TFP: Alone

Chapter 28: Red

Smokescreen's P.O.V.

"Do you know what caused it?" I ask Jolt.

"We believe that during their digging, they recovered an old lab with a live virus from the war. It's the only logical explanation. I've only seen this during the Great War." Jolt sighed. "It's similar to Cybonic Plague but the treatment for that doesn't seem to be working. It must be a different strain." He hummed.

"Is there a cure for this one?" I inquire. Jolt looked at me with sad eyes.

"No. I don't know." He shook his head.

"What is there that we can do for them?" I ask, looking at the vastness of the sick. There were so many that not all of them could fit in the makeshift med-bay.

"Just keep them comfortable. And before you come in any farther, you have to put protective gear on." Jolt hands me some things to cover my optics and mouth.

"And this is a protective coating for your armor." He says, spraying this stuff over me. I thank him before I walk through.

"Everyone," I call. "I need all those not infected to come to this side of the building!" I shout. Me and my squad were here to separate those where still healthy.

"Get into an orderly line and wait to be scanned." I order. They all made a long line, stretching outside the skeleton of a building.

"Anyone who's scan goes red, stand to the right. If you're green, step outside and wait for instruction." Bumblebee said. We had discovered just today that we were in the same city, although on different squads.

"Symptoms of early infection are stinging optics, loss of hearing, aching, high temperature, and fatigue." One of the medics announces. Many of the Bots were sad and had their heads hung low. I see the terror twins, as Legacy called them, towards the front of the row. I make optic contact with the golden one and I look away. I was still angry with him for what he said to Legacy. It was cruel and uncalled for. If he knew what she's been through, I wonder if he would take it back.

Sideswipe's P.O.V.

Kup died this morning. It was all so raw.... I didn't know how to process it. Sunstreaker's side of the bond was completely blocked off and I felt oddly alone, even thought I was surrounded by all these Bots. We watched ahead of us as families and friends were pulled apart. Some were red, some were green.

Then it was Sunstreaker's turn. He stepped toward the medic and he ran the scanner over him. He visibly shivered and he let out a grunt.

Green.

He moves to the side to wait for me, but Enforcers tell him to go outside as I step toward the medic. He preps the scanner and I see Sunny walking very slowly out of the building so that we could go together.

I feel it penetrate my frame and I tense. It was an odd feeling. It was like you were hot and cold at the same time and you had little digits wiggling around beneath your armor.  I look down at the scan and I feel dread sink into my spark.

Red.

A pair of arms grab me and drag me over to the holding area for the reds. I hear a roar and I look over my shoulder to see Sunstreaker raging to get to me. I see Legacy's sire grab him and start to pull him to the exit, only to get a fist to the face, leaving a deep, jagged cut on his cheek that energon started to ooze from.

I watched from behind the bars as it took five able Enforcers to take my twin outside and I see Legacy's sire go over to a decontaimination pod. He was scanned once he was out. Green.

I look around me, seeing all the sick Bots. Most were feeling okay like me, but there were a few that already had blindness setting in. I feel my spark clench in fear and I reach out to Sunstreaker.

::You're gonna be fine.:: He says. But he saw what I saw. He saw all the sick ones around me and his words did nothing to console me.

::I'm gonna get you out of there.:: He promised.