Understood

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Chapter 32

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Tailgate roused when he felt someone jostling him, picking him up apparently. "Swerve... let me sleep. I had a rough night," he mumbled. And then he felt himself being placed somewhere warm and tight, his frame being folded up to fit. "Ow... not so fast. I had a rough customer." And then things grew still and silent and he was left alone. "Mmm. That's much better," he murmured. "Nice and warm." Then he felt and heard jets roar to life somewhere behind him. The neighbors must be having friends over again. He was jostled a little in his cozy cocoon, but then it evened out, only to be replaced with the feeling of flying, as if he were aboard a shuttle. But it wasn't bad—the dip and roll of motion and the wonderful sensation of flight was pleasant. He was drifting back into recharge when suddenly that ceased and his cocoon opened and he was discharged into a pair of large hands.

"Swerve, stop waking me up," he complained, refusing to online his optics. They didn't want to online anyway. "I need to get some recharge. And then you can have the rent money."

"He seems a bit delirious," said a voice that wasn't Swerve's.

"Cortical coolant loss?" asked another voice, one that sounded like Cyclonus'. Was his favorite client here?

"Probably."

Tailgate felt himself jostled and bumped around a bit, finally ending up on a surface that felt like a poorly padded berth. And then what felt like a thermal blanket being pulled over his frame.

"You did this to him?" said the voice that was neither Swerve's nor Cyclonus'.

"Of course I didn't," growled Cyclonus indignantly.

"Just asking."

The blanket was pulled away from his side and hands moved his still functioning arm. When Tailgate tried to pull it back under the blanket he found it trapped. He whimpered a cry of protest, only to find a hand pressed soothingly to his forehead. "Shhhh... you'll be fine," hushed Cyclonus. "Just lie still."

"Cyclonus?" Tailgate ventured.

"Yes. It's me. I'm here."

A sharp pain suddenly struck inside of his entrapped arm, followed by a growing sensation of cold from the spot it had struck.

"Cyclonus?! What's going on?" Tailgate gasped, slightly more coherent now.

"You'll be fine Tailgate. I got your message."

"My message?" The sensation of cold spread to his chest and he felt himself falling into a dark pit.

"I came for you," huffed the voice as Tailgate was consumed by darkness.

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"Understood" continues in Chapter 33

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