A/N: Hello guys! I finally found time to upload! It's only one chapter, but it's pretty long! One of the longest, if not the longest!

AllSpark Princess: Yup, it's me! Thanks for remembering me and stopping by! I'm so happy to see that you like this version! Thank you!

I wanna thank everybody who read my story and liked and followed! I just realized I have 200+ views! So proud of myself right now! Thank you, guys!

All mistakes are mine, you already know that. If you spot any, please let me know!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs!

Enjoy! :)


Chapter 7

- Darkness Rising, part 3 -

- Dream -

Cracks. So many cracks. The ground was encrusted with them. They all shined with neon purple light. Then, an old rusted servo burst out of it, trying to grab her legs. It clawed at the ground and lifted it's decaying and destroyed head from the earth. She fell backwards and landed on her back. The monstrosity shone with the same neon purple.

It leaned towards her and opened what was left of it's mouth. A broken hiss filled with static left from it. Then, it let a furious, bone-chilling scream. She covered her ears, shut her eyes, and screamed.

Suddenly, quiet.

She opened her eyes. A long and huge corridor stretched out before her that made a slight turn to the left. Nothing but tall, dark-purple metal walls around. Then, a bright pinkish light shone from the end of the corridor. She lifted herself, and began walking towards the light.

Soon, she reached the end of the corridor and entered in a big room where the ceiling was almost too high to see. The only source of light in the room was from a huge container where enormous crystals were. Their color was very familiar... Realization hit her like a train. The crystals... they had the same color as the cracks and the robot from before... Dread filled her as she approached the container. When she was but a step away from it she put her hand on the glass. When her skin touched the cool surface, the crystals gave a pulse, and began shinning brightly, blinding her.

- End of the dream -

Ioana quickly opened her eyes. She stayed there, laying in her bed. Her breath was quick, and her heart hammered in her rib-cage. She placed her hand over her heart and willed herself to calm down. "Breath. Calm down." a voice whispered in her mind. She looked at her rose clip on the night-table and sighed.

When she felt she was alright she got up and went to take a shower, then change into more fitting clothes. While in the shower, she began thinking of what the things in her dream were. "It's clearly connected to the bots. And the robot could have been Cliffjumper. Arcee did say that he was covered in that strange substance. And the crystals? ... They must have been the solid form of the purple 'goo'. I have no other explanation for them in my dream, unless they were part of a vision." After that, she went and looked through her wardrobe for something to wear. She chose a black, short-sleeved shirt, dark-blue worn jeans and her beloved long arm bands. After, she took her rose and placed it in her hair.

Then, she went to check if the leftovers from last night were still there. Surprisingly, they were. They had been really tired last night, and they went to bed as soon as they finished eating. It meant Ale would soon wake up for some food and go back to sleep. Usual Saturdays.

And, right on time: she heard a door open upstairs. She got the three plates from last night out, and took one in her right hand. Another door was opened. Ioana knew that one was hers.

"Here Ale." she said, stone-faced, waiting patiently, knowing that Ale could hear her from upstairs, even though she didn't speak louder than usual.

A gust of wind passed by her, and the hand with the plate felt much emptier.

"Thanks bro." Ale replied muttering sleepy, as she sat down in her chair.

Ioana patted Ale's fluffy bed-head and went to warm Tamy's plate. She thought of sharing her dream with the two, but thought better of it.

On cue, not one minute after the microwave sounded, the master bedroom's door opened.

Tamy came into the kitchen looking decent, unlike Ale, who came down in her pajamas, but just as sleepy. She too grabbed the plate in Ioana's right hand and sat in her place.

"Does she always wake up this early?" Tamara asked Ale as the two watched Ioana search for bread and cutlery. They both looked like they could fall asleep in their seats.

"Yessss..." Ale said, yawning. "She is killing me. How can she be so active in both the morning and evening?!" she looked irritated, as if being active in the morning was the greatest crime in the history of human kind.

"She's a witch!" Tamara waved her hands and wiggled her fingers, teasing the girl, who heard everything.

Ioana just rolled her eyes at the antics of the two and sat down after taking her own plate.

"Being so rested in the morning and not complaining about needing more sleep is not as impossible as you think." She replied.

"Nope, not believing that." Ale said, then proceeded to down her food in one go.

After a few minutes Tamara spoke up.

"I wonder if the big guys even sleep." she looked at Ioana, feeling much better with a full stomach.

Ioana blinked.

"We'll have to ask them." she said, "But I do believe they do." she added, confident.

That's one out of the two things that made Ioana believe today was going to be just as, for the lack of better words, unusual as yesterday.

The second? Bulkhead showing up to pick Ale. With Miko in tow, but no Raf or Jack. Their new guardians were coming to pick them up individually, Ioana realized. So, after explaining to Miko that "Yeah, we live together!" and why, Ale left with them.

Then, Bee came with Raf and Tamara went with them. Ioana was outside, locking the door, when Arcee came with an irritated looking Jack.

"What happened?" Ioana asked curious.

"Saturday happened." Arcee said amused.

The corners of Ioana's mouth twitched in an almost smile, but it didn't last for long.

"Ha ha." came from Jack, who stood with his arms crossed.

"Come on." Arcee got closer to Ioana.

Ioana, Arcee and Jack left the city behind them, and took the same desert road from yesterday. Then, Arcee took a left turn, and stopped at a 'Stop' sign. Just as Jack opened his mouth to ask what happened, Arcee spoke up.

"Tighten your grip, kids!" she said, and suddenly speed up.

The two barely had any time to brace themselves before Arcee lifted herself up on her back tire.

"H-Hey! What's with you, Arcee?" Jack asked, surprised, but not complaining.

"I thought you might actually enjoy the ride if we weren't getting shot at." she answered, and let her front tire touch the road again.

Ioana let a the smallest of smirks appear on her face. Then, forgetting for the moment of the haunting images from her dream, she leaned forwards.

"Oh, bring it!" she said.

- Meanwhile -

"Ready, set-"

"Girls, I'm supposed to be protecting you." Bulkhead said, his voice showing his hesitation.

They were on the edge of a small rock ledge, per request of Miko and Alexandra, who wanted to have a little fun before going to the base.

"Bulkhead, we're strapped tight inside ten tons of metal muscle." Miko said, patting the door on her side.

"Yeah! We're protected, bro!" Ale said grinning.

Slowly, Bulkhead slid down the cliff and rushed down, the two girls screaming in gleeful delight.

- Meanwhile -

Raf, Tamara and Bee were playing car racing on the 'Bot's build-in screen. Their cars' motors were loud, and so were the two humans, who were imitating their sound. Suddenly, Bee's yellow car pushed Tamy's and Raf's cars off the road.

" Ha! Take that! " came the teasing beeps from the young Autobot.

"Awww!" Raf sighed, amused.

"Not fair, Bumblebee!" said Tamara her grin big and amused.

"You've been driving a lot longer than we have!" Raf added, smiling.

- Later -

It was one hour later when everyone reached the base. When they entered, they saw Optimus and Ratchet in the middle of the room, talking. They stopped when they came in, though.

"That was awesome!" Jack said, his grin reaching his ears.

They were all smiles and laughter, and even Ioana sported a small smile.

"Can we go again?" Raf asked after his and Tamara's guardian transformed.

"Sweet!" came from Miko.

"It. Was. Amazing!" Alexandra shouted after climbing out of Bulkhead.

Just as Bulkhead transformed, a loud strange sound came from inside him.

"Argh..." he groaned, and pulled out of his chassis a... guitar?!

"Sorry! Must have left that in the back seat." Miko said sheepishly, and Bulkhead gave the instrument back to her.

Then, Optimus began walking towards the Ground Bridge.

"Autobots, prepare to-" he stopped in front of the three robots and their charges.

Ioana knew that he was making second choices and all because of them.

"-roll out?" Arcee finished for him.

"-remain here." he said, making a 'stay put' motion with his servo. He then turned to Ratchet.

"Ratchet, you'll come with me." then, he turned to Arcee, "Arcee, we'll be outside communications range for some time so I'm putting you in charge." he finished, while Ratchet went to start the Ground Bridge.

"Dude, you're biggest." Miko said looking up at Bulkhead.

"Yeah, bro! You should be the boss!" Ale agreed.

"Err, he never picks me." Bulkhead said.

Arcee turned to Optimus.

"Optimus, with all due respect, playing bodyguard is one thing, baby sitting's another." she said.

"Babysitting?!" came from Ale, Miko and Jack, but Arcee ignored them.

"Besides, Ratchet hasn't been in the fields since the war." she finished.

"My pistons may be rusting, but my hearing is sharp as ever!" Ratchet said, irritated, from his console.

Optimus turned back to her.

"For the moment it's only reconnaissance." he reassured the femme.

"And why do I hear an edge in your voice?" she asked, concerned, and Ioana took a few steps forwards, also feeling dread rise in her chest. She thought of her dream and felt the need to warn Optimus about what she had seen. But, before she could share her fears, Optimus spoke.

"Arcee, much has changed in the last 24 hours, and we all need to adapt. Ratchet, bridge us out!" and so, he and Ratchet approached the Ground Bridge. Then, with the Bridge open, they left, leaving the poor girl wondering if she should've spoken up, revealing her ability to sense the dangers about to occur in the future, or if she did good not saying anything.

"Ok chief, so, what's on the activities list?" Jack asked balancing himself back and forward.

Arcee glanced for a second at him, then turned around.

"I'm going on patrol." she passed Bulkhead, who looked at her nervous. Arcee was clearly not that happy to 'babysit' them.

"But Optimus told us to stay." he reminded, even thought not even 5 minutes passed since the leader left.

"When you are in charge you can call the shots." the femme said. Then, she turned to the other mech left in the base. " 'Bee, with me."

The yellow 'Bot looked at her, then at his charges.

" Aww! Come on! "

Then, ironically, Arcee said:

"Bulkhead, you're in charge." and she placed her servo on her fore-servo. With that, she and 'Bee transformed and left.

"So... what's on the activity list?" Bulkhead asked awkwardly, before a loud, ear-piercing sound filled the room.

They all turned towards the origin of the sound, while wincing, and found Miko with her rock guitar plugged into a set of 2 speakers.

"How about band practice?" she asked enthusiastically.

Tamara and Alexandra glanced at Ioana, whose face turned from hidden concern to an ice-cold expression. The rose in her hair somehow looked a lot paler than usual.

"But we are not a band." Raf said, his small hands covering his ears.

"Why so antisocial? Come on, Raf. You playin' anything?" She asked approaching the boy.

"Umm... Keyboard?" he said in a small voice.

"Laptops and samples, good!" she encouraged.

"I... sometimes mess around on the harmonica." Jack said, rubbing the back of his head, while leaning his elbow on one of the speakers.

"Do I look like I do country?" Miko glared at him. "Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming." she taunted him.

"Ahh..." Jack made a grabbing gesture but gave up.

"Bulkhead, percussion!" Miko pointed to the mech. "Ioana-" when she looked at her, Miko gulped at the fierce glare she received "ummm... you...you can tell us if you liked it!" she laughed nervously. Then, she turned to Alexandra and Tamara. "You girls wanna sing?"

"Umm, gonna stand back with Ioana." Alexandra answered, gulping at her friend's face.

"Only if I know the song..." Tamara said hesitating.

"We'll go for a big industrial sound. DIY, we are a band! You just need to learn the songs." she said to them all. Then, turning to Tamara. "This one's a ballad, 'My fist, your face'. Know it?"

"Umm, no." Tamara looked confused. Then, her eyes lit up. "Do you know 'Iron'? By 'The Star Twins'?"(1) she glanced subtly at Ioana.

Miko's eyes widened with joy.

"Oh yeah! I love them! They're like, my favorite band!" she grinned and jumped. "It's settled!" and, with no further ado, her fingers touched the strings of the guitar.

Bulkhead covered his audio sensors, trying to leave out the sounds. But, to her dismay, an alarm sounded not even 5 second after beginning.

"Come on! You can't handle raw power?" she whined, angry.

Bulkhead looked up surprised.

"Proximity sensor. Quick, hide!" he said, panicking, and Ioana and Alexandra sat up from their spots on the stairs.

With no place to hide, they stood behind each of Bulkhead's pedes, as they were big enough to cover them. Ioana, Tamara and Alexandra behind his right one and Raf, Miko and Jack behind his left one. Miko was still grasping her guitar, though.

But they hid just in time.

"Prime!" came the same angry voice from last time.

"Agent Fowler. Uh. He's not here. Nobody's here. Except me, of course." Bulkhead stammered, trying to appear as innocent as possible.

"Where did he go? Wait, don't tell me. He's out pancaking a mini-mall!" while talking, the Agent began approaching the top of the stairs, and Bulkhead moved too, in order to hide the teens.

"Now, I don't know what language you 'Bots speak on your planet," Bulkhead kept moving, trying to keep them out of sight but Miko's guitar, which was still connected to the speakers, began sending out sounds. "but Prime promised he would handle the Decepticons, and blowing a crater in the middle of Nebraska is not what the word 'handle' means in English!" that's when Agent Fowler began glancing down. "So, you tell Prime-" he finally looked over the railing, down, at the speakers below, where Raf's laptop stood, and noticed the wire connected to one of them and 'Bulkhead's pede'. "Since when are you, 'Bots, electric?" he sounded very suspicious.

Bulkhead glanced down at the wire. Miko looked at Jack, who shrugged. "No, don't do what I think you're about to do." Ioana's eyes widened. But, against her mental pleas, Jack, Miko and Raf stepped from behind Bulkhead's pede. When Alexandra and Tamara looked at Ioana for permission, she just gave them a defeated glance, as if to say 'Do what you wish'. The two nodded and stepped in front too.

"Hey. How are you doing?" Jack said in an casual voice.

"Contact with civilians! Team Prime has really gone off rules this time. Wait, don't tell me! You are running a day-care center?" his voice was full of sarcasm, and Ioana bit back an insult.

"Aaa..." Bulkhead tried to get his voice box to work.

"We are interns." came the quick excuse from Alexandra. "Very intelligent, Ale." Ioana thought.

"Student interns." Raf continued.

"Earning extra credits in Mechanics!" Jack added.

"Robotics!" Miko ended. Ioana quietly facepalmed.

Agent Fowler came down, saying:

"Ok, let's move! I'm taking all five of you into federal custody. It's for your own protection." he was clearly determined to take them.

"No, you're not." Ioana's ice-cold voice was heard. She stepped from behind Bulkhead with her arms crossed and her posture tense.

"Another one! And who do you think you are, saying that?" he asked, not feeling that intimidated by the glare the girl was giving him.

"Canace Ioana-Verena. And, if that still doesn't ring any bells for you, have a look at this." and, taking her wallet out of one of her back pockets. Then, she took out an important looking card.

Then, they all watched how the Agent's jaw almost hit the floor.

"But... You shouldn't be here!" he said.

"I have permission to live anywhere in this country. Anywhere on the globe, actually." Ioana replied.

"Yes, that you have! But you do not have one to be here! In fact, none of you have! It's not safe here, and you have permission only on the safe grounds!" he gathered himself, and approached them.

Ioana sneered and took a step forward. But, before she could do anything, Bulkhead's big pede came down between them and Agent Fowler.

"We are protecting them." the mech said.

"Is that so?" the Agent turned and walked to an old phone pole next to the stairs. "Well, maybe you can explain that to my superiors at the Pentagon!" he grabbed the phone, but Bulkhead rushed to the pole.

"Don't use that phone! It's - out of order." he said as he smashed it with his digit.

That's when the human's face transformed into a big angry expression, and he began climbing the stairs.

"This isn't over, Big Foot, not by a long shot!" And the elevator's doors closed.

Bulkhead sighed and shook his helm.

"Optimus won't be too happy when he hears about this..." Tamara had the courage to say what everyone thought.

"We really messed it up, didn't we?" Alexandra asked, looking at the ground.

"Big time." Jack answered, feeling just as dejected.

"We... we should do something about that phone... We can't leave it like that." Raf tried to distract them.

"Bulkhead? You could take it out definitively." Tamara suggested.

"Ahh, sure." then, grabbing the phone pole, he pulled it out. "Wait here." he told them, going to assumingly throw it out.

"Ioana?" Raf spoke up again. "What was that just now?"

At the girl's raised eyebrow he quickly explained.

"I-I mean, the card. What's with it?" the boy straightened his glasses, out of habit.

Jack, Miko and Raf looked at her curious to find out the answer. Ioana, though, looked like she was contemplating to either tell them or not. "I don't want them to find out... But, I don't wanna lie either... Half a truth should be sufficient." She waited 'till Bulkhead returned to tell them, though. She didn't want to repeat herself.

"This card," Ioana lifted it again for them to look properly at it, "allows me to go on every continent, in every country on this planet. Anywhere." she said.

"Even in closed-off for people places?" Miko asked awed.

Ioana sighed.

"Yes. Even in restricted areas. It also has a few other uses, but that's for you to find out." she rolled her eyes. Then, she became serious again. "But... I believe that your secret base was one of the few places even I couldn't access." she looked at Bulkhead. "Too bad I did, though. " she gave an mysterious smirk.

"Pfff." Ale laughed.

"Yeah... But, if you shouldn't be here... does that mean they'll come after you? After all of us?" Jack asked, frowning.

"I do not know. It depends on Agent Fowler. Or the Ministry of Safety. We have to wait and see." Ioana said glancing at the ceiling for a second, out of boredom.

Then, another alarm sounded.

"My ears!" poor Raf said.

"It's an S.O.S." Bulkhead walked to one of the consoles. Then, his voice took a surprised tone. "From Fowler!" his digits pressed some buttons and the Agent's face showed on the screen.

"Did you trace it?" Raf asked.

"Location scan incomplete. Oh well." He turned away from the computer.

"Oh well, seriously?" Alexandra asked shocked.

"Fowler's a jerk!" Bulkhead defended himself.

"Wha- Whether you like the guy or not the Decepticons may have him!" Jack began.

"And Agent Fowler knows your location!" Raf continued. Then he froze. "Our location!" he covered his mouth with his hand.

"And did we not just witness how fast Fowler backs down from a 'Bot? The 'Cons will totally make him squeal!" Miko reminded.

"But we lost the transmission. Fowler could be anywhere." Bulkhead sounded alarmed.

"Maybe I could narrow it down." Raf said, pulling his laptop out of his backpack, and sitting down Indian style. "About five years ago the Government started micro-chipping their agents.

You know, like owners do with pets." He began tipping on his laptop. Then he noticed the weird looks from Miko and Jack. "What? I saw it on TV. Anyway, if I can hack into the Fed's mainframe maybe I can pinpoint Fowler's coordinates.

"You know how to hack? But you're like ten years old!"(2) Miko said, but earned a few glares from Ioana and Alexandra.

"Fifteen. And a quarter."(2) Raf smiled. After a few minutes of tapping and waiting, Raf spoke up again. "Latitude 39.5, longitude 116.9."

"Ok, wait here." Bulkhead said, onlining the Ground Bridge.

"Aw, don't break up the band!" Miko whined as Bulkhead walked to the portal.

"Umm, Ioana, you're in charge!" the 'Bot said right before leaving. Ioana nodded to him.

"Guess we six have the run the place." Jack said. He then looked to his left, where he knew Ale and Miko were. Keyword: were. "Miko? Ale?" he looked around him.

Ioana's eyes widened. She turned her back for one minute! One minute!

- Meanwhile -

The Space Bridge opened to let Bulkhead out.

"Fowler?" he asked. Then, he looked up. "Uh-oh.. The whole Decepticon ship bay." he hid behind a big boulder.

The ship was black, with purple and dark-silver highlights. Soldiers where securing the perimeter, blasters in servos. Quietly, he moved closer to the ship, behind another rock. A Decepticon went past his hiding place just as he heard a way too familiar voice.

"Alright!" the 'Bot looked at the smaller rock beside him where he saw his two charges. It had been Miko who spoke.

"What's the plan?" Ale asked.

"Ale, Miko!" Bulkhead was shocked and afraid of what could happen to them.

Then, his fears came real. He pointed a digit up, above their heads, were a Decepticon was. The two girls gasped when they saw that he noticed them. He came closer to them and activated his blaster, ready to shot them.

"Uhh, unwise." Miko observed.

"You don't say!" Ale returned panicking.

"Both, get down!" Bulkhead shouted, and they jumped over the rock, just as a blast hit it.

They ran and behind them they heard Bulkhead smash into the 'Con, but stopped when they heard Bulkhead groan. He had been hit with a blast, but he quickly pushed down the 'Con, hitting him back. Then, he pinned him down, a bit too close to them.

"Hold him still!" they each took a rock and hit him in the helm with them.

They were grabbed by Bulkhead and put down on the other side of the 'Con, a few feet away. When they finally got up, they saw the Decepticon and Bulkhead pushing each other.

"Girls, look away!" the 'Bot shouted.

"But-!" Miko argued.

"Turn your heads away!" and, before they even could, Bulkhead thrust his servo through the Decepticon's chassis. When he pulled it out, he was holding onto wires and circuits, sparks coming out like an waterfall.

"Wow..." their eyes shone with awe.

After the robot fell down, dead, Bulkhead put his servo to his audio sensors.

"Arcee, Bumblebee, do you read?" he asked. After a few seconds, "I have a situation." he hid behind an rock again. Then, "I'm in front of the Decepticon ship. With Miko and Ale." he cringed at the last one.

- Meanwhile -

"What should we do?!" Raf asked worried. "Bulkhead may have not even realized they'd followed him!"

They were all up on the platforms, at the railing, looking at the closed Space Bridge.

"Miko hasn't seen the 'Cons in action like we have. She has no idea." Jack said.

Raf approached a human-sized computer next to them.

"Those are the coordinates. Their destination is still locked in." he said turning to Ioana.

"Good. Start the Ground Bridge. Tamara, with me. Jack, you may come, but you have to listen to me, not like those two airheads did." she got down the stairs and approached the Bridge. "Raf, stay here. You're in charge."

"In charge of who?!" he asked, pressing the button needed to online the Bridge and rushed after them.

Ioana sighed.

"Fine. But the same warning as Jack. Don't do anything rash." she looked at him and stepped into the Ground Bridge.

- Outside The Nemesis -

They all felt their bones shake, and stomach roll, though they did not feel the need to heave. They jumped and touched the ground. Looking around, their gazes fell upon the enormous Decepricon airship, which intimitated them by it's sheer size.

- Bulkhead, Alexandra and Miko -

The two girls sat on Bulkhead's servo, waiting for reinforcements.

"What's taking Arcee and Bumblebee?" Alexandra asked worried and irritated.

"Dude, the cons could be putting the clamps on Fowler right now. Let's just storm the joint!" Miko said.

Then they heard the Space Bridge open.

"They're here!" Bulkhead said, happy that his teammates were finally there to help.

But they weren't expecting Ioana, Tamara, Jack and Raf to jump out of the Bridge with no Arcee or Bee no less!

"Why don't those guys hang with their own 'Bots? This is our two-on-one time." came angrily from Miko.

"Hey, they are our friends! Besides, the more the merrier!" Ale said, instantly defending her old and new friends.

"Urgh..." Bulkhead sighed. No break from protecting humans.

- Back to Ioana, Tamara, Jack and Raf -

Ioana looked carefully around, searching for her friends or, hopefully not, danger.

"Are your bones vibrating?" Raf said rubbing his tummy.

Ioana did feel the effects of the Space Bridge, but she knew the more they would use it, the faster their bodies would accommodate. Then, she saw them. Bulkhead, Ale and Miko, waving to them. Just as she was about to stop the others and show them, someone spoke up.

"You there!"

They all looked up, at the ship in front and saw, for Jack and Raf familiar, for Tamara and Ioana unknown, two Decepticon soldiers pointing at them with their blasters. Dread and fear bloomed in their hearts.

"Scrap..."

- End of the chapter -

(1) The real band is called Within Temptation. I do not own the song, but there is a reason for which I choose to change the band name.

(2) I have aged up Jack, Miko and Raf considerably, I know. Jack and Miko are 18 years old and you already know Raf's age.