Ruby - Transformers: Age of Extinction fanfic

False Hope

"There, on the roof."

Drift triangulated the Seed's location right down to the square meter of space it occupied, and now their ship hovered above an apartment block in Hong Kong.

Ruby watched the large ramp of the ship open. She stayed back, not caring to look down on the city below, or smell its pollution. Her mind was on her bracelet, just a circle of silver around her wrist, seemingly void of power, and she felt so, so tired. If Ratchet were here, he'd have known how to fix her.

Sounds came rushing in; sirens whirred, the traffic hummed and voices throbbed in Ruby's ears. After the empty silence of the ship, the city noise hurt her head.

Hound, Bumble Bee, Cade and Tessa walk down to the edge.

"Pass it here!" Cade shouted to the man on the roof who clutched a large leather bag.

"I can't quite reach!"

Ruby stood up straighter. She knew that voice. Thomas Evans. He and his company had done something to her, to the bracelet. And she was going to find out what.

She marched down the ramp, into warm air thick with smog.

Anger expanded in her stomach, a scream of rage built up in her throat and she prepared to demand answers. Until a huge metal fist closed around her body and pulled her back into the ship.

"Hey!" she cried, "Optimus, let me go!"

BOOM.

Ruby's heart faltered. She saw Cade and the others tumble from the ship before Optimus balled her against his chest, protecting her as their ship spiralled wildly out of control with far too much momentum. 

All of her organs pressed together into one tight knot as the force became unbearable. Impact shook her bones; the ship must have hit something solid. She could practically hear the cybertanium coating ringing against her skeleton.

Finally, it all stopped. Optimus released Ruby and she clutched her stomach, feeling as though she'd been through a blender.

"Urgh," she moaned, "Talk about extreme waltzers."

"Are you alright?" Optimus asked.

"Yeah, I just need a minute."

She stumbled out of the ship, down the cracked ramp, struggling to work out which way gravity pulled. For some reason that appeared to be left, and she fell off the ramp, landing on lush, long grass. It was nice to lay there for a moment, mindlessly stroking the soft grass and trying to remember the last time she'd truly been in fresh air and greenery, rather than cities, rocks or stinky ships. 

Years ago. She stared up at the bright blue sky, complete with harmless fluffy clouds and let herself relax for a moment.

Rubeee...

She sat bolt upright, and then pitched left again, smacking sore-cheek-down in the dirt. She stayed down, the scent of damp soil blocking her nose, and strained her ears. Nothing but Crosshairs talking;

"We should leave this planet, it is time,"

"Time is a shady concept," said Drift, "But maybe he is right, sensei,"

"No." Optimus said flatly, ending the conversation.

He plucked Ruby from the grass and held her up to his head,

"Are you sure you are alright?" he asked.

Ruby gave her head a little shake, clearing the fog from her brain, "Yes, I'm good now, the dizzy spell has passed."

In truth, she felt a bit strange. Kind of light and heavy at the same time.

But the world stayed the right way up and so she looked around. They were in a vivid green valley, next to a tall waterfall and in the shadow of several steep mountains. The battered ship stuck out of the earth, surrounded by fresh dirt. What a mess.

"Well. I don't think that thing will fly again."

"No," agreed Optimus, "But we must recover the seed before Galvatron uses it to make a new army."

"And kill us all," Ruby muttered under her breath.

"It's time for reinforcements!"

"What? Who?"

Optimus put Ruby back on her feet. Excitement brightened her eyes. Did he mean the NEST team? Did they still exist? Could Optimus call them? He drew his sword.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

Ruby's stomach dropped as it dawned on her.

"No! Nonono please don't open that-"

CLANG.

Optimus smashed open the door of the big cage. Ruby's heart almost stopped. The little hairs on her arms stood on end.

From the shadows of the cage came a deep, dark growl.