Author's Note

So I got a section of fic into something that resembles a chapter. Yay! I really need to stop doing the whole just-keep-writing-without-breaks thing and just put in the effort to think out chapter breaks.

Maybe I'll do that...eventually...

What can I say, when the words flow, I don't want to stop. But, anyway, this chapter has the return of friends, a lot of movie action, mysteries, feels, and a punch to the gut.

I mean, come on, look at that chapter title. Isn't it a lovely chapter title?

Go onward and enjoy! (I'm a horrible person for enjoying this.)


A Loss Profound

One of the guards yanks his helmet off with a groan of displeasure. "That thing was squeezing my brain."

Ari blinks, recognizing that gruff voice, dirty brown hair, and crooked nose. "Clint?"

He grins brightly, tossing the helmet away and slinging his gun over his shoulder—an I.C.E.R., she suddenly realizes. Galloway and the other guards aren't dead. Just knocked out. "Hey, Ari. Fancy meeting you here."

She's half-tempted to smack him upside the head for scaring her like that. Instead, she runs to him, laughter bubbling out of her in equal parts relief, confusion, and happiness, crashing into him in a hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you were on mission. We were so worried about you!"

"Fury warned me something big was coming, so I went to pull Clint out," another familiar voice says, the other guard yanking his helmet off to reveal Phil. "Then we did a little investigating on our own."

"So you know what's happening?" Loki says, disguise melting away as he turns back into himself.

"We do," Phil says, without so much as a blink. The stoic agent, same as ever, even in the face of magic. "Though I could have sworn we won this war, a long time ago."

"You and Steve both," Ari snorts. "Though Bucky, unfortunately, knew better."

Phil's jaw actually drops slightly. "You mean Sargent Barnes?"

"Uh, it's a long story." A huge crash echoes from downstairs, followed by screaming. "And that would be our ride out of here. Come on. We can all share stories later."

Heading for the elevator, Ari raises a hand to her ear comm. "This is Ari. Loki and I are coming down the southeast elevator with two additional friendlies."

"Who in the world did you pick up here?" Tony asks.

"Just a bird and an agent."

"Tell them it's about time they joined the party," Natasha adds, but Ari hears the subtext.

"Nat's going to give you an earful when we rendezvous," she warns them. "Just FYI."

The ding of the elevator cuts off their groaning and they exit into chaos.

People are running all over the place, rubble lying everywhere. The Autobots did not hold back when they broke in.

"Optimus is very mad," Sideswipe says over the bond, filled with trepidation. "And I mean really mad. I've never seen him like this before."

"Honestly, I don't blame him," Ari replies, following the pull of the bond to find them. "We'll be there soon."

"You might want to hurry."

They find everyone in the research building, all the machinery the scientists were using to salvage the Transformium destroyed. The Avengers and soldiers stand back a ways, each of them kitted out with their usual uniforms and weapons. Except for the Captain America uniform. Steve didn't manage to bring that before he met them at Nat's safehouse.

But none of it is really necessary now. They just watch silently as the Autobots do what they want-destroying what they want—because this…this is for them. This is an atrocity of the highest order. The Autobots deserve a little payback.

Besides, according to the treaty, the Autobots are allowed to act as they see fit if their technology is ever stolen.

Ari runs over to Optimus's feet, his shoulders heaving as he tears through heavy machinery with his sword. "Optimus," she calls softly. "I'm so sorry."

His faceplates are marred with anger and grief—an ugly expression that would make most shrink back in fear—but it is not meant for her. "They will pay for this."

She nods in grim agreement. "They will. I promise."

"Hey, hey! Stop!" a bold voice calls out, the KSI head Ari and Loki met earlier—Joyce—cockily stalking out of the scurrying people to get between the Autobots and the lab. He shows no fear as he stands his ground, glaring up at Optimus. "That's company property!"

Optimus clenches his fists, so close to lashing out at a human despite his oath never to do so. "They're not your property! They were my friends."

Ironhide's arm transforms into a cannon, leveling the weapon at the man's face menacingly.

"Go ahead," Joyce goads. "Show us your true colors, once and for all."

"Just give me the word," Ironhide growls. "I'll splatter him."

"Ironhide," Ari admonishes softly but says no more, despite the way her stomach twists uneasily like something's trying to claw its way out. This has to be their decision but…she doesn't want them to make that decision. If they do, they'll forever lose the trust of the human race.

They'll show they really are no different than the Decepticons. But Ari knows they are.

"Why don't you tell Itchy Fingers here that this is all the spoils of war," Joyce says, so daring it's almost reckless. "Dead metal. Innovation. What we do here is science, because if we don't do it, somebody else will. Because you cannot stop technology."

"We're not your technology!" Optimus kicks out at a series of monitors, smashing them to pieces.

"Let me vaporize his aft," Ironhide says eagerly.

"I broke the code," Joyce says, like he's accepting a Nobel Prize. "I own your whole genome."

Optimus's faceplates twist in disgust. "The world will know what you're doing here."

"The world? The world will approve. We can make you now. Don't you get it? We don't need you anymore."

"Approve?" Ari asks skeptically, stalking towards him until she's just a foot away. "The world will not fragging approve. Do you even know who it is you work for?"

He frowns in confusion. "The government, of course. The government you work for. They initiated this entire project."

Ari barks out a disbelieving laugh. This guy's naivety is just astounding. How did any of this sound okay to him? Does he really not see Cybertronians as living beings? Or was his greed for knowledge and self-advancement really so blinding? "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" he grits out, getting impatient.

"Hydra," she deadpans, enunciating clearly so that maybe it'll get through this guy's thick skull. "You're working for Hydra."

He scoffs. "That's just nonsense. Hydra doesn't exist anymore."

Ari sighs through her nose, knowing how ridiculous it sounds. She wouldn't believe either, if the AllSpark hadn't shown her. Still, it doesn't make it any less true. "Be sure to tell the jury that when it all comes to light. If anyone dies because of these so-called Transformers, the blood will be on your hands."

"Let's go," Optimus says, sounding so broken Ari's heart aches. "We're done here."

All the fight has drained out of them—except for maybe Ironhide who is still itching to shoot something—but there's no more they can do. These people, though doing something horrific, are simply misguided. The real fight is still out there and they're not going to find the proof they need to bring Hydra to light in a place that doesn't even know the truth.

Besides, they're running out of time. Something is coming. Ari can feel it in her bones.

Sideswipe scoops her up and transforms, Ari ending up behind the wheel of his alt mode. Everyone else gets inside an Autobot as well, heading out onto the highway, and that's when she notices something very different about Sideswipe's interior.

It all looks brand new. The latest technology, fancy leather upholstery, the works. There's even a hint of that new car smell. Plus, he's silver again. Definitely not the classic alt mode he was donning before.

"And what is this?" she asks, barely keeping the smirk off her face.

"I...may have scanned an alt mode on the way out," he admits, without a shred of guilt. "Transformed into it once I was out of sight of the facility. It's the latest model of Stingray. KSI had it in line for scanning."

Ari runs her hand along the steering wheel appreciatively. "Hmm, not bad."

"So you approve?"

"Yeah, I think I might. It's different, but a good kind of different."

::Uh, guys?:: Will says, sounding worried. ::We've got company::

Ari turns around to see two vehicles behind them, gaining fast. A silver and black semi and the same pink and black sports car that's supposed to be Stinger's alt mode.

"It's Stinger and Galvatron," Ari says, facing forward again so Sideswipe can get his seatbelt around her.

This is not going to end well.

There are less cars out here, the highway divided by a grass medium, but it's still too many people for Ari's liking. Too many possible casualties. She wants to get farther away if they can, but Galvatron doesn't give them the option.

He transforms, body breaking apart in a flow of metal like a school of fish, reforming down the road in front of them in his bipedal form. He rolls right through a semi, landing on his knees and purposefully using a blade to slice a car in half. Another tries to break right in front of him and he smashes it with his fist, sending it flying in a fiery ball of metal.

Unless Hydra is more bloodthirsty than Ari ever realized, they did not tell him to do that. Stinger is fine, parked motionless behind him, but Galvatron is out of control.

Galvatron stands, raising his arm to fire rockets at them. Everyone swerves, most of the rocket landing in the grass but a few coming too close for comfort.

"Guys, we've got to get out of here," Ari says, turning in her seat again to watch as other cars aren't so lucky.

::What, we're not even going to try to fight?:: Tony asks.

"There's too many civilians here. People have probably died already. If we lose them, they'll stop shooting. Or, at the very least, we need to draw them out somewhere without any people around."

::Ari is right,:: Optimus says. ::We have to try. No more innocent lives will be shed this day.::

Stinger and Galvatron race after them at top speed, one side of Stinger's alt mode opening up to reveal rockets. They fire but miss, Galvatron pulling ahead to try firing more rockets of his own.

He doesn't miss. He shoots his rockets at the civilian vehicles in front of the Autobots, just going under an overpass. A semi fishtails, trying to stop as his trailer gets hit, creating a barrier of cars and wreckage right in front of them.

The Autobots swerve out of the way, but Sides, Sunny, and Optimus are too close to stop. They transform, sending Ari flinging through the air as they jump over the destruction. Her breath catches in her throat as she hurdles towards Optimus, a scream drawing her attention to her left where Lina flies through the air as well, away from Sunstreaker.

Optimus catches them both, rolling on the overpass while cradling them to his chassis protectively. He gets his feet under him and jumps back down to the road, transforming around them so they end up on the bench seat of his alt mode to continue barreling down the road.

Ari loses sight of Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, heart lodging in her throat.

"It's okay," Sideswipe reassures her. "We're okay. There's no time to stop, just stay with Optimus. Galvatron is really determined to stay after you guys."

"Well, that's just great. Tell me something new."

"The coast is mostly clear of civilians, so Tony, Thor, and Sam are in the air, trying to take down Stinger."

"Is it working?"

"Yeah, I think so. So we just have Galvatron to worry about."

There's an explosion of more missiles hitting around them and then Optimus jerks with a grunt as he's hit, forcing him to transform back into his bipedal form. He rolls across the highway, Ari getting flung off to the side to land safely in the grass at the side of the road.

But Lina ends up at Optimus's feet.

Optimus stands, mask guard transforming over his face as he takes out his blade just in time for Galvatron to transform and tackle him.

"Lina!" Ari yells as her friend crawls frantically backwards on her hands and feet, away from the fight, until her back hits the side of an abandoned car. "Lina!"

Lina doesn't hear her, wide, horrified eyes trained on the grappling figures in front of her, so close she could end up crushed underneath them.

"Lina!" Ari tries again. "Lina, run for the field!"

Something must register because Lina gets to her feet, running for the cornfields on the other side of the road. Just then, Optimus gets flung off of Galvatron, narrowly missing Lina as he plunges his sword into the ground to slow his momentum.

Lina skids to her knees as she ducks, too afraid to move since she doesn't know where the bots next to her are going.

Optimus plunges his sword into the gaping hold of Galvatron's chassis, growling, "You have no soul."

Galvatron looks him dead in the optics, surprising them all by replying, "That is why I have no fear."

He can talk. He can fragging talk. Intelligently, and with independence, from the sounds of it. Not just some empty robot.

He pushes back against Optimus, sending them tumbling again and getting between Lina and the field. She gets up, running back towards the abandoned car in the middle of the road since there's nowhere else to go.

Lina sits on the road, leaning back against the car's bumper, and cries out, "Sunny!"

Ari grits her teeth, prepared to run to Lina's side, but then Optimus gets shoved in her way, Galvatron getting on top of him. They grapple for a few seconds, Optimus getting the upper hand enough to stand.

Only to get shot in the back by a massive missile.

Ari turns, gaping as a Cybertronian war ship hovers over the ground down the street, the mystery Cybertronian with the green optics casually walking towards them. Without missing a step, his head transforms into a massive cannon, firing another round at Optimus, sending him sprawling across the car Lina hides behind.

Galvatron transforms, speeding away in his semi from the fight, either called away or no longer interested.

Ari hides behind a turned over truck as the Cybertronian saunters past, staying out of sight and watching, waiting for the chance to get to Lina.

But Lina hides as well, getting inside the car where Ari can't get to her.

Her friend is in there, right in the line of fire, and she can't get to her without getting both of them spotted and killed. All she can do is hope Lina doesn't get spotted where she's hiding.

"I feel sorry for you, Prime," the Cybertronian says, kneeling down in front of Optimus like he's talking to a friend. "Your allegiance to these humans. The trouble with loyalty to a cause is that the cause will always betray you."

"Who sent you here?" Optimus grunts out, shoulder sparking where he was hit.

"Where do you think you came from?" He huffs, like he's exasperated at a small child. "You think you were born? No. You were built. And your creators want you back." He gets to his feet as a smaller ship ejects from the craft behind him. "We all work for someone."

What the frag is he talking about? What creators? Does he mean the AllSpark? Primus and Unicron? Or someone else?

The smaller ship launches a net at Optimus, falling on Lina in the car as well. All questions fly right out of Ari's head.

"No," she breathes, racing out into the street, no longer caring if she's seen. "Lina! Optimus!"

The ship raises into the air, raising the net with Optimus and Lina in it.

"Ari!" Lina shouts desperately through the car window, struggling to keep her balance as the nose of the car shifts in the net to point straight up. "Help!"

"Get out, Lina!" Ari runs onto the hood of a car, using it as a jumping off point to grab onto the net as it continues to rise. She hangs on by her fingers, dangling in the air.

"Ari!" Lina yells, kneeling at the trunk of the car right on the other side of Ari's fingers and banging on the glass.

"Break the glass, Lina!" Ari urges, using her chin to activate one of her blades. Lina slams her fist against the glass with all her might, Ari hitting at it with her blade as well. But Lina is not strong enough and Ari can't get good enough leverage, hanging from the netting by one hand.

Ari focus on the net itself instead, trying to saw through it, but then she loses her grip, falling to the ground and landing on her back with a grunt.

"Lina!" She struggles to her feet but she's already too late. The net is much too high for her to reach. "Optimus!"

Helplessly, she watches as two of her best friends get carried off into the belly of the ship, Optimus shouting after her, "Warn the Autobots, Ari!"

But warn them about what? Why did that Cybertronian want Optimus?

What is he going to do to them?

She promised to keep Lina safe. And she failed. That's all she's been able to do lately is fail.

Engines roar behind her but she doesn't move, staying on her knees as she stares despondently at the ship, just waiting for it to turn towards the sky. Waiting for it to leave the planet and take her friends away for good.

But it doesn't. It turns towards the city, heading back towards Chicago.

"What happened?" Will asks, kneeling on the road next to her. When she doesn't respond he shakes her shoulder, gently but firmly. "Ari, what happened? Where's Optimus?"

"Where's Lina?" Sunstreaker asks, a tight edge to his voice. "Come on, where are they?"

"On the ship," she answers, so quiet it's barely a whisper. "He took them."

Something crashes behind her, Sunstreaker yelling out in rage. She winces. She knows how he feels, a gnawing hole inside her chest.

How could they let this happen?

"Man, who is this cracker jack?" Rob grits out, frustrated. "Just comes out of nowhere and starts kidnapping people."

"Do you know who he is, Bucky?" Natasha asks.

"No," Bucky replies gruffly. "He just showed up one day. They never told me who he is or what he wants."

"Who cares?" Sunstreaker explodes, something else crashing. "We need to go after them!"

A door in Ari's mind cracks open, washing her in a knowledge that has been denied her since this whole thing started.

Until now.

She sways slightly, Will steadying her with the hand still on her shoulder. "Kiddo, you alright?'

"Lockdown," she murmurs.

"What?"

"His name is Lockdown. He stayed out of the war, hidden, until the day his masters needed him."

Sideswipe kneels at her other side, brushing the backs of his metal fingers along her arm. "Who? Who are his masters?"

She takes in a shuttering breath, leaning closer at the contact. "I…I don't…." Her eyes squint, like if she just stares hard enough the knowledge will come into focus. It's there, just out of reach, but she's not allowed to see everything. "He…he came from Cybertron. That's where his journey started."

"Before the war broke out?"

"No. After." A cold, sickly shiver runs down her spine. "There's something still there. Alive. Waiting. That's who's giving him orders."

"But the planet is dead," Ratchet protests. "Nothing could survive there."

"None of this fragging matters!" Sunstreaker bellows out, wheeling out to loom over her. His faceplates are angry but there is a deep pain rooted in his optics. "We need to get Lina back."

"And Optimus," Ironhide reminds him coolly.

"Yeah, but…but I…," his hands clench at his sides, shaking as much as his voice, "I need her."

Another door cracks open, wider than the first. A part of the AllSpark she hasn't visited since her wedding day. Ari tilts her head, staring up at Sunstreaker curiously.

It can't possibly be….

"Kneel down for me, Sunny," she bids him, getting to her feet.

"Why?" he asks warily, like a kid at the doctor's office.

"Just…there's something I need to check."

He hesitates before getting down, allowing Ari to press her hands to his chassis. Right over his spark.

"Hold still."

Her bond mark begins to glow, arms sparking as the AllSpark power feeds into Sunstreaker's chassis. A sharp gasp escapes her and she closes her eyes at the intense warmth flowing over her as she looks into his spark. It's like pure energy, a roiling sun that crackles with power and life and emotion.

A trail threads out of it, leading towards Sideswipe, a spark she knows well. Their sibling bond, a bond anyone would expect to find.

But there's another trail, one that peters out into the darkness, not yet fully formed. But it wants to be.

And it reaches out for Lina.

Ari pulls back, eyes blinking open, allowing her tears to escape down her cheeks. "Oh, Sunny," she sighs, breath hitching in her chest. He's had his suspicions. She could feel it in his spark. How long has he been sitting on this? Since the day he met her? Or did he not realize until later?

"I…." His optics fill with liquid, his own tears trickling down his faceplates. He looks so lost. But also so hopeful. "Is it her? Are we…?"

"Yeah. Yeah, you are. You and Lina are sparkmates."

Ratchet looks about ready to fall over. "But that can't be! You, little one, I understand. But Lina..."

"I don't understand it all yet either," Ari says, wiping her hand tiredly across her face before taking in a steadying breath. "But I'm going to."

However, she won't get the chance if they don't save her.

She looks up at the ship again, gauging its distance and speed. "Tony, Sam, Thor, I want you to go after them and find a way onto that ship. Stay hidden, though. Don't engage until we get there."

"On it," Tony says, the faceplate of the Iron Man suit snapping down as he takes to the air, Sam following him with a flap of his wings and Thor with a swing of his hammer.

"We going after them?" Steve asks, though it's not really a question based on the cool determination in his blue eyes.

"Of course. Since they didn't leave the planet right away, I'm guessing Lockdown still has some business left to take care of in Chicago. It should give us enough time to sneak onboard, find Optimus and Lina, and get back out."

"Should?" Rob asks nervously. "What if they decide to leave before we're off?"

"I'm working on it." She turns to Jane and Darcy, giving them an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but you can't come with us. It's too dangerous."

Darcy opens her mouth for a loud protest, only stopped by Jane's hand on her shoulder. "We understand," Jane says, giving her friend a pointed look. "We'll only get in the way, Darce. They need to be fast and can't waste time worrying about us."

Darcy huffs but nods. "Fine. Just promise me you're all going to make it out in one piece."

Realistically, it's a promise they can't necessarily keep. Who knows what they're going to find up there. But Ari replies anyway, "We will."

Primus, please don't make a liar out of her.

"Phil, Jazz, will you go with them?"

Phil nods, already stepping forward to usher the two of them towards Jazz's alt mode. "We'll keep them safe. When you have Lina and Optimus, let us know and we'll send you coordinates for a rendezvous."

The rest of them then pile into the remaining alt modes, racing after the ship, praying that they aren't too late. They still have Hydra to worry about, and the Transformers.

But there's no way they're leaving Optimus and Lina behind.


Author's Note

Right, let's get through this before the mob starts, 'kay?

Clint and Phil are here! They took the place of Maria Hill coming in to save Steve, Sam, and Nat when they got arrested in Winter Soldier. No, Hill isn't going to be making an appearance. Since Phil is still alive and here in my universe, he's sort of taking her place. It would be hard to think of an excuse to bring her in now. I had a hard enough time with Sam.

And Lockdown has reappeared to capture Optimus (of course) and Lina (to take the place of Tessa). Who all thought Ari would get kidnapped in Tessa's place? Sorry, but I have a sick pleasure of twisting the knife.

Lina is Sunstreaker's sparkmate. It is confirmed. They don't just have feelings for each other. They're sparkmates. And Lina doesn't have the excuse of being the AllSpark. Don't worry, guys, I've got plans for this. But that doesn't mean it's going to be an easy road.

And I had that reveal after she gets kidnapped. XD

Like I said, I enjoy this way too much.

Next chapter will be on August 17. We'll have some rescuing (you're welcome), some mysteries, and maybe a few revelations (idk if that'll make it into the next chapter...I really need to figure out where all my chapters are...)

Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!