Sunstreaker's vengeance ✔️ (book 1)

7. Dreads

I looked with big eyes at Sideswipe. "Come on," he grasped my hand and dragged me towards his alt-mode. "What are they even doing here," Ironhide growled. " Maybe they are looking for Sunstreaker as well, maybe they know he's alone," Sideswipe suggested. "It's not making any sense, they can sense us just as we can sense them, something is off," Ironhide sulked. I sighed "take Skylar, Sideswipe... The Decepticons are coming our way quickly! Go to the mountains," He ordered him. Sideswipe's holoform was already gone and his Silver Corvette drove towards me.

I quickly hopped in and buckled up "I am sorry, Skylar... I didn't want to bring you in danger," he said. "it's alright, Sideswipe, you couldn't know they would be here too," I said. "I should have known, Skylar. I should have to think thought ahead," he muttered. "How many Decepticons?" I asked. "three... probably the dreads," he muttered. "Who are they?"
Sideswipe sighed before his radio crackled on again. "The Dreads are a unit of Decepticons, particularly fearsome Decepticons. Their specialty is infiltration and the assassination of high profile Autobots targets. They're also such unpleasant monsters that even the other Decepticons tend to dislike them, their leader is Crankcase, and the other two are Crowbar and Hatchet," he sulked.

I shivered at that and looked in the rear mirror, seeing a black SUV in the distance, and it came our way quickly. "Is that one of them?" Sideswipe seemed to snap back to reality and tightened the seatbelt around me, speeding up quickly. "Yes, that's Crowbar," he said. We had an incoming call from Optimus shortly after. "Sideswipe, the Decepticons are heading your way... they're after you," Optimus said. "I have noticed, I am still heading towards the mountains, hopefully, I can lose them there," Sideswipe said. "Hatchet is here, but there's no sign of Crankcase, we come after you as soon as possible, don't stop and don't fight them, you're alone and there could be more than one," Optimus ordered.

"I can fight Crowbar easily, Prime! I can kill him..." Sideswipe stated a bit arrogant. "NO, Sideswipe! I tell you to keep driving, you still have to take care of Skylar as well, keep driving and wait for back-up!" Optimus ordered. "Fine!"
It was quiet and I looked in the mirror again. Crowbar was coming closer quickly and Sideswipe was still speeding up. "Ugh, these fragging mountains," he scowled. "Maybe you should get off this road and take a smaller road, you're much sleeker," I said. "I am sure Crowbar can't drive everywhere," I said. Sideswipe seemed to like my idea and got off the road, taking a smaller road.

I tightly grasped Sideswipe's door, it was very bumpy and he was driving over 100 km/h which was a bit dangerous on this road. "Relax! I am born for speed, I am an amazing driver," he showed off, making me roll my eyes. He also did it to comfort me a bit and make some more relaxed. "Did we lose him?" I asked, looking around. "I can still see him on my scanner... just faintly he must be on the main road," Sideswipe muttered. "He's off the radar now," he added after 5 minutes.

"Something isn't right..." I muttered, looking outside. "Why not? We lost him, that idiot probably thought we were still on the main road," he mocked. "No, I don't think so, maybe he's looking for another entrance, you should turn around and head back to the main road," I said. "Do you think he's coming our way?" he laughed. I shot him a glare "Yes I do, Sideswipe!" I snapped. "Since when do you have a radar, relax... that idiot thinks we are still on the main road," he huffed arrogantly. I said nothing and rolled my eyes.

I saw a flash of black, coming from the side. "Sideswipe!" I shrieked. He made a U-turn, seeing the danger as well, but it was already too late. The SUV transformed. Sideswipe threw me out and transformed, getting knocked off his feet by the large black Decepticons with long deadly tendrils. The large tendrils wrapped around, Sideswipe, squeezing him and holding him down. Sideswipe groaned and fired from the two guns in his shoulders.

I gasped, backing off in horror and hit some rocks. What could I do? nothing!
Crowbar tightened his grip on Sideswipe, I doubted he had even noticed me. "Hey! You ugly piece of shit!" I shouted. The Decepticon look at me "Get away from him!" I snarled. He was distracted by me, and I was a bit uncomfortable with how he was looking at me.
Sideswipe kicked Crowbar harshly, sending the mech flying into the air, hitting some rocks that collapsed all over him. "Do you have a death wish?" He sulked, looking over his shoulder while grabbing me. "Just saved your ass!" I muttered. "I don't need help!" He muttered, transforming around me and drove off. "You weren't winning either!" I stated, crossing my arms.

He was about to say something when a second SUV appeared out of nowhere like it had been waiting for us. He hit Sideswipe's flank, making him hiss in pain. Doorwings were one of the most sensitive parts, they're filled with capillaries that contain energon, coolant, and oil but also sensors that are similar to nerve endings to transmit sensations. Sideswipe transformed, throwing me out again and I froze, I wasn't able to move. Crankcase was even bigger then Crowbar, with not two but four eyes, large tendrils, and his claw looking hands were covered in some Energon, I presumed it wasn't his.

Sideswipe had hit his helm pretty hard and was trying to recover from the fall. Even I wasn't a medic, I could see his doorwing was dislocated, which must be extremely painful. Nevertheless, Sideswipe ignored the throbbing pain and got before Crankcase was able to strike again. "You fragger!" He snarled, trying to hit him with his Cybertanium Blades, sticking out of his arms. Large and deadly. He threw one in Crankcase shoulder before lunging for him with amazing speed. Cutting off one of the many tendrils. I shrieked as it landed in front of me and backed off, but hit something and a shadow fell upon me.

As I looked up, I was staring in two red eyes that belonged to Crowbar. "H-hi..." I sheepishly said, moving away from him quickly, but he already tried to grab me. "Sideswipe!" I whined. He was a bit busy but took note of what was going on. "Try to hide!" he ordered me. I backed off more and started running off, trying to find cover somewhere. I never should have agreed to join Sideswipe, but I am too stubborn anyway to listen. It was reckless and I was sure that if I would make it out alive, I would get a speech from Optimus, Ironhide, prowl, and my uncle. Maybe Ratchet too if I get badly injured. I already had some cuts from being thrown around when Sideswipe transformed.

There was a small cafe ahead of me where I sprinted over to before Crowbar was able to grab me. I backed off, hitting the very end, his claw looking finger, reached out for me, and I tried to back off a little bit more, but I had already reached the freaking wall and it was all very small in here, I couldn't stand or getaway somewhere else. His claw looking finger reached me, digging the very end in my leg, just above my knee. I let out a scream while he pulled me out and hold me upside down. "Crankcase!"

His voice was hoarse and extremely deep. "Sideswipe!" I called out, but he was kinda busy himself too. Crankcase had wrapped all the tendrils around him, holding im in place, tightly squeezed on the floor. Crowbar turned me, digging two of his claws in my side, holding me away from his chassis like I was toxic or anything. "Kill it or not?" he asked, showing me. Sideswipe hissed, wiggling to get free from Crankcase that didn't pay any attention to Sideswipe. He tapped with his claw looking finger on his chin. "That's your pet, isn't?" he asked, looking down at Sideswipe. "She's not my pet! She's my friend!" he snarled. "Never seen her before... is she in a good condition?" he asked.

Crowbar inspected me "Some cuts here and there, but I think she's in a good shape," he finally replied. "Then she will live, Shockwave was looking for some human to experiment with," Crankcase said before looking down at Sideswipe. "It's a shame you can't even protect her," he mocked. Sideswipe glared at the large Decepticon that was almost two heads bigger then Sideswipe but shorter than Optimus.

"Don't you dare to touch or hurt her!" he snapped. "Crowbar just did... take her, I meet you in a moment if I killed him!" Crankcase said. Sideswipe started to wiggle and fire at the tendrils that seemed to be glued around him, that's how tight Crankcase was holding Sideswipe down. Crowbar transformed around me and drove off. From the rear mirror, I saw Sideswipe getting up, hitting Crankcase but he was sent back to the floor. That was the last thing I saw before he disappeared from my view.

I was scared at this point and somehow hoped Sideswipe would come after me, but it didn't happen. Did Crankcase kill him? Or is Ironhide in time to save his ass? I wasn't gonna wait and kicked Crowbar's dash and clawed at his seat. "Sit still human!" he snapped. "Go to hell!" I spat, kicking him again. His holoform appeared next to me, aiming a gun at my head. "Sit still or I shoot!" he snapped. "And risking to hit yourself as well!" I snarled, glaring at him.

Crowbar glared at me before he slammed his seat forward, my head hit the dash and everything went black immediately...