Chapter 16 - Upgraded

Sneaking across a carpark sparsely littered with an array of different vehicles, Deadmetal crept, stepping over a car here, ducking into the blind spots of security cameras there as he made his way towards the boundary wall. A security light spontaneously switched on, flooding a large portion of the parking lot in its false light, a cat scurrying off around the corner. Deadmetal swung into the nearest patch of darkness, hunkered down, lenses swivelling in all directions, all senses straining to pick up any encroaching signs of life, be they organic or otherwise. A few moments passed, and the sudden urge to scan a nearby car and change disguise subsided. His Apache AH-64A guise was safe once more. The security light switched itself off and Deadmetal started moving again, rising from his crouch and moving toward the grubby stone wall. Another look at his surroundings. Still no one. He swung a leg over the wall, then the next and stepped into the field on the otherside. Above, the low whining of an engine sounded out. He glanced skyward. Piercing the looming black clouds, a single white light and a set of smaller, red lights glided by overhead. A native machine to this planet, not the enemy. He told himself, knowing that Turbulance was lurking around somewhere.


Carjack lifted a hand, fingers spread, and rotating it as far as it would go as if to inspect it. Infact, that's exactly what he was doing. Inspecting the scientist's handy-work. Professor Markus had gone to extreme lengths in just a few days to ensure that Carjack recieved his desired upgrade, even if the Great Dane's primary motivation was that if he didn't comply, he'd be crushed and ground into dust. Markus stood nervously before the giant mechanoid. The last step was yet to be taken. All neccessary wires and new curcuits were in their respectful new places and weapons were enhanced. All that was needed to be done now was to activate the micro chip that was now embedded deep within the bulky Decepticon. Markus took a deep breath and scurried back to his computer. His fingers flew across the keyboard, typing in a long series of codes in the alien language Carjack had called English. Still complete gibberish to him, he hoped and prayed that what he was typing was correct, and his finger hovered above the Enter key on his keyboard and a glance was cast over at Carjack.

''What're you waiting for?'' Carjack growled impatiently.
''Commencing the final stage of the upgrade...... Now.'' He declared, trying to keep his voice steady.
The Enter key was pressed and the codes on the screen started to vanish. Markus instinctively leaned toward the monitor that was displaying the alien characters and symbols.
''Don't!'' Carjack growled angrily.
Markus flinched away from his computer and spun in his chair at the sound of Carjack's voice. His eyes widened as he watched Carjack transform, not into the posh 4x4, but into something else. Something bigger, and meaner looking. He'd doubled in size, panels warping and taking on new shapes, shifting positions and effectively giving birth to more panels. He flexed his limbs, emitting strange grinding noises, sparks flew from joints and lenses flared a violent red as an involuntary electronic shriek garbled forth. Markus took several steps back until he came into contact with the back wall that lay hidden behind the rear white curtain as the mechanical monstrosity continued its transformation, arching upright to a point where his back bowed, arms jerked and fingers twitched. A behemothic mechanical foot lifted laborously off the floor and slammed back down as new armoured panels split off the originals and grew and bent into shape.

Then all movement ceased, the only sound was that of professor Markus' heavy breathing as he pressed up hard against the wall. Carjack lowered his head. He looked down at himself and flexed his limbs. Three times his orginal size now, he grinned broadly and allowed himself a moment of manic glee. Even Krusher himself would have difficulty taking him down now. He glanced upwards, right hand in mid-rotation. His line of sight landed directly upon the quivering scientist.
''You did well, professor.'' He said in a tone that was now much deeper, and much coarser than it had been before the codes had been downloaded. ''You did very well.'' He repeated, unleashing a weapon and looking at it admirably.
He took a step toward the quivering scientist and bent down so he was practically lense - to - eye with the man. Markus instinctively shrank back, away from that large, menacing head.
''Before I go, there are two things I would like to say to you.'' He continued in a casual tone. ''One; Thankyou. And two; Sorry.''
He grinned and his arm blade slid forth and came hard at the Great Dane, the massive blade slicing with ease through his middle, severing him in two. Carjack removed his blade and used one of the white curtains to wipe it clean with before turning and leaving the two pieces of the scientist sprawled on the floor in a mess of intestines and blood.


It was spitting with rain as the battered police cruiser sped around the corner, sending up a fine spray of water in its wake. Regaining his grip on the road once more, Speeder continued on. Deadmetal may have been in town now, but he couldn't wait any longer, and so now he was racing toward the large, modern looking building that housed the laboratories and offices where Carjack and Turbulance were supposedly meant to be, with his copied sirens blaring loudly warding anyone off who dared to stray too close. A week and a half had passed already. Too long. Way too long, in Speeder's opinion. Carjack should've been stopped as soon as he was located. But no. Deadmetal had persisted that he be patient and await his arrival, that came three days too late. Sliding around another corner, the building came into view, skirted thickly by tall connifer trees, a set of large, neatly mown lawns lay either side of the main driveway leading up to the main entrance. Just off to the left, a curving acces road wound its way around to the rear of the building. That's the road Speeder chose, slowing down to twenty from eighty-seven as he cautiously made his way toward the rear of the compound. The loading bay doors were still open with no sign of any delivery in any shape or form.

Speeder stopped just before the threshold and peered in, scanning the area as thoroughly as he could. Only one thing of interest; a cooling mass that lay at the rear of the large area hidden within the confines of several thick white curtains that shielded people from seeing the technology within and also shielding the technology from what was outside. Speeder kept his vehicle form and rolled silently in, his tires making the barest of squeeks when he shifted direction to avoid a large steel crate that lay at an awkward angle. He came to a halt a few feet away from the frontal white curtain. Light pierced the gaps between it and it's neighbours. Checking one last time that no one was around, the police car reformed itself, shifting panels and wheels, moulding itself to fit the body of a tall, thin bipedal robot. Another scan of the area. The building seemed to be empty. Speeder carefully reached a hand forward and pushed a finger into the slit between the curtains and pulled one back to one side. Within he found a central curtain, seperating two areas. The curtain was smeared heavily with blood. He stepped cautiously in and pulled that curtain to one side.
''Ahhh, this is gonna please everyone...'' He sighed unhappily upon seeing the mutilated form of what was once the Great Dane scientist, professor Markus, both parts of his body at an awkward, slumped angle in a wide spread pool of bodily mess.
He let the curtain fall back and headed out, back into the growing drizzle of the night.


Deadmetal wasn't far away. He could see Speeder racing out back onto the main road ahead.
''Speeder, wait-!'' His message was cut very short by a heavy thud from behind.
He spun around, arm mounted weapons at the ready. Turbulance stood before him, a slight grin on his mechanical features. The Decepticon slowly shook his head.
''I can't believe I'm gonna say this...'' He sighed. ''Carjack has already recieved his upgrade, and trust me; you don't wanna go up against him alone now. I suggest, the three of us work together.'' Those words came hard to him, and he cringed slightly at saying them.
Deadmetal just stared, the muzzles of his weapons leveled for a chest shot.
''Work together...?'' He repeated, albeit slightly amusedly. ''You, me and Speeder. Working together....?''

Turbulance grumbled. This was unbelievably difficult for him. He hated all Autobots with an unyielding passion, and to offer assistance to one, nay, two, was like moral suicide to him.
''Yes.'' He snapped peevishly. ''We work together.''
''Then everything goes back to normal...?''
''About as normal as things can get for us.'' Turbulance replied, feeling all the more unhappy with the current situation.
Deadmetal paused a moment. Speeder would more than likely never let him live the decision down, but he grudgingly agreed. A temporary truce was called. And Autobot and Decepticon started working together like a finely rusted machine recieving its first dose of axel grease for over ten years.
''Where's Carjack now?''
''Heading towards town, so don't dawdle, Autobot, otherwise there'll be more than hell to pay.'' Turbulance growled before taking a leap into the air and seemingly folding in on himself as his vehicle mode took hold.
Deadmetal followed suit and contacted Speeder as he followed Turbulance towards the town center.

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