Stranded

Four

After several minutes had passed, the two sent a signal, saying it was clear for them to go ahead. Prowl looked at the remaining bots around him and silently nodded. The twins and Jazz nodded back and took off into a swift run, disappearing into the darkness.

The t.i.c moved at a fast pace behind the others, constantly peering over in shoulder for...unwanted visitors. Only taking a few nano clicks, Prowl had joined with the three bots who stood at the bottom of the con base hidden in the shadows.

" So..." Sideswipe whispered to the cop. " What floor is Ultra Magnus on?"

Prowl didn't answer the red mech, but instead looked intently at the large building in front of them.

" What's he doing?" The red twin asked his brother in a hushed voice. The yellow bot shrugged.

" Maybe he has some weird telaphatic power which will tell him..." Sunstreaker hissed back to his bother. The cop bot gave a mental optic roll but kept his optics glued to the building, ignoring the twins ridiculous remarks. But sadly his silence only encouraged the two to keep talking.

" yo Jazz?" Sides smirked. " What's up with-"

A loud crash interrupted the bot. A large stone landed with a thud at Sideswipe's peds causing him to yelp and jump back several feet. The battle strategist looked at the ground and bent over, picking up the object then looked at the building.

" That's the floor." He said evenly, pointing a digital at the broken window on the building. " Lets go."

Sideswipe watched with slightly larger optics as Prowl and the others shot their climbing cables to the top of the dark building. Shaking his helm he did the same. When he heard a faint "clink " sound, the res mech gave it a tug, making sure it could hold his weight. When that was confirmed, he began to climb behind the others.

When the four reached the window, they climbed in. Prowl went first, making sure it was clear. When inside, the cop was met by Starjumper and Drift, who were guarding the room's entrance. After pulling out his own weapon Prowl noticed a trail of energon traveling down Starjumper's midsection and gave the femme a concerned look.

The bot frowned at her leader and avoided optic contact.

" I'm fine." She growled, covering her wound with her servo. " its only a scratch."

Prowl glanced at Drift who shrugged.

" Ran into some cons " the samurai mech informed. The battle strategist nodded and peered out the doorway. After looking several times in each direction, he signaled that it was clear and grazed across the halls in complete silence.

After several long minutes, the battle strategist noticed it was eerily quite....mostly because be had never known the bothers to be this quite.

" This is all wrong " Prowl thought as he walked down the empty halls, looking behind at his team. From what he observed, they were thinking the same thing.

" Some'tins up." Jazz whispered, holding his blaster tightly. " This is quite....tooooooo quite." The music loving bot added. The others either sighed or muttered in agreement under their breaths. And Prowl had to agree, something was quite....off.

" grrroooaaannnnn....."

All six stopped in their tracks and activated their weapons. The cop bot held up his servo, signaling them to wait and glanced at the door several feet in front of them.

" In there." Prowl commanded hushly but sharply, waving them to enter.  " On my word " the t.i.c snapped. The others nodded, optics fixed on the door. When another groan was heard Prowl dropped his servo and glared at the others.

" Now!" He hissed.

Without hesitation, Jazz shot the lock on the door, and Sunstreaker took that as his cue and broke down the door. Weapons ready, the team filed into the room, bold enough to face whatever was there.

A painful cough caught them off guard which came from the corner of the room. Now Prowl had never been found of the planet he was on, nor did he find the alts logical, but for once his police car features came into assistance as he turned on his headlights on shined them to the location from which the noise came. And what he saw made the others gasp.

A large blue and red mech sat in a pool of his own energon. One limb was missing from his shoulder, and parts of his frame were either missing or dented beyond repair. The bot winced as the light shined in his optics. Weekly he tried to shield his vision with his remaining servo.

" UltraMagnus?" Starjumper whispered, dread in her voice on seeing the mech's condition. The second in command scoffed.

" Do your worst...." he sneered, wincing slightly. " you won't get anything from me." The t.i.c frowned at hearing his superior's words, finding it troubling that he hadn't yet recognized them.

" Commander Magnus. This is Third in Command, Prowl, we're here to rescue you."

Recognition flooded the bot's face as he looked at the six autobots around him. Ultra Magnus sighed in relief and gave them a rare half smile.

" G-good to you see you." He whispered horsely. The cop nodded his helm and knelt to help him up.

" And I you." He answered back as he lifted him to his peds. Jazz gave the s.i.c a large smile and wrapped a arm around him, keeping him from falling.

" Think ya can walk sir?" The visored mech asked. The red and blue bot shrugged.

" Do I have a choice?"

" Fair point." Jazz responded with a light laugh. When The autobot had regained his balance he announced he was ready to go. Nodding, Prowl sent Drift to lead, the twins to watch his back, S.J theirs and Jazz would be behind her.

When all this fell out according to plan, Prowl jogged behind his brother and Ultra Magnus. The feeling that he had earlier returned. Something wasn't right. They had walked in and took Ultra Magnus and were leaving. The con barely put up a fight. After walking several hundred feet, his suspicion came true. Behind him the sound of several gun switching from safety to kill was heard.

" Keep going!!" The cop commed just before he turned around to face none other then the world's most annoying con.

" Starscream...." Prowl hissed, pointing his blaster at them mech. The seeker gave a loud sharp laugh that made the battle strategist audio receptors ring.

" Well well, now isn't the Puny Autobot Prowl..." the jet sneered. " Your a fool to think you'll be able to get away...alive!!!"

Although he found it hopeless, the autobot fired his gun and took off into a run.

" DRIFT!!! WE NEED A GROUND BRIDGE!!!" the mech screamed into his comm as he ran. The cop only heard some type of slur of words on the other end, and prayed silently that his scout had received his message. Behind him he could hear the cons coming, and could plainly see the shots that they fired. As he ran, he caught a glimpse of Jazz and Ultra Magnus. In front of them a ground bridge glowed brightly. Relief flooded him when he saw his team walk though.....but that wasn't the only thing that flooded through him.

Pain.

Crippling pain.

Prowl glanced down to see a large hole in his chassis, almost where his spark should be. The cop stumbled, but kept going. Another round of pain shot thorough his helm as he felt a hot blast go through his helm. Prowl gasped in pain. He was almost there. Stumbling, he reached the groundbridge. Behind him Starscream laughed wickedly. And the last thing Prowl remembered was another shot in his midsection launching him though the bridge.

~ Back at the Autobot base

Ratchet was frozen. What had just happened. He knew Prowl was going though. He saw him. But the bridge...it...it malfunctioned? This had never happened before.

As the others attended UltraMagnus Jazz returned to check on his bother.

" Yo Doc...where's Prowl?'

Ratchet's face plate was filled with dread, which spread to Jazz's own

" I-I don't know....the bridge...malfunctioned..."