Rock-A-Bye-Bot 2: Slo Mo's Revenge

An Evil Plan

The rest of the day went by fast for everyone. Optimus Prime and Prowl went out on patrol several times in hopes of finding some kind of lead on how Swindle had ended up at the plant and how he had been turned into a sparkling. Each time they had returned with nothing. Sari watched silently as her huge friends talked about everything and eyed Swindle as if he held the answers they were searching for. However, it wasn't until that night that things took a different turn.

"The scanners are picking up an Allspark fragment not too far from here." Optimus announced aloud, not taking his optics off the computer monitors in front of him. He punched several keypads, bringing up a map of the city. "It looks like it's inside of an old warehouse."

"Why would it be there?" said Ratchet, walking up to Optimus's side.

"I have no idea, but we need to obtain it before the Decepticons find it." Optimus turned. His optics went down to Sari standing beside Ratchet’s foot.

"Can I come?" she asked hopefully.

"No, Sari. I don't know what sort of trouble we'll run into. You need to stay here and watch after Swindle."

"But the Allspark fragment—you need my key to locate it."

"I already have a pretty good idea of where it is. I think we can manage without your key just this once."

"But…"

"Sari," Optimus's voice grew sterner, "Swindle needs you more than we do. He needs you to stay here and look after him. You’re helping us by doing that. Besides, we won't be gone very long. We’re just going to drive over to the warehouse, find the fragment, and come right back."

Sari sighed and crossed her arms. Optimus turned an annoyed look to Ratchet and then walked toward the front door.

"Autobots!" he called over his shoulder, "Transform and roll out!"

Optimus transformed into his fire truck form before rolling out into the night's darkness. Ratchet and the other Autobots soon followed after him, each one transforming into their vehicle modes. Sari watched as her friends drove off. Her attention was soon diverted to a small bundle walking up to stand beside her. She turned to see Swindle nuzzling up to her side, thumb in mouth and optics sleepily drooping. She smiled before picking the sparkling up.

~ ~ ~

When the Autobots entered the warehouse, they transformed to robot mode. The place was dark and completely abandoned of any form of life aside from a few mice and rats that scampered into hiding places.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Bumblebee turned to Optimus.

Optimus nodded. "The scanners showed that the Allspark energy was coming from this area. Let's look around. It's got to be hidden somewhere."

Everyone split up to search the huge building, looking behind stacked boxes and crates and any other places where a piece of the Allspark could have fallen and wedged itself into. An hour of searching passed and nothing was found. The Autobots met in the open, scratching their heads in confusion.

"You'd think we would have seen an Allspark glow by now." said Prowl.

"I don't care what everyone says, we should have brought Sari with us. Her key would have led us right to it." Bumblebee grumbled. "And we could have been back home watching TV by now!"

"Oh, quit your griping. The exercise will do you good." Ratchet replied.

"Oh, really,"

"Will you two mute it?" Optimus said irritably. "It's obvious we're the only ones here, so that fragment has to be here somewhere."