Well high everyone, I told you I would be back soon and here I am, only two days later. That has to be a record for me actually come to think of it.

To my two fantastic reviewers:

Life-luvr123: I don't think this chapter will help much with the on edge-ness. Just a warning….

Princess Selina: I have updated bestie, I have updated…and I'm going to hide from your infinite wrath now...

Please sit forward on the edge of your seat and start biting your nails in advance and I hope you like my next chapter ;)

Chapter 21: Hide and Seek

We had just made it to the ruins of the large sprawling temple near the Pyramids when the first Decepticon arrived. It was Sekhmet who was the one with the sense to dive for cover, dragging me down behind a crumbled wall as the Decepticon walked past us, plasma cannon already glowing.

Wordlessly I gestured for Sekhmet to follow me as I crawled into a semi-collapsed room, which would provide us with more decent cover. She slid in beside me, just as another three Decepticons passed by, following the first one, all with their weapons raised.

'How do we get to your friend's now?' Sekhmet whispered, sounding terrified.

'Ah…' I was stumped.

I had been right that the Decepticons were going to show up, but I hadn't prepared for what would happen if they did arrive. Inside my head I was swearing furiously at myself for being so stupid. I bit my lip hard, hard enough that I tasted blood inside my mouth.

'I don't know,' I hissed, 'I honestly don't. The Autobots don't know where we are and I can't tell them without the Decepticons finding us.'

'So we wait for them to leave?' she asked.

'No,' I shook my head violently.

'Then what do we do? We can't stay here,' Sekhmet pointed out as I rubbed my temples and pinched the bridge of my nose.

'There is one thing I can do,' I muttered at length, 'are you telepathic?'

'No,' she sounded confused.

'Good. Because if you were this would probably hurt,' I squeezed my eyes shut.

Never before in my life had I released such a loud scream for help, beaming the thought into the heads of all the Autobots, I need your help! Someone please help me!

The reaction to my cry was faster than I had expected, which made me realise that the Autobots had been in quite close proximity to begin with. Just as I was opening my eyes, slightly dazed, the loud roar of multiple engines tore through the air around us, and three motorbikes hurdled down through the air, transforming rapidly. The triplets opened fire on the Decepticons before they had even hit the ground, moving in perfect sync with one another as they fired, taking down the Decepticons with ease. They weren't alone either, Ironhide also thundered down, taking down the last Decepticon in a withering hail of cannon fire.

The four Autobots scanned the perimeter first before Ironhide knelt, and peered into our hiding place, 'you rang?'

Sekhmet cowered back as I climbed out, staring up at Ironhide and the Triplets, 'thanks guys,' I sighed in relief.

Moonracer smiled at me, 'It's just lucky we were close by,' she said sweetly.

'It was,' Arcee agreed, but ever the business femme she added quickly, 'but we can't stay here. We need to get you to Optimus. Do you have the Matrix?'

'I do,' I nodded, 'Sekhmet, it's okay, they're friendly.'

Sekhmet hesitantly climbed out beside me, hiding behind me as her golden eyes gazed up at the Autobots, decidedly nervous. Ironhide grunted in confusion and crouched, icy blue optics studying the cowering girl, 'Ally, what's this?'

'This is the Matrix,' I smiled as I introduced her, 'her names Sekhmet for future reference. Sekhmet, meet Ironhide, Arcee, Chromia and Moonracer. They're Autobots, they're on our side.'

Sekhmet still didn't look too sure as she peered up at them in obvious fear. Ironhide seemed to notice how uncomfortable she was and increased the distance them slightly, before asking the question I knew was hanging in his processor, 'she's the Matrix?'

'I'm the All Spark aren't I? Trust me, I freaked to, but as she explained, it's the same basic principle.'

Sekhmet peered up at Ironhide, who inclined his large head towards her, 'then if you are the Matrix, I feel obliged to stress that we mean you no harm.'

'The poor girl looks terrified,' Moonracer sounded concerned, almost like a mother, which would have normally made me giggle.

Arcee, as usual, acting ever the business woman suddenly piped up, 'Ally, we have to get you to Optimus now. Our scanners are picking up large numbers of advancing Decepticon signals. We can't still be standing here when they arrive. Ironhide, will you take the girls while we cover you? We have no time to waste faffing around.'

Ironhide bobbed his head in agreement and quickly transformed into the monstrous black topkick, and the cab door opened, 'Ally, Sekh…Sek…Sekhmet, in you get.'

Sekhmet backed away at this idea, holding up her hands, 'Ally…'

'It's okay Sekhmet,' I reassured her gently, 'I promise that you won't be hurt. It's like the modern day equivalent of a horse-'

'Hey,' Ironhide protested.

'Just a horse with a big mouth and too big an engine for his own good. I promise you Sekhmet that I will not allow any harm to come to you. You have my word and I will never break a promise,' I held out my hand to her, 'please. Just trust me.'

Sekhmet glanced past me at Ironhide and the triplets before wavering, 'I trust you.'

She allowed me to help her into the car, and as soon as we were in, Ironhide had slammed the door shut and had taken off, tyres spinning in the sand, sending it spraying back behind us, engine roaring loudly. The triplets sprang off the mark just behind us, transforming swiftly and forming a uniform protective escort around Ironhide.

Sekhmet was gripping the seat so tightly I was surprised Ironhide wasn't complaining about her hurting him, her eyes wide with terror, and excitement. I smiled in her direction and shook my head. This was going to be interesting, teaching a woman from ancient Egypt how to exist in modern day society. I was actually secretly looking forward to it, although I couldn't help but wonder what everyone else's reactions were going to be. Ironhide had accepted it pretty easily, but we were in a combat situation, so the information probably wasn't fully registering to his processer at the moment. I sighed, I would deal with everyone's reactions when they came, there was no point worrying about them now, I had bigger things on my mind, like saving the world…again.

I was jolted out of thought by Ironhide suddenly slamming on the brakes, sending Sekhmet and myself jerking forward, only being stopped by the seatbelts. Sekhmet shrieked, having expected that about as much as I had.

'Ironhide, what-'

'Con's. You two find some kind of cover, pronto,' he snarled as he threw the two of us out of his cab.

His transformation was hurried and lethal, he was firing his cannons at the Decepticons almost before the transformation was complete it seemed. On either side of him the triplets joined the fire fight, smaller, but just as lethal.

'Ally, you have to get to Optimus,' Arcee called back over the din, 'just go through those pillars and you'll be able to see him. Take Sekhmet and run for it. We'll cover you.'

So much for taking cover, I thought to myself wearily, now we have to run on foot through the middle of a war zone, perfect logic.

I wasn't exaggerating when I said war zone. The term "that escalated quickly" was probably an understatement here. I didn't know how they all got there, or when they all got there, but the entire ancient temple, one of the most historic sites on the planet had been transformed into a bloody gun battle in under fifteen minutes.

'Ally, run!' Chromia insisted, 'now!'

With a huff I grabbed Sekhmet's arm and once again began running pulling her along with me. Dear lord my legs were going to be sore tomorrow. Ironhide's and the Triplets cover held as we ran for the pillars and dashed in-between the colossal stone monuments. True to their word, the moment we reached the end of the corridor of pillars my eyes came to rest on the semi-covered body of Optimus, lying about a hundred meters away…across a fully open courtyard which was swarming with Cons and alive with bullets and explosions. The Autobots and the remaining NEST members were taking cover behind a large collection of crumbled ruins, firing back at the Cons, holding their own against the much larger force.

There were two small sections of cover between Sekhmet and myself, and the NEST team, the closest being around twenty meters away, the other about ten meters past that. After that, it was open ground, no cover until you reached the Autobots and the NEST team.

'Well, now what?' Sekhmet asked carefully, 'we can't stay here.'

'No, we can't. How are you at sprinting?' I asked her and she paled.

'You can't be serious.'

'I'm very serious, we break for that little bit of cover over there, twenty meters. After that, I'll see if I can signal the team to get a bit of cover fire going so we can cover the rest of the distance,' I surprised myself with how hard and cool my voice was and how ready for action I actually was.

'Will we make it?'

'If we sprint. Don't let go of me,' I ordered and she nodded fearfully, 'on the count of three. One…two…three.'

With that I pushed off, sprinting for all I was worth towards the first small section of cover, a little, slightly enclosed piece of collapsing wall, my hand firmly locked around Sekhmet's. We dove behind the wall just as the Con's noticed our presence and fired, but thankfully we were sheltered by the wall. I sucked in a relieved breath, and peered out and around, so I could see Lennox, thirty meters away, barking into a radio, firing his gun occasionally at the same time.

Well, I had nothing to lose, cupping my hands around my mouth I screamed his name as loud as I physically could. He frowned, and looked around wildly, and I waved at him, before having to duck back under cover as one of the Con's tried to blast my hand. His eyes widened when he saw me, and he smiled in obvious relief. Beside him, Abbie suddenly appeared and grinned. I raised an eyebrow at her as she smiled innocently and poked her tongue out. Was I surprised at her presence? No…no I wasn't. It was Abbie after all. And I couldn't deny I was happy to see her, despite the fact that I was annoyed that she was down her, putting herself in obvious danger most likely just to spite me.

Lennox gestured something toward me, which I interpreted as "stay put, we're coming to get you." I nodded and he flashed me a thumbs up. I turned back in to Sekhmet, 'Help's on its way now. We're nearly there.'

She nodded in terror and I tried to make myself smile in a reassuring manner. It didn't work, because just as she seemed to relax a little, we heard a large thud just over our hiding place. I froze, and looked up to see a huge Decepticon towering above us. He hadn't seen us yet, but all he had to do was look down.

Please don't look down, please don't look down, please don't look down, I begged, not daring to breath as I clapped a hand over Sekhmet's mouth because she looked like she wanted to scream, please God be nice to me for once and don't let him look down.

The Decepticon looked around a little while longer, then, he looked down. His red optics focused on us and without even pausing his cannon was raised, glowing with amber light. Sekhmet shrieked. So did I. Then just as he fired, my force field sprang into existence, flaring electric blue as the blast exploded against it, the force sending both Sekhmet and myself tumbling to the ground. A second blast hit the shield and Sekhmet looked like she might faint. I gritted my teeth and poured more power into keeping my shield strong.

The one who came to our rescue this time round, was someone I had not expected, in fact, I had almost forgotten entirely about him. Just as the Con geared for the third blast, I heard a loud, spluttering engine hurtling down through the air towards us, and when I looked up I saw a large Blackbird, smoke billowing from its engines as it performed a graceless, creaky transformation in mid-air, grunting and groaning.

'Stick the landing,' he bellowed as he slammed down heavily on the Decepticon, who was just stupidly staring stupidly up at the approaching jet.

The two went rolling away from us in a tangled mess of metal, Jetfire on top. The elderly jet hadn't lost his lethal streak it seemed, because before the Decepticon underneath him could put up any form of resistance, his entire head had been crushed by Jetfire's cane, splurging sticky green processor fluid all over the sand. Jetfire stood creakily and smirked in a self-satisfied manner.

This moment of victory didn't last long though, because just as I was about to stick up my head to say thank you a smaller Decepticon exploded forward, slamming into Jetfire, talons locking into the armour on his side. I turned away as it ripped at the protective armour and Jetfire tried to wrench it off. There was a sudden sickening crunch and when I dared look back I saw Jetfire throwing the body of the smaller Decepticon away. His side was a sparking mess, energon dribbling down his armour. Jetfire staggered and collapsed to the ground beside our hiding place, groaning softly.

'I'm too old for this crap,' he grumbled.

In the time it had taken for Jetfire to dispose of the two Decepticons, Abbie, Hamish, Lennox and a small group of NEST soldiers had made it to the slightly large section of ruins about ten meters away from us. Abbie came to the front of the group and smiled as I glared at her, 'I took you up to the plane to keep you out of danger.'

'Oh please Ally, like you can admit that you don't need me down here with you,' Abbie retorted, 'nice work Jetfire.'

Jetfire just grumbled something uncomplimentary and I shook my head, 'we found her. We found the Matrix.'

'Well good. Now go resurrect your Prime friend and whoop The Fallen's tailpipe into the next millennia. I'm taking a nap,' he growled and turned away, creaking and clunking the whole time.

'Come on Ally, you can probably make it,' Lennox called, 'just run-'

'Oh Shit!'

Both of us glared at Abbie, who was staring, pale faced and wide eyed over at something, 'what?' I hissed.

'Megatron…' she wavered and pointed.

I glanced round, inhaled sharply and rapidly hid again, pinning Sekhmet back behind me. I looked over at Abbie, who was forcing the NEST team to hide. In the quick glance I had taken I had seen just how close he was to us, to close to risk talking.

'Is he looking this way?' I mouthed to Abbie, who peeped out and shook her head.

I looked round at Sekhmet, 'you need to run to the team over there. You remember Abbie right? And Hamish? It's not very far, you can make it.'

'But-'

'Two at a time would be to noticeable. You go first, I'll follow,' I encouraged, 'you'll be fine.'

Sekhmet seemed terrified, but I led her round so she was ready to run, 'I'm sending Sekhmet over. Be ready,' I mimed and Abbie nodded in understanding.

I glanced out at Megatron, who still had his back to us, and lightly nudged her, 'go now,' I hissed in her ear.

Sekhmet took off, skidding into the NEST team just as Megatron whipped around, having obviously just heard something. I ducked for cover again as he growled, long talons scraping together, sparks flying out. I couldn't run now, it was too dangerous. I needed him to turn away again. But he was so close, too close, dear God, he was less than ten meters away now.

I stared over at Abbie, who was mouthing various encouragements at me, waving her hands for me to hurry over. Sekhmet was safe, crouched between Abbie and Hamish, gazing out at me, then at the still approaching figure of Megatron, who was slowly scanning the ruins around him, no doubt in search for the Matrix, or me. Where I was currently hidden was concealed from view, for now, but if he came any closer, then I would be fully exposed. I couldn't stay where I was; if he found me here by myself I would be toast. Abbie and Hamish's hiding place was much more concealed and was covered by the Autobots and multiple soldiers.

I eyed the ten meter gap between them and me, nervously, summing up my chances of making it. Ten meters, I estimated I would need around twelve steps, just twelve. I could make that distance in a few seconds, and then I would be safe. But dear God did it look like a mile. I peered out and around at Megatron, whose back was toward me. If I ran now I would make it.

Just twelve steps, I repeated in my head, just twelve little, insignificant steps, that's all I need.

I glanced out again at Megatron, who was still not looking in my direction. Twelve steps and I would be safe. I locked eyes with Abbie and nodded once, I was ready.

Drawing a deep breath, and vowing not to chicken out now, I leapt from my hiding place, propelling myself forward, just as Megatron turned, and his optics locked on me. I paid no attention; I was already running, feet flying across the sand at a speed I never had gone before.

I needed just twelve steps to make it to safety. I made nine.

Megatrons claws locked around my body with such force that I literally felt and heard as my collarbone snapped, and the air was knocked from my lungs with sickening force. The scream that past my lips was the product of both pain and shock as I was lifted high into the air.

No words were exchanged, no taunts, no insults, Megatron simply lifted me into the air so my eyes locked with his malicious red optics for the briefest of seconds. Then, he threw me back, like I was nothing more than a rag doll, flinging me with brute force through the air. I don't know if I was screaming or not, it might just have been Abbie, or the wind whipping in my ears, or my imagination.

My last memory was of my body slamming into something hard and solid. Then, there was absolutely nothing.

Should I run? I think I probably should. But before I do, don't forget to review and let me know.

This is Allison Shorecoat, reporting live from the bomb shelter.