Very sorry about the delay everyone, I had a nasty case of writer's block and computer troubles to boot.

Part 5

What is worse? Going insane, or knowing that you are?

Sunstreaker knew that he was slowly loosing his mind. The ever-repeating nightmare had now started to appear in their waking hours, bringing with it strange ideas and frightening thoughts that his sleep-deprived consciousness was finding harder and harder to deny.

The crested head was bowed, but the yellow twin refused to admit defeat.

0o0o0

"Somethin' tells me we're gonna need some heavy artillery t' pull this off." Jazz muttered as he and Prowl neared the twin's quarters.
"Perhaps the element of surprise will suffice." Prowl replied. "In their weakened state, the twins will prove much easier to subdue."
Jazz gave the 2IC a strange look. "You ever seen what happens when those two get desperate?" he asked.
"I can't say that I have."
"Well I can." Jazz paused and fired off a quick message over the radio. "Ratch' and his boys are on their way, an' I got Hound and Trailbreaker t' cover th' other end o' the hall. All we need t' do is catch one of 'em and they'll nab the other."
"Perhaps it will not come to that." Prowl replied.
"Slim chance, but we can always hope." Jazz said, squaring his shoulders and tapping the door chime.

He tried twice more before the twins finally appeared, looming within the shadows of their quarters. "What do you want?" Sideswipe growled.

"Well, th' Doc sent us down t' ask you t' come t' the Repair Bay. He tried t' radio you, but y' comms are switched off." Jazz explained, maintaining an 'I'm just here to help' expression and keeping his posture relaxed and non-threatening.
Sideswipe's optics narrowed. "You're lying." He snapped, fists tightening.
"Easy dude, we ain't gonna hurt you." Jazz soothed, hands held up in a placating gesture. "They're gonna bolt, we gotta jump 'em." He quietly radioed to Prowl. "Wait for my signal."
"I don't believe you." The red twin snarled. Prowl shifted his weight slightly, preparing to spring. The tense standoff lasted a second longer, then the twins bolted.

Jazz anticipated the moment perfectly, thrusting himself forward and catching Sunstreaker in a perfect tackle. The lean warrior roared and struggled as his back made contact with the tiled floor, managing to roll on top of Jazz and break the Porche's grip. He jumped to his feet, but Jazz was quicker, darting behind the warrior and wrapping an arm around his neck in a headlock. "Sorry t' do this to ya." The black and white grunted, then stabbed his fingers into a gap between the armoured plates of the Lamborghini's lower back. Sunstreaker howled in dismay as his legs suddenly lost all sensation and he collapsed face first onto the floor, Jazz on top of him. Jazz quickly pinned him, twisting both yellow arms up behind the broad back.

Sideswipe meanwhile, was in the hallway facing off against Prowl. The black and white was half crouched in the middle of the corridor, arms wide. Sideswipe tried to dart past him, but the tactician matched his movements perfectly. "Sunstreaker!" he yelled, risking a glance in his twin's direction.

"Go!" Sunstreaker ordered. For a moment, Sideswipe paused, anguish marking his features. "Go!" Sunstreaker repeated. Sideswipe wheeled and bolted for the other end of the hallway, Prowl close behind. Fear gave the red mech the energy to run, straight into Trailbreaker's outstretched arm as he clotheslined himself.

Gagging, the mech staggered to his feet and tried to escape again, but Hound and Trailbreaker quickly seized his arms and forced him up against the wall. "Lemme go! I'm gonna rip you apart!" Sideswipe roared, swearing viciously as he struggled. But the two mechs remained firm.

"Sideswipe!" Ratchet yelled. Sideswipe paused and looked over to where Ratchet and the rest of the medics were coming up the hallway. First Aid and Perceptor stopped at the door to the twin's room, while Ratchet and Wheeljack continued on. Sideswipe spied the syringe in the medic's hand and his frenzied struggles renewed. "No! Get away from me!" he howled.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Ratchet soothed, motioning for Prowl and Wheeljack to stay back.
"You are! You're gonna kill me, you're gonna kill us both, put us in permanent stasis, keep us away!" Sideswipe screamed in panic, air hissing rapidly through his vents.

Ratchet gently grabbed Sideswipe's chin and forced him to look at his face. "Listen to me Sideswipe." He said gently, keeping his calm optics locked on Sideswipe's terror stricken ones. "I will not bring any harm to you or your twin."
"You will, you'll hurt us!" Sideswipe whimpered, trying desperately to pull his face out of the medic's grasp.
"Sideswipe, have I ever hurt you before?" Ratchet asked.
"N..no." Sideswipe stuttered.
"Then why would I ever hurt you now?" The medic asked, bringing the syringe up to Sideswipe's neck and carefully inserting the tip into the small port embedded at the base of his neck. "I'm here to help you Sideswipe, I promise."

The warrior let out a weak moan as the sedative flooded his systems and shut down his neurological functions. Ratchet watched as Sideswipe's optics faded and he sagged against the wall, an almost paternal concern crossing Ratchet's usually sour features. "Get them both to the Repair Bay, now." He ordered.