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"Megatron?
The exhausted gladiator looked up to see Lugnut walking towards him with a concerned look on his face. That wasn't good. It either meant the gladiator heads were not happy about his fighting or something worse was going on.
"What is it?"
"...There's... someone who wishes to speak to you."
"If the fighting bosses have a problem with what I do, they can come in here and tell me themselves."
"...Sir... they cannot be seen by anyone else."
Megatron paused for a moment. Someone who could not be seen? That didn't sound good. If could be a potential ally who needed to keep their known associates with an underground revolutionist gladiator secret. Or it could be someone hoping to put said revolutionist six feet under.
"...Where are they?"
"Shockwave is speaking with her out in the back area."
"Her?" Something made his blood turn cold.
"Y-Yes sir."
Megatron thought it over for a moment before putting down the bandage he had in his hands to stand up. "Return to guarding the front. I'll send Shockwave back to assist, but no matter what, do not let any other visitors know I am in the back with another guest."
"Understood sir."
Quickly grabbing a shirt, Megatron rushed out the back to the small storage area behind his quarters. He saw Shockwave first, kneeling on the ground with someone who seemed to be hidden behind some old props of some kind.
Then he heard sniffling.
"Shockwave."
The other turned with a serious look in his eyes. "Lord Megatron-"
"What happened?"
"I'm not sure. Lugnut found her first." Shockwave turned back to rub the woman's shoulder, "He believes she slipped in through some old service route."
"Why is she here?!"
"...She hasn't said anything sir. She just keeps asking for you."
Megatron nodded in grim understanding. "Go back and keep watch with Lugnut."
"Should I get Bombrush?"
"Yes... that may be the best course of action. Quickly, before he leaves to return to his estate for the night."
"Of course, sir."
Megatron took Shockwave's place as the other headed back. "Eclipse?"
"M-M-Megatron..."
"What are you doing here?" He wasn't one to be comforting, but something was wrong and he had to figure out what it was before someone came looking. "It's dangerous to be here by yourself."
"I-I know... b-but I was scared."
"Scared?"
"M-My father... H-He's...."
"Eclipse.... Eclipse, take a deep breath." He leaned in to push her matted hair out of her face, "What did you father do?"
"He... He's arranged... I-I am to be married next month to Senator Nemesis Prime."
That made Megatron's eyes go wide. Nemesis Prime? Had her father lost his mind or something? Didn't he know what kind of madman that senator was?
Everyone had heard the rumors of what happened at the man's home. No one was sure how he had become a Senator, only that he had taken up his patron's empty seat after the man had died. And no one could dispute the other rumors that had been heard about the household with Nemesis Prime in it.
Missing servants, slaves disappearing, marks on the ones that he returned... the rumors when on and on.
What was Eclipse's father thinking? Giving his only child and heir to this madman? Did he really think the man would care for her? No, once the marriage and ties were sealed he could do anything he wanted with her as long as she didn't die.
Megatron knew that being alive wasn't always the best option. There were things out there that were worse than death.
"...Why?"
"W-Wh-?"
"Surely your father knows what sort of monster that Senator is?"
"I-I don't know... H-He said that it wasn't his first option."
"First option?"
"S-Something in the Senate. H-He had come back from the Senate before he had me come to his study to tell me."
"You think someone in the Senate put him up to this?"
"I-I don't know, but I know that there had been a few marriage options he had been considering... And for him to just suddenly pick Senator Nemesis after that long Senate meeting…"
Megatron frowned as he brought her into his embrace, holding her to his shoulder as she sniffled harder into his loose tunic.
This didn't make any sense. Eclipse's father may have been a bit of a fool, but he wasn't that stupid. Even the raving madmen out in the streets knew of Nemesis's brutality and sadistic tendencies, even if none of it could actually be proven.
"Did your father tell you anything else other than the arranged marriage and date?" Megatron slowly picked her up and carried her inside to his quarters.
"N-No... I-I was just... Father said the marriage had been arranged and all. He let me go to bed to give me some time to let it in. I-I think he may be planning on telling me more of the details tomorrow morning. O-Or maybe the day after."
"And that's when you snuck out?"
"A-After the servants helped me get ready for bed, I left when no one was looking. I-I had asked not to be disturbed tonight. I-I don't think they'll notice I'm gone for some hours if not morning."
That didn't leave him much time to figure this whole mess out. There was no way he was going to let Nemesis come anywhere near Eclipse. But if she suddenly disappeared, everyone would be looking for her. She was the only living child of her father and the intended of a powerful and corrupted Senator Nemesis. They would look everywhere for her.
She could not stay here... but sending her back might be the nail in her coffin.
Sitting in the chair he had been on before, Megatron let Eclipse cry into his shoulder as he kissed her hair and rubbed her arms.
A knock interrupted the tense silence. "Megatron?"
"We're in here. Bring Bombrush in."
Shockwave opened the door, pausing only at the sight of the inconsolable Eclipse before letting Bombrush walk in past him.
"Eclipse? Primus, what is she doing here?"
"She's getting married to Nemesis."
"...What?"
Megatron pulled his lips away from Eclipse's matted hair to look up at the senator. "Eclipse's father just told her this evening that she is to be married to Senator Nemesis Prime in a month."
Bombrush's eyes widened in horror before recognition fell into place. "...Right... I had heard Nemesis mention during one of the Senate meetings that he was looking for a wife. That he... needed children."
"Heirs."
"Yes."
"You knew he was looking for a wife."
"I had only heard him mention it three days ago and once jokingly weeks before. I didn't know he was seriously looking for a wife."
"And now he's set to marry Eclipse in a month."
"I swear, I didn't see Nemesis go anywhere near her father."
"Her father just signed her death sentence-"
"Megatron, please-" Bombrush sat down in the chair across from them, Shockwave only moving slightly before he resumed his position at the closed door, "I've had my men watching Nemesis for months. We know he's planning on seizing power in the Senate, but nothing about marrying Eclipse."
"How the hell could your men have missed this?"
Bombrush pushed his hand through his hair as he slumped back in his seat. "I... I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know? Her father suddenly came back from today's Senate meeting ready to throw his daughter to that bastard and you're telling me you don't know how that happened?"
"It... It's possible..." Bombrush bit his thumbnail as he looked out to the wall in the direction of the Senate house, "Shit, if my men were too busy watching Nemesis... he may have suspected someone was watching him."
"You didn't do anything because you thought he was catching on to you?"
"I didn't say that. And everyone knows that the Senate is full of people watching. I have to deal with at least three other Senators who have people watching me along with Nemesis's."
"What does this have to do with Eclipse's fath-"
"That's what I was trying to get to Megatron!" Slumping back in his chair, Bombrush ran a hand over his face. "If he knew someone was watching, he may have had some of the lesser senators under his thumb convince Eclipse's father of the marriage."
"But that doesn't make any sense!" Megatron was barely holding it together; Eclipse's form in his arms the only thing stopping him from jumping up to flip the table in anger.
"You and your men don't know how marriage works with us Senators. But what I can tell you is that it isn't unusual for Senators to negotiate the marriage of other's children in order to establish alliances and such."
"But... What the fuck?"
"Megatron, trust me. It's complicated," Bombrush leaned back onto the table, "But Nemesis is making some serious moves. He's probably planning to seize control of the Senate soon."
"But... Why Eclipse? Why her father?"
"Remember how her father is fairly close with the current leader of the Senate? Not close, but enough that he does get invited to a few banquets here and there?"
"...Shit..." Eclipse sniffled in his arms as he turned to sooth her again.
"Eclipse's father doesn't have that much power in the Senate compared to the big shots, but he does have a bit of power over the ones at the bottom of the rung. The man is friends with most of the younger ones or the older ones who don't have much power in the Senate."
"The unseen minority?"
"That's one way to put it. With Eclipse as his wife to cement an alliance with her father, Nemesis would have a good number of senators who could help him overthrow the current leader."
"Would Eclipse's father even let him do that?"
"If the Senators on Nemesis's payroll could convince her father to agree to this marriage, I doubt he could stand up the man himself. And you know what Nemesis does to those under him who question him."
Megatron didn't need reminders. He had seen the poor man's body. Nothing he had seen in the Pits could have prepared him for that.
"If he gets Eclipse's father under his iron fist, the other lower ranked Senators will have to fall in with him to survive. That and if he manages to get a few more supporters with the big shots in the Senate..."
"He can finally overthrow the Senate."
Megatron and Bombrush were silent as they let the revelation seep in. Eclipse was oddly quiet as well, her sniffles having fallen to muted levels.
"If he marries Eclipse, then he would probably make his move soon after," Bombrush murmured.
"Would he risk everything so soon? Is he even prepared?"
Bombrush tapped his finger against his chin. "It's hard to say... To pull such a move after securing Eclipse's father and those other senators. Unless he's that confident of securing a few of the big shots before next month."
"You said before he was..." Megatron's voice faltered.
"I did," Bombrush knew what he meant. Men like Nemesis would only have wives for the purpose of legal heirs. The thought had crossed his mind that perhaps Nemesis was only marrying Eclipse to secure her father's alliance and the others for the takeover, but it wouldn't make sense for such a short-term deal.
No, the only way it made sense was that he needed something to keep their support. Nemesis could take over the Senate easily with manpower, but he needed something else to keep it in his hands without descending the whole state into war and anarchy. Something like a legit marriage with a child from such a union.
Bombrush did not want to admit it, but it was the best move Nemesis could pull and the easiest. Marry Eclipse, make sure she had his heir (or heirs, he shivered at the thought) and have the marriage’s legitimacy secure was the best hand to play to overthrow the Senate and keep his place as ruler of the state.
Even if Nemesis didn't plan on keeping his wife around past the takeover, there was no telling what he would do to her in the meantime before he no longer needed her. And with Shockwave's spies and rumor around the marketplace, Bombrush could only image Eclipse's last few weeks would be like. And that was if Nemesis didn't plan on keeping her long term. He didn't want to image Eclipse living with such a monster for that long.
"There has to be something..."
Bombrush looked up at Megatron, who was pressing himself tight against his lover as if to merge them together. "To stop the marriage or delay it?"
"There must be someone else... or her father could say no, but then-"
"Eclipse's father has already said yes. Trying to get out of the deal may only put him and Eclipse at risk for retaliation. Even amongst the legal settings of the Senate, trying to go back on an agreed marriage deal without good cause can get your entire life ruined. And with Nemesis involved, it will only be a quicker death sentence."
The gladiator couldn't look at the other. Politics were slimy, disgusting, and dirty. You couldn't fight it with a sword without tearing it all up and having to rebuild it again. He was planning to do that, but having to deal with it on their terms was just frustrating. Surely there had to be some way of getting Eclipse out of this.
"What would be a good cause for the negotiations to be settled without her getting married?"
Bombrush sighed dejectedly. "Death. Megatron, that's literally the one good reason an arranged marriage would be pushed aside. I know Senator Swiftflight had one for one of his younger daughters to the son of a good businessman until she passed away from illness. There was one scandalous arranged marriage that fell through, I think it was Senator Roadblue before he passed away; he had a grandson who was to marry some one-time Senator's daughter before they found out she had been sleeping with some of her father's apprentices. But that was only because he wanted a good wife for his grandson. Someone like Nemesis won't give a shit if Eclipse's loss of virginity is known... it might only make it worse since he could blackmail her father to prevent his reputation being ruined by a daughter who slept with a gladiator."
And from Megatron's expression, he wasn't willing to do that to Eclipse or her father even if there was a chance it could save her life. No, he would take her as his woman once his uprising succeeded, but no one would suspect that they were intimate before he seized power. To the populace, he would merely be solidifying his rule with a Senator's daughter. To the senators, he was establishing relationships and support from those he left alive.
But for Megatron, he would do this to protect his lover from slander and retaliation. Sure, she would have some backlash for being married to an usurper, but it would pass in time once he brought about his law. They may overlook her if they think she had no choice. It would be rough, but he would make it work.
That would only be the case if he stopped this arranged marriage first.
"You're probably already thinking of kidnapping her, aren't you?"
"I already have."
"What?"
"W-What?" Eclipse had pulled herself out of her solemn mood to look up at her lover.
"I am not sending Eclipse back only to be sent to her death by Nemesis's hands. I am keeping her here with me."
Bombrush only narrowed his eyes at his friend while Eclipse tried to find words, "B-But m-my father-! H-he'll be so worried and what if-! What if Nemesis suspects my father or something for my disappearance?!"
"As much as I would endorse you 'rescuing' the princess from a cruel marriage in any other situation Megatron, Eclipse is right. If she disappears now, Nemesis may suspect something and as it is, we still aren't ready for your coup to go through. We need to think this through-!"
"I have. Eclipse stays with me. I'll have Shockwave gather up our allies. I will have Nemesis's head by the end of the month."
"Megatron, you can't-!"
"I will."
Bombrush felt his voice get caught in his throat. He actually had to take a step back to stare at Megatron, who looked ready to rip him in half if he tried to reason with him. Primus, he knew Eclipse was important to him, but... this was insane. They had the necessary man power and enough inside people to take over, but they weren't ready yet! They needed more time for the coup to come fully together! Surely Megatron knew this!
But now Eclipse's life was at risk. Primus only knew when Nemesis would want to marry her. For all they knew, the wedding could be in three days. And if she married that monster... They would never see her again. Bombrush didn't doubt that Nemesis would have her locked up in some windowless room before assaulting her every night until she birthed him an heir. And many of them, he imagined.
He had to wonder if Nemesis knew about Eclipse's relationship to Megatron. That he was doing this all on purpose, that he knew Megatron was plotting against him and was using Eclipse to throw him off his game. He wanted to think this was all just luck on Nemesis's part, but the man wasn't a complete fool. He had plenty of rats under his foot, though they were definitely less loyal to him than Megatron's people were to their cause.
"M-Megatron, pl-please, you can't-!"
"This isn't up for debate, Eclipse... Do not turn this into a legitimate kidnapping.” Megatron turned back to Bombrush with a fierce glare in his eyes, “If I have her go back home, she's dead. Nemesis could very well turn up tomorrow and demand her hand and her father will have no say in stopping it. I take her now and maybe her father won't have to suffer for it."
Bombrush shook his head and pressed his hand to the headache he could feel building. It was a decent plan. If Eclipse ran away after hearing of the marriage, Senator Airstrike might get through it with only some embarrassment. It wasn't unheard of for the daughters of Senators to run away or elope if they were engaged to someone they did not favor. Eclipse's reputation could recover from this is they were successful, but then how would they explain her reappearing after the coup and then marrying Megatron, whom some could see as the Usurper? If people made the connection of her running away to her lover and Megatron taking over so quickly...
"As it is now... Eclipse, you took careful steps to make sure no one noticed you were gone, right?'
Eclipse turned to the Senator as she gripped Megatron's tunic tighter. Nodding once, she let Megatron's hands pull her back to rest on his chest as his fingers began to sooth through her hair.
"She told me before that she had asked the servants to not be disturbed tonight. That was when she snuck out and came here," Megatron added on as he looked to Bombrush, "At a best guess, in a few hours they will find her gone. Best case scenario, they don't know until morning. If we act now, I can get her somewhere safe and as far from here as possible."
"Megatron, just give me a second-"
"Bombrush, time is of the essence here! They'll start looking everywhere for her once her father realizes she's gone and who knows how much manpower Nemesis will put into finding her if he's serious about this marriage!"
"That's the problem, Megatron. If Eclipse goes missing or they think she's ran away, they will look everywhere for her. Nemesis could use that as a pretext to try and snuff us out. We don't know how much information they have about us, but with the right motivation and the wrong rumor getting around, he could take out some of our strongest supporters before you get the chance to even attempt the coup!"
"...Shit." Megatron hadn't thought of that. A foolish insight on his part. Getting Eclipse to safety was important, but if he were to do that, he would have to make sure all of their people were safe and accounted for. He could hide a woman in a few hours with his network, but put security into place to ensure his allies would not be arrested or killed in a city wide search for a 'missing' Senator's daughter? That took months. They didn't have that time, especially not with his plans to take over Rome so close to fruition!
"Forgive me for interrupting, my Lord, but I believe I may have a solution."
Everyone turned to Shockwave as he stepped inside and shut the door behind him.
"Shockwave, I know we don't see eye to eye, but you must at least understand that taking Eclipse now is not the best option-"
"And I agree with you, Sir Bombrush," Shockwave said.
Bombrush found himself lost for words. Shockwave actually agreeing with him? That was something that didn't happen often.
"Bombrush brings up a good point. For Eclipse to suddenly disappear after learning of her arranged marriage will be disastrous for us. A Senator's daughter not wanting her arranged partner is not uncommon, but many of those who run away often run to a lover or even to elope. Time is essential if she is brought back to her father and intended before that happens and as Bombrush said, Nemesis would not hesitate to use that as an a cover while also possibly undermining our own operations. Possibly even claiming to have discovered us while looking for his bride."
"But if we return her back to her father's home, there's no telling if she'll get another chance to escape before her wedding? And what if Nemesis shows up tomorrow to demand they marry that day?"
Shockwave stepped closer to the seated trio as he clasped his hands in front of him, "Correct me if I'm wrong Sir Bombrush, but these sorts of arrangements are not done overnight, are they?"
"... No, not really. Important weddings like this do take time. The celebrations and parties and food and all. And also to give allow time for any negotiations or arrangements between the parties to be made once the marriage takes place."
"Then my lord, we have nothing to worry about. From what I've studied, a month is about the normal time for arranged high profile marriages to happen. And if can guess Nemesis's plans well enough as well as look at his recent activities, we can assume his own takeover is to be happening sooner rather than later."
Megatron glared at Shockwave, "So that just means he's planning to make his big move soon. So what?"
"Senator Nemesis Prime is also a prideful man. Why should we not assume he would turn his own wedding into a big grand show?"
Bombrush blinked. "You think he might do it on his wedding day?"
"It's a perfect opportunity for him. If he makes it an elaborate, majestic, one-of-a-kind wedding, all of Rome, the Senators, and all its important people will be in close proximity. His men would be able to move to secure the takeover and ensure he is named Emperor by the time he completes his marriage to Eclipse. And any enemies he may have could be taken out in such a setting as well."
"Just like the Gladiatorial Finals next month, Megatron. Wasn't that what you had wanted to do as well?"
Megatron growled. It had been a good plan, if risky. Many important people often came to see the Gladiatorial Finals. It was such a big event that like a high-profile wedding, Rome was distracted and too messy for the forces of those in charge to keep track of everything. His initial plan had been to cause an uprising in the Pits, starting by taking all those in the biggest one, the one hosting the Finals, hostage while the other Pits would spread out and secure the rest of Rome while his forces merged together to take over the places of importance, especially the Senate and all of its members.
It was ultimately scrapped. Too many variables were in play for that plan and with the time frame they had to work with, it was considered not a viable plan. But if Nemesis was already planning for his coup to happen next month...
"Before we discuss Megatron's own plans, we must first figure out what to do with Miss Eclipse," Shockwave interrupted Megatron's thoughts, "And I believe I have a solution that could help us and delay Nemesis's plans to give us more time."
"And that is?" Bombrush asked.
"Eclipse returns home tonight before anyone notices she's gone. She continues with her life, perhaps asking or making one or two attempts with her father to try and find her someone more appropriate for her. She won't mention rumors of Nemesis's sadistic tendencies or any talk of him desiring more power. Try to play the angle of not wanting to marry a Senator, live as the simple wife of a business man or general. Even say he's too old for her. But just enough to seem normal without arousing suspicion."
"And that helps her how?"
"Her behavior and questions will appear as normal behavior for a good Senator's daughter. No hint of a lover or anything like a rebellion even which will be of great help later."
Bombrush raised an eyebrow, "So she plays the good daughter who doesn't want to marry the old Senator. And then what?"
"Then sometime after her arranged marriage is announced, we kidnap her."
If someone were to let a drop of water fall, everyone in the room would have been able to hear it hit the floor.
"Are you serious?"
"Shockwave, did you hit your head outside or something?"
"... I am being serious," Shockwave held back the urge to roll his eyes, "Eclipse simply cannot just up and leave. If it seems as though someone took her, she and her father will not be suspected."
"But won't that lead us back to what you had mentioned before?" Bombrush pointed out, "If his bride goes missing, Nemesis will send out his forces to find her and find us instead."
"Not unless we give them reason to look elsewhere."
"... You're seriously not considering-"
"Bombrush, surely you see that it is the only logical conclusion? She must be kidnapped, thus putting her and her father in the clear of sabotaging Nemesis's wedding, but she has to be kidnapped by someone or a group per say that will direct all rescue efforts away from our people."
"How would that help?" Megatron asked, "Nemesis's men will tear them apart and then come after us once they don't find her with them!"
"Not unless we play our hand well. I have men in certain groups that I could call to do the job. Have them burn their bridges or manipulate enough power inside those groups to have them plan it. And once that happens-"
"Plan the kidnapping around that plan," Bombrush quickly caught on.
"Correct. There are many factions out there with similar goals to ours or out for themselves. A Senator's daughter marrying a very powerful Senator like Nemesis who's primed for greatness? The price they could get for ransoming her back?"
"Who would dare risk Nemesis's wrath? I doubt anyone would be willing with all the horrible rumors circulating on what he does to his lackeys and enemies alike?" Megatron, noticing Eclipse had nodding off somewhat, adjusted her in his lap to help her rest a bit. Whatever was to happen next to her, she needed to be rested enough to do so if they figured it out.
"I have a few ideas. And there are some like the Functionalists that have enough of their own resources to do."
"Shockwave's right," Bombrush added, "If the crumbs are laid out just right, we can put Nemesis off our tracks long enough to launch our own rebellion before he gets the chance to."
Megatron didn't have much to argue against. It was a good plan, considering the shit storm they had just been handed to them on a silver platter along with his lover. Though there were a few concerning matters.
"This is all considering his marriage to Eclipse is even essential to his plan," Megatron added in a quiet voice, "For all we know, Eclipse is just a minor detail to gain more support. With all your reasoning, Shockwave, you could argue that Nemesis himself plans to use the Gladiatorial Finals to launch his coup."
"That… is true, Sir. But with how Nemesis Prime has been setting up his pieces, the ones we can see, he cannot do anything without major support from the Senate. He's at the threshold of having complete power to topple the current government and seat himself as emperor of Rome. Eclipse is essential to getting that small majority over the rest of the Senate. That and the forces acquired from the alliance the marriage brings will also be enough if our guesses about Nemesis's forces are correct."
"...It's our best chance of pulling your rebellion off before he does. If Nemesis is scrambling to find Eclipse to secure this final piece he needs to seize power," Bombrush added, "Then the delay will be enough for our men to defeat Nemesis's and the current Senate's forces. Especially if we catch them off-guard."
Megatron bit the inside of his cheek at the thought. It was a bold risk, one that could backfired tremendously as well.
"If this goes into plan, we will have to push up the attack to go during the Gladiatorial Finals and not later."
"Of course, Sir. But we've had the means to do so for a while, just not the opportunity."
"Megatron, we still have time until the Finals. We can get everything ready by then. We just call in a few favors and we'll be good to go on the date."
It could work. There was a good chance it wouldn't, but there was still that possibility. His dream of destroying the system that had fucked his life over who knows how many times and finally be the one in control. He could finally be the one that all would have to bow to.
"...And Eclipse?" None of it would matter if he didn't have Eclipse with him by his side.
"As I said before, we send her home and give them no reason to think she will not be compliant to her father or betrothed. Once I get the right pieces in place, we set up a kidnapping. One of our enemies tries to kidnap her, we kidnap her instead. There will be witnesses of course, probably her father as well. Enough to throw doubt off her father and send Nemesis scrambling to find her in the wrong places. We'll keep her in a safe place until your rebellion succeeds... and in the worst case scenario."
He hadn't thought of an escape plan before he met Eclipse. All of these years of planning would not end in defeat and exile to some barren wasteland. If he could not topple Rome's leaders, he would take them down with him. But now... at this stage of his years-long plan, he wasn't sure if he would be able to attempt the rebellion without being able to flee. But at least he could ensure Eclipse wouldn't have to deal with the consequences of his failure.
They would probably never be able to live a peaceful life in some faraway land. But maybe she could find some peace that was not in the hands of Nemesis or some other power hungry Senator that had their hands on the lover of the failed Gladiator Rebel.
The gladiator stayed silent for a moment as the dozing Eclipse remained in his arms. Shockwave and Bombrush waited patiently, knowing that the man was potentially making the decision that could affect everything they had worked on for so long.
"...Shockwave, do what you need to, but have Eclipse's kidnapping done as soon as possible. I am not risking her being placed into 'protection' or the marriage being moved up."
"Of course, Sir."
"As you're doing that, start setting the final plan in motion. Bombrush, you'll provide help if he needs it. But I want you to start having your contacts arrange and secure safe houses. A lot of people will need to moved around and there are many of us who won't move without escape plans in place."
"Got it." He needed no clarification on having those escape routes. If he could, he would ensure his son was put on one of their most secure routes. But his son would be on the front lines, fighting with Megatron and the others to topple Rome's government. The best he could do was probably get his son's lover out and his grandchild if that were the case.
"For now, go home and get some rest. There will be much to get done over the next few days. And Bombrush?"
"Yes?"
"Eclipse will need to get home quickly before anyone notices she is gone."
"I'll get transport for her. I can probably find her in my litter until we're close enough to let her go home on her own."
"Quickly."
Both men gave a bow to the gladiator before leaving, leaving Megatron with Eclipse who had remained quiet this whole time.
"Eclipse?"
She stirred for a moment. He had thought she had fallen asleep, but she seemed to have been conscious enough to look up at him right away.
"Eclipse? Are you alright?"
"I-I'm am," he could still hear the sniffles in her voice, "I'm just... very tired."
"Did you-?"
"I heard it. I could hear it."
"... I know I should have asked you first, but..." Megatron wasn't sure what to say. He should have asked, but time was quick and Eclipse was an emotional wreck. And while she was smarter than other daughters of the Senate, she was not the best to ask when it came to political scheming and planning a rebellion.
"No... It's okay. You and Shockwave and Senator Bombrush know better. And it might be better for me."
He pulled her closer to him as he stood up.
"Why is that?"
"The less I know about my own kidnapping, the more realistic it'll be when I'm snatched off my litter or whatever elaborate scene Shockwave plans for all the witnesses."
Chuckling, much needed after the past half hour of serious talk, lightened the mood of the room as Eclipse finally pulled herself up to kiss Megatron. He was shocked for a moment before he returned the kiss, but softly. He wish he could keep her here longer to make sure she was comforted, but he had to get Eclipse back home soon. Her father would fret if she was found to have left the house after her marriage announcement. He might increase security to keep her safe or worse, send her away where she wouldn't be able to run away. The last thing he needed was the kidnapping plan to mean nothing if she was sent off to be entrapped in a faraway estate that they couldn't reach.
"...I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"...I don't- I don't know. I know that I could have done nothing to stop the marriage arraignment, but if you have to move things quickly to stop Nemesis Prime and it fails..."
He knew the risk too. But it wasn't as if their long terms plans would have worked either. Nemesis could have done anything other than this and they wouldn't have had a clue until it was probably too late. If there was a silver lining to this nightmare, it was that they now had an advantage over Nemesis Prime. They knew what he was trying to do and like all plans, nothing ever went as planned.
But luckily for Megatron, he knew enough about Nemesis to know that the other would not take kindly to his goal being delayed. If his plan didn't go as he wanted it to, there would be hell to pay. The monster thought he was smarter and better than everyone else. He just couldn't see that he was just a man like all the other cunts in the Senate. He wasn't perfect or above all else.
And while Nemesis would do everything to 'correct' this mistake in his perfect plan, Megatron and his men would be preparing to strike first.
"Don't worry," Megatron assured her, moving a stray strand of hair from her face. "It will be fine, I promise."
She nodded, allowing him to pull her into a gentle embrace. She didn't want to doubt him, but... Everything had suddenly changed. She was now a much more important and delicate factor in the equation. If this failed, he could get caught. Then he and his friends would be executed and she would be alone, forced to marry that awful man and be his wife until she died. They were only doing what was best for the empire, for everyone...
She didn't want to be the reason everything fell apart.
It wasn't long before Bombrush returned to the room. He paused when he saw the young woman hugging the gladiator, her shoulders shaking. He felt bad for her, but he knew nothing could be said to comfort her. "Eclipse. We have to go now."
She nodded, slowly pulling away from her lover as he lowered her feet to the ground. But before she could turn, Megatron leaned down and caught her lips in a tender kiss. Her eyes widened, but quickly kissed back. She didn't know when she would be able to see him again... Or worse, if she would ever be able to kiss him, should this plan fail. Primus, she didn't want to think about it. It was too frightening.
Reluctantly, she pulled away and walked over to Bombrush. Megatron only watched on as Bombrush gently wrapped his arm around her, sparing the gladiator a glance as he put a cloak over Eclipse's head before escorting her out of the room. Once he heard the door close, he huffed and shook his head, moving to sit back down.
Primus, as if he didn't have enough to worry about. His revolution was important, of course, but if Eclipse was at risk, he had to do something. He couldn't just sit back and let that vile bastard hurt his love. Hell, she was one of the reasons why he was organizing a rebellion! He wouldn't allow anyone to take her from him... He would kill them first.
And with Nemesis, it was just what he intended to do.
END