Enter Dante, The Rev-9: Book 1: Rogue

Chapter 3: Darkness Rising Part 3

3rd Person POV

Dante's House

Arcee woke up from recharge and was about to go wake up Dante when she heard the sound of whistling. She walked over to the side of the ranch and saw Dante aiming a compound bow at a target 75 feet away. She watched as he released the arrow, sending it into the bulls-eye and splitting the arrow that was already there.

Arcee was stunned. "How did you...?" she trailed off, unable to finish.

Dante turned around and smirked upon seeing her. "'Bout time you woke up, sleeping beauty. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever get up. And before you ask, I practice archery in the morning all the time. Calms my nerves. Also makes for a great workout."

Arcee blinked in surprise before replying, "Well, we should get back to base. We don't want to keep the others waiting."

He smiled. "Alright. Just let me put my bow away." He walked inside the house, and when he was sure that she wouldn't see, quickly opened up a hatch in the floor and set the bow inside it with the Mossberg, the M4A1, and the Barrett before closing the hatch. Then he walked back out to find her waiting in vehicle form.

Smiling, he ran over and jumped onto the seat. As soon as he was situated, Arcee revved her engine and took off toward the Autobot base.

Soon enough, they reached a stop sign. After checking to make sure no one was around, she said, "Hold on tight, Dante." Dante did so, and Arcee shot forward, popping a wheelie for a few seconds before going back to normal, still driving fast.

Dante laughed. "What's with you, Arcee?" he asked.

"Figured you might like the ride without getting shot at," she replied with a grin evident in her voice.

Dante smirked. "Bring it on!" he challenged.

Meanwhile, Back at the Base

Ratchet was in the middle of running a test on the mysterious purple substance when he heard a jingling sound. He turned around. "Optimus?"

Silence.

Just as he was about to turn back to his work, he heard the noise again. He whipped around just as the possessed claw jumped at him. Grabbing a pipe, Ratchet swung and knocked the bot backward. Then the bot promptly sliced the top off one of his instruments.

"I NEEDED THAT!" Ratchet shouted. The bot leapt at him again, but before it could attack, a laser sent it flying to the ground. It tried to get up only for Optimus to step on it, destroying it.

Ratchet turned to Optimus. "What could have caused that?!" he asked, gesturing to the bot.

"I have a grave suspicion that Dante was correct. Dark Energon," Optimus responded.

Timeskip

Ratchet and Optimus were discussing what happened and where Megatron could have found Dark Energon when the rest of the Autobots pulled in. Miko, Raf, and Jack got out of their respective rides while Dante swung off Arcee.

"Thanks for the ride, Cee," Dante said with a smile.

"Sweet!" Miko grinned. Then a rumbling noise came from Bulkhead's chest. Bulkhead opened up some of his chest plates and removed a guitar case.

"Sorry," Miko apologized as she took the guitar. "Must have left it in the back seat."

"Autobots prepare to..." Optimus trailed off as he noticed the humans.