Been trying to update once a week but it might start being longer... School has completely eaten my life. You public-schoolers who think homeschooling is easy - guess again.

Thanks for reading and reviewing - you letting me know what you think (and pointing out errors) helps me become a better writer. And it makes me happy when they show up in my inbox. ^.^ Thank you very, very much!

corrected as of 7/31/2012
(chapter replaced with new-and-improved-and-edited version)


"A guardian? Are you serious, Jazz?"

"Nothin' wrong with bein' a guardian, Sunny."

"Never took you for the responsible, down-to-earth guardian type."

"I'm not. That's Barricade's job."

"Hey, how come you're using my nickname and not his?"

"...it's a long story."


Chapter Four

The Bearer of Bad News

Arms outspread, she soared over the Grand Canyon, laughing when a startled eagle faltered in its killing swoop, allowing its prey to escape death. It was so peaceful up here, nothing but the open sky, reaching forever on. I could stay up here forever, she thought, gazing at the rainbow that hovered over Niagra Falls' crashing waters. Something tugged at her memory, weren't the Falls and Canyon on different sides of the U.S.? Shaking her head, Katrina pushed the idea away and turned her gaze to the sparkling clouds overhead. Wouldn't it be fun to fly through one and come out glittering with diamonds. She headed upward, then winced at a loud screech. The eagle was attacking! No, it wasn't an eagle, metallic claws gripped her arms and red optics met her own frightened eyes...

WAKE, Morse clicked, tapping his friend's right shoulder while Frenzy poked the girl's right arm.

"Time-to-wake-up-Katrina."

Every struggle brought fresh pain, and the Decepticon threatened over his comm to break her arms if she didn't hand over the Matrix. The girl shook her aching head, trying to say she didn't know what he was talking about, but the words wouldn't come...

WAKE.

Groaning, the girl rolled away from her friends' prodding, earning a whistle from Morse as he scurried over the pillow, barely avoiding her head. The shrill noise broke through the dream that was fast becoming a nightmare and Katrina cracked one eyelid, saw Frenzy's face less than a foot away, and scowled. Behind him her nightstand's lamp glowed, fighting the pre-dawn darkness that seeped through the window. Why did he wake me up this early? "Go away." She stuffed her head under the pillow and covered her ears.

Frenzy yanked the pillow out of his friend's grasp, rescuing Morse in the process. "Almost-crushed-insect-better-open-eyes-Katrina. Barricade-and-Jazz-say-you-need-to-get-up."

"It's Saturday," the girl moaned, pulling blankets over her head. "Can I please sleep in?"

"Katrina, time t' get up," Jazz said, tapping on the window. "Don't make me come in there. Barricade's shift starts in thirty minutes."

"All right!" Rubbing her eyes, Katrina scrambled out of bed and headed for the door. "Give a minute, would you?" Her clothes felt stiff and the girl wrinkled her nose in disgust when she realized that she was still wearing her dirt-streaked pajamas. "Make that five minutes, I need a shower." Without waiting for someone to protest, Katrina grabbed a change of clothes from her dresser and ran for the bathroom, the headache from yesterday returning. Hot water pounding on her forehead did nothing to sooth the girl's aching temples. She got dressed as quickly as possible before running outside, unable to shake the terrible feeling that something was wrong.

The three mechs were standing in a semi-circle near the house, talking quietly, but their conversation halted as soon as the door opened.

Jazz frowned. "Katrina, ya don't look too good. Did ya catch a cold?"

Sunstreaker took a step back. "If it's sick, keep it away from me, I've seen what kind of mess humans can make when they're ill."

The sun was just peeking over the horizon and shone right in Katrina's eyes, which she tried to shield with a raised hand. "It's just a headache. Anyone comming?"

"Is there anything this human doesn't know?" grumbled the yellow mech.

"I explained 'bout this last night, remember, Sunny?" Jazz sighed. "Sorry, Katrina, we've been tryin' t' contact the others."

From her friend's discouraged tone of voice, Katrina guessed they'd had no luck. "Who's the Fallen, Jazz? Could he have something to do with their disappearance?"

"Most likely," said Barricade. "He'd like nothing more than to wipe the Autobots out, especially Prime."

"Ya better explain what ya mean by that, I never heard of him preferrin' one 'bot over another."

The black mech shrugged. "It's rumored only a Prime can kill him."

Jazz tapped a finger against his chin, then nodded. "That makes sense, since he used t' be one."

"The Fallen's like Optimus?" Katrina gasped, her half-awake brain attempting to create an image of an evil Decepticon using what she remembered of the Autobot leader's face. Shaking her head to dispel the image, she looked to her silver guardian for an explanation.

"If ya look at it that way, so's Megatron, him being Prime's brother and all."

Sunstreaker scowled. "Neither of them are fit to-"

Barricade shot the yellow mech a stern look. "Watch it."

"But how could M-" Something tugged on Katrina's left sock, and as she bent to scoop up Morse, the sound of an engine caught her attention. It was growing louder and the girl straightened to see a plume of dust racing down the road. "Someone's coming, guys, you better transform."

Gears clanked and whirred, leaving three shining vehicles where the mechs had stood, the Mustang and Pontiac both familiar sights to the girl. Her eyes widened at Sunstreaker's altmode, a yellow Lamborghini. I thought they transformed to blend in, she thought, then frowned when Jazz returned to robot form.

"Jazz, are you-"

Sunstreaker and Barricade changed as well, the former looking worried, the latter crossing his arms, his frown even deeper than Katrina's.

"What's he doing here?"

The dust cloud finally cleared to reveal the car inside. Katrina gulped, taking a step back, crashing into Frenzy, who'd been standing behind the girl. In the time it took them to untangle themselves and stand, the car reached the driveway, skidded to a halt, and transformed.

"Next time you change your address, let me know, I drove around that town sixty three times before someone gave me directions to this place."

"It's good t' see ya, too, Prowler," said Jazz, his cheerful tone becoming serious as he added, "Where's everyone else?"

"Taking Prime's body to Egypt."

Body? Katrina felt like she couldn't breathe. Optimus is dead? Numbing ice raced through her veins as the girl stared blankly at Prowl, a roaring noise in her ears preventing her from hearing the rest of the conversation. He can't be dead. If he was, they'd have me bring him back. Right? Her own words from the year before echoed in her mind. "I don't want to have anything more to do with the Autobots..."

"Why the frag didn't ya contact me? Ah should be-"

Barricade clamped a firm hand over Jazz's mouth. "Silence." He nodded to Prowl. "Continue."

"If Witwicky fails in reviving Prime, we must protect the human femme at all costs."

"No!" Katrina screamed, covering her ears. This can't be happening. "No!" The girl spun around and dashed through the doorway, kicking the door shut. Morse, dislodged by her sudden movement, landed on the ground, clicking with distress.

Frenzy yanked on the doorknob – it was locked. "Katrina-come-back-unlock-the-door."

"Katrina?" Barricade bent down, peering through the living room window. No sign of the girl. He straightened and turned to Prowl. "Did you have to share that particular bit of news in her presence?"

"I merely stated the facts," Prowl said calmly. "Humans have a habit of overreacting."

"I'll show you some overreacting," the Neutral growled, hands becoming cannons.

It was Jazz's turn to intervene. "Hold it, Barricade. Prowl, spill the beans, all of them. What happened t' Prime, what's the Witwicky kid got t'do with it, and what's this I hear 'bout the Fallen returnin'?"

"The AllSpark shard was stolen from the humans' base. Then a government official named Galloway..."

Inside, Katrina curled up in a corner of the living room, tears streaming down her face. "It's not my fault he died. It can't be my fault." But I chose not to stay. If I had stayed, Prime would still be alive. So it is my fault that...that the Fallen will... She couldn't bear to finish the thought. Outside Prowl was still speaking, and the girl tried to shut out his voice, but her pounding headache seemed to be magnifying all sounds - Frenzy's attempts to pick the door's lock, Morse tapping on the window, the mechs' conversation. A word caught her attention, and the blood drained from her face. Him? No way. Wiping away tears, the girl hurried to the front door, stepping aside as Frenzy collapsed on the floor when the door suddenly opened. Katrina raced down the steps. "Prowl!"

"No need to shout, I have better hearing than-"

Katrina interrupted him midsentence, speaking through clenched teeth. "Did you mention Galloway?"

Jazz and Barricade shared a glance, neither liking the cold look their charge wore.

"Katrina, Ah know yer upset-"

"Did Galloway have something to do with the Autobots leaving their base?"

Prowl blinked. "Yes, he terminated NEST, but how could you know that?"

"D'ya know this Galloway fellow?" asked Jazz, crouching so his face was level with the girl's.

Katrina nodded, folding her arms. "And I'll bet your next ten energon rations that he wants the Autobots to leave Earth."

"That is what he was in the midst of organizing before Lennox's team hijacked the jet," Prowl said. "I believe they left him stranded in the middle of an Egyptian desert."

Egypt. Where they were taking Optimus's body. The girl squeezed her eyes shut, too depressed to take pleasure in Galloway's less than fortunate situation. "Why didn't you ask Jazz to bring me to NEST?"

"You wish to live a normal life, and Prime always said choice was the right of all sentient beings. He would not have wanted us to force you to use the AllSpark's power against your will."

Katrina glared at him, eyes blurry with tears. "But I-"

"There was also no time. It is fortunate that I was not on base at the time when Galloway arrived to take over; Ironhide commed me and asked that I come here."

"They're all over there, slaggin' Cons, and no way for us t' reach them in time t' help." Jazz slammed a fist on the ground, sending dirt flying everywhere. "Ya should've commed me at the first hint of trouble. When did ya learn the shard was taken?"

"Three days ago, the same time Galloway made his first move. Prime visited Sam, asked him for help, but Sam refused, then was attacked the next day by a Decepticon Pretender. He and Mikaela managed to destroy the Pretender, but Megatron captured them soon after. During their escape Prime was killed."

"That's not good," said Barricade.

"Ya got glitched processors? 'Course it's not good!"

"Where's Sideswipe?" Sunstreaker demanded. "Is he with the others?"

"You will be more help to him here than trying to swim the Atlantic," Prowl replied.

Sunstreaker took a step forward, clenching his hands. "I'm not letting my twin fight alone."

Barricade and Jazz each grabbed one of the yellow mech's shoulders. He angrily shook off the Neutral's grip, but Jazz managed to hang on, despite being a good head shorter than Sunstreaker.

"Prowler's right, if the 'Cons win, Katrina'll be their next target."

"Like I care if a stupid organic dies. Those wounds I had? Tangled with a few stragglers of the war party Starscream was leading here. The main group must have been over thirty mechs. They're going to need all the help they can get!"

"A lot of brave humans are fighting with them," Prowl said. "By the time you found a way to Egypt, the battle would be over. If I must, I will order you to remain here."

"Did you say Sam was with them?" asked Katrina, sorting through the onslaught of information. "Shouldn't he be in college?"

"Part of the AllSpark appears to be residing in his brain, which is why Megatron wanted him. Witwicky holds the key to finding the Matrix of Leadership, which is itself the key to Earth's salvation or destruction."

The Matrix? Something rang a bell in her head, but Katrina couldn't remember where she'd heard the term before. "I don't understand." How could Sam have the AllSpark's power?

"Witwicky thinks that he can revive Prime using the Matrix, but the Fallen wants it for a more sinister purpose... Are you ill?"

Katrina clutched her head, grimacing. Her headache had suddenly gotten much worse. It felt like many comms were being used at once, but no words came through, just pain. "Hurts..."

"Katrina?" Jazz's concerned voice was the last thing the girl heard before she blacked out, the horrible ache fading away to nothingness.