He trailed them as fast as he could, but he knew showing up right after them would seem suspicious, and he had to save her. It was his responsibility; she held his contract.

Several hours later he arrived walking in a steady, confident gait, and was stopped at the gate.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Charon made a silent prayer in his head that he'd be able to charm people like Anastasia after having watched her do it so many times, then launched into his lies.

"I'm here to buy a slave."

"On whose authority?"

"Eulogy Jones'." There was silence for a moment.

"What would a ghoul want with a slave?"

"Think about it for a while. I need to talk with Eulogy." The slaver paused, then finally sat back down.

"Fine, go on, but if you cause any trouble, I'll make sure you never make it out."

Charon tried his very best to keep up his confident appearance as he marched past.

I'm here for a slave. I belong here. Jesus, there're so many…

Eulogy was, Charon was told by one of the slavers, checking the latest shipment of slaves. Charon nervously made his way down to the slave pens, where Eulogy and his two personal slave girls peered through the chain-link fence at the slaves. He talked to one of the slavers that had captured Anastasia for a while, and then walked over to Charon.

"I hear you're in the market for a slave." Charon nodded. "Well, we've just got a ton of new faces, so take a look, and tell me what you think." Charon nodded and went over to the cage. He looked around and spotted Anastasia in a corner, but feeling the slaver's eyes on his back, he let his eyes slide over her as if she was just another person, another face he'd never seen before. She did the same and casually moved over by the fence, just within earshot, so the slavers couldn't hear her, but Charon could.

"Charon, where the hell were you?"

"Getting your device. It's rare, so I figured you'd want it back."

"Okay; it's usually a few days until slaves are processed and sold, but for me, I'm pretty sure we don't have that kind of time. Get back to the house and taped to the inside of Dogmeat's collar is a key. Open the bottom drawer of my file cabinet and use the caps to buy some ammo, weapons and stimpacks. Then get back here and get me out of here."

"If that is what you wish, I will do that."

"No, you don't get it. That's not an order to be followed directly; it's an outline. Charon, for the next forty-eight hours, you are freed from the contract in order to take out Paradise Falls." Immediately Charon felt free. The mental blocks that had been drilled into his head were gone, he was a person, not a slave to his contract, and he could do anything. He looked at the girl in the pen and saw her not as his employer or master, but as a woman, eyes bleeding as she peered at him, soul brimming with hope.

"I will return." He said, turned on his heel and walked off.

Possibilities buzzed around his head like bees, he could do whatever he wanted, he had access to Anastasia's funds, and all he had to do was rescue her. He knew exactly what he would do, too; kill them all.

He didn't know exactly how or with what or even how long it would take to do but he was allowed to do anything and that's exactly what her planned on.

Eulogy walked up to him, grinning.

"You look pleased. See anything you like?"

"The blonde one." Eulogy's smile faded.

"She's rather pricey. I'm…reluctant to let that one go."

"I'm sure we can work something out."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Charon paused.

"I've got to go talk to some people. I'll return soon."

"Alright, but just keep those other ones in mind."

Charon walked out of Paradise Falls slowly, made it over the nearest hill, and started to run. He wanted to make the most of his time.