I endured several hours of Megatron's mind-games before he finally lost his temper. He couldn't inflict any permanent bodily harm on me while inside my mind, so he forcefully yanked me out of the cortical psychic patch and back into reality.

The real world, not just a figment of my imagination.

There was a terrible ache in my helm as I opened my optics, but I was somewhat relieved to know that Megatron wasn't poking around inside my processor anymore. I just hoped he didn't cause any permanent damage to my memories, that would be catastrophic.

The silver titan's morbid speech came to mind as I was taken out of my restraints and dragged away by two Vehicons. I remembered every word with vivid detail and it made me shudder just imagining it... I had already endured so much, yet there was still more to come. If what he did before was really just the beginning, I couldn't even fathom what pain laid ahead. 

———

I was brought a room similar to the one I was just in, except for a few differences. There were no tables,  except for a small one off in the corner. Two chains dangled from the ceiling and another two lay discarded on the floor. I could see that they had a bluish tint to them, most likely created by energon. The room was actually smaller than I thought it would be, which wasn't exactly a good thing.

The Vehicons locked me in the chains and made sure they were secure before promptly leaving. I tested the chains by tugging on them, but they were anchored quite firmly to the floor and ceiling. I was too weak to try and escape anyways.

A few minutes passed and I just hung there in silence, gaze focused on the door. It was so quiet that I could hear my own spark feebly beating away in my  chassis. Then, I heard a noise. The door opened and none other than Megatron himself stepped into the room, his frame seeming more menacing in the dim light.

A slight chuckle escaped me and I tilted my head back. "I guess I was wrong. You aren't afraid to get your hands dirty." I said, trying to bury my fear with my snappy attitude.

"Like I said before, Doctor, I always mean what I say..." Megatron replied smoothly, a low growl rumbling in his chassis. He strode over to me and lightly pulled on one of the chains. "Comfortable? I'd assume it's more comfortable than your little space back in my berthroom."

I just scoffed and rolled my optics. "I don't have the energy to argue with you." I muttered, making sure I wasn't looking at him when I talked. He absolutely hated when I did that to him. I stiffened slightly when I felt one of his cruel talons lift my head up by my chin, making my optics level with his. I tried to turn away, but he held my jaw firmly in his grasp.

"Then you better pray you have the energy for what I have in store for you, my pet." Megatron purred, stroking my cheek once with his thumb before stepping away.

Feeling disgusted, I watched as he lumbered around behind me and disappeared from my line of sight. I felt my anxiety flare up, I didn't know where he was or what he was doing back there. For all I know, he could be preparing to blow a gaping hole in my chassis!

I held my breath when I felt the chains shift. They slowly pulled outward, stretching my limbs out just a bit before locking in place again. It wasn't painful yet, but I could tell where this was going. And it wasn't going to be pretty...

"You know, I'm feeling extra generous today." Megatron's rumbling voice came from behind me. "I'm going to give you one more chance to tell me everything you know about the Autobots. My Decepticons are already out there hunting them down as we speak, so there really is no point in keeping secrets."

I grit my denta together. The badge on my chassis was more than just a badge to me, it was the symbol of a cause worth fighting for. A new society that was going to be reborn. I vowed to defend it with my life when I signed up to be an Autobot, so that's what I was going to do. "Over my lifeless husk." I spat bitterly.

"Hm, we'll see if that attitude changes within... let's say.... the next few minutes?"

I felt the chains shift again and held back a wince as the strain on my joints increased. My chest felt tighter than before and it was a little harder to breathe.

"You look uncomfortable. Then again, you shouldn't be comfortable in the first place."

The strain on my joints increased even more and I couldn't help but groan in pain, feeling like my arms and legs were going to snap off. The more I moved, the tighter the chains got and the harder it was for me to breathe.

"Let's see... I wonder which limb will be the first to go.. Will it be a leg or an arm?" Megatron chuckled darkly, still out of sight from me. "Or, actually, could you just rip in two? Less of a mess for me to clean up."

"You sick bastard." I snarled with all the hate I could muster. Rage was boiling in my chassis, but it felt more like hot lava than anything else. I yelped when the pull on my limbs increased even more and I swore I could hear circuits snapping already. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore and frantically tried to think of something to tell him. Something false or old, obviously. "Okay! I know something about the Autobots! Now please let me go!"

It was a moment before I felt the tension on my limbs decrease. The chains popped off and I fell unceremoniously to the floor, gritting my denta at the pain in my joints.

"I'm listening." Megatron growled, looming over me with a sinister glare.

I quickly proceeded to tell Megatron about the plan to transport weapons along the Iacon Speedway. That was a complete lie. There was no way the Autobots would pull such a dangerous stunt!

Megatron only chuckled at first, and then he started laughing. "Oh, my dear Ratchet. That would've been useful information... had I not known the truth about it."

I froze, my optics widening. "H-How....?" I mumbled, struggling to push myself up to my knees.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere. Nothing goes unseen or unheard." Megatron replied, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "You know what happens to those that lie to me."

"N—No... please!" I tried to plead, but it was too late.

Megatron lifted me up by my throat, digging his claws into my neckcables. His piercing red optics stared into mine as he slowly tightened his grip, squeezing the life out of me.