Chapter 111: The Backstabbing Truth
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"Autobots, you are under arrest for causing mass destruction and participating in an act of terrorism. Lower your weapons and turn yourselves in peacefully."
Slowly, I raised my servos in the air, my optics glued on my Jazz's back as he raised his arms as well under the mercy of the many tanks aiming in his direction.
"Jazz?"
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My side cramped painfully and my lungs wheezed but I stubbornly continued forward, my burning legs carrying my aching body through the base.
"Prowl!"
I barreled into the confused mech, my hands gripping onto his waist to haul myself back onto my feet. "Liza, is something wrong?"
"We have to go!" I demanded urgently, allowing him to rest his hands on my shoulder.
"Go? Go where-"
"We have to go now!" I yelled, my face heating up in frustration as I pushed against the stubborn mech. "The humans-they're coming for us!"
"The humans? What about them?" Prowl questioned, growing wary.
"I had a vision and they're going to mmph-...." A hand clasped over her mouth before I felt myself being lifted off the ground and carried swiftly through the halls. "mm-mmp. le..me..go."
"Optimus, would you please meet me in my office? Something of importance has come up."
::: On my way.:::
"Come now, youngling." I stopped struggling and allowed the stoic mech to carry me throughout the hallway, ignoring the odd looks from passing humans. After entering his office, he swiftly shut the door before setting me down on my feet.
"Now," He turned to face me as he folded his arm across his chest. "What about the humans were you-"
"They're going to kill us!"
"Liza-"
"Where's Boomer? Where's my dog!" I tried to push past but he simply wrapped an arm around my waist and dumped me into a nearby chair.
"Sit."
"But-"
"You cannot go around the base, alerting the humans of an attack."
"But they-" A knock on the door cut me off.
"Come in sir." The door slid open and my father stepped inside the office.
"You wanted to see me Prowl."
"Yes, Liza has something to discuss with us," Prowl said, shutting the door.
My father's deep blue optics shifted over to me in concern. "Is something wrong? Are you alright?"
"She's fine, just a little startled. Liza claims the humans have planned an attack on us."
"Planned attack?" The large mech reared back slightly. "From the humans?
I nodded frantically, grabbing onto his wrist to get his attention. "Yes, Yes! It was in my vision! I saw everything! T-They had guns and they just pointed them at us! And-and-"
"Sweetspark, sweetspark, please." He placed on hand on my shoulder and made a breathing motion. "I want you to take a breath first and calm down."
I nodded and took a shaky breath, exhaling it threw my nose.
"Now start from the beginning."
"O-Okay." I slowly settled back into the chair and closed my eyes.
"Well at first it started with..."
~~
"Boomer!" Terrified, I shot out of my room and sped down the hallways, ignoring the stared yelps and curses from the humans below.
"Boomer! Where are you boy!"
Feeling my dog's pain surge, I quickened my pace towards his spark signature. Who's hurting him? Someone's hurting him!
Whoever it was was going to pay!
"Boomer!"
His cries and whimpers became audible to my audios and I darted down the hall of the hangar towards the noise. "Boomer!" I threw a servo over my mouth to cover a gasp and I took in the scene before me.
A net was thrown over the dog and was held down by a group of humans and equipment to restrict his movement.
"Boomer!" I started towards him until the multiple sounds of guns cocking sounded throughout the hangar.
"Liza, don't move!" I froze. "Jazz! Bee!" What's going on?" I questioned nervously, as I stared down the barrels of the many guns and tanks aiming in my direction.
"Just don't move!" Jazz commanded, his servo slowly raising in the air followed by Ratchet, Bee, and the twins.
"Autobots, you are under arrest for causing mass destruction and participating in an act of terrorism. Lower your weapons and turn yourselves in peacefully."
~~
My grip tightened on the seat. "And I could hear helicopters swarming the building and multiple tanks sat outside the hangar door. That's all I saw. I think they want us arrested because of Chicago."
"Were we not present?"
I sighed and shook my head. "N-No. It was just me, Jazz, the twins, Bee, Ratch, Aid and I think Dino was there too."
My father raised an optic ridge. "IronHide was not there either?"
"Well I mean he was laying on the ground."
Their optics grew wide.
"N-No, he wasn't dead," I quickly assured them. "He had this sort of device on him that kept zapping him. I recall him twitching. They threatened to hit Ratchet with whatever it was if he tried to help him."
"Will this happen today?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. I could see it was daytime outside the hangar door when they ambushed us. It could happen at any time tomorrow or in the next following days."
"Or perhaps in the morning?" Prowl suggested, tapping his chin in thought.
My father questioned. "Why so, Prowl?"
"Think about it. We have scheduled a meeting with officials in the morning and Liza says that neither of us was present during the attack. I believe they might have planned to attack when parts of our army are absent. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe are scheduled on patrol. Jolt will be with the Wreckers to help with ship repairs from our previous battle. This could be a set-up to pick us all off when we are alone or in small groups."
My breath hitched slightly and my eyes widened at how quickly Prowl was able to catch on. Not only was his analysis quick and intelligent but it was insanely accurate.
This could be a set-up!
"Hmm...you could be right."
"We need to take action now, Optimus. What do you want me to do?"
"For now, I want you clear everyone's schedule and recall everybody back to base. I don't want a single bot stepping foot off this base or alone for the next few days. Cease all contact with humans. If we are to be ambushed, we would able to easily overpower the humans together."
Prowl nodded and quickly got to work. "Shall I call a meeting once I ensure that the meeting room has not been bugged?"
"Good idea."
My father nodded at his SIC as he rubbed my arms to comfort me. "It's going to be alright, sweetspark."
"I-I didn't think...I didn't think they w-would d-do this to us after all we have done!" I hiccuped, reaching up to wipe away the river of tears. "W-What about Sam? A-And Bells?"
"I'm sorry, sweetspark but we must cease contact with our human friends as well."
"But why!"
He sighed. "Informing them of our plan could put them in danger. I'm afraid if the humans who plan to attack us found out about our allies' knowledge they may take them as hostages and use them against us."
"B-But what if I never see them again? W-Why are they attacking us? We've saved their planet so many times and t-they...t-they-UGH! I HATE HUMANS!"
My rage was boiling! My face grew red in fury, my jaw locked in place as my hands shifted into tight fists!
Those selfish, heartless pieces of slags! We just saved their planet from enslavement and mass extinction after they kicked us off their planet and they still have the audacity to treat us like scrap!
"Everything is set, sir. I'll be in the meeting room informing everyone of the situation." Prowl stated as he quickly exited his office after receiving an affirmative nod
I snatched away from my father's hold and angrily kicked the chair to ground. "I've had just about enough of this dad!"
"Liza cal-"
"No, don't tell me to calm down! We're the reason why half them aren't dead right now or taking orders from Megatron! Now they're going to return the favor by killing us!"
"Liz-"
"They see us as mindless machines! They'll probably just take us apart and boast about our bits in some stupid science fair. They'll probably just stamp the word human on me and throw me in some random foster care system since the only thing they care about is money and power! So why don't we just leave, dad? Huh? We just leave this Primus forsaken planet and leave them to their own problems! All humans want is control so why not leave them and watch them crumble once something else comes and threatens their planet!"
"LIZA AERO PRIME! THAT'S ENOUGH!"
At hearing my middle name and the boom of his commander voice, I immediately settled down with a frustrated sigh and crossed my arms across my chest. "It's not fair." I grumbled.
"I understand you are upset but I will not allow you take your anger on every single human. Innocent bystanders are not responsible for their leader's choices. We must this address this calmly."
Not every bystander is innocent either.
"Calmly?" I repeated in disbelief. "How do we address this calmly!"
"We are not sure if the ambush is planned among our own N.E.S.T forces or another human secret government."
"D-Do you think Will and Epps would really betray us like that?" I asked, staring up at him with hopeful teary eyes. "They're our friends, right?"
"I pray to Primus that will not happen. Let us hope they do not join opposing forces."
After all we've been through together, they can't turn us like that. They just can't.
"I say we give them what they want."
The Prime raised an optic ridge and shifted in his kneeling position. "Excuse me?"
"They keep picking fights with us, so I say we give them one."
"Liza, no. Though we clearly have the advantage in size, technology and gun power, we're outnumbered by hundreds."
"Not even a quarter of them are willing to fight us." I replied bitterly.
"Liza, stop this now."
"Well I'm not willing to get stabbed again or lose another parent trying to defend them, dad!"
"Come here."
"No, daddy!" I weeped when I was pulled in a strong embrace, my feet left dangling in the air as he stood his full height. "I don't wanna lose you, daddy! I don't wanna lose Bee or the rest of them."
"You won't lose me, Liza. I'm right here."
He rocked on his feet slightly, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back. I wrapped my legs around his waist and clung to him tighter. "I don't wanna do this anymore! I-I just w-want-"
"Hush now, my dear."
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Optimus
After a few minutes of comforting his daughter, Optimus headed toward her room to retrieve Boomer after he sent her to the meeting room with the others.
"Primus," He muttered, dragging a servo across his weary features. This was absolutely ridiculous.
With Megatron and half his army dead, Decepticons were hardly a problem but now the humans were planning to attack them after saving their planet from being terrorized by the Warlord? This was absurd.
The way it was affecting his children terrified him. He didn't like the mental breakdowns. They reminded him of how young and scared they really were.
The humans didn't see them as children. They saw them as soulless alien creature. And that infuriated him.
Quickening his pace, Optimus stepped in front of his daughter's room, unlocking the door before stepping inside.
"Boomer?"
The dog was laid out across her bed on his back asleep, his leg in the air and his paws curled. If they weren't in danger at the moment, he would've laughed at the position the dog was in. "Boomer." His nose twitched and he rolled onto his side when the Prime patted his belly to wake him.
"I apologize for disturbing your slumber but you must get up. Come on, get up boy."
Releasing a groan, the Cyberdog rolled onto his belly and stretched his body, his rump stuck high in the air for a few seconds before he settled back down.
"Come." Obediently, the dog hopped off the bed and followed him out the door.
~~
:::Optimus?:::
:::I'm here, Prowl.:::
As he entered the meeting room, he was immediately greeted by multiple heated voices and ramblings going off.
"What are we going to do?"
"Why are they doing this? We have been nothing but good to those ungrateful pests!"
"Optimus," All optics turned to him and the argument quickly quieted down as he stepped forward to address them. "What is going on?Why are the humans betraying us?"
"I wonder the same Sideswipe but for now we must focus on the upcoming attack and prepare for battle. Prowl deduced that the attack will most likely happen in morning, so I expect everyone to be alert for any surprises."
"Are we going to fight them off and show em who's boss?" IronHide asked, rolling his shoulders. "I'm ready for those little fraggers."
He received mumbles of agreement.
"No," The Prime shook his head. "Fighting the humans are our last resort. I do not want to risk any casualties. We will leave before the ambush occurs."
"We're running?" Suntreaker questioned in disbelief.
"Though we are greater in size and gunpower, we are outnumbered. Fighting them would only bring unnecessary attention. If we were to challenge them, human armies from around the world would unite to bring us down."
"Well why don' we just leave da planet and leave da suckers to themselves? Sick of defending these insects anyway." Mudflap suggests, crossing his arms as his brother leans against him nodding his head.
"Fo sure."
Ratchet released an exaggerated sigh. "We cannot leave yet. Ship repairs are well underway. The ones we have are
small battle ships that were recovered from Chicago and are under heavy government security and it would take months for us to rebuild a ship as large as the Xanthium to accommodate all of us."
"Den we take one of theirs."
"Humans build ships to carry humans, not 50 tons of metal." The medic stated matter of factly.
"Well one of y'all gon have yo drop a few pounds or cut ya leg off or somethin cause I ain't staying here."
Ignoring the stubby red mech, Ratchet asked, "What's the plan, Optimus?"
"We need a diversion. We need something to lure them away from us as we relocate to the rendezvous. Perhaps I could try reasoning with the humans from a distance to allow us to coexist on the planet without any human contact until we rebuild our ship."
"You think they'll let us do that?"
"Ah highly doubt it, but it's worth a shot unless we wanna be stuck in a war with tha humans as well." Jazz said, wrapping an arm around Liza as the girl buried her teary face into side. "Ah I can hack into the N.E.S.T database and set a false alarm for Decepticons. Maybe that could lure em away and set their attention on somethin else."
"Good idea, Jazz." The Prime praised. "But we need something to hold their attention until we reach a more isolated location away from the Energon detectors."
"I will deactivate the Energon detectors to hide our signatures." Ratchet said.
"Leave the explosions to me."
"I'll lure them towards the 'battle'!"
::Me too!::
Hope began to fill the Prime's spark. Maybe this will work.
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