Next chapter is up for you guys! Oh goodness, I am trembling with excitement. Hope you all enjoy it!

Rodimus lay motionless on the recharge berth, his spark racing far too quickly for his liking. The thousand mile pulse per second just only seemed to make his fear grow ever stronger. But as he continued to lie there with his head mentally spinning with it, the calm words of Prowl echoed through his processor: "Never let fear cloud your judgement. Use it to overcome your obstacles and you shall conquer all."

Those words eased his trembling spark and his laboured breathing become gentle and less effective on his pulsing spark, once again having the courage that he needed to overcome what lay ahead for him. Even though he had fought battles before, this one still made him nervous, but not enough to make him fear the unknown.

He was ready to do whatever it took to escape this hellhole.

A loud bang echoed from far away. He flinched slightly and once more calmed his spark. This is what he had been waiting for and he was definitely going to give it his all to make his way out and off this planet. He could just faintly make out the clicking noise of high-heeled pedes heading down the corridor, getting closer every second.

Every fibre of his being screamed at him, demanding that he have his transformation systems activate right here and now, but it took a great deal of willpower to not do it. He had the element of surprise on his side, and he was not going to throw it away just for the sake of fear.

He curled up in a ball, keeping his optics focused on the wall and dimming them slightly so that he appeared to be in recharge.

The time had come.

He heard Flamewar stand in front of his cell, but he dare not glance over his shoulder for fear that she would not enter. She pressed a few buttons – an override code perhaps? – and the sound of the forcefield dropping down almost made him stiffen. She headed over toward him and his proximity sensors alerted him to her approach, but not before she stopped as though she wanted to look over his vulnerable protoform with those ruby embers of hers.

His inner self once again screamed at him to attack right now, to make a run for it while she was there. But he couldn't do it, not yet at least. It wasn't the right moment. It was just a little while longer.

Then he sensed her come forward again, taking just two steps until she was right on top of him. He felt her lean close, getting over his body and slowly turning him over. His spinal column tingled slightly as he felt her glossa slide over his exposed neck. He could faintly hear a humming noise just below him, before it turned into a transformation sound, indicating that she was preparing to take him where he lay.

"Soon," she giggled lustfully. "Very soon you will be all mine."

A simple word flashed across his processor: Now.

Optics flashing bright blue, Rodimus activated his right blade, the shifting and sliding of metal came quick and easy as he lunged forward and stabbed Flamewar dead centre in the chest where her spark lay... straight through her spark and punching between her shoulders.

For a moment Flamewar didn't react. Maybe she hadn't noticed that his blade was embedded deep in her spark or perhaps that the feeling hadn't sunk in yet. Whatever it was, it wore off quickly as her optics widened and her mouth opened in a silent scream of agony. But Rodimus knew that he couldn't give her the opportunity to call for back up, not while he still had the advantage.

As the energon dripped down the blade from her chest and splattered onto the hard floor, he pulled her close until his breath touched her audio receptors. Two words escaped his lips, cold and malicious, "Never again."

Then ever so cruelly, unlike anything he had done before, he twisted the blade to one side, her face converting into a wince of agony. He could feel her spark beginning to ebb away, the faintest pulse flickering in an attempt to stay alive as he continued to turn his weapon.

As her optics started to dim into darkness, he revealed his left blade and lightly pressed it against her neck... and sliced off her head without a moment's hesitation. He let go of the body and it fell heavily onto the floor, energon spilling from the fatal opening and where the head had connected to the body.

"Wretched bitch," he snarled, spitting on the corpse in disgust. He stood up to his full height, willing his armour to cover his entire chassis to protect it from any trouble that would cross his path. But as he did so, he noticed energon had coated his chest, hands, and feet. Well, he had it figured that he would not be clean from the encounter. As soon as he escaped and got back to Earth, he would be washing himself for days just to remove the stains.

He leapt off the berth, glad for Flamewar leaving the forcefield down in her attempt to get at him. He peered out of the cell, checking to ensure that no one had come to investigate during the skirmish.

No such thing came. It was all clear.

With the taste of battle and the feeling of adrenaline still coursing through his veins, he returned the blades into his hands and made a mad dash for the exit. Freedom had never tasted so sweet, and he was going to tell one hell of a story to Optimus once he got off this dirtball.

Megatron had no clue as to why he decided to head into the Command Centre. He could have sworn he saw no reason, but using it as an excuse to take his processor off Thunderblast and his soon-to-be-born sparkling was something that he needed. He had left Thunderblast in their quarters after she had insisted that he try and sense the sparkling reach out to him.

In his stubbornness to accept the need of wanting to be a father, Megatron angrily warned her that she was treading on thin ice, only have her rebuke him and demand that he at least try. In his desperation to escape the burden, Megatron was quick to leave and shut out his side of the link between himself and his sparkmate.

As he stepped into the large room, he could not help but curse Thunderblast's own determination of wanting him to be a father over the sparklink, but he continued to ignore her, shutting her out entirely.

"Megatron, what are you doing here?"

He shook his head as his whole world came back into focus. He whirled upon the voice and saw Counterpunch looking at him with mild concern. He bared his dental plates at him, growling deeply enough to make the Decepticon flinch and look away. "Do not patronise me," he snarled. "My business is not your own."

Counterpunch just nodded quickly, keeping his mouth shut.

Megatron frowned. There seemed to be something off about the Command Centre, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Then... his optics turned into a terrible scowl. "Where is Flamewar?" he demanded coldly.

At his dangerous tone, Fracture winced in terror and glanced up at her leader, her ruby red optics avoiding direct contact with him. "She... uh... went to the brig, Sir," she stammered nervously.

As if his issues with Thunderblast weren't bad enough, Megatron couldn't even keep his troops off something they know better than to touch without his permission. His growl deepening, he activated his com-link. "Cyclonus, head to the brig and remove Flamewar for good!"

"No need for that, my Lord," Cyclonus answered a few seconds later. "I interrogated Fracture not too long ago regarding the whereabouts of Flamewar. Heh, I wasn't gentle. I'm standing over the body of Flamewar even as I speak. Seems like someone got to her first. Looks like a blade may have killed her."

Someone has activated the youngling's transformation systems without my knowledge, Megatron thought bitterly to himself. Exactly who had done it he couldn't be entirely sure, however one thing was known for certain: there was a traitor amongst his troops. "Pull together a small team, Cyclonus," he growled. "Hunt down the youngling and bring him to me alive."

"As you wish, my Lord," Cyclonus responded gleefully. "Cyclonus out."

Starscream, who had overheard the conversation after he had walked in not too long ago, stalked up beside Megatron. "Should we put the base on high alert, Sir?" he asked, rubbing his clawed hands together.

Megatron's growl only grew more dangerous. In his anger, he whirled upon Starscream and slapped him across the faceplates. "You idiot!" he snarled. "If we do that then the youngling will do everything he can to keep from being found!"

Starscream cringed, holding his left cheek. "My apologies, my Lord," he whimpered submissively. "Won't happen again."

Megatron rolled his optics and stared at the wall for a moment, thinking more carefully on the situation. Since there was a traitor amongst them, they would have to come up with something in order to find out what was going on. No doubt the spy had even fed information to the Autobots.

He turned to Starscream. "I have a job for you," he told him. "It seems we may have a traitor amongst our brethren. I want you to find him and bring him to me. I don't care how you do it, just find him before he causes more harm!"

Starscream bowed lowly. "Yes, Sir," he said and departed.

Megatron sighed and clicked his dental plates together. Once again, he could sense Thunderblast still trying to speak to him, but in a more apologetic way, surprising him. Sighing, he turned to march out.

Only to stop in mid stride when the walls of the base rattled, causing dust from the ceiling to fall and dirty his silver armour.

Suddenly, the base's proximity sensors started going haywire, alerting their computer to the presence of attackers.

He turned to Counterpunch. "Bring up the screen!" he demanded.

Counterpunch nodded and typed away furiously, bringing up on the screen a full view of the West side of the base.

Megatron's optics widened in absolute shock when the screen showed a long line of Earthen based vehicles driving at full speed toward the base. The line seemed to stretch for kilometres, followed by flying ones as well.

Enraged, he shouted, "How did the Autobots manage to find our base?"

No one answered.

He looked more closely at the vehicles, but saw no sign of Optimus. He tilted his head to one side in puzzlement. However, that quiz would have to be solved another time. He turned to Counterpunch. "Alert every available Decepticon that can fight," he ordered.

"Yes, milord," Counterpunch answered and did as he was told.

Megatron had a nagging suspicion that Optimus was somewhere nearby, but whoever was in charge of leading the Autobots had to be amongst them. If Optimus wanted an all out war, then he was going to get one.

Rodimus continued to make his way through the base, weaving through corridors without even stopping to think about which way he had to go. The adrenaline was still pulsing through his veins unlike anything he had felt before. His thoughts were clouded by his determination to escape, to get away from what he had experienced over the past few days. His head pounded with memories that flashed before his optics. The more he thought about it, the faster he ran. But the more he ran, the worse the memories became.

In the in end, his body stared to show signs of weariness and he was forced to stop and catch his breath. Closing his optics, he forced the frightening images into the back of his processor and everything became calmer, clearer.

Eventually the fears ebbed away – for the moment at least – and he became more focused, allowing him to think better. If he knew the Decepticons like Prowl had taught him, then no doubt one of them would come for him the next round of interrogation and discover the body of Flamewar lying broken on the floor without her head.

Rodimus was determined not to sit through it again. Not ever.

Without warning, the base shook and he was knocked off his feet, hitting his head on the floor. His world was all a blur for a moment, but the dizziness was quick to go away. Slowly, he picked himself up off the ground, his body trembling a bit.

Then, his private com-link went off.

Ugh, what else could go wrong? He was quick to answer without sparing a moment's hesitation. "Rodimus here."

"Rodimus, it's Punch," his friend replied. "You need to be careful, Megatron ordered Cyclonus to have him and a group of Decepticons to come look for you even as I speak."

"Oh that's great," Rodimus huffed sarcastically. "As if things can't get any worse. What was that shake all about?"

"The Autobots are here," Punch answered softly.

Rodimus wasn't sure what to feel, but he knew that excitement coursed through his body, allowing a grin to cross his lips. Now he just needed a way out of this place so that he could join in the battle. "Think you can give me directions to get out of this place?" he asked.

"I'm afraid I cannot help you with that, Rodimus," Punch replied gently. "The Decepticons are already onto me and it's only a matter of time before they discover my true identity. You'll have to look for a way out on your own."

Rodimus nodded, even though Punch couldn't see it. He was good at looking after himself anyway. He gave his thanks with Punch wishing him good luck, turned off the com-link and continued on his way.

He turned a corner, only to stop dead in his tracks.

Walking in his direction were none other than Cyclonus, Vortex, and Slipstream, followed by two more Decepticons he didn't recognise.

"There he is!" Vortex bellowed.

"After him!" Cyclonus ordered, and the Decepticons rushed toward him in a bid to catch him.

But Rodimus was fast and he turned tail and fled as fast as he could go without a backward glance over his shoulder.

Yeah, I apologise for the shortness of the chapter. But the next update will be a long one! A three part long one regarding The Battle of Olympus Mons aka Let Slip the Dogs of War, bwahaha! There will be a lot of non-stop action, heart-pumping drama, and oh boy, I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am about it! Can't wait to get started on it. See you all next chapter.