blaster did to you both." Ratchet said to the two. "For now, I'd advise you both not to compete in racing events until you're back at 100%."
"Yes, Ratchet." The two acknowledged back.
"Good thing we caught Meltdown before he could get to you." Ken smiled, he and Braedey sharing a bro-fist. "But there is one thing we don't know: who payed Meltdown to take you down and get the Transformatrix?"
"I can only think of a few individuals, namely that of Silas, Zile Zazic, Starscream, or anyone else who used to work with Meltdown." Braedey grunted, glaring up at Zazic tower. "When I find out the truth..."
"Easy, big guy. You'll get your answers soon." Rex chuckled, patting his back. "By the way, you really held your own against Meltdown."
"I'm impressed as well." Jessie smiled, she and the others all looking to see Grandpa Jackson talking to Headmaster Spritle. "Where do you think they'll out Meltdown and Toxitron?"
"Will that energy sphere keep him contained?" Spritle asked to Jackson.
"It's high-level Cybertronian technology, Mr. Spritle." Jackson looked back at the energy sphere as it's now being loaded up into the back of a transport van. "He is going nowhere but the Kaon Void."
"What's that?" Speed asked, he and X looking over to Braedey and the others for clarification.
"The Kaon Void is an alternate prison dimension, one where the universe's most dangerous and most hostile Cybertronians and other beings are sent to where no other prison anywhere in the universe could contain them." Braedey clarified to them and shuddered. "Let me just say; it's not a pleasant place to be in."
"Good to see you again, Braedey." Grandpa Jackson smiled at Braedey, the latter smiling back and sharing a hug with his grandfather.
"Same here, Grandpa Jackson." Braedey replied.
With that, the Autobots left through a Groundbridge back to Headquarters with Meltdown and Toxitron in tow. After they left, the group of friends made their way back to the garages to get repairs done to the cars.
"Hey, guys. You're not gonna believe this... but take a look." Conor called as they made their way over to the garages. "This is something kinda funny-"
"Conor, I nearly got myself turned into a liquid stain on the tarmac by a villain made out of acid, and you have time to make jokes or something?" Braedey sighed out of exasperation. "It better be worth something-"
Conor lead the group of humans and Cybertronians over to what is Annalise's garage, and as they look in, they could see what was no doubt the Spoiled Brat, but it was now just a molten pile of metal with four wheels lying on the ground where the axles would be.
"I guess Meltdown did something surprisingly good for us." Dante commented. "Though I would've wanted to give that ugly thing some words of my own."
"Don't we all?" Kou agreed.
"Wonder what made this car melt to nothing." Asuga commented.
"Who cares? Meltdown did this." Lucy smirked deviously.
"At least he's gone, and our cars are gonna get fixed up for tomorrow's race." X now commented.
"All except for one." Braedey remarked, and everyone began to laugh aloud as they head off to go and get things fixed up and ready for the V.I.P race tomorrow. Today was definitely a wild roller-coaster for some.
A few moments after the group left, Annalise made her way into her garage to take a drive in her car. But when she saw the molten remains of the Spoiled Brat lying there on the ground. She was now beyond fuming in utter anger and livid frustration, her mind now thinking that it was either Braedey, Ken, or one of the others that did this to her car, and she wasn't going to let this go and she immediately stomped off in a huff like a toddler having a temper tantrum, going forth to her father's tower to complain to him..
~*~*~
A/N: I'd like to give a shout-out to Flamewarrior11 since he did provide some help for ideas in this chapter.