Chapter 13:

Daybreak's Revelation

The familiar smell of marinated chicken poured through Jason's nostrils, his mouth watering hungrily. He hadn't cooked a decent meal like this in a long time since Optimus had decided to help cook Jasmine's meals every once in a while. But now that he was cooking again, he wondered if he would accidentally overdo it like last time. He should have paid more attention to the cooking teacher back in Tranquility High School, but he hoped he had got everything right in the cooking manual.

He turned to the radio on the kitchen bench beside him and tuned it into Jasmine's favourite radio station. The song 'Life is a Highway' by Rascal Flatts began playing and he merrily whistled the tune, bobbing his head to the beat.

He was obviously looking forward to Jasmine and Optimus coming back from their drive. He also hoped that Jasmine may like this decent meal he had been preparing since he had got back from his long day of hard working at Tranquility Mall. But he mustn't let his thoughts wander for it seemed like the chicken was just about ready and the potatoes, mixed vegetables, and rice were already sitting on their dishes, awaiting the bits of chicken.

Scooping up the chicken off the fry pan and placing them on the dishes, he placed the fry pan in the sink so that he could wash it later after dinner was finished, and brought the dishes over to the table.

Once he had done that, he glanced over worriedly at the clock. It was only 8:00PM, though he knew that he shouldn't worry too much about the lateness of his sister and Optimus. Optimus knew how to look after Jasmine and he trusted him to look out for her. Despite the hunger that was gnawing in the pit of his stomach, he couldn't actually start until Jasmine got back.

There was a knock at the door.

Was that them already?

Puzzled, Jason headed over to the door and opened it, half-expecting it to be Jasmine and Optimus back from their trip. But he was met with disappointment when he was greeted by two older men sported in unusual uniforms. On their left shoulders were logos unlike anything he had seen before with the word 'N.E.S.T' written on the bottom. In the middle of the symbol was the familiar emblem that Jason recalled seeing on Optimus' chest plate when he had first transformed in front of him.

"Can I help you, sirs?" Jason questioned the men.

The tall, muscular, gruff-looking dark skinned man inclined his head politely, "Jason Clark?" His accent sounded richly Californian.

"Yeah... that's me," Jason replied, frowning suspiciously.

The short man with the wild-looking black hair offered a hand out to him for him to shake. "Major William Lennox, but please call me 'Will'." As Jason shook his hand, he motioned to the dark skinned man beside him. "This is Robert Raymond Epps, but he prefers Epps."

As Jason shook Epps' hand, his suspicious frown only grew even stronger. "What brings you guys here to my house?" he questioned uncertainly. "And how do you know my name?"

Will and Epps glanced at each other for a brief moment, then turned back to Jason, their faces giving no hint of emotion. "We are from N.E.S.T – Non-biological Extraterrestrial Species Treaty. We have come here to take you to Diego Garcia for protection."

Jason lifted an eyebrow, simply asking, "Why?"

When they didn't immediately reply to his question, anger began to eat away at his heart. This obviously had something to do with why Jasmine and Optimus hadn't returned home yet, and these guys may possibly know the answer to the question he had been desperately asking the past few hours: where were they?

Epps grunted something impatiently, but Will didn't seem affected by the question. Instead, he motioned to the black GMC Topkick C4500 that was sitting in the middle of the driveway. Jason wondered how he didn't even notice it sitting there at all! "You'll find out soon enough when we get there."

The young man didn't need to be told twice and he quickly complied without further questioning.

Optimus was aware of the darkness that surrounded his consciousness, yet he couldn't seem to wake up from his recharge. Something told him that he was in sedated recharge for the benefit of the pain. While he couldn't exactly pinpoint his whereabouts, all he knew was that he was lying on a berth and was hooked up to some kind of machine that beeped along with his pulsing spark. As he became more and more aware of himself – despite being in this forced darkness – he slowly began to feel an overwhelming sense of pain that overcame his entire chassis.

But what distracted him from the sensation was his growing guilt for the loss of Jasmine – his precious human. What could he say to Jason? That he had failed to protect his paralysed sister? That he wasn't worthy enough to even look after the one thing he had sworn to look after until her spirit healed? Just what kind of a mech did that make him to his Autobots? All he knew was that he had failed and that Jasmine was in the clutches of the enemy he had no idea where to find.

Eventually, the pain took over his self-blame and his sedation wore off completely, allowing his optical sensors to switch back online. He was greeted by a heavily panting Midnight, who looked deeply into his pain filled azure gaze worriedly.

"Midnight..." he whispered when he saw the little canine alive and well. He had been worried that the puppy had been crushed in the wake of the fight between himself and Starscream. But seeing that she was unharmed made him feel less guilty and more relieved.

The little puppy barked happily, her tail wagging furiously when she saw that he was awake. She licked him on the nasal plate, warming his internal structure.

"I thought you had been hurt or worse..." he sighed tiredly in an attempt to sit up a little bit, but a strong hand forced him back down, much to his annoyance. He growled in response to the hand's touch and he glanced over to see a stern looking Ratchet looking down upon him. "Ratchet?"

A comforting smile formed on the medic's metallic lips. "Who else would it be?" he joked lightly. When Optimus didn't emote in response, he frowned. "How are you feeling, Optimus? Do you remember anything that happened before your automatic recharge systems kicked in?"

"My chassis hurts all over," Optimus replied casually.

Ratchet nodded knowingly. "I'll get you something for the pain." He then disappeared out of Optimus' line of vision for a brief moment before he returned with a syringe. He gently takes his right arm and pressed a small button that caused the armour on his arm to shift aside to expose his protoform skin and a barely noticeable port. He carefully inserted the tip of the syringe into the port, earning a hiss of discomfort from Optimus' vocal processor and a low growl from Midnight. He then inserted the blue glowing liquid in the needle's tube and the pain slowly ebbed away within the mech's chassis.

Once done, he removed the syringe and the armour shifted back into place upon Optimus' mental command.

Optimus sighed in relief as the painkiller slowly took over his systems, but not before he explained to Ratchet what he remembered before the cold darkness overtook his vision. He didn't leave any of the details out as he described everything he could recall. The more he explained, the more the guilt of being unable to save Jasmine crept into his processor and his doubt began to emerge. Even though the painkiller took away his physical pain, it didn't stop the mental trauma he had endured.

When he had finished, tears leaked from his optics and he bowed his head, unable to look at Ratchet anymore.

"I'm so sorry, Optimus," Ratchet whispered in an attempt to reassure his leader and friend. "I wish we had gotten there sooner in time to prevent Starscream from taking Jasmine away."

Optimus looked back up at his old friend, his sorrow forgotten for the moment. Was Ratchet blaming himself now too? He sat up slowly (with Midnight sliding into his waiting hands) and shook his head dismissively, gently rested a comforting hand on his friend's arm. "You have nothing to apologise for, Ratchet. All I wish to do is to find Jasmine and bring her back home where she rightfully belongs."

He winced when Ratchet carefully poked and prodded the metal welding to ensure that it wasn't leaking any precious energon. He then turned back to the life support generator and disconnected him from it. "There are just some things we cannot always accomplish," Ratchet muttered low enough for Optimus to hear. "Sometimes it is unavoidable, sometimes it isn't."

A buzz on an open com-link interrupted them. "Ironhide to Ratchet, do you two read me?"

Ratchet blinked and replied with direct calmness, "Ratchet here, Ironhide. What is it?"

"Just thought I would let you know that I, William Lennox and Robert Epps have returned with Jason Clark as requested by the government. The boy won't settle down and is constantly asking question after question on the whereabouts of his sister and what has happened with Optimus."

Optimus' azure optics shifted over to Ratchet, who shook his head to indicate he wasn't fully well enough to stand up on his own. The CMO then told Ironhide, "Have Will and Epps escort Jason to the medical bay. Optimus will be waiting to meet them."

A sigh of relief echoed from the com-link. "I'm glad Optimus is well again, Ratchet. In the meantime, I'll guide Will and Epps with Jason as directed. Ironhide out."

Nodding with satisfaction, Ratchet returned to Optimus. "How are you going to explain to Jason about his sister's kidnapping?"

Optimus shrugged his broad shoulders and quietly replied, "I'll think of something as it will be a while before the humans and Ironhide arrive."

Ratchet shook his head. "You'd better think of something quickly because no doubt Jason will not be happy with you." Without waiting for an answer, he then turned on his heel and headed into his office on the other side of the room to file in a report into his computer.

And once more, Optimus was left alone with his thoughts. He bowed his head again and returned to his lying down position. Midnight whimpered questioningly and crawled upon his faceplates, looking deeply into his optics before she opened her jaws in a wide yawn and rested her head upon her paws. Optimus lifted a hand and stroked the puppy's fur with an index finger in an attempt to provide himself and her comfort.

Together they quietly mourned for the loss of their dear friend.

Jasmine's eyes opened with a start when a heavy thud violently awakened her. She was greeted by cold, lonely darkness. It was a darkness that she did not belong in, and it was a place that sent fear pumping through her frail body. Something told her that she wasn't with Optimus anymore because of the area she was in was cool and very cramped. She wondered how long she had been unconscious for, but she couldn't find the answer she was looking for without bursting a blood vessel in her brain. As far as she could tell, she was in the arms of someone she wasn't familiar with. She closed her eyes in an attempt to be rid of the darkness, but when she opened them again, she was greeted by the same thing, confirming it wasn't all a dream and that she was indeed alone in the arms of a devil.

"Great," she mumbled to herself.

She remembered that before she had lost consciousness Optimus had been fighting against that black and white robot he had named Barricade until he had him at blade's point. Then the next thing she knew, she was being lifted off the ground at a tremendous height, screaming Optimus' name and then squeezed by the clawed hands that caused her so much pain she had blacked out.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a huge ray of white light illuminated in front of her, blinding her to the world for a brief moment. Something with clawed fingers reached inside and cruelly plucked her out from her cramped cage. Despite her attempt at trying to pull back further into the cage, one of the claws scraped across her skin, drawing blood. She tried to kick the hand aside but to no affect as it was made of some sort of metallic alloy similar to that of Optimus'.

The being pulled her out roughly, seemingly ignoring her screams of protest. She felt her body roll slightly until she was lying in the palm of her captor. She felt her stomach lurch when the hand lifted her up until she was at eyelevel with the metallic figure. She shrank back in horror as those fierce, ruby eyes – which shaped so much like Optimus' aquamarine ones – pierced into her heart like venom. Unlike Optimus' beautifully soft eyes that were kind, wise and understanding, these ones were filled with so much hate, malice, and disgust.

It made her cringe in fear to be under the gaze of something so terrible.

The robot's bug-like cheek guards pulled into a cruel smirk when he saw her fear, and Jasmine knew that she was in a heap of trouble. Her fear was soon forgotten he took a step forward, causing her to tumble onto her back.

She turned her head to see where he was taking her and she realised they were heading into a massive warehouse in the middle of an open country, though it seemed to be isolated from the rest of the world. In the far off distance behind the warehouse and the being, she could see distant mountains that told her they were in some kind of valley. Wherever they were... it was certainly somewhere not even close to Tranquility.

Her eyes shifted when she spotted Barricade walking alongside her captor. He glanced over at her for a brief moment, his ruby optics meeting her frightened gaze. He snorted air and then returned his focus back onto the warehouse they were entering.

"This warehouse, Barricade," explained the tall robot, "was once the preparation base of operations for the US army that fought during the Second Matabele War. It soon became lost and forgotten over the years once the war had been won. It's such a shame that humans have such short memories and lives. If they had remembered this place, then they would have found us and kept it."

"Why come here though, Starscream?" Barricade asked, identifying Jasmine's captor.

"Because thanks to the humans who had forgotten it over the years, we Decepticons now use it as our base of operations for the time being until we find a proper place to put the Nemesis without getting the Autobots' attention. It will offer us sanctuary until we come up with a plan to destroy Optimus Prime and his pathetic Autobots."

"But you don't know whether Optimus is alive or dead, do you?" Barricade chuckled darkly.

Starscream whirled upon Barricade and backhanded him, earning a yelp of pain from his mouth. "I know for certain that Optimus will not be fighting for a good long while!" he snapped angrily. "I inflicted serious injuries upon his chassis that was enough to keep him out of commission that will give us precious time for us to go through with this plan I have in mind for this human."

Barricade nodded, rubbing the spot where Starscream had hit him and they continued their trek further into the warehouse.

If Jasmine had been paying any attention, she would have noticed that they were turning down two corners, heading down a single corridor and into a massive room that was big enough to fit at least fifteen robots the size of her holder.

In the room was a massive monitor with the face of another robot with cold, emotionless optics and with a background filled with stars and blackness that showed he was somewhere in space, watching the very planet the Transformers walked upon.

In front of the monitor were eight other robots that didn't have armour that indicated they had earthen vehicle modes. Though they sported strange, jagged armour that was decorated with inscribes and nasty looking scars to show they had fought countless battles in the past. They were chatting in an alien language that sounded very electronic and hard to make out what was being said until the arrival of Starscream and Barricade caused them to turn their heads.

"What took you so long, Lord Starscream?" a mech with a strange crest upon his forehead questioned. His brow formed into a disgusted frown when he saw Jasmine in Starscream's hand. "Is that a human in the palm of your servo? What brought on this stupid idea of yours anyway?"

"Be silent, Grindor!" Starscream hissed, his voice pitching a little. "I have a plan that will surely destroy Optimus Prime and his Autobots once and for all without having to lift a Primus-forsaken digit."

"I do not mean to question your all seen wisdom, Lord Starscream," a squatting mech with broad, curved panels on his shoulders and forearms spoke up, causing everyone to turn their heads. He shifted uncomfortably before he continued, "What does a human have to do with this plan of yours? This human is completely useless considering how delicate and squishy they are."

"Because," said the robot on the monitor replied in a throaty monotone, "Jasmine Clark is the human charge of Optimus Prime. He would not even attempt to stage a rescue for her unless he wanted harm to come to her in the end."

"Correct, Soundwave," Starscream smirked. "And that is not all I have in mind. Soundwave, send out Ravage to look for it. In the meanwhile, I will keep the human under a lock and key to ensure that she doesn't escape the warehouse and find her way back to the Autobots. Everyone else, scan the database for a suitable vehicle mode and meet me back here within an Earth hour."

"Yes, Lord Starscream," the eight mechs responded, slapping their chest plates with a fist in confirmation that they understood his order.

With his orders carried out, Starscream headed towards a large set of human-sized jail cells. He gets down on one knee and roughly drops Jasmine into one of them. She landed on her paralysed side, earning a painful whimper from her mouth. She watches from the corner of her eyes as he closed the barred door with a loud clang that rattled her ears.

He stood back to his full height and turned to one of the mechs. "Mixmaster," he called coldly, "when you have selected your vehicle mode stand guard and watch the human until I have fully devised the plan to bring the human 'around'."

Mixmaster nod in response and quickly headed over to the monitor to pick out his vehicle form. Once he had scanned his chosen form – a black and silver Mack Vision cement mixer – he returned to the jail cell and stood on the right side of it.

Once Starscream had gone, Jasmine glanced around the cell, tears falling down her cheeks. She saw nothing but an old cot in the right corner, a basin in the left, and only one window at the back end of it that was almost too high for her to see through it. It barely let in enough light to keep her warm.

She slowly crawled over to the cot and curled up on it, sobbing herself to sleep. She mentally prayed to God that Optimus was alright and that he would come for her soon. However, doubt crept into the back of her mind as she remembered how Starscream boasted about the fact he had injured so badly that he may never be fully functional again.

All she could do for the time being was cry pathetically until darkness once again enveloped her vision.

"This is it," Will exclaimed, looking over his shoulder at Jason who stood between him and Epps. Behind them, the towering Ironhide waited patiently for them to proceed. They stood just outside the medical bay where all the answers for Jasmine's mysterious disappearance lay. "You'll get your answers in there. Ironhide will take you in."

Jason stared at Will with annoyed eyes. Over the past several hours since he had left his home for his own 'protection', he had been asking the same questions over and over again, much to Epps' impatience. But Will had calmly and very patiently answered that his questions would soon be answered the moment they reached Diego Garcia.

During the trip in the massive C-17, he had been in conversation with Ironhide – the GMC Topkick – whom he hadn't expected to be an Autobot like Optimus until he had spoken from out of the blue. They talked about what Ironhide did and what his specialty was, and in return, Jason talked about his family history. However, he felt more and more concerned, but his mind was beginning to understand the reason for the confidentiality. Something had happened involving Jasmine's disappearance and he was determined to find out what it was. All he had to do was wait until they had arrived at their destination.

Now that they had arrived at the base, it was time for Jason to get the answers he had been looking for over the past fifteen hours. "Thanks, Will," he sighed tiredly. "I'm sorry I've been acting like this. I just want to know where my sister is."

"Don't worry about it, kid," Will smiled, patting him on the shoulder comfortingly. "We all have our moments. Once you're done in there, Ironhide can drop you off at the cafeteria and you can get something to eat from there."

Jason nodded his thanks as Will and Epps departed, leaving him alone with the scarred Autobot. Ironhide carefully scooped him up in his massive hands and limped into the medical bay. He took him into what looked like a private room that was completely isolated from the main area where all the other med berths lay in a row.

The door was wide open and Ironhide entered it.

Jason's jaw literally hit the floor when he saw Optimus Prime lying on the medical berth in the middle of the room with a Labrador puppy sitting on his chest. The Autobot leader looked absolutely terrible with a recently repaired shoulder and metal welding on his right side. But worst of all, Optimus' normally proud looking armour was trembling as though something was really bothering him.

When Optimus saw Ironhide and Jason, his armour stopped its quivering and he instantly retained a neutral expression on his faceplates, hiding whatever thoughts that had been lingering in his processor.

Ironhide came forward and placed Jason in his open palm.

"Thank you, old friend," he sighed, his optics never taking their gaze off the boy. "Dismissed."

Nodding, Ironhide turned and left, leaving Jason and Optimus alone. The Labrador puppy crawled towards Jason, sniffing him curiously for a moment and then putting her head underneath his hand for a pat. He couldn't resist patting her and he did as she requested, earning a little bark from her.

"That is Midnight," Optimus' deep baritone voice spoke up, interrupting the little bonding moment. "She is my gift to Jasmine."

Jason glanced up and stared him in the eye. "Look, Optimus, I'm here to find out what is going on. No one would answer my questions and kept on telling me that I will get them soon enough. Don't beat around the bush and tell me where my sister is. Why was I brought here, and how the hell did you get injured in the first place? I thought you were supposed to be her guardian."

Optimus vented slowly from his intakes, the cool air gently blowing Jason's hair from his eyes. "The reason why they haven't told you anything, my friend, is because the N.E.S.T operation is a secret government agency that has allied humans with us Autobots in order to hunt down any remaining Decepticons that threaten Earth around the globe."

Jason nodded, showing he was listening.

"To answer your the first part of your second question," continued Optimus, "you were brought here to Diego Garcia for your own protection until we can find out where Jasmine is."

The boy's eyes widened in horror and he stared furiously at him. "Tell me everything. Now."

Optimus sighed again, "Take a seat, Jason, because it will be a long story."

Jason chewed his bottom lip before he did what he was told in a reluctant manner, accusation was seen clearly in his eyes and the last bit trust in the Autobot leader slowly began to evaporate from his mind.