H O O V E R   D A M

~

They tracked Sector Seven for as long as they could, following them through the night until the morning came. But when they came upon a small airbase, they could see several helicopters leaving, transferring Sam, Mikaela and others onto airborne transportation.

And that was one thing Ash and Aaron could help with.

They had left the Cabrio in a parking lot with a 'sorry' note attached to it, leaving a message for the rental company to come pick it up. They left a wad of cash in the glovebox to pay for the cosmetic damages, but otherwise burned their digital trails.

And had left with the Autobots, heading straight into the desert, following close behind the bastards that took her friend.

On a hill overlooking the airbase, Ash was preparing Zero, and a semi-automatic that Jazz still had a bunch of.

The Autobots were waiting, watching the base, as they kept the children in cuffs, pushing them into another helicopter, preparing to leave.

"Whatever you're doing over there, you have less than a minute," Ironhide gruffly told the Guardian.

"Already finished," The Colonel muttered, cocking the semi and walking over to the cliff edge and finding a rock.

Aaron walked behind her, carrying a vest and placing it down on the dirt behind the rock, and Ash thanked him, getting down onto the ground and laying on her stomach and placing the semi in front of her, perching it on the rock.

And then, Zero transformed, but this time, the semi-automatic disappeared under a brilliant skin of blue-ish metal, and the scope formed a holographic in front of her eyes.

The Autobots looked on impressed, and Aaron smirked at them.

"She got the highest mark in her class, and was able to almost beat some of the greatest snipers in the world, and when she got dragged into a sniping competition with the SAS, she dragged them back through the dirt. She's got this. You just gotta watch her magic."

The helicopter blades began to whir, engines starting roar, preparing to tear itself away from the ground and its gravity prison.

The Colonel took a deep breath, slow and steady, and lined up her shot, aiming for the neck of the propellors, in a spot where it could be hidden.

And just before the copter began its tearaway, she exhaled, her finger pulled, and her bullet flew.

They waited, tense, but a successful ping from her scope told her that her bullet met its mark.

"Tracker deployed," and the Autobots cheered lightly from behind her. She looked at the tag, watching it move as the helicopter flew, and stared at her computer.

The tracker was Decepticon designated, and she was so very tempted to leave it as such.

But she knew that it could hinder her later, if she forgot it wasn't an actual Decepticon.

No, she glared at the tag, They're worse.

"Zero, search bio-scan of 'precious cargo', and log tag."

"Understood, Xi."

And the ugly red turned a neon green, the disgusting symbol turned to a simple circle.

The Guardian stood up from the ground, and snapped off the semi from her scope, it folding away into a simple box, which she attached to the dark screened device.

The device from the crate awoke, and the computer booted up, with a start-up reminiscent of an 80's system.

And a grid appeared, with coordinates as well as height, and in the centre of the screen was 'tag 29'.

She sighed - at least I didn't miss.

The pilot pat her on the back, "Come on, we're gonna roll out. Prime has a place where we can coordinate."

"I will pack up, then."

"Good work, Ashara," echoed across her mind, and she jumped, her head swiveling over to see Optimus who was waiting for her with his arms crossed and a tiny quirk was seen on his lipplates, "It was an impressive shot."

She was surprised at the compliment, but knew better than to refuse, as much as she wanted to.

She just responded with a smile, "Thank you."

The Prime nodded, and moved to transform.

The Colonel quickened her pace, and packed her things swiftly, before jogging over to the waiting Prime, who opened his driver door for her.

Time was running, and she couldn't miss her step.

~

With Ironhide leading their convoy, they arrived at an empty white building (under renovations, it seemed) on top of a tall desert cliff, overviewing a great portion of the desolate Nevada desert.

Ratchet and Jazz transformed as soon as they parked, but Optimus and Ironhide waited for the two humans to jump out of their Alt-modes before they followed suit.

The duo worked quickly to move their things and get out of the way, setting up their computers, forming a mini base.

Unfolding their maps on top of a flat block of white concrete, the gridded desert and the cities surrounding it took shape, and they took note of all of their previous markers.

The Colonel hummed as the Major took a note pad to sketch a pattern forming from the markers.

She had an idea, and took out her computer and placed it in the middle of the map, avoiding POI's, makind the pilot turn to stare at her.

Turning on the device, she flicked through settings and buttons galore, until a green-blue lazer shot out, flickering about and forming a hologram above the map.

Aaron's eyes widened, "Woah..."

At this, the Autobots, discussing their next move, turned to look at their allies activities.

Seeing the hologram above their workstation, forming a topographical version of the paper map, filled with POI's and their tagged movements, as well as several beacons.

One was a Decepticon, in the outskirts of Tranquilty, making them frown.While the other was their 'Precious Cargo', still gradually moving across the desert, towards....

"Las Vegas?" Aaron muttered, slightly sarcastic, keeping the 'casino' comments in the back of his throat.

But the Colonel shook her head, and deep set frown crumpling her eyebrows, "No...look, their just flying through mountains, but their heading is..."

The computer calculated a route, reading the schematics of the helicopter as it was moving, and formed a red line, ending at...

"...Hoover Dam?"

She was thinking - Why Hoover Dam? What could be at Hoover Dam?

"Colonel?"

Optimus approached her, and she turned to him, and watched as he kneeled down to present something to her.

Stepping up to his servo, seeing his robust digits pinching something tiny so delicately, which was an incredibly humbling sight, that such a titanous being could hold something so small with the gentleness of handling a newborn. When she saw the tiny thing take the shape of small, old, round glasses, her mind practically exploded and she stared up at the Prime.

"T-the Glasses? You have them?"

"We had forgotten to inform you, I apologise. Sam had dropped them back when they were captured at the bridge..."

Her eyes were wide, looking at the precious, delicate, old glasses, that held a secret so important that it literally spelled the Apocolypse.

And her hands reached out to take them, ever so careful as Optimus loosened his grip and they dropped into her waiting palms.

Maybe...I didn't fuck up completely? We have the glasses, but we still need to save Bee and the kids, and then the world.

She smiled at the artifact in her hands, knowing what she had to do.

Maybe we can still do this, and I'm not a complete fuck up. I can find the All-Spark, I can find Megatron, and we can save Bee.

She ran back to her map, putting the Glasses' lens on top of the laser, and at first nothing happened. But Ash fiddled with the controls and suddenly, a brilliant blue shot up, forming a globe at first, with a thrumming white dot, making the Autobots smile.

They were so close.

But as much as Ash's heart was racing, the All-Spark's location right in front of her, she manipulated the map further, flattening it and crossing POI's and landmarks, into the flashing of blue formed right on top of their topographical holomap.

And where else did the white dot land, than right on top of...

"Hoover Dam." Aaron breathed out, stunned.

"The All-Spark is in Hoover Dam..." Ash's eyes were wide in shock.

"It's location is 235 miles from here," Optimus read, saving the location to his internal maps.

"And so are Bumblebee and the children, we must move!" Ratchet ushered, staring incredulously at the holomap.

"I sense the Decepticons are getting ready to mobilise..." Ironhide grumbled, preparing his cannons for the battle soon to begin.

"Autobots," Optimus ordered, "It's time to roll out!"

"We rollin'!" Jazz flipped off of the building and into his alt-mode, opening the door for Aaron, who grabbed his things, and the map, and jumped in.

The Colonel grabbed her computer, putting her things away in the black high-density crate, speaking clearly into open-air knowing Zero would hear it.

"Zero, tag: All-Spark. Converge with Precious Cargo."

"Understood, Xi."

Taking a delicate hold of the old Glasses, she opened a extra sealed compartment inside the crate and placed the glasses in the bed of self-moulding foam, allowing gravity to sink it in, holding it in place, before closing the compartment and snapping the lid and the clasps down, with a ridiculously satisfying click, and spinning the combination. Grabbing the handle, she jumped up, the crate banging none too delicately, and jogged to Optimus' awaiting cab.

~

They were maybe halfway there, in the middle of nowhere, when Aaron's voice patched through the comm in Optimus' radio.

*Ash?*

Said Colonel jumped in her seat at the sudden voice, too concentrated in her computer as she rode with the silent and stoic Prime.

"Aaron? What's wrong?"

*I think we need to split off from the Autobots; there is an Air Force airbase nearby, like around that mountain in front of us, and I just heard news over the shortwave CB that world communication is down.*

The Colonel frowned and took out her own phone, trying to power it on, realising that communication was not only down, but out for the count, and the internet had gone dark too.

*I checked military frequencies, and they're saying someone hacked the Pentagon, but it launched to the rest of the world. I'm thinking it's that virus they were talking 'bout earlier, the one on the quantum signal from SOCCENT and Air Force One, so the D-Con's must have launched the virus.*

*They must be preparing to strike - they have taken out communication, making it impossible to effectively organise your military, after they had found out that your weapons can hurt us,* Ironhide had cut in, with Jazz humming in agreement.

"Ashara? What will you do?" Optimus asked, turning off the comm. He had a feeling she already had a plan ready.

"I have an idea, but I fear that any further than that would require us to improvise. The most secure method of contact, too, is the one between ourselves, and it seems that it might be only one for the time being."

"Very well."

Ash sighed, signaling to turn back on the comm.

"Looks like we are running old school," the Colonel replied, "The Major and I will need to go to the airbase, and will commandeer an airship. S7 are traveling slow, maneuvering low through the mountains, but we will take a tiltrotor up higher, and arrive first. We will secure the All-Spark, Bee and the children, and regroup halfway. I suspect that they will have their own convoy leave when the Decepticons attack and they will attack..."

Optimus hummed at the partial plan, understanding that their numbers were few and they were fighting on two fronts. However, having their two human allies meant that they had, somewhat, an upperhand.

"Aaron."

*Yeah?*

"Get our radios ready, we've got shortwaves with 60 miles max. but it will have to do. If we can find anything else, we'll take it, but for now, until I can contact any reinforcements, we're on our own. I suspect everything will change when we get to Hoover Dam."

*I got ya. We just gotta get that tiltrotor you want. With how disorganised they are right now, I suspect our 'commandeering' will be made easier.*

"Don't worry about that actually. I'm going to get Jules on it - he'll get us our tilta."

*Oh, you got a comm. with him or something?*

"Yeah, but it's top-secret, though," Ash said smilingly, making Aaron laugh over the comm., before it went quiet, their plan set in motion.

"You still have a separate method of communication?" Optimus questioned, curious. The Colonel really did plan for everything.

"Well, a while ago, a communication blackout occurred over the British Military net, and World War 3 almost broke out over the 2-day panic. My contacts and I found it necessary to form a private communication network that worked above everything on Earth, rather than below. And we found the people who would do it for us, in exchange in joining our communication network and working with us worldwide in other operations. Unfortunately, so as to not break the vows I made, I cannot tell you," but Ash almost made her own heart stop at how she forgot who she was really talking to, "But if you asked, I would tell you without hesitation; I would not want you to lose trust in me thinking that I could be hiding something from you. I swear, I never would -"

"Ashara," Optimus stressed, careful and comforting, "I understand perfectly, I will never force you to tell me anything you yourself have made a vow to protect. I understand better than most, the sanctity of vows, and you should never, ever, break them for anyone, especially myself, if I am ever compromised. Only you can decide the correct time when vows should be broken, and for the reasons that you believe are right. And only you can ever be sure of it."

The Guardian was humbly silenced at the Prime's counsel. She looked down, thinking deeply and considering his words.

"If you are still not sure, then I will ease you," and as much as the Prime didn't want to say the words, he felt that not much else could make her understand. He knew that he would have to work on building a friendship with her, one that was not based on inferior and superior, "I, as your Prime, hearby order you, with the highest regard, to heed my words. And take them to heart, Guardian."

At this, the conflict was lessened in her eyes, and she nodded her head resolutely.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome, my friend."

~

The airbase was hidden in the mountains, with two large runways leading out of the valley and a plethora of helicopter pads and huge hangers, as well as barracks, mess halls, control tower and control building. Everything was a dusty gray, and in complete disarray. C-17's and smaller, retrofitted passenger jets were flying in and out, trying to establish communication manually, considering that most bases were running with the latest tech, and everything else had been archived.

Ironic, how the obsolete tech they threw out would be the one thing that would save them in the darkness.

Hidden about a kilometer away, were the Autobots, with Ironhide still in alt-form.Aaron and Ash took out their duffels and had begun to throw on their uniforms, taking off their black outfits and stripping down to their sports clothes underneath, and putting on bullet-proof vests.

The Pilot put on his pre-flight suit overalls, with his rank and US Air Force patches proudly stitched on.

The Colonel put on her MTP's, and her Officer beret with her RAF Officer badge flashing gold in the desert sun. On her right shoulder, her Colonel rank and her country's flag stood out brightly against the light camo green, and laced her brown leather combat boots.

They threw their things in Ironhide's boot, who would be their escort into the base, while the Autobots communicated their following movements.

"Ironhide, you will only lead them through the gate, and to wherever their military instruct you to drive to, and then leave," Optimus told his weapons specialist, "You must turn on your holoform, but put on an one of their MTP's. The Colonel will get you in and out of the gates. You must act as their military escort."

"Got it," Ironhide replied with his usual rumble.

Jazz rolled up to the two humans, kneeling down, "Look's like this'll be the last time we'll see each other for a while, Ash. You are a good'un, like I said. But you two keep yourselfs up out there, I ain't seein you dead, ya hear me? I'll catch ya guys on the riptide, huh?"

Jazz held out a fistbump to the Major, who enthusiastically returned it.

The Colonel snorted, "You better watch your own back first, I don't to see you go quiet either."

Jazz smirked, flashing his visor, "Oooh, the day I go quiet is the day I die."

That's the point, you silver dingbat, Ash smiled up at the Saboteur, a compassionate look in the quirk of her lips. But she knew he understood her.

I'm going to see you all alive, even if it kills me.

Ratchet approached them, kneeling down in the same space Jazz just left, "I have registered your bio-signatures in my systems, and installed a tag to monitor your vital signs in your bullet-proof vests. I will see everything your body does, and if I see your vitals drop, you better still have legs to run away from my Med Bay before I weld you to it."

"That was his, 'Take care of yourselves, love Mum'," Ironhide whispered not-so-quietly to the duo, making them try to hold their faces still, while Jazz just full blown chortled.

Ratchet's servo was a blur as he mercilessly hit the GMC's roof with a resounding clang, leaving a dent and making Ironhide yelp.

Aaron just burst into a burst of full bellied laughter, leaning on Ash to hold himself from falling to the ground in laughter. Ash had a beaming grin - never in my life did I expect that Ironhide could scream that high.

Optimus just put a servo to his faceplate at his team's antics.

"Autobots, we must move. Ironhide, prepare to roll."

The team jumped back into 'serious' mode, and the humans took that as the sign to get into the huge black GMC.

"Let's get you two outta here," Ironhide rumbled, still slightly stingy at Ratchet, but he knew he deserved it.

And his engine roared as he honked his horn once, and sped off to the main road, the only road leading to the airbase.

The Colonel sat in the passenger seat, with the Major in the back, as she prepared her papers. Receiving a scan of everything she needed, she took her computer and a blank sheet of paper.

Pointing her device - that seemed it could literally do everything - the scan on her computer was transferred, physically imprinted onto the blank sheet of paper, as a blue laser glittered down the page, almost invisible at first, but as she shook it a bit, black lines developed into the plain white paper, turning into a 'direct order from the Secretary of Defense Keller, for Colonel Xi to receive an available tiltrotor to take as transport to meet with the Sec. Def. in the Pentagon in Washington, DC'.

Aaron gaped from the back seat, watching everything happen.

"Impressive."

Ash and Aaron jumped at the voice, seeing a man suddenly appear in the driver's seat, looking at them instead of the road, as the GMC kept driving.

Ash blinked, "Ironhide?"

The man smirked, "Yup. I look ok, for your human standards?"

He pointed down at his MTP, US Army in origin.

Ash and Aaron couldn't help but investigate his human form.

"It's perfect, actually. You haven't missed anything. You look like an actual US Army soldier," Ash remarked, and she looked at his shoulder, seeing he also had a name and rank, "Ron Edih, Sergeant?"

Ironhide nodded. Aaron just chuckled, "Your last name is just 'Hide', backwards."

The Autobot just deadpanned him.

It was so weird that they could technically look their allies in the eyes now, so close to them. Ash reached out to poke him, surprised to find solidity.

"Woah, it's hardlight? I thought it was just an incredibly detailed hologram..." Aaron gaped.

Ironhide smirked again, "Well, if you haven't noticed, Cybertronian technology is far more advanced than yours."

"Yeah, but you've had billions of years to do it," the Major snickered, "Give us a couple decades and we'll do you one better."

The Autobot's eye twitched, and tried not to respond to the little shit.

Ash just smirked, He's right, though.

Luckily, they were arriving upon the base, and Ash and Aaron quickly fixed their appearances worthy of their ranks.

The gates were heavily guarded, the down communication no doubt putting them all on high alert.

A soldier halted them when they stopped at the barrier, and two other soldiers got straight to searching the GMC, using mirrors to see the undercarriage, making Ron Edih shiver at the feeling. Ash looked at him in her peripherals, seeing his tense grip of his steering wheel and his set expression. She looked outside, and through her pitch-black sunglasses, she stared at the control soldier, who received the all-clear and approached her window. She rolled it down, and stared at the soldier, cold in body, cold in mind.

The soldier was appropriately cautioned, her teeming authoritative aura spilling in waves, affecting the whole control team. Even Ironhide felt it, and was surprised at her strength. His human form smirked, light and undetectable, She's got the Prime-look down to an art form.

The Major shifted in his seat. It has only been twice in his life that he had been witness to her power, and those were two moments he never wished to relive.

The Colonel was terrifying.

"State your name and purpose, please." The soldier commanded, but didn't forget his manners. He didn't know which he feared more, her or her rank.

"Colonel Ashara Xi, here on orders of your Sec. Def."

"I thought orders like that didn't get out?"

"Well, you're lucky this one got to me," and the desert just dropped ten degrees.

The poor Corporal had momentarily forgotten his place.

The Colonel didn't wait, and just handed him the 'order'.

Receiving it quickly, avoiding touching the Colonel or even crumple the paper, he took it a read it, quickly, so as to not spend more time in such an overbearing presence longer than necassary.

Ashara just turned away, uncaring, and stared out in front of her, and the soldiers were almost sure that her eyes could burn their barrier down.

"Major Aaron Hobbs, sir?" The Corporal asked carefully, looking at the pilot's name designated on the order.

"Yes," the Colonel said clearly and nodded at her 'driver'. The back window rolled down, revealing the Major waiting in the back seat.

"Hello, Corporal, shitty day we're having, amirite?" The Major tried to lighten the situation, sending a Southern smile the Corporal's way, who smiled back, thanking God that there was some light left in the world.

"Yessir. Please," the control Corporal turned to the Colonel, who was sitting still, head leaned back against the seat, silent as the dead, making him shiver under the burning sun, "Let me radio my superiors, and we'll get you in as soon as possible."

The Major nodded, "Thank you, Corporal," Before sitting back into the black leather seats.

The Corporal nodded, and practically ran back to the control booth to radio the higher-ups.

The other control soldiers stood back at their posts, but slightly leaned away from the black pickup which glistened under the hot sun.

They could hardly imagine how hot the car was, but would never touch it regardless if it was Winter, as long as that Colonel sat in the front seats.

The response was long two minutes, but the Corporal ran back to the Colonel's window, waving to the others to raise the barrier, "We are preparing your tilta as we speak, she'll be ready to fly in less than 5 minutes. A jeep will escort you."

The Colonel nodded, and her window rolled back up, making the Corporal sigh in relief as he stepped away from the huge black pickup in order to let them pass, lest they roll right over his own feet.

He saluted towards the Officer's window until the car had passed through the gate, and only could the Corporal and his control team finally breathe.

"She's fucking terrifying..." whispered one to another, and their Corporal didn't even reprimand them at their language, just silently agreeing in his head.

Staring after the GMC as it rolled through the gates, his eyes flittered down to the wing mirror, and seeing the icy face of the Colonel, seemingly staring at him through her black sunglasses, his eyes had never moved so fast, as his body slightly jerked away, every instinct in his body telling him to run, but he had just enough self-control not to.

The jeep stood in front of the slow-moving GMC, and had flashed its lights, signaling for them to follow.

And they left down the main road into the base, away from the exit and into the mania.

In the GMC, the Colonel sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, relaxing into the soft leather seats of Ironhide's alt-mode.

"That was impressive, Colonel," Ironhide smirked, remembering the experienced soldiers who were scared absolutely shitless. In all honesty, it reminded him of the Prime's worst moods, times he never wished to relive, and he felt a little trickle of fear at the human with the capability of their stoic Leader, not that he would ever admit it, "I think that made our entrance a lot easier, actually."

Aaron chuckled lightly, still trying to shake off the aura of his friend's alter-ego, "That's her 'The Colonel' mode; the soldiers in Qatar were terrified of her," At this, the two smiled remorsefully, 

"The only people she knew when she arrived was Colonel Morshower and me. But the team she was placed with, they were the only ones that even tried to talk to her."

Ash smiled at the memories, how the team became her brothers, how they bonded so quickly in such a short time.

"But then the Con's fragged it all up, eh?" Ironhide remarked, paying attention to how he was driving, with a tone in his voice that seemed knowing, and angry, too. He understood what the Con's did - they come out of nowhere and change your life forever, fucking it up to the highest degree fo their own amusement, fueled by your fear, pain and rage.

The temperature in the car seemingly dropped, and deep frowns were set on the two humans faces.

"Yes. They killed my friends and fucked up our lives. And now, they will soon pay, with their lives in return," the merciless words were replied, unbreakable vows upon the Colonel's lips.

Ironhide hummed, his own frame tensing at how he would tear apart the Con, Devastator, that had killed his own team. He knew he was here; he could practically smell him.

All too soon, they arrived at an airfield, filled with hangers and jets, and ordered rows of chinooks and fighter copters, and 6 tiltrotor. C-17's were landing, with manually transcribed orders flying in, with old CB radios preparing to be used.

But, prepared on a helipad, sat a dark grey tilta, with soldiers running about it, preparing it for takeoff. They wheeled in carts of armour and weapons, as specified by the 'order' and the tank was filled with fuel, and two extra smaller tanks were loaded on, too. One armoured buggy was loaded on, being strapped down to the tilta's bed.

The Major hummed, "Well, they certainly work quick; I gotta write a letter of good service after this is all over."

The Colonel nodded in agreement, and began to climb out of Ironhide's alt-mode just as a Private was about to open her door.

"Help me with our bags, Private."

"Yessir!"

The Major also climbed out and went to get the cockpit prepared after grabbing his larger duffle, leaving the rest for his friend to sort.

Ironhide felt slightly weird, with so many humans flitting around, and two rummaging through his boot, and slightly shifted on his axles.

Ash noticed, and tried to be as careful as possible removing her things, instructing the Private to carry her things as she handed them to him, instead, to try to avoid touching Ironhide as much as possible. And Ironhide was extremely grateful for it; nothing really did escape the Colonel, did it?

Seeing the poor Private struggle with her two duffles in either hand, she decided to carry the rest of their things, loading up her hands and having to gently close Ironhides boot with her foot.

The two almost jogged into the tilta's bay, strapping all their belongings down in the personal storage near the cockpit, and Ash patted Aaron's shoulder as he sat in the pilot's seat.

"I'll be right back. You get her started."

The pilot lifted a thumbs up, putting on his helmet and flipping down the chrome visor.

Ash ran back down and up to Ironhide's alt, approaching his driver window.

Ironhide opened the door for her to let her talk, rather than through the window.

"Ironhide, your exit will be easy. Just drive straight on through, and if they do stop you, have this," And she handed him a folder as well as a badge, "These give you immunitive authority to get out of here without question. It's American, so they won't question it."

Ironhide nodded, grabbing the items and looking at them, before placing them on his dashboard, and turning to look at the Colonel.

"You keep yourself safe out there, kiddo," He told her with a surprising amount of care in his rough tone, making her smile, "Like Jazz said, I ain't seeing ya go quiet, ya hear me? Otherwise you're gonna make Optimus lose his slag, and I ain't dealing with that slagheap."

His comment surprised her, but she guessed that was just his way of saying he cares, and she was really happy to be on the receiving end of such care.

"Is that just your way of saying, 'Take care of yourself, love Mum'?" She smirked, making Ironhide deadpan.

"Get outta here before I shoot your aft, you cheeky slagger!"

"Love you, too, Hide," She laughed, jogging backwards to the tilta, which was now cleared for takeoff, waving at the man in the GMC.

Ironhide scoffed, but he liked the nickname, rolling his eyes that were full of mirth. He slammed his door closed and drove out of the way of the huge, dual-bladed aircraft.

The two propellors were pointed vertically for an upwards takeoff. In the cockpit, the Colonel settled in her seat and slipped on her own helmet, already plugged into the microphone.

"Check, one, two. Mic, clear. Engines, hot. Waiting to confirm," As the Pilot shot off a flurry of practiced orders.

In her view, the Colonel saw Ironhide parked a little ways away, and waved at him, seeing him respond with a fake two-fingered salute, making her smile, before paying attention to her own checks.

With an RPM check on the propellors, as well as an assortment of other mechanical checks, they were ready to fly.

"Raise the bird."

"Raising the bird," as Aaron flexed his hands across the gyrostick, and his other on the thrust, he held the gyro firm in the centre, but slowly raised the thrust, feeling the propellors pick up power, the tilta around them vibrating at the sheer force outside, until the tilta finally lifted. Ash followed through, her hands symmetrically following her Pilot's.

With a gentle spin upwards, the tilta traveled vertically.

Below them, the Colonel could see as Ironhide began to drive away and out of the gate.

"I'm gonna test CB, and see of they can hear it."

Aaron nodded, and they flicked some switches.

"You have control."

"I have control," and the tilta was flying solely on Aaron.

They were still travelling up, their ears popping at the pressure, until they reached 4000 meters, and decided to slow their ascent. Being so high, they could only a black dot that was Ironhide exiting the base, and they slowly followed him, until they slowed over the Autobots. They couldn't see them as they were hidden in the rocks, but Optimus had stepped at and raised his servo to them.

"M6 750, Ash to Eagle 1, Optimus, testing, one, two, over?"

They waited on the radio, staying silent.

"Optimus to Ash, loud and clear, over."

The two smiled. The radio was receiving extremely well, his voice barely had any noise, but they suspect that it was because he was Cybertronian.

"What up, Big Blue, over?" Aaron joked.

"We are clear down here, Major," The Prime replied, but they could hear the tinge of amusement in his tone.

"Ash to Optimus, Ironhide had no trouble, over?"

"Optimus to Ash, Ironhide returned safe and sound. Your badge worked, he says, over."

"That's good news. Optimus?"

"Yes, Ash?"

"We have a maximum of 60 miles on CB, and that's pushing it, Over."

"Understood. That means any military communication is limited on your side, until the virus is taken down."

"We still have our internal comm, and you still have your Autobot's comm. link., but other than that, if we lose contact..."

"Affirmative."

Ash sighed, looking at Aaron, who nodded back at her.

"Ash to Optimus, permission secure Precious Cargo. Location, Hoover Dam. ETA, 30 minutes, from high altitude. Over."

"Optimus to Ash, order confirmed." The Colonel nodded though she knew he couldn't see it, 

"Ashara."

"Optimus?" Came her careful response.

"Fly safe. Decepticons are mostly airborne. I... we fear your safety, both of you. Stay vigilant, you two. We are awaiting your call."

Aaron and Ash looked at each other, slightly surprised at their care. They had gotten so attached in such a short time, they knew such care in such a dangerous situation could compromise them all.

"Copy that, Eagle 1."

"Copy that, Eagle 1. Ash, out."

Their voices were serious, they couldn't say anything else.

And they turned off their side of the CB, sighing.

"Good luck. Till all are one."

The Prime's tone was equally cold, but he couldn't hide the subtext of emotion as much as he tried.

And his side went dark, too.

"You have control. Following through."

"I have control. You, follow through."

And they picked up the pace, the propellors turned forwards and accelerating higher and higher over the clouds, and away from gravity.

~

Cruising quickly over the clouds, around 15,000 meters, their flight was quick, pushing the engines to almost red-zone.

"Approaching Hoover Dam, ETA 5 minutes, beginning descent."

"Copy that. Requesting permission to land," the Colonel replied to her Pilot, reading the map and radar in front of them, "You have control."

"I have control."

Aaron switched to completely manual.

Ash took charge of the CB again, hailing any military frequencies nearby, until they found hers first.

"DE3 Y56 to unidentified aircraft, you are trespassing military airspace. State your name and purpose or you'll be forced to land. Over."

"Fucking hell, they're rude," Ash muttered, catching the frequency, making Aaron chuckle, "M6 750 to DE3 Y56, here on an emergency order of Sec. Def. Keller, requesting immediate permission to land, order confirmation number 296FT-87A4-53D34. Over."

The radio fell silent, but they continued to descend, the pressure popping their ears again, 

12,000 meters.

11,000 meters.

10,000 meters.

7,000, and they appeared out of the clouds, Hoover Dam a pale spec beneath them.

6,000 meters, and they reply.

"DE3 Y56 to M6 750, You have permission to land. Red smoke, helipad, over."

"M6 to DE3, received loud and clear. Descending. ETA, 1 minute. Out."

And they turned off their side of the radio, looking at each other exasperated.

"God, they sound like assholes," Aaron sighed dramatically.

"I know, so bloody rude," the Colonel snickered back.

"I see the pad," Aaron jerked his head in the direction of their landing pad, marked with red smoke. There was a small group waiting near the tower.

The helipad was empty, but two helicopters had been moved out of the way. Zero beeped loudly, alerting the Colonel.

"Those were the copters holding them earlier," she pointed to the helicopters that were flying a bit further away to another large pad. Aaron nodded, paying attention to landing, maneuvering the propellors to point vertically, using the tail as the only propulsion forward. They were less than a kilometer away now, and the sheer magnitude of the Dam truly came to being, when compared with the tiny group and the large helipad before them.

"Approaching, 200 meters."

He switched on guided landing, "Guides on. Point me some tags, would ya, Ash?"

"I got you," Ash muttered, pointing lasers at the centre of the helipad, and locking in, the tilta's computer calculating the distance and altitude, providing trajectory to land.

"Thanks."

"Approaching, 100 meters," And the group was just a little bit clearer. It looked like a few S7 armoured agents, with some higher personnel in the middle.

"We've got a welcoming party, Ash..." Aaron muttered, focusing delicately controlling the huge craft.

"I've got them, don't worry," she helped with stabilising, deploying landing gear before they almost forgot, "Approaching, 50 meters."

She looked out at the group, taking each character in, analysing for hostility, until a certain face made her eyes go wide.

"Fuck," she looked back at her controls, deploying safeties.

"What?"

"It's fucking Keller. He's here."

"No shit," Aaron gaped, the tilta now hovering a mere 2 meters.

"Oh fuck it, I'll deal with it. Hopefully, he'll play along."

"Hopefully?"

Ash winced, "I kinda missed his birthday," Aaron just deadpanned, the aircraft thudding and shuddering around them. They had touched down, and they began power down sequence. "I sent him a present, but I think he's still stingy."

Aaron stared at her unamused.

"Well, what was I supposed to do?! It was in January, and I was in Asia! Get off my back. I got this."

"Well, you better think quick, cus he's fucking charging up to your door..."

The propellors had only begun to slow, and the Secretary of Defense, who was indeed striding up to the helipad, before stopping, standing with his hands behind his back with a seemingly unimpressed look on his face. Ash sighed, and climbed out of the cockpit, taking off her helmet, leaving the Major to finish power down.

She fixed her MTP and her hair, putting on her beret. Walking up to the bay doors, she almost punched the large button, the tilta's bay doors groaning open. With a deep sigh, she strode down the ramp and walked straight to the Sec. Def.

"You're late, Colonel." He turned to her, a careful look in his eyes - What are you doing here?

"I apologise, Sir. We were held up at intel," she gave him a steady stare back - I know.

The Sec. Def. nodded, "Then grab your pilot and get in here. We have a lot to discuss. But make sure you're ready to fly at any moment."

"Yessir," she stood at attention, before turning to the tilta, and waving at the cockpit three times. Aaron gave her a thumbs up.

He didn't finish the power down sequence.

Taking off his flight suit, Aaron changed into his own MTP's and ran out to meet with Ash.

The Major stood at attention, facing the Sec. Def., and saluting him.

"Sir."

"Good Afternoon, Major. At ease."

The Secretary gave the Colonel a nod, who in turn gave the Major a sharp look, one he took with a dead stare.

They all knew that Sector Seven was fucking fishy.

And out of the plethora of black, armoured agents under the desert sun, Tom Banachek approached them.

"Sirs, Ma'am, we have a lot to discuss," he told them with a severe look in his eye.

The Major coughed, "Sir."

Tom looked at him, taking his cue, and turning to the Colonel, "We haven't met, sir?"

"We haven't, Tom."

But she didn't tell him her name.

The Liasion's eyes slightly widened, but he held out his hand to shake anyway, which the Colonel took with a straight face and a firm hand.

To be honest, it was fair to remind, that the Colonel dwarfed the 3 men in front of her.

She smirked at the thought, making Banachek uneasy.

The S7 Liasion cleared his throat, "Now, if you'll please follow me inside," And he held out a hand, gesturing to the bridge from the helipad in front of them.

The Secretary walked first, then the Colonel, Major and Liasion.

The metal bridge stepped down from the helipad and onto the pale yellow brick-concrete of the monumental Dam, a tower entrance 15 meters away.

Standing to the side, a line of soldiers stood at attention, were waiting, conversing with each other.

Ash and Aaron paid them little mind, walking next to each other two steps behind the Secretary, investigating their surroundings out of the corner of their eyes through their pitch-black sunglasses.

To their right was the brilliant, deep blue reservoir.

And to their left was the dark, shadowed turbines, roaring with raucous, tumultuous sound, a cacophony of chaos smoothened by the rhythm of the rushing water.

Then somewhere, here, right beneath their feet had to be the All-Spark. Bumblebee and the children were here too, everything was here.

Heaven forbid that Megatron be kept here, too.

The Talisman began to shiver against the small of her back, making her hand clench to a fist at the feeling.

She knows it's here. The All-Spark is right here.

The soldiers called attention at the sight of the Secretary, the right marker putting up a salute.

"At ease, Captain."

"Thank you, Sir."

Wait whatthefuck.

Aaron and Ash's head swiveled so fast at the sound of that voice, that the Major's neck literally cracked at the sudden movement.

I KNOW THAT VOICE!

In the glare of the sun, the row of soldiers were squinting in their measly berets, practically only seeing silhouettes in front of them. But with the Colonel's back to the sun, she could see them as clear as a full moon on a cloudless night.

And her heart had truly stopped in her chest.

Aaron's breath was knocked out of his lungs.

But they couldn't say a word.

Standing stiff, silent, stoic behind the Secretary, they resembled security detail with stunning composure. However, if one just looked a little closer, away from their inspiring strength, they would see the trembling fists, stiff backs and frozen faces, as if they were staring at the dead walking.

And they were.

The two couldn't hear what the Secretary said, but when everyone had begun to walk inside, they stayed behind, joining the back.

Joining the soldiers who fell into a group behind the S7 escort.

Joining the march of the dead.

The right marker walked past the two frozen guards until a hand settled in a tight grip on his shoulder.

He whirled around, "What -"

But the words got stuck in the back of his throat.

Because as he looked up at the owner of the trembling hand holding tight to his shoulder, and who else did he see but the Colonel.

Their Colonel.

"Ash?" the words were so quiet that he wasn't sure they left his brain.

"Lennox?"

Her face was shadowed, she stood tall as a break against the sun, Lennox could finally see her. Her expression almost crumpled, but she quickly tore the Captain into a back-breaking hug, who responded just as quickly.

The team soon realised, and a cacophony of voices exploded, and Epps realised another figure next to the Colonel, a sight for sore eyes.

"Aaron?!"

The Major, who was staring frozen at the very people who were technically dead up until a minute ago, finally snapped his attention back to somewhat reality.

"Epps? Y-you guys? You're...alive?" he whispered, the pain evident in his eyes, "D-did the others- Did anyone else get out?"

Robert took the shaken man into a firm hug, "I'm sorry, bud. The fuckers went after the planes first. I'm so sorry."

The Major hugged him back, and Epps patted his back in the much-needed comfort.

"I'm gonna fucking kill them..."

"We're right behind you. Those fuckers killed my friends, too."

They let go, and Epps held him at arms length, patted the Major's shoulders as he composed himself.

Aaron already did his mourning - now, all he needed was to kill the ones responsible.

Ash had been dragged into a group hug with the remaining soldier of the team.

"Don? Fig?"

"Fig's injured, he's in hospital still. Stable."

"But Don...it was too quick. H-he just disappeared, barely had time to scream."

"The ugly fuck had been following us since SOCCENT, it burst out of the sand."

Ash barely heard them.

Don is dead. Fig is injured.

Her expression was cold, and she hugged Lennox once more, hiding the murder in her eyes. He held her tight, firm, and cemented her to reality.

I'm going to kill them.

~