Hi again, so here's the second chapter hope you like it, thank you to everyone who read, reviewed and commented. Again same deal any spelling or grammar sorry and just comment or message me.

Just a little about the story, I'm trying to go for a darker side to Pandora while still keeping it an easy read, this all takes place in the five years between the first and the second game. I will be introducing more known characters soon so stay tuned kids.

Also I will be writing a new fan-fic story in the total war section if you're interested….no? Okay then.

Again thank you and enjoy.

Pandora's Child – Chapter 2

He could see Carson through his scope, one shot would all it take to make his life easier in the dust. Jacob lay on his belly, the end of his sniper peeking over the edge of a cliff his RPG lay beside him ready if needs be. Below him were the bandit caravans lead by Carson a low time scavenger of the dust. There were three caravans each filled with about three to four bandits. Carson at the turret of one while the others set up their camp. The sun was just setting, at full dark Jacob would make his attack. He had it all planed out, if he couldn't take out all of them he'd make sure Carson was dead. Jacob focused on his target, he wouldn't leave the sight of Carson's head till it was in pieces. Jacob had double checked his ammunition before he made the journey up here, a full clip of sniper rifle bullets more than enough for Carson, three rockets and grenades one for each caravan and several clips of his revolver. The sun had just set leaving a tiny residue of light, but not much. Now before they set up a fire.

"Perfect" Jacob smirked.

He licked his lips and pressed his eye hard against the scope. His finger balanced on the trigger. Focusing his aim he met Carson's head once more. He fired the shot. Hearing the confused and frighten screams of Carson's fellow bandits Jacob, without thinking, threw his rifle to one side picked up his RPG with one hand and continued to throw all his grenade with the other. Propping himself on one knee, RPG hung onto his shoulder Jacob took one last glance down the cliff. The bandits had no idea what hit them, confusion and panic had set into them. The grenade explosions had torn some apart and in the dark their helpless wild fire hit all but Jacob. Now to finish them off. Jacob rained his rockets over the remaining caravans. Explosions took place, fires were set, caravans flew, the sound was gorgeous. One rocket hit some poor sod at his feet, Jacob saw his head fly to meet his eyes before falling back down. Jacob grabbed his sniper and looked through the scope. Nothing but dead men, fire and scrap metal. No sign of Carson, he'd better go check it out.

Dumping all his gear into the turret seat of his car Jacob drove down the steep path to the wreckage below. The fires gave the whole scene a beautiful chaos glow. Revolver to hand Jacob scoured what remained of a caravan. Good stash of ammo and a fully automatic bandit brand pistol, not a bad find. Something court Jacobs's ear. The sound of something grinding against the ground. He turned to the sight of a bandit, both legs blown off clawing the ground to escape. Jacob smiled and strolled slowly behind him mimicking his whimpers of pain. The bandit turned, eyes filled with fear and shameful tears.

"Please no, please god no." the Bandit clawed more despritly at the ground.

"Are you hurt?" Jacob said insultingly. The bandit continued to crawl. The back of his leather jacket was the name Hayward.

"So….Hayward huh?"

Grabbing him hard by the shoulder he rolled Hayward to meet his eyes. Jacob liked this part, his hair dishevelled his eyes burning and wild. The boy remained no more. He grabbed Hayward by the throat. First they always beg and cry, then they reason with you, then they die. Jacob took out his knife and licked his lips. This was the part, right now. He slid his knife slowing into Hayward's chest, Hayward too much in pain to make a sound. All he could do was mime the pain through his eyes, mouth open wide to scream silently.

"God how I love that face." Jacob smirked, his sick pleasure subsided, for now.

Jacob stood, heavy dark black boots stained by dust. Light brown combat trousers to match the colour of his unkempt hair. Long sleeved black shirt with a thin stainless steel chest plate for added protection and thin steel gauntlets that reached from his wrists to his elbows for an advantage in hand to hand. Makes a change from his old rags.

In the past two years since Jacob first wondered into the dust life had become easier. His car made hunting skag simple and well, everything else for that matter became easy. Living, breathing, sleeping, eating everything but shitting he did in the car, it was his home. His new clothes and gun power came from mugging anyone lone in the dust before Carson got to them, but with him gone now all was up for grabs. Jacob still had the same nightmare, some bitch screaming at him to run. He could never quite understand what it meant, he couldn't remember anything, he tried not to, if he did the headaches would start and that would be enough to stop him for a few hours. All that he could recall is the time and name he made in the Dust. The reputation that followed, some local bandits had nicknamed him Pandora's child. Carson wasn't the only bandit that Jacob hated.

"…Theo…..."

Dead centre in the dust, 5 bandit cars and around 20 to 30 men in a secure light fort surrounded by spot lights resided Theo. Big time bandit, one of three major dust gang leaders, they called themselves the lotus clan. Carson had a love of anything related to a Shogun, dressed head to toe in full samurai armour carrying around a sword, spear and shotgun for authenticity. His men all required to wear official lotus armour with a flag attached to the back of a crudely draw flower. None of them were Asian, all forced to put on an accent. Once Theo had spared Jacobs life. Back in the early days of the dust, when Jacob was still getting his shit together Theo had caught him stealing ammunition from his car. After admiring the boys' courage and breaking a rib or two he tossed Jacob aside leaving him for skag food. That loss crippled Jacobs's ego and forever stung.

"Swear to you Theo, you're gonna drown in your own piss." Jacob looked around the wreckage once more "Better make sure Carson's dead".

A few yards from one of the burning caravans lay a body, Jacob turned and walked towards it. Carson was alive, but just barely, to be fair most of his face was missing. His jaw hung by a piece of flesh, his left cheek and eye missing. His right eye was still there darting about. Jacob knelt down to Carson, his one good eye stared back full of pain and anger.

"Oh" Jacob smiled "Oh this is beautiful." Carson's eye began to close slowly, Jacob light slapped what remained of his face "no no, come on buddy stay with me." His eye shot back to life and continued to leer "There you go, ain't done with you yet."

Jacob finished looting all the ammo, guns and food he could find, the real treasure was Carson's Eco communicator. With this maybe he could find out more about this Sanctuary place he's been hearing about.

"Okay so, cheers buddy for all the times we've had." Jacob said to Theo pocketing his Eco device "time for a little drive now yeah?" By now Carson had bled out and died but Jacob liked to pretend anyway.

Grabbing the steel cord attached to the back of his car he tied a knot around Carson's legs. This wasn't the first time, any dead bodies or carcasses he used for skag bait, Carson would have the honour of being todays. With the knot tight Jacob jumped to his car and drove off leaving what remained of Carson's gang behind him. All Jacob needed now was to hunt and sleep, he'd start thinking about taking down Theo tomorrow. Jacob couldn't remember how he became able to hunt, maybe something to do with the nightmares? His new method to hunt skag worked perfectly, first he'd find a skag den, drive through it with the bait and lure them out. Only the strongest would last against the speed of the car, once they were alone and the others wore out, Jacob would jump to the turret, pop the skag in the face, job done. Carson would make good bait. Jacob saw his opportunity, a den he had neglected for a while. A few alpha skags were dotted outside. Jacob drove passed them, instantly they took to the bait and began hungrily chasing it. After a while the three skags wore done to one not giving up hope of food. Jacob had some good distance between it. He went to the turret and stopped. He couldn't remember then last time he took out a skag on foot before, using the turret felt like…..cheating. Jacob reached for his revolver and attached his knife to the bottom of the barrel. He turned to face his food, this way felt better. The skag race towards him, Jacob aimed his gun and fired. The shot hit the skag, but it still kept coming, Jacob fired two more rounds. The alpha skag pounced pressing it paws against Jacobs chest plat and digging into his knees sending him to the ground. Jacob just managed to block the creatures' gnashing jaws use his gauntlet. The skags mouth inches away from his face, gnawing his steel covered arm, Jacob plunged his revolver knife deep into the skags throat and shot the last three rounds into the beasts' brain.

Jacob sat by the dulling fire eating the spit roasted skag. After two year of skag meat the once thin bony frame had been replaced by lean muscle, thin enough to move unseen, strong enough to pack a punch. His knees would heal from the claw marks, he'd just have to take it easy for a while. He had enough ammo and a few tins of food to relax for a day or two.

Theo would be expecting Carson tribute any day now, he made all the local bandits pay tribute to him. Jacob guessed that he wouldn't be the first suspect on Theo's mind. Anyway, who cared? Time for sleep. Jacob put out the fire and slouched in the seat of his car, but something played on his mind.

"…Oh yeah the Eco communicator."

Taking it from his pocket Jacob found the power switch and placed the device round his head. Instantly a voice burst though the ear piece.

"Hey kiddo Handsome Jack here but of course you already knew that, just wanted to say CONGRAULATEIONS on killing Carson, very nice, who knew? Right? A kid could take out a whole bunch of bandits?"

"….What'd you want?"

"What do I want? What do I want? No no no no no no, not want I want, but what you can do for me. See kid I'm dealing with a lotta stuff right now and it just so happens we share an enemy."

"Theo?"

"That's right kid! So I got-a proposition for ya"

Jacob grinned "I'm listening."

Synopsis of chapter three

"There you go kiddo, little something to help you kill Theo."

Jacob took his prize from the chest and admired it. The elemental gun, highly untested Hyperion tech. capable of firing a blast of any gun element.

"Sweet" Jacob gleamed