Author's Notes: Work has kept me busy lately, so this update is a couple days off schedule. I couldn't let this fic linger too long however because it is a mystery, and those types of stories have the highest level of reader participation. I only hope I can keep my future updates from taking too long. Thank you for patiently waiting, and I hope you enjoy chapter 4 of "Reinvent Yourself" :)

Chapter 4

Security Measures

Prowl had two suspects left to question, Red Alert and Blaster. At the very least, they were his only two suspects for the moment. He thought about it and decided that Red Alert should be the first one he interrogated, because if Red Alert suspected he was going to be arrested he would escape the Ark before anyone knew he was missing. Prowl gathered as much info as he could, but it wasn't easy when the security cameras caught everyone's actions except Red's.

Prowl went to the security office directly rather than call Red Alert to his office because this Autobot was a flight risk. It seemed pathetic to not even trust a comrade to come to a meeting when called, but Prowl knew trust was not a luxury that could be afforded at the moment.

When Prowl entered the monitor room Red Alert and Inferno were at their stations chatting and watching the screens, blissfully unaware Prowl had entered.

"Red Alert," Prowl announced himself.

"Yah!" Red Alert yelped and jumped behind his chair, fearing it was an intruder, "Oh, it's just you, Prowl. To what do I owe the visit?" Red said in an effort to regain his composure.

"Inferno, could you assist Ironhide with some drills he is running in the training room?" Prowl requested (ordered), "I need to speak to Red Alert alone for a moment about a security matter."

"Oh, uh, sure thing Prowl," Inferno stammered as he scooted around Prowl to get out the door, "Uh, hope everythin' is okay."

Prowl didn't reply, but his glare said it all. Leave. Now. Inferno took the hint and soon Prowl was alone with his suspect.

"Finally!" Red Alert exclaimed, much to Prowl's surprise, "I knew you would come around eventually. Couldn't solve the case without me, huh? Well don't worry. I forgive you, and I am happy to help catch the culprit. So, what clues do we have so far?"

"I wanted to discuss a particular suspect that has displayed behavior conducive to hiding Decepticon activity," Prowl replied vaguely, "There is an Autobot around here that has evaded our security cameras on a regular basis, and in fact believes that he should not be monitored at all. He believes himself to be above the law, and therefore has made himself appear suspicious."

"It's Mirage, isn't it?" Red alert scoffed, not taking the hint, "I knew that shifty noble was up to something."

"My question is, what should I do about a mech that refuses to have security cameras installed in his work station?" Prowl asked.

"I say install them anyway!" Red Alert firmly declared, "No one escapes the vigilant watch of security! I'll even help you restrain the mech if he refuses."

"That won't be necessary," Prowl replied, "I was talking about you."

"Huh?" Red Alert squeaked, his voice suddenly very small, "Me?" He pointed to himself.

"Yes Red Alert, you," Prowl replied with the patience of a parent, "You could have been either exonerated or convicted based off evidence of where you were on the day of the theft, but without video evidence I have no way of verifying your location. So, first you will tell me who if anyone you were with on that day, and then we will install the new security cameras in your office."

"You'll be watching me?" Red Alert asked, still in shock.

"Yes," Prowl nodded, "It's for the good of the Autobots."

Red Alert slumped in defeat. He hated being watched, but Prowl had a point. How could he impose such a lack of privacy on the other Autobots and expect to be immune to it himself? Red Alert sighed and sat back down in his chair, with Prowl taking Inferno's chair and turning it to face Red Alert.

"Now, where were you on the day the ionic destabilizer was stolen?" Prowl asked straightforwardly.

"The ionic destabilizer? That's what this is about?" Red Alert asked in relief, "I can account for that. I was searching for the culprit that had stolen Perceptor's microscope lens. It turned out to be one of those miscreant Dinobots. Honestly, those things should've been deactivated the day they were built. Do you know how many calls I get about those filthy things every day? Yesterday Ratchet called me to say the Dinobots were fighting in his medbay over one of his tools. Last week you yourself called me to say Sludge had chewed up one of your spare tires! The twins got mauled by Slag and Grimlock two weeks ago. The mayor of Central City even complained after one of our fights with the Decepticons that Snarl was taking a nap on the freeway! Not to mention that time when Grimlock broke my monitors after-"

"Red Alert, you're getting off topic," Prowl cut him off, "Now, I have interviewed Perceptor and he gave me the same story. Is there anyone else that will vouch for your version of events?"

"Of course, the Dinobot," Red Alert shrugged as if it should have been obvious, "He was found out that same day and had broken the lens, surprise surprise! Just ask him, assuming he has the processor capability to remember anything from more than two astro-seconds ago, and he'll tell you I was right here chasing after him along with that limp chord Perceptor. Now, may I get back to work? Every second I am away from those monitors is a second the twins could use to paint your office pink."

Prowl had to concede that point, and allowed the matter to drop for the moment. He still wasn't completely sure Red Alert wasn't a suspect however. For all he knew Red Alert and Perceptor could be working together for the Decepticons. Prowl's next move was obvious. He would have to talk to Swoop.

When Prowl asked where Swoop was he was directed to the medbay. That surprised Prowl since he had heard Swoop made it out of the last battle without a scratch. As he entered the room however it soon became clear that Swoop wasn't there for his own injuries.

Cosmos was in critical condition after the fight against the seekers. Ratchet was still working on him, and Swoop was sitting in a chair watching Cosmos as he was being repaired. The chair was clearly minibot sized, which made it look especially uncomfortable to see Swoop's long legs scrunched close to his hunched body. The young pterosaur was the picture of misery as he watched the surgery taking place before him.

"Swoop," Prowl called out softly, trying to sound sympathetic to the Dinobot's situation, "Cosmos will most likely pull through. There is only a 14.7 percent chance of Cosmos dying from his injuries."

"Me Swoop helpless," Swoop rasped tiredly; having worn out his vocalizer from crying hours ago, "Him Cosmos hurt, and me Swoop no can do anything. Why them Decepticons hurt him Cosmos? Me Swoop was ready for fight, but no fight come. Me Swoop useless. Him Cosmos hurt because we wait too long."

"Swoop, I know this is a difficult time right now, but I have to ask you a few questions," Prowl said regretfully as he put his servo on Swoop's shoulder, "I need to know what you remember about the day the ionic destabilizer was stolen."

"Him Cosmos get hurt," Swoop replied hollowly, too tired to even be upset at the moment.

"No, not then. I mean when the Decepticons stole it from us," Prowl replied patiently, "Do you remember what you were doing?"

"Uh...Me here, not there," Swoop pointed out in confusion.

"I know, but what did you do here? Who did you see?" Prowl asked as if he were speaking to a traumatized child, which technically he was.

"Me see him Perceptor," Swoop recalled, "And him Red Alert. And him Skyfire. Him Perceptor and him Red Alert yell at me Swoop. Me Swoop did a bad thing. Broke a shiny. Him Skyfire say nothing. Him not even look at me Swoop. Then me Swoop go back to cave and wait for brothers to return from fight. Then brothers return from fight. They win, but him Wheeljack's thingy stolen by Decepticons. Him Grimlock angry he lose the thing, but him Wheeljack not yell. Me Swoop wish shiny belonged to him Wheeljack. Him Wheeljack not yell when things break."

Swoop then lowered his helm to his knees and heaved a massive intake of air. It seemed like even talking was wearing him out after the day they had. He had worried so much about Cosmos, but after the excitement was over his systems felt like they crashed.

"So Red Alert and Perceptor were with you," Prowl prodded, "For how long?"

"Long enough to yell," Swoop shrugged lazily, "Prowl, what you do when bad things happen?"

"I work," Prowl replied honestly, "When I feel like everything is falling apart and nothing makes sense I find something that requires my attention and I work. My job keeps the Ark safe, even if it doesn't always involve brute force. Just find a project to keep yourself busy, and when Cosmos wakes up visit him then. I'm certain he will appreciate your concern."

"Thank you Prowl," Swoop replied with a nod, "You Prowl give me Swoop a lot to think about."

"Not a problem. Sorry to bother you," Prowl replied before turning to leave.

Swoop watched Prowl go and thought about what he said. Prowl did work to make the Ark safer. He did work that he felt the others needed. Swoop tried to think of what he could do to keep himself busy, and he realized his only job was beating up Decepticons. He needed a job that would accomplish something even when there were no Decepticons to fight, but what?

As Swoop turned to watch Ratchet working on Cosmos it suddenly hit him. Ratchet's work was always important, because he saved lives. If Swoop had been smart enough to save Cosmos himself he wouldn't have to sit there and watch his friend suffer. If Swoop was a medic then he could always have a place with the team, even without Decepticon to fight. That was the solution. He needed to be a medic!

Prowl hadn't crossed off Red Alert and Perceptor just yet, but at least he knew they could account for part of their time that day. He still needed to interrogate Blaster, but Prowl felt like he was on a trail and didn't want to stop sniffing until he was sure there was nothing left to know.

Prowl logged in every detail of the accounts he found, and the times all seemed to add up. Red Alert and Perceptor both seemed on edge, but that in itself wasn't proof of their guilt. Besides, Red Alert called on Swoop as a witness. Red Alert hated the Dinobots, so why would he trust one to cover for him? Then again, everyone knew the Dinobots were lousy time keepers. Perhaps Red Alert wanted a witness that couldn't tell Prowl if the time between the lens investigation and the stealing of the destabilizer didn't add up.

Then Prowl noticed that Swoop had given Prowl another lead: Skyfire. Skyfire had also seen the confrontation between Red Alert, Perceptor, and Swoop. Skyfire was also very intelligent and very precise in his routine, so he would know the exact time spent in the lab at that moment.

Prowl almost went to Skyfire to ask about this, but then stopped himself at the door to his office. Skyfire was a former friend of Starscream. Could Prowl trust the testimony of someone with personal ties to the Decepticon's SIC? Pit, at one point for a brief time Skyfire had been a Decepticon! If his clearance was high enough he would be a suspect, and Swoop had mentioned that Skyfire had been unwilling to look at him. Was there something for Skyfire to feel guilty about? Was he capable, both technically and emotionally, of betraying his teammates?

Prowl paced his office and thought. There were so many questions, and this investigation threatened to go off the rails. He knew he was missing something crucial, but what? Could one of the lower officers have hacked into the war room and stolen the passcode to the ionic destabilizer? It seemed unlikely, but now Prowl wondered if his tunnel vision had forced him to overlook other suspects.

Prowl's thoughts were interrupted by an alarm going off on his private feedback terminal. This personal scanner searched for encrypted communications coming from or being sent to Decepticon signals. Prowl couldn't believe his luck as he eyed the screen on the scanner. The little yellow dot indicating the origin of communication pointed to a supply closet on the main level. Someone was calling Megatron right at that very moment!

Turning on the cameras, Prowl was dismayed to find the camera had been disabled. So, the perpetrator knew about the cameras installed all over the Ark. This was most likely the mole. Prowl would have to get there fast to catch the traitor in the act.

Prowl ran out of his office and transformed into Datsun mode. He drove down the halls at a fast pace, but resisted the temptation to turn his sirens on. That would only alert his prey that he was coming. He had to take an elevator to the main level, which ate up time, but Prowl was sure he could still catch the crook. He only hoped when he got there he wouldn't have to confront Jazz or Ironhide. Jazz because he was a friend, and Ironhide because it would result in a shootout.

Prowl got out of the elevator and stopped at the closet door just as it was opening, and the cop car transformed into robot mode and held up his pistol. The unsuspecting suspect walked out, and Prowl was only slightly surprised to see it was Mirage.

"Stop!" Prowl ordered, and Mirage looked at him in shock and apprehension, "Stay where you are. You are being placed in the brig under suspicion of treason."

"Treason?" Mirage asked in offense, "You mean the investigation that has practically shut down this ship? What does any of that have to do with me?"

"Don't play dumb, Mirage," Prowl replied sternly, "My scanners picked up your transmission. I know you contacted the Decepticons just now. What did you say to them?"

"The Decepticons? That's insane!" Mirage shouted defiantly, "I'm no traitor! Did Cliffjumper put you up to this?"

"Mirage, you can come with me peacefully or you can struggle. Either way you are going to the brig," Prowl informed him stonily.

"Come on, Prowl. You know me. I'm innocent," Mirage insisted, "Why would I lie to you? Why would I betray my own people? I have nothing to gain!"

Prowl didn't listen, however. He forced Mirage back against the wall and cuffed him, much to the protest of the suspect. Mirage swore up and down he didn't do anything, but Prowl knew there was no way to fake a transmission like that. He had his first suspect, but the question in his processor as he took Mirage to the brig was whether or not Mirage was the only mole. Was this bigger than Mirage, or had Prowl managed to get to the bottom of the case without even trying?

As Prowl's and Mirage's footsteps receded into the bowels of the Ark, the supply closet door opened again and another mech came out. He looked in the direction where Mirage and Prowl had left, and he sighed wearily. He didn't like the fact that Mirage had just taken the fall, but he couldn't let his secret be revealed. At least now Prowl would end the investigation and stop looking for him.