Adelaide trembled internally as she watched Starscream prod Fowler once more. She cringed as his body convulsed.

"My dear, you do realize the Autobots have abandoned you," Starscream spoke callously as he put a sharp finger under Addie's chin to make her eyes meet his. "I am the only one you can rely upon now. So, tell me what I want to know, and perhaps I'll allow him to live."

Tears were pooled in her eyes. Her mind kept crying out to Optimus, wanting nothing more than to see him smash through the doors.

Starscream lifted the prod once more.

"Please, no more," Fowler mumbled. "They're in... a secret government base..."

"Fowler, no," Addie whimpered.

"Go on."

Adelaide then perked up, the sound of blaster fire reaching her ears which made hope surge through her.

Fowler lifted his head weakly and Addie could tell he heard it too.

"In the old steel mill," Fowler spoke in a slightly mocking tone now. "Or was it under that carnival funhouse."

Starscream just growled angrily and shoved the prod into Fowler, making him release another bloodcurling scream.

"Someone find out what is going on out there!" Starscream demanded as he turned to the two drones guarding the door.

Adelaide felt relief swell in her body, even if it was preemptively. She knew it was the bots. She could feel it.

"Wake up, you pathetic lump of flesh," Starscream shouted at Fowler as he hung limp in his restraints.

"Grandma, is it cookie time?" The agent began babbling incoherently.

Starscream impatiently turned to Adelaide, but before he could do anything to her she began to laugh. "Quit that!"

"You can't get anything out of us," Addie snarled. "You can torture us, but even if we did tell you, how would you know if it was the truth? We could tell you anything to make the pain stop even for a bit until you realized it was a bluff. You've lost. Just admit it."

Starscream went to jab her before the door reopened.

One of the Vehicons stood still in the doorway, not saying a word.

"Well?"

With that, the drone fell to the floor, revealing Bulkhead behind him. The wrecker began firing as Bumblebee stormed into the room.

Starscream immediately pointed his blaster directly at Adelaide. "Not so fast."

Suddenly, a something knocked against the Commander's head. He looked up to see Arcee hanging down from the vet above him.

"I wouldn't," Arcee rasped.

"Oh, but I might. Now, the humans and I will take our leave," Starscream stated assuredly.

"The emu says, 'Yeah!'" Fowler babbled which made Starscream glance at himfor only a second, but it was enough of a distraction for the bots to take advantage of.

Bee fired first, aiming directly at Starscream's blaster, making the Con shriek in surprise.

Arcee and Bulkhead joined in the fire, making Starscream dance pathetically.

The commander realized that he could not win this. He transformed into his jet form and flew through the wrecker and scout before shooting down the hall of the warship.

Adelaide finally began sobbing as Arcee cut her out of her chains.

Bumblebee took her into his grasp as Arcee freed Fowler. He whirred softly as he cradled her.

"I'm okay. I'm okay," she mumbled back, reassuring herself as well.

"Alright, now let's get the kids and get out of here," Arcee said quickly.

"The kids are here?!" Addie perked up in a panic.

"Long story."

-

Adelaide sat on the couch with her head laid back. Her body ached, but she wasn't in nearly half the shape that Fowler was.

"I'm really sorry, guys. I didn't mean to cause problems," Miko said to the bots that were present.

"The Decepticons are dangerous, Miko. Much too dangerous for you humans," Arcee scolded lightly.

"Optimus to base. We require a bridge," Optimus spoke through the main comm line.

Bumblebee quickly got the coordinates and opened a bridge.

Optimus and Ratchet made their way through the bridge and everyone stopped, seeing the shape the two were in.

"Ratchet, your arm," Arcee said slowly.

"It just needs to be set for a while. I'll be alright," the medic said as he waved off the concern.

Then Optimus laid eyes on Fowler who was laid out on a cot. His eyes quickly shifted to Adelaide, his gaze softening when she smiled at him.

"What happened?" Optimus asked as he looked at his team.

No one spoke at first, no one wanting to tell Optimus that the kids were put in danger, and especially that Starscream had kidnapped Adelaide and Fowler.

"Optimus, sir, apologies. It's my fault," Bulkhead started. "I got an SOS from Fowler so I went after him and Addie because they were taken by the Cons. And the kids followed me onto the warship."

Optimus nodded slowly, his expression not changing. He began helping ratchet splint his hurt arm as he listened to the details of what transpired.

"What about you, though," Adelaide spoke as she walked towards the others on the platform.

"We engaged an army of undead Cybertronian warriors," Ratchet explained.

Miko gasped in shock. "Zombies?"

Adelaide's legs gave out under her and she began to fall when Jack caught her, helping her get her balance once more to which she thanked him quietly.

"You fought zombies and I missed it?!" Miko cried out in complaint.

"Bulkhead," Optimus finally spoke. "You exercised extremely poor judgment in allowing the humans to accompany you."

"It won't happen again, Optimus," Bulkhead said with a curt nod.

"But it wasn't Bulkhead's fault!" Miko defended quickly as she ran forward. "And check it out! Recon!"

The young girl flipped open her phone and showed Optimus the photo she had taken of the monitor in the room they had been hiding in on the Nemesis.

The Prime leaned forward to examine the tiny screen. "Hmm, Ratchet, have a look. It could be of importance to Megatron."

"Woah, Megatron's back? That's really bad news, right?" Jack piped up as Ratchet stepped forward.

The medic leaned down and saw a picture of a regular looking Vehicon drone. "I don't understand."

Miko looked at her phone in confusion before seeing the problem. "Oops, that's the con who tried to blow Raf away. At least, that's what he looked like before Bulkhead rearranged his grille!"

"Miko, Raf was almost killed. This isn't a game! When are you gonna get that through your thick skull!" Jack shouted as he breathed heavily.

"Uh, we were all almost killed, Jack. You, me, Raf, even them," Miko shot back as she pointed to Optimus and Ratchet.

"Well, if this was just an average day with the Autobots, then I don't wanna be a part of it," Jack said as he balled his fists at his side. "Not anymore."

"Jack, putting you in harm's way was never our intent. However, it is no longer the safety of you three at risk, but the safety of all humankind," Optimus spoke calmly as he looked at Jack. "We will respect your decision if you wish to leave."

Ratchet, without hesitation, opened the groundbridge. "No point in long goodbyes. Here's the door."

Jack looked at the vortex for a moment before turning to look at Rafael. "Come on, Raf."

The young boy frowned slightly. "I'll be okay, Jack. See you, at school?"

"Sure thing," Jack said with a quick nod before making his way down the steps,

As he made his way to the grounddbridge, Arcee stepped towards him.

Jack looke uop before waving the femme off. "I know. You don't exist."

"Don't make me hunt you down," Arcee mumbled before the boty disappeared through the portal.

After the bridge closed, the base went eerily quiet until Adelaide broke the silence by falling to the floor after her legs gave out under her weight.

Bumblebee let out a panicked whir while both Miko and Raf rushed to her side.

"Addie, you should lay down. You're still hurt," Raf said worriedly as he helped her sit up.

She quietly nodded and allowed the kids to help her to the couch to lie down.

Optimus walked towards the platform and looked over her form. "Are you sure you are alright?"

"About as good as I can feel after having energon shock my systems," Addie joked dryly, but she turned to Fowler who was still unconscious. "Fowler got it worse, though. I'm the lucky one here. How about you?"

"I am fine, Adelaide," Optimus replied with a small nod, though he could see she didn't look satisfied. "I promise, if I required medical attention, I would tell you."

Addie gave a warm smile to the Prime which made him give her a tiny one in return.

-

"Optimus!"

The Prime walked over to Ratchet, Adelaide now resting on his shoulder, having been telling him a story from her childhood.

"These are engineering specs for a space time vortex generator," Ratchet said, looking at Optimus.

"Megatron is building a space bridge," Optimus spoke in realization. "If he hasn't already."

"The sooner he leaves, the better," Bulkhead saidd with a lopsided smile.

"Bulkhead a space bridge runs in two directions," Optimus explained as he turned to the wrecker. "Megatron may be using it to bring through his conquering army."

"The main event Megatron referred to?" Ratchet spoke rhetorically. "But the only place Megatron could possible recruit that many Cybertronian dead..."

"Precisely." Optimus gave a nod. "Cybertron."

"We cannot allow Megatron to send dark energon through the spacebridge. If we fail, the dead of Cybertron will rise, swarm through its vortex, and invade earth," Optimus spoke lowly. "Bending humankind to Megatron's twisted will."