1. Guardians (A TFP Fanfiction Story)

Chapter 22

Ratchet

I was getting frustrated and frantic, and annoyed at myself. How in Primus could I have forgot? Granted, I had been practically busy with some other things, namely fixing some equipment Bulkhead had broken again, but I was still shocked with myself. I had gone to get her every other time that week, ever since she had started going to school. The looks I would get could be annoying, but it wasn't going to stop me. Apparently, getting distracted is what stopped me.

I was getting seriously ticked off as drove around Jasper looking for her. When I had rushed over to the school and found her missing, I had instantly assumed the worst. How could I not? She would have told me if she was going anywhere, and it wasn't like she had anywhere to go. From what I knew, she didn't have any new human friends from school, aside from Jack, Miko, and Raf. She wouldn't have just walked off either. Taylor wasn't like that. 

I had been driving for nearly an hour before Arcee commed me, saying that Agent Fowler had dug into the security cameras at the school. I screeched to a halt at the side of the road.

"And what did you find?!"

"She was kidnapped," Arcee growled from the other end. "By MECH."

My spark froze. MECH had taken her? For what purpose? What in the name of the Allspark could they need my charge for?

"You might want to come back to base," Bulkhead joined in. "We could use your help pinpointing some MECH locations."

My tires immediately started screeching as I put my engine at full throttle. "On my way."

Please let her be safe.

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It wasn't long after that each of the Autobots had been deployed to the possible locations. I had stumbled across another while they were gone, and despite my distaste for being on the field, I put the coordinates into the GroundBridge and raced out. If there was any chance this is where she was, I was going to take it.

The stars were shining dimly above me as I exited the Bridge, and unintentional panic began to fill my chest chassis. I hadn't realized it was that late already. Taylor had been missing for a nearly a whole day? I took a deep vent as I also took in my surroundings. I was inside a canyon, rock surrounding me. I figured there had to be an opening somewhere, and that was where MECH would be. I growled to myself as I began my search.

I heard a noise behind me and turned sharply, drawing my blades. On edge, I squinted as I tried to make out the small figure standing off in the distance. I quickly recognized the silver hair and small stature, relief flooding my spark.

"Taylor," I sighed, putting my blades away and walking to her. "There you are."

She didn't run towards me, as I had expected. She stood stone still, and as I got closer, I realized her blue eyes were almost glowing, her gaze hardened. At her hand there was an odd, yet familiar, blue glow, and I heard a hum through the air. Finally, she took a step towards me.

"Taylor, what is that?" I asked, suddenly nervous. Something was off. Why wasn't she saying anything?

She instead raised the blue glow, and I realized with horror that it was a blaster. Her eyes narrowed just before she shot, blasts ringing against my arms, which I had thrown in front of my helm. I grimaced in pain, backing away even though I wanted to run out and take her.

"Taylor, what are you doing? Where did you get that?"

She didn't reply, racing forward with her blaster raised. I couldn't make myself run, merely dodged the shots. She was too quick, however, and because she was so small it was hard to see her. Plenty of blasts still hit me, making me cry out in pain. I started backing into a wall of rock, fear flooding into me. She approached slowly, her eyes dead and hard, gun still raised.