Chapter 26: Trouble in the Arctic

<<-egatron! Sir, can you hear me?>>

Megatron groaned softly. The medic's panicked voice blared in his audio receptor. His optics flickered to life and took in his surroundings. He had trouble sitting up due to his joints becoming frozen and stiff from the cold. How long had he been laying there? <<Knockout..? What are you->>

<<Oh thank Primus, you're alive! There's no time to explain, you need to get out of there now! Multiple Autobot signals are heading straight for you!>>

"Scrap." Megatron glanced over his shoulder at the cave entrance, knowing that the Autobots were probably waiting for him outside. "That can't be the only way out. There has to be another way."

With a soft huff, Megatron staggered to his pedes. He leaned against the wall for support as he regained his bearings. An alert popped up in his processor, warning him about his dangerously low core temperature. He ignored it and simply switched on his heating vents. It would have to do for now.

The Decepticon leader wandered deeper into the ice cave, using the wall to keep himself up. He prayed that his joints wouldn't seize on him. Suddenly, the ground shook and nearly knocked him off his pedes. Tiny pieces of ice rained from the ceiling like frozen rain, clinking softly against his frosted armor. He was lucky that none of the giant icicles which hung down like stalactites had fallen. They were large enough to deal a considerable amount of damage.

Soon enough, after navigating the narrow tunnel that seemed endless, Megatron reached yet another cave. This cave was larger than the one he had previously been in, with a higher ceiling and more ice formations. He knew he couldn't spend time gawking at the beauty of it all, as much as he'd like to. But before he could take another step, he heard voices.

"Signal's just ahead, Magnus. I wonder what he's doin', freezin' his tailpipe off in this wasteland. Maybe we should let the cold do the job for us, heh."

"Cut the chatter, soldier. You know our orders. Megatron does not leave here alive."

"Fine, fine. Whatever. I like gettin' up close and personal anyways."

Megatron cursed under his breath. Of course, Nemesis just had to send the Wreckers, of all bots, after him. Those voices sounded rather close, too. They echoed off of the cave walls, becoming louder as their owners grew closer. He easily identified them as Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus, which already put him in a load of trouble. Someone was missing, though.

Focus. Megatron silently slipped out of sight behind a pillar of ice. He pressed his back against it, relying on his hearing to pinpoint the locations of the Autobot commander and his partner.

"Aw bolts.." He heard Wheeljack grumble, followed by a small crash of metal on metal. "The scanner quit workin'. Must be because we're underground."

"It shouldn't be. Give it to me before you break it." Ultra Magnus replied soon after, his tone sharp.

Megatron held his breath for a brief moment, listening to them as they messed around with the scanner. Now was his chance to escape while they were distracted. He carefully shuffled around the pillar. As he reached the edge of it, he poked his head out to take a quick peek. Their backs were facing him. Perfect.

He stepped out from behind the pillar and made a break for it. If he reached the exit quick enough, he would have enough room to fly out of there.

However, he failed to notice the small trap sitting just out of sight. It caught him just before he could enter the tunnel, launching a projectile that wrapped itself around his ankles. He fell to the ice with a loud crash that felt like it shook the entire cavern. Scrap.

Wheeljack laughed as he approached the fallen Decepticon leader, a grin twisting his scarred dermas. "And here I thought you were supposed to be one of the smartest mechs around." He drew his swords eagerly. "Guess I was wrong."

A groundbridge portal suddenly swirled into existence nearby, interrupting Wheeljack just as he was about to carve into Megatron.

The renegade Wrecker growled in frustration. "Since when did we ask for reinforcements?"

"It's not one of ours." Ultra Magnus stated as he watched Breakdown and Skyquake emerge from the portal. He snatched Wheeljack by the shoulder and shoved him forwards. "Deal with the Decepticons. Megatron is mine."

"Wha- You said I would have a hand in killing him! That was the deal!"

"There is no deal. Either you handle the Decepticons like I ordered you to, or I dispose of you."

Wheeljack stood there for a second, obviously conflicted, before grumbling several curses under his breath and heading off to fight the two Cons.

By the time Ultra Magnus turned his attention back to Megatron, the rebellion leader had already escaped from his restraints. He had no time to react as a fist connected with his face and sent him flying across the cavern.

Megatron risked a glance across the cavern while Magnus was still down. Breakdown and Skyquake seemed to be holding their own against Wheeljack, though he hoped they would be able to escape before any real damage was caused.

While he was distracted, Ultra Magnus surprised him with a shot to the chest. Megatron grunted upon the impact and staggered a few paces backwards despite most of it being absorbed by his chest armor. He quickly regained his footing and unsheathed his blade. He charged the Autobot commander, but was unable to land a blow due to the risk of receiving a point-blank shot to the gut. He clashed with him, gripping his forearms as he fought to topple him over.

"You're going to bring the whole cave down on us!" Megatron growled. He knew Ultra Magnus only cared about his own well-being, so perhaps he could use that to his advantage. In their struggle, Ultra Magnus's blaster was pushed so that it aimed up towards the ceiling.

"A worthy sacrifice if it means taking you with me." Ultra Magnus replied with a slight sneer. He fired his blaster at the ceiling.

Megatron's optics widened as the unstable ice ceiling rumbled above him. The whole cave trembled, threatening to bury them under ice and snow. He tore himself free from Ultra Magnus and threw him down.

"Breakdown! Skyquake! Get to the groundbridge! The cave is going to collapse!" He shouted as he raced towards the portal, struggling to keep his footing.

Breakdown flung Wheeljack across the cave and hauled Skyquake up from the ground. "Come on!"

The ground shook violently, large chunks of ice already beginning to fall from the ceiling. Breakdown and Skyquake disappeared into the portal first. Megatron paused to look over his shoulder. He caught one last glimpse of Ultra Magnus within the massive cloud of snow before turning and diving into the portal.