A/N: This section of the story is actually a sort of flashback telling what Jazz and the other Autobots and soldiers saw during Black Charade's game of 'Chase' with Lennox.

Jazz had no idea what was going on; he had just returned to the base with Prowl after a routine check up with the Secretary of Defence and already havoc had started in their absence. However, as soon as Jazz had transformed, it was clear that havoc had been going on for quite some time. A raging inferno was tearing up the corridor, blitzing all the boxes and crates in its path… working its way towards a fleeing Lennox.

"Lennox? What's goin' on?" Jazz said as the soldier ran straight past him and up some stairs, but not before the silver saboteur caught a glimpse at his face: fear and terror were flooding his eyes and horror was scarring itself onto his face. He wasn't just running from the fire, he was running from something else. Then a black shape emerged from the smoke, blacker than the shadows around it. It had a single optic glowing a hateful red; a black mask covered a face… a human face.

"Wha-?" Jazz started but Prowl dragged him away and out, carrying several wheezing soldiers in his servos. Inferno was already on the scene with the human fire services and he darted into the blaze to put it out, saving lives as he went. Everything was going so fast that it was all a dizzying blur for the mech; one moment he was dying of boredom in the conference room in his holoform, doodling on the reports and daydreaming when the next, he was here: darting in and out of the NEST base picking up soldiers and trying to find Lennox. Thick black smoke billowed out of the building and Jazz knew that it must've been a spark on some oil or petrol that started it. After all, spending so many vorns as a saboteur gave Jazz the knowledge on the types of fires, guns, stun guns and other such equipment that made him so good at his job. He would apply it practically everyday and now was when it mattered most.

"Jazz!" it was Epps, "have you seen Lennox at all?" Jazz looked down to the black soldier and shook his helm.

"Yeah I saw him running up those stairs on the north corridor, looked like he was being chased. Why?" Jazz then saw a flash of silver at one of the windows and there was no mistaking it to be a knife or sword of some kind.

'Chloe? Where are you? What is going on?' he thought as pictures of horrifying scenes filled his processor, all of them with Chloe in them and all of them ending gruesomely.

"Jazz!" Epps' voice brought him back from his dark thoughts. "We need you to come into the building with us to find Lennox!"

"Me? Why?" Jazz was startled at the sudden demand as he watched the soldier pull on some breathing apparatus.

"Cos, man, you know the second floor better than anyone AND doncha wanna find Chloe?" Epps said through the muffling oxygen mask. Jazz agreed quickly and transformed, activating his holoform.

"Come on man! Let's go!" Epps said as he ran into the building, smoke still pouring out of it. Without any hesitation, Jazz ran after Epps, catching up easily but not before rousing a few of the healthier soldiers and ordered them to come with, just in case more muscle was needed to help lift beams and barriers. Jazz fought his way through the thick smoke. Sight was just this side of impossible. He was vaguely aware of Optimus' voice, but had no idea where his leader was. Seconds later, he came into view, his paint coated in ash. He gave a shout for Will, but there was no reply. Hissing a curse, Optimus turned and disappeared back into the darkness. Epps dashed up the stairs, as fast as his legs would carry him.

"Lennox! Where are ya?" Epps shouted, although he was wary of the danger that was unknown to Jazz, he continued to shout anyway.

The shouting from Epps quickly ceased. There was a gunshot, and fear churned in Jazz's spark. When Epps came back into sight, he was halfway dragging a coughing Lennox.

"She's up there. Be careful," Epps warned. Taking the warning with a lot of confusion, Jazz hurried up the stairs, his goal only to find Chloe. Alive. Jazz's unit's breathing was heavy as they plundered through the black plumes of smoke, running up the stairs in a desperate bid to find Chloe before anything else happened. But Jazz didn't know the real reason as to why everyone was being so guarded. Had something happened to Chloe? But if something had, he'd know. He'd feel it. And yet there was a pressure on his spark, a tiny telltale sign that something in his bondmate wasn't quite right.

Suddenly coughs and wheezes came from the other side of a massive smoke murk. Then a clanging of metal. The soldiers cocked their guns and slotted magazines into them, ready for a struggle with whatever lay beyond the murk. Jazz's confusion only lasted for a few seconds before he gave out orders.

"Hold here, wait for my command to move in." Jazz said, his voice gruff and raw because of all the smoke he was inhaling; although he was in his holoform fire smoke and other such suffocating things could still affect it. The soldiers nodded and held their positions on the stairs, more units moved into place below them.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Ironhide were searching for the missing Xyleon. She had gotten away from them to find Chloe, but now they were afraid that she could've gotten hurt instead.

"Alexis!" Optimus shouted. He caught a glimpse of Ironhide's chrome, as blackened as it was. Screams made both of them start.

"Alexis!" Ironhide yelled. Coughing reached them, followed by another scream. The sounds were getting more digitised as time went on. "I found her!" Ironhide found her on her knees, coughing to try and get the choking smoke out of her body. Burns licked up and down her arms and legs. The outfit that she had been wearing, a black skin tight one that Ratchet and Wheeljack had developed to grow with her, was burnt away, leaving her barely covered appropriately. Even her stomach showed signs of where the flames had caught her, probably since she'd tripped.

"I-Iron… Hide," Alexis moaned. Her arms gave out beneath her, and Ironhide swept her up gently, taking care to be aware of her wounds.

"I'm right here, Lexie. You're gonna be all right," Ironhide said gently. He lifted her and headed back towards where Lennox had last been seen, bolting up the stairs of the north corridor.

"Primus…" Optimus said in horror when he caught sight of Alexis and Ironhide.

"She's alive, Prime. But we need to get her to Ratchet," Ironhide informed.

Ratchet made his way to where the others were using their energy signals as a guide. His worry was eased when he found Epps and Will together away from the steps. He kneeled beside them, and took scans. For now, just giving Will oxygen would be fine. The soldier didn't have any real burns either. But his spark dropped when Ironhide and Optimus approached. He scanned Alexis with a sad and angered sigh. Jazz from above them gave a shout and Black Charade had jumped from the balcony overhang and landed near them.

"AT ARMS!" one of the higher ranked officers ordered and all guns were pinpointed on the black-framed girl. Jazz ran into the room in robot mode in time to yell for them to stop. Optimus gave him a brief look of frustration, but in Jazz's panic, the silver mech didn't notice.

"Is… she ok?" Chloe asked softly when she saw Alexis. It was then that everyone noticed that she wasn't a danger. At the concern in her voice, everyone stood down. Black Charade wouldn't ask if her victim was all right or not. But Optimus wasn't sure if it was a trick or not, causing him to frown. Ratchet cut him off by telling Chloe only some of the damage Alexis had taken.

"What about Will?"

"He'll be fine." Ratchet replied. His snipped answer was enough for Chloe to relax slightly, allowing the soldiers holding her to slip stasis cuffs on her wrists. Almost instantly, she was out like a light.

"I want Will, Alexis and Chloe in Medbay." Ratchet ordered. Ironhide shifted Alexis into a better position to carry her while Optimus gently took Will and Chloe to do as Ratchet wanted.

Optimus spent the next little while pacing at the side of Alexis' berth, his helm hung while they, being himself and Will, waited for Alexis to wake. Will was afraid to say anything, seeing as Optimus had already out-shouted Ratchet to the point that the medic just left in a huff, leaving the Autobot leader to just pace. Alexis gave a very slight moan, shifting before her optics opened and came online.

"O-Optimus?" she asked. Optimus nodded and gently took her hand when she extended it for him.

"I'm right here. Ratchet said for you not to strain your vocaliser. You're not supposed to talk," Optimus said gently. Alexis nodded slowly. "Will, what happened? I need to know."

"How much do you want to know Prime?" Will replied shakily, pausing to cough weakly as the last of the smoke left his lungs.

"Everything you know," Optimus replied.

"Well, this could take a while…" Will filled in every detail that he could remember. The first attack, which had started with a rather normal fight between Alexis and Ironhide. He had been down the hall when they had started it. Chloe's sudden transformation into Black Charade and the wound Alexis had received from Chloe. The blur of the electricity Jolt had given Black Charade that had shorted the 'demon' programme inside her processor. The quick transformation back into Chloe from the black monster. The madness in the Medbay and then the final transformation for which Prime was present.

About halfway through Will's explanation, Optimus let go of Alexis' hand and returned to pacing. From the corner of her optic, Alexis detected a small disturbance from Chloe's berth. She remained silent, seeing as she would be trying to speak over Optimus' much stronger voice, until Chloe gave a cough.

"What was that?" Will said, shaking his head to try and clear it from the after-effects from the smoke.

"Chloe." Was all Prime said as he reluctantly commed Ratchet, the medic appearing moment later. The next few minutes held only arguments between the girls and Optimus, where they tried to convince him it was all an accident. It ended with both techno-organics having to be drugged to sleep. Lennox escaped while he could, and Optimus was sent away with a mission of his own: to find Jazz and make sure Chloe's bondmate was all right.

Optimus found Jazz in the training room, taking out targets with knives in anger.

"Jazz," Optimus called gently. The saboteur jumped at his leader's voice.

"What?" Jazz asked, moody at his leader for interrupting his 'practise'.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine." Jazz said through gritted denta.

"I don't believe you."

"I. Am. Fine. Prime." Jazz said again, aiming at one of the pockmarked targets with another knife.

"Jazz-" but whatever he was going to say next was cut short by a flash of a silver knife whizzing past Optimus' helm. Optimus blinked and saw himself face to face with a furious Third In Command.

"Jazz." He repeated in a warning tone.

"WHAT?" Jazz exploded, "WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY DO THAT IS WORSE THAN WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR?"

"You think I don't have any idea what you're going through? You didn't watch Ratchet put a tube down your bondmate's throat," Optimus growled.

"Yeah, well, the last time I checked, YOU TWO WEREN'T EVEN BONDED!" Jazz shouted, "AND YOUR 'BONDMATE' ISN'T THE ONE YOU NEARLY KILLED SOME OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS!"

Optimus fell silent, accepting Jazz's anger. "You're right. Alexis didn't hurt Chloe. I wasn't told what was going on either. I JUST learned about it. I'm sorry, Jazz. I truly am."

"I. Don't. Care." Jazz retorted angrily, the silver knife in his hand slipping and slicing his armour but he ignored the pain. Rather than trying to speak again, knowing it would be shot down, Optimus simply started to gather the knives again for Jazz.

"LEAVE THEM!" Jazz roared at his Prime; the knives had been a gift from Chloe to celebrate their bonding. Optimus handed the knives in his hand to Jazz and straightened.

"Jazz, you have to stop this. You do know that Chloe can probably feel your anger and hate?" Having said that, Optimus took a seat against the wall, out of the way. He allowed silence to retake the room hoping that Jazz would remain calm. At this Jazz stopped bristling at everything his leader was doing and stood perfectly still. All the silver mech did was resume throwing knives at the targets again.

"I know Prime, I know he can probably feel everything but what I don't think you understand is that I am not angry at her." Jazz said deathly quietly.

"You're angry at the situation."

"Well done brainiac!" Jazz said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Optimus sighed; rubbing is helm for a moment.

"I do understand that, Jazz."

"Oh yeah, of course! You weren't the one who, upon arrival back here, found a fire destroying perhaps the only place you could call home, your bondmate covered in black bloody metal and jumping off the second floor, having your own leader stop you from approaching your bondmate nor allow your own ally take her away so you couldn't see her for best part of several hours, were you?" Jazz snarled.

"No, I wasn't. You're right, I was wrong." Optimus replied, he paused for a second, studying Jazz's blazing blue optics through their visor. Jazz managed to stop himself before he launched into another tirade of accusations and snide comments, forcing himself to calm down and assess the situation properly.

"Jazz, I didn't know. I was in the dark for the most part myself. Had I known, I would not have stopped you."

"Prime, if anyone should be sorry here, it is me. I should not have started on you like that." Jazz apologised quietly. Optimus fell silent, his own horrors playing behind his optics, though not the same as what Chloe had experienced. He tried to push them away, but they continued to assault him.

:: Prime, you're needed in the Medbay:: Prime's comm. link went off with Ratchet's voice on the other end.

:: On my way:: Optimus responded.

:: And bring Jazz too!:: Ratchet said before Prime left the Training room. All the tension left Jazz's body as he subspaced the knives and followed his leader at a jog, trying to catch up to the larger mech's long strides.

The trip there was silent besides the sounds of their metal hitting the ground. While Jazz was now considerably calmer, Optimus seemed to have been wound up even tighter. Both mechs soon reached the Medbay where there were units of soldiers and all the remaining Autobots crowded around the doors, all eagerly and nervously awaiting to see what had happened to the two girls. The gathered humans and Autobots moved aside, allowing Optimus and Jazz to enter. Murmurs of concern rose from the crowd as some managed to glimpse what was going on from within the Medbay.

When they entered the room, something felt wrong. Jazz was beyond relieved to find Chloe was free of the metal and immediately moved to her side, but Optimus' face fell when Ratchet's optics caught his own. Tears were streaming down Chloe's face.

"Ratchet? What happened?" Optimus asked, trying to shake off the fear in his voice as he approached the girl and mech.

"She's unresponsive." Ratchet replied gently. He motioned for Optimus to come closer.

"What? Ratchet, what do you-" Optimus stopped dead when he saw her berth, "-mean…" It was Alexis, strapped into so much medical equipment that it was hard to tell her wire-like hair from the actual wires. Ratchet sighed softly, placing a hand on Optimus' shoulder.

"She inhaled too much of that smoke, it's doing incredible damage to her systems." Ratchet paused and vented shakily as he delivered the final blow.

"Alexis has entered a coma state."

Ratchet was glad that he already had a hold of Optimus; otherwise he was sure the Autobot leader would've collapsed. The medic could feel all the tension, all that superior strength, flood out from the Prime's frame as his words resounded in all of their heads. Chloe began to cry even harder, and she gripped Jazz as if he was her last lifeline. Just like Optimus, her world was crumbling away like dust. Except that she had Jazz.

"Shh, shh, I gotcha." Jazz soothed his sobbing bondmate, "And I ain't ever gonna let you go." It was paining to see his mate in such a weak state; Chloe had always been so strong. Chloe couldn't tear her optics away from where Ratchet and Ironhide helped Optimus sit down to stop him from falling.

"Hey, don't look over there, look at me. Ok? Just focus on me for a moment, and calm down." Jazz said softly, gently stroking her hair with one of his fingers. A quiet conversation was buzzing in the room between Ratchet, Ironhide and Optimus, no doubt discussing what had happened to the Xyleon. But all Chloe could feel was guilt for what she did. She was conscious during when Black Charade had possessed her body again and she knew that she could've stopped her… but she didn't. Chloe let one last sob rack her body before slumping down into her bondmate's arms, sleep claiming her at last.