AN: Alternative title for this chapter: Sunday, Bloody Sunday. (Which is brilliantly ironic; considering it was originally posted on a Sunday and I'd picked the title before realising that!)
"I will be back momentarily with Tesarus and I will check on Soundwave." Megatron glanced around to see if he could see any guilty mechs. He saw none, and so headed off to check on Soundwave. He found him in a similar condition to the other four; triple tapped, with a data-pad lying beside him. Megatron read it. 'Soundwave was an innocent.' Was all that was written on it. He then let the door shut behind him and then went to see Tesarus.
"Are the other members of the Justice Division alright? I hope no one killed any of them…" Tesarus shuddered; he'd hate to find any of the other four triple tapped.
"They are alright, but Soundwave was not so fortunate…" Megatron told him. He didn't mention that he had a pretty good idea who the assassin was, just in case. Tesarus seemed relieved that his fellow Justice Division members weren't killed. Megatron meanwhile had moved to stand at the front. He decided to ask Helex first.
"Who did you visit, Helex?"
"I went to speak to Leozack." The mech in question confirmed it.
"Not Soundwave." Megatron glanced around every mech; hoping to see one of them flinch. He was disappointed when none did.
"No sir." Helex didn't answer too quickly; that would look suspicious.
"Then which two of you did?" Megatron now allowed the mechs to see his smirk. He knew one of the two mechs who visited Soundwave was an assassin.
"Well, I did. But when I went into his room… He'd been triple tapped!" Scrapper told them, shivering.
"Then, which of the rest of you also visited Soundwave?" Megatron asked.
"But… Soundwave was alive when I left his room!" Blitzwing answered, sounding worried. Megatron could sense everyone was going to start arguing so he held a hand up. The voice then came over the speakers telling them to determine who to lock up, and whether or not to kill anyone. Megatron told the others they could argue now.
"I didn't kill him! He was alive when I left…" Blitzwing tried arguing.
"But he was dead when I found him, and no one else could have visited. Megatron asks questions about what the investigators found out. So only you and I visited Soundwave last night." Scrapper pointed out.
"And every night Blitzwing goes walk about, a mech dies!" Overlord pointed out, smugly.
"I haven't killed anyone!"
"The only mech who can prove such a thing is you." Shockwave glared at him, or at least, the others thought he was glaring.
"But, I haven't! I visited mechs the night other mechs died; they could prove it."
"But who's to say that you didn't go and kill the mechs who died after visiting them, just to give you an alibi." Scrapper folded his arms, knowing Blitzwing couldn't argue that one away either.
"I haven't killed anyone, Scrapper is the assassin! You've got to believe me!"
"We haven't got to believe you at all." Onslaught told him, also folding his arms.
"Enough!" Megatron yelled, silencing them all.
"I'll put it to the vote. Same as last time, kill Blitzwing, kill Scrapper, or kill no one. If you vote to kill Blitzwing, raise your right hand." Megatron was not really surprised to see Scrapper's hand shoot up. What did surprise him was that just about everyone else's did too. The only mechs who didn't vote to kill Blitzwing were Thundercracker, Astrotrain and Dirge.
"Right, lower your hands. Anyone who votes to kill Scrapper, raise your right hand." Only three hands shot up, Astrotrain's, Dirge's and Blitzwing's. Blitzwing was trying very hard not to shake. He knew who was going to die; him.
"Lower your hands. Blitzwing, make your way to the front." Megatron knew there was no point arguing with the will of just about everyone. Blitzwing did so, his head lowered.
"Sit with your back to that wall." Megatron pointed to the wall behind him.
"I didn't kill anyone…" Blitzwing spoke softly; no longer caring if he was heard or not. He knew one thing; he wasn't looking forward to when Megatron shot him. He was terrified, but did as asked.
"Any last words?" Megatron asked, pulling out a gun. Blitzwing shivered, not knowing this was a stun gun.
"I didn't kill anyone! I'm innocent! You've made a mistake!" Blitzwing's pleas were answered with jeers.
"We'll see." Overlord smirked; happy he wasn't on the receiving end.
"Assassins aren't innocent." Onslaught smirked behind his mask. They all went deathly silent when Megatron began to advance towards Blitzwing.
"You can offline your optics if you want to. I won't think anything less of you if you do." Blitzwing shivered, and decided he'd better. Megatron fired the stun gun, meaning Blitzwing wasn't going to online now. He then pulled out his other gun and fired it, just once, into his spark. A data-pad appeared from somewhere, beside Blitzwing. That must be what happens once the assassins kill mechs as well. Megatron thought, picking up the data-pad. He looked surprised at what it said. He decided he'd better read this one out.
"Blitzwing was an innocent…" This received several shocked reactions. All of the mechs who'd raised their hands looked… guilty. Except one.
"This means… Scrapper is the assassin!" Megatron pointed out, making every mech glare at said mech.
"I can't believe you had all of us thinking it was Blitzwing!" Sixshot glared.
"Proves how easily lead you all are doesn't it?" Scrapper smirked under his mask.
"You're next!" Skywarp shouted, pointing angrily at him.
"You think you're going to get away with not only killing Soundwave, but getting all of us to kill another innocent on your behalf? No way!" Onslaught shuddered.
"I don't expect to get away with it, but I'm happy that you all thought I was innocent." Scrapper had to try very hard not to laugh at the outraged noises coming from a large group of mechs. Megatron didn't see any of this; he was busy carrying Blitzwing to his room. The other mechs who were killed are still in their rooms; it makes a kind of sense to leave Blitzwing in his. He thought, still unable to believe how good a liar Scrapper was. He lay Blitzwing on the berth, apologising that he'd been killed for nothing. He then went back to the meeting room.
"Which mech should be locked up?"
"Surely it makes sense for it to be me? After all, you all know I'm an assassin." Scrapper told them, no longer bothering to hide it.
"What, so one of your friends can off someone else? Try and prove you innocent? Don't think so." Astrotrain growled; unable to believe that Scrapper could do that.
"Why not one of the Justice Division?" Overlord smirked.
"Why not you?" Vos asked back.
"Kaon." Megatron told the rest of them. Kaon walked forward, waiting to be led to the cell. Megatron started to lead him off, ignoring the shouts behind him, all of them directed at Scrapper. Kaon shuddered, not liking the thought of being trapped in the cell any more.
"What's the matter?" Megatron had noticed Kaon shuddering.
"Uh… It's nothing…" Kaon went inside and lay on the berth. Megatron shut the door, not sure what to make of Kaon's reaction. He went back to the meeting room and ignored the accusations still going around.
"It is now evening. Report to your room." Said the voice over the speakers. The mechs still glared at Scrapper, but did as they were told.
XxX
Megatron couldn't get the reaction of Kaon out of his head. What got him worried? He's safe in there. Maybe he knows he'll have a job to do… Megatron then pondered if Kaon was an investigator. He picked who he wanted his investigators to investigate. I'll find out in the morning… He thought, lying on his berth. Each of the investigators was then roused and told who they had to keep a watch on. The first was told Shockwave.
"Another mech that I wish wouldn't stick his proverbial nose in other mech's business." The investigator headed out of the door. The second was told to keep a watch on Thundercracker. He grumbled; knowing that he couldn't do that. The coup leader was then woken up. He knew Scrapper wasn't going to kill anyone, and so sent out a different assassin. It would look suspicious if none of them died, and none of them have… yet. He picked his target, before lying on his berth; not even bothering to shut off his optics. The voice came through the speakers telling them to get up; they may be receiving visitors or going to visit others. The assassin was told who he was going to kill.
"Wow! Never would have expected that!" The assassin then headed straight out; not going to be left until last and end up getting caught like Scrapper. Sixshot and Vos also headed out; Sixshot to speak to Leozack; Vos to speak to Helex.
XxX
"Any of your games get brought in here?" The mech asked Tesarus, from his spot near the door.
"You are not the mech I would let play them if they had." Tesarus glared, but his glares turned into wide optics when he saw the gun in the mech's hand.
"Sorry Tesarus, but my leader wants you dead." The mech then fired the stun gun, making Tesarus fall, unfortunately, on his front. The assassin managed to turn him over to perform the triple tap, but it was a bit of a struggle. The assassin then went out of the door, hoping silently that he didn't get caught like Scrapper did.
XxX
It is now morning. Report to the meeting room. Each mech grumbled about nights not lasting very long, before heading to the meeting room. Megatron had a look at his reports; the first made him smile. 'I was ordered to keep an optic on Thundercracker. However, due to an unforeseen circumstance; I was unable to do so.' Megatron also recalled that investigator 2 had been told to investigate Kaon before and received a similar response. Investigator 2 is Kaon. He thought, happy he knew who one of the investigators was again. He then looked at the other report and frowned. 'I kept an optic on Shockwave, as ordered. He didn't leave his room, and he didn't receive any visitors.' Megatron had no questions to ask when he went outside, but he already knew what was going to happen. He was going to execute Scrapper, the assassin. He was a bit surprised when he went outside and…
"Tesarus is missing! One of the assassins must have killed him!" Megatron was sure he'd never seen Tarn that worried.
"Then why don't you go check on him, while I go and release Kaon?" Megatron asked. Tarn shivered, but did as suggested. Megatron went past him, deciding he could leave the head of the Justice Division to check on Tesarus for him, at least; until he'd released Kaon. Megatron couldn't help noticing that Kaon looked nervous. Possibly because he knew he had a job to do last night and couldn't. Megatron thought, before telling Kaon to check on Tesarus with Tarn.
"The assassin didn't, did he?" Kaon quickly ran off to Tesarus' room and checked. Megatron decided he'd better hurry after them. He found that Tesarus had been triple tapped, just like the others. He also saw a data-pad, which read 'Tesarus was an innocent.' He told the Justice Division they could complain later, after the next death was chosen; Scrapper's. He wasn't going to get away with making everyone put an innocent mech to death. Megatron walked back into the meeting room, closely followed by… a rather despondent looking Justice Division. When he stood at the front the voice told them over the speakers that they were to determine if they were going to kill anyone, and who to lock up.
"I'm not going to mess around. Who votes to kill Scrapper?" Megatron asked the gathered mechs. Every mech, Scrapper included, raised his hand. That surprised Megatron.
"You all know I'm an assassin; I'm not going to plead innocence now, am I?" Scrapper told them, before heading up to the front.
"Sit with your back to that wall." Megatron instructed. Scrapper did so, with no fuss.
"Did you kill Tesarus?" Tarn shouted at him, clearly enraged by it.
"These will be my last words. I only killed two mechs. One of them was Soundwave, and the other wasn't Starscream." Scrapper then went silent, not answering Tarn's question at all. The non-answer only served to further irritate the leader of the Justice Division. Megatron shot the stun gun after Scrapper had spoken. He then used his other gun to end the mech, one shot to the spark. He noticed a data-pad had appeared again. He read this one out again; confirming what all the mechs knew. 'Scrapper was an assassin.'
"Now we just have to work out who the other two are." Skywarp looked pleased.
"And the coup leader." Shockwave reminded them. Megatron then pointed at one of the mechs near the front.
"Leozack, you are going to be the mech in jail tonight." Megatron told him. Leozack didn't look happy about it, but he followed his leader to the jail cell.
"Considering what happened to Deathsaurus, I thought you'd be happy to be in this cell."
"He got what he deserved. I'm only disappointed that I wasn't the one to do it!" Leozack told Megatron, before shutting the door. Does that mean Leozack is an assassin? Or does he have a similar relationship with Deathsaurus as I have with Starscream? Megatron pondered while walking back to the meeting room. When he reached the front, the voice told them all to report to their rooms. Each mech did so, slightly happier now there were only two assassins to worry about.
XxX
Megatron glanced at his screen, and chose a target for investigator 2; Kaon. He then picked one for the still unknown investigator 1. The investigators were then woken up. The first was told to keep watch on Tarn. The mech smirked; wishing that he could really get away with spying on him. Kaon was told to keep watch on Shockwave. A wicked grin appeared on his features.
"Oh, there's something I wish I could get away with!" The mech then headed for the door; almost skipping out to bug Shockwave's room. The coup leader was then roused. He knew who he was going to kill, and who was going to do it. The same assassin as the previous night. He then lay on his berth, waiting to be told…
You must wake up. You may visit others, or be receiving visitors. The coup leader shrugged, before getting up with everyone else. The assassin jumped at being told to kill someone again tonight. He headed for the door. Tarn and Astrotrain had also decided to head out; Tarn to visit Kaon; the mech had looked disturbed by Tesarus' death, and Astrotrain to visit Onslaught; he thought maybe Onslaught would have some ideas who the other two assassins were.
XxX
"Thrust, how about you move a bit so I can sit and talk with you?" Thrust glanced at who it was visiting him. He moved along a bit, making space for the mech to sit down.
"So, why'd you come visit me anyway?" Thrust asked. He didn't notice the stun gun in the other mech's hand.
"To find out how well you were holding up, it was a bit of a shock to me when Starscream turned up dead." The mech told him.
"I'm alright now, but… it was kinda horrible finding his body." Thrust told him, shivering, not wanting to imagine what would happen if he found out Dirge was dead tomorrow.
"It will be horrible for Dirge tomorrow then…" Thrust barely had enough time to turn when he felt a powerful electric shock coursing through his systems. The assassin grinned, performing a triple tap on him, before heading out of the door.
XxX
The mechs were roused in the same way as before, and all who could, reported to the meeting room. Megatron went over to look at his reports. He was pleased to discover there were two. The first read; 'I kept an optic on Shockwave, as ordered. He didn't leave his room, and he didn't receive any visitors.' Megatron frowned. Does Shockwave do nothing but sit in his room? He designed this thing, surely he knows what he can and can't do?! He then looked at the second report; the one he didn't know who it was giving it. 'I kept an optic on Tarn, as ordered. He left his room once, and he didn't receive any visitors.' I'd better find out who it is that Tarn was visiting… Megatron was then told to release the jailed mech. He went outside and instantly heard someone shouting at him.
"One of those assassins got Thrust too! They have it in for us!"
"Calm down Dirge. Panicking like this isn't going to solve anything. I will check on your wing mate if you would prefer." Megatron told him. Dirge agreed, Megatron could confirm the inevitable. It didn't surprise Megatron in the slightest that Thrust had been triple tapped, or that the data-pad beside him said 'Thrust was an innocent.'
AN: I'll just leave that there. The mech's discussion can come at the start of the next chapter. The alternate title comes from a song by U2. It tells of events that occurred where lots of people died; it seemed an appropriate alternate title for this chapter; since five mechs met their ends.
