[Quick word here. I have a bit of a different look on our little surprize. Sorry if that messes with anyone... just my take on it.

Ok sorry, back to the story!]

The dusty interior was as old and rundown as the outside, with abandoned, rusted equipment to match. Crosshairs signaled Smokescreen to search the left side of the barn, and he took the right.

Smokescreen's glowing eyes were alert, he kept his wrist cannons out and ready, just in case. He sidestepped a rotted old saddle and some other pieces of tack, examining every dark shadow for movement. He poked his head around a stall door, examined the dark interior, then continued down the line. That's when he noticed a faint, pulsing light coming from around the corner a few yards away.

Smokescreen stepped toward the light, holding his cannons at the ready. He rounded a shattered corner of the barn's wall. He nervously glanced around for the source of the light. He spotted a small metal cylinder, around the size of a soda can, lying in a pile of burned hay. He stepped closer, the small cylinder pulsed bright blue, and let off a short burst of light. He picked it up gently and raised a hand to his ear, he pressed a button on his metal facepiece.

"Hey Hairs.... I found something." He said.

"On my way." Crosshairs radioed back.

Smokescreen turned the cylinder, Slow and gentle, just in case it was breakable or a potential bomb... but then why would Lockdown be sent after a bomb?

Maybe it was a very important bomb.

Crosshairs arrived, his eyes glowing in the dim-lit barn.

"Take a look at this." Smokescreen said, he held out the cylinder for Hairs to see.

Crosshairs looked at the pulsing cylinder, his mouth dropped slightly in surprise. He examined it a moment with intense interest.

"I-it's a... Spark!" He whispered.

Screen blinked in disbelief as Crosshairs passed the container gently back to Smokescreen.

"A Spark? But.... How? Sparks can't be separated from a body."

Crosshairs shook his head.

"They can if it is a pre-birthed Sparkling. Usually they are only separated if there are complications with the mother."

As if on queue, a small compartment slid open with a note inside. Crosshairs pulled the note out and read it, his face showed worry as he passed it to Screen. Smokescreen took the note, he opened it to find a short phrase inside.

No longer safe, please protect from Megatron.

The small canister vibrated and nearly jumped out of Smokescreen's hand. He steadied it, but noticed a small crack down the side.

"Hairs what.....?"He said.

Crosshairs took a look at the cylinder and shook his head. He somersaulted into the air. He slipped a pack off of his back and threw it towards the ground. The metal, green and black pack split and expanded, transforming into a 2015 model Corvette Stingray. He landed into the driver's seat as the roof materialized and hit the gas pedal. The car revved in response.

"Hurry, let's get it to base.... Ratch will know what to do. I'll call Sideswipe to come take out the trash." He said, he smoked the wheels out and zoomed away towards the base.

Smokescreen nodded, he held up the cylinder.

"Don't worry little buddy, you're going to be safe with us." He said. He slipped the cylinder into a compartment in his side armor, detached his own pack and activated it. The pack transformed into a white, red, and blue Ferrari Italia Spider. He hit the gas and roared into the night after Crosshairs.

                                                               <*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

A mysterious black falcon circled over Lockdown's unconscious body; he screeched and landed beside him. Lockdown's eyes flitted open. He wondered why he was laying flat on the ground, then he remembered his encounter with the Autobots. He moaned at the pain in his head. He turned towards the bird and noticed a trim of purple feathers along its wings and chest.

"Laserbeak?" He croaked. The falcon squawked in response.

A black and purple jet soared in, collapsing midair into a trans-pack; the pilot grabbed the pack in midair, flipped, and landed in a perfect three-point landing on the rough Nevada terrain. His purple and black cape drifted behind him as he neared. He tilted his masked face down towards the falcon, his hood shading the smooth screen in eerie shadows. He kneeled and reached a hand out toward the bird, who hopped onto the man's armored gauntlet. He settled the falcon on his well armored shoulder and turned to Lockdown.

"Fancy meeting you here Soundwave." Lockdown groaned. He tried to rise from the ground, but growled finding his hands cuffed behind his back.

Soundwave tilted his head towards Lockdown. He pressed a small button on his forearm. A growling voice echoed from a concealed speaker.

"Did you succeed?"

Megatron. Lockdown realized.

The bounty hunter cleared his throat; he glanced at the silent Decepticon beside him before answering his employer.

"N-No sir..."

"WHAT!" The gladiator yelled. "YOU LET IT GO!?"

Lockdown could hear crashing and scraping from the speakers, and furious yelling. Soundwave tensed, he turned away and shook his helmeted head. Lockdown gulped.

"Autobots showed up before I could retrieve the item.... I was disabled."

"If I see you any time soon you can be sure you'll be worse off than 'disabled'!" The Decepticon leader growled. "Forget your pay! I'll need a better skilled tracker than you now. "

Lockdown glanced at Soundwave, his red eyes full of fear. The silent Decepticon shook his head. He pressed two fingers to the end of his mask... like sharp teeth, then he pointed to his falcon's extended wings. Lockdown frowned; he mentally tried to piece together what Soundwave was trying to communicate.

Wings? Sharp teeth.... A bat?

Lockdown suddenly realized what the silent Decepticon was trying to say. His face changed to a sly smile.

No.... a Predacon.

"Sir.... What about the hunter?" He asked Megatron. Soundwave gave a small nod.

The speakers went silent.

"The hunter.... Yes..." Lockdown could hear the smile in Megatron's voice. "I'll see if he can find it... maybe he won't let it slip through his fingers, like you. Your incompetence is punishable. Soundwave.... Return to me."

The line went dead. Soundwave stood he turned to leave. He took a few steps then stopped, tilting his head towards the main highway, his falcon squawked. Lockdown heard the squeal of tires on pavement. He turned to Soundwave.

"Get me free, hurry!" He said in an urgent tone.

Soundwave shook his head. He pressed a button on his arm, Megatron's voice repeated itself.

"Soundwave.... Return to me."

"I know he needs you, but you can't get me free first?"

Soundwave shook his head. He pressed the button again.

"Your incompetence is punishable."

Lockdown's eyes widened.

"You're just leaving me here for scrap?!" He said.

The silent Decepticon stared at the bounty hunter with his eerie blank mask. He turned his back and threw his pack into the air. It transformed back into the black and purple jet. He grabbed the wing and swung inside. He fired up the jets and flew off into the dark night sky.