Bumblebee looks around the nearly empty energon cave he found when he was checking on Decepticon activity in Russia.
'There is still some left. I should bring the last of the scraps back for the team.' Bumblebee happily thought.
As soon as he gathered some, he was about to call for Ratchet to send him a groundbridge until he heard a yell.
"Well well if it isn't the little bug of Team Prime" Bee turned around to see the Starscream and Soundwave standing at the entrance of the cave.
'Scrap, they're standing at my only exit' Bee thought nervously. Starscream he could easily beat but Soundwave? That's a death wish for the scout.
"Ratchet! Bridge me back to base!" Bumblebee's worried clicks and buzzes were no use. Then Bumblebee hears Starscream's evil chuckle.
"No use calling for your friends dear Bumblebee. Soundwave here is ensuring that you can't contact any of them"
"Dammit" Bumblebee swears under his vents, knowing now he has to fight his way out on his own.
Starscream then lifts up his missiles and aims them at Bumblebee and Bumblebee pointed his blaster at Starscream in return. There was tension filling the air, but neither of them shot. Starscream suddenly pointed his missile at the top of the cave and shot his missiles. Bumblebee didn't have time to react as the top of the cave collapsed on him.
Starscream and Soundwave moved out of the way of the collapse and waited. When they heard the collapsing come to a stop they went back in the cave. They found a huge pile of rocks where they were previously standing. Starscream and Soundwave walked over the pile of the collapse to Bumblebee's last position. Soundwave quickly digs through with his long tentacle like wires.
He eventually finds Bumblebee, but Bumblebee was in horrible shape; he had a pinnacle stabbed through his left arm, his plating was dented, energon was leaking all over his body. Soundwave looked from the injured Autobot and slowly looked to Starscream while Starscream looked back at Soundwave.
"Was that too much?"
Soundwave didn't respond and walked over to Bumblebee, lifted him over his shoulder and walked past Starscream.
"Megatron just said to keep him alive. He didn't say anything about keeping the autobot unharmed" Starscream said as he caught up with Soundwave. Then they entered a groundbridge that Soundwave created right in front of them.
Autobot Base - 5 hours later
"When is Bee coming back?" Raf asked Ratchet who was working on the monitors as usual.
"Hmm...he should have been back by now," Ratchet responded, now noticing the young scout "He just went on an energon run. I'll look for his signal"
Raf heard Ratchet mumble under his breath about Bumblebee and his tendency to have long daydreams before coming back to base. Raf chuckles as he turns to look at Miko and Jack. They were both doing homework, for once, while eating burgers Jack brought from his workplace. Raf was already done with his work so he wanted to race with Bee for a bit, only to find him the only one missing from the base.
"What?"
Raf looks back at a confused Ratchet.
"What's wrong Ratchet?" Raf questions. Ratchet types on the monitors again before responding to Raf's question.
"Bumblebee's signal is...gone"
This caught everyone's attention quickly. There was silence for a few seconds before Ratchet was bombarded with questions.
"What do you mean Bee is gone?!" Raf
"Are you sure? You're pretty old Ratchet, maybe your eyes can't see very well. Let me take a look" Miko
"Where would he be? Did you check everywhere?" Bulkhead
"Did he run in with 'cons?" Arcee
"That can't be right...right?" Smokescreen
The commotion died down when Optimus help up his hand. He walked over to Ratchet and took a look at the monitors as well.
"Ratchet is right...Bumblebee is nowhere to be seen on the map. We will try to find him around his last known coordinates. Arcee, bring Jack back home, while Bulkhead with bring back Miko and Raf."
Everyone was about to do what they were told before Raf spoke up.
"No! If Bee is in trouble or… well. I want to help too!" He looked like he was about to burst into tears. Jack and Miko walk over to his side to silently comfort him. The atmosphere has been tense lately with Starscream breaking in and stealing all the Omega keys. He probably went to beg Megatron and made sure he wasn't scrapped without having a bargaining tool with him.
"Rafael, I understand you are concerned for Bumblebee's well-being, but I can't have you in danger of the Decepticons. Any of you," Optimus says firmly, looking at the two other humans in the base. "They have proven themselves dangerous once more. I promise as a guardian to protect your lives and I will do so."
"Yeah. Don't worry Raf. Bee will be ok! The Bots have been through many situations before, this wouldn't be much different" Miko reassures.
"The Bots have always been there for each other. They'll find Bee" Jack said with a small smile.
Raf sniffled and gave a shaky smile back. He wanted to believe his friends, but for some reason this felt different. But, he should stay strong.
"Thanks guys...please find Bee. He's really important to me...all of you are."
Solemn silence took over the base before Optimus stood up and Arcee and Bulkhead walked over to the kids.
"C'mon Jack. I'm sure your mom would appreciate it if you came home early for once."
"Pack up your things guys, you should rest at home"
The kids packed up what they had and went into Arcee and Bulkhead's vehicle mode to go home. Once Ratchet sent the two escorts out, the groundbridge closed and opened to Bumblebee's last coordinates.
"Smokescreen, you're with me. Ratchet, send Arcee and Bulkhead to us when they come back." Optimus ordered.
"Of course," Ratchet said. As Optimus and Smokescreen, Ratchet called out "Optimus?"
"Yes, old friend"
"Try and find the kid. He couldn't have disappeared like that...not unless he…"
"I, too, am worried. However, Bumblebee is strong. I believe in his strength."
Ratchet just nodded and waved at Optimus to go. Everyone was worried about the poor scout and especially at a time like this will get everyone's engines running with adrenaline.
Smokescreen and Optimus exit into the groundbridge to find out what happened to their friend.
Nemesis - 2 hours after Bumblebee's capture
"I told you to do one thing!" Megatron bellowed at Starscream "And you nearly offlined the one I need!"
"M-Master. I did what you asked," Starscream nervously laughed "The scout is still alive...just not...functioning."
"You idiot. I need to access his memories to tell me where the Autobot base is! I need him to function for that, and I need to put an end to Optimus and his team before they find a way to get all the Omega Keys back."
"Excuse me?"
Megatron and Starscream turn to Knockout who was busy working on repairing Bumblebee's frame.
"While you two fighting is a wonderful background noise," Knockout said in his all-knowing sarcasm "I need to focus to put Bumblebee's pieces back together. Pieces you broke, Starscream"
"It's Commander, Knockout. Get that straight" Starscream hissed.
"Come now, Starscream. The doctor is right. Why don't we take this outside?" Megatron said in the overly sweet tone that doesn't sound right in his voice.
Starscream immediately stands down and shivers. He walks out of the medbay with Megatron following him.
Knockout shook his head, knowing a beating for Starscream was coming. The poor 'con steps one foot back into the high command and he is punished again. He brought it upon himself though.
Knockout gets back to work on Bumblebee and the damages. All he managed to do was patch up the open, bleeding wounds and buffed out half of the scratches and dents that littered Bee's frame. Still of lot of work to do, but Knockout is making some progress.
"Alright little Bee. Let's see what else I can do"