Chapter 15
The Mouth of Hell
"Sorry… another bouncer just signed on. I don't have any more work right now."
Mr. Burke sighed, leaning on the bar's surface and nodding at the bartender of Boulder City's saloon. "Very well. I understand."
The bartender gave him a wave and a halfhearted smile. Mr. Burke turned and strolled out of the saloon, squinting at the sunlight from behind his sunglasses and beginning his long walk back to the vertibird, Boulder City slowly vanishing from sight behind him.
As he wandered past the 188, Mr. Burke slid his hands into his pockets, mulling over his thoughts and shaking his head. "Work like that hardly suits me, anyhow…"
He pondered on his predicament, wondering what he could possibly do next. Sarah and Bryan were working with the western Brotherhood—meanwhile, Mr. Burke was left alone, nowhere to go and no work to take on.
Then, he slowed to a stop, turning his head and eyeing the great city in the distance.
The remnants of Las Vegas sat welcomingly on the horizon, sparkling against the Nevada sun as the tower of the Lucky 38 reached into the sky so beautifully, it was almost arrogant in its glory, as if it was reaching into the heavens and challenging God himself.
Mr. Burke revealed a sly little half-smile. The Lucky 38 almost reminded him of Tenpenny Tower, standing so tall above a broken world that couldn't possibly match its grand presence.
"Work in Vegas, however," he murmured ominously, strolling toward the city without any forethought. "Now… that would suit me just fine."
After a long and tireless journey toward the south—and after carefully maneuvering away from areas like Searchlight—Sandra, Niner, Arcade, and ED-E finally found themselves approaching the long, steep hill that stretched down toward the river, leading directly into the Legion encampment of Cottonwood Cove.
The time bomb was finished and tucked safely in the bottom of Niner's duffle bag. Arcade had set the timer to detonate half an hour after activation. If everything went according to plan, they would have just enough time to depart the Fort before the bomb would explode, hopefully killing Caesar in the process.
Though now, as they approached the Legion camp, the three of them felt a gnawing nervousness arise inside, as the severity of their actions was finally becoming apparent. Arcade gulped, turning away from the side of the road after seeing a crucified corpse perched beside the street.
"Okay… I just had a bad thought," Niner mumbled, scratching the back of his neck.
"Oh, good," Arcade quipped in response. "I thought I was the only one drowning in a sea of terrible possibilities…"
"No, seriously… what if they search us?" Niner asked, slowing to a stop in the street. "What if they take all our stuff? Then we're fucked."
Sandra sighed, biting her lip and trying to think of a solution.
Arcade whipped around suddenly, narrowing his eyes at ED-E. Without warning, he grabbed the eyebot out of the air, reached underneath its tiny red banner, and turned a small mechanism on his shell. Then, a metal hatch opened, revealing an open space inside ED-E's robotic body.
Sandra gaped at ED-E, then turned to Arcade. "He has a storage compartment? How'd you know that…?"
"Ahm… lucky guess?" Arcade shrugged, facing Niner. "Gimme the bomb. Hurry, before someone sees us."
Niner nodded and slid his enormous duffle bag off, digging through his belongings before finding the time bomb—a rigged device made of taped-together duct tape, an egg timer and a few wires glued directly in the center. He cautiously slid the bomb into ED-E's storage compartment, and Arcade closed the robot's metal hatch, Niner strapping his bag back on before they all resumed their pace downhill.
"Now… before we get there, I just have to say," Sandra said, leading her friends directly toward the mouth of hell. "If anything goes wrong, just abort the plan. We'll beat the Legion with the securitron army someday later down the road. It'll be harder, but we'll make it work somehow. So, if something goes wrong, then don't bother planting the bomb. I don't want any of us dying in here, and we're already taking a hell of a risk just by walking into this place."
Arcade nodded quietly.
"Ah, hell, Six… I'm gonna get it done one way or another," Niner remarked. "I ain't doing this for nothing. Fuck, I got the shakes…"
He pulled a syringe from his pocket, injecting a dose of steady into his arm as he walked, releasing a slow, calming breath.
"Yeah… enjoy that while you can," Arcade muttered. "They'll probably confiscate that from you once we're inside. Chems are considered punishable by crucifixion among their lovely little society."
"Fuckin'a… whole tribe of buzz kills," Niner griped.
"Halt!"
The three of them froze mid-step, Sandra spotting a Legionary further down the hill.
"What business have you in Cottonwood Cove, outsiders?" the Legionary called out.
Sandra reached into her leather jacket and pulled out the glistening golden necklace given to her by Vulpes.
"You bear the Mark of Caesar," the Legionary realized. "Very well, you may proceed—but be warned. Mark or no, we will not tolerate violence or mishaps in our territory."
Sandra nodded, she and her friends marching past as the Legionary wandered off toward his camp. As they walked, Arcade and Niner took turns surveying the camp around them warily.
"I just had another bad thought," Niner uttered.
"Stop it," Sandra scolded quietly. "Stop having thoughts. Stop thinking."
"No, seriously… listen," Niner mumbled, leaning over and muttering to her. "If Vulpes knows you… then maybe the rest of 'em know you. Maybe you crossed paths with the whole Legion at some point, Six."
"I seriously doubt it," Sandra replied. "I'd either be a slave or someone's wife. I wouldn't be a freelance courier."
"I don't know," Arcade uttered doubtfully. "You seem to know a bit of Latin, Sandra. That's not something most people just pick up on."
"You did," Sandra argued.
Niner quickly shushed them both, nodding up at the nearest building, where a Legion veteran was guarding the town from above with a rifle, his eyes locked firmly on Sandra and her group.
"Oh shit—say something," Niner urged. "Tell him why we're here. Before he shoots us."
Sandra held up the Mark of Caesar—then, Arcade stepped forward, tapping the gold necklace and staring up at the Legion veteran. He said a long string of Latin words—and seconds after, the veteran nodded, lowering his rifle and facing away.
Sandra and Niner released a massively relieved breath, both of them walking off with Arcade and ED-E following in their wake.
"This is unbelievably nerve-wracking," Arcade exhaled. "Let's just get where we're going. Fortification Hill is up north, which means we're probably gonna be traveling there on the river."
Sandra nodded and led them toward the dock, marching down the wooden walkway that stretched over the crystalline waters of the river. A tall black-haired Legionary awaited them at the end of the dock, standing beside a boat and motioning for them to board. They exchanged cautious glances before they all climbed into the boat one by one, and then, the Legionary pushed his ore against the dock, guiding the boat down the river and beginning their journey to the Fort. No turning back now.
After a tense and silent boat ride, the Legionary led them up a patch of land, a dirt trail that stretched up to the wooden gateway of Fortification Hill. Once they were inside, numerous tents, slaves, and Legionaries were in sight—and the nearest Legion guard held out his arm, stopping Sandra and her friends.
"By order of Caesar, all banned items are to be confiscated," the guard informed.
Sandra gulped. "What's considered a banned item?"
"All weapons and all chems," the guard replied. "They will be returned to you upon your departure of Fortification Hill."
Sandra nodded quietly. She and her friends handed over their chems and firearms, all of them silently praying that ED-E wouldn't also be searched or confiscated. Thankfully, the Legionaries didn't seem to care about the robot's presence.
So, onward they marched. Sandra and her friends ventured up a long rounded hill, two Legion boys sprinting past them and chasing one another. Once they reached the top, the drawbridge brought them to the heart of the Fort, all of them surveying the tents and people in passing. The battle arena was directly ahead—and towering above it was the largest tent in the camp, the one that belonged to Caesar.
Sandra walked around the battle arena and approached the tent, which was also occupied by guards. The guard on the left was quick to address her.
"You must enter Caesar's tent alone," the guard stated.
Sandra nodded, turning to her friends. "Okay. Well… while I'm doing business with Caesar, you guys just wait. Maybe go have a look at some of the food and medical tents or something. Barter for some healing powder. We could use some."
Arcade and Niner nodded with silent understanding.
Sandra turned, took a deep breath, and marched into the home of the Son of Mars.
While her companions wandered off to do some 'trading,' Sandra slowly made her way across the tent, passing by several veterans with crimson-clad armor and power fists. She approached the decorative throne at the end, locking eyes with Caesar—and directly beside him stood Vulpes Inculta, still wearing his suit and fedora from his visit to the Strip.
A looming tension took over the atmosphere as Sandra slowed to a stop before Caesar's throne, pulling out the Mark of Caesar and offering it to him.
"Got your invite," she said.
Caesar slowly nodded, taking the golden necklace from her and thoughtfully intertwining his fingers. "So… I finally get to meet the courier who's making such a mark on the Mojave."
"I… don't know what you mean," Sandra muttered.
"Oh… come on," Caesar said with a caustic little smirk. "A man nearly kills you, and your response is to track him across the breadth of the Mojave? You assassinate him in his own hotel, and get away with it? When you set your mind to something, you get results. I like that."
Sandra swallowed nervously, glimpsing at Vulpes and saying nothing. Evidently, Caesar had no idea about Vulpes's hand in Benny's death, but it didn't matter. It wasn't a topic worth bringing up.
"The question is," Caesar said, leaning forward and eyeing her intensely. "Are you ready to get started making a real difference now?"
"Sure," Sandra agreed. "Where were you looking to start?"
"Passionate and cooperative. I'm liking you more and more," Caesar said with a sly smirk. "The building down the hill from here—it bears the same insignia of the Lucky 38 Casino. The bunker inside is sealed away, and it can't be pried or blasted open—but the security system is equipped with a slot the exact size and shape of the Platinum Chip you carry. Isn't that interesting?"
"Okay. You want me to go down there?" Sandra guessed.
Caesar nodded. "Yes—and I want you to destroy whatever you find. Then I want you to come back here and tell me about it. You'll be sitting pretty for the rest of your life if you serve me well—but this is how you prove your allegiance. It must be done by you."
Sandra nodded in response, thinking of everything Yes Man had told her. In reality, she planned to upgrade the securitrons and awaken the sleeping army—but Caesar didn't need to know that little detail.
"Okay… I'll get it done," Sandra said conclusively, preparing to leave.
"Hold on." Caesar's voice seemed to strengthen. "I'd like to believe you're simply eager to jump on board the bandwagon—but I'm not so open-minded that I'm willing to trust you blindly. You need to prove your loyalty by completing this task, but I don't plan to send you down there unsupervised."
Sandra inhaled heavily, showing no reaction, though she felt her stomach make an anxious churning in the pit of her gut.
"Vulpes," Caesar said, turning to his head frumentarius. "You will accompany Courier Six into the bunker and make sure she completes the task I've given her."
Vulpes gave a slight bow. "Yes, My Lord."
Sandra's heart was hammering with rampant nervousness now, though she kept it all inside, appearing nonchalant as Vulpes joined by her side.
"You may go," Caesar dismissed, waving loosely at them.
Vulpes nodded, met Sandra's eyes briefly, and marched toward the exit. Sandra sighed and gnawed her bottom lip, following him outside.
The two of them walked in silence for a few minutes, Vulpes leading her down the opposite hill from where she came. Sandra spotted her friends in passing, seeing that Niner and Arcade were walking away from a Legion hunter after purchasing some grilled meat on sticks. Hopefully, they would enact the plan soon…
Vulpes opened the door of the building and led Sandra inside. The interior was dark and dingy, and inhabited by a few more Legion guards, one of them holding Sandra's bag and shotgun.
"Return her belongings," Vulpes instructed, approaching the security system. "We have no way of knowing what type of security awaits down there."
The nearest guard handed Sandra her bag and gun. Then, Sandra inhaled heavily and approached the security system, inserting the Platinum Chip into the slot. There were various noises and tremors in the ground, and seconds after, the bunker doors opened welcomingly, revealing a metal staircase that led underground.
Sandra and Vulpes ventured downward, passing by a large computer screen depicting the face of Mr. House. Once they reached the bottom, Sandra spotted a protectron, which was raising its arm and preparing to fire its laser. Before she could open fire, Vulpes strode downward briskly and planted a solid KICK into the head of the robot, shattering it and making it crumble to the floor.
They stepped over the broken bot, warily heading deeper into the bunker, Sandra feeling a bizarre mixture of awkwardness and anxiety. She stole a few glimpses of him as they walked, her head aching more and more each time she observed him.
"I have a weird question," Sandra said, finally breaking the silence.
Vulpes didn't respond.
"How did you end up in the Legion?" she wondered. "You seem kinda young, so… I can't imagine you just joined it willingly one day."
Vulpes glimpsed at her, then squinted into the darkness again.
"I've already told you that story," he eventually replied.
"Well… I can't remember," Sandra said.
"Clearly," Vulpes sighed. "I was a child when Lord Caesar pacified my tribe. My parents attempted to sell me as a bribe, but it didn't work. I might've thought it tragic at the time… but truly, it was a blessing."
"Jesus," Sandra exhaled. "Your parents did that? That's cold."
"It hardly matters," Vulpes synopsized. "Caesar gave my life true meaning."
"Really…?" Sandra mumbled. "You really believe in Caesar's whole… thing?"
Vulpes glared directly ahead, choosing not to respond.
"Okay," Sandra mumbled as the two of them emerged in a clearing. "I have another question… purely hypothetical, just out of curiosity. What would you do if you didn't have the Legion anymore?"
Vulpes eased to a stop, narrowing his eyes into the darkness.
"If you woke up one day," Sandra said. "And the Legion was just—"
"Hush," Vulpes hissed, raising a hand and holding a finger to his mouth.
Sandra fell silent, following his trail of vision. She heard the faint humming of machinery close by—and far ahead in the darkness, she was just able to see two tiny red lights, presumably more security robots.
Sandra and Vulpes traded eyes, raised their firearms, and opened fire.
Two small explosions erupted across the clearing as the turrets blew apart.
Vulpes holstered his pistol, Sandra lowering her shotgun as the two of them resumed walking.
"I would die," Vulpes uttered grimly moments later.
Sandra glanced at him. "What…?"
"If the Legion ceased to exist, my purpose would as well," Vulpes told her. "So… in however manner fate dictates… I would die with my Legion."
"What… really?" Sandra uttered in disbelief. "That's it? You wouldn't try to start over somewhere else? I mean, you didn't even have a choice, here. Your options were to grow up in the Legion or die as a child. That's just—"
"I live for My Lord," Vulpes told her firmly. "Nothing more or less."
Sandra went quiet again—and suddenly, a piercing pain shot through her skull, a far gone memory returning to her out of nowhere, a raspy, ghoulish voice echoing from the back of her mind.
Charon was raised by an interesting group of people. They… well, I guess you could say they brainwashed him.
Sandra slowed to a stop just before reaching another hallway, making a thoughtful face and cradling her shotgun. She squinted through the darkness, reading the name inscribed on her firearm, reading Charon.
She still didn't have the faintest clue who Charon was—but right this moment, she was certain of one thing for sure.
This strange sympathy she felt for a brainwashed warrior was most assuredly something she'd felt before.
Vulpes stopped at the hallway, turning and eyeing her. "What?"
"Nothing," she sighed, marching after him. "Nothing…"
They strolled down the hallway, shooting a couple of protections on the way. After passing a couple of rooms containing generators and machinery, Sandra and Vulpes approached a final staircase, following it upward and opening fire instantly—obliterating the three turrets in the final room.
This room contained a slender window that overlooked a sleeping army of securitrons, as well as another computer system—one with the same slot designed for the Platinum Chip.
Vulpes glanced around before turning away from the window dismissively. Sandra stared longingly into the computer system, wanting to insert the chip and awaken the army—but she couldn't hope to do so with Vulpes present.
After a moment of thought, she turned to him.
"Hey—I think the machines downstairs are the ones we need to destroy," Sandra informed. "I have a plan. Let's go back downstairs, double back, and make sure there's no more robots. After that, we'll destroy everything. Sound good?"
Vulpes nodded and double-checked his pistol, heading for the stairs again.
"You go left, I'll go right," Sandra instructed. "We'll sweep both ways, then destroy the generators and stuff."
"Good," Vulpes agreed.
They reached the bottom of the stairs, Vulpes breaking left while Sandra walked right. Just when Vulpes vanished around the corner—Sandra stopped instantly, peering around and tip-toing back to the staircase, glimpsing over her shoulder repeatedly to ensure he wouldn't notice. As quickly and quietly as possible, she hurried back up the stairs, approached the computer system, and inserted the Platinum Chip into it.
There was a loud thump followed by a humming noise—Sandra winced, praying Vulpes wouldn't notice. She rushed back downstairs with her shotgun raised, speed-walking down the right walkway before meeting Vulpes at the end.
"Clear," Vulpes stated.
Sandra resisted the urge to let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Let's do this."
Together, the two of them visited each room, opening fire and riddling all the machines with bullets—Sandra smiling the entire time, not minding the deafening noise of gunfire echoing and rattling her skull.
After all, she'd already upgraded the securitrons and awoken the army—it hardly mattered if they destroyed the generators now.
On their way back, Sandra handed her weapons off to one of the guards again before marching outside with Vulpes. They trekked under the sunlight, Sandra beaming away, feeling incredibly accomplished despite the daunting task that her friends were currently managing.
Vulpes glimpsed over at her, opening his mouth to speak, but deciding against it.
Sandra turned and narrowed her eyes. "What?"
Vulpes sighed heavily, shaking his head and remaining silent.
Sandra approached the hill, then stopped, spotting Niner, Arcade, and ED-E nearby. The three of them were loitering just outside of a metal gateway, which seemed to be isolating off a space for several Brahmin.
"Hey—I need to talk to my friends," Sandra said. "I'll meet you back in Caesar's tent in a minute, okay?"
Vulpes nodded and walked off, Sandra breaking away and approaching her companions. She waited until Vulpes was safely out of earshot before speaking.
"Did you do it?" Sandra whispered urgently.
Arcade nodded, his expression etched with severity. "Yes—we planted it right at the back of his tent, right behind his throne. I peeked inside. The explosion will definitely take him out if he's sitting in that throne when the bomb goes off."
"Yeah—and we set the timer like five minutes ago," Niner added. "Which means we need to get the fuck outta here. Like, right now."
"We tried using the headset, but you didn't answer us," Arcade said.
"Yeah—Caesar sent Foxxy down there with me," Sandra replied. "I couldn't talk to you guys with him there."
"Foxxy?" Niner and Arcade both scoffed simultaneously.
Sandra gaped at them, making a strange face. "I don't know why I called him that. Vulpes. His name is Vulpes…"
"Vulpes means fox in Latin," Arcade told her. "So—"
"Okay, we seriously need to go," Niner reminded them.
"Okay, okay. I just need to see Caesar one more time, and then we can…" Sandra murmured, trailing off and squinting into the Brahmin enclosure.
A tiny black-haired girl wearing slave rags was dragging an alarmingly gigantic sack of food toward the Brahmin feeder, struggling to lift the bag and pour all the food inside.
Without thinking, Sandra broke into a brisk stride, opening the metal gateway and entering the Brahmin area. She approached the little girl, lifted the bag for her, and poured all the food into the feeder with ease.
The little girl froze, staring up at Sandra and her companions fearfully.
"Hey—I'm not Legion," Sandra told her quickly. "I'm just a friend. Okay?"
The little girl gulped, nodding and saying nothing.
"What's your name?" Sandra asked kindly.
"M… Melody," the girl squeaked, swiping her stringy bangs aside. "I'm… I'm not supposed to talk to you. It's not allowed…"
The girl named Melody stared downward glumly, grasping her arm and frowning. Arcade bit his lip, spotting several bruises on the girl's arm. He traded grave looks with Niner, Sandra giving Melody a long, empathetic stare.
Sandra felt a sudden conflict inside; she whipped around and shoved her friends away, hiding them from earshot and whispering frantically at them.
"She might get hurt if she's right here when the explosion goes off," Sandra told them. "I didn't know there was a slave kid up here. Fuck…"
"Maybe we can buy her," Niner suggested. "If we figure out who owns her…"
"We don't have time for that," Arcade gasped. "The bomb is gonna go off in about twenty minutes—and we need to be setting sail down the river when that happens."
"Well—whaddo you wanna do then, hero?" Niner griped. "You're the smart guy—be smart. Think of somethin'!"
Before Arcade could respond—Sandra ripped the duffle bag off Niner's shoulder, turning it upside-down and dumping out all of Niner's belongings.
"Hey!" Niner yelled.
"Shh!" Sandra hissed. "You're gonna smuggle her out. She's not wearing a slave collar, so we should be able to just kidnap her."
"What?"
"You're a drug smuggler—so I think you can be a kid smuggler."
"What?!"
"Just shut up and go with it."
Sandra carried the bag over to Melody, kneeling in front of her and holding the bag open before her small feet.
Melody gave her a bizarre look.
"Melody—listen," Sandra said exasperatedly. "You're gonna come with us. Get in this bag, curl up, and don't make a single movement or sound. Can you do that?"
Melody's face was stricken with fear, but nevertheless, she managed a nod. Sandra helped her to step into the bag, and Melody coiled up inside it, hugging her legs and allowing Sandra to zip the child up inside. Then, Niner carefully strapped the bag back onto his shoulder, giving his pile of belongings a farewell glance before the three of them walked out of the Brahmin enclosure.
"Jesus God almighty," Arcade sighed, shaking his head. "The amount of ridiculous things we're trying to pull off today is unparalleled…"
Sandra and her companions glimpsed around as they walked, praying that nobody would catch wind of the bomb they'd planted or the child they'd stolen. When they returned to the tent, Sandra marched inside alone, approaching Caesar and Vulpes and feeling incredibly eager to leave this place for good.
"I felt the ground shake," Caesar said. "Vulpes told me how you both destroyed everything you came across in there. Well done. Very well done."
"Thank you," Sandra said with a slight bow. "Anything else?"
"Yes… as a matter of fact," Caesar replied, and if Sandra wasn't imagining it, he seemed to be speaking even slower than before. "Next on your to-do list is to kill Mr. House. How he dies, I leave up to you. Once it's done, report back to me… and we will pave the future from there."
Sandra nodded conclusively, gazing into Caesar and thinking this day would pave the future in ways he could scantly imagine.
Then, as Sandra's eyes drifted over to Vulpes, she felt a strange, painful tug in her chest. Somehow—for some unknown reason—she very much didn't like him standing there, so close by Caesar, so close to the explosion soon to come.
She couldn't know why she cared, but for whatever reason, she simply did. Sandra wore a conflicted expression when she gave Vulpes a final glance and wave, turning and leaving Caesar's tent at last.
Sandra and her friends headed back the way they originally came, crossing the drawbridge and traveling downhill quickly. They collected their belongings at the gate and followed their Legion escort into the boat, Melody remaining entirely still and silent within Niner's bag. Once the boat set sail down the river, Sandra gazed up the mountainside, feeling various emotions waging war inside her.
After a while—it happened.
Far in the distance behind them, a powerful explosion shook the atmosphere—and Sandra, Niner, and Arcade were all able to see the smoke cloud far away.
The Legionary aboard the boat gaped back at Fortification Hill in alarm, turning to Sandra as his face twisted up with rage. "What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
Just when the Legionary reached for his weapon—Niner kicked him squarely in the head, Arcade grabbing his feet and flipping him out of the boat with a large splash. The Legionary arose from the water, cursing and grabbing for the boat—so, Sandra stood, aligned her shotgun with his head, and pulled the trigger, blowing the man's skull into a mess of blood and brain matter. His body drifted lifelessly away in the water, and Sandra released a heavy cloud of breath, gazing back at the Fort as an overwhelming despair seemed to sweep over her.
Arcade took the ore and began guiding the boat across the river, toward the nearest patch of land, as they certainly didn't want to pass through Cottonwood Cove now. Niner tried to help by paddling the water with his hand, and all the while, Sandra merely stared up at the Fort, heart pounding, eyes burning.
"Sandra," Arcade said gently, observing her closely. "Why're you crying…?"
Sandra blinked, wiping her face and only just noticing the tears. "I have no idea…"
She bent down, sniffing and unzipping Niner's bag, releasing Melody from inside. The boat carried them all safely away from the Legion, and as they all stepped onto land, Sandra gave one last glance to Fortification Hill, hoping that their plan had worked despite the random heartache that seemed to be ambushing her out of the blue.
In the seconds after Sandra's departure, Vulpes straightened up, preparing to make his leave as well. He and his scouts were planning to depart for the wasteland again, and his initiate, Lupis, still had some field training to undergo.
"Vulpes," Caesar called after him.
"Yes?" Vulpes turned around.
Caesar stroked his chin thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"It's subtle… so subtle, it might not even mean anything," Caesar murmured ominously. "But… that doesn't mean it's slipped by my notice."
Vulpes stared at him. "I don't know what you mean, My Lord."
"The way you look at her," Caesar said with a faint half-smile. "It's so strange… so very out of character for you, staring at someone as if you're entranced. Most people are beneath you. But the courier… you look at her as if she's something even greater than an equal. Almost as if you know her."
"The girl is attractive… and her hair is bizarre," Vulpes remarked. "She warrants a stare, My Lord. But I assure you… I've never met her before."
Caesar glared into him so intensely, he might as well have been staring directly through Vulpes.
"Vulpes… you know what I do to people who fail me, or betray me," Caesar muttered icily. "Or lie to me."
Vulpes swallowed, showing no visible reaction. "I'm well aware, My Lord. I wouldn't dare."
"Good," Caesar said with a slow nod. "Because… you've already gotten away with disobeying me once before. You will not get away with anything under my rule again. I will lash you to a cross if I ever think you're lying to me, even for a second. Do I make myself clear?"
"Of course," Vulpes agreed.
"All right. You can go," Caesar dismissed.
Vulpes gave him a nod and marched out of the tent, releasing a breath he didn't realize he was holding. As he stepped outside, he gazed downhill, seeing that Lupis and the rest of his scouts were standing at the drawbridge, waiting for him.
Vulpes gave them a nod and prepared to walk down—
BANG—BOOM.
He was ripped from his feet—soaring through the air as the tent and furniture inside obliterated into shreds—people shouting in alarm as Vulpes landed harshly in the center of the battle arena, rolling thrice before smashing into a pole and coming to an abrupt stop.
Suddenly, the Fort was in chaos; Lucius and Antony rushed up the hill toward the heart of the fiery explosion, some Legionaries following them while others ran away. Vulpes's head rang, riddled with shock as various parts of him screamed with pain, but he ignored it, staggering to his feet in a daze.
He blinked several times before he realized Lupis was by his side, grasping him and looking positively alarmed. Vulpes tried to fix his vision onto the destroyed tent up above, where his fellow Legionaries were swarming over the scene, surveying numerous fresh corpses and body parts—including the decimated remains of Caesar himself.
"Inperator," Lupis gasped, giving Vulpes a shake. "Are you unharmed?"
Vulpes barely heard him, staring up at the ruins of the tent in astonishment.
While the Fort submerged in panic and while the Legionaries rushed to manage the situation, Vulpes's expression hardened, and he came to all the conclusions that his allies hadn't yet reached. He took in a slow, fuming breath, gritting his teeth and turning to Lupis with a searing blue glare.
"I believe… your training… will have to be put on hold now," Vulpes hissed.
Lupis stared at him in bewilderment. "What…?"
"Because… now," Vulpes glowered, eyes burning like two blue flames. "I have a whole new task to tend to."
It wasn't long before the burly bearded Lucius entered the battle arena, approaching Vulpes and wearing a grim visage.
"Our Lord has perished," Lucius informed gravely.
"Then you… you will be in charge until Legate Lanius arrives," Vulpes replied. "Something must be done now."
"I agree," Lucius growled. "The only people who could've reached Lord Caesar so closely were the courier and her friends. Find them. Make sure they are delivered their due retribution."
"Of course," Vulpes agreed angrily.
"And Vulpes," Lucius rumbled threateningly. "Do not fail. Failure will not be tolerated."
Vulpes took in a deep, incensed breath, giving Lucius a definitive nod.
"I know."