Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, so please don't sue me.
Part 2
Kup looks out the barred door and then turns his attention back to his two friends. Shaking his head, he makes his way back over to the window and looks out.
"No guards," says Kup.
"Yet the Quintessons are waiting for something," replies Ultra Magnus, looking out the window and staring at the floating heads on their thrones.
"What are they waiting for?" asks Spike, who is also looking out of the window.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, the trio turns to face the cell door just as it opens. One of the guards steps inside, with the remaining two guards outside.
"You two will come with me," states the guard, motioning to Kup and Spike.
Nodding their heads, Kup and Spike walk to the door and exit out. Both are walked over to the plank, but only Kup is motioned out onto it. Spike, standing between two of the guards near the edge of the pit, can only wonder why he was brought out with Kup. There must be a reason. The question is: why?
Walking out onto the plank, Kup turns around just as he reaches the end. Taking a quick glance at Spike, Kup turns his full attention to the Quintessons.
"What now?" asks Kup. "Didn't you get everything you already need?"
"We are not yet finished with our questions, Autobot," replies the middle head.
"Yes, we need to know the access code to the defense system on Cybertron. As chief of security, it would be your duty to know these codes," says the head on the left.
"They don't tell me anything," replies Kup, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm just supposed to stand there and look pretty."
"What are the codes to Autobot City?" asks the Quintesson on the right.
"Blow it out your transistor," replies Kup, deciding that he was done with answering their questions. What's the point? No matter how we answer, they're probably going to try to kill us anyway.
"Perhaps a demonstration is required," replies the middle Quintesson.
Motioning toward the guards standing near Spike, one of the guards grabs Spike by the arm and lifts him from the ground.
"Hey!" shouts Kup. "Leave him alone! He has nothing to do with this."
Stepping toward the edge of the pit, the guard holds Spike out over the pit.
"The access codes," says the middle Quintesson.
"I don't know them," replies Kup, glancing between Spike and the Quintessons.
"61 probability of truth. Continue with the demonstration," replies the Quintesson on the right.
Opening his hand, the guard drops Spike into the pit.
"NO!" shouts Kup, making a move to lunge after Spike.
The two guards flanking the Quintessons raise their weapons and fire at the feet of Kup. Stepping back from the attack, Kup jerks his gaze back toward the pit, just in time to find that Spike has landed on a plank that has slide out from the wall.
Landing on the plank hard, the breath is knock from Spike. Looking down into the pit, Kup checks to see if Spike is hurt. Jerking his gaze back up to the Quintessons, Kup clenches his hands into fists.
"He has nothing to do with this," states Kup.
"The codes?" asks the Quintesson on the left.
Noticing that the Quintesson on the right motioning toward a guard, Kup watches as the guard pushes a lever. Worried, Kup takes a look down to see if Spike is ok and realizes that the plank is slowly getting smaller.
"Bring Spike back up safely and I will answer all the questions you want," says Kup.
"The codes?" asks the middle Quintesson.
Taking one more look down, Kup notices that Spike only has a couple of feet left before he won't have a plank to stand on. Jerking his gaze back up to the Quintessons, Kup clenches his fists. I don't have a choice. I don't know if Spike will survive the fall and Primus only knows what is in that water down there.
"I don't know the codes," says Kup, shaking his head.
"71 probability of truth," says the Quintesson on the left. "Finish the demonstration."
Jerking his gaze back to Spike, he realizes that Spike is out of time. With only a foot remaining of the plank, Kup realizes that the only reason why Spike hasn't fallen yet is because he has plastered himself to the wall of the pit.
"The codes I know wouldn't be of any use. Rodimus would have had the codes changed once he knew I was missing," says Kup. "I can't tell you what I don't know!"
The Quintesson on the left turns toward the middle Quintesson. "93 probability of truth. To change the codes would protect the Autobots."
"Agreed," says the middle Quintesson. "No more questions are required."
Motioned by the guards to get off the plank, Kup looks down at Spike again. With a sigh of relief, he watches as the ledge that Spike is standing on rises out of the pit. Striding to where Spike will arrive, Kup waits for the human. Once the plank reaches the top, Spike steps off of it. Limping next to his friend, Spike glances toward the guards before looking at Kup.
"I don't like the idea of them not needing to ask us more questions," says Spike. "What does that mean for us now?"
Nodding his head, Kup glances down at Spike once between looking back up. "Are you ok?" asks Kup, as they begin to walk back to the cell.
"I'll be fine," replies Spike.
"It's my fault," says Kup. "I should have done something more to help you."
"It's not your fault," replies Spike, shaking his head.
Kup glances down at his friend again. "I should have known."
"Now you're expected to read minds?" asks Spike, turning his head and smiling up at Kup.
"It's not that, Spike, and you know it," replies Kup.
Glancing down at his friend, Kup notices that his friend is limping less. Glad to know that Spike wasn't badly hurt, Kup looks up just as they reach the cell door. Opening the door, the guards motion the prisoners inside and close the door behind them. Looking once over this shoulder toward the door, Kup turns his head back to face Ultra Magnus.
"We have to get out of here," states Kup. "Eventually, there won't be a reason for them to keep us around."
Nodding his head, Ultra Magnus looks down at Spike. "Were you hurt?"
"Nothing serious," replies Spike. "I'll be ok. I think I just need to walk it off."
Turning to look once more out of the cell window, Ultra Magnus turns his attention back to his friends.
"The next time we're all taken out of the cell together, we'll make our move," says Ultra Magus.
……………
Not much time seems to pass before the guards are at the door again. Opening the door, one of the guards steps into the room.
"You will come with us," says the guard, motioning his weapon toward Spike.
Kup goes to step in front of Spike, but Spike moves past him. Glancing once over his shoulder, Spike gives a reassuring smile to Kup.
"There's no need for you to get yourself hurt over me. Save your strength for now," says Spike.
Leaving the cell behind, Spike hears the door shut. Conscious of the fact that Kup and Ultra Magnus are probably watching him, Spike gains strength just by knowing his friends are nearby. Leaving the cell behind, they enter a hallway. Spike is led down the hall till almost the end before the guards stop at a door.
"Where to now?" asks Spike, glancing at the door.
One of the guards steps up behind Spike and before Spike can react, slips a ring of some sort over Spike's head. Feeling the cool metal lock into place over his temples, Spike jerks away from the guard.
"What the hell is this thing?" asks Spike, raising his hands to try and pull the band of metal off. "What's going on?"
Saying nothing, one of the guards opens the door that they had stopped in front of and pushes Spike into the room. Whipping around, Spike watches as the door is slammed shut behind him.
"Now what?" asks Spike, looking from the door and around the room.
Taking a few steps away from the door, Spike barely makes it to the center of the room before a stabbing pain shoots through his head. Crying out, Spike drops to the floor and holds his head. As the pain intensifies, tears slip down Spike's face. And then just as suddenly as the pain started, it stops.
Breathing in and out for a little while, Spike slowly gets back to his feet. Wiping at his wet face, Spike looks around the room. Where the hell are they? They wouldn't be doing this unless they were watching.
Walking over to the wall, Spike exams the wall. Not finding any hidden cameras, Spike glances up at the ceiling. Eyes roaming, Spike finds nothing there that can explain how they are watching him. I can feel their eyes. Where are they?
Suddenly, a crippling pain rushes through his entire body. Crying out again, Spike drops to the floor and curls into a ball. As the pain gains in power, it's all Spike can do just to breathe. As Spike is beginning to think he can't take it anymore, the pain is over. Breathing deeply, Spike uncurls from the ball and gets back to his feet.
"Why the fuck are you doing this!" shouts Spike. "What's the point?"
In answer, a shooting pain again assaults his mind. Dropping to a knee, Spike grabs his head and tries to ripe the metal band off. The moment his finger touch it to take it off, the pain grows and soon Spike is again lying on the floor as he tries to block out the torture.
………………
In a hidden room, the Quintessons watch as they shut off the head band again. Watching the human gain to his feet, they observe him as he moves about the room.
"The human loses all sense of self once the ring is activated," says one Quintesson. "His attention is focused solely on the pain."
"Agreed," replies another. "Perhaps we should see how the Autobots react to seeing the human suffer?"
"An interesting thought," replies the third. "Let us send the human back to the cell."
………………
Watching as the door opens, Spike walks toward it when he sees the guards motion to him. Stepping out of the room, Spike is enclosed by the guards as they walk him back to his cell. Upon getting to the cell, one of the guards opens the door and pushes Spike inside.
"Spike?" asks Kup, stepping forward.
"Yes?" asks Spike, tired.
"What happened? And what is that ring on your head?" asks Kup, as Ultra Magnus and Kup walk over to their friend.
"I don't know what it is," replies Spike to the second question. "One of the guards put on my head and then placed me in some room."
"What happened in the room?" asks Ultra Magnus.
Spike glances away and says nothing.
"What happened, Spike?" asks Ultra Magnus, concerned for his human friend.
"This thing," says Spike, touching his head.
"What does it do?" asks Ultra Magnus.
"It..." says Spike but stops as pain rips through his head. Crying out, Spike drops to the floor.
"Spike!" shout Kup and Ultra Magnus.
"Make it stop," cries out Spike, clutching his head.
Bending over their friend, Kup and Ultra Magnus watch helplessly as their friend is tortured. Not being able to take it any more, Kup gently places his fingers on the band that surrounds Spike's head and pulls at it. As his fingers come into contact with the metal band, Spike screams out even louder. Jerking his hands back, Kup looks at Ultra Magnus.
"We have to do something," says Kup, clenching and unclenching his hands.
Tears rolling down his face, Spike curls into himself.
"Make it stop! Please!" cries Spike again.
Shaking his head, Kup reaches down to the metal bands again.
"I can't take it," says Kup, as he places his fingers once again on the metal band that surrounds Spike's head.
Again, just as before, Spike's screams intensify as Kup lays his fingers on the metal bands. Ripping it off in his hands, Kup throws the metal band away and looks down at his friend. For a moment, Spike makes no move and Kup wonders if he waited too long. Slowly, Spike begins to uncurl his body. Breathing in slow jerky gulps, Spike raises himself to his knees.
"Spike?" asks Kup, concerned.
Breathing in and out, Spike looks up at Kup. "Yes?" he asks weakly.
"Are you...?" asks Kup, but doesn't know how to finish the question.
"OK?" replies Spike, giving a humorless laugh, shakes his head, and climbs to his feet. "No, but I will be. Just give me a moment."
Raising a hand to his face, Spike wipes off the tears.
Furious at the treatment of his friend, Ultra Magnus paces back and forth in the cell. Stopping next to Kup, Ultra Magnus looks down at Spike.
"We need to get you out of here," says Ultra Magnus. "Primus only knows what else they intend."
Nodding his head, Spike walks over to the wall opposite of the cell door. Sliding down the wall, Spike sits on the floor. Leaning his head back on the wall, Spike closes his eyes and rest for a moment. A couple minutes pass before Spike opens his eyes again and looks out into the room to find two sets of mechanical eyes watching him.
"You're not leaving this room again, unless one of us is with you," states Ultra Magnus.
"What will you do if they try to take me? Fight them?" asks Spike, shaking his head. "They could just kill you and take me anyway."
"I don't like it, but Spike's right," says Kup, glancing between Ultra Magnus and Spike. "And, even if one of us is with him, how can we protect him? The last time they took me out, Spike was with me and they almost killed him."
"We need to get out of here," says Spike.
"We'll think of a way," says Ultra Magnus. "But right now, you should rest."
Nodding his head, Spike leans his head back and closes his eyes.