The shuriken cut through the chains then returned to Prowl. The boat started to float away. And just a short distance away, a periscope was watching them.

"I don't know what you guys are up to, but I'm sure gonna find out," Fanzone monitored Prowl and Bulkhead from the minisub. Bulkhead's gaze started to wander his way. "Uh oh. down periscope." Fanzone pulled a switch. A small red light started flashing. Fanzone looked in horror at the words "Hatch Open" on the screen. Water started seeping in through the ceiling as the hatch slid open.

"This is why I hate machi—blubl blurb blub!"

*******************************************************************

"I just don't understand why the Dinobots would want to kidnap Sari," Prowl thought, "They've only ever wanted to be left in peace."

"When I get through with em, they'll be left in pieces!" Bulkhead cracked his knuckles.

"Now let's not jump to conclusions. Wait a second," Prowl looked down at the ground. Several tracks could be plainly seen.

"Tracks?"

"Yes, but not the Dinobots'. There's someone else on this island."

********************************************************************

The minisub burst out of the water and landed on the beach. Fanzone crawled out of the sub. He laid down on his back. A fish's tail slapped his chin. He pulled it out of his shirt and flicked it back into the water.

*********************************************************************

"We never should've let those Dinobots loose," Bulkhead said, "What if someone finds em here?" Prowl deactivated the holo-cube. The canopy over the caldera disappeared.

"That doesn't seem to be a problem at the moment," Prowl stared down into the caldera. The Dinobots were nowhere to be seen.

"They're gone?"

*********************************************************************

"Our visitors seem lost," Meltdown sneered. He turned away from the screen to the Dinobots. "Perhaps, we should give them a hand." Grimlock growled in response.

**********************************************************************

"No Sari and no Dinobots?!" Bulkhead stomped his foot, "We should've let Sumdac put em in cryo like he wanted to!"

"They may not've been born like you or I, but they are life. And just like any other life they have the right to choose for themselves. We had to save them," Prowl lectured.

"So who's gonna save Sari?" Bulkhead and Prowl started to climb out of the caldera. Fanzone followed them a mere twenty feet behind. Bulkhead accidentally caused a log to roll down the hill right at Fanzone. Fanzone tried to move out of the way and stumbled down the hill.

**********************************************************************

"I told you they'd come for me," Sari sneered, "And you're gonna be in sooo much trouble."

"Just say the word and I'll pummel em to a pulp," Cyrus Rhodes said.

"Not yet my dear friend. I have other plans for our visitors," Meltdown said.

"Doesn't matter. You guys might as well go ahead and get measured for your orange jump suits. Hope you like prison food," Sari laughed. Rhodes looked at her and growled. Sari growled back. Rhodes did a louder growl. Sari returned it. Rhodes activated his steroids and grew huge then roared.

"Okay, you win," Sari peeped.

********************************************************************

"Watch out for that quicksand," Prowl advised.

"Yeah, I see it," Bulkhead nodded, "You'd have to be some kind of idiot to get caught in that." Just then they heard a splat.

"Help!"

"That sounded like Captain Fanzone," Prowl gasped.

"Yeah! I do a really good impression of myself SCREAMING FOR HELP!" Fanzone panicked.

"What are you doing in there?" Bulkhead asked.

"Sinking! Get me out!" Bulkhead launched his wrecking ball. It landed in between two trees. Fanzone grabbed the cable and used it to inch his way out.

"Why are you following us?" Prowl asked.

"I'll ask the questions here," Fanzone said, "Starting with what are you two doing on an abandoned island research facility in the middle of Lake Erie?"

*********************************************************************

"I suppose I should go and wait for our guests to arrive," Meltdown walked out of the room, "Make sure our guest remains comfortable."

"Looks like your friends are toast!" Rhodes laughed, "Whatcha gotta say for yourself now?"

"I gotta go potty," Sari said.

"Again?"

"I'm a little girl, that's what I do."

*****************************************************************

"And what's this place gotta do with the girl's vanishing act anyway? You guys know something and you're gonna tell me. Else I'll find out myself," Fanzone poked a finger in Bulkhead's chest.

"Can't think of anything," Bulkhead put a finger to his lip, "Kay, maybe that." Bulkhead pointed ahead. Fanzone looked and gasped at the three Dinobots standing before them.

"Anyone wanna tell me what they're doing here?" Fanzone gulped.

"Just remain still," Prowl said, "Let me deal with them. They trust me. It's alright. It's me Prowl. The one who brought you here."

"Intruders! Me Grimlock destroy!" Grimlock shouted. Swoop jumped into the air and slashed at Prowl. Bulkhead pushed him out of the way and wrestled with Swoop.

"So much for trust!" Bulkhead punched Swoop in the jaw.

"But I don't understand," Prowl stuttered.

"Seems pretty straight forward to me!" Bulkhead smacked Grimlock in the face with his wrecking ball before he could use his fire on Fanzone, "The Dinobots kidnapped Sari, and now they're trying to destroy us!"

"Grimlock! Stop! Why are you doing this?!" Prowl swept Fanzone away and into the air before Snarl's fire breath could fry him.

"They're doing it because they're mean and dumb, and we shoulda never helped them escape!" Bulkhead picked up a log and smashed it into Grimlock and Snarl. He pulled on a small tree and caused it to collapse on the two Dinobots.

"You helped them escape?!" Fanzone gasped. Swoop struck Prowl in the back causing him to drop Fanzone. Fanzone grabbed onto Prowl's leg. Prowl caught Swoop's wrist before he could claw at his eyes.

"Acid burns?" Prowl gasped when he saw the burns on Swoop's arm, "Is someone making you do this?"

"Tell us where Sari is! NOW!" Bulkhead threw a log at Swoop. Prowl dropped down from the air. Snarl charged at where they would land. Prowl grabbed Fanzone and pounced off of Snarl's head causing him to smash his head into a tree. The bark cracked. Prowl and Fanzone ran off followed by Bulkhead.

"Destroy intruder!" Grimlock burst out from under the tree. The Dinobots chased after Prowl, Bulkhead, and Fanzone. They went into a canyon and stopped at a dead end.

"We're trapped," Bulkhead observed.

"Such an excellent assessment," Meltdown said from the top of the cliff.

"Prometheus Black?" Fanzone gasped.

"The name is Meltdown!"

"What do you have to do with this?"

"Everything. He was the one controlling the Dinobots and forced them to steal Sari!" Prowl explained, "I saw the acid burns."

"Ah yes, the Dinobots have learned to respect my touch."

"Me Grimlock sorry," Grimlock said, "Him Meltdown hurt Dinobots."

"They serve as effective if overqualified watchdogs. It was quite a challenge finding a hiding place with its own security. And just when I needed some privacy for some unique experiments."

"Tell us where Sari is! What have you done with her?!" Bulkhead prepared his wrecking ball.

"I assure you the girl lives. After all, I can't have her dead for my experimentation. Yet."

"You miserable—!" Bulkhead launched his wrecking ball. Meltdown laughed and fired a beam of acid. The acid hit Bulkhead in the shoulder. Bulkhead howled in pain and collapsed. Prowl and Fanzone ran to his aid, but a trap door activated and sent them plummeting into darkness…