What happened to the promised sincere cooperation, mutual assistance, and demonstrating the unity between humans and Decepticons?
Now that we're injured, you change your tune immediately? You're even less trustworthy than Decepticons!
Surrender was impossible. Decepticons had their pride—there was no way they'd surrender to the human military.
The military's response? Oh? Still resisting?
The Pentagon had initially worried the Decepticons might possess some super-weapon beyond their understanding. What if one shot could destroy Earth? That would be game over for everyone.
So their initial strategy was cooperation—using cooperation as a cover to steal the Decepticons' advanced technology.
But Bella's highway chase with the two Decepticons completely changed the military's thinking.
Though the battle was brief, military satellites had captured the general picture.
What Shaw fired was a legitimate rocket launcher. No need to search for shrapnel or analyze the powder composition—a few veterans could smell it at the scene and know it was an ordinary rocket, the kind stockpiled in U.S. arsenals.
Bella's Apple of Eden energy blast was stranger. Even with military satellites, they couldn't clearly identify it. Several weapons experts believed it was some kind of laser weapon—powerful, but nothing beyond comprehension. Pentagon-funded labs were already developing similar tech, and Hydra had mass-produced laser weapons using the Tesseract during World War II.
When the two Decepticons limped back to base, the high-ranking officials at the Pentagon broke into increasingly twisted smiles.
Two random people injured you? Looks like you're not invincible after all!
To the Pentagon, the encounter proved one thing: the Decepticons weren't invincible. And that changed everything.
Set Bumblebee aside for now—let's eat the meat right in front of us first!
With virtually no opposition, McGannon Air Force Base turned on the two Decepticons.
Even a dying tiger still has its fangs—and these two Decepticons were only injured, not dead yet.
The human military deployed armored vehicles, tanks, and various missiles. The Decepticons fought back just as fiercely.
For a time, McGannon Air Force Base erupted in chaos. Many passing Americans could hear the deafening sound of gunfire from the valley.
A burly colonel with a square face and a vertical scar running from forehead to jaw was commanding his troops to besiege the Decepticons.
The female Decepticon Shatter, who could transform into a Harrier jet, and the male Decepticon Dropkick, who could transform into an attack helicopter, were caught completely off guard.
Their combat experience was extensive—their first instinct was to transform and leave the cramped indoor area for outside battle.
But the human military wasn't stupid. Weapons like harpoon guns, equipped with sturdy chains, had been prepared in advance.
At the colonel's command, dozens of sharp, diamond-structured alloy spear tips gleaming with cold light pierced the Decepticons' bodies. The sturdy chains locked them firmly to the ground, making it difficult to break free for a while.
"Fire! Fire!" After seeing two women fight the Decepticons to a standstill, the human military had lost all fear.
They saw the two Decepticons as easy prey—valuable, wounded, and ripe for the taking.
But once they started fighting, they realized something was wrong. Whoa? Pretty stubborn resistance!
Small arms did nothing. Rifle rounds they'd just block with an arm raised to protect their faces. Only rockets and heavy weapons made them react.
Despite being locked to the ground by chains, the two Decepticons remained highly agile. Within a few exchanges, over thirty soldiers on the American side had been casualties.
"Use large-caliber weapons!" the burly colonel kept issuing orders.
The soldiers had high morale and executed tactics well. But unlike earlier when they took rocket hits to the face without defending, the two Decepticons now defended when they should and dodged when they should.
"Why is this happening?" The colonel didn't know about the psionic blast. In his understanding, these two Decepticons were just dumb, with no concept of evasion. Now it seemed completely different!
When Bella and Bumblebee arrived at McGannon Air Force Base in the evening, they found it extremely lively, with countless soldier casualties. Even five of the six guards at the gate had been pulled away.
"Bumblebee, we're going in—those Decepticons are mine." Ignoring the remaining guard's shouts, the yellow Volkswagen Beetle crashed through the barrier and charged directly into the base.
McGannon Air Force Base wasn't like those famous large bases. It was small-scale, with few soldiers, and had considerable covert characteristics.
This meant there weren't many soldiers on duty. Though the burly man held the rank of colonel, he only commanded about a battalion of troops.
Many of those were Air Force personnel. Only slightly more than half could actually participate in ground combat.
"Bumblebee, you go help them. I need to stay hidden." Bella didn't want to expose herself to everyone's view. Even with the Apple's disguise, she still cast an invisibility spell on herself before opening the car door and walking into the darkness.
"Hmm?" Her invisibility spell looked a bit strange in Bumblebee's eyes. What were those faint energy rays around her body? The puppy couldn't figure it out.
But he understood helping humans fight Decepticons. With a series of clicks and whirrs, he transformed.
"Humans! I'm here to help—you!" Like singing, his car stereo emitted a cheer.
Then he raised his energy cannon and fiercely attacked Dropkick, both to demonstrate his allegiance and to rescue the base commander—the burly colonel currently maneuvering around Dropkick in an armed jeep.
His addition gave the human side a powerful ally, and the soldiers' firepower began suppressing the Decepticons.
"Hehe! You can play with them slowly!" The treacherous and cunning nature of the two Decepticons showed itself completely. Dropkick wanted to grab Shatter as a shield, but Shatter was more skilled—instead using his cover to cut the last chain restraining her, then quickly transforming into a Harrier jet and bursting out of the human encirclement.
"Where do you think you're going! Stop right there!" Bella, who had been waiting outside the base all along, shot out from the side on her flying carpet.
What the hell is that thing?! Shatter couldn't understand the flying carpet's flight principles at all. How was this thing flying? And it was pretty fast!
Normally, the flying carpet prioritized comfort and showing off—it wasn't designed for speed from the start.
At full throttle, the carpet couldn't catch a jet fighter—they were several classes apart in speed.
But this wasn't a normal situation.