CHAPTER23

As soon as the blindfold was taken off, the first thing Deadlock saw had been a giant, gold and silvered door.

Around him, everything was dark. They were in a long, seemingly endless, hall.

Were they still in the City?

He immediately turned back to Minicons to check if they were still here. If Wing had abandoned them…Fortunately, it didn't happen. They stood up right behind him, their blindfolds still over their optics.

"Mister Deadlock?" Slipstream questioned him. "Can we take it off now?"

Wing lowered down to remove them, having tightened them quite strongly. He apparently always kept his hood on. By his side, Outrigger looked down, a guilty expression on his face.

What for?

"You saved them" Wing told him.

Deadlock frowned.

"I stole them"

"For their safety" He gently corrected him. "They were in danger with Shadow Raker"

He knew everything about him, about his background…it disturbed him. He would believe that Wing had spied on him all along.

"It doesn't mean anything. A thief remains a thief" Deadlock said.

As soon as Jetstorm and Slipstream had their optics free, Wing sat up. He pointed at the door.

"…The Circle of Light members are waiting for you."

Yes. He could have guessed that Wing wasn't the leader. Nevertheless, for a reason or another, Deadlock felt panic rising up in his body.

Why was he worried? After all, that's not like he'd decided to stay here. He came here because he had nowhere else to go…

"…How many members are there?" Deadlock asked him.

"…Five."

Behind this door, he couldn't help but imagine Shadow Raker behind, waiting for them.

After all, maybe he'd found them?

His attention focused on Jetstorm and Slipstream. He erased this thought from his mind. No. He couldn't have found them. He couldn't be there…

However, he was still afraid of a trap, a trick…Wing came closer to the door. Before he opened it, he whispered at them.

"Please, be honest. They'll know if you're lying. That's the best for all three of you."

Be honest…

What did it mean?

Then, the door opened.

Silence fell down. Wing's shape prevented him from seeing what's happening inside.

The first thing he caught sight had been white and gold, windowless walls surrounding them.

Then, Wing stepped aside.

They appeared. Deadlock immediately froze. Jetstorm and Slipstream kept moving ahead. He suddenly cut their paths by putting his pede in front of them.

Three bots in front of him, each sitting down behind a golden table.

At the left, the first one was average-sized, his armour being yellow and purple. He could catch sight of an axe put down near his side. His expression seemed worried. He probably wondered what's going on.

At the right, the next one was way taller. His main colour had been red. Deadlock didn't distinguish his face because he was wearing a mask, like soldiers in Kaon. He remained motionless though his stare was on Deadlock.

At the middle, the last one was definitely the largest and most imposing out of them. Deadlock thought he was a giant and maybe he definitely was so. He wore many colour schemes. The main had been blue though he was also covered with yellow and white. He was a flier. He could see his white wings in his back. His expression was cold. Maybe a bit angry. Deadlock easily guessed. If there had been a leader, that's him.

During long minutes, nobody spoke.

Finally, the flier's voice rose. However, he wasn't speaking to him.

"…Outrigger."

Outrigger had been aside until he was called. He slowly walked closer to the bot.

And before he could explain himself, he suddenly received a hard slap behind the helm. Jetstorm let out a surprised scream out at this scene. Deadlock gave him a scold to calm him down. Outrigger hold his helm, shock and pain on his face.

"For the last time" The giant dryly declared, a loud voice. "You know rules"

"I only wanted to go outside" The young bot replied, shaky.

"I don't care about your excuses. What must I do to make you understand? You aren't ready to be on your own!"

Outrigger rubbed his helm. The giant sighed then gestured him to take his seat, near the axe's owner.

No one else spoke. Deadlock wondered what he was doing here. Atmosphere was oppressing.

"Outrigger isn't the only one who broke rules"

Every stare was focused on Wing.

Wing didn't reply. He just took his hood off, throwing it aside. Then he looked up. Deadlock could finally see what he looked like.

He was a rather young bot in appearance. His main colour scheme had been white, even if his helm (which the form could look like wings) and other bodies' parts were red and slightly blue. Deadlock noticed two sheathes at his waist.

Two sheathes. Two blades.

Deadlock clenched his fists. A samurai. And Wing wasn't apparently the only one. If he observed carefully, others (beside the axe's owner) possessed sheathes to pull their blades back.

He shouldn't have accepted to follow him.

"Wing" The giant asked. "Care to explain that Decepticon's presence here?"

Wing carefully walked closer.

"He is a friend of Gasket"

"Gasket. Of course" The masked bot said, his elbows on the table.

The giant shook his head.

"I still don't understand his presence here. You know rules." He firmly retorted.

"He was in need."

"The Crystal Cities, the Circle of Light and its members forbid any affiliation to factions. Whether they are Decepticon or Autobot. The Circle of Light will not take part in the Great War and will not pick any side. You know it pretty well." The giant sounded like he'd learned these words by spark.

Wing didn't give up. He probably expected it.

"Gasket was my mentor. He became a homeless bot. He'd been murdered in Kaon."

The purple and yellow bot shivered at this information.

"That's not a reason to break rules" The giant said. "Yes. Gasket was one of us once. He chose to leave. That's not our problem anymore."

"He never picked any side" Wing kept on. "That's the reason why he'd been murdered. Neutrals never last during war."

"Obviously" The giant replied. "He picked a side. He befriended a Decepticon."

Wing denied it.

"I never brought Deadlock here to pick a side, Dai Atlas. I brought him over here to help him. That's Gasket's wish. Deadlock's situation was worse than his."

The masked bot let out a sigh. As for the giant, the socalled Dai Atlas, his expression changed. He gave back at Wing a condescending gaze.

"The Circle of Light can't put up with all misery of the world. You refuse to understand it, Wing. During war, death and misery are unavoidable."

"That's so easy for us" The white bot said. "We are comfortable here, underground, in such a closed society that everyone can't enter in or leave. We have energon. We can live. We can fight. But what about the other people outside? They have nothing! They struggle every day to survive."

Dai Atlas didn't seem to like his tone. The meeting became more and more virulent. Deadlock was scared that they would come at blows.

"You live in a utopia, Wing."

"That's not utopia. That's reality. We isolate ourselves to escape war. We created our own faction for a factionless system. While saving ourselves, we forgot our own morals. Everything to live comfortably. To the point we forgot others. To the point we forgot our former comrades. To the point we forgot Gasket."

"That's Gasket's choice" The yellow and purple bot replied. "You can't resent us because we'd let him go. Even if he was your mentor…"

"He wouldn't have left if we'd changed our rules. If we'd opened to the world…"

Wing paused.

"And then you wonder because there are only five of us left? One day, this conflict will reach us. Do you think, by closing doors, we'll be able to defend ourselves?"

"It will not happen" Dai Atlas growled. "You and Outrigger, you always wanted to explore the world. The conflict will not reach us if we remain neutral."

"You don't know anything."

Dai Atlas stood up. This time, he stared back at Deadlock though his discussion with Wing wasn't over.

"A Decepticon. Are you aware of their doings during the war? Although Autobots aren't way better…each of them steals, kill, torture…for the sake of power."

"Deadlock is a homeless bot."

"With Minicons" The masked bot added, arms crossed.

Dai Atlas rolled his optics.

"Yes, Star Saber. We already know your point of view. However, that's not the point."

"Minicons are Micronus' creatures. They aren't Primus's descendants."

"I just told you that's not the point" Dai Atlas dryly retorted.

He turned back at Deadlock. Finally, he spoke.

"Tell us your story. Convince us that you've clean servos."

Deadlock wished he could leave. Deadlock wished he could lie. However, Dai Atlas's optics seemingly scanned his mind to read his thoughts. To guess right from wrong.

He glanced back at Wing. The white bot gave him a nod. As if he tried to reassure him…

He must be honest.

"…My servos aren't clean." Deadlock declared. "Far from it. My parents were miners. I lived in the poorest caste in Cybertron until the conflict. My work doesn't exist anymore. I had to use every means to survive."

"Every means?" The yellow and purple bot repeated.

"I had to steal energon. I made traffic in order to gain Shanix. I went as far as trusting the first bot who paid attention to me. Shadow Raker. The Master of Shadows."

More he talked, more it became difficult to keep on. However, he had to.

"He trained me. I became his student. He trained me to become a Shadow. A thief. We robbed houses. We robbed what belonged to others."

"You just stole?" Dai Atlas asked.

Deadlock shook his head. Warmth invaded him. He didn't feel good.

"…No. I had to kill too."

Reaction was immediate.

"Killing is an unforgivable sin" The yellow and purple bot said. "Any way of violence is prohibited here. You had no right to do such a thing."

"You don't belong here" Star Saber added.

Wing interfered.

"He robbed. He killed. Right. However, he committed these crimes to protect Minicons. Jetstorm and Slipstream."

"Come on" Dai Atlas sighed.

"That's the truth. Shadow Raker beat them. He did worse. He tightened them to a tree and let them starve to death. I met Deadlock while he tried to steal energon to save Jetstorm. I talked him out of it. He listened to me."

Stop, Deadlock thought.

"Deadlock killed too. Once. Because Shadow Raker threatened them."

Whatever Wing said to justify his acts, it didn't change anything.

That didn't erase a bad deed.

"Wing…" Dai Atlas started.

"We all tend to think there is only good and evil. People are all good or they are all evil. However, that's just an illusion. There are only acts and their consequences. Yet, do you think our acts and mistakes portray us as a good or a bad person? I don't think so. Each of us is able to commit the best as well as the worst. And I think we all committed the worst at least once."

Dai Atlas remained thoughtful.

"That's a great risk." He said. "I'm not for welcoming them."

"Me neither" Star Saber said.

"What about Minicons?" The yellow and purple bot offered.

Wing took a breath.

"Minicons follow their Master. They obey him. They don't have any choice. They are viewed as tools on Cybertron. They don't have anything to say. Jetstorm and Slipstream will do no harm."

"So Deadlock is their Master?"

"Shadow Raker was their old Master."

The purple and yellow one sat up.

"If that's true…I agree to welcome Minicons but not Deadlock."

The orange bot sighed.

Maybe that's for the best. After all, they would have a better chance to find a Deployer here. A Deployer better than Shadow Raker…

"We'll go nowhere without Deadlock" Jetstorm dryly retorted.

"Jetstorm!" Deadlock almost shouted.

"He saved us" Slipstream added. "He treated us better than anyone. We swore loyalty to him. If he leaves, we'll leave too."

Did they have a death wish or something? How foolish they were…

There was nothing to do…Circle of Light members will not accept him. They'll ruin their chance to have a better life…

"I'll vouch for him" Wing declared.

The other bots were startled by this. Dai Atlas frowned.

"You can't be serious…"

"If he commits any mistake" Wing said, "I'll be the one to be blamed for this."

The purple and yellow bot objected.

"Are you aware of consequences?"

"Of course."

He paused.

"I'll do it for Gasket. For everything he did for my sake."

What an idiot…

Why would he sacrifice himself for him? For a bot he'd never met?

Dai Atlas exchanged a look with his cohorts.

They wouldn't accept it. They disapproved his entrance. Whatever Wing said…

He didn't have to do this. In their shoes, he wouldn't accept himself either.

In the end, the meeting was closed by one sentence from Dai Atlas.

"…Very well."

Silence fell down.

No one spoke.

He felt Jetstorm and Slipstream getting closer.

"They'll remain here, under Wing's responsibility. My judgment will be for later."

r."/p