Understood
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Chapter 12
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"I can't believe I just did that," sighed Tailgate guiltily.
"I can," rumbled Cyclonus, drawing the much smaller mech to his side. "You need the money."
Defensively Tailgate's mask snapped up. "I didn't do it because I needed the money," he protested. It was payday this week for the base so I'm no longer poor." Though it hadn't been as good of a payday as usual. The chilly weather had lessened the crowds.
"At least for now. Winter isn't good for business." He shifted their positions so that he was lying on his side with the white and blue mech's back curled against his front.
Tailgate sighed. Could the Decepticon so easily read his thoughts? "Rent is due. And those gaskets weren't cheap."
"See. Only for now." And then he moved his arm around Tailgate as if to embrace him, but instead dropped a handful of credit chips onto the berth in front of the mech's visor. "This should help though."
Tailgate lay there looking at the money for a while. The purple Decepticon had taken him to an oilhouse for a drink. One drink had become four as they watched the bar's hired entertainers dance and play music. Then Cyclonus was escorting him back to more familiar territory, but somehow they'd wandered into a hotel in the Little Iacon neighborhood. Tailgate's protests that he wasn't licensed to work in Little Iacon were immediately silenced by the big mech holding his mask in place.
"If I take that, I'll be breaking the law," sighed Tailgate staring longingly at the credit chips.
"A technicality. We're only five blocks from the official boundary of Overdock."
"I told myself that I'd stay a good mech. That I'd not get involved in crime or vice or anything like that. I go to the licensing office and get all the necessary virus scans and malware blockers every deca-cycle."
"I appreciate that," said Cyclonus, nuzzling at the back of the minibot's cowl. "But if you don't want to take the money, I'm just going to leave it here and the mech that cleans this room will be one lucky fellow."
"Fine." Tailgate reached out and took the chips and placed them into a pocket—eight hundred credits' worth. "Just don't tell anyone. Not even Swerve. In fact, I'd better just walk home myself from here. It's only five blocks you said."
"If you'd prefer. This area isn't too dangerous."
"I don't think so. Little Iacon's as safe a place as there is in Kaon."
Cyclonus' hand slid down to cup the minibot's protective panel. "You're such a good little mech. See? You've even closed up already."
"I try to be. It's hard though, living where I do and working as I do."
"Mmmm. Open up again and I'll show you what a big bad Decepticon does with good little mechs."
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"Understood" continues in Chapter 13
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