WARNING: GORE

If that isn't your thing, just stop reading when you get to the horizontal line after the one under this one.

Chapter 20: Et Tu, Vulpes?

Sweat beaded on my forehead from the suspense. The Fort had been invaded by the Strip's securitrons. There was no way for that to happen. It's an island.

My eyes widened with sudden understanding. The bunker was storing them.

"Courier..." I gritted though my teeth. Sennia coul be dead because of her.

She would suffer a slow and agonizing death at my own hands. Very soon.

I edged around the tent quietly and languidly. I dug in my pouch for an almost forgotten stealthboy. I flipped it over in my hands for a once over. I reached behind my neck and pressed it into the base of my skull. The spikes dug in painfully. I pressed the button on the side and stiffened with the shock of the side effects.

I looked down at my hands. My skin tingled as I watched the stealthboy invisibility flow over my limbs like water. It felt like what static sounded like. I took a deep breath and moved forward into the camp.

I kept to the backs of the tents in case the stealthboy wore off at the wrong time. I stood at the last tent before the gates leading to the hill. I crouched down behind a passing securitron as it pushed the gate open and slipped in. I would have to make my way up the steps without getting caught from footprints in the dirt.

I looked and saw fallen Legion soldiers on the ground but no securitrons. I dashed across the field, hurdling over bodies. I tried to slow down but hit the cliffside with a thud.

"Fuck." I hissed in pain.

I slipped up the steps to stop in my tracks. I was face to screen with a securitron. It bobbed up and down on its wheel. It raised a clamp and twisted it around.

I reached behind me slowly and dug my machete out of the sheath.

"Hostile encountered." The mechanical voice said.

I stabbed at its tire quickly and it fell over onto its screen.

"HOSTILE ENCOUNTERED! REQUESTING BACKUP!"

I slid through the last gate without hesitation. I ducked into a tent as three more securitrons wheeled by with their missiles at the ready. Once I was certain they were gone for the time being, I slipped into the tent to the right of the kitchen.

My heartbeat sped up the closer I got to our tent. A quiet buzzing filled my ears as my skin crawled. I looked down and saw the stealthboy and worn off. Perfect.

"Psst." A small voice called from the kitchen.

I searched the kitchen from my tent to find the source of the voice.

"Vulpes, over here. Behind the fridge."

I looked where the voice said. Siri hid between it and the wall. I groaned internally.

"What happened here?" I asked in a hushed voice.

"I have no idea. It was like any normal day but then, about an hour ago, the ground started shaking and the whole place got overrun."

I sighed out of exhaustion. All I wanted was to see Sennia, eat dinner, and go to sleep. Was that really too much to ask?

"Where is Sennia?"

Siri sneered. "Why should I care? I'm still trying to figure out how I can get out of here. I heard Lucius had taken her to Cottonwood Cove this morning. She's probably cheating on you or something. Who wouldn't after to having to put up with you."

I wiped my hand down my face. Even when facing death, she was an insufferable twat. Still, Lucius had taken her somewhere. Had he known something was going to happen today? Or were they really doing something?

An alerted securitron rolled into the kitchen. Siri gasped as it threw the fridge to the side. It grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the kitchen. She screeched and swatted at it. Her fist thumped against the metal helplessly.

"Hostility is ill-advised." The securitron said.

"Vulpes, save me!"

Before I moved to help, I looked back on all the shitty things she had said to Sennia. Does she really deserve my help? Hell no.

I stood my ground and watched as she was dragged through the dirt. Her look of betrayal did nothing to me. I waved and smiled as she was thrown into the arena. While the securitron was busy, I moved several tents down and up the hill to Caesar's tent.

Bodies littered the ground up to the throne. The tent was empty besides for Caesar holding his chest by his throne on the ground. I took my time strolling up to him.

"Vulpes, help me." Caesar asked hoarsely.

"I don't recall you ever helping me."

"You ungrateful dissolute." Caesar coughed.

"Shut up, you swine. I'm talking." I kicked him in the side.

He yelped, curling into a ball. "You bastard."

"Oh, I'm the bastard? I seem to recall you lying to an entire army. Son of Mars." I scoffed. "What was your real name again? Eugene?"

He coughed. Blood spattered the ground. "Edward, you prick."

"Silence. What else have you done?" I put my finger to my chin and looked up in thought. "Oh right, you made me whip my love. And denied her proper treatment. And threatened to crucify her if I recall correctly."

I grasped his hair and yanked to look him in the eyes. "Ring a bell?"

He spit in my face with a scowl. I closed my eyes and wiped my face. "Tsk tsk. You really are an asshole, Edward."

I wrapped my hand around his tunic and yanked him up. His head lolled back but he remained conscientiousness. I put my palm up to his nostrils and shoved forward. A satisfying crunch was music to my ears. He screamed as blood flowed freely from his nose and down his neck.

"Funny, Son of Mars wouldn't feel pain." I chuckled.

"Fuck you."

"No thank you." I dropped him down to the ground. "I think it would be humorous that you die at the foot of your throne. Don't you?" I grinned.

"You really are a barbarian, aren't you?" He looked up at me from the ground. Blood smeared half his face. Dirt had caked his cheek.

"When will you ever learn to shut your damn mouth?" I pulled my ripper out slowly, savoring the moment.

His eyes widened for a split second before he returned to smiling. "Nice. I thought you'd use something more fancy. I'm sure that it just feels right in the hands of a tribal." He choked out a laugh.

I brought my foot down on his throat. "I said silence!"

He gurgled as his throat gave way under my weight. He tried to scream, but it came out as a rush of air. I switched on the ripper. It buzzed in a most delightful way. I held it in the air above his shoulder. I moved it around in different angles. Of course, if I was going to kill him, it had to be just right.

After coming up with the right torture, I laid a foot on his chest to hold him in place. I held his arm by his wrist. He looked up at me impassively. I brought the ripper into the center of his wrist and pulled it down slowly until it met his elbow. His back arched and I shoved him back down. I kicked his other arm away from my foot.

I continued with lowering the ripper in his arm to his underarm. His face twisted in anger, hatred, and pain. I slipped my hand into the cut by his wrist and wrapped my fingers around the bone. I yanked it out and, with slight resistance, his hand slipped out of his skin. I held it in front of his face. He looked on with horror, tears streaming down his face.

"I shall be keeping this." I waved his hand in front of him. He was in shock.

I turned to leave him. "I'm through here. I'll let you suffer."

As I walked triumphantly towards the tent flap, I stopped at the edge of the entrance to his tent. I looked at him for the last time.

"Ave, Edward." I said with a grin.