Chapter 25
"We're being watched." Charon whispered to the two other people crouched on either side of him. They'd traveled to the outskirts of the ruined city to hunt for some decent game. It was mid afternoon and all three of them had felt eyes on them for the last ten minutes.
"Can you tell who it is?" Joshua asked, flicking his eyes around.
"No, it's just a feeling."
Rachel poked a few buttons on her Pipboy and turned in a slow circle. "Whoever it is they're keeping their distance. I'm not picking up anything but I feel them too. Should we head back?"
The men looked at each other, neither of them wanted to go back empty handed but without knowing who was watching them staying out in the open was downright stupid.
When Joshua said as much Rachel pointed to a building two blocks away. It was the one she'd used for her flying lessons. "We know that building. Let's get up off the ground. Maybe we can smoke out our friend."
The men agreed, Charon volunteering to stay on the ground to get around behind whoever was there. If he could get eyes on them then he could decided whether or not he was going to have to kill them. He could also reassure himself then it wasn't Severus, there to kill them all.
The three of them moved together until they reached the building they wanted. Once they were on the first floor Charon nodded to the others and slipped away. Rachel and Joshua started up the stairs, going all the way up to the open floor they'd used before.
Joshua set down his pack, offering Rachel a Nuka-Cola. She accepted it gratefully, tipping her head back and letting that first gulp washing the dust from her throat.
"How long do you think it'll take Charon to sneak up on our spy?"
Rachel shrugged, looking out over the bomb blasted ground below. "It depends on whether or not he decided to watch them for awhile. Unless we hear gunfire he'll be fine without us."
"Why are you in Chicago?" Joshua asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "I know we wouldn't be rebelling without you, Ike would still be presumed dead and Maggie would think she was all alone…but you didn't come here to start a civil war."
Rachel tested a large chunk of rumble and sat once she determined it was sturdy. "Truthfully?" She asked, looking down to hide her embarrassment. "We came because I love my husband and I want his child."
Joshua blinked. "Ghouls can't have children."
Rachel nodded. "I know, but before he left for war Charon went to a sperm bank just in case he didn't come back. Or came back missing his most important bits. We came to Chicago to see if Gene-Tech survived the bombs. It's inside the coliseum walls, but it's still standing according to what we've learned so far."
Joshua looked at her for a long time without saying a word. Finally he finished his own Nuka Cola, tossing to bottle out into open air. "You walked into hell for a child that might not even be possible to have? Who does that?"
Rachel grinned, tossing her own bottle after his. "Me and Charon."
Movement on the far end of the square caught her eye and she moved forward to wave at Charon. Unfortunately Charon wasn't the one there. Charon wasn't a very large and intelligent feline, nor did he have any long fangs hanging from his muzzle.
The Saber that slunk out of the shadow of an alley was another story entirely. The massive beast scented the air while both Rachel and Joshua flattened themselves down on the floor. Rachel maneuvered her scoped hunting rifle as quietly as possible and got the Saber in her crosshairs in time to see his nostrils flare and it's head snap in their direction.
A chill ran down Rachel's spine when it locked eyes with her. It was impossible…but in that moment Rachel could feel it's molten gold gaze drilling into hers from a hundred yards away. Rachel eased her gun down but the cat was still looking up at them.
No…not at them.
At her.
She'd always gotten on better with big predators than most people but the intensity in the cats stare had her scrambling back away from the floor's ledge.
"What are you doing?" Joshua hissed franticly. "It'll see us!"
"It already has." She hissed back through her teeth. "At least it saw me. Joshua you have to get out of here, I'll distract it."
Joshua jumped to his feet, already shaking his head. "I'd rather face a Saber at your side over facing Charon after leaving you behind to die. Better odds of survival."
Rachel gave a crooked grin, making sure her gun was fully loaded. "You a smart ghoul."
Joshua checked his assault rifle clip, nodding in her direction. "That's why I make the big caps."
Joshua inched towards the edge of the floor, "Crap."
"What?"
"It's gone, I don't see it anywhere."
Rachel inched up further and peeked down the side of the building they were standing in.
"He's right there." Rachel whispered, paling under the dust that coated her skin. Joshua swore and joined her to look. The Saber was at the base of the building, pacing in a little figure eight while it gazed up in their direction. It locked its eyes on them and made a gurgling sound in its throat.
Rachel watched in a kind of grim daze as it shook its hind end and leapt, sinking four inch claws into the concrete. The Saber's muscle bulged under its patchy scaled and furred hide and it began to climb.
Rachel tore her eyes away and grabbed the barrel of Joshua's gun as he readied to fire. "The angle is horrible, you'll fall before you hit it! We have to run, we have to find Charon and get the hell outta here!"
They grabbed their packs on the way by, locking the door behind them. Not that it would stop the Saber, the door was thin but it would slow the creature down a little. Their heavy combat boots pound on the stairs, echoing in the deserted building but it didn't matter. The Saber had their scents so the time for stealth was over.
They found Charon in the lobby, gun up and ready to provide them with cover fire.
"Saber," Rachel gasped, a touch breathless from the stairs.
"Shit," Charon growled.
They looked back in time to see Joshua bolt the door to the stairwell. "Not sure what good it'll do." He grumbled when he was facing them again. "It would have reached upstairs by now."
Charon cocked an eyebrow in question but Rachel nodded. "We locked all the doors we went through, by now we should have heard it clawing at them."
"Do you think it's waiting at the front door?" Rachel asked, eyes flicking to the entrance.
"I just came through that door and I didn't see it. Don't mean it's not there now." Charon told them, swinging back towards the entrance. "We keep our eyes open and keep moving."
Charon took a few steps closer to Rachel. "Keep close, I won't lose track of you again this week."
Despite the immediate threat to their lives Rachel stood on tip toe and kissed cheek. "Deal."
They moved quickly but just like before the Saber didn't show itself again. It was there though. Each one of them felt the predators' eyes on them. Once Rachel thought she saw the tip of a tail flick behind a big chuck of concrete fifty yards to the right but when she paused to look everything but the wind was still.
When they were outside the entrance of the tunnel leading to Sanctuary Rachel paused again and the men looked at her. "I don't think we lost it but why hasn't it attacked?"
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Charon growled, taking her hand and tugging her towards the gate to the safety of the underground.
"What's a horse?" Rachel asked, letting him tug her along.
"I'll draw you a picture later. Right now I want you safe." He told her, locking the gate behind them while Joshua took the lead.
Once they were in the tunnel Joshua shook his head. "I've never seen a Saber act like that. Just following. They attack or they stay hidden and don't bother with people. I've never seen one track anything without it being hungry."
"The one before did." Rachel said and Joshua's head snapped around.
"What?"
"I saw it looking at us when we got back from that rescue. We locked eyes and then it wandered off."
Joshua swore under his breath. "Do you think it was the same one?"
Rachel shrugged. "I couldn't be certain but…yeah. I do."
Charon slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. He placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Simms'll be pissed if you bring home any more critters."
"I have no desire to have a pet Saber." Rachel told him while they walked.
Charon looked down at her. "That's a damn lie sweetheart."
Rachel answered him with a brilliant grin.
That night after a hot bath together and a decent meal Rachel and Charon met the other Rebel heads in the War Room. Many of the team leaders were there as well, all talking quietly while they waited for the Amp theater signal to cut into the Baron's regularly scheduled propaganda.
Rachel elbowed Charon with a grin and pointed to the screen once they were seated at the table. A drawing of her was displayed on the wall mounted screen in black and white.
"Not bad," Charon chuckled while the voice over told the listeners that Angel was wanted for crimes against the government and any information leader to her capture would be rewarded in the amount of two thousand caps.
Rachel skipped up next to the screen, giggling. "What do you think?" she called loudly to the room. "Did they capture my nuance?"
"They did," Ike laughed. "Money's not bad either but I don't get out of bed for under three thousand caps."
That was greeted by a ripple of laughter.
Rachel was just settling back in between Charon and Joshua when the Screen flickered and a large stage came into view. It was housed in a dome that would help carry the sound of whatever was happening on the stage below and a podium was set up in the middle.
Hundreds of people were gathered in the stands. It surprised Rachel that so many people dared to gather together in this deadly city. A figure walked out from stage left and the camera zoomed in to the face of the Baron, waving to the cheering crowd.
Rachel wasn't sure if they cheered because they wanted too or because the armed guards stationed throughout the stage and the stands might open fire if the Baron didn't feel important enough. When she whispered her thoughts to Charon he snorted quietly and nodded his agreement to the second option.
"Friends!" the Baron started and the crowd settled down. "As you all know an angel has descended on our great city. This female being of power is being blinded by the lies and discord spread by the rebels. She will be brought before me and made to see her rightful place at my side!"
Beside her Charon shifted and took her hand, willing her not to break out in the laughter she was desperately trying to hold back.
"Her place," Baron Dominic continued. "As my personal historians have discovered, is one of honor despite her treasonous actions. It is only through those traitor-ish actions that she has proven herself to be the one described by our ancestors. A woman strong enough to solidify the line of kings and produce an heir to lead us into a glorious new age. An age of prosperity. We will be mighty enough to brave the sands and conquer the rest of the world. Our fair city will be the shining center of the world, and the son produce by our marriage will be a god among men and beasts!"
The crowd roared over the speakers of the television screen but it wasn't loud enough to cover Charon furious growl. He wrapped a possessive arm around her shoulders, glaring at the smug Baron.
"I am certain of this as another sign of power has appeared! A great beast to symbolize the authority of my right to rule and the right of our future heir. I present to you Goliath!"
The camera panned out until it showed the whole stage. From stage right four men appeared dragging a massive cage on wheels by four thick chains. The cage was cover with a dark cloth. Grinning with pride the Baron motioned for the men to stop when they were almost to the center and the camera zoomed in enough to see the Baron and the cage. With a flourish the Baron yanked the cloth free and there were gasps of horror both from the screen and in the War Room.
"I 'bout imagine!" Rachel screeched, standing up so fast her chair slammed to the floor. "I'll kill that son of a bitch!"
Charon tried to get her attention but she couldn't take her eyes off of Claws, chained and snarling furiously inside the cage. He took a swipe at the men closest to him, sparks flashing as at bars zapped him. The cage must have been electrified. Rachel's roar of fury drowned out the roar of pain from her pet.
She'd seen enough and turned on her heel, briskly stalking out of the room while people stared after her.
"Rachel wait!" he called, the woman could move when she was motivated. Charon chased her down but he didn't stop her, just jogged along beside her. He'd never seen his wife so angry. He would almost pitied the Baron if he wasn't so afraid of what she was going to get herself into. The man had no idea the wrath he was about to have rained down on him.
"Rachel-"
"No!" she snapped, jogging for Maggie's rooms.
"We need a plan."
"Oh," Rachel snarled. "I have a plan. Tell the boys to get their gear. I'm going to rain hell down on Dominic's head!"