CHAPTER 10

After a short amount of time had gone by Optimus finally succeeded in freeing his arm from the chain. He landed neatly on the floor. As he straightened he heard a loud roaring sound coming from somewhere else in the basement. Somewhere close by. Bumblebee's in trouble!

He took off, following the sounds as they echoed through the empty, damp concrete hallway. Something came to him then. There was no way he and Bumblebee could take care of this thing by themselves. Not here and not now anyway. It was too strong. All it had to do was bite them once and they would be down for the count, just like Prowl had been. Hopefully he could get to Bumblebee before that thing did to him what it had done to Prowl.

He followed the sound back into the main area with all the doors. Once he was there he stood still a moment, listening hard. There were so many doors he wasn't sure which one to take.

A crashing sound solved that problem. It was so loud and close he jumped, startled as the one wall caved in as the body of the small, yellow Autobot came flying through it.

"Bumblebee!" Optimus exclaimed, leaning over his comrade. "Are you all right."

"Ugh," the smaller transformer groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. "She hits harder than I thought."

"That was just the beginning," the energy vampire said, stepping through the hole and looming over the two Autobots. Optimus noticed a burn mark on her frame where Bumblebee's stinger had met it's mark. She put a hand over the damage, her red optics burning coldly. "I haven't even begun your punishment."

Optimus helped Bumblebee stand, his gaze focused on the vampire femme. "We can't defeat her by ourselves," he said in a low voice. "Not now. She's way too unpredictable. We have to get out of here for now."

"Good idea, Prime," Bee agreed, not really wanting to fight her again.

They started backing up. "And where do you think you're going?" she demanded, stepping toward them.

"You won," Optimus said, still stepping back. "Now let us go."

"Go?" she laughed scornfully. "I'm not finished punishing you yet." she stalked toward them. "You've been bad little Autoboys. Now stay still."

By then they'd reached the bottom of the stairs. Without warning Optimus flung his ax at her She ducked to avoid it and the two Autobots dashed up the stairs.

"Oh no you don't!" she exclaimed, grabbing up the ax and giving chase. "You're not getting away from me that easily!"

Bumblebee looked over his shoulder and saw the vampire femme in hot pursuit. "She's coming after us!" he exclaimed, starting to freak out.

"I know," Optimus said grimly. "But there's nothing we can do about it now."

"Well we have to do something soon!" Bee said, fearfully looking over his shoulder. "Because she's gaining on us!"

Optimus glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough the femme was a lot closer than she had been. She was so close he could see her white smile. He looked away, shuddering. He realized he hated that smile. "You won't get away from me," she said in a voice loaded with confidence.

Optimus picked up the pace, not about to give her the satisfaction. I wonder if this is how Prowl felt...

Up ahead he saw a light that let him know he was reaching the first floor of the building. Grabbing Bumblebee up off the floor he accelerated, dashing toward that light and escape. Just as he and Bumblebee crashed into the upper hallway the femme stopped at the stairs and glared at them, going no further.

"Why isn't she coming after us?" Optimus asked, looking back at her. He sounded surprised.

"Because vampires can't come out into the sunlight," Bee explained, looking back at her. "She has to stay in the dark or she'll burn up."

Optimus didn't know much about vampires and it seemed a little strange that a robot vampire would have to avoid the light but he chose to take Bee's word for it because he seemed to know so much. "I hope you're right," he said, turning away from her. "Let's go."

Bumblebee was all too happy to go.

Back at the base Prowl was feeling a little better. He still had the vampire virus running rampant in his system but he didn't feel as twitchy and staticy as he used to. Maybe his body was starting to get used to it. That might not be such a good thing.

"Prowl?" Sari's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He looked down at the human girl. She looked worried.

"Yes?"

"You okay?"

Aside from me slowly turning into a vampire, I'm just peachy. Uncharacteristic thought. He didn't say it. "I'm okay," he said carefully. "Don't worry about it."

Sari wasn't sure she believed him but didn't say anything. Instead she took out her key. "I wonder why this didn't work when I tried to use it to fix you...," she said absently.

He stared at it, unable to give her an answer. I want that key. The vampire femme's voice spoke into his mind. and I want you to get it for me.

Yes...

Sari noticed him staring at the key. She looked over at him, seeing a weird look on his face. "Prowl?" she said.

He blinked. "Huh?"

"Are you all right?" she asked again.

"Uh yes," he lied, looking away and rubbing his neck which was starting to hurt. "I'm fine." he stood up and walked away from her.

She watched him go, getting the feeling he wasn't telling her everything. What is wrong?

Prowl stepped out of the base, not showing any kind of emotion until he was outside. He didn't want Bulkhead, whom he'd passed on the way out, to ask him any questions. Once he was sure nobody could hear him he punched a wall and let out an uncharacteristic stream of human profanity. By the All Spark!! Of all the stupid-

"Prowl?" said a voice behind him.

The ninja Autobot stiffened and looked over his shoulder. Optimus and Bumblebee, who had just returned from their mission, were standing behind him, looking at him uncertainly. "Uh...."

"Are you all right?" Optimus asked.

"Uh.. I'm ugh," Prowl cleared his throat. "I'm fine." Another lie. He wasn't fine at all.

"Sure didn't look like you were fine to me," Bumblebee said, pointing to the wall. There was a hole in it where Prowl had slammed his fist.

Prowl looked away, embarresed. How much had they seen? Had they heard him using every curse word in the human dictionary? Just what he needed, them knowing he knew earth profanity. "Where have you been?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.

"We've been looking for the vampire," Optimus replied. "We found its location."

"Where is it?"

"The clock tower," he replied. "I believe that's where it's staying."

Prowl nodded. Yes, that's where he'd last seen it. But why had they gone? Had they actually thought they could deal with it themselves? If he couldn't they wouldn't be able to either. Or at least that's what he told himself. He still sometimes got an ego about things.

"So what happened?" he asked, looking back at them. He really was curious. Maybe if they'd killed it he didn't have to worry about the virus. Fat chance of that!

Optimus sighed. "Nothing," he said. "We couldn't do anything about it."

"It didn't bite you did it?" he asked, cautiously. The last thing they needed was more than one with the virus. What if.......?

"No, we got away before it could," Optimus replied. He turned away and started for the door. "But there's something I want to ask you about. Just not out here. Let's get inside."

Prowl folllowed, wondering what the other robot wanted to ask him. Does he know? About the virus?

No there was no way he couldknow. Not now anyway, unless Ratchet told him, which he doubted. The vampire femme? Maybe.... but probably not. It seemed she wnated to surprise them. So for now it was safe to say that he wanted to talk to him about something else entirely. But what?

Well he'd find out soon enough.

Shadowstar had stood at the top of the basement staircase and watched the Autobots leave. When they were gone she stepped back into the darkness. So they thought she couldn't step into sunlight. Well so much the better for her. If they actually believed that it, meant they knew very little about what she was or how her kind worked. I'll let them be ignorant for awhile longer. she decided. They'll find out soon enough.

She heard the clock strike the hour. It was getting late.

She made a mental calculation in her head. How long had it been since she'd downloaded the virus into the one Autobot? More than twelve hours ago. That much she knew.

So it could be anytime now if it hasn't happened already, she concluded. Even if it hasn't it will be soon. She smiled. Pretty soon that ninja will return with that key.. completely under my control. She turned and headed down the stairs, her tongue running hungrily over her lip components. Excellent.

Ratchet was more than a little unhappy when Bumblebee handed over the damaged EMP. In fact he was furious. "I don't carewhat she did to it," he snapped, taking the device that looked like Omega Supreme had stepped on it out of Bee's outstretched hands. "You were supposed to take care of it, not let some crazy vampire femme trash it!"

"It wasn't my fault!" Bee protested. "How was I supposed to know that that thing would be able to avoid it? Or that she would destroy it?"

"You should have asked me first," he told him. "I could have told you that."

"I thought you didn't know that much about them."

The medic shot him a corrective look. "That's right," he said. "You thought I didn't know much about them. Just because you thought that doesn't mean it's true. Maybe you should ask me how much I know next time before you assume something."

"All right," Bumblebee said, folding his arms. "How much do you know about them?"

Ratchet rolled his optics. "More than your processor can handle, kid."

"What do you want to ask me?" Prowl asked when he and Optimus were in a secluded part of the base. Is it about the virus? Or don't you even know?

"I was going to ask you this anyway if you had been functional when Bumblebee and Sari brought you back but since I couldn't I'll ask you now," he began.

Prowl folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "Ask away."

"Did that femme tell you why she's here?" the red and blue Autobot questioned. "Did she tell you what she wanted?"

Yes she had but Prowl wasn't sure if Optimus would like or understand her reasons. Well he had to tell him anyway and he didn't care about the femme's feelings anyway. Not after what she did to him. "Yes," he said, nodding.

Optimus looked at him expectantly. "What did she tell you?"

"She wants to become normal," he answered.
"Normal?"

"She wants her spark to be complete." he said rephrasing. "That's all."

"Why does she think that can happen?"

"I don't know. All I know is what she told me which wasn't much," he explained. "She won't even tell me what fraction she's from but I don't think it's Autobot."

Optimus agreed. That was obvious enough, byt the hateful light in her optics. So what wasshe? A Decepticon or just a rogue? "How does she intend to become normal?" he asked instead.

"She-" Prowl started to answer the question then his mind went blank and he couldn't remember what he was about to say.

Optimus stared at him. "Prowl?" he asked.

He shook his head in frustration. He had been about to tell him but now he couldn't remember what else she'd told him. How she'd planned to become normal. What she needed. "I'm sorry," he said. "She didn't tell me." Yes she did! Don't you remember? She wanted to use- the thought cut off abruptly.

Prime shook his head in disappointment. "If she didn't tell you she didn't tell you," he said. "Don't worry about it. We're bound to find out eventually. One way or another."

"You're right," the ninja bot agreed but he was still angry with himself. Why had he forgotten? He never forgot important things. It must be her doing!

Shadowstar leaned back against a support beam of the clock tower, watching the sun set over the city. It looked so beautiful at the end of the day, with the buildings awash in twilight's colors. It almost reminded her of Iacon... almost.

Only Iacon was full of those cursed Autobots. Autobots that wanted her dead... or studied like soem kind of lab rat. She shivered at the memory. Don't think about it. It's over now. It's not important. That mad scientist can't find you now. Dwelling on it is useless. It won't change anything. Stop being thinking about it.

She shook her head, scattering the thoughts and focused her attention back on the sky. It was pointless to dwell on it anyway. It wasn't going to chnage. Neither would brooding. Brooding was beneath her anyway. She put it behind her.

The sun had set behind the mountains and the sky was turning purple then dark blue. It won't be much longer now...

She noticed a police bot passing the tower. Well while I'm waiting. she thought, going into a hunter's crouch. I might as well eat something. Those Autobots were a waste of energy. I should stay at full power in case they come back. She giggled. Well they will come back. They have to save their friend, don't they?

She jumped off the tower. Then she was free falling, her attention focused on he prey.

Optimus left Prowl alone. He hadn't learned much from the ninja bot who seemed to be having a memory lapse. He didn't know what was wrong and Prowl didn't seem to want to tell him. Maybe he didn't know anymore.

Prowl was ticked off with himself for the very same reason but there was nothing he could do about it. Ratchet couldn't fix him and Sari's key was rejecting him. Just as he was heading out a strange feeling came over him and he froze. Suddenly a loud pulse beat echoed in his head and his thoughts became scrambled and the static returned in full force. He stumbled back, grabbing a bar bolted to the wall to steady himself. It was getting worse. It was getting worse and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Primus help me! Not now! Not here! No!

He tightened his grip on the bar and stood still waiting for it to pass. The feeling subsided but didn't go away. He felt exhausted and couldn't catch his breath. This can't be good.

"Prowl?" a voice said.

He lifted his head and saw Bumblebee standing in the doorway, looking at him worriedly. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Stay back!" he shouted, putting up a hand. "Just stay away."

"Why?" Bee wanted to know, starting toward him. "What's wrong?"

"I-" and then the feeling left and he felt better. "Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "It was nothing."

Bumblebee didn't look like he believed him but didn't push it. "All right..." he said uncertainly. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure," the ninja bot cut him off. But he wasn't. He really wanted. For a second there he had had the strong urge to attack the little yellow mecha. He had to get away from him before he really did attack him. He brushed past Bumblebee quickly. "I'm going out," he said.

Bumblebee followed him. 'Wait!" he called after him. "Are you sure you should be doing that? I mean you just came back online and-"

"I'm fine!" he snapped at him. "Just leave me alone!"

The yellow Autobot stopped. "Prowl?" he ran to catch up. "Oh come on Prowl! I'm sorry! If I did anything I didn't mean it. Come on. Let's be friends again."

"It's not you," Prowl said, forcing himself to calm down, to act like himself. "I just want to be alone, that's all."

"You always want to be alone," Bumblebee whined.

This time I have a very good reason! "Go away!" he shouted, glaring at him. "Just go away before you get hurt."

The yellow Autobot looked confused. "Get hurt?" he said, not understanding. "What do you mean, get hurt? What are you talking about?"

"I mean-" his words were cut off by a pain filling his chest plate. He grunted, stooping over, and grabbing his chest. This was worse than before. Much worse.

Bumblebee still wasn't leaving. He wasn't aware what was going on with Prowl and was worried, even as a feeling of dread began to creep up his back. Something was wrong. "Prowl?" he said, stepping toward him. "Are you okay?"

Prowl didn't answer. His senses were once again overcome with static and this time it didn't go away. In that static he heard voices, strange voices that spoke a language he didn't know. Then he felt like he was falling, though in reality was was still standing. Then.... everything became clear, but Prowl didn't feel like himself anymore. Something had changed.

Bumblebee stopped when he thought he heard Prowl let out a deep throated growl. "P-prowl?" he said.

The ninja Autobot turned. Bee immediately sensed something was wrong. His friend's eyes didn't look quite right, they seemed darker somehow... and had a slight reddish tint to them. "Uh..." he stammered, taking a few steps back. "Prowl? Why are you staring at me like that?"

For a few seconds he didn't speak and then... he grinned. Bee froze, his optics widening in horror. Prowl had fangs!

"I'm fine," he said in a voice that didn't exactly sound like himself. "But you won't be." He lunged.

Bumblebee didn't stick around. He instantly panicked and turned to run. He'd only gotten a few steps when he heard Prowl land behind him. He stopped and glanced over his shoulder and saw him looming over him. Prowl, still grinning, reached out to grab him.

That did it. The yelllow Autobot lost it right there. "AHHHHHHH!" he screamed in his face. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" then he shoved him away, hard and took off, running panick striken down the hall.

Prowl recovered quickly and took off after him.

A/N

I'm sorry I took so long to update this. My computer was acting up so I had to work on this in bits and pieces at the library. and no, Prowl and Bumblebee are not going to kiss. Whatever gave you such an idea?