A/N- now, I know this is a short one folks, sorry to be a pain, but I believe in decent places to end my chapters, and I found one, so I stopped. I'm taking advantage of the Christmas break to enjoy my writing, amongst other things, like christmas TV- (Doctor Who anyone? I thought I was gonna explode with lust at the sight of Mr Tenannt AND Mr Simm on my screen!) Ahem. But I digress. Hope you enjoy, I'm sure I'll update again soon! And thanks to the kind people who reviewed, I really appreciated it. *hugs for all*

Chapter 18

The sun rose and bathed the quiet landscape, casting shadows that yawned and stretched through wrecked and ruined streets, silent, save for the occasional patter of a wild animal foraging for food. It stretched its fingers between tall buildings, down high streets and parkways, and over fields wreathed in early morning mist.

A speck was all that moved, the sunlight glinting off gleaming metal, as the car raced down the deserted motorway. Hot Shot knew he was risking much by taking this obvious and extremely exposed route, but it was the quickest, and so far he had come across no one, friend or foe. They had not been pursued when he had fled, and now he was starting to calm down, enjoying the thrill of freedom once more.

The human girl had gone quiet inside him. She had shrieked and thrashed at first, rebounding off of the leather seats and the windows, yelling at him to stop and let her out. There was no way she could hurt him, but all the same he had been shocked by the violence of her distress. He tried to explain to her that he was not capturing her, he was an autobot, he continued patiently, and as such, he was under oath to protect humankind. He just couldn't allow her to be left all alone in that terrible place. Clearly she was afraid of Starscream's wrath, that was why she wanted to go back, but she was safe now, they were far away and every turn of his axles brought them nearer to sanctuary. You'll see, he had said kindly. There's a base, far up north in the Highlands, where she'll find other humans under their protection…

Eventually as the distance between them and the decepticon's lair had grown greater, she had become silent and still. He scanned her surreptitiously; she was not asleep, just sitting, staring out of the window, expressionless.

Hot Shot's scanners alerted him to a blockage of some sort ahead, as he approached he saw what it was- a huge bridge that had once arched over the motorway had collapsed, blocking the road with chunks of rubble. He slowed and stopped.

"Uh… you'll need to get out, Alexis," he said.

She did so, opening his rear door and sliding out onto the ground. He transformed and leaned down to look at her. He had half expected her to run from him, but she stayed still, her face closed and blank.

He sighed. "I wish you would smile, human," he said sadly. "I… I thought you would be happy to be set free. I know I am. I never said thank you, for what you did back there. I… thought I would go mad…"

She looked up, resignedly. "You're welcome."

"You don't have to worry about any of them back there any more," he said, for what seemed like the hundredth time.

She gave a mirthless laugh. "Oh, I do. And you should, too. He's going to be… so…. angry…"

"Starscream?" He frowned, turning away to try and shift some of the concrete. "No offence, really, but… over one human? Why?"

As he explored, trying to decide how best to negotiate the pile, her small voice piped up, after a pause.

"Because in taking me, you've taken one of them."

He turned around, his blue optics confused. He tilted his head. "Eh?"

She bit her lip and searched his face to see how he was reacting. Forgetting his manners, Hot Shot stepped forward and scanned her thoroughly whilst he tried to digest this strange girl's statement. She stood calmly bathed in blue light, not seeming phased at all. He finished and stepped back.

"OK, you're definitely all human, not a Pretender… so I don't quite follow what you mean…"

Alexis had no idea what a Pretender was, but she didn't ask, merely pushing a strand of hair back behind her ear. "I told Starscream I would do all I could to help him bring down Megatron," she explained. "I led him to the Requiem Blaster. I took part in the killing of Sideways, Megatron's aide. I've helped him increase his power and influence over the decepticons. I bargained with him to release his human slaves. I lied to him to stop him from discovering another autobot and my friend. I had it all under control. And now…"

She looked up at him. She wasn't angry, or remorseful, or anything. Just waiting whilst he visibly struggled under the weight of her statement.

"Why?" he murmured.

Her mouth set in a grim defiant line before she spoke again. "I did it for my planet, for humankind. Starscream and I found we had something in common. We both wanted Megatron dead, and Earth left in peace. Starscream plans to abandon Earth once he's taken control. I saw no other option but to side with him. No disrespect, but if you lot are our only champions, you've not been doing so great."

To her great surprise he laughed. "No," he chuckled, "You're right on that one."

For the first time, her face softened, he didn't appear to have judged her after all she'd told him. "So… there you are."

"I… see." He shrugged, and set one foot up on the rubble. "Come on then," he held out his arms to her, and she allowed him to pick her up. Holding her carefully, he climbed over the wrecked bridge, and stepped down on the other side. "I still think you're best out of there now." She couldn't help but smile at his slightly stern, almost paternal tone. "What's done is done, and my scans indicate you are malnourished and in need of rest, which I can arrange for you. A couple more hours and we should be there. Then… maybe you can tell me more about it, hmm?"

Blackout knelt in front of Starscream, grimacing, his processor thumping under an epic energon hangover. This day couldn't possibly get any worse. Normal duties that morning at the base had resumed, mechs went about their tasks, wincing and clutching their heads glumly… occasionally catching each other's crimson eyes, and exchanging grins as they remembered the antics of the night before. And now Blackout had to report the prisoner gone. How could he say 'escaped', when there was no evidence to suggest such? No forced door, nothing… the key still stowed away in his chest… he just couldn't understand it…

He had put off telling his leader for an hour or so, finishing his patrol, trying to catch any clue as to how the damned autobot had disappeared, surreptitiously asking his comrades if they had seen anything, heard anything… When he had approached the casseticon brothers and confided in them, they had collapsed into helpless giggles, taunting him about how much trouble he was going to be in… it was all he could do not to bash his fist down on the little slaggers… When they gleefully started to bicker about who would be the first to run and tell Starscream, he had stomped off to report the escape himself, forced to hide it no longer.

Now he knelt, Starscream's feet and knees all he could currently see, one leg crossed over the other. He could hear the jet drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair… never a good thing… His head ached, and now he sported a smoking wound from Starscream's laser as well.

How come Starscream never seemed to get hangovers? Blackout was sure he'd had more energon than all of them put together last night, but the seeker this morning seemed on top form, worst luck... Suddenly the rasping voice above him cut into his thoughts.

"Let me see the key."

Blackout fumbled and withdrew it, holding it up. "It's not left my chest all night my lord, I swear…"

Starscream paused, turning the key over and over in his hands, then spoke softly. "I was looking forward to finishing him off, Blackout…"

"I know, my lord, I can only apologise again, I don't know how…"

Starscream cut him off with a sigh, exasperated. "Skywarp." The jet standing behind his chair moved forward. "Conduct a thorough perimeter check and question everyone in the base. Blackout, come with me."

Blackout got to his feet, suppressing a groan, and followed Starscream out of the hall accompanied by stares from the others. They made their way down to the cell, and Starscream unlocked it and went inside. Blackout followed.

The seeker frowned as he scanned the room, finding no weaknesses or exits the autobot could have used. He closed the door and locked it, using the key. After pushing the door and even firing at it, he was satisfied the key did indeed work. He opened it once more. Ignoring Blackout, he moved over to the workbench, selecting a few tools from the neat row.

"Do you see any way he could have escaped, my lord?" asked Blackout, laying on respect thick as treacle.

"No…" said Starscream absently, his back to him. "It is a mystery. And an annoyance. I have been deprived of some long anticipated fun…"

And before Blackout could react, he struck swiftly, severing some wires and puncturing his hide… Blackout promptly collapsed, control of his limbs all but gone, pain ripping him apart from the inside out… unable even to bellow in pain as his vocal processor off-lined, along with other systems…

"Be very grateful I have more pressing matters on my mind, Blackout, or your punishment would have been far more… unpleasant. You can stay here for a while and reflect on what it means to fail me. I will need you and your impressive fighting skills when Megatron arrives, so I'm sure someone will think to come in and repair you before then…" he stepped over the twitching decepticon and marched out, slamming the door and locking it.

He returned to the hall, Blackout's absence not unnoticed by the others, as he stalked back to his chair… he seated himself again, overseeing the bustle. He was annoyed and confused as to the autobot's disappearance... it had thrown him off course, he felt irritated, restless. It was true he had no more use for the insignificant prisoner, he had taken all he needed, but still… it was troubling…

There was of course, one creature here who may be able to shed some light on all this, as well as soothe his mood… she might have noticed something last night. He suddenly ached for her calming presence. When had he last seen her? He frowned when he looked around, she wasn't in any of her usual places…

He motioned to Thundercracker who stood beside him.

"Have you seen Alexis?"

************

"Alexis?"

She raised her head at the sound of Hot Shot's voice.

"We're almost there… look up ahead…"

They had climbed steadily north, the landscape becoming wilder and wilder, outside the wind whipped at knarled trees and rustled over gorse and heather. Overhead the sky was a steely grey. She had last seen a building about two hours ago, there was nothing up here at all but the moors and the sky.

Then… the road forked off, and they were descending down a narrow track, evergreen trees smacking Hot Shot's sides as he rumbled along… and they came to an opening in a steep rocky hill. They were swallowed up in a gaping hole in the rock, and Alexis's eyes had to adjust to the darkness, she twisted her head around and saw the patch of daylight recede and shrink behind them. Looking round again, she saw a wall of metal ahead emblazoned with a red insignia… the same insignia she had seen on Bumblebee's chest, and on Hot Shot's. At the last second, when it seemed they were going to crash into the wall, it shot apart in two pieces, and they were shooting down a lit corridor, the walls towered above her and seemed to be made of burnished bronze, or something that looked like it, it gave the tunnel a warm, regal feel, like they were moving into the home of some alien royalty. Passages to her left and right shot past too fast for her to see what lay down them.

Presently Hot Shot emerged into a huge chamber, he spun dramatically to a halt, and his engines stopped. Alexis stepped out, shivering slightly and tilting her head back, staring up at the domed roof soaring above… beside her she heard the clicks and grinds of Hot Shot's transformation. Behind she heard the sounds of approaching feet, and turned…

"Tell me the truth," said Starscream. "And I won't be angry."

They both knew it was a lie.

Frenzy fidgeted from one foot to the other nervously, twisting his hands together. The search had widened, and gone on for hours throughout the base. He had been ordered to wriggle into the smallest places, searching for Alexis. Ventilation shafts, storage containers, even the terminals… nothing. She had vanished into thin air.

Now he stood before Starscream, his energon levels were low and his optics shifted from side to side, avoiding his leader's gaze. He could feel his spark fizzing in his chest as he tried to look as relaxed and innocent as possible. He had a feeling it wasn't working.

"I never seen her since last night," he squeaked.

"But you must know something of her whereabouts Frenzy," oozed Starscream above his head. He inspected his null ray casually and Frenzy's optics followed his stare, mesmerised. "After all, you two were quite the cosy couple. Bosom friends, even."

"Nah, hardly a friend, boss," babbled Frenzy. "Just… an associate…"

"Come now!" Starscream laughed, and cuffed Frenzy on the shoulder with his forefinger. "I saw the two of you chatting away together many a time. I'm sure you're quite the little mine of information, mmm? Now…" his ray began to charge, only slightly, the quiet hum just at the edge of hearing, and Frenzy shivered… "I have been so grateful for your loyalty and hard work these past cycles, Frenzy. I know I can trust you, as you can trust me. I know there is nothing you would ever hide from me, isn't that so?" he crooned silkily.

Frenzy nodded fervently, still watching the ray.

"I suppose… I did spend time around the organic, your lordship…"

Starscream didn't reply, and Frenzy strove to fill the painful silence, his voice picking up speed.

"I always watched out for her, just as you ordered…"

Starscream nodded graciously…

"Always did just as you said, to the letter, kept both optics on her, never told her nothing you didn't want her to know…"

He glanced up, and Starscream smiled smoothly, motioning for him to continue. "Although, you know her, Starscream, it's not an easy job, 'cos she's got a knack for trouble…"

Starscream began to laugh, and Frenzy joined in, his body sagging with relief. "A real squishy little fireball, she is! I said she would be in for trouble after what happened in Station Twelve! Ha ha!"

Then he was surrounded by a wall of metal, tightening around him, he felt his feet leave the ground and found himself staring at a pair of red eyes; Starscream's fist tightened around him and as he felt one of his servos snap under the pressure, the growling voice roared into his receptors.

"What happened in Station Twelve?"