Chapter 9:

It was seven o'clock on that same day that the four-man Crew returned to the site of the Iacon Correctional Center. Again, they rode in Kevin, who was in his Cadillac Alt-Mode, but this time, they brought along all their gear: Two motion-picture cameras, four hand-held, rapid-fire cameras, EVP detectors, EMF readers, thermal imaging devices, and a spirit box, which they hoped would translate the Vosian Seekers' native language to English. Needless to say, they were riding heavy.

The forest surrounding the prison was much more ominous in the dark, with cyber-owls hooting as the night enveloped the home planet of the Transformers.

As they again made their way through the forest on the dirt road, the petrorabbits, who had earlier welcomed them, now feared for the humans' safety.

But since they had visited earlier, they were now confident in where they were going, and walked much faster and with more purpose.

"Alright, Kevin," the Lead Investigator instructed, "You lock us inside these walls, and don't let us out until tomorrow morning, especially Aaron."

The Second Investigator just laughed.

"You got it, guys," Kevin let all four men inside, cameras, equipment, and all, and locked the front door; the Cinematographer recording the Vehicon's worried faceplates for their show.

With the Second Investigator and the Cinematographer both rolling their cameras, the Lead Investigator began his narration, "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE ON LOCKDOWN! INVESTIGATING THE IACON CORRECTIONAL CENTER!" They panned their cameras over the massive structure, as he continued, "AND NOW, WE WILL BE ON THIS LOCKDOWN ALL NIGHT, HERE IN THIS BUILDING, WHERE HUNDREDS OF SEEKERS LOST THEIR LIVES!"

They made their way back up to the Warden's office on the second floor, where the Lead Investigator retrieved the book of inmates' deaths.

The spirits of the lost Seekers felt the presence of the living men, and many cowered in fear in their cells.

The Second Investigator and the Cinematographer began rolling their cameras again, and the Audio Tech then began setting up the X-cameras, making sure they had multiple angles to catch any light anomalies or apparitions.

"Alright guys," the Lead Investigator instructed his Crew, "first, we're going to try to make contact with the dead Seekers, specifically the one that Kevin told us about that kidnapped his son and killed those two police officers," he had not forgotten the story of Thundercracker's Father.

The Audio Tech handed out the gear as the Lead Investigator continued, whispering, "And we're not only going to search for the ghosts of the prisoners, we're gonna find out whatever that dark figure in the mines was that Kevin saw."

"You got it," the Second Investigator nodded.

"Here we go," the Audio Tech concurred.

"Let's do this," the Cinematographer agreed.

"Nobody lives here," the Lead Investigator pointed out, "So we're not worried about going in there and picking a fight with it, and ticking it off, and leaving."

The poor tortured sparks of the prisoners were even more fearful now, knowing the group's true intentions.

"INMATES OF THE IACON CORRECTIONAL CENTER," the Lead Investigator, holding the book of inmates' deaths open, addressed the deactivated prisoners, "BAH-WEEP-GRAAAAAGHAH WHEEP NI NI BONG! WE ARE HUMANS! WE COME FROM THE TRAVEL CHANNEL ON EARTH, AND WE ARE HERE TO TALK TO YOU, AND TO TELL YOUR STORY!"

The men listened in silence.

By now, it was eight-thirty at night, and it was pitch-black throughout the prison, "Dude, this place is huge," the Second Investigator swore his flashlight over the cells, "this is gonna take us all night."

"Let's split up," the Lead Investigator told his Crew, "because of the size of this place, we're not using a nerve center. Instead, we're gonna split up and walk around," they each held their cameras and listening devices, with the Lead Investigator putting on his respirator for protection against the unearthly elements of the decaying building.

"IS ANYBODY HERE?" the Second Investigator took Cell Block A, on the first floor, "We mean you no harm, we just wanna talk to you and let you tell your story," he held a thermal imaging camera, looking for clues.

The Cinematographer walked with the Second Investigator, filming as he held his walkie-talkie.

"IF YOU CAN HEAR ME," the Second Investigator called out, "MAKE A NOISE!"

They waited, and then the Cinematographer played back their tape recorder, "I'm innocent," Hotlink keened in a whisper.

"WHOA!" the Second Investigator's jaw dropped open, "He said, 'I'm innocent!'"

They played the tape back again, "I'm innocent," Hotlink keened in a whisper.

They played the tape back a third time, "I'm innocent," Hotlink keened in a whisper.

"Dude," the Second Investigator told his friend, "this has to be one of the Seekers that died here," he asked another question, "WHAT WERE YOU ACCUSED OF?"

There was no response. Hotlink did not know what he was accused of.

The Cinematographer played back the tape, but they heard nothing.

So, the Second Investigator asked a different question, "WHO PUT YOU IN THIS PRISON?"

The Cinematographer again played back the tape, and this time, Hotlink responded, "Sentinel."

The Second Investigator gasped, "Oh my God, did you hear that?"

They played the tape back again, "Sentinel."

The played the tape back a third time, "Sentinel."

"SENTINEL!" both men said together; "He's saying that it was that guy, Sentinel Prime, that put him in prison," the Second Investigator noted before telling the ghost, "THANK YOU! THANK YOU FOR TELLING US WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!"

The two men shook hands, knowing they had received intelligent answers to their questions.

At the same time, the Audio Tech was in Cell Block C, narrating into his tape recorder, "Many innocent souls were lost here, and many Seekers were destroyed without a trial," he walked into a cell, "whoever is here, you don't have to stay here, you're not in prison anymore."

Nacelle had been picked up by the Elite Guards for flying in a restricted area. It was an accident; he wasn't spying, but he was never given a chance to explain. He was beaten during questioning and deactivated from Energon loss.

The Audio Tech felt a cold spot in the cell and saw that he had goosebumps on his arm; he had been on enough investigations to know that this was a sign that a spirit was in the cell. He reached his hand out and felt the presence of the disembodied spark.

Nacelle backed up, frightened, he knew English and knew what the human had been saying.

"You can go now," the Audio Tech spoke softly, "the prison is gone, you're free to go…"

"I-I can't," Nacelle told him. It didn't matter if it was a man telling him or a guard; he was too afraid.

The Audio Tech played his tape recorder back, and heard a whisper so faint, he struggled to hear, but he finally was able to make out, "I-I can't."

"Oh, wow," the Audio Tech played it back again, "I-I can't."

He played it back a third time, "I-I can't."

"Yes, you can," the Audio Tech told the ghost in a reassuring voice, "it's okay now…"

Nacelle watched as the human pushed the prison door open in order to simulate the release.

"The door is open now," the Audio Tech smiled, "you're free to go now."

And with that, Nacelle's spirit floated out of the cell.

But the Lead Investigator was not finding any ghosts yet. He walked across the second-floor catwalk, holding his thermal camera out in front of himself, looking for any cold spots that would indicate a spirit was present.

"ARE THERE ANY SEEKERS HERE?!" his voice bellowed through the entire structure, "WE CAME ALL THE WAY FROM EARTH TO TALK TO YOU!"

But the ghosts were frightened by his booming voice.

The Cinematographer made his way into the kitchen area. He tried using the EMF meter, "Is there anyone here?" he asked softly.

A mist-like figure was floating slowly across his inferred camera.

"Whoa," the Cinematographer realized what he was seeing, "Is there someone who wants to communicate with me?"

Bitstream realized the man could see him, "Please…be careful."

The Cinematographer played back his tape recorder, and heard the dead Seeker's keens, "Please…be careful."

Just to be sure, he replayed the tape again, "Please…be careful."

He rewound and played it back a third time, "Please…be careful."

"Oh, wow,"the Cinematographer got on his walkie-talkie, "Zak, I've got something in the kitchen."

"What do you have?" the Lead Investigator asked.

"There's a Seeker in the kitchen area," the Cinematographer replied, "I think he's saying, 'Please, be careful.' I think he's trying to warn us about something."

"He's trying to warn us about something?" the Lead Investigator repeated back, "What's he trying to warn us about?" he looked around now, stepping towards the railing and looking down on the first floor; he yelled out, "WHAT IS HERE THAT YOU WANT TO WARN US ABOUT?!"

But his voice was so loud, Bitstream vanished, hiding again.

The Cinematographer saw the image was gone from his EMF meter, "Whoever he is, he's gone now."

The Lead Investigator was getting frustrated with his lack of evidence, he radioed to the Second Investigator now, "Aaron, I need you to investigate the gas chamber!"

"Ah man," the Second Investigator groaned, "why does he always send ME to the worst places?"

Regardless, he made his way there now.

"Did you lose your life in there?" the Second Investigator peered into the humongous space, "does anyone want to say anything to me?"

Nova Storm thought about it, and decided to answer, "I'm here…" he also managed to kick a rock across the gas chamber, echoing throughout the building.

The Second Investigator gasped, "What was that?" he waved the camera in the direction of the sound, "Is there someone here that wants to talk?"

"Yes?" Nova Storm answered.

The Second Investigator checked his spirit box now; the device translated Vosian to English, "Yes?"

The Second Investigator gasped out loud, "WHOA!" he held out his spirit box in front of himself now, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Like the human, Nova Storm was stunned that he could communicate with this man, he answered now, "I'm here."

The Second Investigator heard the spirit vocal through his device; he repeated it back aloud, "I'm here! You said you're here! Who are you? What's your name?"

"Nova Storm," the dead Seeker answered.

"Nova Storm," the Second Investigator repeated back, "is that your name, Nova Storm?"

"Yes," The dead Seeker decided that if this human were going to hurt him, he would have done it by now; perhaps he was friendly?

"Come on out," the Second Investigator spoke kindly, "let me see you."

Nova Storm came forward, stepping out of the gas chamber, easily passing through the rusted bars.

"My name is Aaron," the Second Investigator smiled, "it's alright, you're free now," he put his hand out.

Nova Storm looked back at the gas chamber, fearing something would happen if he tried to leave.

"I know that you're innocent, man," the Second Investigator told him in a reassuring tone, "you don't have to stay here anymore."

The giant Seeker reached his hand out to the human; their hands touched.

"Oh my God," the Second Investigator felt his hand become cold, and the hairs on his arm stood straight up, "Dude, it just got so cold in here," before again addressing the spirit, "You're free now," the Second Investigator assured him, "you can go in peace."

And with that, Nova Storm's spirit flew up out of the gas chamber.

Then he heard the Lead Investigator's voice come through his walkie-talkie again, "Let's regroup back at the Warden's office and review our evidence."