Chapter: Four
Summary: When someone thinks that it can't get any worse than this, fate has a funny way of of telling you, oh yes it can.
Rating: T
Warnings: Violence, torture
Disclaimer: Like usual - all charters belong to the rightful owners of Transformers. What you don't recognize it mine.
Author Notes: R&R And I want to thank lobaeclipse for the awesome fan art she did. Thank you :)
Beta'd by the wonderful GraceSolo.
Phenomenon
Jazz woke up stiff. According to his watch, he had slept for about six hours. But the human had no idea if it was day or night. But that was the least of his problems. It would appear that Prowl hasn't moved an inch, which was quite concerning.
Jazz knew that the wings on the back of the black and white robot were sensitive and they moved a lot, even when damaged.
But now they were still.
He squirmed his way out and stood right in front of the unconscious mech. The pink stuff on him was starting to dry up. That was good, but it didn't calm Jazz.
"Hey Star?" He tried again, but knew it wont achieve anything. "Please be okay Star..." He murmured and traced a hand over the face.
Suddenly his stomach growled out. Jazz sighed. Even if his body needed food, he was not in the mood to eat. But he knew he had to eat in order to keep going.
He sat cross-legged in front of Prowl while munching on a Snickers bar and pondered his options.
What options?
He had none! He angrily threw away the wrapping and wished he was stronger; he wanted to help Prowl, to protect him. Because for Jazz, he made a friend – and he was a person who protected his friends. And it would appear that Prowl viewed him as a friend as well, otherwise he wouldn't have protected him like that.
A little more selfish part of him kept on insisting that Jazz was only concerned about Prowl, because he was his ticket out of here. His only shot at getting home alive.
He shook his head and paced in front the limp body. He could clean his body again. But for what purpose? They would just torture him again.
He looked back at the door. It was locked – no surprise there. And the lock was something he couldn't pick, even if his life depended on it.
An idea popped in his head.
"Hang on, Star," He looked at the broken bot. "Ah'm gonna do me some exploring!"
He tried to smile but it quickly turned in the grimace as his voice was the only sound in the room. Not even the gentle hum of Prowls systems could be herd.
He sighed and went in to his 'safe ground' a.k.a. the hole in the wall.
Oh, how he wished he brought a flashlight with him right now.
Jazz took out his phone and used the light it produced to look around. It... was much bigger than he thought. The human looked up and saw some pipes that passed right next to the ventilation system.
Jazz licked his lips.
It was now or never.
"One big step for Jazz..." He muttered to himself as he started to climb the pipes. "One giant leap for humanity." He shook his head and continued on his path.
Once he reached the vents, it was very simple to slip in. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. These vents were filled with oxygen. He took a couple of more deep breaths, savoring the feeling – hell the taste even.
It was like a breeze in the early morning.
With his head now clearer, Jazz brought out his phone and continued his way. As he continued to walk in the huge vents he suddenly stopped. He had to mark his way somehow, otherwise he would get lost and it was game over. Period.
Problem was, he had nothing to use as a marker.
"This will hurt..." He whispered as he bit down on his hand, drawing blood. "...A lot."
He marked the wall and continued on his way, marking here and there every time he took a turn.
After two hours of walking he decided to take a break.
Jazz pondered – should he continue on? It could take him quite a while to return.
Suddenly he heard screaming, instinctivly pressing himself closer to the wall. He peeked out of the vent where it connected to what appearedto be a room...with very scary looking tools.
Jazz gulped, not wanting to know their purpose. He was about to continue on but noticed a familiar 'con sitting on a berth and occasionally hissing and hauling in pain.
It would appear this was some sort of a med bay. And the red visored con was currently a patient. He was speaking to something that resembled a medic.
Jazz pulled out phone to take a couple of pictures and then pressed record, hoping he might gather some helpful information for Prowl.
"Fragger! You're lucky I'm not going to rip your spark out!" Gundrop growled at Hook.
"Quit your wining. Your helm horn is damaged – they are more fragile than the rest of your body. Stop acting like a fraggin' sparkling and hold still!"
"Ow!" Gundrop hissed when Hook's tender hands tweaked at his left helm horn.
"If you just give them back the deactivated body of their SIC maybe we wouldn't be in this situation," Hook growled.
His med bay was getting swamped with injured 'cons. After the capture of their SIC, the Autobots were more ruthless in their attempts to get him back.
"What situation? Everything is under control!" Gundrop spat. "He's broken. It's only a matter of time."
"That's not what I've heard." Hook continued on, both 'cons oblivious to the fact that they were being recorded by a human that did not even understand them.
"I heard that you guys are getting slagged and that the bots are almost here."
"Pfft, the fragger's talking to a rodent! A fraggin' rodent! I just need a little more time – OW!"
"Time is not something you have. Once Shockwave comes, he won't give a slag if you're our SIC, he'll want results. Which you don't have." Hook suddenly found himself pinned to the wall by the red visored mech.
"Do you need a reminder exactly why I'm SIC?" He growled, visor shining a burning red. "And that's sir to you." He dropped Hook to the ground. "Now do you job if you know what's good for you!"
Jazz stopped recording and slowly backed away. He didn't understand a thing but one thing was sure – that red visored robot was not one to mess with.
He made a fist – what he wouldn't give to be a tad stronger (albeit bigger for this situation). He wanted to pay that robot back for the way he treated Prowl and for the fact the he almost crushed him!
Jasper peeked again and noticed that there was no one.
Should he...? No, it was suicide. But if this was a med bay he could find something useful for Prowl.
With resolve made up, he crawled out of the vent and used the pipes to slide down. He quickly hid behind a box...of something and looked around. Problem was – he did not know what to look for.
He started walking, looking around all of the time. This place was huge compared to the tiny cell (Cybertronian standards) he and Prowl were currently staying at. He saw what appeared to be a sink...filled with-
"Water!" Jazz yelled in joy. He took off the back-bag he was always carrying and ran over. He leaned over in and used his hands to cup some of the liquid. To his disappointment he had to spit it out right away, as the water had solvent in it.
"A little of luck wouldn't have hurt." He muttered.
Jasper was about to get up but he herd the door opening in a swoosh! kinda fashion. Startled, he fell in the water with a splash. As the human surfaced, he was glad that neither his phone or Ipod were in his pockets.
The water was freezing but he couldn't get out of the sink of the risk of being spotted. He bit his lip, hoping to get back to Prowl as soon as possible.
Prowl on-lined with groan. Everything hurt and the parts that didn't were completely numb.
He shakily roused up from his position on the ground and leaned on the wall. Prowl looked around the room noticing no heat signatures.
Worry started to creep in him.
"J-Jazz?" He questioned, trying to get rid of the static in his voice.
"Jazz? Jazz!" He felt so useless right now in this state.
What if the 'cons found him? What if he had died of starvation? What if he was lost or worse? Or worse!
Prowl was slightly glad that his battle computer was offline, otherwise he knew he would be bombarded with possible causes to Jazz's deactivation.
None of which he wanted to review.
For how long has he been offline? With his chronometer down, he had no way to track time correctly. Actually, he used Jazz for that part as the human had a pattern he used to recharge.
As much as he was worried about Jazz, he had to see to his own injuries. And this time they were much, much worse. Prowl knew that one more session like the last one and he will slip into stasis.
And probably never wake up again.
Primus. Everything hurt. His thoughts weren't as fast as before. The SIC knew that the Autobots are probably trying to find him. But will they succeed in time? He had to find a way to send them a message, coordinates – anything.
The door to the brig was suddenly opened. What surprised Prowl was the fact that not Gundrop but Starscream greeted him.
"Rumor has it that Gundrop has finally cracked open that CPU of yours." The seeker said as Prowl observed him warily, expecting anything.
"That scrapheap of SIC we have is useless – simply barbaric. He only wants to please himself and nothing more. The Decepticons' army deserve much better." He glared at Prowl and squatted in front of him, but was well out of reach.
Prowl said nothing, not in the mood for games.
"They deserve someone like me to lead them. Megatron is a fool for entrusting his army to that mindless destruction driven drone called Gundrop."
What was Starscream getting at? Prowl couldn't help but get even more wary. Was he planning a mutiny? What was this about?...
But his thoughts came to a halt as he finally noticed the prone form of a human in the seekers clawed hand.
He reacted on pure instinct.
"Jazz!"
Luckily for the seeker, the chains stopped Prowl from lashing out on him. But that did not stop the growl that emitted from his vocalizer. His injuries were momentarily forgotten as fury pumped in his systems.
The 'con smiled wickedly, but it was not like Gundrops menacing smile. This one was controlled, something the decepticon SIC truly lacked.
"So it would appear that some of the rumors were true – you really are fond of this organic."
"Starscream." Prowl later would be proud of himself for the fact that his voice was static free when he growled out the 'cons name.
"Relax Autodog – it's alive according to my scans. You should probably keep a leash on it or something."
What Starscream did next surprised Prowl so much that he couldn't help but feel grateful that his battle computer was down, otherwise he would have crashed for sure.
The trine leader slowly and cautiously (he squatted away from Prowl for a reason) deposited Jasper's limp form near Prowls reach.
Starscream regarded the SIC. "...Do not underestimate me, Autobot – you know very well I used to be a scientist before the war broke lose."
Prowl didn't dare move. This still could a Decepticon plot.
"Listen and listen good, because I'm not repeating myself." Starscream stood up and looked down at Prowl.
"I know that whatever this organic is – it's sentient. Its species is probably smart for organic standards, judging from the primitive technology it possessed.
"What I'm about to say means nothing. I would still rather deactivate you here on the spot but that would be detrimental for my plans for the future." He started to leave. The tactician confused watched his back.
"That little rodent is your ticket out of here Autobot. Treat it well."
The door opened.
"W-Wait." With Prowl calming down, the static returned, stating how worse the SIC actually was.
Starscream haltered but did not turn back.
"W-Why? Why a-all this t-trouble?"
"What better way to get promoted, eh?" He looked at Prowl over his shoulder but Prowl could still see the grin the Decepticon possessed.
"Better get ready Autoscum – because when I become SIC, things are going to drastically change." And the door closed leaving Prowl alone with the unconscious form of Jazz.
The SIC with the utmost care picked up the limp form and cradled it close to his chest, trying to give as much as warmth as he could.
His scanners were even more damaged than the first time he saw the small human. He was able only to detect heart rate and temperature but nothing else. He used visual to try and assert the organics injuries. He knew that Jazz was harmed from his encounter with Gundrop (the thought made his energon boil) and that Starscream or whatever else experience he had didn't leave him undamaged.
But he was surprised to see that Jazz was in a better condition than he predicted. Wrong derma color here and there, a couple of leakages where the derma was broken.
"Nuhg" Prowl quickly pulled away his finger from Jazz's ribcage where the colors were worse.
He decided that Jazz now needs his rest (as did Prowl) and leaned back on the wall keeping a gentle but firm hold on the human close to his chest.
What did Starscream mean by 'his ticket out of here'? How did he even got a hold of Jazz? Why did the seeker help him?
The last one he could at least partly answer – Starscream was smart. Starter than most of the 'cons out there. For whatever reason he did what he did – it was done for his own benefit.
Energy levels critically low, his multiple injuries and exhaustion prompted Prowl to initiate recharge. He would think about this with a clear processor. Not now.
He tuned his senses to online him from recharge once Jazz woke up. But until then – they'll rest.
That, at least, they deserve.