10 years later and guess who's back with an update? Me.
Enjoy and thanks for reading!
Chapter 4
Cliffjumper held a stubborn Spark, and Mirage found himself grateful. He still harbored mixed feelings for the minibot, but all of them wanted his friend to live.
"Staying overnight again?" Ratchet asked, wiping oil from his servo joints. "I already know the answer is yes, but it can't hurt to ask and double check in case you gained some sense and decided to take a break."
"Sorry," Mirage said. "Cliffjumper has been a bad influence in that department."
Ratchet snorted. "Fair enough."
He bid Mirage goodnight and left the small medbay for his quarters. Mirage pulled out a datapad to continue reading a nature book that Hound had recommended once. It hurt to think his friend hadn't visited yet. Was he still hurt that Mirage had lied by omission about being with Cliffjumper? Even after said mech had almost been killed?
No—No, it had to be something else, though Mirage couldn't fathom what that could be.
Halfway through a chapter on natural stone formations, a spark of electricity fizzled from the berth.
"Cliffjumper!" Mirage exclaimed, jumping to his peds. His data pad clattered to the floor as blue optics flickered on before him. 'You're awake!"
"Mirage?" Cliffjumper asked, voice too soft. "That you?"
"Yes, yes I'm here." Mirage touched Cliffjumper's hand. "You're in the med bay. we almost lost you."
"Got attacked." Cliffjumper shook his head. "That's right! That‐"
A laser shot tore through Cliffjumper's throat with a second shot close behind through his spark.
Energon splattered over Mirage; an alarm blared.
Hound stayed still against the wall, hidden behind his hologram. Mirage furiously searched the room for the source of the shot with his optics and one hand sitting protectively against gray metal.
He couldn't enjoy the minibat's death with so much gone wrong. Get in. Wait for Mirage to fall into recharge. Snuff out Cliffjumper's spark. Get out. A simple plan fragged up again by random timing.
Cliffjumper just had to wake up.
Just had to start yapping.
Hound used the sound of rushing footsteps to cover the noise of his own escape from the med bay. He kept his hologram active until he could safely drop it and fake confusion over the commotion in the main hallway.
He followed the crowd to the med bay, only to find Mirage in cuffs. Hound's engines stalled at the sight.
"Of course you can talk with him," Jazz said. Mirage tilted his head up and looked out of his cell. "Just be quick."
"Thanks."
Mirage sat up at Hound's voice and watched his dear friend enter the cell block. The scout frowned at the locked cell and leaned on the bars.
"Are you okay?" Hound asked. "I don't understand how this happened. You shouldn't be in there."
"I was the last one with Cliffjumper and the only one in the room." Mirage sighed. "It is no surprise I'm under suspicion."
"But what motive could you possibly have?"
"A mercy kill? I don't know." Mirage put his face in his hands. "I didn't do it."
"I know that." Hound gripped the bars. "We'll get the fragger that did this and you'll be cleared."
"I hope so," Mirage said. "Not just to free myself, but to get answers. The shot that killed Cliff jumper came from nowhere, so whoever shot him has to have cloaking technology like you and I do."
"Those are bad skills for the other side to have." Hound crossed his arms. "What did the cameras show?"
"Nothing. The feed was scrambled and left only static."
"Soundwave helped with that, I'm sure." Hound's boss had been the one to give him the transmission software. "But no worries. I'm sure no one believes you killed Cliffjumper."
Mirage smiled. "Thank you, Hound."
"Hang tight, buddy."
Hound patted the bars and made his way out of the cell block. Jazz caught his arm before he could leave.
"Mind if we have a chat?" Jazz asked. "Won't take long."
Hound kept a grip on staying calm. "Of course."
Jazz led him into the small office the espionage team called their home base. He sat at his desk and leaned back.
Hound remained standing. He knew the game and spoke first. "How can I help you, Jazz?"
"I will ask you once," Jazz said, voice flat. "Did you kill Cliff out of jealousy?"
Hound said, "No."
The full truth, too; he had wanted to kill Cliffjumper out of jealousy, but he did it because his boss ordered it. Lucky for him Jazz phrased his question so specifically; that mech could always tell when you lied.
"Had to ask." Jazz threw his hands up. He groaned and slumped in his chair, rubbing the side of his face. "Looks like I've got recon to do, because it appears some 'Con has new toys."
"Why are you keeping Mirage locked up if you know he didn't do it? He's your operative."
"Appearances. If we have a spy in our midst, he might get sloppy believing he's off the hook with Mirage under suspicion."
"He'd be a lousy spy if that worked."
Jazz laughed. "That's what I told Prowl when he came up with the idea, but he doesn't get our line of work, does he?"
Hound didn't take the bait, but he did remind himself Jazz was good at his job. Too good.
He'd leave Jazz for Soundwave to handle.
"I'll let you know if I see a 'Con playing with cloaking tech while I'm out scouting." Hound stepped back, pausing at the door. "I'll be on my way, if that's all you needed?"
Jazz grinned. "For now. See you."
Hound nodded and left, already dreading the report he'd have to give Ratbat.