After our trip to visit Keepsake and Cam, things continued mostly as they had, except that I started talking to Breeze once in a while. I spent more time in the Hall of Records too, talking to Ratchet, and occasionally Orion. I found that with school on top of taking care of my symbiots and occasionally helping Perceptor with experiments, I had little time for anything else. I also found that time passed much more quickly when I had a lot to do. Before I knew it, the term was half over. I hadn't thought that I could ever slip back into any sort or comfortable normality after Searchlight's death, but I did.

The one serious problem was that Perceptor and I had made no headway on being able to control my range. It was starting to look like I'd have to go and have surgery again before we figured it out. Classes were getting harder, and I'd occasionally come home for the off-cycle with a moderate processor ache. Over the break, I was going to have to go talk to Crescent again and ask her to get in contact with her medic, but I'd put it off as long as I could.

Other than that, classes were going well.

I had a processor ache. It had been a long orn and I felt like my range had grown a lot over the past decaorn or so. I was headed to Perceptors house, looking forward to having all my symbiots piled on top of me while I did my homework.

Mecha paying attention to me as I walked past. I was used to how they'd see me, and then look away, trying to pretend they weren't curious or that they hadn't noticed anything different about me. A rare few would stare at me, wondering if I was really a mech or not, even though most drones weren't actually built the same shape as mecha.

But usually they didn't know my designation.

…Soundwave…

I stopped. The mech had been walking the other direction, far enough away that he'd just skirted the outer edge of my range as he'd gone past me. There was something familiar and unpleasant about his processor.

I glanced over my shoulder to see him looking at me.

Verdict.

I looked away and kept walking forward, hoping he didn't follow me, cursing myself for walking instead of flying.

He didn't come after me, thankfully, but by the time I got to Perceptor's house, I was a little worried. Verdict knew my secret, and running into him had probably just reminded him of that. It would be fine though, wouldn't it? He still couldn't prove anything. And in the future I could just avoid walking back and forth from campus so I didn't risk running into him again.

I told myself I had been in Central Iacon so long without seeing him that the likelihood of running into him again was probably pretty small.

But then a couple of orns later, I got a letter.


Perceptor stopped me on the way to my room. "Soundwave, someone left this for you," he said, holding out a datapad. They showed up several joors ago. He thought about the mech who'd brought it, bringing up an image in his processor.

"I don't recogni-ize him," I said, taking the datapad. That was strange. Why would someone I didn't know send me a datapad? I really didn't think I'd ever seen the mech who'd delivered it before. All my friends knew my comm. codes, and no one else knew where I lived. I took the datapad to my room, feeling anxious.

Frenzy ran over to grab my leg. "Soundwave, Laserbeak is being mean! She kept knocking me off the desk."

That's not true! Laserbeak thought. He tried to stab me with a stylus.

I sat down on the berth, setting the datapad aside, and let Frenzy climb up into my lap. "La-aserbeak says she's sorry," I said.

What!? I am not sorry!

"Can you say you're sorry for trying to hit her with a stylus?"

Frenzy looked down. "I was just playing."

"Maybe she-e was just playing too."

He sighed. "I'm sorry," he said. "I guess."

Laserbeak glared down from the ceiling, where she had attached herself. He's not sorry either.

I looked up at her. "He is sorry." If nothing else, Frenzy was often regretful about the trouble he caused.

Ravage leaped up onto the berth next to me. "What's that?" he asked, nudging the datapad with his olfactory sensor.

"I don't kno-ow," I said and picked it up, but then hesitated. I wasn't sure if I wanted my symbiots reading over my shoulder. "Wait here." I got up and left the room, closing the door behind myself. Then I sat in the hallway and turned the datapad on. It displayed its message.

[Soundwave,

It was quite a surprise to run into you the other orn. I regret that I didn't stop and talk to you. I know we had our differences in the past, but it would have been good to catch up. Things have changed—we're no longer mechlings, and I hope we can put aside our past and get to know each other on better terms. Please believe me that I harbor no hard feelings for what you did back in secondary school.

I would like to meet with you some time, just to talk. I'll give you my comm. code, and you can contact me to set something up, at a location of your choice—preferably somewhere private but anywhere will do. If you don't get back to me within a decaorn, I'll make another attempt to get in touch with you. I really do want to apologize in person for all of that nonsense in school, and there are other things you should know as well—things I've found out that might be of interest to you.

Congratulations on getting into the Academy, by the way, though I'm sure it wasn't that difficult for you.

Regards,

Verdict]

I read it twice, and then shut the datapad off with a sigh.

For all of his conciliatory words, I was not convinced that he actually wanted to apologize. I should just ignore this. He couldn't force me to talk to him and he had no proof of my mind-reading. No one would believe him if he tried to tell them… although now that we were adults, they might take him a little more seriously.

I subspaced the datapad. I couldn't worry about this right now. I had homework to do, and a project for one of my classes that was supposed to be finished by the end of the decaorn.

I put the message from my mind, and ignored Ravage's questions about it until he gave up asking.

But I was awake long into the off-cycle, thinking about it. What if Verdict did convince the wrong mecha that I could read minds? What could I do? Should I leave? Should I tell someone? How much danger would I be in if he told someone? I wasn't a fledgling anymore, and I'd probably know ahead of time if someone was coming for me. But I didn't want to risk it, and I didn't want to have to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life.

There was another possibility.

I could talk to Verdict.

I could try to convince him that the mind-reading had just been a trick. That shouldn't be too hard—after all, it was kind of ridiculous. Most mecha didn't know telepaths had really existed.

If he was telling the truth, I could meet with him this once and then never talk to him again. If not, I could convince him it had all been a hoax and then never have to worry about him again.

Even if it didn't work, it wouldn't be any different from ignoring him, since he'd made it clear in his letter he didn't intend to stop trying to talk to me. And he knew where I lived—how did he know where I lived?

He'd said he would let me pick the time and place so at least I could prepare. I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell anyone else about this, though. I didn't actually want their worry, or their advice. I could handle this by myself.

I kept trying to convince myself of that, but it was still a while before I finally slipped into recharge.


I took in a deep vent and let it out slowly, then sent a comm.

And waited.

"Yes, who is this?" Verdict's voice rang through my helm.

"Soundwave," I said quietly.

There was a pause. "Ah… yes, perfect."

He sounded so pleased that I almost changed my mind. "Look…"

"Have you thought of a place to meet?"

I took a deep vent. If I acted too hostile, it would be hard to convince him my secret wasn't real. "How about the Hall of Records? I can reserve a study room. A-are you free this orn at thi-irteen joors?"

Another pause. "Yes," he said. "I'll meet you there. Just let me know where the room is."

He cut the comm. and I looked up at the sky, feeling shaky. It was supposed to rain sometime in the next orn or two, but right now it was its usual clear dark blue. The Hall of Records was good—well populated and secure, not to mention I had some allies there, who I could get help from if I needed. I was going to have to act like I wasn't nervous, like I wasn't still afraid of him.

I couldn't focus all orn. When classes were over, I headed to the Hall of Records. I found Ratchet there, studying as usual. I hadn't told anyone about meeting with Verdict. I figured I'd tell them after the fact and then I wouldn't have to deal with anyone worrying about me or trying to talk me into or out of things.

I got a study room, then commed Verdict to let him know where I was. Then I waited, thinking, preparing. If this went well then I'd never have to worry about him again. If it went poorly, then I could be in a lot of trouble.

Verdict showed up five breems early. He walked into my range, and I watched through his optics as he approached the door. I waited for him to hit the entry request before getting up to open it.

He smirked at me as he walked past me and into the room. Perfect. Everything is going perfectly and things are going to get so much better now. I'm so glad I finally found him.

That was ominous.

We both sat down.

"How have you been?" he said, smiling cheerfully.

I shrugged. Searchlight would probably have said something offensive and started an argument. I could certainly think of a few biting responses to that question, but saying them out loud wouldn't be worth the effort.

"What is it you're studying again?"

I had recorded myself saying that because so many mecha asked. "Computer Science and Communications Technology."

No stutter. Of course, he didn't stutter much over the comm.

It came and went these orns, depending on my mood. Right now, I'd probably have to try really hard to keep it under control.

Also, he still doesn't like talking much. That should be fine, though. "Like I said in my note, I'd really like to start fresh." You are far too valuable an ally, Soundwave.

"Ok," I said. "What is tha-at supposed to mean?"

"It means, obviously," Verdict said. "That I don't want to be your enemy. In fact, I'd like to hire you."

I stared at him. I couldn't believe this. It took me an astrosecond to remember that I needed him to think I couldn't read minds. "Um… to do what e-exactly?"

I'm sure you can imagine. I could use someone who can read minds. I bet I could move up much more quickly if I had your help.

Why on all of Cybertron did he think I'd be willing to work for him? Also, he'd definitely been lying about the whole forgiveness thing. He didn't want to apologize, he just wanted to bribe or threaten me into helping him.

"I'm… still in school," I said, mastering my irritation with some effort. "I'm not looking for a job. And I don't know what you'd want me to do anyway."

He looked at me. "If you don't want to talk here we could meet somewhere else."

"What do you mean?" I said. "What a-are you talking about?"

"What do you mean what am I talking about?" Verdict said, getting irritated too. "I'm talking about your abilities."

I stared at him, relishing his momentary uncertainty.

"What?" he said.

"Um… Ve-erdict… you don't… you don't still think I can re-ead mi-inds, do you?"

He stared for a moment, then sat back, feeling a little flustered and foolish. "I… well… no, of course not." Wait… but wait, what about everything I've figured out… and what about… "But…"

I shook my helm. "Verdict…"

"No," he said. "No, that can't be right." I know about Neurosis. I know you were some sort of science project, and they never figured out what that crazy medic was trying to do because your caretaker wouldn't let them near you…

Frag.

"Soundwave…" Verdict said. Of course he'd try to bluff his way out of it, though. Ha. I almost fell for it. "Don't play games with me. I'm really not a fledgling anymore, and It's much harder to trick me."

"That's funny," I said. "Because y-you still seem to believe I ha-a-ave magi-ic powers."

"I know you're lying. You got me expelled. How did you manage that?"

"Because you're stupid," I said. "You go-ot yourse-elf expelled. And I'm do-one with thi-i-is." I got up. He still couldn't prove anything… but he knew about Neurosis…

"It doesn't matter," Verdict said. You're trapped, either way.

I stopped just one step from the door. "Excuse me-e?"

"I know you were experimented on my some rogue medic when you were a sparkling. And other mecha know that too. Even if you can't read minds, I can probably convince the government that you can, and they'll come for you. They'll want to make sure, in any case. So you've really only got two options. Either way, you're going to help me. Because of you I have to work my way up from the bottom. If you won't work for me, then I'll just tell my superiors about you. I can probably trade in that little tidbit of information for a promotion of some sort."

Well, this was great.

"And if you can't read minds, then I guess that won't help me, but at the very least you're going to pay for tricking me for all these vorns. They'll still want to figure out what that rogue medic did to you."

I turned to look at him again.

"Your best option is to take me up on my offer," Verdict said. "I promise I pay well."

"You ho-onestly think I-I'd e-eve-er work fo-or you?"

And the stutter comes back. That must mean he's scared. Ha. No one to protect you now, freak. Not with Searchlight in the scrapyard where he belongs.

I'll kill you…

He smirked at me. Yeah, you heard that, didn't you? What are you going to do? You can't touch me, not here in a public place—you'd never get away with it.

I turned and walked out of the room, then took the nearest route out of the building, transformed, and flew to Perceptor's house. I wasn't safe here anymore, but I was not going to let Verdict have the last laugh. The government couldn't kidnap me if they couldn't find me. Primus, this orn couldn't get any worse…

"Oh, hello, Soundwave," Perceptor called from the other room once I'd let myself in. "How was your orn?"

I didn't answer, just went to my room for my symbiots.

"Soundwave!" Frenzy said. "We were playing hide and seek and we lost Rumble!"

"Wha-at?" I said.

"We couldn't find him."

I had a moment of panic, but then I heard him. I pulled open the desk drawer, where he was curled up, recharging. The motion jarred him online and he growled something vaguely threatening and rolled over.

"We nee-eed to go," I said softly. "All of us. Co-ome on."

"Why?" Frenzy asked as Rumble sat up, still groggy and pretty sure he didn't want to go anywhere.

"Because we do-o." I picked both of them up.

The entry request for the front door chimed and I froze, then expanded my range. I knew I might regret it later, but right now making sure we got out of here was the most important thing.

Enforcement. How had Verdict sent them so quickly?

Perceptor, oblivious, headed for the door. I set the twins down again, and left the room, trying to catch Perceptor before he reached the entryway.

I picked up that the enforcers had been in the nearby area when they'd gotten instructions to stop here. That sort of thing was uncommon, but not unheard of. When instructions came from high enough up the chain of command, you did what you were told, even if it didn't make sense.

Perceptor opened the door just as I came skidding around the corner.

Wonderful. This orn might just get worse after all.

"Good orn," Perceptor said, feeling only slightly nervous. "Is there something I can help you officers with?"

"Yes," one of them said. "Is there someone designated Soundwave here?"

They'd already seen me. Perceptor looked over his shoulder. "Well, yes," he said. Soundwave, what's going on?

I should have talked to him first, before going for my symbiots. But how could I have known they'd come for me so quickly? Had Verdict planned this beforehand? He must have. He must have thought this through carefully and set it up so I wouldn't be able to get away. I was doomed.

I could still run, but I'd be leaving my symbiots behind, and running from enforcement would just make it easier for them to make up a reason to hunt me down.

"We have a warrant for his arrest," the other enforcer said.

"Oh really? What did he do?" I don't like this. Soundwave, should I try to get Alpha Trion's help?

That would be appreciated.

"We're arresting him on charges of theft."

"I haven't sto-olen anything," I said, then nodded slightly to Perceptor. These two actually seemed to believe what they were saying. And that made sense, I supposed. The government didn't make mecha disappear off of the streets, they'd find some reason to incarcerate them first. That was what had happened to Searchlight.

"You can sort that out in the courts," the second enforcer said. "Come on."

I hesitated.

"Better go with them," Perceptor said. I'll get Alpha Trion and we'll have you back out in a few joors, don't worry.

That hadn't worked so well the last time.

I didn't move, but Perceptor backed away from the door and let the enforcers in.

If I tell Trion about your abilities, he'll understand the urgency of the situation. I know you have a hard time with him because you can't read him, but please let me tell him.

I didn't resist as one of the enforcers put me in stasis cuffs, but I shook my helm slightly.

Please, Soundwave.

I hesitated again, but the enforcers started herding me out the door, so I followed them.

A transport drove up by the time we got to the corner, and the three of us got in. It was interesting that I could still read their processors. Most mods, and even some upgrades didn't work when you were wearing stasis cuffs. I wouldn't be able to transform, send or receive comms, or access my own subspace. But I could still hear them thinking.

That would normally have been disappointing, but in this case I was kind of relieved. I needed every edge I could get.

One of the enforcers didn't seem to think much of this, but the other one thought it was a little strange that they'd been ordered to arrest me out of the blue. He also thought the way Perceptor and I had acted had been a little suspicious.

I supposed I should have commed Perceptor quickly and explained the situation, but it was too late for that now. I sighed and looked up at the ceiling of the transport. I hoped my symbiots were all right. I hoped Perceptor could get ahold of Alpha Trion quickly so that he could get me out so that I could take Ravage and the others and leave.

I wouldn't be safe here anymore. All of this—coming to the Academy, being normal, acting like I could have a normal future—had been a long shot in any case. I would miss school, but something like this had been bound to happen eventually.

"You seem pretty calm for a mech who just got arrested," one of the enforcers said.

"I didn't steal anything," I said. I actually had even more reason to panic than if I'd just been arrested for theft, but I felt oddly calm. Panicking wouldn't help me anyway.

He waited for more, but I was definitely not up for a conversation. We were driving through crowds and I'd expanded my range back at Perceptor's house, so I was having trouble focusing on what was going on inside the transport. I was going to have a horrible processor ache in about five breems.

They took me to a detention center, and I suffered through my subspace being emptied while guards loomed threateningly in case I tried anything. I found myself wondering, as they led me to a cell, what it had been like for Searchlight.

We'd never gotten the things from his subspace. They'd probably been thrown away after his execution.

They took the stasis cuffs off and left me in a cell. I could hear far too many of the prisoners around me, and my helm was starting to hurt. I sat down against the wall and rested my screen against my knees, waiting for Perceptor to show up.

I wasn't waiting very long, but it wasn't Perceptor who came for me.

A guard and a different pair of enforcers came into my range, walking down the hall.

…so he'll probably resist because he'll know we aren't actually here to let him out…

That didn't sound good.

…We'd better get some stasis cuffs on him while he's still in the cell.

They knew I could read minds.

The guard stopped outside my cell. "Hey, mech," he said. "Guess what? You're innocent, just like you said. It was just a mistake. We're releasing you—we've got all the paperwork done already." It's crazy how often this happens in this detention center… probably best not to think too much about it. I wish I could transfer back to my old job.

He didn't know what was really going on, but the other two enforcers were watching me carefully.

Could I fight my way out of this place? Maybe, but if I tried and then didn't make it…

"Thank you, we'll show him out," one of the new enforcers said, and the guard nodded and left.

Great. I could try to fight my way out, but I certainly wouldn't be able to get past all the guards, and I didn't think I'd be able to take these two without them setting off some sort of alarm.

One of them opened the cell door and stood there to guard it while the other came in.

I stood. "You're putting stasis cuffs on me to let me go?" I asked, as he brought out a pair.

"Yep," the mech said. "Sorry. Protocol, mechling." Of course, they just said there's a possibility he can read minds…

Better if they thought I couldn't. Then I might have a chance to get away. He pulled my arms behind my back and I winced as he put the cuffs on. Then he turned the settings on them up so high that my systems started glitching and I couldn't move my arms at all.

That should keep him from trying anything. "Ok, let's set you free." They said they'd have a transport waiting down at the lower levels.

I should have fought when I'd still had a chance.

He shoved me toward the door and I gasped and nearly fell. It was hard to walk, and my processor ache wasn't getting any better either.

They walked on either side of me as we went through the hallway, and then they opened a door and led me down a set of stairs. I didn't fight, knowing it wouldn't do any good. It took all I had to keep putting one pede in front of the other. I nearly fell once or twice, but they supported me until we were down the stairs and out of the building.

As expected, there was a transport, and they dragged me over to it and shoved me in before climbing in after me.

This was actually happening. This wasn't a dream. I trembled, bracing myself against the fear and the pain as the transport started moving.

The two enforcers sat down across from me, watching me vigilantly. They weren't really enforcers—or at least they weren't just enforcers. They did a lot of work directly for the Council.

I tried to take a deep vent, but my systems weren't working right and so I just ended up coughing.

"Quiet," one of them said.

The stasis cuffs were really starting to hurt. "I wo-o-on't fi-ight," I said. "Ple-e-ease…"

What's wrong with his voice box? One of them thought.

He wants me to turn the cuffs down… the other one glared at me. I did put them kind of high… but then again, he could be dangerous. "You're fine," he said. "Shut up."

I didn't say anything for the rest of the trip. The transport rolled back up to the surface after a while, and to some sort of government building.

When they dragged me out of the transport, I finally tried to fight them, but I was weak and incapacitated, and it wasn't hard for them to pull me inside the building. The fact that I hadn't even asked why they were doing this or where we were going had convinced them that I already knew, and so they took no chances as they dragged me through the building.

To make things worse, our destination was a room like a medic's office with a berth and all sorts of equipment on the walls.

"Wa-a-ait!" I said, but they just shoved me in. They took the stasis cuffs off of me, but didn't give me a chance to pull free before they slammed me onto the berth and restrained me there. Then they left, and one of them sent a comm. to report that they'd successfully retrieved me and that I was ready.

I tried not to panic, tried to focus, tried to think of a way out of this. This was a nightmare—this couldn't be happening.

I wanted to expand my range, but I already had a bad processor ache and it probably wouldn't do anything. After a few breems, a couple of mecha came close enough that I could hear them. I pulled at the restraints on the berth, but it didn't do any good. One of the mechs seemed to be someone high in authority, and the other was a medic who didn't yet know why he was here.

"I still don't understand…" the medic was saying.

"The Council has reassigned you to a new project."

"But…" I wasn't finished. I haven't perfected the process yet. No one else will be able to take over from me, why would they reassign me now when I'm so close to a breakthrough? "But I was making so much progress! I hate to end a project in the middle."

"I assure you this is only temporary. It may be only for a few orns, depending."

Oh… well, that's a little different. "Oh… all right then." But what is it? I wish they'd just tell me what it is they want me to do. Not that they'll ever trust me, of course, but I would have been a lot happier about leaving Altihex on such short notice if they'd explained that it was temporary.

"We need your expertise. Once you're done here, you can go back." He'll be better than anyone else at this. After all, it is his handiwork.

They reached the door and one of them put in a code to unlock and open it.

The medic walked in and looked around. His optics stopped on me.

Can it be…? "Primus… this is one of mine."

It was him. The medic who'd saved my life as a sparkling and who'd ruined every chance of my ever living normally. The medic who'd given me my abilities. The medic who had been arrested for illegal experimentation.

"This is one of mine, from before. I never knew how he turned out, or even if I'd been successful…"

He wasn't dead or in prison like he was supposed to be. He was working for the Council.

"Soundwave," he said.

Neurosis.


Notes:

1. Wow, I totally forgot how quickly things went south there. Fair warning, the next chapter will be unpleasant. :(

2. Thanks for reading, and for all of your reviews these past few chapters!