Stampede is called in to the energon plant, where his tracking skills are required to hunt down the perpetrators of the most recent break-in. He picks up two distinct scents: a bat's, and another one he can neither figure out nor track to its source. Tracking the bat's scent leads him, Thundershot, and Buzzkill to a place below the surface of the planet, where they encounter the sorriest bunch of Maximal misfits they've ever seen, including their target, Darkecho. Darkecho encourages his misfit friends to escape; the air Sub-Commander ensures they will be taken care of. Darkecho is taken back to the plant for questioning.
At Warder headquarters, Ravvok and friends are interrupted by a summons from their commander. A classified source has told him there is going to be a Predacon attack on the Maximals' greenhouses that night, and he wants the Warders, the non-allied Organization of which he is a charter member, to be on the scene. Ravvok sends an anonymous call to Rhinox, the greenhouse proprietor, so he will be able to prepare.
In the military compound, Eldred is subjected to a short reprogramming. The Maximal hackers remove some sensitive information from his circuits, but not as much as they had hoped. Finally, the Maximals offer him a choice: he can stay on Cybertron, but only if he will agree to become a Maximal. If not, he can be sent to one of their colonies. He agrees to be shipped off-planet, and soon.
The northern Transmetal II, Lucifus, is contacted by a mysterious non-voice: a telepath who identifies herself as Mindrazor, a Predacon. She instructs him to head south; what he is looking for will be there.
Pantora and Mantisoar emerge from the R-Chamber to find a message from Optimus. He has gone, taking the Covenant with him. Pantora considers consulting Rhinox on their next move, but is visited by her old friend Snitch, who insists that a possible jailbreak would be a lot more fun. The trio needs a ship to reach the military compound, so they return to Thundershot's plant. They question the distracted falcon, but he doesn't want to lend his help to possible criminals. However, the surrounding conversation about Autobots and Decepticons sets Darkecho into a flashback; he's apparently convinced he's Soundwave, Decepticon Hero. Undaunted by Thundershot's complaints or the raucous laughter of the assembled, he attempts to fold "Laserbeak" into a cassette. In an attempt to stir up more trouble, Stampede calls in Pantora's commander, Rawhide. Darkecho becomes convinced Rawhide is Ironhide, Autobot second-in-command, and demands to know what is going on. Moments later, he snaps out of the fit, just as confused as the rest.