Chapter 11-No More Hiding

Airachnid was filled with rage. A rage she did not think possible for her to feel in the first place. And yet, here was this feeling of intense anger that made the spidery Cybertronian want to lash out anything that was caught within her crosshairs. The Insecticons around Airachnid kept their heads bowed, knowing it was not their place to speak when their beloved Queen was angry. If they were honest with themselves as a hive, the Insecticons were angry too, but more at themselves over the failure to protect their King, and causing their Queen anguish.

If it were not for the painful fact that they were needed to fight both the Decepticons and the Autobots, the Insecticons would have offered several of their brethren up to be used as sacrifices to appease their angry Queen.

'How dare they take my Jack! He gave them a fair trade. He even spared their miserable lives on several occasions! And this was how they repay him? With betrayal?! I will not accept this!' thought Airachnid, as she stormed up to the Bridge, and surveyed the orb of a planet the ship was flying over.

Repairs had been made by the Insecticons and new protocols had been put in place by both Five Faces and Airachnid herself in order to prevent Soundwave from gaining an immediate foothold on the warship again. The last thing Airachnid wanted was to be caught completely unaware by her enemies and have this ship taken when at a crucial moment fighting.

Anger was a good motivator.

But as she looked out into this world, Airachnid found herself getting an idea on how to turn this to her advantage. One where she could force the Autobots and Decepticons to give Jack back to her and cause so much chaos that it would distract them from counter attacking. At the very least, the two sides would begin fighting again given how fallout of what she planned to do, and cause even further carnage.

They threw down the gauntlet with this action and Airachnid was going to take it even further by raising the stakes.

"My Queen?" asked Kickback curiously while approaching slowly after he both saw and sensed his Queen's mood change.

"The time for lurking in the shadows is over. The Decepticons and Autobots have used this tactic to keep the locals out of their affairs. One to protect, the other to prevent the natives from siding with the other. It is time to nullify their reasons. It is time my dear Insecticons...to reveal ourselves to this world and make them understand the price of aiding our enemies." replied Airachnid with Kickback and the Insecticons now looking shocked by her words.

Exposure? As far as they knew, Megatron had kept them from exposing their presence on this world since he had his eyes on this planet. Even Jack seemed to appreciate the need to keep the organics of this world in the dark about their presence.

"Not to question your orders my Queen, as we will gladly obey, but...how will this bring our King, and your consort back to us?" asked Kickback with Airachnid turning to face him and it made the Insecticon a little nervous since he was questioning her decision.

"All in good time my servant. All in good time," replied Airachnid before she went to a nearby console and looking at the all the battle footage Soundwave had uploaded into the system for Megatron to occasionally look at.

(Autobot Base-Omega 2)

The base was currently thrown into chaos. Fighting could be heard all throughout, as an injured Jack fought with all his being to escape his captors, and to make sure that they all understood the ramifications of their actions. When they first brought him into the base, it was another part of the military base where he could be contained, and restrain him while keeping Jack away from the more important parts of the base. However, Jack was not one for being lazy, and just letting them succeed without a fight.

Thanks to his regenerative abilities, the technorganic Cybertronian's injuries healed under the figurative noses of Megatron, and Optimus Prime. When Ratchet and Knock Out had moved to make repairs on the seemingly injured Jack, the dragon changing Transformer surprised them all by breaking the cuffs on his wrist, and punching both leaders of their respected factions right in their faceplates. The other Autobots and Decepticons got over their surprise and had moved in to restrain Jack before he could possible escape with the location of their base.

Easier said then done.

"Is this it? Is this the best you can do?!" challenged Jack, as he punched Bumblebee in the face, dodged Bulkhead's wrecking ball, and merely winced in mild annoyance at Arcee's blaster fire hitting his armored plating.

"And we're not killing him why?" asked Knock Out, as he dived to the ground to prevent himself from getting hit by the projectile that was Arcee after Jack had moved closer, and threw the blue femme at his general direction.

"Shut up and help us you fool!" exclaimed Dreadwing, as his sword was drawn, and was now clashing with Jack before being pushed back.

Megatron and Optimus tried to flank him, but Jack moved back to gain some breathing room, and began fighting both leaders in a battle of sword arms. Wheeljack came at him from behind with his own swords, but was blocked, and thrown into Dreadwing. Arcee was constantly shooting him from all sides, literally running in circles around him while firing, and being a very annoying distraction for Jack.

By this point in time, Jack himself was getting increasingly angry, and it showed on his face when he snarled at them. How dare they keep him here! How dare they keep him from his Queen! HOW DARE THEY TRY TO OPPOSE HIM!

"ENOUGH!" bellowed Jack after he suddenly transformed into his terrifying dragon like state and roared with such power behind it that it knocked his enemies off balance.

"Oh scrap," mumbled Knock Out in fear at seeing this massive dragon towering over them all, its head nearly touching the ceiling, and those glowing optics blazing with fury.

"I will not be caged like some mindless animal! No more games! No more tricks! The time for your destruction...IS NOW! exclaimed Jack, as he shot fire from his mouth, and made everyone scatter.

"We need to take him down now before he does some serious damage," commented Wheeljack over the roaring fire Jack was shooting at them.

"And this isn't serious damage?" asked Arcee while glaring at Wheeljack despite the fire looming over them.

"Jack stop!" pleaded June, as she came into the building in the hopes her presence would calm him down, but it only made the woman into a target in a sense when he looked in the nurse's direction.

"Mrs. Darby, you shouldn't be here!" warned Optimus, but June was ignoring him while Jack glowered at her, and slowly walked toward the woman that was his Mother.

"Mother," whispered Jack while staring intently at her.

"This isn't you. Look what you are doing! You are fighting your friends. Your family! Is this what you want? To hurt those you care about with your power?" asked June while walking toward her son despite the other Autobots telling the woman to run.

"This whole planet is filled with crazy femmes," mumbled Knock Out while watching June and Jack decrease the distance between themselves.

"Friends? Family? WHAT FAMILY?! My whole life I have been alone! Do you think I consider you raising me when I was a child to be an act of love? You did it because of the gossip the neighbors would have spoken behind your back! You did it because our area didn't have an orphanage you could dump me like yesterday's garbage. Do you think my memories are that shattered that I can't remember the days when I was little and the looks you gave me? The looks of contempt you held for me? Of the sorrow you felt in having to raise me? You looked at me and you saw the man who walked out on us both! You saw my ungrateful Father in me and believed I would become just like him!" exclaimed Jack angrily while June flinched at his accusation.

"No! I was sad because you were without a Father. Someone who could help in raising and loving you," June protested, but was forced to take a step back when Jack stomped a massive clawed foot forward, and his eyes blazing with anger.

"LIAR!" yelled Jack with his rage at this woman flooding the room.

"I'm not! I swear I'm not lying. You are my son Jack. I do love you," said June and saw Jack snarl while hearing his loud growl echoing throughout the room

"You will pay for your actions against me. ALL OF YOU! Not one piece of your armor will go unburned. Not one piece of circuitry in your systems will remain undamaged. Not one scrap of data in your processors will remain intact! And don't think for one second my Mother that the humans race this world holds will be spared either. Flesh will be torn. Bones will be destroyed. Bodies will be burned asunder. YOU ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!" exclaimed Jack angrily at them all before he slowly turned to stalk toward both Megatron and Optimus currently having their backs quite literally to the wall.

"Not if I can help it!" exclaimed Smokescreen appearing from below Jack's belly via the Phase Shifter and thrust his hands into Jack's body to grab something.

And the end result brought about a animalistic scream of pain none of the Autobots or Decepticons had ever heard before this. It was a scream they weren't sure would ever be forgotten by them, as Jack cried out in pain to whatever Smokescreen was doing to him.

"Smokescreen stop! You're hurting him! You're killing him!" exclaimed Arcee, as she saw that Smokescreen had grabbed something within Jack's body, and was squeezing it hard.

"And what has he been trying to do to us?" countered Smokescreen while making sure Jack couldn't take a swipe at him with the claws.

"Release him Smokescreen! We do not want him to die!" commanded Optimus while Jack was slowing down in his thrashing and looked ready to slump over any minute.

"Speak for yourself Prime," commented Megatron while watching slowing down to a crawl.

Before Bulkhead leaped into the air and hit Jack in the head with his wrecking ball with the blow to the head causing the dragon like Cybertronian to fall over onto his side.

"Damn I'm good," commented Smokescreen in a cocky manner after releasing his grip on Jack's what he was holding and turning off the Phase Shifter.

Only to be punched and kicked viciously by an angry Arcee into a wall.

"What is your major malfunction you stupid glitch faced sack of scrap!" exclaimed Arcee before she turned to face Jack when the moan of pain was heard from his mouth now leaking a small bit of energon.

"What? I took him down! You're just jealous I thought of it while Bulkhead landed the decisive blow and you were just kept shooting in a circle," Smokescreen shot back while getting up from the ground and seeing Arcee kneeling down before caressing Jack's face.

"Jack? Jack can you hear me?" asked Arcee with concern while hearing Jack's breathing become labored and difficult.

"What did you do Smokescreen? What did you grab? Bulkhead's hit alone wasn't strong enough to put him in this condition!" asked Ratchet, as he scanned the area around Jack's belly where Smokescreen had been, and seeing what the Bot had done.

"I don't really know. It was big and was pulsing. If I were to guess, I think I was holding and squeezing his Spark chamber," replied Smokescreen while Arcee glared at him.

"What? You lug nut grease head! Don't you know doing that to a Cybertronian can cause an intense pain unlike any other?!" said Ratchet while making sure that there was no real permanent damage done to Jack.

"He was tearing you guys apart! What did you want me to do? Just let him continue? Or maybe I should have just looked for a rock and hit him with it?" asked Smokescreen in disbelief that they were against what he did.

"I'd rather he had smashed your face in!" exclaimed Arcee while Ratchet let out a sigh of relief.

"He's fine. From what I have been able to determine, Smokescreen only put enough strain on Jack's Spark chamber to cause a rather painful emergency system shutdown, and he is currently trying to fight it despite the blow to his skull, thank you very much Bulkhead. While I hate to suggest this given the situation, it would be best to restrain Jack now since I see no way of forcing a reverse transformation back into his bipedal state due to his unique state," said Ratchet while he saw Jack trying to "reboot" himself despite everything.

"It would be better to put Jack out of his misery," commented Megatron while he glanced at Dreadwing, who nodded at what was being implied, and walked toward Jack with his sword drawn.

If anything, the Decepticon SIC would give Jack the honor of a quick, and painless death with his sword stabbing into the dragon's processor.

"Don't even think about it," whispered Arcee in a deadly tone, as she quickly whipped her arm out, the gun it changed into now ready to fire at Dreadwing, and had a clear shot at the Decepticon's head.

"No one is killing Jack. That was not the reason we took him out of Airachnid's reach. If he were to die now, Airachnid's wrath on us, and this planet would be without mercy. You know this to be true Megatron," stated Optimus with Megatron snarling slightly, but agreed nonetheless since he was well aware of Airachnid vindictive, and vengeful nature when crossed horribly.

"Very well. But I want him under close guard Optimus. From your own forces and mine," said Megatron with Optimus agreeing though the Prime clearly didn't like the idea of any of the Decepticon Warlord's troops watching over Jack.

"You think...you think my body being...restrained will halt...what is to...come?" asked Jack with his one eye open and seeing the shocked looks on everyone's face.

"Get those restraints on him now!" commanded Ratchet while Jack let out a hoarse laugh while his front and back limbs, plus his tail were cuffed with multiple restraints locked in place to reduce maneuverability.

"You still don't get it. My capture. My pain. You are only delaying inevitable. My Queen will not be idle. My Queen will not sit and wait for you to make the next move. She will unleash her fury as only Airachnid can. She will crush you. All of you. Prime, Megatron, Wheeljack, Raf, Miko, and everyone else is going to die. When it happens, I will laugh at your end, and I will not pity any of you," said Jack while laughing weakly and breathing was becoming less labored, but his mind was telling him to go into an emergency power down mode.

"Why you little...!" said Bulkhead while moving to smash Jack's face in, but Arcee held him back, and gave the Wrecker a "don't even think about it!" look before doing the same to Wheeljack too.

"Did anyone else also get a cold feeling when he made that ominous prediction?" asked Knock Out worriedly while everyone looked at him and he laughed nervously.

"I'm afraid what we just heard was not an ominous prediction, but rather...a very terrible fact," replied Optimus with the others looking at him now.

"Optimus, surely you don't think Airachnid has the power to do anything. Sure she has the Insecticons and the Nemesis, but we've got skilled fighters on our side. Plus Jack is here as our prisoner. She wouldn't dare do something that crazy," remarked Smokescreen offhandedly.

"I see the processing power a member of the Autobot Elite Guard would possess were not handed out to this one," remarked Dreadwing since he knew of Airachnid's unpredictable nature and how damaging she could be when her mind was focused on a task at hand.

"And what does that mean?" challenged Smokescreen while Dreadwing got right in the smaller Cybertronian's face.

"It means you lack experience fool. I have seen Airachnid's twisted skills first hand and I'm sure quite a few of the other Autobots here have as well. You have no idea how cruel this particular femme can be when provoked. Now...Now you will have the unfortunate opportunity to see what she does next in her quest for revenge," replied Dreadwing, as he walked off to leave the rookie of the group to think about his words, and get some much needed energon in his system.

"Oh Jack. My poor baby boy," whispered June, as she made her way over to her son, and cried while falling to her knees with her hands touching the strange metallic yet fleshy skin.

"I don't understand humans," remarked Smokescreen while getting a glare from Arcee.

"As if you had the processing ability to try," remarked Arcee before she transformed into her bike mode and roared out of the building.

"It seems you don't understand femmes either," remarked Knock Out in amusement.

"And you do?" asked Smokescreen with Knock Out shrugging.

"Not really, but I at least know enough not to upset them...well too much," replied Knock Out with a smirk on his face before leaving the building to let the Autobots deal with how to handle Jack.

(The Nemesis-Days Later)

"My Queen, we are ready to proceed," said Hardshell while Airachnid nodded before she hit a button on the Bridge's Main Console.

"Excellent. Are we hacked into every communication satellite the humans have?" asked Airachnid with Hardshell nodding.

"Every single one we could locate and scan to find its purpose. Even if the few humans in power try to stop us, we are ready to beam our transmission to their other media stations used for communicating, and their remote telecommunication devices. They will not stop you from getting the message out my Queen," answered Kickback before hitting a button on his console and soon the ship's view screen was filled with Airachnid's face.

As well as every TV, new station, and portable device all around the world.

"People of Earth. Hear me. My name...is Airachnid: Queen of the Insecticon Hive. And I...am from a race of alien being called Cybertronians. As of this moment, you now have undisputed proof that your species is not the only one existing in Universe. For years, your planet has been the location of a secret war being fought by two sides. On one side is the Autobots. And on the other...the Decepticons. For years, these two sides have both fought, and killed each other in brutal fashion. For years, this war has been fought on this planet in secret on your world with the spoils from this war in the aftermath of it all is your very planet's resources. A specific resource my kind covets because it is what allows us to live. These two sides have fought each other mercilessly to a stand still. That is of course...until recently," said Airachnid, as she was showing footage of the fighting going on between the Autobots and the Decepticons, and the various humans that had been involved in their struggle.

Agent Fowler.

Nurse Darby.

Raf

Miko.

And of course...her Jack!

Back when he was human of course.

"As to what has changed...well that is quite the lovely story. A story surrounding of a young human boy among the Autobot's allies. A story about a human, who I know from a reliable source is a cut above all the rest, and was chosen to ascend beyond the limitations of your pathetic species. A story about a human boy named...Jack Darby!" declared Airachnid before the images on the Bridge view screen showed an image of Jack back when he was human.

His actions in helping the Autobots and also keeping Miko out of harms way when the Decepticons were seeking to capture her. She then showed images of another entity that Jack had become thanks to Five Faces experimental machinations on him. If it weren't for the fact that the Quintesson caused her so much pain to change her own appearance, as well as Jack's to what it was now, the spidery Cybertronian would have considered the idea of thanking the squid...before ripping out his Spark.

"As you can see, my Jack was changed into this incredible specimen shown before you, and has become something beyond anything your species could dream of becoming. He has become my other half. My perfect mate if you will. My King. My consort. MY Jack!" declared Airachnid with a predatory smile, as she knew Arcee would be watching this, and would no doubt become enraged.

Maybe Arcee would be tempted to shoot the screen she was using just for that alone.

"Under normal circumstance, I would not involve your insignificant species in what has been a...private matter while fighting in this war, and against the leaders of the mentioned factions above. I would be fighting them in secret without the human race being none the wiser and you would all be going about your day as if nothing was wrong. But recent events have forced my hand and I know both factions, who having now only recently allied together are watching this broadcast, and listening to what I have to say. As of this very moment, the war will no longer be between my side, and their united allied front against me and my Jack. No longer will this war be in the shadows away from the blinded human eyes that were unaware of the fighting going on around them. What my enemies have done, your species will pay the full price in their place until I have what, or rather who I want that they have taken from me," declared Airachnid with the image of Jack appearing next to her face and she looked at it with longing if not love.

It wouldn't take them long to figure it out.

"Are you listening in Optimus Prime? Megatron? What about you Arcee? I imagine you are quite angry right about now at me for referring to Jack as mine. Probably because you know deep within your Spark that he is mine. My other half. You have no place in his life or in his Spark. But I am a forgiving Cybertronian, which is why I give you, and the rest of this world a fair ultimatum to save yourselves from total...annihilation!" exclaimed Airachnid in a gleeful tone before images of different populated cities around the world were shown highlighted.

It was clear to everyone watching that those were the main places she was considering to target with whatever Airachnid had planned.

"The Autobots and Decepticons have taken my Jack away from me. He has become their prisoner in this war. Taken because they fear his power and potential to rule. They want to ensure my Jack doesn't claim the preverbal throne to rule over my kind. A new breed apart from either Autobot or Decepticons. A third faction long since forgotten during the early days of Cybertron. A third faction known told ancient Cybertronian language only as...the Predacons!" said Airachnid with an evil grin on her face, as he declared the name of the faction she along with Jack were apart of, and knew her enemies would be shocked to hear such an old name being used.

She only wished it was possible to see their expressions.

"As such, I demand swift and merciless justice for their theft in taking my Jack from me, and robbing him of his place at my side. I will not tolerate such a thing just as my Jack wouldn't tolerate it if I was taken from him! Since both factions are allied together with each other, it also means both sides are allied with the few humans in this government, who know of their existence, and have been helping them in secret. So I will make my terms simple and to the point so everyone on this planet can understand so please pay attention. If my Jack is not returned to me alive and unharmed within a span of two earth rotations at this time on the western side of the planet's hemisphere, one if not more heavily populated places throughout the world will be destroyed by my Warship," explained Airachnid, as she let the images of various locations like the city of Paris in France, London England, Venice Italy, and Tokyo Japan being among those she was showing to be prime targets for her wrath.

Airachnid could imagine the people there looking shocked, horrified, terrified, and fearful of her vengeance for not having such a simple demand met. She could easily imagine all of the different human governments no doubt calling the one government where those wretched Autobots and Decepticons were hiding in. Calling, demanding answers, and if they had a plan to counter her threats should they refuse to give into her demands.

"Any attempts to stop us using your primitive weaponry is useless, as I can bombard your planet from space, and I can send in my army of Insecticons as well to hunt down your species at any time, and at any location on the planet. By the time the Autobots or their Decepticon allies move to intervene should the latter happen, as I know they will try to do, I estimate well over a hundred if not over a thousand humans will have perished, and will die violent deaths. This will happen each and every day my Jack is not returned to me following the deadline I have set. No place on the planet is safe from me or my army. I have the means, the methods, the weapons, the tactics, and the power to lay waste to any part of the planet while remaining unopposed regardless of your attempts to stop me on your end! If you do not return my Jack to me...your world will burn! The clock ticking away at your possible destruction starts...now!" said Airachnid before the screen ended and the transmission ceased.

"A speech worthy of you my Queen," commented Kickback with Airachnid closing her optics and trying to calm her racing mind over what she had just done.

"Take us behind the moon, but keep the Nemesis in a position where we can pick up transmissions from the planet. I want to know what the humans are saying about my speech. I will be in my room resting," commanded Airachnid with Kickback nodding.

"Yes my Queen," said Kickback, as he took the reigns of the ship, and guided it to the dark side of the Moon.

(Autobot Outpost-Omega 2-At the Moment)

"Any attempts to stop us using your primitive weaponry is useless, as I can bombard your planet from space, and I can send in my army of Insecticons as well to hunt down your species at any time on the planet. By the time the Autobots or their Decepticon allies move to intervene should the latter happen, as I know they will try to do, I estimate well over a hundred if not over a thousand humans will have perished, and will die violent deaths. This will happen each and every day my Jack is not returned to me following the deadline I have set. No place on the planet is safe from me or my army. I have the means, the methods, the weapons, the tactics, and the power to lay waste to any part of the planet while remaining unopposed regardless of your attempts to stop me on your end! If you do not return my Jack to me...your world will burn! The clock ticking away at your possible destruction starts...now!" said Airachnid before the screen ended and the transmission ceased.

"Oh scrap," remarked Knock Out in shock, as he along with everyone else had followed the speech Airachnid had just given since it was broadcasted, and were floored the spider femme had done such a thing.

"So much for being robots in disguise," commented Wheeljack while scratching his head.

"Does that mean I can walk around in public now?" asked Smokescreen hopefully.

"NO!" yelled Arcee, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Ratchet at the same time with all of them glaring.

"Scrap," mumbled Smokescreen in slumped defeat.

"It's bad enough Airachnid broadcasted this to the entire world, but now every human in just every country is going to be after us, and forming their own version of M.E.C.H. in the process. The only difference is some of them will be formed by the different human governments and we will all be marked for hunting. Airachnid just made it open season for Cybertronians anywhere regardless if they Autobot or Decepticon," remarked Arcee while she was inwardly seething at hearing Airachnid refer to Jack as hers.

"And I have some more bad news. I just got a call from General Bryce. The powers at be in Washington are seriously considering the idea of handing Jack back over to Airachnid to spare the world her wrath. I tried to tell him that she would do it anyway, but my own credibility with you guys is not what you would call...encouraging at the moment," said Agent Fowler, as he just got off the phone with the General, and was told the Pentagon was now on high alert along with every other government throughout the world.

"Are they nuts?! Releasing Jack now is unwise Agent Fowler. Not to mention Jack will tell Airachnid what Smokescreen and by extension Bulkhead did to him in order for us to subdue our old friend. She will destroy a city out of rage and spite!" exclaimed Ratchet with the others around him agreeing.

"I agree old friend. Which is why we must hold out for the next two days to come up with a plan to prevent Airachnid from carrying out her threat. Or at the very least, we try to possibly delay Airachnid's wrath in order to give us more time to prevent the outcome we all know is sadly...inevitable," said Optimus sadly since he had no doubt Airachnid would crush anyone and anything at this point.

"Couldn't you guys sneak on board the Nemesis? We've been doing that a lot lately and with a lot of success too," offered Miko since they had been having a good run in doing just that.

"We can't get on the ship now because Airachnid has no doubt moved back toward the moon and also, from what Soundwave has been gracious enough to share with me, the normal means to access the warship's systems through his own connections have been severed. It would appear that our enemy has made some modifications to the system or possibly put the Quintesson to use in creating stronger computer defense systems on the ship to prevent hacking of any kind," replied Ratchet, as he glanced at Soundwave, and wondered if the Spy Master was really trying to gain access or was secretly holding back until the time was right for Megatron to gain access to the ship in order to take control of it.

"There is also no way of telling what would happen if we did get on board the ship Miko. The Insecticons are not to be trifled with so easily. There was a reason they were feared during the war on Cybertron," added Bulkhead while reminding himself of his own near death experience with Hardshell.

And the fact the Insecticon claimed to have ended the lives of so many Wreckers in the process was also unsettling.

"What do we do about Jack? You can't send him back," said Raf while realizing his own family will no doubt be hounded by people and being asked if the pictures of him with Bumblebee were real.

Miko's host parents here in the States and her biological parents back in Japan would also be hounded too. Even the kids at school wouldn't be safe, as they would get questions by News Reporters about Jack, Miko, and Raf with everyone wanting to know more about the Autobots.

Agent Fowler was going to be busy and even his own life was in jeopardy since everyone now knew what he looked like. People were going to want answers and seek him out to get it since the man was the preverbal bridge between the United States and the Autobots with the Decepticons now being added to it.

"Nor do we plan to send him back. Doing so would only doom your world to the wrath of a newly declared Predacon femme capable of destroying everything around her without hesitation," said Optimus knowing they had to keep Jack here while preventing an all out slaughter of the human race at the same time.

"It may not be your call to make in the end Prime. Like I said earlier, the President, the Generals at the Pentagon, and a whole lot of other people are talking about this. This is global! Everyone saw Airachnid's little speech just now and we can't contain it as some kind of hoax. The images, the videos of you guys fighting each other, and the kids have been seen by everyone with an electronic device with a screen. People all over the place are going to try and dig up answers to what it is they just saw," said Fowler to once again remind Optimus that things will no doubt force his hand to make a decision he disagrees with.

"The kids at school are going to wonder about us too? They know Jack hangs out with us and with him becoming...well a dragon...they will want to ask questions. Not to mention our parents and family member too," added Raf while wincing at what his Mother would do to him now that she found out about his extra curricular activates with the Autobots and Bumblebee.

"Oh yeah. My host parents probably fainted from seeing that. I can only imagine how my actual parents back in Tokyo reacted to the news of me being part of a war between giant robots," mumbled Miko sheepishly while she knew how both sides were and knew it was going to be something she didn't want anyone to see.

"Okay, fleshy based emotional problems aside...how do we handle the uh...Cybertronian dragon in the next room?" asked Knock Out curiously while Optimus tapped a few of the buttons on the console and saw it showed the live feed of Jack tied down with additional restraints along the neck as well as the mouth.

He had to take energon via a small hose into his mouth between his teeth. What upset the Autobots, the kids, and June above all else was the fact that Jack refused to eat any of the energon offered when he awoke from his power down. The look angry dark look he gave the soldiers, Agent Fowler, June, the other Autobots, and even the kids hurt them deeply on an emotional level. This was someone they knew for such a long time, who had been their friend, their comrade, and was now turned into something else that was the complete reverse. This Jack was violent to them, cold to them, and angry with them with all of the darkness he had kept locked away inside when human now coming to the surface in his Cybertronian form.

Not to mention Airachnid was influencing his mind with her own machinations just made things even more painful.

(With Jack-A Short Time Later)

Jack's eyes never lost their fury after he woke up and found himself restrained like some wild animal. The dragon transforming Cybertronian's rage grew further when he saw that they had planned to keep him alive via energon through a hose placed inside his mouth. A hose! It was humiliating! It was degrading! It was infuriating!

And he would not stand for it.

"Hello Jack," said June, as she had decided to pay her son a visit, and sat in a chair placed outside of the "strike range" Jack would have with his mouth should it ever get free from the binders currently connected to the ground.

"What do you want?" asked Jack despite the restraint on his mouth with his voice filled with rage and growling at the woman.

"What I have always wanted since you have become like this. To talk. To reconnect with you. I want to hold you close again. I want us to be a family again. Is that so much to ask for?" asked June with Jack growling at her and snarling with the fury in his optics never wavering.

"You know damn well it is! My life as a human was a lie! A lie YOU created. Now that I'm no longer a human and something more, you want to crush it, and take my new life away! WHY WOULD I WANT TO RECONNECT WITH YOU?!" exclaimed Jack with his eyes practically burning with fire.

"Because I am your Mother. Because despite everything I may or may not have done to mold you into the perfect little boy I had come to love...you are my son. I know I should have been a better Mother, not acting so afraid of you, and believing you were going to grow up to be like your Father. I tried to nurture you into being the opposite of him, never realizing that there was always a chance you could have been that way, and never giving you a chance to grow. I was pushing so many responsibilities on you when growing up and making you dependent on me for guidance. I was suppose to help you grow to be a young man capable of making his own decisions and yet I failed in the latter. I didn't like the idea of you being with a girl and even less when that girl just happened to be a living robot transforming into a motorcycle. Now, you are a unique Cybertronian never before thought to exist, and are in a new relationship with another robotic woman with psychotic tendencies. It seems no matter how hard I wish things would return to normal in a way where I can reverse the damage done to you, everything just keeps getting worse, and worse as time goes by," said June while tears now fell down her face while jack stared at the woman.

"You always told me to accept responsibility for my actions. Not to run away from them when things caught up to me. Well now your actions have caught up to you with what happened to me at the hands of the Quintesson. All that I have suppressed, all I have kept at bay, and restrained within me is now out. I will not be silenced. I will not be stopped. I will not be restrained. Not by you, the Autobots, the Decepticons, or anyone else for that matter. My purpose, my place, and my very destiny in life is at Airachnid's side," declared Jack with June looking hurt when he said that to her.

"You are truly lost to me...aren't you?" asked June when seeing the determination in her son's optics.

"I was lost to you a long time ago. You just didn't realize it...until now," replied Jack while June nodded and left the building to cry in private away from her now lost son.

All Jack could do was watch her go and didn't even blink.

(The Nemesis-The Bridge-Hours Later)

Airachnid smiled evilly while watching the view screen showing all the different news broadcasts the humans were creating throughout the world. The femme felt she liked being the center of attention in this case, as the humans talked about her transmission, and what the various governments were doing about it. Some people claimed it was some kind hoax. A prank of some kind to cause panic Ha! Such naive creatures. To think her Jack had been one of them. She silently thanked Primus he was a cut above the rest and was worthy of ascending to what many of the humans would say Godhood. Of course given the times Jack and herself had coupled intensely before his capture, it seemed to fit the technorganic warrior perfectly.

Just thinking about Jack and all the thing she would do to him upon his return made the spidery femme want to moan in pleasure. The only reason she (barely) restrained herself now was because of the Insecticons in the room and they were not worthy of seeing their Queen in such a...flustered state.

"At the White House just moments ago, the President is launching an emergency meeting to talk to one Special Agent Fowler, who sources say is the 'liaison' between us and the robotic aliens known as Cybertronians. We will now go live to this session where Agent Fowler will be addressing this matter," said the news broadcaster while Airachnid knew the name and watched this little proceeding start.

She wondered if the dark fleshy skinned human now sitting in his chair, fixing his tie, and drinking a glass of water knew her ship was receiving the signals to watch this session. It was actually strange to see how humans would broadcast this without care, as if they did not believe the alien life hovering above their world wasn't watching, or planning to act depending on how this meeting ended.

Honestly, this was like spying at its easiest. Airachnid wondered if Soundwave even tried anymore when spying on this planet since humans were so very open in talking about the major events in their lives.

"Mr. President, General Bryce, and members of the Joint Chief of Staff here today along with many other military officials from the Pentagon. I am here to address this issue in regards to the sudden revealing of alien life existing on our planet in secret. As some of you already know, who are on this committee here to understand what we are dealing with, you know the transmission broadcasted not that long ago was indeed...true. We are not alone in the Universe," said Agent Fowler with the people behind him that were the Press and other people loudly speaking among themselves.

"Agent Fowler, I have spoken to the various military advisors regarding this very highly unprecedented situation, and heard General Bryce's recommendations on the matter. He has suggested we trust in your judgment and advice since you have been on the front lines sort to speak when with the Autobots in their secret war against the Decepticons. From what we heard from this one Cybertronian named uh...Airachnid, you do not believe she will not restrain herself from carrying out the threat of attacking the world should we return to her one Jack Darby. Is that correct?" asked the President with Agent Fowler nodding.

"That is true Mr. President. Believe me when I say this female Cybertronian is not one to show restraint to those she hurts or kills. One of the Autobots here on Earth named Arcee was once a prisoner of this former Decepticon during the war they had on their home planet of Cybertron and she barely got out of Airachnid's clutches alive. Those around Arcee when this happened were...well they were not so lucky," answered Agent Fowler with the meaning being clear in his tone of voice what happened to those around Arcee during the war and around Airachnid.

"Yes, we read the report of the details this Arcee gave you regarding her own history with this Airachnid. Now, you stated she is now a former Decepticon, which seemed to further reinforce itself based on the transmission when she called herself a 'Predacon', and was now different from other Cybertronians in the past. Could you explain more on this part Agent Fowler?" said General Bryce while Agent Fowler drank about glass of water.

"Sadly, I do not know much about the whole name Airachnid gave herself for the faction she has chosen to make to separate herself from the Decepticons and Autobots. From what I have been bale to gather, the Predacons themselves actually were Cybertronians who could transform into animals instead of vehicles. These Predacons also predated Cybertronians in general just like the dinosaurs on Earth predated us in living before they were wiped out. How that happened to the Predacons of old is still unknown. All I know is Airachnid has claimed the title and I imagine she is also putting Jack Darby in there as well since they are both of the same in terms of transforming into some kind of animal rather then vehicle," answered Agent Fowler while some of the Generals in front of him flipped through some papers.

"Speaking of young Jackson Darby, I am surprised you didn't report the boy, or his two friends once they were made known to you when at the Autobot base. Why is that Agent Fowler?" asked a five star General with a white mustache and graying hair while he had his reading glasses on.

"Believe me General, I had no intention of hiding it from my superiors at the Pentagon. I was going to take at least one of the three children with me at the time of discovering they had learned the truth, but one of the Autobots at the base wouldn't let me, and was...well he was insistent I leave. Shortly after, I was kidnapped by the Decepticons where they tried to force the location of the Autobot base out of me," replied Agent Fowler firmly with the General raising an eyebrow at him.

"And by force you mean tortured?" asked the General curiously to see if he understood the man correctly.

"Yes. They used what was called an energon prod and zapped me. It like a cattle prod, but with energon, which Cybertronians use for food, fuel, and to charge their weapons. Our planet is filled with energon and the Decepticons have been trying to take it for years while the Autobots have doing the same, but trying to keep human involvement to zero. The difference between them is the Autobots have been living here peacefully while the Decepticons use what they gather for their war machine. Or rather they DID do this until recently when the two sides were forced into an alliance with the other given what has happened," answered Fowler, as he saw some of the Generals frown slightly while some nodded since the term "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer" came to mind.

"And did you give up the location of the Autobot Base during your uh...interrogation?" asked General Bryce curiously.

"No sir. My...interrogation was rudely interrupted when the Autobots saved me and they were only able to do that thanks to one of the children in their care. Believe or not the kid is a genius and has helped the Autobots on many occasions where his expertise in using computers turned the tide of battle," answered Fowler in the hopes that showing the kids had value to Team Prime would prevent the powers that be in front of him from removing the two from the team itself.

"Yes. One Rafael Esquivel. According to your own report here, he is quite the computer genius, and a hacker at the young age of 12 years old. It also says he can understand one of the Autobots who does not speak like the others. One of them called Bumblebee, is that correct?" said General Bryce with Agent Fowler nodding.

"Yes General, but I believe we are getting off track here. I wish to talk about the issue at hand regarding the looming threat literally hovering over our heads and over our planet. Airachnid is not one to simply make threats and not carry them out. She has carried out her threats in the past and many have paid for it. She is a hunter. A predator if there ever was one. She has killed quite a number of Autobots and even a few Decepticons as well before she left Megatron's ranks. I also believe that since her arrival on this planet, this femme has killed a few humans for sport to satisfy her 'curiosity' about our species in terms of hunting us," replied Agent Fowler while the President and the Joint Chiefs along with the military brass around him began whispering to each other.

"But this Airachnid merely wishes the return of one Jack Darby to her. From what she has shown us, the boy was somehow transformed into a Cybertronian, and the two have quite the...relationship. Aren't we in the wrong here for denying this alien robot woman what she asks of us in returning Jack Darby to her?" questioned another General, who was bald, and had four stars.

'A human who sees reason. Now I've seen everything,' thought Airachnid with a grin on her face increasing.

"It is true that Jack Darby has become what many of us would envy in being and is also in a relationship with Airachnid. However, its doesn't mean we are in the wrong, and I must insist that young Jack be kept locked away until we can resolve this matter without handing him over to Airachnid," replied Agent Fowler while the people around him now murmured loudly about his words.

'What?! You would dare to deny me my Jack? After my threat to destroy a chunk of your world?! You are either very brave Agent Fowler...or very stupid,' thought Airachnid with her eyes glowing with rage.

"Agent Fowler, from your own testimony, you make it sound like this alien robot woman would attack us no matter what we do. Are you saying we are in a position where we are damned if we and damned if we don't?" asked the President with Fowler nodding.

"Mr. President, that is exactly what I am saying. Airachnid will destroy a chunk of the world to make sure we get the point that she holds all the cards and will use what she has at her disposal to make sure the message is heard loud and clear," replied Fowler with the Generals looking at each other in thought.

"And she can't be reasoned with? Even if we were to release Jack Darby from wherever you have him stashed away under lock and key back to her?" asked General Bryce with Agent Fowler shaking his head no.

"With all due respect sir, she would sooner take your head off, and mount it on her wall as a trophy," replied Agent Fowler with the Generals and the President looking uneasy when hearing that.

'And I will be mounting your head on my wall when I find you Agent Fowler,' thought Airachnid angrily at the scene in playing out with more mumbled talking around the agent.

"The old fleshy humans seem to be reluctant to surrender our King back to you my great and benevolent Queen," remarked Kickback with Airachnid frowning at the view screen.

"We will give them the two full planet rotations as I said I would in order to prepare for my beloved's freedom. Should Jack not be freed by the given deadline...we will make sure they regret their choice of action," said Airachnid coldly while the target she had in mind would no doubt make them know their reluctance would cost them...in blood!

"What place do we target first my Queen?" asked Kickback curiously while Airachnid smirked before bringing the target up for them to see.

"This one location. Right here," said Airachnid while her smile increased at the sight of her intended target.

The City of Paris in France. Said by many humans to be a city of love. What better way to show her own love for Jack and hatred for the humans then to blast the city into ash?!

"You are not targeting one of the cities of the human government hiding the Autobots?" asked Kickback curiously while seeing Airachnid's smile increase further.

"When I destroy this city, people will naturally blame me. They will howl and cry for action to be done. By that point, I will speak out again for the people to hear, and merely explain to them how all the deaths in that one place could have been prevented IF they had simply freed my Jack from his confinement. I will make it seem like the government holding my Jack is the one to blame since they refused. I will destroy a city from each of the neighboring human governments while constantly blaming this one for not releasing him. I will make each act become more and more violent then the last until their morality makes them cave. My actions will make them feel guilty in not freeing my Jack sooner and they finally decide to free him," explained Airachnid before she let out a laughter that echoed throughout the ship over her plan to free Jack which would be paid with the lives of countless human bodies.

Oh yes, her revenge would indeed be sweet!

(A/N: YAY! An update for those who love me and this fic so much. Sorry it took so long, but for those of you who know me oh so well, I was delayed due to one of my other fics, and the burning desire to write it. But that fic is done and I went back to working on this chapter. Hope you all liked it. Until next time...PEACE!)