Chapter 7! Lot of things are going to g down in this chapter. Going to learn a lot about the characters values and limits.
Chapter 7
This is wrong. That keeps running through Luther's head as they lead the three kids out of Little Lamplight and into the waiting arms of the slavers outside. This is wrong. They cannot seriously be doing this. He has done a lot of terrible things in the past for money, but enslaving someone? This is a new low. It is for the kid. He keeps having to remind himself. It is all for the kid. Would the kid stand for this?
Finding Little Lamplight was easy, Tyler already knew where it was. Getting into the mine was also easy. Convincing the kids who live there that they weren't raiders there to kill them or slavers there to kidnap them was much harder. It took all of his persuasive skills coupled with bribing them with the promise of a Nuka-Cola supply. Now here they are, walking three kids, three children, up out of their home to be enslaved, abused, and possibly killed. This is so wrong.
What bothers him more is that Tyler seems unaffected by it all. He smiled at the kids and played along, he acted all friendly and everything. Now is face is set in a warm smile, but Luther can see that it is fake. He tried talking to his partner, but each time he tried, Tyler changed the subject or totally ignored him. Ever since they went to Paradise, Tyler has not been himself. Luther understands why, better than anyone else.
Paradise is they reason the two of them meet in the first place. Tyler was on a scouting job and just happened to come across him. He had been hiding in an abandoned gas station after fleeing Andale. He was nearly dead from starvation, and Tyler assumed that he was indeed dead, thus he did what any wastelander would do, he proceeded to search Luther's body. While searching, a supermutant walked in, and Luther killed it by taking Tyler's gun off of his back and shooting it in the head. Tyler then decided that whoever this half dead asshole was, deserved to live.
Tyler took him to Big Town, ironically the place where the kids from Little Lamplight are sent when they grow up, where he was treated and regained his health. While Luther was recovering, Tyler did his scouting, for the slavers, seeing who would make good slaves from the small shanty town. However the both of them ended up sticking around to defend the settlement from an attack by even more supermutants. Afterwards the agreed to work together. They decided to meet in Megaton, after Tyler wrapped up his current job. After that, they stuck together.
Tyler told Luther the full story a few months after they joined up, but only after a long night of drinking. Luther also ended up telling Tyler his full story. Now they each know the basics of the others lives. Luther understands that Tyler once had, and admittedly still has, a serious addiction problem and that Paradise was his supplier, but still. Enslaving Children?
Their group reaches the surface. Luther takes one look at the slavers waiting for them and makes a decision. He stops where he is and turns on Tyler. "No."
Tyler freezes in place and slowly turns to him. "No?" he asks. Luther shakes his head and Tyler's face becomes unreadable. He looks away and Luther's heart sinks. Is he really going to go through with this? Finally, Tyler speaks. His words are so low Luther just barely makes them out. "I know." Now there is a pained expression on his partners face. Damn it, he thinks to himself, he is just as tormented about this as I am. "I don't know what else to do." They resume walking.
Luther starts working through possible ways to get through this without enslaving the kids, but everything he thinks of where the children go free ends without them getting the information on where the kid is. Fucking damn degenerate sons of bitches! Let the kids go, no information. Take the kids to Paradise, live with having ruined the lives of three children. Hellsporn scum suckers! There is no good alternative! He is ripped out of his thoughts by the sound of distant gunfire.
He turns his head towards the sounds and can just barely make out the forms of four people. One is running, and the others are chasing. The slavers waiting for the kids also see the action, but they have a better vantage point and thus are able to recognize the approaching group. Whoever is coming causes the slavers to reach for their weapons. Luther takes action. "Run!" he shouts at the kids. "Get back inside and stay there!" The kids disappear without argument.
"So much for that," Tyler growls beside him, "knew we would end up killing some of these fucking slavers. Just hoped it would be in Paradise so I could kill all of them." He draws his shotgun and Luther his rifle. They charge the rest of the way up to the slavers position and attack. The slavers are caught off guard and three of them fall before the other two realize what is happening. Luther throws himself at the nearest one, swinging his rifle like a club. The stock of the gun collides with the slavers head and there is a satisfying crunch as the bastards skull caves in on itself. Beside him Tyler snaps the neck of the last slaver.
Luther kneels and aims at the approaching group. He takes a breath to steady himself, and then fires. His shot just misses the man who is being chased, but it strikes the person behind him square in the face, almost decapitating him. He works the bolt on his gun and sights in on the furthest pursuer. The woman's face swims into focus and he squeezes the trigger. The bullet finds its way into her mouth, splitting her head in half, leaving only her lower jaw attached to her body. He aims at the last of the pursuers, and is about to fire, when the man being chased takes matters into his own hands. He throws himself forward, twisting midair, and peppering the woman with bullets from a submachine gun. Luther has to admit, he is slightly impressed. "Show off." Tyler scoffs.
The man stands and waves at them as they approach. Luther immediately notes that the man has an eyepatch, looks almost like a ghoul, and is wearing a jacket with medals on it, like he is some sort of soldier or something. "Thanks for that," the man pants as he regains his breath, "I thought those bastards would get me for sure. My name is Wernher, and I already know who you two are. I know where your friend is, I saw you at Paradise, I took him."
"You," Luther growls, "where is he?" He steps forward and the man retreats back a step, holding up his hands in surrender.
"Hold on," he pleads, "let me explain. I bought the little worm yes, paid an arm and a leg for him too. Took him to the Pitt. He is there, or at least he should still be there, unless he is dead. But I am your best chance at getting him out of there. I can get you in, I can get him out, but you have to help me. Please, my people are dying."
Luther looks over at Tyler with a raised eyebrow. "Better than dealing with Paradise, but we still have to report in to Eulogy."
Luther turns back to Wernher and nods his head, "Fine, we will work with you." He steps into the mans personal space and snarls in his face. "But let me warn you now, if the kid is dead, I will hold you responsible." The man is shaken, but only a little and nods his understanding. They agree on a meeting point and split up. Luther turns to Tyler, "How will Eulogy take us having failed to get him his slaves?"
A smile appears on Tyler's face, a real smile, "He will be pissed. Probably try and have us killed. Good, looks like I will get to wipe out Paradise after all."
The trog growls and leaps through the air at Nick, propelled by it's powerful back legs. Nick snarls and engages the trigger on the auto ax. The vicious, rotating blades shred the Trog into chunks of bloody meat. He lowers the bulky weapon and wipes the blood off of his face. He is covered head to toe in blood, but none of it is his, not yet anyways. After entering the Steelyard, he encountered a swarm of the human like beasts known as Trogs. He watched as one poor soul was literally eaten alive before him. He is thankful for the auto ax Midea smuggled to him before he left the mill, it has already saved his life. He looks at the gauge on the weapons side, seeing how much fuel it has left. The tank is nearly empty. He will have to move fast if he wants to get more ingots before nightfall.
He hefts the massive weapon and continues his search through the abandoned steelyard. He keeps his eyes peeled for more Trogs that might be waiting to ambush him, and for his missing friend. The anger he found in himself ever since being brought to the Pitt swells at the thought of his friend, Wild Bill, being dead out here. Bill is the only other scab who is worth a damn in a fight, but he has a heart of gold. Bill helped him to Midea after the first time he was lashed, and constantly volunteered for the job of searching the steelyard so as no others had to.
Nick only knew the man for three days, then Bill went on his usual ingot run, and hasn't come back. The other scabs, most notably a young girl named Milly, all want to believe that he escaped and is free. Nick knows better, he saw the way Bill treated Milly. That man would not leave without her. So that leaves only two options, he is hold up somewhere out here in the steelyard, or he is dead. With the number of Trogs and crazed wildmen about, Nick has few hopes left, but still. If any of the scabs could make it out here, Wild Bill could.
There is a crash and a scream ahead of him. He instinctively crouches and raises the auto ax. A man falls from the window of a nearby factory. Seconds later a Trog drops down upon the dying man and digs into him. The man spots Nick and screams, "Help me!" Nick just tilts his head and watches the gory feast. The man does not die fast. Trogs like to keep their victims alive, eat them while their bodies are still pumping blood. The man screams and screams. But eventually the screams die down into groans and then a soft, wet, gurgling sound. The Trog still has its head buried in the mans torso when Nick cuts into it with the auto ax. The beast has no chance to defend itself and is cut into pieces within seconds.
He turns and examines the building the man fell from. Inside he can just make out the sound of gunfire. The wildmen in there must be trying to defend themselves from a Trog infestation, good luck to them. An idea occurs to him, maybe these wildmen have collected some ingots for him. Not to mention their weapons and equipment will surely be in better condition then the rags he is wearing. He revs the auto ax and moves into the building.
Luther isn't really sure what to think. One second it seemed he and Tyler were about to be attacked by Eulogy and his thugs. The next that woman in the pink evening dress and carrying the sword is standing over the slaver lord's body with a triumphant look on her face. "This place sucks!" she giggles in a sardonic tone. The other slave girl screams and rushes the woman, but she, like Eulogy, is easily decapitated by the strange woman with the punked hair. She smiles at Tyler, "So you're the new men in my life, name's clover, nice to meet ya lovers."
Luther isn't really sure what to think. Luckily Tyler takes over, because he is still trying to piece together what exactly is going on.
"Well love," Tyler says as he steps forward and takes the explosive collar off of Clover's neck, "you won't be needing this any more." Luther watches curiously as the woman touches her neck with an odd look on her face. She looks at Tyler with a confused and lost expression, "Do I know you lover?"
Luther notes that the smile on Tyler's face is genuine as he speaks, "Yes, Clover, you know me. I used to work here. I promised you I would get you out of here one day. Do you remember?" The woman shakes her head. Tyler touches her face gently, "That is okay, whatever drugs he used to keep you sedated I can supply for you, I promise."
The woman draws back. "No," she states sternly, "I am done with that. You know how long it took me to get to the point where I could actually kill Daddy here?" she points at Eulogy's body as she speaks. "Way too long, Lover. I don't intend on being anyone's toy again. I will not depend on those boring chems anymore. I hate being bored."
Luther chuckles and the woman looks over at him. "Don't worry," he smiles, "our lives are far from boring right now." He steps forward and looks at Tyler, "We should get moving before the other slavers around here figure out what has happened and come after us." He moves towards the door but realizes Tyler isn't following. "Hey," he shouts over his shoulder, "love birds, lets get our happy asses out of here shall we? We have an important date with the man who took our friend."
"Come on Clover," Tyler says as he joins Luther, "you need to come with us. You stick around here and these slavers will eat you alive."
Clover rolls her eyes, "I know that lover, why do you think I waited until someone else was here to kill Daddy?" The three of them make their way through the compound towards the exit. Clovers presence gains them a few glances, but they make it out without any trouble. At least until they reach the outer guard post.
Luther is the first to notice that the guards are missing and points it out to Clover and Tyler. He unstraps his rifle and makes sure it is fully loaded as they walk towards the guard station. He looks around with a wary eye. There are no signs of a struggle, so the guards were not attacked. He hears something behind him, but a bullet lodges itself into the armor on his shoulder before he can turn. The force of the impact sends him stumbling forward and he only just manages to get behind a low wall of sandbags before more bullets wiz through the air. "Fuck!" he shouts. His shoulder is fine, but damn is it going to be sore tomorrow.
He looks frantically for Tyler, and spots his partner across from him behind an overturned table. The bullets cease for a moment and a voice shouts out, "Hey, Luther, who is cowering now?" Luther curses under his breath, Grouse, the sneaky bastard. They walked into a fucking ambush! Damn it! "Step out and die like a man, Luther," Grouse taunts, "or am I going to have to drag you out like the little bitch you are?"
He is about to respond, but hears Tyler cry out in pain. He looks over just in time to see his partner forced back onto cover after he tried to attack by a blue orb of electrical energy. His partner convulses on the ground in pain and Clover tries to help, but there isn't much she can do. This is the same weapon used on them when the kid was taken. Luther peeks out from his cover and feels a rage start to boil in him. Grouse is flanked on both sides by two men wearing the same black armor as the people who attacked them earlier. Luther snarls like a feral animal and raises his weapon. He squeezes off a single shot, that fails to hit any of the three attackers. The bullet instead pings off of a nearby car. "Ha," Grouse laughs, "you can't even hit your mark anymore! You must be getting soft Luther!"
Luther looks over to see that Tyler has managed to free himself from his seizure and knows what his partner is planning. Tyler aims his shotgun and looks over at him for confirmation. Luther nods once, and Tyler fires off two quick shots. In response Bullets pepper their positions, but nothing hits them. "What the hell is this," Grouse shouts angrily, "I was expecting a fight! Neither one of you is worth a damn!"
Luther rolls his eyes. "Hey Grouse?"
"What?" The raider spits angrily.
"You are a fucking idiot."
"What the hell are you..." The slavers words are lost as the car both Luther and Tyler had shot explodes. chunks of the slaver and his mercenarys sail through the air along with various car parts.
Luther stands up with a laugh. "What an asshole."
Tyler nods his head. "We should move though, the others will be down here to investigate what that noise was about." The three set off towards the point Wernher told them to meet. The group keeps a good pace, wanting to put as much distance between themselves and Paradise as they can. Eventually Tyler looks over at Luther and asks, "What exactly was Grouse's problem with you?"
Luther laughs as he remembers. "Oh that is simple. I fucked his sister."
"Fuck you sister, fuck you, fuck your whole damn family!" the wildman shouts as he sprays bullets at ever shadow that moves, never once getting close to where Nick his concealed behind one of the support beams of the massive structure the wildmen were using as their own personal castle. He grimaces in pain as more blood wells from his side where a Trog got him earlier in the factory. That factory turned out to be a mad house. Crazed robots, Trogs everywhere, and the remaining wildmen had not given up their precious ingots easily.
After loosing his auto ax, he had to make due with a rusty metal pipe he found in an old mine car. He eventually found a decent assault rifle and a few magazines of ammo for it on the body of a dead wildman. After leaving that factory, he made is way up to the rooftops of the steelyard, only to find that the wildmen were collecting all the ingots and hording them at the top of some sort of tower like contraption. He fought his way up, working in a blind bloodhaze, his only thoughts focused on finding more ingots. Until he came across Bill.
The rage that had been keeping him going vanished at the sigh of the man. Bill was curled up in the fetal position, hidden away in a far corner, clutching a .32 pistol and a sack of six ingots. His torso was riddled with bullet holes, many more than it would have taken to kill a person. The wildmen had used him for target practice. Nick continued on with a new sort of determination. Now the ingots are just a bonus, now revenge is all that matters.
That is why he is here, listening shouts about his sister, concealed from the last of the wildmen, and the raider groups leader to boot. Clad in heavy metal armor, the man proved difficult to kill. Nick's rifle is on its last magazine and he knows that he does not have long before the wound on his side brings him down. He looks out from his cover and sees the wildman has his back to him. Without thinking, he charges. He does not shout or roar, he moves silently, and leaps upon the man's back, wrapping his arms around his neck. The man bucks like a wild horse, trying to throw Nick off, but he holds on with an iron grip.
The wildman attempts to raise his brutal sawed off shotgun to Nick's head, but Nick manages to get it out of his hands. The wildman gasps for air, and tries backing into the support beams to crush Nick. Nick growls as his back screams in pain each time the wildman slams him into the beam, but he maintains his grip. Finally the wildman goes to his knees, and Nick presses his advantage. He forces the man down onto his face and rips the spiked shoulder guard off of the man's armor. He raises the plated armor above his head and slams it down into the skull of the wildman. The first blow kills the man, the others are just to sate Nick's bloodlust. Finally, after successfully turning the wildman's head into a bloody paste, Nick steps back.
He limps the rest of the way up the tower to where the ingots have all been piled. He stuffs them all into his rucksack. He struggles with the heavy load, but somehow makes it all the way back down to the ground level. He can see Trogs lurking in the shadows, but for some reason they hang back and do not attack. The one Trog that is out in the open quickly scrambles into the shadows of a broken sewage pipe when it spots Nick approaching. Trogs are not smart. All that is left of the people they used to be is their animal instincts. Yet they know enough to recognize when an alpha predator walks among them.