Gordon inhaled, his aim steadying as he held his breath. The target on his rifle firmly focusing on the head of a raider who had an innocent merchant from the Wasteland at gun point. The raider had the merchant by the throat, threatening him and yelling at him, Gordon could not make out what he was saying at that distance. The Raider let go of the merchant, he struck the merchant, sending him crumbling to the floor. The merchant fell to the ground with blood spurting from his face. The Raider pulled out his 10mm pistol and aimed it at the Merchant's head. Gordon took careful aim, he breathed in one final time and pulled the trigger. The bullet flew quickly and just as the raider was about to pull the trigger the bullet hit his temple, going through his head and flying out the other end. The merchant looked around him, terrified and confused as to what had happened.

Gordon smirked as he stood up, holding his rifle in his hands, looking down on the merchant from the rock he was perched on. Gordon made his way down the hill he was on thinking about what he had done on the way down "Good kill" he thought to himself. Gordon put his rifle behind his back and pulled out a machete as he approached the merchant. The merchant scurried backwards still on the ground, he was terrified.

"Don't kill me! Please!" The merchant said pointing his hand out towards Gordon. He put his head to the side and closed his eyes and tensed his body as he heard sickening blood curdling noises. He slowly opened his eyes to see Gordon cutting off the raider's head he then put it in his bag. The merchant could feel himself start to be sick. Gordon looked at the merchant and approached him. The merchant gasped and scurried backwards. Gordon extended his hand towards the merchant and smiled at him.

"You're lucky, if I wasn't there or if there was more of them you'd most likely be dead." Gordon said sounding almost proud of himself. "Now come help me loot this son of a bitch."

"You.. you don't want to kill me?" The merchant said sounding relieved.

"No, I was hired to kill this raider, two weeks ago he ambushed a family's caravan and killed the wife and children. The husband put a very large bounty on his head, his stipulation is that I have to bring him this raider's head." Gordon explained.

"So you're a bounty hunter?" Asked the merchant.

"If you want to call me that, I kill bad people and collect the money that has been put on their head. Some call me a bounty hunter, some call me an assassin, some just call me a bloodthirsty murderer." Gordon said.

"Thank you…If it wasn't for you I might be…" said the merchant.

"You would be dead. Trust me" Interrupted Gordon. "I've seen many people in a similar situation. Now help me loot this body, you can keep the caps you find on him. You got a weapon?"

"Only a few things from the caravan." Said the merchant.

"Start carrying them, what you got?" asked Gordon.

"Assault rifle in decent condition and a 10mm pistol that's in terrible condition. Why?" Asked the merchant.

"This son of a bitch has a bunch of 10mm ammo on him and a pistol. Take them all and always carry the pistol with you. Raider's have been on the rise lately. Nowhere is safe, not that it ever has been safe." Explained Gordon. He started to go in to the raider's pocket's and took out a bunch of 10mm rounds and handed them to the merchant. He looked at the gun and pointed to it. "Pick that up." The merchant picked it up.

"Hey, what's your name?" Asked the merchant as he picked up the pistol and checked the ammo.

"Gordon. That's all you need to know." He said, still looting the dead raider's pockets. He turned him over and checked the trouser pockets, he found a couple of stimpaks. "You hurt?"

"No. My nose hurts like hell but I'll be fine" The merchant replied. "My name's Carl."

"Nice to meet you, Carl." Said Gordon. He stood up and looked at him. "You know how to repair a sniper rifle?"

"Yeah, I've only done it a few times but I can try. I'll do it free of charge." Carl said, smirking at Gordon. Gordon took his rifle out and handed it to Carl. "Wow, high calibre shit." Carl seemed amazed at the rifle as he gazed at it.

Gordon sat on the ground and took out a cigarette and lit it. He took a draw of the cigarette and exhaled. Gordon felt relaxed as Carl fixed his rifle. Gordon took out his Pip Boy and looked at the map. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Carl.

"Where you going, Carl?" Gordon asked with the cigarette still in his mouth.

"I have nowhere really to go. There's a merchant up near Rivet City who's a personal friend of mine. Where about are you going?" Carl asked.

"I have to go to Megaton. But that's on the other side of the Wasteland. We're in DC." Gordon said.

"Why don't you come with me? My friend has enough space, and it's not far. You can spend the night there and go to Megaton tomorrow?" Carl said.

"Hmm.. I don't know. I like to go hunting at night." Gordon looked up to the sky. "And we've not got long until it get's dark. Two hours at the most."

"Oh. Okay. Well if you're ever near Rivet City then drop by, I owe you one, Gordon!" Carl said. He gave Gordon his rifle back. He started to walk away in the direction of Rivet City.

Gordon waved for a second and then decided to walk away. He took out his rifle and decided to take a stroll around DC to see what he could find. About an hour later, Gordon could see the sky start to get darker and decided to sit in the ruins of a destroyed building. The building was mostly destroyed and it's innards were exposed but it gave him a good vantage point if anyone decided to start anything. He took out his backpack and found some Whisky in his bag, he took it out and looked out at the Wasteland. He could see the ruins of DC against the setting sun, the building was near the irradiated river than ran near Rivet City. Gordon felt relaxed as he watched the sun set and he gently closed his eyes for a rest.

Gordon felt a bullet whiz by his ear and hit the wall he was sitting against. All of a sudden a shower of gun fire hit him from the ground below him. A squad of 3 Talon Company Mercenaries were after him. They continued the gun fire. A bullet hit Gordon in his shoulder. He screamed in pain and dived from a pillar sitting opposite him. He could hear the mercenaries talk.

"You go up those stairs, we'll stay her and lay down suppressing fire on him. If anything happens there are reinforcements coming to back us up in ten minutes. Go!" One of the mercenaries said.

Gordon knew there were about four of them. His rifle and pistol were opposite him, if he moved they would have a good shot on him, but if he didn't he would most certainly be dead. Gordon had to think fast…