Cassidy's P.O.V.

I wish I could scream right now, Ratchet just stop! Fight this! Don't you see what you're doing? Ratchet! I wish I could scream, yell, anything...

Tears were flowing down my face in pain, and I was breathing really fast. I didn't even want to know what my left arm looked like after Ratchet...burned it.

"The nice thing about this is she doesn't make much noise..." I heard Knockout mutter from somewhere, and if I wasn't in pain I would've given him the death glare, not that it would have much effect any-

Ow! Scrap, Ratchet, fight this!

Ratchet had transformed his servo into his amputating blade and had pressed on my burned arm, causing fresh tears to well up in my eyes just when I thought I couldn't cry any more. I bit my lip and clenched my right fist; clenching my left one would've been way too painful.

The sound of a door opening and another 'bot in entering the room made me frown. I didn't want anyone else in here, Megatron and Knockout were enough.

"What?!" I suddenly heard Megatron yell. I couldn't tell what had happened; My eyes were squeezed shut, so I didn't have to look into those cold purple optics of Ratchet's.

"My liege, I can explain-"

Well, that was Knockout.

"Explain what? That you hit another human vehicle while driving and caused attention to yourself?" Megatron shouted.

"I was distracted-"

"Soundwave, erase the data, erase anything and everything relating to the crash," Megatron interrupted. I never heard a reply, but I did hear a door open and close, and then pedesteps walking toward me and Ratchet-

Ow, dangit.

I was so focused on the Decepticons' conversation that I even forgot about the pain for a minute or two.

"Knockout, you don't even look damaged," Megatron said, his voice now directed to the other 'con.

"I...may have freshened up before I came," he admitted. "She was still unconscious, so I thought I'd just...you know, I'll just...uh...shut up now."

I heard another door open and close.

"Enough," I heard Megatron's voice command nearby, and the pressure on my arm stopped, and I couldn't help but exhale in relief.

"Stay here, and watch her." I heard Megatron command. "And you watch him," he commanded to someone else, and the door opened again, before the room became silent. I had an idea of who was inside still, and I was afraid to open my eyes to see them, but I dared anyway and immediately saw Ratchet, staring me down, with about two Vehicons behind him. I looked away to check on my arm, and saw it was red and covered in blisters, though thankfully, none of my skin had been charred.

I quickly turned away, not wanting to look at the sight any longer and closed my eyes again, my head pounding. I wanted to throw up.

Something suddenly poked me, and I cracked an eyelid open to look, seeing Ratchet above me. Something about him was different though...his optics were a lighter shade of purple, and there was a hint of blue in them...and he looked...worried.

Suddenly he made a few motions with his servos; vague enough to not be noticed by anyone who wasn't watching close enough.

"Cassidy?"

He had used ASL.

He had signed my name.

I stared at him blankly, my pain forgotten at the moment. Did Ratchet seriously learn ASL? When did he have the time to learn that?

Ratchet continued signing, which took a little longer, as he seemed to only know the alphabet and some basic signs.

"Cassidy, I know I hurt you. I regret everything. Trying to take control of yourself is harder than you think...I know how Bumblebee feels now, but that's beside the point. We need to get out of here, and we need to get you to a hospital," he signed, stating the obvious as he glanced at my arm. I lifted my right wrist, as my arm was strapped down, and tried signing something. Ratchet studied my hand for a minute as I kept repeating what I was trying to say, until he looked back at me.

"Trying to fight a battle within yourself isn't the easiest thing in the world. Trying to get control of myself took a while, longer than I would have liked."

I gave him a pained smile; the best thing I could give him at the moment. I signed something to him again.

"No, I can't contact the others. And why are you asking about apple juice?"

I gave him a thin smile. He had learned the basics of ASL, but he was still learning. Just like Lillian.

Lillian.

Had she made it? What did she even tell my family? How were they going to react to the Autobots, my injuries, the Decepticons, or Ratchet?

This time, there may be no coming back to Team Prime, whether Lillian learns about them or not.

Scrap.

Just when I was thinking of reconsidering.

Ratchet was signing, nearly in my face this time.

"Can you walk?"

The question brought me out of my thoughts and back into reality.

"Yes?"

"Good. Now, pay attention. I'm going to release your restraints as I deal with the troopers in the room. Whatever happens, you need to find a console and access the base, and the other will come and get you."

"Ratchet, I can't speak."

Ratchet nearly "facepalmed", evidentially forgetting that one detail.

"Then I'll find you once I deal with the 'cons. Get a head start, and whatever you do, don't be seen."

"What if...you can't find me? Or you do...and you're...not yourself?"

Ratchet frowned.

"Find a way to contact base, and don't wait for me."

I bit my lip, not liking this at all. But, there really wasn't any better option.

Ratchet looked at me again.

"You ready?"

I nodded, and he quickly released my restraints, and I immediately sat up and looked around. The feeling of freedom was nice, but I quickly remembered my task, and scrambled up to my feet, where Ratchet extended a servo for me to get off the table I was on, and he started setting me on the floor.

"Hey!" A vehicon suddenly called.

"Go, Cassidy!" Ratchet ushered, dropping me on the floor before standing upright in time to punch a vehicon that was coming at him. I bit my lip, taking in deep breaths before turning and dashing out of the room, stumbling on my own feet in the process. I hoped a Decepticon wasn't chasing me or anything.

Com-unit...com-unit...com-unit...

I ran down the hallway, trying to find anything that would be a com-unit before finding an abandoned console.

Now how to get up...?

Dang, I didn't think about that part. I looked around, seeing if I could use anything, and found a shaft, I think that was used for ventilation, though I don't know why 'cons would need ventilation.

The slits in the entrance to the shaft were large enough for me to squeeze through, and I hoped I didn't have to go straight up anytime soon. That would be a disaster.

They only seemed to be steep inclines instead, which was still rather difficult to climb up on, especially with my arm, but it was better than nothing, and soon I was directly above a console, whether it was the same one I found earlier or not, I didn't or care. Just as long as it was abandoned.

Now how to get down...?

I smacked my good hand against my forehead. If I dropped down from here I'd probably break my neck and die. I had to find another entrance.

I looked around for any possible shaft exits and walked around a bit more. This was taking forever, and who knew what state Ratchet could be in...?

Scrap. Ratchet should've been out looking for me if he was...himself.

"Don't wait for me."

I frowned, turning a corner and finding another shaft exit. I listened for voices, and heard a few, and immediately moved on, moving to another shaft on a steep incline.

Great, more climbing.

I started up, using one of the side walls as some sort of support as I tried placing all my weight on my feet to keep traction on the smooth surface, and walked a few feet, before my foot suddenly slipped from under me and I landed hard on my bad arm and immediately started sliding back down, like the shaft was a giant slide. I held my breath as I soon crashed on the floor, as tears sprang to my eyes again in pain. I had just slid on my burned arm.

Scrap.

I hoped no one had heard the crash, the last thing I needed or wanted were Decepticons on my tail.

Seeing as there really wasn't much of a different option, I tried the slope again, trying to be more cautious and eventually getting up to the top, where I was immediately greeted with another shaft exit.

Please let this be a good one, I thought to myself as I listened for voices. Finding none, I poked my head out of a slit and looked around, seeing no one in the room. Better yet, I could jump down onto the console in the room, and I wouldn't break my neck and die.

So I jumped, landing on my feet and regaining my balance, not wanting to fall off, before staring at the screen filled with Cybertronian gibberish.

Really wish I had Raf right now.

I hesitantly pressed something on the console, and a menu popped up.

Can this just translate to english or something?

"They must've gone this way."

The words made me stand straight up in alarm, and I quickly looked around for a way out in case whoever was out there was coming inside, and I looked down, seeing a seemingly long drop before me, and shook my head. The only way back was through the shaft.

I walked over, before looking up at the thing about two feet higher than me, and jumped and grabbed it with my good arm. I exhaled and frowned, realizing I'd have to use my bad arm to get up too, and I grit my teeth as I lifted it up and grabbed the small metal piece between two slits, attempting to pull myself up.

I found myself in a sweat and panting heavily once I reached the top and pulled myself in, and I collapsed just inside the shaft to catch my breath and check on my arm.

The skin looked even more red and irritated, and more blisters had formed. And it hurt, really bad. I exhaled slowly, leaning against the wall for a while, wondering where I could try next, before something dawned on me.

I still had my cell phone.

I quickly took it out, where I frowned at the two words at the top of the screen.

No Signal

I wish the Decepticons had Wi-Fi.

Wait.

The ship is shielded so no radio waves can get through, like the Autobot base was...right? But it worked once you were outside...

Why didn't I think of this earlier?

Suddenly the console I had just been at erupted with a sound of static, and Megatron's voice sent chills down my spine.

"Decepticons! One of our prisoners has escaped! Stay on high alert, and do not hesitate to kill the human if need be. I have the other prisoner...under control."

I bit my lip. Ratchet was back under Megatron's influence, or worse. And I was being hunted.

I forced myself to stand up and keep walking, going up any chance I got in hope that it was the correct way to get to the ship's flight deck.

I was walking around for about an hour, keeping as quiet as possible, before I finally hit a dead end. The last exit I passed was about three feet away, and I looked out, seeing two vehicons a few feet in front of me. It was the best chance I could get, and slowly tiptoed out and toward the door, hoping I could get through with its motion detector and not get spotted.

As soon as the door opened to let me through I bolted out and hid in a small dark area the hull of the ship still covered in hopes they wouldn't see me. The vehicons walked out and looked around, but to my luck, never spotted me. I didn't dare move until they went back inside, and then I eagerly checked my phone.

Searching...

I quickly got up, walking out a little bit to hopefully get a signal and maybe see how far up I was. I knew I was cloud-level, but maybe if I was low enough, I could get a signal, even if it was weak. I didn't know for sure, as I never was in an airplane before.

I knelt to the ground and slowly peered over the edge. I could see city below me, and I hoped that was low enough and quickly scooted away, feeling like I would fall off any second. I checked my phone again, and my face broke out into a grin. I realized I had never been so happy to see one bar in my entire life, and quickly went to my messages, opening the group chat with Raf Jack and Miko.

Now was not the time for proper grammar.

Guys help cons took me and ratchet & ratchet is infected w/ dark energon and I cant get out of here w/o u guys and I'm also hurt and I'm being hunted 4. Im currently on flight deck or something

hope this sends I have 1 bar

I looked at the top of my screen anxiously, hoping the message would go through.

Please send please send please send please send I kept repeating in my head, and I bit my lip as the bar slowed near the end of the screen and froze.

~~~

HAHAHA! ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER! >:D

Honestly I love you guys too much to make you wait an entire week for something like this.

A day, maybe, but a week? That's pure torture.

I didn't even make you all wait a day because I'm just nice like that.

Anyway I hope you liked this chapter, I WROTE NINE PAGES. Over 2300 words.

AND ANOTHER CHAPTER IS AT LEAST TEN PAGES

It's coming up soon.

In a month. :3

jk XD

I dunno when.

Bye now!

-BP

*disappears*

*reappears*

OH WAIT HOLD UP

Apparently bossybees wanted me to give her "little squishy" a shoutout.

I pretty much give him one every chapter, it's what I start my Author's note with, but okay.

Here's "little squishy":

~~~

Bye ya'll.

*disappears for real this time*