A/N: Hello readers, firstly I know that the description implies a "weekly update" but I had this chapter sitting around for Saturday and thought It really didn't matter. I did have to make a few edits thanks to point number two the awesome review by athos-aramis the author of some really good FF's. Also I swear on the Collectors Edition of Borderlands 2 that I will no longer break the fourth wall (much). Thanks for leaving some points for me to work on and I hope I improved in this chapter. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed and please enjoy the new chapter.

C0unting Zer0s

Episode 1 Chapter 2

Mr. Blake stood at his office window drinking a hot coffee contemplating what he had done. He had made a deal that only seemed to benefit him, and the man he made the deal with, this Ten fellow, was certainly a professional. Ten had sneaked his way past an entire city of people there to protect him and not killed a single one. When a man who stands at about ten feet tall can do that, he is obviously a professional. However a "Professional" of that caliber wouldn't offer his services to a man of Blake's position for a paltry sum of money. He had worked with plenty of people like that, Jack had been that kind of man, so were the vault hunters, and people like that would never do something out o the goodness of their heart or for some change there was always another motive they always needed more power. Blake was just finishing his cup of coffee when there was a knock on the wooden door to his office. Blake looked disdainfully away from the window and drained his cup down to the rinds, "Somebody always wants something" Blake muttered to himself. Blake walked briskly over to the door and yanked it open to find a barrel chested figure in skintight body armor hulking in the door frame still as a statue, and Blake couldn't even see the mans head he was so big. "Ten? Is that you?" Blake asked

"Yes Blake, I decided to not frighten you again and use the front entrance for its intended purpose" said Ten in his flat robotic monotone as he entered the room and approached the window where Blake was standing moments before.

"Yes... What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out eviscerating vault hunters? You know the reason I'm paying you!"

"I apologize for any inconvenience my plan may cause Mr. Blake but I only came to inform you of the vault hunters next stratagem."

" The vault hunters next move? What should I care? We don't have anything else they want. They killed Jack and his daughter, stole our vault, and cost us more troops and moneys than every scandal we've had combined."

" Blake you are still a weapons manufacturer and a multitrillion dollar galactic organization. You will always have something left to steal."

"So what do they want boy! Out with it!"

Tens head swiveled and looked at Blake "Although I find your tone irritating and insufferable I will answer your question, just know that I am your last hope for turning a profit on Pandora, Do not alienate me." The room was dead silent as Ten turned his head back towards the window and pressed his massive gloved hand on the glass. The glass began to quickly fog up until Ten noticed and removed his hand folding his hands behind his back. "The vault hunters are preparing to combat the army my associate Kain has raised. They are in a terrible financial state however with the removal of numerous investments other companies had made in them they are on the verge of collapse, that was a skillful move on you part Blake." Blake nodded for Ten to continue. "Therefore to supply an army of Crimson Raiders with firearms that will not fail them in battle the vault hunter known as Brick will lead an assault on the only known quality weapon manufacturing plant on Pandora, the Hyperion Arms reserve right here in Opportunity."

Blake looked at Ten's nonchalant attitude and asked in astonishment, and even a bit of admiration "How do you know all this?"

"I used logic, strategy, bandit psychology, and we have a friend on the inside. Now let me see your financial records for this quarter."

"What on Pandora was that!" Lilith yelled at the room in general. She had assembled all of the Vault Hunters and a few other people of importance in the meeting room of the Crimson Raiders HQ. "We were attacked in our floating city, I honestly thought the whole point of the goddamn floating city was so no more bandits could attack us!"

"Lilith" said Brick

"No Brick, don't "Lilith" me! We paid in our blood sweat and tears to make this city and now some punk-ass Truxican bandit can come up here and-"

"Lilith" Brick repeated sounding calm and collected which was very unlike him.

"Brick! Shut Up! We are trying to come up with a solution to the little problem I want to call surviving! You interrupting me and saying my name over and over and over and freaking over while I am trying to be productive! You just need to too-

"Lilith calm down!"Brick said standing up in a quiet manner, this surprised everybody an stopped Lilith in her tracks " I know who did this"

"What are you doing sitting there trying to be cool then! Why not let me rant on and on about defending the city when you have the answer we need!" Lilith snarled at Brick

"To be fair hija" Salvador offered "this was really more of a lecture than an open circle conversation."

Lilith looked around ready to burst out screaming at every last one of the people in that room but was only met with condescending glares. Lilith let out an exasperated yell and stormed out of the room.

"I'll go try and calm her down" said Mordecai

"Should I come too" Brick asked

"No Brick, you've... you've done enough" Mordecai sighed as he exited the room

"Anyway" said Brick " The main we are fighting is called Kain, you may already know that from his list of announcements he gave us before the invasion started. Just to let you all know I only know him because he used to be one of my Slabs. He was a small and very genial young man but manage to join when he brought me to m knees by remotely shorting out my echo device. He may not be worth much in a fight but he is probably the best engineer on Pandora."

"Wha-" Gaige managed to stutter out feeling betrayed

"Gaige" Brick reassured " I mean no disrespect but you are great at building something and improving on its design endlessly, Kain's game is quantity. Whereas you have spent the past month fine tuning Deathtrap he probably built up an army of robots in the same amount of time. He uses an ingenious software file called c0rruption to download malware onto..."

Zer0's head perked up at the mention of c0urruption and began to leave the room.

"Zer0! I'm not done here!" Brick yelled after him but Zer0 paid him no heed "Maya will you please go after him and make sure he's not doing anything too illegal?" Brick said feeling dismayed. Maya nodded her head and quickly followed Zer0 out the door and was leaving as Brick muttered "Man this leader crap is hard" with his head in falling into his hands.

Zer0 slid down the ladder into his room in the basement and took off his mask to get a cool clean drink of water, which oddly enough was still a scarcity on Pandora. He took a quick look around his room to see if everything was in order. Although it was hard to call it his "room" because it was a cave he had discovered when setting up security cameras around Sanctuary. He liked his privacy so he denied the room Lilith had offered him inside the HQ and made his hideout here. Unfortunately in one of Salvador's attempts to de-mask him Salvador had dug a tunnel from the basement of the HQ where he and the others slept to Zer0's cave. Salvador neglected the fact they were flying so his plan didn't turn out to well, but Zer0 managed to re purpose them into a few passage ways around

Sanctuary and one into the HQ in case there was something urgent happening. Zer0 had a few other bits and bobs around his "room" like Captain Scarlet's pistol and Handsome Jacks mask. The most important thing in Zer0s room was the decrepit sniper rifle hung on the wall above a workbench full of parts. Zer0's precious Atlas Thunder had been damaged when he first got to Pandora but he hadn't had time to fix it since, once he killed Jack however he had lots of free time and was almost finished. But all of the fun and games were over now. He had not heard of c0rruption for a long time now and if this was surfacing on Pandora... He shuddered to think what other monstrosities from the past would make their way to Pandora. He needed to clean up this c0rruption mess and move on. He was already to emotionally attached to his teammates and couldn't stand it. " I am a cold heartless assassin." He told himself "Emotions cause irrationality and that leads to death." He looked down to his Echo device and ripped it off. He began de-programming it of all his information and trying to leave it blank. When he left he wanted no one to be able to follow him, especially anybody from this team. They knew him as a socially distant assassin with a a heart of gold but he was no hero, he was an opportunist and while many of the people of this planet looked up to him once he left it was back to killing people for cash. He hated it and wished that he could stay here and be a hero forever but fate would not let him, he was made to kill. Every day he had to fight his instinct to hurt his teammates and if he hurt any of them... he didn't know what. He had never felt this way about anybody, epically the way he felt about Maya. She was kind and beautiful and- "No" Zer0 said. If he stayed around her he would hurt her or kill her and if he did... Zer0 heard the telltale creaking of somebody coming down the ladder to his room, dropped his echo and quickly re-attached his faceplate and leaped into the shadows.

"Zer0! Are you down here?" Maya yelled coming down the ladder searching the area "Zer0!"

Zer0 coughed slightly and stood up fully, unfortunately for Maya she was looking the other way when Zer0 coughed and Maya screamed and nearly jumped out of her skin. "Jeez Zer0! That was one hell of a surprise" she said staring to giggle " but I think that I should be used to it by now. The ole' mountain man sent me down here to make sure you were OK. Are you?" Zer0 stared back and contemplated telling her and the rest of the team about his history with the c0rruption program, Zer0 opened his mouth to say something (not that anyone could tell) but closed it quickly not wanting to interrupt her blissful ignorance. He responded a few seconds later with " You should not worry, I am always going to be, In good condition"

"Zer0... sometimes you worry me. You seem so cold and distant... Why won't you ever open up to any of us? We're all your friends and now that Jack is dead you don't need to hide anymore. " Maya babbled moving closer to Zer0

Zer0 turned his visor to face Maya "Because feelings are, irrelevant they only, cause death for others"

Maya responded in a soft voice with "Zer0 what happened earlier today... I thought you died in Dr. Zed's office. I was sooooo worried because well... Wow! I never thought it would be this hard to say" Maya said walking away quickly and running her fingers through her hair " But I need to say it!" Maya suddenly decided "Zer0 I really like you... and I want to be with you." Maya said determinedly as she walked up within an inch of Zer0 and splayed her fingers across Zer0's chest. Zer0 recoiled at Maya's touch and backed up a few steps, Maya's giddy smile turned into a tearful face as watched Zer0 recoil.

"Maya I mean you, no dishonor but I think, we should just be friends."Zer0 said in a cold monotone offering his hand towards Maya.

"No, No Zer0" Maya stuttered trying to hold back her tears as she turned away " As usual your actions were swift and-" Maya began so sniffle as she wiped tears away "-decisive" Maya fell to her knees and began to hold her head in her hands. Zer0 stood there for a moment searching for words to comfort his hurt friend but couldn't find anything, so he did what he always did when situations got risky and left. As Maya lay in dank darkness of the room and looked around to see if Zer0 was still here. She didn't see Zer0 but did notice an echo lying on the ground. "He broke something of mine... I'll break something of his." she decided pulling out a knife and starting to stab at Zer0's echo device. Unfortunately it was made of unobtanium and almost indestructible. "Dammit" Maya sobbed putting the echo in her pocket and crept slowly up the ladder hoping no one would notice the tears in her eyes.

"And that is all the info we have on Kain"finished Brick "So now that we are all on the same page I think we need to divide into teams to get a few jobs done to prepare to fight him, Moxxi, Zed, Hammerlock, and Scooter, you all need to talk to some of your contacts and get us info on where Kain;s hanging' out. Salvador, you take Zer0 and make sure Kain hasn't attacked Overlook or Lairs Burg, Axton you get Maya and help out Tannis with finding Claptrap parts, CL4TP units are immune to the c0rruption and Tannis is gonna find out why."

"What about me asshat!" demanded Gaige

" You and me are gonna pay a visit to Opportunity" Brick responded menacingly. "but first why don't we celebrate fending off another invasion with a few drinks!" Brick roared jovially

"YAA" Almost everybody in the room responded and Moxxi quickly scurried back to her bar to get everything ready.

As everybody was working their way down the street in ones and twos towards Moxxi's bar Salvador realized he forgot about bringing Zer0. Normally he was the last person you would want at a celebration but Salvador needed to ask him a few questions. He thought that since they had both been exposed to the same eridium blast he had. If Salvador got his new gunzerking ability from the splash damage imagine what Zer0 had gotten, he was hit directly with it. As Salvador walked down the hallway near the back of the HQ he heard crying coming from one of the rooms. Salvador, astonished to find that was coming from Maya's room opened the door and said "Ese' Maya! Whats wrong?" In a voice as sensitive as Salvador could muster.

Maya looked at him and said "Why do you care? You've never been one to care about feelings Sal!

Salvador responded with "Maya, I figured if Brick could be civil and comprehensive today... Well I could probably give a shut about your well being."

Maya smiled and said " Even though you don't care Sal, it makes me feel better that you pretended to, thanks."

"So are you coming down to the bar?"inquired Salvador

"No thanks Sal, I'll stay in for tonight" responded Maya. As Salvador nodded and walked down to the bar hoping Zer0 was already there Maya began fiddling with Zer0's echo. "Let's see what he has to hide!" Maya said maliciously...

"So Brick" Axton inquired running up next to him "What sparked this sudden increase in rationality?"

Brick looked at Axton and slowed to even their pace "I'm a berzerker and in my heyday I would die maybe two, three times a battle but when Roland died and didn't come back... I don't know why the New-U station didn't work but I don't plan on dying yet."

"The New-U stations still work for me, I don't think I need to be worried."

"But how can you know? Roland sure as hell didn't."

I'm lucky alright, I know that if I trust my gut I'll come out on the other side alright. That's the same strategy I used I the army."

"And look how well that turned out"

"Fuck you Brick"

When Brick and Axton finally made it to Moxxi's the party was already under way. Lilith Mordecai and Moxxi were all talking at the bar, Hammerlock motioned to talk to Axton and Salvador, Brick and Gaige began playing darts with their knives. The only people unaccounted for were Zer0 and Maya, and both ere thinking hard about the previous day.

"I can't believe this!" Maya fumed " After all this time I spent helping that asshole! For him to just brush me off like that! He didn't even stop talking in haiku!Highhanded!" Maya threw Zer0's echo across the room and lay down on her bed. "This is unacceptable. I will not, no, can not let him get away with this. The only problem is that I still really like him, I need some advice, any suggestions"

Maya looked at the rooms other occupant quizzically "Well, uh , little miss, I, uh, don't know if I can help you on this" said Dr. Zed awkwardly " What information on him do you think I have?"

"You preformed surgery on him earlier today didn't you? What did you see?"

"Maya, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I didn't do anything. As soon as I got my tools set up that sum-bitch was outta the operating chair and fighting a robot. I don't know exactly what he did but when he raised his hand to that thing it just exploded into flames. He was potentially exposed to enough eriduim to make him the equivalent of a siren, although that is a bit more of Tannis' territory."

"Can you help me get into his echo?"

"Hey how'd you- never mind. I put it on a bio-lock so that it only opens when the correct DNA sequence is put in, you'll presumably need Zer0's."

"Thanks I guess, are you sure you don't know anything else?"

"Maya if I think of something I'll be sure to let you know. OK."

"Whatever Zed" Maya muttered in a sigh "but if you tell anyone about this!"

"You'll kill me yada yada yada, I get the same threats every day"

Maya began to walk down to Moxxi's hoping to find Zer0 and grab a DNA sample from, somewhere. Maybe his drink, or his armor, but Maya also needed a drink. She was very confused about how and why Zer0 did what he did and why she still felt something. It was probably jealousy she concluded as she walked into the bar. "Hey guys:" Maya said to the room and was greeted with groan of "Hello's" and "Hi's" from its patrons. Maya grabbed a seat next to Axton and across from Sir Hammerlock "Hey Axton"She said with a cheery smile "Would you grab me a drink? I'm exhausted."

"Sure, whatchu want?" Axton said doing his best Crazy Earl impression making Maya giggle.

"Thanks Axton, I really needed that."

"No problem Maya. Are you feeling OK?"

"Now I am" Maya said smiling, Axton smiled back and began to walk away when Maya had a devious thought. She wondered how Zer0 would react if she starting "hanging around" with Axton. It may be a small form of revenge and a bit awkward for her but if it made Zer0 jealous.

Zer0 sat on the roof of the fast travel station, mentally punching himself in the face. "Stupid stupid stupid" he thought "I was so focused on not hurting her physically I forgot about her mental state. I never realize what an asshole I am. This is why I don't interact with people, I kill them." Zer0 looked up to the sky and contemplated his next move "I need to leave" he thought "If I stay here I will only hurt this team more. Where should I go though? Look at all the planets... That I've already been to." His thoughts drifted to Maya "She is a siren Zer0, you should know that she's destined for another. You need to improve! You got sloppy! You got attached to a teammate and screwed everything up!" With this thought Zer0 for the most recent time in his life took his sword, his Atlas Thunder and his legend and disappeared.

A/N: So yeah... that's a bit more of a drama chapter which will be the meat of the story since my action writing is not the greatest. Also in case anyone was worried this is not the end of Zer0. He will have his place in the story and also gets and odd sidekick. I want to see if anybody can guess who it will be, and the first person who does gets a shout out in my next chapter and get to like, I don't know name an OC.

Please R&R

Adios Mustachios!