Terra

Lockdown

We raced along the riverside as Lockdown's ship slowly got closer to us. Pulses of energy were released from the ship, causing anything metal to be picked up. I could feel my blood racing along with the Energon. A groan escaped me as I made out yelling from under me. I could feel the magnetic pull of the energy as I pulled Nanos closer to me. Launching him out when a falling vehicle almost landed on us. Shane braked harshly almost causing me to fall off the front of the car. I landed on the hood and gave Shane a glaring look before yelling at him to go in reverse.

While Nanos was blocking falling cars, what was my armor worked to moving pedestrians out of the way as we raced away from Lockdown. I heard Joshua scream, "It's a big magnet!" I glared at him when I looked inside, "What gave you that idea?" Tessa screamed pointing out the front window. I quickly sat up to see a giant cargo ship was falling above us. Optimus and Bee shot the ship as Nanos provided cover from debris. Shane backed up into a building finally stopping. All of us sighed in relief for a moment before I noticed knifes floating up.

"Oh, no. No, the magnet. Get out, get out! Come on! Come here! Get out!" Cade yelled as everyone struggled to get out. Nanos pulled away from me and dug into the ground. I jumped off the car only to have to grab back on as I helped Cade get the Seed and Joshua. After a few more tugs we all fell to the ground and moved out of the way just in time for the car to fall back down. Cade and Joshua picked up the Seed and I lead the group, Nanos swarming again. We made it out under a building to see Bumblebee riding a pterodactyl Dinobot.

Soon enough we reached an open area away from any civilian. Optimus quickly spots us, and Bee transforms into his alt-mode. "Cade! Autobots, get this bomb over the bridge and out of the city!" Optimus calls out before running to where Lockdown's ship is hovering. I glance at Cade as Tessa, Joshua, Shane, and that other chick climbed into Bumblebee, deciding whether I stay and help Optimus, or do I go and protect them. I looked down before I ran off following Optimus.

I took shelter behind a broken wall as I watched Optimus fight Lockdown, "Prime!" Lockdown bellowed out. Adrenaline raced through me, leaving me breathing hard and on edge. I barely noticed when Cade showed up, that is until another human arrived. Ducking farther from sight I crept behind the man to see him holding Cade at gunpoint. "You see, it takes patience to make a man. The patience to watch and wait, to protect all of us, quietly, for God and country, without any recognition at all!" I heard him say to Cade. "There are no good aliens! Or bad aliens, Yeager. It's just us and them, and you chose them." I stood up, Nanos transforming into a handgun, and shot the guy along with Optimus.

Standing next to Cade we looked down at the man's body. "Anytime." We said together. Hearing a pained groan, we whipped our heads around to see Lockdown impale Optimus with his own sword. "You saved the human instead of saving yourself? You bring shame upon us all." Lockdown said before Cade opened fire. Nanos formed into a mini machine gun, so I could carry it. I made my way to Optimus to see if I could get his sword out of him.

Bumblebee showed up and started to fight Lockdown with Cade, allowing me to focus on Optimus. Optimus struggled in vain to get his blade free. I climbed up his leg to get a better view, "I gave you an order!" He said to me, I had Nanos wrap around the hilt of the sword. "No, you gave Cade and the Autobots an order. I am neither. I told you, in the beginning, I'm gonna help you." We look over when we heard a crash. Lockdown was on the ground apparently after being tripped.

"Cade, get out of here! This is my fight!" I glared at him as I had Nanos start to pull. "It's my fight, and you're all gonna die!" Lockdown said as he started firing again. Cade and Bee worked to distract him. I pulled Nanos away from pulling to block the barrage of bullets heading our way. Shane and Tessa arrive to help free Optimus. Tessa was able to wrap the tow truck's cable around the sword as I returned fire. I heard wheels spinning as Shane tried to pull the sword free. Stopping my task, I raced to the truck and had Nanos give it more traction and power.

With a final pull, the sword released itself from Optimus and he was able to get up, quickly grabbing the sword only to impale Lockdown. We all froze as Optimus pulled the sword up, cutting Lockdown in half. "Honor to the end." He said as we looked at Lockdown's body. Optimus picked me up along with the other three. "Hurry! Quickly! I'm setting off Lockdown's grenade! Hold tight!" Optimus takes off into the air, flying away as the grenade goes off.

Soon enough we landed in the middle of the city along the water. Optimus sat Cade, Tessa, and Shane down as I remained on his shoulder. I watched as Tessa hugged Cade and the exchanges that followed. "Brave warriors, you are free!" Optimus said as the Dinobots appeared. Cross pointed to one of the bots, "I'll ride with you anytime, Spike!" as his farewell. "This Seed belongs to our creators, whoever they are. There remains a price on my head. I endanger you all if I stay." Optimus says as the Seed floats to his hand. "I shall take it where it can never be found."

I watched his face carefully before standing up and jumping off him. Nanos swarmed around me, slowing my decent and changing my appearance. "Will we ever see you again?" Cade asked once I landed. My clothes had changed into a white wrapped crop top, Black leather shorts and steel toe biker boots. I moved next to Cade as Optimus replied. "Cade Yeager, I do not know. But whenever you look to the stars, think of one of them as my soul. Defend this family, Autobots, as they have you. Defend all they can be."

The Autobots nod as Optimus takes off, heading into space to find their creators. "So, what now?" Shane asks. "We go home," Tessa said looking at Cade. "No, we don't. At least, not you Cade. Tessa, you can return to a semi-normal life but to do so Cade can't be in it." I walked over to where Optimus had stood. "What do you mean?" Cade asked with a strained voice. I looked down at my exposed skin, neon blue pulsed under my pale skin. I could hear Cade, Tessa, and Shane gasp seeing it for the first time. Turning around I looked up at them.

"Cemetery Wind may be dead now but that doesn't mean another will rise from it. Tessa will be left alone if you lose contact with her Cade. Shane could protect her neither is meant for this." "And you are? My dad is?" Tessa yelled at me. "I have no chance of returning to the life I had, that ended when Chicago was lost. I will continue to help the bots. Cade is just as capable as I am, and he is a more valuable target than you are. It is safer for us all if Cade and I remain with the Bots. We need the bots just as much as they need us." I said, feeling as if I was channeling Optimus.

The bots agreed with me as Bee picked me up. "Joshua, will you help Tessa get the farm back and into college?" He nodded to me. "Good. Its time we returned to the states and then we need to go separate ways. We will find a way for you to reach us, Tessa, even if it is for just a moment." She nodded as I looked up to the sky. 'One journey ends. Only for another to start again. Please Optimus, where ever you go, return to us. Return home.'

End of Age of Extinction 
2/20/18