Waking up to a frantic voice wasn't a new experience for June. Jack often had nightmares and would wake her in that very voice long ago. Over time she got tired of them and just told him to climb into her bed. She knew that was insensitive for a young child, but she needed sleep just as much.

Groaning, she turned her head away from his calls.

"Jack your too old for this, just let me sleep. My heads killing me." She groaned while trying to get comfortable. Her bed was surprisingly rock hard. A breeze made her shiver. Where were her covers? Did she kick them off or did Jack rip them off?

Reaching out she attempted to locate them. Her search was halted by something restricting her hands. The alarm shot thru her. She wasn't in her bed. Jack was calling her even more frantically now. Worry laced his voice with each call.

Eyes shooting opens she was greeted with dark silver and black metal. Turning her head she noticed the foreign alien computer and the strange design of the room. It was Cybertronian. Dread filled her. She remembered what happened. She was captured. Just like Jack.

"Mom!"

Turning, tears filled her vision as she spotted Jack. He was alive.

"J..jack... you're alive."

She took in her son. His eyes, once similar to her own, were optics. His skin glowed faintly. As she looked down at his cuffed body she notice the glow coming from his chest. His clothes were drenched in Energon. The blue substance dried leaving the clothes dyed a strange color. What's most worrying were his limbs. They were bent in impossible shapes indicating there broken. Despite all the pain, Jack smiled, relieved to see her awake.

"Hey, mom, not that it's not nice to see you but why did they capture you?"

June frowned, this was not a joking matter. He was seriously hurt and they needed to escape.

"Jackson Darby, this is not the time to be smart. We need to escape! Look at what they did to you!"

Grinding her teeth she moved her wrists and legs attempting to find a way out. They didn't budge. Continuing she felt pricks on her wrist then agonizingly slowly they moved. Her hands were free. She quickly unclamped her legs.

Looking around June noticed she was on a berth. Jack's berth was on her left. Turning she judged the distance.

'... it's not too far..' Gulping she pushed down the hesitation and ran. She had to reach her son. Leaping she barely made it to the other side. Her sliding landing was going to leave bruises thought.

"Jack hold on."

Gaining her feet once more, June carefully moved over. Biting her lip, she held back tears. The damage was even worse up close.

Jack's optics were flickering and his sluggish responses were increasing. The glow pulsing from his chest was dwindling as well. It was similar to a battery.

Quickly she had his limbs out of the restraints. Cradling his head in her lap she muffled another sob.

Jack looked up at his mom, exhausted from that simple movement. His body shook as he coughed. Bright Energon exited his mouth, trickling down his lips. The same lips that were still smiling.

"..hey mom."

That was all June got before his eyes closed.

"Jack, honey, you have to stay awake..." No response.

"Jack.." She shook him forcefully. His response was a groan. Labored breaths filled the room.

"...Jack..." She cried, tears slipping down her cheeks. Her son was dying. Despite his different biology, June knew what death looked like. She was a nurse after all. He only had max a few hours. Worst case he could die any minute.

"Such a spark-breaking sight. A carrier watching their sparkling die, essentially since you can't do anything to save him. For shame."

June stiffened. She knew that voice. That voice she hated so much. The one responsible, her son was dying because of him.

"Megatron." She hissed the name with venom. June was so absorbed in Jack she failed to notice her audience. Knowing the warlord saw her in this state caused her to burn with rage. It was all his fault. If he wasn't here on their planet none of this would happen.

"What do you want?" She refused to look at him. He didn't deserve the attention. Absentmindedly she stroked Jack's hair. He leaned into the touch, face softening slightly.

"I don't want anything. I came to make an offer."

Her curt laugh came after his answer. 'An offer? From the dark lord himself, ha! I rather sell my soul to the devil.' She barely held in her thoughts, knowing insulting the stronger bot was unwise.

"Oh, and what would this offer be?"

June knew she was playing a dangerous game. Thankfully, Megatrons voice didn't seem to hold any anger as he responded.

"An offer that can save your sparklings life, all I require is the location that you found him."

To save Jacks' life. Could he do that? Even if June got Jack back the doctors wouldn't know how to help him. Rachet was her best bet, but he was still confused concerning Jack.

Was it worth it? That was the main question. Why would the warlord, that hates Jack, wish to save him? What benefit did saving Jack hold? June needed more information.

"Why would that help? His body is already destroyed beyond repair!"

June's grip on Jack tightened. The warlord would have to rip Jack from her dead hands.

"Ahh, so you still don't know what you have raised." Megatrons' murmurings piqued June's interest.

'What she raised?' What was that meant to mean? June had raised a sixteen-year-old human boy. That's always what she saw him as, even when he tended to glow. He was just a child. Licking her lips she tasted the salt from her tears. The curiosity that Megatrons comment brought burned in her mind. What did he know? What was Jack?

" ...What do you mean?" Her voice was shaky. She couldn't believe she was taking the bait.

"Young Jackson.." She cringed hearing that greeting come from Megatron instead of Prime. "...happens to be a Cybertronian, not human."

June could hear the smile in the warlord's voice. He was enjoying this immensely. Jack wasn't human. June already knew that. She wasn't stupid. She found Jack in a cave next to a spaceship. One that looks eerily similar to Cybertronian ships. June just never thought he could be a Cybertronian.

He looked human! He wasn't metal or fifteen feet tall. Even when she meet the Autobots the connection appeared farfetched.

"How's that possible..." Her voice was infinitely smaller than before.

"What you see now is only a device that contains his processor and portion of his spark. An advanced version of a hard light projector. It's what allowed him to appear human. It scans the native species and creates a shell based on them."

The information was explained simply without much fanfare. Very clinical akin to how a doctor would tell another. It made sense. June still remembered the feeling of something burning over her skin when she found the ship. It was a scan. One that used her DNA to create what Jack would look like.

That explained a lot.

Every since she adopted Jack no one assumed he was adopted. Their resemblance stopped others from questioning. Both had the same black hair and pale skin. Their eyes were nearly identical and if they included their facial structure then most believed he was her son. June never corrected it either. Comments like 'he has your eyes' or 'he could be your clone' happened often.

Now those comments all made sense.

"That still doesn't explain why you need the location. What help would that be!?" June finally turns around to face the large grey mech.

He was just as intimidating as the last time. He was resting by the door looking at the pair on the berth with an intense gaze. His faceplate's blank.

"Simple. If we find the ship we find the younglings frame. After that, it's a simple procedure of transferring his mind back."

His optics never left June as he slowly explained. The stare was unnerving. It was a gaze of a bot knowing he won.

"But I do have to warn you, the longer you stall hoping for a...rescue, the less time he has."

Megatron turned to the door after that. The door slide into the wall as the large bot stepped thru. He paused and looked back. Optics blazing and a sinister smile directed at her.

"I know you will make the right choice June..."

The metal door slide shut after he spoke those final words.

'The right choice...' Looking down she observed Jack's labored breaths. 'What was the right choice...'


The human femme cracked just like he knew she would. Megatron didn't become the leader of the Decepticons just because of his ability to fight. His words were his real weapon. They often insnared the listeners. Sadly, some were more resistant to those words than others.

The human's pet was one of those. He hadn't taken the bait to kill him in the mines. The noble response the youngling gave him made Megatron want to purge his tanks. His hatred for that boy began to burn that cycle.

The boy's carrier hadn't even taken a bream to tell them the location. This was beneficial. The faster they find the Mechlings frame the faster he gets his information. Information of the Autobot base and Vector Sigmas location. The child was a well o knowledge. Knowledge the warlord needs to turn the tides of war.

"Soundwave what is the process on the dig team?"

"Statis: Exploring."

Megatron hummed his approval. They had reached the coordinates swiftly. The area was lacking in human activity. Forests and hills rolled for miles.

"Good, keep me aware of their status. I want to know exactly when they find the ship."

"Affirmative."

Looking back to the screens, he observed the green environment. Smiling he knew deep below the surface they would find all he seeks.


Beep, beep, beep.

"Rachet can you please turn that off, I am trying to think of a way to find Jack here," Mikos yells from the human section, the noise grated on his circuits. Looking over he noticed it has changed much from yesterday. Papers were everywhere while Raf constantly typed on his laptop.

"Don't forget Mrs. Darby as well Miko." Raf didn't even look up to chastise the girl. Mikos glare wasn't phasing the young genius much either.

"I know, but Jack been missing longer."

Shacking his helm, he returned to the alert that came up. His optic twitched as he still heard Mikos's pointless argument in the background. They have gotten steadily worse the longer Jacks has been gone.

Reading the data his spark filled with hope.

(Optimus, I need everyone in the command center, I found a way to get Jack and Mrs. Darby back.)

(Copy that.)

Ending the comlink, he waited. Soon all the bots were eagerly waiting for his news.

"Have you found them?"

Arcees pleading voice halted the children arguing. Now everyone's attention was squarely on him.

"Just a moment ago I received a Decepticon signal. It appears to be somewhere in the mountains. I am not sure if it's a mine since there are no Energon reads. Why they are digging doesn't make much sense."

He notices Arcees face turn impatient.

"This might be the best way to locate the Nemesis. If I ground bridge you in, you have to be careful. This might be our only chance."

All the bot nodded. They were prepared to get their family back.

"Rachet fire up the ground bridge."

Optimus's stern voice lifted their spirits.

"Firing up now."

The glow of the bridge flashed across the room. Mikos and Rafs face staring hopefully at it.

"Autobots, roll out."