AN: Oh my gosh. This was over 4,000 words and up to ten pages in my Microsoft Word Starter! I couldn't find a satisfying place to end this chapter. This makes fifty chapters, 330 reviews, and 150,000 words. Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews, and any ideas you may have given me! I have no idea how much longer TC will continue, but sheesh! Like usual, I want at least five reviews before I update the next ch., but you guys are pretty good at that!

Reviews: Thanks to all who reviewed! (Sharta, MissShelz, Iwanita, shadow-dog18, Noella50881, supergirlprime, sant04, Oedipa13)
supergirlprime: I believe I explained everything quite thoroughly in the PM! If anyone has any questions like sgp did go ahead and ask, I'll probabaly answer!
Oedipa13: Well, I really didn't go over Barricade's emotions, but either way he's been with the 'bots almost half a year now, and I just think Soundwave would have more of a hard time than Barricade concerning talking to Megatron!

Chapter 50
The trap part 2: Stolen

The front of the base was a mess. Pavement was torn up from mechs hitting it, and there were skid marks and scratches of paint on it as well. The entire front wall was down, leaving a gaping entrance into the main hall. At one point Skywarp had teleported too close to the wall and slammed into it, breaking some of it down. And another time Groundhog had been tossed into it by Thundercracker.

"Oh, esteemed leader." Starscream called from his spot on the battle field.

Starscream and Skyfire were the only two not exactly fighting. They stood mere feet apart from each other, servos interlocked as each tried to push the other back. Even with Skyfire's greater size they were just about even, and the fact that Skyfire wasn't trying to hurt him. The two had done more staring at each other than even actual pushing. Since Skyfire didn't seem to need any help, Red Alert had slowly disappeared back inside the base with the organics, Wheelie, and Orion. He went slowly to avoid drawing attention to himself, coming all the 'bots and used to be Decepticons to tell them where he was stationed. Prowl thoroughly approved, being happy that somemech besides Wheelie to guard the civilian organics and Orion.

Megatron, however, was currently trying to fend off both Ratchet and Prowl. What Prowl lacked in strength and speed, Ratchet easily made up for. What Ratchet lacked in skilled fighting, Prowl easily made up for. The Medic had to be strong for his larger patients, and fast for his more speedy patients. Prowl was SIC of the entire Autobot army, and his battle computer was one of the best around. It could compute scenarios and options in less than a second. It was no wonder that he ignored his SIC.

Out of the entire Autobot army, if found alone by a group of Decepticons, they were the only two Autobots who didn't have a kill order over their heads, they were to be captured instead. They were just too valuable.

Shockwave was in a deadlock with Barricade. Barricade's sheer stubbornness put him on an even playing field with Shockwave's greater intelligence, and both were about the same size and strength. The Decepticon was doing more evading; trying to drag an irrational and stupid reaction out of the ex-con, but so far none of it had been working. He spent most of his time trying to goad the location of either organic out of him.

Skywarp was fighting Jazz, having taken to the ground finally. Jazz had finally pulled the right wires to mess with his warping abilities, and that left Skywarp more than a little pissed off. As it would turn out, Skywarp was just as good fighting on the ground as he was in the air. Groundhog was stuck fighting Thundercracker, and they both had the advantage of knowing each other's moves. They both had the disadvantage of the other knowing their moves. The soldiers were down on the ground, attempting to shoot one of Thundercracker's wings out of commission. Bumblebee alternated between helping Groundhog, and helping Jazz.

Besides Skyfire and Starscream, each mech had at least some wounds on them. Jazz and Prowl were the worst, both covered in dents and scratches that leaked Energon. One of Prowl's doorwings had nearly been torn off by Megatron, and the SIC had to shut off the sensors in that wing as to not be taken out of the battle already. Doorwings were highly sensitive, especially to pain. That was the first thing Megatron had gone after.

Given that everymech besides Starscream and Skyfire were fighting, it was no wonder that only those two paid any attention to the sound of Snarl flying in overhead. Skyfire said nothing, knowing the Dinobots already. Starscream stared with wide optics, opening his mouth to say something just as what looked like an oddly shaped Seeker dropped something large right over Megatron.

Starscream took his optics off Skyfire for a second, "Oh great and wondrous leader."

"What, Starscream?" Megatron snarled, "I'm busy!"

"I just thought you'd like to know that there's something falling towards you, but given your amazing abilities, you probably already realized this."

Megatron looked up in surprise, making out a large and oddly shaped metallic being falling at him at a fast rate. Prowl and Ratchet paused and looked up with him, both taking hasty steps backwards as Grimlock fell smack dab on top of Megatron. Megatron automatically buckled his knees, allowing his body to move to the ground without any resistance. Resisting the heavy load would just end up hurting him more.

Shockwave was trying to get by his leaders side, while everymech else had stopped fighting. The Decepticons, minus Megatron, stared in surprise at the newest and oddest looking Cybertronian they had ever seen.

Grimlock roared triumphantly, tail slamming on the ground. "ME GRIMLOCK SQUASH HIM MEGATRON!"

"Grimmy, get off him! He's not dead!" Sam called; safely up on Swoop's back still. Miles sat beside him, surveying the situation down below.

Sam's warning was too late for the Dinobot leader. Megatron growled, moving his servos and grabbing Grimlock by his peds. He then proceeded to stand up, pulling the Dinobot with him and then tossing him towards Ratchet and Prowl. Grimlock landed heavily on Prowl, the poor SIC groaning under the heavy weight of the Dinobot. Snarl came charging into the scene, growling and pawing at the ground with a ped as he awaited orders.

"SAM, MILES!" Bumblebee yelled, looking up at his Charge with worry. "GET DOWN FROM THERE!"

Megatron laughed, "Thundercracker, Skywarp, Starscream, get the organics! "

Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Starscream took to the air immediately. Skyfire followed Starscream up, chasing the Air Commander off even as Skywarp and Thundercracker went after Swoop. Swoop roared as Skywarp crashed into him, tilting dangerously and knocking both teens off of him. Skyfire turned his attention from Starscream to them, diving desperately and trying to catch both of them.

Thundercracker dived, catching a screaming Miles in both servos just as Skyfire managed to grab Sam. Skyfire flew down low, dropping Sam into Bumblebee's waiting servos. Thundercracker flew to Starscream, tossing a struggling Miles to his trine leader. Starscream caught the teen as easily as if he was a sack of flour, diving down and landing beside Megatron.

"Give him up, Megatron!" Prowl demanded.

Megatron sneered, "Give Shockwave his little socket, Starscream. Shockwave, permission to return to base granted."

Miles went flying through the air yet another time, landing in the grip of Shockwave with a startled yell. The Scientist transformed in a second, racing off and leaving the teen trapped inside of him. Barricade transformed instantly, chasing after the 'con.

"Groundhog, flank me!" The ex-con called to his old teammate, Groundhog transforming and following his old boss.

Bumblebee stared after the two in surprise, Sam held close in his servo, and Thundercracker took the opportunity to attack, knocking the Scout into the ground with a kick.

Optimus Prime had led his team back to land as soon as he had gotten the update from Teletran I. The only thing they had found was the ship that had belonged to team Alpha Minor B. No mech had been in sight, the ship had been completely empty. It looked as if team Alpha Minor B had been chased off, Energon cubes lying on the floor half drunk.

They had landed on the ground, a scouting team sent out first. They weren't fools to think Megatron wouldn't have anything waiting for them, and they were right. The team, consisting of Soundwave and his cassetticons, had been ambushed by Menasor. Optimus had gone down quickly to help the Decepticon turned Neutral, followed by everyone else.

They quickly found out that Menasor wasn't the only one waiting for them. Hook and two seekers, Thrust and Dirge, were there as well.

Pairing up with Soundwave and the cassetticons, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe took Menasor down. It was made easier seeing as Soundwave could read Menasor's combined mind. The twins minor took on the two seekers, and for once the twins major didn't yell at them for copying their jet judo moves.

Optimus Prime looked at Hook, and Hook raised his servos in a gesture of peace.

"I'm a slaggin' Medic, not a fighter." Hook said, grinning. "Lord Megatron never said I had to do any fighting. Besides, even I'm afraid of the true Autobot leader."

"Even Unicron fears that Medic." Ironhide grumbled, eyeing the Decepticon medic wearily.

Hook would never make a move even as his teammates were taken down. Either way, even Optimus would keep an eye on the Decepticon Medic up until they went racing off towards the base. Hook watched them leave silently.

Every Decepticon that formed Menasor were lying apart from each other, sprawled on the ground out cold. Thrust lay next to his fellow fallen Seeker, Ramjet. Ramjet was out cold as well, and Thrust was the only one besides Hook who remained awake.

Thrust hissed from his spot on the ground, "How dare you help the Autobots!"

"I'm the one fixing you, dumbaft. How could I do that if I needed help myself?" Hook growled in reply.

"So you really do care about us?" Thrust asked in disbelief, staring at the Medic.

Hook snorted, "Don't get me confused, you stupid Seeker. As disgusting as they may be, I have an investment in that Sparkling, and if I keep playing nice they might make me a play date. Besides, Megatron left me in charge of calling Grindor."

Thrust just groaned in response. It was no secret in the Decepticon ranks that Hook was Sparkling crazy, though none of them could understand how someone like him could go, as the humans said, gaga over babies. Hook just smirked, contacting his leader and get an update on the situation. He then comm'd Grindor.

:Grindor, help Shockwave.:

Shockwave sped to one of the few Decepticon mini-ships that were still completely intact, reaching it and transforming. As he did a large Decepticon stepped out of the ship, looking at him with cold red optics.

"Grindor, how nice of you to join us."

Grindor eyed the Scientist warily, and then the organic in his palm. "Why speak in English?"

"Knowing what is to come and having nothing to do but wait is much more satisfying, don't you agree?"

"Is that the organic?" Grindor was referring to Samuel James Witwicky. He had never seen the teen personally, but he did know that Megatron was pissed over having been killed by him, and the Fallen himself was angry at the teen for taking his best subordinate down.

"It is one of them." Shockwave replied, holding Miles between two fingers and showing him to Grindor. The teen stayed stubbornly silent. "He's usually a bit more talkative than this. Maybe he won't be as fun as I was hoping."

"We are to use him to resurrect the Fallen if we do not get the other one. He may not be your socket for long."

Shockwave sighed, "Indeed. I am looking forward to quite a few things with this socket. It would be a shame if he only managed to succeed in resurrecting our Master."

"Barry will get me, you one eyed freak, so don't worry about that!" Miles growled, squirming in Shockwave's grasp and glaring up at the two.

"You are right in one thing," Grindor plucked Miles out of Shockwave's hold; sneering at the tiny organic. "Barricade will come for you. And when he does, we'll rip him in two."

Miles swallowed hard, trying to think of something to say just as Barricade and Groundhog arrived on the scene. Grindor placed him on top of the ship as the two used to be Decepticons transformed.

"MEGATRON!"

Optimus' roar could be heard by everyone and mech in the base and outside of it. Megatron snarled, kicking Prowl's body away from him as he turned to the young Prime.

"Another day, Prime. We have what we want."

"Retreating already, Megatron?"

"It's not retreating if I've already won. Decepticons, follow me!" And with that Megatron transformed, shooting off into the sky. Thundercracker, Starscream, and Skywarp followed. Starscream and Skywarp had to keep Thundercracker in the middle of them to keep him up, the Seeker having a whole through his left wing due to Will.

Optimus Prime watched in surprise as Megatron and the Seekers hightailed it out of there, before turning to what he could see of his team. He could see Ratchet, Prowl, Bumblebee, Skyfire, and five organics. Four soldiers: Will, Epps, Graham, and Fig. One civilian: Sam. That was worrying. On top of that there was three mechs he didn't recognize right off hand, but he saw the Autobot symbol on all of them, and none of his team seemed to be weary of them.

"We has two questio's, yo!" Mudflap said, Skids nodding beside them. "What that be burnin', and who they?"

"Oh my Primus!" Wheeljack's squeal, and that's all it could be called, shocked everyone. "You actually transformed! I'm so proud of all of you!"

The Scientist ran to the three mystery mechs, pulling them all into a hug. Optimus could practically see Ratchet's optic twitch, and a mere second later he had a wrench out and lodged in Wheeljack's helm.

"WHY THE FRAG DIDN'T YOU TELL US THAT THE TYRANNOSAURUS REX, THE PTERANODON, AND THE TRICERATOPS WERE ALT MODES!" Ratchet seethed, looming over a terrified Wheeljack.

"Holy frag!" Sideswipe gaped, "Those are the Dinobots!"

"I wasn't sure if they would ever actually be able to do it, Ratch, I swear! Otherwise I would have told you!" Wheeljack raised his servos up in an attempt to get the Medic calmed down.

"ME GRIMLOCK TRANSFORM AND MAKE FIRE!" Grimlock roared proudly, reverting back to his Tyrannosaurus Rex alt mode. Swoop and Snarl followed his example.

"Oh. They figured out that part too, huh?" Wheeljack asked, smiling nervously at Ratchet.

Ratchet growled, "Yes, they did. They nearly roasted my aft off!"

"And here we thought that smell was just your bad temper." Ironhide said sarcastically, moving around the Medbot to grab his Charge.

Up until he ended up flat on his aft with a pissed off Medic right above them.

Optimus silently prayed to Primus that he wouldn't start developing what Will often referred to as migraines brought on by the stupidity of his subordinates.

"Prowl, status report." Optimus ordered.

Prowl sat up slowly, groaning as he did so. This saved Ironhide from Ratchet's wrath, the Medic appearing by the SIC's side in an instant to help.

"Red Alert is inside with Mikaela, Trent, Wheelie, and Orion. Sam, Epps, and Graham are unharmed. Will has taken shrapnel to the side after destroying one of Thundercracker's wings with his ability. I am functioning at 55%. Groundhog and Barricade's whereabouts are unknown. They were last seen chasing after Shockwave, who had Miles."

Optimus turned to Sam immediately. He knew that the teen, Epps, and Will could feel Miles through the odd bond they shared. It was much like a Cybertronian's bond to another, only normally they couldn't feel each other's emotions.

"He's alive, but besides that we don't know anything." Sam said sadly, practically wilting in Bumblebee's servo. Bumblebee clicked at his Charge soothingly.

Optimus sighed, opening his mouth to say something, but stopping when everymech received a message on the public comm channel.

:Grindor's on my aft, heading back to base. HELP!: A desperate plea from Groundhog, the poor Medic in training a good deal smaller than Grindor, and weaker. The only reason he had survived was because of his excellent survival instinct, and years in the Race Track Patrol.

A second later, and Groundhog was driving up to them, shooting past them towards Ratchet and Prowl and screeching to a halt. Grindor followed in the air. Like Megatron, he had taken a flight alt mode, despite not being a Seeker originally. This required intense changing of the body.

Ironhide powered up his cannon, and took a single shot. He hit one of Grindor's rotating blades, destroying it and sending the mech off balance. Grindor, seeing he was outnumbered and had no chance, chose to fly away, or at least try to.

"COWARD!" Ironhide bellowed, growling angrily at the retreating Decepticon.

Groundhog transformed quickly, "We have to hurry, Barricade's alone with Shockwave!"

"You go. Comm me if you need help." Ratchet said gently, placing a calming servo on the worried mech's shoulder.

"What if he needs a Medic?"

"You are a Medic, remember? The best way to learn is to experience it firsthand. Go."

Miles watched the battle between Shockwave and Barricade in silent horror. The teen was terrified of Shockwave winning, not wanting to be used to resurrect some Master, and he knew that Shockwave wouldn't let Barricade live if he could help it. The two were about evenly matched, which only made Miles worry more.

It wasn't until Barricade had Shockwave pinned to the ground, one of the saws he had originally used to scare Sam slowly cutting into the Scientist's spark chamber, that he stopped worrying. And even then, he would have continued to do so if he didn't see what looked like Groundhog's alt mode just off in the distance, followed by a flash of yellow.

"Any last words, glitch?" Barricade asked sarcastically, slowing the saw down just a bit.

"I'm taking you to with me.

Miles stared in shock as Shockwave pulled his one arm free, transforming it into a cannon and firing at Barricade's spark chamber. In the next instant, Barricade's saw entered his own, connecting with his spark and offlining him immediately. Barricade staggered away from the dead Scientist, servo going to the place he had been shot, before falling to the ground a few yards away.

"BARRY!" Miles screamed, scrambling down from the ship as quickly as possible, and running to his downed friend. "BARRY, GET UP!"

Groundhog came racing on to the scene, transforming and grabbing Miles just before the teen could make it. Bumblebee was hot on his heel, and transformed a mere second after him. Miles found himself flying through the air yet another time that day, but this time he found himself in Bumblebee's servo. Miles turned to watch Groundhog kneel beside Barricade and get to work, but was then distracted by Sam.

"Miles!" Sam called happily, climbing out of Bumblebee's left servo to get into his right servo and join his best human friend. "I swear to Primus I'll offline you myself if you ever do that to me again!"

Miles grinned, "I owe you like another week and two days of being scared to death, bro. Now you know how I felt even with Skyfire there."

Bumblebee chuckled, setting the two on the ground and activating his holoform so it could stand by Sam.

"Did you two know that the Dinobots could transform?" Bumblebee asked.

Miles stared back at him in confusion, but Sam grinned.

"Wheeljack told me at some point, but we didn't think they'd ever manage it. They do seem a bit, uhm…" Sam tried to think of a nice way to say it, "Special? But in a good way! Gah!"

Miles laughed, patting Sam on the back as the teen tried to find a better way of saying it without making it seem like he was insulting the Dinobots. Sam eventually gave up, tossing his hands in the air in defeat, much to the amusement of his Guardian and friend.

"Bumblebee, get Ratchet on his way here, and on comm, please." Groundhog said more than asked, still kneeling beside Barricade.

"What?" Miles asked, looking between the two. "Is it serious? Barry will be alright, won't he?"

He didn't get an answer, but Sam gave him a reassuring smile.

"Cade's too stubborn to be offlined by someone like Shockwave. Don't worry."

Miles nodded, and they both watched as Bumblebee went over beside Groundhog, and heard Ratchet's instructions drift through the Scout's radio.

"Prowl's worse off than we thought, so you'll just have to give me what's wrong with him." A pause as the Medic was filled in. "Frag, did the round enter his spark chamber? What do you mean you haven't checked? CHECK you little glitch!"

Groundhog checked quickly, using medical overrides to access the spark chamber. "Yes, it did. There is an entrance point and an exit point, so we'll need to fix two parts of it."

"Slagging little 'con! His Spark?"

"It looks smaller and lighter than it should." Bumblebee said this time, glancing back at Sam and Miles. Sam was desperately trying to distract his fellow teen. He sent Ratchet a databurst of what it looked like.

"Primus. Stimulate it, and get a response out of him. If you can, then do an emergency surgery and wait until I get there."

"And if we can't?" Groundhog asked.

Silence for a moment. "Does he have any bonds? Anyone to help keep him around a bit longer?"

To a Cybertronian, bonds meant a lot. A Sparkling immediately had one connecting them to their Genitors, allowing them to feel the love and care sent their way. If they were given a caretaker, then the caretaker would generally form a bond with them. Friends could bond, coming into what was known commonly as sibling bonds. Lovers could bond, and that was known as Sparkmates. A trained medic could tell from the spark alone whether it held bonds or not, but no one but the Cybertronian in question could tell who the bonds connected to. A bond could help a mech or femme survive just that much longer, give them something to hold on to and fight for.

"No. He has none."

"Then, if he doesn't respond, he and Shockwave will have a bit more in common." Ratchet said bitterly, before cutting off the connection.

Groundhog set about immediately trying to get a response out of Barricade, and Bumblebee went back over to the two teens. After five minutes, Barricade's spark fading more and more the entire time, he gave up, slamming a servo on the ground. He stood up, and walked over to the three, his helm hung low.

"I can't get him to respond." Groundhog mumbled sadly.

"You did your best, Groundhog. In this situation even Ratchet wouldn't have been able to do anything." Bumblebee tried to reassure him, "You know how fatal blows to the Spark can be."

"I know, it's just…"

Sam looked up at the Decepticon Neutral, "He wouldn't blame you. Well, he might do it jokingly, but you know he wouldn't mean it. Just expect a noogie whenever you kick it."

Groundhog smiled weakly at the tiny organic. "And Miles, I'm sorry." A blink. "Miles?"

"Don't get mad at him." Sam said, both Cybertronians looking at him, and grinning. "GO BUDDY, THEY'RE ON TO YOU!"

Both moved their helms to look at Barricade, the teen scrambling on top of him and heading straight to the spark chamber.

"MILES! Don't do that!" Groundhog growled, trying to get there quick enough to grab the teen. "We don't know what a dying Spark could do to you!"

Bumblebee grabbed Groundhog's shoulder, stopping the Decepticon Neutral in his tracks. Groundhog turned to snap at him, but the Autobot Scout just shook his helm. He turned back, watching with Bumblebee and Sam as Miles lay down and tentatively reached a hand in to touch Barricade's Spark. They saw Barricade's servo twitch, and then Miles sliding into the spark chamber. Then it closed.

Groundhog tore out of Bumblebee's grasp, racing over and trying to rescue the teen. He put in every medical override he could think of, and even tried to pry Barricade's plates apart, but nothing worked. "Son of a Glitch!"

"Check his vitals." Sam said softly, Bumblebee reaching down to pick him up.

A pause as Groundhog did so, followed by a sigh. "Vitals are stabilizing. Bee, call Ratchet. Sam, that could have been potentially dangerous for him. You should have said something."

"I'd do the same for Bee, and wouldn't let anyone stop me." Sam shrugged, and Bumblebee clicked happily. Groundhog just chose to sigh again. Maybe he'd get Ratchet to teach him to throw wrenches. That would solve a lot of his problems.

He could feel nothing, because there was nothing. He had a vague sense of himself, of a name, of a life that was lying just out of reach. The bare sense of memory, feeling tantalizing touches on the outside of his processor as he tried to recall stuff.

He had no bonds, no connections to let him feel others. Genitors who had died when he was young, leaving the first scar on a young Spark that still had to grow as the one and only bond he had was ripped away. A caretaker who never bothered to create a bond, and later on friends who were either just like him and didn't know how to go about it, or who didn't know the feeling. The feeling of being completely and utterly alone in your own Spark, and never feeling a gentle burst of emotion brushing up against your own. Never feeling care, affection, and love sent your way and knowing those feelings were about you, for you, or just plain things like humor and exasperation.

Barricade knew he was dying. It was as evident as the fact that he was alone in doing so. He knew he had friends, some that might even miss him if he died, but only one came to the forefront of his mind, and they floated just beyond his grasp like everything else. He couldn't even work up enough energy to recall a face. He had nothing to hold on to, and his processor wouldn't even let him have that much.

The mere notion of a thought entered his processor, if this was how he would remain for the rest of eternity, before it vanished like everything else.

And suddenly there was feeling, and a voice.

"Barry!"

Sadness, guilt, and worry. Hope, affection, endearance, and caring. Determination that he should survive. He could feel his Spark reaching out, a face, a name, entering his mind as his Spark pulled the other closer, letting him feel more and more, and giving his Spark willing energy to help him sustain himself that much longer. And then a gentle beat started up, lulling his mind to peace even as it kept it's rhythmic thumping.