Somehow Optimus had already left without them knowing as if he knew exactly where Sam was. He wasn't answering any attempts to comm him so that left them attempting to find Sam the old fashioned way. They started at the college. It was a wreck, making it obvious that the Decepticons had attacked here. Sam and his roommate Leo couldn't be found and when Briley tried to call Mikaela the girl couldn't be reached. A tight knot of dread coiled in Briley's stomach as she walked back towards Jazz. That was when another thought hit her. To talk to Sam Optimus would have had to take the teen somewhere away from people because his holoform generator was malfunctioning and despite Ratchet's skills as a medic the CMO was not good with programming.

"Is there an unpopulated area nearby?" Briley asked.

"What are you thinking?" Ironhide's holoform asked as they were rejoined by the others.

"Prime's holoform still isn't working. He and Sam have to be somewhere out of sight of civilians," Briley explained quickly.

"There is a place not far from here," Ratchet said. "It won't take more than fifteen minutes to get there."

"What are we waiting for then?" Lennox snapped. "Let's move out."

"One more thing," Jazz added in an icy tone that stopped everyone. "If they're out in the middle a' nowhere then the 'Cons have probably found 'em already."

"We move fast then," Epps called. "And if we break a few speed limits we'll take care of it later."

Those fifteen minutes were probably the longest in Briley's life. None of them knew they were already too late. They arrived in time to see Optimus fall, Megatron's sword through his chassis. The Autobots attacked and Ratchet raced to their fallen leader but Briley knew as her necklace pulsed weakly that it was already too late. She went to find Sam.

"It's all my fault," the boy was saying and shaking uncontrollably. "All mine." Mikaela was trying to silently comfort him but when she looked up at Briley her cheeks were stained with tears. Sam's roommate Leo was babbling, in shock from what he had just seen. Briley didn't have the heart to tell him to be quiet.

Every step felt heavy as she turned and walked over to Lennox. The major looked at her and shook his head even as two choppers arrived. Briley had been right; they had been much too late to do anything. "Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted, Matthew five verse four," Briley quoted softly but the words felt dead. This was as bad as it had been when Jessie died. Her eyes and throat ached with unshed tears as she glanced at Summer and Kinsey. Kinsey's lips were compressed in a cold, hard line but Summer was wiping away tears.

"There's nothing more we can do here," Lennox said softly as Ironhide ordered Skids and Mudflap to stay with Bumblebee. "We need to head back."

"I can't believe this," Epps mumbled, he looked as if he was in shock too.

"Agreed," Briley said softly before turning and walking away, unsure if she was talking to Epps or Lennox or just to try to clear the painful lump in her throat.

Author's Note: Thanks to MissShelz and Riptide2 for reviewing the last chapter! I'm planning on having another chapter out today so there is that to look forward to. Also I have a poll up with a question that I'm asking out of curiosity and a slightly crazy idea that you can check out. I own nothing but my OCs