ch 9

"Where'd they go?" Jazz shouted, flying down the highway at speeds that really were illegal – not to mention downright impossible with normal, human built engines. Prowl was right beside him, sirens blaring to keep the humans out of his way.

"I don't know!" Prowl cried out, sounding as frustrated and scared as Jazz felt. "I lost them! They were there, and now I can't pick them up!"

"Above us!"

The chopper moved over them, the car hanging from a grappling hook. If Prowl could have, he would have gone pale. "That's not going to hold them for long."

"Then let's go an' stop discussin' it!"

They chased after the chopper, praying to Primus above that it wasn't too late.

/-/

They stood up in the wreckage, staring cautiously at the mechs that surrounded them. Starscream grinned at the girls. Heather promptly gave him the finger, glaring the entire time. Leo looked like he wanted to hide under the nearest rock. Someone chuckled behind them. All three spun around.

Jess gasped. "I thought we killed you."

Megatron grinned. "You did, fleshling. But as you can see, I am still very much alive."

"Damn shame, too." Heather growled. "We were looking forward to watching you rust."

Megatron's grin melted into a sneer. "Enough talking. I want something from you, and you're going to give it to me." He reached out to them. "Now, which of you should I examine first? How about the little sister, all alone without her twin?" He grabbed Heather and dropped her on the floor, pinning her to the concrete with his claws. Jess screamed and launched herself at Megatron, but Starscream grabbed her and held her back.

A smaller mech crawled onto Heather's chest. Megatron continued to speak. "In my world, Twins share everything, including each other's pain and fear. I wonder if the same applies to human twins? Doctor, examine this specimen."

Jess couldn't see exactly what the Doctor did to Heather – a flash of something slimy and silver was all she got – but suddenly Heather screamed, and Jess screamed as well. "Let her go! Stop it!"

Starscream tightened his grip. "Stop fighting. I have no problems turning you into mush."

"Shut up and let me the frag go!"

It only took a few minutes before the Doctor was retrieving his probe and Heather finally stopped screaming. Leo slowly removed his hands from his ears. The Doctor examined his results and scowled. "Need the others. Code not complete."

Megatron scowled. "The AllSpark absorbed into all of them? Impossible."

"True." the little mech pouted.

"Then we'll take what we can from these two and hunt the other down later." Megatron leaned back slightly. "Go ahead and – "

He never got any farther. Jazz, Prowl, and Optimus tore through the wall and attacked, Optimus slamming his full body weight into Megatron and pulling him along for the ride. Heather scrambled to her feet, barely able to stand as her body reeled from abuse. The Doctor jumped on her shoulder, attempting to knock her off-balance, and she grabbed the thing and threw it across the room.

Prowl quickly picked her up. "Are you all right?"

"I think so." She looked over to the side, noting that Jazz had driven off Starscream and Jess and Leo were now safe. She sighed. "That just really hurt."

Something dangerous flashed across Prowl's optics. It didn't last long before Jazz distracted them. "Prime needs us!"

"Let's go." Prowl transformed. Heather gratefully sank into the passenger's seat. Jess and Leo took up positions in Jazz, and the two mechs took off down the road after their leader, Jazz hot on Prowl's bumper.

"Jess wants ta know if Heather's all right." Jazz said over their comms. Prowl sighed.

"I think she is. We'll have to wait until Ratchet can look her over to be sure. For now, that's what she claims."

"All righ'."

"Optimus!" Heather leaned against the dash, staring in horror out the window. "He's outnumbered!"

"Megatron always has been a coward." Prowl growled. "I need to help him, and I need you to stay out of the way."

"Until I find a way to help." Heather said agreeably. Prowl cursed under his breath and skid to a halt, passenger door swinging open. Heather immediately got out. Jess and Leo joined her on the side of the dirt track while Prowl and Jazz transformed and took off into the woods. The trees were actually taller than Jazz, who stuck close to Prowl until they reached the battle. Heather and Jess exchanged looks.

"You are really pale." Jess observed.

"You try having an alien probe in your scull and not be pale." Heather pointed out dryly. "Come on – we need a better view."

"Hey, sistas, I really don't think that's a good idea – we should probably get back to town or something, call the Army in – " Leo babbled until Jess grabbed his arm and punched him in the chest. Leo gasped and stopped talking for a minute. Jess nodded.

"Good. Now, listen to me. There is no way we're leaving now."

"Jess, look!" Heather pointed across to the battle. Jazz had hold of Starscream's feet while the jet tried to get airborne. From the looks of things, he wasn't going anywhere. Prowl, on the other hand, had another mech completely occupied. That still left three Decepticons fighting Optimus, one of which was Megatron. He was holding his own, but there was only so long even Prime could last against that onslaught.

"How do we help?" Jess groaned. "There's nothing to use as a weapon."

"Not like last time anyway." Heather agreed. "Um – how fast do you think we can run?"

"Fast enough." Jess growled. "Come on!" They started to move, but then the unthinkable happened.

Optimus staggered. One of the mechs was dead, Starscream was missing an arm (and Jazz looked way too pleased with himself) and the mech Prowl had been fighting was missing a head, but Optimus staggered.

And Megatron stabbed him through the spark chamber.

Jess screamed. Heather, if possible, turned even paler. Leo just watched, numb.

That was when the rest of the Autobots showed up. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe immediately skid to a halt next to the girls, doors opening for them. They climbed inside, Jess and Heather reluctantly looking over their shoulders and then through the back window.

Jess's voice trembled. "Is Jazz – "

"They're both coming." Sunstreaker said tightly. "Fools – one of them should stay with the others."

"I'm sure they have their reasons." Jess said softly.

"Yeah." Jess had the distinct impression Sunstreaker's voice softened just a bit. "The same reasons Sides and I are sticking around."

Nothing more is said as the four of them drive away, leaving a broken Autobot army behind.