Location: Westcoast Military base

Agent Fowler.

"The bug has been in our computer systems for HOW LONG?" Agent Fowler snarled; his tie hung loose around his neck. He hadn't had time to properly dress before the call came in.

Agent Fowler's wrath was directed at the poor Government tech who was unfortunate enough to be at the helm when the hacker was detected. He pointed to the computer monitor with an unsure frowned. "The hacker was discovered around six this morning. It's impossible to know how long they have had access. What's concerning, is where we found them."

Fowler leaned over the tech's shoulder and squinted at the screen. His eyes widened with realized horror. "Sweet Lady Liberty… They were deep in the Cybertronian data files. How much did they download?"

The tech shook his head. "We don't think they downloaded anything. They opened files regarding Cybertronian medical data and Biology, the Autobot presence on Earth, Energon, and…"

Fowler flung his arms in the air, "And yet we can't track them to their location? How is it Uncle Sam has given this department unhindered top-secret government access and a blank check for a budget, but we can't track one hacker?

"Their location encryption is unbreakable," the tech offered. "They got passed our firewalls without sounding the alarm."

"Mech?" Fowler assumed. Though the organization was presumed dead with the destruction of their leader, it wouldn't be the first-time terrorist groups rose from the proverbial ashes. "Who else would be interested in the bots?"

"It was more than an interest in Cybertronian biology…" the Tech added. His apprehensive tone made Fowler's worry double. He zeroed in on the screen, and a gasp hitched in his throat.

"They got passed us, and accessed the Autobot's Groundbridge?" Fowler whispered.

"It was activated to an unknown location. We have only been able to trace the location to the west of the United States. The hacker scrambled the Groundbridge coordinate log."

The base shook. The tech winced, but Fowler already knew the reason behind the localized earthquake.

"Agent Fowler!" snarled a loud yet haggard voice down the high-ceilinged hallways of the base. Once he heard of the hacker, Fowler assumed it was only a matter of time before Earth's only Cybertronian resident learned of the tampering too. Said resident was also particularly protective of the Ground and Space Bridge said hacker had just utilized for some unknown reason.

The Autobot medic Ratchet stormed into the hanger, his metal face bent down in a semi-permanent scowl. "What have I told you and your troops about using the Groundbridge? You need to ask me first! If it was activated without having enough Energon to power it, it could backfire and cause incalculable damage. Damage I would have to fix!"

"It wasn't us, Ratchet," Fowler sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off the headache already brewing behind his eyes.

Ratchet scoffed. "Pa-lease tell me you didn't let Miko sneak in here and use the Groundbridge again. I believe I made myself clear that SHE is currently banned from utilizing the Groundbridge until I deem her to be sincerely apologetic for the 'incident' three months ago."

Fowler inwardly cringed at the memory of Miko's shenanigans that almost caused a multinational incident. Long story short, she threw multiple stacks of flyers advertising her upcoming Solo show into the activated Groundbridge. Said flyers then rained down over Tokyo, Germany, and London. So much damage control. So much paperwork… Fowler shook his head to dispel the thought and get back on track. "No, it wasn't Miko. The system was hacked remotely and then activated from a currently unknown source."

"Aside from the children and the military, who else knows of our existence?" Ratchet asked. His glowing blue gaze darkened with a sudden realization. "Could it be Mech?"

"I thought so too," Fowler said, but looked again at the screen and files the hacker had accessed. "But now, I'm not sure. It was to clean, which wasn't Mech's MO. They would have attempted to fry our systems on the way out. This was an information grab, and everything Mech would have already known."

Both human and bot looked at the silent Groundbridge.

"The Groundbridge opened, but no one came back through this side?" Ratchet questioned. Fowler glanced at the Tech, who quickly shook his head. Fowler studied Ratchet as the medic put a thoughtful hand under his chin. "If they didn't use the portal to come back here, then what could they use it for?"

"Wait," the Tech muttered as he tapped away at the keyboard. "I haven't decrypted the coordinates the portal opened at, but I am reading from the log there was a refracting interference when it did open."

"Come again?" Fowler asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Let me see," Ratchet huffed, stepping up to the elevated walkway the two humans stood on. The Tech sent the information onto the larger screen on the wall for Ratchet to examine. The scrolling code and calculations might as well have been ancient Greek to Fowler. Instead, he focused on Ratchet's face as he studied the screen. "The Portal was duplicated… into two crossing streams. The fighting portals can rip a small pocket dimension in the fabric of reality. I've only seen this phenomenon twice. Once when Miko, Jack and Rafael slipped into that strange dimension, and then again when we faced down Megatron for the last time and the children weaponized the portals to trap…." Ratchet's face twisted. The fear on the old Bot's face was plane to see. "No."

Ratchet turned on his massive heels to reach his larger control panel.

"What are you doing?" Fowler questioned, unnerved by Ratchet's urgent speed as he worked.

"Requesting backup from Cybertron." He said without glancing away from the screen.

"Aren't the other Bot's busy rebuilding the big tin world and rounding up rogue Cons?" Fowler said.

Ratchet's mouth pursed into a thin line before he nodded. "If my theory is incorrect, then this will just end up being a friendly trip to see the kids. But I suspect there may still be one unaccounted for Decepticon here on Earth that need's, 'rounding up,' as you put it."