CHAPTER 38
A Successful Mission

Trevor collapsed against the bench in Ironhide's weapons training room quietly. It had been another long session, one which had rendered him worn down. Ironhide looked at his great nephew quietly, and straightened a bit. They'd been going hand-to-hand that round, and though Trevor had much to work on, he felt as though he was, at the very least, getting better. "Ye did good great, kid," Ironhide nodded his head. "You're getting better at your fighting skills, but you need to work a little on your speed."

"Just be honest, uncle 'Hide," The mech would have grinned at the use of the title if he wasn't frustrated with Trevor's downplay. "I suck, plain and simple. I'm never going to be a warrior like you, dad, or grandma and grandpa."

Ironhide vented out some air, frustration in his optics. He turned to his young protege with a long, annoyed snort. "I didn't name you my downright protege to hear you whine and complain when you have trouble," Ironhide told him, pointing straight at him. "I mean I could have told Prime after our first session that this wasn't working out, and make it Jazz's problem," He told him, even though he knew he was not the type of mech to do it unless someone was really inept. "I agreed you should be trained like any other Prime family member even though you're human because I saw something in you. Especially in that trigger finger of yours."

Trevor looked up at Ironhide a bit. "Dad was a protege of yours too, right?" Ironhide nodded. "And you can't possibly be saying he was this bad! I mean seriously, I can't even throw that good of a punch," He added.

Ironhide put his hands on his hips, and stepped over. "Your father started training a Cybertronian month after his official adoption, just like you," Ironhide explained. "He was scrawny, and only knew basic fighting from living on the street," Trevor blinked. "And I remember having this same exact talk with him too. "He was angry, tried, and not at his best either. And you know what I told him?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Mech up, you can't get any better whining. You can only get better by working your aft off."

"He had a hard time?" Trevor asked. "But dad's a badaft! He's-."

"You don't get born a badaft," Ironhide snorted. "That came after vorns and vorns of training!" He looked at Trevor straight in the eye. "And I say this to you now, mech up! You're a tough little fragger, Trevor. I say this in an honest way too, youngling. You've struggled all your life, and I know that," Trevor gripped the bench. "But did you give up? NO. So why should you start now?"

Trevor looked up at Ironhide, a look of surprise in his eyes. He'd never heard Ironhide be so firm about this, but in a way, he liked it. He knew, to his surprise, that Ironhide was saying this out of love. The mech didn't want to see him so down on himself. "Alright," Trevor pulled himself to his feet. "I know, I know... I just, I guess I need to stop getting so angry at myself." He explained with a long sigh.

"Definitely not," Ironhide noted. "Because you're improving greatly. And I do mean that, Trevor," He told him with a nod. "You're getting more nimble, faster, and tougher. It's like night and day from you when you first started, to you now," He explained, a grin forming on his face. "You may not see how good you are, but slag if I have not been more than impressed." He grunted. "So tell me, who will you trust, your uncle 'Hide? Or, your anxiety?"

Trevor nodded his head slowly, and patted the large mech's armored leg. "Of course I'm going to trust you, you big lug," Trevor managed, a broad smile finally coming over him. "Thanks for pulling me out of that uncle 'Hide. I think I needed to hear that," He then added. "Love you."

Ironhide was stunned by that last statement, his voice caught in his throat. But after a long moment, he smirked, and let a grin transpire over him again. "Love ye too, bitlet," He managed. "Now come on, we're running that drill again," He then added. "Give me your best stance number four, and prepare to spar."

Trevor prepared himself as Ironhide's holoform appeared. He tensed quietly, and as the mech charged, he quickly made a move to block him, deflecting the attack as best he could. To his surprise, he managed to, his eyes widening as he turned around. His fist collided with Ironhide's back, as he shoved him forward with all his strength. "Excellent," Ironhide spoke as he turned to go for another strike. "I told you so," Trevor grinned. "Don't get cocky boy, you haven't pinned me yet!"

Trevor quickly found himself in the line of another punch, this one colliding. He spun around slightly, but shot his leg forward, colliding his foot with Ironhide's chest. The Autobot felt that one through his holoform, his eyes widening in surprise. "Good, very good," Ironhide told him. "Still not perfect, but frag if you ain't getting there," He explained. "What do ye think, sweet spark?"

Trevor only now noticed the presence of Chromia, who had entered the room quietly. She crossed her arms, and raised an optic ridge a bit. "Seems that he's just like our nephew. A slow learner, but one that comes along nicely as a fighter," Trevor blushed a little bit at the femme's comment. "You need to not go that easy on him next time though. I saw you holding back a few times."

"Only once or twice," Ironhide replied calmly. "Either way, I think that's enough hand-to-hand combat for today youngling," He placed a hand on Trevor's shoulder. "I can tell by your softening blows that you're exhausted. And I don't think your sire or gransire would appreciate you dropping dead as a result," He explained as Trevor chuckled. "Anything you want to run over with him, Chromia?"

"No, but we're in charge of him for a few hours," Chromia noted. "Bumblebee's in meetings all morning with Optimus and a few NEST leaders," She explained. "Asked me if we can hang out with him for a bit. Considering Jazz has his own work to attend to, and we mostly have the day off once this is over," Ironhide nodded slowly.

Trevor looked between them, unsure what to make of this. He had spent much time with Ironhide, but not in a casual way like this. Ironhide was one of the friendliest mechs he knew when being casual, that much he did know. But what did he know about Chromia? Was she as relaxed and kind as Ironhide could be? It was a good question that swarmed his head silently. "Well, that's fine by me," Ironhide replied. "What do ye say, short stack? You can join us on our daily routine."

"Should I be afraid?" Trevor asked with a gulp.

"Very," Chromia jested. "Mech up, kid. It'll be fun."

Trevor could only hope that was true.

...

Hanging out with Ironhide and Chromia was much more fun than Trevor expected. Though most of it was spent with the soldiers, the boy didn't really mind it. In fact, he enjoyed getting to know a few of the NEST troops better. In particular he liked one of the men from the United Kingdom, Graham, who was in his thirties, and, at least to him, seemed to be a cool guy. "You know," The man spoke calmly. "I've heard a lot about you, but it's pretty crazy to see the real thing. And actually think about," He paused. "One of us being raised by one of them."

Trevor looked at Graham cautiously, wondering if that was meant in the way it could have been taken. But quickly noted that the man was simply curious, as most of the soldiers were. He spent so much time around the Autobots that sometimes he forgot how unusual the whole thing was. He was, obviously, being raised by aliens and if that wasn't strange, he didn't even know what was. "I get that a lot," Trevor finally told him, leaning against the wall of the hangar they were in and watching as Ironhide gave instruction to some recruits. "It's not that different, honestly. They're on this kick about me having a pretty normal life."

"How is that even possible?" Graham questioned.

"It's crazy, I know. But they are sending me to school next year and everything," Trevor sighed, his eyes lifting to the ceiling. "Don't listen to Galloway or anything, they really do care," He put his hands in his pockets, staring over at him. "And the more that arrive, the more chaotic this whole "family" thing seems to be. I even have the eccentric uncle - well, great uncle," He nodded at Ironhide.

Graham gave him a look, blinking, then looking at Ironhide. "Bloody hell, The Tank is your great uncle?"

Trevor snorted at the nickname of "The Tank" for Ironhide. Though it undoubtedly fit him very well, given the mech had the better part of a tank built into him. Well, and then some, as he liked to think of his weapons storage as large enough to arm a small third world country. "Yeah, you'd think that would scare Galloway from me on its own, right?" Graham snorted at Trevor's joke. "But yeah, he's my great uncle. And seriously "The Tank"? When did that become a thing with you guys? I wish I had thought of that."

Graham smirked a bit, rubbing the bridge of his forehead. "Started back in training for me. But he's a good mech, so I mean it in a nice way," He assured the boy calmly. "Though I gotta say, he scares the living hell out of me. His angry side reminds me of my mum back when she'd lose her temper," Trevor shuddered, noting he should never meet Graham's mother. "Tell me he isn't like that in front of you or I feel sorry for you."

"He's a big softie," Trevor shook his head. "But don't tell him I said that. Because then I WILL see that side."

Graham snorted a bit, and put his hands behind his back. Clearly, Trevor noted that the two of them seemed to have some things in common. And perhaps, time would form an actual friendship, if life allowed him another friend in NEST. "Where's the fun in knowing the dirty secrets of them if you can't let one slip now and then?" Trevor grinned widely, his eyes lighting up. "Don't worry though, your secret's safe with me," He added, his eyes looking thoughtful. "Listen, the boys and I have a thing planned in the mess hall tonight. If you're really as interested in mingling more with us like you said you are, you should come."

"Totally," Trevor nodded. "I'll just have to let my dad know. He likes to know where I am and what I'm doing."

"Bring him along," Graham shrugged. "The more, the merrier. And I'm sure no one would mind kicking back with the Autobots," He added. "Some of the boys and girls haven't even personally met any of them yet," Trevor nodded yet again. "Imagine how badly some of them will soil themselves if they see Ironhide walk in the room for example," If Trevor had been drinking anything, he surely would have spit it out.

"They certainly would," Trevor turned as Chromia approached. "You can count Ironhide and I in, regardless of if Trevor can come," She then looked down at her great nephew calmly. "You ready to head out, kid? I'm getting pretty bored since I'm not part of the training, I thought maybe we can find something more interesting to do."

Trevor looked at Chromia, quickly noting that she was probably looking for a way to get more time with him. After all, he hadn't exactly had much time with her outside of when she was part of his own training. "Sure, what did you have in mind?" Trevor asked, his eyes shooting up. "I'm pretty pooped at the moment but I guess I could-."

The base was shaking before he could get another word out. Trevor's ears rung loudly as he hit the ground, though he could also vaguely hear Chromia shouting his name as soldiers scattered. "Trevor!" Trevor looked up, his eyes reaching Chromia in surprise as she crouched down. "Trevor, get up, I need to get you somewhere safe."

"What happened?" Trevor groaned as the femme helped him to his feet using her holoform. "What was that?"

"Decepticons," Chromia hissed. "I don't know how they found us, or went off-radar, but that was sure as slag a missile." Trevor groaned, nodding quietly as he stood to his feet, watching Ironhide run after them. "'Hide!"

"I know!" Ironhide growled. "Where the frag is Jazz? Kid needs his guardian!"

Trevor stared around, barely registering the massive robot that had just made its way through the hole in the ceiling. He backed up slightly as Ironhide readied his cannons, aiming for the mech. "Grindor, when the slag did he get on Earth?" The mech growled. "Chromia, take Trevor and get him OUT of here!" He added rather bluntly.

Trevor didn't have time to argue as Chromia swooped him up, and began running. Not that it mattered much, as a large mass of Decepticons had already made their way through the ceiling. He shook his head, what did they want? Why were they making such a random strike? "They must have amassed a big enough force now to strike us," Chromia commented, quietly growling under her breath. "How did they find us?"

He wondered the same thing, how had they found them? He wasn't sure, but the fact they'd found them at all was a scary thought. And as he noted the way they didn't seem preoccupied with fighting unless they were attacked (as Ironhide was trying to) told him something that only managed to chill him to the bone. They were looking for something, be it the Allspark fragment or otherwise. :Prime just commed me, they were close enough to the fragment that the area around it is on lockdown,: Ironhide commented to Chromia over his comm link. :But they aren't all converging there, which means one thing.:

:They came for something else too,: Chromia growled. :You really think they'd stage a strike for Trevor too?:

:Would you doubt it?:

Any said doubt left Chromia when the shot hit her shoulder, nearly tearing her arm off in the process. She cried out in pain, watching as Trevor slipped from her grasp and rolled across the floor. "Aunt Chromia!" Trevor shouted as the sleek blue femme struggled to stand, turning her head at the sight of an approaching aerial mech. "Come on, you gotta get up."

"Trevor, run," Chromia snapped. "They're after you."

Trevor's eyes widened, and he looked up at the Decepticon whose blood red optics had twisted, and focused upon him. This time, he knew better than to question it, he scrambled violently to his feet, and ran. Chromia watched as the seeker known as Thundercracker began to walk after Trevor, who was, indeed, one of the reasons they were there that day. "You stay AWAY from him!" Chromia snarled, getting to her feet as quickly as she could and firing off several shots. "He's just a sparkling!"

"And the Prime's grandcreation," Thundercracker sneered. "Now that we've regrouped we have a certain someone with a bone to pick with his sire too."

"Tell Barricade he's taking him over my offlined chassis," Chromia snarled, charging at him, and slamming her fist into face.

Trevor didn't see anything more as he turned the corner, hoping that it wouldn't come to that. He sprinted down the hallway, trying his best to remember where Bumblebee had told him he would be all day. Or perhaps he was better off speeding for his room? The boy shook his head, on his own he wasn't entirely sure what to do. "Dad, where are you!?" Trevor shouted over the bond. "I can't find anyone!"

"Get to the Shard Room! I'm helping guard it!" Bumblebee shouted. "Were you separated from Ironhide and Chromia? Frag did you run!?"

"Chromia got hit bad!" Trevor shouted back. "Dad, I'm scared!"

Before he heard Bumblebee's response, he was smacked in the face by a wall of chains. It ensnared around him like a burlap sack, spinning around violently at the top until it tied in a nice little knot. Trevor screamed, grasping at it, and pulling at the top, he could hear footsteps making their way forward. "DAD!" He shrieked over the bond. "Dad, I'm hit, I'm hit!"

"Trevor!? What do you mean!? How bad!?"

"Bag... I don't know... Lots of metal."

"I'M ON MY WAY!" Bumblebee replied, sounding upset and fearful. "I'm coming, kiddo, hold on."

He grasped violently at the chains, feeling the entirety of the mass lifted high in the air as he tried his best to grip either side. Before he knew much else, he was dumped out onto an open palm, and brought up to the optics of yet another seeker. "Perfect," It hissed, grinning with amusement as Trevor tried to scramble, now noticing that the metal chains did indeed make up a sack. "Now, now, no running. We promised Barricade one Primeling, and we're giving him one Primeling."

It dumped him in the metal sack, and made sure to tie the top extra tight. Leaving him yet again enveloped in metal as he screamed, pulling at the sides. :TC, I have the sparkling,: It shouted from outside. :I'm gonna have Skywarp load him into my cockpit and get going to Barricade before the Autobots come looking for him.:

"DAD!" Trevor screamed over the bond as he found himself being handed off. "GRANDPA! GRANDMA!"

He didn't hear a reply as he was unceremoniously dropped into the seeker's cockpit. Metal draped all around him, causing him to cry out in pain. "Don't even bother using that neat little bond you probably have either," The same Decepticon seeker chided. "One of the beauties of this cockpit is I can block most forms of communication inside," He then added. "They'll never even know you're gone."

And with that, he felt the area around him lift, propelling itself through the air. And as he listened, he knew the mech was right, he couldn't hear them. Couldn't feel them in any way, it was a dead zone, just the way the Decepticons wanted it. Even if they managed to protect the Allspark shard, they had yet to realize that they had lost something far more valuable.

...

"The air strike team reports failure of obtaining the Allspark fragment."

Starscream made an amused snort as he sat on his throne in the Decepticon's hidden away Earth base. He tapped the arm of his throne quietly, and briefly glanced over at Barricade. Knowing the mech was very much getting impatient. Which was just as well to the mech, the angrier his mechs were, the easier it would be to rile them up for a second raid. His optics shifted back to the mech in front of him, known as Chaos, with a grunt. "Well then, I know who will not be getting Energon rations for the next solar cycle," Starscream growled. "Pathetic that they could not obtain one thing from a human base."

Chaos tilted his helm slightly, a smirk forming on his face. "Who said the mission was a total failure?" He questioned, cracking his knuckles. "We obtained a far more valuable object in bringing Optimus Prime and his subjects to their knees," He explained, to which Starscream raised an optic ridge. "And I believe that Barricade had a plan for this one already."

Barricade straightened, his red optics flashing with delight. Starscream stared over at him, his curiosity peeking. "Bring this... Object of importance before my throne," Starscream spoke, a grin forming on his face. "I'll determine if that's the case or not."

Chaos turned his head to the seeker that had made the capture, Sunspot, and nodded. Both Starscream and Barricade watched as the mech disappeared for a moment, and the sound of rattling chains could be heard. "Let me go!" A child's voice cried from the darkness. "They can hear me now! They'll come for me! They're coming for me!"

"You don't think we know that?" Sunspot snarled. "That little injection we gave you when we came? Should make sure your bond to any of them stays nice and inhibited," He then added. "Now move your fragging feet or I'll drag you along the floor."

A few moments later, Sunspot appeared with their loot. Trevor had been shackled in every place possible, one around his neck, two around his wrists, and two around his ankles. They were all connected by several pairs of chains, with one long one connected to his wrists, and neck shackles, which Sunspot used to drag the prisoner along. "Starscream," Barricade sneered. "I don't believe you've had the pleasure of meeting the great Optimus Prime's new grandcreation."

Starscream stood, his optics clearly gleaming with delight at the sight. One of the Autobot leader's own family, wrapped tightly in chains, and at their mercy. With this, he knew they had the Autobots when they were most vulnerable. "I suppose you want to use him to draw out the Prime's creation," Starscream hissed, as he turned to Barricade. "Bumblebee is it?"

"We have a score to settle," Barricade nodded. "After I've finished him off though, there's no telling the things we could convince Optimus Prime to do," He noted, watching as a weak kneed Trevor tried to stand his ground. "They'd both do anything to ensure his safe return. And that's how we can snuff them both out."

"Why not just go after Optimus Prime now?"

"He'd be expecting that," Barricade explained. "If we draw and snuff out his likely successor first? He'll be so desperate to protect what's left of his family, he will say yes to anything," He then added. "Believe me, Lord Starscream, by the time this is over? We'll have what's left of the Allspark and more," He explained.

Starscream regarded the boy, and then Barricade quietly. But it was Trevor who, despite his fears, spoke up first. "My dad will kick all your afts," He told the seeker coldly. "If you think he'll let a coward like you have me? You're even dumber than he made you in his stories," He added.

That settled it for the aerial commander, who finally locked his optics on Barricade. He grimaced quietly, and pointed to Trevor with a long, thick talon. "Get this insect chained up in a cell," Starscream finally spoke, a darkness to his voice. "And then return and debrief me on what exactly you had in mind for the scout," He added.

Sunspot handed over the long, thick chain "leash" to Barricade without so much as another word. Trevor tried his best not to meet all four of the mech's excited optics as Barricade gripped the "leash" tightly. "Come along, boy," He hissed quietly. "We're going to have lots of fun, you and I." He added with a dark chuckle.

As Trevor was harshly dragged along, he could do little more than let out a strangled cry.

...

A/N: I know, I'm evil, but it had to happen eventually. :P