So this is late. Very late. My excuse? First week of school is brutal. It's not fun. Three days in classes and I've already got two projects. I can already tell that this year is not gonna be fun. But, enough of my whining and crappy excuses. Without further ado, I give you...

Intermission 6

Things Ain't Like They Used to Be

"And it's about time you see, things ain't like they used to be, I walked into the battle blind, happens almost all the time"

"Alright, we're going radio silent on this one, mechs. No answering hails from Prime or NEST. The humans don't need to know about this until it's done. Or Prime. Got it?" Ironhide turned to the mechs gathered in the hanger. It wasn't the main one, which tended to be too crowded to be good for planning, but a smaller one often used by the bots for recharge. It was odd being back stateside after spending so long on tiny little Diego Garcia and one of the perks was enough extra space to go off and plan with no one noticing. The triplets, the little twins, Sideswipe and Ratchet all nodded. They all knew how badly this could end if Prime found out before they were sure. "Alright, then. Let's roll."

One by one, the bots lined up at the gate for a security check before leaving base. They had an official mission today, to retrieve ex-agent Seymour Simmons from New York and bring him back because the government believed that he was causing trouble. The Autobots had been reluctant to go until they received a message from Bumblebee two days ago. After that, they decided that it was the perfect cover up and agreed to go. All of this happened right under Prime's olfactory sensors, of course, because it just wouldn't do to have him know too soon. The soldiers waved them through the gate immediately and then they were out on the road.

They had been driving for an hour and were halfway to their destination before anyone spoke. It was Ratchet who broke the silence, opening a general comm. :Do you really think it's her?:

:Bee sent the message and he wouldn't have done it if he weren't sure that it's her. She practically raised him. He would know.: Ironhide was short but he was anxious and nervous, two emotions that did not mix well with him.

The twins broke the silence this time, reminding everyone just how cut off they were during the war. :Who is this top-secret femme, anyway? We ain't never heard of her before.:

Sideswipe snorted over the comm., his answer derisive and his tone rude, :She is well above your pay grade.:

:But we don't get paid!:

:Exactly.:

Ironhide knew he should have said something, but he couldn't bring himself to when he did the same to them whenever he could. Instead, he focused on the highway and the turn off up ahead. They would need to take that one to reach their destination.

The road they turned onto wasn't really a road just like the highway they turned off of stopped being a highway a few miles ago. It was nothing but a dirt road that led off a badly paved country road and into a forest. There was a clearing ahead (thank Primus because he was getting tired of Sideswipe whining about how low to ground he was) and Ironhide could see a glint of black- a car sitting calmly in the middle of the wide open clearing. He pulled in first, his diesel engine growling loudly, as Ratchet and Sideswipe flanked him. Mudflap and Skids ended up behind Ratchet and the triplets spread out in the tree line behind all of them. Ironhide knew they made an impressive picture spread out like they were and yet the black Charger in front of him didn't even rev its engine in response to their aggression.

"You should know that the intimidation factor disappeared the day I painted you pink, teacher of mine. You could just start with a 'hello'." The voice that came from the Charger was amused and bored sounding. And one they weren't sure they were ever going to hear again.

"Rein in that sarcasm femme, it'll do nothing but get you in trouble." Ironhide would have smiled had he been biped because this was as familiar as breathing.

"But life is so much more boring without a little trouble."

"It's never just a little trouble with you, Striker." Sideswipe rolled forward a little, a note of amusement in his voice, something they hadn't heard in a long while. Being without his twin had taken a huge toll on him.

"And you make half of it possible, Sides. Now, why don't we transform do we can speak properly and you can introduce me to the two cadets in the back." No one bothered to wonder how she knew. Strikezone always knew and not all of it was Ironhide's rigorous training. On top of that, Jazz had a bad habit of training her to know things she shouldn't. If she didn't know, she knew how to fake it.

They transformed and soon he found himself standing before one of his best students. She looked the same except she was maybe a little more scarred and a little more battle ready. Those vorns in space weren't very kind to her. It looked as if she had been through far too much. Her optics were cold and he recognized that jaded, hateful look from Sunstreaker. It wasn't directed at any of them, more like the world in general, that spoke volumes about where she had been and what she had seen. None of it was good. Those cold, pale optics surveyed them and narrowed, as if they whole group had been judged and found wanting. "Ironhide. Ratchet. Sideswipe. Arcee, Chromia and Flareup. Newbies. But I'm surprised. I know where Bee is, can guess where Prime is, but someone is missing. Where's Jazz?"

Ironhide's shoulders slumped; he didn't want to talk about this so soon. Ratchet froze for a nanosec and then looked off into the forest like it was the most interesting this since his first supernova. He still blamed himself for what had happened in Mission City. Pit, he still blamed himself for Bee's voice. The mech had a lot of baggage and carried too much on his shoulders. He wasn't as bad as Prime, but he was getting there. Ironhide placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder and looked back to Striker. "Jazz is offline. Been two Earth years, now. He would have been proud of himself. He died taunting Megatron to save a city and a boy."

Strikezone's optics dimmed and darkened, going back to the navy that he remembered as she wrapped her arms around herself. "Oh. It was Sam Witwicky, wasn't it?" At Ironhide's almost surprised nod, she pulled a half smile. "Odd little thing. He seems to attract trouble more than me. Well, it obviously worked, so I commend Jazz. I hope he's having fun driving everyone else that is one with the All Spark completely insane."

It was the best eulogy for the Jazz he had heard yet.

Arcee hissed lowly and rolled forward on her one wheel with a hand to her helm, listening to her comm. "Ironhide, we should go. The humans are getting frantic. Something happened at Sam's school. There are Decepticons converging on the area."

"There's been an attack on the school's library. Sounds like a Pretender. Sam, Mikeala and Sam's roommate got out safe. They're not in the clear yet, though."

Ratchet raised and optic ridge and asked, "And how do you know?"

"I have a human friend who happens to be friends with Sam. It seems everyone he knows get pulled into this slag." Ironhide just nodded and didn't say anything. All of them transformed, heading back to road, Striker coming with them by silent agreement.

:See what I mean? Sam proved it better and faster than I could. Trouble.: Like she could talk.

0o0

Optimus was heading to his team when he got the call. Bumblebee had been waiting for him when he reached Nellis Air Force base and quickly informed him of the whereabouts of the rest of his mechs. Bumblebee then very enthusiastically said that he would lead him to the out of the way clearing they were gathered in.

Bumblebee was quiet on the way there. All these mechs here had helped raised him and he knew their moods to tee. He knew when his big brother wanted quiet, knew when his thoughts consumed him. By now, he could even take a guess as to what he was thinking. :Sam will be fine. He's just a kid and not honestly mad at you.:

:It can be so hard to remember. There are times when I look at him and see nothing but a young human boy and others when I see the Prime I am beginning to believe he was born to be. He is wise beyond his years and I am guilty for it. Were it not for us, there would be no All Spark in his mind to speed his development so.: Prime's voice was heavy and tired. Older than it should be. Just like the mech himself.

:Or maybe there would be the All Spark, just minus anyone around to tell him that he isn't going crazy and that it'll be alright. Maybe he would just be worse off without us. You in particular, Prime.: He would keep his thoughts on Sam's supposed Primehood to himself. If Optimus said that the boy had potential, then it was there and Bee had to admit that he had seen glimmers of it from time to time. Sam so rarely showed his true heart and mind that the thought of him sharing it with the rest of their race as Prime was almost preposterous.

:Perhaps, Bumblebee. Perha-: Bee shot past Optimus and pulled a definitely illegal U-turn when he realized that the big mech was no longer with him. He had stopped in the middle of the deserted highway, engine rumbling ominously and Bumblebee hesitantly stopped in front of him. He hated how small he felt in front of Prime and he hated these dark moods more. They were never directed at him but they always led to the very worst and grizzliest of battles and Bee had a very bad feeling about this one. :The humans are panicked. It seems as though my brother could not bear the thought of resting and recuperating from his time offline if it meant leaving us in peace. The Decepticons have attacked Princeton and no one can find Sam.: With those venom laced words and an angry diesel and energon fueled growl of his engine, Prime was gone almost faster that Bee's well-trained optic could follow. The mech could be fast when he wanted to.

Bumble followed as fast as his sports car engine could take him and silently pitied whatever Decepticon got in Prime's way today. They would find little more than the savage rage that made most cower, least of all his legendary mercy.

No, today was not a day for mercy.