A Spark of Hope

Chapter 11 - The Final Fight

We drove for around 15 minutes until we reached the scene. Optimus was going hand-to-hand combat with Lockdown, sparks flying in all directions from the metal hitting each other. Cade was shielded behind a destroyed brick wall, aiming to get a sniper hit on Lockdown. Debris flew everywhere, which made Cade duck and cover. Then a shot was fired near his head, scaring him enough to drop his gun. Dad! I'll get to you! I climbed out of Bee and rolled to my feet, staying out of sight. Shane was yelling after me, but I ignored him and pursued my stealth mission.

I peaked around a corner, noticing an older man with a gun in his hand, aimed straight at Cade's chest. "You see," he said, "it takes patience to make a man. The patience to watch and wait, to protect all of us, quietly, for God and country, without any recognition at all!"

"Cade!" Optimus called out, watching the scene before him. He didn't see me as I hid behind another broken brick wall. All I could do was watch, listen, and wait for my moment to jump in. To stop this crazy man.

"There are no good aliens! Or bad aliens, Yeager. It's just us and them. And you chose them."

"Yeah! Because they are also a part of God's creation, just as much as we are and the rest of the universe!" I yelled, making myself known to them. The gun then was turned to me.

"They are metal! Robots! They are not by God's creation, but by someone else who made them." He shouted back at me.

"Maybe so, but they also have souls. They have consciences, which should be noticed. Please, just put the gun down so that we can talk this out." I begged him.

"No! You'll die in their names if you continue to talk like that." He threatened.

"No, point the gun back at me. She has nothing to do with this. This is between me and you. That's it." Cade told him.

"Actually, I think she has a lot more to this than she's telling us. I think she actually really cares for them. Maybe even more than even you. Laying her life out for them. Let's test how far that loyalty lies." The man said, continuing to point the gun in my direction. Then, another gunshot and piercing pain through my right shoulder. I screamed in pain and went down, but then there was a louder sound. The man was thrust back and into the ground with a large hole in his chest.

"Estella! Stay down!" Optimus told me, getting attacked by Lockdown. He was kicked into a silo and pinned down with his own sword, piercing his chest, just missing his spark. He shouted in pain.

"Optimus!" I coughed out, holding my bleeding shoulder.

"You saved the human girl instead of saving yourself? You bring shame upon us all." Lockdown told him, grabbing his head and pushing it aside with force.

Cade ran to me, holding me up from the ground. "Estella! Are you alright? How's your shoulder?"

"It's alright. Hurts a lot. I think it missed my major nerves and blood vessels. I can still feel my arm." I told him, wincing to the pain, but staring into his eyes. "Help him. Please. Dad. You have to."

He hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. I will. Let me get you somewhere to lean on." I nodded to him as he picked me up and took me to a nearby wall. He placed me down, made sure that I was alright, then went back to retrieve his gun. Then he walked out of the sheltering walls and began shooting at Lockdown, snagging a few hard hits on him. He hid behind a wall, dodging a bullet from Lockdown.

Just then, Bee pulled up, letting Tessa and Shane out before he transformed and went after Lockdown. "I gave you an order!" Optimus grumbled, struggling with the sword. Bee ignored him, dodging bullets, then kicking a truck into Lockdown, which only slid him back a few feet. He stood up again, swinging a punch at Bumblebee, but missed as Bee spun around and kicked him with a flare. Cade came out from hiding and continued to shoot at Lockdown as the fight continued. Debris flew around me, dirtying my face as I tried to contain the pain that spread all over my body, almost uncontainable.