Stormwind sits in the living room with his creators while Thundercracker and Skywarp talk about how Skywarp's work is progressing. His creator is close to perfecting his newest invention and taking a patent. Meanwhile, the evening news fills in as background noise.
He slowly doses off against Thundercracker's side to the sleep-inducing speech of the news anchor presenting this evening's news.
"The newest key performance indicators show that the socioeconomic balance is improving in Praxus for the hundredth year. The local political leaders seem to have successfully implemented their care package after the Polyhexian Cartel was routed from the city-state when the Joint Investigation Unit got the needed funding to secure law and order. Since then, the crime rate has been falling each year as socio-economic- and health status have risen among the population. There are fewer and fewer living on the streets and fewer reasons for people to turn to crime to survive and live a worthy life. We have-"
His optics startle online when the sleep-inducing speech suddenly gets replaced by a loud intro to a flashing BREAKING NEWS and the view on the screen changes from the news studio to a reporter out in the field.
He rises from his slumped state at the sight of the smoke filling the sky behind the reporter and hears his creators' talk quiet down as they watch it too.
"I am standing here in Protihex, where the citizens have witnessed the first large-scale conflict between the Tarnian Syndicate and the Polyhexian Cartel in ages. The Joint Investigation Unit was on the scene shortly after the conflict erupted. They restored peace in the following hours as they received an influx of personnel to contain the worst of it to a secluded area in the middle of the city-state. As you can see, smoke is still drifting into the sky from the area of conflict, and it speaks of a brutal battle between the criminals and enforcers. The Joint Investigation Unit is silent about the number of casualties, but there are rumors that the leader of the Polyhexian Cartel has been killed. This is Protihex. Back to the studio."
He stares at the screen, unable to understand what the reporter had said. It is surreal to see the massive columns of smoke in the center of the city-state and know that they don't come from an accident but from fighting. Of purposely inflicted destruction.
And casualties?
The reporter had said it so casually, as if it was normal for him to deal with things like this.
As if any of this is normal when it is not.
It gets him to think about his own experience a few months ago and just like that, he is back in the shop and has a vivid flashback of what had happened and what could have happened. He still sometimes wakes up at night, having nightmares of cold optics and the weapon aimed at him―ready to take his life.
"-contact?"
Thundercracker's voice draws him out of his troubled thoughts.
He sees his creators share apprehensive glances and Skywarp moves over to sit beside Thundercracker and pulls him into a comforting embrace. Stormwind sees his carrier's cheeks run with tears and wonders why the news affect Thundercracker like this.
Talon is said to be the leader of the criminal underworld because of how influential he is.
It is good he might be dead, isn't it?
They are now speaking about Talon's long, violent history on the news and there is a lot of speculation surrounding the rumor of his death. He listens as the experts discuss who will be Talon's successor and at the mention of Torment, Stormwind finally understands his creators' reaction―making the connection between Talon and Torment and subsequently Nightflow.
Primus, Nightflow!
His friend must be devastated.
"No one is answering. Not even on the emergency ID."
The worry in his creator's voice is palpable.
"Which confirms he is dead." Thundercracker whispers, his voice trembling.
They sit in stunned silence for hours, his carrier in his creator's arms and Stormwind resting his head in his carrier's lap. At one point, he must have drifted off to Thundercracker's gentle caresses of his head because he is suddenly awoken by the sound of insistent knocks on the front door. He lifts his head, but Thundercracker gently makes him stay while Skywarp rises to answer it.
He hears soft murmuring and approaching footsteps and looks up when his creator comes back into the living room. He stares in confusion when he sees a tired Prowl follow Skywarp while carrying a bundle of something heavy in his arms.
"Could you scoot over, Stormwind?" Prowl requests, sounding as tired as he looks as he kneels by the couch and carefully deposits a visibly fatigued, half-recharging Nightflow on his own two feet.
Thundercracker gives Prowl room and Stormwind does as requested, looking stunned at his friend. Nightflow collapses and immediately goes into recharge then and there on the couch.
He wants to ask what happened, but deep down, he already knows.
"He was there with them, wasn't he?" He looks at his god-creator for confirmation and Prowl nods.
"Talon and Torment?" Thundercracker asks worriedly.
"The rumor is true. Talon was killed. But I don't think Rampage intended to kill anyone besides him. It was a power statement from his side which succeeded so far, but we thinned heavily out in his ranks and he is far weaker than before. According to observations from our first responders, Torment came out of it mostly unharmed but suffered a near wipeout. He withdrew when we arrived timely on the scene and as far as we know, he is back in Iacon. I felt that his creation needed to stay away from the center of the conflict until all of it has been resolved and there is a new stable status quo."
"Yes, of course. We can take care of Nightflow for as long as needed." Thundercracker answers the unvoiced request, looking at Nightflow with sorrow and empathy.
"When I get back to headquarters, I will reach out to his creators on a secure channel to inform them that Nightflow is safe and staying with you. Do not try to make contact with them. We don't know who is listening." Prowl warns before he is out of the front door again, leaving Stormwind to stare after him with growing worry at the conflict he senses is on the way that will have both his god-creators caught in its center and inevitably set against each other.
Destined to kill each other because of who they are.
The realization causes tears to fill his optics because nothing will be as it used to be from now on.
The world he knew is bit by bit crumbling around him and he can do nothing to stop it or the ones he cares about from destroying each other.