Okay, here we go again. Chapter three is out and I've reformatted chapter one a bit and added the Disclaimer. Can't believe I forgot it. Hope you enjoy it, and please review if you do. Note: edited 3/15/22

Over fifty miles from the Decepticon base the escaped Wheeljack had led Jack, Miko, and Raf through a wooded area and into a clearing. "Alright, I think we're far enough from where we bridged to send Bulkhead our location."

Raf interrupted. "Are you sure that won't allow the Soundwave to find us?" Jack and Miko looked concerned as well, none of them wanted to end up back in Knockouts' clutches.

Wheeljack nodded, holding up a small egg-shaped device. "This device is set to a frequency that only Wreckers are able to receive. I saw Primes' escape plan before I was shot down and I know Bulkie bridged out near here." He clicked the device once; it gave a small beep and was silent. "It's an ultrasonic frequency I designed; it can't be picked up by most systems." He grinned a bit. "Most useful bit of tech I've made lately." He looked up and saw the kids staring at him. "What?"

"How do you know about ultrasonic tech?" Miko questioned.

Wheeljack cocked an eyebrow. "I did have a life before the war you know. Before I became a Wrecker, I was actually a research scientist." He chuckled. "I used to have a mortar launcher that I'd invent my own shells for. That's where the signal comes from, it was from a 'Vibro shock" shell, unfortunately the prototype overloaded and exploded taking my launcher and that shoulder with it."

He turned and saw the three had taken a big step back at that last statement. "It only happened once!" He exclaimed. "Just stay close for now and stay out of sight. If I know Bulk, he wouldn't have gone too far just yet. He'll probably be here in less than an hour."

Miko decided to take a look around while they waited. Looking through the trees her eyes widened. The woods were behind a car dealership. Seeing there were no people around she went to step onto the lot when someone grabbed her arm. Spinning around to punch them, her fist was caught by Jack. "Easy Miko, it's just me." He said releasing her fist.

She took a deep, calming breath. "Sorry, little paranoid."

Jack nodded, after what happened not even an hour ago paranoia was to be expected. "Today has just been a whole new level of crazy." He sighed. "I don't even know what I look like right now, we were so focused on escaping that I'm just now beginning to process what happened to us." He looked down at himself. His body looked like it was made of silvery metal that felt like skin, except the joints and other sections where his body would move looked like the bots. He saw that Miko was much the same only with more feminine curves. What he assumed was her hair flowed half-way down her back.

Miko snorted. "You look handsome as always." Jack felt his face heat up at the compliment. "Did you see Raf though, he's built like Fort Knox."

Jack nodded. Who knew little Raf would grow like that? Another thought occurred to him. "I just hope our families understand what happened to us." A shiver ran down his spine at what his mom would say when she next saw him.

He saw Mikos' shoulders sag at that statement. "I really don't want to think about that." She sighed. At Jacks' quirked eyebrow she continued. "The only interactions I've had with my parents in the last few years before I came to Jasper was when my tutors said my grades were slipping, and that was just so they could say how much of a disappointment I am."

This got Jacks' attention. Disappointment?

Miko plowed on. "I come from a wealthy family that invested heavily in smart tech. From an early age I was expected to be this perfect little trophy daughter my parents could show off. I was fine with it, at first, I did well in lessons and my grades were high but I was lonely. My parents were only home maybe one night every other week." She took a breath. "Then I found out my parents were looking to enter me into an arranged marriage as part of a corporate merger" Jacks' expression would've been comical if the discussion weren't so serious.

She let out a self-depreciating sigh. "All my work at being their 'perfect' daughter, and they were just going to trade me like I was one of their stocks." Jack wrapped his arms around Miko in a hug, resting her head on his shoulder. "After that I started to rebel. Dyed my hair, got my ears pierced, started cranking metal, and found out I love playing guitar. Then I found out that I liked this new me, it was the most natural I'd felt my whole life."

Jack swallowed. "I guess at that point Tokyo was getting boring and you decided to become an exchange student?" He asked remembering the conversation they'd had around the time they first met the Autobots.

"More or less." She replied. "I signed up hoping that maybe, I don't know, I could find a way to stay in the US. To not have to go back to a cold family and a potentially loveless marriage. Figures my host parents were like my real ones. They only wanted to foster an exchange student because it makes them look good." She smiled and looked back up into his eyes. "Then I met you, Raf, Bulkhead and the others and found more of a family with you than I ever felt at home, or with them." She wrapped her arms back around Jack.

Jack held Miko tightly. Why was it that he seemed to be the only one of the three to have at least one good, attentive parent? True his mother might be over protective sometimes, but with all they'd been through, even before the bots, it was understandable.

He loosened his grip and looked Miko in the eyes again. "Miko, I'm sorry for all that you went through before coming to Jasper and all that happened today." He dipped his head down and planted a solid kiss on her lips. "And consider this a down payment on making up for all the heartache I caused you." Mikos' face developed a red hue to it showing that, whatever they were now, they could still blush.

They stayed in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Jack looked back at the car lot. "I'm guessing you're here to try and scan a vehicle mode?"

"Yep

"Mind if I join you?"

"Nope." And with that, they started searching.

They made their way through the lot stopping at various cars and trucks to see if there were any that could give them an edge. Somewhere between Mikos' attempt to scan a Hummer and Jack a Camero they decided to take a break for a minute. Both of them kicking themselves for not asking Wheeljack how to scan a vehicle.

A loud cry from the roof of the dealership building made them both jump. Looking up they saw a peregrine falcon sitting on the roof looking at them. It gave a series of 'caw's' that sounded like a bird equivalent of laughter. Miko glared at the bird. "What are you laughing at?" A blue beam of light erupted from her eyes, scanning the falcon as she gave a startled "Woah."

While Jack and Miko were having their heart to heart, Wheeljack was telling Raf a story about another of his inventions that was used in the war for Cybertron. "Then I fired it at Soundwave and it triggered his T-cog, locking him in his Alt mode. He spent about twenty Earth year effectively stuck as our equivalent of a cassette player." Raf busted out laughing at the thought of the Decepticon communications officer stuck as something that could fit in the palm of his hand.

He looked back at Wheeljack to ask more about that weapon and noticed something on the underside of the right wing on his back. "Hold still a second." Raf said as he plucked it off him. "This one of yours?"

Wheeljacks' optics widened as he recognized the device as a homing beacon. "Aw scrap." He stood up and looked around the clearing. "We need to move, where's Jack and Miko?" As Mikos' name left his mouth they saw a blue beam of light was seen over the treetops. "Never mind." He said as the two started to make their way towards it.

When they cleared the tree line into the lot, they found Jack standing next to a large falcon that came up to his waist. The falcons' body seemed to be akin to a naturally born cyborg. The bulk of the body covered in dark grey feathers with burgundy stripes; the belly, ringed by a round of circuitry where it met the rest of the body, was white with pink barring across it. Caping its' appearance were yellow chromed feet and a beak.

Jack looked at the two. "Wheeljack, I think we have a problem."

Wheeljack looked at the bird. "Miko?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. The bird gave a nervous giggle, placing a wing behind her head. Wheeljack shook his head. First seeing the kids turned into hybrid Cybertronians, now this. He sighed, when it rains it pours. "Alright, we'll figure this out later, we need to move. The Cons put a tracker on me and are on their way here." The kids and bird looked at each other. Jack picked up Miko, much to her chagrin, but any escape plans were dashed when laser fire detonated several cars on the lot. Looking up they saw a dozen Flyer Vehicons lead by Starscream bearing down on them.

The group tried to make a break for the cover of the trees but were cut off when a trio of Vehicons transformed and landed in front of them. Miko wrestled her way out of Jacks' grip and flapped into the air. One of the Vehicons fired a low powered blast at her wing, knocking her back down. The other drones landed circling them as Starscream transformed and landed in front of them. He chuckled. "I love it when a plan comes together. Prepare the experiments for transport, the Wrecker is of no use to us."

"Then how about two Wreckers." Boomed a deep voice. The roar of an engine drew everyone's attention to a large green SUV barreling towards them. Flipping over, Bulkhead transformed slamming his wrecking balls into two of the squadron, sending them staggering. This gave Wheeljack the opening he needed to pull his swords and attack the Vehicons blocking their way.

"Get in the woods and stay put." Wheeljack ordered the teens. Jack and Raf nodded walking into the woods. Wheeljack jumping in to help his friend.

But Miko didn't move. She saw that Starscream had retreated a bit and was taking aim at the back of Bulkheads' head. Ignoring the pain in her wing she took off. "Hey Screamer, watch the birdie." She flapped up to Starscreams' face and began raking her talons across it. She had to keep him distracted. Starscream managed to Deliver a smack to her middle, sending her backwards several feet to the ground.

Breathing heavily, Starscream aimed his gun at Miko. "I know Megatron wanted you all back alive, but he shouldn't be too angry to get two out of three."

Wheeljack turned in time to see Miko hit the dirt. "Miko! Get out of there!" He screamed.

This got Bulkheads' attention, and inadvertently everyone else's. He looked over at the techno organic bird. "Miko?"

Miko glared up at Starscream, she wouldn't let this monster harm Bulkhead, Jack, Wheeljack, Raf, Mrs. Darby, or anyone else.

This thought triggered something deep in Miko. Near the center of her body her spark flared a bright burgundy. Her avian head folded down allowing a human one to take its' place with a gasp. A pair of legs erupting from her bird stomach as her bird legs lengthened and grew fingers to become arms.

Now standing before Starscream was a new warrior that came up to his chest. Her face and hair were a near exact replica of Mikos' original appearance, the only difference being the color of her face being the same silvery grey of most Cybertronians. Her chest and upper arms covered in the same dark grey feathers her beast mode had, her abdomen and legs the same color as her face with burgundy coloring her joints, a skirt that seemed made of tailfeathers adorning her hips. Her wings had shifted down her back and the spread tips just barely cleared her shoulders.

Starscream stared at the femme. "Okay, that's different." He said in astonishment. "Definitely something Knockout will need to work on replicating."

Glaring at the Con she leapt up, delivering a solid kick to his chest and driving him back several paces. Acting on instinct she reached back behind her shoulders she pulled what looked like a pair of katanas. They looked like sharpened and elongated feathers. Holding them in front of her she grinned. "Time to wreck and rule."

With a cry she ran forward. Starscream raised his Null rays to fire but she severed the ends of them off, leaving him defenseless. She wasn't done however dodging around him and with several swings of her swords she cut several gashes into his armor and with a final motion she sliced and X onto his chest over his Decepticon insignia, forcing him several feet backwards where he landed on his back. With a flourish she returned her katanas.

Groaning in pain Starscream sat up and looked at the still frozen Vehicons. "Well, what are you waiting for you mindless drones, get them." This shook the onlookers out of their trance. In an instant they all barreled towards the three with the two Wreckers only a few steps behind.

Miko was undaunted. Continuing to act on instinct she reached behind her again. This time she began drawing smaller feathers that were sharpened like the swords and began to throw them like kunai each one embedding itself in a Vehicon. She kept this up until the Vehicons finally stopped advancing due to their injuries. Allowing the two Wreckers to get on either side of her. With a grin she held up her right hand and snapped her fingers, causing the kunai to detonate and destroying the Vehicons.

Starscream gave a gulp, disturbed at seeing his entire squadron off lined so easily. He transformed back into his jet mode, ignoring the pain from his injuries, and took off back to Darkmount. He really hoped Megatron was in a good mood, Knockout wasn't busy, and Shockwave was.

Wheeljack and Bulkhead looked at Miko in surprise. Wheeljack wondering just what the pit these kids had been turned into, and Bulkhead trying to reconcile the human Miko with this warrior in front of him. "Miko, is that really you?"

Miko grinned. "Yep, it's really me Bulkie, new and improved." Jack and Raf walked up behind Miko. Bulkhead gave a start and took in their new appearance. Miko laughed. "And these are Jack," said bot raised his hand. "And Raf." Raf did the same, surprising Bulkhead, he'd thought the reverse was true.

Jack walked up to Miko. "That," he began. "Is the most reckless thing I've ever seen you do." He took a breath, wrapped his arms around her and planted a kiss to her lips, shocking both wreckers into silence as Raf shook his head. "That was also an incredibly brave thing to do period. Just, for my piece of mind, wait for backup to be a little closer next time." He finished when they separated. Miko grinned, blushing happily.

Bulkhead shook himself out of his shock. "But how did this happen?" He asked. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out what had turned human charges into, whatever they are now. He still felt terrible for not being able to grab them when the Omega Lock was destroyed.

Wheeljack growled. He wanted to know that little tidbit as well. Mostly so he could drive his swords through the bot responsible.

Raf spoke up. "Knockout did this to us, we'll explain fully once we've regrouped with the others." He knew they didn't want to tell this story more than once if they could help it. Let alone how to explain Vector Sigma communicating with them.

Any further discussion was halted by a low humming sound. Looking over the tree line the group saw a ship coming towards them. Taking a battle-ready stance, they watched it land and a ramp lower from the back of it. From inside the ship emerged three Autobots. A blue femme with pink highlights, one black and yellow mech, and a red, white, and blue mech that towered over them.

With a grin Bulkhead and Wheeljack moved to greet Arcee and Bumblebee, and perhaps to brace them for what they were about to learn. Meanwhile the third bot, Ultra Magnus, examined the remains of the Vehicons, then looked at the other three intently. He cleared his throat. "Would someone like to explain to me what is going on with those three over there?"

Wheeljack sighed. "We'll explain when we get out of here. I don't want to risk staying here and having the cons bring in reinforcements." Ultra Magnus' optic twitched a bit. He hated it when his authority wasn't respected. Wheeljack looked behind him. "Jack, Miko, Raf, let's get out of here."

They came closer, causing shocked expressions in Arcee and Bumblebee, who hadn't noticed them before, and confusion in Ultra Magnus at the names and appearances of the trio. Arcee spoke up. "Jack?"

Jack nodded as Bumblebee asked the same of Raf in his standard beeping language. It was strange for the other two being able to understand it now, maybe something to do with what they've become. "It's a long story we'll explain on the way to wherever we're going." He walked into the ship followed by the other two. Taking a seat on the floor, Miko to his left resting her head on his shoulder, and Raf to his right, staying close to Bumblebee who followed him in. As Arcee and Ultra Magnus entered the ship and the ramp closed, he took a deep breath. He had a feeling this was going to be a long trip.

A/N: Okay this chapter got away from me a bit. A few things I'd like to explain. First Miko's robot mode is a bit of a fusion of Air Razor from Beast Wars and Silverbolt from Beast Machines. I spent way too much time studying both those bots and peregrine falcons to get her mode right. Second, yes, the humans turned bots do transform like the Maximals in Beast Machines. Finally, the first transformation for them is triggered by a profound moment, after that it becomes second nature much like it did for Rat trap in Beast Machines after her figured out how.