Chapter Eleven: A Date with a Decepticon-Part Two

Not wanting the night to be ruined completely and hoping that with a little distraction everyone would consider that they had seen things, Jack took Sadie's hand. "Shall we dance?"

"Jack, I don't…"

The boy chuckled. "It's just like sparring, only you move in rhythm with the music."

Sadie nodded as a certain song came on which made a faint smile play on her lips. Then, the two of them began to "dance". It looked more like a choreographed movie fight, but oddly the pair did manage to move with the music. Jack just smiled and laughed as he moved to counter as Arcee sped up with the tempo of the current song. They moved fast and loose within the confines of their limited space on the dance floor. Neither of them seemed to be bothered by their unorthodox dance as they moved and dodged with the smoothness of a practiced dancer.

Meanwhile, everyone just starred as Jack and Sadie. Looks of confusion and surprise raced along the throngs of people but gradually faded out as people returned to the party atmosphere and began to mingle among themselves again. However, the subject continued to be discussed in hushed tones which Jack picked up easily between his trained and Cybertronian physiology-enhanced ears.

"How did he hide swords in those sleeves?"

"Why did he attack the guy's car?"

Perhaps the most disturbing question of all: "Who was that Megatron guy?"

Up in the Nemesis, Megatron glared at a wounded Knock Out. "I send you to kidnap Elita, who is nothing but a weak Human now, and you fail to do THAT?!"

"My liege, I-"

"Leave, Knock Out," Megatron said in a dangerously calm voice. "…before I determine a reason to rid the Decepticons of their only medic."

Knock Out shivered and bowed. "Yes, my lord."

After Knock Out departed, Megatron shuttered his optics for a moment and vented heavily. If she were under my command, I could summon Elita with a simple comm. The warlord's mouth formed into a deadly smile before he summoned an ancient comm code from his processor. Why did I not think of this before?

Back at the school, June suddenly held her head. An annoying tone in her head wouldn't stop. Then, June saw flashes of Elita using her built in comm and sighed before she fished out her phone and flipped it open before she put it to her ear for appearances sake, and answered, "June Darby, who is this?" June's blood froze at a familiar laugh. "Megatron?!"

"Yes," the former Gladiator of Kaon affirmed while he heard June quickly scurry outside. "Why do you play Human among the Autobots, Elita?"

June felt her ire rise. "I don't play Human, scrap for circuits! I am Human!"

Megatron's optics shimmered with glee. "It is odd that you use our language to curse with then, Elita."

June shook her head and opened her shining blue optics with a glare. "Do you know why I chose Optimus over you? I knew better than to Bond to a genocidal maniac!"

Megatron began laughing. "What of Silas, then?"

June glared at the night sky in front of her. "I was isolated from others until he broke me out."

Megatron laughed. "Like a two-cube glitch, you paid him back with your body?" Megatron chuckled darkly. "I should have just taken what I wanted that solar cycle."

June felt her anger with fear rising together and could feel a building pain as her Spark burned a little hotter in her anger and also offered from the strain Megatron currently put on it with his threat. "You…monster!" June realized too late why Megatron called to just talk. He wanted to anger her enough to burn away her body and free her Spark.

Optimus…

The mech turned at the weak summons from his Sparkmate and ran out of the gym toward the call. "June, June; are you alright?" He quickly knelt and scupper her up in his arms before he took her inside. Optimus could feel the anger over his half of the Bond as it simmered down.

"Optimus?" June asked with a weak smile that faded into a grimace. "It hurts."

Orion brushed her hair. "I know. Hold on, Elita!"

With a frantic movement as the only sign of Optimus' inner turmoil, the Prime called the grumpy Autobot medic. "Ratchet, are you in the area?"

"I'm at base, Orion." Ratchet said, referring to his leader's former name for the sake of Humans that might be listening for gossip sake, and took note of the slight tone of worry in the Prime's voice. "What's wrong?"

"June has fallen ill outside the school gymnasium, Ratchet. I fear something angered her enough to brighten her Spark."

Ratchet's optics widened. "I'll be there in a nanoklick, Optimus!"

When Optimus heard the familiar sound of a groundbrige, he thought for a moment of scolding Ratchet for being so careless as to use Cybertronian technology so close to Humans but thought better of it when he heard familiar heavy pedes walk out of the portal.

Quickly, Optimus focused. Jackson, you and Arcee evacuate everyone. The bot said over what he hoped was a fledgling Familial Bond with the techno-organic. Megatron intends to take your mother.

Megatron's here?! Jack shivered at the thought, sprinted for the fire alarm, and pulled the red handle. "Everyone out!" Jack ordered. "Calmly exit, people. This isn't a drill!"

People didn't need to be told twice as a loud metallic groan and crash accentuated the point. Then, they started running and screaming like a stampeding herd. Brick and steel flew about behind the fleeing mass as Optimus and Megatron dueled as Titans above the school.

Once everyone was outside and accounted for, Arcee looked at Jack in confusion For a moment, Jack looked up at the battle in worry, thankful it was night.

Sire?

Before Jack could question further, he felt a familiar tug on his Spark toward the back of the crowd. Mom?! Are you ok? The teen asked as he rushed toward the signal. Please be ok!

Once he broke through the crowd, Jack felt a sigh of relief leave his body and looked on as Ratchet's holoform tended to June. "How is she, doctor?"

"She's stable, Jack." Ratchet assured him. "Don't worry." The medic looked up. "It would seem you and Arcee have other matters with which to attend at present." He said softly as he subtlety noted Jack's stunned and confused peers around them.

With a shake of his head, Jack looked into Sadie's eyes and squeezed her hand. Then, he looked away from the pools of serenity in Sadie's eyes and addressed the looks of shock and confusion as all eyes in the immediate area zeroed on Jack, specifically his hands, no doubt looking for blades to slip from his jacket sleeves at any moment. With a final deep breath, the raven-haired techno-organic addressed the crowd. "When I was a kid, I was taken from my mom and experimented on." A round of gasps went through the room, but Jack ignored them and continued. "For years, I've been training with the government to be able to control my abilities." Jack sighed. "Unfortunately, some people want me for their own purposes and will attack my family to get to me."

"Who was that 'Megatron' person the guy in red shouted about before he left after you cut off his car's door?"

Jack scratched the back of his head in thought. "Megatron is the code name for a gang leader my Mom used to be friends with before she met my stepdad." Jack felt himself relax when no one instantly questioned the explanation. "When Mom rejected him, the…" Jack thought for another moment. "…the conman didn't take it too well."

Really? Arcee asked with a hint of amusement.

Jack internally laughed at the almost pun for the briefest of moments before he continued. "He sent a black market doctor under his control to pick up Mom. Then, Megatron decided to see to it himself."

Sadie frowned and squeezed Jack's hand to comfort him when the teen stopped and turned pale with worry. To further expel her boyfriend's worry, the femme decided to try and cheer her Sparkmate up somewhat. "I help train Jack with his skills." The femme said with a small smile at the half-truth. Then, her look turned serious. "With Megatron now after him as well as Jack's mom, I'll likely be with Jack at school from now on."

Jack looked up at the holoform's words. What?!

You know your Mom will order it with your HVT status in the optics of the 'cons now. Sadie suddenly laughed which everyone but Jack took as her responding to the dumbstruck look on the teen's face. Elita has Optimus wrapped around her little digit, and you know it, Jack.

Jack nodded. I don't mind it one bit.

Jack sniffed the air suddenly after what he knew to be the noises of fighting between Cybertronians faded into distant echoes. The light smell of natural gas wafted on the breeze in front of his nose. Then, a wall collapsed and the part of the school which housed the cafeteria and kitchen exploded in a fireball.

Jack sighed as a few girls screamed at the loud concussive blast as the pressure between the fire and outside equalized. "Can you comm Agent Fowler and let him know about the situation, Cee?" Jack looked around. "I need to check back with the doc and Mom."

Sadie nodded and made a show of producing a holographic phone before she called Fowler to keep up appearances. "Agent Fowler, Megatron just attacked Jack at school with intent to kidnap June."

Fowler's eyes widened. "What in the world is that Buckethead thinking?!" Fowler fumed. "June is a civilian!"

Arcee mentally laughed. If you only knew… "That's not for me to say, Fowler." Arcee stated. "Jack, Optimus, and I contained the situation, but I need help on your end to ensure the school is rebuilt quickly."

Fowler audibly groaned. "I'll do what I can, Arcee." The man promised. "I don't know how much help that will be."

Sadie nodded. "Thank you for what you can do, Fowler."

Fowler blushed. "How are June and Jack?"

"The Doc is looking after June, and Jack is fine, just worried about his Mom and Orion."

"Glad to hear it." Fowler said. "Keep me posted."

"I will, Agent Fowler."

Back with Ratchet and Jack, the medic felt his sensors start to alarm while he looked at her. "Primus, no."

Jack glared at Ratchet with fear in his optics as he gripped his mother's hand and instantly drew back as unbearable heat radiated from her hand. "What is it, Ratchet?" Jack shook his head as his heart began to ache. "I thought you said she'd be OK!"

"It doesn't look good, Jack." Ratchet shook his head. "Without Orion to calm her, her Spark will continue to burn her body until it burns free."

Jack felt tears run down his face. Sire, Arcee; I need you both…now, please.

Sadie groaned and stumbled as strong waves of pain and sadness crashed into her. Jack!

Sadie and Orion made it to the scene a few moments later. "I'm here, Jack/June."

June fought the building pain and managed a weak smile as it lessened at Orion's touch. "Optimus, you're here."

The mighty leader of the Autobots smiled sadly at her thought his holoform. "I'm here, my Sweetspark." His eyes wet with rare emotions. "I'll always be here."

June gave an otherworldly smile to the group gathered around her. "You've been a great leader, Orion."

The bot in question only squeezed her hand harder, part of him refusing to let go. Jack looked at his Mom and shook his head.

"I won't let go, not now." Jack growled. "Get her in your alt, Ratchet." The teen said as hope dared to ignite in the young boy's eyes. "I have an idea."

Ratchet scoffed. "This is hardly the time…"

"NOW, RATCHET!"

The medic nodded. Jack can be scary if he so desires.

Once in the back of Ratchet's alternate mode, Jack closed his eyes and searched the web. Then, he linked to the groundbridge and forced the device to link their current location to the location of a nearby motorcycle lot. On the other side of the bridge, Orion and Ratchet carried June's body to a red Kawasaki Ninja similar to Arcee's alt and gently placed her in the driving position on the bike's seat.

Primus, please let this crazy plan work. Jack pleaded. I can't lose her yet, and Optimus just got her back…please!

Suddenly, after a blinding blue light, Jack felt himself thrown against Ratchet's ambulance mode and blacked out. "M-Mom, please."

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