Authors Note: In answer to who my baddie is: No it is not Banechek. It's that guy who gets handcuffed next to Simmons and Simmons says "we have to alert everyone" and he goes, "they already know" and flashes his cell phone, that guy is my baddie. Unfortunately he wasn't given a name!
Elita One: Thanks. She broke her finger today --; tried to move a dresser with a tv on top. Apparently the tv decided to go Kamakazi and she tried to catch it.
Blood shifter: Hopefully my Author's note helps clear up who the baddie really is.
Flamingmarsh: It's cool. Just sometimes between taking care of my 16 year old sister and my losing her mind mom it gets tough. I can't blame them though.
Niteskye: Yeah I know, today she tried to move a dresser with a tv on top, only the tv fell and she tried to catch it. She broke a finger, didn't help my when my sister kept going "That finger is bent wrong" even though it really wasn't! (in fact that finger wasn't even the one that was broken.) They are both spazzes. Can you believe that one time…me and my friends from work are sitting outside by a fire, right by the house, and they started flipping out because my sister swore she heard a man in her closet? We aren't talking ghost, we're talking ZOMG someone stuck into the house even though there are people right outside and somehow got into my closet while I was in the room. My sister freaked so my mom freaked. X.x Judy as a mom? XD that would be bad!
BreezesofSpring: Thanks for the review and no worries I'm getting over it . And I don't answer when friends want to talk about stuff like that XD. See how horrible I am as a person? One time my friend was IMing me about his ex-girlfriend and I just let him keep IMing while I played a game…I don't think he ever noticed…
Soului: XD Poor Will!
38SouthernAngel89: Positive: Prowl has arrived. Negative: Nick's been shot. XD Yeah that about sums up the chapter. Wheeljack: kicks some dirt cause he wasn't mentioned in SoutherAngel's review
Destructive Habit: Call me a dork but I'm trying to think of names that are mocks of movie titles, or common phrases. For example of mice and men became of mice and mechs. To kill a mockingbird, to intimiate a Topkick. Yeah I know I have no life. XD I dunno how to spell his name either and at the moment I don't care to look it up cause nope! It's not him. Hopefully my Author's note explained that. Should have added that note last chapter. Nad kicking? XD we'll see!
Fennecfox03: Thanks for the update and the day got better. (I'm lieing) XD work was busy shrug thanks again!
CheshireMax: XD thanks for the review!
L33Tbunny: Yesh you got it! That's the guy! The cell phone guy! I'm glad someone knows who I'm talking about XD.
Fae Child19: Indeed and in this chapter time goes back and forth several times! XD
Tina: XD Jazz and Ratchet wheeze love child gasp OMG You're right!!!!!! XD I don't care about the rest of your post that right there….cackles that just made my day. That could totally be a mini fic all of it's own. OMG. I noticed that as well, at first I too believed the eye coloring referred to desigination, however Frenzy didn't follow the norm. Maybe it's all the high grade? Or perhaps because he is portrayed as a spy…if his eyes were blue he could pass for an Autobot? Honestly in the movie there was never a real point when either Autobot or Decepticon 'sensed' one another at least not that I recall anyway. They made plans to meet up or realized it was one another in battle but there was never a beacon that I remember seeing (other than the messages sent out). So perhaps blue eyes let him pass for an Autobot, least till they figured out he was psycho (which would probably be all of two seconds).
CaelanBell: XD Definitely an 'um…what?' moment XD
FutureCSICrystal: Indeed it's short, I realized that but meh, I had to end it where I did and I wasn't particularly happen when I finished it so I just posted it to get it out of the way, this one is longer though! XD
Narnian Sprite: Again I confused another reader, please see the Author's note for an explanation of who my main baddie is. Unfortunately IMDB has the character listed as like: Sector seven agent #1 XD no name!
Elric23: XD I'm sorry you broke your bracelet…but I'm glad you fixed it! And I'm glad I could keep you interested. TYPO FIXED XD I swear my mind wasn't in the gutter! XD Hope to keep in interested in the fic!
Dragon260: Nope, they were more or less trying to create a diversion to give the…whoever…five minutes of broadcast time to get information to the Autobots. Base full of soldiers vs. two girls? Doubtful they'd get out.
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Twenty two hours left before the deadline and Prowl had a plan of action. It had only taken two hours for Ratchet to repair the damage to his and Wheeljack's communications systems. Likewise in that time Wheeljack had completed the human sized devices that Ratchet had been working on, which would allow the gaggle of humans around them to communicate with them via their internal communications systems. Similarly in those two short hours Prowl had gone over all the information provided, searched the internet, and came up with four distinctly different plans. Each one was currently titled and displayed on the large screen for both human and Autobot to glance over.
"What the rescue percentage for each one?" Sam questioned, wanting to see if their odds had improved at all.
Complying Prowl brought up the percentages, the odds that both girls would be rescued. The highest was now 56 followed closely by 52 the other two plans had barely improved the original odds. Jazz internally went over the information as the other bots did. Frowning at what he came up with. "56 is the highest?" Jazz questioned, knowing that one of the four plans was, in fact, if the Autobots complied and allowed themselves to be permanently offlined.
The strategist nodded his head, understanding the reasoning for Jazz's outburst, "From my understanding of humans once a hostage has outlived their purpose death is the most used method to dispose of them."
Will's features were grim, "That's why SWAT rarely gives into demands in hostage situations." Prowl nodded in agreement.
"We will follow this plan then." Optimus commented, motioning to the plan which had the highest chance of saving the girls.
Ratchet steeled himself for what he'd have to do while Wheeljack laid a hand briefly on the medic's shoulder armor, "I will help you as long as I can."
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The twins had been first; entering the medbay they acted as if nothing would change. However several earth minutes later and Ratchet could no longer pick up signs of their signature or spark and his optics dimmed briefly at the work ahead. It was hard to believe what he and Wheeljack had just done, but it was only the beginning.
Jazz had followed with Ironhide. The weapons specialist seemed uneasy for obvious reasons though the second in command shrugged relaxed, "I've already been ripped in two this can't be much worse."
Optimus and Prowl had both been silent, proud Autobots till the very end.
Ratchet only spared a brief glance as Wheeljack moved Bumblebee's prone form onto a different table before the medic saw to the scientist himself.
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Nick was dimly aware that she was being led along, half dragged, through the compound. The stinging in her shoulder had faded; likewise most feeling in her right arm seemed to have faded as well. For the time being she wasn't alert enough to care, then again it wasn't as if she could have done much about it at the moment. When she was led outside she had to blink several times, only opening her eyes again once she'd been shoved in the back of a military SUV with two armed guards. Sitting there, cuffed across from the two men she briefly wondered, was it really worth it? Was all this pain worth it?
--------------------Just under six months ago----------------------
"Is that…A turkey?" Sam questioned, he and Mikaela were enjoying themselves and settling in nicely. Sarah was with them, and Annabelle was crawling around on the grass just outside the large old house.
Nick followed Sam's gaze towards the group of dogs that called the area home, and among them a rather plump turkey, "Yeah that's Frank."
The dark haired teen gave her a look, "You have a dog named Hank and a Turkey named Frank?"
She gave him a similar look, "Yeah? So? It could be worse…they could have no names at all."
The group resolved into laughter even as one red and one yellow streak zoomed by, followed closely by a red and yellow blur that had lights and siren blaring.
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A week later found them sitting around an odd collection of tables that had been set up in the hanger. Thanksgiving had been explained to the Autobots and, while they couldn't enjoy the food along with the humans, it felt right to include them in as much as possible. For the first time Nick could remember the holiday was actually a busy one. Normally she and Ed had a small quiet meal, nothing to fancy or out of the ordinary. Then again neither one of them was an excellent cook. This year Sarah had enlisted Mikaela and Nick to aid her in slaving over the Thanksgiving Day dinner.
It was only once dinner was all but complete and dessert had been set on the table that Will set up the perfect question, "So Frank must be hiding huh?" The turkey had made it clear that he 'ruled the roost' as it was and had pecked at both Will and Sam on several occasions.
Nick frowned, "We just ate Frank." This caused horrified expressions to cross Will and Sam's features while the girls, Ed and Josh merely looked on in confusion.
Ratchet frowned, "Nick, I believe you are mistaken, my scanners picked up Frank's location in the barn when we retrieved desserts from the house a short while ago."
She glared up at the yellow and red bot who had ruined the prank, as the two men breathed sighs of relief, "A joke Ratchet! It was a joke! Did you see how freaked they were?"
Sunny gave the medic a similar look, "Couldn't pull a prank if your aft depended on-" The yellow bot was silenced briefly when a spare pumpkin smashed squarely into his helmet.
Sarah chuckled understanding what Nick had been up to, "Honestly Will could you ever see me cooking a turkey I've been feeding for weeks? Besides that Frank knows how to keep you in line."
Will crossed his arms lightly, clearly not to happy at being caught so upset over the thought of eating the turkey, pet or not. "Side with the terrorist turkey why don't you…"
In the background Ratchet was blatantly ignoring the yellow bot's threats to weld his aft to the wall.
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Christmas was fast approaching. Plans for the Lennox home were being drawn up; of course nothing could be built until the cold Colorado winter passed. On the other hand the Autobot base had nearly been completely. Once they'd received the okay they'd gotten right to work. How they'd managed to hollow out several of the surrounding mountains and even the land beneath the hanger would never make sense to any of the humans. Just what they did with all that dirt was another mystery never resolved. Either way the hanger had been overly decorated for the holiday. It seemed the twins were rather excited about the thought of gift giving, or rather gift getting. That and it was an excuse to get wasted on high grade-they were picking up human terms a little too well thanks to Josh.
Mikaela and Nick were currently seated off to the side watching as the boys-er, men, attempted to drag in a rather large pine tree they'd cut down and refused Autobot help in setting up the tree. This of course left the women and bots alike to snigger and chuckle at the losing battle the boys faced.
"So what are you getting Bumblebee?" Nick questioned, they'd been discussing various gifts for both humans and Autobots.
Mikaela smirked, "That's an easy one." She chuckled, giving away that her next comment was a joke, "An ipod."
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe entered through the rear of the hanger clearly up to no good. Ratchet fixed them with a pointed glare. "What did you do?"
"Did you know if you played Christmas songs over and over again while Ironhide's in recharge…he'll fry processors?" Sides commented between laughs.
"I think his radio's still stuck playing 'grandma got run over by a reindeer'." Sunny managed.
Seconds later there were several cracks and crashes. Ratchet of course had grabbed the nearest, object which happened to be a box of glass ornaments. With a surgeon's optic, he launched the makeshift weapon at the twins.
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The gift giving had been eventful, if not anticlimactic. Josh had bought Will an xbox 360, Will had bought Sam one, and Sam of course had bought Josh one. As it was, one system had been set up in one of the corners of the hanger, a second one back in the Akers home and a third in the Autobot base. Ever since they'd found Halo 3 it had been impossible to pry the three, as well as Bobby Epps who'd dropped by for a vacation, away from the game.
The girls had had just about enough. Enlisting the help of Bumblebee and Ironhide they set their plan into motion. "Do you really believe this is fair?" Ratchet questioned; an innocent bystander.
"They're addicted Ratch. Only way to break them is beat them." Nick commented sitting up the system and putting the disc in. Bumblebee took care of connecting them to the proper servers as he had played the game with Sam a few times before.
"Just what makes you think I'll help?" Ironhide grumbled, clearly not fond of what they were dragging him into.
"Because if you don't I'll tell Ratchet to weld your transmission to the wall?"
"I ain't scared of Hatchet."
"Because Ratch taught me how to weld your transmission to the wall, and Optimus says you can't hurt humans?" Nick furthered, it wasn't exactly true but hey, it was for a good cause.
Ironhide only grumbled more but followed Bumblebee's example of remotely logging himself into the game and creating a character. Within two games the boys stats had never been worse.
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"The twins have been too quite lately." Ratchet commented, worry easy to hear in his voice as he and Nick worked on a few trucks. January's cold weather caused many a problem for the big rigs in the truck stop garage.
Need you back at base Hatchet. Jazz commented, the medic gave what appeared to be a groan before passing the brief message along to Nick who chuckled.
"You should have knocked on wood Ratch." She commented, even as she moved to climb into the Autobot turned Hummer. The drive back to base was spent explaining the meaning of her statement, once there Ratchet was informed that he was needed in the medbay. By the time the two of them had reached said location the twins along with Ironhide had managed to hide most of the tossable tools. However it seemed their joint efforts were over the moment Ratchet stepped into the medbay, Nick perched carefully on his shoulder.
"You're afts are headed straight for the brig…" The weapons specialist growled at the two slightly smaller bots who expertly stayed out of the previously black bot's immediate range.
"Kinda hard to send us there." Sides commented.
"Yeah we haven't even finished building the brig yet!" Sunny agreed, dodging back as Ironhide brought his cannons online.
Nick blinked trying to take in the scene, the twins were sporting several dents and dings in their armor and Sides seemed to have a rather prominent limp. As for Ironhide, "Ironhide…why are you pink?"
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"Why must everything you do infuriate me?!" Ratchet's shout could be heard across half of the base.
By the time Nick neared the medbay the twins were high tailing it away from there, both still sporting scorch marks on their usually perfect armor and being following closely by several flying tools, "Bad day?" She commented, once she'd managed to get into the medical wing of the Autobot base, having avoided both the twins and tools.
"With the rate at which things are exploding one would assume Wheeljack was around." Ratchet commented.
"You really need to learn how to handle those two." Nick chuckled even as Ratchet began to clean up the mess that had been caused by the twin's hasty retreat.
"It isn't for a lack of trying." Ratchet assured her and she laughed.
"Just cut off Sunny's car wax supplier. Side's won't act on his own and Sunny won't do anything that'll cause him to lose the wax." Ratchet stared at her as if she'd just solved the age old question of which came first, the spark or the cube.
--------------Present---------------------
Who was she trying to kid? Of course it had been worth it. Her head was slightly lowered, not bothering to try and watch where she was being taken. Briefly she wonder if this was that zen like state, nirvana, the sense that impending doom didn't bother her at all. She managed a chuckle at that thought, causing her guards to share confused expressions. Like hell was she content with this, Ratchet would definitely throw something at her had he heard what she'd just thought. If nothing else, without the aid of Jazz and Ratchet she and Josh wouldn't have come so far.
-------------------flashback again---------------------------
Josh, Will, Sam and a few others from Will's unit were playing 'macho' games. Having spread out a few mats in the hanger they were wrestling and other wise trying to best one another. Sunny and Sides appeared to be taking bets while Mikaela, Nick, and several others sat nearby watching. Nick frowned when Josh stepped into the 'ring' with Bobby Epps. Sure she knew the large soldier wouldn't permanently hurt her friend but she was fairly certain Josh would be limping away and seeking some painkillers from Ratchet. "Stupid…" She commented from her place on Ratchet's shoulder, it was definitely a better vantage point.
"Hey, hey, you leave my boy alone. He's got this." Jazz commented, glancing away from the impending battle to fix her with a stare, "Contrary to Ironhide's belief, size ain't all that matters." Sure, Nick knew Josh had been spending a lot of time with the silver bot, and she'd caught Jazz trying to teach the teen several moves but honestly, how much could a bot really teach a human?
The sight of Epps being flipped and slammed into the mat caused her eyes to widen, clearly, a lot could be taught. Will broke her from her shock as he clapped, "Yeah! Come on Epps you gunna take that?" He shouted, egging the soldier on even as the man climbed up from the mat.
She smiled, relaxing a bit, Jazz made some sort of comment along the lines of 'he learned from the best.' However it was more of a grumble at best while she likewise clapped, "Get him Josh! Take him down!" The teen, clearly pleased with the sparring match so far smirked in her direction with a slight wave, not noticing Epps charging until it was too late. Nick could only grimace as the teen was send sprawling to the ground.
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"Nick may I ask you something?" Ratchet questioned before adding, "Other than that question." Primus he'd been around the twins too much if he was picking up on what their responses would be.
Nick smirked a little, a similar thought passing through her mind but she nodded, glancing up from an offlined Bumblebee. Honestly she'd seen kids who were afraid to go to the doctor but Bumblebee's resistance had caused Sideswipe to lose an arm, Sunstreaker and Jazz would both need to buff out several dents in their armor and Ironhide had retreated to his room to try and recalibrate malfunctioning cannons. It had only been when Optimus had simply plucked the scout up off the ground and manually offlined him that the battle had turned in their favor. And it was just a check up! "Sure, what is it Ratch?"
"What is the manner of your relationship with Josh?"
She lost her wrench and cursed as she heard it clank several times before it landed on the Autobot sized table below Bumblebee's prone form. She cursed again, this time concerning the non solid nature of Autobots. Of course they were solid but unlike humans their body didn't require skin to hold everything together so there were gaps between wires and hydraulics and such. "What do you mean?"
"According to my research you and he are of a compatible age, and you two have known each other for some time. You rarely fight, it seems you are perfect mate material. Yet you two do not partake in the same activities as Will and Sarah, or Sam and Mikaela."
"We're just friends Ratch."
"Jazz has his processors set that you two should be…"
"Romantically involved?" She supplied and he nodded, "Well I just think of him as…a brother." She shrugged a little, "Is that way Jazz keeps shoving us together every chance he gets?"
"More than likely." What Ratchet didn't bother adding was the fact that Ratchet's scans had noticed, over time, that Josh had begun to react differently around her. His scans picking up the same changes that Sam went through when Mikaela was around.
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"Get out of here before you find sugar in your gas tanks!!" Nick shouted, throwing her wrench in the direction of the twins who were retreating quickly all the while playing the 'Nick and Josh sittin' in a tree' song tune over their speakers.
Ratchet remained decidedly silent for a short while. Allowing the woman to calm down a bit before he too tempted fate, "You realize, my scans prove that you're responses to Joshua are-"
He paused, met by a very stern glare, "Finish that sentence and I'll tell the twins where you've been hiding high grade."
---------------------End Flashback------------------------------
Josh…. She sighed as her thoughts turned to the boy, man, she corrected. He'd grown under the careful watch of the Autobots, he still had a childlike nature but all men possessed that. Their relationship (if it could be called that) was platonic at best. Holding hands on occasion seemed to be the extent of their 'physical relationship' and Nick wondered if they would ever be able to have a more normal relationship.
She was shaken from her thoughts when the SUV pulled to a stop, they were in a clearing, surrounded by trees and heavy weaponry. As she was pulled out she hissed at the moment, though already she was catching sight of emergency flashing lights in the distance.
Exactly twenty three hours and fifty nine minutes since the broadcast a lone Search and Rescue Hummer navigated the dirt road trail. The location that had been transmitted to the Autobot base was a rather remote location, several miles from where the enemy headquarters was located. Pushing his scanners to the max he was able to pick up at least twenty bio signs as well as several large vehicles, clearly they were well prepared for him.
Arriving in the small clearing Ratchet found himself surrounded by many of the human's whose bio signs he'd picked up. Each equipped with rather heavy weaponry that could easily damage if not offline a Transformer. The second they'd caught sight of him his scanners had been jammed, signals were blocked, another dead zone, however this time he was trapped inside. His sensors however caught sight of Nick's form, standing only due to the iron grip her guard had on her, one hand holding her up, the other holding a small gun to her form.
"Transform and identify yourself. Any signs of aggression and we will fire." That comment from one the men had Ratchet's circuits sparking, weren't they going to deactivate him either way?
Slowly his armor shifted, panels from the Hummer moved, twisted, changing shape and grew as Ratchet assumed his bipedal mode, "Autobot, Ratchet."
"Where are the others? You were all told to appear here for deactivation. If they do not show we will kill the hostage." The one that spoke clearly seemed to be in charge, rather than battle fatigue like most wore he was dressed in a suit. His databanks found the human male familiar and upon further searching Ratchet realized this man had been a part of those who had abducted Mikaela and Sam, later kidnapping Bumblebee as well.
"I am the only one left." Ratchet commented evenly, Nick lifted her head slightly, appearing to be half aware of the situation. Sure his optics and sensors could see the girl but due to whatever device was allowing them to create this dead zone Ratchet's scanners were useless. He could try all he liked to scan her form and inventory her injuries but the frequencies jamming the air would not allow him to receive the results. The most he could see was fatigue in her expression, dried blood on her shirt and a pale coloration to her skin. The inability to scan her form was enough to fry the medic's circuits.
"Listen you." The man stated, much as Simmons had, unafraid of the tall bot in front of him, "We have surveillance and evidence-"
"I deactivated them." Ratchet cut in causing the man to stop and give him a stern look, "I am the Autobots Chief Medical Examiner. I deactivated the rest and now I am turning myself over for voluntary deactivation." The medic used the words that had been supplied in one of the messages.
Another male approached the balding leader and brief words were exchanged, the techie was informing the group's leader that via their surveillance they agreed that the bot before them now was in fact the Autobot medic. Likewise that the satellite they'd had watching the base confirmed no Transformers signatures. In fact the only two signals within three hundred miles that the Satellite found were from Ratchet, and the Transformer they already possessed.
"Proof. How do I know the other's are up to something and sent you in as bait?" The man questioned, eyes narrowed as Ratchet moved to open a compartment on his leg. In his Alt form the compartment would have been located inside the Hummer's rear area. From inside the large compartment he retrieved several pieces of mechanics, setting them down for the human techies to go over.
Nick seemed to have picked up on the discussion then and her eyes widened at what she was seeing. "Ratch….no. No!" She struggled briefly but exhaustion won out in moments, so quickly that her guard didn't bother subduing her.
It took several minutes though eventually one of the techies confirmed what Nick feared. Lying out before them were spark casings, one for each known Autobot on Earth, each one void of the spark that gave life to the bots. The leader smirked, "Not so noble a race are you?" The man questioned before glancing to the military dressed men, "Take him out and sweep the base just in case."
Nick could only watch on in horror, Ratchet refused to meet her gaze and seconds seemed to pass in hours. She could hear herself screaming, she knew she was calling for him, but her eyes saw the rounds strike his form, well aimed for his spark casing. She struggled against her captors as blue optics dimmed before blinking out and his form crashed to the ground. In the end, all she could do was watch.
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So how many of you hate me?