Chapter Six

"Everything okay, Surefire?" Skybolt asked seeing the Ferrari standing the entrance staring at the sky.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Fine." Surefire replied looking over. "I was just wondering how Moongaze and Crystal were doing." Looking back over at the sky before looking down at the ground.

"You'll be back with her soon." The airliner said placing a hand on the mech shoulder.

Surefire looked back at his friend and leader confusion clearly displayed on his face. "We're just friends, Skybolt. Close friends but friends none the less."

Shadowstrike growled as he walked down the corridors of the Decepticon base. "Aww, what's the matter Shadowstrike? Leading a mission harder than you expected." A voice mocked. The BMW looked over and saw Skywarp, arms folded across his chest and a smug smile on his face with a chuckling Thundercracker by his side.

"Not so easy when you're in charge, is it." Thundercracker said smugly.

"And what would the two of you know about leading? All you do is follow Starscream wherever he goes and do what he tells you." Shadowstrike retorted. He saw Skywarp's arms go down by his sides, his hands shaking slightly, and the look of pure annoyance crossed both seeker's faces. "Why I'm surprised the two of you were even able to string those sentences together without help from your so-called 'commander'." He walked off leaving the black and blue seekers fuming. He gave a small chuckle that had actually cheered him up considerably.

"I wouldn't frag them off too much, 'Strike, we need them…unfortunately." A voice said beside him.

"It's their fault we lost the slagging human in the first place, Beat." Recognising the iPod's voice "if they showed up when ordered then that blasted Autobot wouldn't have got away."

"You won't get any argument from us, 'Strike." Another voice said from the black mech's other side. "They take this mission far too lightly if you ask me."

"Indeed they do, Stampede." Shadowstrike agreed looking over at the Nissan.

"I say we teach them a lesson." Beat said suddenly making both mechs stop in their tracks and look at him.

An evil smile spread across Stampede's face, "Beat's right, 'Strike. If we don't teach them now Megatron will have our afts for failing this mission and all because of them."

"As much as I agree with the both of you about those…seekers." Trying not to growl out the word "Beat was right when he said we unfortunately need them."

"But…" Stampede started to argue before seeing an evil glint in Shadowstrike's optic.

"Let them have their little…holiday, have them think they can walk all over us because we 'need'" he used his fingers as quotation marks "them. Then and only then, will we strike them down and make sure that they never mock us again." He said darkly.

Beat chuckled evilly, "and this is why Megatron put you in charge instead of that idiot Starscream."

As the three Decepticons continued to walk down the corridor a figure emerged from the shadows. An idiot am I? We shall see who the idiot is, Shadowstrike. They thought angrily.

I have to get out of here. Tazer thought as he searched through his cell for the hundredth time holding his injured arm. "But how?" he muttered.

"Perhaps I can help." A voice said.

"Who said that?" Tazer called out as he approached the front of his cell and looking out into an empty room. I've been cooped up too long, I'm starting to hear things. He thought before jumping back in surprise and landing on his aft as a small yellow mech appeared in front of him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." They apologised.

"Who are you?" the stereo asked as he got to his feet. He saw the Autobot symbol upon the mech's chest but he didn't recognise them, they weren't a member of his team that was for certain. Are the Decepticons trying to trick me? Make me think this mech is an Autobot when he isn't? Then again, there's no Decepticon with his frame or colour on this planet.

"Name's Bumblebee." The yellow mech replied looking for the control panel for the cell and missing the look of confusion on Tazer's face.

Bumblebee? Where have I heard that name before? The silver mech wondered as the force field to his cell fell. He stared at the Autobot a little longer before recognition set in, Bumblebee! He's part of the Prime's team, but…what's he doing here on Earth? Maybe I am hallucinating, I'll come round any minute now and find I'm still trapped in this pit forsaken base.

"Right, let's get you back." Bumblebee said heading for the door.

Tazer's optics followed him still unsure whether this was all real or not, finally he shrugged and followed the minibot over to the door. If I am dreaming nothing bad can come from following him. He thought although he did wonder, "it's not that I mind the rescue, Bumblebee, but um…what are you doing on this planet?"

Bumblebee looked at the stereo slightly annoyed, "everything will be explained later. Right now we need to get out of here."

Tazer chuckled to himself remembering when he had said some of those exact words to Crystal. He suddenly wondered how the human was doing, was Moongaze able to get her back to base?

Twenty minutes later Stampede walked into the brig not the slightest bit surprised there was no-one there. He couldn't help but chuckle as he contacted Shadowstrike. Oh dear, it seems our prisoner has escaped. Oh, what are we going to do? His voice filled with humour.

You mean they managed to get passed the 'guard'. Shadowstrike replied in mock shock. Oh my he chuckled.

So we gonna go after them?

No, I'll send those seekers. Shadowstrike out. The black mech said a chuckle in his voice. Shadowstrike to Skywarp, Starscream and Thundercracker he tried to keep his voice as serious as possible the Autobot's 'escape' had to be as 'real' as possible or his plan would never work.

What do you want? Thundercracker asked rudely.

The Autobot prisoner has escaped you are to track him down.

And give us one good reason why we should, Skywarp said you're the one that lost him, Shadowstrike, you go and find him.

The black mech heard Starscream chuckle over the communication at Skywarp's comment. He harrowed his optics in annoyance then said almost happily very well then, I'll just tell Megatron that Starscream let him escape since he was the one on guard duty. I'm sure he'll be most pleased.

WHAT! The air commander screeched.

You heard me. Shadowstrike cut the communication before chuckling. The Autobots were probably long gone by now, oh how wonderful this plan was. He could discover the location of the damn base and get the human while blaming the 'failure' of letting the Autobot escape on the seekers. He laughed, oh how sweet it was.