Transformers Classified: Switching Gears

Transformers Classified: Switching Gears

An original Transformers novel series! In the Nevada desert a 12-year-old boy gets swept up in a thrilling adventure when he stumbles across two giant robots battling in the dust. The boy and a new Autobot friend set off to secure a secret bunker before the Decepticons can find it. But the robot they left behind is a Decepticon in disguise, and he tells Bumblebee and the other Autobots that the boy and his friend are up to no good. Will the truth be revealed in time? Ryder Windham is the author of over sixty books, including many Star Wars and Indiana Jones titles. He teaches classes on comic art and storytelling at Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education. He resides with his family in Providence, Rhode Island. Jason Fry is a writer, an editor, and a digital journalism consultant. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Visual Guide and more than a dozen other Star Wars books. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and son. Hasbro, Inc. is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company's world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, video games and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its customers through the strategic leveraging of well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. Ryder Windham is the author of over sixty books, including many Star Wars and Indiana Jones titles. He teaches classes on comic art and storytelling at Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education. He resides with his family in Providence, Rhode Island. Jason Fry is a writer, an editor, and a digital journalism consultant. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Visual Guide and more than a dozen other Star Wars books. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and son. Hasbro, Inc. is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company's world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, video games and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its customers through the strategic leveraging of well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. Transformers Classified: Switching Gears By Windham, Ryder Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Copyright © 2011 Windham, Ryder All right reserved. ISBN: 9780316186339 Chapter One INITIAL ASSAULT The three robots ignored the large metal signs that said RESTRICTED AREA. NO TRESPASSING. PHOTOGRAPHY PROHIBITED . The signs had been posted along the road so they could be read clearly by humans driving across the Nevada desert, but they didn’t have the same impact for walking robots who stood more than thirty feet tall. Even if the robots had bothered to read the signs, they had no interest in stopping or turning back. When they left the road that evening, crushing the signs beneath their massive feet, they were determined to reach their destination. As for photography, none of them had any interest in that, either. “I’m just itching to test my new gun arm,” said Tracer, a robot armored in sky-blue plating. Without breaking his stride, he flexed his right arm and his blunt metal fingers slid back to rearrange themselves around his wrist, revealing his built-in wide-barreled cannon. “You call that a gun arm?” challenged Bombshock, whose highly reflective armor was dark green. “Check this out.” Bombshock threw both of his bulky arms forward, and they rapidly shifted into missile launchers. “We’ll all get to use our weapons soon enough,” chided the third robot, Dropshot, who was clad in gunmetal armor with white streaks and spoke in a grinding metallic voice. “After we’re done with this job, you can compare firepower all night long. But right now, I’m telling both of you to keep your jaws closed and your eyes open.” Clenching his metal jaws tightly, Tracer mumbled, “ ’S hard to tok wid yer jawz closed.” Without moving his metal lips at all, Bombshock replied clearly, “That’s okay. I can understand you.” “Shut up and walk!” Dropshot growled. Dropshot, Bombshock, and Tracer were Decepticons, living beings from the planet Cybertron and followers of the ruthless Megatron. Their longtime enemies were another Cybertronian faction, the Autobots, who were led by Optimus Prime. Since arriving on Earth, the Decepticons had also managed to become the enemies of all human military forces. The three Decepticons lurched forward, continuing onto the Nevada Test and Training Range, one of the largest Air Force facilities in the United States.