Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Nor do I own the songs/audio clips that Bumblebee uses.

A/N: Be honest, who's glad to see Simmons?

Chapter 9

Mikaela studied the Decepticon before her. It wasn't the same one that had kidnapped her and James, and that left her uneasy. The one that had taken them had wanted them alive, but she didn't know if the same was true for this green and purple bot. Holding James closer, she decided to take a chance and ask the Decepticon outright what was going on.

"What do you want with us?"

"A trade."

"Well, all I have to offer are some used diapers. Sorry if that's not what you came for," Mikaela sneered.

"Your person will suffice. You shall be exchanged for our captive leader." The Decepticon offered Mikaela a hand. "Currently, you must be relocated."

"Why?"

"Rumble has failed in securing the rest of the hostages. Therefore, you must be taken to a more secure location."

"More secure than this?" Mikaela wondered aloud. The mech heard her.

"With Rumble's defeat his warp technology has also been compromised. We must act as if the Autobots have taken it and will use it to transport here."

Somehow Mikaela didn't like the idea of a place that would be even more difficult for the Autobots to rescue her from. Before she could protest, the Decepticon scooper her and James up. Trapped in his grip, Mikaela resigned herself to comforting the now awake James as the Decepticon took them deeper into the caverns of the cave they were in. Eventually, the constant rhythm of his stride put her and the baby to sleep.

Deep in sleep, Mikaela couldn't stop the dreams of Sam and Autobots and rescue. She subconsciously held James tighter. Even in sleep, all she thought about was escape.

Bumblebee tackled the red bot with a furry. Simmons let out a cheer when it looked like Bee had the advantage, but Sam maintained some level of cautious self respect. It wasn't that he doubted his guardian, but the Autobot's earlier hesitation had him worried. Something about this red mech was different.

After a few minutes of battling, the difference became clear: the Transformers weren't fighting. In fact, it looked like they were playing.

"I'm beating up my baby Bumblebee," the red mech laughed. Bumblebee let out a whine of annoyance.

"Cliffjumper, stop it!" The mech, Cliffjumper, jumped away in surprise.

"Holy slag, you can talk!"

"Bee, what's going on?" Sam asked, highly confused. "Is he an Autobot?"

"What, he's a good one?" Simmons asked, almost to himself. Then he looked at the destruction the rumbling bots had made. "I don't buy that."

"When did you arrive to Earth?" Bumblebee asked, dusting himself off. It seemed as if he had momentarily forgotten the humans present in his excitement.

"Only this morning. I was trying to get in contact when I noticed that human." Cliffjumper pointed at Simmons, who ducked behind Sam. "I detected Cybertronian radiation on his belongings. I hoped he would lead me to the rest of you."

"Uh, Bee? I don't mean to interrupt this lovely reunion, but do you maybe want to introduce us?" Sam raised his eyebrows as he noticed the still smoking hole in the cement. "And why'd he blow up the freaking sidewalk?"

"Sorry about that," Cliffjumper said sheepishly. "Do humans not like that?"

Bumblebee rolled his optics. "Sam, this is Cliffjumper. We used to work together before the war."

"And after," Cliffjumper added. "Where are the other Autobots?"

"We have a base that is shared with the human military. It's-"

"Hey, guys, down here," Simmons said, stepping out from behind Sam. "No offense, but I think we should discuss this elsewhere." A siren could now be heard coming closer. "Just an idea."

Bumblebee and Cliffjumper both transformed into their Camaro alt modes. Sam and Simmons got into the yellow one while the red followed them from behind. A couple of minutes after they left, a few very confused patrolmen arrived on the scene, wondering what on Earth could have caused the smoldering crater and large potholes.

"Damn kids and their fireworks."

A safe distance away from the city, the two Camaros came to a stop on a dirt road. Sam and Simmons were quick to get out to allow Bumblebee to transform. Now that they were safe from prying eyes, a proper introduction and explanation could be given.

"Arcee thought you had died on Mars," Bumblebee said quietly to his red companion. Cliffjumper nodded. "How'd you survive?"

"You know me, Bumblebee. I always made it out of a fight on top."

That's what she said!

Sam chuckled while Cliffjumper tilted his head in confusion. He said something that the humans assumed to be Cybertronian to Bee. The yellow bot answered in his native tongue and Cliffjumper nodded in understanding. Then both bots started to go on in their first language.

"Hey, not everyone here speaks alien," Simmons interrupted. "English, please."

"I think he was just explaining about the radio," Sam said.

"I don't care if they're talking about sunshine and daisies, I want to understand them!"

"The human is very annoying. Must we put up with it?" Cliffjumper asked.

You know we don't harm humans!

Cliffjumper seemed startled to hear Optimus Prime's recorded voice came from little Bumblebee. Sam reddened as he remembered that it had been his own parents who had pushed Ironhide to that same limit. The red mech then let out a laugh.

"I always knew you hero worshipped Prime, but that's ridiculous."

Something about what Cliffjumper said caused Bumblebee to tense up. The other bot didn't notice, but Sam did instantly. Something wasn't right.

"So why are you with these humans? How do they know of us?"

"Seymour Simmons, a government agent assigned to hide our existence," Bumblebee said curtly. "And this is Sam, my charge."

"Samuel Witwicky? I've heard about him," Cliffjumper said, excitement creeping into his voice. "The human who defeated Megatron. I'm lucky to have met you."

A shiver of fear ran up Sam's spine. Something was definitely not right here. Not with the way Cliffjumper's voice had gone from warm and welcome to cold and calculating.

"Cliffjumper," Bumblebee started, his voice a dead calm, "What happened to your Autobot sigil? It looks like it's almost completely scratched off."

"It was dangerous to wear around. I was surrounded by Decepticons ready to kill me at any moment."

"It's a symbol of your allegiance."

"Not anymore." Cliffjumper opened a compartment over his chest cavity, revealing a dark violet Decepticon symbol. "The Autobots left me to die. The Decepticons saved me. Now it's my chance to repay them-"

"Nothing more than a deceiving Decepticon!" Simmons whispered into Sam's ear. "I knew it!"

"Shut up!"

"-We don't even have to fight," Cliffjumper was saying. "Just let me have the humans."

Bumblebee stepped between Cliffjumper and the humans. "No."

"You could never take me down back then; do you think anything's changed now?"

"A lot has changed." After looking down at Sam, Bumblebee lowered his helmet. "I'm better now."

Cliffjumper remained nonplussed. He started charging his weapons. It wasn't a game like before. Sam could tell that they were both deadly serious this time. The very air seemed to sense the upcoming clash and smelled like a thunderstorm. Sam pulled Simmons' by the arm.

"We don't want to be too close for this."

A/N: Hopefully, the next chapter will have a wicked awesome fight. I have a rock soundtrack playing and some pretty bad weather (lightning baby!), so here's to some aft kicking!

Again, thanks for the reviews. Feel free to request characters (who aren't dead). I'm going to need Decepticons later.