:I'm starting to think we should just give up on the idea of waiting for the mech to land.: Knockout complained. :I'm low on energon, I can tell you are as well. Our best bet is to go back to France!:

     Blurr strung a long line of muddled words, most of them curses but Knockout could have cared less.

         :Marissa needs us, and I'll be slagged if I let that fragged Seeker keep her much longer!:

         :By Primus- you have her in your subspace for a mere two hours and you act like she's somebody worth something! It's a human, Blurr, you can find a new one!:

         :Said human has that trinket, unless you've forgotten, my friend.:

     The red racer knew there was no reasoning with the other, but Blurr did have a point. It wasn't like they could actually do anything from the ground except follow, so he didn't think their chase would amount to anything. The Autobots behind them understood their situation as well, having been contacted about the incident. Both mechs received an order to follow until they were incapable. Knockout believed energon deficiency counted on the list of reasons to stop their little mission.

         :Blurr,: the medic began once more, :listen to reason. This isn't about how fast we can go right now, it's how we can outsmart the Seeker and his grounded crony. Starscream isn't going to be considerate and fly close to the highways and back roads either. We're stuck on pavement and, Primus forbid- dirt!:

     He tried to get through to his fellow Velocitronian, despite the signs of being ignored. There was a long pause of uncharacteristic silence before the blue racer made a U-turn.

         :We'll meet up with the Autobots. They'll have more resources than us most likely and that's faster than going back to France.:

         :Efficient.: Knockout noted, having turned after him. :No guarantees I'll be as welcome to partake in said resources.:

         :Optimus isn't Megatron, Knockout.: Blurr sighed. :Let's burn some rubber and find the Autobots.:

     The two were quick to find the group, of which were willing to stop at an abandoned park deep in the trees to greet the newcomers. 

     It had been deducted that following after Starscream was more or less a lost cause. There was no real point in following a being that had the whole sky while his pursuers had mere roads. It was a major hindrance in their plan of retrieving Shane Faireborn's daughter, who had originally argued against stopping. Ratchet was the one to calm the man and make him listen to reason. The older male conceded and apologized for being as irrational as he was. His hurried steps were the first to hit the ground and greet the two Velocitronians.

         "Was she okay?" He questioned hurriedly. "Marissa, my daughter, was she hurt?"

         "'Guess we're skipping introductions." Blurr chuckled with a smile as irritating as morning sunshine. "The kid's got a bruised hand, and likely ribs, maybe some whiplash and probably 'gonna develop a nasty illness from be'n so cold in that fragged Seeker's cockpit."

         "The fleshy's gotta have some brain damage too from how she spoke so nonchalantly in Starscream's hold." Knockout huffed. "No human could ever be worth my paint being as mutilated as Megatron's faceplate- just look at me!"

     The others transformed once their respective charges joined Shane. Sam and Mikaela were close to each other, while Miles stood behind Shane and William. They noticed, first, that these two were smaller than the others, perhaps similar in size to Bumblebee, though far skinnier and aerodynamic. Sam wondered what their fastest speeds were, while Mikaela rolled her eyes at Knockouts egotistical ranting. Miles decided that he didn't like either of them that much since he could hardly tell what the first was saying and the other fretted over his looks like Sam would before a date.

         "It's good to see friendly faceplates." Optimus hummed, shaking Blurr's servo, who remained grinning. "I am only sorry you have found us amidst a crisis."

         "Could be worse!" Blurr strung out. "It's only the Seeker and Barricade. Once that coward lands Knockout and I can zip on over to his whereabouts and snatch up the little lady!"

         "Like it's going to be that easy." Knockout rolled his optics, having brought out his buffer once again. The humans below wondered where he procured it from. "Starscream has air superiority, you don't think he might land on some mountain top? For all we know he might just suffocate the human, so she won't scream when he pulls her arm off."

         "We have reason to think that will not be the case." Optimus interrupted what was going to be a long string of curses and angered shouts from the worried father. "She has been with them several hours now. If Starscream has not harmed her beyond all repair, then there is hope they want her alive."

         "No idea why." Ironhide huffed. "The most ruthless 'Cons on Earth and they decide to sweet-talk a human into giving them the device?"

         "From what we could tell," Knockout started, "they did try to groom her to an extent. Marissa is a bit smarter than they anticipated, I think. I get the feeling she wouldn't just give the stupid bracelet to them."

         "Marissa takes all possibilities into consideration, usually," Shane admitted, "so if she deems it safer to keep the bracelet on her wrist, that's what she'll do."

     "That's exactly what she should do, in this situation." Ratchet nodded. "Starscream and Barricade aren't afraid to get their servos dirty, but if they can avoid physically doing such, they will. Human remains aren't exactly pleasant to the receptors."

         "Can we avoid alluding to the idea that Marissa is going to be squished, maimed or otherwise dismembered?" Mikaela griped. "Did she mention where they had been, or where Starscream and Barricade were going to take her?"

         "'Fraid not, kiddo." Blurr shrugged.

         "Mikaela," she introduced herself, "and these are Sam (my boyfriend), Miles, Shane Faireborn and Colonel William Lennox. By the way."

         "I'm sure we're supposed to be charmed, but in the midst of the current crisis, shouldn't we worry more about getting back on track and fueled up for our next escapade?" Knockout sighed, earning frowns and glares from most around him. Blurr was the only one to smile and roll his optics at his companion.

     Optimus led the group deeper into the state of Minnesota, which they had yet to trek even halfway across. Colonel Lennox informed them that they were given access to a hanger in Camp Ripley, where the group could transform, and supplies could be sent from their makeshift home in Tranquility. Of course, estimated time of receiving said shipment was seven hours, maybe more, but the only one who would complain was Knockout (he wasn't included in the conversation, so he didn't have an opportunity). 

     When the group finally arrived, the first to transform was Knockout, immediately beginning to buffer his marred and scratched finish. Blurr waited for his leader to transform respectfully, watching the sandy haired youth trip over an untied shoelace as the titan transformed. The others followed suit as their charges filed out and stepped to a safe distance away from their guardians. Blurr's expression had changed to a frown as he waited for quiet.

         "He snatched her, straight outta my servo." The racer lamented, staring at his empty appendage. "I wasn't careful enough and she was taken out of my hold."

         "Are you seriously getting this worked up again?" Knockout sighed, being the only one who could understand his speedy rant. "Honestly you just met the femme."

         "You did the right thing in taking her from Barricade and Starscream," Optimus calmed the blue mech with a gentle, heavy servo on his backplates, "despite not knowing what the situation was."

         -:Don't worry, be happy now:- Bumblebee tried to cheer the other mech up, Miles grinning and giving the striped muscle car a playful punch to the pede to show his liking of his using Bob Marley's famous lyrics.

     It made Blurr smile lightly before looking to Shane.

         "We'll get her back, sir." He assured in his quick tone. "You've got the best bunch of bots looking for her."

     Shane merely nodded, having taken a minute to figure out what on Earth this alien said. 

         "But what's the plan for now other than waiting on supplies?" Mikaela piped from below, holding Sam's hand. "The longer we stand here, the farther Starscream and Barricade will be."

     There was a long pause, meaning there was not yet a proper plan. Other than racing after Starscream (a rather futile venture) there was not much they could do. Maybe if they had something the two Decepticons needed, they'd be able to trade it for Marissa. Sadly, what the two wanted, they had and likely held their own caches of Energon just as the Autobots did. Where the two would find such stores, no one had a clue, but Decepticons weren't exactly stupid, and Starscream was a master strategist, Barricade was also intelligent about his own survival. All they could do that was to everyone's benefit and safety was wait for some word from Starscream or Barricade.

         "She's on her own for now, isn't she?" Shane spoke his worries, earning the lowered knee of Optimus Prime.

         "We will do everything in our power to bring your daughter safely home, Shane Faireborn." The Prime didn't let his own doubt in himself show. The fact that he let a matter that concerned his own spark slide for so long made him guilty enough, knowing a human civilian was now in danger because of his neglect forced that feeling to harden and build with each passing second. "For now, we must take into consideration our own needs: to refuel and rethink our strategies."

         "It's not healthy for humans to be sitting so long, either." Ratchet decided to point out, earning a thankful nod from his leader for helping him further his point. "Also, I don't think gas station foods is exactly proper nourishment."

         "You've clearly never been to a McDonald's." The human group chuckled at Mile's jest, the team quieting as military troops began to move around them. 

     The native creatures were given cots and blankets, M.R.E.s and water. The gesture was taken as a sign the Autobots planned on staying at least for a night, much to Shane's disliking, but he said nothing about it. The aliens watched as they all filed into a human-sized room attached to the hangar, while they were left alone to plan and wait for their supplies.

         It was painfully quiet for a while. 

     Knockout had taken to finishing his buffering and repairs to his form. Blurr's comm was later repaired in full by the red medic, despite Ratchet offering to do such. Instead, the cherry grounder was the one to have his comm repaired by the older bot. Ironhide stood moodily in a corner, glaring at Knockout discreetly in suspicion. Bumblebee had begun a cheery banter with Blurr, asking about his travels and where he had disappeared too after being proclaimed offline. 

         "Where did you two land, anyway?" Ratchet questioned his patient. "Colonel Lennox hadn't found anything about strange meteors on the World Wide Web."

         "That's because we landed out of human sights." Knockout answered. "We had both landed in the Alps, however, we didn't know either of us were remotely close until we met up in Pralognan-la-Vanoise." His pronunciation was perfect, which only made his pompous aura worse.

         "Surely one of their satellites had caught sight of you." Optimus suggested.

         "Maybe," Blurr shrugged, "most likely they did and the French folk are just scrutinizing it. All I know is that there's not enough room to race in some of those towns."

         "Plenty of luxury cars, though." Knockout admired his now shining finish, much to Ratchet's chagrin as he moved away from his practiced digits. "I must say the French have far better taste then the Americans. As do the Germans."

         "You're an Aston Martin, not a Volks Wagen, Knocks." Blurr reminded.

         "It's not my fault the English had a better model to fit my T-Cog!"