When All Lights Go Out II (TFP)

Chapter 21

Optimus intakes heavily and exhales loudly as he remained crouched on the ground, hunched over Jack as the roof panels fell around them. He felt a few hitting his back, but now everyone was completely exposed. Mech had zero cover, and so did Optimus. Optimus has never felt the way he has been, and he realized shooting directly into another canon as it was charging was not the best idea he has had, but it was the only way to stop it. He groaned as he placed his hand on his abdomen, grimacing as the pain through his system was sharp. He did not know if it was labor pains yet or not.

Optimus moved his hands as he was able to support himself and looked down at Jack. The boy was huddled underneath him and looked up at him. The suit he was wearing was undamaged, but at least Optimus knew it was Jack. "Are you okay, Jack?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you okay?" Optimus's optics quiver slightly before he glanced away with a grimace. "Scrap..."

"Well, well..." Jack jumped and turned his head to see Silas looking at him. "We did have a rat in our midst. A human rat. You were pretty smart for wearing one of the uniforms, young man. I guess I should have expected something like this." Optimus frowned, shifted his arms to protect Jack from the man. Silas let out a chuckle. "I am surprised you even have the strength to do that, Optimus. You were pretty foolish in shooting something like that. I bet your whole system is stinging. And I hope your sparkling is okay, cause that impact might have done more than tingle." Optimus narrowed his optics, as even though he had been weakened, he could still defend himself. "Well, protect your pathetic human friend. It seems we have been found thanks to his little interference with our electricity."

Jack pulled off the mask off the suit, sighing in relief as he was sweating and needed to feel the fresh air against his skin. He could hear the incoming jets and looked at Optimus. "I think Silas believes you might not be able to move. Can you?"

Optimus intakes heavily and moved to try and stand, reaching for the ramp beside him to use as leverage. He slowly rose to his feet, though he kept a hand on his abdomen and looked down at Jack. "I can't move very fast right now. If the decepticons are coming before..." Optimus flinched as several Mech vehicles suddenly parked in front of him and aimed weapons at him. "Well...someone is coming..."

"Any idea who?" Jack asked curiously and Optimus shook his head. "Well, as long as they can distract Mech..."

"You aren't going anywhere!" One of the soldiers shouts at them as they overhear Optimus and Jack speaking. "If you ever think about taking even a step away from here, we will shoot. I bet that you wouldn't handle another blast."

Optimus intakes heavily as he was still supporting himself with the ramp and looked down at Jack. "We might not get to go anywhere at this time, Jack. I need a moment myself...that blastwave from that explosion has caused a lot of distress to my system."

"And Azura?" Jack questioned and Optimus didn't answer him. "She will be okay, right?"

Optimus caressed his abdomen as he didn't know how to answer. "I don't know...she was exhausted before..." Jack widened his eyes as he knew that Azura would have been tired from creating the electrical storm. "And now that I caused such a blast to destroy the building around us..." Optimus turned his head and spotted human jets and helicopters approaching. "Looks like Agent Fowler got here before the decepticons have." Jack smiled in relief and watched as Mech began to shoot at the military, and the military were also quick to respond to shoot back. "And the storm has faded, so they are safe."

"Would Megatron even send many decepticons to help, or would it just be himself?" Jack asked curiously as he would have assumed that the decepticons would have arrived by the military.

"I think it would just be Megatron and several of his squadron. He wouldn't risk losing a lot of his army just for me and my daughter." Optimus caressed his abdomen gently as he could sense Azura was under distress. "Azura, are you okay? I think that blast wave might have caused some more damage." Silence. Nothing. Optimus widened his optics are he became more worried. "Azura?" No response again. "I think she's unconscious again..."