"That is not possible."

Bulkhead ground his denta together in anger. "You weren't there! You didn't see what he did!"

"You don't know why he did what you think he did, either." Ratchet crossed his arms as he stood beside the deactivated GroundBridge controls. He let out a forceful breath, then walked past Bulkhead wave a dismissive wave of his hand. "There has to be an explanation for whatever you think you saw."

The remaining Autobots returned to base after the encounter with their leader. When they first entered the land covered in snow, they had been relieved. The Prime and Miko looked to be in rough condition, both tired, while one had scratches and dents across his frame, but they were alive. Both of them were well hidden between the trees, but when they were found the soldiers could see the child's joy. The reunion did not turn out as they had hoped it would. As soon as they laid optics on Optimus he had driven away, and the last thing they saw was the panic on Miko's face.

They reported to Ratchet exactly what happened through a loud conversation that was lasting nearly ten minutes. The medic refused to believe any of them. There was no possible way Optimus would do anything to harm anyone, preferring to use words over weapons, and that applied even more so to the children. Ratchet shook his head in complete rejection of everything he was being told.

Bumblebee and Arcee held back, not wanting to make the situation worse, but Bulkhead met that stubbornness head on and refused to back down. His posture was arched and rigid as stone. "I know what I saw. We all saw it. Optimus kidnapped Miko!"

Ratchet whirled back around with optic ridges narrowed. The medic had tried to be dismissive through the entire debate, but he would not stand for that kind of accusation. Not against Optimus. Ratchet raised his voice, insulted on behalf of the mech who wasn't there. "He wouldn't do that! He has to have a reason for-"

Bulkhead slammed his fist down on the nearby medical desk, standing tall over the mech who used it and growing closer. "There is no reason!"

Most occupants of the room jumped at the sudden show of violence. Bumblebee buzzed in surprise, standing back away from the yelling that was increasing in ferocity. Agent Fowler tensed as he stood next to the catwalk railing, his Army Ranger instincts kicking in even though he knew he couldn't intervene in the situation. Arcee could, and she took a step towards the Wrecker. "Bulkhead."

Bulkhead turned his head to the speaker, sending her stern expression one of his own before he realized she wasn't looking at him. Bulkhead followed her gaze with his optics, trailing down his own arm until it reached his clenched servo, and the crushed defibrillator underneath.

Bulkhead's arms drifted down to his sides. He returned his attention to Ratchet, whose stance had gone defensive. His optics glowed bright and active, watching the Wrecker's hands with apprehension. Bulkhead turned to see a similar attitude across his allies. Slowly, the tension visible on his faceplate turned to shock that was quickly replaced with frustration. Bulkhead's systems audibly vented and he walked away, heavy footsteps receding down the hallway and out of sight and sound without a word.

Fowler pinched the bridge between his eyes, rubbing them in tired irritation. He had arrived midway through the argument, expecting to see Optimus and Miko going about their business, the Prime reporting events while Miko played music with her partner or went to a truck rally together, and the near chaos he stumbled upon left him unable to get a hold on the situation in the slightest. His attempts to get a word in, to ask what happened or to make the Cybertronians settle down, were overpowered and ignored. He managed to learn of the situation by listening to the upset voices of both those accusing and the one defending the leader.

Fowler breathed heavily as he eyed the remaining Autobots. "Regardless of his intentions, Prime has refused contact with military personnel and is willfully endangering a minor. If you don't get a handle on the situation, I have no choice but to report this in full detail to General Bryce."

Ratchet tried to protest. "Agent Fowler-"

"I have no choice," Fowler repeated sternly, gripping the railing with both hands. "Right now, the General is under the impression that Optimus is missing. He's alerted Canadian law enforcement and requested that they be on lookout for a red and blue truck, but that's all they know. Local authorities have been ordered not to engage, and to report everything they find."

Ratchet watched the Agent with uncertainty. With the orders already given, there was nothing he could do to stop it from happening. He had heard stories of human law enforcement, and he did not trust them to keep their weapons pointed elsewhere. Agent Fowler was proof enough that some humans in positions of power did not entirely abuse it, but there were some, and if Optimus was indeed in poor condition then their weapons could possibly damage him further. Of course, there would be no reason to attack the Prime. It wasn't as if he would be attempting to harm anyone.

Fowler softened at the medic's expression, but only slightly. He had the facts laid out in front of him, and the result didn't look pretty. "I don't want to believe it either, but given Prime's past with the Decepticons we have to assume-"

"We don't have to assume anything!" Ratchet snapped, quickly growing desperate. He turned to Bumblebee and Arcee, locking optics with both of them, almost pleadingly. "Did any of you even try speaking to him?"

"We never had the chance," Arcee replied with an even tone, while Bumblebee beeped quietly. "As soon as Optimus saw us, he disappeared."

Ratchet opened his mouth to say something else, but Arcee assumed he decided against it, or just didn't have the strength to say it. Once a moment had passed he returned to watching the monitors, trying to find something that had long since disappeared. Arcee resumed leaning against the wall, crossing her arms in contemplation.

The computer suddenly blared a warning, and everyone in the room perked up in anticipation. Ratchet analyzed the screens, and his brief hopeful expression instantly fell. He slowly moved to press the monitor, and the secret passage to the base opened.

June was glaring as she drove into the base. Jack was in the passenger seat, clearly saying something to his mother that fell on deaf ears. Rafael sat in the back seat, an uncomfortable look on his face. Seconds after the car was set in park, June got out and almost slammed the door, heading straight for the catwalk stairs. Jack quickly jumped out, but remained near the vehicle. "Mom-"

"Where is Miko?" June asked Fowler, marching right up to him with anger.

With Fowler left in stunned surprised at June's fierce gaze, Arcee was the one who answered. "She's with Optimus."

June sighed, brushing her hair back with a hand even though it was already tied in a ponytail. Her expression did not change. She wasn't in a panic. Being a nurse, she was used to serious and dire situations, but unlike her job she didn't know what Miko's condition was in the slightest. June pointed to Jack, who was helping Raf out of the car, and spoke with a serious tone. "I told you to be safe."

Before Jack could respond, June continued, pointing towards Fowler.

"I told you to watch them," June watched Fowler for a moment longer before she turned her attention to the Autobots left in the room, her eyebrows furrowed even more. "And I told you not to put them in danger."

Fowler raised his hands in a position similar to surrender, trying to calm June down. "I'm sure she's fine."

"Are you?" June asked forcefully, switching her gaze to the Agent. June motioned towards her son. "Miko's host parents think she's sleeping over at Jack's, but she's really in another country! They're going to want her home at some point!"

Jack walked up the stairs slowly, Rafael following behind with a hand brushing the railing. Jack looked back to Arcee, who seemed to be thinking deeply. Jack turned to June and gestured towards Arcee and Bumblebee, defending them. "They're going to get her back."

June placed her hands on her hips as she viewed her son, her anger dying down only slightly. "I know they are. And after this, no more scouting missions, no more Energon collecting, and definitely no more Decepticon hunting."

Jack's eyes widened. "Mom-"

"I'm being more than fair," June stopped Jack from protesting. She switched her gaze to the Autobot scout. "After what happened to Raf, it should have been a sign that you were unnecessarily endangering these children."

Bumblebee stiffened with wide optics before his door wings lowered and he looked away with a soft whirr.

June returned to speaking with her son, her voice receding to a softer tone. "If you weren't being hunted I would pull you out of this completely, but I can't."

No one replied to that. They didn't know what to say. A lot of things June was saying were true. Fowler knew that it wasn't his place to get involved in June's family matters, especially when she was rightfully concerned with the safety of children. Bumblebee looked down at Rafael, not wanting him to be taken away again, but of course not wanting him to get hurt again. Rafael looked back up at him with worried eyes. Arcee's head was tilted down, optics closed and a grim frown plastered on her faceplate. Ratchet was still standing at the monitors, apparently not listening to the voices in the room.

After a long period of silence, Rafael finally relented. "It... is more than fair."

Bumblebee watched Rafael carefully, then buzzed quietly in understanding. Rafael sent him a sad smile that disappeared as quickly as it formed.

Jack seemed as if he wanted to speak against his mother, but his shoulders slumped in defeat when he heard the acceptance of others. The air was still tense. Jack rubbed the back of his neck. In an attempt to lighten the mood even slightly he jokingly looked up at the Autobot medic. "I guess you're going to be stuck with us more often, Ratchet."

Ratchet glanced at Jack for a moment, expressionless, before looking away again.

Fowler briefly checked his phone before placing it back in his pocket. He sighed.

"The General doesn't know about Miko's involvement," Fowler took the silence as a chance to speak. "He's under the impression that Optimus is acting alone. I'm hoping it will stay that way, for all our sakes."

Once he finished, Fowler began walking towards the catwalk's elevator. He pressed the button on the outside, and once the doors opened, June began walking towards him, speaking strictly to show that she was not giving the Agent a choice. "I'm going with you."

Jack watched her with confusion. "Mom?"

"You're not the one in trouble," June stopped just before reaching the doors, facing her son fully. "Yet. Do not leave this building or, so help me, I will ground you until you're fifty. Do you understand?"

Jack was still taken aback by his mother's actions. They did make sense in that there were close calls. He never told her too much about the time he was with Arcee, and they first discovered Airachnid. He wouldn't have made it out of there without Arcee, but he also wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place if he hadn't gone with her.

Jack's will faded, and he looked away. After a long moment, he nodded. "Yes."

June's glare lightened slightly. She didn't want to have to do what she was doing, but it had become a necessity. She understood the bonds the children had with the Autobots, and that friendship was one of the only reasons she was even letting them see each other at all. She just couldn't watch her son go into danger again, her sixteen year old child, and not know if he was going to come back home from a war he had no reason to fight.

June's unhappy expression shifted to a look of near calm. She nodded in approval. "Good."

She stepped into the waiting elevator. Fowler pressed another button on the inside. June sent Jack a brief apologetic glance that was soon cut off by the closing doors.

Once June was gone, Rafael walked across the catwalk towards his Autobot guardian. Bumblebee approached the railing and bent down slightly to bring his face closer to the child's. Rafael stopped against the railing, looking up at Bumblebee with concern. "Do you know if Miko's okay?"

Bumblebee bleeped a few times with a shake of his head. He raised a hand towards his charge in an example.

Rafael reported his friend's response to Jack. "She didn't look hurt at all."

Jack smiled slightly at Rafael, who returned it, though Jack's vanished once the twelve year old looked away. Rafael walked to the couch, taking a seat, Bumblebee following from beside him, standing close to his charge. They began a conversation, and Jack began making a move to join them.

"She's right."

Jack glanced over to the speaker, who was still watching the floor. When there was no elaboration, Jack responded. "Arcee?"

Arcee raised her head, but she didn't look at Jack. "If we weren't so lenient with letting you into the field then Miko wouldn't be in this mess."

Jack quickly tried to shut that thought down. He didn't want her to blame herself for something that wasn't her fault. He put a hand over his chest for emphasis. "It's always been our choice. We're the ones who got into these situations."

"Because we let you," Arcee finished, locking optics with Jack's eyes. Jack went silent at her gaze, seeing the force and meaning behind it.

Arcee had listened to June's words, and she had truly heard them. There had been many close calls. Arcee had almost lost Jack many times, and while Cliffjumper and Tailgate were able to defend themselves against their foes, Jack was human. If Arcee was just a second too late and a Decepticon towered over him, there was nothing either of them could do but leave one to brace themselves and one to helplessly watch.

She couldn't lose another partner. Not again.

With that, Arcee pushed off the wall, moving towards Ratchet, while Jack was only able to watch her leave.

Arcee stopped a few steps behind from the medic, who had barely moved since June arrived. "Do you have a fix on Optimus' location?"

Ratchet took a moment to reply, and even then his voice was oddly quiet. "Once Optimus reactivated, his signal was lost."

Arcee's frown deepened. She eyed Ratchet's posture, back slouched, head lowered, hands placed flat on the console that supported him. She couldn't see his optics, but she suspected that they were glowing dully, or perhaps bright with jumbled thoughts. Arcee walked up next to him, though she kept her distance. Optimus might have placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort, but she and the medic did not share as close a bond.

That bond was obviously the reason Ratchet would never believe what he was being told.

Arcee checked over the monitors. Life signals were displayed, each belonging to a member of the Autobots. Arcee's was steady, Bumblebee's was slightly slow, Bulkhead's was erratic. Ratchet was stable, but flowed in soft waves. Optimus was gone.

Arcee looked away. She chose to use her words. Just as he would. "Our main priority is getting Miko back here safe. If we find him again, if he tries to fight against us, we have to fight back."

Ratchet didn't raise his head, but Arcee could see his fingers curl. "Don't."

"I don't want it to be true, but it's what happened," Arcee insisted. She tried to think of another explanation, and she could only think of one. "Unless Silas somehow reactivated Nemesis Prime..."

Ratchet shook his head. "The signal belonged to Optimus. This was not the work of Silas."

So it couldn't have been anyone else. It was Optimus. Arcee didn't understand how Ratchet couldn't think of that as at least a possibility, likely or not. Yes, Optimus and Ratchet had known each other for a long time, and no, she didn't know exactly how long they had been friends. Still, if their leader had defected to the other side, that made him an enemy, and the Optimus they believed they knew would never want to harm them. If there was any good left in him at that point he more than likely would want them to stop him for good. She knew she was expecting the worst, but she had seen the worst before, and so she knew it was possible.

Arcee cleared those thoughts from her processor. She straightened, and with her stern expression returned she turned around, beginning to make her way towards the hall. "I'm going to speak with Bulkhead."

Jack, who had been sitting with Rafael and Bumblebee, got up from his position, taking steps towards the stairs. "Do you want me to come with?"

Arcee stopped for only a moment, but she didn't turn back. "I should handle this on my own."

Jack wanted to protest, but Arcee was already walking away from him.