Disclaimer: TF © Hasbro. Not ours.

Warnings: Crack, AU, OOCness, lots of random violence, some moments of fluff. For now. (huge grin)

"blah blah" – Normal speech
"blah" – comm. links
/blah/ - bond speech

/---/

Prowl usually didn't leave his office early, but this time was an exception. He really needed to find Jazz, and the little pit-spawn had gotten off his shift earlier than expected. Which meant Prowl had no clue where to start looking for him. /Jazz, where are you?/

Jazz was sprawled on his berth, almost in recharge. Admittedly, he ditched a few minutes early, but hey, no one really cared. Prowl's voice startled him awake. He muted his music and reached out to Prowl. /Well, I was almost asleep in our quarters./ he said lightly. /Why?/

/Oh, good. Do me a favor and stay there./ Prowl said, amusement and worry coming through their bond loud and clear. /I have a meeting with Optimus and a few others, but then I'll meet you in your quarters./

/What's the meeting about? You sound and feel worried./ Jazz asked, sitting up, his optic ridges coming together.

Prowl was gritting his dental plates as he responded. /One of our 'guests' is Sentinel./ he said reluctantly. /I want you to stay, do you hear me? The last thing I want is that slagger getting any ideas./

Jazz groaned. /And Prime didn't tell me, why?/

/Because we didn't want you barging in guns blazing, but I knew if I didn't tell you, you'd come see for yourself./ Prowl said with loving exasperation.

/Would really be such a bad thing?/ Jazz muttered, already on his feet and heading for the door. /Would you be so kind as to tell Prime that I'm on my way?/ he asked sweetly.

/Jazz, you do realize Prime will kill me, right?/ Prowl asked, but already opening a comm. link to Optimus. At least this way Jazz wasn't going to come in to find out what was bothering Prowl, and then kill Sentinel on sight. There was a plus side to this. Probably. /Just to let you know, Ratchet and Wheeljack will be there as well. I wouldn't advise trying anything. Wheeljack is still partial to Sentinel./

Jazz heaved a sigh through his intakes. /Which is one of the reasons he's not being shipped back to Cybertron in a UPS box./ Jazz quipped. /Does Prime know I'm coming? I really don't want to have to get thrown out on my audio because I irked him. I like having the boss-bot like me./

/The 'boss-bot' knows./ Prowl said with affection as he entered Prime's office. /Now, if you insist on coming, hurry up. I do not want to have to deal with the fragger on my own./ Sentinel was a halfway decent leader, a good soldier when he had to be, and a complete and total pain in Prowl's aft. A long time ago, Jazz worked for Sentinel, and Sentinel refused to let him forget it.

Jazz waltzed into the meeting room at the last second, just as Prime called the meeting to order. He perched himself on the desk next to Prowl, seeing as how all the chairs were taken. /Made it just in time, Prowler!/ he commented, sending a grin in Prowl's direction.

Sentinel stood and nodded to Prime. "As most of you know, Jazz is training my newest head of Special Ops. I want a status report on how that is going, and how soon I will get my new agent."

Jazz stood. "As of right now, Bluestreak is nowhere near ready. Sentinel, to get Blue to where he's even remotely ready, it would take about two years."

Sentinel glared at Jazz who glared back. "I can't wait two years, Jazz. I need him soon."

"Well, ya can cool your jets, 'cause I'm not gonna let him go until I know he's ready." Jazz fired back.

Sentinel opened his mouth to say something, but Prowl cut him off. "The way he is now, Bluestreak would talk himself dead." he said blandly. "With all due respect, Bluestreak is the wrong choice for this job. He's a sharpshooter, not a saboteur."

Optimus nodded. "I agree. The Second Academy is up and running. I'm sure there will be promising saboteurs coming in future years."

Prowl and Jazz exchanged looks, relief evident on both their faces. Bluestreak had turned into a little brother for them. It was good to know he wouldn't be forced into a situation that could very well get him killed.

Optimus glanced at Jazz. "I need your report."

Jazz nodded. "Yes. The mission goal was to infiltrate the Decepticon base, hack their computers, and get the schematics for their newest weapon. It took two days to do, seeing as how Soundwave has never heard of recharge." Prowl couldn't help the slight smile that quirked his lips. Jazz flashed him a grin and continued. "Once he left the banks, I was able to get in, hack them, get the information, and get out."

Optimus nodded, and turned to Prowl. "Do you have anything to add to that?"

Prowl shrugged. "Not much. Ravage has taken to patrolling around the Decepticon base. If I'm going to back Jazz on these missions, I'm going to need someone to watch mine. It's my job to watch Jazz's back - he shouldn't have to keep checking in on me." His door wings twitched in emphasis.

Optimus nodded. "Noted. Red Alert, your report, if you don't mind."

Jazz looked over at Red, and snickered. "Prime? He's glitched on us again."

Sure enough, Red Alert had random sparks and smoke coming from the top of his helm.

Prowl commed Ratchet as Optimus hid a smile. He glanced at Jazz. /Think mentioning Ravage made him paranoid?/

Optimus pinched his nose plates and looked at the assembled bots. "Meeting adjourned."

Jazz grinned at Prowl. /Well, it was entertaining, at least./ His attention shifted to Sentinel, who was arguing quietly with Optimus. He rose an optic ridge, and joined Prowl by the door. "Let's go get some energon and go crash."

"I'm with you." Prowl said tiredly. "The Twins were in rare form today - have to get rested up to get them back tomorrow." He grinned as he heard a quiet 'Oh Primus' come from Optimus. /I think I just scared Prime./

Jazz started out the door, and paused to look at Prowl. "Ya know, I think that energon can wait. You're about to go into recharge on your feet." he murmured, dragging Prowl to their quarters. "You go chill on the berth, and I'll grab the energon. Be right back." Prowl nodded, flopping back to sprawl out on their berth. Jazz couldn't stop a grin as he turned and left their quarters, walking down the hall to the rec room. He passed Optimus, who stopped him. "Jazz, I want you to take Sentinel on a mission with you."

Jazz stared at his leader for a moment. "What kind of mission?"

"I want him to go when you infiltrate the Decepticon base. That way, he'll listen when we tell him that it will take a long while for anyone to be ready for what you do on a regular basis." Optimus said, meeting Jazz's optics.

Jazz stared back at Optimus. "When do I go?"

"Tomorrow."

Jazz sighed. "Fine. I'll be ready."

Prowl opened up a private comm. link with Optimus. One of the benefits of being the SIC was that he knew this was coming long before Prime himself knew he was going to do it. Jazz was taking too long, and judging from the tension coming through the bond, Prime had finally cornered him about his latest 'mission.' "He's not leaving without me, sir."

"Prowl, it would be safer if -"

"No. If Sentinel is going with him, then so am I. He needs someone to watch his back. I don't trust Sentinel to do it."


Prime sighed. "Fine. But you're going to need someone to watch yours."


"I'll take Sideswipe. We'll be fine. At least he knows the meaning of 'watch my back.'" Prowl grumbled. Optimus's silent laugh filtered through the comm. link.

Jazz hid a grin as Sentinel approached them. He waited until Sentinel was standing next to him before he spoke. "Optimus, with all due respect, if I end up taking him with me, odds are, he's gonna irritate the pit outta me, and I'm gonna end up handin' him to the 'Cons."

Sentinel glared at Jazz. "You would not dare."

"Watch me, Sentinel." Jazz said, giving Optimus a salute, and heading over to the energon dispenser, grabbing two cubes.

The special ops mech passed Sentinel, who pinned him with a heated glare. "If you try and hand me to the 'Con's, Jazz, you will regret it."

Jazz waved his hand, letting Sentinel know that he'd heard, but didn't really care.

Sentinel turned his glare onto Optimus. "What kind of base are you running here?" he demanded.

"My base." Optimus said quietly. "You'd do well to remember that." Sentinel shut up, but he was glaring daggers at Jazz's retreating back.