::Slipstream, suspicious activity north north east.::
::Received.:: Slipstream replies and disengages the magnetic locks, that fasten his alt-mode to the side of the building straight across from the large office building.
His silent propulsion system activates, and he flies undetected to the top of the building to get a visual of the incoming transport.
::Surveillance team Delta reporting activity.:: He reports to Topkick as the passenger transport lands on the building.
::Identification number?:: The SIO requests.
::None.::
There is silence on the communications line, and he observes as the transport's door opens.
::The passengers are a small black and red carrier and two guards.:: He adds urgently, as the passengers move towards the door into the building.
::Understood. Prowl wants your team to follow it when it departs. I have dispatched team Zeta to relieve your team. Keep us updated.::
::Acknowledged.::
He returns to his position and waits for the other team of stealth fliers to arrive.
The Joint Investigation Unit's Tactical Operations Center is bustling with activity. The discovery of the syndicate's operational headquarter is the vital breakthrough they have been waiting for.
The Communications Center is filled with voices while the global operation is coordinated with the various enforcer headquarters all over the planet.
Everyone needs to know where to be and what to do when the operation commences.
The healthcare sector has already been alerted and is preparing to deal with the large influx of patients in need of extensive treatment, that it soon will receive.
Prowl and Topkick are reviewing the holographic projection of the large building together with the tactical commander of the special forces, that are to attack the syndicate's operational headquarter and disable its defensive systems.
"PROWL!"
Aurora storms into the Tactical Operations Center, and the SIO's urgent outburst gains the attention of everyone inside the large room.
"We have broken their encryption!"
Prowl leaves the projection and follows Aurora out of the operations center.
Their hackers have worked tirelessly to break the syndicate's communication encryption ever since they became aware of the presence of the operational headquarter.
"They have established a broadcasting communication."
Prowl frowns.
Why in Primus's name would they do that?
A broadcasting signal is easier to hack than the regular methods of communication.
"I had the same thought." Aurora states as he sees Prowl's expression, and is unable to hide a grimace as he continues, "It is an advertisement for Skywarp. Thundercracker is present too. It is not pleasant, mildly put."
"Then I'll wait to inform Nacelle. No need to distress him further until we know more."
They enter the Center of Intelligence and Aurora leads Prowl over to a turned off monitor. He turns it on, and the content of the syndicate's broadcast is shown before he, in respect for the victims, turns it off again a few seconds later.
Prowl keeps his expression neutral, but the image of Thundercracker's despairing optics burns in his mind.
"No one tells Nacelle anything."
Aurora nods seriously.
"What do you want us to do?"
He evaluates the possibility to go in today, but the risk to ruin the global operation is too great. He needs to prioritize the many above the few. What currently happens to Thundercracker is also happening to hundreds, if not thousands, of other carriers at this moment.
"We can't help them right now, but at least we know where Thundercracker is." He answers grimly.
"You need to listen to this, Sir."
They turn towards the communications specialist addressing them, and a audio file is played.
"...our little side project, and he has delivered an essential part, that ensures that it will succeed when we launch it."
"The warp-gate?" Aurora wonders out loud, and an unsettling feeling fills Prowl's spark.
What have they overlooked?
::I think I have found what Thundercracker was searching for.:: Nacelle contacts him and interrupts his thoughts, ::Do you have time to come and review it?::
::On my way.:: He replies.
"Nacelle needs my presence." He tells Aurora, "Keep monitoring their communication. I want to know everything that they plan, and see if you can find anything among Shadeweaver's Intel that points towards that project he mentioned. It sounds like they are planning to escalate the conflict."
He leaves the intelligence center and walks towards Nacelle's assigned office.
The psychiatrist is investigating a possible connection between Thundercracker and Torrent, and while it might not mean much in the bigger picture, it gives his bondmate a purpose to direct his attention towards instead of worrying about something he can't do anything about right now.
He opens the door into the office and sees Nacelle stand in front of a large blackboard. Nacelle turns to him with a tired smile as he walks closer.
"This is what Thundercracker was about to discover when he went missing."
"All of these..." Nacelle points to seven of the identities on the blackboard, "...has a connection to Torrent, that can't be explained through normal interpersonal relations. There is no natural link between them, except if I include the existence of the syndicate in my analyze."
Prowl studies the eight identities and Nacelle's notes about them.
Quickpoint - A physician with a specialization in clinical biochemistry. No criminal record. Fake address.
Retrograde - A psychiatrist with a specialization in memory disorders. Confidential credentials. No criminal record. Clinic in Kalis. Carrier.
"It confuses me too." Nacelle says bemused while Prowl stares at the information about Retrograde with a frown, "I have never heard of her before and I don't understand why her credentials are confidential."
"What interests me most is why a carrier would join the syndicate. And why Torrent is allowing a carrier to possess a leading position." He adds thoughtful, and turns towards the next identity.
Torrent - No information. Operative leader of the syndicate. No address.
It doesn't surprise him that they know so little about the operative leader. Torrent has made sure to erase his tracks so well, that he is almost a ghost. There are only the most basic of information about him in their systems, and most of it is questionable.
Galeforce - A communications specialist. No criminal record. Confirmed to be a leading member of the syndicate. Fake address.
Sidewire - The director of a large security company located on sixth floor within the syndicate's building in Iacon. No criminal record. Confirmed to be a leading member of the syndicate. Fake private address.
Pummel - A former gladiator at the Senate sanctioned gladiatorial arena in Helix. No criminal record. Fake address.
Hardkill - No registered education or occupation. Criminal record - Drug dealing, assault, manslaughter, trafficking. Sentence reduced for good behavior. Disappeared after parole. No address.
Havoc - No registered education or occupation. Criminal record - Illegal weapons trade, drug dealing, assault, intimidation of witnesses, trafficking. Sentence reduced for good behavior. Disappeared after parole. No address.
"How did you confirm them?"
Two of the identities on the blackboard have already been confirmed to be leading members of the syndicate while the rest, except for Torrent, are completely unknown to him.
"Now that we know, that Torrent is their operative leader, I decided to try and find out when I could link him to Galeforce and Sidewire." Nacelle explains and walks over to the desk to find a datapad, "The link I discovered correlates with a conference in Kalis 1200 years ago, where the other five identities also participated. The conference was about new methods to improve the energon refining process, which none of them have a legitimate reason to participate in."
"What about Thundercracker and Torrent? Did you find a connection?" He asks, impressed by Nacelle's work. It looks like they now have mapped out all the leaders, and are another step closer to locate all of the still hidden bases.
They still need to confirm, that the five identities in fact are the leaders of the syndicate, but he trusts Nacelle's deduction enough to begin the investigation of them and initiate surveillance when they have located their whereabouts.
"I believe that they initiated a romantic relationship not long after Thundercracker received the Golden Star award for a documentary about political corruption. I suspect Torrent tried to recruit Thundercracker, and that Thundercracker joined him to document the existence of the syndicate." Nacelle shares his theory, "Something obviously went wrong and his deception was discovered."
"As you can see, Torrent was the key to unravel their leadership structure, and I suspect that it mainly is why he wanted to get Thundercracker back. If Thundercracker recovered and began to remember, then it would be the end of him and most likely also the syndicate."
"But I still don't understand his purpose with kidnapping Skywarp, except for the desire of revenge. It is obvious that he is extremely possessive, and if he has discovered that Thundercracker loves another, then it will inevitably result in a strong feeling of jealousy directed towards Skywarp."
"How far would he go?" Prowl asks neutrally. He already knows the answer, but Nacelle expects him to ask the question.
Nacelle looks at him with a grave expression.
"He is a psychopath with the power to do as he pleases. Use your imagination."
::Uh, Slipstream. Are we sure that the blue seeker that got kidnapped is a victim?::
::Why in Primus's name are you asking me about that?! Didn't you listen to Topkick's briefing?:: Slipstream growls annoyed.
What the fuck is wrong with his team mate?
::It's just...::
A vid-file is sent to him.
"FRAG!" He curses.
::Surveillance team Delta reporting activity.:: He forwards the vid-file and waits anxiously for a response.
Have they been fooled?
Topkick reviews the vid-file and mirrors Slipstream's curse.
::Prowl. We have a situation!::
Thundercracker enjoys the feeling of the wind against his wings, when he, Retrograde and Torrent exit the building and calmly walk towards the passenger transport.
His longing to take to the sky is overwhelming, but Retrograde says that it is too dangerous for him to fly until they have found out why he can't remember, which is why his thrusters have been disabled.
He fully understands Torrent's worry.
What if he gets a fatal seizure or forgets his surroundings during a flight?
"I will come and visit you as soon as possible." Torrent murmurs softly, and Thundercracker leans up to kiss his lover.
Torrent reciprocates the kiss and pulls him into an affectionate embrace. The sire's hands caresses his midsection, and he sighs at the gentle touch to his slightly distended and sore gestation chamber.
"I'm going to miss you."
He kisses Torrent one last time before he follows Retrograde and her bodyguards into the transport and sits down in one of the seats.
"I'll make sure, that he doesn't forget to come visiting you." Retrograde reassures and caresses his wings in comfort, "I know it isn't easy to be separated from the sire to your developing sparkling."
"Thank you, I'd appreciate that." He says grateful, and leans into the calming touch as the transport takes off.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME RIGHT AWAY?!"
Nacelle is far beyond furious while he and Prowl hurriedly walk towards the intelligence center.
"I didn't want to distress you unnecessarily."
Nacelle stops abruptly.
"Unnecessarily?!"
His wings flare in aggression and he steps up close to Prowl.
"You dare determine what's necessary for me to know?! I have been their psychiatrist for months, I know them better than anyone, and I have a right to know what happens to them!"
Nacelle resumes walking and enters the intelligence center.
Aurora silently leads him over to a console, clearly already warned about his volatile mood, and Nacelle sits down to review the syndicate's broadcast and the vid-file from the surveillance team.
To hear Torrent's casual voice in the background while Skywarp rapes Thundercracker, fills his spark with a burning fury, and it helps him to endure the horrendous content.
Skywarp is as much a victim as Thundercracker, and he observes the black and purple seeker while taking notes of the deviations in the sire's behavior. His datapad fills rapidly and he sighs deeply when all of his observations point towards one conclusion.
The flickering optics alone is a clear sign of the drugs affecting Skywarp's processor. It also explains why the sire doesn't show any sign of recognizing Thundercracker.
The footage is replayed, and he turns his attention to Thundercracker.
To his relief, the blue seeker doesn't appear to be as broken as the talk between Torrent and Skywarp had indicated. Thundercracker is reacting as anyone in his situation would, but he is not entirely passive.
There is still a fighting spirit in him, and it is comforting to know.
He plays the vid-file from the surveillance team and understands why everyone is so confused.
In the matter of less than an hour, Thundercracker has completely changed behavior.
How?
Thundercracker is the one to initiate intimacy with Torrent on his own, and nothing in the interaction between them appears to be forced.
Why?
The angle of the footage changes and a small figure, that he recognizes from his blackboard appears beside Torrent.
Retrograde.
"Primus!" he turns towards Prowl with a sudden epiphany, "It is HER!"
Why are her credentials confidential?
Why would Torrent allow a carrier a position in the syndicate?
Why does Thundercracker change personality?
Everything begins to make sense.
"She is an outlier."