Pain... just pain... that's all I feel...

...

I... have... to start... the clock...

...

Keep... them alive....

...

I'm... alone.... I'm sorry.... I tried to... hold on....

~~~~~~

Optimus kept his optic on the Cybertronian before him. He narrowed his optics and carefully got up, never looking away or moving his cannon away from the mech. He walked over to Sideswipe and held his other servo out to him. The speedster took it and with one swift movement he was on his peds again and no longer in the wires. The Prime still hadn't looked away from their captor. Sideswipe quickly left the room and grabbed the cuffs. He paused as he looked at the sparkling in the strange machine on the far wall. A panel slowly closing over her. He frowned and ran back to Optimus before cuffing the strange mechs servos together.

"Stay with him." Optimus said seriously and the speedster nodded before taking his position by the villain. The Prime glanced around the room and noticed Megatron and another room that held other Cybertronians. There was a third room with more and he frowned deeply. He went to the main room and blinked in surprise before going to one of the berths.

"Bumblebee..." he whispered as he looked at him and noticed the machine he was connected to was active. He glanced around and his optics widened. "Ultra Magnus... Arcee... Bulkhead... Wheeljack..." he muttered. "Smokescreen... Ratchet..." he said and set his servo by the doctors helm. He narrowed his optics and looked to the other room.

"Free them without harming their processors." He said seriously and the mech glared.

"They're preparing for the next game. Now that I can start it up again." He smirked and the Prime aimed his cannon at him.

"Uh... Optimus Prime... uh... sir... I can get someone down here to work on the computer." Sideswipe offered as the leader glared darkly at the mad mech.

"I suggest you do so immediately." The Prime said without looking at him. The speedster blinked then quickly walked off. He cleared his throat as he called his headquarters.

"Uh Fixit, can you get down here like right now?" He asked as he glanced back towards the others.

"Tell- Fell- Well look who it is." The mini bot said in irritation. "You don't call when I'm trying to contact you and don't pick up at all. Leaving me to worry about you and Strongarm. But when you need me yesterday, you demand that I come right how- cow- now!" He said angrily. "Well not this time sister- sitter- mister! I'm done with all your cr-"

"Dude, I'm sorry or whatever but seriously, get down here. Optimus Prime himself is demanding your expertise." He said seriously. There was silence for a few minutes.

"I'll be there yesterday." He said pleasantly and hung up. Sideswipe sighed and rubbed his face-plate in irritation.

"He's awful to work with." He grumbled and went back to the other two. Optimus hadn't moved from his spot, neither had the other mech. They just stared at each other intently as if they were both statues. Sideswipe felt unnerved at this and sighed in relief when Fixit came in. Sideswipe went to introduce him to the Prime.

"Fixit, this is-"

"I apologize. But we don't have time for introductions at the moment." Optimus said seriously. "I need you to safely free all the captives without causing any processor damage." He said. The mini bot nodded and wheeled off to get straight to work. Sideswipe left the room where the Prime was and folded his arms angrily.

"Well that was rude." He huffed angrily and glared at the floor. He wanted to help but in his own way. Fixit called him over as he worked on freeing Bumblebee first, knowing he would be able to help the Prime. Sideswipe reluctantly helped and soon they had the scout free. The bot groaned and rubbed his helm as he sat up. He looked at them and furrowed his brow a little before seeing Optimus.

"Free the others." He said and went to the Prime as he activated his cannons. He didn't say anything to the leader as he helped keep the mech in place. Optimus glanced to the bots as Fixit worked hard on waking them up. 

Soon that area of Cybertronians were awake or coming to, which consisted of Grimlock, Ultra Magnus, Strongarm, Smokescreen, Bulkhead, Arcee, Wheeljack and Ratchet. The medic wasn't waking up, the others went to aid the computer shut down and help Optimus. The leader frowned deeply and went to his friend then looked him over. He saw that his systems were trying to come online. He furrowed his optic ridges and looked to those that weren't currently occupied.

"There is another room of Cybertronians that need to be awakened." He said seriously and looked at them. He went to the medic as he started to wake. The others went to the second room and stopped as they saw the room of cons.

"It's alright Old Friend." The Prime said as the medic slowly opened his optics. The doctor stared at him and grunted a little.

"Optimus?" he asked in slight surprise then glanced around the room. "I... wait... you're dead...." he whispered and furrowed his optic ridges. The leader carefully helped him up and the medic looked around a little in confusion.

"I will explain things when I am able to. But first we need to take care of this situation." he explained and helped him stand.

"Understood." Ratchet grunted and went to help disable the computers safely, in case others were in danger. They didn't know what all this Cybertronian did to them. Ratchet left Fixit to finish and started monitoring the other, making sure everything was alright with them.

"Optimus... they're all Decepticons..." Arcee said as she walked out of the other room, and he glanced to them before looking back to the captive.

"Despite our past feelings towards these fellow Cybertronians, we must do the right thing and help them out of this situation." He said seriously. The others nodded slowly and got to work. They kept the cons in stasis, letting them wake up when they needed to. Optimus watched as a few of the bots kept an optic on them. He turned to the mech in charge and watched him as the team scanned the area for other prisoners. He glanced over to some of the others.

"Megatron will need to be awakened as well." he said seriously and they stopped in their tracks and looked at him. Not liking the idea but not saying anything.

"Okay now I know you've completely lost it." Sideswipe frowned as he looked to the leader of the Autobots. Everyone stopped and all optics turned to the rookie, who knew he messed up. Ultra Magnus stood up straight and walked over to him.

"Optimus Prime gave an order to free all the Cybertronians in this facility." he said seriously and the speedster felt small with the bot towering over him. "Even if you don't agree with his commands, you will do them. Is that understood, soldier?" he asked, though it was more of a statement and left no room to argue. Sideswipe simply nodded a little. "I expect a verbal answer, soldier." he said coldly.

"Yes sir." he muttered and did his best not to step back. The commander studied him before going to do as the Prime instructed. Sideswipe sighed and glanced to Wheeljack as if asking how he put up with him. The wrecker smirked and shrugged.

"We don't get along but we do respect each other. One thing we both agree on..." he said and walked over then furrowed his optic ridges. "Anything Optimus says, is set in stone." he muttered and walked off to work again. Smokescreen chuckled as he watched the rookie. But didn't say anything. 

They continued to work and Ratchet was back at the computers before he noticed the core of the system. It seemed to have a cover panel that was slightly loose. He frowned and worked on it before opening it to see the inside. 

"By the All Spark." he gasped and stepped back as he dropped the panel. Inside the core of the computer was a sparkling. She was in stasis and her helm was open as wires went in and out, connecting to the massive machine. Wires connected to her arms, legs and body to also keep her in place and work the computer. The others stared in shock at their small friend as the medic slowly looked to the mech who did this. Horror and pain showed on the doctors face-plate.

"You monster." he whispered, feeling as if his voice was barely there. He had cared for the sparkling for many years on earth. He cared for her when they helped her out of the relic and gave her a second chance. He stepped away from the computer and towards the mad mech. "You monster!" he roared as he activated his blades and charged him.