Chapter 9

Vlax used it as a chance to escape. He forced Glitch out of the cab with a kick to the back while he was distracted. He clambered over the train's driver to reach the window. Glitch just barely saw Vlax slipping away as he turned to see his feet disappear through the opening.

"I'm going after him." He didn't hesitate.

"But, the train!" Melvin pointed out.

Glitch looked ahead. The train had reached an incline. It was still on the verge of tipping as it began its journey up the side of a canyon. The back half continued its careen; it was another good tilt away from falling off the track and plunging into an approaching ravine. The front of the train would go with it. Glitch weighed his choices. He came to a decision and looked up at the others. His mind was made up. "I gotta stop Vlax," he said.

"But Glitch, the train's about to crash!" Rev tried reasoning with him. "If it doesn't burn to a crisp first!"

"You guys stay with the driver." Glitch turned to him. "Can you stop it somehow?" he asked him.

"Don't worry, I'm already working on it!" The driver kept his back to them while he busily worked with the train's controls. He was preparing to slow the train down when the lights flickered. Glitch glanced around. The lights in the front car were flickering, too.

"The explosion must have damaged the wiring," the driver said.

"What do we do?" Glitch heard Rev ask the question with a panicked voice not far behind.

"I'm gonna try to get it to work somehow." The driver didn't let up. He stayed hunched over the panels and levers. "Come on, baby, work with me!" He encouraged his engine while desperately pressing buttons.

The climb up the canyon went on for a little longer before leveling off. Glitch could see how high up they were. It made him all the more uneasy, but he couldn't let it stop him. He climbed out of the driver side window to pursue Vlax. The others nervously watched him vanish.

Glitch threw himself on top of the train. He carefully stood and steadied himself against its movements. The back half was completely engulfed by fire following the explosion. It rode at a sharp slant to its left, nearly hanging over the cliff side's edge. Vlax was up ahead. He moved farther along the train away from Glitch. His uncontrollable snickering could faintly be heard over the roar of the tracks. He jumped from car to car in a last-ditch effort to escape. Vlax didn't stop until midpoint. He'd reached a perfect distance between Glitch and the flaming cars farther back.

Glitch noticed Vlax pause suddenly. He must have accepted at some point that there was nowhere left to run. He finally gave in and turned to face his pursuer. There was a wildness to Vlax's psychotic eyes that Glitch had never seen. It was abnormal even for him. The flames from the burning cars behind him only seemed to highlight his visible insanity. Glitch knew why. Vlax had never been a stable-minded bot. He could only pretend to have poise when things went his way. A situation such as this, where he knew he couldn't escape his downfall, had only pushed him to his breaking point sooner.

"You're trapped, Vlax." Glitch called out to him.

Vlax gave his most maniacal laugh yet. "Am I?"

Glitch moved in on him, gun drawn. He raised the SPEW and pulled the trigger. But nothing happened. The click from the empty chamber froze him in his tracks. He used all of his ammo against the Mil soldiers on the train.

Vlax fired his Rocket Launcher. Glitch dove out of the projectile's path. He was in the middle of righting himself when he felt a set of fingers close around his throat. Glitch wasn't going to just let Vlax strangle him. He threw his weight back and kicked the Mil commander up and off of him. Vlax nearly slipped off the train before he caught himself. Glitch already knew he could beat him in a one-on-one fight, even in his condition. Hand-to-hand combat with Vlax would be child's play. He watched the second in command stagger to his feet. He and Glitch had alternated positions now. The realization made him smile for some reason. It wasn't until Glitch discovered the heat of the flames at his back that Vlax's plan dawned on him.

It was too late. Vlax threw himself at Glitch. He tackled him onto the next car over. They skid across it, just barely stopping when they reached the edge. Glitch's head hung over it as Vlax sat on top of him with all of his weight. Glitch saw the fire from the burning half of the train blazing and churning above him. It threatened to char the yellow paint on his cranium. Glitch wanted to fight Vlax off. But he couldn't, not when the crazed purple Mil had his knee pressed into his wounded side. He couldn't help but cry out. Vlax saw the pain it caused him and drove his knee even deeper. He held it there for almost a full minute before releasing. He stood afterwards. Glitch's agonized screams satisfied him to no end. He pushed him toward the fire with his foot. Closer, closer, and closer still. Glitch thought his head was going to melt right then and there.

Vlax laughed. "Relish these final moments while you can, miner!" he sneered at him.

Glitch could barely hear him. The only sounds he could register were the roaring flames and the thundering railway. The pain from what Vlax did blinded him.

Vlax kept talking. "This feels quite familiar, does it not? We planned to finish you off in a similar manner the first time. This time, it is really happening—"

His monologue stopped. His body collided with a structure he didn't notice in time. Glitch witnessed it right before the train hurled through a tunnel. The impact most likely reduced Vlax's body to pieces. When the train emerged, all Glitch had left of him was his right arm. The Rocket Launcher was still attached.

Glitch struggled to get up. His head wasn't burned, fortunately, just blackened slightly from the fire's ashes. His injuries troubled him most. He gnashed his jaws from the excruciating pain while holding his torso. It throbbed beneath the bandages. To his worry, they felt damp against his hand. Glitch didn't need to look down at them to know he was bleeding. His oil formed a dark stain through the patches.

He looked forward. The sight up ahead only made his dread rise more. The train was approaching a curve—at full speed. The driver didn't seem to have much luck slowing it down.

Inside the train, he and the rest of the group braced themselves for the oncoming bend. The power had gone out altogether a few minutes before. They were almost upon the curve when it miraculously turned back on. The driver jumped at the opportunity to save everybody one last time. "Hang on!" he shouted.

He pulled the lever that controlled the speed, then the lever to break. Explosive sparks lit up the outside of the train as its wheels screeched against the steel tracks. The train had already begun slowing down, but not fast enough. They came up on the curve. The long, harsh turn put the train at its tipping point. It pulled away from the tracks to be thrown from the side of the canyon. Everyone clung to each other and screamed.

Glitch experienced the fall from up top. The world around him spun and flipped. All he could do was hold on for dear life in the hopes of surviving the long plunge.

...

He came to from the crash. But he found himself in the last place he expected to be.

The astral realm.

Glitch practically threw himself to his feet. He frantically looked around. He was back in the main central zone. Void watched him steadily from the bottom of the curving staircase.

"Why am I here again?" Glitch didn't waste time demanding answers.

"Fear not, Glitch." Void calmly responded to him. "You survived the crash. So did the others."

"That's not what I asked!" Glitch snapped. "What the hell am I doing back here?"

"You need to find out the truth." Void's words developed a sense of urgency. She walked over to meet him. "You will not be able to complete your journey unless you understand who you really are."

"Let me go, Void!" Glitch yelled.

"You can go whenever you like." Void didn't refute.

Glitch stopped and blinked at her.

"You did it last time, remember?" she said. "I am not forcing you to stay. I just…" She hesitantly looked away. "I thought I would let you have another chance," she finished. "In case you have changed your mind."

Glitch was infuriated. He angrily shook his head. "No."

Void's face faltered. His answer left her visibly crestfallen—even hurt.

Glitch sighed. He calmed down for her. "Can't this wait?" he asked. "There's a lot going on right now, Void, I can't just abandon all of that!"

"You are in good hands!" Void argued. "You and your friends are being cared for as we speak."

"By who?"

"The Droids," Void said. "Your Droids."

Glitch's optics widened. She couldn't mean…

"The Droid Rebellion has found you, Glitch."

He began shaking his head again, this time in denial. This could not be happening. Not now. He was still wanted by the Rebellion. He couldn't afford to get caught, there was still so much at stake. The moment they took him into custody, Exavolt would win. "No," he whispered. "No, they can't…I can't let them…"

"Glitch…"

"No, I can't go back there right now!" Glitch felt himself starting to panic. "I'm a fugitive! They're still after me, I know they are!"

"They are not."

He lifted his head again. "Huh?"

"The charges have been lifted," Void informed him. "The Droids who found you are search and rescue. You are still under the care of their paramedics."

"I…" Glitch was speechless.

Void's gaze softened. "Everything will be okay."

She saw the conflicted strain in his eyes. When Glitch looked up at her, he could tell she'd given up her efforts to persuade him. She must have realized he couldn't stay after all. His core swelled with sympathy. This wasn't easy for her, either.

He gave her a little smile. "Some other time?" he offered.

Void sadly nodded.

Glitch let her gently squeeze his hand before he turned to leave again. It was harder for him to go this time.

...

"He's coming around, let's give him room."

Glitch woke up in bed. He slowly scanned the expectant faces of the medics standing over him.

"Don't worry, son, you're gonna be all right!" One of the bots gladly reassured him with a thumbs-up. "We just moved you into recovery. You made it out of the crash in one piece!"

"What about the others?" Glitch's throat felt scratchy when he talked. It was from the fire on the train, most likely.

"They're all fine, too," the medic told him. "Just a little while longer and you'll get to see them."

Glitch nodded. His neck was a tad sore, but he was grateful he could even move it. He watched the Droid medics leave his bedside and step out of the tent. He was alone in the makeshift infirmary now aside from a single medical assistant assigned to monitor him. Glitch noticed he felt something attached to his right arm. Please don't be cuffs, he prayed.

He moved the blanket aside and checked. It was just an IV. They were giving him fluids. Glitch let out a long, relieved sigh. Void told the truth.

He allowed his head to hit the pillow. Of course she told the truth. What if she'd been honest the entire time, about everything else?

Glitch adjusted himself under his blanket. Why would he have any reason to doubt Void? She never steered him wrong before. She was always right about everything, and she always helped him. She listened to his problems. She comforted him and gave him answers—even when Glitch didn't think he deserved them.

She was there. Always. What had she ever done to prove otherwise?

Nothing. Glitch painfully admitted it. It hurt him after the way he'd treated Void. The regret and guilt gripping him were unbearable. For a moment, all he could picture was the hurt in Void's glowing optics. They were usually serene. Kind.

Loving.

They were always sparkling with joy whenever they rested on Glitch. But they weren't when he left. Those eyes of hers didn't dance much during their last encounters. Each time he turned his back, the pain in them grew more and more.

Glitch clung to the blanket over him with shaking fingers. He was causing it. He was the one hurting her. The pain he felt now was probably nothing compared to what he made Void feel. He was sorry. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her he never meant to take away her joy. It was the joy he looked forward to seeing in her eyes. He was once the source of it, he had a feeling. But now he was the source of what replaced it: heartache.

He was going to do it. The minute he got the chance, he would make it all better for her. He would make it right.

He would follow her up those stairs.

Rustling from the front of the tent made Glitch jerk his head up. He was able to sit upright, surprisingly. His wounds stung quite a bit, but it was still a major difference from the pain he felt after his scuffle with Vlax. The medics patched them up well.

Glitch kept his focus on the tent's opening. There was a Droid standing there to meet him. He couldn't believe who it was. He wasn't used to seeing him without his green helmet.

"Colonel Alloy?"

It seemed like ages since Glitch said his full title aloud. It almost felt funny. But the familiarity returned the longer he held the Colonel's gaze from his bed. Alloy's recognizable pale optics didn't leave his. They studied each other without a word for some time. Neither of them seemed to know what to say. Glitch certainly didn't.

It was the Colonel who broke their silence. "Hey there, soldier." He spoke gently. "It's been a while."

He was sitting at Glitch's bedside a minute later. Words were few and far between at first. Glitch struggled to even accept the Colonel's presence as reality. He thought he might have been dreaming. He looked up at Alloy finally. The tangible face in front of him told him it was all real.

"How'd you manage to track me down?" he eventually asked.

"Satellites," Colonel Alloy answered.

Glitch lowered his stare. "Satellites," he said. "Right."

"We were using them to search for you for the past two months," the Colonel explained. "Ever since the night you escaped jail. Communications couldn't pick up your signal. We finally pinpointed your coordinates here. In this settlement."

Glitch jolted up again. "We're back in Ridgebolt?"

"That's right." Alloy nodded. "The locals here told us you and your group left to go out west. So we followed your trail. We discovered the derailment at the bottom of the canyons. It looked like a bad crash, but all of you made it out okay. The team's set up camp here since it's a pretty long ways back to base. The bot who's over the settlement gave us permission."

"Mister Fixit," Glitch whispered, partly to himself.

"He was a little on the fence about it at first," Colonel Alloy chuckled. "I don't blame 'em. Bein' a military organization and comin' in with our trucks and guns. Colorful gentleman, that one is."

Alloy's mentioning of Mister Fixit made Glitch think of Rev, of how he probably reacted to her involvement in all of this. He was worried for her.

"We'd like to have you back, Glitch," Colonel Alloy said suddenly.

Glitch met his eyes.

"Shooter brought us new evidence," Alloy went on. "Better evidence. He spent the past two months analyzing those images. He showed me enhanced versions. They revealed what Dr. Exavolt took out. We've lifted your charges."

"That's…great." Glitch wanted to show more enthusiasm, but he couldn't. He should've been more happy about the news of his fugitive status being lifted. Colonel Alloy noticed he had something on his mind.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Glitch kept his head down. "I can't go back with you guys, Colonel," he said.

Alloy blinked at him, confused. "Why not?"

"I've been on a bit of a mission of my own out here," Glitch told him. "I'm trying to find all of the Morbot gateways. I'm working with Dr. Axon and a nomad who knows how to get me to them."

"We can help you," Alloy insisted. "We have resources. We've been after Exavolt ourselves."

He fell silent. Glitch took one look at him and understood what was wrong. "Exavolt launched an invasion on Droid Town," he brought up.

The Colonel glanced at him. "How'd you know?"

"Vlax," Glitch told him.

"Ah, right, of course." Colonel Alloy adjusted the military-green jacket he wore. He kept it partially buttoned. The fabric fell in a way that exposed the Colonel's torso. He had wrapped up wounds of his own.

Glitch pointed to them. "You got hurt."

Alloy gave another nod while wringing his hands. "Yep."

Glitch quietly studied his tone. He sounded solemn. It was as if he detached himself from the events. Glitch altered his gaze between Alloy's wounds and his. They both had journeys of their own since they last saw each other. They'd both been damaged and put back together, in more ways than one. Glitch thought about what he and Colonel Alloy shared. They sat together in that moment, completely silent. They both knew. They both understood. It was impossible not to. Glitch saw it, and he knew his colonel did, too. It was a bond—a kinship formed between their scars.

There was so much Glitch wanted to tell him, about how he got his wounds, about what he discovered. So much had happened to him since they last talked. The attack in the desert, the betrayal from Vex and Epsilon, learning about Exavolt's top-secret work with the Morbots, that he himself once walked among them…

"We know what happened with the train." Colonel Alloy moved on before he could get to any of it. "The driver told us about the Mil hijacking."

"Right," Glitch agreed. "After we found the first gateway, Vlax and his team took us all hostage. He mentioned he had an outpost out there. That's where we were all headed."

"It's already taken care of!" Colonel Alloy smiled. "We were following the railway system and it led us right to it. We cleared it out with a drone strike."

The news gave Glitch a bit of hope. He knew from Alloy's expression, though, that there was something more behind it. He was using it as an invitation.

"You're more than welcome to get back in the action!" he enticed. "Once you're healed up, of course."

Glitch couldn't accept his offer. It wasn't that he didn't want to. He missed the Droid Rebellion. But he had affairs elsewhere. He knew he had a shot at finding the other gateways with Feeble. There was Rev and the connection she and Glitch shared with the Morbots. Dr. Axon and Melvin and their firsthand experience with Exavolt. They were his new alliance. As much as he missed the Rebellion, Glitch understood where his duties truly resided for the time being. For now, his place was in Ridgebolt.

Colonel Alloy's welcoming face made Glitch wince slightly. He regretted trying to convict him. Glitch could see it in his eyes. What he saw most of all, however, was how much Alloy missed him, too.

"I'm sorry for everything, son." It was like Alloy read his mind. "I really am."

Glitch looked at him warmly. "It's okay, Colonel Alloy."

Alloy still appeared expectant. He was waiting to hear his best soldier's choice.

Glitch sighed. "I appreciate you wanting me to come back," he said. "Really, I do."

Alloy's smile saddened. "But ya can't."

Glitch softly shook his head.

He thought the Colonel would try persuading him more, but he didn't. His expression was one of understanding. If he wished Glitch's choice had been different, he did his best not to show it. "I can respect that," he said finally.

Glitch was glad he did. He smiled back at him. "Thanks," he murmured.

Once the medics gave him the ok, he left the tent with Colonel Alloy. He stepped outside after him and glanced around. The Rebellion had set up camp at the edge of Ridgebolt. Armored trucks rolled in and out carrying Droid soldiers. Glitch wouldn't have been surprised if the military presence unnerved the villagers. Alloy wasn't wrong. Ridgebolt was a tight-knit community that didn't see much.

"Dr. Axon!"

Glitch spotted him nearby. To his surprise, he had his terrain cruiser. He heard Glitch call his name and happily went up to meet him and the Colonel. "Glitch!" he exclaimed. "How glad I am to see you up!"

"It's good seeing you, too, Doc!" Glitch greeted back. "I see they were able to recover your cruiser!"

"Yes, they were!" said Axon. "It is with good fortune, too. I have a lot of priceless equipment in there."

"Melvin okay?" Glitch asked.

"Ah, yes, he is fine!" Dr. Axon replied. "Though, he does have a minor concussion. Feeble is okay, too."

"Have you seen Rev?" She crossed Glitch's thoughts again. He wondered if she was on the campsite.

Dr. Axon shook his head. "I have not seen her myself since the wreck," he said. "But the medics told me she was released right after being seen. I assume she is all right. She likely went back home."

"Ok." Glitch made a mental note to swing by and check on her when he had the chance.

Their attention shifted to Alloy. Glitch read his expression. He was clearly studying Dr. Axon. Glitch already knew the reason why.

"Ah, you must be Colonel Alloy!" Axon reached forward to shake his hand. "The pleasure is mine!"

"Uh, yes, yes." The Colonel snapped out of it and accepted the handshake. "You must be Dr. Axon," he said. "The pleasure's mine, as well! Scientists are scarce in our parts."

Dr. Axon dipped his head. "That is very understandable," he concurred.

"Uh, Doctor?"

Axon, Glitch, and Alloy glanced back toward the terrain cruiser. Shooter stood in front of the trunk, helping soldiers check the inside of the vehicle. Glitch couldn't believe his optics. Shooter was part of the search and rescue mission!

Right now, he was nervously holding up a heavy-looking weapon. Glitch had never seen anything like it. He looked at Dr. Axon.

"Oh, my rifle!" Axon exclaimed. "I almost forgot that was in there." He chuckled. "You can keep that inside with everything else, my boy!"

"Oh, ok." Shooter took the time to study the gun. Glitch laughed, remembering his knack for recognizing firearms. "Wait," he breathed suddenly. "Is this an Axon Rifle?! That means…that means you're…"

"The inventor?" Dr. Axon laughed. "Yes I am!"

Shooter safely tucked the weapon back inside the terrain cruiser. That must have been the gun Axon used to ward off Glitch's attackers when he found him. Shooter finished his work with the soldiers and looked at Glitch. His face lit up and he immediately went over to talk to him. They bumped fists.

"Long time, no see, man!" Glitch said.

"Tell me about it." Shooter's eyes were warm. The jail debacle was two months before, but for Glitch it just felt like a blip since he was out of commission during that time. He was more than happy to see Shooter again. But it only made him remember a certain robot in particular.

"There's something I need to tell you, Shooter." He didn't beat around the bush. "It's about Vex."

Shooter sat up slightly. "Really?" he asked. "What is it?"

"It's a long story," Glitch told him. "We should find somewhere to sit."

"Sure." Shooter nodded. "Tank's here, too, by the way!" he mentioned.

Glitch blinked. "He is?"

"Glitch?!"

They both heard him and turned. The second Glitch saw the aging demolition Droid, he had an idea of how overjoyed he was to see his soldier friend. He couldn't believe Tank was able to make it. He immediately rode up to him on his wheels, faster than Glitch had ever seen him go before, and nearly crushed him with a strong hug.

"Oh, Glitch, I'm so glad to see you!" Tank wailed. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Ok, Tank, ok!" Glitch wheezed. "You can let me go now, buddy!"

"Oh, sorry." Tank put him down. Glitch stood back and quietly looked at him and Shooter. The three of them were together again, but their group wasn't complete. Not without Vex. He wasn't going to be part of it from here on out. Glitch was perfectly fine with that.