Chapter 14
Jack tried to keep his breathing down to a minimum as he saw several drones rush in, likely having heard the crash. He saw them look down at the glass, then gazed around the room before calling it in that he'd escaped. Jack let out a deep breath of relief when they left and gently checked his face again, feeling the cut up skin having congealed, thankfully. He glanced down at the wrapped up part of his arm and knew he'd need to get this looked at soon, as his patchwork medical care wasn't going to cut it.
Jack hurried over to the door, pressing himself against the side as the door slid open as he approached, and waited a moment before he hurried out and took cover in a crevice at the other side of the hall. He continued to try and be careful, even though his face and arm started to sting whenever he moved them.
With how he was now an escapee, he knew that trying to get out was going to be even more difficult, but he had to try at least. Even if he didn't get rescued, not that he'd blame the Autobots with his rather ominous message about the 'Cons targeting his friends, but trying was better than doing nothing about his situation.
Jack peered out cautiously, straining his hearing for the sounds of footsteps, but he could he nothing to indicate more mechs had been sent to check this location for him again yet. He wasn't about to stick around and wait to be captured once more, he just needed to stay out of sight long enough until hopefully his location could be tracked.
Getting out of the crevice, Jack scurried down the hall to the corner, pausing once to take a quick look down both directions for any sign of the 'Cons before hurrying toward another one of the rooms. His first look into the room told him that it seemed to be some sort of storage closet with all the shelves filled with equipment.
Jack sighed in relief as he leaned against the wall by the door. He didn't know just how long he'd been out of his prison for, but he risked pulling out his phone once more and dialed the number to Smokescreen's comm. link this time. He'd heard the mech freaking out in the background and this was a sort of good time as any to both calm him down and get information. "Smokescreen, are you there? It's Jack."
:Jack? Oh thank Primus you're okay.: Smokescreen paused. :Are you okay?:
Looking himself over, Jack grimaced and decided to downplay his injuries. "I'm as I can be given the situation." He explained. "How are things down at your end? Are Raf and Miko okay?"
:Me and Arcee are staking out the school; so far none of the 'Cons have shown up, but the others went to check out a Decepticon signal and Ratchet's still trying to lock onto your phone.: Smokescreen replied, his tone frustrated and Jack could guess why. :This is all my fault, I should have-:
"Don't start that, not now." Jack said sharply. "This wasn't your fault; if you want to blame someone, then blame Starscream, I certainly am."
:Oh, believe me, I do too: Smokescreen said, his tone lightening despite the dire situation. His voice soon sobered up though when he continued speaking. :Just keep yourself safe, or as safe as you can be?:
Jack was about to reply, but his eyes widened when the doors slid open abruptly and he found himself staring up at a face mask that was pining his location on the screen. In a split second, Jack realized that if Soundwave could have found him by tracing the signal, could he track it to the other end of the line? Feeling foolish, Jack ended the call and turned his phone off. He briefly wondered if he could get by Soundwave on speed alone, but his hopes dropped sharply as a red mech stepped around Soundwave, a new glass container in their hand.
Knock Out smirked down at him, optics glimmering maliciously. "You think you're so clever, don't you? Wonder if you'd go splat like Smokescreen should have when he escaped." He said, but when Soundwave glanced at him, Knock Out grimaced as he scooped up Jack as the teen attempted to jump back. "Then again it's not like you had much chance of escape anyway."
The teen glared up at him. "Still got out."
"A mistake that won't be made a second time." Knock Out said. He put one digit up to his audio and turned away slightly. "Lord Megatron, I've secured the human." He reported, and while Jack couldn't hear the reply, it equally frustrated him as Knock Out kept his expression unreadable. "Understood, I'll be there in a klik." He said and made his way out of the storage closet.
Jack furrowed in brow in brow as he looked up to see the top of the cylinder being capped onto his tube, wondering not for the first time just what was going to happen to him. He was clearly supposed to be a hostage, but for what? Didn't Starscream already steal all the Omega keys? Was kidnapping him just done on a whim that Starscream hadn't really thought through? 'If that's really what happened, I think I might scream.' He thought darkly.
The trip to the bridge seemed to take a painfully long time, and when they finally did arrive, Jack immediately sought out Starscream to glare at him. The seeker seemed somewhat cowed when his eyes rested upon his frame hunched over beside Megatron, but the mech narrowed his optics right back at Jack.
"Here he is, little pest thought he could call for help." Knock Out said.
Megatron, who had been staring up at a screen, turned to look over at them. "And I trust that he was not successful?" he questioned, to which Jack saw Soundwave nod and the teen felt a cold weight settle into his stomach.
The Autobots wouldn't be able to find him after all? Was his call to Smokescreen even real? 'No, as hopeless as this is, that was real.' He thought, and with that he tried to bravely keep a straight face. "Why am I here?" he asked, clenching his palms as Megatron's gaze lowered to him, and there was a burning in those optics which made him want to reel back.
"You are here as an insurance, things have transpired while you were on your pointless quest for escape." The mech said and Jack gritted his teeth. He seemed to lose momentarily interest in Jack as he addressed his troops as a whole. "When we reach Cybertron through the spacebridge and restore our home with the Omega Lock, the Decepticons will reign supreme!" he said and a cheer rose up around them from the troops down below the platform they were on.
Jack found the cylinder being lifted as it sunk in for him just what was going on and he scowled at Knock Out's smug faceplate.
"It seems you will once more be returning to Cybertron." He said almost conversationally before a sinister grin crept onto his lip components. "Rest assured; it will be the last time you do though."
"The Autobots won't let you win." Jack said, wishing that his sounded as sure as he felt.
Knock Out laughed. "Please, they'll be spending their time looking for you, and they have no space bridge of their own." He said sneering.
"My lord, what will you have done with the human in the mean time?" Starscream questioned as he sent Jack a glare, a nasty glimmer in his optics. "I would gladly secure him someplace more suitable. Perhaps an even higher surface in case of another foolish escape?"
"The human must remain alive if he is to be of use." Megatron said distastefully. "Knock Out, tend to the pest's injuries; we can't have him dying on us before his purpose is completed."
"If I may, perhaps I could do a bit of my own…research?" Knock Out questioned, and Jack shuddered at the sly tone. "Wretched thing that he is, there may be a deeper reason why that Autobot agreed to enter a relationship with him."
Megatron's faceplate twisted into a scowl, and Starscream looked disgusted at the reveal of this information. "Non-fatal examination."
Knock Out nodded and walked away with Jack, who heard Starscream offhandedly remark, "Of course in their soft-sparkness the Autobots would fall into xenophilia with this accursed species."
Jack winced, but with the too intense focus the red mech holding him had, it gave him enough strength to turn and glare up at him. "Not just the Autobots though, huh?"
Knock Out paused once he was outside the bridge, but his glare had no sign of anything but contempt. "What I'm going to do to you will hurt badly, but I know it will hurt Smokescreen even more." He said with a vicious smirk. "He really should have known better."
Jack's glare intensified, but he knew that rescue was always going to be a slim hope, but he held firm on the belief that no matter what happened, the choice to initiate this relationship wasn't a mistake.