Author's note: Warning, some swearing in this chapter.

::denotes communication via comms::

/denotes internal thoughts/

/denotes recalled conversations/

Chapter 124 – Change in Plans

Phoenix P.O.V

Tension. Movement. Lots of talking. Worried expressions.

As I sat perched high above the bustling KSI Chinese facility, it was apparent something had happened back State side. Whilst the factory had been a hive of activity for some time now, it had seemed they had found another gear and were stepping it up. /Why? What's going on?/. I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my tanks.

I crouched down low and tried to blend into the shadows around me. My optics scanned the buildings below me – searching. After a moment I found what I was looking for. Joyce's head of production was here. He was striding towards the main assembly line building opposite where I had positioned myself, several men in white coats trailing along behind him. I immediately set about recording their conversation, running it through my translation programme. /So many cool benefits about being a Transformer!/.

''Mr. Joyce will be arriving here tomorrow morning – early. There has been an unforeseen - development – making it necessary to move all KSI R&D to our facility here.'' The man paused briefly at the door as he rifled about his pocket for his security badge. I did not have long to eaves drop.

Another man with glasses and a slightly concerned expression briefly nodded in acknowledgement before asking, ''Will he be bringing the Seed here?''

The head of production produced his security badge and scanned in. A green light flicked on and the door opened. /Come on damn it! I NEED to know!/. I barely managed to contain a growl of frustration.

He gave a curt nod of his head and flicked his eyes about him, ''Yes. Mr. Joyce has indicated it will be arriving here tomorrow when he does.'' He began to walk inside followed by his assistants. ''Now, we need to step up…'' The door shut and I switched off record. I had what I needed.

I closed my optics in both relief and concern. /There has been an unforeseen development/. The words flashed through my processor again. I opened my optics and allowed a small smile to spread slowly across my dermas as I whispered to the night air, ''I wonder if that ''development'' is in some small way related to a certain Special Ops Autobot and his team.'' Without warning, another thought made itself known. ''Or perhaps it was the work of a certain Autobot Commander seeking retribution for his fallen soldiers and friends? Maybe she is with him too?'' I shook my helm and slowly, carefully pulled back further atop the building into darkness. ''Only one way to find out I guess.''

::Phoenix to Jazz, ya there? Respond:: I activated my comms, trying to get hold of the Autobot Special Ops extraordinaire - Jazz. For the last month we had been communicating in secret and for the past, just over two weeks, I had been hiding out here at KSI's Chinese facility as part of our plan. Jazz had to know what was about to happen. It would seem everything we had been patiently planning for, waiting for, observing, was about to be put into motion.

After a moment I heard a familiar voice down the comm line. ::Phoenix! What's up? Didn't expect ta be hearin' from ya so late your end:: There was a brief pause. ::Ya okay? Everythin' alright?:: I smiled at the sound of concern in my friend's voice.

::What can I say I missed you, there's just nothing on T.V and what else was I going to say? Oh, that's right, Joyce is moving the Seed to KSI's Chinese facility tomorrow. Apart from that, everything's sweet:: I could not keep some slight sarcasm from my voice.

There was a moment of silence as Jazz processed what I had just said and what it meant. ::Ya absolutely sure?::

I scoffed. ::No Jazz, just playing my own version of Chinese bloody whispers!:: I growled down the comms line. ::Of course I'm fucking sure! I heard it from head of production myself just now:: I didn't really mean to snap at him, but I was tired, I was concerned about what this meant and above all I was anxious to see Optimus. Desperate in fact. All of which made a short fuse even shorter.

::Okay, okay Phoenix! Don't bite ma helm off:: I could almost imagine Jazz holding his servos up in mock surrender. ::Thanks for tha heads up lil' lady:: I heard Jazz ''sigh'' as he processed the news. He knew what this meant.

I felt my optic ridge furrow as I processed the reason behind the sudden relocation. ::Say, Jazz, what on earth happened over there just now, cause part of the discussion I intercepted indicated an ''unforeseen development'' that facilitated the hurried removal of all R&D from KSI in Chicago to their Chinese facility:: I laughed down the line. ::Did you unleash the Wreckers on Joyce or something?::

There was a replying laugh. ::Wreckers, Hound, Crosshairs, Ironhide, me an' one seriously pissed Prime::

I felt my spark cease pulsing for a moment at the mention of his name, before I managed to speak again. ::Wow! Bet Joyce shat his pants!::

There was a derisive snort. ::Hunh, you'd think so wouldn't ya but no. This arrogant bastard had tha hide ta tell Optimus that he can make ''us'' now, that human kind doesn't need us anymore!::

I only just managed to stop the flames igniting along my frame as a wave of anger tore through me at this man's insolence and audacity, not to mention his callous and cruel words. ::How dare he! How FUCKING dare he! Beg to differ Joyce ya dickhead but now more than ever you need us, but you sure as shit don't deserve us ya fucking wanker!:: I clenched and unclenched my servos in a bid to clam down.

Jazz laughed once again. ::You an' Roadbuster would get along superbly Phoenix, remind me ta reacquaint ya when we catch up again::

I ignored his flippant comment. ::How.. How did Prime take it? That would have torn his spark out after all he has done for the humans of this world. Ya know Jazz in some way I'm kinda glad I'm not a human anymore, they really can be such arseholes:: Without warning the image of Lennox and Epps flashed into my processor. I felt a my spark twinge and a small, nostalgic smile formed on my dermas as I recalled my dear friends I had not seen for over five years. ::Well, not all of 'em mind you::

Jazz sighed out loud again. ::Ta be honest Phoenix, I'm kinda worried about Prime..::

I couldn't help interjecting. :WHY? What is it Jazz? Has he been hurt?:: I felt myself tense up.

::Woah, woah, slow ya roll Phoenix! Prime is fine - physically:: there was a small chuckle, ::In fact I dare say best physical shape he's ever been in, but I'll let you be the judge of that when you see him again::

My turn to snort indignantly down the line. :;Don't you mean if I see him again Jazz. With the Seed arriving tomorrow, you know what that potentially means… I might not….:: I suddenly had trouble speaking at the thought of what may eventuate.

::Phoenix:: Jazz's voice sounded resolute. ::When Prime learns what Joyce has, when he learns where you are and especially what your mission has been, I don't think you'll have a choice in seeing him again lil' lady and Primus help whoever gets in his way of getting to you:: I could hear Jazz smiling down the line at me.

I felt a new warmth wash over me, one of longing and love. Hope once again flared to life within my spark. The way Jazz was talking indicated that perhaps Prime and Elita had not renewed their relationship, that perhaps, against all odds, he still loved me! I closed my optics and savoured the feeling.

::Mind you, tha way Prime is at tha moment I don't know how sweet tha reunion will be:: Jazz's tone changed.

The flame that had been rekindled began to flicker and fade. I was taken aback by his comment, shuttering my optics in confusion. ::Wh..what do you mean Jazz?::

::As I said Phoenix, I'm worried about Prime. This whole business with Attinger, Joyce an' KSI has really affected him. Man if ya coulda seen him when I first caught up with him again an' told him all that had happened in tha las' three years, what Joyce and Attinger have done..:: There was a pause as Jazz seemed to struggle to come to terms with what he was about to say. :: There was an anger, a sense of disappointment an' a darkness about him I have not seen for millennia, if ever. Phoenix, Prime promised when he found who was responsible for Leadfoot an' tha attacks on Autobots, he was going ta kill them::

I could not help the gasp that escaped my dermas at Jazz's words. ::Jazz that can't be! Prime swore he would never harm humans, he promised to protect them and this planet. He promised!:: A cold feeling descended upon me and I almost shuddered as I once would have done as a human when confronted with an entirely unpleasant and frightening thought. I called to mind, not so long ago, another Prime who lost his way when he lost his morals. I did shudder then. It did NOT bear thinking that Optimus could possibly go down the same dark path as his mentor.

::Yeah, well it would seem promises are meant ta be broken Phoenix. Prime is serious. He has given his word:: There was a deep and weary sigh that travelled down the comm. ::I'm afraid with all he has gone through, tha depth of tha betrayal by Attinger an' Joyce as members of tha species he swore ta protect, his near death at their hands, his capture by Lockdown..::

::Wait? WHAT?:: I once again interject. ::Prime was captured by Lockdown!? Is he okay? WHERE IS HE?:: I felt myself begin to kneel as if preparing to leap from the building and go in search of him.

::Phoenix it's okay! Prime WAS captured by Lockdown but we have successfully rescued him an' are currently on our way ta a rendezvous point ta pick up a few others an' then…::

::Then what Jazz? You'll head over here?:: Amazing how quickly the tone in my voice could go from almost blind panic to hope in a spark beat.

::Then I don't know Phoenix! Back at tha factory when Joyce told Prime they don't need us, ya shoulda seen his face, it was like he jus' gave up. He told us all ta pull back that ''we were done''::

::Done? What do you mean ''done''? As in 'can't be bothered bringing KSI to justice' or done as in 'find a nice beach to retire to somewhere?':: Though I was trying hard to control my emotions, I am sure Jazz picked up on the angry sarcasm infused with growing concern in my voice.

::I wish it was the latter lil' lady:: Jazz was normally so upbeat even in difficult situations. To hear the concern in his voice was very disconcerting indeed and that cold, sinking feeling nestled into my spark. ::I'm afraid it might be done as in 'done with this planet, done with protectin' humans' not jus' from Decepticons but somethin' seemingly more dangerous – themselves!::

There was a deafening silence for a moment as I comprehended what Jazz just said. ::Jazz. You mean to tell me that Optimus would leave Earth now? Abandon it, abandon us on the verge of potentially our darkest moment?:: I didn't know whether to be angry, scared or frustrated! ::Tha… that means he would leave me here too, doesn't it?:: I felt my servo move involuntarily to cover my spark as it seemed to ache painfully at this thought.

::NO Phoenix! Though Prime does not know where you are – at the moment – he would not leave you here. I would wager my spark on it…::

I closed my optics and cycled air through my intakes deeply, trying to centre myself. Despite my initial fear and pain at the thought of being abandoned by the one my spark pulsed for; those feelings were soon replaced with a rush of anger that tore through me. ::Anyway Jazz, all of this is a moot point anyway if we do NOT get to the Seed and stop Attinger and Joyce. Prime may be ready to give up on my planet and its people – but I am not! We continue as planned:: I felt a renewed sense of purpose and strength burn within me. As much as I desperately wanted to see Prime, to be with him, I had a responsibility./Duty before spark/.

::That's ma girl! Spoken like a true Prime if ya ask me:: I felt myself heat at Jazz's praise and it was reassuring to once again hear Jazz's voice filled with optimism. ::Anyway, I gotta go we're about ta land an' pick up tha others an' I gotta tell Prime about tha seed:: There was an awkward pause. ::an' YOU Phoenix!::

My turn to snort down the line. ::Have fun with that::

::Yeah, think it'll rank as one of ma top three chats with Prime:: A sigh filled with gentle humour travelled through the comm. ::Listen lil lady, as I said before, I have a feelin' that when I tell Prime what Joyce has an' where YOU are and well – our plan – I have a feelin' Prime will suddenly find it within himself ta recommit ta fightin' ta save this planet if only to keep YOU safe! I have a feelin' we'll all – well perhaps minus lil' ol' Jazz cause I'll already be dead - be loadin' up an' on our way – ta you - very soon!::

I allowed a chuckle to escape at his words. Jazz always knew how to cheer me up. ::I hope you're right Jazz – for so many reasons I hope you're right::