Of Bounty Hunters and Assassins

The Jump Joint. There's a line about wretched hives, scum and villainy in here somewhere.

The place is obviously a dive bar; no one can afford to make it nice - but it is very durable, and the furniture is almost all bolted to the floor to prevent it from being used in the repeated bar fights here. The lighting is all red against dull metallic gray walls, floor and bars, and there are scorch marks and dents in the walls from scuffles. Rust has gathered in corners and is often tracked in, along with rocks and other debris from the boots of the miners that live in the area. The place looks rough, and the clientelle looks even rougher. You can get low-grade energon in here, mixed with everything from illegal additives to industrial chemicals that you probably shouldn't be ingesting if you care about your health.

Decepticon banners have been hung on the walls in places, a strong indicator of the feelings of the local populace.

It's late. Or perhaps one might call it early, since at places like the Jump Joint, the larger crowds usually arrive a little after the regular work cycle has ended, and stay until it gets too rowdy.

But this is a time at which the Jump Joint is rather dark and empty. There are a few lowlifes sitting at the bar, talking in hushed tones. They look like they might have taken a circuit speeder trip not too long ago. In the far corner of the room an Empty has curled up miserably, trying to rest. And in the far booth in the very back of the bar where little light is permitted--a silhouette of a mysterious mech can be seen, cleaning a weapon of choice.

Barely glancing at the few others in the bar, Lockdown shrugs as he stops by the bar to order a drink, idly pointing to where it should be delivered. He finally makes his way to the booth, shaking his head at the Empty but saying nothing to it. For now his attention fully going to mech in the booth as he says, "Nice choice of gear you got."

The other mech doesn't say anything for a moment. He just continues cleaning his weapon quietly. Then, his red optics spare Lockdown a brief look. "... you like it?" He stands up, subspacing the tools he had been using to clean the gun just now, and steps out into the light, casually swinging his weapon to and fro as he heads towards the bar.

"I'll take whatever's on the house," Drift says to the somewhat unnerved bartender.

Lockdown may be surprised at the weapon he's carrying. It isn't a toy, for certain. In fact, it's probably one of the fancier laser rifles Cybertron has to offer and probably has only ever been seen being carried by an Autobot. The long barrel is furnished with an expensive silencer, and its gleaming energy cell sheds light on the bar countertop.

Lockdown smirks as he studies the piece, "Yeah especially since its a rare piece. Usually only carried by the Autobots since they formed. Not something you can easily aquire, so it is impressive." Looking from the rifle as he now studies the mech while taking short pull of his drink once its delivered. Once satisfied he says, "So unless I'm wrong, you should be Drift. Got to say even from what little I heard, I'm impressed."

The mech smirks back at him as the bartender quickly delivers his drink. He takes a sip, then tosses the gun to Lockdown. "Well, then. Rent to own. I'll charge you 3,000 shanix for you to keep that thing for our entire.. gig. And if you like it enough after everything's over, then I'll let you buy it." Drift gives him a devilish look. "Pft. Don't be. I'm just like every other guy in Cybertron, just trying to survive." He turns to Lockdown. "So.. let's talk business. I assume you've already met the IAA's little puppet."

Lockdown catches the gun and studies it a moment doesn't even to seem to barter as he nods, "Theres a deal I can accept." He doesn't give Drift the shanix immediately as he chuckles, "Yeah we all have to do what we can to survive." Glancing to the bartender who quickly catches the hint and walks away as the bounty hunter adds, "While I have."

Drift gives Lockdown a devious half smile. "Now, there's a good mech," he says half sarcastically. He smirks at the bartender who is quickly making himself scarce. "Heh, most mechs in high caste have no struts to speak of," he says, sounding amused. "Anyway. I got dibs on the Autobots, if you don't mind." He stands up. "Let's.. take a walk. I want to--get to know you a little bit, and maybe show you something." He winks, and heads for the nearest exit.

Getting up Lockdown nods, "That is certainly something we can agree with." Barely glancing at the others as he follows Drift, the smirk still on his face as he adds, "While as long as I'm getting paid, doesn't matter who puts them offline. If nothing gets in the way of that we won't have any trouble. But I trust you understand that.”

"Ha! I like you, already." He grins darkly at the other as they head out of the bar and into an obscure alleyway across the street. "One thing you should know about me--I don't run into obstacles. They either stay out of my way--or, I obliterate them." He smirks, stopping in front of a cellar door next to an abandoned, run down building. After entering the passcode on a keypad on the wall, the rusty door slides open. Drift motions for Lockdown to enter. "Ladies first," he says derisively.

Narrowing his optics Lockdown just stands there staring at Drift, "Ok you got the right attitude but don't push it." He continues to stand before actually laughing as he adds, "While wouldn't it be better for you to go first then." Right now he tests for Drifts reaction as the doors wide open.

Drift scowls, but there's a hint of amusement in his optics. "Says you," he replies, giving Lockdown a dirty look. He makes like he's going to enter first anyway, but at the last second, shoves Lockdown forwards towards the entryway. If Lockdown does indeed fall in through the open cellar door, he will find himself sliding down a windy tunnel slide that drops him into a dimly lit room far underground.

Lockdown frowns as he's pushed in but seems more focused on keeping his bearings as he's suddenly sent sliding down a tunnel. Bracing himself for the landing at the end he quickly looks around at his surroundings, the twin barreled blaster on his left arm deploying. Though for the moment he doesn't raise as he checks his surroundings.

Lockdown will hear laughter in the tunnel behind him, as Drift leaps into the cellar entry right after him. When reaches the end of the tunnel, he jumps out nimbly, but only to realize Lockdown is still standing directly in front of the tunnel exit. He slams into the other mech and collapses on top of him. "Ngh," he grunts grumpily, "don't stand in front of the exit, you dumb aft," he grumbles.

The room is pretty much empty except for a large military transport in the back of the room. There's an Autobot emblem on the front, but it's been scratched out and the front window is slightly cracked.

Lockdown scowls as he looks at Drift, "Just keep pushing it and we'll see how long this partnership lasts." He pushes himself up not caring if he knocks the other mech back down as he does. Especially since his mood has started to turn heated like molten slag. Though its proven not to be at a critical temp as his weapon folds back into his arm.

In fact for the moment he seems more focused on the transport sitting in the back of the room. Optics studying it along with anything else nearby saying, "Personally I don't enjoy such little tricks. But maybe I'll let it slide, as long as you don't pull anything else. And we actually get down to business.”

Drift recovers himself, his red optics glittering with irritation, but he says nothing. He walks over to the military transport. "As you can tell, this is a security transport I stole from a squadron of Autobots who were assigned to assassinate me. Obviously, they didn't succeed. And it has served me well--" He unlocks the back of the transport and flings wide open the back doors, revealing an entire repertoire of exquisite and lethal weaponry either only carried by the Autobots or sold exclusively for more than any mech could afford on the black arms market. "It gets me from point A to point B and can carry all of my.. toys." He smirks. "It also has a tracker and navigation system that allows me to find almost any target I've been assigned to. We will be using this to locate ours.”

"Heh, this certainly makes up for that little stunt, well a little bit.", is all Lockdown says as he looks at all the gear. In his processor he makes note of all this, wondering just how well connected is this mech. He doesn't voice the question out loud as he smirks saying, "Gotta know who your supplier is besides the bots. But that can be discussed at a different time. Right now all I'm seeing is the means to get the job done quick and without much mess. Unless some other fool steps in. But then thats something not to worry about." His smirk turns to a evil grin as he adds, "So what are we waiting for?"

Drift gives him an annoyed look. "/Make up/? Please. I do whatever the hell I want." He just shrugs. "I don't really have one. It really doesn't matter all that much to me. When I off members of the high caste, I take their stuff. And their 'stuff' gets me a lot of shanix. And wherever shanix is, that's where the arms dealers are running to. Before I started in ...this business, I didn't have a credit to my name. But now I do, so I might as well spend on it on my .. profession. They're just tools for getting the job done." His optics narrow. "I don't kill for pleasure. Everyone who dies by my hand deserves it," he says bitterly, "and there are so many more who still haven't gotten what they deserve. The day the Senate falls and the caste system collapses, I will sell my weapons and take up a more peaceful lifestyle. But until then, I will give justice as I see fit." He walks over to a console and starts entering search commands. "Nothing. The tracking system is locating our targets.”

Lockdown ignores the look as he glances at the toys once more, "Everyone has a reason for doing things. Mine you'll probably figure it in time. But I can agree that the senate is a problem and never did care about the caste system." Turning his full attention on Drift as the other mecha works on the console he adds, "Though unlike you I'd probably just get a ship and leave this planet. Course all that will depend on what happens when both of those things finally do fall."

He steps back from the console, letting the computer do its work. "..." Drift doesn't say anything for a moment. "Heh. I might do the same. But leaving this hellhole isn't exactly that easy." He folds his arms, his expression pensive. Then he glances over at Lockdown. "Where are you from, anyway?"

"You’re right especially since no one has left since the last Ark in so long," Lockdown replies, his optics focused on Drifts. He is silent for a moment before saying, "No where important really. Least not that I care to remember. For now I call Kaon my home, but probably head to another town if things really heat up. Though the conflict would just bring in more work. But could also be a waste of energon."

"...." His expression darkens, and the console beeps. He steps over to it again, attending the computer. "Kaon is a pit of slag," he says bitterly, but offers no more than that on the subject. Stepping away from the console once more, he walks over to a metal case and opens it, loading an assault rifle with ammunition and subspacing a few foreign looking grenades. "The tracker is triangulating a specified area for each of our targets. Once it's finished, we should head towards Iacon. Two of our targets triangulated areas will fall near there."

"Which is what the senate turned it into." is all Lockdown says on the subject, though in his processor he does admit to himself its a good place to be when you don't want to be easily found except on business. For now he just nods as the other mech lays out his thoughts just as he would. Finally he breaks his silence as he studies the rifle Drift gave him earlier, setting it aside before reaching behind him as a few hidden panels shift on his back. Glancing behind himself as he pulls out what some would recognize as a customized sniper rifle, which he makes a few adjustments to while saying, "Right. Hopefully we won't have to worry bout any witnesses, though cleanup is authorized if necessary."

Drift's optics narrow. "Damn 'clean up authorization.' If we need to wipe out witnesses, we should. Like I said before, I do whatever the hell I want. I don't need permission to do anything." He swipes a high powered laser cannon from a berth next to the computer console and holsters it. Then he heads for the cockpit of the transport, motioning with his helm for Lockdown to follow. "Let's get going already."

Lockdown stows his sniper rifle along with the other weapon given to him earlier and just nods, idly checking his other gear as he follows Drift into the cockpit.

The transport's engines fire up and soon, they're rocketing up a tunnel that leads to a construction site near a main highway. Drift remains silent, his optics glued to the expanse in front of the transport, his expression hard. After a while, he finally speaks up. "By the way, the rental includes free ammunition. Of any sort. So if you'd like, help yourself to whatever. I have plenty."

"I'll just have to take you up on that,” is all Lockdown says as he watches the flight for a few minutes. Waiting till the flight seems stable enough before going back to stock up on munitions, Lockdown says, "Just be sure to tell me when we get close enough and I'll make sure we both get what we want."

"I don't need any favors," Drift interjects brusquely. "Save yourself the trouble. I like getting my own ammo, anyway." There is a heavy pause. "...thank you, though," he says very reluctantly. And then the transport heaves upward, merging into the air traffic heading towards Iacon.