EDITED 4/10/2015 Changed Rattletrap back to Rattrap (really no reason to have ever changed it in the first place)
CHAPTER SEVEN
"Five minutes and I already hate this place."
Transforming into his robot mode, Optronix smirked. "Not every place is shiny and clean like Iacon, Orion."
"Iacon isn't exactly a bright spot, either," Elita One said as she morphed from her alternate mode. "But it's certainly a lot brighter than this."
The three of them had come to a stop before a shady-looking bar. Its neon sign at the entrance read "The Blue Deployer" and below it stood a towering brute.
"Password," the five-eyed mech grunted.
"We don't need one," Optronix said, holding up his Elite Guard badge. "We're on official business."
Another grunt. "What kind of business would bring the Elite Guard to Kaon?"
"Not for you to know. Please, let us in."
The brute crossed his arms, clearly unrelenting. All five of his optics stared down at the Elite Guardsman, who returned the cold gaze. The clash of wills was soon brought to an end by a single word, uttered by Optronix.
"Deszaras."
Suddenly, the door behind the bouncer slid open and a tall mech in blue and gray appeared before them. A smile crossed his face as his eyes fell on Optronix.
"Well, well, well," the blue bot said. "This is certainly an unexpected visit. Let them in, Lugnut."
The five-eyed mech complied and allowed Optronix, Orion, and Elita to enter. Inside, the Blue Deployer held very few patrons, making Orion believe that it was a more private club. Several optics watched the three Autobots as they followed the blue mech into a room behind the bar. Once the door was closed, the bot turned to face them.
"Well, Optronix... what brings you to a place of melancholy like this?"
"Information, Cryotek," Optronix replied. "You've heard of Councilor Momus' death, haven't you?"
"I'm sure everyone on the planet knows," Cryotek said. "When you've got people with microphones built into their thumbs, news carries fast."
"Right, and so do rumors. Have you happened to have heard anything about the Forum of Enlightenment incident from your patrons?"
Cryotek grinned. "I never eavesdrop on my patrons, Optronix. It would be bad for business."
"But have you at least overheard something?"
"I work all the way here at the back of the bar, listening to the Empyrean Suite. Do you think it's even possible for me to overhear things?"
Optronix sighed. This was clearly going nowhere.
"What about your employees?" Orion suddenly blurted out, almost without thinking. When Cryotek gave him a puzzled look, he clarified. "You don't work here by yourself, do you? You've got to have some servers."
Cryotek turned to Optronix and grinned. "Bright one, isn't he?" To Orion, he said, "Indeed, I do have a few 'bots under my service. Lugnut, of course, serves as bouncer. Shadow Striker runs the game table, Backslash serves tables, and Buzzbomb serves as my bodyguard."
"Really?" Elita said. "I don't see-"
"Look up."
The three Autobots looked up to see a gold and silver mech hovering over them, his arm cannons trained on them.
"Don't mind me," Buzzbomb grunted. "I'm just waitin' fer someone tah make ah move."
"At ease, Buzzbomb," Cryotek ordered. "Optronix and his friends mean no harm."
Optronix shifted in his stance. "Well then, if you don't know anything, we'll be on our way."
Cryotek patted his old friend on the back. "I'm sorry I was unable to help you, Optronix. Remember, you and your friends are always welcome at the Blue Deployer."
"I'll keep that in mind," Optronix muttered as, Orion, and Elita left the room.
* * *
"Please! Let me go! I don't know anything!"
Roller grinned as he tightened his grip around the gray and brown mech's legs. "Is that so? I would think someone like you would know something, Rattrap."
Hanging upside down, the skinny 'bot flailed his arms. "What is it you want? Unlicensed Shock Pop datatrax? Forged tickets to Rosanna's concert?"
"That would be stooping down to your level," Roller muttered. "You must know something about Councilor Momus' murder."
Rattrap ceased his flailing and blinked. "Momus? Y-yeah, I know somethin' about that."
Roller released the black market salesman, letting him fall to the floor. Bumblebee then deployed his built-in stingers and aimed them at Rattrap, ensuring that he wouldn't escape.
"Speak," Roller ordered.
"Okay," Rattrap murmured. "Y'see, I know these two guys. Frenzy and Rumble. Brothers, I think. Anyway, I was talking to one of them -- think it was Frenzy, the blue one -- and he was blabberin' about how Momus doesn't really care about the bots in his guild anymore. I wasn't really payin' attention. I was just sellin' him some frag grenades I'd looted from-"
He froze, as if realizing that he had said something he shouldn't have. Roller merely gave him a look of grim satisfaction.
"Any idea where to find Frenzy or Rumble? Or both?" he asked.
"I-I don't know. I don't see 'em that often."
"All right." Roller pressed a panel on his arm. "Thanks for the info. I'll have a unit of Autotroopers come by and arrest you for theft and illegally obtained weapons. And to make sure you stay put...."
He brought out a pair of stasis cuffs and slapped them onto Rattrap's wrists, rendering him immobile but conscious.
"Have a good day."
As they transformed and moved away from the protesting mech, Bumblebee said to Roller, "So, what now? We have our suspects, but no idea on how to find them."
"Leave it to me, kid," Roller replied. "I know someone who can find his way through places like this easily."
"Then why didn't Optronix have us go straight to him in the first place?"
"Because no one trusts him as far as they can throw him."
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