Chapter 21

"You understand right? We have to strap you down…"

Skyhunter gave Blackarachnia a smile and nodded. "Of course…"

Blackarachnia flashed him a smile of her own before she and Lio both started getting ready to try and find some way to keep Skyhunter from losing control again. Currently he was under the influence of the chemical that Blackarachnia continued to apply to him, so for the moment, he was still sane. Lio moved closer to where Skyhunter laid, attempting to strap his arm to the table.

"Lio…" Skyhunter suddenly said, making her jump.

"Y-yes?" Lio looked down at Skyhunter, who looked back at her sternly. Lio's shoulders seemed to sag. "Y-you remember don't you…?"

Skyhunter nodded. "I thought I told you that you were not to join the Axlon…"

"Sky, I'm not a sparkling anymore…! I can take care of myself…!" Lio huffed.

"And you're still my little sister…!" Skyhunter growled.

"That doesn't mean you can boss me around!"

"After mom and dad passed away I was placed in charge of you so technically I can!"

"But-!"

Before Lio could retort, Skyhunter pulled her down on top of him, holding her in a one armed hug. "Whether or not the Axlon would've made it back to Cybertron was still uncertain…mom and dad would've never forgiven me if I were to put you in that kind of situation…I know you wanted to help the war…but I just wish you'd listen to me…"

Lio felt herself fall into the arms that were always there to comfort her whenever she was bothered. She snuggled into her brother's arms. "I know…but I know how to take care of myself…besides…" She smiled. "Aren't I the one taking care of you right now?"

Skyhunter faltered trying to find a comeback.

Lio smirked before strapping Skyhunter's arm down. She kissed him on the cheek before whispering in his audio. "You're not going to lose me…I'll just keep being the annoying sister that finds some way in coming back to bug you…"

Skyhunter smiled.

Lio smiled too and turned to Blackarachnia. "Alright, we're ready to go."

Blackarachnia nodded and made for the door. "I'll go get the others then…"

Lio and Skyhunter watched her go and suddenly Lio clapped a hand to her forehead. "Slag, I forgot something." She turned to Skyhunter. "I'll be right back, tell Blackarachinia if she gets back before me to go ahead and start.

Skyhunter nodded and Lio left.

Not long after Lio left however, Skyhunter started to lightheaded. The lights above him started to sway in and out of sight. Slowly he had the sensation of falling, deeper and deeper into his own mind. He was starting to feel very sleepy and his optics were on the verge of going off-line. He tried to reach up to rub his optics but he found that his arm was still strapped down. Instead of remembering that Lio had tied him down Skyhunter felt irritated and pulled again. He continued to pull until the strap had given way and was ripped from the table. That seemed to sap the last of his strength though and his now free arm just laid at his side. It felt nice, actually, to be falling asleep, like he hadn't gone into recharge for a long while. The last conscious thought that Skyhunter could remember having, was how nice it would be to have a chance to once again sleep with his lover…

Lio walked back into the room, grumbling to herself about something dealing with trainees to find the room empty.

"Sky…?" Lio looked around and didn't see anyone around. She moved towards the table Skyhunter was supposed to be one and saw the restraints that were supposed to hold him down were torn from the table. "Impossible…" She sprinted out of the room.

Back in the underground tunnel, a team had started investigating, now that Skyhunter no longer guarded the place.

"Alright everyone…movement on 4's…radio silent…" Depth Charge said to the others behind him. He looked practically at Nightscream. "You can count right?"

"Sir, yes, sir…" Nightscream said with a deadpanned look.

"Alright…move in pairs…Nightscream and Botanica, will move first, if any of you sense anything in the air or ground give a signal. Tigertron and Airazor go next, Airazor relay the signal to the pair behind and Tigertron act as her support along with a second set of audios. Hopper and I will act as immediate support."

"Roger!"

After Depth Charge gave the signal, Botanica and Nightscream both ran into the tunnel, Botanica practically diving into the ground and Nightscream flying into the air. After 4 seconds, Airazor and Tigertron followed.

Airazor and Tigertron followed at a distance, stopping at intervals and making sure to keep Nightscream and the mound that was Botanica underground in sight.

"Why is Botanica with is? She's not exactly combat heavy…" Airazor whispered as Tigertron and her both came to a stop.

Tigertron looked behind them to see Hopper and Depthcharge stop behind a turn in the tunnel and ahead to see Nightscream peering further into the tunnel.

"We don't know what we're up against…" Tigertron said, starting forward and Airazor followed. "We need her ability to feel the ground to see ahead. Same reason for Nightscream."

Airazor sighed as they came to another stop. "I really hope we find Nightwing and Macha…"

Tigertron placed a hand on Airazor's shoulder. "Don't worry…I'll find them."

"It's been a lunar cycle already…" Airazor looked downcast.

Tigertron was about to comfort her when Airazor gasped, pointing ahead. Nightscream had stopped out of time as did Botanica. Both of them held out a hand behind them, signaling that something was ahead. Tigertron flashed the same sign behind to Hopper and Depth Charge, causing them to stop as well.

"What…?" Airazor strained her optics to try and see into the darkness. There was something massive, lying on the ground. The darkness made it hard to distinguish what was there. Squinting made the object come into view, but the moment her optics managed to process what the mass was, she wished that she was never brought on this mission. Airazor fell to her knees, instantly feeling nauseous.

"A-Airazor?! What's wrong?!" Tigertron said in a surprised whisper. His beast did not provide him with a well enough eye sight to see what the mass was.

Airazor covered her optics and shook her head violently as Depth Charge and Hopper came running up to them.

"What happened?" Depth Charge asked.

"B-bodies…" Airazor stammered.

"Bodies?! Are you sure?!" Tigertron exclaimed.

Airazor felt her body shake as she peered though her fingers to look one more time. She was certain, it was a group of bodies laying on the floor. She started forward and moved up to where Nightscream and Botanica stood, both too stunned to move.

Several glints on the bodies and specks of light that were placed even further down the hall made it just barely in her field of vision. Quickstrike, Scorponok, Terrorsaur, Inferno, and even the newest Predecon Wild laid on the ground, notably taken out of commission, permanently. All were heavily beaten and almost all of them missing one limb or another and at this distance, it was apparent that each had a thin hole in the center of their chest, running though their backs.

Upon a closer look however, Airazor saw that there was one more figure, sitting huddled in the middle of all the bodies. Hugging its legs, the figure looked up slowly and his optics looked onto Airazor's. Even in dark, with all the bodies obscuring the figure's looks, and being completely doused in energon, Airazor's optics widened in horror when she recognized the energon covered figure. They stared into each other's optics for what seemed like forever. Then, the small figure spoke.

"Mommy…? Is that you…?"