Sorry everyone for my lateness in updating. I can't believe it's been nearly a year. I had a pretty bad year which kept me distracted but also an awesome new job that kept me busy. Everything has settled down now so I should be able to update a bit more regularly hopefully. Thank you to my faithful readers who are still here despite me not updating for a year. Thank you to my new followers and for the favourites as well.
Thanks for the reviews. Please review more. I love each and every review. Thank to my reviewers:
BleckBleckBlah5956
Lady-Stesonora
Bee4ever
Starlit Storyteller
The guest reviewers:
GoVIGo: Kill him vi kill him rawr unleash the beast
Thank you for reviewing. I love your support for my character. Who knows maybe she needs to unleash the beast inside her? ;)
A.L:I think that this is an excellent story from the very moment I read it and can not wait for the next chapters.
Aww! Thank you for the kind words. I have to admit, I don't like the start of the story and if I had time I would change it. But I love that you think it's an excellent story. Hopefully I can get past writers block and have the next chapter on soon.
Thank you to Jazzilynn Hall for editing.
On with the show.
Round two. We're at the prison again but this time I'm prepared. I know what's in there.
"You know it's not too late to go back. You can stay behind while-" starts Sideswipe but I interrupt.
"Sideswipe, shut up," I order, my hands clenched before walking forward determined.
There's no way I'm turning back now. I feel a fire burning inside me. Instead of being born from my rage, it's from my determination.. You know it's quite funny from a messed up point of view; some people will do anything to bring back their family. I'll do anything to make them stay dead. This miracle is for the wrong person. But hey… who knows… maybe he's back so I can kill him even slower this time, I'm trying to look at the positive side. I don't falter in my steps until we're right outside the door to his cell. Instead of meeting in an interrogation room like yesterday, we're meeting him at his cell to make sure he's more secure.
"Give him as little information as possible. Just ask the necessary questions and get out. Don't play his game. Don't linger. Show as little emotion as possible," I advise businesslike.
"We're professionals Shadow. We've got this," says Lennox trying to reassure me but it only causes the opposite effect.
I grab Lennox from the front of his uniform bringing him close to my face as I growl.
"And it's exactly that kind of attitude that's going to get you killed. You can't underestimate him," I warn angrily, trying to show him and everyone else how serious I am.
"Easy Shadow," growls Ironhide, going to put his hand on my shoulder but I'm on high alert so my reflexes kick in.
With my free hand, I slightly turn and block his hand with my arm, still holding onto Lennox. Ironhide's blue piercing eyes narrow at me in irritation but I glare back.
"Everyone relax. This is just Shadow's way of showing that she's worried for us," comments Sideswipe casually.
I punch Sideswipe in the back of his head, forgetting about Lennox and Ironhide for the moment, letting them go in favour of punching Sideswipe.
"Ow…" complains Sideswipe holding his head.
"Miss Sedis, I know you're tense at the moment, but you need to remember we've been in a war that's centuries years old. We've survived this long for a reason. When it comes down to it every single one of us can handle ourselves against grave threats," reassures Prime.
That's true, maybe I'm not giving them enough credit. I mean they have been fighting against Megatron for hundreds of years and that's no easy feat. I nod to Prime, accepting his words.
"I'm handling the questions but if you want to throw any questions in you can," says Lennox.
I nod in response.
"Are you ready?" asks Lennox looking at me with a guarded face, knowing I won't appreciate any worry thrown my way but it stills leaks through his eyes.
My heart is racing and my whole body is tense. I close my eyes and focus. I feel the storm swirling inside me, the bloodlust, the hate, the anger, the fear… I force my heartbeat to slow down. I focus on my beating heart pushing everything else away from my mind until all I can hear is my heart beat. No emotions… No swirling storm… just my heart beat.
Thump… Thump… Thump…
I release my breath before opening my eyes. My purple eyes are narrowed and guarded but other than that I show no emotion. I feel no emotion. I see the slight surprise in everyones face and body language from the fact I look like I have no emotion at all. I nod at Lennox.
"Okay, let's go in," says Lennox in his military mode.
They file in first and I stay close to Ironhide's back as I walk in to remain undetected. I swiftly move into the shadows once Ironhide gets close enough and I blend in. He's attention will mainly be on Prime from the amount of presence that comes off him and Ironhide second so I can still use him as cover. With the rest of the men/Autobots in the room, it'll be next to impossible to detect my presence. There's many males trying to be intimidating, trying to make themselves seem bigger that when one such as myself goes the opposite way and I try to make myself known as small as possible, I go completely unnoticed. It's very nearly the same as invisibility when done correctly.
"Oooo…"
His cold, amused voice sends shivers down my spine, goosebumps run up my arms. I fight my instincts strongly as they want to attack or run. I shove the feeling down as soon as it comes up. I can't give away that I'm here. His voice brings back painful feelings.
"All of these people for me?" questions Despiadado with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
I feel sick just hearing his voice. I want to run. No. Be professional. I try to keep in my work mode. My assassin mode. I block my emotions again, feeling empty.
"Mr. Despiadado, I have some questions of you," says Lennox firmly taking the lead, ignoring his first comment.
"I wonder which one of your tried to kill me yesterday. Tried and failed pitifully," baits Despiadado trying to get a rise or reaction out of one of us.
He watches our reactions carefully all except me since I'm hiding in the shadows. His gaze goes to Ironhide, Sunstreaker and the rest of the Autobot holoforms trying to figure out who it was. His gaze lingers on Sunstreaker and Ironhide the most.
"One of you two maybe. I'm leaning towards the big guy, more anger but wait… no. You seem like a good little soldier who follows orders rather than one who would go rogue, so maybe it was you instead?" he summaries looking at the start Ironhide and then his eyes go to Sunstreaker in the end. He leans back like he's inspecting Sunstreaker.
"Hmm… No, not enough anger. You glaring at me is just a pure intimidation technique, you want me to be afraid of you. Well that's never going to happen but feel free to kick it up a notch," inspects Despiadado making Sunstreaker growl but his eyes move on.
"…A lot of you are angry but none of you tried… that's a shame, I wanted to see who had the guts to kill me in a secure, high profile prison," frowns Despiadado.
I let his words bounce off me like he's a stranger discussing the weather, instead of a man I hate trying to figure out I was the one that tried to murder him. Lennox clicks his fingers in front of Despiadado's face. In normal circumstance I may of been amused with a mix of concern for Lennox's fingers but I feel nothing.
"Hey, look at me, not them," orders Lennox using his two fingers to point to his own eyes.
Despiadado keeps his gaze on Prime instead. I know he's doing that just to irritate Lennox. He doesn't see Lennox worth his time so he's redirecting his attention elsewhere to get under Lennox's skin. He must of felt bored before we came. I just hope Lennox doesn't fall for any of his tricks.
"Have you heard of project Zelta?" asks Lennox despite Despiadado pretending to ignore him.
I saw it… Just for a second, it's gone now but I saw it, a glint in his eyes, recognition but other then that his face remains the same.
"Should I?" questions Despiadado with fake boredom.
"It's a machine that can transport things, people," adds Lennox.
"Fascinating, I wonder what genius created it," replies Despiadado with fake surprise, interested in the topic.
"I wouldn't call him a genius, I'd call him a psychopath," comments Lennox.
"They normally come hand in hand," shrugs Despiadado.
"So you're admitting you're a psychopath?" asks Lennox.
"I said whoever created it is a genius and I stand by that. Just imagine the mind that created it, the thought, sweat and blood….. that had to go in to make something like that," praises Despiadado, purposely emphaising the word blood.
I knew he'll try this tactic. Try to make people uncomfortable.
"Where is it?" asks Ironhide, the first Autobot to speak.
"Where's what?" questions Despiadado in return, playing dumb.
"Project Zelta. Where is it located?" further questions Ironhide, to his credit his voice calm… so far. We'll see how long it takes for Ironhide to snap.
"How should I know?" asks Despiadado.
"Cut it out. We all know that you're the one who created it," demands Lennox.
Careful Lennox. At the moment you still have controlled anger, don't fall into thoughtlessness.
Despiadado puts his head on his chest, miming the word 'mwah?'
"You mean I'm the genius who created this machine?" mocks Despiadado.
He's playing with them. Like a lion playing with his food. He's in an especially good mood. Trying to annoy them more than get under their skin… Information. He's seeking information at the minute. Get them angry enough and they'll let a small detail slip. I thought that might be the case but I didn't expect him to be in this good of a mood.
"Where is it?" asks Ironhide ignoring his mockery.
"I don't know," he shrugs casually.
I want to say he's lying but he's not. I can tell. So we're here for nothing? No. I'm getting something out of this. I'm not taking, I don't know for an answer.
"You mean to tell me you've misplaced a giant machine?" asks Lennox skeptical.
"How can you be so sure it's giant? It could be small? Medium sized? Who knows?" questions Despiadado.
Don't answer. Pressure him for the answer. Don't fail for the bait. Don't let him turn this interview around.
"There's no point in tricking us or making us doubt. We know what it looks like and everything it does," adds Sideswipe certain.
"And how do you know that?" questions Despiadado.
"Doesn't matter. Where was your machine before you lost it?" asks Lennox level headed and undetered.
"Tell me Major Lennox... how are the wife and kids?" asks Despiadado with a smirk.
Damn…
My eyes widen as does everyone else's but my shock is over the quickest. The autobots tenses up, especially Ironhide. I see the anger, shock and fear in Lennox's eyes and I see him about to open his mouth.
In a flash, I appear in front of Lennox unwillingly revealing myself, putting myself between Lennox and Despiadado. My back to Despiadado.
"Don't," I warn Lennox, my voice low, blocking Despiadado from seeing him.
"Don't say a word," I order firmly, my eyes narrow showing my seriousness.
I should of told Lennox to take off his wedding ring. Lennox and I hold eye contact and I can see the struggle within him. He wants to ask how Despiadado knows about Sarah… about Annabelle. But Despiadado doesn't really…. not yet, as long as Lennox keeps his mouth shut. Lennox's jaw tightens and his fists are tight.
"Don't show emotion," I whisper to him lowly.
He reluctantly nods at me and takes a deep breath. I take a glance at Ironhide and he's visibly shaking. He's peed off.
"Don't let him in your head," I warn, looking at Ironhide but directing it to everyone.
"Interesting…" says a voice behind me.
I feel shivers go up my spine as I feel his eyes on me as I keep my back to him.
"When did you sneak in?" wonders Despiadado his attention on me.
I don't want to turn around. I know that he has no way to tell who I am. He's never seen me before in his life but still…. I stay silent to him and keep my back to him.
"Let me figure it out…. You came in the same time as everyone else obviously because the door hasn't opened once since they've come in so you…" explains Despiadado looking around the room and the people in the room.
His eyes stop at Ironhide and he grins in realisation.
"You came in behind the big guy, perfectly in step with him and then you hid in the shadows, you're wearing all black so you blended in," deduces Despiadado.
Lennox looks at me concerned of how I'll react to Despiadado talking to me but to his surprise I'm blank. I look over my shoulder to Despiadado and our eyes make contact. His brown eyes locked onto my purple eye. I'm extremely careful to keep my face blank. To keep my emotions blank.
"Am I right?" asks Despiadado cockily.
I resist the urge to mock him to say a baby could figure that out, instead I slowly turn around and face him completely.
"Who knows where it is?" I question simply, ignoring his question.
He looks mildly surprised before a pleased grin crosses his face. When I was younger I felt as if I needed to see that rare pleased grin, it was the closest thing to a well done that I got but now I feel nothing.
"Good girl, asking the right questions," he praises patronisingly.
I resist the urge to growl, to show him that he irritated me. I can't let him know or else he'll play on it. I stay silent, piercing him with my eyes.
"Or at least, it would of been normally," continues Despiadado.
I'm slightly surprised and disappointed at this. I thought for sure I knew what he's thinking. It's his protocol. If he's ever captured by the enemy then he has his right hand man to relocate everything. Every single one of his projects to some place he doesn't know. But this is different. He doesn't know and it's not because of normal protocol.
"I don't know who knows," admits Despiadado.
Which means…
"It was stolen. He doesn't know because someone stole it," I say reading him carefully.
There's a slight twitch in his eye. He's annoyed someone stole off him, maybe even angry, depending.
"Stole it? Who?" questions Sideswipe.
"He doesn't know, he knows nothing. The most he can do is tell us who he suspects and where it was before it was stolen. We might as well go," I clarify.
"If I can provide information, what would I get in return?" questions Despiadado.
"Don't answer that," I order Lennox quickly, even though I keep my eyes on Despiadado.
"Come on… You can't expect me to give you something and provide nothing in return," says Despiadado.
"You won't be getting nothing. You'll get the satisfaction in knowing that we caught the thief who stole from you," I reply.
"Hmm… That is tempting but I want more," says Despiadado.
"Like what?" questions Lennox.
No Lennox… You can't let him think we're open to negotiation. My emotions stay blank despite how normally I would feel annoyed.
"Less prison time," suggests Despiadado.
Multiple reactions come up at that.
"Hell no!" exclaims Sideswipe.
"No way in pit," grumbles Sunstreaker.
"Certainly not," protests Lennox.
"We can not allow that," voices Prime firmly.
"We're not letting this pit spawn-" starts Ironhide angrily.
"You already have that. You're suppose to be getting more than one life sentence at least. You've got off easy," I deny calmly.
"You can either tell us something useful to catch the guy or you can rot in here while he walks free, smug that he's beaten the great Despiadado," I mock calculating.
I see his jaw tighten but it relaxes completely the next second.
"Fine but the guy is thrown in my cell for 2 minutes, no one watching," proposes Despiadado.
I want to say deal. He's probably a low life scum anyway but Lennox intercedes.
"No way," denies Lennox.
"I'll kick him in the balls when we catch him," I offer ignoring Lennox.
"Deal," states Despiadado quickly before anyone can interrupt us.
"But thats only if you can offer us useful information, that I deem useful," I add.
"You drive a hard bargain but its still a deal," agrees Despiadado.
"We can't agree to that," cuts in Lennox.
"You can't but I can. Information, now," I demand my eyes narrow.
He looks amused and curious but he obeys my demand.
"I know how to find the machine no matter where it is," he announces leaning back looking triumphant.
Of course… How could I forget?
"How?" asks Ironhide.
"The tracking algorithm," we both answer at the same time.
I have to resist the flinch, that wants to break out through the emptiness I'm feeling. He looks shocked that I know it but it soon turns to interest and suspicion.
"How do you know about that?" questions Despiadado but I ignore him.
Happy that I've got all I need to find it.
"We don't need him anymore, we can let him rot in his cell," I state feeling victorious.
"Wait you need to slow down and explain it," says Lennox lost.
He's not the only one confused. It seems like I'm a page ahead of everyone else.
"You still need me. I'm the only one who can decode it," says Despiadado still feeling certain.
"Shut up a second. What is it?" questions Lennox impatiently.
"That's where you're wrong. I don't need you," I say smugly before turning and walking out.
The others look surprised but not as surprised as Despiadado of my certainty before they follow me out the cell leaving Despiadado behind.
"Shadow, you better explain this," says Lennox firmly and annoyed.
"Michael Despiadado puts a tracking chip in all of the things he see's as his, the tracking algorithm activates the chip giving out a ever-changing algorithm that once hacked, gives us the precise location of the chip," I explain my shoulder feeling funny for a second as I keep my eyes on Lennox.
"It lets us track it? That's great! One of you should be able to hack it easily and quickly right?" questions Lennox turning to the Autobot.
"Yeah easily," confirms Sideswipe but I cut in.
"It won't be that easy. It's in a different language," I cut in.
"We've downloaded all languages of this world via the internet," explains Prime.
"This isn't a real language," I protest stopping him short.
"What?" asks Sideswipe puzzled.
"Despiadado wanted it to be unhackable except to him so he created a new complex language that only he knows. Well…. him and me. The algorithm always changes so not only do you need to know the language but you need to be fast," I explain.
"And you can hack it?" asks Ratchet.
I nod in return.
"But you'll have to be a genius to do that," points out Ratchet.
"It's on a USB stick that he has. As soon as I have that I can get started," I brush off.
"How long will it take?" questions Lennox seriously.
"…Weeks maybe months," I admit.
"If Despiadado helped, would it be faster?" questions Ironhide.
"Absolutely not. We're not getting his help. We are not working with him," I seethe, my mask of calmness fully dropped.
"Viole-" starts Lennox but I interrupt.
"No. We can't trust him," I insist.
It's one thing to get information from him but to get his help and work with him? No.
"The man's a genius, we need his help. This needs to be sorted asap. Weeks isn't going to cut it," gently explains Lennox.
"You don't know how sick and tired I am of hearing that. Yes he's a genius but that makes him even more deadly. He will betray and kill us. He's a Despiadado. It means merciless. He's not going to show any mercy, not to you and not to me," I explain.
"Think about this logically, months will be too late. We need to get to that machine now. How long would it take if you worked together?" reasons Lennox.
"Weeks… maybe days," I admit.
"Exactly, he's our greatest chance," says Lennox.
I close my eyes thinking deeply. I don't want to work with him. There's no way. I'm not going to be under his thumb again. I'll sooner die than be his puppet. Prime takes a step towards me making my eyes open and he slowly puts a hand on my shoulder. He does so full of confidence but slow enough as if testing the waters, seeing if I'll let him get that close. Strangely enough I don't want to move his hand away.
"Miss Sedis, you don't have to work with him if you don't want to. We're not going to force you to do anything you don't want to," reassures Prime calmly.
"No… it's okay," I say calmly, surprising myself.
I do feel okay with it strangely enough. It's like I don't want to let him down. No… that must be wrong. I don't ever try to please others. It must be that I don't want to appear weak in front of him. Yeah that's it.
"Are you sure?" questions Ratchet.
I look over to him thinking about it for a moment before nodding. I can remove my emotions completely. I won't let him invoke any emotions in me. I won't feel pain caused by him. I steel myself determined.
"Get us two laptops immediately. 6 guards outside the door," I order.
"What about inside?" questions Lennox.
I shake my head to him.
"None," I answer.
"None?" asks Ironhide confused.
"The more people inside with him, the more power he has. Don't fall into his trap," I warn.
"Also if we're doing this only I speak to him, no one else," I add.
"You can't. You don't represent the government or military," denies Lennox.
"You saw what he did. He got into your head before I got involved," I insist.
Lennox's expression becomes gravely serious.
"He mentioned my family," states Lennox frowning.
"That's what he does. He uses personal attachment against you. There is nothing not on the table," I say back to him.
"And he won't use yours?" questions Lennox slightly agitated.
"I don't have any," I state.
"None. Not ever?" asks Sideswipe.
"Personal attachment is just a weakness that can be used against you. It's meaningless," I reply.
"That's not true," protests Lennox.
I shrug indifferent.
"It's the same as emotions. Useless, weaknesses. In the end, that's all they really are," I say.
"No, they're not. I would of thought you would of learnt that by now," says Ironhide.
"Don't bother. She's not capable of understanding," comments Sunstreaker.
"They are weaknesses and I don't see how you don't know otherwise. If I killed Sideswipe…" I say looking at Sunstreaker seeing his glare, before I look over to Ironhide and I continue, "…or Lennox…"
Ironhide stiffens up and clenches his fist before I look over to Lennox.
"Or your wife… your child… you would all be hurt, you would be angry and make mistakes," I finish.
"Don't presume I'll make a mistake fleshy. I would squash you easily," growls Sunstreaker.
"Already a mistake. Underestimating," I state clearly.
Sunstreaker's holoform pushes me up against the wall. My back hits the wall and his arm is across my shoulders and neck while his other hand is on my upper arm pinning me to the wall.
"I could defeat you in this puny holoform, never mind my true form, especially if you ever hurt my brother," threats Sideswipe, his face close to mine.
His stance is a little too wide since he's acting on emotion. Mistakes detected.
"Sunstreaker!" exclaims Lennox in warning.
"Stand down Sunstreaker," orders Prime but as Prime finishes his sentence, I act.
I kick my knee up rapidly and the second my knee makes impact, his grip slackens. I spin us around and I put my elbow to his neck and apply pressure. My eyes narrow he tenses up seeing the message in my eyes: 'One more move and I'll crush your throat.'
"If you're going to do it, do it properly," I comment applying slightly more pressure to his throat so he'll understand what I mean.
"Shadow you're going to do major damage to his throat," warns Lennox wary, a hand hovering over his gun, but I keep my eyes on Sunstreaker.
I see the anger burn in his eyes as his eyes are completely devoted to me, never wavering, never diverting to look at everyone else. Our body's are close but that doesn't matter to me.
"Don't worry, he's just a holoform," I dismiss, keeping my face close to his.
"Besides, he needs to learn," I add, looking into his raging blue eyes.
"Learn what?" growls Sunstreaker leaning his head forward despite the fact it digs my elbow a little more in his neck.
"Miss Sedis," says Prime, his voice low and calm but there's an air of authority about it.
"You just made a mistake because of your emotions. Your stance was too open because you was acting on anger. If I was serious this would of killed you… well your holoform. You just proved my point, Sunshine," I explain mocking him.
He growls at me, but it doesn't intimidate me.
"You think you're so much better than me," growls Sunstreaker glaring at me.
I wouldn't be surprised if he hated me. Most people who know of existence do.
"No Sunstreaker… That's your thinking. I know I'm much worse than everyone," I say lowly before releasing him and stepping back.
"Don't threaten me with words, threaten me with actions and go for the kill," I advise my back to him as I walk away towards Despiadado's cell.
"No guards in the room," I order to Lennox looking back over my shoulder.
They are all tense from what just happened but Lennox nods in agreement.
"You can't give orders like you own the place!" exclaims Sunstreaker, his hurt pride ruling his emotions.
"You're human… A puny human! That's all you are!" shouts Sunstreaker angrily behind me.
"Brother… stop. That's enough," says Sideswipe trying to calm him down, standing slightly in front of Sunstreaker, a hand on his shoulder but Sunstreaker shrugs Sideswipe's hand off immediately, his eyes fixed on me.
"That's all you'll ever be…" says Sunstreaker venomously, "….A lowly, lonely human."
"That may be true but what does that make you?" I question back calmly keeping my back to him.
"I am just a puny human, yet I have bested you twice at least," I state.
I can feel his eyes burning into the back of my head. I can sense his rage. Silence tenses the room as Sunstreaker has no comeback, all I can hear is his heavy breathing.
"Don't be so emotional Sunstreaker. It makes you easy to use," I say coldly.
It may not seem like it but that's my way of giving advice. It's the only type of kindness I know how to give. He still stays silent as he breaths heavily. I ignore him and walk forward away from him. I can't focus on Sunstreaker anymore. I need to focus on the task ahead. I block everything out including Sunstreaker's protest.
"You can't let her go in alone! Prime you can't let her give the orders!" protests Sunstreaker trying to move forward but Sideswipe holds him back.
Prime doesn't look at him, but looks at me.
"Sunstreaker… Miss Sedis knows the enemy better than us. For now, until we know better, we will heed her advice," answers Prime logically.
Sunstreaker isn't happy and he feels more unease the closer he sees me get to the door. My nightmare is behind that door. My personal nightmare. Screams echo in my head of the past and I'm powerless to stop it. My feet feel heavier at every step. If I were honest, I don't want to go in. I don't want to go in alone. My instincts are screaming at me to turn back around. To refuse to do this. After all, why should I? Why should I face my monster? Why shouldn't I run? I could disappear and never turn back. But if I do, I would be breaking my own promise. My vow. To destroy Despiadado's legacy. To wipe every trace of him out. That includes himself and the machine. The fire reignites inside me and the screams from the past are silent.
I will kill him. I swear, his blood will be on my dagger. My hand touches the door handle. But before I kill him, I will use him to get what I want.
But to do that, I need to lock away my emotions. My bloodlust, my fear. A coldness floods me, killing the fire inside me as I open the door. The door is heavy and loud as it opens. I see Despiadado sitting there with a smirk, looking so smug, like he knew I would come back. I feel goosebumps along my skin but I keep my face and emotions neutral. We are two predators in the same room. I hear the door slowly closing behind me. The only noise in the room as Despiadado and I stare each other down. Brown calculating eyes meets cold purple eyes. Until finally… A slam echoes around the room. The door is shut, sealing me in with the beast. Alone.
Monsters. They should only be the thing under your bed or in your closet. It's just apart of a child's imagination. It's not real… or at least that's what parents tell their children. It's just in their heads. There's no such thing as monsters. But that's a lie. My monster… he's not under my bed or in my closet. He's not imaginary, he's here in the same room as me. He's right in front of me. The harsh reality that parents don't want their children to know is… monsters are real.