The Power Within - Transformers Prime (2)

Chapter Eight

[Finn]

  This could have gone better.

  That was my only thought as this head guard guy loomed over me. I hadn't even noticed him sneak up on me, my focus on trying to see what kind of weapon these madmen (and women) were trying to create when all of a sudden I was grabbed by the collar and thrown to the floor. Pain laced through the shoulder that took most of the impact, but I barely felt it with the adrenaline in my veins. Shaking off my moment of shock, I stood and faced Head Guard Guy.

  "That deserved an Oscar," I said, clapping my hands to applaud him, my gaze going to the scientist called Connell. "What do you think? That line alone is Oscar worthy."

  Connell shied away in fear and I returned my attention to Head Guard Guy. "They're not very talkative, are they?"

  Head Guard Guy didn't look impressed. "I don't know who you're with, but you're dead, boy."

  "I'm a teenager, hardly a boy, old man."

  He moved so quickly I barely saw his fist before it connected with my jaw. I stumbled back a few steps, ducking the next two punches he sent towards me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the other dozen or so guards step forward, guns raised and ready to shoot on the command.

  Any time for that distraction, Amanda. Any time-

  A figure dropped from the boardwalk, landing almost silently behind two guards. Amanda grabbed the heads of the two guards and slammed them together, sending them to the ground. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a long, metal bo staff appeared in her hands, which she used to take out two more guards.

  She fights really well and-

  Shut up, now is certainly not the damn time.

  I used the commotion she caused to slam two smoke grenades into the ground, the air filling quickly with thick, black smoke. I saw the flash of metal and heard a series of shots, my instincts taking over to drop me to the ground. Figures emerged in the smoke and I quickly took them out, the element of surprise on my side. Shouts of panic and surprise filled my ears as I took out the guards and a few scientists trying to attack me. Somehow, I ended up next to Amanda, the two of us clearing a circle around us in the fading smoke and taking out anyone to step into that circle.

  "When I said make a distraction, I did mention not to jump into the line of fire, didn't I?" I asked her.

  She slammed the end of her staff into the gut of an approaching guard. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear your gratitude for saving your butt."

  I flashed her a grin, my fist connecting with a guard's face. "If you can come up with a plan, I'll make sure you can hear my thanks loud and clear."

  The words barely left my mouth when a fist came out of nowhere, smashing into my face so hard I nearly lost my balance. Head Guard Guy didn't let up, sending his booted heel to my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I blocked the next few hits he sent towards me, but he still managed to cut me off from Amanda.

  "You little punk," Head Guard Guy growled. "Waltzing in to the lab under my watch, expecting to steal information, with your little bitch of a girlfriend. You're wrong."

  I blocked another punch. "I didn't expect anything. And she's not my girlfriend."

  I dropped down, sweeping a leg out to knock Head Guard Guy's feet out from under him. While he was down, I whipped out the stun gun I took from Amanda's car and aimed it at his arm.

  "'Night, you ugly oaf." I said, pulling the trigger. Head Guard Guy's body convulsed for a second before going still, his one finger still twitching. My gaze shot up, eyes landing on Amanda, who was surrounded by five remaining guards. She was in a near perfect fight stance, her grip on her staff not too tight as she launched forward, landing a knock out kick on one guard. She swung her staff at another, sending him flying back, and then jabbed a third in the temple with the other end. The fourth guard tackled her and I hurried forward, stun gun trained on the fifth guard, taking him out with the pull of the trigger. By the time I looked up again, Amanda was lying on her back, the guard that had tackled her unconscious beside her.