Hunter...or hunted...? [Closed]
((Takes place following the separation of Gen and Psych. The Pretender team has left Nellis in search of their own trouble...))
Somewhere beyond the Nexus, outside the influence of its rules, Ratchet is tracking something through a maze of alleys, made up by brick and metal walls in what seems to be a dead city. It really is the middle of nowhere and the signal he's after is attempting to mask itself. The air smells dank, the ground beneath him wet with puddles. Every so often, the sound of dripping water or the wind whipping through the alleys reaches him, but other than that...silence. At times, it's almost deafening.
"Anything, Boss?"
Ratchet taps the side of his helm, receiving the silent, secure communication link from Catilla. "Nothing. You're sure they're in here? Chainclaw checked in with me a few minutes ago and reported nothing as well."
"No, they're here. My sense of smell is even better than yours and I can pick up faint traces of burning energon. Plus Moledive was sure he saw something earlier. Just be careful. This whole think stinks like a trap."
Leaning against a wall, Ratchet frowns. "We might want to withdraw to the Nexus via PINpoint and regroup. We're covering more ground this way, but we'd be safer in pairs. You and Chainclaw have your shells, but Moledive and I are alone."
"They do know we're looking for them..."
"Withdraw then. I'll see you back by the Autobot safe house."
"Roger that. See you then, boss." The link closes, Catilla likely teleporting out a few seconds following.
Pulling his own device from subspace, Ratchet brings up the memory setting for the Nexus coordinates when a sharp, metallic -clink- catches his attention. A second later, something hits the ground less than ten feet away. He looks down.
A rusted out hand, missing one digit and the wires at the wrist frayed.
Ratchet's optics widen. "Oh sl--"
The length of tail wraps around his neck and whips him up off the ground, pulling him through the air and dragging him across the top of the building he'd been leaning against. He struggles, free hand clawing at the roof, but it's no good... A second later, he's yanked down the other side and into a pitch black, dead end alley...the PINpoint falling from his hand.
Somewhere beyond the Nexus, outside the influence of its rules, Ratchet is tracking something through a maze of alleys, made up by brick and metal walls in what seems to be a dead city. It really is the middle of nowhere and the signal he's after is attempting to mask itself. The air smells dank, the ground beneath him wet with puddles. Every so often, the sound of dripping water or the wind whipping through the alleys reaches him, but other than that...silence. At times, it's almost deafening.
"Anything, Boss?"
Ratchet taps the side of his helm, receiving the silent, secure communication link from Catilla. "Nothing. You're sure they're in here? Chainclaw checked in with me a few minutes ago and reported nothing as well."
"No, they're here. My sense of smell is even better than yours and I can pick up faint traces of burning energon. Plus Moledive was sure he saw something earlier. Just be careful. This whole think stinks like a trap."
Leaning against a wall, Ratchet frowns. "We might want to withdraw to the Nexus via PINpoint and regroup. We're covering more ground this way, but we'd be safer in pairs. You and Chainclaw have your shells, but Moledive and I are alone."
"They do know we're looking for them..."
"Withdraw then. I'll see you back by the Autobot safe house."
"Roger that. See you then, boss." The link closes, Catilla likely teleporting out a few seconds following.
Pulling his own device from subspace, Ratchet brings up the memory setting for the Nexus coordinates when a sharp, metallic -clink- catches his attention. A second later, something hits the ground less than ten feet away. He looks down.
A rusted out hand, missing one digit and the wires at the wrist frayed.
Ratchet's optics widen. "Oh sl--"
The length of tail wraps around his neck and whips him up off the ground, pulling him through the air and dragging him across the top of the building he'd been leaning against. He struggles, free hand clawing at the roof, but it's no good... A second later, he's yanked down the other side and into a pitch black, dead end alley...the PINpoint falling from his hand.