Target

Breaking Point

The next day Knock Out quite his job at the hospital to spite Starscream's best efforts to talk him out of it.

Ratchet told him he could come back if he changed his mind but Knock Out didn't think it would happen because he wasn't planning to come back as long as his presence there might put his friends or clients in danger.

Starscream was very worried about the red transformer because he'd never seen Knock Out this scared before.

They were currently setting in Starscream's living room. Knock Out was watching TV while Starscream was reading a datapad.

When suddenly Knock Out's com-link beeped and the red spots car answered it in a panic.

"Who are you and why are you doing this to me?" Knock Out screamed in the most frightened and angry sounding voice Starscream had ever heard come from him. "Just please leave me alone you monster!"

But then his expression changed. "Oh sorry about that Windblade didn't mean to scare you I thought you were someone else." He said before telling her bye and hanging up because she had actually called him by mistake trying to reach her friend Cromea.

Then Knock Out covered his face with his servos.

Starscream didn't like what this was doing to his friend. Knock Out had been having nightmares and screaming in his sleep every time he went into recharge as of late, was always looking over his shoulder during the day and was afraid to answer his com-link.

Starscream went over to try to calm him down. But just then they heard a boom and the window shattered as several more booms followed. Someone was firing a blaster at them from outside the window.

Knock Out quickly pulled Starscream who had been standing up to the floor to avoid the on coming plasma blasts that we're being fired at them.

"This is Starscream someone is firing a blaster at me and my friend form outside my house." Starscream explained as he used his com-link to call the police.

After what seemed like forever the police got there but the shooter had already left. Bumblebee and Prowl went in and helped Starscream and Knock Out off the floor.

"Are you guys ok?" Asked Bumblebee seeing that Starscream's living room had been ransacked by plasma blasts.

"Yeah we're fine." Starscream said after looking himself and Knock Out over. Luckily neither of them had been hit. And all the plasma blasts had gone over them.

"No we're not Some psychopath just tried to scrap us." "And nearly blow Starscream's head off " cried Knock Out who was very shaken up by what just happened.

"It's ok Knock Out." Starscream started to say before the cherry colored mech cut him off.

"No it's not just look at your living room that could have been both of us just now." Knock Out told him in a worried tone. "I'm going to a hotel I'm putting you in danger by staying here."

"No Knock Out if you go to a hotel you'll be an easier target for whoever is doing this." Starscream told him.

"I'd rather be an easy target then put my friends in danger." Knock Out said through coolant tears.

"You can stay in the Autobot base for the time being it has good security so you should be safe there." Bumblebee told Knock Out and the Austin Martin agreed to staying in the base.

Then Starscream shot Bumblebee a thank you look. And the yellow Autobot nodded at him.
_

Later after they had Knock Out settled in the Autobot base. Starscream said he had to run some errands and left Knock Out to get comfortable in his room.

But he didn't tell anyone what he was actually doing. He was planning to hire a detective to figure out who was trying to hurt Knock Out and stop them.

He heard about an Autobot who was a good detective named Nightbeat who he was planning to hire. He had gotten a map to his office which was located right between Iacon and Kaon.

Only it was proving hard to find. First he realized he had the map upside down then he stopped at an oil house to refual and accidentally spilled his energon on the map which was a datapad and made it short out. Nothing was working out for the seeker on his little excursion.

"Knock Out better appreciate this." He grumbled throwing the now useless datapad in a trash can as he left the oil house. Now he had to try to find Nightbeat's office himself without a map.

He was currently trying to find his way having gotten turn around. And decided to cut through an alley. But quickly learned what a bad idea that was.

He sarted feeling uneasy because it was dark and he kept hearing footsteps behind him. He quickly turned around and found no one there. He could have sworn he'd heard footsteps.

Then he shook his helm bushing it off as nothing. And started to continue on his way.

When all of a sudden someone grabbed him from behind and tried to clamp a servo over his mouth but he quickly jerked his helm to a side accidentally causing his attacker to slash him across the face with sharp claws that he recognized.

This was the same bot that had been making Knock Out's life miserable for the past week. Starscream was determined to stop him from hurting his friend anymore then he already had.

So the seeker started fighting back hard wanting to end this. And the two were a pretty even match. Until the other bot who Starscream could now tell was a mech scratched him across the optics making him cry out in pain.

He wasn't sure how badly his optics had just been damaged but they hurt too much for him to open them. Then the other mech slammed him into the wall hard making the seeker fall to his knees when he let go of him.

Then the other bot grabbed some chains that we're in the alley and used some of them to tie up Starscream's servos and legs. Starscream was trying to fight back but it was useless because he had banged his head hard when the other but slammed him into the wall and was currently dazed.

Starscream's optics were still in too much pain for him to see. But he could hear his attacker pick up what sounded like a bucket of something.

Starscream knew whatever was in it couldn't be good. He started trying desperately to run but he was tied up and couldn't see. So it was impossible.

Then the mech came up to him and started stroking his wings.

"You seekers are amazing bots being able to fly through the sky with such grace it really must be beautiful to see the stars and clouds from so close or feel the wind against your frame?" The mech asked Starscream in a mocking tone.

"Too bad you won't ever know it again." The bot added. Before Starscream felt him dump something on his wings that burned and started crying out in agony as coolant tears of pain flowed down his faceplats.

"Don't worry it's only acid." The mech hissed before leaving Starscream to suffer in the alley.
_

Later that night at the Autobot base. Knock Out had been recharging when Bumblebee came and woke him up.

"Bumblebee what is it?" Asked Knock Out noticing a serious look on the yellow mech's face.

"Starscream is in the hospital he was found in an alley near Kaon." Bumblebee explained. "Someone attacked him and dump acid on his wings."

"No." Knock Out said sadly.

"I'm going to the hospital to see him." He added before rushing to the ground bridge not wanting to walk or drive to the hospital with all that had been happening to him lately. But he wanted to see his friend and make sure he was ok. Blaming himself for what happened to the seeker.

If Starscream didn't make it or had lasting damaged from this Knock Out would never forgive himself.

To Be Continued.

Sorry I gave you another cliffhanger. Poor Starscream I Just discovered I can be really dark with my stories sometimes. I'll try to get the next chapter done soon. In the meantime feel free to send feedback.