Disclaimer: TFA © Hasbro

Warnings: Spoilers for "Transwarped" and "Where Is Thy Sting?"

Summary: Even a moment too slow is too late. Thankfully there was a bit of foresight.

Notes: One more story in the Black Ops universe (that's what I've decided to call these connected tales). Again, warnings for "Where Is Thy Sting?" because I watched the leaked episode on YouTube last night and... holy shit, Shockwave is brutal O.o I both love and hate him.

Mirage wasn't too proud to admit that she jumped slightly when her comm link sounded unexpectedly. She double-checked to make sure that she hadn't dropped her invisibility field when startled (and Cliffjumper's lack of confusion at a sudden appearance confirmed that she was still hidden from view) and walked over to one corner of the outer office to respond.

Raja here. What do you have for me, First Aid?

The medic's voice was just as strained as it had been when he initially commed her: I have good news and bad news, Prime. The good news is, Jack managed to figure out the speed conversions and Blurr came out of stasis a few breems ago.

Mirage breathed a sigh of relief and glanced back over at Cliffjumper. The smaller mech was frowning slightly at the screen he was recording, apparently a communiqué between Longarm and Sentinel. That is good news. And the bad?

Blurr just confirmed that Longarm Prime is the Decepticon spy.

Shockwave, her processor whispered. Mirage looked back over to see that the conversation that Cliffjumper had been recording was ended, and dread filled her thoughts. She cut off the comm link abruptly, rushed across the room, and draped herself over the back of her operative's chair. Before he could ask what the slag she was doing, she had synched her energy field with his and pulled him behind her invisibility field. She could almost feel his startled reaction and threw open a private comm: Be quiet and trust me.

No sooner had she felt him nod – impossible to miss with how closely she was wrapped around him – when the door opened and Longarm entered the outer office. As he walked, his form shifted smoothly from a short sturdy mech to a tall slim one, face elongating and blue optics vanishing to be replaced by a single glowing red. He stepped into the inner office, and Cliffjumper automatically reached out to hit 'record.' The two Ops agents listened in growing apprehension as Shockwave left a message for his leader, waiting silently until the feed was cut off; the second it was finished, Cliffjumper pulled the data disk from his terminal and subspaced it.

Mirage waited until Shockwave, once again in his Autobot guise, left once more before fully dropping the invisibility field. Cliffjumper looked just as shaken as she felt, and they exchanged worried gazes. The mech reached into subspace to pull out the data disk, looking at it with a small frown.

"All the evidence we'll ever need," he said thoughtfully before turning his optics to Mirage. "Now we just need to get it to someone who will believe it."

The femme nodded her agreement. "Sentinel Prime is in the Earth sector, so he's out. Not that he'd believe us anyway..."

"Rodimus Prime's team returned not long ago," Cliffjumper remarked. "I remember First Aid saying that he had to leave Blurr for a short time to assist with their injuries."

"Rodimus it is then," Mirage decided. "And we warn Ultra Magnus as well. Shockwave has already killed or tried to kill I don't know how many Autobots; I don't doubt that he'd go after our supreme commander as well."

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It was oddly vindicating to have someone listen, even if it was someone who shared her own rank. Rodimus had accepted their findings at face value, and in spite of still being on medical leave after his infection (cosmic rust could be handled quickly, but none of the medbots liked putting any victims back on active duty immediately) ordered his team to begin searching for Longarm.

Knowing that her next task needed to be handled alone, Mirage ordered Cliffjumper to report to base and assist in getting ready to leave the planet quickly. The mech obviously wanted to ask her why they were planning to evacuate, yet he'd held his glossa and gone quickly. She trusted that he would contact the other operatives currently in the field.

Ultra Magnus was not surprised to see her. After all, the supreme commander of the Autobot forces was the sole entity outside of Black Ops even aware of its existence, and only because he had been informed of it by Mirage's predecessor.

"You are positive that your accusations are true?" the older mech asked, tone even but optics clearly troubled.

"Affirmative, sir," Mirage replied, hands clasped behind her back. "Rodimus Prime's team is currently searching the building for any trace of the Decepticon spy. I have reason to believe he will come after you."

Magnus sighed quietly and nodded. "Given what we know about Shockwave, I would be surprised if he did not. The warhammer is a tempting prize, and I don't doubt that Megatron would be pleased with anyone who retrieved it." He turned away from the femme Prime, walking to a keypad on one of the walls and entering a pass code.

A portion of the wall slid away, revealing a recessed vault. The commander reached inside and pulled out a transparent box. Mirage's optics widened as she caught sight of the contents, snapping up to lock with Magnus'. "Sir! Is that—?"

"The one thing we cannot afford to let the Decepticons get their servos on," Ultra Magnus replied steadily. "I trust that your team is already preparing to leave Cybertron?" At the femme's nod, he continued: "In that case, I have a mission for you. It is of the utmost importance, and I trust no one but Black Ops to handle it.

"Take the Matrix of Power and flee Cybertron. Ensure that the Decepticons will not learn of its existence."

Mirage accepted the box with a brief nod. "Yes, sir. Primus be with you, Ultra Magnus."

"And with you and yours as well, Mirage Prime. Safe journey."

It tore at her spark to do so, but the femme activated her invisibility field and slipped from the room. She did not stop or look back once.

Her team had a new mission, and the only thing that would keep her from it would be her own deactivation.

Hours later, on board a small exploration vessel – commandeered by Hound when notified that the team would be leaving quickly – Mirage silently watched her operatives. Hound and Smokescreen were settled into the pilot's and navigator's seats, flying towards the Earth sector in silence. A few modifications had rendered the ship untraceable, and there was no fear of interception. Off to one side, Moonracer precisely disassembled her sniper rifle and began to clean it. In the small medical center, First Aid was keeping Blurr on bed rest until they arrived at their destination, a full-time task in itself as the speedster kept insisting that he felt fine and wanted to run. Cliffjumper had settled across from Mirage, checking over a datapad containing what information they knew about the planet they were headed towards and glancing up to check on the Prime herself from time to time.

Mirage tapped her fingers lightly on the case holding the Matrix. She didn't know why she had decided to make Earth their final stop, but she had a feeling that the ancient artifact currently under her team's protection had something to do with the choice.

No matter. The Matrix would be their light in the darkness, and there was no way she would ever let the Decepticons have it while air still cycled through her intakes.