Chapter 2

I Spy

This was more than a typical day for Soundwave. Where usually he would be on the Nemesis monitoring the ship; easy, or the human world wide web; ridiculously easy, or the Autobot comm. signals; only easy half the time, here he was on a scouting mission for a change. Really, it was nice to get off the computers and out into the field once in a while. On this particular occasion, Megatron had him scanning the desert around Nevada, for something he could use against the Autobots. It was really just a mission for some new ideas, as Megatron wracked his servos for a plan, in Soundwave's opinion, not that he'd ever voice it to his face, or at all. He wasn't a suicidal mech.

The Decepticon spy combed over every bit of desert he could see from his vantage, mindful of any nearby Autobots, knowing they worked out of some hideaway in the area. With a live feed being sent to the Nemesis, Soundwave pondered the situation. After Prime had escaped, Megatron had been in an horrendous mood and the silent mech wondered at what made him the most upset; his failure to kill Optimus, or that a human was able to ruin all his plans. He supposed Starscream's return hadn't helped, that seeker had more lives than a cyber cat.

Technically, Soundwave would be on the Nemesis, at a time like this, working on deciphering the Iacon Database, but Megatron had revenge on his servos. So here he was listening for Autobot signals and snooping around. Sometimes he wondered about his leader's priorities.

He was over Jasper now, where those human children lived. After he had snapped their pictures, he'd followed it up with a back ground check, for future reference, he wouldn't be a good spy if he hadn't. Starscream hadn't cared for the information, dismissing the humans as useless and unworthy of his time, the fool, it had cost him eventually. Megatron, on the other hand, kept the information for possible use in some of his plans, but hadn't made any moves yet. With the Autobots keeping an optic on each one it wasn't wise to try and kidnap them, and so far, they were never left alone where the Decepticons could get to them.

Soundwave continued his silent musings, as the scenery gave way to the cliffs and canyons, when he flew past Jasper, a flash out of the corner of his optic caught his attention. He slowed his speed and changed course carefully scrutinizing the landscape where he had seen it. Soundwave saw the flash again, and turned his visor upon it, zooming in for a closer look. There was a human bicycle, standing next to the canyon wall, just where the sun reflecting off its metal frame could catch his optic. He supposed it was just one of the flesh creatures, out for what they called a hike in the mountains, but he decided to check around anyway.

He dropped closer to the ground combing the area slowly when he saw it. In what he thought was just a shadow on the cliff, proved to be an oasis. It was small enough that, if he hadn't been focusing, he wouldn't have seen it, but big enough for him to stand in comfortably. He could see a human standing in it now, facing what looked like targets, panting slightly. Soundwave watched curious, the human, a male he noticed, didn't have any weapons to hit the targets with, yet there were signs they had been. How was he doing it? The mech wondered.

He soon had his answer.

The human took a breath, like he was preparing, raised his arm, and suddenly ice shot forth from his hand and struck one of the cans that were set up. Soundwave felt like off lining in that moment, due to shock, but he shoved it violently into the back of his processor, knowing Megatron was still watching and would be very interested in this new development. Besides which, it would have been far too embarrassing for the master spy to off line due to emotion. He did have a reputation to keep.

He dropped down, and landed somewhere out of sight, where he could still observe, as the human displayed another power, this time it was fire. He soon heard Megatron's voice crackle over his comm.

"Soundwave, identify that human." By the undertones in his command the spy could tell his leader was as shocked as he was. He zoomed in on the human's features and recognized him instantly, as one of the children the Autobots protected, Jack Darby, if he wasn't mistaken. He sent his findings to Megatron feeling like off lining again. Of all the creatures on this planet, one of the most unique had to be one that had been under both theirs and their enemy's noses the whole time, and the Decepticons had thought them useless. That was a kick in the aft.

His comm. crackled again, "Soundwave I want that human alive bring him to me unharmed." Said mech silently wondered what his leader's face looked like right now, no doubt full of glee.

First things first.

The Decepticon spy headed down into the canyon towards the boy's mode of transportation. It was an ordinary bike, but Soundwave wouldn't take any chances, so he disabled it. Next he found the entrance to the oasis itself and blocked it with a boulder. Then he moved up to the top of the canyon, completely silent, and snuck towards the child's hideaway.

He peered in and saw the human was cooling down and about to take a break.

Now was the time to grab him.

Near the end of his practice, Jack began to get a feeling of foreboding. It wasn't exactly foresight, but Jack always got them when something bad was about to happen. The feelings weren't always about him either, as he tended to get them frequently around the Autobots, just before a mission went wrong, but better to be safe, so Jack decided a break was in order. He used water from the spring to cool down as he looked around alert for any trouble. Not seeing anything, he grabbed his notebook and a sandwich from his bag, and sat down to eat and review his notations.

Unaware of what was sneaking up behind him.

Jack yelped as something wrapped around him, and snatched him up. Since he had been practicing, he reacted out of reflex and zapped whatever it was. The thing dropped him and he whirled around, while backing up, and saw Soundwave's tentacle like extension, as well as the spy himself.

"A Decepticon?" Jack exclaimed in fright. 'Oh no,' He thought, 'How long had it been there!?'

He reached around for his cellphone, and panicked when he couldn't find it, suddenly wishing Arcee was here, secret or no secret. He dodged, as the Decepticon took another swipe at him, his mind whirling at super speed for a plan. He needed to get out of here, but the only exit was behind the current problem, which was really bad, now that he realized, he should've picked a place that had two, in hindsight. He dodged again, and found himself being backed further into the wall behind him. Jack knew this was bad, his worse nightmare come to life, so out of sheer desperation he lashed out. He pushed the spy out of the way, with his mind, and shocked him with electricity for good measure, then made a dash for freedom.

Or so he thought.

The shock the human gave him was weak, probably from the practice, so Soundwave quickly shook it off and tripped him. He fell hard to the ground stunned, and the Decepticon spy wasted no time knocking him out. With the human unconscious, Soundwave gently picked him up examining him, marveling a little that this fragile being could channel such power. Satisfied that the human would be fine, the silent mech checked the surroundings, for anything else important, and saw the book the boy had been reading. The spy carefully opened it, noting the tiny scrawl and its depictions of the child's capabilities, and picked it up as well to take with. Then he transformed, with his cargo secure, and blasted off back to the Nemesis.

Where Megatron waited.

Arcee was on patrol feeling a bit miffed. First, she and Jack had to cancel their plans, due to the Decepticons making a racket, for her team destroying their energon mine. So she had to fill in for Bumblebee while he went with Optimus to take care of it. Then after they got back, Bumblebee had been injured, so Ratchet had him stuck at base until he recovered, which meant she'd be filling in Bumblebee's patrol hours for the next three days. So much for that rain check, she'd promised Jack, she only hoped he was having a better time than she was.

Her comm. beeped, it was Ratchet.

"Arcee to base. Go ahead, Ratchet." She said. What could be wrong now?

"Arcee, we've detected a Decepticon signal close by. About five klicks east of your position." Ratchet told her. "I'm sending you the coordinates."

"I'm on it." She quickly changed course.

"Be careful, call me if there's any trouble." The line switched off, and Arcee raced to the place the con was last detected.

She soon found herself tearing through some canyons, and whipping around the last curve, she transformed armed and ready. Arcee had arrived at an area that was very plain looking like any ordinary crack in the earth. She checked the cliffs for signs of ambush, detecting nothing, she lowered her guns and walked forward, alert, and commed Ratchet.

"Are you sure a Decepticon was here?" She asked.

"Absolutely certain." The medic bot replied

"I checked all the equipment yesterday. There shouldn't be anything wrong with it." At that moment Arcee heard a crash over the line and the next instant Ratchet was shouting, "Bumblebee! I needed that!"

She couldn't help rolling her optics as she replied, "Whoever it was they aren't here now, but I'll look around a little just to be-"

She stopped suddenly, as she rounded a curve, and spotted a bike lying on its side, one of its tires laid next to it. She knew that bike, she'd spent enough time in its owner's garage right next to it not to recognize it. With a sudden ominous feeling she tuned back into the comm. line, as she hurried closer to the manually powered vehicle.

"Ratchet, I need you to scan for Jack's location." She ordered tense. Ratchet waited till the scan finished to ask what was wrong.

"The scan shows his cellphone is at his location of residence, but he's not answering my call. Arcee what's going on?" The red and white mech demanded in concern.

"Jack's bike is here." She stated. The medical officer's eyes widened and he felt more than saw Optimus come stand next to him.

"Status report." The Prime commanded, everyone behind him were listening now.

"The bike's been sabotaged and there's no sign of Jack. Optimus I'm not picking up any life signs." Arcee felt she might break down at that, she couldn't stand it, if she'd lost another partner to the Decepticons.

"Easy Arcee," Opitmus's voice soothed reigning her in, "Check the area for further clues, I'll send someone to Jack's home to be certain, we cannot jump to conclusions."

"Right." The Autobot femme hardened her resolve.

"Keep sending us updates, Arcee." Ratchet's voice was back, "I'll begin scanning for Jack's life signs."

The team worked quickly and efficiently. Optimus sent Bulkhead to the Darby residence as Arcee searched. Bulkhead found no one there, and it didn't take long for Arcee to find the oasis, with a human backpack, and what she thought were signs of a firefight. The area was a mess, with the ground tore up, and there were scorch marks everywhere. Their discoveries only confirmed what she feared; Jack was not home, he was not safe, and she had no idea what happened to him.

Optimus called them in.

When she arrived, she saw both June Darby and agent Fowler there. June was crying into the agent's shoulder and Arcee couldn't help the sting of guilt she felt, which soon turned into a simmering anger. Whatever the Decepticons had done to Jack.

They. Would. Pay.