Johnny Haymer: Swindle • Vortex

B.O.T.

Swindle • Vortex

[the Combaticons enter a city, frightening the people]
Onslaught: Combaticons, transform!
[the Combaticons transform. Brawl and Swindle bump into each other]
Swindle: Heh-hey, watch it, Brawl!
Brawl: You two-faced pipsqueak! Stay behind me! Huh!
[Brawl shoves Swindle, knocking him over. The Combaticons advance down the street]
Onslaught: Combaticons, form Bruticus!
[the Combaticons combine into Bruticus. People run away in fear. Then, a shot hits Bruticus in the chest, blowing him to million pieces. Defensor, who fired that shot, appears. Swindle, who somehow survived the explosion without a scratch, appears from under yellow board with wheels among the debris]
Swindle: Defensor!
[Defensor fails to notice Swindle. He turns back and addresses the people on the street]
Defensor: Call sanitation! There's junk all over the street.
[as Defensor walks away, Swindle starts to collect parts from the pile of debris]
Swindle: Now where am I gonna find parts?

[after Swindle sold the parts of the other Combaticons in black markets around the world, he dumps the worthless parts in a junkyard]
City junkyard attendant: What's goin' on?
Swindle: [glares at the attendant] I'm unloading some junk. You got a problem with that?
City junkyard attendant: [stammers in fear] Uh, n-n-no, sir.
[Starscream and Skywarp, who were looking for the Combaticons, notice Swindle in the junkyard]
Starscream: So that's where all the parts are! I think that sleaze is up to something!
[Swindle transform to vehicle and drives away, but Starscream grabs him and takes him to Decepticons' base]

[Swindle is brought before Megatron. Megatron is furious to hear what Swindle did, because he needs Bruticus for his current scheme]
Swindle: [on his knees, caught in fear] It's... it's not my fault, Megatron! This greed is built into my personality component!
[Starscream and Skywarp roughly grab Swindle and drag him backwards]
Megatron: I want Bruticus reassembled, and I want it now! And as an extra added incentive, Soundwave is installing a bomb in your head.
[Soundwave finishes installing the bomb in Swindle's head]
Starscream: [smiles nastily] And if you haven't reassembled Bruticus in 15 hours, it will go off!

[Swindle takes by force the parts which he sold earlier, and assembles them into the other Combaticons]
Megatron: Very good, Swindle! Your head will continue to keep your body company. Transform to Bruticus!
[the Combaticons gather closely, but oddly Brawl just stands still. Swindle pulls him]
Starscream: Something is definitely wrong...
[the Combaticons try to combine into Bruticus, but fail, and fall on the floor with heavy thud]
Megatron: [yells in fury] Swindle!
Swindle: [gets on his feet] Megatron, I-I-I couldn't find Brawl's personality component! I didn't think it would matter...
Megatron: 'You didn't think it would matter?' Well, think about this! The bomb still ticks! Bring back the personality component in time, or disintegrate trying!

[Swindle finally retrieved Brawl's personality component. At Decepticons' base, Soundwave installs it into Brawl's head. Brawl stands and raises his hands, roaring menacingly]
Megatron: You have vindicated yourself, Swindle.
Swindle: [Smarmily] Yes, thank you, Megatron...
Megatron: [grabs Swindle by his throat] But if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'll melt you down for scraptutonium!
[Megatron lets go of Swindle, shoving him toward the other Combaticons]
Megatron: Combaticons, form Bruticus!
[the Combaticons combine successfully into Bruticus]
Megatron: [laughs viciously] Soon, we'll control the oceans!