CHAPTER 63

A scream shook him awake.

Still suffering from the intense pain at the back of his helm, Drift opened his optics with great difficulties. Everything was still blurry around him.

He woke up in a dark room, barely illuminated. Some yellow lights surrounded him. Some small lanterns…he'd been lying down onto the floor, even if the surface was way comfortable than he'd been used…he stretched out. Pain at his helm went stronger. But his entire body ached as well…

Where was he? Where had he landed?

The first idea had been an Autobot prison.

Had Autobots captured him again?

Had he been locked up in prison again?

In a new cell…but the room didn't look like one. It wasn't as narrow, as unwelcoming…he saw no laser bars…

But these lasers…he'd been shot. That's the last memory he had. He'd been saved from Fracture.

He growled. Suddenly, he felt a servo over his forehelm. A cold servo.

"Stay down"

A calm, feminine voice. He looked up. A femme leaned down over him, some concern in her optics. However, she displayed no emotion. He frowned. She got an animal alt-mode.

A fox mode. Red optics.

He wasn't with Autobots…but…who…?

"…Where am I?" He asked. His tone sounded weak.

The femme sighed. She focused back on his helm. Drift felt some bandage recovering it. She'd apparently been the one who'd treated him.

"…In our base"

"Your base? A…Decepticon base?"

She shook her head.

"Not really"

Suddenly, he heard a door opening. He growled, trying to sit up but the femme sternly talked him out of it. Yet…he needed a hint. Where was he? Who'd saved him?

He wasn't with Autobots but…even if he was with Decepticons…it didn't get Drift reassured. It didn't make him feel better.

Why? It had always been his faction…He'd always displayed red colours, Decepticon colours…

Then, Fracture's words came back in his memory.

Decepticons don't give a damn for anyone but themselves. They don't even respect each other.

Yes. He'd never cared about it before. He'd always thought it was normal…survival before everything else.

But now…

Pedes appeared in his field of vision.

"I see you are awake now"

Drift winced in pain. He let out a painful moan, leaning on his elbows to face the one who'd taken him.

He didn't know him. That bot was a complete stranger. Average-sized. An animal alt-mode, just like the fox femme. But unlike the latter, he was a racoon. He looked quite old, an orange and red armour. In his back, a blade in its sheath.

Was he a warrior…?

"Who are you?" Drift asked.

"My name is Forager"

Forager walked closer. He kneeled down, lowering himself to his level. Probably to make things way easier.

"…Why am I here? What do you want from me?"

Forager looked friendly. He harboured a serene expression in his red optics. A bitter smirk appeared on his lips.

"That's not the best way to thank the person who just saved your life"

"…What?"

"You were in a pitiful state. As soon as Fracture escaped, we brought you here"

He glanced back at the femme.

"…Lyzak is the one who got your wounds healed"

"Lyzak?"

He focused back on the latter. She didn't react. He gave her a nod.

"…Thanks"

"What did you expect?" Forager suddenly questioned him.

It got Drift startled. His saviour had his arms crossed, staring at him.

"What?"

"Fighting against Fracture?"

"I—"

"You thought you would win?"

The orange bot looked down. Yes. What had been in his mind? Attacking Fracture? Now…The purple bot had beaten him up and had almost killed him. Forager was right. He should be more grateful to people who'd saved his life.

But…Rollbar? Where was he?

"I only wanted to—"

Forager cut him in.

"My team and I have been fighting him for millenaries…We met him many times but…we'd never been able to defeat him permanently"

"You know him?"

The racoon stared at him, quite stunned. Like if Drift's question was stupid.

"Of course we know him! Who doesn't? He's well-known in the entire galaxy. Everybody is aware of how dangerous he is. He is even nicknamed as Lockdown's heir. Did you see it? Without us, you'd been dead"

Yes…Rollbar had said the same thing. His disgust toward the purple bot came from it…Forager's tone went low. As if he whispered.

"But…between us, he's a cheater"

"A cheater?"

"He's a bounty hunter…but most of time, he steals bounties from other bounty hunters."

Drift didn't understand anything. He didn't manage to reply. A violent helmache almost made him faint. Pain was coming back…Lyzak slightly pushed him backward to make him lie down. Drift realized what the surface was. A futon. Softness made things slightly better.

"I think he needs some rest, Forager" She said.

"Of course"

Yet, the racoon wasn't leaving. He just stood up, witnessing as Lyzak gave Drift a cube of energon. Probably against pain. The orange bot received it and hastily drank it.

"You are a Decepticon, right?" Forager questioned him.

For one instant, Drift hesitated about his answer. He gave him a nod.

"Good. I admit. We prefer them over Autobots but…we often disagree with them."

"Why do you say that?"

Indeed. Both Forager and Lyzak displayed their colours.

"I know" Forager stated, as if he'd been reading his mind. "It's quite deceiving. Yet, we aren't Decepticons"

"…Who are you?"

Were they neutral?

That's rare but…it was a good explanation. Weren't they affiliated to any faction? Just like the Circle of Light?

"We are Ronin" He declared.

"Ronin?"

He'd never heard about them. Forager leaned against the wall.

"I guess you noticed our armors. We are mercenaries. Once, we were Decepticons. That's the reason why we kept our old faction's colours. But…throughout war, throughout time…things went…difficult"

Drift carefully listened. That's not the first feeling he'd got by meeting them.

"Yes. Megatron was our leader once. But we don't really enjoy his tyranny. He claims about saving Cybertron but…between us, Cybertron wouldn't survive if he ever came to rule."

"You almost sound like Autobots…"

Forager sneered. Drift thought he'd said a foolish thing. Maybe. A slight condescending look appeared in Forager's optics. Yet, it quickly vanished.

"Do you think your only choices are being Autobots or Decepticons? You're wrong. They're both incompetent. That's the reason why we've created this movement. It's quite similar to Decepticon cause but…we just don't adopt their way of thinking."

Yes. They have other choices…other factions beside these two. But these small groups wouldn't resolve the conflict by themselves. Sooner or later…they'll have to pick a side.

Yet…he understood. Drift even viewed this choice as attractive…

"We watched as you fought that Decepticon scum." Forager informed. "Quite impressive"

Drift had the feeling he'd been mocked.

"Fracture was too fast"

"Even then. Do you know each other?"

"…We were cellmates. In prison"

"Ha. Prison. We know it. He should have died in"

Drift was a bit taken aback by Forager's hostility as soon as Fracture was mentioned. He wondered what the purple bot had done to get such a hatred.

Yet, Forager didn't explain anything.

"…What are you planning to do with me?" Drift cautiously asked.

He needed to ask. That's necessary.

They'd treated him…but now…Forager shrugged.

"It's not the time for this. Lyzak had been clear. You need to rest"

"But…"

"We'll talk later"

Forager turned around to leave. But before he could, Drift called him.

"…Rollbar?"

He paused.

"The one…captured by Fracture…where…?"

"He's fine. Don't worry. We tore him away from Fracture. He'll not be his bounty today"

Forager left.

Drift froze…but only for a few instants. Afterward, he felt some relief.

Fracture…hadn't taken Rollbar.

He wasn't in danger anymore.

He'll join his family.

Drift closed his optics. After some minutes, he fell into recharge.

In the other room, Forager joined Autoclave. His comrade looked back at him, curiosity obvious in his optics. The racoon already guessed what'd been in his mind.

"So?"

"A bit weak. But…with these events, it doesn't surprise me actually" Forager stated.

"And you think he would be a good advantage?"

Forager let out a sigh.

"He knows about fighting. We'll have more chance if we add more members in our team."

"Yes. Especially since Lyzak can no longer help us on the battlefield"

"What can we do about it? She is sick."

He looked down.

Rollbar was bound to a chair, gagged. He was still unconscious. Good. It would be way easier…

"…Go. Our customer waited long enough."

"I'll go"

"Don't forget our Shanix"