The sun was just beginning to rise as the Wanderer and Dogmeat crested the final hill between them and their destination. Tenpenny Tower stood in resplendent glory as the sun's rays fell on it. The early light painted the tower in vivid yellows and oranges. The Wanderer smiled.

It was her first genuine smile (asides the ones reserved for Dogmeat) in a long while. She couldn't remember the last time she was looking forward to something. Usually her life consisted of reacting to problems in the moment or having an immediate concern to deal with, but Tenpenny Tower was different. This was a new future, one that wasn't overshadowed by her past.

The two of them descended the hill and headed for the main gate. The black steel rose up above her head. The bars had metal sheets and grating welded to both sides to bolster its defensiveness. The Wanderer slowly approached the intercom with apprehension. What was this? Why was she nervous? She grimaced bitterly as she realized what the feeling was. Hope. Hope was something she was used to being disappointed in. Not this time, however. This time she wasn't letting go of her hope without a fight.

She pressed the button on the intercom next to the gate. A loud buzzing broke the quiet morning. She heard movement on the other side of the wall. A tired voice, different than the one she'd first heard, answered with a yawn.

"Ugh, what do you want? It's 7AM," the voice complained. "Come back later. Or better yet not at all."

The intercom clicked off, but a muttered, "Stupid bitch," was still heard from outside the gate.

"I'm here to see Mr. Burke."

A muffled curse floated over the wall. The guard had not pressed the transmit button on the intercom, but his dismay at accidentally trying to dismiss one of Burke's supposed employees couldn't be hidden that easy. The Wanderer enjoyed that. She always reveled in the fear she inspired which she realized probably was not a healthy feeling, but what was healthy in her life these days?

"Right, right. My apologies," he hastily returned through the intercom. "I'll buzz you in."

With another buzz the intercom shut off. A distinctive click sounded as the gate unlocked. With a groan one of the metal doors was pulled open. A young guard stood in the doorway with his rifle trained out at the Wasteland. The Wanderer eyed his rifle.

"Sorry, sorry. It's not for you ma'am," he lowered his rifle. "All sorts of scum try to get into Tenpenny Tower. It's our job to make sure that doesn't happen, but you'd know all about that being one of Mr. Burke's employees."

"Of course," replied the Wanderer. "You never know who'll do something stupid and try to get in here."

"Tell me about it." The guard shrugged and stepped aside, waving her in. "We've had these ghouls trying to get in for the past couple of weeks. It's starting to get some of the residents on edge."

The Wanderer listened intently and only agreed with a muted, "Mmmm."

"But don't let me hold you up, ma'am. Head right in the main doors. Chief Gustavo should be in the lobby. Talk to him about your meeting with Mr. Burke." The Wanderer nodded and turned to leave.

"Oh, and ma'am! If you wouldn't mind. Please don't mention what I said earlier, I mean, if you could. I didn't know who you were and the night shift is very stressful and I just..." His excuses petered out.

"It'll be our little secret," she replied with a fearsome smile.

With that the Wanderer left the terrified guard at the gates. Dogmeat kept close to her heels as they entered the tower. He was uncomfortable being in a new place and was thus expecting danger. Which apparently meant that he had to stay close enough to her to trip her if she tried to move sideways.

The Wanderer just shook her head at the paranoid dog. The dangerous part was over. Getting through the main gate was the primary challenge. From here on out it should just be honey coated words to cement her place here. From what the guard had told her, the ghoul problem she'd witnessed was a more serious issue for the tower than she'd initially thought. Which was good. She could use that with Burke. The man's silver tongue made him a formidable negotiator, but she was no slouch in that department either. She may prefer to talk with guns and blades, but when necessary she could certainly talk someone down from a ledge, or her way into a prestigious private residence.

"And who the hell are you," a voice interrupted.

The interrupter was a large Hispanic man clad in the same armor as the gate guard. However, his was significantly nicer. His voice was also the one she'd first heard on the intercom.

"Chief Gustavo," she surmised aloud.

"Yeah, now I repeat, 'who the hell are you?'"

"I'm here for a meeting with Mr. Burke."

"Great," he muttered. "Mr. Burke neglected to mention you'd be stopping by. Which he's usually very adamant about. Plenty of trash out their in the Wasteland. Plenty of dangerous people too." Chief Gustavo's hand strayed to the pistol at his side.

"And which one do you think I am?" Dogmeat punctuated the question with a growl, but the Wanderer remained still.

"Don't get cute, missy," Gustavo returned. "May I ask what your business with Mr. Burke is?"

"You should know. You were arguing with it the other morning."

Gustavo's hand came off his gun and his stance loosened up. "Roy Phillips? Burke finally hired someone to deal with that zombie? Finally! Someone's going to wipe his little zombie group off the map."

"Not necessarily. I'm just supposed to solve the problem. The 'how' is up to my discretion."

"Your bleeding heart is liable to get you in a lot of trouble one day. Look kid, eventually all ghouls go zombie on your ass, it's only a matter of time. Kill them when you find them. It's a win-win. You put them out of their misery, and save someone else from getting torn apart."

"Perhaps. Killing isn't off the table, but why waste the bullets if I don't have to?"

The Wanderer smiled wide at the security chief who shifted uncomfortably. He'd clearly gotten the measure of the young woman wrong. Whoever she was, he did not want anything to do with her. Burke's people were Burke's problem, and he didn't like the way that monstrous hound was eying him either. Though he wasn't sure which one of them unnerved him more.

"Fine, whatever. Your problem. Welcome to Tenpenny Tower. Don't do anything stupid."

The Wanderer nodded her assent. "And where is Mr. Burke?"

"Out. He should be back shortly. Feel free to visit any of the businesses here on the first floor. Anything else is off limits, and don't bother the residents either," he warned sternly. "Actually just stay out of their way completely, why don't you?"

He eyed the Wanderer from top to bottom. "Some of our more esteemed residents might find your appearance offensive. Though, now that I think about, Dashwood would probably enjoy talking to someone with your... qualities."

The Wanderer just smiled again. Chief Gustavo was again shaken by the feeling he assumed would be similar to staring down a shark. "I'll just be over there." The Wanderer pointed to a bench on the far side of the atrium.

"...Right."

The Wanderer and Dogmeat retired to the bench. Leaning her head back against the cool marble of the walls she observed the atrium of Tenpenny Tower. To say it was beautiful was an understatement. It was magnificent. Deserted at the moment, but magnificent nonetheless. Tenpenny had meticulously made sure that the prewar hotel had not lost any of its glory.

With her head resting, the Wanderer closed her eyes. This was going to be her new home! A life in the lap of luxury. Excitement made her fingers tingle, or maybe that was the Jet. It didn't matter. Sure, she would have to occasionally leave the tower to continue earning her residency, but if everything went according to plan with Burke and the ghouls she would have a place to lie her head at night and spend her days in comfort.

"So, you're the one who managed to talk her way in here."

The cool voice of Mr. Burke broke her reverie. Slowly opening her eyes the Wanderer was greeted to the sight of Mr. Burke flanked by Gustavo and several other guards.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Burke. I didn't realize you didn't know her. We'll escort her from the premises immediately."

"Oh, no, Gustavo. I do know her. Which is why I would greatly appreciate it if you and your men would keep your weapons trained on her." The clack off rifles being shouldered accompanied the guards hurrying to obey his orders.

"I'm not here for trouble, Burke."

"Oh, really? And is there any reason why I should listen to a word you say? You've stabbed me in the back in the past. Though I must say I should be thankful it was in the past. The new you would literally stab me in the back."

"I have a proposition for you."

"And why would you have a proposition for me?"

The Wanderer leaned forward and unfolded her hands from where they were resting and put one on Dogmeat's neck.

"As you said. I'm a new me."

Mr. Burke appeared to be mulling over the costs and benefits in his head. The man was cautious if nothing else. He was probably thinking it would be safer to just shoot her. She'd have to tip the man's opinion in her favor.

"Or you could just shoot me, but then those ghouls will probably just rally enough of their kind to take the tower from you. I think Roy Phillips is done offering caps."

Burke's eyes narrowed. "And just what are you proposing? That you'll deal with him?"

The Wanderer's cold smile returned. "Not at all. My proposal is giving you access to my talents. Whatever you need, I will be happy to oblige. Dealing with Phillips, consider it an interview."

"And just what will this cost me?"

"Residency."

It was Mr. Burke's turn to smile.

"And just why would you want to live in Tenpenny Tower? And don't tell me it's the décor or the company."

"I'm tired of the Wasteland," she replied. "I want someplace to live where people don't look at me as Three Dog's hero. I want... I want to rest. I'm tired, Burke. Tired of fighting for survival. I deserve more than what the Wasteland has given me. Tenpenny Tower is what I deserve."

"Deserve?"

"I'm more than willing to work for it."

"And if I were to believe that very well rehearsed emotional reveal, why would we let you live here? The Lone Wanderer: a girl known by those who haven't met her as a hero and to those that have as a brutal, murderous psychopath."

The Wanderer's eyes narrowed. The look on her face coupled with her blood red eyes was not lost on Gustavo's men who all looked slightly unsettled. Burke, however, was unfazed.

"No one hears from you for months. You've stayed off the grid. You're almost never seen anymore. One might surmise that you are staying away from civilization. However, I know how to trail people like you."

"There are no people like me, Burke."

"Of course there are. Murderers. Killers. Maniacs."

This time the Wanderer's smile was in her head. She kept her face a carefully controlled mask. She had him. He'd finally underestimated her. She wasn't just another killer as he thought.

"I've followed your trail of corpses throughout the Wasteland. Until two months ago. You disappeared. Where were you?"

The Wanderer's mask cracked. Her eyes widened slightly. How did Burke know? No one knew!

"Did I touch a nerve? Tell me what happened. You were seen boarding a ferry owned by a man known as Tobar. Several weeks later, the ferry returned. No Tobar. Just you. And since then you've been living up to that name of yours and just wandering the Wasteland alone and aimlessly. What happened? Where did that ferry take you?"

The Wanderer's barely contained murderous rage was no act now. Dogmeat was sensing her unease and began to growl. The guards all shuffled forward with their rifles trained on them.

"Easy," Gustavo cautioned.

"Tell me, Wanderer. Or you can die here. Tell me and we can discuss your proposal."

With a snarl the Wanderer answered. "Point Lookout! I was taken to Point Lookout!"

"And?"

With a hard glare she continued. "And I was tortured and attacked and beaten and left for dead. Do I need to go on?"

"None of those you have not experienced before." Burke laughed at the expression on her face. "I've followed your history quite closely, Wanderer. I must say I'm surprised you've made it this long. Most people would have simply bit the proverbial bullet by now. I'll ask one more time. What. Happened?"

The Wanderer was shaking. Point Lookout was not something she enjoyed talking about. Or even thinking about. The marshes and swamps of that hell hole were pure evil. Evil that got in your soul and wore you down. She'd been stranded there for four weeks. Four weeks of barely managed survival. Every moment worse than the last.

Hot tears of rage slid down her cheeks. Her hands were clenching and unclenching in her lap.

"You want to know what happened? I was captured. Then drugged. Then I had a piece of my brain removed. Do you know what that does to a person?"

She paused a moment and looked Burke in the eyes. "Nothing good."

Burke leaned back in satisfaction. "So you want me to hire you, one of the most dangerous people in the Wasteland? A girl often described as just a little unhinged. Someone who just admitted to not being all there anymore. Or am I to believe there were no side effects to your... surgery that I should worry about?"

"None," the Wanderer hissed through gritted teeth. Quiet laughter echoed through her head, but she pushed them back down. The Voices were not going to ruin this. Not now.

"Really," he asked doubtfully. "I'm still waiting for an answer to why I should hire you."

"Because Point Lookout taught me something. I don't owe the Wasteland anything. Point Lookout was the best thing to happen to me actually. It woke me up. I live for me. No one else. I do what I want. I get what I want. What I want is to live here while the rest of the Wasteland rots outside the walls, and I will do whatever you want to make that happen."

"Then I believe we have a deal, Wanderer." He held out his hand. His victorious smile was smug.

Her eyes flicked to it and then back to the hand. She slowly took the offered appendage and shook.

"We have a deal."