randomplaces | CW 'verse. Unidentified Lab and Nellis Airforce base. Loss

Jazz fell back against the table, his circuits screaming from the scans and tests that he'd just been subjected to. It took a few tries before he could turn his head, but finally he did so, wondering why the pain had stopped. Were they done? He tried to understand what the white-coated humans were saying, but too many circuits were fried.

Two men walked over and started securing his body with additional straps despite his weak attempts to struggle, and then their leader came with a box of tools.

Jazz's visor fell over his eyes and he tried to buck the man off as he climbed onto his chest, but there were too many restraints. There was nothing he could do.

Not even when the scientist got his spark casing open and wrenched the shimmering light from his chest.

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Elita lifted her hands and struck downward, easily smashing through the roof of the research facility and then dropping through the hole. She was aware of Bumblebee and Ironhide coming in after her, and then Ghost's soft purr as the ship brought up the rear.

She saw Jazz right away and hurried toward where he lay strapped to a slab at the side of the room, only to stop short and stare as she saw the opening in his chest. Ironhide started a steady stream of low invective behind her, but she could do nothing but stand there rooted in place...

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He'd seen many things in his life, Sam Walker thought as he watched the backhoe dump the last dirt onto his friend's grave. But he'd always kind of thought that it would be Jazz seeing him buried.

Scowling, he turned his back on the scene, only to mutter to himself as he saw Elita standing there with the twins. Halweh had been shut down since her father had first gone missing, and Ratchet was unable to give any hope of her ever coming back online.

-The #$&$# took her husband and her daughter, and there's nothing we can do without them spilling the Autobots' secret to everyone.- He growled, then started as Bumblebee gently touched his head. He looked up to see her gazing down at him with concern. "I'm alright, 'Bee. I'm okay."

"No you're not." Her voice held static. "None of us are."

He sighed and looked at Elita again to see her walking away, then lowered his head and turned toward his quarters. "I'm going to go get drunk out of my skull."

Bumblebee stared at him for a moment, struck by the unwonted statement.

Then she shook herself and followed. "I'll help."