AN: Um, I didn't realize this story would be an 'Autocon' story mixed with regular Decepticons and Autobots. Oh well. Stories have a world of their own. I needed a dark twist to Fate's Collide. Perhaps Sunstreaker will come to his senses and realize his programming's wrong.
AU's rule. :D
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Sunstreaker made a left turn onto a long stretch of road. It was a narrow road far from the Autobot base.
There weren't many Autocons existing yet, but it was only a matter of time before Shockwave produced more Autocons. The only one who was a full Decepticon was Barricade and he had been there. The traitor threatened to turn him in to the Autobots after he left. The Autobots would never know that Noel was missing until they realized it.
Sunstreaker had to sedate Noel after her outbursts. She had called him a traitor and other things. He wouldn't tolerate foul language. Her body was slack in his seat and very heavy. Once he got her into the human habituation part of his base, she'd be secured there. Then after she woke up, had a good breakfast, then Sunstreaker would start telling her what she was going to do.
Although Sunstreaker was part Autobot, he didn't care about his Decepticon training. The training had been tedious and degrading. Their training courses were harder than the Autobots training exercises. They were more easier and he beat the Decepticon simulations easily. Sunstreaker knew that most of Decepticon training and programming made him even more dangerous to Noel. If she stepped a toe out of line, she would be punished. Sunstreaker needed to keep his Decepticon training at bay. If he pushed her too much, she wouldn't do anything to help his cause. His Cause. He didn't need both factions breathing down his neck. He also didn't need Prowl breathing down his neck, no less Prime, too.
Besides, he could always mislead Noel into believing her parents were coming to live there. But then again, that was his Decepticon side taking over. He was very deceptive and very good at it.
The cover of night would make it easier for him to travel. His lights flipped off again and he drove without his lights to his new base which was very far from the Decepticon base and Autobot Base. In fact, with his current speed, he'd make it there before the sun came up. His form could surpass any Earth-made vehicle. Sunstreaker wasn't dense nor thick processored like most thought he was. He really disliked that slagger, Ironhide! Sunstreaker growled when he realized that his Decepticon side was battling to come out again. Shockwave really loved messing with core programming. Sunstreaker squashed that side down again and heard a moaning noise coming from Noel. A scan revealed her to be asleep still. Sunstreaker checked his speed. It was climbing up to the mid-200s. This was the greatest thing about speeding down an abandoned highway, to his base, was the lack of authority figures to clock him and then he'd have to answer about that ticket or warning. Sunstreaker loved to speed and stretch his wheels. He'd also get to his base faster. It was nowhere in Townsend. It was located in the Arizona Desert where there were plenty of large boulders and rock caverns that were hidden. Hidden in one of those caverns was his secret base.
Sunstreaker sped up, heading closer to the 300 miles per hour range. No use in keeping it under 200 with a sleeping human. She wouldn't know how fast he could go.
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Barricade paced back and forth, waiting for his brother to come in. When he did, he glared at Barricade. "I am extremely busy, 'Con!" His brother said. "This had better be good!"
"Good. It's about time you came back from that rescue." Barricade said. "Have you checked your girlfriend?"
Prowl glared at his brother with stern blue optics. "What do you know?"
"I know enough." Barricade said. "Your Prime was stupid in letting that slagger out."
"Optimus Prime is wise and a great leader. More than I can say for yours."
"Wise enough to let a slagger like Sunstreaker out of his cell?"
"Sunstreaker is a trusted officer and frontliner to the Autobot Army."
"Was." Barricade said, shaking his head. "Red Alert and I were talking."
"Oh really?"
"Oh yes. I told him about what Sunstreaker was planning. If you'll let me out, we can find Noel. I'll help you."
They heard a sizzle and then Prowl fell down. Ironhide ran into the brig, comming Ratchet. "Always a glitch-head." Barricade smirked as Ironhide glared at him as he warned, "One more word, 'Con."
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Optimus Prime sat in his office with Prowl. He reviewed the surveillance feeds and was quite disappointed. Sunstreaker had left the brig, his weapons drawn, and walked out into the hangar. Sunstreaker paused in the middle of the hangar and sheathed his weapons. They saw Noel sitting on a crate. Sunstreaker made his way towards her. He said something to her and she jumped off the crate and ran. Then Sunstreaker ran after her. The feed now revealed nothing. Optimus Prime switched the view until he came to the Med-Bay. Noel wasn't seen until a few seconds later. Then Sunstreaker and she began talking. Optimus watched as Sunstreaker grabbed Noel and leave the Med-Bay. Then he transformed and raced out of the base. The feed then showed her cat coming out of the Med-Bay and looking around for Noel. Her cat ran back into the Med-Bay and disappeared into Noel's room.
"This is not good." Optimus Prime. "There is something wrong with Sunstreaker. We need to get him back and get Ratchet to check his processor."
"I intend to interrogate Noel's parents when they have gotten enough sleep."
"They might not know anything about Sunstreaker."
"I have a reason to believe Jenna Williamson might know."
Optimus Prime knew Sunstreaker's history and why it took him so long to find his way here. It was a terrible thing to happen to him and when he finally found his twin, the two were inseparable. Sunstreaker became extra protective of Sideswipe. But then something else happened as well. Not only did Sunstreaker became extra protective of his brother, he began showing signs of a side he never had before and that was worrisome. Sunstreaker was guarding something. Refusing half of Ratchet's own treatment options. Sunstreaker had a hidden agenda he didn't even know about. Something was wrong with Sunstreaker because he was a great Autobot warrior. Optimus wondered if his brother knew something? Would Sideswipe help him find out?
::Sideswipe. Please report to my office as soon as possible.::
::Yes sir. On my way.::
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Sideswipe walked into Optimus Prime's office feeling regret. Optimus sat at his desk and Prowl stood behind him. Sideswipe hoped he wasn't in trouble with the Mechs. Optimus Prime gestured to a chair in front of his desk, but Sideswipe remained standing. His processor was reeling. Optimus Prime was his mentor and hero. He wasn't always afraid of him. Now he was feeling nervous.
"What do you know about Sunstreaker's behavior?" Optimus asked.
Usually, his baritone always made one feel good and relaxed. To Sideswipe, it only made him feel guilty and even more nervous. Sideswipe had been on Earth for so long that he picked up the usual customs. Sideswipe shrugged.
Prowl's optics narrowed. "What do you mean you don't-" Prowl started to say.
Sideswipe looked at Optimus Prime for help. His optics said it all. Optimus looked at him and said, "Could Prowl go investigate your brother's apartment?" Sideswipe slowly nodded.
Prowl left the office and Optimus leaned back in his chair. "You are hurt." Optimus surmised. Sideswipe nodded. He spoke, "He's severed my connection with him. I can't get him to tell me where he is."
"So, he won't tell you anything?"
"No."
Optimus glanced at the monitor for a moment and rewound the video footage until it reached Noel sitting on the crate. "You need to know something. It is rather important and could be the reason why your brother has reacted in an un-Autobot way." Sideswipe took a seat.
"When your brother arrived on this planet, he was very confused. He didn't know where he was and had a hard time trying to convince him he was safe. Whenever he'd fall into recharge, he'd have nightmares about something that happened to him. Ratchet would sedate him and he'd be all right for the rest of the night." Optimus paused. "Everything was going great until he saw a form that resembled his brother. Sunstreaker began looking for his brother and without my knowledge, he kidnapped a human being and kept her with him at all times."
"Her?" Sideswipe asked.
"Yes." Optimus sighed. "The girl wasn't old enough to be alone without her parents. She was pretty young and every single day, I heard their pleas to return their daughter safely home. I don't know if Sunstreaker returned her when he heard their pleas. One day, Sunstreaker returned to the base and Ironhide stopped him. They both got into a scuffle of some kind and Sunstreaker admitted in taking the girl. He told him that he returned the girl to her parents after hearing their pleas. Ironhide didn't really believe him because the next few days, he was gone again.
"Then you came and he stopped looking for you and released the girl into her parent's custody. He warned her to keep her mouth shut and not say anything. After that, he made sure of she did keep her mouth shut."
Sideswipe looked to the floor, unable to believe his audios. Sunstreaker wouldn't do this! It was terrible to hear! Sideswipe stood up. "Excuse me-I think I need to drive around-" Sideswipe said.
"Sideswipe, don't leave the base." Optimus ordered.
Sideswipe glanced at him and then left. He wasn't permitted to leave the base! He didn't understand! Sideswipe felt he needed to clear his processor and the only way to do that was to leave the base. He ignored Optimus' order and left the base.
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