Chapter Text
Zee’s footsteps grew heavier with each step across the debris. He continued to cautiously survey the ruined area, every sense on high alert—but all he found was emptiness.
> [Trace check… none]
[Sound… silent]
[Scent… faded]
It was as if the black creature he had just seen never existed at all.
He froze, scanning the scattered bricks and twisted metal. Every corner looked the same—no footprints, no disturbances in the thick layer of dust covering the ground.
“How is this even possible…?” The thought echoed in his mind, followed quickly by a surge of frustration he could barely contain.
He loosened his grip on the gun in his right hand and took a deep breath, yet the unease wouldn’t lift. It made no sense. That thing had to have left some trace… at least a hint. But here? Nothing. It was as if nothing had ever touched this place.
“Useless…” he muttered, his voice low and rough with irritation and tension.
‘Chasing it now would just be a waste of time.’
Zee stopped in the middle of the open clearing and tilted his head upward, squinting against the cloudless sky. The sun blazed overhead, casting shadows that confirmed it had climbed to its zenith.
“Midday already…”
His sharp eyes narrowed slightly as he exhaled, then slowly walked away from the ruins toward a solitary large tree nearby. The ground around it offered a reasonable place to rest.
He leaned back against the trunk, letting his body sink with gravity. Taking a brief moment to breathe, his gaze drifted back to the shattered building he had left behind.
His lips moved slowly, as if the words were too heavy to speak, but they came out clear.
“…The lab…”
“…This has to be the lab from that Project PAN thing.”
“…It’s that obvious.”
After letting the words go, Zee fell silent for a moment, staring at the ruins as if trying to peer into the secrets hidden within—but eventually, he turned back to the present.
“What I need to do now… is plan,” he murmured to himself, eyes dropping to the pistol in his hand.
The all-black gun gleamed faintly in the sunlight, its metal cold and uninviting. Zee ran his fingers along the spine of the weapon before lifting the barrel for inspection. No warping, no excessive soot buildup. It looked as pristine as if it had just come off the production line, even after all the use he had put it through.
He twitched the corner of his mouth—not a smile, but a mix of irritation and lingering unease. The weapon performed too well, which made it impossible to fully trust.
‘But… I’ll still need it.’
He placed the gun on his lap, one hand pressing against his belt as he began to check his supplies.
On the left, he unzipped a small compartment to reveal neatly stacked tools: wrenches of various sizes, screwdrivers, and pliers, with a handful of screws collected in an old cloth bag. The faint clink of metal stirred memories of a time when these tools were more reliable than any weapon.
He closed the zipper and moved to the right. The next compartment held survival essentials: small rolls of clean bandages next to a bottle of alcohol, two empty syringes beside a small vial of anesthetic. Zee picked them up carefully, letting sunlight pass through the liquid before replacing them. A longer white cloth lay at the bottom, enough to support a life if necessary.
Finally, he opened the last compartment slowly. Inside were unusually sturdy glass vials, stacked with colorful capsules that shimmered like trapped gemstones. Zee scanned them quickly and shut the lid, returning to the quiet under the large tree.
He drew a deep breath, reassessing what mattered most at the moment.
> [Assessment: Food not yet necessary — body can endure several more days]
[Water remains critical — but no signs of thirst yet]
Zee nodded to himself, leaning further against the tree, letting the warm sunlight filter through the branches as a reminder that time was moving steadily.
Slowly, he rose from under the tree and stepped toward the debris. Kneeling slightly, he raised his right arm, inspecting how the sunlight glinted off the metal.
‘No dents… no major scratches… just some dirt and leaves stuck here and there.’
He ran his hand along the seams and edges, carefully removing the small debris.
“Still solid… good that it’s unharmed,” he muttered.
He began testing the wrist, bending and rotating it.
> [Assessment: Movement smooth — no signs of damage or obstruction]
‘Must be thanks to the materials… and the assembly,’ Zee thought, contemplating how much he could rely on this arm in a crisis.
He moved to check his left arm with the same care.
“This one… same as before.”
He inspected the joints and seams—nothing loose, nothing broken. Yet he knew he would need to remain cautious in the debris-filled environment.
> [Further check: No unusual sounds or resistance]
Zee exhaled, his mind refocusing on Project PAN, the mysterious remnants he had found too damaged to repair.
“Everything… everything is all around me, yet I still don’t understand what that project created,” he murmured.
He glanced at his hands, feeling the sensitivity of his fingertips. Even as a mechanical arm, he could sense the textures around him as if they were truly part of his body.
Rising fully, he stretched, adjusting his posture, ready for the next phase of exploration.
“Now… time to plan,” he murmured, considering the lingering puzzle.
He inhaled deeply and thought slowly, ‘Where… did it go? How did it disappear? And why is there not a single clue?’ He pondered the silence of the forest and the near absence of tracks.
‘Right now… I don’t have enough reason to pursue it… and resources are limited…’ Zee slowly pulled an energy capsule from his back pocket.
> [Assessment: Save ammo — use only if absolutely necessary]
He paused, reconsidering. ‘Should I leave this forest… find out exactly where we are? Even if the time machine was set… the location remains unclear… near Sam Witwicky’s home or far from key events?’
While he contemplated, Pulse approached. The little Cybertronian chirped, brushing its tiny hands over its own body. Zee bent down cautiously.
“What’s this… hungry? You’re hungry?” he asked, making small gestures to help Pulse understand.
Pulse nodded eagerly, making Zee pause for a moment before he began searching for his Data File 09.
“Cybertronian… eats… Energon…” he murmured.
But he had no Energon on hand. “None at all… how am I supposed to feed you?” Zee thought again.
A brief idea flashed—electricity might work.
He eyed the short knife capable of discharging electricity but shook his head immediately.
> [Do not touch unknown objects — risk too high]
‘No… I don’t want my gear exposed… I don’t know what could happen.’
Pulse chirped again, pulling Zee from his circular thoughts. He exhaled deeply, responsibility weighing on him. ‘Fine… looks like we’ll have to leave the forest… head into the city.’
Zee stood, carefully organizing his weapons and checking his gear again. ‘Gun ready… knife ready… pack and supplies… all set.’
He looked at Pulse jumping excitedly around him. ‘Alright… let’s move. I need to figure out how to feed you and gather more info about Project PAN.’
Midday sunlight streamed down as Zee cautiously stepped through the dense forest, leaving the strange lab ruins behind. Ev
ery step was filled with vigilance, curiosity, and heightened alertness—because he knew that ahead… the unexpected could be waiting.