"Of all the Energon deposits we have located while you were away, Lord Megatron, this one, by far, is the most significant," Starscream boasted to Megatron.

"The drones have been mining without pause during your absence," Echo said, "and have massed quite the stockpile."

"You there! Fetch me a sample," Starscream said. "Starscream, now that I have returned, I shall issue the commands," Megatron said firmly.

"Of course Lord Megatron," Starscream said quickly, "then as your humble servants, shall we ready the space bridge to bring forth the Decepticon army you surely have gathered during your three years in space?"

"My army will come," Megatron said, "my time away has yielded a more... intriguing means of materializing them." He pulled out a bright purple shard, "the solidified form of the matter the Ancient Texts refer to as the Blood of Unicron."

"Unicron the Destroyer?" Echo said, surprised. "But it is said that his blood is the anti-spark," Starscream said.

"Plucked from Cosmic Shores. Gaze upon Dark energon," Megatron said.

"Legend tells that it holds the power to... revive the dead," Echo said with a frown. "We require a cadaver to be certain," Megatron said and he turned to Starscream and Echo, "are you willing to make the ultimate sacrifice?"

"Eheh, that won't be necessary, my liege," Starscream said quickly while Echo shook her helm. "If I may, Lord Megatron," Starscream said. He gestured to the body of Cliffjumper as Decepticon drones brought it over on an electronic stretcher.

"Consider it a welcome home present," Starscream said.

◊◊◊◊

"And since you know of our existence, I fear that as of last night, the Decepticons know of yours," Optimus said.

"Got it. We see any strange vehicles, call 9-1-1," Jack said, "can we go now?" "It's not that simple Jack," Paige said quietly.

"Are you insane?" Miko hissed at Jack, "I'm living a dream here in Botswana! And I will not allow you or anyone else to shatter it."

"It is best that you four remain under our watch," Optimus said, much to Miko's excitement and Jack's dismay, "until we can learn more of our enemies' intentions."

"Optimus, with all due respect, the human children are in as much danger here as anywhere," Ratchet said.

"Children?" Jack repeated, offended as Miko, Raf and Paige gave Ratchet offended looks.

"They have no protective shell," Ratchet went on, "if they go underfoot, they will go... squish." He stomped his pede forward to prove a point and the action made Jack and Raf flinch back. Paige chuckled softly.

"Then for the time being, Ratchet, we must watch where we step," Optimus said. Ratchet looked at Paige, "and what is so funny?"

"You wouldn't step on us," Paige said, pointing at the medic, "you're too grouchy to do so." "Excuse me!?" Ratchet exclaimed, making Miko and Raf laugh at the look on the medic's faceplates.

Their laughter was cut short by a loud beeping noise. "What's that?" Jack asked.

"Proximity sensor," Bumblebee said. "Proximity sensor," Raf said, "someone's up top."

Ratchet went to see who it was. "It's Agent Fowler," he said as he saw the helicopter on the roof. Paige looked to Optimus confused, "I thought we were the only humans who knew about you guys."

"Special Agent Fowler is our designated liaison to the outside world," Optimus said, "as he tends to visit when there are... issues. It may be best if you do not meet with him at this time."

Raf and Miko ran to a hiding spot with Jack and Paige following. The elevator opened as Agent Fowler stormed out of it, looking rather peeved. "7 wrecks, 34 fender-benders, a 3-hour traffic jam! And a particular note: numerous reports of a speeding motorcycle of unknown make and a custom black and yellow muscle car!"

Arcee and Bumblebee looked at each other. Paige peeked around the corner before she quickly pulled back, nearly bumping into Jack.

"So anything you'd like to get off your tin chest, Prime?" Agent Fowler demanded. "We have the situation under control, Agent Fowler." Optimus said calmly.

"They're back, aren't they?" Fowler asked. "If you are referring to the Decepticons, we doubt they ever left," Primrose said, "your planet is much too valuable."

"Then it's time to wake up the Pentagon," Fowler said. "Hear me, Agent Fowler," Optimus said sternly, "we are your best- possibly, your only- defense against the Decepticon threat."

"Says you," Fowler huffed. "Hey squishy!" Bulkhead snapped, "did anyone get splattered on that freeway? Team Prime knows when to use force." The Wrecker grabbed a tool and with that, he crushed it, "and how much to use."

"Bulkhead, I needed that!" Ratchet said angrily. "Enough," Optimus said firmly before he looked back at Agent Fowler, "military involvement will only result in catastrophe. Perhaps you can condone widespread human casualties, Agent Fowler. I, however, cannot."

"Then do us both a favor, Prime, and handle this under the radar or I will," Agent Fowler said as he walked back into the elevator and it closed behind him. "Pretty big bearings for a human," Bulkhead huffed.

"Agent Fowler is concerned for his world, Bulkhead," Firestorm said, "as he should be."

◊◊◊◊

"Let us see if the power born from darkness can ignite the spark," Megatron said before he slammed the dark energon shard into Cliffjumper's chestplates.

The red Autobot started to shake as his body started to glow bright purple. When he opened his optics, they weren't sky blue anymore. They were a light amethyst purple and the undead Autobot let out a strangled growl.

He struggled to get free of the metallic straps that were holding him down. The Vehicons nearby aimed their blasters at the undead Autobot when he broke free of his bonds and ran at one of the nearby troops.

He tackled one and started to beat it without mercy.

"Master! That's your plan? Bring Autobots back from the dead to attack us!?" Starscream gasped. "That is no longer an Autobot," Megatron said, "just a mindless beast. It's only instinct is to destroy anything in its path."

The undead Cliffjumper roared and charged at Megatron. Starscream ran to get out of the way as Echo stayed put.

Megatron unsheathed his sword and in mere seconds, he sliced the undead Autobot in half. The Autobot staggered forward before it fell into two pieces and into the mine below.

"There, Starscream, lies the indestructible seed for my army. The ultimate weapon," Megatron said. The upper half of Cliffjumper was clinging to the edge before Megatron kicked it away, sending it falling down onto a lower platform. "Once I learn to control it," he said.

Echo stared down at the platform below with fear and disdain while Starscream smirked.

◊◊◊◊

At the Autobot base, the monitors started to go off. "Blasted earth tech!" Ratchet snapped at the air, "Cliffjumper's life signal popped back online!"

"Who's Cliffjumper?" Miko asked. "How is that possible?" Firestorm asked, shocked.

"It isn't. Another bug; the system's full of them," Ratchet said. "If there's any chance that Cliff's alive," Arcee said, looking to Optimus hopefully.

"Ratchet, prepare sickbay," Optimus said, "we may need it." "Hey!" Miko called out, and the Prime looked back at her.

"What can we do?" She asked eagerly. "Remain with Ratchet," the Prime said.

"Aw," Miko groaned in disappointment, as did Ratchet. The ground bridge opened. "Autobots, roll out," Optimus said as he and the others transformed into their vehicle forms and drove through the bridge. "Be careful," Paige said to herself as she leaned on the railing.

"What just happened?" Jack asked, shocked. "I transported them to the designated coordinates via the ground bridge," Ratchet said.

"What's a ground bridge?" Raf asked, earning a heavy, irritated sigh from the medic.

"A scaled down version of space bridge technology," Ratchet said. "You're stuck here," Jack said, "on Earth."

"With the likes of you, yes," Ratchet said, "but I constructed the ground bridge to enable travel from here to anywhere on your planet."

"Whoa. Does it work for humans?" Raf asked. "Naturally," Ratchet said, rather proudly.

"You mean I could just shoot on over there and visit my parents in Tokyo?" Miko asked the medic. "Within moments," Ratchet said, "in fact, allow me to send you there immediately. All four of you."

"Watch it Ratchet," Miko said sassily. "Sorry we don't fit your standards to the point where we're not like you," Paige said as she looked away. Ratchet frowned, "I never said that."

"You don't need to say it. Your tone shows it," Paige said bitterly. Ignoring the pang of hurt in his spark, Ratchet sighed deeply and he turned back to the monitors.

◊◊◊◊

The ground bridge opened in the Decepticon mine. The Autobots walked out of it. "Energon mine," Bulkhead observed.

"Judging by its scale," Firestorm said, "the Decepticons have been tunneling here for some time." The Autobots hid behind some rocks. The drones continued to mine the energon, not knowing that the Autobots were there.

"Let's find Cliffjumper," Optimus said and the Autobots approached the Decepticon drones. As soon as they did, the drones saw them and started to fire. A drone came towards them with a drill but Bulkhead smashed it.

Arcee and Primrose shot at the drones.

◊◊◊◊

"What is this anyway?" Miko asked as she went to touch a piece of machinery. "Broken. Don't touch," Ratchet said. Miko reached to touch another piece until Ratchet said, "don't touch that either."

"Is there anything we can touch?" Jack asked. Ratchet looked at him before a sound came from the screen. Ratchet looked to see alerts coming up on the screen. "How come you guys are using human computers?" Raf asked.

"It certainly isn't by choice," Ratchet huffed, "it was handed down from previous tenants when we inherited this former missile silo. I make modifications as I see fit." He let out an irritated sigh when more alerts popped up on the screen.

"I think I can fix that," Raf said as he went to pick up his backpack. "Really?" Ratchet scoffed, "you know this is complex technology, don't you? I mean it isn't a child's toy."

"Now try," Raf said once he finished typing into the system. Ratchet looked at the screen as the alerts disappeared in a flash. He looked back at Raf, surprised.

◊◊◊◊

At the Decepticon mine, the Autobots had fought a few more drones before they all transformed into their vehicle forms and drove through the mine. "Maximum overdrive," Optimus advised. The other Autobots sped up at their leader's advice and once they got to their next destination, they transformed into their bipedal forms and hid behind some crates.

Bulkhead whistled in admiration, "quite the operation." Unfortunately, the drones heard him and started to fire at the Autobots.

"You just had to whistle!" Firestorm said to Bulkhead as he fired back at the drones.

◊◊◊◊

"Blood of Unicron, how might I fathom of the depths of your mystery? Become worthy of wielding your astonishing power?" Megatron said to himself as he stood in front of a glass tank that had the dark energon inside.

"Lord Megatron, the Autobots have been detected in the mines," Starscream said as he appeared on a small screen. "Optimus?" Megatron said.

"Indeed," the Seeker nodded. "I need more time to prepare an appropriate reception for my old friend. Ready the ship for departure," Megatron said.

"But the energon I've mined- the Autobots will seize it!" Starscream exclaimed. "Then blow the mines," Megatron snapped.

◊◊◊◊

The Autobots shot at the drones. Something caught Arcee's optic and she looked closer. She saw Cliff's body. "It's Cliff! I have a visual," she said.

"We'll cover you," Primrose said, "go!" Arcee vaulted herself over the boxes she had been using for cover and transformed, racing up a ramp and launching herself high into the ring supports of the lift. She grabbed a beam and landed the ring attached to it. She ran around the ring and launched herself off a different beam, grabbing a thinner ring and swinging herself on top of it. She jumped off that ring onto the lower lip of the platform Cliffjumper was on. She pulled herself over the edge of the platform to him.

Acree gasped at Cliff's half-bodied form leaking energon. She shielded herself from incoming blasts from two drones on a higher platform. The section of platform Cliffjumper was on started to fall. "Cliff!" She yelled. She jumped to his falling body and caught his servo. She pulled him partly up, struggling from the bad leverage, his weight, and the fact that the Cons were still shooting at her.

Optimus and Primrose fired on them and took them out. Arcee shielded her face from some falling rocks. She then looked down at Cliffjumper. "Let's get you home partner." She said but to her shock, when Cliff looked up at her, he started growling at her. Arcee recoiled and he struggled against her, ending up tearing her grip from his servo. She continued reaching for him as he fell down the shaft.

"No!" Primrose shouted. Optimus looked to Arcee who let out a breath of defeat. A laugh got their attention. It was Starscream.

"Prime!" He snapped, "I'd stick around but I'm squeamish." With that, the Seeker dropped an explosive charge at the bottom of the mine before he leapt off the platform, transformed into his aerial form and took off.

"The joint's gonna blow!" Bulkhead shouted. "Autobots, roll out!" Optimus ordered.

Arcee jumped down from the platform as she and the others transformed into their vehicle forms and sped down the mine just as the bomb went off and it exploded, igniting the energon around it and sending a fireball many hundreds of feet in the air over the mine shaft. The explosion was gaining on the Autobots fast.

"Ratchet, bridge us back! Use the arrival coordinates now!" Optimus ordered. The ground bridge opened in front of them. Each Autobot drove into the bridge and into the base. Optimus drove into the base just before the bridge closed, the Prim transforming into his bipedal form and he stopped himself from skidding into the others.

"Whoa," Jack, Miko, Raf and Paige gasped in astonishment. "Cutting it a bit close," Ratchet said, "how about Cliffjumper?"

The Autobots looked away. Miko ran over to the railing, "what was that explosion? Was there a fight? Can I come with next time!?"

"Miko!" Paige hissed. Arcee gave a low growl, "look." "H-hey," Jack said quickly, nervously as he placed his hand on Miko's shoulder, "Miko, let's go see what the Bots hide in their sock drawers."

"Seriously?" Miko asked, raising an eyebrow as she and the boy walked away from the railing.

"Arcee, what did you see?" Optimus asked. Arcee wrapped her arms around herself as she looked away.

"Not Cliff," she said, "at least... not anymore. He was mutated- butchered. S-something from those Con experiments during War." Her optics nearly rolled to the back of her helm and she fell back, leaning on a nearby crate for support.

"Are you okay?" Bumblebee asked, worriedly as he came over to her. "I'm fine, just... dizzy," Arcee said.

"Robots who get dizzy?" Miko said. "Robots with emotions," Raf said. "Robots... who can die," Paige said.

Arcee sat on the crate as Ratchet scanned her. The scan turned red before the medic saw something. "What is this?" He asked as he saw purple substance on Arcee's servo.

"Don't know," Arcee said wearily, "Cliff was covered in it. Leaking it." Ratchet lightly scraped the substance off of Arcee's servo, "go take a decontamination bath. Now."

Firestorm helped Arcee up and the two went over to the decontamination showers.

"Optimus, I hate to interrupt but... no bars," Jack said, holding his phone.

"A security precaution," Optimus said, "the silo walls isolate all radio waves."

"Well if I don't call my mom, like now, I'm pretty sure the cops are going to be out looking for me," Jack said. "Have you broken a law?" Optimus asked.

"It's curfew Optimus," Paige said with a small smile, "it's after 10:00 P.M. and my parents will be worried."

"I better get home too," Raf sighed, "or I'll be grounded for a year." "Earth customs," Optimus said, "I hadn't considered. But the issue of your safety remains." He looked to Bulkhead, "Bulkhead, accompany Miko home."

"Awesome! My host parents will freak!" Miko said excitedly. "And maintain covert surveillance in vehicle form," Optimus said.

"Curbside duty," Bulkhead chuckled, "got it." This earned a groan of disappointment from Miko.

"Bumblebee, you'll watch over Raf," Optimus said. Bumblebee looked to Raf who smiled at him.

Optimus turned to Ratchet, "Ratchet-" "Busy," the medic said, his back to the others. Arcee walked out of the decontamination shower.

"Arcee, you'll accompany Jack," Optimus said. Jack tensed up a little.

Arcee sighed, "still dizzy." Paige giggled, earning a smile from Arcee.

"You're fine, says your physician," Ratchet said. Arcee let out a heavy sigh. Optimus looked to Paige, "Paige, I will accompany you home."

Paige looked up at Optimus and gave a small nod. She fiddled with diamond-shaped necklace that had a red ruby inside of it. The Prime transformed into his vehicle form and she walked over to him. When she climbed into the passenger side of his vehicle form, she closed the door and he drove out of the base and into the streets of Jasper, Nevada.

◊◊◊◊

"Arcee, I'm really sorry for your loss," Jack started tentatively.

"What could you possibly know about loss?" Arcee asked coldly.

"What? You think you're the only one with problems?" Jack retorted, which caused Arcee to transform and to glare at Jack very hard.

"I'm not sure girl trouble counts," Arcee shot back dangerously.

"I'm pretty sure my girl troubles started the night I met you!" Jack scoffed before they saw another car roll up onto the driveway.

"'Cons!" Arcee gasped as she activated her blasters.

"No! Mum!" Jack corrected as he ran out to stall her for as long as he could. Arcee blinked before she transformed back into her vehicle form.

"Jack?" June Darby said as she climbed out of the car.

"Mum! Don't freak! I can explain!" Jack promised his mother.

"Can you?" June asked before approaching the motorcycle, "Jackson Darby, we talked about this." "I know. And-."

"You don't know!" June cut her son off, "I worry about you enough when you're not here. Now I have to worry about you driving a motorcycle?"

"I'm 16! I can't be driving a ten-speed forever!" Jack retorted. "How did you afford this?" June demanded.

"It's used," Jack said, "it's abused, really. Needs a ton of repairs, but the point is I may have been a kid when I bought this, but I'm not anymore. You always tell me to make responsible choices. Well I chose her. And I'll be responsible! I promise."

"Her?" June asked with a slight smile, "I didn't think you'd be bringing girls home just yet." "I'd like to think she brought me," Jack said with a sheepish smile.

"Well I'm glad you finally have a reason to wear your helmet every single time you ride," June said with a soft sigh, "you will take me for a spin every once in a while?"

"We'll see," Jack said as he and his mom went into the house, "she's kinda temperamental."

◊◊◊◊

"Optimus," Paige said as she walked over to the Peterbilt, "you up?"

"I am awake," the Prime said, "is something wrong?" "No," Paige said, "I just can't sleep." She climbed into the Prime's vehicle form and leaned back against the seat.

"My parents are sleep," she said. "I see," Optimus hummed. The silence returned for a few moments.

"I'm sorry about Cliffjumper," Paige said, gripping the hems of her sweater sleeves, "I know- I feel like he and Arcee were partners- they were more than that. And to have that taken away from her... she's hurting." "Paige," Optimus said softly and he was alerted by the soft cries and whimpers.

She was crying. Paige was crying. Guilt and worry filled Optimus' spark. "You're all going through this war... all this pain," Paige whimpered, "I'm sorry I can't do anything. I'm sorry I'm so useless... I'm sorry I'm a nobody-"

"Stop that," Optimus said firmly, "you are not useless. You are not nothing. You are more than that. You are something more. You are strong just like the other children. I know it."

Paige looked at Optimus' steering wheel and she felt the Prime's seatbelt tighten a little in the form of a hug. Paige smiled weakly and she slowly fell asleep to the Prime's warmth.

◊◊◊◊

At the Darby residence, Arcee was revving her engine loudly. Jack opened the door, "shh! Are you crazy? You'll wake my mom!"

"Grab your helmet. It's go time," Arcee said. Jack groaned, "it's Saturday."

"You can watch cartoons back at base with Bumblebee and Primrose," Arcee said.

"Cartoons? I'm sixteen," Jack said with a tired frown. "And Paige is older than you," Arcee said, "leave a note for your mom. She worries."

"You think I don't know that?" Jack asked as he went back inside.

◊◊◊◊

Megatron was still standing before the Dark Energon, studying it, when Starscream entered the room. "I don't think you need worry about further Autobot interference, Master. Not with Optimus gone." Starscream reported arrogantly.

"And what evidence do you possess of this fact?" Megatron challenged.

"I destroyed the mine. As you instructed." Starscream reminded Megatron, who turned and didn't look convinced.

"Optimus is not so easily destroyed." The Decepticon leader stated. "We have millennia worth of battles behind us to prove it." He turned back to studying the Dark Energon.

"Maybe you should take a break, My Lord." Starscream advised. "I worry that too much contact with the Dark Energon might allow its properties to... adversely affect you."

"Or perhaps, Starscream, I have not permitted myself contact enough!" Megatron said before he ripped a shard from the large cluster of Dark Energon and held it up.

"Wait! Lord Megatron, no! Not your spark chamber! You do not know what it will do!" Starscream protested as he realized what his master was planning to do with the shard.

Megatron took no heed of Starscream's warning and stabbed himself directly in the spark chamber. He hunched over in pain, then straitened as a type of seizure overtook him. He screamed as his energon was transformed into Dark Energon and his eyes turned purple.

◊◊◊◊

Ratchet was analyzing the components of the purple substance he had scraped off of Arcee when it began having an ill effect on the femme. It confounded him. Not in all his years as a medic had he seen anything like this. He couldn't even recognize what it was.

"Hmm...the base elements of this...goo are like nothing I've ever encountered." He said to himself as he went over the data his computers had managed to provide. "It must be extremely concentrated to have affected Arcee so rapidly. Unfortunately, complete results are slow-coming without the use of proper diagnostic tools. Thank you very much, Bulkhead." Ratchet rambled as he removed the slide from the hard-drive.

As he did, he unknowingly spilt some of the substance onto the diagnostic tool that Bulkhead broke when Agent Fowler was there. It seeped its way into the very wiring of the machinery and glowed a bright purple for a brief moment before moaning and groaning and standing on its newly acquired legs. But Ratchet didn't notice. With its only instinct to destroy everything in its path, the revived machinery approached the nearest object to destroy.