While the Autobots got captured, Miko was running away while trying to find a place to hide. She was really scared right now and the enemy was a spider Decepticon. A fragging spider!
"I gotta hide. There!" Miko told herself before she ran inside the cave and started to catch her breath.
Okay, so far, so good. As long as she stays there, she doesn't have to see Airachnid the spider con. Just thinking of her name creeps her out due to her arachnophobia.
"Okay, Miko... calm down, calm down. No need to worry. It's not like there's a giant con looking like a spider out there. Okay not helping." Miko scolded herself as she took deep breaths to calm down before she froze when she heard a noise just behind her and she started to back up slightly nervously.
"Uh, hello? Anyone there? Come on, Miko, pull it together." She asked nervously as she tried to calm herself down even more but froze when she bumped into something or someone.
"You're talking to yourself now?" The familiar voice of Emily asked as this caused Miko to fall down and let out a terrified scream.
Miko continued to scream before she realized that it was Emily who was looking at her with amusement with a raised eyebrow and it looked like she was trying not to burst out laughing.
"Emily, don't do that! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Miko was relieved to see that Emily was okay but that gave her quite a scare.
Emily just chuckled and helped her up as Miko hugged her as she hugged back before they pulled away as another familiar voice was heard and they turned to it.
"Funny. That's what you always give me every time you leave the base through the ground bridge." Jack reminded her as he came out of hiding as he hugged Miko as she hugged back before pulling away and she punched his shoulder playfully as he laughed.
"Calm down, you guys, we just need to find Raf." Emily was glad to see the two of them but she was worried that something bad might happen to Raf.
"Looking for me?" A small voice spoke up as they turned around and was surprised but relieved at the same time to see that it was only Raf and it calmed them down further.
"Raf." Emily greeted him softly as he looked like he had been crying for a few minutes.
Raf looked up before his face gave a wide smile and ran to Emily and hugged her by the waist while hiding his face on her stomach and let out a small sniff indicating that he was crying slightly in relief. She hugs back while rubbing his head to calm him down as she was glad that he was okay.
"E-Emily." Raf sniffed as he started to calm down.
They both hug each other for a bit longer before pulling back as Raf wiped his eyes and nose from crying.
"I'm so glad you're okay." Raf sniffed a little as he looked up to his sister figure as she ruffled his hair and caused him to laugh in delight.
"Thanks, buddy. I'm glad to see that you all came for me." She looked at them with a smile as they smiled back.
"We never leave a friend behind." Jack told her as she nodded with appreciation.
"All for one and one for all." Miko said as she punched Emily's shoulder who giggled at her.
"Thanks, guys, I really appreciate this." Emily said before looking serious. If they were here and hiding, where are the Autobots but more importantly where's Optimus?
"What happened? From what the others told us, they couldn't find you." Raf told her as he was confused since they and the others couldn't find her back at base, her phone signal and no communications.
"Long story. Airachnid attacked me and Arcee. I tried to find a place to hide but she caught me from behind. And then just like that she released me." She explained before shrugging her shoulders at the last part but that threw Jack off a little as he looked at her in surprise.
"Whoa, whoa, back up. She released you?" He asked as he looked a little shocked but confused. Why did Airachnid just release Emily just like that?
"Let's just say that I annoyed her." Emily told him with a small grin and from the looks in their eyes, she will tell them how.
"This is not good. Knowing her, she must've had a reason for releasing you just like that. She loves hunting." Jack said as he started to think of ways of why and only came down with the explanation that since Airachnid is a scavenger and huntress, she must have released Emily for the hunt but why capture Smokescreen, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Optimus?
"I just saw Bulkhead being dragged underground." Miko told Emily as she looked shocked and worried.
"Bee got stuck in some web lines." Raf sniffed as he was really worried for his brother figure.
"Smokescreen got stuck to a wall. This was her plan all along. She knew that the Autobots would be here so she decided to capture them." Jack told them as they became worried for what has befallen their Autobot friends and guardians, but for what?
"For what purpose?" Emily asked in confusion. They all tried to come up with a purpose before Jack looked at Emily and realized what Airachnid had in mind for the Autobots.
"For bait. She must've caught the Autobots as prey and now she's using them as bait." Jack said as he saw the picture in his mind of using the Autobots as bait. Sneaky Airachnid.
"So it would seem. The only question is, are we the prey?" She looked at them in confusion but saw the look on Jack's face, he was telling her that she was the prey just by looking in his eyes.
"I think that you're the prey." Jack told her as worry was surfacing through their faces.
"Megatron must've sent Airachnid to capture you. But since she loves good hunting, she didn't wanna do this the easy way." Raf pushed his glasses back a little as Emily had a serious look in her optic-eye as she looked at them with a plan in mind.
"So I guess I'll have to play her little game. Fine by me. If she wants me, she'll get me." She told them as she clenched her fists tightly. Messing with her is one thing but messing with her friends and family is another thing and she will be sure to let Airachnid know it.
"Got that right. Let's go save our friends." Miko said with a confident grin but Jack stopped her from running off before she got hurt.
"Slow down, Miko, we should call the base to see what we should do." Jack said as he looked at them as they knew that they needed a plan to rescue the others but calling the base might reassure their two friends.
"You forgot something. No signal." Miko reminded him as Raf looked thoughtful before looking at Jack.
"It's worth a shot." Raf nodded to Jack. They weren't able to get a good signal to contact base or Emily so why not try again.
"I'll try." Jack told them as he took out his phone.
Jack then used his phone to call the base and hoped that Ratchet would answer while praying that the others are okay.
Meanwhile, Arcee was still getting checked up by Ratchet as he was almost done.
"Good thing the damage wasn't too severe." Ratchet told Arcee who was looking at the computers with worry. What's taking them so long?
"Hello? Ratchet, can you hear me?" Hearing Jack calling them filled them with hope as Ratchet quickly went to the computer and answered him with a relieved tone.
"Loud and clear, Jack. Thank the Allspark you're okay. Have you found Emily?" Ratchet told him before asking worriedly.
"Check for yourself." Jack passed the phone to Emily as she put it on speaker and answered.
"Hey, Ratchet." Emily greeted him with a smile on the phone.
"Emily, you're alright." Ratchet couldn't help the smile that appeared on him as Arcee came up as hope and relief flow through her.
"I'm good, Ratchet. How's Arcee?" Emily asked as Arcee couldn't stop the smile as she answered.
"I'm okay now that I know you're safe." Arcee told her and she could feel the smile that Emily had on right now.
"I'm glad you're okay. We have a problem." Emily told them over the phone.
"What is it?" Ratchet could tell that it was bad news and he was right.
"We have reasons to believe that Airachnid holds the others as prisoners." Emily said as she and the others looked at each other with worry in their eyes.
"Are you certain?" Ratchet asked her to be sure that he wasn't mistaken as he heard Miko's voice over the speaker.
"You bet we are. We saw everything." Miko said as she shuddered from the feeling.
"Airachnid is probably using them as bait to lure Emily." Jack replied as he knew that Airachnid would do this since it was the same as the second time he met her.
"This is not good. Kids, listen to me, you must stay where you are." Ratchet told them but he could tell Emily was shocked by this.
"What? You can't just order us to just sit back and let Airachnid hurt our friends like that." Ratchet had to wince slightly as she almost sounded like Optimus when she said that.
"You must do what I say. Airachnid is very dangerous." Ratchet warned them as he knew that they would go after the others no matter what he said.
"Don't worry, Ratchet, we'll do what you say. Oh no. Where's Miko?" Jack looked around with Raf and Emily when they noticed that Miko disappeared.
They look around frantically for Miko before they see that she's running from their hiding spot and possibly where Airachnid is.
"Miko, wait!" Raf called out as he ran after her.
Jack and Emily look at each other as they know that they have to do it or else their friends will get hurt.
"Guys, wait up!" Emily called out as she ran after them.
"Sorry gotta go." Jack hangs up and runs after the trio.
Ratchet tried a few times to call Jack or Emily but all he could hear was static.
"Jack? Jack?" Ratchet called his name but static was being heard. Arcee clenched her servos as she can't take it anymore. If she's hurt, she has to go back out there and help them and save her friends.
"That's it. I'm going there." Ratchet saw her determination and smiled at this and nodded.
"Arcee." Ratchet said but Arcee cut him off as she continued to rant.
"I know I'm still hurt but the kids need me right now." Arcee continued as Ratchet tried to call her name again.
"Arcee." Ratchet said again.
"If I stay here, Megatron will get his claws on something dangerous. You of all bots should know that." Arcee told him as she was worried for Emily's safety as well as the others.
"Arcee." Ratchet was losing a small bit of his patience as Arcee continued to rant.
"Airachnid is dangerous and the kids won't stand a chance against her." Arcee crossed her arms as if pulling herself together.
"Arcee." Ratchet called her name sharply as she looked at him with a look saying 'what?!'.
Ratchet was by the computer then he activated the groundbridge to her confusion.
"Are you gonna go help them or keep talking with me?" Ratchet asked her as she looked at him in surprise but was glad that he was allowing her to help the others.
"Thanks, Ratchet." Arcee nodded as Ratchet nodded back.
She runs towards the portal before transforming and goes through the portal to join the others and hoping to Primus that she reaches them on time.
Meanwhile back at the canyon, Miko was still running trying to find Bulkhead and the others and hoped that they were alright. She's followed swiftly by Jack, Raf and Emily who managed to catch up to her.
"Slow down, Miko. We don't know where the others are." Raf panted as he ran beside Emily.
"Then let's go looking for them." Miko told them as she was determined to save the others.
"And then what? It's not like we can fight her." Jack pointed out the problem. They can't fight Airachnid and they don't have weapons like the Autobots do.
"Maybe you can't but I do." Emily told them as they looked at her like she was crazy as they started to slow down.
"Whoa! Slow down, Emily." Jack said when she started to run faster but did so as they slowed down to a stop as they all pant lightly.
"Why are we stopping? Let's go, we've got to help the others." Miko told them as Jack shook his head. He knows what Airachnid is capable of.
"We can't go, Miko. Not like that, we need a plan. Airachnid is dangerous, she's a born hunter and won't hesitate in hunting us." Jack told them seriously as Emily nodded with a serious look.
"Jack's right. I'll hold her off." Emily stepped up as the three looked at her in surprise.
"What?" They ask her as if she grew another head. She rolled her eyes at them before telling them what she had in mind.
"I'll try to buy you three enough times for you to free the others." Emily told them as she knew it was risky but it was worth the try.
"What if we can't free them?" Raf said as he pushed his glasses back a little.
"Ratchet knows we need help. We'll have to play along and wait for him to come." Emily told them as she knows that Ratchet will send Arcee.
"What makes you think he's coming?" Miko asked Emily as the blonde of the group gave her a knowing look.
"Miko, Ratchet wouldn't dare to abandon us." Jack said as Miko shook her head.
"That's not what I mean. Arcee and Airachnid are sworn enemies. Maybe she's the one who will come and help us." Miko said as Emily nodded to her.
"Maybe so. We'll have to go on ahead without help. That is if said help is on the way." Emily agreed as she was hoping that Arcee or Ratchet would arrive on time.
"Don't worry. Help is on the way. I know it." Jack reassured them as they nodded in agreement.
"Let's go." Emily said as she ran up ahead with them following her.
Jack, Miko, Raf and Emily start running now that they have a plan and hoping that the others are okay and that they reach them on time before Airachnid hurts them.
Meanwhile, the Autobots were all caught in Airachnid's web and they were all trying to get themselves free but Airachnid's web was too strong. Even Bulkhead couldn't get out of his bounds.
"Amazing, isn't it? Four Autobots, four sparks to kill. Which one of you shall I start with first? Decisions, decisions." Airachnid said as she admired her catch of the day. She knows that Emily will come and save them. She just knows it.
"This is not good." Smokescreen said as he continued to struggle.
"I'm starting to hate this." Bulkhead had to agree as Bumblebee beeped in agreement as he struggled more.
"Airachnid, there's no need to do this. Kill me instead and spare the others." Optimus told her as he doesn't want the others to get hurt while praying to Primus for someone to help them.
"Tempting but you should know, Prime. That you and your friends are just bait to bring my real prey in." Optimus felt his optics widened at this as he started to struggle with more strength. If Airachnid hurt as much of a single hair on Emily, she would be scrap metal.
"I won't let you touch her." Optimus growled as he narrowed his blue optics at her.
"You're hardly in any position to make threats, Optimus. Now let's sit back and wait for your friend to come and save you." Airachnid smiled sinisterly as Optimus and the others glanced at each other worriedly.
The kids finally arrive where Airachnid is holding the others as prisoners but they hide quickly so that Airachnid doesn't see them.
"We found them and it looks like they're in trouble." Emily whispered so only the four of them could hear. The trio nodded when they saw how the situation was.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go help them." Miko was about to stand up but Emily pulled her back down with a stern look.
"Are you crazy? If she sees us, we're done for." Jack told her as Emily started to tell them her plan.
"She won't. Let's stick to our plan. I'll distract her and when I give you the signal, move out and go help the others." Emily told them as they nodded.
"But how will we know you'll give the signal?" Raf asked in confusion as Emily just gave him a smile.
"Trust me, Raf. You'll know it when you see it. Here I go." She winked playfully at him before she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
While Emily went back a few feet from their hiding spot and started to walk as if she just came by just now to distract Airachnid. It would seem that she was growing impatient from the looks of it.
"This is taking too long and I'm starting to get bored. Oh well, better luck next time. Except that for one of you... there won't be a next time. Let's start with you, Optimus. I will finally get to do the one thing Megatron could never do." Airachnid smiled sinisterly as the three Autobots began to struggle even more as Optimus narrowed his optics as she approached him while she prepared her claws to kill the leader of the Autobots.
"Extinguish your spark. Once and for all." Optimus closed his optics as he accepted his fate but felt a pang of guilt and sadness at not being able to express to Emily how he felt.
Just as she was about to strike his spark chamber, she's interrupted by someone with a familiar voice that made her stop as she turn around as the Autobots look to where the voice came from and were filled with hope and relief to see that Emily was okay but Optimus felt his energon boiled when he noticed a small cut under her chin. Smokescreen was confused but relieved. But how can a human save them from their situation but when he saw the look in her optic-eye, he saw that she had a plan.
"Hey, eight legged freak. Did you miss me?" Emily glared at Airachnid as she smiled sinisterly and walked away from Optimus and approached her.
"You came right on time, child. I was just about to kill your friends one by one." Airachnid told her as this made her blood boil. How dare she?!
"I won't let you do that." Emily forced herself to calm down. She has to stick with the plan.
"Really? And how do you plan on stopping me?" Emily smirked as she put her hand on her hips while she looked without fear at Airachnid who stopped a few feet from her.
"Simple, by making you a deal. An offer you can't refuse." Airachnid looked at her closely in confusion but it was tempting.
"I'm listening." Emily sighed mentally knowing that she got her full attention.
"I'll give myself up without resisting if you release my friends. All of them." She told the spider Decepticon with a serious voice.
"If I do that, you might all attack me at once. Surrender yourself now and I'll consider releasing them. Do we have a deal?" Airachnid offered a hand shake but Emily stayed silent and didn't say anything.
Optimus was watching the whole thing and was worried. If Emily gives herself to the Decepticons, they will hurt her and he won't live with himself if that happens. Bulkhead and Bumblebee were scared of losing Emily to the Decepticons while Smokescreen had to hand it to Emily. She was brave but the move she pulled was risky.
"Emily, do not do this!" Optimus told her as she looked at him as the others were looking at her with confusion and shock.
"Optimus is right." Bulkhead struggled as he told her this.
"Get out of here! Save yourself!" Smokescreen said as she felt a pang of guilt and sadness as Bumblebee beeped while looking at her pleadingly not to do it.
"I won't abandon you guys. Trust me I know what I'm doing." She sent them a small wink as this relieved them a little but what is she planning.
"Enough talk. Put your hands up." Airachnid was slowly losing her patience. Emily just rolled her eyes at her.
Emily then raised her right hand up while using her other hand to make a hand sign from behind her back to signal the others. The others saw this and they figured out that it was the signal that Emily mentioned earlier as they nodded to each other. Now It was go time.
"I think that's our signal." Jack told them after seeing the signal.
"Let's go." Miko nodded as she, Raf and Jack quietly ran to the Autobots while staying out of Airachnid's sights.
Jack, Miko and Raf start moving after Emily had given the signal as Emily was keeping Airachnid busy as she can see them from the corner of her optic-eye.
"Didn't you hear me? I said put your hands up. That means both of them." Airachnid told her as her patience was running thin.
"Sure thing. I'm coming in slowly. No tricks under my sleeves." She told her but she only said that as she noticed that the others were closing in on the others to free them.
"So I see. I must admit despite the fact that it was fun hunting your friends down, I'd expected more from a prey like you." Emily rolled her optic-eye at her as she crossed her arms while looking bored.
"Sorry to disappoint you. I have to ask why you release me?" Emily asked curiously as she knows that if she keeps talking with Airachnid, it will give the trio enough time to free at least one of her friends.
"Simple, for the thrill of the hunt. And I also knew that the Autobots would come and rescue you. I need something to use as bait." Emily gritted her teeth at this as she dug her nails slightly on her arm sleeves to keep her composure.
"It worked like a charm. Smart plan, very smart." Emily had to smirk as she saw the pleased look on Airachnid's face-plates. So far, so good.
"You should've seen the look on their faces. All of them are defenseless against me. Never hunt down a prey without having a plan." Airachnid was enjoying the chat even though she was supposed to capture her.
"Funny you don't seem like the kind of person or Decepticon who needs a plan." Emily examined her nails to keep Airachnid distracted.
"I decided to make an exception." Airachnid dismissed it as she shrugged.
"You're good at what you do." Emily gave her a sly look with a small smile.
"More than good." Airachnid almost felt flattered.
"I can't believe you made all this just to get me. I'm flattered." Emily faked gratitude in her voice.
While Emily is stalling Airachnid and the Autobots have to admit that she was doing a great job, Jack, Miko and Raf finally reach the Autobots and try to free them as they look at them with surprise.
"Miko, what are you doing here? I told you to run." Bulkhead whispered as he was careful not to alert Airachnid.
"I'm not leaving." Miko told him as she began to tug on the web as she had to stop herself from freaking out.
"We're here to help." Jack whispered as he tried to get Smokescreen free from the web.
"Hold still, Bee." Raf whispered as Bumblebee was happy to see that his little brother is okay.
"You know for humans, you're quite impressive. Rumors have it that you've beaten down Megatron and his lackeys. All on your own." Airachnid told her as Emily scoffed at this. Was Megatron really angry for what she did? Guess he is.
"Sometimes a girl needs to defend herself. Especially when four big bots are trying to smash her friends to scrap metal." She gave her a deadpanned look.
"Indeed. When I first saw you, I asked myself how a small being like you could take out Megatron when no else other than Optimus Prime could. And now I can see that there's more to you-" Emily saw that Airachnid seemed to have something in her mind and she tensed her body for anything she'll dish out at her.
But she wasn't expecting for Airachnid to shoot a string of web straight into Emily's feet and pull her to hold her upside down as she looked Emily closer in the optic-eye.
"Whoa!" She yelped in surprise and shock as she had to keep her shirt from lowering more.
"-Than meets the eye. Did you really think I was gonna let myself be fooled by a deal? Silly human." Airachnid chuckled but stopped when she saw the smirk on Emily's face and was having a bad feeling about it.
"Yeah but at least I've made you look." Emily said with a smirk on her face.
"What?" Airachnid asked in confusion.
Worried about what Emily told her, Airachnid started to look around to see if something was going on before she turned around and was surprised. To her big surprise, she saw Jack, Miko and Raf trying to release the Autobots and she felt her energon boil at how she easily let her human target distract her easily.
"You little human pest! You tricked me!" Airachnid hissed at her as Emily glared at her with a determined look.
"Never act without a plan and back up." Emily told her as she easily ripped the web off and got free before she jumped back and got into a fighting stance as she looked at Airachnid.
"Let's dance, shall we?" Emily smirks as Airachnid hissed angrily at her.
"With pleasure." Airachnid smiled sinisterly.
She was looking forward to defeating her and bringing her to Megatron to win his favor as they let out battle cries and started the battle.