A World Beyond Our Own | TFP AU

19 || Stakeout

Taylor could tell that Ratchet wanted to leave. She herself was getting antsy from just sitting there, even if it had only been a few minutes.

It was deathly quiet. She resisted the urge to jump at any small noise, knowing it could alert Soundwave to their presence. She could hear the slender dragon's footsteps as he stepped on dried stems and leaves, but she had no clue as to where he was. He could be right behind them and she wouldn't even know it.

"What's he doing?" She gathered the courage to whisper, tilting her head back to look up at Ratchet.

Ratchet's gaze did not leave Soundwave. The slender Decepticon was slowly picking his way through the pumpkin patch, pausing to sniff the air or the ground every once and a while. Ratchet couldn't tell if Soundwave had caught their scent yet. He hoped not.

"He's trying to track our scent." He whispered back, keeping his response short to lessen the chances of Soundwave hearing him.

Taylor nodded. She slowly sat up a bit, peering over the edge of the ditch. She could just barely make out Soundwave's figure in the distance, soon realizing that it was because the sky was growing dark. "It's getting dark. Do you think we could sneak away without him noticing?"

Ratchet let out a slow sigh, his breath collecting in a white cloud in front of his snout. He could feel the cold beginning to seep into his joints. If he didn't move soon, his legs would become stiff and that could mean disaster if Soundwave decided to chase him.

"It's risky, but I don't believe we have any other choice." He murmured, blinking a few times to help his eyes adjust to the darkness.

Taylor pursed her lip, turning her attention back towards Soundwave. Except he wasn't there anymore. Her heart leapt into her throat as her eyes frantically searched for any sign of the Decepticon. "Wait, where did he go?"

Laserbeak suddenly appeared in front of her with a ear-splitting caw, his sharp beak snapping at her face.

Taylor screamed and scrambled backwards to escape. Ratchet quickly grabbed her by her sweatshirt and lunged out of the ditch. He started running towards the woods, but was promptly slammed into the ground by Soundwave.

Taylor let loose a scream of terror as she was flung from his jaws, tumbling through the dirt and grass. When she finally came to a stop, she quickly sat up and searched for Ratchet.

"Ratchet?!" She called, but got no response. She could hear growls and snarls nearby, but couldn't see a thing in the darkness. As she stood, a sharp pain suddenly fired up her leg. She felt down her pant leg with her hand, eventually coming across a warm, wet spot on her knee.

I must've gotten cut when I was thrown.

Another loud caw ripped her from her thoughts. Right as she lifted her head, she could make out a dark blur coming at her like a bullet. She shrieked and quickly ducked, feeling air rush over her head as Laserbeak's talons swiped past.

I need to get to cover!

Her head whipped back and forth, her eyes frantically looking for something that could be a structure.

In the distance, the silhouette of a shed could be seen against the rising moon.

There!

Ignoring the pain in her knee, Taylor quickly began limping towards the shed. Her heart pounded in her ears. Her lungs were screaming for air, her throat raw from breathing in the cold air.

Almost there...

She spurred herself on, silently praying that Ratchet was alright. It was impossible to tell who was winning the fight based on the noises alone.

The shed was in sight. She only had a few more yards to go before she reached it.

But before she could reach it, she was hit hard from the side. Razor sharp talons sliced through her shoulder and she cried out in agony. The air was forced from her lungs in a painful wheeze as she crashed against the ground. When air rushed back in, it felt like icy needles were piercing her throat. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to breathe.

Meanwhile, her hand was clasped over the rips in her sweatshirt where blood was seeping out.

She barely had a moment to recover before a large paw trapped her where she laid on the ground. Looking up, she could see that it was Soundwave.

Where is Ratchet?

She tried to turn her head, but she was firmly pinned against the ground. "What did you do to Ratchet, you sick creep!" She screamed out of both anger and fear, but she got no response. Soundwave simply stared at her, his purple gaze emotionless and blank.

"Taylor!"

Taylor heard Ratchet's voice and was relieved for a brief moment, but the moment quickly ended when she felt Soundwave curl his claws around her.

"Ratchet! Ratchet, help me!" She cried, but it was too late. Soundwave unfurled his wings and she felt herself leave the ground in a violent fashion, the wind whipping around her face.

Ratchet skidded to a stop in the dirt, watching hopelessly as Soundwave flew off with Taylor. His heart sunk in despair as her screams grew farther and farther away.

"No!" He roared in anguish, but he knew that he couldn't save her now. Just like that, she was gone. How could this have happened?

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