-o- sorry it took so long. I had homework to do, then my step dad had a dentist appointment so he dragged me along so we could eat out at Ala Moana with my mom. ((sigh)) I just got back a little while ago and finished up this chapter. :)

For once, the caravan of three cars was silent. The red and gold Lamborghinis didn't race each other or bicker, and the dark blue and white Viper merely sped down the highway. Each thought of something else, but they weren't that far off from each other's thought process.

What would happen if they couldn't find Katie and Maggie? What if the Autobots caught up with them? Or the Decepticons found them?

They were drawn from their musings at the sound of a police siren. Bluestreak checked his speedometer and found that they were well over the speed limit. A quick scan behind him proved that the car following was an interstate police officer.

'Blue? Shall we pull over or keep going?' Sideswipe asked via comm.

Bluestreak's engine growled. 'Keep going; I don't want to waste any time. Keep going at this speed and we should outdistance him.'

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were silent but followed his suggestion. The siren continued to blare behind them, even after a good while of driving down the lonely interstate.

'Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Bluestreak, you three stop right now.' There was total silence over the comm. system. Bluestreak flashed his brake lights in a brief warning before slamming on his breaks and turning smoothly to face the interstate police car, not caring that he was now in the middle of the road. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker took up flanking positions beside him, eyeing the car warily.

'Prowl?' Sideswipe ventured and was rewarded with an irritated growl from the police car.

'What are you doing? You do realize how fast you were going, right?' As he spoke, a rather young brown-haired officer stepped out.

Bluestreak's engine roared, startling the other Autobot as well as the officer. "I don't have time for this, Prowl." He growled. "My partner was taken by the Decepticons and if I don't get there soon, then something bad could happen to her."

"That doesn't mean you can just go breaking the speed limit." Prowl argued back as the officer crossed her arms across her chest. It was obvious that she knew about Prowl, and that she wasn't about to do anything about the argument brewing between the four.

Bluestreak growled and spinning, shot out of there. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe remained, engines idling, watching their dark blue comrade speed away. "I suppose you wouldn't really understand," Sunstreaker said quietly. "Blue's hurtin', Prowl, and so is Jazz. They aren't the same bots they were when they were with their charges."

Prowl was silent, but it was his partner who spoke up. "Prowl, let's give 'em an escort." She suggested. She looked over at Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. "We can catch up to your friend and you can tell us what happened."

Prowl hesitated, but when she prodded him some more, he gave in. Immediately Sunstreaker and Sideswipe sped of, not caring if Prowl kept up or not.

-

Prowl's partner, who introduced herself as Jordan – was sympathetic when they finally caught up to Bluestreak who looked to be sulking on the side of the road. Sideswipe nudged him gently and they continued their way, following the directions from the internet to get to Las Vegas.

'Hound called.' Bluestreak said after Sideswipe had filled Prowl and Jordan in. 'He said that Katie left a message for Jazz at the rest stop they were just at. According to the message, they're heading to the Valley of Fire State Park near Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. The Stunticons are the ones taking Katie and Maggie, but they don't know about the rest of the Decepticons.'

'Which route are they on?' Sunstreaker asked eagerly.

'Route?' Prowl echoed, confused.

'They have the shortest.' Bluestreak replied. 'However, I think Barricade may be on this one.'

Sideswipe revved his engine as eagerly as his brother. 'Yes!'

'It would be unwise to engage in combat with a Decepticon like Barricade.' Prowl admonished gently.

'We outnumber him three to one, Prowlie.' Sunstreaker pointed out, ignoring the angry rev of the police car's engine at being called "Prowlie". 'Four including you if you choose to join in.'

'Speak of the devil.' Sideswipe said cheerfully.

'How shall we go about this? Charge in, or circle around for him?' Sunstreaker asked, revving his engine eagerly.

'Get rid of his communication systems – including Frenzy's – as fast as possible.' Bluestreak replied. 'We can't have them knowing that there are Autobots on their trail.'

"Shall we hail them on the police frequency?" Jordan asked through Prowl's speakers.

'Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Bluestreak, speed past him. Jordan and I will follow and pretend that we're chasing you three down. We'll call for backup from him, and he just might help, no doubt wanting to do you harm. Bluestreak, do you think you can get a good shot at Frenzy if you see him through the window?' Prowl asked.

Everyone could hear the smile in Bluestreak's voice. 'Yes.'

'Good. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, once Bluestreak pulls off that shot, don't even look to see if the shot was good; rip Barricade apart.'

'With pleasure.' Sunstreaker revved his engine eagerly.

The signal was given and with Sunstreaker in the lead and Bluestreak bringing up the rear of "speeding" cars, they tore off. Prowl waited a moment before flicking his sirens on and speeding after them. Jordan, while pretending to drive her partner, called for backup over the police radio.

It worked; as Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Bluestreak breezed past the evil police car of doom – as Katie and Maggie had gotten to calling him – Frenzy had transformed and was jumping eagerly on the seats. Barricade rumbled as Bluestreak's taillights passed inches from his front grille. As they began to pull away, he turned on his sirens and chased after them, Prowl just behind the Decepticon.

'Now!' Bluestreak braked and transforming, turned and pulled out his rifle. He squeezed off two quick shots at Frenzy before having to stop or risk hitting the twins who leapt at Barricade with a roar.

-

Jazz listened to the report from Bluestreak, idling at the stoplight with Mirage, Hot Rod, and Hound behind him. He could tell they were listening in too, but not being all-out warriors, they weren't bloodthirsty like the twins.

'Is anyone injured?' Jazz asked when the gunner was finished.

'Sunny and Sides are a bit banged up, but not too bad. Prowl and I are uninjured.' Was the reply.

"That's good." Armonie said from Hot Rod's cab.

'We should give Optimus and the others a heads-up. Who wants to do the honors?'

'I'll do it,' Prowl's steady voice replied, and inwardly, Jazz smiled. It was good to have tactician on the team. 'Shall I tell him about the bases too?'

'That's a good idea.' Mirage murmured as the light changed to green. 'Giving him an idea of the number of Decepticons Katie counted for us won't be unwelcome, I wouldn't think.'

Sunstreaker snorted. 'That doesn't mean he'll be any happier about us runnin' away, though.'

I was a bit stuck near the end, but I muddled through. As I finished, I came to a realization or four.

1) All of the humans partnered to the 'bots that are of my own creation are female. O.o
- When I came to Jordan, I was going with a gut feeling like I did with Katie and Armonie. I wanted a girl with a boy's name, and then I came to this realization. I think a good explanation for this would have to be something about how I think; I couldn't think of the 'bots being that close to a guy the way Jazz, Maggie, and Armonie are close to their guardians.

2) I'm going rather slow on this. -.-;;
-Yeah, I just realized this now. Starting next chapter, I'll try and lengthen them up a bit and finish the story, though how it'll end, I'm not sure. Anyone want some romance? I could use some practice in that genre, but I don't really have a reason to write because I don't have a boyfriend or anyone I care about in a romantic fashion. . . Oookay then. Getting off this subject...

3) For Halloween, I wanna be Zorro.
-No idea how this story brought that thought to me, but it did. I'm gonna dress up as Zorro and go to school and see if my friends recognize me. ;)

4) I either wanna be a jet pilot or an engineer when I go to college.
-O.o Once more, I don't know how I got this idea from writing the story, but oh well. :)