ch 5

Prowl was getting weaker.

Even as they raced across the abandoned streets of outer Kaon to the neutral city of Syph, Barricade knew they didn't have much time. His wound was slowly weakening him, and Prowl was moving by sheer willpower alone. By now Barricade was mostly dragging a half-conscious Prowl, and he didn't have the strength to keep that up much longer.

Suddenly, Prowl collapsed. Barricade cursed sharply as the dead weight pulled him down. He managed to drag Prowl into a dilapidated building with only half a roof and gently laid him down on his back, careful of his doorwings. A quick medical scan, and he was cursing again. He quickly opened up a secure comm. line with Hook.

::I have a problem.::

::Actually, you have several problems.:: Hook replied, sounding insanely cheerful. ::Which would you like to discuss first?::

::Prowl's going into spark arrest.:: Barricade snapped, ignoring the jab for now. ::How do I stop it?:: "And why do I give a flying frag?" he muttered darkly to himself.

There was a rather long pause as Barricade waited impatiently for instructions. The longer he left his comm. link active, the better Soundwave's chances of tracking him by the signal. He was putting himself in danger for the sake of his enemy, and he couldn't figure out why.

::Okay, Barricade:: Hook's sudden return startled the assassin. He bit back a curse. ::There is a way to save Prowl, but I'm not sure you're going to like it.::

::In other words, I'm going to fragging hate it.:: Barricade translated with a growl. ::Just tell me and I'll do it.::

::You need to link your spark chamber with Prowl's.:: Hook said bluntly. ::You need to form a First Bond with him. That will keep his spark stable until the Autobots find you.::

Barricade stared at Prowl. ::I've never done that before, Hook.:: he admitted quietly.

::Don't worry – I'll talk you through it.:: Hook assured him. ::The question is, are you willing to do it?::

Barricade hesitated, but only for a nanosecond. His medical scans were alerting him to Prowl's ever-worsening condition. If something like a First Bond would save Prowl's spark - ::I'll do it.:: He adjusted his chassis armor, exposing his spark chamber. There was no need for a similar procedure for Prowl. His armor was damaged to the point of removal, his spark chamber exposed for all to see. ::Spark chambers exposed.::

::Do you have a cable?::

Barricade scowled. ::No.::

::Then we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way and hope for the best.:: Hook murmured. ::Spark to spark contact should work just as well. Word of warning – don't let the contact last longer than five seconds.::

::You got it.:: "That, unfortunately, I know how to do." Barricade grumbled. He reached out and grabbed Prowl's shoulder, giving him a rough shake. "Prowl!" he said sharply. "Wake up!" Prowl's optics flickered, but he didn't wake. Barricade snorted. "Fine. We'll do this the difficult way." He reached into Prowl's chassis and gently opened his spark chamber. The energy inside flickered and sputtered. "I'm going to be as gentle as I can." Barricade said as he opened his own spark chamber. "Be pretty crappy if I repaid you for saving my life by only tormenting you more. I'm a killer, not a torturer." He leaned over Prowl.

"I just hope you don't kill me for this."

With that, he pressed his chassis against Prowl's and let their spark energies merge together.

The effect was immediate. Something exploded into being inside of Barricade's consciousness, wild, vicious, and fighting to shove him back. His arms gave out under the sheer force of the assault, thrusting their sparks even farther together. The something solidified into a presence that Barricade recognized almost immediately.

Prowl was not on the verge of death. His spark may have been dying, but his mind was still very much alive.

Barricade gritted his dental plates together, annoyance pulsing through him. If Prowl didn't stop fighting him, he really was going to die, and everything that Barricade had done thus far would be for nothing.

Nothing?

He jerked. You can hear me?

A chuckle, the impression of movement. It was hard to tell what was going on when every moment spent in this state drew him in deeper. Had it been five seconds? Ten? A minute? Barricade didn't know. Time did not matter.

Darkness consumed them both, and Barricade fell unconscious.

/-/

Ratchet paused.

The coordinates appearing on his comm. link were odd enough, but what was really odd was the signature on the information stream. Ratchet hadn't thought he'd see that frequency again at all.

::Ratchet to Optimus.::

::Optimus here. Go ahead, Ratchet.::

::I have a lock on Prowl.:: Ratchet said, transmitting the coordinates. ::We need to get there quickly.::

::Understood. Follow close to me – something tells me we'll need you close by.::

::Understood, sir.:: Ratchet fell into place behind Optimus at the front of the search team. He hesitated just a moment before constructing a message to send back to his helper.

Thanks, Hook.