Ten Years Ago

"What do you mean she's gone?!"

When Penny entered the station that morning, everything was a blur. The smoothskin woman was gone from her cell, the guards found dead at their post.

No.

The word had been put out; the bounty hunter was a high probable suspect. Penny was grabbed by the arm roughly and led into the head of security's office.

"Did he say anything to you?" She had never witnessed Thomas so upset before; it terrified her. She was stupefied, and her mouth just seesawed open and closed. "Penny, look, I know he went back to your place- just tell me. You're not in any trouble, unless you choose to withhold any information."

"What, no." Penny shook. "I swear, he said nothing to me. I'm just as surprised as you are."

Thomas read something in her face, and then looked away with a sigh. He slammed the door wide open and stepped out into the raucous tumult. "Lock the city down!

The Present

The hours passed, and the city finally came into view on the horizon. The merc lit up a smoke, but ended up flicking it into the dirt, too spent for a single drag.

Braxton.

The rain was beating down as he raised his hands to the sky before the armed sentries.

"Go get Penny!" the merc shouted over the wailing of the storm. "I've got business in the city."

Word was ushered, and the rosy ghoul was sent forth.

"Cross…" Penny faltered for a moment, completely transported back in time a decade ago. She licked her nonexistent lips as their last night together replayed through her mind. "You-you-" It couldn't be a coincidence, not after so long. "-what are you doing here?"

"A smoothskin woman and a ghoul wanted inside the city- did you let them?" There were small rivers of water streaming down the sides of his hat; his face was shrouded in the shadows of his high collar. "I need to talk to the woman."

Penny blinked, her mouth gaping open and closed for a few moments before she coughed awkwardly; the sound of her ruined vocals was nearly drowned in the rain. "She's…she's missing, since this morning. We don't kno-" The merc bypassed her. "-hey, wait! Cross!"

The air around him was so- dangerous, she was unsure if he would strike out at her if she attempted to stop him. The merc made a beeline for the police station; it was a crazed hive of activity. Cross said nothing but armed his magnum and let off a shot into the far wall.

BANG

Everyone turned their heads and shut their mouths. Cross opened his trench coat, holstered his weapon, and then shook his shoulders. "Where the fuck is Thomas?"

"So dramatic," the glowing ghoul said lowly, appearing from his office. His head made a swivel around the room. "Is there a reason everybody cannot get back to work?"

The deafening racket continued.

Thomas gave a nod of his head for the bounty hunter to follow, and the merc slammed the office door behind him. Cross whirled angrily like a thunderstorm on the ghoul, his hands clenching into fists. "What the fuck happened? Where the fuck is Evelyn?!"

An irritated exhale. "I do not know your exact association with her, but it's an investigation under process-"

A hollowed-out, raspy laugh floated from the merc's chest. "Under process? You haven't a fuckin' clue, do you?"

"I do not see where it is your concern," Thomas said warningly. "If you have no other business within the city, I am going to ask for you to leave."

"Not without her."

Thomas regarded the seething ghoul with a calculative expression. "So, you really do care about someone other than yourself, after all."

Cross pounded a fist into the wall, nearly cracking his hand.

If…if something happened to her…what if-

NO. Those kinds of thoughts were not helping in this situation. She was strong; she took out a whole handful of slavers while he sat on his ass and just watched. She blew up a single raider to kingdom come and just laughed about it. She survived a goddamn shot to the femoral artery…she…what if-

This was all his fault. He should have never said yes to her, all those weeks ago, he should've never agreed to be her stupid fucking escort because of his own selfish desires to be around her…for just a little bit…just-

He should have told her the truth; he should have told her everything. He should have simply said, I love you.

Do you think you could ever love me, for just me?

His fist hit the wall repeatedly; blood splattered. Voices were raised; they were drowned out.

I am not the one afraid of facing my past.

His throbbing hand was reaching for the door handle, and he gave it a turn. The ferryman was suddenly on the other side, and the merc laid all of his weight into his fist.

Charon took the hit; it fucking hurt- there was a crack of his ribs.

"You fuckin' bastard!" Another swing. "You said you'd keep her safe, you fuckin' cunt!"

The ferryman stumbled backward, crashing to the floor.

"Whoa man, take it easy!" Campbell had his hands in the air as the merc drew his weapon and clicked the safety back.

"Stop!" Lydia flung herself before the mercenary, her arms out to the sides and her chest heaving from deep breaths. "Don't!"

"Move, kid," the merc snarled.

A few more clicks drew his attention; Thomas and the others had their barrels aimed at his head. The brigade was down his throat.

"You can either help us find Evelyn, or I can have you put down like the savage animal you are; it's your call," Thomas said coolly, and the bounty hunter merely shook his head and stowed his piece away.

"FUCK!" Cross stomped to the door.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Thomas asked condescendingly.

"Fuck it look like? Goin' to find her," Cross growled in return.

"Not by yourself in this city, you're not."

The bounty hunter gnashed his teeth together as he paused in place, a rosy ghoul blockading him from leaving the lobby. A threatening growl rose in his throat, and the knuckles on his battered hand cracked as he flexed it into a fist.

"You ain't got a single lead on her, otherwise you'd be out there." The ghoul gave a half-turn, giving his glowing counterpart the most wrathful expression he could muster. "I'm your best fuckin' shot, it's what I do- you fuckin' know that."

Thomas just shook his head, waving his team back to their stations. "You're right- we could use your help." A glance was given to the ferryman back on his feet. "And as a matter-of-fact, we do have a lead."

One Year Ago

Evelyn's proximity to the edge of the overpass irked his nerves, and as though by some sick, twist of fated humor, she rocked back on her heels and tipped forward on the tips of her toes. His open palm was hovering just inches away from nabbing at her body, and he felt his fingers twitch as she gave a slight start forward.

She twirled her head around and raised an eyebrow at his extended reach. "What are you doing?"

"You should not be so close to the edge," he warned her, his fingertips now grazing the backside of her jacket. "It is not safe."

"Not safe," she mocked in a horridly raspy tone, cracking a grin as he growled in response to her lack of seriousness to the situation. "Come on, do you really think I would-"

Fate proved ironic on both sides; she kicked herself with her own foot as she made to turn around, and careened off-balance. A look of horror crossed her face as she felt herself right over the edge.

Charon already had a handful of leather gripped inside his palm, and he had jumped to her side for assurance and banded an arm around her waist. Her face grew hot, and she self-consciously tapped the tips of her index fingers together at her foolishness.

"Oops," she mumbled, and she was suddenly tossed headfirst back onto the solid pavement. "Ow!"

The ghoul dusted his hands together. "Not safe."

"Ugh," she muttered under her breath, giving a cough to dispel the dust that swirled. "Are you always like this?"

"I do not understand." Charon gave a drop beside her, crossing his arms together to watch her slowly rise to her feet.

A phew of air was blown forth from her lips to a stray hair that landed across her face; it gently fell back over her nose. Another blow. "Are you going to be coddling my every move? It's starting to get really annoying."

There was a snort. "Your decisions require my intervention; it is necessary for your safety." The ghoul gave a grumble and looked out to the distance as she began to shrill about her indignities. Her complaints did not matter- so long as she never ordered him to actually withhold, he would always keep her safe.

It was his duty.

Earlier that Morning

Evelyn was nearly taking two steps at a time in keeping up with the larger ghoul; they ignored all of the wide-eyed opened stares they received from any ghoul resident that happened to catch a glimpse of her.

The city was…depressing. The light pattering shower muffled their footsteps as they traversed through dark alleyways and under the soft, ambient lighting of corner streetlamps. A red neon sign reading Catwalk flickered through the sheets of rain; there was a side door that the ghoul opened, and she was motioned to step inside.

The smell of cigarette smoke and decay was strong, and she coughed into her elbow and blinked through the hazy darkness. A silhouette on the balcony above came to lean over the banister railing, and they were reduced to being a dark contrast against the pink floodlight spilling from the room behind.

"Hello, my dear." A smooth, human male voice cooed from above. There was a faint prick in the side of her neck, and she instinctively lashed out as her escort lithely moved from reach. "Welcome home." A snap of fingers. "Roman, put her in cell C. And be careful, she can kill you very easily…don't let her grab you."

Notgoodnotgoodnotgo- Evelyn was shakily reduced to all fours, panting loudly as her mind turned numb and her body grew weak. She had to get to Charon, the hotel wasn't that far-

The ghoul was crouched beside her, and one hand dove into her hair, twirling it around his fingers as he snapped her head back to look at him. The inertia made her eyes swim, and she knew she was going under. Nonononono-

She was so helpless- her muscles were uncooperative, her mouth refused to let loose a scream. Mute, disabled, afraid. A shuddered breath, and her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she passed out.

The Present

Penny poked her head inside the conference room, raising an eyebrow as the body count was reduced by two. "Where's-?"

Campbell gave a shrug. "Just left…think he's giving her a verbal beating…I'm afraid I'm next."

Penny stepped back out and blinked at the sound of stomping down the hall.

Slam

"You're supposed to be the smart one, goddamnit!"

"You're the one who left us!" Lydia sobbed.

"Fuckin' Christ." Cross belted her in the side of the ear, and she gasped from the pain. "I do not need this from you."

She rubbed her eyes with her fists. "You're so fucking stupid- if you had just come with us, she wouldn't be gone." Lydia did not need to raise her eyes to guess the merc's expression cast down at her; she could feel it.

A crash! The glass in the doorframe window shattered in its casing from the force of hitting the wall; the merc stormed down the hallway. Despite the multiple, rushed words thrown at him, he threw open the front double doors of Braxton's Police Department and disappeared into the endless sea of rain.

Thomas watched the theatrics through the blinds in his office, and he merely rubbed his forehead and sighed. The bounty hunter had always been a wild card, but he was genuinely surprised the merc apparently cared this much over the disappearance of one smoothskin. The glowing ghoul took a trip down the hall, and found the younger woman still frozen in her spot.

"Lydia, am I correct?" Thomas shrugged his hands deep inside of his pockets. "What can you tell me about Cross's relationship to Evelyn?"


Thud thud thud

Evelyn didn't- what- she was so tired, but she couldn't sleep…could she? Her head lolled against her chest, and she succumbed back to nothing.

The scientist ghoul let out an angry spat. "That was too much, you fucking moron!" She crossed her arms over her chest angrily, tapping her left foot with irritation. "They're already looking for her; I don't want to be down here all day."

Roman said nothing, as usual.

"Ugh!" The female ghoul went over and slapped Evelyn viciously across the face. "How much did you give her?!"

A large hand encircled over her own, forcing her assault to stop.

"Roman, let me go." The ghoul complied, and she continued her attacks.

Evelyn gave a sputtered cough, and the blue ghoul grabbed at her wrist again.

"Why are you stopping me?" she seethed at him.

"She is dangerous. It would not be best to wake this one," his rumbling voice answered.

A harsh laugh. "Dangerous?! How?! Look at her!"

"David has informed me of so."

The woman squinted her eyes suspiciously at the ghoul, then back to Evelyn's groans. Roman never lied; he couldn't, he had been ordered not to.

"Fine," she tiffed. "I'll just do what I can for now…"

There was a crackle from the intercom near the door. "Carol, you may see yourself out."

The ghoul woman spun around, striding to the silver box and pressing a button. "Are…are you sure?"

A screech of static. "Quite. I will be down shortly."


"Ghra!" The first ghoul sentry's collar was grabbed- he was incapable of resisting the powerful force driving him into the marble, and his skull was cracked against the floor. The second had his lights knocked out with a strong blow to the face.

"This- this is outrageous!" The Mayor of Braxton shouted, waving his arms around as the bounty hunter toed his boot through the door. "You will be punished severely for this! Cross! Hey now, Cross, just what-" The green ghoul was already backing up into a chair, tripping haphazardly as the bounty hunter swiped at him, the false wig sent flying. "Put, put me down!"

Papers were suddenly strewn all over, a chair was left lying in pieces on the floor; a bookcase became toppled, its contents splashed across the carpet. The merc stomped through the mess with the bloodied mayor being dragged across the room.

Thomas was striding down the hallway with the ferryman beside him, giving a tsk to the incapacitated guards. He closed the double doors behind them. They refused to lock; the deadbolt was broken. "Definitely dramatic."

Rick was barely cognizant at this point; his head lolled against his chest.

"Okay, Cross, don't kill him. If we want to find her, we're going to need him alive…and preferably conscious." Thomas stepped over the carcass of the chair, sitting on the edge of the desk. "Although, I find it rather interesting you came to Rick first…"

Charon grabbed at the decanter of bourbon; Cross firmly held the ghoul down upon a table, his head held over the edge. The ferryman tied his scarf around the mayor's face, and he proceeded to pour the alcohol over him.

"Blfgfghfg!" The mayor sputtered and choked, his hands weakly scrabbling at Cross's wrists.

The bounty hunter leaned down low, their face's nearly touching. "I'm only goin' to ask you this once. You know where she is, don't you dare fuckin' lie to me. Where?!"

The scarf was lifted just enough. "I…I don't-"

The rest of the words were smothered, as the restraint was put back into place, and their improvised waterboarding continued.

Thomas was thoughtfully looking around the room. "Why did you ask to speak with her in private? What did you say to her?"

Some breathing room, and a single word. "R-Roman…" And his grip gave way.

Cross dropped the lifeless ghoul as though he were seared. "Does that mean somethin' to you?"

"Roman?" Thomas gave a sigh, beginning to open various desk drawers and carefully rummage through. A shared glance was exchanged with Charon. "Perhaps…there may be some sort of clue here- if you have not already trampled over the evidence with your tantrum."

They scurried around the room; Thomas brushed a fingertip across the lock on the bottom drawer of the desk. "May you pat down Rick for a key? There may be something-"

The crimson ghoul was already at his side, his fingers curling into the handle. With an abrupt yank, the lock gave way, and the drawer was forced open.

"It appears you all proceed with business in the same manner," Thomas commented wryly. "Hmm."

The merc paused in his snooping, giving a half turn to the sound. "Find somethin'?"

A Pip-Boy 3000 was carefully rotated for all to see. "Perhaps."

Ten Years Ago

Cross kept his gaze out the window; it was just another rainy day in the city of ghouls.

The mayor was giving his rambling explanation as to his alleged kidnapping of the smoothskin woman; it couldn't have been Cross; the bounty hunter had been busy performing an errand he had been hired for. Rick was a key witness; the merc had a solid alibi.

"Perhaps someone is trying to frame him? Why not? Makes it easy with so little evidence." Rick took a sip from his glass. "This is a city of ghouls, Thomas, and as much as it pains me to say, there are some undesirables lurking about. You practically paraded her to the station with her screaming her head off, a lot of people noticed."

Thomas stroked his chin in thought, and he snapped his fingers at the merc. "You wouldn't mind some private questioning, then, seeing as you're innocent…and all."

The bounty hunter shifted from his spot, following the ghoul back to the station. Penny was there, and she wouldn't meet his gaze. When he was finally released, he sat down on the steps of the department and pulled out a smoke.

"What happened this morning? The whole station was in complete chaos," Penny rasped at him, gingerly stepping to the side.

"Sorry." Was all he said, and he took a drag. "Want to get a drink?"

He bought another bottle after finishing the first one, carrying it with him as they made their way back to her apartment. He was almost extra attentive to her that night, and she did not think anyone could make love to her the way he did. But that morning had come, and he was gone again.