Seven Wonders|Transformers.

Chapter 34: I Bet On Losing Dogs.

[Title: I Bet On Losing Dogs - Mitski.]

Clara and Mirage hadn't seen any sign of Optimus when they arrived outside the Lincoln Memorial in DC and the Reflecting Pool, though she could sense just not pinpoint where he was, Sentinel, Megatron's, and Starscream's presence were almost muddling it. However, she and Mirage kept low and observed from afar, thankful for their enhanced hearing allowing them to hear everything being said. Sentinel was setting up the pillars while Megatron and Starscream stood near the Lincoln Memorial. Starscream was busy slobbering and praising everything Megatron had done. "Ah... My master! Such a brilliant scheme! So when Sentinel left Cybertron, it was to defect?" He asked his master as they turned from Sentinel and made their way into the Memorial.

"He was meant to rendezvous with me here on Earth before fate waylaid us both." He began to explain to his second in command, Clara and Mirage's memories flashing as they recalled his whole ordeal with crashing and Sam's grandfather finding him and the glasses, those stupid glasses. "The only way to revive him... we needed Prime and his Matrix. The half-breed Priestess with her powers was a benefit, and Sentinel knows much about her." Megatron told him and Starscream nodded eagerly, rubbing his hands together.

"Excellent strategy." the seeker blindly praised him.

"I half expect him to drop to his knees and start licking or kissing his pedes," Mirage commented lowly and Clara quickly covered her mouth to muffle the snort that left her lips. Starscream was a threat but he'd always be under Megatron's foot, literally sometimes according to the autobots.

"I think he'd prefer to be under it, knowing him." Clara quipped quietly which made the autobot spy snicker. However, Megatron suddenly pulled out his cannon gun and blasted the statue of Lincoln in the memorial, leaving an empty and dusty chair full of debris. Clara blinked then made a face while Mirage rolled his optics. "I don't think I'll ever understand him." She sighed and shook her head.

"And you don't want to, neither of us." He murmured and Clara nodded in agreement. "If he wanted a chair he could've gone anywhere else," Mirage remarked as the hybrid sighed. Both, however, quickly halted in their words at the familiar sound of Optimus's engines, Clara feeling his energon pulsing vibrantly with worry. "He's here, Ripley."

"Get ready." Clara tapped his arm and Mirage nodded, watching her step away from him and begin moving toward the memorial.

"So he is now your partner, master?" Starscream inquired and stepped around one of the pillars as Megatron comfortably sat in the memorial's seat while his strange decepticon beast licked the head of the statue on the ground.

"He is my greatest triumph." Megatron smugly states, but a certain eagerness slipped into his voice when he spoke next. "Something that Clara will join in, Sentinel knows in the end he will need her. He knows much about her, more than the Fallen did."

"So impressive." He groveled to his master, being the typical bootlicker that he was. Clara made a slight face at that and rolled her eyes while she could barely hear a noise of disgust from Mirage.

"You stiletto-heeled freak," Mirage mutters, Clara mentally agreeing with the autobot spy.

"Commencing transport," Sentinel announced as he placed his hand on the control pillar.

Optimus suddenly burst into the clearance and shouted. "Stop! No, no Sentinel!" His hand reached out desperately, he couldn't let him do this, he couldn't let him risk the planet he swore to protect. Clara took a deep breath and sent Mirage one last nod before she rushed into view.

"You don't have to do this! Stop!" Clara yelled to the former Prime. Optimus's optics widened at the sight of her while Sentinel's gaze flickered over to Clara. A pang of guilt did flash through his optics, but it was more felt for Optimus than the hybrid. Part of him did regret he would not be able to see what she was capable of and see what the next piece of her destiny Primus had intended.