DISCLAIMER: Transformers isn't mine, Mystique, Zenith, Wing, and Wasp are. Yes, I named Wasp after the Animated character. Don't sue.

Warnings for this chapter: Action time! Zenith is creepy and Mystique is really ticked off.

Peripheral Vision

Chapter 11

In the shadows behind the rocks, Wasp and the red mech, Rampage, knelt and watched the two Autobots below. "I remember them," Rampage hissed, the words slightly distorted due to his vocalizer damage. Only someone familiar with him could have heard it. "They were there when Megadeath destroyed our home. We should kill them."

"No." Wasp put a restraining hand on his friend's arm. "Zenith wants them. Don't worry, he'll see that they get what's coming to them."

Rampage chuckled darkly. "Maybe he'll even set his little assassin pet on them."

Wasp raised a green brow ridge. "I thought she ditched us."

"Nah, don't believe it. She'll come back, they always do. Come on." Rampage set his gun to low power. "Let's take them before they get too far."

Sunstreaker never saw the stun bolt coming. He dropped without even a reaction. Prowl spun and raised his weapon, but Wasp hit him from behind, knocking the tactician out cold. "Nice. They're probably not alone. Let's move."

Wing paced the outer limits of the hidden camp, light purple optics flickering over every rock and shadow. Mystique crouched just out of her line of sight, motioning for Sideswipe to stay down. "She's good, but not the sharpest knife in the set. So here's what we're going to do…"

Moments later, the duo emerged, Mystique holding Sideswipe's wrists behind him and shoving him forward roughly. "Keep going, you."

The silver femme stepped down from her perch, studying both of them clinically. "Didn't think you'd show."

"You thought wrong. Out of my way." Mystique half-pushed, half-tossed Sideswipe past Wing. "I have to see Zenith." She tightened her hold on Sideswipe and kept walking, only to be stopped by Wing's voice.

"Zenith isn't to be disturbed."

Mystique frowned and turned. This had not been in the plan. Wing never questioned her. "He'll see me."

Wing shook her head. "He found some of the mechs who destroyed Yuss. He gave strict orders. No one goes in." Her optics narrowed suspiciously. "Why isn't your prisoner cuffed?"

Slag! Sideswipe reached for his gun cautiously. Before he could even get a servo on the grip, Mystique whirled and kicked Wing's legs out from under her, easily knocking the smaller femme off-balance. Before Wing could fall, Mystique snatched her arm, spun her around, and drove her knuckles into the silver femme's jawline. Wing dropped like a stone.

Sideswipe froze, mouth open in astonishment. He'd never seen anyone take someone down so fast, or so easily. If she could teach us…we could win this war. We could…

"Close your mouth before something flies into it." Mystique pulled on his arm. "We need to hurry. Her replacement could arrive any time, and once he does…well, let's not go there yet. Remember. You're my prisoner until we get into Zenith's cave."

The Autobot obediently let her pull his arms behind him again, but her tone had raised a concern. "When we find Zenith…what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to tell him what I know. Tell him that I'm done." Mystique's tone lowered. "And if he's hurt my twin, may Primus have mercy on his spark, because I won't."

"Mystique…" Sideswipe winced a little at how tight her grip was. For a femme, she was strong. "I can't let you just kill him."

The femme didn't respond for a long moment, guiding him down a narrow trail between the rocks. "I don't know that I can kill him…he trained me. He knows everything I can do and every way to counter it. All I know is that I will not allow him to tear my family apart again."

Prowl's optics onlined slowly as his systems rebooted. "Uhh…ow. Sunstreaker?"

"Right here," the yellow twin muttered from a few feet away. Like Prowl, he was pinned against the wall of the dark cavern, held in place by some form of magnet. "Yes, I'm fine, no, you were only out for about half an hour, and I think we found Mirage."

The tactician twisted as far as he could, catching a glimpse of Mirage in one corner. Unlike the rest of the cave, the corner was dimly lit, revealing not only Mirage, but a tall black and orange mech holding a small comlink "Who's that?"

"Don't know. He was yelling at Mirage when they dragged us in here." Even though the strange mech appeared to be busy with his conversation, Sunstreaker kept his voice low. "And by the way, I think he's certifiably psycho. Don't tick him off."

"Noted." Despite the awkward angle he had to keep his head at, Prowl kept his optics on Mirage. "Can you contact Mirage?"

Sunstreaker grunted. "No. His comlink's still off."

"Scrap." Prowl fell silent as the strange mech subspaced the comlink and turned back to Mirage. Orange optics blazed with rage as the mech snarled down at the Autobot.

"Who else followed you? Why is my guard not answering?"

Mirage gritted his dentas and glared up at the mech. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Where is my sister?"

"YOU HAVE NO SISTER!" the mech screamed, shoving Mirage down onto his knees. "She is mine!" A long silver knife, identical to the one Mystique carried, shimmered in one of the mech's hands. "The Autobot scum will not take this from me! They took my home, my family, my people – they will not take my only weapon!" Suddenly, a smile curved across the mech's face, oddly serene despite the madness in his optics. "Not once everything that could pull her away is gone. No. She's mine."

The knife swept up, glittering in the dim light…

And went flying across the cave and disappeared into the darkness as Mystique hit him from behind, flipping over his shoulders and landing between the mech and Mirage. Her green optics flashed with rage as her voice lowered into a savage hiss. "What do you think you're doing?"