Chapter 8

They had all been in the same squad. Protector Reece Wolf had been the squad leader with Damon Knight as his second in command. Defender Jessica Mills, usually Jess or Jessy to the others, was their medic and lock picker. Defender Jacob, Jake, Hill was their big guns and computer expert. Defender Johnathan, Johnny, Bell was their Special Ops. He was their sniper and their intel source. Even though those were their specializations, each and every one of them could fill in, if only to a smaller degree, if need be. Together, they had been the Outcasts' equivalent, if not superior, to the Lyon's Pride. They had been Wolf Pack.

The members of Wolf Pack talked for at least a few hours. Johnny even came down after an hour or two of listening. Most of them drank, which required them to take their helmets off, giving Damon his first look at their faces in over six months, even though he never forgot them.

Reece had brown eyes below his short brown hair. He wasn't particularly handsome, nor was he ugly, he was, if anything, above average in looks. Under his armor, his body was skinny and full of muscle. Jessica, on the other hand, was stunning. Long black hair that spilled down to her shoulders with piercing green eyes. Under her armor, she had an amazing body. Even though she was basically his sister, Damon was a man and couldn't resist looking. Jacob was Latino in background and had short black hair and brown eyes. His body was, like all the others, skinny and full of sinewy muscle. He was not bad to look at, if you were a women, anyways. Johnny had short blonde hair and bright blue eyes. His skin was pale white because he almost never took off his Power Armor. He had the least amount of muscle out of them all but made up for it by being the best shot in the entire group.

Finally, after getting all caught up, they became serious again.

"So Damon," Began Reece. "we really do need you back. Like I said, it's not the same without you."

"Yeah." Said all the others in unison. Wolf Pack had been as close as family and it felt as if something was missing when one was gone.

"I don't think I can. Not after what happened." Damon said. Remembering the Night.

"Damon," Said Jessica, putting her arm on his shoulder. "None of us liked what we had to do that night, but it was essential. The Specialists have told us that they are close to replicating the armor! They've already improved most of our Power Armors to make them more protecting and less constricting! Don't you see Damon? What happened that night was a good thing!"

"The ends do not justify the means." Said Damon quietly. "None of those people had to die. All we had to do was kill a small group of raiders. Would that have been to hard? Was it worth killing twenty innocent people?" Everybody remained silent. "Well, was it?" He almost shouted. Still no one would talk. "I thought so. They never had to die. Some of you even looted some of their valuables afterwards!" The horrors of what happened that night were coming back to Damon even more vividly than in his dreams.

"Damon," Jessica began again.

"No Jess, just no. Nothing, and I mean nothing, you say will make me think that night was worth it."

"So," Reece said. "is that your answer? You're just going to say no? After all we've been through!" Reece was angry now. "Sure what we did was wrong, but it was also necessary! Think about how we feel! You're basically family Damon and family doesn't leave family!"

"What about those families?" Said Damon, again quietly. "What about them, huh?"

"They should've just given us the Power Armor and let us be on our way."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point Damon?"

"They were people. Human beings just like you and me and they did not deserve to die!" Damon stood up and put on his helmet. "Until you guys can see that, family or not, I will not join back up with the Outcasts."

With that, he left. None of them tried to stop him because they all knew that it was futile. As much as it pained them, they knew that he wouldn't come back unless he wanted to.

Damon walked out into the receding sunlight, his head spinning. He wanted nothing more but to be back with the Outcasts, among his closest friends, but he couldn't go through what happened a second time and stay sane. He was sad for having turned them away, but he just couldn't do it again. He needed a drink and some sleep. Too bad he couldn't go back inside.

He left Megaton and decided to head to Rivet City. As he walked off, Wolf Pack watched him fade into the darkness.