Chapter Text
Depressing.
A word that could be used to describe the cell Megatron was kept in. He had a hundred, or perhaps a thousand, different synonyms that could be employed should he decide to write about this particular event . But, there was no reason to do so. It was not the first time he had been tossed into jail and most likely, it would not be the last. However, unlike the other times he had been to jail, today felt different.
He checked his chronometer and saw it was the middle of the night. Megatron offlined his optics and leaned back against the grimey wall. He supposed this was somewhat better than drilling.
But, of course life could not allow him even twenty minutes of contemplation before being interrupted. Someone came down the hallway, their footsteps sounded like a knell.
“Megatron,” a deep voice came, not sounding like any of the officers who had originally arrested him. “Get up, you’re being released on bail.”
He clambered from the floor of the cell without a word. He couldn't help the surprise and confusion in his face. Megatron had few friends aside from Impactor—who was not going to be getting out any time soon—and certainly none of them had the money for prison bail, let alone cared enough to risk coming downtown to visit him.
He dared to speak up once they began down the hallway. “Who paid for it?”
“Some memory stick. He didn’t give us his name, he’s still waiting at the front desk though.”
This only stirred Megatron’s thoughts further. Disposables earned their rights as citizens a long time ago, but with limited use in a functionist society, they still dwelled among the lower class. Where would someone like that get the money?
Before they could walk out of the confinement area, the officer stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder. He froze up, ready for a struggle.
“I’ve been looking at your file, you know. Compared to the other bystanders that were arrested at Maccadam’s, you’ve been here for twice the amount of time.”
Megatron kept his head forward and scowled. “Just my luck I suppose.”
“Listen,” he said, “I don’t know about you, but I see there’s something going on. Something a few of the bureaucrats are unhappy about." The policebot dug around in his subspace and held out a card.
“If you ever feel you’re being treated…unfair, give me a call.”
The door slid open and the yellow lights of the lounge floated in through the gray doorway. Megatron let the policebot’s offer stew for a second before finally looking over.
“Thank you.” He said and took the card with Orion Pax stamped in bold letters.
Orion let go of Megatron and unceremoniously joined a colleague at a desk who was flipping through a data pad.
When he approached the front doors, a tiny bot sat up and walked with haste towards him. He stood in front of him, trying to hide the perturbation shaking his small frame.
“Hello,” the bot held out a hand, “I’m glad to see you’ve been let out without much trouble.”
Megatron bent over a bit awkwardly took the servo and gently gave it a shake He peeked out of the corners of his optics as if someone was going to tackle him at any instant.
“Are you okay?” The memory stick asked, his hand being shook for longer than necessary.
The larger mech stopped, he sighed stood up again, deciding there was no reason to be so skeptical. At least for now. “Apologies, I’ve been put a bit on edge.”
The other bot nodded with understanding. “It’s fine, but we should really be going.”
“We? That’s quite presumptuous of you, I don’t even know your name.”
“Oh, I'm Rewind! And uh,” the mech tapped his digits together. “I have to keep this discreet. Trust me, it will all be explained soon. My…friend has a job proposition for you. I can assure you it’s less laborous than mining, and it pays better too." Megatron raised a brow at the offer, seeing if he gets any more information. The bot fidgeted.
“Please? Just give me an answer, I don’t want to stick around any longer than I have to.” Which was understandable, the office workers were beginning to stare at their loitering. A mech with extensive empurata modifications walked in and gave him a leer. He continued to watch him as he slowly made his way to the back desks .
He was unnerved. “I suppose I owe it to you, I believe my fate here would have been less than friendly.” Megatron made a gesture. “Lead the way.”
Rewind brightened at the answer, babbling as they walked with some expressions of gratitude, mentioning how well-spoken he was, and how they would all probably get along well, he hoped. Megatron kept quiet, but made sure to pay attention to both his words and their surroundings .
When they approached a high-speed rail, he went to protest, but Rewind ignored him and swiped a pass by the door-check. They walked in nonchalantly. It was then that Megatron realized that the train car was near empty, because it was a weekday, upper-class bots had little reason to be out this late during the week.
They didn’t say anything for a bit, listening to the steady thumps and watching the glittering lights of Iacon stream by. His companion broke the silence first. “It's inconvenient we have to take the track at night to avoid people, but in all honesty I prefer it this way. It’s relaxing without everyone else on it.”
Megatron was not relaxed by any definition, but he had to admit there was a soothing quality to the rhythmic engine of the machine. “I’ve never been on one," he said.
“I didn’t think so, I’ve really only been on it couple times myself.”
What a funny picture they must make, Megatron thought. A miner fresh from jail and a disposable sitting on an inner-city train during the dead of night. He began to wonder how things were doing back at Nova Point. Were the supervisors doing about his absence at roll call? What sort of gossip was spreading about him and Impactor’s disappearance?
Did anybody even notice he was gone?
The high-speed stopped with a gradual pull and a wheeze of steam.
“Why won’t you tell me what we're doing?” He asked as they walked further into the residential districts. He felt at more unease here than he did during his visits to the Kaon slums.
“I’m not supposed to. In case we find out we can’t trust you.” He paused for a second. “Actually, I don’t think I was supposed to tell you that much, either.”
Megatron hummed in response. “You don’t seem to distrust me.”
“My friend is particularly cautious, which is good... But, I’m aware it can also make him a bit paranoid.” They approached a row of large, decadent building. “Besides, I think you’ve got a lot of potential, and that's something we desperately need.”
They entered the gateway of one of the homes. He looked up and saw a sign with decorative letters saying “House of Ambus".
Ah.
This was the home of Dominus Ambus.
The small bot opened the door, looking comically unfit for the house’s size. Megatron walked with hesitance behind him, treating the door like a soft foil. “We’re home!” The bot shouted.
The inside of the house was deceivingly unlike the outside. While the interior was tasteful, it lacked the grandeur that appeared when one approached the building . There was a long table in the center room, most likely for discussing things over energon, but there was nothing on it . There were no pieces such as fantastic crystal chandeliers or statues, things that Megatron had been able to spy through the windows of other parts of the neighborhood.
Despite this, there were a few trinkets placed here and there on side tables. He could guess who was responsible for those.
“Rewind!” A voice came from one of the hallways connected to the center room.
And there he was.
Dominus Ambus took Rewind’s face in a tender hold. “I’m happy to see you’re alright." Rewind gave a cheerful pat to one the hand on his mask and murmured a “you too".
He let go of Rewind’s face quickly as he had taken it and approached Megatron with a sudden change in attitude. His arms were now behind his back and his head lifted, carrying a certain amount of pride.
“Megatron of Tarn,” he said, “I’m Dominus Ambus and thank you for joining my conjunx. I recognize this is an odd arrangement but,” he held a hand out, “you most likely aren’t aware that there are a lot of people watching you .”
He shook his hand, jarred at the situation he was in. Megatron didn’t let it show, and instead went along with whatever game Dominus was playing at. “I was not, nevertheless I am thankful for your assistance.” He let go. “Yet, I have to wonder what your intentions are. For someone so secretive, I'm surprised you're letting me into your home.”
Dominus chuckled. "We have a lot to talk about, Megatron. Why don't you join us for dinner?"