"This was it, there was no turning back now." Transistor thought to himself, muttering only the consonants on his lips.

It was a cold March night in Detroit. Cold brick streets, cold gravel alleyways, and colder still was Transistor's pistol in his right hand, finger feathering the trigger. The cold had this way of transferring itself to the rawest of places. The coldest of places.

"Look man, I don't want to do this to you, but Flash-Fire needs his fucking money. Please don't make me do this." Transistor was what he referred to himself as "hesitantly viscous". This wasn't the life he expected for himself, but in a pinch- in the time of need- he was approached, accepted, and protected. He was ready to lie down his life for the people that saved him from the mediocrity of life.

"Fuck you and Flash" came the dreaded reply.

"God dammit." Transistor said loudly as he pointed his pistol downward and pulled the trigger.

*BANG*

A short spark. Transistor closed his eyes. Unwilling to visualize the violence he caused, he pointed slightly left.

*BANG*

Sean McCleary collapsed, with both knees crippled. McCleary was a union boss. The most feared- not anymore.

"Listen, man..." Transistor cut himself short. He remembered what Morgaine had taught him. She had always said "say the things you wish not to hear in the times you most wish not to hear them". She had been through this a million times. He took her word.

"If you value your appendages, you will do as you are told. Flash-Fire has told you on multiple occasions to pay your dues. Pay them or I will be back and you will not be going home to your wife. Today, I have blessed you with the ability to crawl there. If you press your luck it may just run out."

Transistor hesitantly raises the barrel of his pistol forward towards the head of Mr. McCleary. McCleary winces. Transistor winces just the same.

"Don't fucking make me come back man, I mean it." Transistor shrieks with a clear air of uncertainty.

Transistor turns 180 degrees to make his exit. Fiend is waiting in the car with a big smile.

Son was walking one night in the streets of DT going to have a dinner at "Lucky Dog Hot Dogs", suddenly he heard the sound of a gun, Son looked around him to know where it came from and the second one came out, Son hoped no one is killed. One man came out to the street having a pistol in his hand and his face was weird. he went to a car as there was someone waiting for him there and once he put his feet in the car they drove fast and hidden in the dark of the night, Son said in his heart "oh god I hope this isn't the first sound of a coming war"

As she awaited word of the task she'd set forth for her beloved Transistor she paced around her office. Occasionally she would stop to take a sip of water, resisting the temptation of the Devil's Lettuce and a glass of whiskey. She had to keep her head straight. She had to know that he was okay. Wringing her fingers in her hands she exits her office as soon as she hears the slam of the front doors to their new building. Quickly she makes her way to the main office, her heels clacking against the tiled floor announcing her arrival.

"Did it go okay? Did he do well?" she asked Fiend the second she saw him, "Well?! Out with it!!"

Fiend went on to explain that Transistor did his job and he did it well. He told her all she needed to know, step by step of how the scene played out. He'd learned all he needed to from their teachings. Breathing a sigh of relief she turned to look at Transistor and smiled like a proud mother.

"Congratulations my dear. You did very well. Flash-Fire will be so proud of you. I can't wait until he gets here. Poor dear may have had a touch too much to drink last night I fear, he's been in his room for quite some time. Thank you for taking care of that for me... You'll have more work soon. You are a darling." she crooned to the latest addition to The Damned before taking him under her arm and guiding him toward the kitchen to make him a sandwich.

"Thank you for watching over him Fiend... You can join us if you'd like." she said with a slight warmth to her voice, "I'm sure Dopamine has made some wonderful treats, she's been plying me with Irish Coffees all morning."

Being guided heavily toward the kitchen of The Damned HQ, Morgaine ran her hands through Transistor's hair, ruffling it heavily. She had shown him so much. Such a touch could be confused as aggression from everyone- everyone but her. She had shown him compassion and love since before she would trust him with a billyclub- let alone a gun. He had led a simple life before The Damned. He was nervous but loyal.

He smiled at Morgaine while grabbing a glass of whiskey before the swinging doors of the HQ's kitchen had even closed. He downed it.

"Thanks, Mom." Transistor let out. It might has well have been true, after all. She had given him life- at least the life he was to live from this time forward.

She smiled, her hart warmed by this young man's exuberance and lust for life. She poured him another glass of whiskey and made him a sandwich. Before she took her leave, she looked back to see him devouring the food.

"There's a room in the back of the warehouse, you can bed down in there. It's not much, but it's a good deal better than the Streets. We'll get you set up with proper lodging as soon as possible. I promise. "

She continues to speak as she cleans up from her food making and pauses to think for a moment before she gives more advice.

"Oh, and be careful of that Fiend fucker... He can be more trouble than he's worth at times and has a knack for attracting the wrong types of people. Dopamine is the expert on him, you might do yourself a favour and speak to her. She's an adorable woman with a lot of experience. She may even take you under her wing as I have."

She places her favourite carving knife in the drying rack and dries her hands.

"I hope you'll be happy here kiddo, I'll have one of my guards draw you a bath and then you can make yourself at home. We'll go shopping tomorrow, get you something nice... You'll be my pride and joy. I'll teach you everything I know. One day, you'll be a big part of this little family, I have faith."

Noticing the time she hangs the towel she used to dry the dishes on a hook and sighs...

"One more thing, watch out for SirBarnabieHuckles, for some reason he seems to think he's my son. I don't even know the boy. He can get a little jealous at times."

She turned on her heel and walked out of the room to make arrangements for her new protege. 

Transistor halts as a familiar name is heard. He had heard the name SirBarnabieHuckles before. His mother had told him stories of the late-night bar crawls, the loud jazz shows, and a very, very messy headquarters. He shuddered at the thought.

"How could he still be alive.. he must be nearly one hundred years old." Transistor thought to himself.

Transistor shakes it off and writes down the names of Fiend and Dopamine. He was horrible with names and didn't want to forget the contacts within the family.