After just missing an exhilarating cut-scene, Mantisoar sees the escaped Blackarachnia run past his cell. She notices him, but, realizing she'll have to go back to the lab to let him out, promises she'll come back eventually. Above, Silverbolt is zeroing in on her location. He appears outside the elevator that leads to the prison, but Stalker and Sellsword, coming up to investigate the red alert, are in his way. He recognizes Stalker, by her scent, as the kidnapper, but is surprised to find out that his opponent is a woman. He dispatches Sellsword immediately, then promises he won't hurt Stalker if she leads him to Blackarachnia. Stalker wisely opts not to fight him here, and says that Blackarachnia is below. Silverbolt blasts his way to the bottom floor, where he meets up with Blackarachnia already heading out. Stalker, cloaked, tails him, and she and Epitaph have them pressed in the hallway. Silverbolt hits Stalker when she attacks him; he's dismayed when her cloaking abruptly fails and he realizes who he's hurt. When Epitaph's attack on Blackarachnia fails, Silverbolt switches targets, and damages him severely. Stalker stabs Silverbolt in the back to bring him down, and Blackarachnia punishes her for the impunity. Eldred arrives on the scene to find Stalker retreating down the hallway, and he shoots her down while Blackarachnia gawks at the sudden appearance of an Autobot. Silverbolt now back on his feet, the heroes let Mantisoar out of his cell, removing Stalker's transformation cog and installing it in Mantisoar to restore him to full functionality.
Outside, the battle, thought over, begins again when Swiftsting's Transmetal II healing activates. He believes he can hold his own against the two remaining Maximals, but when the Warder regains consciousness, the odds are no longer in his favor. Grabbing his last standing ally, he retreats. The group agrees to leave the Predacons to rot, but takes Stalker back to face the infamous Maximal brand of justice (a long, slow process). After this foray onto enemy ground, the group needs a little rest and a lot of repair, and, for the most part, they get it. However, while they are taking a few days to relax, they are informed that-as witnesses to several of the most interesting events happening recently-they are being asked to attend a meeting of the Chromia Sector Council, which will be held at the end of the week and involves Maximal, Predacon, and Organizational relations. The Warders get a missive from the northern Predacon sector, where a more law-abiding Predacon group makes a political threat if they don't release the prisoner, Snitch, whom they have no logical reason to hold. After assessing the fly's information, which does not threaten the Organization, they consent. Meanwhile, a few of the others are using their time to investigate the disappearance of Optimus Primal. Pantora speaks with Rattrap, who tells her up front: The monkey's gone on his way to the Autobot City ruins, and she can make the trip if she's really interested. He warns her not to let some of the others in on the information, but Darkecho has already picked up on the conversation and is interested in going. Thundershot, digging around for rumors, finally arrives at the same conclusion. Mantisoar returns to the church, where he tells Lightbreeze he'll be temporarily resigning his position to travel with the group. Anticipating this, the priestess gives him a parting gift, a talisman which is designed to protect him from unwanted telepathic interference.