Chapter 20: The Return

A figure is trapped in a golden bubble, trying to force its way out until an explosion shakes, putting it on its back.

Two thin red beams hit someone beside you; you looked back at the shooter, awaiting the same faith.

The red light blinds you.

--

Will jumped, getting Tennyson's attention; Max was behind the wheel gazing from his head view mirror with his worried eyes.

Benita and Gwen were seated: in front of Will in the booth.

Sunny gazed from her phone beside him.

"Ok, what's your deal?" Her brow bounces while Will rubs his eyes. "Is this one of your dreams of yours?" Will answered.

"As a matter of fact." He sighs. "Yes...it was a golden bubble with someone inside and a red beam." Gwen sat CharmCaster's spellbook down.

"Maybe it's one of Virgo's visions?" She raised her brow while Max gazed at the head mirror.

"Maybe, We don't know when, but we know-how. Let's use caution." The Children returned; to doing what we're Will gazed at Benita that was messing with her watch.

"Hey, Ben." She continued her work, not batting an eye, but Gwen bumped her arm into hers, getting a cry from her.

Benita gazed up to Will.

"Yes?" She questioned while Will continued.

"Can I...talk to you in private?" Benita continued on her watch.

"No, I'm a little-" Gwen pushes her to her feet. "Hey! Hey!" Gwen smiled.

"That would be a wonderful idea." She whispered into her ear while Will got to his feet. Benita rolls her eyes, walking past him. Gwen nods while Sunny slaps his butt.

"Go, get her tiger.~" Will sighs walking, away as Sunny leans back on her phone while Gwen's eyes lower into a murderous glare.

Will slides the curtains blocking the other's view while Benita: stands within his view.

Will took a breath, recollecting thoughts to not start another fight like what happened the day before, fully prepared. He turned to her.

"What happened the other day...I'm sorry." Benita adds.

"You mean the part about using us?" She rolled her eyes while Will approached her pouring, regret from his.

"I-Uh..." He sighs.

"I shouldn't have said that; At the moment, I didn't know what; she'll do." Benita looks away.

"That was the only idea I had, and I see why you reacted that way. You got something you wish for, but I just squash it. Can you forget me?" Benita's eyes wander around the neatly bunks of their RV that Max enforces them to do. A minute passed, a grunt escaped between her lips.

"You think I can forgive you like that?" Will's eyes wandered from hers, noticing one of her rare traits- 'The Look.'

"You save me, and I'm grateful, but what you said." She clenches her fists.

"Even if it's to save my life...It hurts." She clicks her tongue, pushing the curtains aside, gaining looks from Sunny, Gwen, and Max.

Benita took a seat in the passenger seat by Max, leaving Will to groan in his failure to reconnect with his friend. They followed after glancing at the screen of a news program.

"I'm coming from NASA at Wallops!" He stood in front of a giant rocket and storm-striking purple lighting.

"Due to this weather, they moved the schedule!!" His blue-white suit flattered with the mild wind.

"As you see, it striking purple lighting!"

Max comments.

"This seems familiar." Gwen continued.

"Purple lighting...was it with that Werewolf?" Benita cock a brow.

"Your right, and that Mummy, Kenny mentioned." She rubs her chin.

"That can be our best bet." Max kept his eyes on the road.

"Looks like we need to take a trip to NASA." Will gazed at Gwen and shook his head.

She frowns.

Gwen eyed Sunny.

Sunny opened her mouth, scrolling on her phone.

Sunny: "As I said, you want answers; Fight me, but I don't think you'll last seconds with me." She grins while Gwen rubs the bridge of her nose.

...

The Tennysons and Glover entered NASA, walking down the hall of portraits.

Will gazed at the run-of text messages that his father never answered.

Sunny bumps: her arm against his.

"A little homesick?" Will gazed back at the messages before stuffing his phone into his pocket.

"You can say that." Will gazed to Max leading the four.

"Max." He hummed.

"Anything from Mom and Dad?" Max answered.

"They've been in the dark for a while."

"Give them some time." Will goes to question, but a cheery voice cut him off.

"Max!~" The director approaches them from across the hall with a huge grin: Max does the same.

"David!~" They hugged while David continued.

"It has been quite some time, Max; Forty years, I believe." He pats his shoulder while Max gives his famous smile.

Max: "It sure has; how are Christa and the children holding up?" David waved for them to follow.

Max and the children did just that.

"Quite well, honestly, We're gonna have a third." He smirked.

"Congrats." David nodded.

"Well, they're a handful, but I wouldn't trade them for the world." Benita's voice cut in.

"Wait, is that?!" She raced to a Portrait while the rest followed.

The children grew awe-struck seeing a Portrait of Young Max in Atrsonaunt suit, giving a charming smile.

Gwen points to Max, giving an embarrassed smile.

"You flew to the moon?!" David steps in.

"Well, unfortunately, he declined." Benita nearly shrieked.

"Why?!" Max chuckled.

"I've found another way to serve my country." A light beep filled the silent hall of fame. David cursed under his breath, gazing at his watch.

"Shoot, I nearly forgot. The meeting in a few minutes." He grabs Max's shoulder.

"I'm glad you came to check up on me, but duty calls." He begins walking with haste. "I'm sure you know your way out." Max answered.

Max: "We do." He winked at the kids as David walked around the corner from their eye sights. Max walked in the other direction as the kids followed.

---

Walking down the halls of Massive cylinders and pipes. Will gazed to Benita, that was clearly ignoring his gaze.

Sunny strikes up a conversation.

"I'm still in shock you wanna miss an opportunity like that. Seriously, have you ever thought of how famous you would become?" Max answered, eyeing the halls they're sneaking through.

"I'm not much with crowds." He came to a halt and pointed to a wall to hide behind. They followed his command, hearing footsteps cease. He pokes his head out, giving an all-clear. "Besides, fame can carry you so far."

"Hilter and Stalin have second thoughts." Gwen elbows Sunny giving Benita and Will a silent chuckle. Gwen glared at the two, causing them to stop as they arrived at a metal door with a complex lock.

Max sighs, pulling out a device: unlocking the door.

"You kids with memes." He said under his breath.

They approached the controls in the camera room as Max got to work.

"Hopefully, we'll find who's behind all of this." Gwen joins while Sunny sighs.

"BORING!" Benita snaps her fingers.

"This is the first I have to agree with her. When you gang, find what you're looking for. Give me a call." Sunny followed as Gwen placed her hands on her hips.

"Where you're two think you're going?!" Sunny answered.

"Anywhere but here." Will assist Gwen.

"And splitting up is a good idea?!" Benita nonchalantly waved as she exited the room with Sunny behind.

"Go eat some scooby snacks: that's all you good for." The door closes as the three gazed daze at the door. Gwen huff.

"That was uncalled for. Uh, that brat." Max added.

"I'll talk to her later." Will cuts in.

"It's all good: she needs a stroll, is all." He lightly glared but shook it off.

"Find anything?" Max took a second to come to thought.

"No." The lights and the cams begin to flicker. Gwen questioned.

"Don't tell me-" Max cut her off.

"I don't think that's them." The room became pitch black until the cam revealed a figure in a knight suit with a mask of a frowning face.

"Well, fancy meet you here." Everyone stays silent. "And you have a Plumber, Max Tennyson, is it?" Max stood his ground.

"If I going to guess, you must be the leader of the Forever Knights." The leader adds.

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" Will questioned.

"Is this a message, maybe a threat?" The leader spoke.

"More like a warning." They raised a brow.

"They are a few of my colleagues coming to the facility as we speak, and we both know they will backstab me when they get what they want." He leans closer.

"People will die and maybe even one of you, but you can stop this. Give me what I want." Gwen questioned.

"And that is?" The leader countiuned.

"The boy." Will stagger while Max guards him.

"That's never gonna happen." The Knight Leader adds.

"You want to risk lives for some plumber pride? One life can save thousands." Gwen cuts in.

"And you forcing Ms.Cornwell to murder her husband for the deed to carry your corporation. That tells me everything I needed to know." The Knight leader: stay silent until he spoke once more.

"The training field." The three raised a brow. "Just how long the girl's watch can stand?" The cams shut off, putting the room in utter darkness.

A bang gathers their attention to the door. Another followed.

Max grabs the two, diving to the floor: shielding them as the door flew off the hinges crashing into the console that spews electricity like a wildfire.

Knights raid the room with energy blades and rifles.

"Huh?" A Knight with an energy blade gazes around the room, no sight of their target. A Knight with a rifle shout.

"Find them." A voice rings out.

" You don't have to!" Rogue flips over the console at the group of the assaulter.

Energy beams rained at Rogue while he planted his boot into a knight's helmet. He fell on his back while Rogue rolled to his feet connected his heel into another knight's chin, causing him to spin onto his face.

"So, where can I get those suits?!" A knight with an energy blade came from behind to slash, yet Rogue backflipped over the attacker. Kicking his leg out. "Looks pretty cool if you ask me." His boot crashes against the knight's side of his helmet.

"FIRE!!!" The knights with rifles fired while Rogue used his acrobats to dodge the hellfire.

Two of the riflemen drop from a beam of blue. Gaining attention from Gwen producing a shield with Max on her back, providing fire support.

"Nice with the Agro control guys!" Rogue rolls for a handle on the ground, igniting a red blade. Three bladed knights rush him.

"Surround him?!" One of the three ordered.

"For little old me? I'm pleased." Their blade clashes.

Rogue back-stepped and blocked the attacks of his first attacker. He counters, cutting the tip of the knight's helmet with an upward tap. The knight fell on his back of the close call while Rogue leaned forward, twirling his blade in hand, slashing the second attacker's blade out of his hands.

Rogue disable his blade and smashes the guard into the knight's gut. Rogue flips over, grabbing his neck and hurling him into the third attacker causing the two to crash into the floor.

Rogue pants as the room filled with wounded assaulter groans were all they heard.

"Hey...Hey, you guys alright?" He questioned while Gwen and Max approached him.

"We're all good. We need to find Ben and Sun, fast!" Max rushes out of the room with Gwen behind.

"Don't lag behind!" Rogue jogs after them.

"I'll try not to!" Running down the hall, they snapped to each room for the training field. "Is there some map around here?!" Gwen answered.

" Or we can follow a pink light and smoke touching the sky." They stop gazing at the hall of windows at Gwen's description. A football field away from them is a building with a circular dome with a truck-size hole on the side hazing smoke.

Max replied.

"Nice work, Gwen." Before he took a step. Rogue pushes the two away from a fireball that scorched the floor they originally stood on.

Their eyes landed on a Knight with his arm covered with a familiar magma and rock as he stood with his arm stretched.

"With the abilities you, your, brats have. We consider this.." His helmet melts from his face revealing a head of Heatblast yet slimmer. "Even!" He stomps, spewing a wave of flames headed their way.

Will shift Big Chill and blew a wave of his own. Their waves clash windows burst as they settle down in smoke. Big Chill goes to faze through the pyro knight, yet something tackles him through the window.

They crash against the concrete while Big Chill stops someone's claws inches from his eyes. They both reveal themselves, surprising Will by a margin.

A Knight with blueberry skin, teeth infused with each other, his green Beetle eyes stare back at Big Chill.

"You're famous, you know." The Necro Knight's cold breath sends shivers down Will's spine. "Gives me even more determination to turn you in alive or in shards."

Big Chill headbutt the Necro Knight and kicks him off him. Big Chill stood up, gaining distance with the use of his wings.

The Pyro Knight leaps through the window uses his powers to take a soft landing while The Necro Knight's wings burst from his back, similar to Big Chill, to intimidate him.

"What the fuck?!" Big Chill cursed to himself. Two familiar voices called out.

"Will!!" Max and Gwen shout from the windows, looking down at the three. Big Chill waved his arm.

"GO!! I'll catch up!" Max goes to protest, yet Big Chill cuts him off. "Ben and Sun in need of ur help! MOVE IT!!" They followed his order reluctantly.

Big Chill focuses on the SuperHuman Assaulters.

"Bad move on your part." Pyro Knight said menacingly while the two circle him like sharks.

"Tell me! Where did you get that kind of power?!" Big Chill demanded while Necro Knight cuts in.

"It wouldn't be a secret, wouldn't it?" Pyro Knight shoots a beam while Big Chill shifts Diamondnite, spinning he form a diamond shield on his forearm knocks the beam from afar.

He fired shards missing due to Pyro Knight side-bursting with his flames. Necro Knight blew a wave of ice from above Diamondnite blocks the onslaught but failed to notice himself sinking.

He realized the dangers and saw Pyro Knight speeding like a bullet towards him.

Diamondnite tanks the punch to the cheek, but a few shards broke from it. He crashes onto his back, digging the concrete up with the diamond on his back.

"Ow! That's one hell of an alien." Pyro Knight shakes his hand while Diamondnite grunts, regenerating his cheek.

Diamondnite stood to his feet, preparing for another attack, but felt two hands grab his ankles. He looks down, and Necro Knight drags him to the ground. Up to his neck, the Necro Knight reveals himself beside his head, squatting with a tilt to his head.

"I was expecting more." Pyro Knight approaches the two with a satisfying grin. "And from you nonetheless." Diamondnite eyes flare while electricity builds up. His teeth clench, causing the Superhuman Knight to stagger.

The knight creates some distance while Diamondnite screams from his lung. Smoke burst as pebbles went flying from the smoke, yellow electricity was seen, and outcome Diamond Riot.

Connecting a punch to Pyro Knight's cheek, he flips and rolls until crashing onto the ground.

"RAAAAAAAGH!!!" Diamond Riot roared, shaking the Necro Knight to his core. He dashes towards Necro Knight gaining inches within seconds.

Necro Knight took flight, dodging a deadly blow.

Diamond Riot quickly turn on his feet while his Red skin return once more, and an ear jack is connected to his forearm, causing a line of Color schemes to pulse.

He threw a punch, causing a loud bass to burst, connecting the shockwave.

The Necro Knight flew away until crashing onto the hard concrete unconscious.

Red riot pants, the jack unhook itself, and his rage form burst into nothing. The sky crackle once more while Purple lighting followed.

He noticed it.

"Wait, did that?" He shifts Big Chill and takes to the skies, scanning the area around him. The lighting came again. "It looks like it's coming from that graveyard of planes." He said under his breath until an explosion shook him to his core.

It came from the graveyard and was followed by a flash of pink light.

"There they are!" He exclaimed before a Massive plane of spikes flew overhead toward that destination at an alarming rate. "Ah, shit!!" He flies after it.

Big Chill shifts Nova zooming after it.

'Don't tell me that's Megatron?!' He gulps nervously. 'Where's Optimus?!' A flare gathers his attention as he notices a fighter jet on his tail.

A minigun adjusts from underneath, spinning, making Nova's heart drop. Bullets fly while he dodges the onslaught.

Nova barrel rolls to his right, dodging the incoming bullets while the fighter jet follows with tunnel vision.

"Does he know the real battle is not me?!" He exclaimed, barreling between NASA Spaceship.

The Fighter Jet pulls off, getting a better angle, barrel rolling between it as well.

Nova flew straight to the sky. The mild wind blew against his flames while bullets rained after him. The purple lighting strike past the two while the storm crackle.

The fighter jet fires a missile; it explodes beside Nova, almost knocking him out of it. Nova grunts.

"You're asking for it!" Nova suddenly brakes while the Fighter Jet flies past. Nova flipped out of control until gathering his bearing; Sky diving with his back to the ground. The jet aims at its target once more while Nova does as well.

Bullets and Fire beams rained on both sides as lightning struck once more. In the middle of the fire flight, Nova and the Fire jet exchange blows, but neither of them didn't wants to stop.

"AAAAAH!!!" Nova roar as bullets pierces his shoulder and hip, fire beam clashes on the cockpit a few time until one wanders into the thruster: putting it out.

The jet spun out of control. Nova turns to the ground growing closer to his possible death. Nova pulled up, grunting while the Fighter jet followed his lead. They took to the skies once again: the Fighter jet soon crashed into a watchtower that revealed Starscream screaming as he crashed into the ground.

"I need to get to the others." He focuses as his boils soon become smooth again. Nova boost to the Graveyard of Airplanes.

---

Arriving, he finds scraps of Decepticons across the graveyard, even a few unconscious and Dead Knights.

"Oh, no." Nova worry bounces from zero to a hundred.

Explosions and gunfire gather his attention across the deadland.

A few Decepticons were firing at something while the massive intimidating plane zoomed from the fight. Arriving closer: a pink dome was in the center of abuse, surrounded by the corpse of bots.

"GUYS!!!" He boosts towards the fight, gathering the attention of the Attackers.

Nova zooms through the chest of an unlucky Drone as he crashes into the ground releasing a fiery explosion.

A crater was left behind as this made the Drones paranoid. They turn their heads in search of the bots that sought to help the humans, but they are partially wrong as Highroller drive from the crater taking to the air.

He shifts to his bot form, blasting his blaster into the group. Putting two down.

"AAAAH!" He rolls to his feet, blasting and dodging red beams coming at him.

High Roller shoulder rolled and gave a flying knee to the closer bot.

An onslaught of beams came at him, and he was too late to dodge before a Purple being with pink floating hair came to his assistance.

She absorbed all the beams before shooting them back, ending the battle.

"This is because I owe you one." Sunny looked back to High Roller, that nodded.

They approach the shrink dome turning back to themselves as the pink dome seizes to exist. Revealing Gwen in sweat and dirt while Max was cut up and bruised.

"Gwen! Max!" He raced to their aid. He caught Gwen as soon as she fainted. "Gwen?!" Sunny cut in.

"She's fine. She pushed her limit." Sunny wipes the sweat from her brow. Will gazed at Max that weakly smirk.

"I'm good." He goes to stand but stumble. Sunny gave support before he had the chance to hit the ground.

Will snaps his head around.

"Ben?! BEN?!" He called, but Max frowned.

"She was captured...by Megatron." Will's heart sank knowing her best friend was captured by a bot that may even rival Vilgax's brutality.

Suddenly a massive portal opened, revealing The Autobots rushing to action, but staggered seeing the destruction before them.

Corpses of Drone litter the yard around the three, smoke and fire hazed at every corner, and NASA Facility was partially destroyed.

"We're too late." Optimus stood in shock.