Well, school days are at it again so I'll be disappearing again. (Lol. When haven't I?) So, here's a new update. Think I didn't think of this too much with how a lot worse the last part is.

Chapter 51: Payback

The Autobots had soon detected a Decepticon Activity within the other end of the city. Arcee and some others were sent on a mission to scout the area and look for any signs of their enemy but for the first three days, nothing really happened. Not until they had soon found that it was Barricade.

They chased the mech and tried to really detain him but every slagging time, they were caught in traps. Worse is, those traps were varying from one another so there was no telling what will be the next. Sideswipe actually needed to get back to base in order for his arm to get reattached while Mirage had to go back in order to take out all of the rotten food that got stuck in his own gears and internal relays, mumbling curses.

As to say, she was the only femme lucky enough to not really get caught in one of those traps seeing that she could out maneuver them before she gets slagged thanks to her own small frame and sleekness in terms of getting a shield (like Mirage). The chase happened every other day so there were issues that maybe there was a base there. Hoping that it was where the missing Oen would be, they hadn't stop trying and trying to pick at every nook and cranny of the area… If it weren't for Barricade, they would have long ago finished.

Scouting another area within the location, she couldn't help think how lucky she was to catch something in the night. She found a speeding vehicle passed through the highway on a hurry and from what she can see, it was one of those Construction mechs of the Decepticons rushing through the thick woods, inching not that far off the road.

Immediately knowing that something was up… She commed Optimus and told him that she would be making a detour as she followed the Decepticon. The Prime gave her the signal to go for it but he had consequently warned her to be careful and do not make rash actions that can endanger her. She must wait for backup if she wants something to happen.

With that agreement, she let some of the other scouts in. Mirage and Sideswipe were on ETA and they were going to take longer since they still need to notify that Squishy director. They might have been finished in being repaired but before they could actually get out of the facility, they needed permission from that one human she hates.

If Arcee was human, she could be seen snorting at her thoughts about those directors that the humans had been giving them. They all lack the open mindedness that one needs to deal with situations concerning them. Samuel was the only one that she deems worthy enough to really represent them all seeing how the boy (now young man) had been simply trying his hardest to accommodate them and bring forth good relationships with other human governments…

They need not airheads who care for a purpose of only their own… being human and their government. What was the point of giving them those types of people (like Mearing and Galloway) when they only hinder their operation to actually help one another? Then, they suddenly come up to them with angry expressions of disapproval, hate, and irritation just because of a failed containment or mission… How tempting it was to actually give them their overdue peace of minds.

It was not because of them, Arcee spitefully digressed. It was all the processing! And all the needed to be here and here… She knew that the Autobot movement had been restricted far too much as they all walk on fine glass per human saying. They were cautious because on the field, they were not only Cybertronian allies to keep safe (which is saying a lot because their durability is compared to none) but also the humans who risk their lives with them, fighting.

If their second in command was here; If Jazz hadn't; If things had never been like this; If they hadn't come to earth; these thoughts were just too much… There were so many what ifs that came plaguing her processor and the fact that she processes faster than any super computer doesn't even help at all as she spirals once again in the abyss of grief.

'If Oen had left her…' That is where the ill thoughts stop. She shouldn't be processing like this as if this was the first time where anxiety had claimed her processor. The years of war had her torn from the start and she had managed to continue on like this. Grief should have been her friend; an obstacle that she could manage to surpass or carry with.

She was allowed to grieve but not to just halt in stepping forward again. That is what she had convinced her self in.

Before Oen had actually turned back to normal (the one who was kind and selfless), the topic she has in thought had already been tackled rather spitefully as she remembered her words.

"Universally, we contradict our thoughts but the most dominant between good and bad is how you perceive the situation to be in your favor or not." That was what she said before going into an unbidden silence. It was a matter of perception in this case. So, using those words, she convinced herself to give more positive inputs. It helped her greatly to open up again but the hallow part of her spark for her components were still haunting her.

Putting herself in scout mode as she soon found herself near a warehouse that looks quite old and ready to cave in, she silently slid forward in the shadows, getting comfort from them as it hid her presence. She had to stop her intakes when there had been a sudden burst of engine through the entrance, just going straight, not even looking back. The black and white form blending well with the night…

Now, that was something that Arcee had reveled about. The Con was Barricade and that mech had been on their afts even from a distance away. To see the other just suddenly just go past her, it was processor wracking. She knew her skills were not that perfect so the only reason she could come up with how she had managed to become so well undetected was certainly… The mech had been distracted.

::Arcee here, to Prime, I had managed to come within close proximity of their makeshift base, over.:: She commed as she carefully looked over the landscape and tried to search for any traps or security measures within the external part of the base.

::Prime, responding. Sideswipe and Mirage will meet you there. Do not make unnecessary actions, Arcee…:: The big bot's voice sounded stern to the femme leaving a hint that there should be no arguments to that. Arcee just responded with a confirmation before strolling back into a well hidden spot to watch if ever a Con were to approach.

It felt hours and there hasn't been any other movement other than the last few screams and yells coming from within. Her spark was thundering in her chest plates hearing the familiar voice of the girl. Only Prime's orders were keeping her there when she reported that Oen's location is confirmed. She was in no position to move and defile the Prime's words. Until there has been no backup, she will not make anything that would likely give harm to the girl.

But Arcee was seething as she heightened her hearing. The walls of the warehouse were not that thin so she could only guess that the outer view was only a disguise of what really is inside. The femme can hear the human whimper and croak out incomprehensible words. She cannot form any meaning to those but she could conclude that the other had been hurt.

Requesting for Ratchet then, Prime saw the urgency in all of this and had let her go in. Her two companions were closer than she had thought but she needed to get to the human in that instant to see if she could still save the other from more pain that she was in.

Putting caution in the air and relinquishing herself in the mission she had set her mind to. She entered the only entrance and exit of the place. Venturing deeper, she was surprised on how non-highly kept the whole facility is. If it weren't for the slight modification like the walls and some rooms, she would have thought that this place was just a normal warehouse.

Setting herself on top of a beam of the ceiling, she had a nice view of where the Decepticon medic was. It was Hook and he was inserting something in the femme. Her spark fluttered at seeing that Oen doing fine but it was immediately set on shock as she saw how her body had become. She can see from the exposed skin that she was starting to decompose. The once green blotches that she had seen before were turning black.

Giving another report, she only received a silent response after that. But Ratchet's voice soon had rung within her processesor as the medic wanted more information about the human's condition. Getting more visual information, she sent it to them as Hook seemed to not notice anything other than the human in front of him. That was good as she continued on spying from atop.

As she got the ping from the other two scouts, they soon got the order to retrieve whatever information they have on the girl and take her back. But Ratchet warned them of the other medic. Hook maybe a medic but surely, he was the other faction's CMO for something. That means a lot judging from how the Cons act.

And there was the matter of handling backup of the Cons. They would never get out of there if there had been more of the Cons than what they had thought at first. So seeing to it that they knew the place from the back of their minds and scouting the perimeter more, they formulated plans. A little later, Bumblebee had entered the frequency telling them that he would be distracting the old slagger of a police car once they give the signal.

Sam was with him but the young man refused to get out. He could not care for his safety as he told his guardian determinedly that he would not get out of him until they see to it that Oen was retrieved successfully. No one complained but others bid them safety, literally giving up when Samuel vehemently threatened to stop to get breaks. That mean, he would overwork himself and no one is going to stop him. They let the young man be as Bee assured that he would do his duty as his guardian. It was not like they hadn't encountered the mech before.

Going back to the plan, seeing that there was no more backup coming unless they took too long, they knew that there was a high probability that they would be successful in this mission of theirs. With one command of Optimus, they had the go and soon, the operation started.

Hook was caught off guard as Arcee swooped down from her perch and tried to kick him in the helm. Like what had Ratchet warned them about, the medic was not that really easy to back down as she soon found herself being cursed and smashed through the layers of wooden crates from the side when Hook had managed to successfully grab her.

"You fragging glitching Autoscum femme, you broke my datapad!" There was a hint of exasperation, rage and worry there as the data pad the mech was talking about lay in pieces on the floor. The mech then lunged at her as she started composing herself back up in a fighting stance. It was obvious that the other was furious on what she had done to such a small thing and that was what she would use against the other. His anger was going to be his down fall.

Arcee shifted away from the trajectory of the other. She then got her blaster out and was about to shoot the mech until her system froze and her systems started shutting down. At that moment, she was panicking. This was a bad time to go into stasis and in front of the medic, too!

"Frenzy! We need to relocate, now!" The medic said in a rush as she cursed herself, body falling down to her knee plates. As the mechling was mentioned, she can feel him on her shoulder still pulling some things on the back of her helm, a sick feeling was filling her from being defiled.

"Go into stasis now if you know what is good for you, Autobot…" The little Con started as she felt her systems slowing down. "She's in recharge and you are all making too much noise, Hook. Barricade was intercepted. We need to get out fast." She heard the fast chatter of the small Decepticon as her vision soon faded. She soon hit the floor as the floor vibrated from the haste they were all going in.

It took a few kliks as she fought the stasis. Soon enough, there was a series of explosion as her silent prayer was heard by Primus. Her consciousness soon faded away as she let the others take care of things for her.

Eunice Pacheco: Bee is a no-no. Hehehe... He stays where he is and that is beside Sam and on what is going to happen to them seeing that Sam is hiding his true self, right?

~dreamer