The Diego Diaries Part Seven

by arctapus

This is a continuation of the universe started in Diego Diaries and continued through parts two to six. The premise is a joke that led to world building. This is about family, friendship, overcoming adversity and finding the best parts of yourself. This is an adventure, a trek through the world of Transformers and its a comedy/drama. Everyone is here and if you are, too, then YAY!

121. Chapter 121

The Diego Diaries: Stampede! (dd7 121)

=0=Clubbing in Retriades

The fighting was intense. That is, it was until the sound of shots were heard. That's when the room began to stampede for safety anywhere they could find it.

=-=Everywhere else in the Fam

"ZZZZzzzzzZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzz ..."

=-=Club Hellfire (That's its real name- ed.)

"BLAM!"

Springer was reviving to one side of things as the stampede to leave the club began in earnest. Lon had pulled Drift back as the panic to leave among those inside the huge room became out of control.

"BLAM! BLAM!"

The panic was real as the clubbers fled, shoving and pushing, some spurred by bad memories and the rest by a desire not to get perforated by a maddened mini-con with a gun.

Springer staggered to his peds and was pulled back by Sandstorm who was waiting for the rush to subside. Short of running along the top of the fleeing crowd gushing through the door, there was no way to enter the room again that wouldn't hurt someone. "Hang on, Springer. Get your marbles in a row," Sandy said grimly as he leaned around the doorjamb to see what the scene was.

It was a sea of mini-cons, small and tall. Some were crouching over elders and others were fighting. It was intense and it seemed that there was no way it would end well.

Hercy had slipped inside and was tazing as many as he could reach. It was like someone had taken a scythe and was mowing down a wheat field to watch it. The gunfire didn't repeat as the intensity began to wind down to a group near the band stand.

Pointing and ordering, he began to move a lot of them away. There was a gun here somewhere and he was going to make sure no one got shot. If anyone was now it wasn't clear from the thrashing going on.

Drift stood up as the last red flag of alarm faded in his processor. Glancing around, he spotted Springer by the doorway. :SPRINGER!:

He glanced toward Drift. :I'm okay. What's the situation?:

:Hercy is mowing them down. I'm going in after him. You wait there: Drift then stepped in and hurried toward Hercy who was battling a mech who grabbed his staff.

"Frag that," Springer muttered, then sprang forward somewhat unsteadily toward Drift. He didn't even feel the energon that was running down his face from a gash over his optic.

=-=Jail

"We have a riot in Retriades at Club Hellfire," Mojo said as he sat at the intake desk waiting for customers. "Apparently its an argument over a family thing, something from the Golden Age. Two sides of the same family got together and someone brought it up. There's major fighting and someone said a gun was fired."

"Frag," Roadbuster said as he sat at the lounge table dealing cards. Through the doorway, he could see Mojo who was playing cards on his computer. It was a slow night. He and the others of the intake team were biding their time waiting for something to come their way. "I'm always in the wrong place when something happens."

Mojo grinned. "Yeah. Ain't life beautiful sometimes?"

The others at the table laughed. Roadie didn't.

=-=Central Emergency Center, Fortress Maximus Control Center, Fortress Maximus, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 2-H

"Autobot City Medical Center, this is Fort Max Emergency Control," the senior dispatcher said as he sat in the dispatch center. He had just received the call from the Watch and from a number of concerned citizens.

"Autobot City Emergency here, Bruno. What's the call?" a voice said from Autobot City Medical Center's Dispatch and Emergency Reception Center.

"We have a riot in a club in Retriades. A code 7. There's been shots fired but so far no reports of anyone being shot. There'll be arrests made and there's indications that there's wounded from the fighting. We're going to dispatch ambulances to the scene. Club Hellfire in Jubilee Plaza, 41368 Main Street, Retriades. There's police on the scene and medics from a number of Watch stations are there as well. Do you copy?"

"Roger that, Control. We're on it. Code 7. Please route any further information to us when you have it. Ambulances and medics are on the way," the voice said.

"Roger that, Control," Bruno said. "Autobot City Courthouse Jail, this is Fort Max Emergency Control."

"Here, Bruno," Mojo said over the com system.

"We have reports of a riot with possible gunfire in Club Hellfire in Retriades, a Code 7. I've dispatched medical teams to the scene and there's Watchmen there handling it and traffic is blocked off. Be prepared to receive an indeterminate number of arrestees shortly."

"On it, Bruno. Thanks," Mojo said.

"Roger that, Mojo," Bruno said. "Fort Max Emergency control Center to Watch Central Dispatch in Metrotitan."

"Comity here, Bruno," a voice said.

"We have dispatched medical assistance on the Code 7 and have alerted the jail for incoming. What's the situation with Watch dispatch and any new information about wounded, arrested, etc?"

They'd discuss the situation for some time routing and re-routing personnel here and there to handle the situation.

=-=Up there and all around the Fam

"ZZZzzzZZzzzZZZzzzzZZZZzzzzZZZZzz ..."

=-=waiting in a cordoned off area on the highway through the main drag of Retriades

They waited behind an officer who was directing traffic around what appeared to be a major emergency down the plaza from where they were being held up. Some of the vehicles had transformed and gathered together while others stayed in vehicle form chatting about the scene as they waited.

Bezel was doing traffic control since he was 'the kid' and nearby were a large group of horses waiting for their riders. He had to watch them.

A big mech walked up to him. "What's the word, kid?" he asked. "I have to get to work at the Park City."

"There was a fight that got out of hand. Its under control. If you take a right and go down two blocks, drive around this area and take a left back, you'll be on the highway again," Bezel said. "The road through and along the block here is off limits until this is cleared out."

He nodded. "Anyone get shot?"

"Not that I know of," Bezel said honestly.

The mech nodded. "Okay," he said as he looked down the side road that would allow him to go around the site. "See ya," he said as he transformed, then drove his big truck format down the detour.

There were others that could have left as well but they hung around to watch the show. The number of lights flashing and hoo-haw that could be heard as mechs came out to be stuffed into police vehicles was too entertaining not to stay and watch.

=-=Jail

"The first bunch is coming in," Mojo said as he signed off.

Outside, the sound of vehicles driving in could be heard. They stopped in the drive through space next to the door and everyone climbed out of the cab. Opening the door, the drivers leaned in as Roadie and the boys stepped out to help with prods in servo.

A number of youngling mini-cons stepped down, two of them femmes. They were cuffed and mortified. Walking in as directed, they disappeared inside. The rest walked in equally bummed, then the door was closed on the truck. Before the drivers could go back to the scene, three more trucks were pulling in with their load.

=-=Club Hellfire

It was a battle but soon they were all subdued. Some of them were raging at each other but they were cuffed and ready to be removed. Three were laying on the ground battered from the fight and there were many who could use attention but no one was dead or shot.

"Where's the gun?" Springer asked as he halted before the two that seemed to have started the fight. "Did you shake everyone down?" Springer asked Kup.

"We did. No one has a gun," Kup said with a slight trace of irritation.

"Where's the gun, slaggers?" Springer asked.

"Don't say a word," an elder said who was standing nearby sheltering other elders with his body. "You don't say a slagging word. Am I clear?" he asked with an edge to his voice.

"You are, Abba," one of them said.

"March them out of here." Springer glanced at the three on the floor as they were lifted and carried out on stretchers. He glanced at the elder and three others he was sheltering including a femme. "Where's the gun, Abba?"

The mini-con looked at him defiantly. "I don't tell police anything. You can't make me."

"This isn't Cybertron during The Fall," Springer countered. "We're going to find it and then there'll be a reckoning."

"Do then," he said. "Can we go now?"

Springer glanced at Kup who nodded slightly. "Go."

The little group walked past Springer and the others to disappear silently out the door. He looked at the others. "I want this place strip searched. Find that gun."

They would work for a joor looking at everything and find it stuck to the back of a decoration hanging on the wall nearby. It would be turned over to the criminal investigation team. It would take a few joors to get witness testimony and do a forensic search of the scene. Only then would the owners and staff be able to put the place back together.

It would be time for breakfast before they were able to leave the scene.

=-=At the night desk at Autobot City Daily News, Autobot City

Rose who was night editor ended the call, then glanced at her news room. There were only three reporters there and they were working on other things. The rest were in the field. Calling two of them in Bern and a photographer in Vos, she told them to get to the Hellfire Club and get the story.

Walking to her office, she sat down and dialed up the night intake officer at the jail. "Hi, Mojo. This is Rose from the Daily News. What's the word?" She sat back and listened, taking notes as she did. It would be interesting.

=-=Getting up later on in the morning

Ratchet walked out to the living room after checking berths. The minions were asleep so he took a moment to check the overnight messages. He read the one about the fight and shooting at Club Hellfire, wondered how they missed going to a place with such a great name, then glanced down.

"Ada."

"Halo."

"Lou doin'?"

He grinned. "Yep."

She smiled brilliantly.

=-=Up there

Prowl set food on the table, then walked to the console to download the messages from the overnight dump. Prime was up and helping the kids get settled. He plugged in to the special console that was encrypted out the wazoo, downloaded everything in the file, sorted it, then frowned. :Frag. There was a brawl and shooting at Club Hellfire in Retriades:

Prime glanced at him. :Anyone hurt?:

:Not from gunfire. A lot of broken faces and knuckle assemblies were had by all: He walked to the table to sit. :Best fill up. Who knows what today will bring?:

:The championship of the world in basketball: Prime said with a faint grin.

:Oh, right. I almost forgot: Prowl said with a slight smirk.

=-=Shortly later

Ratchet walked out of the building heading for work. He'd stopped by the jail to check on the crowd of mini-cons that were there, then headed for The Diner On The Corner to check over Drift and Springer. Drift was good but Springer needed an assist on the nose. Transforming a digit, he did micro welds as the rest of the crew with him groaned and moaned at the sight of it. When he finished, Ratchet turned toward them with his blow torch digit burning away. "WHO'S NEXT?" he asked with a giant smile.

No one was.

Chat was had, then slag, then he left. He had to go get his last set of cheer gear for the season. He had to set the tone tonight with his masterpiece. He had to have one last chance to tweak Prowl's nose assembly. As he thought about his last and greatest creation, he grinned. Prowl was going to blow a gasket.

He disappeared into the morning foot traffic as he headed toward the Med Center and a new orn.

=0=TBC 10-29-19