Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the Transformers franchise.

Chapter 27

Joan loved her boyfriend. Hell, she even liked her boss, but she'd be damned before admitting that she was remotely happy with them.

"It's not like we knew this was going to happen!" Sam hissed at Joan when she wasn't exactly happy to see them.

Not that anyone would be happy to see their "rescuers" locked and chained in the same cell that you were.

"It's the freaking Decepticons!" Joan spat back. "How did you not know?"

Sam let the argument go, knowing that she was right. After Barricade's dark warning, Sam had known something was wrong, and sure enough minutes later the guns were being turned on him.

And he, Epps, both of the Lennoxes, and Graham were all stuck in the same jail cell with a very pissed of Joan and Anna.

"What exactly did you promise Barricade, Sam?" Joan snapped.

"Coordinates to where they could find Starscream," Sam mumbled, knowing he was about to get it.

Pure horror first masked Joan's face, before it transformed into deep rage. Will eyed Joan cautiously, knowing how her temper could easily get the best of her. He was quite surprised when she leaned her head back against the wall, muttering to herself and taking several deep breaths.

"You better pray that Ceke kills you first," Joan growled at Sam, refusing to look at him.

Graham let out a large sigh. "So basically, we're screwed."

"Pretty much," Joan continued. "After all, someone locked our last hope in freaking motel closet!"

"She cheated us Jo. What did you expect us to do, let her run free?" Epps hissed back.

"No shit Sherlock! How else was she supposed to get out of here alive to find you in first place? Ask nicely?" Joan fired back. "I'm sure that would have gone over real well."

"She should have just told us the truth," Lennox snapped.

"That I don't disagree with, but it would have helped if the three of you had actually tried to use your brains! I mean think about it, does Mikaela have the balls to pull that off?"

"That's enough," Sarah Lennox softly, but sternly commanded. She sat chained right next to her husband, her daughter sleeping only a few feet down from her in between Epps and Joan.

"Mikaela should have been honest with us," Sarah started. "Epps, you were wrong to lock her into that motel, but Joan, giving us a replay isn't going to help us now. We need to concentrate on how we're going to get out of here."

"There is no way out of here," Joan answered. "Plenty of security cameras and personnel and after torture sessions most of your energy is out not to mention, not all of us are skinny enough to get through those bars."

"Some of us are," Graham noted glancing over at the slumbering Ana.

"No," Will and Sarah chorused together.

"Besides," Joan finished. "What would she do when she got out? Ask for the bathroom?"

"Someone has to have a set of keys on them in this place," Sam grumbled.

"Key pad lock on all of the doors," Joan answered. "Three on the exit, with a card scan as well."

"Just great," Sam grumbled. "So now what? We sit here and wait?"

"And pray that Mikaela is quite fortunate in the next few days and makes her way out of that motel and into Washington. If she can connect with Keller maybe she can get us out of here."

"She doesn't remember where this place is," Will sighed. "We only got it because of GPS connections and the Decepticons."

Joan sighed and gazed through the bars that confided her. The hot rage that swept through her earlier was finally cooling. After a moment, her gaze went to Epps, who was still looking away, basking in his own fury.

"Hey," she said softly. His eyes came up slowly and she was able to really look at him since he arrived in the cell.

"Well it's no wonder that you got caught," she teased softly. "You can't except to kill any Decepticons with your shoe laces untied."

A soft rumble of laughter swept the cell.

"Don't know what you're laughing at Witwicky," Graham added, pointing to Sam's untied laces.

"Sam," Joan started keeping her voice surprisingly even, "Making arrangements and deals are in my contract. Next time, let me handle the paperwork."

A slow smile crossed Sam's face.

"What are you smiling about Sam?" Will inquired.

"Joan," Sam grinned. "You're going to love me."

Joan arched a single brow, "Prove it."

Every bone in her body was on fire as Mikaela struggled to understand her surroundings. What she could feel was a hard cot underneath her and something sticking into her right arm. As she recalled her last moments, her heart stopped at the vision of Mare slamming her head into the table.

"Relax Banes, you're safe now."

The voice was calm and soothing, but Mikaela's body stayed frozen in doubt.

"If you can Mikaela, I need you to open your eyes," the voice repeated.

"Doc, I don't have time for this. I've robotic aliens to kill!" a loud boisterous voice demanded.

Mikaela opened her eyes and reached up as she came into contact with Agent Simmons.

"Easy, Mikaela," the doctor next to her instructed. "You've suffered a harmful concussion."

"Where—where am I?" she chocked, her throat achingly dry.

"Medical center of the Pentagon," Simmons answered. "Don't worry, your little visitor didn't think of security checking the lower floors after he made a bit of a mess clearing the way for his escape—although he still did manage to escape."

"Did he—"

"We're not sure what he did, the security cameras for that elevator have been tampered with. What do you remember?"

"Nothing," Mikaela answered. "Absolutely nothing."

Simmons crossed his arms and frowned. "Now listen, I heard about the forest—"

"Look, I'm not lying to you!" Mikaela snapped. "I'm not hiding anything!"

Simmons continued to frown but he moved to the end of her bed and picked up a small wooden box with alien engravings and placed it in her lap.

"What is this?" Mikaela asked.

"It's a map," Simmons answered, opening the box. A holographic black globe appeared with several 3D smaller globes floating around it. There was one particular red globe that was advancing quickly on the map.

"This is earth," Simmons pointed out, before dragging his finger to the incoming red sphere. "And I was hoping you could tell me what this was."

I know it's been an extremely long time since I've updated and for that I am sorry, however if you can bear with me there are only a few more chapters left and I really would like to finish this story, especially with the turn of events that has been going on with the movie series, TF 2, Megan Fox etc. As always thank you for reading and please review.

Much Love,

Santiva Potter