CHAPTER 52

Drift had prayed.

He had prayed for it to be a bad dream…

He wasn't in Iacon.

He still was in Nuon City…

Or…he was lying on a street' ground, in a slum located in Kaon. Everything had never happened. He'd never been transferred to Iacon General Prison…his entrance in the Circle of Light…his encounter with Shadow Raker.

…His encounter with Jetstorm and Slipstream…

No. He'd imagined everything…everything just to escape his miserable life where no way out was possible.

Yes…

He'd only been a homeless Decepticon…without any interest. He'd never become a Deployer…he'd never learned about martial arts…

But reality struck him as soon as he was awakened up by knocks at the wall.

The top berth appeared above him. Soon it would be the greenish laser-bars…

He covered his face. Like a protection…he refused it. He refused to admit it…

He was in prison…and he had no clue about Minicons' whereabouts.

Above his head, he felt something moving.

"…You'll have a hard day today."

His cellmate…him as well. Drift had also thought that he had been a fragment of his imagination.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the case. A few instants later, Fracture was standing up in front of him.

Drift preferred to face him. After their first encounter, just the day before, he'd understood that it wasn't a good idea to turn his back to him. The orange bot just gave him a glare.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm just warning you"

"What are you talking about?"

Why was he discussing with him? He'll not remain here. Fracture simply shrugged. Knocks went again harder.

"Nothing. I'm just warning you. You know, Harassment and assaults are common for newcomers. I went through this as well."

Drift's expression didn't change.

"…They can just try"

"Hm. You aren't afraid, I see."

It seemed like it pleased him. Drift didn't display anything. However, he was terrified. He'd landed in an unknown place, filled with criminals. Indeed, Decepticons like him were imprisoned by Autobots because of their affiliation to their opponent but…he didn't have any hope.

After all, the Autobot who'd got him captured had enlisted his crimes. Theft, murder.

What about others?

What about Fracture?

Drift stared at his fists. About this matter, Fracture had no reason to lie.

Cell's gates opened up, a guard waiting for them outside. Not the same as yesterday who'd accompanied him.

"Hurry up! In line!"

Drift let Fracture step out first. He noticed other bots, walking one behind another, some of them pushing others to get them faster. As soon as Drift passed by the guard, this one didn't even try to hide his disdain to him. The orange bot mentally told him to get scrapped.

Cling to Jetstorm and Slipstream, he bitterly thought.

It wouldn't last forever.

"What's your number?" Fracture asked him, a small smile.

He didn't answer.

"…Mine is F456" The purple bot softly informed him.

What's the purpose of knowing about this? Drift chose to ignore him, like the other bots remaining in the hall. Walking straight forward, the group were led to a room with tables. Drift understood. It was the canteen.

He only received one cube of energon. The only one he would get today. Of course. They didn't have reserves enough, less so to feed prisoners correctly. Drift thought Autobots should just execute all of them. At least, they would gain more supplies for themselves. But knowing how Autobots were still a bit softer than Decepticons got him reassured.

It would allow him to keep researching. As soon as he found a corner in the room, Drift sat then scanned the area. His optics lingered on small-sized bots.

Even if some of them were small, none of them were at the size as Minicons. He found no orange and black stain in the crowd. Drift remembered that Minicons were treated apart from the society. Maybe were they in another area?

Some other bots sat down near him. Prisoners talked about everything: chores, rumors about some of their peers, last news brought about the conflict…Drift half-heartedly listened it. One of prisoners suddenly went crazy, throwing his energon up before crashing his head onto the wall, begging anyone to let him go out. Many guards rushed over to get him immobilized, leading him out of the canteen.

He didn't have such a mental state yet but…how long would he stay here?

One of prisoners asked about his presence here. This same question got him irritated. Drift coldly yet calmly told him to bugger off. His interlocutor didn't like it. He stood up and one of guards who kept a watch on the room stepped between them to avoid another fight. The prisoner fiercely glared at him before going to another table.

Drift noticed that Fracture was at another table away, isolated. He didn't communicate with others either. He stared at his surroundings as if they were Insecticons or other disgusting nuisances.

At one point, their optics met.

Drift chose not to pay any attention to it and just focused to the conversation, pretending to be interested in it.

The day slowly went on. Autobots gave him chores. Cleaning. Drift thought how ironic it was and how annoying it was. It reminded him of chores given by Wing during his first days at the Circle of Light. Would he gain respect here in the same way? Nevertheless, he obeyed.

At the same time, he tried to get some information. About anything and everything…a possible place where Jetstorm and Slipstream could have been brought…an unnoticed way out…but nothing he could grab was useful to him. He must realize it. Every time he laid his optics on a particular area, he met a guard in. Around him, some bots were trying to get some guards' favours by selling their comrades out. He noticed a crab-mode bot pointing at another prisoner. However, it wouldn't be worth it. These squealers would pay it later. Unlike in streets, there was no exit.

And he didn't have his weapons…

A few hours later, he went to the wash-racks room. He didn't have choice even if he'd wanted it otherwise. A guard led him in, remaining outside while he got washed.

A cold bath, no flavour…no intimacy…Near him, another was washing himself.

He thought about his old flat in the Circle of Light…about old showers…about times where Wing joined him in the bathtub…

Suddenly, doors opened then got shut again.

He didn't turn around.

"…You know. You look like a bourgeois"

This time, Drift faced him.

The same bot as this morning. The one who'd nearly got into a fight with him.

He was accompanied by a group of four others. All of them shared a same sinister look. Soon, Drift was surrounded.

Breathe, Drift thought. No emotion.

"Yes. Definitely a damned privileged. Do you like it? Looking down upon us?"

What was he thinking? Were they thinking he was a privileged one? If he was, he wouldn't be there!

"…Why should I look down upon you?" He icily replied.

"Watch your tone! Do you think you're at home?"

I don't have any home.

"…Let me go."

If the bot attacked him, he would have to defend himself.

You might not stand up again.

Before he could step out of the wash-racks room, a servo suddenly grabbed his neck, the grip being so strong and firm that Drift's breath was cut out. Right away Drift struggled hard, however the guy's friends immediately grabbed him by behind, not letting him go.

Assault…

The bot's face was very close to his.

For one second, Drift thought it was Shadow Raker in front of him.

"Here you are nothing" He whispered to him.

Drift was pinned to the floor. One after another, the group violently kicking his side open, then his chassis, his face…

Energon stained the floor.

Get up.

But it wasn't Wing. It wasn't training…

His vision was shattered. The right optic had probably been harmed…

Get up.

Cling to Jetstorm…to Slipstream…

"Wow! Quite resisting!"

"He's a privileged bot, I told you so! He must have been in training."

"Well…It wasn't quite useful to him"

No…

Suddenly the leader of the gang vanished.

Drift looked up. Suddenly, blows and kicks stopped.

The others followed him.

His assaulter was suddenly pinned against the wall. His back facing them, a purple stain stood in his way. Drift guessed who it was.

No…

"Too bad you can enjoy your own work" Fracture grinned, his tone low.

"what are you—"

The bot's rest of sentence got lost in a strangled cry. Fracture lifted him with a single servo. He was quite strong himself…

It made him way more dangerous.

"What about it? I can blow your head on the wall until energon bursts out. We can try it. I would just make two steps to get washed."

Why would Fracture defend him?

"…No…" Drift said.

Fracture turned back to him.

No. He mustn't accept his help.

Get up.

Drift did it. He struggled hard to stay up.

In a quick stance, he headed straight for Fracture, who was still holding his aggressor. Not even giving him a glance, he simply grabbed the bot by his collar.

If he listened to himself, he would throw him on the ground and would settle scores, doing exactly the same thing as he and his followers did to him earlier…

But it wouldn't be honourable.

Wing wouldn't approve it. He wouldn't like him to kick people when they were already down.

Drift's fist went up and punched the bot right in the face. The bot flied away, at the other end of the room. But Drift thought it wasn't enough. He just stopped to catch his breath.

He must prove himself here.

Quickly, he made him stand up again then kicked him this time.

Then another punch, followed by an uppercut that sent him to the ground. His face was completely disfigured, energon bleeding out from his head, forming a pool around him. He was alive. It was enough to Drift.

Right afterward, guards came in to pull them apart. Such a bad timing. Hadn't they heard noises from the room? Hadn't they noticed that there was a fight happening? Aggression?

Autoboots…how dumb they were.

Fracture was grabbed by two guards encircling him. Their optics met again.

He gave him an impressed grin.

To Drift, it sounded like an insult.

"What a punch you got"

At the evening, Drift and Fracture had been sequestered in their cell. Guards hadn't wanted to know what'd been going on. They would just settle it tomorrow. Now was punishment time.

He didn't care.

He didn't care about the punishment, about Fracture's compliment…

He cowered on his berth. As soon as shock passed, anger was no more. For one moment, Drift collapsed.

It could be a sigh of weakness…he was used to it due to his long time living in streets…

But anguish about being trapped here, not having any clue of time…not having any clue of his friends…

"Just leave me alone"

"You should thank me, shouldn't you?" The purple bot replied, a laidback behaviour again.

He didn't seem to have noticed his state. Or if he did, he hid it well. It was just an appearance.

"I don't need your help. I went through worse than this"

Shadow Raker, Star Saber, Decepticon authorities…

"You're on your own here" Fracture said. "You know how to defend yourself and that's a good thing. But…they wouldn't let it go that easily"

"What do you mean?"

Why was he keeping on?

"Gangs are made here. Alliances…"

"I don't care about how life is in an Autobot prison." Drift gritted, insisting on each word. "I don't need your advices"

He paused.

"…I just want to get out of here"

"Do you think you're the only one? I want to get out too, you know. I have a business waiting for me outside"

Business…

No family, no loved ones.

Only a job.

"Unless you have an idea in mind?"

Right afterward, Fracture left his berth to reappear in front of him. He leaned over him, a curious gaze. Very interested.

"…Just drop it"

"Tell me"

"I have no plan"

Fracture stared at him then moved back, visibly disappointed.

His disappointment soon faded. Then an inspired expression.

"You look smart"

"What?"

He wasn't at ease with compliments coming from him. Drift wanted him to shut up. Fracture kept on like if it was nothing.

"Why not teaming up? We could defend each other, taking shower together…"

He paused, giving Drift a glance full of innuendos. Drift wasn't impressed. He simply let him finish.

"…We could find a way to leave that sordid place"

"I don't need you"

"Good. You proved yourself. Great. But…without me, you would have been beaten into scraps."

No way.

"I want nothing to do with such an individual like you"

"Like me?"

The purple bot tilted his head.

"You'll not bring me anything"

"I'm the one saying such sentences!" Fracture warned him.

His tone changed. He was way more threatening.

"You think you can manage yourself? I can rat you out. I can warn the guards about your intention to escape."

"What evidence do you have?"

"But I'm not a grass. The last one who sold me out didn't end well."

He came closer to him again.

"I don't want to escape right now" Drift declared.

"Really? And what is your plan?"

Why should he lie further? The orange bot rolled his optics and let out a sigh. Fracture wouldn't give up. He was stubborn.

"…I want to find someone"

"Who?"

"…Minicons"

"Primus. You work with Minicons? You went down in my estimation"

Minicons were poorly viewed, he remembered. But Drift gave him a despising glare at his remark.

He was like everybody else.

Like all these bots in Iacon…

"They must be in another block"

"I don't think you can find them here"

Why would he know?

"…There is no prison for Minicons. It doesn't exist on Cybertron"

Drift sat up. Maybe Fracture could give him a hint about Minicons' whereabouts…even if he doubted it…

Suddenly, it felt like his spark had been stabbed. If there was no prison for Minicons…where did they go?

Then Fracture declared, like a death sentence.

"At best, Minicons are resold…at worst, they get destroyed"