Author's Notes: Well, I feel bad for putting off this chapter not only because I took too long, but I left it on a cliffhanger! Oops ^_^'

Chapter 4

Haggle

Mikaela lost track of the time she was trapped in Swindle's trunk. Her arms and legs ached for movement, but there was no way she could move in the tiny space. She tried to be strong, but every now and then she found herself silently crying. That would earn a reprimand from Swindle, who apparently didn't like tears on his alt mode's interior.

She hoped he wasn't planning on going all the way to Africa with her stuffed inside him like this. She was sure she wouldn't survive the trip if that was the case. At this point she would take living with her thieving dad over this kind of treatment. That thought only made her feel even more hopeless.

Finally, after many hours, Swindle popped open his trunk to allow the cold night air to hit her body.

"Alright babe, get out," Swindle ordered, "I gotta transform."

Mikaela had trouble moving due to hours of inactivity and being bunched up like a pretzel. She could now feel that every extremity on her was asleep as she stood up and looked out at where she was. She knew they were going to Boston, so when she saw a starry night sky and an entire forest of trees she was naturally confused.

"Where are we?" Mikaela asked; her voice raspy from dehydration.

"Beartown State Forest," Swindle replied, "I'm meetin' someone here, and I expect you to be on your best behavior."

"It's not Starscream, is it?" Mikaela asked worriedly.

"No, it's one of my contacts," Swindle told her, "His name's Vortex. He's a helicopter former. He's not military design like Blackout. That guy was always too obvious. Vortex prefers the civilian frames to keep people from suspectin' him of anythin' illegal."

"Why are you meeting him?" Mikaela asked suspiciously.

"None of your business," Swindle replied curtly, "Now, you wanna do somethin' useful or just stand there like a light pole? Here, take this gas can and fill it with water. I've been overheatin' ever since your stupid stunt that paralyzed me. By the way, I still owe you for that one."

"You left me in your trunk for hours. I think we're even," Mikaela replied dryly.

Mikaela let out a sharp breath but did as she was told. She just hoped she could find the nearest source of water without getting lost in the dark forest. The place was called Beartown. She hoped that didn't mean actual bears.

Mikaela stumbled through the woods for ten minutes before she found a stream. She considered herself lucky since it could've taken much longer. She scooped up some of the water to drink, and then went to work filling the gas can for Swindle. She didn't want to keep helping him after all the crappy things he did to her, but at the same time part of her was still afraid of him. It seemed like he didn't care what was thrown at him, he'd just keep doing whatever he felt like doing. It was scary to think of a condescending creep like him also being practically unstoppable. She really needed the Autobots right now. She also wished she could warn Mudflap and Skids of the danger they were in. As it was, she was unable to contact anyone.

As Mikaela made her way back she heard owls in the trees and several things scratching around. She didn't know what kind of animals those noises were coming from, and she didn't want to find out. She walked quickly back to where she thought Swindle had parked, but she couldn't seem to find the trail no matter where she went. Mikaela soon realized she was lost, and in an unfamiliar forest at a time of night when there were no people nearby!

She ran further and further, and tripped a couple times. She was getting colder since she was only wearing a tank top and shorts, and nothing looked familiar anymore. She stopped to catch her breath, and set the gas can down so she could rest. She didn't know where to go or what to do, and there were cuts on her legs from falling on twigs and rocks.

After a few minutes she heard a noise, and wondered if it was a bear. She stood up, preparing to run, when she saw a couple of trees break apart and then saw Swindle coming for her in robot mode.

"Why'd you go all the way out here?" Swindle asked her, "You weren't tryin' to run away again, were you?"

"How on earth did you find me this time?" Mikaela asked incredulously, "I was lost in the middle of the woods! Were you following me?"

"No, babe. I have you bugged is all," Swindle replied nonchalantly, "When you fell asleep inside me that first night I implanted a trackin' chip in your back. Rule number one of sellin' live merchandise: prepare for runners. So, you got my water?"

Mikaela nodded deftly and handed the gas can back to Swindle. She would've been upset that she was microchipped like a stray dog, but at the same time she had been terrified of being lost in the forest, so she was kind of glad someone was there; even if it was Swindle.

They walked together to a parking area where a drab grey helicopter was already parked. She assumed that was Vortex, and her notion was confirmed when he transformed upon seeing Swindle.

"Hey Swindle, you old rust bucket! Hahahaha!" Vortex cackled madly before he and Swindle bumped arms in what seemed to be a friendly gesture, "So, is this little thing the merch you're sellin' to Megatron?"

"Yeah, and so far she's been a real pain in the aft," Swindle said casually, causing Mikaela to scowl at him, "Still, I think I'll miss the little glitch when she's gone. It's fun to see her riled up."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You got my stuff?" Vortex asked eagerly.

"Sure thing, pal. The best P-27 this side of the galaxy," Swindle replied as he took a vial of his enhanced energon out of subspace, "So, you got my creds?"

"Yeah, yeah," Vortex grumbled without malice as he searched his subspace for the money, "It's been a pretty busy orn for you, huh? First we finally collect Brawl, then you find a little trinket to sell to Megatron, then you make a deal with me, and now you've got work doin' a hit for Onslaught. Well, I hope you don't mind, but I found you somethin' else to do as well."

"Oh yeah? How lucrative?" Swindle asked as his purple optics sparkled with the possibilities swirling in his processor.

"It ain't the best deal in the quadrant, but it will help you to get rid of that scrap metal you've been haulin' around in your subspace since the funeral," Vortex shrugged.

Funeral? Mikaela didn't like the sound of that. It sounded like Swindle was carrying around a dead Transformer, or at least part of one, in his subspace pocket. Mikaela thought she would be sick due to how callous these two were acting about a person that had died and was now being sold for scrap.

"So who wants to buy it?" Swindle asked; unconcerned.

Vortex looked around suspiciously first, and then leaned in real close to Swindle's audio receptor.

"Laserbeak," Vortex whispered conspiratorially.

"That assassin that works for Soundwave?" Swindle asked incredulously, "I've never dealt with him before. What's he like?"

"Creepy, very creepy, and that's comin' from me! Hahahahaha!" Vortex cackled like a mad-mech once again, and Mikaela gulped at the implications of what this new mech might be like, "Seriously though, don't turn your back on him. Also, check yourself for listenin' devices before drivin' away. Laserbeak likes to stalk people before goin' in for the kill.

"Charmin'," Swindle replied sarcastically, "Send him to the coordinates I'm blastin' through your comm. I won't wait too long since I'm in a hurry to get perishable goods to Africa."

"Perishable goods!?" Mikaela exclaimed before she thought, and ducked her head when they both looked down at her.

"So it does talk! Hahahahaha!" Vortex laughed maniacally, "What else does it do?"

"Hey, I'm not an it!" Mikaela snapped despite being surrounded by two giant robot gangsters.

"It knows how to paralyze mechs in vehicle mode," Swindle purposefully used the word it to annoy Mikaela.

"Really?" Vortex asked excitedly, "What's Megatron payin' you? I might be able to make you a better offer."

"Nope, no way," Swindle shot down the offer before he even heard it, "Look, I love profit as much as the next guy, maybe more, but I also love my spark remainin' in my chassis. Megatron would kill me if I sold his new toy before he even had a chance to play with it."

"Did you have to put it like that?" Mikaela asked disgustedly, "Oh great, now I'm picturing it!"

"Picturin' what? Is it painful?" Vortex asked curiously.

"I'll tell ya later," Swindle said before transforming into vehicle mode, "Say Vortex, could you shove the human in my trunk?"

"Again?" Mikaela whined, "I thought you wanted to take me to Megatron alive!"

"Oh, alright," Swindle groused, "You can ride in the front again, but anymore of your sass and you're ridin' strapped to the undercarriage."

Mikaela sighed miserably but did as she was told. She knew she could figure out a way to escape eventually, but she needed more time. In the meantime, however, she would have to make due with sitting quietly and trying to not upset Swindle before she had a chance to make a break for it.

As they drove away she watched as Vortex transformed into helicopter mode and took off. Soon he couldn't even be seen anymore due to his color matching so well with the night sky.

"Hey babe," Swindle's voice came through the radio; startling Mikaela since she wasn't paying attention to him, "Do you know what Vortex wanted you for?"

Mikaela could hear the amusement in Swindle's voice, so therefore assumed that whatever the answer was wasn't a good one.

"I'm guessing target practice or something," Mikaela muttered as she continued to look out the window.

"Nope," Swindle replied in a chipper tone of voice Mikaela was beginning to find both irritating and frightening, "You see, Vortex is a professional torturer. Before the war when the Combaticons were just a crime syndicate, Vortex was the guy who made our clients pay when they didn't have the credits. When we joined the Decepticons Megatron used Vortex's gifts to extract information from Autobot prisoners. Do you see where I'm goin' with this?"

"He was...going to practice his torture on me?" Mikaela guessed apprehensively.

"Not exactly," Swindle replied, "I think he liked the idea of you paralyzin' mechs. It's a novelty to him. I mean, what kind of torturer wouldn't want a pet that could learn those kinds of tricks?"

"So why are you telling me this anyway?" Mikaela asked; tired of this conversation.

"Just in case," Swindle replied nonchalantly, "If Megatron backs out, then Vortex is my next contact. Either way, I'll get a good price for you."

They drove for a couple hours until they made it to an airstrip a couple miles from the private residence of some wealthy tech billionaire. Mikaela didn't know anything about this Laserbeak 'Con they were supposed to meet, but she was nervous. It seemed like every contact Swindle had was terrifying, and Swindle himself while annoying was still kind of scary.

"Laserbeak just comm'ed me," Swindle announced, "Get outta me. I gotta transform."

Mikaela did as she was told and Swindle shifted until he was back in robot mode. She looked to see what Swindle was doing, and noticed he was looking up at the sky. She wondered if Laserbeak was a seeker like Starscream or another helicopter like Vortex or Blackout.

Laserbeak flew down and landed in front of them, and Mikaela's eyes went wide with incredulity when she saw him. He was short! He wasn't even as tall as Mikaela herself, and he looked like the world's ugliest vulture/ostrich hybrid. His red optics bulged, and his long neck twisted and slithered like a snake's body.

"So Swindle, I see you have a new plaything," Laserbeak taunted Swindle as he eyed Mikaela, "I didn't know you were into organics."

"I got the frame you're lookin' for," Swindle replied; ignoring any statements made about Mikaela.

He then hefted a large beat up frame from his subspace, and Mikaela recognized the remains of Brawl; the Decepticon Bumblebee killed during the day of the Battle of Mission City.

"Nice. Very nice," Laserbeak hissed as he flew circles around the carcass, "I'll give you 200 creds for it."

"Are you kiddin'? For parts as exclusive as these?" Swindle asked in offense that was clearly staged so he could haggle, "Look at these cannons! Look at those ice-resistant treads! Look at that rust proof platin'! You insult me with your offer!"

"I will not pay more than 200 creds," Laserbeak replied firmly, "If you wish for me to take my business elsewhere, then I will. Soundwave and the rest of the assassins' guild will hear about your attempt to scam me. I doubt you want to lose their tolerance over such a paltry thing as credits. So, do you still want more money?"

Swindle was nervous, Mikaela could tell. Whoever this Laserbeak was, he clearly held a lot of power among the Decepticons. Mikaela didn't know what the other assassins were like, but considering how the Decepticons treated everyone around them it would be fair to assume this was a veiled death threat. On the one hand if Swindle died, she could escape his clutches. Then again, she could be killed or captured by that creep Laserbeak. Mikaela decided she preferred the devil she knew, so she thought of a way to help Swindle.

"Well...200 credits..." Swindle muttered quietly to himself; seemingly torn between the profit from the frame or his life, "Well..."

"He wants 500!" Mikaela suddenly blurted out.

"What!?" Swindle yelled in shock as he stared down at her.

"Excuse me?" Laserbeak snapped as he leaned in close to Mikaela, "Say that again, flesh bag."

"Look, you obviously flew a long way for this body," Mikaela argued; showing no fear against the angry bird, "You wanted this mech's frame pretty badly, and I don't think you're willing to leave without it. I don't know what the story is here, and I don't care, but if you want this thing then you're going to pay what it's worth; to both you and Swindle. Understand?"

Swindle cringed at her aggressive attitude. He was sure Laserbeak was going to kill his merchandise and lose him a lot of credits, not to mention the lousy sum he wanted to pay for Brawl. And this day had started out so well. He thought to himself.

"Hm...Alright, 400, and not a single credit more," Laserbeak growled and his attention turned back to Swindle.

"Deal!" Swindle said in a more rushed manner than he normally would, but he was afraid of losing the sale and his human.

Laserbeak and Swindle conducted their transaction quickly, and soon Laserbeak had the body in his subspace while Swindle was 400 credits richer. He transformed back into jeep mode, and Mikaela climbed in reluctantly.

"You know babe, that took some brass bearin's," Swindle commented approvingly, "You've got a real knack for the hard sell. Word of advice though, a friendly disarmin' demeanor usually works better than tryin' to put pressure on the client."

"I'll keep that in mind," Mikaela replied sardonically; still in a bad mood.

"Ah, don't be that way, babe," Swindle said soothingly as he turned on his heater to keep her warm, "Look, this ain't personal, okay? I don't hate you. In fact, I could almost like you on days like this. Problem is, I can't break a contract with the big guy, and I promised him one intact human meddler. Who knows? Maybe you can convince him to let you join the 'Cons. I wouldn't mind havin' a sadistic shrew like you on my team. Especially now that we're down one."

"I can't believe you sold your teammate's body," Mikaela said disgustedly, "That just seems so...wrong."

"It ain't the first time," Swindle replied; his tone suddenly subdued, "The Combaticon Crime Syndicate used to be huge. We were the most feared organized crime ring on all of Cybertron. Nobody would've treated us the way Laserbeak did today. When the war came though, a lot of us died. Eventually only five of us were left. We got desperate to survive and, well...Have you ever heard of Devastator?"

"Yeah, he was killed in Egypt. I was there," Mikaela replied; wondering where this was going.

"Not he, they," Swindle corrected her, "Devastator was the first combiner unit ever built. He was one of Shockwave's experiments, but for legal reasons most mechs don't know Shockwave was the inventor of the gestalt merge code."

"First? There are more of those things?" Mikaela asked worriedly.

"A few, maybe," Swindle replied casually, "As I was sayin' though, we got desperate to stay alive since so many from both sides wanted us all terminated. I went to the black market searchin' for a weapon that would keep us alive, and instead I found someone sellin' a copy of the merge code chips. There were five of them, and once installed they could never be removed. It was a risk, but ultimately worth it, as we combined ourselves to form the gestalt mech named Bruticus."

"You're part of a combiner team!?" Mikaela asked incredulously; now even more afraid of him.

"Not anymore," Swindle replied bitterly, "Brawl's dead."

Mikaela didn't say anything else as they continued to drive down the road. She had missed her chance at escape then, and wondered if she had made a mistake in not letting Laserbeak kill Swindle. Then again, for a reason she didn't quite understand, she didn't want to see him die. She knew that people like him weren't born, or built, to be criminals. Hard haggling, credit hoarding, unscrupulous people like Swindle were forged in poverty and/or difficult circumstances. She knew, because she came from a family that had been forged in that fire for generations.