"She won't die. not for quite a while, anyways." Orcus replied, picking the baby bat up. He held it in one hand and then smiled a bit at it as he scratched it gently.

"Lil' thing won't die for quite a while. After all, would you have perfered it if, again, you were the bat and I would have let you die a slow, painfilled death? She's just a child"

The bat bit Orcus' finger and attempted to drink, but only pulled back in disdain.

Orcus chuckled.

now moved her gaze from the bat to Orcus. She blinked in confusion. Who was this guy?

Orcus put the bat down gently and then watched it attempt to fly. "Hmm...no good...not yet anyways..." He muttered, pulling out a stylus and a pad. He marked some things and then picked the bat back up. "Not yet, little one."

As if understanding, the bat tried to fly again, only to fall.

Snow stood up, watching the bat, and started walking towards the entrance.

Orcus glanced over at Snow. "You're leaving already? Hmph. So much for graditude. Anyways." He walked over to Snow and handed her the baby bat.

"Here. Take care of it for me. That way both of you can star anew together"
Snow blinked at the batling.

"What do I feed it? Or doesn't it need to eat?" she asked, staring at it

"It eats bugs and drinks blood. Here."

Orcus pulled out a vail full of bugs. "Put her in a cage, but make it large enouh for her to be able to fly in and then release those. She'll hunt when she wants to"

Snow took the vial and nodded.

Orcus smirked and then turned around. "You've got thirty cycles.

Run.

Now"

Snow stared a him for a moment, then, holding the bat close, she ran like Unicron himself was after her.

"So..." Omega blinked.

"What's up, bro"

"We gonna go or not"

"Guess so." Alpha shrugged. "

D'y'all still want me to block her?" She pointed to Indy. Jade nodded.

"We might not be able to get far before Klutch's troups show up, but if we hitch a ride with a certain someone, we can get colser to the Ark. And the closer we are, the easier it will be to teleport into the Ark. And more accurate." she looked at Alpha and Omega for their opinions.

The twins nodded. "We agree." They said, smiling.

Alpha pulled an amulet out from under her shirt and clutched it as she closed her eyes.
"She's blocking." Omega nodded. He picked his sis up and threw her onto his back. "So...now what?" He asked, looking at the others.

Orcus chuckled as he watched her run.

Kit saw Snow and smiled. "Snow! Have you seen mommy or uncle O?" She asked, looking at the femme.

Snow blinked at her.

"Hey Kit. No. Why?"

"Because they've gone missing and everyone's looking for them. Some people are mad at mommy and Aunt Jade for some reason." Kit whimpered.

Indy sniffled and looked at her. "Don't worry, my powers aren't that good."

Jade went over to the console. "There's a place we can meet our contacts nearby. We'll need one of you to become a vehicle again. Driveby?"

the platinum blonde nodded. Cable brushed his hair out of his face again.

"Ugh. What is this stuff?"

Jade smirked. "it's called hair"

"It's friggin' annoyin."
Okay, there's a small grove of trees about 100 feet from the ark. Jazz should be on his way to the ark from patrol, so he could give us a lift." Jade said.

"I can become a vechicle." Alpha offered. "I'm a truck, so I'd have plently of room in the truck bed and in the cab for all of y'all"

Omega looked at his sis.

"I heard that"

"I didn't say anything"

"I read your mind, doof"

"Okay." Jade nodded. She tapped a couple more buttons.

"Winged demon to blues traveler. you there?"

"Sorry, nobody's home." Jazz's voice came through.

"Leave a message at the tune." Jade sighed "stupid codes. "

She rubbed her optics, trying to remember what it was.

"Don't worry, be happy."

a chuckle came through. "Life is a highway..." Jazz pretended he was singing. He hummed the next few notes, then went to another part of the song. "from the big lake bowl to the rising trees... I've been all around and now I see..."

"Jazz!" Jade interrupeted irritatedly

"what?"

she sighed.

"nevermind, see you later." she groused

"Okay. Whatever. bye" Jazz shrugged and cut the comlink.

"Umm... no. I'm sorry Kit," Snow glanced behind her. "Can- can we go inside, please"

Kit nodded. She led snow in and then spotted the bat. "Ooh! What's that? It's cute!" She smiled, looking at the tiny rodent with wings.

Snow knelt down so that Kit could see better.

"She's a bat. I... found her"

"Cool!" Kit smiled. She petted the bat. "What's her name"

"I don't think she has one yet," Snow smiled. "What would you like to call her"

"Um...I dunno..." Kit frowned

Alpha laughed as she fell off her brother's back. She smiled and then patted Anger. "Aww, what's wrong"

"Don't make me hurt you." The copy growled.

Omega facepalmed. "What were y'all saying exactly"

Jade blinked. "Was it that obvious?" she glanced at the screen. "The cave out by Boondock lake. The big lake bowl means Boondock lake, and the rising trees is the trees on one side.

see you later means we'll meet him there"

The twins nodded. "It was that obvious. Then agian, she/I can also read minds." Omega pointed to alpha, who pointed to herself. "So...when d'we leave"

Jade shrugged "now, I suppose"

Alpha transformed. "Alright, all humans climb in." She said, opening up her truck bed.

"Hang on, I gotta get some of my stuff." Hammertread dissapeared into his room, and came back out a second later. Then he grabbed a small remote-control type device off the console, and hopped up into the truck bed. "Where'd you put it all?" Jade asked.

"subspace"

Alpha blinked. "Subspace? Oh forget it. Hop in, bro"

Omega climbed into Alpha's cab. "Alright"

"Alright, guys and gals, hold onto your hats"

The car sped out of the base, and out into the midday sun. Hang a left and park!" Jade cried. Alpha rushed under a tree right as a trio of jets flew over.

Alpha sighed. "That was close"

Omega patted the console. "Nice sharp turn, sis"

"Everyone okay?" Alpha yelled. "Sorry about the sharp turn"

The copy scoffed from the bed. "Yeah right."

Snow tilted her head.

"That's an interesting name"

Kit facepalmed. "Let's decide on a name together, Snow"

Snow smiled. "Well... what do you think would be a good name for a little bat?

"Um..." Kit petted the bat. "Midnight"

"Hey, that's a good name!" Snow smiled. "Midnight it is"

Kit smiled and then petted the baby bat, who promptly bit her finger. Kit giggled.

Meanwhile, indie the Ark, Daze blinked at Bumblebee. The room was... moving?

"Daze.. Are you okay?" the little minibot got up and walked over to her.

Daze blinked again.

"What? Yeah the room's just-" she mumbled, falling forwards.

"fine came a few voices.

"I'm not fine back here! I have to..." Hammertread trailed off and looked around.

"What!? I'm a human!"

the others chuckled, and Jade rolled her optics. Alpha laughed at HT's announcement. "too much info, there!" She laughed.

"Sorry about the short notice, Alpha. Klutch comes after someone, he tends to bring half the british armed forces with him." the ex-jet groused.

"Be on the lookout for tanks, jeeps, humvees, about anything that is used for military. Also covered transport trucks. he usually brings a couple of those." she added.

Alpha nodded. "Gotcha. I'll look out for 'em. not that he would know that we're the guys we're lookin' for, but still."

"Good to be prepared"

"Bingo." Alpha nodded as she took off again.

They hurried across the desert, sighing with relief when they saw the outline of trees against the bowl-shaped valley.

"DAZE!" Bumblebee tried to catch her, but got knocked over...

"Hang on... I'll go get Ratchet." he got to the door, and glanced back, wide-opticed.

"Nevermind, I'll just call him." he ran back over. "Bumblebee to Ratchet, are you there?"

"Daze wake up." he pleaded.

"What's wrong, Bumblebee?" Ratchet sounded concerned.

"Daze.. she just fell over... We're in Bluestreak's quarters."

Bumblebee whimpered. "I'll be right there." Ratchet cut the comlink.

The truck pulled up, and the group piled out. "Let's hope there's only friends waiting for us." Jade crept in.

The place was empty. Everyone jumped at the sound of scraping metal. Two figures appeared at the back of the small cave, which was huge by human standards.

"Wow, evrything looks smaller as a human, don't it?" Cap commented.

"MM." Gunlock replied, walking up and climbing on top of a rock.

Alpha and Omega looked at the two. they sighed and then stuck close to each other, a ball of purple energy in each of their hands, ready to be fired if nessesary.

Snow nodded again.

"Very good name"

She glanced at the doors nervously, then smiled.

"What's wrong, Snow?" Kit blinked.

The femme made herself smile, trying not to think about the mech.

"Nothing. It's OK." "Okay then." Kit nodded, smiling. She then sighed. "Can we go find mommy?"

Daze mumbled something, then managed to activate her optics.