CHAPTER 4

Professor Andrew Fowl drove his car recklessly through the late night traffic. During the early stages of its creation, the scientist had infused a tracking chip into the youth's body so if it ever went crazy and ran off he would be able to find it. As he drove he took quick glances at the yellow blip on the car's built in computer screen.

"Yes, you just keep on broadcasting," he said to the blip which was slowly getting bigger. "Tell me where it is." And that's the exact moment when the tracker chose to blink out."No!" he yelled, his eyes locked on the screen. "Don't do this to me!"

A horn blared at him and he looked up just in time to avoid running headlong into a semi truck. "What happened?" he asked himself out loud. "That chip was error proof. I built it myself! It can't have just blinked out like that!"

He slammed his fist on the dashboard and cursed, but nothing changed. The signal was gone. He'd completely lost his target.

Ratchet was waiting for Prowl and Bumblebee outside the plant. "What took you so long?" Ratchet asked when the younger Autobots pulled into the parking lot.

Prowl transformed. Bumblebee stayed in vehicle mode because of his cargo. "It's complicated," the cyber ninja explained, looking down at his friend.

Ratchet raised an optics ridge. "Complicated?" he echoed, folding his arms. "What's so complicated about it?"

"Trust me, Ratchet," Sari said, climbing out of the front seat of Bee's vehicle mode. "It is."

The old medic looked down at her. "Sari?" he said, looking surprised. "What are you doing here? I thought you and Professor Sumdac went to that Robotises Convention together."

"We did," she replied. "But well..." she looked away, rubbing her arm. "There was this little situation I came across and..."

"And?"

Prowl spoke up. "It had something to do with those strange Things she and Bumblebee encountered in that club," he explained. "From what Bumblebee told me Sari might have found the one responsible."

Now Ratchet was interested. He looked right at Sari. "You did?" he asked her.

She nodded.

"That's not all she found," Bumblebee spoke up.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

The younger Autobot transformed, moving something small from the back seat to his hands. He stood in front the medic, holding a small figure before him. "This is what I mean," he replied, holding it out for him to see.

Ratchet stepped toward the young Autobot and leaned forward to get a better look at what he was holding. He saw a black haired, pale skinned figure in clothes much too big for it lying limply in his hands. "A human?" he asked.

"Umm...," Sari said nervously. "I hate to break it to you, Ratchet, but that's not exactly a human."

"Not a human?" he looked down at her again. "What exactly are you saying?"

"I think," Prowl said, stepping forward. "That we should go somewhere else to discuss this. I don't feel comfortable explaining out in the open."

Ratchet sighed. "All right," he consented. "Let's head inside." he turned toward the plant. "We'll talk in the repair bay."

The others were agreeable and followed him into the building.

Lase studied the interior of the cockpit. It looked a lot like one you'd find in a normal harrier jet but a bit more cramped. Mostly because in robot mode the interior also served as protection for the spark chamber underneath. "Now," she said to herself. "How do you open this thing?"

She ran her hand over the controls and tried to read anything printed on them. Sadly the writing was in some strange language and she couldn't make heads or tails of it. "Of course you can't read it, Lase," she said sitting back in the seat in exasperation. "It's inside the body of an alien robot. What was you expecting anyway? English? That's too easy!"

She punched the panel. "I can't read Cybertronian!" she yelled to nobody. "Why did you have to be Cybertronian? Why couldn't you be in a language I understand? Even Norwegian would be better!"

She kicked at the panel but only succeeded in hurting her foot. moaning in annoyance she rubbed her now sore limb and glared at the thing. "I curse the very day Fowl brought you here," she growled at it. "Things were fine until this had to happen. What did I ever do to deserve this anyway?"

"Oh, I am so sorry. Do you want me to cry you an Energon river, fleshbag?"

Lase jumped, gasping in startlement. The voice hadn't been in her mind. She jerked her head around, searching for the speaker. "Who's there?" she called out.

But there was no answer.

Bumblebee gently set the little human thing on the examining table. Ratchet turned on the scanner and slowly ran the device over the thing's body. As he did he looked at Sari and the two Autobots. "Now why don't you explain what this is all about."

Sari stepped forward and began to relate the entire tale. "It's like this, Ratch," she replied. "Dad and I went to that boring convention Detroit has every year and we met his one guy."

"A guy?" the medic asked. "What guy?"

"A Professor Andrew Fowl," she replied. "He seemed like a rival.. I think he's Irish or something from his accent. He doesn't seem to like my dad much. Anyway; he kind of confronts Dad about his work and starts discussing his own robotics project."

"What was that?"

"He called it the new evolutionary step for humanity." the girl rubbed her head as if the thought of what he meant hurt her brain. "As far as I know, combining robotics with human DNA isn't exactly natural or "evolutionary"."

"No, it's not," Ratchet replied. Since he was a medic he'd done some research on evolution because he figured it would help him with human anatomy. "and I doubt human evolution will ever do something like that without help." he looked at the computer screen. Nothing yet. "Go on."

"Anyway he started talking about combining robotics with humans and that got me curious," she went on. "I mentioned about putting the wires and stuff into corpses. he said only an idiot would do something about that but by the look on his face, you could tell he was trying not to give anything away." she shook her head. "I think he was the one responsible for it."

"Is that when you called me?" Bumblebee wanted to know.

She nodded. " Actually it was a little bit later," she corrected. "I saw him leave the convention and decided to follow him to see if my hunch was true," she replied. "I kept a good pace with his car for quite awhile and then.." she pointed at the limp figure on the table. "Then that person there came flying at me." she thought a moment then added. "I think it had wings.."

The Autobots looked at one another. '"Wings, Sari?" Prowl asked her. "Are you sure?"

"No," she answered. "I only got a glimpse and it was dark so I might have been seeing things but if it didn't have any it must be able to defy gravity somehow." she shrugged. "anyway that thing slams into me and we both wind up on the ground."

"Is that when your commlink went out?" Bumblebee asked.

She looked at him. "I don't know," she told him, putting her hands on her hips. "I was too busy fighting to notice."

"Well anyway," Prowl cut in. "What happened next?"

"I fought with the thing," she replied. "At first I thought it was just a normal human being that the guy had messed with but.." she looked over at the figure. "I am not sure anymore..."

Before anyone could ask her what she meant, the computer started beeping. Ratchet moved to the console and brought up an image. The moment he saw it his optics widened in surprise. "By the light of Vector Sigma.."

"What is it, Ratchet?" Prowl asked.

The red and white robot turned back to them. "Why don't you see for yourself?" He moved away to make room for them in front of the screen.

Instantly Prowl and Bumblebee stepped forward. Both studied the X-ray image of the human-like figure lying on the table. What they saw they weren't exactly expecting. "That doesn't look like any human heart I've seen," Prowl commented, his optics focused on the circulatory system.

"Unless the heart suddenly got robotics put into it," Bumblebee added, his face so close his nose almost touched it. "Is that metal?"

"That's only the it of the asteroid," Ratchet said. "Keep looking."

So look they did and by the time they were done they seemed a little nervous. "That doesn't make any sense," Prowl said, turning from the processor tried to comprehend what he had just seen. It could do no such thing.

"What?" Sari asked, stepping forward. "What is it?"

He put out his hand and let her climb on then moved it so she could see the images too. Her blue eyes widened. "That doesn't look the least bit like my own insides."

"They're not," Ratchet told her. "and I don't think that was the intent."

"But a metal skeleton?" she asked. She looked at the figure. "What is that? Some kind of Wolverine clone or something?"

"She," Prowl spoke up.

"What?"

"She. See the way the body's curved and the growths here?" he asked, pointing at the screen. "That's a female. We just couldn't tell before because of the coverings."

"What gender it is doesn't make a difference," the medic spoke up. "What matters here is how she wound up that way and who is responsible."

"We know who's responsible, Ratch," Sari reminded him.

Ratchet nodded. "Yes, the human Fowl." he moved toward the girl on the table and looked down at her. From the outside she looked totally human. "But what was the purpose? I don't think it was to better humanity. I believe this scientist you mentioned has a different reason, a not so friendly one."

"What do you mean by that?" Bumblebee wanted to know.

Ratchet shook his head. "I can't answer that right now." his optics focused on the girl. "But maybe she can."

Prowl stared at the girl on the table. I wonder what she can tell us? he thought to himself. Does she even know? and if she does, can she really explain how she wound up the way she did? he looked back at the screen. Metal skeleton. Robotic vital fluids. An organic heard and brain.. techno organic flesh.. just what exactly was that man trying to accomplish anyway?

Professor Sumdac finished his speech later than he expecting. After his presentation some people had wanted to ask question. While a Q&A had not been planned he decided it couldn't hurt. Most of the questions had required long big worded answers and a few people needed him to use simpler words. By the time he'd finished it was after ten.

After he climbed down from the stage he'd gone looking for Sari ready to apologize for taking so long. He knew she hated these things and was probably bored out of her mind. He looked around the building but could not find his daughter. "Sari?" he said, poking his head in the lady's room. "Are you in here?"

The only person inside was a red haired woman. When she saw him peeking in, she screamed and threw her purse at his face. "Do you mind? This is the lady's room!"

"I'm sorry,." Sumdac said closing the door before she threw something else.

So Sari wasn't there either. Where was she then? Had she decided to go home? That answer seemed logical. Sari had brought her jetpack along when they'd left the tower earlier that evening. She'd explained that if she got too bored she'd take it and head back home.

That must be what happened, Isaac figured, heading to the parking lot. "Where else would she go?"

Once he was in the parking lot, Sumdac noticed Fowl's Corvette was no longer in its parking slot but didn't think much of it. He'd seen the man leave the room during his speech but didn't think anything of it. The Irishman always had some kind of vendetta against him anyway. Fowl thought Sumdac was a narrow minded nutcase standing in the way of real science and Sumdac considered Fowl a crack. Nobody really took the man seriously and many times his own work had been considered unscientific. With such bad publicity and open dislike, Isaac couldn't blame him for leaving early.

"When he becomes a real scientist and gives up on that crazy theory of his, he won't have such a bad time anymore," Sumdac said to himself as he crossed the parking lot toward his car. "I might even hire him if he asks."

He reached his own car which was parked in his designated spot. He unlocked in and climbed in. After strapping himself in he put the key in the ignition and started the car then pulled out of the parking lot and into the street.

But just as he entered traffic a black corvette shot past him, nearly knocking him off the road. He gained control of the vehicle easily then parked it and stared at the window at the car's retreating taillights.

What in the world was that about?

"I think Bumblebee should take Sari home now," Ratchet said. "It's getting late and I don't think Professor Sumdac knows where she is."

"Now?" Sari asked. She looked at the unconscious girl. She had wanted to be there if and when she woke up. "Can't you just call Dad and tell him where I am?"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but by now your father will be wondering where you are."
"But I wanted to be here when it woke up," the girl protested. 'I have some questions of my own I want to ask her and-"

"I don't think she'll be waking up any time soon," Prowl said, looking back at the X-ray image. "I hit her with the EMP. It'll be awhile before she gains enough energy to come back online."

Sari didn't comment. She knew he was right. It had taken her hours to awaken herself when Ratchet had hit her with the EMP last summer. If it worked like that with her, it most likely would have the same effects on the other girl. She sighed. "All right," she consented. "But when she wakes up please call me."

Ratchet was agreeable to that. "Sure, kid," he consented. He looked at Bumblebee. "Want to give her a lift, Bumblebee?"

The younger Autobot was agreeable. He nodded. "Sure." he went to join Sari. "Come on, We'll take the long way home."

"Maybe it should be the short way," she said as she followed him out of the room. "It's way past my curfew and Dad's going to be real worried."

When the two young bots were gone Ratchet and Prowl looked at each other. "Until then what do you think we should do with her?" the cyber ninja asked.

Ratchet turned his head to look at the tiny thing on the table. "She isn't a problem unconscious," he replied. "We'll decide what to do after she wakes up."

"What if she doesn't wake up?"

"Oh she will," the older robot assured him. "the EMP might have knocked her out but her vitals are stable." the medic gently covered the girl's body with her trench coat. "She'll come around when she's ready."

Lase slid off the soft leather seat and crawled carefully under the control panel. She slowly turned over until she was facing the bottom of the panel. Reaching up she ran her hands over the metal surface, searching for the section that came off. If a car has something like that, then this jet should have one too, even if it is the inside of a robot's chest.

Finally her fingernails found the little indentation that let her know she'd found the spot. "Ah hah! I knew you had one too!" she pried at the slot until it came out in her hands. Setting it aside, she carefully reached her hands inside and grasped the wires. If I rip these off the lid should open..

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

She gasped, yanking her hands out of the hole. The voice again. "Hello?" she called out, sliding back into the cockpit. She looked around the tiny space for the speaker. "Hello? Who are you? Are you trying to help me?"

No response.

Thinking she was hearing things she slid back under the panel and resumed her work on the controls. I must be losing it. Those circuits Fowl put into me must be making me crazy..

"I wouldn't doubt it, fleshbag. Only I can stand those circuits without losing it."

Instantly she was back in the cockpit. "All right, this has gone far enough! Show yourself right now or I'll-"

"Or you'll what?"

This time the voiced was behind her. She spin around but all she saw was the control panel and fogged up glass.

Her mind was blank except for one memory. Whether is was intentionally given to her or made no difference... it was painful. Fragmented images of dying painfully. But why she died or who was responsible was darkened by a black cloud.

Right now that memory was playing through her otherwise clear mind in the form of a nightmare. She saw light from a burning city and... robots... five robots in different sizes. They seemed to be trying to save the city. She hovered above them, watching their pitiful efforts.

For some reason the knowledge that they were not succeeding made her happy. She was glad they could not save the city. Let it burn to the ground. She threw back her head and laughed..

Then.. a fierce pain filled her forehead and something shiny came out of it before everything went black.

Ratchet heard the thing moving restlessly in its sleep state and turned to see what was wrong. He turned just as the girl let out a gasping breath and sat up straight. He watched her look around herself then freeze when she rested her eyes on him.

He felt he should say something. 'Hi-"

"You!" the girl screamed, jumping to her feet."You did this to me!" She raised her hands and shot a blast of red energy at him.

Ratchet instantly ducked to avoid the shot. It hit the computer screen, breaking the glass and sending shards flying in all directions. The girl ran to the edge of the examining table and fired at him again. "You won't get away with it, you murderer! You're not going to kill me again!"

He dived out of the way of the next blast, rolling to the side and getting behind a metal support beam. "What are you talking about?" he called to her. "I didn't kill anyone!"

"Liar!" she screamed, firing at the beam. "You killed me! You and your friends! Well I'm not going to let you get away with it! I'll teach you to take away the only thing keeping me alive!"

She shot more beams at him, determined to make him pay for something he hadn't been involved in. She might have kept it up for hours if a hand had not grabbed her from behind and picked her up off the table.

"What do we have here?" Optimus Prime asked, bringing her up to his face.

"Let me go!" she screamed, struggling to free herself. "You won't kill me that easily!"

Optimus make a confused face. "Kill you?" he asked. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Because you did it before!" she accused hysterically. "You and your freak robots pals! Well I won't stand by and let it happen this time! I'll break you all to pieces!" she wiggled in his grasp. "I'll teach you! I'll teach you all not to mess with me."

Optimus just stared at her, watching her weak attempts to get free. He looked over at Ratchet who'd come out behind the pillar. "Mind telling me what this is about?" he asked.

"Well," the medic said, walking over to him. "It's complicated...and could take awhile."

The Prime looked right at him. "I have time."

"Where did you run off to?"

Sari had just stepped into the Sumdac tower after being dropped off by Bumblebee when the voice startled her. She gasped then spotted the speaker. Isaac Sumdac, her father, stood at the edge of the staircase with his hands resting on his hips. By the look on his face she knew she had to be honest or face a huge punishment. "I well uh..." she stammered, trying to put the words together. "I uh..I got bored and left."

"I am aware of that," he informed her. "What I would like to know is where you went."

She sighed. Better get this all out in the open as quickly as possible. "I went after Fowl," she replied.

Sumdac blinked in surprise. "Fowl?" he asked. "Why would you want to follow him?"

She rubbed her arm. "Well," she began, not meeting his gaze. "Remember that incident Bee and I had a few weeks ago in the club?"

"Yes." After the Autobot's he'd been the only other person she told what had happened to. "What about it."

"Well I thought he might have something to do with it."

Her answer startled him. "Why would you think that?"

"He told us what he does for a living," she answered. "About putting robotics into humans or something like that. When I mentioned corpses with the circuitry in their bodies the look on his face made me wonder."

"You think he's responsible?"

"What other nutcase would do something like that?" she asked, looking at her father. "He looks like the type of person who would do something like that."

"But you don't have any proof." he pointed out.

"No, I don't," the girl admitted. "That's why I went after him. I was hoping to follow him to his lab or wherever he went and find proof." she shook her head. "Unfortunately I lost him and..Bumblebee had to give me a lift back home." She had wanted to tell her father about the strange techno organic girl she'd run into but something told her to wait. He might be upset if she related that piece of information to him.

Professor Sumdac seemed to believe what she told him and didn't ask any questions. "At least you're all right," he said, walking over to her and giving her a hug. "But next time tell me before you decide to follow somebody around. I was worried about you."

She nodded. "I promise."

A/N

Certain parts of this chapter remind me of a cartoon not related to Transformers, mostly the parts with Lase. I think my thinking might have been slightly warped because I've been watching X-men cartoons lately. And some fun stuff will happen in the next chapter. For now we have a few weird things going on that can't be dealt with further until later.

I honestly do want to bring Starscream back in this somehow but I'm having reservations. I don't know how or in what way it would contribute to the plot. Until I can think of one I won't do much in that area.

Happy Halloween.