CHAPTER FIVE
"I can assure you, Shockwave, that we had nothing to do with Nova Point's bombing."
"You can say that a thousand times, and I will still remain unconvinced."
Ultra Magnus sighed in exasperation. With each act the Fallen and his party committed, the Autobot and Decepticons' alliance grew more and more tense. It didn't help that their latest target was a famous Decepticon landmark.
"Look, Shockwave," he said sternly, leaning across his desk. "I am just as upset as you are about this incident. Nova Point was a historic landmark even before Trannis' big speech, and it is an absolute shame to see it wiped out. It's clear that the Fallen- or someone working for him- was behind this."
"There is certainly a seventy-five percent chance that that is the case," Shockwave said. "But the twenty-five percent suggests that your Autobots destroyed it to provoke us."
Ultra Magnus felt his mouth fall open, unable to believe what he was hearing.
"Why do you even care?" he murmured. "How can Nova Point mean anything to you? You weren't with the Decepticons on Declaration Day; you were still one of us, serving on the High Council."
Shockwave was silent for a moment before saying quietly, "I am not speaking for myself when I provide these statistics, Ultra Magnus. Like you said, I couldn't care less about Nova Point. But some Decepticons might think differently."
"Ah," Ultra Magnus murmured, leaning back into his seat. "You're saying that some Decepticons might break off from the alliance."
Shockwave nodded. "For every Starscream, there is a Lugnut. I would be on the look out, if I were you."
"I see. Well, then, thank you for the warning." Ultra Magnus then narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the violet-armored Decepticon. "Why aren't you still with us?"
If Shockwave had been taken aback by the sudden question, he did not show it. "Why would I still be with you?"
"You were one of the very few councilors not corrupted by power... and now you are one of Megatron's top generals. What changed?"
"I did," was all Shockwave said before leaving Magnus' office.
* * *
"So pretty much everyone said no?"
Standing with Nightbeat outside the closed-down Maccadam's Old Oil House, Hardhead nodded. "Everyone on your list at least. Brainstorm's too busy with his top secret project, Chromia wasn't interested, Hotlink just laughed in my face...."
"What about Windblade?" Nightbeat asked.
"Couldn't find her. Chromia said I might find her with the Aerialbots, but they told me that they hadn't seen her... or Jetfire."
Nightbeat frowned. "Oh, no...."
"Think it means something?"
"Think about it, Hardhead. Grimlock, Alpha Trion, Beta Maxx, Hot Spot, and now Windblade and Jetfire... there must be some sort of theme going on here."
"Well, I'm not seeing it," Hardhead muttered. "The only think they have in common is that they're Autobots... and have red in their color scheme."
"It must be something beyond that," Nightbeat said. "Perhaps its connected to Alpha Trion; that bot is a total mystery."
"There's tons of rumors about him. Some say he's one of the Knights of Cybertron, others think he's a descendant of the Thirteen."
"Things like that won't do us any good." As soon as he said that, something clicked in Nightbeat's head.
Thirteen. The Fallen. Descendant.
No doubt seeing the smirk creeping up on his face, Hardhead said, "Uh-oh. He's got an idea...."
"I think we should pay Emirate Xaaron a visit."
"...And he's lost me."
* * *
Night had fallen on Crystal City.
Not the Crystal City that had once stood on Cybertron. Sure, it looked the same, with its spotless, magnificent buildings, gleaming in the moonlight... but it was not the one Ginrai had visited frequently on Cybertron. Of course, that Crystal City was long gone.
Sitting next to him on a ledge that overlooked the city, Ginrai's stalwart companion and apprentice Wing Dagger said, "Why don't you trust him?"
Ginrai did not so much as glance at him. "Who? The new guy?"
"His name is Drift," Wing Dagger said. "And he's not really new since he's been with us for nearly seven years."
"I don't see him as one of us," Ginrai said irritably. "He's little more than a hanger-on. And who knows if he's planning on summoning his Decepticon friends here."
Wing Dagger opened his mouth, about ready to retort, when he and Ginrai noticed a flash of light down below. Exchanging glances, the two of them got up and gracefully dropped down from the ledge. Before they could touch ground, Ginrai suddenly felt himself hoisted up in the air by his feet, while Wing Dagger was sent crashing into a building.
As Ginrai was slowly lowered down, his assailant came into view. Tall and heavily armed, the stranger was armored in all-black with strands of flame surrounding his body. His similarly fiery eyes bore into Ginrai's as their faces became level.
"So, this is one of Dai Atlas' apprentices," the stranger murmured. "I am not impressed."
Ginrai glared at him as he struggled to release himself from the invisible hold on him. "Who the Pit are you?"
"I am the Fallen. You are my captive. It's as simple as that."
Ginrai was about to snap at him, as well as struggle against the Fallen's unseen grip, when Crystal City suddenly vanished all around them and was replaced by a dark chamber. He then let out a yell as he was dropped into a capsule of sorts.
"Do not bother struggling," the Fallen said as he moved to close the capsule. "You will never see the light again."
Ginrai let out a series of curses and expletives at his captor but was forever silenced as the lid slammed shut.
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