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The Insecticon let out one of its distinct shrieks as it spotted Jack up ahead. Its two comrades, who were each clinging to opposite walls, snarled appreciatively at his warning and lunged forward onto the floor and began galloping towards the human.

"JACK, RUN!"

As if he even needed the 'Bots to tell him that. Turning on his heel Jack broke out in a full sprint back the way he came, through the expanding pool of energon from the Vehicons. Though running didn't do much good; the Insecticon was upon him in just a matter of seconds. As its massive shadow fell across him, he began to turn back to catch a glimpse of it. However, twisting about made him slip in the energon he'd been running through, sending him crashing to the ground and jarring the laptop from his grasp.

The Insecticon above him gave a delighted screech and raised its claw to strike. Jack turned his head away, shutting his eyes tight, not wanting to watch the claw that would descend and crush him.

"WAIT." Jack cracked one eye open as the first and largest Insecticon came up behind the other who still had his claw raised over the human. The beast continued in its gruff voice, "Lord Megatron wanted the traitor and his pet alive."

The smaller Insecticon let out a string of irritated clicks and slowly lowered its claw, "But Hardshell, if we can't kill it, how are we supposed to handle the thing?" it asked, turning its gaze away from the human to look back, "It's just a thin bag of skin- if we touch the thing it might pop."

Jack flinched at the 'Con's words. That was not something he wanted to imagine right now. He looked back and saw the laptop had skittered to a stop a few yards away. The screen was facing towards him and he was still able to see the concerned faces of the Autobots on the video feed. His first thought was that he was thankful the Insecticon hadn't squashed him right there where his friends would have a front row seat. His second thought was to to start wondering how he was going to get away from the Insecticons. He wasn't feeling too optimistic about that second thought.

Before he could ponder too much about it, he felt cold steel clamping around him and he was lifted roughly into the air. "You shouldn't underestimate it, Kickback- if they're so squishy, how did it do this?" With is other claw he gestured over to the dismantled Vehicons in the doorway of the Archives, still leaking energon across the floor.

A loud clang resounded in the hall as the Insecticon, apparently called Kickback, swung his claw out, backhanding the other across his shoulder, "Don't be stupid! This is clearly the work of the traitor." he snapped, then looked back to Hardshell, "We're wasting time holding onto this flesh ball; the human isn't nearly as important as catching that treasonous scum, Knockout.

"Quiet! I'll decide what's important." Hardshell growled savagely, then proceeded to shove Kickback out of the way and circle around the other Insecticon. He lowered his head to Jack's level and looked the human straight in the face, his single metallic mandible giving a slight twitch, "Human! Where has the medic gone? What is your plan?" he demanded, "Speak quickly and I may be convinced to stop Sharpshot from relieving you of your limbs."

Jack felt the claws around him constrict, the sharp tips digging into his back as the 'Con holding him, Sharpshot, let out an eager hiss.

He hesitated in answering… not for Knockout's sake- but because he was trying and failing to very quickly come up with an answer that would benefit him. These Insecticons may have been more interested in capturing Knockout, but that didn't necessarily mean it was going to be easier to slip away from them… and considering how his escape plan was still in process at the moment, any opportunity he was given to have some influence on the situation had to be carefully considered.

However, it seemed the Insecticons were not patient creatures. Sharpshot took the hesitation for resistance and tightened his claw around Jack, drawing a pained cry from the human which in turn evoked a satisfied growl from the 'Con. "I wonder what kind of sound you will make when I pull you apart by your actuators." he hissed as he began raising his other claw.

Jack leaned away as best he could as it closed in on him. "No! No wait-" he cried. He still had to figure out how to get away from the Insecticons, but he figured keeping his body intact for as long as possible was a more pressing priority… and since he hadn't yet come up with a clever lie to help himself escape, the Insecticons would have to settle for the truth-

"L-Look he just went that way." Jack gestured towards Hardshell to indicate the hallway behind him, "I don't know where he was going, okay?"

Hardshell stood up straight, glaring down at the human, "HA! Don't take me for a fool, fleshling!" he spat, "I know you're not telling us everything."

"I swear it's the truth… he went off to escape by himself a-and just… left me here!"

Another ferocious growl; "That is a poor lie, human. Autobots are notorious in their affinity for the weak and helpless- Do you expect me to believe one of them would leave a squishy thing like you to fend for yourself?"

"Wow. I really wish you hadn't said that."

Hardshell looked back around to be greeted by Knockout standing a ways down the hall where he'd come around the corner moments before, and he looked very displeased.

"I mean, being called an Autobot and then doing almost exactly what you said one would do-" he continued shaking his head, "UGH. It's making me regret coming back for the little vermin."

Hardshell turned around fully and snarled; "HA. I will give you something to regret, Autobot traitor!" then, releasing a feral shriek, the Insecticon lunged forward, claws drawn back to strike.

Without wasting a second, Knockout raised his arm and sent a barrage of sonic waves down the hall towards all three Insecticons. Hardshell only crossed about half the distance between them before he was sent reeling back covering his audio receptors and crying out in pain. The other two were similarly affected, clutching at their helms and adding their own agonized screeching to Hardshell's.

"You bugs sure make quite a racket." Knockout smirked, pulling his arm up and ceasing his attack, "Luckily so can I." he indicated the weapon with a quick tap from his servo, which was also still grapsing the Autobot relic.

Hardshell stumbled back farther, lowering his servos slightly, "The Resonance Blaster…" There was a moment's hesitation before finally he turned to his fellows and shouted, "Insecticons- RETREAT!"

After feeling the weapon's devastating effect first hand, Kickback and Sharpshot didn't need to be told twice. Transforming to their insect modes they hurriedly flew the other way down the hall. Hardshell watched them go, then glared back at Knockout, "Don't think this is over, traitor." he hissed. Then turned and flew after his comrades.

Knockout finally lowered his arm and proceeded down the hallway. Sharpshot had dropped Jack when the sonic blast had hit him in favor of holding his audio receptors, and the human still lay where he'd fallen.

Dropping down to one knee, Knockout leaned forward and poked Jack sharply in the ribs, "Oh Primus- Don't tell me that little fall broke you." he grumbled.

Jack responded with a short cry and doubled over grasping where Knockout had jabbed him, "OW! No, I… I'll be okay." he groaned sitting up, "Just a little battered is all…"

"Good… It would've been troublesome if it turns out I'd come back all for nothing."

Jack pushed himself up into a standing position, though noticeably keeping a bit of weight off his left leg. "Uhh yeah… not that I'm complaining or anything but… why did you come back?"

"It's not because I have an affinity for weak things." he insisted. Then he paused, strumming his pointed digits along his knee joint distractedly, "I suppose it's because I sort of… owe you for trying to save me from Prime earlier… and maybe a little bit of that other scrap you said before…" he continued in a mumble.

"Well… thanks." Jack said with a smile. Then started as he remembered, "Arcee!" he ran past Knockout over to where he'd dropped the laptop, "Are you still there?" he called, reaching down to grab the screen.

"Yes! Yes, we're still here, Jack!" came her voice, washed in relief.

Back at the base things had gotten pretty tense for a minute there. With Jack facing impossible odds against three Insecticons and the 'Bots forced to listen helplessly as they prepared to torture information out of him… well, needless to say, they were all still a bit jittery from the prospect.

Up on the screen Jack's face came back into view, "Oh good." he said, smiling down at them, "If this thing had cut out during that whole… Well I wouldn't want that to be the last you heard from me."

"Don't waste any more time." Ratchet cut in, "You two need to get moving… That is- assuming Knockout is still going to take you with him…?"

"Yeah yeah fine…" came a curt reply, Knockout's ankle coming into view behind Jack as the 'Con stood up. Jack turned towards him and stepped into a servo he'd lowered for the human.

Arcee stepped closer to the console, slamming her servos down angrily, "Don't take this lightly, Knockout! Jack's depending on you right now-" she shouted, "And I swear on Vector Sigma, if he doesn't make it back here safely, then you'd better hope Megatron gets his servos on you before I do."

"Yikes."As Jack was lifted higher Knockout's face came into view, his gaze turned towards the human, "See there's another reason why I came back- your 'Bot girlfriend is CRAZY. You can just see it in her optics."

"This isn't a joke!"

"Relax! I'll take good care of your squishy friend here."Knockout proceeded to tap Jack's head lightly with one of his digits, "Besides, so long as I've got this sonic weapon, we shouldn't have any problem getting-"

*CLANG*

Suddenly the view on screen was a blurr of indecipherable motion. A moment later there was a definitive crack as the laptop struck the ground. The image was sideways and starting to fuzz over from the damage to the computer, but it was still just barely there.

"JACK!" Arcee called, "Jack where are you- What's happening?!"

"Knockout! Watch out for-"

"GAAAAH!"

A spray of energon spattered across the floor in front of the screen. More shouting and then, "Use the blaster-" "It's not affecting- OH SCRAP!"

Another resounding clang and then the unmistakable whirrs and grinding of a transformation cog. Not a second later Knockout zoomed past in vehicle mode, leaving a spotty trail of energon along the floor.

"ARCEE, I'll call you on my cell phone when we're-" Jack's voice could be heard fading into the distance, his last few words drowned out by a loud thumping as the legs of Soundwave went sprinting by.

Finally, the connection broke and the screen went black.