AN: Brand spanking new chappie here. I hope you'll enjoy this because I'm hoping the juice didn't get sipped away. :) Enjoy and oh yeah, flamers will be roasted into pumpkin seeds and candy coated Energon treats. ;)

Chapter 21

"Slaggin' Sales 'Con!" Ironhide grumbled. "What the slag did he want with Mikaela?"

Mikaela looked tiredly at Ironhide. "Wanted my baby-" She hugged Barricade's holoform tighter. "Wanted our baby." She lay her head against Barricade and almost fell down. Barricade's passenger door opened and he helped Mikaela into his passenger seat. Then he belted her in.

"You want to help Soundwave beat the slag out of Swindle, go ahead."

"Gladly." Ironhide transformed into his Alt-Form and followed Soundwave's and Swindle's trail.

Barricade looked back at Mikaela. She took a deep breath and fell asleep, feeling safe and sound. Barricade turned around and sped to the Autobot base.

-0-

Swindle cursed under his vents when a particularly sharp tentacle grazed his rear fender. It hurt and he put on another burst of speed. All this for a stupid fleshy? What was with these stupid crazed Mechs and love filled 'Cons? Did they care that much for a stupid fleshy to pursue him through back roads. Then he heard Soundwave's monotone voice. "Assistance: Not Needed!" Swindle's sensors picked up the Autobot's Weapons' Specialist behind them both. He groaned. Just what he needed! Ironhide!

"Admit it! You need help." Ironhide said, speeding forward in front of him. Then he matched speeds with him. Swindle tried to get around the massive truck, but wasn't having much luck. Then his memories began to submerge from the deepest recesses of his processor. Memories he had filed under 'Secured Files: Mikaela Banes and Barricade.' He fought against the intruder in his mind and placed as many blocks he could, but the insistence pressure from the intrusion was much too much for his processor. He swerved, almost hitting Ironhide in the rear fender and ran off the side of the road. Not seeing anything as the intrusion continued, he crashed into a tree.

The tentacles retreated from his rear fender and Soundwave and Ironhide stopped. Ironhide transformed into his Mech form, armed and ready to fire on Swindle. Soundwave transformed into his Mech form to turn his visored gaze to Ironhide. "Leave: You do not need to see this." Soundwave said in a tone that brooked no argument. It was the kind of tone where he was about to probe into a Mech's processor relentlessly and without mercy.

"Will you give your findings to Barricade?" Ironhide asked.

"Affirmative." Soundwave said.

Ironhide transformed into his Alt-Form and sped away.

Soundwave walked forward, his tentacles coming from his Mech form to enclose onto Swindle and then a scream ripped out from Swindle's vocalizer as Soundwave penetrated his processor, absorbing all the information he had stored in private files. Soon, Soundwave knew every detail of his 'con' jobs. Swindle had once been a Decepticon who did Megatron's bidding, but no longer. Bits and pieces of business transactions, pet traders on Vos, credit mongering, black market arms, stealing, and Mikaela's baby. It was time to let Megatron know what Swindle planned and none of it good.

"Megatron here." Megatron answered, his voice pleased with his progress.

"Sending databurst now." Soundwave said, sending the databurst to Megatron.

"That greasy sleazy-how is the insect?"

"Mikaela: Ill."

"Do you have her?"

"Mikaela: No. Medical Bay. Teamed up with Autobots."

Megatron was silent on the other end. Probably disappointed with Soundwave's answer. When he finally answered, Soundwave thought he did wrong, "Understood." Megatron did sound a bit disappointed. "Insect is with child."

"Yes. Current mission: On hold. This mission: Commenced. Found evidence."

"Leave Swindle there and let the insects find him."

"New orders?"

"Observe and report on the insects whereabouts. I want to know where the base is."

"Affirmative."

Soundwave transformed into his Alt-Form and returned to where the Autobots were. His processor still reeling from his mental intrusion. He couldn't believe how twisted Swindle's processor was. Soundwave didn't know whether or not to hand himself over to the guards or just drive into the base. He knew Sideswipe and Sunstreaker couldn't wait to get their servos on him. He was pleasantly surprised when he was granted access to the base with armed guards flanking on all sides. Soundwave felt his tentacles tremble inside his body. They weren't used to be confined in such a small space. He was escorted to the main hangar bay of the Autobots.

Ironhide, Optimus Prime, and Barricade stood in one corner, exchanging a conversation. Optimus Prime excused himself as Soundwave transformed into his Mech form. Soundwave's visored optics saw many insects roaming here and there. A small insect caught his optics. She was waving at him with a smile on her small face. "Annabelle!" Ironhide scolded. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Lookin' for Daddy."

Soundwave watched Annabelle interact with Ironhide. "I like new Mech. Who is he?"

"Soundwave."

The insect ran over to him and placed both her hands on his pede. "Hi, Mr Soundwave. I'm Annabelle."

Soundwave nodded. "Annabelle Lennox: Five years old. Father: William Lennox. Mother: Sarah Lennox."

"You know Daddy and Mommy?"

"Come on, squirt. What're you doing out here?" Lennox's voice asked, coming over to Annabelle and swooping her up in his arms. She laughed as he turned to the doorway and nodded to Soundwave. Then left. "Got to love that little girl." Ironhide said. "She's such a sweet sparkling."

Soundwave nodded as a plan popped into his processor, Annabelle Lennox would be easy to train for a retrieval job. Then he can get his pets without any of these Autobots finding out anything.

-0-

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