We Run The Streets

Chapter 3

(Trigger warning: minor mention of blood, neck surgery at the end of the chapter)
Radio PoV.

*All throughout the city Decepticon insignias have been vandalized or completely missing. Ranging from small businesses to official government facilities, the seemingly silent attacks left nothing untouched. Kaon City's only sign that something wasn't quite right was the series of flares that went off at random during curfew hours. Chief of Law Barricade arrived early in the morning when the coordinated attack was calming down.*

I roll away from the street news and continued on my way. So Barricade finally made it to Kaon city. Splendid. Although, I doubted his presence alone could deter the spite and persistence of the bots here. To many of us were in to deep to give up. I shook my helm and rolled out of the way of a bot. Midafternoon always seemed to be the worst time to be out and about. Too many bots, too many peds. Have you ever had anyone step on your wheel? It throws you off balance then you're blamed for making them trip. It's a mess. And of course everyone wanted a chance to see the high and mighty officer himself. As twisted as it was, it would be mildly entertaining to see him across the street. Then again, what would come of it? Nothing. That's what. I duck into an alleyway to get out of the crowd and stretch my arms. Last night was a long one. I'm surprised I couldn't recharge.

"Radio?" A voice caught my attention, startling me as I pulled my weapon. A small taser, but it works gorgeously.

"/What/?" I growl as my voice fizzes and throat tightens.

"Ow. Just me." A pale red femme stepped out from her hiding spot. She held her audio from the pain that shot through her helm.

"Cachexy." I let my throat, making me cough. "Hey there. What are you doing out?"

Cachexy frowned and walked over, forcing my chin up so she could better inspect the thread of energon that ran down my chassis.

"I'll have to reset your voice box again." She hummed annoyed. "But Equinox let me know of another hideout that medical supplies. I met up with their attempt at a medic and traded some of our coolant gas for tools."

"Ah. Explains why you're holding a creepy ripped bag?" My voice rasped.

"It is. Now move. You're joining me back to the hideout. Where are the other two?"

"Atlantis found a bot who smuggled weapons from Cybertron's second layer into Kaon. He's hoping he'll recognize a few. Jackal joined him in case something goes south."

Cachexy nodded as we left the alleyway. She held her bag close, eyeing bots that might take it for themselves. Medicare was difficult to find. You either paid a servo and the ped, or let our gracious government decide if your life was worth it and pay nothing. I'd rather go to Cachexy than go through either option. Personal preference and Equinox's request. He'd rather none of his bots got mixed up with that system. Cachexy herself was playing a risky game as well. Getting into the Medicare system as a medic was worse. Rigorous background checks, tests, intense courses, and constant updates and checks into your record. If she was caught with us then her university acceptance would be revoked and she'd be thrown into prison.

"Where did you three go?"

"The lab." I shrugged and answered honestly.

"You're lucky Shockwave didn't catch any of you." Cachexy glared up at me.

I was taller than most, only by a ped or so but still. Taller than average that's for sure.

"How many did you three get?"

I pause to think as we neared our part of the city. "10 give or take?"

"Hm. Any run ins?"

"Not with us. They passed over us several times though."

"Did you go lower into Kaon?"

"Yeah. It's easier to hide down there." I cough to clear my throat.

Cachexy nodded and took a right turn down the sidewalk.

"Here we are Radio. Let's get you to my room." She knocked the code and a different bot let us in.

"Equinox wants to see you. Something came up and he needs you and the other two." The bot pointed to me.

"She'll be over soon JetLag." Cachexy waved him off.

The mech shrugged and went to go let the boss know. I rolled over to Cachexy's room and propped the door open. The bag was big. Depending on what medical supplies she had, we would be covered for the next cycle.

"Sit." She pointed to a banged up berth sue pushed into the corner. "You haven't used your voice modulator in a while have you?"

"No. It's annoying and gets in the way." The static spiked for a moment.

"Well lucky you a better solution is in that bag. They had a circuit board I can use to replace one of the damaged ones you have. Still won't fix your entire voice modulator though." Cachexy rummaged through her desk for something to move the wires of my neck out of her way.

"Lay back, I need to angle my lamp." Cachexy lay out her tools as I do as asked.

"What else were you able to find?" I sigh and wait for her to start.

"Better surgery supplies. I might be able to stray metal out of exposed protoform. Power off your pain receptors, please? Redirect your energon flow as well." She picked up a tiny retractor to move my wires out of the way.

I felt my frame shift involuntarily as I went through my systems and powered those off. The tool was moved down into my neck to move the wires. When those were out of the way, a clamp was used to hold everything in place before Cachexy clicked my voice modulator out of place. By Primus that felt weird. Everything felt loose and disjointed.

"At least you didn't try to drop my frame." Cachexy chuckled.

I smile slightly. Doing that hurt. I risked completely short-circuiting my voice modulator.

Cachexy moved away once the clamps were in place. The new circuit board was placed onto her tray. My old circuit was removed and the new one was welded into place.

"There. That new circuit should last you at least a few uses before it needs resetting again." Cachexy set everything back into place as I power on my nerve and energon lines again. 

I sat up and ran a full diagnostic before smiling. "Thanks. Already feels great."

"Yeah yeah. Don't go using it too soon." She waved me off.

"Don't worry! I'd rather not!" I chuckle and roll out of her room.

Equinox still needed me. Mech did everything he could to ensure our safety. Which usually meant being stuck here at the hideout. 

"Boss?" I knock on his door and rest my arms on my helm.

"The door is open Radio." I heard his voice come through.

"Ya sure Equinox? Looked pretty closed to me." I snort as I open his door myself.

The mech sighed before letting himself laugh. "Yes, that was a poor choice of words. I'm lucky Jackal isn't around."

"He'd have fun with that one." I rest my elbows on his desk to watch what he was doing.

Schematics for more tunnels. It was something one of the hideout leaders in Praxus City recommended.

"That he would. Now then." Equinox leaned back, his winglets flicking as he did so. "Radio, this is Cealix."

I look over to a bot that stepped into the room. He was young. Maybe 17 at the oldest. He seemed nervous but excited, clearly waiting to start speaking himself.

"I need you, Jackal, and Atlantic to take Cealix with you from now on. The mech needs bots to guide him."

My frame tensed. Equinox was kidding. Right?