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Nightbeat watched with intent. With a thumb under his chin and a finger bent over his lip, his brow was furrowed. He watched the cups move and the elephant appear and the quarter disappear. Cards, both right and wrong, up their sleeves or two paces behind in a poor unsuspecting audience members shoulder joint. Roses appeared out of thin air. As did mice, doves, and spiders. Nightbeat’s plating crawled as the magician let the spider crawl over his hand, up his arm, and behind his head. The magician then turned around the the spider was nowhere to be found.
Nightbeat sat back and hummed, placing his hands on the armrests and twisting his lip while the others clapped. Nautica elbowed him in the arm. Nightbeat reluctantly put his hands together. The magician, meanwhile, took a bow. At the end of the show he showed the audience his call card, a king of hearts, and flicked it into the audience for someone to catch. Despite it being above his head Nightbeat snatched out and caught it. When he looked it over he found a Joker.
When vacating the theatre Nautica and Rung were raving about the show.
“Can you imagine the cranks on that wire setup? To support a full grown mech? I’d love to get my hands on that.”
Rung smiled at her. “I think my favorite part were the doves.”
“His subspace!” Nightbeat proclaimed from behind them. “That could have been where he put them.”
Nautica furrowed her brow, looking over her shoulder at Nightbeat.
"What?” she asked. “You mean to pull off the trick?”
Nightbeat paused, his face falling as if he’d just noticed Rung and Nautica walking in front of him. After a moment Nightbeat shook his head.
“Of course the trick,” he said.
Nautica waved a hand. “The doves couldn’t have come from his subspace, carbon based lifeforms can’t survive for longer than maybe a second in a proper subspace.”
Nightbeat stepped between his friends. “Proper. You said proper. Is there any way he could have created an improper subspace.”
Nautica shrugged. “Well sure if you-” she stopped short, eyes popping wide. “Hey, wait a minute,” she pointed to Nightbeat. “You’re not going to turn this into one of your “investigations” are you?”
Nightbeat seemed taken back. “After a show like that?” he asked, throwing a thumb over his shoulder. “Are you kidding. It’s practically begging to be figured out.”
“No. It’s not. It’s a magic show.”
“It’s a show of tricks or deception. It’s my calling.”
Rung stepped into the conversation. “I’m sure you’ve deduced Magic shows in your day Nightbeat.”
“I have. But this one is different,” Nightbeat rubbed his chin. “I can’t quite put my finger on it,” he flicked a finger out to the sky. “But I’m sure I will.”
“Oh no,” Nautica grumbled, pressing her fingers to her forehead.
Nightbeat smirked. “If you come along for the ride you’ll get the chance to get a look at the inner workings of a magicians work shop.”
Nautica paused. She whipped around.
“Promise?” she smiled, pointing Nightbeat in the face with her wrench.
Nightbeat faltered a bit. “I’ll do my best.”
Nautica flipped her wrench back to her side. “Then lets get started.”
Nautica looked about the endless datapad and organic books lining the shelves. It was wall to wall, floor to ceiling.
“Remind me again how you gained access to the town halls archives,” Nautica asked, turning her attention back to Nightbeat who was furiously flipping through one of many datapads he took from the files.
“I have my ways,” Nightbeat muttered, tapping his chin with his finger, his face just inches from the page as he read.
“What are we looking for?” Rung asked, flipping through a book with organic pages.
“We’re looking for the address of the mech sitting just two seats behind us. While you two were odling I was looking up a map of the theatre.”
“How did you get his name?”
“Ticket records.”
Nautica put her hands on her hips. “And how did you get the ticket records.”
“I used the theatres open network to get into their records. It was fairly easy, actually.”
Nightbeat only searched for a few seconds more before finally coming across what he was looking for. “Ah ha!” he called, pulling a small postcard sized piece of paper from one of the files. “Just what I needed.”
Nautica and Rung met him at the work space. Nautica plucked the card out of Nightbeat’s hand and looked it over. “And you’re sure this is the right guy,” she said, wagging the card at her friend. “I wouldn’t want to go bothering the wrong stranger.”
Nightbeat snatched the card back. “Of course I’m sure,” he smiled. “When am I ever not sure?”
“It was pretty cool wasn’t it?”
Nightbeat pinched his brow. “Yes. I know it was cool. We all know it was cool,” Nightbeat sat on the foot rest right across from their new found friend.
He was a friendly bot, and didn’t seem bothered by three strangers showing up at his door in the middle of the night looking for answers he seemed to not have. He offered them a warm cup of energon and was happy to let them sit a spell. His house was quaint but- odd.
Nautica picked at one of the bots many wall decorations. Certainly a unique taste he had. He apparently very much liked the color green. Judging by his walls, chair, shelves, and trinkets.
The bot himself, Korner, was burnt orange.
He sat up straight, not leaning on the back of his chair. His smile was bright as he talked to Nightbeat about the show.
“Once I found the card in my armor he let me keep it. I still have it, do you want to see?” Korner asked excitedly pulling the card from his subspace.
“See?”
Nightbeat plucked the card from Korner’s fingers. Nightbeat rubbed his chin as he looked over the evidence. He wagged the card slightly. “And you say you just found it in your shoulder armor, with no prior knowledge of it being there?”
Korner shook his head. “Nope,” he took the card back.
“Do you know the magician?”
Korner chuckled. “I wish. I go to his shows all the time he’s so amazing. But I’ve never gotten the chance to meet him myself.”
Nightbeat pointed to the playing card again. “Can I take a look at that again?’ he asked.
“Oh, sure.”
Korner handed the card back over. Nightbeat looked it over. It was a Ace of spades. There was nothing written on it, no calling card, no theatre name. Nothing. Just the Ace of spades.
Nightbeat handed the card back.
“Thanks.”
“I hope I could be of service.”
Nightbeat smiled. “You have,” he stood and turned on a heel, heading for the exit.
Nautica paused in her prodding and followed Nightbeat out. Rung stayed behind a moment to thank Korner for welcoming them into his home and being so hospitable. He then chased after his friends.
Nautica was struggling to keep pace with Nightbeat.
"So?” Nautica asked. “Did you find anything out?”
Nightbeat rubbed his chin. “Korner gave us a solid lead.”
“He did?”
“He said that he goes to the shows all the time. That he’s very familiar with the magicians work. A bot like that likes a good view. And judging by his taste in- everything- he has preferences.”
Rung nodded. “I think I know what you’re getting at.”
Nightbeat snapped. “It’s likely he’s sat in the same seat every time. And if he didn’t then a seat very close to it.”
Nautica, finally keeping pace, threw in her two cents. “Do you think the magician knows him?”
“Recognizes. Not know. Recognizes that he’s got a big fan with a favorite seat.”
“So where do we go from here?”
“The only place with all of the answers.”
“Uh, Nightbeat,” Rung said, stepping tentatively forward. “I don’t know if breaking into the theatre is he best course of action for this- investigation.”
Nightbeat scoffed. “Don’t get your knickers in a twist, they won’t even know we were here. I’m just picking the lock.”
“Just, he says,” Nautica muttered.
The door soon clicked open with a triumphant “ah-ha!” from Nightbeat. He subspaced his kit and carefully put his hand to the door to push it open. Inside the lobby was dark. Nightbeat flicked on his lights and stood up straight. He waltzed right into the theatre, not even waiting to see if his colleagues would follow.
Despite his hesitation Rung was the first to step forward. “Come on Nautica,” he urged, seeing that she wasn’t moving.
Nautica crossed her arms and turned her nose up. “Not a chance,” she said. “If he wants to go at this, let him handle it.”
“Come on. We did this much.”
Eventually Nautica huffed, letting her arms drop. She stomped after the so-called detective with Rung right on her heels. “If we get arrested,” she said, turning over her shoulder and pointing at Rung. “I’m blaming you.”
Rung just smiled. “If.”
Nautica turned on her lights. Rung stuck close to her side, having no lights of his own. In the lobby Rung toppled over a chair that jumped right out in front of him. Nautica helped him up.
“Surprised you don’t have a flashlight in all those pockets of yours.”
Rung brushed himself off. “I ran out of room,” he joked.
Nightbeat trudged on without them for a spell before they all caught up at the entrance to the theatre itself. Nightbeat stared at the door for a moment, his lip twisting in thought, his brow furrowed in concentration. He turned his lights off and looked down to see that there was light coming out from underneath the door. Nightbeat hummed. He found the door unlocked and slowly creaked it open to peak into the theatre.
“Oh come on,” Nautica whispered behind him. “There’s no one here.”
Nightbeat looked over his shoulder. “Then why are you whispering?” he whispered back. He opened the door all the way and stepped into the theatre, lit by the lights coming from the stage.
“Why would they leave the lights on,” Nightbeat muttered to himself, rubbing his chin with his finger.
He lead them to the stage and climbed on. Nautica and Rung just watched as Nightbeat put his face inches from the floor and traced every line with his finger, still rubbing his chin as he went.
“We’re going to be here all night,” Nautica mumbled to no one in particular.
Rung nodded beside her. “Yes. yes we are.”
“There are trap doors in this floor,” Nightbeat said, not taking his attention away from the stage. “And I’m guessing more than one with the tricks he pulled off.”
Nightbeat snapped his fingers. “I nearly forgot,” he stood up and leaped off the stage. Ina few quick strides he made it up the ramp and to one of the seats.
“Nautica, can I use your wrench?” Nightbeat asked.
Nautica leaped off the stage and joined him in the isle.
“No, but I can use my wrench,” Nautica said.
“Can you take this seat apart?”
Nautica lifted a brow. “Can I vandalize someone else’s property?”
“You can put it back together later.”
Nautica rolled her eyes but went with it. She took a knee and got to work. She twisted a bolt at the base once. Twice. And the seat folded in on itself. Nautica sat up straight. “Seems faulty,” she said, wagging the folded back. She stood it up and it clicked back into place.
The floor suddenly gave out from under her.
Nautica didn’t quite remember the fall but she remembered the impact. It wasn’t as hard as she’d been expecting. She’d landed on something soft, almost plush like. White powdery beats puffed up upon impact. Before Nautica got the chance to find her barings Nightbeat landed right on top of her.
They both groaned, just laying there for a moment aching until Nautica sat up. She unceremoniously shoved Nightbeat off before rubbing her head and standing.
Nautica looked around the dimly lit room. She didn’t get very far before a yell from above grabbed her attention. She turned around to catch Rung falling right on top of Nightbeat.
“Oh don’t tell me you fell in the hole after us,” Nightbeat groaned, still rubbing his head from his fumble.
“A hole opened up in the stage,” Rung said, floundering to roll his way off of Nightbeat. With Nautica’s help they both climbed to their feet. Everyone took a turn looking around the room.
“What is this place?” Rung asked.
Nightbeat sniffed. “It smells like a basement.”
“I think we’re below the stage,” Nautica said, noting some of the ropes and stage props lining the walls and ceiling.
“Way under the stage.”
Nightbeat tapped his chin. “I think the better question would be how do we get out.”
“Really?” Nautica said. “This feels like evidence paradise.”
The room was large, mostly comprised of wood, metal and concrete. Old posters hung un-dusted on the uneven walls with props and costumes were left unattended all over he place. The whole space was lit by a few dinky bulbs hanging from frayed chords on the ceiling. Old rigs from shows past sat with their folded up backgrounds. Nautica immediately scurried over.
She rag the ropes through her hands and spun some of the wheels to watch the gears turn. “Wow,” she vented. “This stuff must be ancient. Nobody uses rigs like these anymore on stage.”
“Uh, Nautica,” Nightbeat called from behind. “I think you might want to see this.”
Nautica stood and met him at another door. Nightbeat presented the room with a smirk. “As promised,” he said, letting Nautica step in first.
This second room was well lit with well kept costumes and lights lining the walls. Besides that there were stacked boxes covered in colorful markings, a few saws, rings, playing cards, gloves, and paint of all different kinds. There was a case standing on end big enough for a mech to climb and stand in with ease.
At the end of the narrow room was a vanity covered in little builb lights around the mirror.
“Oh, my-” Nautica vented.
“Didn’t I promise a magicians workshop?”
Nautica pointed her wrench. “You said maybe.”
“And I delivered.”
Nautica didn’t have time to refute. Her eyes landed on a small metal box sitting on the vanity. She practically leaped to it, squeaking with excitement as she swiped the box from the table.
“If this is what I think it is,” she said, proudly presenting the box to Nightbeat. “Then this is what’s helping your magician pull off all of his tricks.”
“Not all of them my dear.”
Nautica nearly jumped out of her plating, whipping around to find the source of the voice as a face in the mirror.
Nautica yelped, nearly falling backwards, only to be barely caught by Nightbeat.
The old face in the mirror put his hands up. “Oh no no, please-” he said, smiling sheepishly. “No need to be frightened,” the man smiled again pressing his hand to the glass. The vanity swung out a familiar mech stepped forward.
He was an older man, with a face wrinkled and aged like Kup’s. His frame was well kept with a black white a red paint job. His smile was sweet, but soft.
“Seems I’ve got myself some trespassers,” he said, but was still smiling.
“We’re sorry, sir-” Rung started, but the man waved his hand.
“Oh, no need to apologize. I love visitors.”
Nautica gripped her wrench unevenly. “Even trespassers,” she grumbled, her attention mostly on Nightbeat.
The old man chuckled. “Even trespassers,” he assured. “Considering you don’t have any pain cans in hand and you haven’t ransacked anything yet I don’t think you’re here to make trouble.”
Nightbeat suddenly perked. “You’re the magician we saw earlier.”
The old man smiled. “That I am. And you’re three very curious audience members.”
Nightbeat moved out from behind Nautica.
“Actually I’m a detective,” he said. “And I’ve got a few questions for you.”
The magician chuckled. “I’m sure you do.”
Nautica popped up in front of Nightbeat.
“I’ve got a few questions of my own,” Nautica said. “Like the double lock system you used on the box, and the warp hole box-”
“Yes, yes,” the magician chuckled. “There’s plenty of time to talk about everything.” he waved them towards the door behind the vanity. “Come on. We’ll talk in my private study.”
Nightbeat didn’t hesitate. Nautica and Rung, on the other hand, stayed a moment behind.
“Are we sure it’s a good idea to follow a stranger into a dark hallway.”
Nautica shrugged. “Honestly. Rung, we’ve come this far.”
They followed Nightbeat into the abyss.
“I've been a magician now for- oh really I'm not sure how long. Since before the war started. I loved entertaining people, and I was quite the show off when I was young,” the magician placed his cube on the small table in the center of the chairs. “When the war was about to break out I fled with Dai Atlas.”
“You lived in the Crystal City,” Rung said in awe.
The magician nodded. “for a time. I left after a few years and hoped from planet to planet until I settled here. When I heard the war had ended I considered returning to Cybertron,” he shrugged. “but I had already laid down roots here.”
Nightbeat cringed a little. “that's probably for the best.”
The magician smiled. “but that's enough about me. I'm sure you're all eager to learn my tricks.”
“Sir, just a question,” Rung said as the magician began to stand. “why are you so willing to share your tricks with us?”
The magician paused as he opened up a bag of tricks. He smiled.
“I've been doing magic for a long time,” he shook his head. “I always hated that old rule,” he pulled out a simple deck of cards and returned to his seat. “never sharing your tricks. What's the fun in magic of you can't see a little piece of it's inner workings.”
With a flick of the wrist the magician produced a single playing card. “now,” he said, presenting Nightbeat’s joker to the three.
“Let's get started.”