CHAPTER 57
Fracture's expectations had been right.
As soon as Drift had left the wash-racks room, both prisoners had headed for the yard, where the other cellmates enjoyed their short break. A quite vast yet isolated yard. All around them, at each cardinal point, Autobot guards were upright on platforms, scanning any movement that they would view as suspicious. Yet it didn't seem to bother Fracture who headed for a bench to take a seat. Drift followed and mimicked him.
They didn't take a long time to find him.
Here. At a table, amongst prisoners…most of them had animal-modes. Horses, bears, wolves…They were very tall and imposing. For one second, Drift thought that the crab would be like them and he would give them hard time…
Until he put his optics on their victim.
A crab. Purple. That's all. Nothing more left to say, beside that he looked quite fearful and tried to hide himself behind these prisoners, as if he was seeking protection from them, trying to get integrated in the team. Drift had his arms crossed. If he expected anything, he wouldn't get the thing he'd wanted. Quite the contrary. It just made the crab way more visible.
Drift glanced back at Fracture. The latter frowned. He already guessed Fracture felt it like a chore to do, talking to that crab. After all, the crab didn't seem quite smart. However, his stupid appearance may be tricky. In the end, the purple bot stood up. Drift remained behind, until his arm was pulled.
"We'll wait inside" Fracture whispered.
"what—"
Fracture didn't reply. They left the yard and came back in the building. In front of them, holographic numbers were displayed on the wall. The countdown before the end of the break. They leaned against the wall, waiting for the end.
Like delinquents. Drift let out a sigh. That's what they were. Delinquents.
They didn't have to wait too long. Time was already out. Prisoners were ordered to go back to their cells.
Each Decepticon came in, passing by, in a small group of three or four. Fracture and Drift got ready, waiting for the crab. As soon as they caught sight of a claw, Fracture jumped on him, grabbing him away from the crowd.
"what's—"
The crab couldn't say more. The purple bot put a servo on his mouth, telling him to shut up. He gave a nod to Drift. Both of them quickly left the hall to take their victim to the wash-racks. Doors opened up, then got closed again behind them.
"Who are you?" The crab whined, shaking.
He was found himself pinned against the wall. Fracture and Drift stood up, each by his side. They couldn't let him go.
Fear was obvious in the crab's optics.
"What-what do you want from me…?" He repeated.
"Can't we just talk?"
Yet this time, Fracture wasn't smiling. He gave the crab a threatening glare. The one he'd apparently used against his enemies. It didn't fail. Drift watched as the crab moved back, colliding into the wall, trying to be as far as possible from Fracture.
"I didn't do anything wrong!" The crab cried. "I swear!"
The orange bot sighed. Would it even work? Fracture's expression didn't change.
"If…if that's about Firetree…I swear. I didn't know she was bonded…"
"Who are you even talking ab-? Well, it doesn't matter"
The crab got startled. Drift read like some relief in the crab's optics. However, it was fleeting. Right afterward, Fracture kept on, his tone becoming heated.
"Give us the name of the prisoner you know that well."
"What?"
"I will go straight to the point" Fracture said. "We know you know someone who is brave enough trying to escape. We would like to get his name"
The poor crab went shakier again. Drift frowned again. Fracture didn't take it easy. He was quite straightforward. But was it the good way?
"…Escaping from what?" The crab asked again, cowering.
The purple bot coldly stared back at him.
"Are you dumb? From the prison, of course! We're leaving. We're getting out of that Autobot jail!"
"…I don't see what you are talking about!"
Fracture made another step. The crab hit the wall again.
"Don't take me for a fool" The purple bot warned him.
"I don't know! Anything!"
"You know! You'll give me the name!"
"I swear I didn't know that Firetree was bonded!"
Fracture's face collapsed. For once, Drift thought the same and suppressed an annoyed sigh. They'll spend the night with it. However, Fracture wouldn't be patient enough. Drift knew it.
"…I don't want to waste my time"
He was speaking way more slowly. His tone was calm. That wasn't a good sigh. Out of instinct, Drift moved closer to the crab.
As if…
"The name" Fracture repeated. "Now"
"…I don't know! I'll get in troubles!"
"So, you definitely know it. Don't mess with me"
"Autobots…they-they will kill me! I…I don't want to be a grass!"
"You are the perfect example of a grass! Try again!"
The crab remained mute.
And the blade appeared out from the purple bot's wrist. The crab let out a scream as soon as the end of the weapon was pressed against his throat.
"Do you know what it is?" Fracture asked.
"N-no!"
"That's sharp, honed and quite harmful! A good tool to cut some crab."
"NO!"
Fracture stepped forward again.
"Last chance: the name. NOW!"
"Fracture, enough!"
Immediately, Drift put an arm out to block his cellmate, acting like a shield for the terrified crab. The purple bot stopped. He gave him a murderous glare meaning like "Mind your own business!"
Drift didn't wish to witness it. He didn't want to watch energon bleed…even if the crab got him bored to death, he wasn't ready to leave him to Fracture.
In killing him, they wouldn't get the information they needed.
Drift sighed and turned back to the grass. In a calm tone, he asked.
"…We need these informations"
"I don't know anything!" The crab insisted.
Fracture let out a growl. Drift pointed at his 'comrade'.
"You can talk to me. Or I can leave you alone with him"
The crab's optics widened. Fracture's plan was actually quite clever. Drift looked like the good guy in that situation.
It worked. The crab took the bait.
"You! Please, don't leave me alone with him!"
"It will depend" The samurai coldly replied. "Only if you answer honestly"
"His name…his name is Rollbar! Rollbar! HGXHX block"
Good. Perfect. It had been quite quick. Drift released the crab and Fracture deactivated his blade, a devious smirk on his face.
"Thanks for your help" The purple bot spat. "Now let's just find that Rollbar"
"He…He's planning to escape tomorrow! In the evening!" The crab cried again.
He was begging for mercy, in case Drift would choose to let Fracture kill him as soon as he would leave the wash-racks.
However, these news were quite useful. Tomorrow? It gave them little to no time to get Rollbar convinced to let them go with him as well as planning something to escape.
"Where can we find him?" Drift questioned him again.
"…He's often at the canteen" The crab said.
The orange bot nodded.
"Good"
"We'll manage with it"
Fracture didn't pay any more attention to the crab, the latter being green out of horror. He no longer had any purpose now. Fracture gestured Drift to follow him. Both of them silently left the wash-racks, after Fracture had given the crab one last warning.
"If you talk, I'll butcher you and I'll eat you. Okay?"
The crab let out a weak whine. But none of them cared.
"…What do you want from me?"
Indeed, Rollbar was easy to find. As soon as they entered in the canteen to get their cube, Fracture didn't waste any time and asked one prisoner about Rollbar's whereabouts. The bot docilely pointed a grey bot, quite tall, at a table, reading something on a Pad.
The bot's voice was calm and low. Unlike some prisoners, Rollbar didn't display any hostility when Fracture and Drift walked for him.
He didn't waste time. Fracture had his arms crossed.
"We know"
Rollbar raised one eyebrow.
"What do you know?"
"Don't play innocent"
Drift didn't speak. He glanced back at the Pad.
A book.
Reading sessions with Wing and Axe came back into his memories…
Wing had taught him about reading…and Drift would teach Jetstorm and Slipstream about books as well…
One day…
"You didn't have any choice"
That's necessary. He had to get out of here.
Fracture sat down in front of him, elbowing at the table.
"I heard there were some problems in your block…about plumbing, right?"
Rollbar's optics widened.
Was it anger…surprise?
"…Who told you?"
"Oh, don't worry. The name will remain unrevealed" Fracture chuckled. "But…Too bad. I wouldn't have minded a soup of crab for tonight"
Rollbar closed his Pad.
"I don't want any trouble"
"You'll get trouble with me if you don't include me in your reading project" Fracture sighed.
His words were cryptic. He probably tried not to be understood by any Autobot guard or any other prisoner who may be listening right now.
Rollbar gave him a cold stare.
"…I want nothing else. I just want to see my family again"
He was the purple bot's polar opposite.
Fracture only wanted to get back to his work. Rollbar…had a family.
How could that bot have a family in these horrid times? Drift bitterly wondered.
He was hypocrite.
Drift had found a family in the Circle of Light.
"You'll meet your family…but if you refuse, you'll not have to wait for your trial. Tomorrow, huh?"
Rollbar remained silent.
Fracture was serious. Even Rollbar knew that he was dangerous.
In the end, he nodded. Fracture displayed a victorious smirk. He'd won. Rollbar just stared at him with obvious disgust in his optics. The purple bot stood up.
"We can see each other tomorrow morning for reading."
"If you say so"
"Come here, Drift. We deserve some rest"
Fracture turned around to leave the canteen. Drift was about to join him when Rollbar called him.
"You too, huh?"
Drift stopped.
"Are you aware that he is a scum?" Rollbar added.
"Why? Do you know him?"
"Oh yes. I know what he is."
He grabbed his Pad again.
Drift closed his optics. Even if he had some doubts, he was curious.
A killer…?
"He's a bounty hunter…someone you need to avoid"
He hadn't been far.
For a few seconds, Drift felt a shiver throughout his spine.
Bounty hunter…
"He's quite similar to the famous Lockdown"
Lockdown…
Yeah. He'd heard about him. But he had never paid any attention to it. However, when it came to bounty hunters, Lockdown was quite the reference. However, he'd died a long time ago.
Drift was about to leave again.
"…Why are you teaming up with him?" Rollbar asked him.
"…I want to see my family again too"
Then Drift left the canteen to join his cell back.