???'s P.O.V.

"I need a test subject."

The five words slowly sank into the medic's processor as he turned to face his leader.

"What for?" he asked curiously.

"I have grown more interested with this substance...I want to know what its full capabilities are."

"Who would even be willing to be your...test subject?"

"You think I'm having one of my own be tested? I'm referring to an Autobot."

"Surely not Optimus Prime-"

"If it comes down to it," the other replied, determination evident in his expression.

"Lord Megatron, why have you gotten so interested in this subject now?"

"After the rising of Unicron, and how he controlled things...I want to discover how to best use that power for myself."

***

Ratchet's P.O.V.

I sighed, checking my monitors again. The Decepticons had been quiet since we got Optimus back, and I just had a feeling something was going to happen.

As if on cue, a loud, shrill screech sounded throughout the base, making me grip my helm. The noise rang in my audio receptors, giving me a processor ache.

Once it died down, I immediately unsheathed my blade to see what had happened, afraid we were under attack.

I ran over as the other bots came in the room, also looking a bit on edge. We all relaxed as soon as we realized what had happened.

It was Miko. She had maxed the volume on her guitar and played a *little* out of tune.

"Miko, you really need to watch what volume you're at," Jack grumbled as the others walked up to her.

"What in the AllSpark are you thinking?" I shouted, retracting my blade.

"I'm thinking 'wow that was loud'." Miko replied, making Jack facepalm. I groaned at her reply, shaking my helm.

"Blasted Earth music," I grumbled to myself, walking back to my monitor.

"Ratchet, do you ever not stand in front of a monitor?" Miko asked, watching me.

"You are being sarcastic, yes? Or did your brain suddenly melt overnight and you forgot the event of the four of us taking a SpaceBridge to get Optimus back?" I replied sardonically.

"Ratchet," Bulkhead warned, eyeing me.

"What has gotten into you?" Jack suddenly asked.

"Instead of asking me that, I would ask what is wrong with Miko," I replied, gesturing to the said teen, who gave me a "what gives" look.

"Ratchet, perhaps taking some time out of the base will do you good. I feel you may be getting...overwhelmed," Optimus said, walking up and placing a servo on my shoulder plate.

"Overwhelmed? Optimus, I'm fine."

::You're just a little..."tightly wound", Doc,:: Bumblebee interjected, making me glare at the scout for his word choice.

"Don't call me 'Doc'."

Optimus vented out slowly.

"Just for an hour. It will do you some good."

"Fine," I mumbled, going over to the GroundBridge and typing in a set of coordinates, before pulling the lever and driving off.

I found myself driving in a place with green grass and a few mountains. I checked my sources, finding out I was in Colorado. I admit, it was actually pretty nice.

I continued driving, realizing I was driving on a less-used part of the state, and not many cars were around, which made me feel a little better. I enjoyed my solitude every now and then.

I accelerated a little, speeding up a mountain while looking at the scenery below. Alright, I thought. Optimus was right about leaving the base for a while.

That feeling soon ended when I heard engines behind me. I adjusted my side mirror, seeing what it was, when I noticed a good number of identical purple cars were speeding up and gaining on me.

Decepticons.

Seeing as no humans were around, I transformed and turned to face them, trying to count how many were there.

Over fifty.

Clearly they were expecting Arcee or Bulkhead or someone who wasn't me. They all transformed, their blasters armed and ready. I quickly placed a digit to the side of my helm, attempting to contact base. Static was my only answer. The 'cons were scrambling the signal.

I unsheathed my blades, facing them. This was not going to be an easy situation to get out of.

***

Decepticons' General P.O.V.

"Lord Megatron, we have found a suitable test subject. The eradicons are working to capture the Autobot now."

"And, do you know who that Autobot is, Knockout?"

"At the moment, no, my liege. But I will alert you the moment I hear something."

"Do," he said with a nod of approval. "And, I have a task for you as well."

"Yes, my liege?"

"Once you find who the Autobot is, if it has a human pet, take it."

"Your wish is my command," the medic bowed.

"Do not fail me, Knockout."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Knockout replied with a grin.

***

Ratchet's P.O.V.

I kicked another Decepticon away with my ped, making it crash into another. I blocked a shot with my blade, but in turn another shot hit me in the shoulder-plate. I staggered back a little at the blast, glancing at the wound. It was nothing major, and I continued on, managing to stab a few 'cons. I knew I was outnumbered and outgunned, and I would eventually fall.

I reached for my com-link again while blocking another shot aimed for my faceplate. I still heard the buzzing static, and I glanced at what was behind me. It was just a road, leading up farther on the mountain I was driving on, with an occasional tree on the side.

I transformed and accelerated as fast as I could, which, for an ambulance, was decently fast.

Some troopers tried shooting out my tires while others transformed and sped after me. They were faster than I expected, and one rammed my side, causing me to swerve off a little, and I hit back. Another sped up to the other side of me, and I skidded to a stop and let him crash into his identical counterpart, until I was rammed from behind, making me lurch forward.

The same 'con opened the side panels of his vehicle mode to reveal his blasters, and started shooting, not giving me any chance to avoid the shots. I felt my rear tires pop, and I swerved again to try and at least ram them before I was hit in the side.

Come on, Ratchet. I said to myself. You completely exposed your right flank.

I transformed again, having had enough. I couldn't drive fast enough to escape, and I couldn't call for a bridge.

I tried stabbing my way through the cons, but I couldn't deal with all of them at the same time. A 'con grabbed me by the shoulder plate from behind, and I tried pulling him off before another grabbed my arm, preventing me from doing so. I tried knocking them off, before I was suddenly shot in the back, and I collapsed on my knee-plates.

"Inform Knockout; we have the Autobot medic," one trooper said to another, before something hit me hard on the back of the helm. I fell to the ground, and passed out seconds later.

Knockout's P.O.V.

"Lord Megatron, I have received word. The captured Autobot is the medic," I announced, ending my previous conversation with an eradicon. Megatron grinned.

"This is better than I would have thought."

"Yes, my liege. But, I am not certain he has a pet," I said, trying to remember anything.

"Knockout, I know that there are four humans in the Autobots' custody. And I do not believe Optimus would take it upon himself to have a pet," Megatron said, looking at me. I started to understand, knowing which human would most likely be the medic's.

"Do not return empty handed."

I took that as my cue to leave, and I called Soundwave for a bridge.

***

Cassidy's P.O.V.

"Can't catch me!" My sister yelled as she ran down the street laughing. She had insisted on a game of tag, and I agreed, as long as we played it outside. The city had cleaned up most of the debris from the storms of our street, so I figured it would be okay. My parents had agreed to it, as long as I kept Lillian in sight.

I let her get a head start before running after her, my sneakers slapping hard on the cement as I ran. She was already a fast runner, but I had given her the start anyway, thinking I would be able to catch up.

I heard her laugh again and I smiled as I watched her dirty blonde hair flap in the wind as she bolted down the sidewalk, before suddenly turning to the left.

I picked up the pace and turned on the same street she did, before realizing she had run into a dead end and was staring at it. When she heard me run toward her she turned around.

"Looks like you're trapped," I smiled, walking closer to tag her. I stopped when her eyes suddenly got wide.

"Lillian?" I asked worriedly as I placed a hand on her shoulder. She pointed behind me, and I turned to see a red Aston Martin slowing to a stop in front of us, before a gun suddenly seemed to pop out of the car's side. My own eyes grew wide, and Lillian hugged me around the waist.

"Ah, I remember you..." the car purred, driving closer. I realized it had to be a Cybertronian, and there was no way it could be an Autobot. I could tell this car was hostile. But who was it?

I suddenly remembered the mine, and I remembered a red 'bot that had injured Arcee and Bumblebee had shot at. Miko had called him Doc-Knock, but I figured that wasn't his real name.

"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way," Doc-Knock threatened. "Get in."

I grabbed Lillian's hand and immediately looked for a way out of the alley, but the only exit was behind the car, and he could easily block us as the alleyway was pretty narrow.

"I said, get in. Don't make me transform."

"Transform?" Lillian squeaked, squeezing my hand tighter. If I had my notebook I would try and make a deal with the 'con, but I didn't. And I had a feeling Doc-Knock didn't understand ASL.

"Lillian, I'll distract him, you run," I signed in her face. She hesitantly nodded, and I gently pushed her toward Knockout, to make it look like I was obeying the 'con's orders.

Lillian suddenly broke into a sprint, her smaller form able to slip past the side of the car before Doc-Knock had a chance to block her.

"Come back here, fleshy!" Doc-Knock growled, but remained where he was.

"You are what Lord Megatron wants, anyway," he said, referring to me. I guess distracting him wasn't going to take much.

He slowly drove closer, and I backed away until I hit the back wall.

"Looks like your trapped." I could hear the smile evident in his voice as he drove closer. I bit my lip, looking for a way out of this.

Suddenly the 'con transformed, and he grabbed me in his servo tightly, his red optics meeting my brown ones for a few seconds before he transformed again, and I found myself sitting in the passenger seat.

Suddenly the seatbelt wrapped around me, preventing me from moving as a prod, or a Taser of some sort, I didn't know, appeared out of the glove box. I stared at it in fear and confusion, until it suddenly shot something at me, causing me to immediately feel drowsy.

"Lord Megatron, I have the human," I heard Doc-Knock say as he started driving off, and I slipped into unconsciousness.

***

Well then.

I must be gearing up for something big.

Or something.

Hopefully you guys won't be disappointed XD

I hope you enjoyed this chappy! I had an interesting time trying to word it.

JunglePunk did see the "behind the scenes" of my writing a little XD

Not much, but a little.

Thanks for reading! :D

-BP

*disappears*