The bright light blinds me when we shoot out of the dark tunnel. I let my eyes adjust, glad that I was buckled in as Bee hurtled around corners. Military jeeps fell in behind us, Bee taking point. The Allspark is in my lap and nervously tighten my hold on it. A warm hand grabs mine, squeezing it. I look up at my cousin as she smiles down at me, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"How's the Cube?" Sam shifts nervously up front, shooting glances backwards.

"It's fine," Mikaela answers for me, touching his shoulder with her free hand. "Calm down. Deep breaths. Okay?" Sam nodded rapidly, sucking in deep lungfuls of air. My stomach tingles and I feel vaguely nauseous. What feels like a tendril grazes across my being. I couldn't begin to describe it. It was like my heart and mind, but not. Curious, I welcome it, and it reached deeper. The presences stays for what may have been an eternity, but it jerked away at Sam's voice.

"There's Optimus!" Sam's shout drags me back to reality. He waves at the massive blue and red truck as is passes, but quickly pulls his arm back into the car. It's understandable, considering the breakneck speed we're traveling at. I look behind just in time to witness Optimus pull off a truly spectacular u-turn with all his wheels on the ground. The silver sports car -Jazz I think?- is close behind him. Ironhide and Ratchet opted for wider turns, but no less graceful.

"I bet that some of the soldiers are just as impressed as I am," I mused thoughtfully. I jumped as realization hit me a split second later. 'The soldiers!'

"Bee, can you patch me through to the soldier's radio waves- the ones in their Jeeps?" I leaned forward eagerly. His radio dial spun as he searched for a clip to answer me.

"On it, Captain." The distinct accent made me think of Star Trek, and I thanked him quietly as a few moments passed awkwardly. "Go ahead, talk." This time the quote was obviously from a cop show, but I nodded my assent.

"Lennox?" I called out hesitantly.

"Whose this?"

"It's Kat, I just wanted to inform you that the new additions to our escort is our Autobot allies, the peterbilt is Optimus Prime, the black truck is his weapons master Ironhide, the search and rescue is… um… shoot-"

"Actually, it's Ratchet," Optimus' voice rumbled through Bumblebee's speakers unexpectedly. "And the pontiac is my second in command, Jazz." I laugh sheepishly, leaning back in my seat, wincing when my hidden gun digs into my back.

"Sorry Ratchet, I'm terrible with names," I call out.

"You're forgiven Kat," the lime green autobot huffs gruffly over the radio. "After all, we only met a few hours ago."

"Lennox, yes?" Optimus interrupts smoothly.

"Yessir. Prime?"

"Correct. Scout Bumblebee sent me the plans. Is it permissible for the Autobots to assist?"

"Of course. So long as you guys are okay with our help as well."

"Affirmative."

The conversation came to an abrupt end as police sirens wailed behind us. We continued to speed down the freeway, not slowing. Sam, Mikaela and I all twist in our seats to look behind, only to see the same cop who had attacked us before accompanied by a large military vehicle. I was obviously not the only one to recognize the cop car, because Sam began to ramble.

"No nonnononono-"

"What?!" Mikaela interrupted Sam.

"It's the same cop!" This time it was Ironhide who interrupted Sam and I jumped, having briefly forgotten about the radio.

"Barricade," Ironhide growled over the radio. "That slagger was reported dead on Kaon!" The military vehicle with Barricade began knocking cars out of the way, and even flipping them. It transformed behind us and began to skate on the road, peds digging into the asphalt.

"I'll take Bonecrusher," Optimus's deep voice barked through the radio. Not a moment later, he hit his brakes, slowing down as he transformed quickly. Watching a peterbilt truck rearranging itself into a 30- something foot tall robot is somewhat of a shocking experience.

"Holy…." Lennox breathed over the radio. Optimus leaped, skidding as he tried to slow himself down. Behind him, Bonecrusher rammed himself into a bus, tearing it in half like a paper banner. I prayed that it was void of passengers as I heard my cousin whisper a prayer. The Decepticon throws himself at Optimus, succeeding in taking the large Autobot over the edge of the overpass with him.

Not soon after we lost sight of the Decepticons and Optimus, we entered the city. Lennox ordered us to pull over when he spotted something. Lennox jumps out of his vehicle and enters the small pawn shop, only to run back out a minute later. He throws something in his arms at Epps, and ordered us to move out.

"Alright," He yelled. "Let's go!" Captain Lennox got back in his vehicle as our entourage continued down the street. I could still hear him and Epps through the radio.

"Here, I got shortwave radios."

"What- what am I supposed to do with these?" Epps sounded baffled.

"Well USE 'em. It's all we've got," Lennox snarked at his fellow soldier.

"This is like Radio Shack dinosaur radios or somethin' man," Epps muttered. "I'm only gonna get like 20, 30 miles out of these." There was a long pause and background noise that came through Bee's speakers for a moment. "Are there any aircraft orbiting the city?" There was a click and another pause. A military plane flew overhead, expertly weaving between buildings.

"F-22, twelve o'clock," Lennox reported. The F-22 disappeared from sight, and I narrowed my eyes. Something seemed...off.

"I want planes for air cover and get Blackhawks on station to extract that Cube. Got it?" the Captain's voice came over the radio again. There was a signal and out group stopped, soldiers quickly exiting vehicles and setting up. Sam, Mikaela, and I got out of Bumblebee as well, staring around us nervously. Pedestrians watched us warily, but I ignored them. The soldiers stood ready around us, and the Autobots stayed in vehicle form. The plane passed over head again and Lennox took action.

"Air Force has arrived, pop smoke!" he ordered.

"Raptor, Raptor, do you copy? We have your visual," Epps spoke quickly into the brick-like radio. "Green smoke is the mark, provide air cover and vector Black Hawks for extraction." There was a muffled clang and then green smoke billowed out of it's canister. The F-22 screams overhead for a third time, and then the black truck began to transform. His blue eyes narrowed at the sky before whipping back to the soldiers.

"It's Starscream!" Ironhide roared. The soldiers stared at him for a moment before Epps slowly raised the radio to his lips.

"...Please tell me you copy." Ironhide charge forward, careful to avoid the now screaming pedestrians. He motioned at his fellow bots as he barked out orders.

"Back up! Take cover! Bumblebee," Ironhide nodded at Bee, who transformed and followed the black Autobot. The pair of aliens approached a nearby delivery truck, both grabbing a side.

"Nonononononono! Move!" Lennox roared.

"Back up! Back up!" Ironhide yelled back at the soldiers as he and Bumblebee braced against the truck.

"Retreat! Fall back!" Lennox bellowed, soldiers around us jumping out of their vehicles. We all tried to get out of the way, but it was too late.

"Incoming!" Ironhide warned, before a deafening explosion shook the ground and the force of it threw us.