As Axel spins in circles, taking in the beautiful sight before him, the extremely bright neon lights kissed his painted face with their mesmerising glow, plastered among all the colossal buildings surrounding him. Still panting heavily, not from the exhaustion of his recent sprint anymore but from his mere excitement exploding within him. Witnessing the multitude of vehicles of all shapes and sizes flying up above at incredible speeds, so fast they were only a blur of light to his eyes. R3D finally catches up to him, rolling up to his feet nudging him to get his attention.

R3D: "Bree Ooop...Oooopppp Bree Ooooooooop"

Axel: "You're right, I should cover my eyes and mouth as well...But don't worry R3..."

Axel then proceeds to rip a piece of his large coat, and reaches into his coat's pocket, pulling out a pair of cracked goggles.

Axel: "I know the longer I stay here, the greater the risk of me being caught, and I don't plan on staying long enough for that to happen. But I had a plan when I decided to come up here even knowing the risks, yes part of me just wanted to see the city I only ever dream about from the stories. But I also knew the possible answer to our problem was up here the moment I laid my eyes upon the sky"

R3D: "Breee Oop?"

Axel: "Getting all that cargo back home a lot sooner"

He says with a huge smile stretched across his illuminated face and his eyes set upon a couple of parked hovercrafts outside of a building crowded with machines.

R3D: "Bree Ooooop"

Axel: "We came this far didn't we? We can do this R3"

He ties the torn cloth around his face, covering his mouth and wraps the cracked goggles around his head and over his eyes. He finally catches his breath and begins walking towards the building.

Axel: "Let's go R3"

***

Just outside of an unknown building, strong winds and heavy loads of rain gallops across the surfaces like the sound of dozens of stallions racing by. Suddenly, ear-piercing gunfire echoes out from the building, accompanied by loud noises of broken glass and wood. "DADADADADADADA!" "BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!" "SMASH!" "CRAAASSSHHH!" A machine comes bursting through the glass window of the building, leaking fluids and riddled with smoking holes.

As its metallic body hits the cold soaked floor outside, the gunfire and commotion cease and the smoke and dust from the chaos begin to clear. Inside laid dozens of other machines scattered around the room, some buried in the floor and others plastered into the walls. But from the darkness, emerges a shadowed figure from the chaos, stepping over the destroyed bodies as they approach a machine who seems to be the store owner behind the counter at the centre of the room.

The rest of the machines in the room all stood by in silence as they watch the figure approach the counter. The store owner then waves its hand in the air, summoning two large and bulky machines from a door at the back of the room. The two giants march their way over behind the figure blocking the exits, standing over the figure with their weapons charged and aimed. Bright blinding lights emit from their weapons, beaming down onto the shadowed figure, casting a spotlight on them.

The figure, wrapped in a black shredded cloak around its body flowing elegantly from the breeze pouring in through the smashed window. metal wiring braided around the cloth on their arm's and waist, with steel guards resting upon the shoulders and strapped around the knees. An iron mask over their face with reflective goggles over their eyes along with a metal helmet on their head.

Store Owner: "Now, don't move another inch of metal and answer my questions immediately or be destroyed on the spot. Either you have some bolts and screws loose or your software needs an update if you think you can come into my shop and cause a scene you useless piece of scrap! What's your registration number? Let me see if you're some wanted rogue I can get some money out of..."

The strange figure proceeds to walk towards the counter,

Store Owner: "You must have some auditory issues too, hold him still let me teach him a lesson"

One of the armed machines behind the figure proceeds to grab the figure's shoulder, and in the blink of an eye, a flash of light comes from under the black cloak of the figure "BLAM!" The large machine falls to the ground with a gaping hole in its skull. "Bzuhzzzzzzzuhzzzzzuhzzzz!" "REEEEEEEEE!" "Vrummmummmmm!" Machines all around the room draw their weapons, charged and ready to blast the figure on the spot

Store Owner: "Everyone lower your weapons... There's only one crazy son of a scrap digger who would pull something like this... Hunt4r Z4r0, the famous bot destroyer... It's you, isn't it?"

The figure walks up to the store owner and leans over with their fist clenched resting on top of the counter.

Hunt4r Z4r0: "The list I asked for a week ago, do you have it?"

Store Owner: "Oh that was you? A little bot did come in here asking for that saying that, the Hunt4r Z4r0 sent him, I didn't believe him of course. But I said just in case there's a chance it doesn't have some corrupted files running around in its head. I will get my hands on that list"

Hunt4r Z4r0: "You talk too much, do you have it or not?"

Store Owner: "Yes I have it, but you did cost me a guard and some clientele that won't be coming back for obvious reasons. So I'll have to charge you extra or at least buy some other things I have here with me..."

Hunt4r Z4r0: "Shut the fuck up and give me what I came for"

Store Owner: "... Here's your list and details of all the wanted rogues from that time frame. Captured, destroyed and still unapprehended to this day... But hey that's one tall order, you sure you don't want to buy some extra guns for all those bots you gonna be hunt..."

Hunt4r Z4r0: "Didn't I pay you enough for this list you stupid chunk of metal? You thought you would just take all that money off that little droid I sent thinking that was your lucky day huh? Bought yourself some expensive bodyguards and some new shiny parts... Now I've heard enough of your shit, fuck off"

"BAM!" The door to the building slams open as another figure stands at the entrance in the pouring rain.

Judy: "Zaine, you finish in there yet or what? Wait... did you cause a scene again? Seriously!"

Zaine: "I didn't do shit, they were like this when I got here"

Judy: "Sure they were..."

Zaine turns around to the store owner and whispers to him,

Zaine: "If this list isn't all that I paid for, I'll be coming back here, and it won't be for a refund...Pleasure doing business with you. Oh and one more thing, stop calling me Hunt... 4 ..r Z4... or whatever the hell you just said, it's Hunter Z"

Zaine storms out of the building, joining up with Judy as Big C pulls up in Old Pearl beside them. And they both board the hovercraft and take off into the stormy sky, filled with raging thunder and violent lighting battling between the dark clouds above.

Zaine: "Judy! Why is every damn bot calling me some stupid shit, like hunt... 4r z4r0?"

Judy: "Well you said to put your name down as Hunter Zero didn't you?"

Zaine: "No I said Hunter Z!"

Judy: "Oh right, I thought that was dumb and not bot like so I put down a serial number that basically spells out Hunter Zero"

Zaine slams his palm against his face in complete disappointment.

Zaine: "Alright, so these are all the rogues that could have been there that night my son was taken. But there's only one machine on here that catches my eye, this one marked as unapprehended and hasn't been seen since, and its last location... was near the city where I lost him"

Judy: "Then that's where we're going, pass me that..."

Zaine hands the list over to Judy,

Judy: "I've been there before, it won't be easy to get information out of the bots running there though. They don't care for no credits cuz they believe the big guy could have control over them if they get uploaded, so they act as the underground brokers for rogues and other machines who like being their own boss"

Zaine: "Good, that just means the only talking I'll have to listen to is the stuff I want to hear"

Judy: "Ok tough guy Haha, Big C we're gonna need you on this one so get your guns ready cuz this is about to be a crazy night!"

***

Meanwhile, back in The Iron City Axel and R3D sneak up to a hovercraft. Axel reaches for the door handle but pauses for a moment.

Axel: "Wait a minute, there's no way they would leave it unlocked or without an alarm in case of theft, especially in this city. So I think we need to get inside and steal some keys"

R3D: "Oop oop"

Axel: "Don't oh no me, gotta be more positive R3 it'll work"

Axel then gets up from the ground and walks very stiffly up to the door as he approaches the guard at the entrance.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Guard: "What's wrong with you bot? You need to oil your joints, you must got some rust in there if you're walking like that"

Axel: "Ahhh.. yes, rust... I'm rusted to my bon... to my wires, it usually smooths out after a few steps. See all good, I'll just be heading in now"

Guard: "Wait! Can't go in unless you give your registration number, it's protocol to avoid any rogues ruining the party"

Axel: "Oh yes yes, my number is...."

Axel looks around quickly, scanning the street outside of the building. his eyes catches something in the distance as he gets an idea and then signals to R3

Axel: " Breee ooOooop"

R3D: "Bree Oop?"

Axel: "Brreeee oooooOOpp"

Guard: "What are you saying bot? You need to go get some repairs and come back"

Axel: "No I'm fine, I just have a few glitches every now and then. But my registration number is!"

Shouting towards R3 as he points behind him towards the machines lingering around on the street

R3D: "OOooooop"

R3D quickly rolls down into the street and scans one of the machines, and rolls back up to Axel.

R3D: "Breee Ooooop Oooop"

Axel: "Fe3300871111"

Guard: "A four one model uh? Funny, you don't look like a four one, but you are an iron made machine, so I guess that explains your rust issues. Alright says here you're all clear to enter. But get those glitches checked out, four one's usual have benefits of routine checks ups so use them"

Axel: "I will, thank you for your concern, Oh and this is my companion droid. R... R2D..2 yeah R2D2"

Guard: "Didn't know there were still droids left in this city... I guess I see where all your credits are going, instead of repairs. Get your priorities in check"

Axel and R3D then enter the building filled with machines, surrounded by bright colour changing lights, flashing sporadically, accompanied by thundering loud sounds booming from huge speakers around the entire room. Dozens of machines, dressed in dazzling gold and silver body parts, some even accessorized with diamonds seem to be dancing erratically.

Axel: "Alright R3, I'm gonna look around and swipe some keys off a machine. You wait by the door for my signal, When I toss the keys over to you, go search for the car the keys belong to while I distract the guard. Got it?"

R3D: "BREEEEE OOOOOP?"

Axel: "I know it's loud in here, but I can't just shout the plan now can I R3?"

R3D: "BREEE OOOP"

Axel: "Alright, you'll pick as we go, you're smart"

Axel walks off into the crowd, disappearing among the metal beings while R3D rolls his way back to the door after he loses sight of Axel. After observing the crowd for a few minutes, Axel notices some things in the room.

There were machines who were dancing and conversing with other machines, the time which they stayed did not seem certain as some came and went as soon as they arrived. Then there were some in what seemed to be important meetings and others who were getting repairs or replacements of body parts or engravings done on the spot. They were sure to be spending more than enough time for him to find the vehicle and make his get away.

The important meetings he witnessed had already begun so there was no telling when they might finish, not to mention he noticed any machines who came too close to the meeting were turned around with violent warnings by the guards surrounding them so stealing the keys off one of those guys would be impossible.

Axel: "So the best option is a machine coming in for replacement, now I just have to swipe the keys right before they sit in the chair"

Axel makes his way over one of the repair chairs, stalking it from the crowd. He watches the door, waiting to see a machine who has just entered come over to the chair. After a while it seemed like no other machines were gonna get any replacements done, all who entered the door were in and out quickly. Axel began to drift asleep awaiting his opportunity when suddenly he jumps out of his sleep to witness a machine coming towards the chair.

Axel: "Scrap! Did he just come in? He's walking from the entrance's direction so he must of! Now's my chance..."

Axel begins to walks toward the machine as he observes every inch of it, trying to pinpoint the keys to the hovercraft, unable to figure out where the keys could possibly be. The machine walks past him and sits in the chair.

Axel: "Dammit, where would a machine put its keys? Wait a min..."

Axel then realizes every machine that got an arm replaced, they all had their previous arm's fingers reattached to the new arm, indicating that the fingers are important for something.

Axel: "Their hands... Their hands are the keys! It must be one finger, but I can't play a guessing game with which finger they use, so I'll have to take the whole hand. Just have to wait for when the repair bot removes the arm and take the hand off to separate the fingers for reattachment"

Axel, patiently waits behind the chair as he slowly steps closer to the desk where the arm is rested for the tear down. The repair bot removes the arm and begins disassembling its bolts and wires of the hand, taking the fingers off immediately. Only pausing for a moment as he shows the machine seated in the chair a selection of new arms.

Axel: "I'm gonna have to be fast, it took all five fingers off this time instead of detaching the entire hand first... I hope R3 is ready..."

Axel rushes over to the desk while they're distracted and grabs all five fingers and makes his way towards the door swiftly. As he begins approaches the door, he hears some commotion coming from the direction of the entrance.

Guard: "What do you mean you are Fe3300871111? A four one with that exact identification entered here already a while ago and you are not him"

Fe3300871111: "What do you mean, I was outside waiting for a friend. Look this is my identification right here!"

Guard: "Let me see that, I'll have this scanned first to make sure it isn't a fake"

Axel: "Scrap! The machine from the street, dammit"

Axel approaches the door quickly while the guard is busy scanning the machine's identification.

Axel: "R3! Take these and help me look for the car they open quickly"

Axel tosses two of the fingers over to R3 and tries to sneak through the door but the guard finishes his scan and spots him. R3D takes off immediately into the street searching for the vehicle.

Guard: "Hey, four one with the rusty joints and a glitch. Stop right there, It seems you gave me the registration number of this other machine, that goes against the protocols"

Fe3300871111: "Imposter!"

Random machine from the crowd: "Where are my fingers?! I said where're my fucking fingers! Get me my fingers or I'll call my people, AND I KNOW PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE GREAT PRIMORDIAL!"

Guard: "I'm gonna need you to calm down or remove yourself from the building immediately. What fingers?"

Axel quickly dashes outside amidst the chaos, heading towards the row of vehicles.

Fe3300871111: "That imposter is getting away, it's probably a rogue too!"

Guard: "All security come to the front of the building immediately, we have a runner of false identification and possibly theft of parts"

Axel swiftly presses the three fingers he has in his position against each vehicle he comes across, checking door by door with extreme haste. Sweating profusely from the intense dilemma he has found himself in.

Axel: '"I hope R3 is checking vehicles too with the other two... Maybe one of those is the key"

Fumbling from the anxiety and sweaty palms, he drops one of the fingers as he is checking the door. As he drops to the ground to pick it up he notices the feet of armed machines stomping towards him.

Guard: "Come out rogue! We know you are here somewhere... Begin a scan"

Axel: "Scrap..."

R3D: "BREEEEEEE OOOOOOOOOOP!"

Guard: "What was that?! Wait, I recall hearing that sound before. It's the rogue's glitch. Check over there"

Axel: "That's R3... He found it?"

Axel still laying on the ground, peeps his head up to see if he can see where R3 is currently.

R3D: "BREEEEE OOOOP!"

Axel: "Yes! He did!"

Axel quickly sprints towards the origin of R3D last scream.

Random machine: I don't care if you give me this arm for free, I have valuable information, saved credits and important tech in those fingers! Including the keys to my car... MY CAR! THAT'S MY CAR!"

The machine shouts from the entrance as it witnesses R3D standing at the side of the vehicle with the door wide open and Axel running up to it.

Axel: "Good job R3! Let's get out of here!"

Axel Leaps into the vehicle, grabbing R3D from off the ground outside and putting him in the passenger seat. The guards behind them approaching.

Axel: "The key r3, give it to me"

R3D jams the finger into the ignition and screams,

R3D: "BREEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Axel: "Alright I'm going!"

The two lift off the ground hazardously, crashing into nearby vehicles and knocking some of the guards over.

Guard: "Shoot it down!"

Random machine: "No! Don't shoot my ride!"

"REEEEEEEEEE PEW! PEW! PEW!"

Axel spinning out of control manages to dodge the oncoming fire, he begins to press every button within the vehicle in hopes of flying away faster.

Axel: "How do you fly this thing?!"

R3D: "BREEEEE OOOOOPPPP"

Axel: "Of course I thought of that before, but I thought it wouldn't be too complicated"

He then accidentally hits the thrusters on the vehicle, turning the dial all the way to max overdrive. They then blast off into the air, setting the ground ablaze beneath them from the huge explosion of fire and thrust from the vehicle.

Axel & R3D: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! BREEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The two of them launching themselves high into the sky, emerge through the thick clouds. Axel reaches for the thrusters and lowers the intensity, slowing down the vehicle.

Axel: "Wow... This is amazing! I have never seen it this high up before"

Axel looks at the beautiful night sky, decorated with the countless alluring stars and the mesmerising moon reflecting light onto the top of the fluffy clouds laid out in front of them.

Axel: "Amazing... Alright, we got away. Let's quickly head back to scrappy. Grab the stuff, load it up and hit the sky again for home. We can't stick around"

R3D: "Bree Oooop"

***

"DADADADADADADA!" "BUDDDA BUDDA BUDDA!" "PSSSHEWWW! PSSSSHEWWW!" "BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!" "BOOM!" "KKRRAAAKKKKKKKKKKKK" "DADADADADADADADAA!" Unrelenting gunfire, blasts and explosions shake the core of an underground base. Machines destroyed and shattered to pieces, laid scattered around the hallways and rooms everywhere. Just when the immense chaos comes to a halt, all that can be heard is metal clawing to the floor and fire burning all around the area.

Out from the flames, crawls a machine, torn in half, pouring massive amounts of fluids as it crawls along the floor. Three shadows emerge behind it from the flames.

Zaine: "Looks like you're the only one left, What about you huh? Gonna tell us what we need to know?"

The machine throws a piece of sharp metal from its body at Zaine, grazing his thigh, spilling some blood from his steel suit. The machine scans the blood dripping from Zaine's body as it stares up at him.

Destroyed Machine: "What are you?! You're not a machine... I'm not telling you noth..."

"Blam!" Zaine shoots the machine straight in the head, shattering its skull to nothing but bits and pieces

Zaine: "I wasn't talking to you... Now, bot behind the door. Come out, we know you're in there"

Judy: "And I would talk if I were you, this one has lost his patience. so unless you want to end up like this bot without a head or lower torso..."

Big C: "I recommend you cooperate"

A machine emerges from the door, dropping its weapons to the floor and raising its hands in the air.

Zaine: "Good... Now a rogue came into here one night with a human child. Where is the child now? And the rogue..."

Machine: "Human child? That isn't something that passes through here or anywhere too often, I don't kno..."

Zaine: "Don't lie to me bot... The rogue was last seen in this area. And it had a child with it that night. WHERE ARE THEY?! WHERE DID THEY GO?!"

Machine: "Alright... Alright... I'm just a resources transporter and protector. I had nothing to do with that human or any valuables to pass through here! It was all the higher-ups, they call the shots, I just collect and send out to where they order me to"

Zaine: "Where I said... WHERE!"

Machine: "That was years ago... The rogue you're talking about wasn't a rogue"

Zaine: "What..."

Machine: "I heard the higher-ups talking about something that night, they said one of their foot soldiers overheard cries of something and reported back to them, I heard them jump with excitement and argue about the price they could possibly get, calling it the biggest jackpot, so big even The Primordial would be jealous. Without hesitation, they sent out an attack bot that same night, I was told to prepare to be on the move. And within a few hours, a deadly machine came back with a human child in its arms. completing its mission and leaving after receiving its credits"

Zaine: "What happened to the child?!"

Machine: "The child was due for transport with an instant buyer who wanted to meet immediately. Since this was super top secret, to avoid getting the attention of The Primordial. The deal took place near The Deadzone... But the transport van was attacked before we reached the buyer. And it was said the attackers disappeared with the child into The Deadzone, leaving only one bot from the transport intact. When the bot returned with the news, the higher-ups destroyed it on the spot out of anger. And to cover up the news of ever having a human here, and risk the wrath of The Primordial"

Zaine: "My son... What about the attack bot, where is it?"

Machine: "I don't ..."

"BLAM!"