CHAPTER 68

Be sure your sin will find you out.

With these thoughts in mind, Drift came back to the Ronin base. Trying to ignore Jetstorm' and Slipstream' repeated curious glances, he followed Forager through the hall. He was surrounded by the racoon standing up in front of him while Autoclave, carrying the bot they'd captured earlier, closed the walk.

Forager had got the idea to introduce him to other Ronins.

Truth to be told, Drift thought he didn't owe them anything. He'd given what they'd wanted. A little voice in his mind, Wing's one, told him not to keep on further. He'd got a life debt to pay. Instead, he'd captured a bot for Ronin, using Jetstorm and Slipstream.

Even though they'd saved him, Drift didn't know anything about them. He didn't know anything about Ronins. Decepticons, yes. But special Decepticons…

Wing had advised him to leave…he'd advised him not to take care of that business…

Yet he'd obeyed to Forager. He'd decided to accept his offer. Remaining at the base a few days before making his decision.

Shall he stay…or shall he leave?

After all, what did he have to lose?

Wouldn't you wish to save these people from Fracture?

Fracture killed his victims…He'd nearly taken Rollbar…as soon as Drift thought about him, he tried to picture his wife and children' appearances.

Anger he felt toward the purple bot came back…

"Mister Drift…" Jetstorm whispered.

"ssh. Do only what you are told"

The racoon had stopped.

Door opened up in front of them, and Forager stepped in.

Drift remained unmoving. Out of instinct, he put an arm in front of Minicons to tell them not to move as Autoclave passed by them to join his leader.

In the room, many bots faced him. They were scattered at many corners of the room. Drift observed them. All of them had an animal alt-mode. He glanced back at Forager.

Himself only had an alt-mode…just like Jetstorm and Slipstream. Right now, it made him feel awkward. Even a bit wary. Even if he'd never witnessed them, he'd heard about discriminations toward Cybertronians owing an animal alt-mode. During his days in Shadow Raker's place, he remembered about having read news about a bot who'd been torn apart since he'd chosen an otter mode.

Was it the same thing with Ronins?

Three bots. Among them, Lyzak. The latter was a bit apart from the rest, but Drift wondered if that wasn't due to her personality. But the two other ones were far more imposing and taller than the fox femme. The first one had chosen a crane alt-mode, carrying a red and black armour, a helmet covering his head. His beak opened and closed as soon as Drift moved. The orange bot couldn't help but wonder if that was a sign of warning. However, beside his reaction, the crane didn't seem to display any hint of hostility. Two blades were on his back, but he didn't seem to plan using them soon.

The other had chosen a fox alt-mode as well, extremely similar to Lyzak's. His armour owned a very dark shade of orange as well as some red on his wrists and ankles. He'd been carrying a very big purple cannon that seemed quite impressive. However, it wasn't the thing that struck Drift the most.

No. He only noticed the strange look in the fox's optics. Immediately, the orange bot had a bad feeling. The fox granted him a ferocious smirk that looked like a rictus. And as soon as the fox's optics met Drift's, the orange bot couldn't help but step back. The fox's smirk went bigger, looking satisfied with that reaction.

Drift knew this expression. Oh yes, he knew it. A bot who'd been through such many things and that been rotten to the processor. Something was missing.

He couldn't help but wonder if he owned a spark. He suppressed a chill through his spine. Nearby, Forager cleared his throat. A calm voice, he spoke up.

"Here is our new recruit Drift…once named Deadlock. Drift…Here are our two other members: Stilts and Foxtrot."

New recruit…

It meant everything to Forager. Drift was already part of the team. Yet…it wasn't what they'd decided…

We need more people like you, these days

But despite all, Forager's tone harboured some pride. A pride of having him with them…to Drift, it was a pleasant feeling to the spark…even without him wanting it.

Stilts and Foxtrot barely reacted. The crane let out a frown, not saying anything. As for the Foxtrot one, he just greeted Autoclave, shaking servos with him. As soon as he laid his optics on the knocked bot, Drift heard a slight growl.

"That bounty was for me" The fox hissed.

"Too bad" Autoclave dryly replied. "You weren't present. Ha, I forgot. Weren't you chasing after another, right?"

"I can just tear your face apart and taking that bot back"

It got Drift taken aback. Were there rivalries here? Weren't they all in the same clan? He felt a servo over his shoulder. He turned around. Forager gave him a shrug.

"Don't pay attention to them. These two get along pretty well. That's just…their own way to show their friendship toward another"

"Drift, right?" Foxtrot cut him in.

Foxtrot turned back from his colleague to focus on Drift.

That look, again…

"…Not a very Ronin name" He noticed. "A name for weak people. For ones who have no place here. People who shouldn't even live on Cybertron"

Drift clenched his fists to that.

It confirmed his first feeling. It wasn't a joke. It was an insult in order to get him hurt…or causing him to burst out into anger. He didn't know the others enough to have a view…however, that one definitely stood apart from them.

He was insane. He felt it. Drift and he wouldn't get along.

"Foxtrot" Forager scolded him quite sternly. "Could you be more polite?"

"You know politeness and Foxtrot aren't compatible" Autoclave chuckled.

"Shut your mouth up!" Foxtrot cut him in. "Forager…Why haven't you brought over someone like us?"

Someone like them…

"If he isn't like us" The fox kept on. "He has no reason to be here"

"Drift is a good warrior" Forager explained. "I watched as he fought against Fracture. He has skills. It could be useful to us"

"Come on. Everyone knows that normal bots are inferior to us" Autoclave sneered.

"Indeed. Whatever his skills are, he wouldn't be a Ronin"

Foxtrot paused.

"even not a Decepticon…he just has the colour in his optics but…for the rest, he looks similar to an Autobot"

"Wow! Nice one, Foxtrot!" Autoclave laughed.

That comparison with Autobots again…First, Fracture…then these bots he barely knew…

At least, Drift didn't look down. No. He would confront them. But deep down, he was hurt. He'd the feeling of being a freak, something that had been put to serve as an attraction for visitors.

Behind, he felt Minicons' presence. They guessed his state of mind. In one way it comforted him. Nevertheless, he felt more and more ill at ease with the situation.

Forager rolled his optics.

"Anyway, without him…two bots wouldn't have been saved"

"Two bots?" Stilts finally intervened.

"Rollbar…and the one from today"

He glanced back at the bot lying down on the floor.

"It's still something"

"Sheesh. Something. That?" Foxtrot sneered.

"Oh, he looks motivated…unlike some people who let themselves go…" Forager stated, giving a stare full of innuendos back to Foxtrot.

Foxtrot noticed it.

He gave a strong punch to the wall. Drift got startled and immediately afterward, he put himself in front of Minicons as a shield to them. Yet Foxtrot didn't pay any more attention to them. He stepped forward for Forager, a fierce grunt coming out of his mouth.

"Can you repeat?"

Forager wasn't impressed.

"I'll repeat myself: you let yourself go. You became lazy"

"After all these bounties I brought back, you DARE TELL ME SUCH A THING?"

It wasn't good. Foxtrot's voice resonated through all the room. Drift remained in alert. Confrontation was unavoidable. Around, Stilts and Autoclave both moved back though Autoclave kept a smirk on his face. It seemed like he enjoyed it, as if it was a show.

"Admit it" Forager kept on. "Since the day you've got bonded, you became…idiot"

Claws appeared at the end of Foxtrot's servos. The orange bot's optics widened. Will they fight…?

"Take it back NOW!"

"I won't"

He gave a disdainful stare at Lyzak. Drift focused back on her, then on Foxtrot…

So…These two were together…

He shouldn't have been surprised…even if…

"Lyzak became useless because of her sickness" Forager said. "You think the same"

"SHUT UP!"

And claws went straight for Forager's neck. Jetstorm let out a horrified scream. But before he could reach the racoon, a blade had been pulled out, aiming at Foxtrot's chassis. Right at the spark. Lyzak jumped as well. However, she headed for Foxtrot in a quick step, grabbing his arm to pull him away.

"Let me go!" Foxtrot warned her.

Had he noticed that the blade could have stabbed him through? Or didn't he care?

"You shall learn to control yourself" The racoon coldly stated. "Believe me. It would be for your sake"

"You ba—"

"If you dare strike me again…I'll kill you. It would be so sad. A good bounty hunter career, all wasted. You would have loved to get revenge on Fracture, right?"

Foxtrot's arm was still up. Both of them didn't tear their optics off each other, none of them wanted to surrender.

To Drift, it sounded completely absurd. Groups were usually solid. Here, it wasn't the case.

"Foxtrot…Stop" Lyzak almost begged.

Foxtrot clenched his fists. Drift thought he would attack Forager again. Or he would hit Lyzak. But in the end, he dropped his guard and send his fist into the wall once again. He then headed for the exit.

But before leaving, he stopped in front of Drift.

Murderous look came back into his optics.

"You" He warned him, a low tone "I'm not done with you"

And he violently shoved him aside. It caused a great pain at Drift, who lost his balance, almost falling due to the shock and Foxtrot's strength.

Forager had pulled his weapons back. He looked quite…serene, even after such a confrontation.

Drift's optics narrowed. Forager stepped for him.

"Don't worry" The racoon said. "Foxtrot has great mental illness…he doesn't know how to control himself but…you shall see soon"

He stared at Jetstorm and Slipstream. These two were still paralyzed due to the scene, completely shocked.

Truth to be told, Drift was as well.

"…I don't think I shall stay"

"Why? Because of that incident?" Forager said. "I thought you would be more motivated than that…"

"It's not—"

They gave a second chance to bounties…

Just like the Circle of Light had done with him…but here, it wasn't the Circle of Light.

It was a completely different atmosphere.

Foxtrot scared him. Forager let out a sigh.

"Take your time before making a decision. But honestly…if you are not able to face someone such as Foxtrot right at the first day…Maybe I overestimated you"

Drift twitched. It brought memories back into his processor…memories he would have wanted to erase off.

That disappointed tone…

An emotion he would never bear…Whatever it was Shadow Raker, Wing…or someone else…

People being disappointed with him…

Forager headed for the door as well.

"I heard Acid Rains will start again tonight. You can stay here if you wish…now, we Ronin have some work to do"

Drift frowned.

He didn't want to stay here with Foxtrot…but he wouldn't be able to fight Acid Rains either.

Forager paused.

"By the way, Foxtrot has a point"

"What?"

"…Deadlock fits you better"

And he left.

"Yes, Forager?"

Lyzak went into his office. The racoon had placed the bounty in a confined space and had warned the customer that'd wanted his head about his capture. Forager was behind the table, facing her.

His contemptuous glare came back again. But Lyzak didn't pay attention to it. Since she hadn't been able to go to mission, she was used to it.

"…As you are useless for hunting, you'll help the team in another manner" Forager stated.

Lyzak frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"First, you'll calm your mate down. It is going worse every day and we'll not lose Deadlock because he can't control his murderous urges"

She sighed. Yes. She understood Forager's request. But he didn't know that Foxtrot was able to calm down…only if she was around. And at some points, she was unable to get him under complete control. Episodes were extremely frequent…

He didn't understand. It was difficult for her as well. More than for anyone else. And her current situation didn't help anything.

Yet Forager wouldn't let her go until she accepts.

"…I'll try"

"By the way"

He stood up.

"As I said, we'll not lose Deadlock. It's out of question. We need recruits. We need him. We have to capture more bounties and we have to become better than any other bounty hunter. Else, Ronins would be looked down upon…people would make fun of us"

He stared at her.

"…Do you get what I mean?"

Lyzak remained silent.

In the end, she nodded.

"Yes"