Kaon had seen better days, but it wasn't as bad as when it had to be evacuated in their exile of their dying world, also the fault of Megatron. Towering twisted structures of buildings looked like claws reaching out towards the starlit dawn. It had its odd beauty but still held a fierce history.

"And you see why I couldn't guess it was Darkmount at first?" Megatron stated with hidden joy of being back home.

The Matriarch and Shockwave walked the repaired streets behind them, and they too looked over the rebuilding city with awe. Moonhunter merely tilted his head but didn't seem too impressed, more eager to follow Arcee than anything.

The Decepticon capitol city was the home of the Gladiatorial Pits, Megatron's old citadel, Darkmount, and the largest oil manufacturers in the world. It was considered once a slum city until its oil boom, but its corruption only grew as those like Megatron who were born into mining had their rough start in life as Kaon's endless shackled workforce. Some even argued it was the equivalent of the worst forms of slavery how Kaon's citizens were treated by its own government.

"Will Kaon still be oil producers?" Arcee asked.

Shockwave nodded, "Yes, but I intend to run the city in a better way, not as a labor threshold."

"Sounds like you're about to go steampunk rebellious in the city," she laughed.

"Steampunk?"

"Uh, human term for a type of dress and attitude, based usually on their Industrial Revolution. Maybe we'd be more cyberpunk than anything, I guess."

The Matriarch stared at her confused. "You lost me."

"Megatron!" A voice said infuriated.

The warlord stopped to assess the situation as Predaking soared down and transformed, obviously still sour over a previous battle in which he pushed the Predacon out of his warship mid-flight. It wasn't his best moment in time, but he certainly proved himself against the Predacon leader. He was also responsible for terminating many other Predacon clones that left Predaking alone. The fact that Shockwave created more after his departure from leadership was irksome but also understandable as Predaking was owed that much.

Megatron didn't falter from a domineering stance in case Predaking wanted a fight. However, the Predacon seemed less interested in doing so and more willing to talk this time.

"When I heard from Haywire of your return, many things crossed my mind like why should I help you after what you did?"

"I have no excuse for what I did. But this is not about me." He then gestured to Arcee. "This is about her and the missing leaders. Arcee is in command, not me. If we are to find them and return Arcee to her throne with no more threats of a coup, we need all of us working together."

Predaking switched from looking at the warlord to the small femme who merely placed her servos on her hips unintimidated. He admired such ferocity in someone less than half his size. Then the Nitrotiger jumped in front of her with a warning hiss. He didn't do anything to provoke him out of respect for the cat's dedication to protect his owner.

"Very well then. Where shall we proceed to look? Grimlock and I have been scouring the city with no luck."

"There's one place you haven't," Megatron mused.

Grimlock showed up as Predaking crossed his arms. "Oh, and just where would that be then?"

The silver mech smirked before diverting his optics to a distant tower isolated on the outskirts of the city like a dark vessel with a shadow most feared. "Darkmount."

Grimlock huffed, "That old fortress? Rockrider would have nothing to gain being there aside from the smelting pits still running."

"Which is why it is an excellent hideout. My fortress might be inactive but it's so obvious that no one would check because everyone native to Kaon knows not what lies within. Only a fool would go there and Rockrider knows that. Upon learning of Wrathzone's involvement, he knows my tactics so any of my boobytraps wouldn't work. A saboteur he may have been, stupid he is not."

Ultra Magnus ran at them before stopping short of Arcee. "About time you two showed up! Rockrider's been nothing but trouble. She's lined multiple warehouses with dead, only Tyrus was found among them so far. You need to kill her, not arrest her because we're finding more and more of her deeds in this city. It's a crime spree out here."

Arcee then said, "We're working on it! We have a lead. Darkmount might be where she's hiding."

"Megatron's fortress? I'm sorry, Megatron, but explain to me why you even built that horrific thing? You mean to tell me a fugitive of the crown might be in one of the most heavily defensive war citadels on the planet?!"

"In my defense, I built it as a safehaven. It's a bit unfortunate it might have the capabilities to be used against me but nothing we can't fix," Megatron sneered.

"A bit unfortunate?!" Ultra scowled, "Megatron, seriously?"

"Alright! Enough!" Arcee yelled, "We can get to the fortress and fix this. Since it's been out of commission for some time, it's probably not operational now. We go as a unit, break into Darkmount and search it from base to top. No one goes alone either!"

The Matriarch cheered, "Arcee's right. If there's any good time to storm Darkmount, assuming the Allspark wasn't lying, it would be now. If we wait, then Rockrider and Wrathzone might have a functional death fortress which will be impenetrable once operational. I would know, I was there when it was built and have seen it in action. We need to go in now."

Ultra Magnus pondered on this call to arms and as much as he wasn't a fan of such recklessness, it seemed necessary now. "Fine, but don't think I'm going to be pleased about this even if we succeed."

Arcee merely said, "Stay mad then. We're doing this with or without you because I don't know about you guys but the more I hear of this situation, the more pissed I'm getting. I would act like a queen but now's not the time for that. You're getting this and this wants you all to get it together. Anybody up to argue right now? I have much more in me."

Even The Matriarch knew when it was a good time to keep quiet as she refused to dispute Arcee's impatience. Megatron already made his decision and kept by her, the others nodded too. Ultra was the last to acknowledge her demands and finally yielded his stubbornness in favor of storming the dark citadel.

"Matriarch," she said, "if we're going into an impenetrable citadel, then I guess we must bring an unstoppable force to match that. How fast can you get Devastator and his peers over here for round two?"

If The Matriarch could sinisterly grin, she would have. "Faster than you can blink."

Rockrider tossed abandoned empty Energon crates against the wall and cracked at least one screen on a dead console. Wrathzone merely watched her as he leaned against Megatron's old throne at the top of Darkmount.

"If they are angering you by not talking, just kill them. Waiting will only make things-"

"WHEN I WANT YOUR OPINION, I'LL ASK!" She screamed.

Wrathzone went silent again, but it wasn't until the fifth item thrown after when he finally snapped. "That's it, Rockrider! I'm done! You and your tantrums...this is not what I signed up for! You need to grow up and get your processor out of your aft or I will walk out and leave you to do whatever! This is madness, and I have a very high tolerance of such!"

Rockrider made a small gesture of clutching her servos into fists, a very easy sign to read as her desire to strangle him. But they both knew how that would go. Against Bumblebee and Tyrus, Rockrider had a chance. Against Wrathzone, Rockrider couldn't take him, especially when he knew her so well.

Breathing into a semi-calm but still aggravated mood, Rockrider sighed, "Sorry, I just-this isn't working like I wanted it to."

"We can't hide out here forever. It's only a matter of time before they find us."

"They won't search Darkmount; it's a ghost fortress. Nothing's worked here for years, or at least as far as I know. It would be a waste of resources!" Rockrider said.

Wrathzone shook his helm, "But not out of the possibilities either. I can see patrols throughout the city. They are not going to stop."

The bronze femme rubbed her optics before pacing in frustration. "Wrathzone, I need you to do me a favor."

"Yeah?"

"Kill Optimus and the others. Toss them into the smelting pits in Darkmount's core, then you and I are going to Caminus for a...vacation."

Wrathzone frowned, "And who said I'm going with you after this?"

Rockrider blinked before registering what he said. "But you and I are partners. You said you would stick with me to the end."

"I said I was your bodyguard. Look, Rockrider, look around us. We failed but I kept my promise all these years to Alpha Trion. How long can I do this? We had a good run but after we kill the prisoners and escape Kaon, we're done. You going to Caminus will cancel my servitude as your bodyguard because you will be safe as promised. With my debt fulfilled, I'll make do somewhere I can survive without this baggage."

"Baggage?" She said deadpanned, "That's all I was? Baggage."

Wrathzone scoffed, "Not you, but the situation we've gotten ourselves into. This was not part of the plan and I can't take much more of this. I'm mighty as the next warrior, but I can't take this."

"So, Alpha Trion rescuing you off the streets after your failed career as a gladiator was nothing but an inconvenience for you? Me making a dream come true of bringing back the caste system was just a fairytale to you?"

"That's not what I-!"

"Then what did you mean, Wrathzone?! WE are supposed to be a team! WE are supposed to be there for each other! You're being ungrateful for everything Alpha and I did to help you!"

In a rage, Wrathzone got close to her and yelled, "Alpha Trion saw me as nothing more than a brute! You did too! Why do you think you kept me around as a servant slash bodyguard?! You're entitled self always had everything when Alpha Trion was around and when you lost that, you had no one to cling to except me! That's not teamwork! That's you reliving your glory days as an apprentice while I had to watch you like a guard dog!"

Rockrider went silent as Wrathzone kicked over an entire console, uprooting it with its wires.

"Primus! I just want to kill you sometimes!"

Suddenly, Rockrider screamed back, "And what are you?! You, the failed gladiator, Prince of Praxus, couldn't even do your job right! You are nothing without me!"

The faded gold mech turned and bit his lip trying not to cuss her out but pointed a digit at her. "This is the last day I work with you. We kill the prisoners, then I'm gone. You won't see me again."

"Fine! Do your job finally! Hopefully, you don't fail at that too!"

Wrathzone punched the metal of Darkmount's wall upon retreating into the lower halls which left a sizable dent. He was furious at Rockrider's audacity to call out his failed career. He rarely talked about it from being ashamed of it.

Suddenly, a boom shook the tower and he pressed against the wall. For a second, he thought he hit a pump or something that sent pressure down where it shouldn't have, but then another shake alerted him that this was not a mere pipe burst. He ran back up to the top of Darkmount to see Rockrider on her aft with a scowl before he carefully approached the edge of the platform to look over the city. To his terror, the calculative Combiner, Victorion, was nearly pounding at Darkmount's doors.

"This again?!"

"What is it this time?" Rockrider growled.

"They found us!" Wrathzone yelled at her. "Those damn Combiners are in Kaon! One of those leaders must have gotten the idea!"

The femme stood up, moving out of the way of Wrathzone who nearly pushed her going back to access the lower levels of Darkmount. "Watch it! We can take them! We did it last time!"

Wrathzone scoffed, "No, WE didn't! You got lucky because Tyrus isn't a fighter and you caught Bumblebee off-guard. I only had Windblade to deal with. Had the Vehicon or the beasts met up with me instead, that may have gone out of my favor."

"Tsk, you're scared of a Vehicon?"

"I highly trained and mentally unstable one. Megatron's highest ranked Vehicon trooper, to be precise. I don't know about you but from what I've heard, that Vehicon is a handful. I'd rather have taken the chance with Windblade or Bumblebee who I can beat knowing their tactics upon common knowledge than versing someone I do not that has quite a rap sheet."

"Then what's the plan, oh mighty one?" She asked sarcastically.

"I'm solely tempted to leave you and escape but..." he started, returning to the edge to peer over the side again. But then he noticed someone walking down Darkmount's bridge toward the citadel and slowly, his optics went wide.

"But?! Listen here, you circus freak-!"

"Rockrider."

"Don't you 'Rockrider' me, piece of sh-!"

"Rockrider, look. That can't be who I think it is," mumbled Wrathzone.

Confused, Rockrider came to edge too but kept her distance in case it was a trick so he could throw her off the side. Then she saw what he did.

Behind The Matriarch and Shockwave, none other than Arcee was walking towards the citadel. Alongside her, Megatron and a Nitrotiger were present, and Devastator was trailing slowly behind. She looked determined and furious.

Mortified, Rockrider walked back from the ledge and stared toward the horizon contemplating her own existence. "But...that's impossible. She-she should be dead o-or trapped on the Isle of the Allspark. That's not her!"

Wrathzone kept staring down. "It is her and that definitely is Megatron with her. I would recognize that grey broad structure anywhere. How I've longed to have one last fight with him."

"B-but we can't take them! Unless..." Snapping her fingers, she got an idea and Wrathzone's attention. "We separate them. You're right. Against foes like Bumblebee and Windblade I'm no match for, but I never believed Arcee was all she was cracked up to be. No doubt Megatron was the one who did everything. Without him, she's helpless."

"You realize she-?"

"It doesn't matter. You want revenge against Megatron for tanking your career? Here's your chance and I'll kill Arcee once and for all. If I must go down, she's coming with me. One last day of partnership? All or nothing?"

Wrathzone seemed unsure but the idea of beating Megatron, a feat very few ever could and one of whom being Bumblebee of all bots, was calling to him like a beacon. One last run with Rockrider and defeat the bot who humiliated him; it sounded like a dream come true.

"One last fight," he growled low. Rocker took it as an approval, and both glared down at the two bots they despised.

Victorion grunted as she sent a fist right into the exterior, denting it with a creak. The metal seams were slowly breaking with each hit. She then said, "Damn, Megatron, what did you build this thing out of?"

Devastator laughed in their dark, echoing voice, "It ain't regular titanium, sweetspark."

"Talk to me like that again and I'll use your head as a battering ram until it breaks."

The larger Combiner normally didn't show anything but aggression but they were caught astray by the threat for a second before grinning and muttering, "Feisty."

Megatron facepalmed at his soldiers' attitudes or rather The Matriarch's soldiers as he no longer had official command of the Decepticons anymore. The Constructicons always had the worst manners.

"And you employed them?" Arcee frowned.

"What they lack in social abilities, they make up for being excellent at their job so," he shrugged. The look he got made him make a neutral expression with one brow raised. "I needed a destruction crew. They provided, end of story."

The Matriarch then commanded the Combiners. "Tear down the door as a team! Come on, guys!"

They obeyed reluctantly and dug their digits into the broken seams where part of it was bent before pulling. Darkmount seemed to roar as its metal was torn off its framework revealing a few levels of the interior, but the Combiners had trouble breaking half of its lower portion down.

"It's stuck! We can't pull it anymore," Victorion said. Then she lowered her servo towards Arcee and the others. "You're going to have to go in from here. We'll keep a lookout for any escapees."

Arcee saluted her. "Thank you!"

Predaking and Grimlock along with Shockwave were the first to jump onboard, The Matriarch was hesitant but complied. Moonhunter had to be grabbed and lifted into the open palm given the cat's uncertain nature of such a huge being. Ultra Magnus didn't and Arcee was the first to question him as she and Megatron climbed onto Victorion's servo.

"Aren't you coming?"

"It...doesn't feel right. I just have a very bad sense something's waiting for us in there."

Megatron replied, "Every day there's something. Personally, I'd rather meet it and get it over with to enjoy the remainder of my day. Your choice."

With a heavy sigh, Ultra joined them, and Victorion lifted them to an opening upon the upper floors of the citadel.

"Be careful," she said as her passengers got off.

Predaking shivered slightly as he sensed the air. "I hate to say but last time I was here, I nearly killed Starscream for his treachery. He managed to escape though."

Arcee mused, "Oh, sorry to hear that."

Megatron paused and gave Arcee a look of disbelief when he caught her meaning.

She peered back and gestured at him indifferently. "What's that look for? You hate Starscream! I hate Starscream! We all hate Starscream!"

The Matriarch whispered to Shockwave and Grimlock. "She's not wrong."

Megatron then said, "Yeah but...not what I thought you would say on hearing that someone escaped from being killed in general."

"You once got so disappointed that Bumblebee didn't bleed out when you tore out his voice box at the beginning of the war that you sent Optimus a detailed message expressing that disappointment like you were an Earth poet describing the woes of life and so little you enjoyed in your self-depreciative existence. The fact that you went out of your way to do that means you have no right to judge my beef with Starscream."

Megatron gave a small laugh as he recollected the incident. "Heh, yeah, I honestly forgot about that. Did you know I'm a poet myself? And I read several works from, what's that human called, Edgar Allen Poe, once I heard Earth had poets too."

The Matriarch pinched the bridge of her visor. "Can we get back to focusing on trying to stop Rockrider?"

"Sorry," muttered Megatron.

Arcee sighed, "Alright, Megatron, you know this fortress better than anyone since you built it. Where are the cells and where's the most likely area Rockrider might be?"

The warlord nodded and said, "Cells are about three to four floors down. Rockrider most likely took position in Darkmount's top sector, my throne because it has the best view and from what I've gathered since returning from Haywire, she's very into being high and mighty so no doubt that is her position. If not, she'll be right below the top level in the center room of the branching stairwell."

"And the cells have their own security system, meaning the doors and the cells of Darkmount work separate against the main power juncture of the citadel. It was a precaution in case any Autobots raided Darkmount. The access codes should still be the same," added Shockwave.

Ultra Magnus huffed, "Then what are we waiting for?"

Moonhunter yowled suddenly and they all turned to the Nitrotiger than was looking in a particular direction. He made another small noise before leaning down to sniff the floor cautiously. Then he placed his ears back in warning.

"Someone is nearby," Arcee said.

Grimlock brought out his sword. "Then let's go greet them."

He took lead behind the Nitrotiger as the latter moved in defense mode with a predatory growl. They didn't find anyone after a minute of searching, but they heard a faint banging noise right below them abruptly which made all the bots pause.

The Matriarch stared at the floor before saying, "Megatron, didn't you say the prison cells were a few floors down?"

Everyone went wide eyed before they all sprinted to the nearest elevator. Having eight bodies even in an elevator designed to haul troops proved a bit hard to manage as most of whom were more than half over Arcee's height. They awkwardly had to press away from her to prevent them from squishing her. Only The Matriarch remained unmoved, standing like a rock and simply tapping her servo against her upper arm impatiently while they were crossed.

"I think when I designed these elevators, I was only thinking at most two or three large mechs like me would be using it at a time. Most of my troops were smaller than me," Megatron stated trying to defuse the awkwardness.

Predaking growled annoyed as he was pressed against the wall and Grimlock. "Clearly."

Exiting proved a bit of a hassle for everyone except Arcee, whose small size allowed her to squeeze out, and The Matriarch, the latter getting furious finally and shoving the mechs who grunted uncomfortably aside to let her through regardless of if any of them liked it or not. Moonhunter popped out with whine before shaking and hissing at them.

Upon finally getting out, they heard the banging noise again. Running to where they perceived its origin to be, they found themselves in the confirmed prison sector of Darkmount. Its eerie dark theme made even Grimlock grow weary of who it held in the past and who it tormented in that regard.

The banging grew louder as they got near one door. Shockwave immediately began typing the codes he knew for the prison, but it declined.

"She changed the passcode for this cell."

The Matriarch pushed him aside gently when he failed twice before cracking her neck. Everyone flinched back when without warning, she punched the door's keypad. Grabbing the wires and ignoring the shocks she was receiving, the whole mechanism shuttered before sparking and the door sluggishly opened.

"When all else fails..." she mused.

Arcee laughed, "Appreciate you, Matriarch."

The queen was quick to try and activate a light source. To her surprise, she found one operational. Upon turning it on, she froze as did the others.

AN: It's all winding down to the final four segments, three chapters and a set of stories remain. I thank you all who have followed this story this far and I'm currently working on a sequel as we speak.