Huh… this update took less than two weeks… *deserves an award for that* Welp, this chapter is relatively short compared to the last few chapters, but it's still needed so… here it is~
To Luminous Steel: Yep, that's Miko for ya, praying on Cybertronains who don't know any better~ Yeah, poor Smokey. That poor baby needs all the chicken soups he can get. And I like that idea~~
"Ah, nothing is more relaxing than a little drive. Don'tcha agree Wheeljack?" Jazz sighed peacefully, enjoying the drive-by view through Wheeljack's alt mode window. Yep, he is totally loving this unlimited ride thing.
Wheeljack gave a groan, and would have rolled his optics if he weren't driving. "With all things considered, I don't understand why you trust me to drive you around like this. What if I purposely get into an accident to get you hurt?"
"You wouldn't 'because that'll mean you'd mess up your paintjob as well." Jazz replied, shifting out of his very comfortable position as if going to present a speech. "Let me be real with ya, Wheeljack. I don't want ya ta think I have anything against ya; holding grudges will make a bot like me as sour and bitter as ol' Hatchet. Not good for my complexion either."
"Really now?"
"Yeah, I mean I don't know how long I'm staying in this body, so I'm trying to maintain my good looks as much as I can." Jazz, looking at the empty driver's side as he jested.
Wheeljack lightly grunted, "Right because your personal appearance is what I care the most about." but if Jazz is really trying to make amends here... "I've had worse scrapes in my sides before, so water under the bridge. And, as long as you don't have a perfume accident in my seats, we're fine."
Jazz sniffs, the sweet aroma still lingering inside the car, matching the scent of Rosanna's perfume choice today. "Yeah I was wondering about the smell of flowers and everything sweet. I suggest using cologne to mask it. You have to get the ones with the strong scent, too. But not so overpowering that it drives all the ladies away instead of attracting them."
Wheeljack caught the hint, internally smiling. "You're a lifesaver."
"You didn't hear it from me… But if we are doing favors here, can I ask you a question and get a honest answer?"
"Shoot."
"What's funny about me saying that I like big buns?"
Wheeljack came to a screeching halt so he wouldn't get in an accident for laughing so hard, confusing and nearly giving his occupant a near spark attack by his sudden action. "Well, it's not any of my business to what type of buns you prefer. Although, if you want my answer, whose buns are we talking about?"
Jazz mentally slaps himself in the face for not making that connection earlier. It took him a little while, but being so late to the joke that it cost him a part of his dignity.
Wheeljack could only imagine how much that slap in the face must have hurt. "Let me guess, Miko?"
"Primus, I don't think I can live that one down..." Well, there's always the satisfaction of tying Miko up in the rafters...
"Nope. Welcome to the 'I've made myself into a fool' club."
Jazz pouted, staring outside the car window. It was about then he notices how far out they were in the middle of nowhere. Sheesh, he barely took in consideration about the drop down from the mountains they were on… "By the way, any reason you brought me out here?"
"You said anywhere that's isolated and nature-y. For as long I've been on this rock, this place matches the description. The thing I'm careful of is the rockslides- nearly slid off the edge the first time."
Jazz felt himself clutching the seat belts."... On second thought, this trip sounds very unsafe."
"Oh Please. And have the Prime get on my back for getting you into an accident? No thanks, I already with through that scenario once. I'm able to watch where my wheels roll." Optimus surely wasn't happy when him and Bulkhead tried going after Dreadwing, and an unhappy Optimus is one face Wheeljack would like to never see again.
Although, this seemed like a story that piqued the interest of the dark skinned man, however, he spotted something before the car did. "Yo, stop the car." After Wheeljack parked on the mountain's ledge, he opens the door and lets Jazz out before transforming up himself. "Mother Nature didn't make this, right?"
There was an unnatural cave-in on the wall of the mountain, recent actually since it appears that some of the rocks are still settling. Wheeljack expects it.
"I know what an aftermath of an explosive looks like and that's one of 'em. By the looks of it, nothing too major except the shock of the explosion could give someone an unexpected trip down below if they flew back off the edge." Spoken like a true Wrecker. "Frankly, there's not a reason to place a non-lethal bomb way out here in a random place."
Jazz leans over the ledge, able to see the bottom level of the mountain. Did anyone fall down there? "See ya at the bottom." Hearing the comment, Wheeljack turns around, finding the human had already escaped his view. Looking over the ledge, he saw Jazz sliding down the slanted walls.
By the time the Wrecker came down, the dancing mech was investigating some tracks on the ground, disappearing off in another direction.
"This place ain't so isolated as you thought, Wheeljack. Multiple vehicle tracks were here not long ago. And I don't think these guys are birdwatchers if these marks are as fresh as that explosion..." Jazz stood up from the ground. "What do ya say? Is it in our place to investigate?"
Why not? It's more enjoyable than aimlessly driving around. "Well, you got me curious now, so we might as well. This all may turn out to be nothing anyway."
"If it's nothing, I might be disappointed." commented the techno-organic as he begins to follow the trails.
Unknowing to them, the bots missed the faint glow of energon painted sparsely on a boulder.
Following the trails of tire treads, they were lead to the outskirts of the valley's reach. Although, the trail didn't go cold as the vehicles in question were spotted idle near these buildings. They take position blended in the darkness of the tree.
"Either there's a spy convention around, or there's something shady is going down." Jazz quietly says about the leather dressed men, guarding a building with menacing guns in hand. "Friends of yours by any chance?"
Wheeljack shook his head. "Hardly. I was filled in about these guys from Bulk. They're an organization called MECH, and not exactly what I call friendly toward Cybertronian beings."
"Good thing I ain't one."
"Or beings that contains any Cybertronian biology, Mr. Techno-Organic. If they see any of us, our backs will be tied down to lab tables."
"That bad, huh? I don't think I like that."
"Neither do I…" Then Wheeljack smirked, "How fun would a little payback be to set back some of their plans?"
"I thought you'd never ask. I didn't earn the title 'saboteur' for nothing. Although, should we call for backup?"
"Wreckers don't call for backup."
… … ... … … ... ... … … … … … … ... … ...
The search for Laserbeak aboard the Nemesis remained fruitless, even with the added help from Starscream, Breakdown, and a few Vehicons. Sadly, there was no head or hide of the boy. It got to the part where paranoia forced their minds to realize that if they can't find the wayward sparkling, then they will have to deal with a very angry Third In Command on their backs.
The enviable couldn't have been any sooner once Soundwave requested for his minicon, and trying to stall for additional time would have been pointless anyway since the TIC wouldn't hesitate to visit the med bay to collect the sparkling himself.
Seemingly, the better option was to confront said mech at his station in the bridge and hopefully Megatron will be there as a restraint just in case he snaps on them.
Arriving at the bridge, Knock Out, who was pushed in front while Breakdown and Starscream cowered behind, had to explain why Laserbeak wasn't with them at the moment.
Sure, Soundwave made a scrunched up face of pure annoyance and disappointment, but nothing that signified murderous rage. Heck, he wasn't even really surprised that the three lost track of a playful sparkling in a giant playground.
However, Soundwave was unable to contact his little drone through a personal comm link channel.
"Does anyone want to confess who let Laserbeak out of their sights?" Soundwave assumed the group would all point fingers and someone who be ratted out quickly. Funny how everyone was dead silent this time because Megatron isn't asking the question… which can be changed.
By request, the Warlord himself enters the Bridge, per Soundwave's request.
"If you're not going to take questions about a task I specially assigned to you three, then you don't mind if I ask the questions." The three mechs gulped. "Is there a reason why Soundwave informed me of your incompetence to simply watch a sparkling?"
"Lord Megatron, with all due respect," Starscream began, voice faltering. "we are not caretakers. It's certainly not our jobs to care for a youngling."
"However, Starscream, it is your job to follow my orders. Need I remind what happens to those who fail to meet my commands?" As if Starscream doesn't know. "Back to the matter, Laserbeak is a valued asset to the cause, despite his current state of vulnerability. What I still fail to understand is how you three fail to keep an eye on him."
"Breakdown and I were doing a splendid job keeping watch." Knock Out defended before giving Starscream a look. "Although, if Starscream wasn't late on his shift, I would have had an extra set of eyes that would have prevented this from happening. Again."
If Starscream still had his wings, they would be flared. "Oh, you are not pinning the blame on me!"
Knock Out crossed his arms, his expression plain. "If the shoe fits."
"You lost him under your watch, medic."
"Our watch that you weren't there for," The medic pointed out. "You know I am a very busy individual who have important matters to attend to."
Starscream was appalled, "Are you suggesting what I do isn't important!? I have better things to do than to watch over some brat!"
"Pray tell, Starscream, what other business do you have to attend to?" Starscream shrink when his Lord and Master asked him a very direct question.
"Er, Soundwave?" Breakdown called for the TIC's attention while Megatron deals with Starscream, "Can't ya just, I dunno, track him?"
"Signal currently unavailable. Reason unknown." Tracking Laserbeak was out of the question since that option was terminated the moment Soundwave tried to locate him. Knock Out made a clear change of expression after the fact, as if he were pondering. "Knock Out, is there something you want to share?"
"Well…" hesitating is a good indicator of a 'I hecked up' moment, "I suspected that Laserbeak's current illness may have caused a malfunction to his transponder or locator chip." Knock Out explained, unintentionally sending worry into Soundwave's nerves.
"You failed to mention this crucial detail earlier?" The dark cladded mech scowled. "A tracking bracelet would have been a suitable means of locating him, Knock Out."
"It was only a theory I didn't prove, but fair enough." Knock Out knows when he's beat. Shoot, a tracking bracelet is a brilliant idea that he didn't think about in hindsight. "Looking over the tiny mistake… it's not like he found a way to walk off the ship. Laserbeak is smart enough to know which part of the flight deck he shouldn't be on." Tis a joke Knock Out at least expected to be humored by someone, anyone to relieve some of the tension in the air.
Unfortunately, it was the direct opposite.
Viewing the security footage, it wasn't too hard to spot the dark haired sparkling latched on to one of the vehicon's pedes like a leech.
So, that's where he went… on the other side of the groundbridge portal. "Well this is an unexpected turn of events..." If that happened, then Knock Out knew who is going to get blamed the most...
If Breakdown doesn't act fast, he's going to lose the regained eye that the medical device gave him. "I didn't see him behind us! Not even the vehicons! We were all investigating the signal until an explosion-"
"An explosion? You didn't make mention of this in the reports."
Breakdown's shamed face turned to Megatron. "I didn't think much of it since there weren't any casualties… the force of the blast had almost knocked me over the ledge though..." he froze, the room become so silent, the only audible sound came from the boots of the TIC when it touches the flooring in a menacing manner..
Oh Sugar Honey Iced Tea...Too bad Breakdown has no one to cower behind.
Soundwave was barely keeping all of his anger inside, which was truly frightening. But frankly, this was no time for inflicting bodily harm. "Lord Megatron, I request for a search party at Breakdown's coordinates with me leading it."
"Permission granted."
"Breakdown," The bruiser mech's helm snap in the TIC's direction. "you will show me where the explosion took place."
Aaaaaaaaaaaand that's it~! It looks like the next chapter is gonna be an interesting one.
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Huh, what do I say now? Um… so, yeah next chapter will definately be a chapter that totally won't have any crying or heart breaking moments. ._.
That may or may not be a lie since I haven't written it yet. Welp, I'll see you guys next time~! Don't forget to comment, your words means everything to me~ *tosses apology cake out in advance*
