Codename: Dark Side

Did ya miss me?

Request fic for Tiamat1972 who simply said "Secret Agent Mech". I TRIED to get these two to separate but they wouldn't, so I had to just roll with it. And Jazz just had to make an appearance. I hope its up to your expectations.

AN: Due to family issues I wasn't able to get as much done as I had hoped, but I did make some progress. I'm going to get requests done, maybe intertwine them with a few of my own chapters, but to remind ya'll, NO, I'm not taking requests at the moment. I wanna get at least 10 of them GONE before I even consider opening up that hell's gate.

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"So… what? You lose your forces and think you can pluck just anyone off the front line?" Sideswipe asked.

"No, I asked Prime for someone ruthless and who can make a lot of noise, cause some damage, and communicate without words. "Jazz said, his disarming and charming smile turning predatory. "And we both immediately thought of you two."

"Joy," Sunstreaker muttered.

"I have a mission but I can't trust just anyone,' Jazz said, all charm and charisma gone. Now, there was a straight laced, by the book soldier ready to do what was necessary. Both twins instantly perked. "I need to infiltrate a Con stronghold and hack into the systems of a certain mech. Can you help me?"

"Depends," Sideswipe said, crossing arms over his chest and looking at Jazz with a leering sneer. "What do we get out of it?"

"When I'm done, you can burn the place down," Jazz promised. "I don't want evidence or survivors. " Jazz paused, looking at both twins in the optics before adding, "And Prime need not know of the fact."

"Deal," Sunstreaker said, his optics glowing a little brighter and giving him a handsome, terrifying look.

Jazz nodded. "You'll have to be refitted. You attract too much attention with those colors."

"No problem,' Sideswipe shrugged, noting how his ruby armor shone like a precious gem. Slag, he was beautiful.

But, if the mission was as dangerous as Jazz hinted it could be, then he didn't want to put any scratches on the paint. Sunstreaker just smoothed his finish and it would be a shame to ruin it so soon after application. And he knew his twin would be reluctant to scratch his own brilliant shine.

"Ratchet can deal with the refit," Sunstreaker said, knowing good and well he wasn't going to go into a situation and get himself scuffed. He was running low on his color.

"You don't have a problem with it?" Jazz asked, genuinely curious. He knew both were rather vogie, and figured they'd protest to the alternation of their physical characteristics.

"When do you want to leave?" Sideswipe asked.

"After change of third rotation tomorrow," Jazz said, sending a data packet with all the information the twins needed to know for the mission. "That should give you enough time to reformat and do any extra preparations."

"No problem," Sunstreaker said, heading out the door without a word of dismissal from his senior officer. Sideswipe smirked and followed, leaving a perturbed Jazz behind, wondering what he just agreed to. The twins were notorious for not following the rules and acting rashly. But they were also the only ones with the displayed skills to assist Jazz, considering his current team was all under quarantine.

Jazz retired early, and made sure to appear busy through the next day. He was seen coming and going from his office several times, no one realizing he was charging during private time. When others bade each other a good charge and headed off to their berths, Jazz went to the rendezvous point, hoping he didn't see a familiar flash of red and yellow. Jazz waited in the shadows, expecting either twin to exit the main compound but to his utter amazement they materialized behind him, out of the shadows. He allowed a small squeak of joints as the only sign of his temporary fear.

"Jazz," Sunstreaker said in a soft tone that sounded like a decompressing hiss.

"Sunstreaker?" Jazz gapped, staring at sleek, black plated mech. The heavier golden armor was replaced with a thinner, lighter alloy that allowed a wider range of flexibility. Beside of Sunstreaker stood Sideswipe, a perfect mirror image, minus the ornamental finials that Sunstreaker always used to maintain his internal temp. Though he preferred them wider and accented in gold, the new slats were more compact and painted with an alteration of slick and matte black paint. Though both mechs were nearly a head taller than Jazz, the new streamlined look made them appear smaller. Jazz suddenly felt very bulky.

"Shall we?" Sideswipe asked in the same tone of depressurizing hydraulics.

The trio transformed, Jazz feeling that underlying current of excitement that flowed from the trim frames that flanked him. Though the notorious duo was a full head taller, their streamlined reformatted bodies made Jazz look larger and cumbersome. Now they were sleek, faster, and even more deadly. If possible. Though Jazz had the training and the resume of extensive sabotage and infiltration, he felt like a rookie soldier.

Jazz's own plating was muted, the white paint covered with a matte copper finish to allow him to blend into his surroundings

As silent shadows they exited the Autobot stronghold, their destination on the outskirts of the city.

'We will have to maintain radio silence as much as possible in case of telepathic guards,' Jazz said over comms.

'Won't be a problem,' Sunstreaker said, edging out a little as if racing the others to the promise of explosion and destruction. 'Just stay out of our way.'

'I need the lead scientist, Hiltor, functioning,' Jazz said, sending a data packet with the scientist's full description. 'He has information I need.'

'You will get him,' Sideswipe promised. When the trio left Iacon, they muffled their engines masking their approach from unsavory types who would delay them. The outskirts were notorious for rampant neutrals that were too afraid to fight but not scared enough to attack a lone bot or two in the hopes of draining them of energon and scavenging their bodies for parts.

The trio traveled in darkness, the terrain becoming more inhospitable. The few scattered bots that lined the street looking for a handout skittered out the way, knowing they'd be run over without hesitation. If one stopped to check on an injured local, then they became a target by those still functioning.

A spire of black jutted into the sky, the surroundings dark and foreboding. Jazz transformed, the twins following, and as a well practiced unit they slipped past the few guards and into the stronghold with surprising ease.

Jazz turned to give instructions but found only Sideswipe behind him. The previously ruby mech gave a slight incline of his head in answer and held out his arm in invitation for Jazz to lead the way. Not bothering to ask where Sunstreaker had wandered to, Jazz brought up the mental schematics for the building that had been collected from previous infiltrations. He thanked Primus that both twins were silent as himself, and if Sunstreaker's sudden departure was any indication, both were just as adept at infiltration and sabotage as Jazz believed them to be.

So caught up in the perfect companions for his mission, Jazz almost missed the faint spark signatures coming from around the corner. Sideswipe grasped Jazz, pulling him flush against his body and pinning him against the wall. His arms went up beside Jazz's helm, Sideswipe's navy optics reflected back the smoky optical band that hovered just inches away from his face. Several mechs passed, deep in conversation and two laughing behind their superior's backs. They went past the duo.

When the mechs disappeared Sideswipe withdrew, giving Jazz freedom. Without a word they went the direction the mechs had come, their pedefalls making no sound. It was then that Jazz realized Sideswipe's plating offered not only camouflage in the darkness but it also resembled a series of pipes and machinery that one would find supporting a wall or maybe left for removal by a work crew. Jazz caught glimpses of Sideswipe's armor and noted how the lines looked smooth and made his own frame look bulky, but they served the dual purpose of providing a great camouflage that all bases, regardless of faction, housed among their heavy equipment. Jazz was just glad that no one looked too closely and recognized dampened spark signatures.

Sideswipe followed close behind, allowing Jazz the lead through the labyrinthine base. Most bots were easily avoided, but when there was no where to go, nor shelter close by, Sideswipe enacted as the camouflage and covered Jazz, using the saboteurs own unique plating to resembled a jumble mass of scientific equipment. When they got to their destination, Jazz spoke, breaking their radio silence.

'He should be in here this is the main lab,' Jazz said over comms. 'Remember, I need him alive.'

Sideswipe offered a simple dip of his head in acknowledgement. Jazz took the face off the control box and hot wired it, allowing the circuits to become confused and opening the doors to the invaders. When they swished aside, Sideswipe went through the door as a specter of death.

Jazz followed and couldn't stop the intake of surprise to see Sideswipe grasp the neck one mech and give it a twist, pulling the head completely free from its body. Without pause he turned, dancing between two mechs, blades extended from his forearms. One blade went into the throat of one of the mechs, who gave a static filled cry before a hefty wrench of the blade severed his head. His torso joined the first victim, both twitching in death as their vital fluids seeped from their bodies. The third mech received a quick, precise stab of the blade through his spark chamber. Without a sound the third body joined the other two.

The attack lasted mere seconds, Sideswipe already on the move toward the last mech who occupied the room.

It was the lead scientist. He was captured before he collected his wits, his crimson optics staring into the navy that hovered in his vision. Before he could call out for help, Sideswipe had struck, severing the main motor functions that allowed the bot mobility and the chance to escape. As he gaped, unable to make his numb body cooperate, Sideswipe stepped behind him and grasps his arms, pinning them behind his back and presenting him as tribute to his partner.

Jazz felt a thrum of pride at seeing Sideswipe in action. His talents were wasted on the frontlines.

Sunstreaker slipped inside, shutting the door behind him. He stood stationed by the door, a statue of darkness, watching the proceedings.

"I need some information," Jazz said, keeping his voice soft as he approached his prey.

"The Autobots have codes, preventing you from harming me," Hiltor said. His face shone with a triumphant sneer.

"True," Jazz stat, his tone calm and unhurried. "But tonight, I am not Autobot. I am a mech in need of information. Information that you are going to divulge to me."

"And if I don't?" Hiltor taunted. His effect was lost due to the fact that he had only control over his helm. The rest of his body was divested from him by Sideswipe's thoughtful strike.

"I'll get the codes if you talk or not," Jazz said, giving a partial shrug. "Either way I get them. It's up to you how you want to proceed."

"No one can hack me," Hiltor taunted jeered, his chin lifting in defiance. "I wrote the program myself. No one can break it."

"Speak now and end your suffering and possibly live," Jazz said, noting how Sideswipe arched a brow ridge, not agreeing with the releasing of his captive. "Or the hard way. Either way, we get your information and leave."

"I will give you nothing," Hiltor snarled, knowing the three intruders would never hack his cortex.

"Don't really need your consent," Jazz said. His tone wasn't intimidating. It was cold, calculated, distant. He was here for one single purpose. Nothing else mattered.

"You Autobots, think your better than cons when you do things that we cons find repulsive," Hiltor said, hoping to appeal to the weak spark fools of his enemy.

"Don't really care what you or your friends think," Jazz offered, removing a hard-line connection from his wrist. "I do what is necessary to get the information that allows me to keep my friends safe and return home without casualties."

"You're no different than a con," Hiltor said, wanting to fight for his release but having his body to remain immobile.

"There is a difference," Jazz said with a flat tone, hooking the hard-line connection into the neck port. "I take no pleasure in this."

Being unable to move, Hiltor could only smirk as he felt Jazz slam into his firewalls.

"You wont be able to get a round my anti hacking programs,' Hiltor leered. "I designed them myself. If I don't want you in, you don't get into my head."

"Don't need an invitation," Jazz muttered, darkening his visor as he concentrated on the firewalls. He tuned everything out, concentrating on the multilayered encryption program built into the firewall that protected precious systems. Mainly the ones for memory and secretive data. It was like putting up a red flag and waving it in a spot light to gain attention.

Hiltor chuckled, in an eerie, sinister laugh that made energon run cold and spinal struts freeze with ice. Well, for normal mechs.

It did nothing for Jazz or the twins.

All three looked unimpressed, Sunstreaker looking more murderous than frightened.

Jazz concentrated on finding certain overrides knowing that all bots, regardless of faction, have the same inherent coding. Finding that simple strand of code was all that was needed for Jazz to unlock the mech's cortex. The sinister laugh melted into something sputtering and torturous, violated and scared. Little whimpers that didn't register to the other audios in the room.

Hiltor's face faltered, finding Jazz to be peeling away his defenses with ease. He gasped, his lack of motor control making it impossible to ward off his immobilizing restraints and thwart the mech currently hacking into his systems.

"How?…. How did you do that?" he asked, his voice straining as his files were systemically opened, copied, then purged with an abrasive rewrite program.

It was Jazz's turn to smirk and laugh, though his voice was hollow and not the rich, smooth tones of his usual tenor. "Medical overrides. You may build the best failsafe programs to keep out hackers but you can never deter medics. Their coding will always trump."

"That….that's impossible" he sputtered, feeling as if someone was taking sheets of steel and raking it over his processor. Though he couldn't feel his physical body, his mental one was being put through a wringer with razor sharp teeth that cut his mind into shreds.

Like sparks scattering to the solar winds, the codes opened, Hiltor's cortex easily perused like one would read a datapad. As the memory files were copied and dumped, Jazz initiated a subroutine that would cause a system wide cascade failure, that would render the sadistic bot useless for any further experimentation.

With a sparkling like click, Hiltor's optics unfocused, his systems struggling to retain control of his normal functions.

Jazz offered a soft cant of his helm before disconnecting from the science-bot and withdrawing the hardline back into his wrist.

"Do what you want with him," Jazz said, looking to Sideswipe.

Without a word Sideswipe extended a blade and sank it in the mech's back piercing his spark chamber. Hiltor slumped forward, his spark faltering into darkness as Sideswipe opened his arms and allowed the lifeless body to drop.

"Ready?" Jazz asked, unaffected by his partner's actions.

Sideswipe offered a nod and together, they walked to the door to where Sunstreaker stood, listening to the corridor beyond.

Sunstreaker held up a servo to halt his two conspirators before a soft beep emanated from him. There was the sound of a distant explosion.

The overhead comms erupted with mechs shouting for contaminant leak and for crews to seal off the ruptured pipes and evac the gases. Ten seconds later, another explosion shook the base, alarms sounding about the breach and warnings of another residual explosion being barked over the comms. Mechs called out in answer, two running by the science lab where the Autobots hid. When their pedefalls receded down the hall, Jazz led the way out of the lab. Retracing their steps, they managed to escape undetected, Jazz waiting until they were a good distance away before opening comms again.

'I have a feeling you gave our friends a surprise parting gift?' he asked to Sunstreaker who zoomed along beside of him on the left.

There was a deep chuckle from under the hood, followed by a signal that beeped a short code. Like a sun exploding the enemy base went up in flames. Fire belched to the heavens, erupting like lava and ejecting blackened bodies far into the air before they fell to the ground in smoldering heaps. Ash rained down like grey snow, blanketing the surrounding terrain.

When the trio made it back to Iacon, Jazz felt the frames racing beside of him relax. They entered through the front door, the guards accustomed to Jazz sneaking off for whatever reason, usually flanked by some of his more trusted personnel. They transformed, the twins earning a couple of suspicious looks from the ignorant sentries as they passed.

"I better get to Prime with this report," Jazz said, tilting his head to indicate the information he downloaded from Hiltor.

"We need to see Ratchet," Sideswipe said, looking to his silent twin, his expression of great concern. The saboteur gave a nod and took his leave.

Sideswipe waited until he and his brother were walking toward med bay when he grasped Sunstreaker's shoulder, halting his progress.

"What is wrong with you?" Sideswipe asked, staring into the tense face. He could feel the anger and revenge flowing unchecked through the bond. Whatever had Sunstreaker upset, it was festering like a wound.

"Found something in one of the labs," Sunstreaker said, jerking his head toward medbay.

"What?" Sideswipe asked, catching up to his brother when his strides lengthened.

"I've commed Ratchet," Sunstreaker said as way of explanation. "He's already waiting for us."

"We don't need to be refitted so soon," Sideswipe said, knowing that the augmentations took a long time and Ratchet was in a less than sympathetic mood. He hated doing the hard line rewiring and reinstallation of neural conductors when the Twins changed aspects of their frames.

Sunstreaker remained quiet until he entered the medical wing. Ratchet was waiting, hands on hips, face creased into a deep frown. He was not in a good mood, as predicted.

"This better be good," Ratchet snapped as soon as the two were inside the doors.

"Found something' Sunstreaker said, walking to the medic without trepidation or possible reprisal. He opened his subspace pocket, the one that housed most of the explosives he used in bringing down the con base, and extracted something small. It was oval in shape, with bits of metal colored in patches. It looked like wadded up piece of discarded metal.

Until it gave a feeble beep.

Sunstreaker planted the ball of metal on one of the berths and instantly the vitals registered. Ratchet let out a curse that would have gotten him reprimanded by Prime had he been present.

The ball of metal untangled itself to reveal a sparking that was half the standard size, even for a minibot. Its legs were thin, spindly, as was its arms and midsection. Its spark chamber was the only thing that was proportioned to a sparkling, though the thin covering of the protoform did little to hide the protruding chamber. The sparkling's helm was bare, circuits visible beneath the neural mesh. The sparkling rolled onto its hands and knees, emitting a soft buzzing noise like an engine needing a good tune up.

"This was the only one,' Sunstreaker said, nodding toward the premature sparkling. "The others in the lab were terminated, several dissected on tables."

"What were they doing?" Ratchet breathed, his scanners going over the thin frame and finding its numerous structural weaknesses to be disheartening and pitiful. The sparkling was not only premature but it was half starved. It was a wonder it was functioning.

The sparkling tried to chirp, but its unformed vocalizer couldn't produce the correct phonetics. It offered a soft buzz, trying to crawl before falling sideways, the pitch rising as it struggled to gain mobility.

"Is it salvageable?" Sideswipe asked staring dumbfounded at the little one rescued by his twin.

"With some time in an incubation chamber, and some proper nutrients, he should be fine," Ratchet said, already concocting the necessary formula to sustain the young spark.

"He?" Sunstreaker asked.

"Mechling," Ratchet confirmed as the sparkling tried to skitter on hand and knees and only managed a floundering type of crawl on his belly. Soft humming could be heard before it hitched into a pained filled whine.

Ratchet scooped the youngling up, shushing it and cradling it next to his spark. It snuggled close, its little frame nearly disappearing under the heavy armor of the medic.

"So, what are you going to name him?" Ratchet asked, looking at Sunstreaker.

Sunstreaker stared at the tiny bundle, noting how he couldn't keep his body steady as he flailed in Ratchet's arms. It flopped as if trying to get comfortable, the soft hum becoming a contented buzz.

"Bumble... bee," Sunstreaker said slowly. "His name is Bumblebee.'

Ratchet smiled, feeling the little one settle into a niche in his armor, Bumblebee's tiny body now vibrating in tune with Ratchet's spark pulse.

Without another word the twins went to two of the berths and settled down. They were exhausted, though they didn't admit to such weakness. Sunstreaker offered one last look at the minuscule form held against Ratchet's bulk before allowing a smile to form as his consciousness fled.

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So, did you see that one coming?

I always wondered WHO could outwit someone's basic programming and how could Jazz be so good at sabotage/infiltration when it hit me. Medics have a set of 'keys' to any processor. Nothing would be safe from them and no one could defend against them. So, Jazz got to have a bit of a 'secret upgrade'... makes him more efficient and even more dangerously clever.

And I thought it would be to have a little Bee mentioned. :D i'm not sure if this type of 'introduction' has been done(Bee being the sole survivor of a medical/scientific experimentation and rescued by the twins), considering I rarely read on the site. If it has been done, I apologize.. especially if its one of the redundant 'story' lines thats clogs the boards.

Oh, and be on the lookout for another one shot I almost have finished. Its called "Disciplinary Actions"…. Spin off from "I Swear".

Thoughts are welcomed!