'Okay, you can do this... You have been in worse situations... Frag, you have been to another planet and back, a little communication problem shouldn't stop you now...'

That's what Jack keeps telling himself. Starring at the communication panel covered in Cybertronian symbols for the past five minutes wasn't helping his building panic. Jack may not be the smartest but he was known for being perceptive. This skill was useful when hiding secrets, and considering he held a lot, he used it often. Thought the skill was not very practical now. He may remember things Ratchet did on his alien computer but this was different.

The screen just starred back at him. He would have sworn the screen was mocking him if it was sentient, and honestly, he wouldn't blame it. He was lost and the one way to save his butt was right there, shinning.

Hanging his head he looked at the keys beside his feet. The glow reflect off the metal boots he wore from his old suit. Said suit was left below, under the bridge to spark in the dirt. Getting up here was surprisingly easy. With no cons, Jack simply walked to the ramp's lowest point and climbed up. Sure climbing the computer was harder but he managed.

Pushing those thoughts back Jack steeled himself. It had been about 15 minutes since Megatron left, he wasn't going to leave this place unguarded for long. Especially with a space bridge here. Jack lifted his head, determination lit his eyes, a slight glow accompanying the gray-blue.

"Okay, since I have no clue... Might as well press colorful buttons till something happens..." Speaking out loud somewhat calmed his nerves, though the plan still sucked. Reaching out he slammed his palm against a glowing symbol. Then he waited.

Nothing happened. Jack looked up at the symbols and saw nothing noteworthy. 'Was the panel broken?' He prayed that not to be true. Reaching over, less hesitant, he pressed another button. Nothing happened. He repeated the process. Again nothing. Repeat. Nothing. Repeat. Nothing...

By this point, Jack had lost all semblance of control. He was panicking. And who wouldn't? This was his last option and it was as good as scrap. With all the force he could muster, Jack slammed his weight on a button, metal boots clanging with the contact on the button. He stood still as he waited...

Nothing...

Suddenly, the familiar glow of a ground bridge opening filled the room, along with the signature sound they always seem to generate. The green and blue glow was never more relieving and dreading as now for Jack. Those mixed feelings wared within himself. Turning around Jack saw the portal at the end of the cavern. Considering the massive size of the dirt cavern it gave Jack some time.

Looking down at the floor below, Jack contemplated jumping. The risk seemed too great, especially if that portal belonged to the bots. On the flip side, if that was Megatron and his cronies returning jumping still wasn't ideal. If it was the cons, Jack would need to run and you can't do that with a broken body.

The decision was quickly made when Jack heard the thundering steps of a psycho warlord. Jack wasn't proud to say he knew Megatron just from his steps but the sheer fear the con instilled in him caused him to remember the sound. Before Jack could stop his body, he was flying off the edge and colliding with the metal platform in a tumbling roll. When the world stopped spinning, Jack looked around and noticed Megatron just staring at him. It was unnerving having those red optics eyeing him. Jack would have found it funny that the warlord's normally terrifying faceplates were drawn in utter confusion, but.. he had to run.

Breaking the eye contact, Jack shot to his feet running towards his only escape, the edge of the platform. Jack gulped as the edge got closer, attempting to ignore Megatrons steps. Jack lept. He was floating for a few seconds before gravity decided to take over. He started to fall and... 'Scrap this is higher than I thought!' When Jack first fell from this height, he was preoccupied with his suit trying to cook him. Now that he had a moment to recalculated his sanity, he realized something. "I am going to die.." The exclamation was covered up by the wind going past him. Shutting his eyes he waited for impact. But, sadly, it never came.

The feeling of metal servos halting his fall was what greeted Jack instead. It made him wish he did hit the ground now. Jack knew there was only one reason he didn't and that was thanks to the bot behind him. Hanging his head, Jack kept squirming but the hold simply got tighter.

"Well, I guess I haven't lost after all."

The cackle after sent dread down to Jacks's very soul.


The first thought that she had was of Jack. She remembered the terror in his eyes. How he just...fell. They were so close and then they lost him. It was a trade that none of them wanted.

Her audio receptors came on next.

"...where suppose to keep him safe!"

"Arcee had him in her grasp. I don't know what happened!?"

"Just open the bridge again! We have to find him!"

Arcee recognized the shirl voice of June yelling for the bridge to be open. From the previous comment, the mother also seemed unhappy with Jacks' lack of 'protection'. The other voice she noticed was Bulkhead.

"We can't do that. If Megatron is there we would just undermine the whole point of the rescue. Plus, he most likely has the space bridge properly protected now. It is too risky." That cold statement was from their resident medic. His reasoning, sound as it was, still stung to Arcee.

"That may be the case, however, Jackson risked his life for me, I can't condone that we left him behind when we can save him."

At that counter-argument, Arcees optics flew open. The screen that was presented to her wasn't much of a surprise. She was resting on the medical berth, Rachet beside her on his computer. Optimus was standing close to the medic, blue optics imploring the older bot to understand where the Prime stood.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee stood back next to the loft that the humans stood by. The two bots shifted uneasily, faceplates distressed. Optics were filled with guilt from failing.

The humans that rested by the railing weren't in better spirits. Miko was shifting about. Raf's eyes were rimmed with red, giving Rachet pleading looks. Fowler was preoccupied with supporting June. He was a crunch for the distressed woman, speaking quietly and rubbing her back soothingly. Those gestures didn't seem to phase June. She was the worse of all of them.

June's face had tears streaming down, body limp against Fowler's body. Her eyes were blown wide. The look she gave Ratchet and Optimus was haunting. The desperation, hope, and pure terror were worse than Jack's.

"Please... Please save my son." That was all the women said. Those words weren't loud like before but they impacted the medic, along with everyone else.

The large metallic bang caused Arcee to jump in her berth. Rachets shoulder plating shook as be vented.

"I want to save him just as much! Jack has done so much for us...but it will be suicide if we go now. If we went back earlier, when we first came then it wouldn't be...but now after at least 20 minutes... Jack is more than likely discovered. If we noticed he was gone earlier then this would be an issue. We should have realized..." Rachets voice taped off as he explained. He vented once more before turning sharply and facing the whole group.

"Which is why I am baffled that I am doing this..." Ratched went over and simply typed up coordinates. The glow of the ground bridge was akin to hope. Arcee was out of her breath before the other realized. Her strides to the bridge turned into a full-out run as she neared. Arcee was so focused that the shouts of Rachet were drowned out. She could care less as the bridge swallowed her. She had to make this right. She would save Jack. He was a little brother that she hadn't wanted. One that wormed his way into her spark. Arcee wouldn't fail him the second time.

Arcees spark froze. She hadn't thought of the threat that could stop her from the impromptu recuse. Sure she heard Rachets rant about the danger, but this wasn't the scene she expected.

Rachet had entered the same position as last time so she poped put on the end of the platform. The space bridge was decorative on her right. Thought that wasn't what she was fixated on.

Down at the very end of the platform was Megatron. The large bot eyed her with glee. He just simply turned his back on her and continued to the bridge at the other side of the cavern.

"Decepticons, drive the Autobots out." The order wasn't yelled but it echoed in the cavern. All the cons around Arcee didn't hesitate. And neither did she. Charging the groups of cons she went wide. Her only goal reaching the gleeful warlord. That warlord held something that she wanted back. Arcee just saw him for a brief moment, but Megatron held Jack in his servos. The boy was passed out or worse from his slumped form in Megatrons grasp. The worry fueled her as con after con fell to her rage. The dance of combat was familiar. Cons being slashed and shoot all around her. She barely acknowledged the other Autobots assisting her. Her optics locked on Megatrons leisurely moving frame.

"Megatrons got Jack!" She yelled to her comrades. They probably could assume but she had to give them definite proof. Those words seemed to cause all to redouble their efforts.

Noticing the other taking care of the remaining cons, Acree transformed and drove between the falling Decepticons. She swerved to and fro getting closer to her destination. She was close...

Megatron turned and smile. He held Jacks' unconscious figure up to taunt her. The large bot took a few steps slowly disappearing in the vortex. But not before leaving something to haunt all the bots rushing towards him.

"Thank you for the pet. I will be sure to take...good care of him."

The vortex closed right when Arcee reached it. Her frame skidded to a stop, transforming as she looked where Jack once was. Her optics blow wide with disbelief. She was so close...

Her frame clasped to the ground. Finally realizing the damage done in her rush over. She was exhausted and had nothing to show from it. They had tried their best while Megatron...he made their efforts seem like a joke. He fragging strolled out of the cavern with Jack. It was humiliating. But what truly got to her was how he addressed Jack as a 'pet'.

Clenching her servos, 'Jack was no 'pet'.'

Feeling a large servo on her shoulder plate, she looked up to see the same grief in her family's optics. Optimus's stern face was turned to the spot Megatron once was.

"We will get him back. I owe him a great debt, but Jackson has become more than a friend. He is part of this family just like our other human friends at base."

Those words lifted Arcees spirit somewhat. Gritting her denta, she made a promise. 'I will get you back, partner.'