Chapter 7

Damon just stood there on the stairs, looking at the Outcasts, a million thoughts flying through his head. Are they here to kill me? Are they even looking for me? Do they know me? Do I know them? Were just a few that were bouncing around in his head, trying to make it to the forefront of his mind. Finally, after what seemed like hours, but had only been seconds, one of the Outcasts noticed him and turned in his direction. They smacked their hand on their friend's shoulder and pointed. The other one looked up at Damon. There was something familiar about his armor.

"Damon?" Called out the second Outcast in a voice that Damon recognized.

"Jacob?" Replied Damon, amazed. So there had been something that he'd remembered.

Jacob got up and came over to give Damon a hug, an awkward thing to do in Power Armor but, was necessary Damon and Jacob had been as close as brothers. Sadly, they had had to part ways when Damon was exiled.

"What are you doing here?" Damon asked after the hug. "And who's your partner?" He said, looking past Jacob and at the other Outcasts.

"Oh, no one you need to remember." Said a distinctly feminine voice.

"Holy shit, is that you Jessica?" He said in disbelief.

"In the Power Armor." And with that the two hugged. The two had been just as close as him and Jacob. "So, Damon, what have you been doing with yourself? I hear you are guarding the caravans now." She said teasingly.

"Only because I need the caps."

"Sure," she said, rolling her eyes underneath her helmet. "I think he's gone native on us Jacob."

"Yeah, you been bangin' two stone together Damon?"

"Okay guys, that's not funny." He said seriously. "These people may not have our tech but they're humans just like us."

"Sure, especially that Ghoul over there, right?" Asked Jessica, mockingly.

"Gob," He said gesturing towards the ghoul. "is no different than you and me besides his appearance. Put him in Power Armor and you'd never know he was a Ghoul."

"Oh shit!" Almost yelled Jacob. "You have gone local on us!" With that he patted Damon's shoulder, laughing. "Don't worry man, we're here to take you back."

"Take me back? Back where?" Damon said, now thoroughly confused.

"Why, back to Fort Independence of course! Casdin said that you can come back!" Exclaimed Jessica in glee.

"What?" Asked Damon confused. "Why would he take me back?"

"Because," Said another Outcast that had come through the door. "he said that he was too harsh. Besides, it's just not the same without you." Damon recognized this voice also.

"Reece? How many of you guys are here?" He said, having temporarily forgotten about their proposal.

"Just us. Oh, and Johnny, but he's above the town with his sniper, providing intel. Johnny," Said Reece into a headset in his helmet. "we've found Damon. Anything to report?"

Damon could hear the response but couldn't make out what was said. Obviously it was good because Reece nodded. "Okay, keep me posted."

"Are you guys being followed or something?" Damon questioned.

"No, but there's no point in not being prepared. Something I hear that you weren't when you got here."

"Okay, there's a story behind that." The old friends all sat down and exchanged all that had happened in the past six months, their proposal all but forgotten.