Disclaimer: I own nothing. Well I own the Sparters and most of the plot.

AN: I've finally gotten over my writers block. YES!

Chapter 17

"So we're on track now?" Optimus asked. Elita and Ultra Magnus both nodded. After Elita had recovered from her shock Optimus had explained his plan. If Koji could hold out another three or four days they would be able to trace the signal from the tracking device in that was hidden under one of his shoulder blades, gather a rescue crew, and retrieve the boy. The signal was hard to track be it was on a special frequency that could only be picked up by Omega Prime's sensors, which wouldn't be available until they made sure Optimus didn't receive any circuit damage from the paper weight incident.

"Well if you don't want to get knocked over the head you shouldn't freak out like that," Ultra Magnus said defensively.

"Xandra, we've had this discussion before and the answer is no!, Gen. Sparter told his daughter stubbornly. Even through the phone he could feel her determination.

"Dad, have you seen the news?" Xandra asked getting frustrated with her father's stubborn attitude.

"Yes."

"Then you know why we have to do this," Xandra said.

"We will do nothing," Gen. Sparter hissed. Then he flinched at the way that that had sounded. "I feel compassion for what the boy has been through but-"

"He has a name, Dad," Xandra cut him off.

"But getting involved won't help us at all Xandra," He finished harshly.

"But it might help him," Xandra said, determined.

"Prime probably has his entire army searching for the boy if anything has even happened." The last part was said almost flippantly.

"Four years ago you would have said Prime wasn't a suitable guardian for Koji. You tried your hardest to convince Optimus to let Koji be put into foster care."

"Prime has proven to be a valuable ally to our planet-"

"Back then you didn't give a damn about what was good for the planet! You were thinking about what was best for Koji! The UN saw Koji as a bargaining chip to make an alliance with the Autobots. You saw him as a child who had just lost his father. You aren't going to just sit there and tell me you don't care about him. Despite how much you hated Onishi. No matter how much you hated her for not falling in line with your plan for us, you care about that boy! Even if you deny it and refuse to help me, I'm going to see what I can do to help him. We both owe him that much," Xandra finished.

She heard him sigh on the other end of the line. "Fine. We'll offer our help but nothing more," her father conceded. She smiled. He might have no intention of doing the right thing but she did. Koji maybe almost fully grown but he still needed a connection to his past. A connection she could give him.

"Why is T-Ai unconscious?" Optimus asked, wondering if this day could possibly get worse.

"Excess strain on her emotional health," Red Alert intoned.

"Red Alert, I just had my head bashed in. Anything that isn't in layman's terms is going to go straight over my head," Optimus told the medic.

"She fainted from shock," the medic supplied simply.

"What shocked her?" Optimus asked wearily.

"Apparently we received a message from the Deceptacons about Koji and she read it," Red Alert monotoned.

"Shit!"

"Miracle upon miracles. Prime says something worse then damn," Ultra Magnus said walking in just in time to hear his brother's improper language.

"Shut it Magnus, we've got another problem."

"Yeah that Sparter guy's coming. He'll be in an hour or two."

"May I ask why?" Optimus asked, wondering why he'd even gotten out of bed this morning.

"Don't know. All they told us in the message was that he and some lieutenant got authorization to use the DC base warp gate to come and speak to you," Ultra Magnus told him, rather indifferent.

"Let me know when they arrive. I have another message I have to check at the moment."

Optimus turned off the monitor after reading Scourge's message and watching the footage that came with it. Scourge demanded that the Autobots give up their outposts in sector V, W, X,Y, and Z. He also wanted the two prisoners released. If his demands were not met he'd be sending Koji back in a few pieces.

"Magnus," Optimus said into his communicator.

"Yeah."

"We need to do this now."

Axel had been watching the Saka house for three hours. He was fairly sure that the entire family was inside. From the movement inside he guessed they were getting ready to go out somewhere.

Sure enough, five minutes later the group left, carrying a picnic basket and pushing a stroller with their young son in it. At first glance they looked like your average family going out for an afternoon picnic. But Axel noticed that both Hao and Misa seemed nervous. They were both constantly looking over their shoulders, probably expecting Optimus to show up anyminute to blast them both into next week. Even Yama seemed to be picking up on his parents' nervousness. The boy was irritated over something anyway.

Omega Prime stood in the middle of Optimus' office. He was concentrating very hard on the distant signal that would lead him to where the Deceptacon had Koji hidden.

"Figures they'd hide him in plain sight," Omega growled when he finally located where the signal was coming from.

AN: long weekend. yay