Jack had never been so tired.

Sometime after the first couple of days, he'd lost track of exactly how long it had been since he'd escaped from Knockout's cab. It felt like an eternity.

Meanwhile, he still hadn't gotten over the shock. How had he ended up in this situation?

Huffing and puffing, he slowed to a walk and glanced over his shoulder for the trillionth time. Knockout and Breakdown were somewhere behind him, playing cat and mouse. With their ship only a GroundBridge away, they could refuel and keep following as long as they wanted. Days even. And they didn't get tired each time they caught up and chased him, leading to countless close calls.

Jack too was only a GroundBridge away from home, if he could actually manage to get ahold of the Autobots! He'd tried until his phone died, but all he heard were rings. He'd had no such luck with his mom, Raf or Miko either.

So there was nothing for Jack to do but keep moving. He'd spent all the cash he had on him on gas station snacks and busses. All he had now was his survival kit, which wouldn't do much, and his phone which was low on battery.

His mind had been in a constant state of overdrive ever since he'd followed Miko through that GroundBridge. Again. He remembered that much, but the details of how he'd gotten from there to here were a blurr. Did the Autobots even know what had happened? Did Miko?

Over the days, he had weakened considerably. He winced as he touched the makeshift bandage around his left temple, acquired from his last run in with his pursuers. It, just like half of his face, was coated with dried blood. And he was getting dizzier with each step.

If he didn't contact the base soon, Jack was a goner.

Spotting a park bench ahead, Jack slid his nearly dead phone out of his pocket. He'd finally managed to get a little juice into it at his last stop, but only minutes later, Knockout had appeared, forcing him to run again. It would have to be enough.

Jack collapsed onto the bench and dialed the commlink number again. "C'mon, pick up, pick up." He pleaded. More exhaustion swept over him as his body realized it had stopped moving and went slack.

As he listened to the rings, waiting for an answer, Jack felt a few tears prick the corners of his eyes. What was his Mom doing right now? How was she coping with his disappearance?

And Arcee...

He shook his head to clear it, but it was beyond murky now. "Please." He urged his phone.

As if in response, Ratchet's voice cut through the clouds in his mind. "Jack! Are you okay? Where are you?" At first Jack could only stare at his phone. The millionth time was the charm? Then it clicked and he shook off the shock.

As he found his voice, he would have laughed in pure relief if he wasn't so groggy. "R-Ratchet! I don't know where I am. I've been running for a while...Knockout and Breakdown have been following me this whole time and..." Distantly, Jack could hear the exhaustion in his own voice as it trailed off.

"Scrap! Jack, stay with me! I'm tracing your cell phone signal, but we can't reach you right now! I've only just gotten the commlinks back up, and the GroundBridge is down!" Jack closed his eyes as his heart sank. No GroundBridge. His only way of escape. And the Cons' could be on his tail right now.

"Jack, are you injured?" Optimus's deep voice joined the call. Jack nodded slowly before remembering he was on a phone call. "Yeah. I hit my head on a metal beam while I was running from Breakdown." His head was really swimming now. "I think I've got a concussion."

"Your signal is coming from somewhere off the coast of...Maine." Ratchet sounded surprised. "How in the Allspark did you get all the way out there?"

Jack groaned softly. "I can't really think right now..."

"Explanations can come later, old friend. Our first priority is getting Jack to safety."

"Without a GroundBridge? We can't even get to Jack!"

"Is Arcee there?" Jack broke in. "Or my mom?" He really needed to hear their voices. And let them know he was alive.

"No, Jack. Only Ratchet and I are currently at the base. But we will inform them both that you have been located."

"What do I do? I don't think I can run anymore." Jack rubbed at his eyes, trying to stay awake.

Optimus waited a moment before answering. "Remain there." He finally said. To Jack, he sounded hesitant. Or was it his grogginess?

"We may be unable to reach you, but I will contact a team that can. They live not far from your present location."

Jack blinked hard, but the blurriness only got worse. "What?"

"Stay put Jack, and stay low." Optimus repeated. "Help will soon arrive. They will see to your safety until Ratchet can repair the GroundBridge."

Ratchet cursed in the background. "Blasted Earth tech!"

Jack crouched low on the bench and peeked up over the back. He almost wished Knockout and Breakdown would show up just so he didn't have to wonder where they were.

"Who's coming? Are there other Bots on Earth?" Jack asked skeptically.

But Optimus didn't answer. Jack couldn't make out what he was saying. "Optimus?"

He was so tired. He wanted to demand answers, but he just didn't have the energy. Jack curled up in a ball on the bench. He'd just have to trust Optimus. And he did. If he said help was coming, then help was coming.

His consciousness suddenly dipped, making him jerk somewhat awake. He was going to pass out at any moment. Jack rubbed his eyes more vigorously. He needed to stay awake at least until Optimus's help arrived. When he knew he wouldn't wake up on the Decepticon warship, or back in Knockout's cab. Or not wake up at all.

He tried to focus on Ratchet's grumpy voice. "Useless, completely useless. I don't need this." Despite the circumstances, Jack smiled. He'd never been happier to hear the old bot's grumbling. Amazing, the things one took for granted before being dragged off and chased across the country.

But as time passed, Jack struggled more and more to force open his heavy eyelids. Then somewhere in his mind, he registered an approaching hum.

He tilted his head upwards, and spotted what looked like a blurry orange and white helicopter coming down to land near his park bench.

"Do not worry, Jack." came Optimus's fading voice. "You are in good hands." With those words, the battery died.

And as Jack's phone went dark, so did everything else.

The call abruptly cut off. Optimus watched the tracking indicators on the screen. They told him Blades of Rescue Force Sigma 17 and his human partner had just arrived at Jack's location.

They also told him the two pursuing Decepticons were very close.

It had been a risk, contacting the Rescue Bots here. If the Decepticons were to discover them, he had no doubts that they would quickly destroy them. Anyone perceived as Autobot allies or sympathizers would be in grave danger, and the Rescue Bots were no warriors.

But it was a risk he was willing to take, if it was the only way to save Jack's life.

Blades's signal began to move, back over the ocean, towards the little island of Griffin Rock. Optimus felt himself relax. The Decepticons had not seen him. A moment later, their signals vanished as they gave up their search and GroundBridged back to their ship.

Optimus gave a nod. "Jack is safe." He informed Ratchet, who had thrown himself back into his work on their own GroundBridge. Ratchet glanced at him long enough to nod back. "Good. Arcee will be glad to hear it."

Optimus looked up as said bot shot through the hall and into the main hangar. Arcee transformed so fast she almost slipped. "Where's Jack?" She demanded.

Optimus put out a hand to steady her. "He is safe." He repeated. "But we will be unable to bring him back until Ratchet can repair the GroundBridge."

Arcee whipped around and marched over to Ratchet. "Is it..."

"Almost done? No!" Ratchet cut her off. "In fact, the more I fix, the more damage I find. That blasted surge has done more damage than a swarm of scraplets!"

Arcee opened her mouth, but Ratchet glared at her. "Arcee, I'm working as fast as I can!" He sighed, and his optics softened. "Rest assured, once I'm done, you'll be among the first to know. But for now, the best thing you can do for Jack is let me work."

Arcee stared at him a moment longer, and turned away, looking dejected. Optimus could see that she had been trying to be strong throughout the past five Earth days, but Jack's disappearance had taken its toll.

"Arcee?" Optimus spoke up.

She turned to face him. "Where is he?"

Optimus gestured for her to follow him to the silo's hallways. He had a lot to explain. Since Jack was involved, she deserved to know.

"I must ask that you keep this a secret." Optimus finished. "If the Decepticons were to discover their existence..."

Arcee gave a single nod. "I understand." She responded curtly. Optimus hummed and turned back the way they came, leaving her to follow and try not to look like a sulking child.

When the two Autobots returned to the main hangar, Bulkhead and Bumblebee had arrived with Miko and Raf. All four looked up as they approached.

Arcee didn't know what to think. She hadn't considered that any civilian bots had survived the fall of Cybertron. And now she had to trust four of them to protect Jack from the Cons'.

Optimus had assured her that Breakdown and Knockout hadn't seen Jack's rescuer, but she didn't feel any better. If the Decepticons found them, how were a team of bots without any warrior training going to protect Jack?

She hated feeling so helpless. Jack needed her, and she couldn't even get to him.

"Ratch told us Jack has been found." said Bulkhead.

"Is he alright?" Miko looked up at Arcee, then down at the floor. Her voice sounded small.

Arcee looked away. "He's...alive."

"Jack will be fine." Optimus said. "He is safe, and will be cared for until we can Bridge him back."

Miko let out a long sigh of relief, as did Raf. But she still didn't meet Arcee's optics.

"It's not your fault, Miko." Arcee inwardly winced at the tension in her voice, which made the girl shrink even more. It wasn't for the reason Miko thought, but Arcee didn't dare say more lest she raise questions. "Jack chose to follow you." Miko shuffled her feet, eyes downward.

It was too much. Arcee pushed past the newly formed group and headed for the tunnel. "I'm going back on patrol." She shot over her shoulder as Ratchet looked up. At least then she would be doing something. Worrying wouldn't help Jack.

Arcee transformed and drove through the hall, then back into the open Nevada desert. This Rescue Team better know what they're doing.

Because Arcee didn't know what she would do if Jack never came back home.