Earth – Alternate Dimension: 2007. Location: Los Angeles, California.
When the Rift opened, it wasn't with thunder or flame—but with silence, a quiet wound in space, barely a whisper in the night sky. Through it fell a black, angular Charger wreathed in dim blue light, its engine humming with something unnatural. It landed on a dark freeway just outside Los Angeles, a single man behind the wheel.
Shepherd Fox gripped the steering wheel, breathing deeply.
The Rift Core embedded in his chest throbbed faintly beneath his jacket. For a moment, the world felt like it was spinning faster—like time wasn't entirely stable.
ALX-9 SYSTEM: ONLINEWorld: Earth-TRN472Cybertronian Presence: ConfirmedObjective: AllSpark (Cube), Matrix of Leadership, 'T'-Signature Object
He took in his surroundings—a freeway overpass, dim city lights, the smell of ozone in the air. This Earth felt... charged. Ancient energy pulsed beneath the surface.
And he wasn't alone here.
Later That Day – Residential District, Burbank
"Look, man, I'm not even supposed to be showing these to anyone," Sam Witwicky muttered, tugging open his backpack. "My dad thinks I pawned 'em. These were my great-great-grandpa's—crazy old sailor or explorer or something. Archibald Witwicky."
Shepherd raised an eyebrow as Sam pulled out a leather case, unzipping it to reveal a cracked pair of antique glasses.
"I'll pay you ten grand," Shepherd said immediately.
Sam blinked. "What? Seriously?"
"No questions asked."
"Dude… sold."
The transaction happened fast. Sam handed over the glasses while nervously glancing at his phone. "Just so you know, these things? Yeah, I already showed them to some giant alien robot dudes. Autobots, I think they called themselves."
Shepherd's jaw tightened. "They've seen the glasses?"
"Yep. One of them—Optimus-something—scanned the etchings. Coordinates or symbols or some alien stuff."
Shepherd opened the glasses case. Through the cracked lens, a faint lattice of glowing glyphs shimmered when held near the Rift Core. His HUD confirmed it.
AllSpark Coordinates: VALIDATED. Location: Hoover Dam. Nevada.
He stood, slipping them inside his jacket. "Thanks, Sam."
"Uh… are you one of the good guys?"
"I'm just passing through."
That Night – A Storm Building
The news played quietly in a corner diner where Shepherd sat reviewing data pulled by ALX-9 from nearby satellites.
"Unidentified meteor shower over Colorado…""…military lockdown reported near Nevada dam…""…conspiracy theories surrounding power fluctuations and secret government projects…"
His eyes narrowed. Everything was converging. Hoover Dam wasn't just hiding the Cube—it was hiding something bigger.
"Shepherd," Alix's voice rang in his head. "Alert: Cybertronian signals converging. Autobot convoy moving toward Hoover Dam. Decepticon presence detected on trajectory. Their course intersects—"
"Megatron," Shepherd whispered. "They're waking him."
"Correct. Signal aligns with Cryo-Stasis Lock Signature. Awakening imminent."
This wasn't just a treasure hunt anymore. It was war. And he'd arrived in the middle of it.
Edge of the Nevada Desert – Next Morning
The Charger growled as it tore across the desert, boosted by Rift energy pulsing from its engine core. Shepherd's HUD projected a 3D overlay of Hoover Dam ahead—underground hangars, cryo-chambers, hidden power cells.
"Sector Seven security grid is on high alert. Breach likelihood: 18% without incident. 89% if discovered."
"Then we don't get discovered," Shepherd said.
Alix paused. "I must warn you—if Megatron awakens with the AllSpark nearby, this Earth will become ground zero."
"I'm not here to save worlds. I'm here for the Cube, the Matrix… and whatever 'T' is."
"The 'T' Signature continues to pulse beneath the Arctic—transwarp echoes consistent with ancient Cybertronian tech. Possibly predates the war."
Another mystery. But one step at a time.
As the horizon shimmered with heat and electricity, Shepherd pulled over to a vantage point. Through his binocular scope, he saw a convoy rolling toward the dam—massive vehicles, familiar shapes.
Optimus Prime.
Ratchet.
Ironhide.
Bumblebee.
The Autobots.
But they weren't alone.
Behind the hills, from the sky, another shape cut through the clouds. Sleek, black, and jagged like a blade. Starscream.
"Too late for stealth," Shepherd muttered.
"Agreed. Suggest adaptive strategy."
"Then we do it the only way we know how…"
He punched the throttle and the Rift-charged Charger launched forward, tearing across the sand.
Inside Hoover Dam – Moments Later
Sector Seven agents were already scrambling. Warning lights flashed.
Megatron's chamber hissed with vapor as temperature began to rise.
In another hangar, the AllSpark crackled with a living hum.
Outside, Autobot and Decepticon forces closed in. Metal titans began to clash.
And amidst the chaos, from a different door than the rest, came a new player—one who didn't belong to either faction.
Shepherd Fox. Alone. Unknown.
The Rift Core began to pulse brighter.
"AllSpark energy within 200 meters. Matrix of Leadership remains in flux. T-signature distant."
He slipped through the shadows of Sector Seven's chaos as explosions echoed through the facility.