Story Arc 1

Chapter 9

I stood there as Optimus explained that he had some other contacts in Washington and he was going to contact them and find out more about the situation. Prowl made some suggestions for the meeting with the General. He deemed it necessary that him and Optimus be present for the entire meeting, and that while the General and his people were at the Ark I was to be accompanied by an Autobot at all times.

"Taking into consideration the threat the General made to you the last time he and the Secretary were here, I am concerned about your well-being, Rachel. Therefore, I am recommending that you have a guard at all times. I am also recommending that we hold the meeting in the conference room, where we can set up your demonstration and you can have full access to Teletraan 1."

I nodded and agreed that I didn't actually want to be face to face with the General again, especially if he was to threaten me. I had no desire to be labeled a traitor, especially if it was the project and the alliance with the Autobots that had gotten the Secretary in trouble.

There was a planned supply run for that afternoon, and as soon as Spike and Carly showed up, we set off with Ironhide to Portland. We needed to pick up some things Ratchet needed, so Ironhide got conscripted into driving since he could carry more than Bumblebee. It was a nice drive, but it was quieter then the last trip. Spike and Carly wondered about the Secretary and the alerts. I didn't say much about it; I didn't want to worry them. Ironhide had been briefed of the situation, but he didn't offer much to the conversation either.

Carly and I were dropped off at the shopping center to gather groceries and supplies while Spike and Ironhide went to pick up Ratchet's gear. We chatted as we walked through the store; both of us noting that there were a lot of police and security officers around. As we turned into the next aisle, someone I hadn't seen in a while greeted us.

"Hello Rachel."

"Charlie! How are you?" I saw surprised to see him. He looked tired and like he had slept in his suit.

"I'm ok considering everything." He sounded exhausted. He looked nervously at me then to Carly, "Rachel, can I talk to you for a few minutes? Alone?"

I nodded and turned to Carly, "I'll catch up to you in a few minutes."

She smiled and continued down the aisle leaving Charlie and I alone.

I turned back to Charlie, "You look like you've been sleeping in your clothes, are you really alright?"

He took my arm, "Let's go over here to talk."

We walked towards the back of the store, Charlie keeping his head down and not saying anything, "Charlie? Are you ok?"

He looked up at me with tears forming in his eyes, "I'm so sorry, Rachel. But they have Theresa and my boys…"

"What? Who does? What's going on?"

"Dr. Milne. I'm so glad you could join us." A man in a black suit with too much styling product in his brown hair had grabbed my elbow. "Now without making a scene, we will walk out the back and to my car, quietly. Understood?"

He held tightly on my elbow "Ow, you're hurting me. Where are we going?" His grip tightened and my arm was going numb.

"Just some where to talk. Keep walking, Dr. Milne."

He had one of those hands free cell phones in his ear, "We have her and are heading out to you."

Charlie followed us with his head down, "I'm so sorry Rachel," he mumbled.

I tried to struggle from the grasp of hair gel guy, but he grabbed my other arm and held me still, "Play nice, Dr. Milne. This will be over soon enough."

"Who are you? Let me go." He had my arms so I couldn't move much and his fingers dug into my elbows. He didn't answer, but directed me to a late model gray Oldsmobile where another guy in a black suit with blond hair sat in the drivers seat.

The man who held me let go of one arm and opened the back door of the car, "I'm afraid it's time for you to take a nap, Dr. Milne."

THUNK

"What d'ya mean ya can't find her?"

Carly looked from Spike to Ironhide, "I can't find her at all. Some guy named Charlie came up and wanted to talk to her alone, and that's the last I saw of her. I've been through the store three times and had her paged. I can't find her."

Ironhide scowled, and wished he wasn't stuck in his vehicle mode. He scanned the area for any sign of Rachel and turned up nothing. "Ah shouldn'ta left ya two alone."

"Ironhide to Prowl."

"Prowl here Ironhide."

"We have a situation, Prowl. Rachel is missing an' Ah can't get a readin' on her location."

"What are your coordinates, Ironhide?"

"We're at 317-029."

"I'm sending help your way, ETA 32 minutes. Prowl out."

"What do y' mean they can't find her?" Jazz looked at Prowl.

"It seems someone named 'Charlie' approached to talk to her and then they disappeared." Prowl was leaning over the console.

"Charlie was her supervisor at the labs." He didn't like this one bit. He should have gone with her. "Can y' trace the beacon on her data pad?"

"The device is not turned on." Prowl was running scans of the area, "I can get a very faint signal, but not for a precise location."

Jazz leaned in to look at the screen as Optimus and the Twins entered the room, "What's the problem, Prowl?"

"Rachel has gone missing, I'm attempting to get a fix on her whereabouts using the locator on her data pad."

Jazz watched as the scan turned up a faint signal heading out of Portland to the north, "I'm goin' after her." He pulled his weapons out of subspace and checked them before turning to run out the door.

"We're coming too," Sunstreaker said as he took the coordinates off the screen and followed Jazz out of the room, his red twin close on his heels.

"All of you be careful. And call for backup if you need it." Optimus called after them. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Prowl to Ironhide."

"Ironhide here Prowl."

"Jazz and the Twins are heading your way. We're tracking Rachel's signal heading away from you and out of Portland."

"Ahm goin' head back in wit' Spike and Carly. Ahm not goin' to be good fer followin' anyone wit' my trunk filled with Ratchet's supplies." Ironhide grumbled. He would have rather helped find Rachel, but with Spike and Carly and the supplies, he wasn't going to be any help. He didn't like feeling useless, especially when a friend needed his help.

"Understood. Prowl out."