Hello guys thanks for the follows/faves/reviews! This chapter is a heck of a one in a few ways. Firstly, it's long. Secondly, I expanded a bit more on Blitzwing and Starscream's history and explained as to how they linguistically differ. I swear, I had a perfect explanation planned out a few tears ago but unfortunately I forgot it and I had to come up with a new one. I admit it could've been better maybe but I tried. Thirdly, stuff goes down and it gets a bit gritty and violent. So, a heads up to those who are wary about that. Hopefully you guys will enjoy it! Please read on and have fun!

Chapter 74 Through the Scope

(a few weeks later, January 12th – 6:45am)

It was a cold, quiet and perfect morning. It was exactly as he wanted it to be.

The woods outside of Detroit were surprisingly dense, untamed and it was easy for one to get turned around in or lost. It was an expansive area and it was deemed as a national park and nature preserve. If one were dropped off into the middle of it, they most likely never would've guessed the vast city was some miles away. In fact, there were reports of people that went missing in the area over the decades. Sometimes, they turned up, other times, they remained undiscovered and their bones became interwoven with tree roots.

Although this area had a sometimes dangerous mystique to it, it didn't deter tourists and Detroit's citizens from frequenting and venturing into it. Those who went into those woods expressed a desire to leave the hustle and bustle of their lives and take a hike along the numerous paths that snaked through it. There were plenty of old trees and growth that consisted of the flora and the fauna was just as bountiful and widespread. After being hunted to near extinction a few centuries ago, gray wolves now roamed the woods after they had been reintroduced and many people flocked there to hopefully catch sight of these beasts.

While this place attracted many people, a steep decline in visitors was also a fact, particularly during the winter months. The colder and snowier it was, the less likely it was that someone would be wandering about and taking a stroll through the frigid forest. Even the animals took to their dens and shelters deep within the expanses during this weather, choosing to keep to themselves and not exert too much energy while it was so cold.

However, these were ideal conditions for one visitor. To him, the less people that were out, the better. His purpose for being in the woods was one of reconnaissance.

For the past few weeks, he had been scouting and investigating the surrounding area for signs of the enemy. Nathan had a strong hunch that the Decepticons had to be close enough to the city but far enough so they couldn't be so easily rooted out by their Autobot enemies. Some gut feeling encouraged him to try to the park and reserve that was located some miles away from the metropolis and he heeded the call.

As far as he could tell, there were no signs of the enemy. He supposed that if he had assistance in this matter, his endeavors would've been more fruitful yet he preferred to do this on his own. As time went on, he became further disgusted by the inaction the Autobots had adopted and could wait no longer for them. His thirst for retribution was becoming too great and he believed that the longer the Decepticons remained free to walk the Earth, the less time there was to make things right. For as long as they were unrestrained, it worried and infuriated him. In his mind, they needed to be dealt with as promptly and harshly as possible.

The only sound that could be heard within the forest was the sound of snow crunching beneath his boots and the soft clank of metal on metal. Nathan hiked along as quietly as he could while he carried his supplies and made his way to his destination. He looked around at the silent and frozen sanctuary and a small smile graced his face. He felt utterly alive as he embarked on this trek and that enthusiasm filled him with a sense of optimism and hope. Deep within, he knew it would be a good day and he would finally get a lead.

"Just some good company with me, myself and I," he chuckled to himself. "Plus a thermos full of chicken soup."

The sun still hadn't risen but some light from the moon above provided just enough light for him to traverse. The whiteness of the snow provided luminosity as well due to the moonlight reflecting on it and provided him further aid. Any curious or aggressive animals would give away their position due to their footsteps or would be seen as black, moving silhouettes amongst the trees and snow so he wasn't particularly concerned about being surprised or attacked.

He continued along with his leisurely pace and then stopped once he climbed the crest of a rocky hill. He halted at the foot of a large spruce tree and looked up into the heavily concealed canopy. Then he started to climb up the trunk and made his way to the spot he claimed for himself.

The tree stand that he installed up there a few days ago was still intact and it appeared it hadn't been disturbed. He chose this particular conifer since it offered a decent view of the area around it. Not only that, its thick and blanket-like branches offered sufficient cover and protection from the cold and wind. Besides offering refuge from the elements, it also served as a shelter from any enemies who might think they are very much alone and secure.

Once he made it to his camouflaged perch, he began to hang up his gear on the nearby branches and knobs as he prepared to settle in for his watch. Carefully, he set his scoped hunting rifle on his lap, being careful to not have it slip out of his reach and clattering to the forest floor. On his right side, he hung his other weapon upon one of the jutting branches. That weapon was one of the electro-rifles that Silas developed to combat and subdue Cybertronian foes. It had been salvaged from the ruined base of operations MECH operated from.

With his rifle securely on his lap, he grabbed the thermos full of soup that was still dangling from his left arm. He unscrewed the lid and poured some of the contents into it. He fished through his ski jacket's breast pocket and pulled out a plastic spoon. The man smiled as he noticed steam wafting from the soup and he happily began to eat his simple but fulfilling meal.

"Grandma, you always did make the best chicken soup," he said as he kept eating. "I know it's not as good as yours but I could never mimic your recipe completely."

(outside the mines – 11:00am)

A little over a month had passed since the Preston family was forced to relocate to the Decepticon's earthy lair. While they were still very much opposed to being incarcerated within the mines, they knew they had no choice. They all were happy to have one another but even with that familial comfort, they longed to go as they pleased and when they desired. Oftentimes, their dispositions were watered down and dampened by their predicaments. Although one of them tried to cheer the others up, it always seemed as if it only lasted for a few minutes before their moods became crestfallen again. They yearned for freedom and while they were given chances to go outside for fresh air, it still wasn't enough for them.

After calming both of her parents down when they arrived, Cynthia urged them patience and to show at least some degree of respect to Blitzwing and Megatron. She particularly stressed the politeness to the Decepticon leader as she believed that having manners would give them somewhat of an advantage and remain on his good side for as long as possible. The woman knew her mother would be more prone to listening to her advice but her father would be harder to convince. Yet she persisted and made him swear to try to remain as calm and as levelheaded as he could possibly be for the sake of his own livelihood.

Grudgingly, Robert accepted his eldest child's advice as he much preferred to remain alive so he could protect his family in whatever way that he could, be it emotionally or physically. After Cynthia explained the whole story and predicament to him, he apologized for lashing out at her but the father still expressed disappointment, particularly with her dishonesty. He still felt somewhat betrayed by his children's lies but he tried to sympathize with them and understand their predicament. He was proud that they attempted to keep him and their mother out of Megatron's gaze for as long as they could. The man also developed a new admiration of sorts of them for the bravery and courage they displayed in dealing with their unfortunate circumstances.

He also still didn't quite know what to think of his hybrid granddaughter and he resolved to keep the more negative thoughts to himself. He still adamantly believed that the child should've been terminated as soon as Cyndi found out she was pregnant but he knew she made her choice and she couldn't be convinced otherwise. His primary concerns about the pregnancy were how it might adversely affect his daughter considering the child was half Human after all. Blitzwing's threats still buzzed around in his head daily and while he still held a great deal of animosity towards him, he decided to try to restrain himself around the triple changer. Robert didn't have any doubt in his mind that if he was angered and motivated enough, Blitzwing would kill him. That was something he didn't wish to befall him for the man preferred to avoid him or minimize contact.

Despite their obvious unhappiness with their living conditions, the organics were taken care of rather well as Blitzwing promised and he sought to have as many of their needs met as Megatron would permit. He sought to keep them as comfortable as possible and do whatever he could in light of the obvious circumstances. Blitzwing was aware of their woes and worries but he still sought to assure them all would be well for the sake of his mate. The family members complained about one thing or another but he knew that such things would be expected. He was at least thankful he was on good terms with most of them save for Cynthia's father who was still quite hostile towards him. Slowly but surely, he noticed them adapting to the changes and accepting the unpleasant reality. They were reluctant to acknowledge these changes but they also knew it was to either adapt or perish.

"Alright, kids, time for recess," Knock Out said blandly as the entranceway to the lair opened up. The red medic's optics had to adjust as the sunlight shone lustrously off the snow and temporarily blinded him. "At least the ground is frozen and there's no mud to worry about."

The Humans never felt so enthralled to get outside and get some fresh air, even if it was brisk and cold. Even Professor Sumdac joined the small clan in their venture to get out of the cramped and dank mine. Although they would be outside for an hour or two, it was still a precious amount of time for them. They were always monitored by at least two Decepticons just for the sake of security but the organics chose to ignore their metal guardians and bask in what time they had to roam about and stretch their legs in the outdoors.

Starscream was assigned to assist Knock Out with keeping a watchful optic on their Human compatriots and while the second in command wasn't so thrilled with the order, he would do it nonetheless. Whenever he was bestowed this task, he preferred to speak to no one and kept to himself. He was also displeased with the new living arrangements in the base but he knew Megatron wouldn't pay heed to his complaints. Personally, he believed the two, extra organics were a nuisance and opted for them to be terminated. He was already no great friend to the three siblings and now the added presence of their parents only made him even more displeased.

The seeker resigned to plopping down onto a boulder situated outside of the entrance and keeping quiet. His chin rested in the palm of one of his servos and he silently stared out across the cold woods around them. Focusing on these slumbering woodlands was far better than interacting with the natives he was ordered to guard. Starscream even hardly paid any heed to his companion who was to assist him with the duty.

"Oh, Professor," Helen sighed as she zipped up her jacket and adjusted her scarf. "I know it's freezing out but it still feels good to get the blood pumping!"

Sumdac nodded glumly and forced himself to smile before the eldest female. He was amazed how she seemed to maintain some degree of positivity despite her incarceration. Whenever her mood was dampened, it never remained down for long. It seemed as if she had a boundless amount of energy and was always trying to look at the positive side of things. Truthfully, he admired her outlook and her mindset and he wished he could be as optimistic as she was at times.

"Any fresh air is good, Mrs. Preston," he nodded, his strained smile still remaining.

"Cheer up, Isaac, it'll be okay," she almost seemed to be promising him. "And please call me Helen!"

Robert followed close behind his wife but made no effort to participate in their conversation. He merely accompanied her and continued to try to concoct plans inside his head. Anymore, he dreamt of plans of escape and calamity befalling his captors. He even wished for the destruction of his eldest daughter's lover despite the Decepticon's promise and efforts to accommodate and protect them and Robert included. The man would never stop trying to think of a plan or some other tactic to earn his family liberation. For now, he would only observe and remain vigilant.

Once outside, Darien made it his mission to create a snowman. He felt as if he needed to do something to pass the idle hours and expend the stressful energy bound up inside of him. As soon as he made it out into a more open space, he set to work on his project. He busily rolled a ball of snow along the ground and steadily made it larger and larger to create the base for his creation.

"Off for a private, little nature walk, lovebirds?" Knock Out playfully jeered at the two creatures who were the last ones to leave the mine.

Blitzwing merely scowled at the Cybertronian doctor and waved him off. Beside him walked his chosen organic mate. The bot was shrunken down once again as he preferred to be whenever they went out into the woods for their daily walks. They grew to savor these escapades as it provided the couple with some much needed privacy and time to talk without having to worry about anyone else eavesdropping on them. It was a small retreat from the stress inside the lair and a chance for them to deflate a little.

"Ve vill be back before sundown," Hothead said as he didn't bother to turn around to face his comrades.

"You don't want your woman to catch a cold, do you?" he called after them. "You know, I've done some catching up and researching on Human anatomy and neonatal studies and if she gets sick enough, it could end up as a miscarriage."

"Do jou zhink I'm stupid enough to endanger her?" Blitzwing halted as he finally turned around to address Knock Out.

"I'm not saying anything other than be careful, Blitzy."

"Vhy do jou care anyvay?! Shut up and leave us alone!"

Blitzwing didn't bother to let Knock Out to speak any further and continued to walk along as Cynthia accompanied him. He held onto her hand as they walked down the path, being wary and prepared to catch her if she started to slip on a slick patch of ice or snow.

"I want to see that hybrid, that's why," Knock Out said more to himself than anyone else.

"It's a mistake, you ought to care nothing for it," Starscream bitterly stated as he acknowledged that the medic was standing right beside him. "Whatever happens, happens and so be it."

"You're no fun, Starscream. It's an anomaly, a miracle if you will. Of course I'll be excited and fascinated. And if I remember correctly, it's actually a femme. How cute."

"To you, it's an opportunity. To me, it's an insult. It's an insult to our race and bloodline. My-…Our heritage and legacy has been sullied and corrupted by this creature. He insisted on choosing her and now some half-breed is now growing inside her!"

"Your heritage and legacy?" Knock Out didn't overlook that minute slip-up and quickly caught on it. "Does it really concern you? Do you have familial ties to Blitzwing that none of us know about?"

Starscream's spark quickened for a moment but he made sure to recover hastily. He merely snorted and shook his helm.

"We are of the same heritage and legacy, you fool!" he chastised him. "Blitzwing was once a seeker like me before Blackarachnia reconfigured him. We are of the same type of Cybertronian but that is all. No more, no less."

"Well, aren't you prideful," Knock Out said as he rolled his optics. "How dare Blitzwing interface with a Human and produce offspring on your watch… Yeah, you seekers can fly but that's about the only special thing about your kind."

Starscream snarled angrily at the other mech's words but he chose to not get dragged into the matter. Though he outranked Knock Out, he settled on keeping his mouth shut so no other slip or close call could happen. He already counted himself lucky he managed to diffuse that situation but he had a feeling he wouldn't be so lucky the next time.

Amidst this, Amanda paid no heed to the conversing Decepticons as she watched her sister and Blitzwing make their way deeper into the woods. Her eyes were glued onto them the entire time. For as long as she studied the couple, she felt a fire inside of her burning stronger and brighter. However, this flame was tinted green by the jealousy and envy she was experiencing.

As time wore on and as she watched Cynthia and Blitzwing interacting with each other, her insecurities grew. Her previous failures and anxieties started to swell and the memory of Lockdown's rejection hounded her. Every single kiss, every single embrace, every single tender look or sweet word they gave one another felt like another drop of corrosive acid being poured on her heart. Desperately, she wanted to have a significant other and experience romance and intimacy. She witnessed their interactions every day and it felt as if she was becoming crazier. Whatever they had, Amanda wanted in the worst way.

It had been a long while since she saw Lockdown and she wondered where he was. Although she was still sour and hurt over him turning her love down, a part of her yearned to see him again and wanted to chat with him. From the last she heard of him, which was a few weeks ago, the bounty hunter was laying low and taking a break from working with Megatron since she and her family were in custody now. Now that he was no longer safeguarding her and her siblings, he remained elusive and she found herself missing his company terribly. After the heartbreak, she discovered she still wanted a relationship with him. She wanted to confide in him, pour her heart out and simply be with him. Yet he remained elusive and she continued to be starved of his presence.

While she still found herself attracted to Lockdown, she hadn't forgotten she also harbored feelings for Knock Out as well. She sought to converse with him so she could possibly forget about the bounty hunter and forge a relationship with the medic. The young woman hoped that fixating on him would heal the ache and desire in her heart but at times, she found herself too shy to approach him. Amanda feared being rejected yet again. Lockdown and Blitzwing's warnings about Knock Out also lingered in her conscious and while she certainly didn't want a broken heart like they guaranteed she'd receive from him, she wanted to see if what she felt for the red Decepticon would bloom into something grander and deeper.

Silently, she watched Cyndi and Blitzwing disappear into the landscape. The slumbering and bare trees seemed to engulf their forms and she lost sight of them. Her pale green eyes continued to peer off into the distance as she became lost in her tumultuous thoughts.

"Doll, do you really have to go off?"

Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she knew he was addressing her. Quickly, she spun around and faced him. Her cheeks became rosy as she saw his optics focused on her and her alone.

"N-no…" she stammered. "I was just…looking around."

He gave her a half smile and beckoned her over to where he was seated with Starscream. The seeker barely acknowledged her presence on the other hand and he appeared to be totally disinterested in everyone and everything around him.

"You look totally unsure of what to do," he noted. "You'll do. Starscream is a horrible conversational partner and everyone is occupied with their own thing."

"Oh…okay," the organic said softly.

She walked through the snow, making her way over to Knock Out. Her heart was racing and she was trying her hardest to act casual and not overly awkward. It was terribly uncomfortable but she tried to brush it all off and she encouraged herself to act coolly and to be herself.

Amanda leaned against the trunk of a tree and she gazed up at him. His optics were still on her and she found herself in dismay over whether to speak to him first or let him do the talking. Her heart still beat swiftly and she subtly fidgeted about in place.

"Feels nice to get out," she started.

"It does," he agreed. "Just like you Humans, Cybertronians get stir crazy too. It'd be nicer if it wasn't winter but I guess it can't complain. When the weather gets nicer and the roads aren't covered in snow, I'll be back to taking my joy rides again. Maybe I'll do some street racing if there's any going on."

"You've done it before? I didn't know you did that… That sounds awesome!"

"I have. It's a nice rush to say the least."

Unbeknownst to them, Mr. Preston was the only one paying attention to their conversation. He was doing so with the utmost of vigilance and interest…

(…)

Blitzwing could only smile warmly at Cynthia as he still held onto her. He was fully aware that she was capable of walking on her own but the fear of her stumbling on a hidden rock or branch beneath the snow made him wary and cautious. There was no way he would allow any harm to befall her or their daughter due to a misstep. If she had taken a tumble and lost their child from the resulting trauma, he would never forgive himself and he would blame himself fully for it. There was no room for chance in his mind and he would remain dedicated and devoted to her safety.

While there was obvious strife inside the mine over the past month, there were also moments of bliss and joy and he grew to treasure those instances. The privacy he had with Cynthia was even more cherished now and he grew to crave the time they would be permitted to have to bond and bask in each other's company. The daily walks they embarked on also helped to soothe their nerves and get a chance to get away from the negative energy that was at times rife in the lair.

As time went on, Blitzwing also became increasingly excited and also anxious for the arrival of his offspring. He was exuberant and eager to see the child but he also fretted over everything that would follow her birth. His concerns would remain no matter what and he supposed this was what being a parent perpetually entailed. Regardless, he wouldn't forsake his mate and abandon his child and he was ready for the responsibility that would undoubtedly last many, many years.

"Jou have to have jour daily dose of exercise," Random sweetly reminded her. "It is good for jou and ze little one."

"I know," she replied. Then she huffed as she tried to adjust her ski jacket once more. She zipped it up to keep her body warm from the chill but as her pregnancy advanced, it made everything tighter. "Looks like I'll be busting out of this thing in two weeks or so…"

"I vill find somezhing bigger and nicer for jou, Cyndi. Trust me, I vill take care of it! It's my job to provide for jou."

"And I hate to sound like a bother but I think I want to head back to the barn again. I feel like I need to have a few nights there instead of that mine."

His face swapped out and a sympathetic-looking Icy took control. He knowingly nodded his helm and offered her a tender smile.

"Privacy and a good night's rest vill do jou vell," he said. "Jour family has been bunked in our quarters for zat whole time so I understand jou."

"I fear someone will snap and I have a feeling it'll be my father," she admitted. "He's been under a lot of stress, more so than my other family members I think. I can tell he's trying to keep his anger under wraps but he can only do it for so long before he bursts."

"I vill keep a close optic on him."

"This is very hard on him. Actually, it's hard on everyone."

"I know, Cyndi. Ze living conditions aren't exactly…ideal. And I apologize about jour birthday..."

"It's alright, I understand. I'm just another year older is all, birthdays seem to lose their novelty as you get older and older."

"Christmas could have been done better as vell and I still feel guilty over it. I know it's a very special holiday for many Humans."

"Don't worry. We were all together and alive for Christmas. That's a gift of it's own."

Both of them were fully aware of the hardships that had borne from this predicament and neither could deny it. Life became a bit more precarious and scary for them and it felt like that any moment, some bomb was bound to go off.

Cynthia encouraged her family members to keep calm and not act unruly or out of line to the point where it would draw Megatron's wrath. Out of all of her family members, she knew her father was most prone to this action as she knew he was the greatest source of hostility towards the other Decepticons. The man made his distaste known towards them and it was very obvious. The titans weren't necessarily fond of him either and also treated him with scorn and shot him sneering glares. If Megatron ever gave the order to have her family members killed, she knew for a fact her father would be the first to perish.

As they walked along, it was almost too quiet for her taste. The silence unnerved her somewhat and she longed for there to be at least some conversation to keep both of their minds stimulated and not focused on the grim reality at hand. Anything but the present would do nicely.

"I'm curious," she started with a smile on her face.

"About?" he replied, briefly looking over to her then refocusing on the snow covered path before them.

"It's about Starscream…is that okay? I know you don't like to talk about him much."

He was curious about her question to say the least. While he preferred to not discuss too much about his disowned family member, he figured it wouldn't hurt if she was the one who requested to know more information.

"Of course," Blitzwing answered. "Vhat is it, sveetspark?"

"You two are half brothers, right?"

"Correct."

"You share the same mother but have different fathers?"

"Indeed."

"I'm confused as to why you have a different accent than he does. On Earth, accents are usually learned or acquired from whatever culture a child grows up in. Unless if accents are inherited in your species, why are your speech patterns different?"

Blitzwing had to admit he wasn't expecting that for a moment. He honestly really never gave much thought to it or considered it but now that someone brought up the question, that wasn't the case. At first he was somewhat reluctant to delve into the matter as it would wind up with him reflecting on the happy and innocent past he once had with him and their mother. But he decided to discuss it, reasoning that maybe talking about it would make him feel a little better. Not only that, he knew that he wouldn't speak about this to anyone else.

"It's a long story, really," he started. "I zhink it vould be vise if I disclosed to jou about some of his past and mine as vell. Jou see, Starscream's sire vas an explorer and scientist by ze name of Skydive. One day, he took off to the stars for an expedition vith some ozher bots and he vas due to come back after a set date but he never returned. He never communicated my mozher back and vhen a team vas dispatched to find vhat became of him and his group, no trace vas ever found from anyone and zhey vere treated as being offline. Starscream vas still quite young vhen Skydive vas declared dead and to zis day, he doesn't even remember vhat his fazher looked like or vhat he sounded like. My mozher vas distraught over his disappearance but she also knew deep in her spark zat he vas gone. She sought solace and comfort vith a very close friend she had known since she vas a youngling." Blitzwing smiled softly. "His name vas Spitvenom and he vas my sire. Zhey grew even closer and eventually zhey became sparkmates. After zat, I vas sparked."

Cynthia had a feeling it was most likely a tragedy or a nasty feud that might've lead to a schism between his mother and Starscream's father. She was quite surprised that she found herself actually starting to pity the second in command and his inability to remember his true father. A part of her believed that maybe he was still too young to remember or he possibly even chose to forget and push the incident out of his mind altogether as it most likely was a traumatic thing for him to comprehend while he was so innocent. The woman remained silent as she reflected on the first part of the story, trying to put it all into perspective and understand the circumstances.

"I feel sorry for both your mother and Starscream," she said. "But if he didn't disappear and was assumed dead, then perhaps you wouldn't exist."

"Zat is true," he admitted. "She never fully got over his vanishing and she still longed to figure out vhat happened to Skydive. However, vhen she became bonded to my fazher and found out about my existence, Starscream's family members, particularly Skydive's creators, took great offense to it. Zhey believed she vas insulting and celebrating ze destruction of her previous mate and zhey seized custody of Starscream under ze false accusation of abuse. He ended up remaining in zheir care vhile my parents fought to have Starscream returned. Some time passed, Starscream grew and he vas eventually returned to us. Starscream ended up inheriting his speech pattern vhile living vith his fazher's creators for some of zhose crucial, formative years and I ended up getting mine from both of my parents. Vhen he came back to my mozher, he vas apparently much happier and she vas overjoyed to have both of her sons at last. My fazher treated Starscream like he vas his own son but Starscream vas alvays a little distant vith him. But the four of us remained a family and ve enjoyed many happy and peaceful stellar cycles until our parents vere killed as war engulfed Cybertron."

She was already aware that Blitzwing's creators were long dead but she still felt pity and sorrow for him. Not only that, Cyndi wasn't prepared for the narrative he provided her with and she wasn't sure how to react to these intimate and sensitive details at first. Regardless, she saw he obviously trusted her enough to disclose this tale to her and she wouldn't tell anyone about it unless if he gave her permission. Cynthia wasn't going to spoil his trust.

"I know I didn't expect to get that bit of family history for my question…" she spoke up as she remained silent for a few moments. "Thank you, I'm glad you opened up to me about the matter."

"Of course." He hopped down a small drop in the hillside they were maneuvering down. He turned to face her and set his servos on her hips to help her down. Once he had her feet on the ground again, he continued. "Vhether Starscream vill acknowledge it or not, jou are my mate and a part of zis family, no matter how divided it is. To keep jou in ze dark about it vouldn't be so honest and transparent. Besides, jou asked a perfectly valid question. Ve have a few similarities but one normally vouldn't guess or assume ve are related."

"I can assume he's not so thrilled about being an uncle." She smiled uneasily. "I know he has no great love for me so it's only natural he'll frown on his niece."

"I don't care. He doesn't control my actions or fate and I don't control his. Ve merely stand aside and let ze ozher live our own lives. Vhen ve joined ze Decepticons, he became someone else and I no longer recognized him." Blitzwing shook his helm heavily and vented quietly. "I vill secretly lament ze past but celebrate it too. Zhey vere good times and I'll treasure zem for as long as I remember zem." The triple changer's small grin expanded, wanting to assure her and encourage her all would be well. "And ve vill create happy memories of our own and zhink back on zem as vell…"

(…)

The sun was getting higher in the sky. He already spent over five hours in his modest lookout and only descended two times in order to empty his bladder. So far, he hadn't seen a single soul, be they Cybertronian or Human. The only living things he had seen were a small herd of deer trying to forage through the snow, a few squirrels and a handful of songbirds who twittered back and forth to one another quietly.

Nathan was becoming impatient and he started to think that possibly he had been investigating the wrong area all along. All was far too calm and silent and he waited for anything to happen. The woods remained quiet and still and it almost started to unnerve him. For a few fleeting instances, he half expected to see some monster or cryptid to emerge from the snowy landscape but such a thing never occurred.

His arms started to fall asleep and ache from supporting his rifle and looking through the scope for the majority of his time in the tree. As bored and as restless as he was, the man wasn't so ready to relinquish his duty and give up. He was equipped with a night vision filter for the gun's scope as he planned on staying in his spot even after the sun went down. Nathan decided to reaffirm his endurance and have some more patience. He would stay for some hours into the night and he even considered bundling up more so he could sleep for a few hours in the stand.

"It wouldn't help matters if I fell asleep in the tree and then ended up falling out of it while I take a nap," he thought. "That's an excellent way to get myself killed. Maybe I'll sleep in my car and then walk back here after I wake up. I've got protein and energy bars in my backpack too. I think I can do a solid day of this even if it is boring as Hell… I did this to myself. Feh."

His curiosity was then piqued when he saw five deer bolting through the woods before him. The frightened, hoofed mammals were running swiftly and they veered to the right, hopping over a downed log in the process. He listened carefully and could make out the sound of their hooves stomping on twigs and snow as they ran away. They continued to flee and they didn't slow their pace down at all during the whole time he spied on them.

Nathan's eyes widened and he hastily raised his rifle and gazed through the scope so he could spot what spooked the small herd. His heart started to race beneath his sternum and he carefully scanned the woods, trying to see if he could see anything of interest. For all he knew, it could've been a pack of wolves that were pursuing the deer or it could've even been a hiker who had strayed far off the main path as he had done. The cover of the pine tree somewhat obscured his vision but the former MECH guard gazed through the needles and thick cover to try to root something out.

Amidst the sea of white snow and dull, dark brown of tree trunks, he caught sight of some color. He looked closer and he could make out two figures that were walking along closely together.

What Nathan saw nearly caused him to drop his rifle and fall out of his high hideaway.

The air in his lungs had been extracted from his body and he felt as if he had been mercilessly slugged in the stomach. His breathing hitched and he struggled to steady it. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and chills raced down his spine. He was sure his eyes were as wide as saucers at this point and he didn't even notice until then that his jaw was gaping.

The image he saw through the scope was shaky as he tried his hardest to collect himself. He could hardly believe what he was seeing and for a second, he wondered if he had fallen asleep and was now in the middle of this odd dream. Yet he knew what he saw was wholly real. The fruits of his labors and patience had been paid off at long last.

There was no way what he saw was a lie. He estimated that the pair was about eight hundred feet away and they were moving at a leisurely and unhurried pace. Apparently, they had no concerns and they were totally at ease with their surroundings. They were also very quiet as he didn't hear them approaching at all. Briefly, he wondered that if the fleeing deer hadn't alerted them, it might've been too late.

The duo he was studying was none other than the wanted, infamous, interspecies couple he heard about but never laid eyes upon until that moment. The Decepticon was unmistakable and he knew right away who he was. The woman who was accompanying him had to be the one who was recorded talking to Blitzwing in early December. They couldn't be anyone else.

A smile spanned his features as Nathan did indeed see that Blitzwing appeared to somehow shrink himself. That observation provided him with a massive advantage and he saw he didn't have to worry about facing a thirty foot tall robot by himself. But a dramatically shrunken Decepticon and a five foot something woman? He was confident he could take care of this.

With a soft click, Nathan turned off the safety on his rifle. He breathed out slowly yet steadily in order to soothe himself. His hands still trembled a bit and he wanted to make sure he had a clean shot. That meant calming down so his sights wouldn't be so shifty from his nerves. So far, they still remained completely oblivious to his presence and they were walking closer at their casual pace.

"This is personal. This is for my friends. This is for my damn legs."

His concentration intensified and he stared down the scope. From that, he looked at the feminine face of the enemy. He could hardly believe this actually happened and one of his own species was in league with this interstellar invader. It was something he couldn't forget or forgive…

But then it suddenly occurred to him. She had more use to him alive than dead.

Nathan growled to himself, irked that he made this realization at a harrowing moment like this. He recalled that the new Autobot, Pulsar, failed in getting information out of her and was nearly killed for her act. If he could incapacitate her and bring her to the Autobots, then it would be a major accomplishment. The location of the Decepticon base would be at long last uncovered. Victory would be within their grasp.

He saw he needed to target Blitzwing instead. The triple changer posed a far greater and immediate threat than the woman did. A hunting rifle would do no good against his thick hide and the possibility of a ricochet was too much for him. He would need to switch guns and try a different approach.

As he was about to put the rifle down and set it aside, his finger twitched. He could feel the trigger buckle and his heart skipped a few beats as he just realized he took the shot.

(…)

The loud, explosive noise of a firearm being discharged rang through the cold forest but the pair barely registered it as Cynthia was nearly knocked backwards when she felt something tear through the fabric of her jacket. She counted herself extremely fortunate that whatever it was only tore through the top layer of the jacket and didn't managed to pierce any flesh. Something whizzed past a mere few inches from her ear and she almost collapsed from the abruptness and force of what happened. Luckily, Blitzwing was still close and his swift reflexes managed to stabilize her in enough time.

He too was taken completely by surprise by this incident and for a moment, he stood paralyzed as he struggled to comprehend what happened. Then it occurred to him and his optics widened. Someone had fired upon them with the intent to kill.

Thinking quickly and acting on instinct, he put himself in front of her as he scanned the surrounding woods for any signs of the shooter. As far as he could see, the area was silent and empty and he saw no signs of an assailant. He peered harder into the landscape, eager to find and eliminate whoever took the shot at them.

"Come out!" Hothead practically roared. There was a slight echo in the air after he issued that command.

Cyndi was still in a state of shock and she could hardly believe what was happening. One minute ago, they were walking along quietly and enjoying each other's company. Now all of a sudden, someone shot at them, nearly missing her head by a few inches and grazing through the outer layer of jacket. She pressed her frame against his back, seeking to hide herself from whoever was out there and take a few moments to recollect herself.

Blitzwing continued to intently study the area, his optics ready to pick out any sort of movement or figure that didn't seem to belong in this environment. He didn't care if this was even some hunter who somehow gravely mistook them for deer and took the shot. Whoever they were, they were going to die. No witnesses were allowed to go off alive.

As he saw that he was making no progress, he magnified the scope of his search. He activated his thermal scanners to see if he could see someone's heat signature hidden somewhere. The Decepticon took notice of a large pine tree sitting atop of hillside a few hundred feet away and he focused his gaze on that vicinity.

A dark chuckle escaped from him as he could see the heat signature of a man who was sitting up in the tree behind a seemingly dense and impenetrable curtain of pine branches. The Human was staring back at him undoubtedly through the same scope he looked through moments before when he took the shot. He noticed that the barrel of the gun he was holding was giving off some heat which only solidified the proof that this was the shooter.

"Cyndi, run back to everyone else," he instructed her in a low voice so that this intruder wouldn't hear them. "I have business to take care of."

"No, let's go, now," she whispered urgently. She set a tender hand on one of his wings and ran it along the length in an effort to try to calm him down. "We have to go together and warn everyone else it's not safe to come here!"

"Vhen are jou going to realize zat I vill not show mercy to zhose who try to hurt jou?!" he bellowed at her. "Zis vas deliberate and I vill not let zem go unpunished!" He tore himself from her grip and he lowered his gun barrels and pointed them towards the tree. "Ze tables have turned on jou now, organic scum!"

Nathan nearly leapt out of the tree upon realizing he was discovered and was in deadly danger. In his fervor, he tossed his hunting rifle aside. He grabbed his electro-rifle and climbed down the trunk as quickly as he possibly could. Now he was compromised and he was in a very precarious and disadvantageous situation.

Seconds after he started to make his descent, he could feel intense heat above him as Blitzwing unleashed a small volley of laser fire from his turrets. He could feel smaller branches and pine needles rain down on him as the searing blasts made their mark on where he was once sitting. The man hurried with his escape and leapt the final ten feet to the ground.

He could hear the sound of wood snapping and as the tree began to collapse, he could see its shadow start to fall upon him while he ran. Nathan ran off to the side, seeing that he would avoid the trajectory path of the tree's fall. The man bolted as fast as his legs could carry him and he knew that his unearthly enemy was in close pursuit. He also had no doubts that the Decepticon would be on him in no time at all.

Blitzwing activated his thrusters and boosted himself to the top of the hill in mere seconds. The tree lain in a heap and he peered down the path, making out the bobbing shape of the Human as he continued to flee.

"Jou vill not escape me!" he swore.

Blitzwing tore through the woods, his stabilizing servos crushing anything that got in his way. He considered just flying after the assailant but he thought it would've been too easy to do. He wanted a certain degree of satisfaction from this and that entailed outrunning this person and catching them.

Nathan didn't dare to turn around because he knew he would either trip or somehow lose his steam and cause him to be caught all the more rapidly. Yet he could hear how closely the vengeful robot was gaining on him. It sounded to him like a huge bear was tearing through everything all in the name of catching up to him. He didn't know where he was going to run to or where to go but all he knew was that he had to try to escape. What he wanted to do was at least try to put some distance between himself and his foe.

He leapt over a frozen creek and landed on the other side, nearly slipping on a patch of ice but he managed to recover at the last possible moment. Nathan stumbled along and looked over his shoulder briefly to spot that Blitzwing also managed to jump over the same creek with little effort. The triple changer didn't decrease his speed and kept going. The organic man knew that he was about to be caught at any possible second and that he needed to make his last stand.

Finally, he halted in his footsteps and spun around, revealing the electro-rifle he intended to hide until that very moment. He took aim when Blitzwing was only fifteen feet away and fired at him.

The barbed hooks pierced his hide, narrowly missing his spark chamber in the process. Blitzwing instantly came to a screeching stop and almost tripped on his own stabilizing servos in the process. The pain hit him and in that moment, he recognized this weapon. He growled at Nathan and bore his dental plates in a threatening gesture.

"You stay right there or I fry your circuitry, big guy!" Nathan warned.

"MECH," the robot sneered. "I remember zhese guns. How did jou get zis?!"

"I was there the night you and your friend came to pick up your other buddy. You Decepticons killed everyone there except for me. I was lucky to make it out with a few broken bones. But you machines aren't as efficient, almighty and invincible as you think you are. You missed one Human. That one man is going to have his revenge and by God, I will have it!"

Without warning, his finger applied pressure to the trigger and the electrical current ran down the cord and into Blitzwing's chassis. Instantly, he collapsed and convulsed on the ground, flailing about and screaming as the stream coursed through his systems. The pain was excruciating and incapacitated him to the point where he could do nothing save for writhing on the frozen ground.

Nathan then drew his finger back, ceasing the current. Blitzwing vented heavily as he lied face down on the earth. The Human only grinned and chuckled at the predicament, utterly delighting in the irony and vengeance.

"Blitzy-boy, that's not even the highest setting!" he laughed. "That little jolt was for my legs. This ain't over yet."

He extended the cable that connected the gun to its target, intending to have a safe amount of distance between them. Nathan decided to take no chances and not end up being tugged over to Blitzwing's side. He had every intention to enjoy this and at this point, he decided he wasn't going to allow him to live. Earlier, he considered weakening him enough so that he could call in the Autobots and they would take over from there. But now that the power was in his hands, he decided to indulge in his impulses.

"Jou shot at her," the triple changer uttered. He lifted his head, revealing that Icy was in control for now. There was nothing but contempt and hatred being reflected in his normal optic. "She's off limits!"

"Originally, I planned on shooting your girlfriend since she's pretty much a traitor and all but I figured she'd be the easier one out of the two of you to capture," Nathan explained. "But now she's gone."

"Jou really didn't zhink zis out, jou cretin. I told her to run and she is safe now." Despite the obvious pain that wracked his frame, he managed a tiny smirk. "Jou may kill me but she got avay. Jou really have a twisted sense of justice if jou must vant to kill a member of jour own species for zem falling in love vith someone."

"She's a freak just like you so shut your mouth!" He adjusted the setting on his rifle to a higher caliber. "You better knock it off or you're really not gonna like what I have in store for you."

"It doesn't matter and I von't beg for forgiveness or mercy." His smile only darkened. "MECH vanted to destroy us anyvay, correct? Zhey are enemies of mine and I have no problem vith killing zem. It vas a delight destroying zem. Of course, it vas a bit messy for my taste but it vas enjoyable enough."

Nathaniel ground his jaws together and his upper lip twitched. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger again, this time flushing Blitzwing with a greater amount of electricity.

Blitzwing's optic widened and his mouth gaped open as he released a howl of agony. His digits dug into the ground, ripping up dirt and snow as they anchored themselves. His stabilizing servos kicked out at an invisible foe and he curled up around himself in some vain effort to cope with the searing pain. He could feel his spark struggling to maintain its normal beat and he knew that if the exposure was prolonged enough, the invading current would cause it to go out if his systems hadn't fried first.

While he still kept pressure on the trigger, he scanned the surrounding woods to make sure there were no bystanders or witnesses. So far, everything seemed clear and he couldn't make out any shapes of people or Cybertronians who might be spying on the whole incident.

After another minute, he stopped. Faint tendrils of smoke started to waft from his frame and Blitzwing's vents became more haggard and shallow. His form barely moved and he remained immobile for the most part while his back was facing the Human.

"You're not allowed to die yet!" Nathaniel yelled.

He walked over and kicked him in the back of his helm tauntingly. He jeered and laughed at Blitzwing. This payback was something he had been looking forward to for months and now that his hour was at hand, he felt exuberant and confident.

"How's it feel being the powerless one now, you son of a bitch?!" he demanded. "It sucks, doesn't it? It's not fun, huh?"

Nathaniel hopped back when he saw his wings twitch. Quietly, he studied the shape of the mech, expecting to see him try to fight back somehow. As the seconds ticked by, it became apparent nothing was going to happen. This inactivity was starting to grate on his nerves and he started to feel robbed the longer Blitzwing was unmoving and submissive like this.

"Wow, you're such a buzz kill," he griped. "You're supposed to be this big, bad Decepticon. But no, you're just an overgrown toaster. You're a wimp. When the shoe's on the other foot, you lose all your willpower."

To his confusion, Blitzwing started to laugh ever so softly. His volume rose steadily and Nathan held his ground and kept his finger hovering above the trigger. This started to startle the organic and he feared that perhaps he knew something that he didn't. That alarmed him and he became suddenly paranoid and wary. He certainly didn't want his sworn foe to be reacting to this predicament in this way.

Blitzwing tilted his helm to the side so he could get a better view of the Human. Random was in control now and his ever-present smile was visible. He could see that his expression seemed to unsettle Nathan and he savored that small observation. It was evidence that this man was still very much vulnerable and fragile.

"Jou silly organic," he chuckled.

Although he was very much weakened and drained from the currents flooding through him, he still managed to speak and move minimally. He exerted all of his will power and available strength as he lifted up a portion of the cord, showing that it was sliced cleanly.

The color in Nathan's face had left him and he was as pale as the snow around them. He looked at the ground and towed the cable, checking to see if what he was seeing really was happening. To his horror, it had indeed been sheared and Blitzwing had the other half of it. The gun had then been disabled and rendered useless with the line cut. Now he could no longer send another electrical current through him.

"Jou extended ze line and I managed to bite zhrough it," he explained. "I still have zat hook in me but I vill live… As for jou?" He laughed. "Jou von't last long at all!"

"I will beat you to death with this rifle if I have to!" the man bellowed at him. "You can't fight back!"

He ground his jaws and he readied his weapon to bludgeon the Decepticon soldier. There was no turning back at this point for him. In his eyes, only one out of the two of them was going to walk out of the forest alive.

His vision suddenly went dark as Nathan felt a blunt yet quite powerful force strike him on his temple. The weapon he previously brandished like a mighty war club fell from his grasp. He cried out in alarm and pain and he collapsed onto his side. The man lain stunned on the ground, his head swimming and his sight still clouded and marred by the brunt of the blow.

He blinked his eyes rapidly as he tried to clear his vision and regain it so he could see who his attacker was. The side of his head felt incredibly moist and wet and it suddenly occurred to him that he was bleeding heavily from the area where he had been struck. Nausea swiftly settled in and Nathan felt that he couldn't even stand up.

When his vision came back after a few more unbearable seconds, he could make out the shape of another person. As his vision cleared more and he focused harder, he recognized them as the woman he nearly shot earlier. She glowered at him, panting heavily and holding his previously discarded hunting rifle by its barrel. Her entire body was shaking but he could tell that she was wholly poised to strike him again if it was necessary.

Cynthia felt lucky that she managed to salvage the rifle that had been dropped. While it was damaged in the fall and she wasn't necessarily sure how to operate it, she still felt thankful that she grabbed it. She followed the footprints in the snow but she was truly alerted of their presence when she heard Blitzwing screaming out as he was electrocuted. Hearing those cries only made her run faster and she nearly tripped a few times in the process.

While she wanted to rush in and assist him, she saw she would have to tread carefully and sneak up on the enemy. This man could easily overpower her and she needed the element of surprise on her side. Reluctantly, she inched closer, taking care to hide behind trees and any other available cover as well. When she saw that he was flabbergasted by Blitzwing's clever trick, then she chose that moment to strike before he could do any more damage to him.

Blitzwing managed to haul himself up onto his stabilizing servos and he leaned against a tree for support until he felt more of his strength return. Though a part of him was angered that Cynthia had showed up and clearly disobeyed him, he was also thankful for her intervention. He was sure he wouldn't be able to catch up to Nathan if the man got a hold of himself and ran off. As far as he knew, there was no way he was going to allow him to go free. He was too much of a threat and he needed to pay dearly.

"Cyndi…" he said. "I have zis under control, sveetspark. Look avay."

He began to stagger over to the man's side. His knee joints quaked and he felt as if he was going to collapse but he forced himself to press on. Blitzwing was relentless even in this moment of weakness.

Cynthia felt pity rise up within her for a few seconds and she felt compelled to tell him to leave him alone. However she stayed herself when she was reminded that this man had intentions to kill one or both of them. This was an enemy and she had a hunch he would give no mercy to her. She still felt dread that this was happening and she let the battered rifle slip out of her hands.

Nathan started to crawl away the best he could. He knew that if he stood up, he would fall over and potentially injure himself more. His nausea continued to riddle him and it felt as if the world was spinning all around him. He cried out incoherently into the air, hoping and praying someone would hear him and come to his rescue.

But in the end, it was all a hopeless and bleak effort.

He screamed out in terror as he felt Blitzwing grasp him. One of his servos clasped onto an arm while the Decepticon's other metal hand grabbed one of Nathan's legs. He flailed about in his grasp in a vain attempt to break free but his enemy's strength was unwavering even in his weakened state.

Blitzwing lifted him above his helm, holding onto the struggling Human with grim conviction. Then he raised a knee and mercilessly brought Nathan's spine down upon it. As soon as the contact was made, the sickening sound of his spine shattering reverberated through the air. His body went limp and the life faded from his widened and frightened eyes.

Upon hearing the disturbing noise, Cyndi nearly threw up. She only cringed and set her hands atop her mouth.

The triple changer tossed the Human male's corpse aside and he slumped to his knees. Even doing something like grabbing onto him and executing him in that manner put a great deal of strain on his systems. Blitzwing remained on his knees, taking a few moments to cope with the stress and pain from being electrocuted earlier.

Cynthia approached him when he knelt down, knowing full well of the pain he must've been experiencing from that ordeal. She lowered herself to level her eyes with his optics and she cupped his chin in one of her hands.

"Do you think you can move?" she asked. "Can you call one of the others or should I run back and get help?"

"I have to dispose of his body," he explained. "It can't be found."

"We have to go. Someone could've heard the racket from your encounter. It's too dangerous to stick around here!"

"I'll burn his body, it's ze only vay, Cyndi."

She looked at his chest, seeing that the hook was still lodged within his hide. Some of the line was attached to it but it only dangled about two feet or so before it ended where he chewed it in half. His pink lifeblood was trickling slowly from his wound and she was thankful that the hook missed his spark chamber. If it had caught in that area, it was possible his spark could've been in dire jeopardy.

"Knock Out has to see you," she urged. "You've got to get that thing out of you and get you patched up."

"I know," he said dismissively. That wasn't his greatest concern at the moment. He was far more determined to destroy the MECH agent's body before it could be discovered. He forced himself to stand back up despite the nagging discomfort that encapsulated his whole frame. "Go, Cyndi. Valk back to ze mine and I vill catch up to jou. I have to do zis task and I know jou don't vant to be exposed to it."

He saw her part her mouth as if she was ready to speak. Hothead then made his appearance and he shook his helm tersely, giving away his peaking frustration with her.

"Don't speak vith me, just go!" he ordered in a raised voice. "Stop vorrying and get out of here! I'm not veak and defenseless so stop it!"

Cynthia was startled by his aggressive actions and she stared back at him in shock. She only looked back at him for a few moments before she soundlessly turned away. While she wanted to be there and try to assist him further, she also didn't want him to become more outraged and impatient. Being careful of her footing but trying to be quick enough, she made haste and began the hike back to the mine. She could feel tears pinpricking but she ignored them and forced herself to go on.

She could hear jets of flame being expelled from his turrets and she knew that the gruesome task was at hand. The woman's pace picked up and she resolved to not turn around until she reunited with her family.