Runaway

Chapter Four - Searching for Answers

Jazz stared out the window of the base the Autobots were using. The former investigator was no longer listening to the other mecha discussing battle plans.

He was too lost in thought to hear them.

"It's been a jour. Where could Steeldust be?"

Jazz refused to believe the worst.

That his nine-vorn-old youngling was offline. Mercilessly slaughtered by the mecha that had sabotaged the small transport he'd been on.

Shaking his helm, Jazz dismissed the thought. "Authorities would have found his frame if that happened. He escaped. Ah'm sure of it."

But just because Steeldust has likely escaped didn't mean he was alright.

Aftershock and Aurora Star still hadn't seen any sign of the small speedster.

Neither had Silver.

Neither had Bluestreak, Smokescreen, Swerve, or their creators.

Not even Nightracer had seen him. And he and the other enforcers had been looking since the accident had happened.

"If he's still online, then how have none of them seen him?" Jazz asked himself, optic ridges furrowing deeply as he frowned.

"Jazz," hissed Prowl from his seat beside him.

Tuning himself back into the conversation, which was actually kind of important, Jazz forced himself to listen. He could think about Steeldust later.

And how he could find him.

Prowl kept an optic on his friend, knowing that he'd have to tell Jazz what most of the meeting was about later. Oddly enough, he wasn't annoyed with Jazz.

He knew very well what he was thinking about that had him so distracted.

The fact that there had been no sign of Steeldust for a jour was concerning.

If it weren't that Orion- no, Optimus, needed him here, Jazz would have been long gone. Back to Praxus to search for Steeldust.

He had to stay. Had to keep fighting with the other Autobots, few as there were in comparison to the Decepticons. He had to help by doing what he did best, gathering information while being sneaky.

Jazz had never known that that talent would come in handy. He'd always just done it because he could. For fun.

Now?

A lot more rested on him retrieving information successfully than simply just solving whatever case he was investigating.

Simply.

Jazz scoffed under his breath, crossing his servos. "Never thought Ah'd describe what Ah used ta do like dat.

"Never thought Ah'd lose Steeldust either. Pit, Ah promised dat youngling Ah'd look after him, keep him safe.

"He's probably so scared..."

Staring out the window from behind his visor, Jazz's mood sank even lower.

"Steeldust- Wherever ya are- Ah'm so sorry.

"Ah will find you."

///

Finally, after what seemed to Steeldust like breems, Swindle finished talking with the giant mech.