A/N

Alright my dear readers, I am back slightly. And I am here to say that I have a work schedule now. Every Tuesday is ihumanized day until it is finished. I've thought on and off about this story and have a very faint idea that we're close to an end. Sorry. But, let's focus on the positive. A new chapter for a forgotten story.

Chapter 16: Alleyway

The alley was dark, wet and smelled of burnt toast. It was an odd place to be. Freddie stood in front, hands on his hips like some superhero. Carly tried her best to hold Sam's laughter and insults back. Perceptor looked down the alley with no recollections of being here to begin with. The other Autobots wore mixed expressions. Bumblebee seemed interested in the mess that was made here. Prowl was disgusted. Ironhide seemed confused.

"Now, why are we here again?" begged Prowl.

"This is where I first saw Perceptor," replied Freddie. "If his laptop was anywhere, it would be here."

"Can we get more specific?" Carly offered.

Freddie sighed, marching into the slump. Everyone titled their heads as he continued through. He stopped about halfway through, near a dumpster. Circling around, he finally stopped and looked back at the ground. They groaned wearily. Bumblebee marched into the swamp first, soon followed by Ironhide and Sam. Perceptor entered the marsh last.

"I don't see anything," grumbled Sam, sitting on the top of the dumpster.

"You haven't looked at all!" complained Freddie.

"A little help, Percy," smiled Ironhide, motioning for the scientist to enter further into the area.

"Somebody really needs to clean this place up," mumbled Perceptor, slowly stumbling in. "It's like Wheeljack's lab in here…"

Something sparkled and before anything was seen Perceptor was on his back near the entrance again. He groaned. Prowl jumped over the junk, kneeling beside Perceptor. The latter mumbled curses.

"What is Primus name just happened!" howled Perceptor, sitting up.

"Apparently the alley doesn't like you Percy," laughed Sam.

"It was almost like it repelled him," offered Freddie.

"Come here, Percy!" mocked Ironhide.

"No thanks," sighed Perceptor, standing up.

"Why only Perceptor though?" Carly asked.

Perceptor looked around. Slowly moving forward with arms out, he searched for exactly the point he couldn't reach. Prowl watched closely, slightly antsy of another ejection from the area. Perceptor also felt his stomach in his throat as he reached forward. Finally there was a blue spark. Stopping, Perceptor watched the blue lights dance across his hands and up his arms.

"I don't get it…" mumbled Prowl, walking up behind Perceptor.

"Perceptor is basically the conductor for the vortex's energy, right," offered Freddie, "If this is where he was dropped…"

"The two energy waves, one entry and the other exit, cannot interlock," Prowl finished.

"If this way is enter," mumbled Bumblebee, "does that Perceptor can get up out?"

"It's possible," smiled Perceptor, pulling his hands away.

"Autobots!"

The group perked, looking to the entrance. Starscream gave a glare at the long awaited Autobots. Thundercracker and Skywarp welcomed the group beside Starscream. Perceptor sighed, rolling his eyes. Ironhide smiled, unsheathing his pistol. Prowl groaned, pulling out his weapon as well. Bumblebee pulled the humans aside.

"Things are about to get rough here," Bumblebee whispered, taking Carly by the arm.

"Great," sighed Sam, jumping off the dumpster to follow.

"Perceptor has a limited battle range," warned Freddie.

"Wonderful," whimpered Perceptor, looking back at the invisible force field holding him forward.

"Attack!" ordered Starscream.

Carly ducked as the rapid fire began. Bumblebee pulled her around, hiding them both behind the four-way cross in the alleys. Freddie and Sam hid behind the adjacent side. they watched the battle quietly.

"Shouldn't you be helping, Bee?" questioned Sam.

"My job is protection, theirs is battle," answered Bumblebee.

Perceptor watched intensely at the small battle. Three Cons verse two capable bots. Perceptor felt back, touching the field lightly. He felt the tingle run up his arms. Something occurred to Perceptor. Where was Soundwave?

"Prowl, any lock on Soundwave?" Perceptor offered.

"Busy," Prowl replied

"I'll do a run around," nodded Bumblebee, darting past Freddie and Sam and disappearing.

"Bee!" cried Carly.

Bumblebee dashed around the building, rounding the other side. Turning the corner, he was knocked down. Groaning, Bee attempted to get up only to be kicked in the stomach. The groan slowly molded into a whimper as the foot pressed against his chest.

"Soundwave…" whispered Bumblebee, air running low.

"Goodnight, Autobot," hummed Soundwave, knocking Bumblebee upside the head with the butt of the gun.

"Perceptor! We need a plan!" ordered Prowl.

"What kind of plan? An anything-goes plan or a safety plan?" Perceptor asked.

The Autobots were pushing back, Perceptor keeping close to the field. The Decepticons smiled and widened the closer they approached. Perceptor looked back once at the children then turned forward to the Cons. He spotted Soundwave coming up behind, something in hand.

"My computer!" gasped Perceptor.

"Looking for something?" hummed Starscream, glancing at the laptop in his fellow Con's hand.

"Prowl, plan? Anything goes or safety?" growled Perceptor.

"Fine, anything goes!" shouted Prowl, pulling back behind the dumpster.

"Just don't make it too big," replied Ironhide, pulling behind trash can.

With both residing behind Perceptor, the scientist smiled and stepped back into the field.