Ratchet walked out of the ground bridge onto Razor's ship, the Broadside.
"Ratchet," Razor greeted.
"Is First Aid here?" Ratchet asked. "I heard something happened with him."
"Come with me."
The two medics walked into Razor's office where Heatwave was waiting.
"Ratchet, take a seat," Razor said as she sat behind her desk. "Heatwave, tell us what happened."
"Uh…" Heatwave glanced at Ratchet. "D-do I have to?"
"Yes, but it is understandable if it is a sensitive subject."
"Is something wrong with First Aid?" Ratchet's voice filled with worry. "I-is he hurt?"
"N-no," Heatwave took an uneasy breath. "I was resting after yesterday's emergency and how I got a snake in my engine—Jackie got it out—when First Aid shoved his fingers under my grill. I-I told him to stop but her told me to… to… ugh!" Heatwave buried his face in his hands. "To 'can it and take it'. I think Rotors really messed him up." He looked at Ratchet. "I had to hit him to make him stop. Sorry."
"Ratchet, we've known that First Aid has been having some… issues lately and seems to be targeting Blades, I think he has defiantly crossed the line this time," Razor said. "We need to pull him from the team."
"Where is he? I need to see him," Ratchet said.
Xxx
Chase was still in his room when Chroma had to leave due to an emergency.
"Chase, can you check on First Aid for me?" Chroma asked.
"Mmm…" Chase rolled out of bed. "Yes, dear, I will."
"Thanks!" Chroma kissed his cheek and ran to the lift.
Chase walked into his washroom and splashed water on his face before he left his room.
"Hi, Chase," Blades said. "Are you going to see First Aid, too?"
"Chroma asked me to check on him. He has shown some signs of aggression lately."
"Ugh! Remember when he freaked underground and attacked me? I'm hoping he likes the idea I have of throwing a Coming Out party for him and Heatwave."
"I do not believe either is fond of parties. We know for a fact Heatwave more often than not holed himself in his room rather than go to a party, unless a family member or his date was going to one."
"Yeah, the only reason you came with us was to be the designated driver."
"Someone had to."
They came to First Aid's room. Chase knocked on the door. "May we come in?"
First Aid opened the door. He had a bruise on his scar. "Come in."
"What happened? How did you get that bruise?" Blades asked as he and Chase walked in.
"I have a bruise? Ah. It must've happened when I fell after getting out of my shower last night."
Chase didn't buy the story, as the injury looked like the back of a certain mech's hand.
"Anyway, I'm planning a coming out party for you and Heatwave!" Blades sat him down and began explaining all the thing he planned. First Aid instinctively activated his mask.
"Uh…" First Aid squirmed as Blades scooted closer.
"Blades, I believe you are making First Aid uncomfortable," Chase warned. "Remember his outburst?"
"So, how do you like the idea for the party?" Blades smiled as he put his hand on First Aid's thigh.
First Aid yelped and elbowed Blades in the throat.
Blades shot up, clutching his throat, and fell to the ground. He started gasping with a whistle in each breath.
"First Aid, get help!" Chase said as he rolled Blades on his back and supported his head and neck for easier ventilation.
Xxx
First Aid sat silently in the Broadside's brig when his sire and Heatwave entered.
"Wh-what happened?" Heatwave sat next to him and held his hand.
"Blades touched my thigh," the young medic said with barely a whisper.
"A moment, Heatwave," Ratchet walked him out and closed the door.
Heatwave walked to the sick bay to check on Blades. First Aid had elbowed him so badly that Razor had to remove his voice box and put it in a healing stasis serum.
He entered and saw Blades recharging after the surgery. He walked to another part of the bay and saw Blades' voice box in the serum. It was dented and had a crack.
Primus, I hope he doesn't end up like Bumblebee. He knew most of the humans would have much difficulty understanding him.
Razor walked next to him. "Are you alright?"
"O-oh! I… I am. It's just… First Aid didn't mean to do this. I-I know he didn't… I just know! H-has he ever, EVER, attacked another hover before?"
Razor nodded. "Another mech named 'Blades'. He was a returning Protectobot, one who was being covered by Rotors. Always wanted to befriend new Autobots. He arrived shortly after First Aid had and began conversing with him. He didn't know what he went through and jokingly patted his backside. First Aid was cleaning some medical supplies and stabbed him in the neck with a needle. After that, Chroma was assigned his bodyguard."
"Wh-why weren't we informed of his outbursts before he arrived?"
"First Aid seemed to be getting better and was getting along with the humans… we knew it was time for him to join your team. This whole ordeal could have been avoided if…"
Blades started to stir.
"Heatwave, I have to check on my patient. Why don't you speak with the rest of your team?" Razor said as she walked to Blades' bedside.
Heatwave walked out to check on the rest of his team in the common room.
"How-how's Blades?!" Dani asked as she stood up.
"Is First Aid gonna move?" T.J. asked.
"O-or stay in the brig?" Raychel asked.
"Blades is… gonna be fine. We may have to let First Aid go for a while… u-until we know he's okay mentally," Heatwave said.
"So, he's basically fired?" Kade asked.
"No. Mental health leave."
"Which was a required thing on Cybertron for emergency response personal," Chase said.
"H-he's gonna come back to the team? Right?" Cody asked.
Heatwave sighed. "It's too early to tell right now."
Xxx
Miko and Jackie were holding down the fort for the rescue team while they were on the Broadside.
"Ugh! I thought there'd be some crazy shit today!" Miko said.
"The bots usually like days like this," Jackie said as she opened a window and put some energon goodies on the sill.
"What are you doing?"
"I set my minicon out to track down Rotors," Jackie said as she sat down next to Miko at the command center.
"Ooh! Can I see him? Or her?" Miko scooted her chair closer to her friend.
"Sure, I'll call him, but he's a stubborn bird," Jackie walked to the open window and cupped her mouth. "BUZZSAW, GET YOUR TAIL FEATHERS BACK HERE OR NO GOODIES!"
"Dang, you loud!" Miko exclaimed.
A couple minutes passed and the Andes Condor sized minicon arrived and ate the goodies.
"On my arm," Jackie extended her arm and the mini hopped on.
The emergency line rang and Jackie answered it. "Don't worry, we're on our way." Jackie turned to Miko. "Let's go."
The two girls slid down the fire pole and out to the horses Jackie hitched up.
"So, where are we going?" Miko asked as she got into the saddle.
"To get puppies out of a car," Jackie gave their mounts the signal to gallop.
Xxx
Heatwave was walking to the groundbridge when he bumped into Air Raid.
"Where are you going?" Air Raid asked.
"I'm just going to one of the uninhabited islands for a break," Heatwave said.
"Comm us if you need a pick-up," the seeker-mix continued down the hall.
Heatwave punched in the coordinates, took a breath, and walked through the bridge.
The island didn't have any beaches, which was nice since Heatwave wasn't a big fan of sand, just gassy cliffs and a small forest around the center.
He walked into the forest and into a small clearing where he laid down and looked at the clouds. Cybertron didn't really have clouds like Earth, and if you saw one you'd best get inside, for they rained acid, not water. He had a bad experience with his home planet's rain…
KRISH-ISH!
The top of the crate opened and someone picked him up.
He smiled until he saw the mech's blood orange optics and started to panic. Something, a hand, clamped over his mouth and he went…
Heatwave shuddered. Why can't I get over that?
The acid rain on Cybertron left him out of work for three earth weeks.
Primus, I need to unwind, he emptied his mind and fell asleep.
Xxx
Airachnid kneeled before the Decepticon warlord. "How may I serve you, my lord?"
"You are an expert hunter and tracker, correct?" Megatron asked.
"Do you wish for me to hunt down the Autobots? One in particular?"
"No, not quite," Megatron gestured for Soundwave to bring up photos and videos of a hover with six rotors, dark grey and black armor, and green optics. "This is Rotors, one of the most despicable mechs I've had the misfortune of meeting. I want you to track him down and kill him. Soundwave will give you the last known coordinates of where he was most recently tracked."
"I understand, my lord," Airachnid stood up.
"One last thing: only focus on Rotors, do not hunt down the locals. They have a highly dangerous transmutate."
Xxx
"Thanks, Mr. Hootan, we'll be right there," Chief Burns said into the comm before turning to the team. "Jackie used Buzzsaw to rip off a car door to get some puppies out and the owner started shooting at them."
"If Miko was with her and was shot Bulkhead's gonna be pissed!" Emerald said.
"Well, Ally's grandmother hit the guy on the head with her cane and kicked the weapon into a storm drain, so the treat's neutralized."
"Do you require our assistance?" Chase asked.
"I-it's optional this time. You guys just keep an eye on Blades for us."
"I'll get you a groundbridge," Air Raid led the team to the bridge.
"Wait for us!" Wheelie said as he transformed and drove after them while Brains rode K-9.
Xxx
Primus, I feel like a science experiment, Blades thought as he looked at his voice box in the healing solution.
"How are you feeling, Blades?" Razor asked.
'Why did you remove my voice box? Is the solution it's in allowed?' Blades wrote down.
"Well, it's an untested method that I felt would work best for biomechs, as it had worked on non-Cybertronians. Bumblebee said he didn't want to try it, but you had an emergency, so I did what I thought was best. Is that okay?"
Blades nodded.
Xxx
"First Aid, I want to bring you home… but we want you to continue to help the humans," Ratchet said. "We… we just don't know what to do with your outbursts."
"Maybe they'd stop if we got rid of Blades," First Aid drew his knees to his chest.
"Why?"
"Hovers are creeps. Except for Razor. She's cool."
"Did you hear what you just say?! That was racist!" Ratchet stood up. "Not all hovers are creeps! That's just Rotors!"
Xxx
Heatwave shot up. He had heard something, perhaps a stick breaking.
He got up to look around for the source of the sound. He reentered the forest. He noticed odd footprints in the ground and followed them.
He followed them for five minutes and got knocked out and webbed.
Xxx
"Where are your robots?" the car owner asked as Chief Burns put him handcuffed in the back of the old police car.
"None of your business," Ally said as she tried to get the gun out of the storm drain.
Kade looked around. "Okay, where did those two go?"
"They took my bitches somewhere!" the car owner said. "You gonna arrest them or what?!"
Xxx
Jackie and Miko were walking their horses back to the firehouse with the puppies in their arms.
"Do you think that the town should learn more about the bots?" Jackie asked.
"Uh, what do you mean?" Miko held her puppy tighter.
"Their origins and stuff."
"I actually prefer the way people are meeting the bots, to be honest."
"Still, they should trust their everyday heroes. The bots risk their lives as much as the human half of the team."
Kade pulled up to them. "You guys okay?"
"Yep," both girls said.
"Why don't you let me drive the puppies to the firehouse?"
Xxx
Heatwave slowly woke up and discovered that he was webbed to a rock wall with webbing covering his mouth.
He started to panic when he heard helicopter blades chopping.
No! No, no, no, no, no! Not again! This can't be happening!
He tried to get a hand free to activate his injured Autobot signal, but it was no use.
The bot transformed and landed about half a mile away in the clearing.
I-I can't—I can't go through that again! Waking up to it was bad enough! Why can't he just get out of our lives?!
He closed his eyes and prepared for the worst.
The bot ripped off the webbing covering his mouth and slapped him. "Look at me!"
Heatwave sacredly opened his eyes and surprisingly met a familiar face.
The femme grabbed him by the chin. "I'll only ask this once: where is Rotors?"
"Airachnid?"
"Wrong—" she raised one of her spider legs to strike. "H-how did you know my name?"
"I-it's me! Heatwave! F-from University, granted, not the same one. B-but you went out with Blades!"
She took a step back and unwebbed him. "You've changed."
"And I bet you're still into interactive horror cinema," Heatwave crossed his arms. "You know that gave him nightmares."
"And you broke us up," Airachnid to a step closer to him. "I'm currently hunting down a mech my leader despises. What are you up to?"
"Working with my rescue team, which has sorta grew. A-are you going after Rotors? Is that the guy your boss hates?"
"Yes. I've searched this entire archipelago and still haven't found him. This was his last known coordinates. Do you have any information on him? It could prove useful to me."
"He has his own ship and crew, his second-in-command is named 'Darksyde' and very creepy, is probably hurt because our transmutate got him good, and… and… h-he r… raped me and… did things to one of my recruits… and he's tried to kill me and probably rape my teammate too! If you find him… make sure he suffers!"
"Don't worry. I will," Airachnid transformed and left.
Heatwave sighed and walked back into the forest.
"I can't believe she's a Deceptico—AAAAAHHH!"
The groundbridge that opened beneath him closed.
Xxx
Chase was on the Broadside's runway, waiting for Agent Fowler.
His helicopter came into view.
He waved until he saw the copter transform into a Cybertronian femme and land a few yards before him.
"Halt!" he attempted to block the femme, but she pushed him out of the way.
"I have no interest in you, officer," she said as she continued to walk past.
Chase had seen her insignia. He looked at his left forearm. What are those pressure points again? He pinched the points and his forearm transformed into a blaster.
Xxx
"Ratchet, perhaps it would be best if First Aid stays with you at your base for a week or two. Just to take a little vacation," Razor said as she walked the two mechs to the groundbridge.
"Dad, I could use a break. The main base is safer," First Aid said.
"Alright, but Optimus is giving you a lesson in tolerance and acceptance!" Ratchet said.
Razor punched in the coordinates and they heard Chase losing control of his blaster again.
"Don't worry, I'll handle this," she said as she pushed the two into the bridge and closed it.
"Razor! Razor!" one of the pretenders ran up to her with Air Raid walking with him.
"We have a surprise visitor," Air Raid showed her the security feed of Airachnid attempting to dodge Chase's random fire.
Razor pinched her nose and sighed. "Air Raid, take my little sister to my office. I'll help Chase."
Xxx
Heatwave was struggling against the restraints restraining him to the surgical berth.
Oh, Primus! What's going to happen to me now?! What's that sicko gonna do?!
He felt his spark beat in an odd way. Almost as if…
NO! It can't! It can't!
Rotors walked in with help from Darksyde. Well, Darksyde was basically carrying him.
"Take the gag off," Rotors ordered a servant.
"Looks like our transmutate got you good!" Heatwave shouted.
"That it did, that it did. Don't worry. I'm not capable of being intimate at the moment. You'll just be taken apart, piece-by-piece. But, you're gonna watch a movie first!"
xxx
"Was handcuffing me really necessary?" Airachnid asked as Air Raid sat her down in the chair.
"Yeah, it makes me feel more easy," Air Raid leaned against a bookshelf.
"Makes sense, since you're a hybrid!"
"Just because my carrier was a transport doesn't mean I'm any less capable of beating your aft than anyone else!"
"You are aware of my kill count, correct? You're just threatening me with a good time."
"What? You into that?" Air Raid rolled his optics. "I could totally dominate you!" his optics then widened.
"Not if I dominate you first~!" Airachnid smiled and winked.
Razor entered the room. "Air Raid, can you get Heatwave? I think—"
"Took the bridge! On it!" Air Raid quickly walked out, blue as a blueberry.
"He accidently flirted with me, so I had a little fun," Airachnid said as her sister took off the cuffs.
"Just tell me why you're here," Razor said as she looked down at her sister.
"Megatron sent me to find and destroy Rotors. I was searching the last island in this archipelago when I ran into Heatwave, an old acquaintance. He gave me some information on Rotors, so I searched for his ship when I found yours. Perhaps you can give me more information on Rotors?"
Razor stood her sister up and gave her five datapads from the book case. "Follow me."
Xxx
Who-who was that?! Heatwave thought after the 'movie' Rotors made him watch was over.
"That's what happens to bots that cross me," Rotors said over the intercom. "And that's gonna happen to YOU!"
Heatwave's optics struggled to make out the apparatus getting closer and closer to his right ped.
He bit down on the gag and hot oil tears streaked down his cheeks as the device began to take his leg slowly and painfully apart.
Xxx
"R-Rotors did all these things… to those younglings?"
Airachnid asked after reading the datapads. It took a lot to make her uneasy. This made her uneasy. "No wonder Megatron wants him dead."
"And those are just the ones we know of. We don't know how many others he could've hurt and killed," Razor said as she opened the morgue.
"Now have are you going to show me?"
Razor opened a body drawer.
"Whoa!" Airachnid took a step back when she saw the corpse. "Was he dismantled?!"
"Alive," Razor said as she closed the drawer. "Look, sis, this guy is more dangerous than you. And that's saying a lot. You need to bring backup with you for this guy. When Air Raid comes back with Heatwave, I'm assigning him, along with another bot and a few Pretenders to help you capture Rotors. Contact me when you have him."
"I work alone."
"Here's an upside: you can make Air Raid more uncomfortable."
Airachnid smiled a bit. She did like that idea. She liked it a LOT.
"Razor, Heatwave is MIA. Are you sure your sister doesn't kill Rescue Bots?" Air Raid asked.
Xxx
Cody was playing fetch with K-9 in the bunker when the groundbridge opened and the bots exited.
"Is Blades' throat okay? Where's First Aid?" the young human asked.
"First Aid's taking some time off at Team Prime's base," Chroma answered.
'My voice box was temporarily removed so it can recover faster,' Blades wrote. 'Is there anyway Dani can teach me ASL?'
"Sure, I'll ask. Hey, where's Heatwave?" Cody looked around.
The bots looked at each other uneasy.
"H-he has gone missing," Chase said.
Xxx
"Is this really necessary?" Airachnid asked as her sister covered up her Decepticon insignia with temporary paint.
"It's so our transmutate won't attack and kill you," Razor said.
Air Raid stuck his head in the room. "Jackie and Buzzsaw are here, but Buzzsaw's talons are digging into Slayer's skull and he isn't letting go."
"Where's the crowbar?!" Jackie shouted.
Xxx
Heatwave began gasping as the device finished taking apart his ankle and his eyes began to roll back as it moved up his leg.
Xxx
"Jackie, this is my cousin, Black Arachnia," Razor said.
"Hello, transmutate," 'Black Arachnia' said.
"It's 'Jackie', 'con," Jackie said looking at the femme's chest.
Black Arachnia put her arms over her chest. "You said she wouldn't see it!" she whispered to Razor.
"She's on our side, Jackie. She's gonna help us find Heatwave," Razor said.
"Okay. Where's a computer so I can log in the data Buzzsaw has?" Jackie asked.
Razor picked her up and carried her to computer.
Jackie perched Buzzsaw on a switch, opened his back panel, and used her iPad charger as an adapter to load the info into the computer.
"I'll tell Agent Fowler we need Skylynx in space," Razor said. "Air Raid, prep the bridge!"
Xxx
Heatwave's spark was pounding in his ears as he lost consciousness.
Xxx
"Dada! Dada! Wakey!" a little voice said.
Heatwave woke up to his toddler daughter on his chest.
"Hey, little Sparkler! Dada's waking up," he sat up and put Sparkler on his lap. "How's my little girl doing?"
"Pway! Pway!" Sparkler jumped up and down, one little ped hitting Heatwave below the belt.
"Oh! Okay, okay! Why don't you play with your Uncle Blades?" Heatwave opened the door and let her walk out.
"Dada need Dada time?" his daughter looked at him with big eyes.
"Y-yeah, Dada's had a bad dream."
"Okay! I go now!" she ran down the hall.
Heatwave sighed and closed the door.
He grabbed a datapad and laid down.
He knew this wasn't real life. It was a side effect from his medicine, a side effect he never told anyone about. Three years had passed in this world.
He looked through the album involving his daughter.
He smiled at the picture of him in Razor's sickbay with his newborn daughter. The gestation went well, didn't even show. When he told the humans near the end of his first trimester, Chief Burns let him have time off for Sparkler's safety. He looked at a picture of an ultrasound that Kade took. He was kind of pissed, but Kade was just curious. He looked back at the picture of newborn Sparkler. He and Kade were playing video games when he felt stomach cramps. He tried to tell Kade it was nothing, but Kade contacted Razor anyway. Good thing he did, too. Turned out he was in labor and had a C-section. His Cybertronian team visited the day he had her and the humans the second. Her armor was so soft, malleable, and delicate. The humans were confused, as they thought her metal would be as tough as his, but Ratchet explained when Team Prime visited him. He was so scared on how the would react, and so were they. They were accepting, but didn't exactly know how to show it. The bot he was worried about the most was First Aid. He left the team a week after Sparkler was born.
"Heatwave, are you okay?" Chroma said as she entered his room. "Sparkler said you had a nightmare."
"Yeah," Heatwave turned off the datapad. "And I was thinking about…"
"First Aid. We all miss him. Especially Ratchet."
They both sighed.
"Has anyone…?" Heatwave trailed.
Chroma shook her head.
"I'm gonna get some energon," Heatwave exited his room.
Xxx
Jackie exited the groundbridge into the bunker.
The bots immediately started asking her about Heatwave.
"Buzzsaw found Heatwave and they're going to get him now," she said.
Xxx
Air Raid, Razor, and Airachnid exited the groundbridge and magnetized themselves to some spacebridge debris.
"Where's his ship?" Airachnid asked.
"A few kliks away. We need to wait for Skylynx before we go and rescue Heatwave," Air Raid explained.
"How do we know it won't move from its current position?! I was given orders to scrap him!"
"We just have to pray," Razor said before her comm beeped. "Agent Fowler, what's Skylynx's ETA? Well, that's REAL helpful, fleshie!" she turned to her sister and teammate. "Change in plans. We move now!"
Xxx
"C-can't we use the groundbridge again? Like, when you took out the spacebridge?" Agent Fowler asked Ratchet.
"No. I don't think it can take it again," Ratchet said.
Arcee walked in with Jack after his shift.
"Hwy, I hear that First Aid's back. What's that about?" Jack asked.
"No, h-he… had an incident," Ratchet said.
"What, like a panic attack?"
"Let's just say when we get our hands on Rotors…" Bulkhead transformed his right hand into a wrecking ball.
"Bulkhead, when we apprehend Rotors we must remain calm," Optimus said.
"So what?! So he can make First Aid worse?!" Ratchet shouted.
"N-no! I did not mean for it to come out like that! I meant so we can properly prosecute him!"
"Oh-ho! I vote that after we prosecute him we take away his mech-hood!" Arcee activated her blades.
"I'm actually inclined to agree with Prime on prosecuting the creep, but not the genital mutilation," Fowler said.
"Everyone, just shut it!" a huge, griffin-like mech walked it.
"Whoa!" Jack backed up and fell on his backside.
"Optimus, I believe First Aid is having a panic attack. Can you help Bumblebee calm him down?" the mech asked.
"Primus, I've made things worse…" Optimus muttered as he walked down the hall.
"By the AllSpark, I'll never understand how he keeps such a level head. Oh! A new human? Or another transmutate?" the mech brought his head down to get a better look at Jack and opened two panels on his back and a robotic arm came out. "Need help up?"
Jack grabbed the arm and the mech helped him up.
"Wh-who are you?!" Jack asked.
"Oh, Jack, this is Skylynx," Arcee said. "Skylynx used to go into space for us in the 80's to help us Decepticons."
"My alternate mode can fly, but I need assistance getting into space via rockets. Now that NASA isn't flying anymore, I have no way of getting into space," Skylynx said.
"Wait… I think I know how you can get back in space!" Jack said. "Remember how Jackie invited us for the Asgard's launch? You can take that to look for Heatwave!"
"How do you-? Arcee?" Ratchet asked.
"Hey, Jackie invited the kids to see the launch," Arcee said.
Xxx
Darksyde was redressing Rotors' wound from the transmutate attack.
"Sir, are you certain you want to have First Aid as well? He's an adult, now," Darksyde said.
"Ha! Have you seen him? He may have that scar, but he's so youthful looking!" Rotors said.
"Don't you think you should be with a bot of around your own age?"
"Yes. After I've bedded and snuffed First Aid."
"And if he expires before then?"
"Eh, I'll move on."
Darksyde finished redressing the wound.
Xxx
"Whoa! What the heck is that?!" Kade exclaimed when he saw Skylynx transform on video.
"Oh, that's Skylynx. The bots used to use him for space searches, but now he's kind of retired," Jackie said.
"So, they're using the Asgard to get him in space again? Why?" Graham asked.
"To rescue Heatwave."
Xxx
Heatwave walked into the bunker for him and Sparkler.
Chase was getting a show ready.
"What are we watching today?" Heatwave asked.
"Sparkler wishes to watch America's Dumbest Criminals," Chase said.
"Cwiminaws awe dumb!" Sparkler said.
Heatwave chuckled and gave her her energon. "Careful not to spill."
The 'incoming message alert came from the command center.
"Don't worry, I'll keep and optic on Sparkler," Chase said as he wiped energon off the corner of Sparkler's mouth.
"All right," Heatwave walked into the command center and answered the call.
"Hey, Heatwave. It's been awhile, hasn't it?" First Aid asked.
"Where are you?!" Heatwave exclaimed.
A set of coordinates appeared on the screen.
"Only you. It's a surprise."
Heatwave exited the command center. "Chase, I have to go. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Xxx
Air Raid, Airachnid and Razor landed on top of Rotors' ship when they saw the Asgard's laser cable.
"What in the name of the AllSpark is that?" Airachnid asked.
"Probably Skylynx's ride into space," Razor said.
Air Raid got out his laser rifle. "Stand back, ladies." He began tapping different parts of the hull with the barrel.
Airachnid looked at her sister in confusion.
"I'm just as lost as you are," Razor said.
Xxx
"Agent Fowler, is Optimus okay?" Chief Burns asked when he saw the Prime sleeping in the bunker.
"Well, I'm guessing towing Skylynx from the military base on the mainland to the Asgard took a lot of energy. And you gotta remember that he's like, a billion years old," Fowler said.
Buzzsaw flew in and perched himself on Prime's crest.
"Chief, where did that minicon come from?" Fowler asked.
"A friend of Jackie's gave him to her after Heatwave was first kidnapped. She's been using him to try and find Rotors," Chief said.
"Well, that minicon is a Decepticon. Do you realize how much danger the Rescue Bots are in?"
"I thought that the Decepticons were afraid of Jackie."
Xxx
"Sky, try to get in the ship through a P.V. port. The ship's design says there's three of them in the underbelly," Razor commed.
"Air, get your webs ready," Air Raid said.
"I don't like that nickname," Airachnid said as she and her sister lifted the metal.
"Well, I don't like you flirting with me," Aid Raid jumped into the hole and helped the sisters down.
"Just getting under your metal."
Xxx
Heatwave's jaw dropped. "F-First Aid… what did you DO?!"
First Aid looked at Rotors' severed head as he gouged the optic out. "Got our revenge."
Xxx
Bumblebee ran into the main hall of the base, extremely fast.
"Whoa, Bee, slow down! What happened?" Bulkhead asked.
("F-First Aid! Brig! Energon rations! Help!") Bumblebee grabbed the mech's arm and ran in the direction of the brig.
Arcee and Ratchet followed them and saw energon flowing on the ground flowing out of the brig.
They all ran in and saw First Aid had chained up the five hovers, crushed their voice boxes and sewn their mouths shut, and had mutilated their reproductive systems.
"First Aid… no… no, no, no!" Ratchet buried his face in his hands.
"Are they all… dead?" Arcee asked.
First Aid slit the last one's throat. "They are now."
"Bee, get the cuffs," Bulkhead grabbed First Aid and led him to a different cell.
First Aid whimpered and grabbed Bulkhead's arm in fear. "Wh-what happened?"
"You don't remember ANY of this?!" Arcee exclaimed.
First Aid whimpered again.
Xxx
The three fliers snuck through Rotors' ship and broke into the security room, capturing the mechs inside.
"Airachnid, if you take this hall, you'll get to the hanger Sky's in. can you take the prisoners?" Razor asked as she pointed to the map.
"I will. Let's-!"
"Shh!" Air Raid hissed.
Airachnid rolled her optics and let the prisoners to the transport bot.
"You find where Heatwave is?" Air Raid asked Razor.
Razor did some typing and brought up another map. "Let's go!" she downloaded the map and they followed it.
Xxx
"Don't worry, Ratchet. I'll send a shrink over," Fowler said.
"What happened?" Cody asked.
"Ratchet didn't go into detail, but he wants First Aid to get a psychological evaluation. Kid must've had a break down."
"Jack said that First Aid killed the prisoners," Miko said after Fowler left the kitchen.
"Good," Jackie said as she brushed Buzzsaw. "Bee said that those guys said yucky things to him. One of them said something to First Aid to make him snap."
Chief entered the kitchen. "Jackie, Optimus wants to talk with you about Buzzsaw."
Xxx
Razor turned off and destroyed the machine that was dismantling Heatwave and helped Air Raid get the injured mech to the groundbridge.
Xxx
The shrink entered Team Prime's base.
"Hi, I'm Dr. Hernandez. Where's my patient?" the shrink asked.
"I'll take you to him," Bulkhead picked up the doctor and took him to First Aid.
Ratchet was about to contact Optimus when Air Raid called.
"Yes, what do you-?"
"We got Heatwave and we need your medical help fixing him! H-he's in shock!" Air Raid said.
Xxx
"I'm telling you! Soundwave reprogrammed him to find Rotors and monitor Griffin Rock's Cybertronian life forms!" Jackie said as she hugged Buzzsaw.
"Look, I know it's been a very stressful day for everyone, especially you, but we cannot allow a Deceptico minicon around the Rescue Bots," Optimus said.
"YOU'RE the one who's stressed! And Soundwave rescued Heatwave the first time he was kidnapped!"
"Sir, Buzzsaw did help find Heatwave most recently," Chase said. "What are your intentions with Buzzsaw if Jackie gives him to you?"
"To put him down," Optimus said. "He is a treat to the Autobots."
"No. I am," Jackie said as she began to transmutate, her voice changing as she continued to speak. "And if you kill Buzzsaw, I'll go Attack on Titan on your GRAAAHH!"
'D-do we want to know what that last word was?' Blades said.
Xxx
"You FAILED at snuffing Rotors?!" Megatron exclaimed at Airachnid after she presented him with the captured hovers.
"I can explain!" she said.
"And the Autobot's space control?"
"Well, maybe not him. It's a long story."
Megatron turned to some vehicons. "Take the prisoners to the brig." He returned his attention to Airachnid once they left. "I have time for this long story."
Xxx
"Heatwave stirred a couple of days after his rescue and surgery.
"Hello, Heatwave," Razor said. "How are you feeling?"
"Better, I guess," he sat up and looked around. "Wh-where's Sparkler?"
"Who's Sparkler?"
"My daughter. She's three and—oh, scrap!" Heatwave buried his face in his hands.
Razor sat down next to him. "What's going on?"
"You know the medicine you gave me for my PTSD? I-I've been having dreams… about the kid."
"Well, the medicine's doing its job then."
"You mean it's normal?!"
"Yes, it focuses on your subconscious. Can you elaborate your dreams for me?"
Xxx
Darksyde entered Rotors' room. "Sir, we were unable to find the intruders or missing mechs."
"That's fine. Heatwave's not going to be able to protect his boyfriend anymore."
Xxx
Optimus was checking the islands for signs of Decepticons when he heard a Cybertronian transform and land.
He turned around, weapons ready and saw Megatron.
"I'm not here to fight; just to talk," Megatron said.
"What about?" Optimus asked, not deactivating his weapons.
"Last year, an unaligned mech and his crew came to us Decepticons, wanting to join. I had Soundwave run a background check on him and…" Megatron handed Optimus—who deactivated one weapon—an arrest report, "This freak has done awful things to younglings. I thought he left this planet until your transmutate contacted Soundwave."
Optimus sighed. "Of course she did…"
"The thing is I am going to have a small group of my Decepticons working on hunting him down and bringing him to justice. Perhaps some of your Autobots will join? We will leave those Rescue Bots alone."
"How can I know that for sure?"
"Griffin Rock is a place we don't go to once."