Date: 9/26/2013
STORMBRINGER PART III: A GAME OF SHADOWS
NIGHTBEAT: Another case?
LONGARM: 'Fraid so, Nightbeat. Red Alert's been wary of everyone since the Kimia attack. He wants you to dig deep to find out if there's a snitch within our ranks.
NIGHTBEAT: Right. So, about the Ultirex case--
LONGARM: I'll give that to Stakeout. This is more important.
NIGHTBEAT: All right. Thanks, Longarm (I guess...). Hardhead, it's Nightbeat. We've got a new case.
HARDHEAD: What? Uh, I think you've got the wrong number. If you want Hosehead--
NIGHTBEAT: Hardhead, I'm serious. I need you for this case.
HARDHEAD: *Sigh* Fine... (cut to him walking through traffic, which he had been driving through) Uh, excuse me! Pardon me!
DRIVERS: Hey! Watch it!
HARDHEAD: So sorry...
(Later...)
HARDHEAD: What's new, Nightbeat?
NIGHTBEAT: Longarm - or rather, Red Alert - wants me to find out how the 'Cons found Kimia.
HARDHEAD: Think there's a mole somewhere?
NIGHTBEAT: It's very possible.
HARDHEAD: Maybe we should drop by Kimia and go snoopin'--
NIGHTBEAT: No. If I were a mole, I would've left the crime scene long ago.
HARDHEAD: How about I go to Kimia and find out who's recently visited.
NIGHTBEAT: Good idea. I'll-- uh, Siren?
(Siren has accidentally tossed his hot drink and dumped it on a waiter)
SIREN: Eh, heh-heh.
NIGHTBEAT or HARDHEAD: You're paying this time, y'know.
(Meanwhile, the Trion...)
DOUBLEDEALER: They're on to me... Perhaps it's simply my paranoia, but ever since I blasted that annoying Autobot... *sigh* They've bought my lie of shooting him being an accident, for now. But I think the captain is still wary of me--
SFX: knock knock
DOUBLEDEALER: Come in.
HOT ROD: Hey, Dealer! We're approaching the Ki-Aleta system. Wanna arm yourself?
DEALER: Why, sure, Hot Rod. Do you even need to ask?
HOT ROD: Just thought I should,
(Cybertron, the Dead End)
SIREN: Why are we here again? This place is full of empties!
NIGHTBEAT: Exactly. Empties with information. Hey, Wheezel.
WHEEZEL: Nightbeat?
NIGHTBEAT: We're here for information.
WHEEZEL: Maybe for a beaker of fuel, I could--
NIGHTBEAT: Here.
WHEEZEL: Primus bless your spark! *gulp* Ah... Now then, what do you need?
NIGHTBEAT: There's been a recent attack on Kimia Facility. We have reason to believe the 'Cons have a mole in our ranks. And since Polyhex - including the Dead End - is pretty much a ghost town, I have reason to believe that such a mole would visit here to hide.
WHEEZEL: I see. Well, as it so happens, I have seen a familiar face appear here every so often.
NIGHTBEAT: Who?
WHEEZEL: Mudflap.
(Meanwhile, Kimia Facility)
DOWNSHIFT: Recent arrivals, eh? Well, not long before the attack, we were paid a visit by the Trion - Kup's ship - but Kup always makes sure each of his passengers is trustworthy. Before that, Jetfire and the Technobots dropped by. But same thing there.
TRIPWIRE: If you ask me, I think it's that Rewind guy. He's always got that camera--
DOWNSHIFT: No one's asking you, Tripwire.
HARDHEAD: Well, thanks anyway, Downshift. I'll go see if Nightbeat's found anything.
REWIND: Psst! Hey!
HARDHEAD: Eh? Rewind?
REWIND: Yeah, that's me. I have to show you something. I tried telling Downshift but he didn't believe me.
HARDHEAD: This better be worth my time.
REWIND: Okay, this is where Dealer accidentally shot Swerve. Now, watch... (He projects a video of Dealer clearly deliberately shooting Swerve) That doesn't look like an accident to me...
HARDHEAD: Wait, you filmed Swerve getting shot?
REWIND: Y-yeah...
HARDHEAD: And you didn't try to tell anyone?
REWIND: Well... no one likes Swerve.
HARDHEAD: ...All right, I'll give you that. Thanks, Rewind. I'll go tell Nightbeat.
(Cybertron...)
NIGHTBEAT: Mudflap! Open up!
MUDFLAP: Gee, Nightbeat. Could you get any louder?
NIGHTBEAT: (points to Siren) Trust me, I have far worse with me.
MUDFLAP: ... You're an eeevil cop. So! How can I help ya'?
NIGHTBEAT: Wheezel said that he saw you in the Dead End.
MUDFLAP: Who?
NIGHTBEAT: Wheezel.
MUDFLAP: Where?
NIGHTBEAT: The Dead End.
MUDFLAP: Where's that?
NIGHTBEAT: Polyhex.
MUDFLAP: Which is near?
NIGHTBEAT: Iacon and Nova Cronum.
MUDFLAP: Ah. Never been there in my life.
(Beat)
SIREN: Maybe we should've asked Wheezel to draw a picture.
(Later...)
NIGHTBEAT: What have you found out, Hardhead?
HARDHEAD: I believe the spy is Dealer.
NIGHTBEAT: Why?
HARDHEAD: Rewind showed me footage of him shooting Swerve.
SIREN: Uh... I'm pretty sure anyone would do that.
HARDHEAD: Yeah, well, it's all we have to go on, so there!
(Around the corner, a bot looking like Cybertron Mudflap throws a grenade at them)
SFX: Clik! Tik-tik-tik-tik
HARDHEAD: I don't like the sound of that. Get away!
NIGHTBEAT: What about--
SFX: SPOOM!
SIREN: Wow.
HARDHEAD: Got our "Mudflap."
(Cybertron Intel H.Q...)
NIGHTBEAT: Now are you gonna talk or what?
LANDSLIDE: My name is Landslide.
NIGHTBEAT: Progress. Are you a Decepticon?
LANDSLIDE: What does my badge tell you?
NIGHTBEAT: Right. Do you have anything to do with the Kimia attack?
LANDSLIDE: Not directly.
NIGHTBEAT: How so?
LANDSLIDE: I work for the Decepticon Secret Service. I was tasked with covering for Dealer by acting as a link for him and by framing Mudflap.
NIGHTBEAT: Why did the 'Cons capture Perceptor?
LANDSLIDE: Banzai-Tron's plan.
NIGHTBEAT: Which is?
LANDSLIDE: To bring back Thunderwing.
NIGHTBEAT: One last question: Why are you willingly telling us this? And why are you smiling?
LANDSLIDE: 'Cause you're gonna die. (He deploys a gun and fires. Nightbeat dodges and it bounces off Hardhead, who deploys a chest cannon and shoot Landslide) Huh?! Oof!
NIGHTBEAT: Lock him up, will ya?
HARDHEAD: Sure thing.
(Elite Guard H.Q....)
ULTRA MAGNUS: Get a message out to the Trion! Kup must know about the spy!
PLAYBACK: Trion isn't responding, sir!
ULTRA MAGNUS: Then we must already be too late.
[Note: Playback was not named when I made this comic; retroactively applying the name per AVP]
CHARACTERS
Autobots: Downshift, Hardhead, Hot Rod, Kup, Longarm, Mudflap, Nightbeat, Playback, Rewind, Siren, Swerve (recording), Tripwire, Ultra Magnus
Decepticons: Doubledealer, Landslide
Others: Wheezel
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