Oh, it's only been like FIVE YEARS since I posted the first chapter. Lets hope time and creativity allows for quicker updates...I've been going through my stories folder and this one cried out. So here's chapter 2!

Thank you EVERYONE whose paused to read this, fav it, or review it. Thank you soo much! It makes me feel good to know people still have an interest in this story. :)

Warnings: *I'm totally taking all kinds of liberties with the SG verse here*, torture

not beta-edited...so sorry for any mistakes.

The Replacements

Chapter 2

He hit the ground hard enough his intakes seized for a moment before resuming function. Optics flickered as they powered back up. The fall must have knocked them offline...the fall...

A low groan escaped his vocalizer as Prowl stiffly sat up. He knew better than to stand so close to any of Wheeljeck's inventions, especially the untested ones. And yet, where had he stood? He could be a fool to himself sometimes.

It was only after pushing himself upright, stilling for a moment to allow the disorientation to dissipate, did he realize no one else was around.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

Not a good sign.

Prowl looked around him, frowning. Something was…..off. The landscape wasn't completely familiar. As it should have been. Fearing the fall may have caused a system malfunction, Prowl quickly ran a check of all his systems and programming. Making sure everything was up and running properly. No errors or detected malfunctions pinged him back.

He stood, optics searching up for the spot where Wheeljack's machine should have been but found nothing. No crumpled cliffside, no cascade of rocks, not even a hole in the ground or scorch marks were the device had been.

Something wasn't right.

He opened up his comm link to contact the nearest Autobot but only received static. Turning the comm system off, Prowl turned and began to walk in the direction the Ark. Unease beginning to flit in the back of his mind.

After ten mins of walking and looking around him, Prowl still couldn't identify where he was. The land marks he was accustomed to, the ones he had passed by day in and day out when traveling to and from the Ark, weren't there.

However, at the sound of jet engines behind him, he ceased to care.

Prowl turned, quickly pulling his gun from subspace, taking aim just as three large forms shifted midair, landing heavily on the ground in front of him.

Seekers. And the lead trine to boot.

Prowl looked them over. He had no doubt as to who they were, though their frames seemed…slightly different, altered. Upgrades, perhaps. Not good. Upgrades most likely meant more powerful weapons and seekers were deadly enough as they were. As to why they had altered their color schemes (a rarity for the breed, given their vanity) was beyond him.

Skywarp frowned at him, solemnly. "There you are."

Thundercracker, on the other hand, directed a smile at him. "Why are you wondering around out here? Alone, no less. Didn't you hear Megatron? Autobot signals have been detected in the area. We need to get back to base. All of us."

Starscream stilled beside his trine mates, optics fixed on the object in Prowl's hand in…confusion. "Prowl? Where did you get that gun?"

"It is my gun, always has been." Prowl stood his ground, gun steady in his hand, the muzzle directed at the three should one break from this…bizarre dialogue and attack. He didn't understand, couldn't grasp the tactic or purpose or trick behind this display of false familiarity but he knew it was there, he just couldn't see it yet.

Starscream shook his head and, in Prowl's opinion, actually managed to pull off a rather convincing worried look. As though the seeker were capable of genuine concern that didn't center around his own well being. "No. It's not. You don't carry a gun. That one or any other. Where did you find it? I've never seen a gun like that before, it's not familiar."

Prowl locked optics with the seeker, his voice holding only steely welcome. "Come closer and you will become very familiar with it."

Three pairs of optics suddenly went wide in surprise before Thundercracker gave a laugh. "Prowl! That's the first time I've ever heard you sound like an Autobot! Is that what you've been doing out here? Practicing? Working to sound threatening? How funny!"

"And unnecessarily dangerous." Starscream's feigned look of concern continued as he shook his head at Prowl in disapproval, causing that fleeting unease to start growing as it began to crawl through Prowl's systems. "Prowl, there's no reason for you to place yourself in any jeopardy. You know Megatron has given you sanctuary. There's no reason for you to try taking anything on yourself. What would it prove? Trust me, he'll protect you. We, the Decepticons, will protect you."

And then Starscream gave him a smile. A smile so full of hope and understanding. It lit up the seeker's face, reaching all the way up to bright blue optics through which shone a degree of sincerity and kindness a deceitful creature like Starcream should not be capable of.

And for a split second, Prowl actually believed Starscream meant every word.

Then anger swept in, searing through his systems. Optics narrowed, jaw clenched, white fingers tightened their grip on the gun. Was this not the same trickery Starscream had used to prey on Red Alert not a few months back? Taking advantage of a damaged mech. Using Red Alert, trying to turn him, his friend, against them? Did Starscream really think they were so stupid? That HE was so stupid he'd fall for the same trick? Or did Starscream really believe that because he too harbored a glitch in his processor that he'd make just as easy of prey?

In the face of Prowl's quiet anger, the smile on Starscream's face waned then vanished. The Decepticon looked perplexed, as if he couldn't quite figure out what he had said or done wrong. If that was the game Starscream wanted to play, then Prowl would enlighten him. "You-"

The loud rev of an engine sliced through the air, cutting off Prowl's words, causing all three seekers to tense. Anger dissipated, relief taking it's place though Prowl didn't lower his gun or turn around. He knew that sound, would know it anywhere, it was ingrained in his processor.

Jazz was coming.

Good. Last thing he wanted was to fight three seekers by himself.

Skywarp suddenly looked panicked as he looked at Prowl. "Prowl, enough is enough! Cut the act and put the gun away…Jazz is coming!"

"I know." He stared at them, calm, stoic, never looking away, one couldn't afford distractions when facing seekers.

Skywarp and Thundercracker stared at him in shock, in almost disbelief. Starscream looked at him oddly, as though he were trying to solve something, piece together a puzzle, optics locked on him, scrutinizing.

Thundercracker fidgeted, shifting his weight from foot to foot in what seemed like some nervous habit, one Prowl had never known Thundercracker to engage in. "Prowl," the nervous seeker pleaded, "if you know it's Jazz, then let's go! You know what he'll do to you if he gets his hands on you!"

Prowl stared calmly back, he refused to be drawn into this elaborate ruse. "And just what will Jazz do if he gets a hold of me?" he challenged.

He waited, expecting the facade to drop. Expecting one of the seekers suddenly leer and give some lewd answer meant to be the punchline for this whole bizarre joke. But Thundercracker only looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "What will he do? You know exactly what he'll do. What he's done before. He'll take you to that torture chamber of his and mangle you within an inch of extinguishing your ember!"

Prowl simply arched a brow ridge. Now, this was new and quite inventive. "My ember? Thundercracker, this ruse of yours isn't making any sense. Time to end it. You can not trick me. Jazz doesn't torture anyone, least of all me, or any other fellow Autobot."

The shocked silence coupled with the shocked expressions almost felt real.

Skywarp shook his head. "The mech's gone mad…."

Thundercracker blinked, obviously confused. "Ruse?"

Prowl nodded. "Yes, Thundercracker, a ruse. A trick. This prank of yours. Though normally this is Skywarp's territory." Then he turned his hard gaze to Starscream. "Or was this all your idea? If so, it's seriously lacking in form and execution. You might want to put more thought into it next time."

Starscream looked speechless, Thundercracker actually looked….hurt. While Skywarp, strangely quiet, shook his head in denial. "I've never pranked anyone."

Another rev of that engine, the sound hot and fast, closer yet, causing Skywarp and Thundercracker to back up. Thundercracker shook his head again, reaching for Starscream. "We can't stay. We have to go."

Starscream jerked out of his reach. "No! We can't leave Prowl! This isn't…" Starscream turned, optics desperate as he reached out to Prowl. "Prowl, please, come to your senses."

"I see him." Skywarp whispered, looking in the distance behind Prowl, and Thundercracker grabbed Starscream, pulling him forcefully back. "He doesn't want to come and we can't force him. We're leaving. Now."

Starscream struggled against the hand clamped firmly on his collar armor, tugging him away. "No, something's not right. It's not right… Prowl, please!"

The object raising a dust trail in the distance, speeding toward them, even had Starscream backing up as he continued to plead at the unmoving mech. "Prowl… Did they contact you? Threaten you? You don't have to do what they say, Prowl! We can protect you! We…..we…."

Thundercracker and Skywarp took to the air, hovering, unwilling to be grounded yet unwilling to run off without Starscream. Starscream stared pass Prowl at the on coming sports car and shook his head helplessly. "I'm sorry….I'm sorry, I can't stay. I'm sorry."

He took to the air, hovering a moment to cast Prowl one sad look before all three transformed and took off. Prowl stood unmoving, watching them. The sound of their engines fading as Jazz's grew in volume.

He finally lowered his gun. That had to be the strangest encounter he'd ever had. A smile actually tilted the edges of his mouth. Jazz was going to get a huge laugh when he told him about this. The seeker's antics, often outlandish, never ceased to amuse the saboteur.

An engine revved hard and loud behind him. Prowl frowned. Jazz wasn't decelerating. What the….

He turned but only in time to hear Jazz transform before a blur of black and white slammed into him. The force of the impact knocked Prowl off his feet, his back crashed against the hard ground, sliding. Sharp rocks slicing into his back plating and doorwings as Jazz's weight ground down on him.

Prowl gasped, intakes stalling as he arched his back, pain robbing him of breath. Hands scrabbled against the ground, searching for purchase. Something, anything. His back….the insides of his doorwings….tore up, sensors skinned of their protective metal, raw and open. This was pain he hadn't experienced in a long long time. What had Jazz done?

He felt Jazz shift on top of him, sitting up, straddling his waist as the other black and white reached for something. With effort he focused his optics on Jazz….who was smiling down at him?

Jazz…?

Jazz let out a chillingly gleeful laugh as he sat up on his knees, looming over Prowl. "You made this too easy, Prowl!"

What the….?

Jazz laughed again, raising Prowl's gun above his head. Prowl didn't even have a change to turn his head or vocalize a protest before Jazz brought the butt of his gun down with purposeful force, slamming it against Prowl's temple, sending the tactician into the black oblivion of unconsciousness.

The first thing Prowl became aware of was pain.

Pain everywhere.

He gave his systems a moment to fully boot up before dialing up his audios to their maximum capacity. He listened. If there was anyone near, he'd hear. But there was nothing. Just silence and every now and then a dripping sound, like water from a facet.

He cautiously onlined his optics, keeping them dim, he took in his immediate surroundings. He was laying on his side on a metal floor. A metal floor with grooves in it. The grooves were stained with energon and various other fluids. Tilting his head, he followed the direction of the grooves, following them till they converged at drain. Not a friendly sight.

Fully powering up his optics, Prowl took in the room. It was dimly lit, there was a door and a stairway leading down into the room, high walls from which hung chains and cuffs, a barred cage in the corner, a far wall full of objects, sharp and painful. The kind of things one only sees in…torture chambers or Decepticon interrogation rooms.

Why was he here? More importantly, why had Jazz attacked him and brought him here? His mind instantly supplied him with reasons. Decepticon virus. Implanted mind control chip. ... Clone? But none of it made sense. He had just seen Jazz, right before the….the explosion….

Decepticon seekers are friendly to him then flee in the face of Jazz. Then Jazz attacks him. Friend and lover….attacked him. No…. Prowl no longer had to wonder if something was off, he knew.

With effort Prowl forced himself to sit up. It was excruciating. Every movement set off pain receptors, doorwing joints protested at the slightest shoulder motion. But he refused to simple lay on the floor and wait for whoever to come for him. He could take a guess as to what awaited him in this room.

He was shaking by the time he got himself upright. Shaking and sick, but he didn't have to time to dwell on it.

The door to the room opened and a completely familiar shape filled the entry way. The door shut and locked as Jazz looked down at him, a sick grin curling his lips.

"You're awake! What perfect timing! But then again, you always did have good timing, Prowl."

Jazz directed a smile at him, visor -a red visor- gleaming in the dim light. Prowl stared back, stoic, closed. Which Jazz must have found funny since he suddenly leaned against the doorway and chuckled.

"So serious, Prowl!" He laughed, pushing away from the wall, starting a slow decent down the stairs. Prowl realized then that Jazz had something in his hand but he couldn't make out what.

"Not that the situation isn't serious, Prowl." Jazz shook his head at him. "Been a bad little Autobot, Prowl. Running away from us like that. Caused a lot of hurt feelings. Especially mine! Makes me think you don't like the time we spend together, Prowl." A nasty chuckle. "And you know how much I enjoy our time together."

Prowl watched him. Nothing about this felt good. Where ever this was, whoever this was, was a direct threat to him. This…this mech may wear Jazz's frame, have Jazz's voice but he was not Jazz.

"The Boss wasn't happy about your running off, Prowl. Here he'd thought you'd been…well schooled on where you belong, who you belong to." Jazz sighed dramatically has he reached the bottom step, leaning against the railing. "Seems you've forgotten what we taught you. Maybe….maybe this is my fault."

Jazz lifted his hand and Prowl finally saw what he held. Watched with mounting anxiety as Jazz toyed with the thick coil of an energon whip. "Maybe I just didn't beat it into you hard enough last time."

"What will he do? You know exactly what he'll do. What he's done before. He'll take you to that torture chamber of his and mangle you within an inch of extinguishing your ember!"

Thundercracker….if that had really been Thundercracker, may have been speaking the truth.

Jazz looked up, catching Prowl's gaze, that sick smile returning full force. "Well, I don't plan on making that mistake again. I've come here to teach you. And you will learn, Prowl." Jazz let the whip slide over his fingers. "I'm going to make sure you don't ever forget who you belong to and where your place is ever again."

Prowl tensed as Jazz flicked the whip out along the floor, watching the thick coil spark to life.

Frag.

Jazz giggled as he stepped forward. "Let's begin, shall we?"

Jazz's giggling becoming full blown laughter as Prowl struggled to stand.

Author's notes:

Get a firm grip...cliffhanger! :)
Writing crazy Jazz is actually quite fun!
Reading and reviewing is always loved! Thanks for reading!