Alone

Chapter 6

There were very few problems- logical problems- that Prowl couldn't handle. Math equations, numbers, functions…they were all easy to understand. His only problem was with the variables. Variables he hadn't counted on.

A flash flood wasn't something he had counted on.

What he needed was a way to relay that water. Some way to block the water. Either that, or to find a way to get Jazz out before the water got here. And that wasn't possible.

Prime turned to the second and then back to the water. Prowl knew from the look on his masked face that he had come to a decision. After all, nothing would ever come between him and his crew. In a split second Prime ran back to the line and gave it a jerk, desperately trying to get them out. Lightning flashed behind the commander, his silhouette clear against the desert background. The impending flood rumbled the walls of the riverbed.

"Prowl! Get the others out of here! I'll get Jazz and Sideswipe out," Optimus ordered, his feet slipping in the mud.

Sunstreaker gave a nasty look. No one but no one told him to leave his twin behind and there was no way he was leaving Sideswipe's life in Prime's hands. "Like hell I'm leaving," he snarled and with that Sunstreaker joined the tug of war with gravity. Hound went in reverse to help the best he could.

Ratchet exchanged a look with Prowl before he too took up the end of the line. Together, Ratchet, Prowl, Sunstreaker, Hound and Optimus Prime struggled with the rope. With the added weight of the other mechs, Prime finally saw the two soldiers reappear. Sunstreaker rushed to his brother's side the moment he came into view. Prime almost lost his grip on the cable when the other Autobots also rushed to their friends. Ratchet and Prowl reached Jazz first and quickly removed the cable.

Ratchet gave him a shake, hoping to get a reaction but it was too late. Jazz couldn't hear nor see the Medic. He only had his sense of touch and it was acute as ever. The cold wind stung his armor plating as an involuntary shudder racked his frame. It was getting colder; almost as if were moving through the air now. In all reality, he was; as Prime had taken that opportunity to take Jazz's lifeless body and sprit to the top of the embankment.

"Run!" Sunstreaker shouted above the din, as the floodwater engulfed the riverbed in a frenzy all its own. Roots were torn from their anchor in the earth and rocks tumbled away with the force of the water. Above their heads, thunder crackled and lightning arched over the sky. The wind howled a forbidden song in chorus, whipping through the Autobots' plated bodies.

The embankment was already slippery with the previous rainstorm. Sideswipe struggled to get his feet moving fast enough without getting stuck in the tar-like mud encasing his legs up to his shin. Sunstreaker tugged his twins along as he himself was sinking. The yellow twin looked up at the others. Everyone else was up at the top and only he and his brother were stuck.

Sideswipe tossed a worried look to his brother and struggled all the more to get himself free. The water was coming closer; nipping at his heals like rabid wolves. He wasn't going to get away in time, the water was too fast and too strong.

"Go, Sunny! Get out of here!"

"I aint leaving you, idiot!"

The water was still rising, coming up to his knees now pulling him closer to the rushing water. "Just go!" Sideswipe shouted back frantically.

Sideswipe cast a glance back to the water when Ratchet somehow appeared. "I aint piecing your sorry skid plate back together again today." Ratchet growled, and lurched the red twin from the water. "Now pull!"

Sideswipe, confused as hell as to what had just happened since the last thing he knew Sunstreaker was where Ratchet was now, did as he was told. In a few tugs, his legs were freed and was somehow pushed to the top of the embankment.

"Now that was a rush!" Sideswipe hooted, tossing his hands over his head and flinging himself to the ground in relief.

Sunstreaker trudged over to him, glaring at his sibling. "Tell me you didn't enjoy that."

"It's a rush!" Sideswipe just repeated, not even bothering to sit up.

The other twin just turned his head to the sky and shook his head.

Hound tiredly collapsed on the ground, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "Ya know, I respect nature but there is some sides of it I never want to meet again." The twins and Ratchet grunted in agreement.

It was then that it had suddenly occurred to Prowl that two Autobots were missing. In the chaos of all that had just happened, he'd almost forgot the reason they were out there in the first place which sounded absolutely horrible. But then again, running for your life has that effect on you.

"Where's Prime and Jazz?" Prowl cringed as he looked over the ridge. The entire riverbed was filled to the brim but there was no sight of Prime or Jazz. The remnants of trees and bushes rushed past and the water was a sickening brown color from all the mud. Rapids churned the thick water down the length of the river, braking logs in half each time one was unfortunate enough to come face to face with the rocks. It didn't bode well for Jazz or Prime at all. Especially not Jazz…

"Didn't they make it?" Sideswipe asked worriedly, walking up to where Prowl and Hound stood at the ridge.

"I lost sight of them." Prowl said and activated the homing beacon to find the missing leader. The device scanned frantically for nearly a minute before a blip came up on his screen.

Almost a quarter mile away.

"Oh slag." Ratchet muttered, saying exactly what everyone else was thinking.

Jazz and Prime were caught in the flood.

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Author's Notes:

Uftaki- Hey I haven't met you before! Thank ya much for the kind review J You'll find that I do that a lot to poor Jazz. Just when things are looking up I do something horrible to the guy. Did it again in this chapter. Don't worry though, things will be ok for the guy eventually… well maybe… Mwhahah X)

Mariashadow- Thank ya! I'm trying by best not to jump right to the end like I realllly-realllly want to. I have a tendency to go too fast sometimes. Like in this one, I had originally ended it in this chapter and then went back and wrote more then left it at a cliffhanger. I think it's going to have at least… two or three more chapters. Anyway, thanks again! J

TrueBornChaos- Yep. Just one of those weeks you wish you had stayed in bed for, right? ;) Thanks!

Whirlwind- Heh, do you really want to ask what happens next after all the grief I put the guy through? lol Yey for Prowl though! He saved the day. Or at least Jazz's day…Thank ye!

Tiamat: Yep, I am mean to him. Poor Jazzy-poo. Man, you have no idea how much I want to add her into this.. But I did promise to keep it cannon…. Might not be able to keep said promise though. Jynx would have Jazz's caboose in a sling for this though and I so badly want to add it. Thank ya!