Evelyn's p.o.v

One of the most important steps when you are being kidnapped or held prisoner is to remain positive and look on the bright side.

So far, my cousin and I have been kidnapped by some mastermind evil terrorist organization who wants to 'create a new world order' with 'cutting edge technology' aka Cybertronian technology and escaped only to then be kidnapped by a femme Decepticon who's a sadist, perfect.

The only positive things about my current situation are that:

1. I'm not dead. (yet.)

2. Miko's with me so at least I'm not alone in this mess.

3. If anyone were to ever ask if I know what it's like to get kidnapped by aliens, I have the right to say yes.

4. ........ok, I think that's about it.

So yeah, just when I thought life already threw me enough curveballs, it seems fate decided to step in and say 'Challenge accepted' before throwing another one at me.

So basically, in the past 24 hours, the evil organization MECH spied on Miko and I, attacked us, then actually kidnapped us, then we had to jump off a moving car, run like he!l through a pine forest that gave us the jitters and then got abducted by another Decepticon named Airachnid who is a backstabbing sadist.

I think she's probably going to make MECH look welcoming in comparison. For once, I'm praying that I'm wrong.

After drilling through underground like a mining drill for....minutes? Hours? I'm not sure; we popped out of the ground. Miko and I shook our heads, sending dirt cascading down and blinked the dirt out of our eyes.

When my vision was cleared, I realized we were standing in front of a ship! A Cybertronian ship! Despite the current circumstances, my cousin and I couldn't help but regard the ship in slight awe. After all, it's not every day you get to see an alien ship up close.

"And I thought I knew what huge meant." I whispered to Miko.

Miko simply nodded. Her silence spoke a thousand words and was already telling me just how serious the situation was.

We were brought into the ship and wow, she really likes dark, dreary, creepy, psychotic-serial-killer themes, doesn't she? I also noticed that now, her lower body was like a spider's abdomen and she walked like one using the limbs on her back.

I could tell Miko was putting on a brave front but it's honestly a miracle she was even holding it together this well despite being held captive to what I can only imagine as her worse nightmare. I can still see sweat dripping down her neck.

I doubt I'm going to look at the song 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' the same way ever again.

Then we stopped in front of pair of doors. "This room is my personal favourite." Airachnid said before pressing a button. There was a small 'beep' before the doors slid opened.

At first we could see little to nothing in the dim room before lights came on, except they were shining from.....they were coming from the inside of jars and tanks? Why? Why not on the ceiling? Why in the tanks and jars like some museum?

As my eyes adjusted and I got a closer look, I blanched and had to resist the urge to chunder the pastries I ate at the cat cafe earlier.

Those weren't just simple jars and tanks, they were specimens jars!

Inside the jars, suspended in some twisted formaldehyde were heads of all kinds of.....species. Some were beastly and snarling, eyes still full of rage and pure hatred mixed with bloodlust; some were twisted and grotesque, their expressions forever frozen in agony and horror; some were blank while some were so disfigured I wasn't even sure if it was a head.

"Like my little souvenirs?" Airachnid said with a flourish wave of a servo as though she were some showman introducing his gang of actors with supernatural abilities. "It's a new hobby of mine. They're my trophies, you see. I collect endangered species. Of course, some aren't really endangered....until they meet me." She said with a sadistic smirk and bloody heck I really wanted to kick her arse and wipe that off her faceplate.

I looked over and saw my cousin's face in a mixture of emotions. She was horrified, even more terrified than before but at the same time she was just as furious as I was and she suddenly had an even more defiant look in her eyes. Now that's the Miko I'm looking for and sure as he!l need right now.

"All these endangered species, and yet you can't even add a single human to your collection?" Miko taunted. "Or are we just too quick-witted for your spider-sized numbskull?"

Okay, now that was a pretty stupid thing to say. Hello? In case you didn't notice, she has two humans aka us right here and now completely at her mercy. I whipped around and glared at her but it was too late, the words had already left her mouth.

"Don't push it, human. Who said there's anything stopping me from adding one to my collection right now?" she said and smiled evilly at Miko.

I could see Miko's confidence and bravery begin to falter so I decide to save her. "So, what is it about us that warrant your attention? Seeing as to how you have.....exotic taste in specimens, I don't see how we fit into that criteria." I said and tried to keep the terrified crack out of my voice.

"Oh don't worry, you won't be joining my collection....not yet. Besides, what I have in stall for you two might be a lot worse than death." She said as she leveled me eye-to-optic with her.

"Then what 'horrifying fate' do you have in stall for us, oh so terrifying villainess?" Miko asked sarcastically.

"In a war, I prefer loners. Partners, allies...they're just liabilities. But they also give your opponent an advantage, especially if they're close." Airachnid said.

"Let me guess, you plan on torturing us for information? Cliché much?" I asked and secretly hoped that wasn't what she was planning.

"Oh no, why do that when I could get so much more out of this?" she said.

"Like what?" Miko asked.

"Megatron's trust." She said.

Then our eyes widened as it clicked. "You plan on using us as leverage to worm your way back into the cons ranks!" Miko said.

"Looks like you humans aren't so incompetent after all." She said.

"What makes you think we'll even be worth that much? You cons don't seem to even bat at eye at us humans so what makes you think the high and mighty King Con himself would even give a damn?" I asked.

"Don't try to play dumb, you're close to those Autobots, the fools would never abandon their allies just like that." Airachnid said.

"So you plan on using us as bait?" I asked.

She shrugged. "That's for Lord Megatron to decide." She said. Then she walked over to two smaller empty specimen jars.

Airachnid ripped the web off and held us clenched in her servo before dumping Miko and I into separate jars and locking us inside.

"Hey!" we yelled. Miko instantly began to bang her fists on the jar in hopes of breaking it. I reared my leg and slammed my foot onto it with all my might but it just shook the jar and barely scratched it.

Airachnid laughed mockingly at our attempts. "Take my advice, make yourselves comfortable. You're going to be there for a while; it's a long trip after all." She said before turning around and sauntering off.

The doors closed, leaving me with Miko who was god knows how close to breaking down right here and now and the specimen jars filled with Airachnid's 'trophies' that will forever haunt me.

No one's p.o.v

Miko and Evelyn ran their fingers on the glass of the specimens jars, the one thing separating them from freedom, in hopes of finding a weakness of sorts. Some exposed wires, maybe even a switch or even a crack....but the glass was firm and solid.

Evelyn gave a short cry of frustration and kicked the glass jar, only to end up bruising her toes. She hissed and sat down. At least the jar was big enough to give her room to stand and sit; she sat down and rubbed her toes.

Miko slammed her shoulder into the glass one more time before giving up. She decided to stop wasting her energy and simply slid down the glass wall and sat down too.

"Miko? Can you hear me?" Evelyn asked turning towards her cousin.

"Loud and clear. Not sure if that's a good thing seeing as to how we're neighbors now." Miko said. She remembered how her parents once told her that if she were to ever be kidnapped, she should keep a positive attitude. Moping and crying and going into depression or anxiety won't get someone anywhere.

"Yeah, looks like I'll have to tolerate your snoring, if you can tolerate mine that is." Evelyn said.

"Yeah......like that time in the 2nd grade when we had that sleepover, huh?" Miko said her voice cracking slightly.

"Yeah....." Evelyn said and her voice too, lost any cheerfulness behind it.

She sighed and rubbed her face with her hands. How had things gone so wrong so fast? One moment, Evelyn was waking up after having the best sleepover in her life, and then she was going home, after that she had just gone out to kill time and have fun with her cousin, the next she was in this mess.

A small part of her was angry with Miko because it was her idea to go out and of Evelyn hadn't agreed she might not be in this mess. But try as she might, sh can't because again that's all it was. Maybes and Mights.

Besides, how could her cousin have known? She was probably as terrified as she was at the moment. Miko's arachnophobia combined with the appearance of their captor, Airachnid was most likely making this ordeal ten times worse for her cousin.

"Eve, I'm so sorry." Miko croaked out and it was then Evelyn saw the tears beginning to form. "I'm sorry I always mess things up, I'm sorry I always drag you into these messes that are my fault and not yours, I'm sorry I always screw things up and I'm sorry I-"

"Stop it." Evelyn snapped. "Now you listen here, young lady. I want to stop hearing that kind of rubbish right now. Don't apologize and start moping about, it won't fix anything. This isn't your fault, none of this is.

"There's no point in crying over spilled milk. We're already in this mess, all we can do is hold out until a rescue from the Autobots. Until then we have to remain calm and positive. None of this is your fault, do you hear me? You couldn't have known any of this would have happened, Miko." Evelyn said.

"But if I hadn't proposed to go out, none of this would've happened!" Miko said.

"If none of us had gone out, MECH might've tried different tactics. They could've gone to kidnap Jack or Raf instead or worse, they might've tried to attack our family. Maybes and Mights, Miko. None of us ever could've known." Evelyn said. "Let me put it this way, would you rather it be us or Jack or Raf?"

"Us." Miko said without hesitation.

"Welp, there's your answer." Evelyn said. "Hey, you aren't alone in this, alright? You got me and I don't plan on dying on my first alien abduction anytime soon. I mean imagine how good a story this would make!"

Miko gave a short bark of laugh. "Yeah, I can already picture it-'Cousins vs Aliens' would probably make a pretty decent hit." Then she smiled at Evelyn gratefully. "Thanks, I'm glad you're here with me."

"Same to you, if you weren't here, I highly doubt I'd be able to hold it together." Evelyn said. "How much longer is this trip goanna take?"

Miko shrugs. "Who knows? I just hope we never get there."

"......Miko, do you think Airachnid's serious? Do you think she really plans on using us as a payment of sorts?" Evelyn asked.

"Wouldn't put it pass her to do it. The cons will do anything to survive, especially if it benefits them. I don't know much about Airachnid but she'd probably stab one of her own in the back without batting an optic if it meant she got to survive." Miko said.

"First Breakdown and Knockout, now Megatron, great just brilliant." Evelyn grunted. "Care to tell me a thing or two about King Con?"

"I don't know much about Buckethead, never met him personally face-to-face except once and that was with the entire team, but he had a history with Optimus." Miko said much to Evelyn's surprise.

"He knew Optimus?" Evelyn asked.

"They go way back, before Optimus was even a Prime. Long story for another time and another place." Miko said the last part in a lower voice. Whatever it was, it must've been a pretty personal story.

"Okay, so he has a past with Optimus, anything else I should know?" Evelyn asked.

"Well......" Miko thought it over and began to list off his characteristics, at least the ones she knew about with her fingers. "He's power-hungry, merciless, cruel, cunning, manipulative, stubborn, arrogant-"

"Basically he's just a huge arsehole." Evelyn concluded bluntly.

"Yeah, pretty much. But...." Miko smirked. "He can have a bit of a temper, especially if you push the right buttons."

"And at the right time. Okay Miko, listen close, I'm serious." Evelyn said in a no-nonsense tone Miko hadn't heard since she helped save her from the mines. "Right now, we're at their mercy seeing as to how they could kill us just like that *snaps fingers* literally. We have to be semi-cooperative. Don't tell them everything but give a small grain of truth.

"While we also have to remain our dignity, we also have to show them at least a small form of respect so let's try not to diss them too much. While we're at it, we should try to get some information out of this too. Maybe we can get them to slip-up." Evelyn said.

"How do you know so much?" Miko asked.

"My aunt's a cop, remember? Also I read about it in a book." Evelyn said. "The point is, we have to remain positive but mind you, don't get them up too high, or it'll make them being crushed even harder. Whatever you do, don't give them the satisfaction, that's the main point."

"Don't worry, I don't plan on begging or grovelling or going all nuts and hysterical anytime soon....or ever." Miko said.

"I'll hold you onto that." Evelyn said.

"Yeah, hey, we're in this together. Let's do this and get back home. Double swear on your heart?" Miko said and pressed her fist against the glass.

"He!l yeah. Double swear on my heart." Evelyn said and pressed her fist against the glass in return. A silent vow of sorts was made right then and there.

After that, they fell into silence. They had nothing else to talk about and they decided that it was best to conserve their energy. Chances are they won't be getting any food or water anytime soon.

Evelyn jolted awake and realized she'd dozed off, the tension and stress of the past hours finally catching up to her now that the adrenaline was gone. Her cousin, Miko seemed to have just woken from a nap herself.

'How long were we out?' Evelyn asked again. How long has it been? Hours? Days? How long have they been gone? Hours too? Days? How much longer till they arrived? She didn't know. Being this high up in the air flying over god knows where, Evelyn's phone wouldn't do much good. Plus, it was the only thing she had that gave her any form of communication with the outside world, best to hold onto it.

"At the rate we're going, we're goanna die of boredom before she can use us as negotiating chips." Miko bemoaned.

Evelyn couldn't blame her. She was getting anxious herself from sitting and standing in that jar for so long. They heard the door opened after what felt like a lifetime, their bodies tensed and their gazes hardened when they saw Airachnid saunter in.

"Not even a hello?" she said.

"Sorry, I don't exactly know how to socialize with a backstabbing sadist." Evelyn said dryly. "What do you want?"

"Are we there yeeeeeeeeeeet?" Miko groaned. "If you're trying to bore us to death, it might actually work."

"I was simply curious. I haven't gotten to learn much about the....femme versions of humans." Airachnid said as she leaned forward and observed the two of them like interesting bugs in a display case.

'How ironic.' Evelyn thought. "Quit toying with us, how much longer till we're there?" she asked.

Airachnid tsked. "So impatient." She tutted.

"It won't kill you to just give us a straight answer." Evelyn said.

"You going to answer her question or not?" Miko said. "You're beginning to sound like an old granny."

Airachnid's optic twitched slightly at the comparison. "ETA is 20 minutes. I'll leave you two to make yourselves presentable." She said in a mocking tone that Miko and Evelyn were really getting sick and tired of hearing.

"Then good riddance." Evelyn said before turning away from her to stare at her reflection on the glass wall behind her which was the least disgusting thing in the room to look at.

Miko stuck her tongue out at Airachnid as she walked away and gave her the middle finger. "B!tch." she muttered under her breath as the doors closed.

"Pity, I would've enjoyed seeing her reaction to that title." Evelyn said. "Guess we may as well freshen ourselves up for our little chat with Lord Buckethead." She added sarcastically.

Other than dust off some remaining dry mud that still caked their boots and getting any remaining dirt in their hair out, there wasn't exactly much to do considering their accommodations.

Evelyn did some basic stretches that she could given the limited amount of space she had and soon, Miko copied her movements and did the same stretches.

'Might as well try to keep as fit as I can. Never know when that might help.' Evelyn thought. In a kidnapping situation, maintaining a good physical condition could become crucial should an escape attempt ever happen.

Suddenly, they felt the ship shudder slightly as it landed. They looked t each other, confirming their guesses. They were proven correct when Airachnid strode into the room again but with two vehicons in tow.

"Looks like our escort's here." Evelyn said.

The two cons grabbed onto each of them by the handle on top of the jars and carried them off. Evelyn tried to remember the directions and note any important doors to other rooms but after taking so many turns and all the hallways looking the same, she eventually gave up.

Then Miko and Evelyn realized they were off the ship and standing outside on top of an even bigger one. Evelyn turned around and saw nothing but wisps of clouds and blue sky.

It reminded her of the runway above some military helicarrier with jets lining the sides and giant engines and propellers keeping the massive air fort airborne.

"Woah." Evelyn couldn't help but breathe out.

"Can't imagine what their gas bills are like." Miko quipped. "Welp, welcome to the Nemesis, Eve."

"Silence, fleshy." The vehicon ordered.

"We're humans, con. You should at least address as such, it isn't too difficult." Evelyn said as she crossed her arms and raised her chin up in defiance. "It's only fair since we are already addressing you as cons and Decepticons."

"Then silence, human." The con corrected.

"Thank you." Evelyn said before uncrossing her arms and turning away.

Airachnid's optic ridge rose up just the tiniest bit. 'Not bad.' She thought. Looks like the human girl, Evelyn if she recalls is more than she gave credit for.

They entered the Nemesis. 'Looks like they all have the same taste in interior designs.' Evelyn thought dryly as she saw all the black and dark purple walls and lights. They passed by different rooms filled with dozens of vehicons and stations and weapons alike.

'This brings back memories.' Miko thought as she remembered how her, Jack and Raf had gotten on the first time and discovered the cons plans to spacebridge an army of undead Cybertronians to Earth.

After taking dozens of turns and walking through hallways that looked pretty much the same and passing by equally similar doors, Evelyn was dizzy and positively lost. Miko was no better.

Eventually the two cons stopped in front of a pair of doors that Evelyn noted, were slightly grander compared to the others. 'Maybe this is where the higher ups are.'

The doors opened and they found themselves standing in front of a throne room of sorts.

Evelyn and Miko saw stations with hologram screens and complex buttons on one side and a dozen cons lined the walls, most likely ready to open fire at the sound of a simple command.

At the end of the room was a grand throne. Evelyn saw four other Decepticons standing beside and slightly behind it. Two she recognized as Knockout and Breakdown but the other two, she didn't.

One seemed to be black and purple which allowed him to almost naturally blend into the background of the ship while the other was skinny and lanky. He had dark grey and red plating and a pair of wings on his back. He also had red optics and a long pointed face. 

Last but not least, seated on the throne was the one con Evelyn was dreading to meet-Megatron himself.