Predatory

Of the Screaming and the Dead

Nothing of interest happened after that late afternoon. The days that followed had eased me into the routine of my new "team." Nickel had been...interesting to meet. She didn't leave her medbay much, she was working on developing some sort of serum. Tarn had been surprised by this news as though he hadn't been informed on such matters. Though he didn't stop her or say anything. 

I was up early that morning, working on the impossibly large amount of homework Tarn had so graciously granted me, when Kaon and Tesarus entered the kitchen. 

When Kaon is awake and functioning before afternoon, something is up. And knowing Kaon, it'e going to end in either someone's death, or with alcohol. Taking his smirk into account, I would assume it would be both.

"Guess what day it is toDAY!" Kaon exclaimed, throwing his head back and splaying his arms back. 

"Interrogation day?" I say, not sure why this is so exciting.

"Righto!" Kaon said, swinging his arm enthusiastically.

"Hope you aren't squeamish," Tesarus said smiling.

Kaon went happily about fixing himself some spiked hot energon, and Tesarus sat down with me. I sighed internally, being a decent interrogation unit is one thing; but enjoying the job was quite the other. I was honestly indifferent, I had been playing this game for a long while now, and the whole thing had lot it's luster.

I returned to my grueling homework, flipping to the document about the particulars of our interrogation plan. Which was comprised of over 60 chapters, each chapter had at least ten factors, each factor had pages detailing what ought to be done in many editions of the situation. All color coded, neatly arranged and filed in chronological then alphabetical order. Tarn's work of course, no one else I had ever met had the same suffocating sense of organization and neatness. It was sickening.

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I entered the chamber in which the clone was being held with Vos at my right, and Tarn on my left. Kaon, Helex, and Tesarus had entered the cell a few hours ago, to "prime 'im up." I wasn't sure what that meant, but I assumed it was D.J.D. slang for preliminary torture. The kind that sets the prisoner up for a rough day. The Madam had always referred to it as "The Preliminaries." But then again, these were soldiers I was talking about, not a terrifying ballet instructor who taught death like it was an art.

The clone was tied to a chair, not Kaon, just a normal chair. His wrist wiring had been used to tie him to the chair. The same had been done to his ankles. Energon pooled around his chair and dripped from his mouth. His optics were crazed and he was only being held up by the wiring from his wrists. Apart from that he remained slumped over, coughing occasionally in a futile attempt to clear his throat. Poor fool shouldn't have bothered.

"Hello son." Tarn said, his tall figure loomed over the tiny mech in the chair. "I see you've been chatting with my comrades. I hope you've found them agreeable."

The mech moaned a little in response. Tarn said nothing for a few minutes.

"Now I'm not going to drag this out, I have better things to do with my time, and I'm sure you do too. So here's the deal. You tell me what you know. And maybe we can be out of here, and have this put behind us before lunch. Then maybe in five to ten years we can all laugh about it over drinks at a bar." Tarn's voice sounded genuine, though what I didn't understand was why he was acting as if this could end soon. Wasn't the D.J.D.'s endgame the kill?

The mech coughed again, and sputtered, spraying energon across Tarn's paint. He grunted in apology. Tarn didn't appear either phased or offended. But he didn't say anything neither. 

I leaned against a wall, not terribly interested, he wasn't saying anything and gore wasn't exactly my idea of decent entertainment. All it brought was memories of pre-war life. And none of them pleasant. Flamecharge was in all of them, Skyfall in most, Ultraviolet was painfully present, and occasionally Shadowhunter popped in as well. I find it kind of funny that all of the memories I have before the war were either of death, energon or deceit. Perhaps that's why I liked the idea of a Justice division so much. It was justice. Cold. Hard. And simple. Without the limitations of laws and rules.

"I," the mech choked out. He was trying form words, and wasn't succeeding well. "I- don't." He gasped for a vent."kn-knooow...." His head dipped and his optics offlined for a moment. Then they flickered back on and his head flew back up as his system rebooted. No doubt pinging him with a damage report."...any-thhing."

Tarn looked down at the pathetically small mech. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Interesting. However," Tarn began after a long silence. "I think you know something. And either you can tell us now, or you can tell us later. Oh, and don't think that death is an option, not until you tell me what I want to know anyway. So," He glared him in the eye, kneeling to do so. "What was your mission?"

The mech shook his head and looked down. He tried to swallow the energon clogging his throat, but didn't manage it. So instead he spluttered and spat some out on accident. But because he hadn't meant to do it, it clung to his lip plates and stuck together, not really dripping and instead hanging from his mouth in a most disgusting manner. I almost felt sorry for him, almost.

"Hmm, I don't think you're taking this seriously," Tarn said, cocking his head to the side. "I guess we'll have to enlighten you on what the D.J.D. specializes in."

Poor fool didn't know the half of what was about to hit him. But I did, and it was almost pitiable, if he hadn't caused so much trouble, and Cybertron could be on the brink of destruction.

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Hey guys! Swordsandroses here! Sorry about posting late, but I at least wasn't half a week late this time! I almost feel sorry for the clone, do you? Also we found out a little bit more about Kaon this chapter! If you're wondering what I based his character on, it's Tom Haverford from a TV show called Parks and Recreation. I just kind of always thought of Kaon as like, the moody teenager of the team who hates the cold and doesn't do anything unless he is forced to. Don't ask why, I don't honestly know XD. Anywho, I have a ton of school to do, and I need to get started. Ugh. Have a great week! Make good choices. Keep it classy. And God Bless!