Chapter 76

76 A Trade

“Yes, I am your master,” Rocke said with a villainous smile of opportunity. “Now, take these two.”

The Cybertron obeyed and turned to us. “Now, say your prayers,” Rocke said with an evil chuckle. Fear paralyzed me, as the Cybertron grabbed us with its metal hands.

Malachi tried to fight back, but it was no use. The Cybertron was too strong.

Then Rocke walked up to us and placed his hand on the Cybertron’s head. “Now, let’s see what this thing can really do,” he said.

Suddenly, the Cybertron brought back his fist and then propelled it forward with all its might.

I could feel the deck boat shaking as the fist made contact.

The impact sent us flying through the air and we hit the water with a loud splash. Then I blacked out.

***

My eyes began to tremble as I began to gain consciousness. I tried to lift my arm, but it felt like lead. I slowly opened my eyes to see a white room with no windows and a single table and chair. Where was I?

.....

I tried to get up but my arms and legs were tied to the chair I was in. Suddenly the door opened and a man walked in.

Rocke.

“Hello, young boy,” he said with a chuckle. “I see you’re finally awake.”

I tried to say something but the gag in my mouth stopped me.

Rocke began to sneer, as he took a seat, making eye contact with me. “Now, now, no need for words. You and your friends have been quite a nuisance.”

I tried to struggle free, but he shook his head. “There’s no point, that is something I called Valence rope, a rope made with the strongest metal in the world. You’re not going anywhere.”

He then stood up and began to pace around the room. “Now I’m well aware that you have your questions and all. And I’ll try to answer them, but in return, you give me some answers.”

“Where are my friends?”

“Whoa slow down, we haven’t even started yet and you’re already trying to advance the conversation. How about we start with an easy question, what’s your name?”

“You should already know.”

“Yes, Connor. I know, I’m being silly with you. But let’s humor each other.”

I sighed and shook my head.

“What are you trying to achieve with this weapon?”

“What weapon?”

“The Cybertron,” he said, his face molding into a serious expression.

I shook my head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You and your team have been snooping around on certain places of the robot’s whereabouts. So don’t play dumb with me, Connor. Now, I’ll ask you again, what are you trying to achieve with this weapon?”

I remained silent.

Rocke let out a sigh. “You know, we have had quite the disagreements. Understandable, but in some way, we can help both of us.”

“Where are my friends?” I hissed at him, trying to break free from my bonds.

“They’re safe, for now. But I need your help, Connor. Help me build this trust, so I can help you find your friends.”

I shook my head. There was no way I could trust him.

But then he said something, “I know where Tisiah is.”

I froze in shock. He couldn’t be serious.

“Help me, Connor. And I’ll help you.”

“How can I trust you?” I muttered.

“You don’t have a choice,” he said, his voice laced with venom.

I had to trust him. I had to, there was no other way. “What do you want with the Cybertron,” he asked.

“You were gonna steal another weapon, there was no way we could let that happen. You already stole the Armonk, now you want another toy,” I said. He nodded thoughtfully as if he was taking in my words.

“And what do you plan to do with this Cybertron?”

“We’ll stop you.”

“Clearly that hasn’t worked so far,” he said with a smirk. “But I admire your tenacity. You and your team are quite the pests. Second question, who are these new agents you’re working with? What happened to that one Nikki girl?”

I shook my head, I wasn’t going to answer his questions. He let out a sigh and walked over to me. “You’ve already started, no need to quit now,” he said in a soft voice. I chuckled, “Better late than never.”

His smirk began to fade away into a frown. He then pulled out a knife and placed it against my throat. “I’m not playing games, Connor.”

Fear froze me in my tracks. I couldn’t move, I could barely breathe. He then pressed the knife harder against my throat. “Don’t try me,” he warned.

I gulped and nodded. I had to answer his questions, there was no other way. He stepped back and walked back to his seat. “Sorry for the lack of communication, let’s continue to the next question. Where’s your brother?”

“My who?”

“Brother, Greg Jimmons. I know he’s been helping you. So, where is he?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You don’t know your friend you go to school with?” Rocke laughed. “You’re a bad liar, Connor.”

“I’m not lying,” I said through gritted teeth.

Rocke sighed. “Here’s one thing you need to learn about liars. When you accuse them of something they did, and they deny it, they seemed to be very heated. If you accused someone of something they didn’t do, and they never did it, they tend to be calm.”

Then he leaned toward the table.

“You seem heated and vulnerable right now, Connor. So, I’ll ask you again. Where’s your brother?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

He sighed. “Well, that’s my end of questions. Now yours.”

I nodded. “Where’s Tisiah?”

He chuckled, “That my friend, I’m not going to answer.”

“But you promised.”

“I lied,” he said simply. “But I’ll give you a hint.”

He then got up from his chair and walked toward me again. “If you ever want to see your friends again, you need to find the Cybertron. Which I’m sure you can’t do, being the state that you’re in.”

He then gave me a final smirk before he walked out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I felt a rush of wanting revenge. He had taken my friends, he had lied to me, and he was going to steal another weapon.

I needed to find the Cybertron, but how would I do it by myself? Maybe it’s in this facility, whatever it was. But what location is this place in?

Then I began to think about it, the way the room felt wavy. The way the room moved was as if it was swaying in the wind. That could only mean one thing, I was on a boat.

A large one perhaps, but a boat nonetheless. This meant that this place was in the middle of the ocean, which

I looked around, trying to see any sort of sign of an escape. But there was none, the room was completely sealed off.

I then heard footsteps coming towards the door. I quickly sat down, thinking it may be Rocke. As the door opened, I saw a regular TSA agent, who was probably coming in to check on me. He was quite stubby, and his beady eyes scanned the room until they saw me.

“Hey, you okay in here?” he asked.

I didn’t say a word. He grunted and walked over to me. He then felt my pulse and looked into my eyes. “You don’t seem too hurt,” he said. “You hit the water hard, but you’re lucky you didn’t hit your head on anything.”

I still said nothing.

He then sighed and walked back towards the door, but then I saw something. His utility belt. If I could click the button and take his wand, I could knock him out and cut myself from these ropes. But they were very strong apparently.

Maybe I could break the chair.

The agent then walked back over to me and said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes, just stay here and rest.” I nodded, and as he turned around, I pushed my leg out and tripped him. He yelped as he fell to the ground, and his head hit the hard floor with a thud.

He was done, but now I need to get his wand. But I was tied up, there was no way I could reach it.

I then had an idea. I scooted my chair over to him and used my foot to push the wand closer to me. I then leaned over as much as I could and used my teeth to grab it.

I then quickly sat straight up and began to move as much as I could. The chair was way too still for its own good, but eventually, I was able to make it budge an inch.

Then two inches.

Then three.

Eventually, I was able to make a complete tip-over, and I fell to the ground with a thud.

But I was free, and now I had the wand.

I quickly got up from the chair, with the wand held tightly in my hands. Now would’ve been a great time to major in a power. I opened the door, seeing a gray hallway with a few doors on either side. I then quickly made my way down the hall, trying each door until I found one that wasn’t locked.

.....

The one on the far left was the last, and I slowly opened it, seeing a small room with a window on the other side. There was a small bed in the corner and a table with a cup.

I’m not sure if this place is a hotel or prison, but I’m getting out of here.

would make it very hard to find.

But I had to try, I had to find my friends and stop Rocke from stealing the Cybertron.

I needed to escape.

But how?