Lockout: A Transformers Story

Chapter 30: Caught in the Crossfire

{THE FINAL CHAPTER!!! Hey guys, at the end of this chapter is a link to my Spotify playlist for this book, if you're interested in listening, then that is awesome! I also am currently writing a little chapter at the end of this that takes place between chapter 28 and 29, so stay tuned for that, it will be posted in this book! Thanks to everyone who read this, I hope you loved it! 7 years in the making and I'm done!🫠 -Lock💜}

Pain. Just pain. My vision blurred, my body crippled, audio ringing. Defeated. I was battered, bruised, bleeding. I took in a harsh breath, on the floor. They thought we were planning something. Lying on the deck of the ship gave me time to plan my next move, to breathe and gain back strength.

I began to my feet, Wheeljack oblivious, I guess guarding me. I wiped energon from my lips, smirking villainously. "And you call yourselves Autobots." I was buying some time.

Hope. I thought. Maybe I can believe in hope.

My focus turned now to the disturbed, baffled mech, growling. I blocked a blow to my helm, smirking once more. There are times when you can forget that height makes a huge difference.

Strike. Block. Strike. Block. Strike.

I hit the ground with a rough thud, attempting to get up before another blow.

"You're tough," he huffed. "But no match for me."

God. Dear god. Dear Primus! I lost it. I couldn't help but laugh. "No. I think you misunderstand." His optics showed a deep terror. "You're no match for me." A burst of energy surged through my frame, my vents, the tip of my fingers. A deep breath, a bolt of light, he flew back.

Buy some time. We have to get off this pirate ship hell.

I'm not fond of water.

To mention, my leg was broken, it pained to walk. Yet, I gathered myself and rushed to aid shockwave, Bulkhead inches from giving a painful blow. I pushed myself in front of Shockwave and a field of light shielded us. A forcefield.

"Lock-"

"Don't worry about it." I huffed, energon trickling from my forehead.

"How the hell-"

"I said don't worry about it!"

I shoved Bulkhead backward with a harsh push. The forcefield was strong. I couldn't feel anything. I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold him back.

Soundwave had gotten up, battered like the rest of us. "Soundwave!" I snarled out, pain surging through my frame. "Open a ground bridge and get them out of here! I can hold them off while you escape."

"Lockout... you can't!"

"Save it, Shockwave. They need this." The dark truth I knew, this was possibly an end. A final end. My strength was failing, everything hurt. I turned quickly with a free hand, and pulled shockwave down to my level, delivering a gentle kiss to his helm. "I love you, Shockwave."

I then forced my way through the green mech, slamming him to the ground. Wheeljack had hopped onto my back, attempting to take me down. I struggled, snarling.

"C-come back for more?"

"Only to finish you off."

"A pity." I put force into a flip and he fell on his back, hard.

Pain.

Pain.

Pain.

I could only take so much more. My frame, I was heaving, everything screamed. I was distracted, a blow to the chest. A harsh thud and I was down.

Choking.

Can't... breathe...

I coughed up my own energon, then felt someone grab me by my arm and lift me.

Pain.

It was blurry. A mech, white and grey, held me. I could hardly breathe. I could make out colors, figures, maybe 40 something feet away. Shockwave and Barricade.

"Let her go." Barricade had his hands up. The mech didn't speak for a moment, I could feel the fury in him. He wanted me dead. I mean how could I survive every time?

The mech then held me over the ocean and I came back into reality. I thrashed, I couldn't swim. I wouldn't make it. It was a death I was terrified of. Barricade was frozen. Yet I saw shockwave flinch. He knew, Shockwave knew. I could hear Optimus yell out, I could feel his panic.

We anticipated it.

The terrifying part.

Then... he spoke.

"You want me to let her go?"

Silence.

And he let me go.

A terrified, horrible shriek, a loud splash, two voices shouting. I couldn't breathe. My vision was but a blur. Everything screamed.

I heard another distant splash, the figure was but nothing. They came after me. My body was cold, I could feel myself slipping.

Color.

Colors.

I could make out colors, the figure...

Warm arms gripped me. It was black, cold. Numb.

And I remembered those colors...

Red and Blue.

To be continued...

Lockout will return in: SURVIVOR

{Here's the playlist:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3QBMU1LWn7iAnfGHPk4tL8?si=_QRlYQccTHafMBWlwkOXLA      }