AWAIT ME

"Time is standing still."

⬵⤁

Though he was never about to complain to Ratchet about their situation, Jack was admittedly bored. No one, not even a Vehicon, entered the cell to check their status or begin interrogations. Ratchet suggested that is was all likely due to the scramble for the four decoded coordinates, though he also would not put it past the leader of the Decepticons to allow them to stew for a while. Nothing was more satisfying than a prisoner almost begging to be tortured, if only so they were freed from the stagnation of boredom.

Jack eventually had to get up and move about, scuffing his shoe against the smooth metal of their prison and looking around the cell. There was what appeared to be a ventilation shaft right in the center of the ceiling - right where the Decepticons would hang their prisoners - but he had no idea where it lead or if he and Ratchet had the combined dexterity to reach it. It seemed foolish to leave the medic uninhibited, but that could be part of "the plan," whatever that happened to be.

"We've got to find a way to escape," the human huffed impatiently. "That's the next best thing besides just waiting here, right?"

"Even if we could, I have no doubts that Soundwave is watching our every move," Ratchet pointed out. "The Nemesis is also not equipped to sustain human life; you may feel fine for now, but oxygen levels are only sixty-seven percent of what you are accustomed to at sea level. Exerting yourself would not be hard."

Jack crossed his arms. "I'm fairly certain I'll starve to death before I ever suffocate. I doubt the Decepticons have a bed and breakfast for organics."

The medic did not seem to find that funny. "If Megatron has any intentions of truly using you to extract the information he wants from me, he will meet any and all nutrition demands. I could, at the very least, use my medical expertise to talk some sense into him."

"How would they get the food?" The idea of Soundwave at a self-checkout seemed funny, but Jack realized that would not be the case. Even Laserbeak was too large to just . . . swoop in and take what it wanted. It was also impossible to think they would just ask nicely . . .

"Through their usual methods, I am sure," Ratchet replied bitterly. "Storming in, taking what they desire, and leaving with as many casualties as possible."

"I am not avoiding starvation in exchange for innocent lives," the human declared, feeling his hands clench against his crossed arms. "Surely Buckethead knows that."

"Megatron doesn't care," Ratchet snapped a little, the medic revealing he was nearly as restless as his human counterpart. He had at least half a million things on his processor, each more worrisome than the last, and the added stress was not helping him. "He does what he wants regardless of what you think or believe. If you tell him such a thing, Jack, then he will starve you until your human instincts prevent you from refusing food any longer. And who knows, maybe the blood of those innocent lives would be dripping from his claws while he did it."

"Didn't need the visual, thanks," Jack snapped back. "Look, we can agree on one thing: whatever is going to happen is going to hurt. We have to do something, Ratchet."

The medic threw his arms out. "Like what?! Like break down the door and shoot our way out? Have you sneak along in the ventilation shafts until you're offlined or found like a mouse? Give Megatron all the information he wants without a fight?"

"I don't know!" Had he been a little less angry, Jack would have realized yelling at a robot that was four times taller than him, and thousands of pounds heavier was not the smartest. If Ratchet wanted, he would have him squished in a second. "But I don't want to just sit here -"

"Have you ever been in a hostage or prisoner situation, Jack? Because I have!" Ratchet roared, nearly deafening the human. "And just 'sitting here' is much more preferable than the alternative, which is having the scrap tortured out of us! This isn't the first time I have had to wait in a Decepticon holding cell and wonder what Megatron is in the mood for today, and I doubt this will be the last."

The human watched as the Cybertronian let out a long ex-vent, his flared armor eventually relaxing. The echoing of the chamber and Ratchet's raised voice left Jack's ears ringing, as if he had been to one of Miko's concerts. He waited until the sensation stopped before he too took a breath.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, sitting down and placing his head in his hands.

Ratchet stared at him, the medic feeling some guilt worm into his spark. Jack had never been exposed to war - not like he had - and it was unfair to believe that the human would have any understanding of what it was like. The prideful Cybertronian looked away, gazing toward the cell door.

"I am too," he said, and allowed for gentle silence to settle.

⬵⤁

"We possess not only the Autobot's medic, but their human pet," Megatron stalked before his inferiors, his red optics glowing with monstrous fire. "Yet only Soundwave managed to retrieve a relic, and one other was lost to Starscream! How is that possible?!"

Dreadwing lowered his helm, allowing his gaze to drop to the metal floor. "I have no excuses, my lord," he replied. As frustrated as Megatron was, he did have to give credit to his humble first lieutenant.

"And what do you have to say for yourself?" He snarled at the Insecticon. Despite putting faith in the supposedly "best warrior" of the hive, he could not be wholly surprised by the failure. Insecticons were worthless creatures, only good for brute strength. Hardshell had been outsmarted, because of course he had been.

"I too, bear no excuses, my lord," he articulated proudly. "But, I hope to satiate your rage with this: while the Tox-En was destroyed, so was the Autobot!"

There was a pause.

"Impossible," Knock Out snapped. "No one has been able to offline an Autobot in quite some time."

"That is because you did not have an Insecticon warrior to do the job," Hardshell boasted, his mandibles chittering with offense.

"Really? Because that bug I was partnered with was bested by two Autobot runts!"

"Enough!" Megatron's bark immediately silenced the quarreling Decepticons, their EM fields pulled tight and armor clamping down in instinctual response. "Hardshell, are you able to confirm that the Autobot was successfully terminated?"

"Yes, my lord," Hardshell's words were punctuated by the occasional gargle of energon, indicatory of his predatory excitement. "I watched him perish with my own optics."

The warlord regarded him for some time. This was extraordinarily good news - not only had the Autobots just lost their medic, but now one of their warriors as well. He suspected it was Bulkhead, given Knock Out's description of the "runts," Dreadwing's encounter with Optimus Prime, and Soundwave's grapple with Wheeljack. Their strongest ally was now offlined, and leaving only three - four if Wheeljack was to be included - Autobots left on Earth.

"Then perhaps this day is not wholly lost," Megatron clasped his servos behind his back. "Soundwave, return to decoding the remainder of the Iacon relics. The rest of you are dismissed . . . for now."

The Decepticons bowed in unison to their lord before departing, Soundwave the only one to remain on the bridge. Megatron returned to gazing at all the reports which filtered in constantly on the Nemesis, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

Ratchet would be utterly distraught to know that a team member was severely - fatally - injured, and he had not been there to assist. Of course, having footage of the decimation would have proven most useful, as the word of a Decepticon was to never be trusted; but if he could plant even the smallest of seeds of doubt in his processor his work would be done.

And of course, there was always the human factor involved. It would be foolish to think that the human could be adequately tortured without the constant need to be hospitalized or the ever-looming potential for death. But he was clever, and already had a few plans for what he could do.

"Soundwave," he ordered, his rumbling voice carrying across the bridge effortlessly. "Show me the live feed of our prisoners."

The communications officer obliged, soon Megatron's screen filled with a pale-blue glow, interrupted by bright white and orange coloring. The medic was sitting on the floor, his optics focused solely on the closed door. Next to him was the organic, curled up with his head resting on his arm. Though Megatron was ignorant to human behaviors, he was intelligent enough to guess that Jack was currently in recharge. It would make sense - his internal clock confirmed that it had been approximately twelve hours since their capture, and humans typically lived by a twelve to seventeen hour day. Amusing, really, since Cybertronians could, if they so desired, go almost an entire Earth week without recharge. Even then a good cycle only lasted approximately six of their hours - plenty of time to rest their systems, purge corrupted files, and have their frame go through an entire self-clean process.

He had expected more activity, but decided it was due to low levels of energon, and the time of night it currently was.

The methods of torture he preferred were most predictable, but he found it gave the most results. Normally, energon starvation weeded out the ones who were easy to snap. But if they could resist, then he knew he would have to resort to more extreme methods to get what he wanted. Ratchet, he was already aware, would resist until the day he offlined. A cortical psychic patch was the way to go, however the human brought an interesting variable into the mix. It would be intriguing to know if the same methods of torture - minus of course, the incompatible psychic patch - would make him break. Surely the weak creature would succumb to the need for food just like any other lowly Cybertronian.

Or, perhaps, the medic would not allow the organic to starve, and give up information in exchange for the well-being of his companion.

Megatron grinned. He could not wait to put such things to the test.

⬵⤁

Miko felt defeated. Her best friend - well, one of them anyways - had been kidnapped and taken hostage by Decepticons, and they had yet to receive any call or update on his condition. Surely Megatron would have demanded a ransom, like one of the relics, in return for Jack's life. But with each passing minute the prospect seemed less and less likely.

Then, there was Bulkhead.

She had been excited to tell him all about the showdown between Doc Knock, the Insecticon, and the new cool relic they had found. Instead the young girl was greeted by the sight of Optimus Prime giving CPR to her guardian and friend, Arcee having to hold her back before she tried to do something stupid.

She would have been fascinated by the aspect of Cybertronian CPR and the way their AEDs worked if it hadn't been Bulkhead on the ground, unresponsive to any kind of stimulation. It was terrifying, and shortly after they were able to stabilize him in the medical bay she was on his chassis, silently begging him to wake up. Already Jack was gone . . . she couldn't lose him too.

She gave no indication that she heard Arcee talking to Optimus in the background, the distressed two-wheeler attempting to figure out their options.

"- and not only that, but now Megatron has both Ratchet and Jack," Arcee thrust her arm out as if gesturing to the Decepticons to punctuate her point. "The one person who may be able to make Bulkhead better, and my partner. If we don't come up with something, they both could be feeling his wrath."

"Arcee," the great Autobot spoke quietly. "I understand what you are saying, and what you are feeling. But we have managed to stabilize Bulkhead, and will continue to do so for the time being. And as for Jack . . . while I wish to believe Megatron will spare him, I know Ratchet will do everything in his power to ensure he is not harmed by the Decepticons. Just as you would in a similar situation."

"So you're saying we shouldn't be trying to contact Megatron? Or trying to get our friends out of there?" Arcee did not care if she was speaking out of turn. They were down to three Autobots protecting planet Earth, and if Megatron waged any sort of assault they had no chance. He could destroy an entire city and get away with it, perhaps kill off the remaining members of Team Prime in the process.

And she could not lose another partner.

"Attempting an assault on the Decepticon warship would prove to be too dangerous," Optimus pointed out. "And because we have not received any sort of ransom or demands from Megatron means that he has yet to use our friends to his advantage. For now, Ratchet and Jack are safe. And I believe Ratchet would agree that we cannot allow for any more relics to fall into Decepticon hands - even if it does mean his safety."

"Would Jack agree?" Arcee asked angrily. "Or any of the kids, for that matter? His life is on the line just as much as Ratchet's!"

Optimus paused, unable to mask the troubled look on his faceplates. Though he wanted to claim that he could not speak for humanity, he knew Arcee would not accept that answer. But Jackson had proved time and time again that he was willing to put the fate of humanity and Cybertronian life above his own, and even took the Key to Vector Sigma and downloaded the necessary contents to restore the Prime's memories. He was indebted to Jack, but knew the boy would never call upon such a debt; that was not in his nature.

"I do think that Jack would agree," he finally said, ignoring Arcee's look of surprise, and then anger. "Arcee, do not mistaken me for dismissing our friends. When the opportunity arises, we will indeed rescue them. But we must be cautious, as we are without our medic . . . and a warrior."

They both looked toward Bulkhead, who was still offline, and the human girl curled up on his chest plate. Miko's hazel eyes were closed, but it was clear she was not sleeping, just trying to shut out the pain and anger which welled in her chest.

"We cannot focus on seeking revenge,"

It echoed through her mind like a slap in the face. Of course Optimus Prime would suggest she keep her cool and pretend like the Insecticon who scrapped Bulkhead did not need to be dealt with. Even Agent Fowler seemed to agree, which frustrated her the most. If she had been hurt, Bulkhead would not have hesitated to show her attacker who was boss, and she would not either.

Rescuing Jack was also on her list of to-do's, as was showing Buckethead that humans should not be messed with. She would make sure he would never think about taking her friends again.

Hers was the face he would never forget.

Never.