AN: One more down, one more to go!

legends rise

Jazz has been afraid for Prowl before. Hell, his partner has given him plenty of opportunity for it. Still, not even the fixation Shockwave had on the Praxian caused this level of anxiety in Jazz. At least that was still within the realm of normality.

This?

This isn't.

Bluestreak cuts across their comms. ::Scans show it's running warmer than a normal drone, but that's about it. No nasty surprises, nothing else that I can see.::

Jazz frowns. ::Huh. Ah woulda booby-trapped it.:: And that just ramps his anxiety up all the more.

Prowl flicks his doorwings and adjusts his grip on his swords. Everything about his body language screams nonchalance, but Jazz can read the more subtle signs. More importantly, he can feel the confusion rolling through his mate. Still. ::Blue, if Megatron so much as twitches, shoot him. Jazz, help Hound.::

::Don't do anything stupid, Prowl.:: Mirage cuts across their comms.

Prowl smiles at that.

Barricade stumbles forward and throws a punch. Prowl calmly steps out of the way. The thing operates smoother than Prowl would have figured, considering its condition, but still not as fast as Barricade could move. Prowl's gaze flickers over to Megatron, who's watching the entire thing with a smirk on his face.

There probably is some kind of nasty surprise, even if it is something as simple as hoping to drive Prowl close enough to get caught by the Decepticon leader. Until he knows, though, he won't risk having Blue just shoot the idiot. Not yet.

Blue watches the dance as Prowl slowly guides Barricade closer and closer to Megatron himself, dodging punches and kicks while never striking back. Jazz keeps a sharp optic on the fight, but he jumps into the fray with Hound. Any words exchanged between those two are done over private comms. Starscream is nowhere to be found, but he'll probably show back up later. Coward.

Something shifts. Barricade lunges forward, Prowl steps aside –

And suddenly there's a dagger driven int o the hilt under Prowl's chassis.

Prowl can't completely stop his cry of pain as he staggers back. Barricade tries to press the advantage, another dagger in his hand, but Blue shoots him in the helm.

Nothing happens. Barricade just keeps coming.

Bluestreak gapes. ::What the actual hell!::

Megatron laughs as Prowl continues to back away. "Idiots! This isn't just some clumsy reanimation! Barricade is still in there – if you can reach him. You were friends in the day, weren't you, Prowl? Surely that means something to a noble Autobot."

Prowl's lip curls in a sneer, but he doesn't acknowledge Megatron. Jazz glances at Hound. ::Ya got this?::

::Please. Go.::

In a flash, Jazz is in between Prowl and Barricade, driving off the drone with quick movements of his daggers. Prowl takes the moment to catch his breath. Finally, he straightens and takes a step forward.

Megatron grins. "No words for your old friend?"

"Nothing printable." Prowl quips. His voice almost sounds normal. Blue doubts Megatron has noticed, but Jazz certainly has. ::Jazz, we just might have to dismantle the thing. Find whatever the hell is keeping it alive.::

Jazz sends back affirmative. /Ya okay fer this?/

/Yeah. It hurts, but it didn't hit anything vital. Just surprised me./ Still, he's not taking out the dagger. Considering where it's sitting, it's probably keeping him from bleeding too much. They'll just have to end this quickly.

He lunges for Barricade's exposed back at the same time Jazz attacks from the front.

/-/

Optimus allows Bumblebee to guide himself, Deadshot, and Ratchet to the other side of the city. The human that was with him has gone into the city. Mirage is with him, though – Optimus is not concerned. As they head out, Bumblebee updates them on the situation.

::Blue's been feeding me information.:: he explains. ::Looks like Megatron used the cube-thing to reanimate one of his soldiers – Barricade.::

::Why though?:: Ratchet demands. ::And what the hell is this thing that it can bring back the dead?::

::Reanimate.:: Bee corrects. ::This isn't Barricade. It's a drone, made from Barricade's body. Powered by a newspark. We think.::

::That's more than enough to give me a headache.:: Optimus says dryly. ::We'll figure out what's going on when we get there. Are there any injuries?::

::Prowl. Took a dagger to the chassis. He's playing it off, so there's no telling how much damage was actually done, but he's not bleeding everywhere, so that's a plus.::

Ratchet grunts. ::Good thing I brought my medkit.::

::Which one?::

::The one that'll let me treat anything short of major surgery. At the very least, I'll be able to stabilize any injuries until we get back to Cybertron.::

Mirage cuts into the conversation. ::The last of the human mercenaries have been rounded up and apprehended. Lennox's team is heading back across town to meet up with us. Any idea of the status of that fight?::

::Ongoing.:: Blue reports. ::But I think Jazz and Prowl are having fun.::

::Primus above.:: Mirage mutters, but the fondness is clear.

The group finds the fight easily enough. They arrive just in time to see Jazz and Prowl strike the killing blows, Jazz's daggers shattering what remains of Barricade's spark chamber while Prowl's swords shear the mech's head and shoulders from his body.

The moment Barricade's body falls, Megatron draws his own gun and aims.

Two shots ring out.

One hits Megatron right between the optics. The other hits him square in the spark chamber.

Two bodies hit the ground.

The entire fight stops. Prowl and Jazz as one turn and stare at Optimus, who stands there with his gun out. He mimes blowing smoke off the barrel.

"I think that settles things."

Prowl grins. "Don't make me laugh. It hurts to laugh."

The human team arrives just as Ratchet approaches and kneels down beside Prowl. Lennox stares up at them. "Oh. You're Prime. Holy hell, you're tall."

Optimus laughs at that. "You must be Lennox. A pleasure to meet you in person."

"Likewise. Hear to collect your team?"

"Yes. I don't believe there are any stray Decepticons around that the team hasn't handled."

"Starscream." Hound says. "But I imagine he'll come to us before we go. He was smart and bailed early."

"Well, Prowl did use him as a batterin' ram." Jazz chuckles. "Ah'd bail too."

"That's not what you did last time." Prowl retorts.

That sets both human and mech teams off, eliciting loud protests and Jazz's howling laughter.

Optimus can only smile.