A/N: And this chapter puts us back in line with canon, for a little while anyway! Sorry it took me so long to post this – I've been really swamped the last few days with other activities. Again, thanks so much to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, or favorited!

Chapter 9: Intelligence

"Agent Simmons," Riella said coolly, taking a step forward and once again placing herself between the government agent and the human children. "I can't say it's a pleasure."

"Yeah, whatever." Simmons gestured, and out of the corner of her eye, Riella saw more humans with guns rapidly closing in.

Frag.

"I would not do that, Agent." She shifted her weight gradually into a subtle combat stance, rapidly calculating how long it would take her to disarm all of them. To her concern, she determined that there was no way she would be able to stop every single one from shooting. Simmons knew as much, judging from his smirk.

Prowl, ETA?

Keep him talking for another twenty-four seconds.

Copy. Riella arched an eyebrow and took a step closer to Simmons, noting the gun he was still carrying. "That would be a mistake."

"Really? 'Cause the way I see it, you made a mistake trying to evade the law, lady. You and your little criminal friends." Simmons looked pointedly at Mikaela. Riella frowned.

"I fail to see how that is relevant."

"Yeah, well, you don't need to. Come quietly and maybe I'll let you keep walking." The human took a step back, yanked his gun out, and leveled it at Riella's chest. "Cuff 'em!"

Riella dove forward, under the nearest agent's outstretched arm, and made a grab for Simmons' gun, wrenching it out of his grip one-handed and spinning around to kick the human behind her away. Someone opened fire, and she hoped it hadn't been in Sam or Mikaela's direction. A bullet bounced off her shoulder, tearing her jacket, and she whipped around to face the shooter. "Stop! There is no need to harm anyone – "

Before she had time to finish the sentence, there were two guns in her face, humans trying to force her to the ground. She hissed sharply in frustration and moved to shove them away, but was abruptly interrupted by the sudden screech of tires and a rapidly-clattering transformation sequence.

Prowl went from vehicle mode to robot in less than a second, dropped to one knee, and had the point of a throwing star leveled at Simmons' chest before the human could even flinch. "Call them off."

"What the hell – " Simmons tried to scramble backward, cursing, and stopped in his tracks when Prowl slammed one hand down onto the concrete inches from his leg. The Autobot's optics narrowed behind his visor, though his tone never changed.

"Call them off. Now."

Simmons looked up at Prowl, over at where Riella had easily freed herself from the agents attempting to restrain her, and apparently decided that he was outgunned. Or, simply panicked. It was difficult to tell. "Okay! Okay! Stand down." When the remaining Sector Seven agents didn't comply immediately, he took another rapid step backward, eyes locked on the throwing star in Prowl's hand. "Stand down!"

Gun safeties clicked as his men took the hint. Riella sidestepped and turned to check on Sam. "Are you hurt?"

"N-no…" Sam stared wide-eyed at Prowl, looking almost as afraid of the Autobot as Agent Simmons currently did. "What's he doing? Listen, this is all just a huge misunderstanding, you guys have to put the weapons away!"

"This does not fit my definition of a misunderstanding." Prowl studied Simmons coldly, not moving a single cable. "Threatening them was an extremely poor decision, Agent."

"Prowl. Enough." Optimus stepped carefully over an S.U.V and aimed a stern glare at the tactician. "Release the human, please. This is not a situation in which further force is required. Jazz, relieve them of their weapons."

Prowl acknowledged, retracting the throwing star neatly and straightening up. "Sir." Behind Riella, a magnet activated with a sharp hum, and she ducked reflexively as every gun in the area was yanked up past her head into Jazz's waiting palm. The silver mech grinned down at her.

"Ya gonna keep that one?"

With a slight frown, Riella glanced down at Simmons' gun, which she hadn't realized she was still holding. "I suppose not." Turning pointedly to make sure that Simmons could see her, she flipped the gun around in her hand and clamped down, crushing the weapon like cardboard. The human turned pale and backed up until he bumped into a car, trying to get further away from her.

She sensed more than saw Prowl's smirk, as he knelt beside her and held out a hand. Still-flashing headlights from the nearest S.U.V. glinted off scraped and scarred metal. I thought you said you had managed to lose them.

I said that I could lose them, not that I already had, Riella pointed out, accepting the hand up and settling on his shoulder. But you are correct, it was my mistake. I should have paid more attention to their location.

In this case, you gave me the opportunity to shut your government agent up. I'll let the distraction slide. Prowl grinned and reached up to rest his hand against her back and shoulder, making it clear he was joking. Agent Simmons is obnoxious.

You just noticed? Riella frowned down at Simmons, who had gone off on another rant, this time aimed at Optimus. "Look, there are S-7 protocols, okay? I'm not authorized to communicate with you, except to tell you I can't communicate with you."

Prowl's thought process froze on that line. "My understanding was that you exist to deal with us. Why would you not be authorized to communicate with the beings you exist to communicate with?"

"Do you really want to know?" Riella arched an eyebrow, quickly trying to steer him away from a potential paradox. "I don't know that they were ever supposed to communicate with us. Deal with can cover a wide range of options."

"Answer my question, Agent," Optimus ordered with a stern look at Riella and Prowl. "Why were you targeting the humans?"

"I am not authorized to communicate with you! I can't tell you anything, okay?" Simmons shook his head, stared at every Autobot in the area, and started in on another string of comments about "giant alien robots".

::Does he ever shut up?:: Ratchet frowned down at the rambling human.

::I am getting the impression he does not.:: Prowl took a step back, trying to avoid the volume Simmons was managing to hit. "I honestly do not see how your commentary is relevant, Agent. If you are trying to communicate, repeatedly stating that 'this is real' will not help you."

"I'm not authorized to - "

"Right. Communicate. So you repeat nonsense." Prowl turned away with a sigh. "Prime, he isn't going to give us anything. We need to get moving."

"Opinion noted, Prowl." Optimus gestured for the two of them to back away from the humans, allowing Sam to start yelling questions at Simmons.

"Prime…" Prowl moved closer to the Autobot leader and lowered his voice. "All due respect, this is pointless and a waste of time. Sam has the glasses, as far as I know, but asking him for them in front of human government agents will not end well. As you pointed out, the longer we spend out in the open, the more likely it is that we will attract Decepticon attention."

Optimus nodded and responded in the same low tone. "Riella, you stated that the humans took Sam's parents, correct?"

"Yes." Riella looked down at Sam with a slight frown. "He is understandably concerned, but I have to agree with Prowl. We aren't going to get any information from Agent Simmons."

The human in question didn't seem to realize that he was the topic of conversation, instead glaring at Sam and anyone at the same height. "I am not at liberty to discuss this with you!"

Riella sighed and slid down Prowl's arm to land on her feet in front of Simmons, who jumped at her sudden appearance. She eyed him for a moment, gauging eye contact and heart rate. ::Prime, I believe he may be stalling us. This is dragging out much longer than necessary.::

::Do you think you can get anything from him?:: Optimus looked from her to Prowl.

::Possibly, but I doubt it.:: Riella folded her arms and looked Simmons up and down again. "Sector Seven. What is it and how did you track us?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, lady?" Simmons gave her a smug grin that didn't match with the faint tremor she could detect in his hands. "You don't scare me. Pretty girl with a couple of tough friends, that's all you are."

::Right. He's not scared. Sure.:: Bumblebee's huff of irritation was audible even through his broken vocalizer. ::Can we tell him to shut up?::

::I wish.:: Prowl shook his head sternly at the younger mech. ::Let Riella focus. She needs him talking.::

"Actually, no, I don't." Riella frowned at both of them. "I could get what I want without a word from him. However, your comm chatter is extremely distracting."

"Is that so?" Simmons smirked, but took a slight step back. "Are you trying to threaten me, bitch?"

Bumblebee's optics flared brighter and he let out a sharp whistle, together with a snap over the comm line. ::Okay, that's it, I'm not standing here and listening to that - ::

::I said leave it, Bumblebee,:: Prowl interrupted sternly. Riella couldn't see either of them, but she definitely heard when Prowl's tone shifted to frustration. ::Bumblebee! Did you hear me? That wasn't a request – ::

The sharp sound of a gas cap popping off alerted Riella to the situation just in time. She jumped back rapidly and sidestepped to avoid the stream of lubricant, which hit Simmons directly on the head. The human let out a startled, angry yelp. "Hey! What the hell!"

Jazz cracked up laughing, and Optimus shot the silver mech a stern glance. "Bumblebee! That's enough."

Riella sighed, exchanged a glance with Prowl, and said dryly over the comm line, ::And I thought tasteless humor was your brothers' job. Prowl gave you an order, Bumblebee. I had that under control.::

::Sorry,:: Bumblebee muttered, not sounding entirely sorry. ::But you said it yourself, he wasn't going to give us anything.::

::That doesn't mean I couldn't have gotten something. I don't need him to be cooperative.:: Riella collected two stray pairs of handcuffs and reached for the driver and a second government agent, pushing them both toward the curb. ::Prime, I don't have anything concrete, but they are almost definitely stalling us. Prowl's earlier analysis was correct. We are not safe here.::

::I'll second that,:: Ratchet put in. ::As long as Bumblebee takes his humans.:: Riella turned to see Sam and Mikaela still trying to talk to Simmons, and sighed.

::Prime…::

::Acknowledged. We need to leave. Autobots, prepare to roll out.::

Before anyone could actually obey the order, sirens wailed, and flashing lights cut through Riella's vision from both above and down the road. She squinted and managed to catch a glimpse of helicopters and more S. , approaching rapidly from three directions.

"Slag," Ironhide cursed. "Optimus! Incoming!"