Alone
Chapter 5
At the computer, The Autobot Leader paced back and forth, a rut in the floor showed with age and ware under his feet. It had now been over a week and still no sign of Jazz. Prime had doubled the number Autobots out in the search two days ago, but that didn't work either. Going over nearby areas with a infrared light didn't work, too many other machines- man made machines- were in the same area and the scans couldn't make a difference between the two. Even Prowl hadn't been able to come up with a way to find the Special Operations Officer
The tension between the Autobots was thick as well, a civil war brewing among the ranks. It all started with the Twins accusing Hound and Trailbreaker of not reporting anything during their shift around the time Jazz went missing. Naturally, the accusation split the crew in half. Half believed Hound and Trailbreaker, half stood behind Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. Any time either side clashed…it wasn't a pretty sight. The Twins had become very aggressive, more so than usual and the whole situation was giving Prime a major headache.
Behind him, Prime could see Prowl still hard at work on one of the computers. The days and days worth of searching for some options was starting to ware on his friend as Prime couldn't help but notice the Datsun's door wings drawn down and his slouched posture. Prowl never slouched. Prime could only guess such a change was the result of lack of recharge. No way could Prowl rest when a problem went unanswered. It bothered the tactician too much.
Optimus shook head his and stopped his pacing, leaning against the computer with his hand over his optics tiredly. He just knew there was something he was forgetting. Some how it had to be possible to find him. Cybertronian technology is so advanced, how could it not find a way to find Jazz.
"Prime!" Prowl suddenly spun in his chair and reached over to another console, removing disks and printouts of papers in a flourish. "I got it! What is the one thing Jazz carries everywhere he goes?"
Prime watched the tactician continually remove and replace disks, Prowl's optics never once looking up to his commander's. Optimus rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Besides a beacon and an energy signature?"
"Yes. Something only Jazz does."
The commander shrugged his shoulders, "Just tell me, Prowl."
"His radio. Eighty-eight percent probably that Jazz has his radio and is using it. Which means if we track radio signals in Nevada we should find him."
"It's near Las Vegas, Prowl. I'm certain more than one radio will be on."
"Yes, however," Prowl handed Optimus a data pad, "the decoy the Decepticons used a week ago was buried underground. Chances are then, that the real Jazz is also underground and chances are he'll be in Nevada because the Decepticons couldn't have gotten too far without being noticed by someone and Jazz is well known by the humans. Someone would have reported seeing him."
Prime nodded, looking over the statistics listed in the pad, "So you believe we can find him with his radio?" Optimus sounded skeptical.
"No, not find. Found." Prowl pointed to the map on the data pad were a flashing star marked a spot in the desert terrain.
"He's alive."
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No matter how much he tried, his one good hand couldn't cover the wound enough to keep the dirt and water out and it was painful. The exposed circuits sizzled with the incoming water and the mud began to collect on the inside of his armor which didn't help his condition in the slightest. The ground felt like it was eating him alive as his heavy body sunk deeper into the unforgiving earth. Jazz silently cursed. If only he could move! If only he had a way to get to the others…surely they were looking for him? They wouldn't have left him to die. Would they?
No they wouldn't. Jazz shook his head and tried to shift his weight, levering himself with his good arm to get the wound out of the mud. That didn't help much either as the water now fell directly on the cut.
Cringing, he lowered his side back to the mud. The others had to get here fast. If they didn't, he'd go into stasis lock in less than an hour. Maybe half an hour, he wasn't sure.
"Please hurry, guys…" Jazz whispered, knowing there was no one a side from the cold rain to hear him.
Or at least he thought so.
Until he heard car engines.
Six car engines roared in the distance, coming closer at amazing speed. Jazz tried to crank his head upwards to better hear but it was no good. His audios had started to shut themselves down from lack of energon two hours ago. Jazz could hear very little now.
The saboteur smiled at the thought of Ratchet throwing a fit at his poor condition.
He listened as the tires stopped one by one, spinning on the slick dirt; one pair of tires skidding over the steel above his head.
"Holy Slag!" Jazz heard Sideswipe's surprised voice called out, as suddenly as the red twin tore though the thin plating and fell down into the hole. The saboteur braced himself as Sideswipe's weight came crashing down on him, making him sink yet even farther into the earth. A torrent of rain followed in his wake, dousing the Porsche again.
As soon as the mud cleared, Jazz felt out with his hand, coming to rest on Sideswipe's shoulder. "Siders, if that's you, I can't tell ya how happy I am to see yer sorry skid plate."
"Jazz," Sideswipe coughed at the dust that had clogged his air filters, "if that's you, I can't tell you how happy I am to your sorry skid plate either." The red twin dusted the mud off his smiling face, relief creeping its way into his vocalizer. Jazz returned the smile as another bolt of lightning light up the area.
"You alright down there, Swipe?" Jazz picked up Sunstreaker's voice echoing off the walls, the weight on his chest shifting upright to yell back to the yellow twin.
"I found him! He's alive!"
"Is he functional?" Prowl's head peered over the hole to Sideswipe, flashing a light down at him.
Sideswipe shook his head, looking over his battered friend. Rain water had risen, covering a good part of his body. On Jazz's midsection, Sideswipe could see sparks sputter under the rainwater. The rest of his frame was scraped and dented from his encounter with the seekers, his optics pale. Sideswipe almost thought they were offline but a soft blue glow emanated from around the corners. That was when it hit him.
Optics, not a visor.
Anger rushed though his systems. The 'Cons must have taken it just to be that much crueler.
"He don't look good," He called back to the others, fighting the rising anger in his voice before turning his attention back to Jazz, "Can ya move?"
Jazz's horned head shook sadly, "Naw. Severed my linkage, jus' missed the connector to one arm." He demonstrated by moving said arm, "'m running outta energy though. I go inta Lock in half hour. Can't see or hear real good either."
Sideswipe repeated the information to the other five at the top. Ratchet strained to hear the Lamborghini above the thunder that vibrated their hulls with each clash.. The rain was coming down in sheets making it hard to see Sideswipe and Jazz. Both Ratchet and Sideswipe had to switch to personal communicators to hear each other.
Prime calmly waited for the CMO to give the diagnostic, hoping Prowl at the same time was trying to find a way to get both mechs back up to the surface. Judging by this storm, it wouldn't be long before they were both underwater. The area was a flood zone and a dried riverbed to boot. They had to get them out before the storm hit at full force.
With a sigh, Ratchet stood to his feet, "He has less than a half an hour before stasis lock and he can't see or hear either. His systems are so starved for energy they've shut down on him. If we don't get something into him before then…" The medic paused, "well, I'm sure you can guess the rest."
Sunstreaker had his arms crossed across his golden chest, the rain making small rivers down his face. "So how do we get them out of there?"
Prowl stopped his pacing, "Hound do you have you cables?"
"Sure," The scout nodded, "I'm a jeep. I always keep line and cable."
Prowl peered down the hole. About forty or fifty feet down. It would be risky but if they could throw a line down, Sideswipe could hook it under Jazz's arms and then Hound could retract the line, pulling Jazz out of the hole. It was the only option they had at this point. There just wasn't enough time for anything else.
"Good. Give it to Sideswipe." Prowl ordered.
Hound transformed back to jeep mode so Prowl could unhook the cable from his front end assembly. Sideswipe didn't need to be told what to do, as he latched the line around his friend. Jazz's body was like a dead weight trying to help him sit up, making it awkward for the Lamborghini to tie it but after only five minutes it was finished.
"You okay, Jazz-man?" Sideswipe prodded, shaking him slightly when he received no response.
Slowly, optics refocused and Jazz lifted his head to mutter "Yeah." His voice sounded strained and distant but Sideswipe didn't have time to worry, they had to get him out. The red Lamborghini gave the line a tug to make sure it was safe.
"Punch it Hound!"
No one moved. Sideswipe tugged at the line again, "com'on Hound! I said move!" Still no answer. "What? Did you all fall asleep up there?" Sideswipe called again. Why wasn't anyone answering him? Was it Decepticons? What the slag was going on? Jazz's optics were shuttering themselves again and the rain water was no up to his head even as he was sitting upright.
Just Sideswipe was ready to throw a rock up, he heard his brother's voice over his personal comm.
"We can't."
We can't? Sideswipe blinked as his mind mulled over the words. "We can't what? What can't we do?"
The red Lamborghini listened for a response from his brother but yet again, he didn't get one. He could however, hear a rumbling sound above him and the ground was vibrating under his feet. It had to have been a Decepticon attack. Had to be. But then why couldn't he hear the jet engines.
Finally his response came in only two words.
"Flash Flood."
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Author Notes: Sorry it took so long to get this one done, been a lot going on. Like my room mate for college backing out on me only three weeks before I move. growls Anyway, hope everyone liked the chapter. Sorry for yet another cliffhanger… O:)
Mariashadow: Thank ya much! You'll see the reoccurring theme of Jazz's hatred for silence and being alone. 'Specially in Semi-Charmed Life. Poor baby, I'm so mean to Jazz but it's only because I love him so much ;)
Whirlwind: Don'tcha just hate it when ya have those weeks? Don't worry though, the Twins will get them back for all this. ;) Thank ya for the review!
Tiamat: Oh I'm sure they're mad and or crazy enough to do it too. If they weren't so worried about Jazz they would I think. Don't mean they wont later though ;) Thanks!
Truebornchaos: The twins will have their way sooner or later. Poor, poor Cons ;) Thank you!