CHAPTER 3
Deadlock loathed blade weapons.
He hated katanas. He hated swords. He hated sabres. He hated knives.
He viewed them as useless, risky. Not fast enough. A hand-to-hand combat would never help anyone to survive. The adversary could re-attack so many times, no matter how many wounds they'd got.
His self-preservation controlled him. Deadlock ignored Crashthunder's corpse. He pointed his laser-gun at the stranger.
"Do you want one too?" Deadlock asked, his tone cold.
He took his time to scan the newcomer. He was black and blue…Wings came out from his back. Deadlock's disdain went stronger. An Insecticon…An untrustworthy race. He obviously was an arachnid. The bot kept his arms up, showing he meant no harm. Deadlock didn't care.
"Give me the bag!" He cried out.
The bot nodded. He picked up the bag full of cubes then he threw it at him. Deadlock caught it before putting it in his chassis. He was about to open the cash box. He could take Shanix now. He wouldn't obey to Crashthunder anymore. However, the bot unexpectedly stopped him.
"Don't be too greedy" He advised him, a sinister tone.
"What are you-?"
He got it. He heard sirens from far in the street. Authorities were coming. The 'Decepticon' police wasn't the same as the 'Autobot' police. They were well-known for picking bots in their area. The chosen ones never came back from it. Decepticons weren't keen on troublemakers. Megatron's Empire didn't need them.
The bot put a digit on his intake.
"Follow me. There is a door behind."
Why should he trust him? He was an Insecticon, after all! Nevertheless, siren noises dissuaded him from hesitating. After all, he'd the choice: he could follow an Insecticon or he could follow the Decepticon police…
He chose. He followed the bot. Indeed, the door behind the bar wasn't closed up. Both of them ran away. They managed to escape the building as far as possible while the Decepticon authorities penetrated in at the same time, assault weapons and laser-cannons at servos.
The Insecticon led him far, passing a narrow path composed of streets and slums. Sometimes, Deadlock stopped by. However, he'd never stayed here long enough. Nobody came here. the Decepticon police wouldn't bother to search this area. After running and dodging passers-by for a few minutes, they finally stopped. Deadlock leaned against a wall to catch his long breath. Nevertheless, the stranger remained impassive. Maybe was he used to escape authorities every day?
Deadlock turned back to him.
"May I ask what's wrong with you?"
"Oh. Do I need a reason to help a comrade in distress?" The bot replied, a smug smile on his face.
Deadlock stared at his laser-gun. The Insecticon was about to add something else. Deadlock didn't give him such a time. He grabbed him by the throat. The stranger rotated and soon, he found himself stuck against a wall, the orange bot's laser-gun over his head. Let's see how he'll get through this without his blades…Deadlock gritted his dentas, a threatening glare on his face.
"Don't take me for a fool. Come on. Speak up. What do you want? And one advice: be careful with your words"
Strange enough, the bot didn't seem to be impressed. His smile faded away. He simply gazed at Deadlock in disbelief.
"I've been a homeless bot as well" The Insecticon said. "I know how it feels like"
"Really? Homeless? What a joke. You seem to be in pretty good shape. You don't look starved."
Deadlock let out a frown as soon as he felt something against his chassis, right at the place where his spark was. A katana's blade. The stranger knew how to defend himself. Deadlock couldn't wait to see him use his weapon against him. Yet, the bot didn't do anything else.
"These weapons…" Deadlock started. "Yes. They look expensive"
"Would you wish to possess one like them?"
"Excuse me?"
The bot lowered his weapon, as if nothing'd happened.
"I'm not going to lie. I've been a customer in this bar for quite a long time now."
He paused.
"I watched you kill yourself with work, Deadlock."
Was it supposed to soften him up?
"You stole energon for traffic, only because you wanted to feed yourself. Only because you wanted to survive, right? You never paid attention to consequences. You don't have any other goal. Anyone else would have reported you"
Deadlock didn't understand. However, the last sentence sounded like a blackmail. He gave the Insecticon a death glare.
"What? What will you do? Will you report me?"
"No, of course"
Before Deadlock could react, his laser-gun flied off, landing a few meters away. This startled him. Yet the Insecticon didn't do anything else. His expression didn't change.
"How…?"
"You shouldn't attack the ones who really know how to fight, Deadlock."
He'd the chance! He'd the chance to cut his head off with his damned katana! Yet, the stranger didn't do such a thing.
"Since when are you living like this?"
Deadlock let out a frown. He didn't want to talk about it…though why should he lie?
"…Since the beginning of Megatron's revolution"
"That long?"
The Insecticon looked thoughtful.
"Yes. I can imagine how difficult it had been. It had been such a long time since you tasted the feeling of a home. Am I wrong?"
He wanted to leave. Yet the Insecticon wasn't planning to let him go that soon.
"How about tasting this feeling again?"
"What are you talking about?"
Tasting this feeling again…He stared at the stranger. What's the catch?
"Why would you do such a thing?"
"Because I know how much you are suffering. As a previously homeless bot, I understand how you feel. That's my duty to help."
He'd his arms crossed.
"Instead of an energon traffic…maybe would you work for me?"
"Really? And what would be my job?"
He didn't like this. Yet he shall admit…he was curious about it.
"Gaining Shanix" The bot explained. "But not only that…"
With the tip of his digits, he caressed his katana's blade.
"I'm part of a group named the Shadows. I'm a martial art teacher."
"Why do you think it would interest me?"
Yet Deadlock's voice betrayed his interest. His emotionless face appeared back though he was sure: the bot'd already guessed.
"I noticed. You looked impressed by the way I disarmed you, right? Would you wish to learn how to fight?"
"I already know"
The Insecticon shook his head in disapproval.
"Do you really believe it's fighting? Do you think a laser-gun will resolve your problems?"
"I'd never been interested by blades" Deadlock dryly replied. "That's not my thing"
"And what will you do? What will you do as soon as your laser-gun will be short of reload? Laser-guns may be useful, indeed. However, these weapons are fleeting. Katanas, swords…are eternal."
That left Deadlock speechless. The Insecticon pulled his weapons back in their sheathes.
"I can teach you how to love them…How to use them…I can become your Master"
"And what do you want from me in return?" The orange bot retorted. "There must be a price, mustn't it?"
He gave a slight nod. He slowly went closer.
"Here is my price: an absolute loyalty. That's all, if you were to become my pupil."
An absolute loyalty…
Deadlock stared back at the laser-gun on the ground.
"In exchange of your loyalty, I'll teach you how to fight. I'll teach you how to use this kind of weapon. You'll not rely on your stupid Laser-gun anymore. Of course, you'll have a shelter as well as food."
A shelter…
Food…
Since when Deadlock hadn't had a roof over his head?
"You'll have a different goal. A goal other than collecting energon. You'll not only live to survive anymore. I will teach you how to become someone."
He'll work for him…in exchange of a shelter? A training?
He stared at the Insecticon.
He had a point.
He couldn't keep on like this.
He just lived from day to day. He'd never thought about the future…He'd never thought about what'll happen to him…
Today, Decepticon authorities'd almost captured him.
The danger had been close.
One day, he'll be caught. His laser-gun will not defend him.
Even if it was from an Insecticon, he needed a protection.
"…What's your name?" Deadlock asked him.
The bot's smile reappeared.
"Shadow Raker."
"Shadows…"
"So? Is it yes?"
He'll become his pupil…He'll work for him…
He wouldn't need to struggle to survive anymore…Then, he didn't have any job anymore. He had no choice.
He must find something else…He must pay attention to the future…
He must take care of himself.
"…Yes."
"Nice to meet you, Deadlock…My student"