Disclaimer: I don't own the Transformers Hasbro does

AN: For all of those who found my description of Koji's injuries in the last chapter please reread the last chapter's warning

Chapter7

Optimus and the Autobot brothers watched the police leave fighting down intense feelings of anger.

Not at the Police since Koji still stood in the center of the room and had since Samuels had let go of his shirt and walked out. The anger was at the Sakas. Before they had only known that the Sakas had hurt Koji. They hadn't realized the extent of the pain they'd caused the child. Now they knew. And it pissed them off.

"Damnit I'm going to-"

"You're not going to do anything" Optimus cut Sideburn off.

"But-"

"The circumstances are different now. We know for certain what will happen if the Sakas get Koji. It's time for a change of plan."

"It's only one week till your meeting with the world leaders. Can't we keep him safe for that amount of time?" T-Ai asked.

"From the humans yes. Scourge no. He's in danger as long as he's on earth. I'm having a ship take him to Cybertron in two days" Optimus said.

"Are you sure it was Koji that Scourge was trying to get Mr. Saka to give him? Scourge could have just kept Koji the day before the funeral when Saka took him to Scourge" Prowl said.

"Scourge was still trying to pass Onishi's death off as an accident. It would have looked suspicious on both parts if Koji had been kidnapped right after his father was killed" Magnus said.

"Inspector shouldn't we—" the cop was cut off by an intense glare from Samuels.

"Come now" Samuels said forcefully. Then he continued walking. The other cops just looked at each other before following.

"Um sir? Why aren't we taking the kid back?" an officer asked.

Samuels looked back at him. "Didn't you see the kid's back?"

"Yeah isn't that reason enough to take the kid?"

"You think the Autobots did that." It was a statement not a question.

"Uuhhhh?" the young officer did know how to respond.

"The scars on that boy's back were old. Years old. He only came into contact with the Autobots a few months ago. Do you honestly think they had time to do that to him without anyone noticing?"

"No" was the only answer any of them could give.

"Prime, you can't really expect us to wait that long to launch our assault on the Deceptacons" Megatron said incredulous.

"Yes I can. Scourge killed Dr. Onishi and had some sort of deal with the people who currently have legal custody of Onishi's son. I'm not doing anything until I can get Onishi's boy out of Scourge's reach" Optimus said careful not to use Koji's name so he didn't seem to familiar with the boy. Even though all the Predicons and Deceptacons knew Optimus was close to the boy he didn't want to give any reason to make him even more of a target.

"The longer we wait the more time they have to plan a defense or an attack against us" Megatron tried to sway him.

"Scourge won't want to come after us until he's more secure in his power. Outing the leader of a faction doesn't always mean you have complete loyalty of those under you. He'll have to be sure that he still has the loyalty of his Deceptacons. There won't be an all out assault for a few weeks at least" Optimus said.

"What about a more subtle assault?"

"That's why I'm in a hurry to get the Onishi boy off the planet."

Before this discussion could go any further T-Ai's voice came over Optimus' internal radio.

"We've got a problem."

"How the HELL did this happen?" X-brawn yelled.

"X-brawn yelling won't help the situation," Optimus admonished.

"Damnit how'd they get him?" Prowl said.

"Prowl, don't start either."

"How can we not? Our little brother is barely still among the living and he was only patrolling around the corner from the base when he got ambushed!" Prowl said. Everyone knew it was bad if Prowl was talking back to Optimus.

Optimus sighed. He'd probably be acting the same way if he were in Prowl or X-brawn's place (even if his brother hated his gut's). He hoped Koji was taking this better than Sideburn's older brothers. Koji wasn't throwing a fit like the others but Optimus knew that if Koji was upset he kept it all bottled up until it was too much and he broke down. Koji was at the moment sitting on the recharge table next to Sideburn, watching his friend with mournful eyes.

Koji got up and jumped off the table and walked out. Optimus watched him go hoping he wasn't going to do anything stupid. Optimus wanted to follow him and make sure of this but the two conscience Autobot brother were his top priority at the moment.

R&R