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"So, how do I look?" Jack turned slowly, giving Arcee a long look at his new suit of black armor.

"Sexy." She grinned, sitting with her legs crossed in the parking lot in front of one of Groom Lake's armory buildings. "How well can it hold up against Cybertronian weapons?"

"Optimus tested the material with his own guns, and it was able to take an average of four hits before it failed."

"Good. That'll at least give you a few seconds to get under cover if you start taking fire." She reached out to hold his gloved left hand. "How many of the features we heard about actually made it into the final design?"

"Most of 'em. Servos that boost the wearer's strength, speed, and agility, GPS locator that turns on in emergencies, software that calls for help if the wearer is knocked out or badly injured." He lifted the helmet. "And this has a heads-up display with augmented-reality software and a targeting system that links wirelessly to whatever guns I'm carrying. Not that they actually gave me any guns, but they did let me have one of their EMP rifles."

"Well, I'm glad you've got something to defend yourself with, at least."

"Same here. Since I've already found myself in the middle of more battles than I can count, they wanted to do whatever they can to keep me in one piece." He chuckled. "They also fitted Miko for an armor suit of her own simply because of her habit of going all Leeroy Jenkins on us."

Arcee laughed. "Well, since we haven't been able to stop her, at least this'll make her a little safer."

"Yeah. I just hope it doesn't encourage her to be even more reckless."

"Says the guy who tried to climb up a Vehicon's leg without planning ahead any further than that." She grinned and nudged his shoulder.

"Ha ha." He blushed. "Okay, fair point, I guess." He waved his hand off to the left. "Say, if you're curious to see this armor in action, Ashanti should be giving it a test run right about now."

"Sounds interesting." Arcee shifted into her motorcycle mode and Jack climbed on and put on his helmet. As they cruised across the base to the training facility, his helmet-mounted camera scanned everything he looked at and popped up information about it in his HUD. Kind of distracting, but he figured he'd get used to it soon enough. It was too useful--and too cool--not to give it a chance.

"They've set up the demo behind the building so the other 'Bots could watch," he said as they arrived at the training facility.

Arcee's chuckle came through the speakers in his helmet. "Now I'm imagining them trying to fit inside there."

Jack laughed. A moment later they cruised around behind the building.

Optimus, Bulkhead, and Bee crouched over on the right, gazing down at seven armor-clad humans surrounded by a couple dozen of the Lake's personnel, including Jack's mom and a small medical team. Optimus glanced at him and Arcee, nodded, and returned his optics to the people a few yards away.

Arcee parked beside Optimus. Jack dismounted and moved a few steps away so she could return to her primary mode. She sat beside him, leaned back and propped herself up on her hands, and crossed her ankles. "Good morning, guys."

"Arcee. Jack." Optimus nodded again, keeping his attention on the armored soldiers. Bulk waved and Bee beeped a greeting.

Jack reached up to take his helmet off, but stopped when it scanned the crowd and labeled the ones in the center, whose faces were hidden by their helmet visors. Ashanti stood in the center, unarmed, wearing black armor. The six surrounding her carried long metal pipes that looked like high-tech quarterstaffs. Jack didn't recognize any of their names--Nelson, Wilcox, Owens, Blanchard, Watkins, Keller.

The demonstration was already underway, Ashanti pivoting slowly, trying to keep all six of them in view as they circled around her.

"Hey, Jack," his mom said from behind him, "if I'd known we were going to be wearing the same thing, I would've picked out a different outfit."

He turned and found her walking toward him, covered in nearly identical armor, sans helmet. "Oh, hey, Mom. Never thought I'd see you wearing something like that."

"Same here." She turned to smile at Arcee. "Good morning. You're looking especially shiny today."

Arcee grinned. "Jack's got the whole wash-wax-polish thing down to an art."

"Well, the fact that I enjoy it so much doesn't hurt." He wiggled his eyebrows at Arcee.

"You're not the only one. Funny, how something can be so relaxing yet so...stimulating at the same time." She winked.

"Oy." His mother shook her head. "I could've done without that mental image."

"Okay, we'll behave. For now." Jack grinned and turned back to the demo just as Owens launched at Ashanti, swinging his staff around and aiming for the back of her head.

She ducked under the blow, spun, and kicked his legs out from under him. Before he hit the ground, she drove her right foot into his side, sending him rolling across the pavement. His staff flew from his hands and clanked across the ground.

"Oh." Arcee leaned forward, locking her optics onto Ashanti as she rolled, dodging swings from Wilcox and Blanchard, and grabbed the staff Owens had dropped. "I am so analyzing her moves and adding them to my combat suite."

Ashanti swung her staff before she was entirely upright, blocked a lunge from Wilcox, and jabbed it into his faceplate, knocking him off balance. She lashed out again, swept his legs out from under him, twirled the staff and crashed it down across his chest while he was still in midair. He slammed into the pavement, cracking it on impact.

"And that would be why I'm here." June winced and put her helmet on. "Let's see, heart rate and respiration are normal--under the circumstances, at least." She stared at him for another moment, waiting for the computer system in her helmet to finish its analysis. "From his movements, he's just dazed. Damn good armor they've come up with."

"Yep," Miko said, and Jack's heart almost launched through his ribs. He spun and found her standing behind him, clad in pink armor and carrying a helmet under her left arm. "It's got an experimental layer of padding under a layer of non-Newtonian fluid to help absorb impacts."

Arcee stared at her for several seconds, and finally looked at Jack. "How does she do that?"

He shrugged. "I don't even ask anymore."

Arcee chuckled. "Nice look you've got going, there."

Miko rolled her eyes. "Whoever decided to make it pink is gettin' kicked right in the fuckin' nuts."

Jack snickered and Arcee burst out laughing.

Jack faced forward just in time to see Ashanti hit Owens so hard that her staff snapped in two. "Gah! Oh, that had to hurt."

His mom shook her head. "That looks like a concussion." She ran toward Owens, waving her arms, and the nearby medical team followed.

Ashanti crouched beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Shit. Guess I got carried away. Sorry, bud. Try not to move."

Arcee shook her head slowly. "Guess she's still got some issues to work out."

"Well, considering what she's been through..." Jack sighed. "That's not something you get over quickly."

Arcee looked at the ground. "If it were me, I'd never get over it."

"Same here, babe." He took off his helmet and reached up to touch the back of her hand. When she met his gaze, he smiled. "But don't worry, you're not getting rid of me that easily." He winked.

She chuckled and slipped her hand behind his back. She opened her mouth--but then she stopped, turned and frowned slightly.

At the same moment, Ashanti looked up, as if distracted by the same thing.

Owens sat up, removed his helmet, and waved June off. "I'm fine."

"I'm still gonna check you out, just in case. Now, hold still while I link up with your armor and take a look at your stats."

He sighed, shrugged, and sat still while she connected her armor's wireless system and waited for the relevant info to pop up in her HUD.

"Again, I'm sorry," Ashanti said.

"Don't worry about it, Colonel. We won't know just how much this armor can take if we don't hit it with everything we've got."

"According to these readings, you're okay." June stood. "I still want you to check in with the hospital and get a more thorough examination."

"Go ahead." Ashanti took his hand and helped him to his feet. "Best not to take any chances."

"Right away, Colonel." He grinned. "Think I've had my ass handed to me enough for one day, anyway."

Ashanti nodded, turned, and walked off.

"What's up?" Jack said.

"Just got a message from Double-D. They're ready to grab another Pretender in one of the labs. Ashanti's team is gathering now."

"Are we invited?"

Arcee hesitated, her desire to protect him clearly kicking in. "Well, they asked me to be there, just in case." She smiled. "I wouldn't mind the company, though. I think we can get away with it if you keep to a safe distance."

"Sounds good." He smiled. "Shall we?"

She grinned and transformed. "We shall."

#

"So," Case's voice came through the speakers in Jack's helmet, "you think this one'll fight, run, or surrender?"

"The last four in a row gave up without a fight," Chang said, "so my money's on surrender."

Jack kept quiet, settling for listening in on the team's chatter and watching the video feed from Arcee's optics in his HUD. He leaned against Bulkhead's side, staring at the building a few dozen yards away, ready to whip the EMP rifle out of the holster on his back. Not that he had any intention of engaging the Pretender, but if she happened to head in his direction, he would do what little he could.

And if Arcee were in any danger, Bulk would have to physically restrain him to keep him out of the fire.

Arcee waited outside the target building, staring in through one of the windows as Ashanti's team flowed into the lab and covered the disguised 'Con and her coworker. The audio feed from Ashanti's helmet mic picked up their voices.

"Whoa!" The man--Lucas Conrad, who was human, as far as anyone could determine--threw his hands up. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open.

The Pretender--going by the name Rosalina Mendoza--raised her hands slowly, aimed a sad look at Conrad, and stepped in front of him.

"Take it easy, Lucas. They're here for me."

"What?" He stared at her, utterly confused. "What the hell are--"

"I'm sorry, honey." Still moving slowly, she took off her lab coat and tossed it onto a workbench, sank to her knees, put her hands on her head--and transformed.

Huh. This one wasn't nearly as monstrous as the Pretenders Jack had seen in Starscream's underground base. Kind of pretty, but in a rather creepy, somewhat HR Giger sort of way.

Conrad let out a startled grunt and stumbled backward until he bumped into another bench and knocked a circuit board to the floor.

"Poor guy," Jack muttered, remembering the look on Ashanti's face when she confronted the Pretender who'd murdered her husband and taken his place.

"...the hell?" Conrad mumbled. The realization sank in over the next few seconds, and he tried to sit on the stool beside the table, missed, and fell. Betrayal, disgust, and grief mixed in with the horror on his face. "Jesus...you killed--"

"No, I didn't!" Rosalina--or whatever her real name was--aimed an anguished look at him. "I didn't, I swear!"

"When did you kill her?" He pushed himself to his feet, and Jensen reached out to steady him. "How long have we--"

"I didn't. There was never a real Rosalina Mendoza. It's been me all along."

"Come on," Ashanti grumbled, moving around to place herself between the Pretender and Conrad, keeping her assault rifle aimed at the Pretender's head. "Disarm yourself--and don't try anything, or we'll scrap you."

Mendoza nodded, pointed her right arm at the floor, and deployed her cannon. She grasped the barrel with her other hand and disconnected it. She gave it to Dawson and repeated the process with her other gun.

"Get up," Ashanti snarled.

Mendoza stood, keeping her hands raised, and gave Conrad one last sorrowful look before trudging out the door. "I'm sorry, Lucas. I'm so sorry."

Ashanti and her team followed Mendoza through the hallway to the door.

"Guess I'm up." Bulkhead started his engine.

Jack stepped away and gave him a thumbs-up.

Bulkhead cruised over to the waiting soldiers and opened his rear passenger-side door. Mendoza climbed inside and sat motionless.

Arcee stood beside him, keeping her huge pistol pointed away from him, but making sure the 'Con could see it.

"Okay," she said. "Let's go."

#

"'Howard Burcham' seems to have given us good information," Ratchet said as he stepped into the main hub of the Autobot base. "I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but a Decepticon is being straightforward with us. For now, at least."

"My first instinct was to say they're up to something." Arcee leaned against the stairs beside the main console, where Jack had climbed up to her shoulder level. "But who knows, maybe he really was being honest about some of them opting out of the war."

"Perhaps." Ratchet stepped up to the main console and brought up an image of the recently arrested Pretender. "While being questioned, this one claimed that she and a few others simply wanted to settle here. According to her, the death of our homeworld caused them to reconsider the path they took all those years ago. Some of them even started families with humans to blend in."

"So," Jack said, "they've gone native?"

"So they would have us believe." Ratchet shrugged. "I doubt it's true, but a small part of me hopes it is. Optimus must be rubbing off on me." He nodded at the image of Mendoza on the screen. "This one even has a son. And you've already seen her husband, Lucas Conrad."

"A kid?" Jack flicked a puzzled glance at Arcee. "That's possible with a human and a Cybertronian?"

Ratchet rolled his eyes. "It's called adoption."

"Oh." Jack's face grew hot. "Right."

Arcee chuckled and nudged his shoulder.

Ratchet shrugged again. "Still, to have such intimate relationships with humans and keep them fooled, Pretenders would have to be capable of mimicking all the proper body parts. At least the external ones."

Jack arched an eyebrow. Hmm...

"I analyzed her cannons," Ratchet continued. "They haven't been fired in a very long time; decades, possibly a century or more. Not even once."

"Huh." Arcee cocked her head at the screen. "That's not what I'd expect from a 'Con. I wonder if some of them really could change their ways."

"I find it hard to believe, but the investigation into this particular Pretender has turned up some evidence to support her claims. There was never a human named Rosalina Mendoza, at least none who resembled the shape this one took. This Mendoza's history goes back only ten years; she seems to have appeared out of nowhere, and the oldest records--high school transcripts and such--are spotty at best."

"That could be a good sign," Jack said. "If she didn't murder anyone just to take her place, then maybe she's sincere about what she's told us so far. And if she's sincere, maybe the other Pretenders are, too."

"They're still questioning her, so we'll find out sooner or later."

A red light flashed on the panel, accompanied by a buzzing sound. Arcee and Ratchet turned toward it, frowning, and didn't move for several seconds.

"There's always something," Ratchet grumbled.

Arcee touched the side of her head, where her ear would be if she were human, and spoke.

"Got it, Optimus."

Ratchet tapped another control and a new video popped up on the monitor--a live feed from a satellite. On the screen, a series of explosions ripped the ground apart, flinging dirt and debris high into the air. The blasts started in the northeast corner of the screen and moved south.

Jack caught a few glimpses of robotic forms flitting through the plumes of dirt and smoke, firing at another robot a short distance ahead of them.

"Those are Vehicons," Arcee muttered.

"Think they might be chasing another Autobot?" Jack said. "Maybe Wheeljack? Or someone new?"

"Can't tell from here." Arcee shrugged and touched her head again. "We're on it, Optimus. We'll meet you there. Bulk, Bee, let's gear up and roll out."

#

"Okay," Arcee muttered after returning to her primary mode. "Let's find more trouble and poke it with a stick."

"That's the spirit." Jack grinned as he took cover behind a tree and scanned for movements with his helmet camera. Beyond several hundred yards of trees was a clearing, and the 'Cons and their quarry were heading straight for it.

Jack's mom climbed down from Optimus's passenger-side door and joined him. As soon as she was clear, Optimus detached from his trailer and shifted out of vehicle mode. The trailer door opened and Ashanti and her team rushed out and took positions behind nearby trees.

Bulkhead rolled up, towing his own trailer. His doors opened and a team of medics emerged. Bulkhead detached from the trailer and transformed. "One mobile med-lab, ready and waiting."

"Let's hope we don't need it." June smiled at him, gave Jack a worried look while patting his shoulder, and jogged over to join the med team.

Arcee crouched in front of Jack. "You're far enough from the action to give you enough time to evacuate, but if the fighting gets too close, you signal Ratchet and have him bridge you out of here."

His first reflex was to insist on staying with her, but they'd had this conversation before. She wanted to protect him, but he wanted to do the same for her. So he merely smiled and said, "Sure."

She appeared to stifle a sigh, clearly seeing through his bullshit. Not that he'd tried very hard to sell it. He held up his hands.

"Hey, I'll retreat if you retreat. Now, go out there and kick some ass."

She shook her head and laughed softly. "So, if you get into trouble, I'll just have to come rescue you. Guess I can handle that."

Jack grinned, blew a kiss at Arcee, and climbed into Optimus's trailer.

She returned the gesture, smiled, and reached into the trailer to pluck her pistols, shotguns, and an enormous knife from the racks lining the passenger-side wall. She clamped them to her back and hips, grabbed the rest of the weapons, and passed them out to Bulkhead and Bee. "See you soon."

"Be careful out there."

"You mean, 'Good hunting.'" She winked.

"That, too." He watched her join the rest of the 'Bots as they fanned out around the edge of the clearing.

He sighed, took a seat at the console opposite the weapons racks and flicked his eyes over the bank of monitors above it. He had spent the last three weeks learning how to use this stuff, in addition to the high-school courses he'd started taking online; this wouldn't be the same as being right there with Arcee, but he still had her back, even from this distance.

On the main screen was a shot of the entire area from a satellite with tactical information overlaying the image, and the others showed live feeds from the Autobots' optics, the soldiers' helmet cams, and the UAV circling overhead, each in its own window.

On the main screen, metallic shapes flitted in and out of sight, staying mostly hidden by the trees. Blaster bolts seared through trunks, set leaves ablaze, and took entire trees down.

Jack took a deep breath and reached out to the touchscreen panels. "They're still heading straight for the clearing. Just a few seconds away."

A huge, gray robot demolished a tree at the edge of the forest, almost tripped over the remains, and bolted a few dozen yards into the open before he seemed to realize that he'd lost all his cover.

Jack stared at the screen. "Oh. That's not an Autobot."

The screen showing the feed from Arcee's eyes zoomed in rapidly. "Are my optics malfunctioning? Am I really seeing this?"

"Huh," Bulkhead grunted. "It's Starscream. But what happened to his arms? They're both gone."

"Well, I blew one of 'em off a month ago," Arcee said. "The other...well, whoever's chasing him probably had something to do with it."

Starscream continued forward in a blind panic, sprinting toward the Autobots. Arcee laughed.

"Hah. His shit's all fucked up."

The UAV's camera caught a clear view of his pursuers. A smirk tugged at the corner of Jack's mouth. "Yep, he's being chased by Vehicons, alright."

"Looks like Megatron didn't like Screamer's little side project." Arcee sighed. "Almost a pity it didn't work out for him, really. Better to have a coward in charge of the 'Cons than a complete monster."

The Vehicons began emerging from the trees. Jack whistled softly.

"Megatron sure sent enough of those guys after him."

"Probably doesn't want him falling into enemy hands," Ashanti said. "Think of the intel we could get from this guy."

"Like we could trust anything that asshole says," Arcee muttered.

"He could be desperate enough to cooperate," Optimus said.

"Unless this is a trap." Jack shifted his eyes to the main screen. The Vehicons were plainly visible now, chasing Starscream across the clearing, opening up on him with their blasters now that they had a clear shot.

"I doubt Starscream would let 'em do that much damage just for a ruse," Bulkhead said with a chuckle. "Unless Megatron didn't give him a choice."

Somehow, Starscream managed to dodge all the blasts, jumping erratically from side to side as he came within reach of the treeline near the Autobots.

"The opportunity is too good to pass up." Optimus headed for the clearing, treading carefully to keep the sound of his footsteps down. "Col. McKenna, choose your targets."

"Got it," Ashanti said. "Give 'em hell, guys."

Her sniper rifle discharged with a sharp crack and the Vehicon closest to Starscream pitched forward and tumbled to the ground along with the shrapnel that had once been his head. The 'Cons beside and behind him stared in shock at the body, as if unable to process what had just happened.

"Looks like the new ammo works." Ashanti laughed softly and blew off another 'Con's head.

One of them finally scored a lucky hit on Starscream's back, knocking him off his feet. He rolled over, staring wide-eyed at the Vehicon and scooting backward, grunting and gibbering in sheer terror.

In the window showing the feed from Optimus's eyes, Arcee darted past him. "I've got this."

"Be careful, Arcee."

"I just want to see if I can make 'em all shit themselves." She grinned. "Figuratively speaking, of course."

Jack's heart began pounding as she strode into the open, stopping a few feet away from Starscream.

The nearest Vehicon skidded to a stop and stared at Arcee. "Oh, fuck!"

Optimus, Bulkhead, and Bee joined her, standing far enough apart to cover most of the 'Cons. The Vehicons looked around frantically, snapping their guns back and forth, trying to cover all of them.

"Stand down and you won't be harmed," Optimus said.

"You're outnumbered and outgunned," the 'Con said, keeping his cannon on Starscream.

"Think so, eh?" Arcee raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. A bullet from Ashanti's rifle drilled through his optic strip and a split-second later his head exploded.

"You are surrounded," Optimus said.

The 'Cons looked around. One of them, trying to sound defiant and failing, said, "We're only detecting a few humans and the four of you."

"Just because you can't detect them doesn't mean they're not there." Arcee raised both hands and snapped her fingers again.

Two 'Cons at the rear of the group lost their heads. The rest of them spun around and aimed their blasters in every direction, clearly beginning to panic.

"I will only say this once more." Optimus stepped forward. "Stand down and you won't be harmed."

"Like we can go back to Megatron empty-handed," one of the 'Cons mumbled.

"You can take your chances with him." Arcee pulled the shotguns from her back and held them ready. "Or you can take your chances with us."

Jack grinned despite his fear for Arcee. That's my girl.

A few of the Vehicons glanced at each other.

"At least this way, it'll be a quick end," the same 'Con said.

All of them turned their guns on Starscream, clearly hoping they'd be able to escape once their objective had been achieved.

Starscream shrieked and scooted back until he bumped into Arcee's feet. "Help me!"

Wow. Jack shook his head slowly. Don't think I've ever seen anyone look so pathetic.

"Fire at will," Ashanti ordered her team, and five more 'Cons dropped, partially or completely decapitated..

Arcee leaped over Starscream, blasting two 'Cons in the face with her shotguns while in midair. She landed in a crouch between him and them, held the pumps against her legs, and chambered a fresh round in each gun.

Bulkhead charged into the middle of the group, mowing them down like a bulldozer.

"Arcee," Optimus said, "protect Starscream."

"Ugh. If I were physically capable of it, I would've just thrown up in my mouth a little." Still, she planted herself beside Starscream and blew away the next Vehicon who pointed his gun in their general direction.

Optimus joined the battle, taking down several Vehicons with his guns, then switching to blades when the rest got too close.

Off to the left, Bumblebee dived, rolled, and came up in the middle of a group of four 'Cons. He jammed his gun under one's chin and sent a bullet out the top of his skull, kicked another's legs out from under him, knocked the third off balance with a punch to the side of the head, and dropped the fourth with a bullet through the optics.

Jack flicked his eyes over the monitors and his heart jumped again. "Arcee, three of 'em are trying to slip around behind you."

She turned and unloaded her shotguns into two Vehicons' chests. Glaring at the third, she lifted her guns, placed the pumps against each other, and racked them. She pointed both at him and he held his arms up and dropped to his knees.

"I've had enough! I surrender!" He detached his cannons, flung them away, and put his hands on his head.

Another Vehicon swiped his blade at Bulkhead. Bulk blocked it, clamped onto the 'Con's wrist, turned and pulled. The Vehicon screamed as Bulk ripped his arm clean off. Bulkhead spun around, swinging the arm like a baseball bat, and caved in the side of the Vehicon's head.

Jack whistled softly. "Glad we're recording this. Miko is gonna want pictures of that."

Bulkhead chuckled.

Three 'Cons near him stared for a moment, looked around, and fell to their knees. They disarmed, tossed their blasters aside, and raised their hands.

The view from Arcee's optics jolted suddenly, and the feed from Bee whip-panned toward her. On Bee's screen, a Vehicon had just tackled Arcee and knocked one of her shotguns away. She blocked his next blow, but his follow-up sent her other shotgun spinning out of sight.

The 'Con extended his blades and stabbed one of them at her. She dodged, drove her left fist into his face, wrapped her right arm around his neck and twisted, turned, and flipped him over onto his back. She planted a foot on his chest and plucked the pistol from her right hip.

The 'Con kicked it out of her hand and drove his other foot into her midsection, sending her staggering backward. He got his feet under him and launched at her.

On the other screens, the rest of the 'Bots aimed their guns at him but couldn't get a clear shot.

Jack's heart pounded and his hands trembled.

Arcee drew her other handgun--but the 'Con swatted it out of her hand, tackled her again, and knocked her to the ground. He pinned her down, drew his blade back, and plunged it toward her chest.

Jack sucked in a deep breath, preparing to scream.

Arcee deflected the blow, punched the 'Con in the face, and extended her arm blades. He rolled off her to get out of her reach, and she used the second or two it gave her to get back on her feet. Snarling, she charged him, raising her left blade, and he moved to block it.

With her right hand, she pulled the huge knife attached to her lower back and rammed the blade into the Vehicon's chest. She yanked it out and he clamped his hands over the wound. She used his momentary distraction to flip the knife over and hilt it in the top of his head. He let out a warped scream and fell to his knees.

Jack let a relieved sigh rush out and collapsed into his chair.

The remaining 'Cons had stopped in their tracks and stared at her. Some of them backed up a few steps.

She snapped the blade off in the 'Con's head and toppled the body with a casual shove. She faced the others and sneered.

"Who's next?"

Several more Vehicons dropped to their knees and disarmed, and the rest turned and ran. Moments later, the only Vehicons left were the fourteen who had surrendered.

"Huh." Bulkhead took a slow look around and raised a brow plate. "Never expected we'd be taking prisoners. Where are we gonna put 'em?"

"We'll figure something out," Ashanti said. "Jack, contact the base and request trucks to haul these guys out of here."

"On it." He sent the request and relayed the reply. "They're on the way. Ratchet will bridge them to the Autobot base, and then bridge them here."

"Thanks, kid."

Arcee picked up her guns and turned to scowl at Starscream. "So, that just leaves him." She didn't quite point her guns at him, but held them in his general direction.

Starscream flinched, glanced around, and his eyes grew even wider. "Oh, hell," he whimpered.

"Stand down, Arcee." Optimus looked down at Starscream and a very slight smirk appeared. "He is unarmed."

Arcee stared at him and blinked several times.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Uh, did he just...?"

"Really?" Starscream's left eye twitched. "Fucking seriously?"

"Who could resist?" Optimus walked off to help Bee and Bulkhead watch over the Vehicons.

Arcee watched him for a moment, shook her head, and refocused her attention on Starscream. Now that she had a chance to gaze steadily at him, Jack could see just how damaged he was--scrapes and dents all over his body, and several burn marks from blaster hits he'd taken.

"So," Arcee said, "I take it Megatron's back online and not too pleased with your little underground operation."

"He...knew everything." Starscream groaned and shook his head. "From the very beginning. My plotting against him, everything I did, he was watching it all and laughing at me. Then he grew tired of it and decided to get rid of me."

"I figured it'd be something like that. But what are we gonna do with you, I wonder?"

He looked around frantically and stuttered. Finally, an idea seemed to click into place, and his eyes widened.

"I want to join the Autobots!" When he saw the look on Arcee's face, he scowled at the Vehicons. "Well, why not? Look what they did to me!"

"You kinda brought that on yourself."

"Perhaps." He slumped to the ground and grumbled. "Yes, I've made mistakes. Made some very poor decisions. I admit, my reach exceeded my grasp. But isn't this a bit much?"

"I dunno." Arcee chuckled. "Seems just about right, to me."

He managed to sit upright, but then his face took on the most dejected expression Jack had ever seen. "I can't go back to the Decepticons. But I was Megatron's second in command. I have information that could tip the balance in your favor, and I'm willing to tell you everything." He met Arcee's gaze. "No need to worry about my motivations. More than anything, I want to stick it to Megatron, and if helping you is my best shot at him, then I'll do anything you want."

The ground bridge appeared in the middle of the clearing and a half-dozen military cargo trucks appeared.

"We will consider your offer," Optimus said.

Wow. Jack stood, walked behind his chair, and leaned on its back. He kept an eye on the monitors until the prisoners had been secured and the trucks rolled out. Then he stepped out of the trailer, took off his helmet, and waited for Arcee to join him. When she appeared, he smiled up at her.

"What do you think?"

"There's no way we can trust that weaselly bastard, but like Optimus said, the opportunity is too good to let it slip through our fingers." She shrugged. "Maybe our luck is changing for the better."

"You're quite the optimist, all of a sudden."

"Thanks to you." She grinned and stroked his cheek, looked up at the sound of the other Autobots' approaching footsteps, and stood.

"We will escort the convoy to the holding facility," Optimus said. "You go on ahead and brief Agent Fowler and General Sanchez."

"We'd be happy to." Arcee smiled and shifted into her alt mode. "Shall we, Jack?"

"We shall." He smiled and climbed on, pausing to wave at his mom, and put his helmet on. "Let's go home."