While our heroes, hiding from the Air Command, contemplate their next move, the energon plant's increased security is breached...again. This time, the culprit is a mysterious figure with no energy signature who shows up as invisible on the security cameras. Air Commander Rahven is on the scene with the security; they force the cloaked intruder to retreat without causing any major damage...so far. Meanwhile, Darkecho the bat has come out from his place of hiding in the grid below. Taking advantage of the chaos, he escapes with a few cubes of energon, but not before being spotted by security and put on their official suspect list. On the north edge of the plant, the cloaked intruder, Ravvok, finds the Air Commander's transport ship. It seems plenty interesting, and he escapes with vital information about the commander's orders: an Autobot's in trouble in the city, and a group of Maximals is on the run. Once he has what he needs, he sets a charge, blowing out the commander's front console and ruining his ship. Autobot in tow, the escaping Maximals make their way to Optimus Primal's estate on the south edge of the city grid. Talking to Primal asks more questions than it answers...how many Autobots are still alive, and what about Prime himself?
A grid to the north, another mysterious figure enters the game. This Transmetal II comes from below the surface, and has only one directive: seek out a Maximal who can revive the dead. While Thundershot returns home to find his plant in shambles, Eldred asks Optimus the same exact question: could he contact a dead friend? Optimus thinks it's possible, but only Rhinox would know how.
Seeking out the Air Command's weakest link, Ravvok makes an anonymous radio transmission, blaming the recent explosion on Pantora and "a really big guy." One of the Air Sub-Commanders makes a call to the ground patrol, and both Pantora's current commander and his colleague, Stampede, are put on alert. One more misunderstanding later, Stampede and the Air Command are at Primal's door. As luck would have it, the people they're looking for are actually there. While Optimus distracts the intruders, Mantisoar attempts to hide Eldred, taking him back to the church. The head priestess has already been arrested, and the church is under guard, but, with an Autobot in the fight, the air troops are outclassed. The party is momentarily safe, but hopelessly dispersed.