Arcee raced across the open field, grass and mud freckling her cold polymer skin. Jack's heart raced just as fast as her, constantly looking behind to check for Scorponok.

Okay, okay. So far so good...wait. Oh god, what is that?

A rumbling sounded and a huge pillar of dirt plumed towards them, in pursuit. Trees fell as the being tore through the underground roots and bulged the dirt upwards.

"Oh god! Cee, it's Scorponok! Drive faster!" Jack cried as she throttled the engine, bumping over the terrain.

They sped under the skeletal tower of a dead pylon, stood like a rigamortis stricken corpse. Jack ducked down under the low rusty metal beams. He looked back to see the tunneling bulge stop, dust settling. Suddenly the massive mechanical scorpion leaped from the earth, ripping through the dirt flesh. It grappled onto the pylon and stared at the escaping duo.

Six terrifying robotic eyes peered at them, alerting Blackout to their location.

"Blackout master, your prey is heading to the outskirts...of the town known as Chernobyl"

"Excellent Scorponok, stay in pursuit. I will close the hunt personally when you chase them to the outskirts. Grindor will be avenged!" The huge Pave low roared, pulling a sharp turn as he flew over the dead town.

Meanwhile Jack and Arcee neared a mass grave of rusty tanks and helicopter corpses. Jack leaped off of her and she transformed, ducking down behind the tank.

"Cee...what do we do?" He asked. Arcee sighed. She knew there was no other way. The sound of Scorponok tunneling closer sent shivers along Jack's spine. She could see the town outskirts less than a mile away. Apartment blocks stretched into the sky like dead hands.

"Jack. Do you trust me?"

"Of...of course Cee. Why?"

"Run to the apartment block over there. I'll hold off Scorponok until you are safe" She explained. Jack shook his head, emotion on his face.

"No! We stay together" Jack said, his helmet opening and disabling as he grew near to her. She cupped his face with her palms and looked in him in the eyes.

"Jack...trust me. I can beat Scorponok, but only if I know you're safe" Arcee explained. He stroked her hand. Reluctantly, he agreed.

"Okay. But you head straight to me, deal?"

"Deal. Now go" She leaned over, kissing him. Jack didn't want to pull away but Scorponok's tunneling grew nearer. He let her go unwillingly, and turned, sprinting to the apartment block.

Arcee took a deep breath, swallowing her fear and trying to breathe out bravery. Scorponok suddenly clambered over the tank, huge eyes blaring at her as her loyal human companion climbed through the corpse of a helicopter. Scorponok hissed as he saw Jack running across the uneven ground.

"Run Jack!" She screamed, punching Scorponok's insect face as he leaped on her. His tail sliced and punctured at her. She grabbed the sharp stinger and pushed it away from her torso.

"Arcee, long time no see!" Scorponok snarled as they tangled.

"Yeah...shame you survived our last encounter" Arcee growled as she pushed his spinning claws from her face.

"Yes well...You and Tailgate got lucky... well that was when his luck run out I suppose" Scorponok chuckled sinisterly, spitting oil onto her. That taunt tipped her over the mental edge. Her eyes widened, and she roared with aggression as she pushed the beast off of her chest, slamming him against the rusty tank.

She extended her sharpened wrist blade and sliced at his chest. The six legged scorpion kicked at her, swiping his tail across her face, sending her staggering back. The scorpion rolled over onto the top of the tank.

Suddenly he stood up, transforming. The scorpion legs folded onto his arched back, along with his stinger tail. The scorpion head split apart folding into his shoulder plates. The sharp rotating claws on his arms stopped and morphed into his long dangerous fingers. The legs flipped out from his torso, making him humanoid and taller than her. Finally his humanoid head popped upwards out of his chest, completing his transformation. Scorponok showed his main form.

Arcee extended her blades, snarling her silver teeth at him.

"So Arcee, you like? Bet you didn't think I had a robot form, did you?" Scorponok chuckled from the tank perch.

"Nah, I'm just glad I've got something new to pound some dents into!" She roared, leaping at him, slamming her blades against him, throwing him from the tank. He fell into the ground as she leaped onto him, punching his face. His two red Decepticon eyes glaring at her. His sharp three fingers on his right arm slashed at her, scraping her paint.

He kicked her off of his torso and rolled over, turning into his Scorpion form by the time he was back on his chest. His tail stabbed at her, slicing her armor and scratching her. His spinning claws opened and fired blaster rounds at her. She somersaulted over the tank for cover from his incoming blaster fire.

"Hiding Arcee, I thought you were braver than that?" He taunted. She caught her breath.

"Come on Cee...think" she whispered to herself. She thought of several scenarios but they were all too farfetched and dangerous to achieve in this area. Suddenly it hit her: The pylon.

"Yes! The pylon" She celebrated. Arcee raised her finger to her ear and contacted Jack.

"Jack, does Chernobyl still have electricity?" She asked

"Some I think...why? Are you okay?"

"Fine, I just...have an idea. Stay safe, I'll be there soon" She said closing contact.

"Here's hoping there's enough electricity in them for this too work" She said, clambering over the Tank and leaping over Scorponok. He fired at her, missing and blasting into the air.

In the distance, Blackout watched as red blaster fire flew upwards through the thick clouds. He flew towards the location, an invisible smirk across the Pave Lows cockpit.

"Blackout is coming to settle the score" He laughed.

Meanwhile Arcee raced towards the tall, tired frame of the Pylon, the sagged cables still humming, even after all these years of being abandoned. She suddenly slammed against the floor as Scorponok tackled her, digging his spinning claws into her. She kicked and slashed at him, stamping at his insect like face.

"Ow! That hurts, you Autobot scum!" He snarled.

"Good!" She growled, kicking him off of her. She stood up, backing under the pylon, when a cold shiver whispered along her metal spine. The clapping of rotor blades grew louder and Blackout arrived, transforming and landing on his huge feet next to Scorponok. They both stood tall looking over the lone Arcee. Blackout chuckled, his chest heaving as he laughed.

"Ah, I have waited centuries for this moment Arcee! The moment I get to crush your tiny polymer skull for my brother"

"Look Blackout that was a long time-"

"He was still my brother! I loved him...and you extinguished his spark. I will repay the favor!" Blackout roared at her. She stepped back slowly and cautiously from the massive bounty hunter and his loyal scorpion.

"You Autobots don't understand, that just because we are Decepticons, does not mean we are without bonds. Seeing my brother die before my Optics...You will pay" He walked forward, violently slashing his right arm outwards. A set of the tail rotors folded out and begun spinning like a wrist mounted chainsaw.

"Yeah, I don't regret killing Grindor. I did what I had to do"

"That is your defense? You continue to astound me" Blackout snarled, raising his spinning bladed arm ready to slice.

Arcee timed her counter action. She looked up at the humming power line.

"Yeah, but I'm sure you'll find this just as shocking" She smirked, aiming her blaster up and blowing the cable in half. Gravity swung the black cable down with great speed. Arcee leaped to the right, ducking as the cable came down, slamming against Blackout. Electricity buzzed and charged throughout his torso and he roared in pain.

Arcee took this distraction as her chance, running from the Decepticon hunter. Blackout tried to grab the cable but the overwhelming voltage was too great.

She finally reached the vehicle graveyard, sprinting around the dead helicopters and tanks to the distant apartment block. Scorponok slashed at the cable, trying to save his companion.

Blackout reached out and grasped the cable. Even though he was brought to his knees by the electricity he was still able rip the cable off of his chest, The electrical blast ceasing.

When he finally regained his vision and stature, Arcee was gone. A white hot rage built behind his optics.

"Arcee!" He roared, destroying the silence of Chernobyl. Crows on the other side of the town fluttered, startled from the shout. In his rage he coiled the cable around his wrist and heaved, pulling the pylon down from the dead horizon. The cables severed as the other pylons let it fall. A massive crash echoed and a cloud of debris and dust plumed outwards. The rusty skeleton fell dead on the field.

Blackout steadied himself and calmed down, returning to his bounty hunter frame of mind. Scorponok stood up, robot form taking hold. He looked at his giant master.

"Master, she appears to be quite impressive at eluding us" Scorponok said, losing sight of her running into Chernobyl.

Blackout stood tall. He gazed over at the Chernobyl skyline.

"Indeed, she is better prey than I first thought. Using the cable was quite impressive" Blackout admired her intelligence.

"It would seem that I need to contact an old friend, he owes me a favor. I haven't worked with him since bringing down Silverbolt" Blackout stated, staring at the forest of apartment blocks.

"But master, I thought we worked alone?" Scorponok asked.

"Oh we do. But Arcee is an enemy I have dreamed of killing for centuries, and I finally have the opportunity. I will not lose it. Strength in numbers Scorponok" Blackout explained, clenching his fist.

"So...shall I contact him?"

"Yes...and tell him we have an old debt that needs to be settled...Arcee" He growled.

Scorponok sent the coordinates and information to the acquaintance, using his wrist communicator. He activated a hologram of the bounty hunter in question.

"Blackout requires your assistance for a job. The pay will be great and the prize is her head. Her name is Arcee" Scorponok smirked sinisterly. The hologram simply nodded silently and closed communication.

"Sir, he has been contacted, and is on his way" Scorponok grinned.

"So the hunt closes" Blackout snarled, looking at the ghost town.

...

Deep inside the maw of the Nemesis, Optimus groaned as he hung from his shackles. He looked up from the floor, seeing a single red eye stood in the darkness

"Your strength is admirable Optimus. But in the end, you will see how illogical it truly is. While none of your Autobots gave away any secrets through the cortical psychic patch...I will learn the location of your base. Once you have nowhere to run to, the legend of the Autobots will end" Shockwave said, giving his monologue. Optimus looked at the Decepticon doctor.

"Your mistake is seeing the Autobots as a faction. Shockwave, we are family. That is our bond. It is what we fight for. You cannot destroy that"

Shockwave laughed in the darkness, his eye bouncing. He stepped forward out of the darkness of Optimus's cell.

"Optimus, your family will soon be no more, and your heroic human and Arcee will not be able to save you" Shockwave snarled. Optimus tried to break the shackles electrical connection, but they were too strong. He slumped back down into his arms raised position.

"It won't be long now. Soon they will beg to escape the radiation of Chernobyl...and tell us their secrets. If you won't they will" Shockwave snarled, walking out of his cell, leaving him alone.

"Autobots...I'm sorry I failed you" Optimus sighed.

"You could never fail us Optimus" Ratchet's loyal voice sounded through the thin Cell wall. Optimus took solace in that: their loyalty.

Shockwave approached Starscream stood at the bridge overlooking Chernobyl.

"Anything to report Shockwave?" He asked hands behind his back. He ran his finger along his two knuckle stumps, courtesy of Arcee. Shockwave looked out over Chernobyl.

"Optimus is strong. So are his allies. But soon Arcee and her radiation sickened human will beg for rescue...and spout their secrets"

"I must congratulate you Shockwave. This plan is very impressive. Soon we will destroy the Autobots. Something Megatron could never achieve"

Shockwave looked at Starscream, questioning his Megatron hatred.

"And if Blackout kills Arcee and her human, the Autobots will spill their secrets in emotional loss. Either way we win" Starscream chuckled. Footsteps stomped behind them.

"Ah Soundwave, any news on our hunters?" Starscream asked, looking over his shoulder.

Soundwave tracked an inbound Decepticon signal growing closer and closer to Chernobyl.

"What? Who is that...wait, Oh I know that bot" Starscream smirked. "This shall be a interesting battle"

...

Arcee sprinted to the open double doors to an abandoned apartment block. She entered the dust lathered stairwell, resting on her knees. Jack was sat on the musky wooden steps. His eyes filled with joy when he saw her.

"Cee! Cee you made it!" Jack celebrated getting up and running over to her. She was too busy catching her breath and checking outside to make sure they didn't see her enter the block. Suddenly she felt the warm squeezing sensation of him hugging her tight. She looked down at him, and embraced the hug, squeezing him back.

"Don't do that again" Jack ordered.

"You've seen me survive worse" She smirked. Jack chuckled quietly. Her eyes widened as she looked at his bare fleshed face, pulling him away from the hug.

"You haven't got your helmet on!" She realized.

"Don't need it. Chernobyl is breathable Cee. I don't like wearing it anyways. Uncomfortable"

"Well we'll have Ratchet fix that once we save them"

"Yeah...once" jack sighed. She looked him in the eyes

"We will. Just have to stay out of Blackout's ..." She stopped as her audio receptors picked up a loud fighter jet engine roar overhead, shattering the silence as if it was glass. She looked up out of a dirt stained window as a distorted view showed a fighter fly over.

"Is that an Autobot?" Jack asked, knowing the answer. She looked closely as it vanished behind the obscuring buildings.

"Not sure. Best guess? Decepticon" Arcee stated, standing up in the stairwell.

"We need to move and fast"

"There's a back alley between several apartment buildings. Couple of fences to hop, If you can keep up" He winked at Arcee. She shook her head, hand on her hips.

"Really Jack? Gonna start with me?" She smirked. He shrugged in response. Arcee climbed to her feet.

"Come on Jack, let's go" She said, stepping out of a window, showing her flexibility as she ducked under and through. Jack followed, clambering through with less grace. He stumbled to the other side.

"Ah...see? I'm just as flexible as you" He mocked himself. Arcee giggled, stifling it behind her palm.

"Yeah...real graceful. Come on"

They were in a long stretch of grass cut into strips by thin metal fences. A children's play park was left untouched. Bright colored paint had chipped and worn from years of no maintenance. Swings wined and cried in the wind.

Jack walked behind her as she had one blaster arm raised. He couldn't help but notice something was bothering her, other than the situation at hand.

"Arcee, you okay? I mean I know the situation isn't the best but is anything else bothering you?" She sighed in response, shoulders lowering.

"You know me too well Jack. It's...its being here. It reminds me of Cybertron when we returned. No one living there, everything falling apart without maintenance. It was terrifying"

"Now you know how humans feel being here. Chernobyl was a disaster" Jack said walking alongside her. She stepped over the metal fence with ease, swinging her leg over. Jack, using his battle suit jumped over. The extra power and strength the suit supplied allowed him to clear it without even scraping it.

"What happened?" she asked, curious about this place.

"Chernobyl's nuclear reactor went critical and exploded. Three hundred and fifty thousand people were evacuated in one night and...Well, here we are twenty seven years later"

"Twenty seven years?"

"Yeah...it's the silence that gets me"

"You okay Jack?"

"Hmm? Yeah I'm fine...Just never thought I'd be here, you know?" Jack shrugged his shoulders as they walked past the playground, the wind whirling between the swings sometimes sounding like ghostly children's laughter.

She smiled in reassurance to him.

Suddenly the moment was shattered as a metallic chugging sound grew louder. Arcee raised an eyebrow as she scanned the area, trying to find the source.

"What is that? Is it Scorponok?"

"I don't think so" She shook her head, aiming her blaster.

Across the long stretch of grassy gardens, the chugging metallic squeaking showed itself. A large Tank, beige and purple in color slowly turned the corner of the last apartment block. Across the stretch, Arcee and Jack squinted to see it.

"Is that...a Tank?" Jack asked. The barrel turned towards them, whirring in the silent ghostly atmosphere.

Arcee's bright blue eyes widened and she grabbed Jack, shielding him and diving to the floor.

"Get down!" She screamed, covering him with her body, no care for herself, only him.

The tank bounced from the recoils effects on the suspension. The muzzle flashed and seconds later an earth shattering bang echoed. The tank shell whizzed over their heads, exploding through another buildings wall. Smoke and debris plumed from the circular crater in the wall.

Arcee sat up, aiming her blaster at the Decepticon tank. As she fired the tank rolled over, morphing into a fighter jet and bellowing over their heads. The jets sonic boom and turbine roar shattered all the windows on the apartment block's faces.

"Now there's that guy"

"Who was that?" Jack asked, still shocked that he saw a tank roll over and become a fighter jet.

"That... was Blitzwing" She snarled.