They were out of food. They only got one bottle of water left for five people. But that was all right, because they were going to be released soon, right? Right?!
The wait has gotten on all their nerves and the last couple of hours were the worst. It had taken some effort to convince the grumpy autobot, and while Beth and Jimmy they were at it with Soundwave silently backing them up, the rest of the gang packed up their makeshift camp. In fact, they even cleaned the spot. Humans were all set to go, see? Just get them out of this damned cage already!
Jim cast one glace over there and focused on a typical nerd kid that the autobot ushered forward to parlay on his behalf. Raf, was it?
— Look, kid, I'm glad it worked out for you fine and all, but we'd rather not test our luck. I don't want to spend the life looking over my shoulder, - Jimmy said with just enough impatience to convey it without actually being rude, - I want my life returned to normal, thank you very much.
— You don't understand. They are decepticons! You cannot trust a decepticon! Don't you know what they've done? They destroyed Jasper, my home town? and tried to conquer the entire planet! They are not on your side.
— Yeah, well. So you say. Where do you live now? On some top secret base, I reckon?
Raf looked a little embarrassed. He wasn't living at the base per se, but he was closely observed and spent nearly all his time there - all the time he wasn't at school or at the refugee settlement his family now lived in. Not that he objected. However, his college perspectives looked rather dim now. It wasn't spoken about, but it was somehow taken for granted that he's to stay with Ratchet in this project. And that's what he wanted, too. Best option, right?
Jimmy took his silence for confirmation:
— Well, kid, it's your life and all, but we'd rather bail while we still can. Good luck, - and he turned to look up to Soundwave, - cut him off.
Soundwave seemed to be a bit startled and Raf used a moment's hesitation to type a few cybertronian glyphs before the decepticon broke the connection.
— What was that? - Beth pointed at the glyphs frozen on the screen.

Soundwave seemed amused:
— Death threat: issued by human Raf. Acting condition: humans in question harmed in any way.

— And you're not… I dunno… mad? angered? irritated?

— Negative. Situation: amusing, however: human Raf proven to be capable of things beyond...

He might have elaborated on that more, given his unusual predisposition to small talk at the moment, but a greenish whirl of a spacebridge opening in the middle of the command room immediately took their total attention.

A figure stepping through wasn't like the robots already present - it was leaner and taller than the troopers and not as angular as Soundwave and moved with grace best described as deadly.
As he emerged from the green light completely and the humans had a chance to really look at him, they were surprised to see a vaguely humanoid "face" with crimson eyes and mouth (no nose, but why would a robot need one?), and a grin so unmistakably smug they shared a glance. That one, heh? It seemed he wore his smugness around him in sort of a royal mantle, it flowed off him as he sauntered forward.

There was a moment of silence, as he stopped in the center of the room, enjoying their undivided attention.

— Good to see you're back in business, Soundwave. I require your assistance on Nemesis, - he said in a purring voice of someone truly enjoying the sound of their own voice. Lindsay snickered and covered her mouth with her hand, - and thank you for taking care for my troops.

Soundwave seemed unfazed by the display:
— Transport protocol: agreed upon with the autobots. Preparations require another joor. Decepticon technology: not to be left behind for anyone to use. Again, Starscream, - ouch, burn! The newcomer's smile faded for a split second then returned in full:

— Time is of the essence, Soundwave, and weren't you the one babbling about Unicron? We need to fix Nemesis asap…. or would you rather leave your little cassette to his fate on Cybertron? - Soundwave made a jerky movement at these words, - … Eradicons, march, and take that fuel with you - and he pointed at the spacebridge still open in the middle of the room.

All the other robots in the room obeyed and moved to the vortex.

— Query: Ravage safe?

— As far as I know, - Starscream nodded grandly, as if it was his sole achievement that Soundwave's symbiont was safe, - he hid on the ship throughout the mess. Bots never found him, - and he turned to walk to the vortex as well, - well, you coming or what? And leave your new pets here, will you?

Soundwave contemplated this for a moment:

— Starscream: requires my assistance. Starscream: can wait for a few breems more.

With that, he moved to the cage, where humans were waving and calling for his attention, put Beth and Jimmy back in, folded at his knees and said, easily cutting over their voices
— A favor: is required. This, - he took out a small device with a sole button (small by his standards, but the button itself was a size of a normal dinner plate) and handed it to them. Chad took it, and grunted - it weighted about ten pounds.
— this activates self-destruct. Humans: will use their vehicle to drive to the highway. Once there: safe distance to blow the ship up. This: vital. Decepticon technology: not safe for lesser developed races.

He seemed to look at all of them at once and each of them in particular.

— Your word: required.

There were several hasty nods, and Beth voiced it:
— We will blow the ship. I promise.

Soundwave looked at them for a moment more then rose to his peds
— Recommendation: get into the vehicle - Oh, were they quick to obey!

Soundwave took the van and put it carefully outside the cage. Then he turned to the console and opened all doors on the way out. Jimmy started the car and Beth looked out of the passenger window to cry: "Good luck!" before they sped off.

Starscream snorted:
— I leave you for a few decacycles and you start a zoo.

Soundwave curtly nodded for him to lead the way and followed Starscream through the spacebridge.

The route to the crash site wasn't really suited for a van like Jimmy's. There was a clearing around the ship, but it wasn't big and after that it was just forest. As much as Jimmy wanted to put metal to the pedal, he had to slow down, and soon they were crawling more than riding, leaves and twigs scratching the car.

— Well… this at least explains, why he couldn't blow the ship himself, - Austin muttered under breath, as the van bumped into yet another bush. There was a loud "thud" and then steam streamed from under the van's hood.

Jimmy swore.
— What? What is it? — he climbed out and opened the hood, trying to see through the steam and brushing it aside with his hands.

It turned out, the old van's radiator could only take this many hits and the said van couldn't hop around the wilderness much without the said radiator. They should have been upset but the sheer normality of the situation in contrast to anything that had happened during last two days made them laugh. And if there had been a bit of hysteria in that laugh they shared, no wonder, right?
— You know what? - Jimmy said, when he wiped the laughter tears off, - I'm not even upset about it. I mean, it's a small price to pay, considering… - and he waved his hand as of to encompass all the things they should consider.

— I vote we all contribute to your new crappy old van, Jimmy - Austin offered, and everyone agreed.
Meanwhile, they still had half a way to hike. Uphill. They packed light, drank their last water and were already set to go, when Beth asked:

— What about the detonator, guys? - and it broke the unspoken agreement not to notice the self-destruct button, left on the back seat as if forgotten.

— Well, what about it? We don't owe him anything, Beth. He kidnapped us for fuck's sake! - Chad said.
— But I gave my word.

An argument broke out, half-hearted and weary and ended abruptly when Beth took the button into her backpack, throwing out all her other stuff.

— You're unreasonable, - Austin commented, but "STFU" was all it earned him.

Two hours later, there had been an explosion.