AN: Had time to post another chapter enjoy!
The sun was beginning its ascension above the horizon when the Lone Wanderer made his way to Paradise Falls, he had stopped as soon as the entrance was in sight, and took great care not to be spotted. Every ounce of being in his body told him this was stupid, that this was a bad idea, and that this wasn't his problem.
'People get enslaved on a daily bases. It's the way of the waste.' He tried to reason with himself.
'This is someone from where you grew up, this could be someone you know could you really live with yourself if you just left them to their fate?' another thought countered.
Torn between himself the Lone Wanderer decided on a wait and see tactic. This turned out to be profitable as he observed several groups enter the compound, one group were clad in leather armor, another were dressed in the unmistakable clothing marking them as Raiders and the rest seemed to be other slavers wishing to trade their wares. Their arrival had complicated things dramatically, what could possibly bring these groups together in one place.
'So we go in guns blazing, grenade slinging, body dropping badasses.' He thought to himself.
"No, to many and not enough bullets, also risk killing the objective." He answered to no one but himself.
'Well you got to get in there somehow and without letting them find out who you are, not to mention getting that bomb collar off.' He reasoned.
"One thing at a time, we get there when we get there." Again answering to no one but himself.
Once satisfied with all that he learned and after seeing no one else showing up, he decided on a plan of action.
"Damn it's hot out here." A Slaver complained as he was guarding the entrance to Paradise Falls he noticed a hooded figure walking towards him from the emptiness of the wasteland. Once within ear shot he called out to him.
"Hey, You what the fuck you doing out here?" he shouted.
"I merely wanted to see what was going on, seems all you slavers are having a party in there." The hooded figure answered back.
"This here's no party, it's a auctioning, Eulogy Jones got himself one of them vault people, very rare fresh meat and stupid too, don't know a damn thing about what's going on. Whoever gets the girl is in for some good old fun." The slaver laugh at his own sick thought.
'So, it's a girl they're selling…god I hope it's not who I think it is.' The Lone Wanderer thought as he mentally went through a list of the female vault inhabitants, there weren't many after his last visit to vault 101 and it seemed one girl was a higher candidate than the rest.
"So can anyone attend this, Auction?" The Lone Wanderer asked.
"As long as you got something to trade, weapons, caps, other slaves, but let me tell you Jones isn't letting this one go for cheap." The slaver again laughing at his own thoughts.
'Looks like you going to have to hit up your stash if you want this to work.' He concluded,
"Alright I'm in, when does this auction start?" He asked.
"In an hour, maybe less, those damn Raiders are a fucking pain in the ass." The slaver answered. That gave the Lone Wanderer plenty of time to get what he needed and come back.
Amata was tired, her eyes were heavy, she couldn't sleep at all during the night before. The images of the talking corps, and it's head exploding from it's body plagued her mind. Even now every time she dose off she would see that image shocking her from her sleep.
"Alright, Showtime! My little money maker." Eulogy jones said opening the gate to her prison. She was too tired to put up a resistance as he grabbed her by her arm and led her to a platform. There he chained her to a post and put her on display for his clients to see. Amata was a complete mess, her red hair was matted to her face, caked in mud and blood that wasn't hers. Still wearing the same filthy blue jumpsuit from yesterday.
"hmmm, maybe I should've had Clover clean her up." Eulogy said in hindsight,
"Hey when the hell is this damn thing going to start!" a Raider shouted.
"Yeah we been here for hours, the fuck is going on here! We doing this or not!" another shouted.
Annoyed Eulogy turned and face the crowd, "Alright you fucking degenerates!" He shouted, he paused and recomposed himself and cleared his throat.
"Ladies, Gentlemen, Raiders and Slavers. I bring you all here to present a once in a lifetime opportunity. Standing before you know is a genuine vault dweller!" He exclaimed in his salesman pitch.
"How the hell do we know you didn't just put a vault jumpsuit on one of those wastelanders." A slaver cut in.
"If you let me finish asshole! I will tell you!" Jones shot back. He continued his pitch by grabbing Amata's face. "As you can see by her pale skin, an obvious indicator of prolonged living underground." Eulogy took his index finger and hooked it in her cheek showing her teeth. "She also has all of her teeth and no sign of malnourishment."
Amata bit his finger in protest to his rough treatment, causing him to yelp in pain and snatch his finger from her, but he soon retaliated with the back of his hand as the crowd erupted in laughter.
"She even still has a bit of fight left in her." He joked as he tried to play off his humiliation.
"Alright enough of this, How much you want for her." A Slaver asked.
"Let's start the bidding at, oh I don't know how about 10,000 caps." He answered, which only received a negative uproar from the crowd.
"10,000 caps for this piece of shit! You got to be kidding me!" A Raider shouted,
"He's got a point, now if this so called 'vault dweller' you got here were to be the Lone Wanderer I could understand but 10,000 caps for a scrawny girl is highway robbery. Drop the price or we're walking!" a slaver threaten.
The Lone Wanderer was among the crowd, thankful he had a wastehound hood covering his face, He could see Amata chained to the post on the makeshift podium. He fought the urge to draw his weapon when he saw his old friend's condition, as there were to many guns here for him to simply shoot up the place and that wasn't even counting Eulogy's own contingent of slavers. If he was going to walk out of Paradise Falls he would have to win the bidding contest for her.
"Alright you broke ass mother fuckers we start a 2,000 caps." Eulogy Jones relinquished his 10,000 cap price tag. Instantly one of the leather clad individuals hand shot up.
"2,000 and 3 assault rifles." The Raiders countered.
"2,500 and 2 pairs of slaves of your own choosing." A slaver counter offered.
"3,000 caps" A rival Slaver offered.
As the bidding war was raging on, Amata couldn't help but feel degraded, she was being traded for material things and there was nothing she could do about it. She thought about home once more and if she ever see it again.
"4,000 caps 4 assault rifles and a flamethrower" A Raider shouted,
"5,000 caps 5 assault rifles and 5 slaves." A slaver offered.
The Lone Wanderer stood amongst the bidders waiting for his opportunity, and it seemed to be coming close as no one wanted to go over the five thousand mark.
"5,000, 6 Chinese assault rifles and a Minigun." One of the leather clad individuals offered.
This offer seemed to get Eulogy's attention as it seemed to be the best offer anyone was willing to give.
"Alright, if no one else is willing to present a better offer."
This was the opportunity he was waiting for.
"8,000 caps 10 Chinese assault rifles and a Gatlin Laser." The offer came up from the hooded figure.
"Oh, bullshit! No one has one of those." One of the Raiders shouted.
"Now hold on, it seems we might have ourselves a winner!" Eulogy exclaimed surprised at this mysterious individuals offer. "Now I can't say I've seen one of those before but it would be a very welcomed addition, so if there are no other offers I'd like to close this transaction." Jones looked out among the crowd and only saw disgruntled Raiders and Slavers shooting dirty looks at the hooded figure.
"Alright, SOLD! To the man with the hood, now if you would be so kindly as to come this way." Eulogy gestured toward the building behind him, he unchained Amata and led her inside as the Lone Wanderer pushed his way through the crowd. Inside, Eulogy drew up the contract and signed it. The Lone Wanderer dropped to bags on the floor, one holding the Gatlin Laser and the other was full of Chinese Assault Rifles and Caps, he let the Slave Trader inspect the goods before signing on the dotted line.
"Congratulations, my good man, uh if you don't mind me asking."
"I do mind, now take the collar off." The hooded figure demanded. Cutting Eulogy off mid-sentence.
"…You sure?" after an awkward silence he complied. Removing the bomb collar from around Amata's neck.
"Just so you know if she escapes I don't offer refunds." Jones warned,
The Lone Wanderer just wanted to be done with this place and moved to take the girl. Amata looked at the dark hooded menacing figure and managed to find renewed vigor as she tried to lash out at him, The Lone Wanderer didn't even flinched and simply stared at her futile struggle.
"Get the hell away from me! Don't you dare touch me! Or, or I'll-" Amata was cut off as the hooded figure grabbed her by the throat almost as fast like lighting.
"Shut up, you're mine now." He growled.
Amata spit on his hood and was properly rewarded with a harsh slap that floored her. The hooded figure grabbed hold of chains that bound his new property and wrapped it around her neck, he gave no order as he started pulling her towards the exit.
'Think you over did it?' The Lone Wanderer thought,
'Doesn't matter, we can't let anyone think this is a rescue.' He concluded as he pushed through the doors back into the open compound. Amata had managed to get back to her feet and did her best to keep up as the chain around her neck forced her to. They were nearing the exit of the compound when a group of Raiders stepped between them and the exit.
'Well, so much for a smooth escape.' The Lone Wanderer thought.
"We want the girl." Was their simple demand. The moved towards the two when suddenly a loud and familiar sound was heard, and a .308 caliber round slammed into the dirt in between them kicking up dust and halting the Raiders in their tracks.
"I don't like it when idiots start shit in my place." Eulogy said as he stood next to one of his men with a sniper rifle. "I don't care if you little shits have a problem, settle that shit in the waste NOT here!" he added, his henchman fired another round this time hitting the exit door behind the Raiders. This was enough to get his message across as the Raiders step aside and allowed the two to continue. Amata and the Lone Wanderer stepped through the doors and out into the Capital Wasteland. A few minutes had passed before Eulogy told the Raiders to get the hell out of his compound, to which they rallied themselves for a hunt.