Inflitration

• Writer - Simon Furman
• Artist - EJ Su
• Colorist - John Rauch
• Colorist - Josh Burcham
• Lettering - Tom B. Long
• Lettering - Robbie Robbins
• Editor - Chris Ryall
• Editor - Dan Taylor

Summary

  In flashback, Hunter O'Nion reflects on his earlier tranquil days of updating his Mechatopia.com web site, and contrasts that with his current reality -- stuck in an ambulance between an outraged Verity Carlo and an odd, ever-grinning ambulance driver. Noting that they're driving at nearly two hundred miles an hour, Hunter figures out that the driver is actually one of the elusive alien robots he's been searching for.

  The ambulance is suddenly paced by two sports cars; the driver asks for their trust, and admits they're in deep trouble due to Verity's theft of a palmtop computer (from issue #0). As the steering wheel unfolds to reveal a holographic map, the two cars unveil ramming plates -- and try to run them off the road! The ambulance counterattacks with various weapons and briefly shakes off their attackers. They're strafed once more by the blue jet, but the ambulance emits a smokescreen and eludes it.

  The driver tells them they need to hide; Verity notes something on the holo-map, then turns away to consult something on her palmtop. The driver is finally revealed as the Autobot Ratchet; in his own flashback, we see Prowl refusing his request to rescue a human whose life is endangered by the Decepticons. He identifies himself to the humans as "a conscientious objector," and Verity directs them to the city of Riverside, California.

  Verity, Hunter, and Ratchet soon arrive at the garage of Jimmy Pink, a friend Verity met over the internet. Inside, Jimmy begins repairs under Ratchet's holo-human supervision, while Hunter and Verity try to make sense of the day's events and wonder who they can trust. They return to the garage, and as the others watch Jimmy's handiwork, Hunter spots Verity's palmtop computer ... unaware that their Decepticon pursuers are trying to track its signal...

  Finishing his repairs, Jimmy notes that it resembles nothing he's ever seen before, and confronts the holo-driver for answers. Hunter answers that it's "like nothing on Earth," and confronts Ratchet with an image on the palmtop -- a picture of a jet in mid-transformation into a robot! Ratchet calmly admits it's true, and tells the humans they're all in grave danger. Angrily, Verity snatches the palmtop and stomps outside, dismissing Hunter's ideas as extraterrestrial paranoid garbage.

  Before Ratchet can explain in more detail, Verity dashes back into the garage just before the entryway collapses! As Ratchet orders the humans to get inside of him, they watch in shock as they're confronted by two giant robots -- Runamuck and Runabout, who want the palmtop now!