(A/N: Speedtrap is my OC. No one is to use him without permission from yours truly. Enjoy, and as always, review!)
"Would you run with me?"
Titanium's vents stalled at the suggestion, staring up at the autobot in shock and surprise. "Run?" She demanded incredulously. "We wouldn't make it to a ship!" The seeker responded with hidden optics wide.
The medic snorted and sat down across from her, leaning close. "We don't know that… There has to be Decepticons sympathetic to the Autobots. To you!" He spoke hopefully, making gestures with his servos, the femme venting. "Ratchet. I don't think you heard me right. The Decepticons enslaved the Autobots! Before that, they raped and beat me! Megatron's creation!" Titanium cried, shaking her helm. "No one will help us."
Ratchet frowned as he looked at the femme sitting across from him. "There has to be someone. Someone who isn't happy with Megatron's way of ruling." He responded, thoughtful, processor bringing up whatever mechs or femmes could fit in that category.
"Anyone that was unhappy with Megatron's reign would've been taken care of by Tarn." Titanium responded in a neutral tone, snorting at the medic's surprised look. "Yes, they're still around. Right here on Cybertron." She answered the unasked question.
The medic thought over this new piece of information. If the DJD were present on Cybertron, they would no doubt still be hunting down traitors, deserters, runaway autobots. All of them could make it onto the List now that there wasn't a war. "We can make it." Ratchet responded finally, looking up at Titanium. "And I think I know someone that can help us."
Ratchet was relieved to be set back on the ground, not at all fond of being suspended thousands of feet up in the air.
Waiting for Titanium to transform and land beside him, Ratchet motioned for her to follow.
Together, the two made their way through the darkness as quietly as they could. They couldn't get too close to their destination within the city due to the patrols of Enforcers, and security drones, so they would have to make their way there through the alleys.
"What makes you so certain he'll help us?"
Ratchet winced when the seeker spoke aloud, albeit softly, but he would've much preferred the use of comm. Links… If he still had them. "Just a feeling." He responded, moving around the dumpsters and peaking out onto the street. "Clear. Come on."
The two scurried across the street and ducked into the alley directly beside the small building just as highlights lit up the street behind them, a black and white car passing slowly.
"Barricade?" Ratchet whispered, as Titanium peered out at the passing mech. "No. He was with Barricade earlier. His designation is Speedtrap. He was an Enforcer before the war with Barricade and Prowl, but he was corrupted and swept up into gang life." The seeker responded. "Bribery, rape, beatings, murder. You name it, he's done it."
Ratchet snorted in distaste. "I get the feeling all Decepticons were criminals." He muttered, the femme casting him a glare, the most fire the medic had seen from her as of yet. "Not entirely. My sire didn't go mad until he accidentally offlined my carrier in a fit of rage." She responded, slipping around the corner before Ratchet could ask her about it.
Pressing close to the wall of the small building, the two bots crept up to the door, Titanium reaching up to test the lock. "It's locked." She whispered, glancing nervously back up the street as Ratchet crouched in front of the door control. "It's junk. I can get through it." He responded confidently.
"Please hurry." Titanium whispered, watching the street for Speedtrap or Barricade, wings trembling slightly as she thought about just how much trouble she would be in if she was discovered… But it felt wonderful to not be helpless.
Ratchet carefully pried the outer panel off to get to the circuitry beneath it, digits shaking as he searched out the green wire and cut it.
A soft click sounded directly beside his helm, and Ratchet relaxed. "Got it." He murmured to the shaking femme beside him as the door slid open softly to allow the two entry.
Slipping inside behind Titanium, Ratchet forced the door closed as quietly as he could before the sound of a blaster powering up reached his audios.
Ratchet stilled and held up his servos in a non-threatening gesture, glancing sideways at Titanium, her visor over-bright with fear, wings trembling more prominently now. "We need help." He finally spoke.
Silence fell for several long kliks before the mech responded. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
Relaxing, Ratchet slowly turned around, servos still up in non threatening way. "Ratchet, former Autobot CMO." The red and white mech glanced at Titanium. "And Titaniumwrench. We need help. Please."
Kliks passed, but it felt like joors before the sound the blaster powered down and a mech brushed past Ratchet, placing sheet metal over the windows before turning on the lights and turning to face them.
"Spinister?" Titanium's surprise caused Ratchet to frown, and he glanced at the seeker, who was staring at the air-mech, mouth open in shock.
The Scavenger smirked and cocked his helm. "Surprised, are you?" He asked, though his tone held little amusement, if any.
"But… But the DJD…" Titanium seemed to be searching for something to say, but the red mech cut her off. "They did. I was the first one the rounded up when they arrived." The copter stated, expression hardening.
Ratchet frowned and looked around. "What of the others?" He asked now, the look on Spinister's faceplates answering the question before he even spoke. "They're gone. The DJD slaughtered them before my very optics. They even executed Fulcrum and Misfire's sparkling."
The medic couldn't believe it, staring in horror at the mech before him, searching for something to say. "But… Why are you still alive?" He asked, unable to think through the horror of a mech killing a sparkling.
Spinister scoffed now, though his expression was pained. "I'm alive due to the "mercies" of Lord Megatron." He responded, spitting the words out as if they were acidic. "Alive while all of my friends were executed. Albeit, not without tweaked programming." He added bitterly.
"What sort of programming?" Ratchet demanded, stepping back and away from the red mech, who laughed. "Loyalty programming. But I've already cleansed myself of it. It's useless now besides playing the part of still being active."
Titanium frowned now, suspicion in her EM field. "How did you accomplish that? Shockwave's codes are unbreakable." She responded, moving closer to Ratchet. If Spinister carried live loyalty coding, he would betray them to the DJD.
Spinister snorted. "Onslaught took a detour to some planet along the outer rim and obtained an anti-virus for it. Needless to say, I owe the Combaticons a favour." The copter flicked his rotors in irritation. "Enough about me. What do you want with me?"
Gathering himself, Ratchet vented heavily before speaking. "We want off planet." He responded, getting straight to the point.
For his credit, Spinister didn't react in any way, just watching them with a contemplative gaze. "The DJD will go after you." He finally stated, glancing from one to the other. "Not to mention that Soundwave is in charge of monitoring Cybertron. You wouldn't make it within a mile of the air strip."
Titanium vented. "We're willing to take the chance. I know that I'll be high profile for the DJD… Due to my status." The seeker murmured, wings holding still on her back, though her frame was tensed. "I'm willing to spend a lot of credits." She added.
Spinister studied the two before him before responding. "I can easily procure a ship. Just claim I want to get into the slave business… Travel off world to bring back more servants for the glory of Megatron." The Scavenger growled low in his intake. "Stock it. But then you're on your own." He added.
Glancing at Titanium, Ratchet turned back to the red mech before him. "Thank you." He stated, gratitude thick in his voice.
The arial laughed. "Don't thank me yet. You still need to get off of Cybertron." He responded, turning off the lights again. "I'll contact you when I have something set up." The Scavenger murmured as he let the two out into the street.
Ratchet smiled as he and Titanium slipped out of the small store and back around the corner into the alley.
Seeing how tense the femme at his side was, Ratchet reached down and took her servo in his own, smiling faintly. "We'll make it." He murmured softly, leaning forward so that he could rest his forehelm against Titanium's, the femme's visor dimming as she interlaced their digits. "I want to be free… With you." She whispered.
Ratchet smiled and brushed the back of his servo against delicate white faceplates, placing a gentle kiss on her forehelm before pulling her along the alley back towards the Towers.