C21

Five months later

Jack had arrived at the base early this day. Half of his classes were cancelled due to missing teachers. He knew they were all sick. Something was going around, a bad flu maybe.

"I know I am asking this every day, but..." He started and looked at Ratchet who was the only one at the base.

"And I am giving you the same answer. No sign of her, as of the Decepticons. No activities in the past five months. Not since they..."

"Since they took her." Jack finished.

"You know we will find her. And I would tell you if we would have any trace of her."

"I know. But the last time... She has been with them for four years, Ratchet, and now she is gone since five months again."

"I know, I know... And we are still as worried as on the first day."

"What if she..."

"I doubt it. Don't think that, Jack. She is alive."

Bumblebee and Arcee returned from their patrol.

"It is too quiet out there, nearly as if the Cons were gone." Arcee reported.

"Nothing unusual?" Ratchet asked.

"Not even a speeding car."

Now they noticed Jack.

"Why do I get the feeling that we won't find her? That she has to get herself out again...?" He asked.

"Sometimes I wish we would have found her. We tried so hard before we gave up that time..."

"That time is past, Arcee. But Jane needs us. She needs us since five months and we haven't achieved anything in this time."

The proximity sensor told of Agent Fowler's arrival.

"Please tell me you found at least a hint that she is still alive." He came in without really greeting them and their faces were answer enough for him.

"Did Marcy have a meltdown again?" Jack asked.

"She hasn't been the same since I had to tell her..."

Soon after, Miko and Raf arrived with Bulkhead.

"No good news, hum?" Bulkhead looked miserable.

"At least no bad news either." Ratchet responded.

"I don't get it. Why haven't they contacted us yet? What do they want from her?"

"Bulk, what if it is her who they want. I mean everything has always been about Jane." Jack said.

"But why? Since this fire in the mine... We lost our power, remember? We became human again. Totally human." Miko reminded her friends.

"But wasn't there something that Jane actually is dead and only alive because of her Cybertronian half?" Raf asked. "How can we know that she is still alive..."

"We don't know." Miko answered promptly. "But we all know Jane. She would never give up fighting."

XXX

A few days later, it was Friday night, the whole team was at the base when a transmission came in.

"It's Wheeljack." Ratchet stated.

The former wrecker seemed exhausted, as if he had been fighting.

"Glad to hear your voice. Cybertron is under attack, we could really need you here."

"Under attack?!" Arcee gasped.

"Explain, Wheeljack." Optimus ordered.

"The Decepticons are back. All of them and you won't believe me who is Megatron's loyal left hand."

"Try us." Bulkhead laughed, but he should regret it.

"Jane."

"No way!" "Impossible!" Miko and Jack protested. "Not good." Raf agreed.

Agent Fowler had said nothing. It was visible how disappointed and unbelieving he was.

"I wouldn't believe it either if I wouldn't have seen it." Wheeljack said. "Their troops are countless. Everyone of us is fighting."

"Where is Jane now?" Optimus asked.

"I don't know. I lost track of her quite some time ago. Shifter has been captured, as far as I know. Ultra Magnus is doing his job quite well." Wheeljack answered.

Optimus was about to answer when an alarm went off.

"Impossible! Someone just bridged into the base!" Ratchet called.

"And guess who it is." I smirked.

They stared at me, unbelieving. Immediately, the guardians stepped in front of their human friends.

"Puh-lease, as if you could protect them. Turns out you are really bad at this." I hissed.

Steps came closer. Heavy, slowly, but steady.

I kneeled down as Megatron passed me, followed by Soundwave, Knockout, Breakdown and Shockwave.

"How could you betray us, Jane?!" Bulkhead stuttered.

I looked up at Megatron, who said "Answer them."

"You call me a traitor. Maybe I am. All I know is that I did what I had to do. You know, surviving. After you failed to save me. Again." I hissed and I saw how much it hurt them.

"But... You said they would never break you, no matter what they try."

"Who said they broke me? When I fell through that bridge, I understood. All the fear, the danger, the hiding would be over if I would just give them what they wanted."

"And she did fine." Megatron smiled. "Leading Shifter into a trap to get her captured. Out of our way. Turned out we both didn't like her."

"I can't believe you joined them. They tried to kill you, Jane." Arcee said disappointed.

"Yeah, yeah... Whatever."

"Jane, you cant be serious!"

I rolled my eyes. "Lord Megatron, if I may ask to continue with the plan." I said instead of answering Arcee.

He laughed evilly. "Oh Prime, how could you not have used her full potential? She is just like the ... how do humans call it ... devil?!"

"Jane, it is not too late to come back."

I rolled my eyes again. "Sorry, Prime. Nit gonna happen." Then I turned to Megatron. "My liege, have you chosen?"

"Chosen? What are they talking about?" Arcee whispered to Bumblebee, but Megatron simply ignored them.

"I did. The boy." He pointed at Jack.

I hesitated for half a second. Why Jack?!

"Jane, do it!"

"As you wish, my lord."

Arcee stepped closer to Jack. The humans were standing side by side, trying to keep each other out of the way.

"Whatever that means, Jane, snap out of it. Now."

"Sorry, 'Cee. Why should I? This time, I choose my own path." I turned. "Knockout, as planned."

He grabbed me and threw me towards them. I rolled as I landed only two meters from Jack and jumped towards him.

Agent Fowler blocked my way and Arcee was about to grab me when the Cons started their attack.

"It must hurt." I smirked towards Fowler. "I used to call you my father. And I will repay you by your own death."

They stepped back, but I followed.

"Run!" Fowler yelled and the kids and June turned around. They fled into the back, where the halls were like a labyrinth.

"It won't help them!" I swung over the railing and ran after them, leaving Fowler behind me.

They were fast, but I was faster. Only when they split up, I had to decide which way to take. In the end, I ran into a dead end. And so did he.

"Hello, Jack." I grinned into the boy's scared face.