It is now night time in a city and we see Knockout on the road leading away from the city. As he's driving, he's listening to the radio about illegal street racing, which is what he's currently looking for. Man: "As Metropolitan P.D. continues to crack down on illegal street racing, citing the danger of both drivers and pedestrians..." Knockout turned off the radio before speeding up to get the racing sight, which he can see thanks to the lights of the cars just above the trees. We see three cars that look racing material ready to go as someone stands in front of them with a flashlight. Knockout drives up next to the black car that has a big muscular man with tattoos behind the wheel. He observes the car that is Knockout and is already being a kind of a jerk. ???: "You're not from around here. European design?" Knockout doesn't answer and the guy is annoyed at this. ???: "Sure is pretty; too pretty." he says as he reaches out and uses his metal ring to scratch Knockout, and this ticks him off as he looks at the scratch then back at the guy with his rear view mirror.

Knockout: "Big mistake." he said switching gears and looks at the guy holding the flashlight. The guy holds up the flashlight and turns it on, which tells the drivers to start the race. They drive off and we see that the meathead is in the front and Knockout is in the back. The meathead looks in his mirror and smirks before hitting the accelerator and leaving the others in the dust, or so he assumes. He looks back in the mirror and sees Knockout speed out of no where and close in on him before getting rammed in the rear. ???: "HEY!!" he yells while trying to stay ahead and away from the guy. A turn then comes up and Knockout takes advantage of it and slams into the guy, making him lose control and break through a railing and fall off a cliff. His car lands on its rear and he tries to recollect himself of what just happened. ???: "Oh...dude..." he says looking up at the cliff to see the same car staring down at him. Knockout: "You scratch my paint...I scratch  yours." he says before backing up and continuing the race."

It is a sunny afternoon at Jasper, Nevada for the high school kids who are just leaving school. Jack gets on Arcee and puts on his helmet while Nakala gets in Elita and the four are ready to go to back to base, but someone decides to be a jerk. Vince: "Hey, cherry moped. And barbie toy car." Jack: "Uh, This moped has dual carbs and can go zero to sixty in 3.5 seconds." Nakala: "Pink existed before any life in the universe did." They said before taking off, but Vince wasn't done with them yet; especially after Jack talked about Arcee's speed. The group got to a traffic light that just turned red so they had to stop, ofc, and Arcee had something to say to Jack about what he said. Arcee: Uh, Jack, a lady's vital stats are her own business." Jack sighs and then someone tries to get his attention from his right and he sees two girls from his school. Sierra: "Hey! Nick, right?" Jack: "A-Actually, i-i-it's Jack." "Jack, sorry. I'm Sierra." "I-I know." "You once offered to take me for a ride." Nakala looks up at the Elita's ceiling as he leans back in the seat, thinking "*Oh, now she shows interest in him. Just as I suspected, he was a nobody to her until Arcee came into his life.*" Jack: "Of...course. I-I did. A-A-Anytime." Arcee: "I'm your guardian, kiddo, not your wingman." Sierra: "So...How about now?" Jack: "Uuuuhhh..." 

Before Jack could answer, Vince came up beside Jack and rudely interrupted. Vince: "Hey, hey, small world." Nakala: "[quietly] Ah, Hell." Jack: "I'm having a conversation." Vince: "Cheer Captain here might enjoy watching you take on four wheels of muscle car." Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing Vince say. "Are you challenging me...to a race?" "You catch on quick, panch. What do you say?" "Eh, I..." Jack didn't know what to say 'cause not only did he not want to race, but also because he wanted Arcee's answer on this too. But seeing Sierra make face and motion with her head that basically said "Go for it" wasn't making it easy. Jack: "Um..." Before Jack could answer, the light turned green and Arcee sped off, surprising Jack with Elita and Nakala right behind them. Jack: "Woah! You- You didn't let me answer." Arcee: "Nope." "Arcee, we can smoke him." "Yep." "[sigh] You just don't get it." "I don't make the rules, Jack. Optimus does. And rule number one, in case you missed it: NEVER abuse power for personal gain, and that includes horsepower."

Vince follows the Darby brothers, still wanting to see if Jack will accept the challenge or not. Jack: " Oh. ...Vince, look, maybe racing isn't such a good id--" Jack didn't get to finish 'cause Vince laughed at him for being a safe coward. Vince: "[laughs] I figured. You ride around like your bike's something special, but it's just a clunky, chunky, trike; and ugly." Nakala tensed in anger as he heard Vince say that about Arcee, but kept his cool. The light turns green and Vince does a quick U-turn back to Sierra and her friend to tell them what happened. Arcee, however, wasn't gonna take that insult lightly at all. Arcee: "That's it! The yahoo's going down." she says before doing a U-turn after the "yahoo" to accept the challenge, surprising Jack agian. Jack: "He-- Whoa!" Elita: "Oh no." Nakala: "Well, someone has to put him in his place." he said as they follow suit. Jack: "Whoa, what happened to rule number one?" Arcee: "Gets bent...just this once."

Vince pulls up next to the girls who are walking along the crosswalk and is about to tell them that Jack is a chicken. Vince: "Yo, girls. Your pal, Darby, he's--" Before he could finish his insult, he hears tires screech behind him and sees Jack. Jack: "Ready when you are, Vinny." Vince: [smiles] Dirt road by trucker's ranch; one hour." An hour passes and we see Vince and Jack at the dirt road ready to race, with Sierra, her friend, Nakala, and Elita there watching. Vince: "From here to the next mile marker. Ready, go!" he said giving himself an unfair head-start. Jack: "[sarcasm] Well, that was fair." he said as he Arcee chase him. After covering some distance, Vince looks in his mirror and see Jack is behind and smiles smugly, which is leaving Jack confused. Jack: "Uh, Arcee?" Arcee: "Winning isn't enough, Jack. You wanna make him cry." she said before speeding up and caught up to Vince without him noticing. When Vince looked back in his mirror, he saw Jack was gone and was confused of where he went. He looked around 'til he saw him to his left, waving at him before getting ahead of him and left him in the dust. Vince: "Wha..." he said with wide eyes. Jack and Arcee pass the mile marker and Jack cheers while Arcee honks in victory. Jack: "Whoo! Outstanding! Um, hey, might be a good time to offer Sierra a quick once around the block?" Arcee: "Don't push it." Jack sighs in defeat.

We see the Decepticon warship in a night sky somewhere in the world once again. Breakdown is currently in the medical bay with an unconscious Megatron, cleaning all the rust and dirt off of him. He stops once he hears Starscream enter the room to check-up on the patient. Starscream: "Ah, Breakdown, has there been any change in Megatron's condition?" Breakdown: "Hmm, only cosmetic." "Well, I'm sure you and the good doctor have been doing everything in your power -- Where is Knockout?" As if on cue, Knockout enters the lab. Knockout: "Can you believe what some skin job did to me? [groans]" he says pointing at the scratch on his door arm. Starscream: "You have been street racing among humans again, haven't you?" "I'm not only an automobile, I'm and Automobile enthusiast." "I do strive to run a tight ship, Knockout. I would strongly suggest that you seek my permission next time you decide to disappear on one of your little...jaunts." "No worries, head commandant." "It is lord to you." "Only if Megatron takes a nose dive." "[growls] The day our master emerges from stasis, I will gladly relinquish the title. But I believe that outcome is unlikely. Something to do with the quality of medical care around here." With that being said, Starscream turns around and leaves the medical bay. Starscream: "So, continue buffing. We do want Megatron looking his best for the memorial." Knockout: "Buff this."

We now see Jack, Arcee, Nakala, and Elita arriving at the base after the race with Vince. Jack and Nakala are walking side by side and Arcee and Elita transform while in the base. Arcee: "Not a word to anyone." she said to Jack and Nakala. Jack: "Our little secret." he said with a wink before Arcee and Elita went on ahead. Elita: "It better be the only time, Arcee." Arcee: "Don't worry, Elita. You know me." Suddenly, Miko comes up to to the Darby brothers and says something that surprises Jack, but not to surprising for Nakala. Miko: "Dude! Vroom, vroom, vroom! And the winner is..." Jack: "...Miko, Who -- Who told you?" "You kidding? It's all over school!" Raf then joins in the party to also congratulate Jack. Raf: "You beat the pants off that blowhard bully, Vince." Jack pulls the two in closer to make sure they get the point. Jack: "You guys have to keep this on the D.L., especially from Optimus." Nakala: "*I have a feeling Vince won't take that loss to lightly. Who knows what he'll do." He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw his two creations heading for him: His eagle named Wingblade and the newly born wolf named Silverfang, who is 6ft. tall.

Timeskip to next day, after school, we see Jack and Nakala heading down the stairs, only to be stopped by Sierra. Sierra: "Hey, I've been looking for you." she said to Jack. "The race; how great was that? I was like, "Yeah! Go Jack!" Nakala felt uncomfortable being a third-wheel in this awkward flirting between the two. Jack: "It -- I-I-It was no big deal." Vince: "You got that right." he said walking past Jack while basically punching his arm with his arm. "But if you think you can run with the big boys, the Circuit: tonight, 11:00 P.M." Nakala: "No." Everyone looked at Nakala as he spoke. "Jack already proved he can beat the likes of you." he said guiding Jack away down the stairs. "He doesn't need to be doing something more dangerous...and wrong." Vince: "You're just weak...just like you're dead sister." Sierra and Jack gasped in shocked at what Vince just said, but Jack was more scared 'cause his brother is very sensitive to that. Out of anger, he uncontrollably started squeezing Jack's shoulder so Jack had to pull away. Vince: "Yeah, I heard what happened at her school few years ago." Nakala snapped his head toward Vince where he and Sierra saw his menacing death stare, which made Vince start to regret what he said. Nakala walked back up to Vince and grabbed him by the shirt collar and said in a venomous voice, "I'll be your opponent. Jack dug the grave. Time to for me to put you in it."

It is now early sunset and Jack and Nakala are on their way back to the base, and Nakala told Elita what happened. Elita: "You agreed to what, Nakala? I thought we were clear on not abusing power for personal gain." she said with a calm but disappointed voice. Nakala: "Insult my sister...and you regret it." "I know how you feel about your sister, Nakala. But-" "But nothing!" he said with tears in his eyes trying not to fall, but Elita can see it clearly. Elita: "[sigh] Okay, Nakala. I'll go ahead and attend this race with you, but just this once. Okay?" Nakala simply nods with a small smile. Elita: "What time is the race? And where does it take place?" Nakala: "The circuit at 11:00 P.M.." "We'll be there." Little did they know that Decepticon medic himself, Knockout, was on his way to Jasper, Nevada right now. Breakdown: "Knockout, Starscream's been looking for you again. Where'd you go?" Knockout: "Out for a little drive. I just roll from town to town sniffing around until..." before he could finish his sentence, a car honks at him as it passes him. "...the next opportunity presents itself." he said knowing what that car is here for as he speeds up.

It is now 11:00 P.M. with a full moon out as we see Elita and Nakala pull up at the circuit and drive up next to Vince and rolls down the window. The two eye each other What the duo didn't know is Knockout pulling up behind them, but he didn't recognize them at first. Man: "Circuit drivers, are you ready? Make it mean, but keep it clean! Fire 'em up in Five! Four! Three! Two! One!" Every single car went off to the races the moment the countdown was over. Elita and Nakala are neck-and-neck with Vince 'til they eventually go on ahead with Knockout right behind them. Knockout: "Well, well, well. The sparkmate of Optimus Prime is in this race." he said before catching up to Vince and ramming against him, making him lose control. Elita and Nakala both saw this and recognized the car, though it took Nakala a minute. Elita: "Uh-Oh. We got company." Nakala: "That car...I feel like I've seen it. Is it that red and white 'con?" Elita: "The Decepticon's medic. Hang on." she said before doing a hard turn on of the ramp walls of the circuit, with Knockout doing the same. After chasing them for a small bit, he brings out his side lasers and starts shooting at the duo.

Elita does her best to stay clear from the blasters before she up the ramp and takes the chase to the open road. Vince caught up in time to see Nakala and the car that rammed him take off away from the track. Vince: "What the..." Knockout continued shooting at Elita, clearing not knowing that Soundwave's sparkling was in there. Nakala: "Can you lose him?" Elita: "Probably. I'm gonna call base for backup, just in case." Back at the base, Miko and Raf are racing each other on a video game with Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Jack watching, then Arcee comes in realizing three people are missing. Arcee: "Anyone seen Elita and Nakala?" she said, making the humans flinch. Miko: "Not since...we last saw them." Arcee wasn't convinced and already had an idea of what they were doing. Arcee: "Don't tell me they're racing." Raf: "Just this once." "Did you two know about this?" she says to Bulkhead and Bumblebee. Bulkhead: "No. Maybe. A little." Bee: "[buzzing]" Arcee: "[disappointed sigh] Why are those two even racing? Just because I did it only once it's okay for them to do it?!" Jack: "Arcee, it's not that. Vince challenged me to another race with other racers and Nakala tried to get away from him and..." Arcee: "And?" "Vince called him as weak as our...dead sister." Arcee's optics widened at what was just said to her. Arcee: "He actually said that?!" she said with clear anger in her voice.

Before anyone else could answer, beeping was heard on the Autobot computer and they hear a certain voice. Elita: "Elita to base, I might need some backup." Arcee: "Elita, what's going on?" "Knockout is right behind us and we're not exactly in a good place to drop our cover." Arcee: "Bulkhead, you're with me." she said as they fired up the ground bridge and took off. Back on the open road, Knockout is still shooting at the two, but Elita had an idea of how to cover some distance. She leaked oil from behind her which caused Knockout to spin out of control and stop in his tracks. Nakala: "Talk about a slick move." he said making Elita chuckle, understanding the joke. The two make a turn and see a bridge that looked to go over the circuit, so they decide to hide under there. Once Elita gets perfectly under the bridge, she turns her lights and engine off. Just as she did, Knockout went around the corner and went down the same road they did and stopped on the bridge to listen by turning his lights and engine off too.

Once he heard and saw nothing, he turned his engine back on and took off, leaving the duo relieved. Nakala: "We could've taken him. He didn't seem to have backup." Before Elita could respon, Vince just decides to have poor timing and show up in front of them. Nakala pulls his head back in annoyance at the guy as he steps out the car. Vince: "Darby!" he said walking to him while punching his palm. Knockout stops and adjusts his mirror to see a light coming from the bridge that wasn't there before. Thinking he's found Elita, he backs goes in reverse back to the bridge. Nakala: "Get lost, Vince. It's not safe here for you." Vince: "No, no. Start her back up, loser. We're finishing this race! Don't wanna take is to the finish line, fine! Then we've got something to settle, right here right now." Right as he finished that sentence, Knockout grabbed him and threw him in the air as he transformed. Vince: "OHH!!" he yelled as he was grabbed. As he landed in Knockout's passenger seat, Knockout used the seat-belt to tie him up, leaving Vince scared and confused. "What's going on?! What are..." Knockout then does a small zap in the Vince's eyes that knocks him out immediately.

Nakala runs up the hill in time to see Knockout about to drive off with Vince, but he uses his tentacles to grab onto Knockout's rear while also using his mass-shifter. Elita comes up the hill and transforms into her bipedal form to rip his door off. Knockout: "YAH!" As soon as Elita got Vince out, Nakala let go and Knockout transformed and looked at the damage on him. "Do you know how hard that is to replace?!" he yelled as Nakala was ready to fight. But Knockout saw Arcee and Bulkhead were heading their way so he transformed and drove off. Arcee and Bulkhead show up and transform into their bipedal forms as well. Arcee: "You both okay?" Elita: "We're fine. Knockout almost got away with Vince." she said holding her hand out with a knocked out Vince on it. Arcee: "What would Knockout want with a random human?" "He probably mistook Vince for human friend." Before anything else was said or done, Nakala grabbed Vince with his tentacles and used them to put him back in his car while still standing there. "Let's go home." he said opening a ground bridge back to base. The others could tell he didn't want to talk, so they said nothing and followed him in.

Some time later, back at the warship, Knockout is on the bridge with Breakdown, being yelled at by Starscream. "Starscream: "Knockout, was I not clear?! You have defied my orders yet again!" Knockout: "My mistake, Commander Starscream. But, I've learned my lesson...and paid the price." he said rubbing his arm that is now without a door. "It is LORD! And you have paid when I say you have paid." he said showing his one of his claws. "Don't worry. Your punishment shall be merely...cosmetic." Knockout: "No, not the finish! Anything but the finish!" he begged, but Starscream didn't listen and started leaving a big scratch on Knockout. "NOOOOOO!!" he screamed as Breakdown winced at the sight and sound of his partner being scratched.

It is now the next day and Jack and Nakala are going down the stairs at their school ready to go home. Vince: "Hey, Nakala!" Both the brothers turn around to see Vince heading toward them. Jack: "Are you gonna challenge us to another race?" he asked annoying. "No. I want to know what happened to me under the bridge, Nakala." Nakala: "...Something deserved for what you said. Too bad it wasn't me that did it." Vince already knew what he meant and walked away with a simple, "Sorry." as Sierra came up from behind them. Sierra: "So Jack...do you have time for that ride?" Jack smiled as was thinking of saying "yes", but immediately turned it down knowing Arcee wouldn't do it. Jack: "Uh... Look, I-I-I'm sorry, Sierra. I...I-I can't right now." "[sad] No problem. I guess I'll just see you around." she said before walking away and Jack sighing sadly. Arcee then turns her engine on and moves closer to Jack and says, "Hop on." Jack: "Whoa. Really?" Arcee: "Just this once." And Sierra got to have a ride on Jack's motorcycle around the town.

TO BE CONTINUED...