Doc announced that he was going on a trip to Megaton. Knox froze.
"From what you tell me, the place doesn't mind ghouls as much as anywhere else." Rivet City kicked Snowflake off the ship when he started to turn. "Even Gob is there, isn't he?" Knox nodded, as he ran his fingers over dry lips. "Anyway, you told me about some talented, helpful, upstanding citizens in Megaton that might be able to help me with this cure." Doc Barrows sighed. "I've hit a brick wall, smoothskin."
They left that evening. There was a spring in the doctor's steps as they exited Underworld. Charon followed them closely. Knox gritted his teeth and slid his thumb over the blade of his combat knife. He was jittery. Honest to fuck, he didn't want to go back. Not so soon. Sure he had a house there and it had been a year. He missed Gob. He missed Wadsworth. He missed everyone there, even good ol' Uncle Jericho. Okay not everyone. He could go a lifetime without having to see Confessor Cromwell. During the night they walked through the sewers. With Roy's mask on his head, no feral bothered them. Knox continued sliding the blade against the skin of his palm.
"You're quiet tonight," Doc Barrows said, his voice loud and rough in the darkness. Knox forced a chuckle. "Is something the matter? You're going home, aren't you?"
"Home is nowhere," Knox answered gruffly, pressing the pad of his thumb on the blade. "It's just… I kinda did something in Megaton."
"Last I heard you disarmed the bomb."
"That's all good. But that's not it." Knox coughed. "I killed someone in cold-blood, Doc." Knox reached into his pocket for a cigarette, offering his bodyguard and the doctor. Doc Barrows declined. Charon took one and lit both their sticks up. "I'm a fucking murderer."
"Everyone is a murderer in the Wastes."
"I killed a shitload of human named Moriarty. He cheats, rips people off, abuses his employees." Knox inhaled. He slid his thumb on the blade again. From the distance, he heard voices, but when he checked his pip-boy, there was nothing. "You know how I said that Gob's in Megaton. Well, he's actually working for the bastard." Doc Barrows walked faster to keep up with Knox's pace. "Not anymore, though. Cause I offed the fucker." Knox slid his thumb on the combat knife again. The blade pierced his skin, then, and he hissed as he slid the blade out.
Moriarty had gone at Gob for something trivial, probably the fucking weather and shoved him harder than he usually did. As Gob crashed against the shelf, Mors swiped the bottle from the counter and smashed it against the counter, breaking it in half. He pointed the sharp, jagged edge at Gob and took a swing. That bottle didn't hit the ghoul, instead crashed onto the floor because someone shot the bar owner. The eyes rolled to the back of his head as he slumped down, bleeding a pool on the floor. Seconds later, Knox realised he was the one holding the smoking gun.
"Isn't it justified killing?"
"That kill wasn't meant for me. Gob should be the one to put the bullet through his brain. Not me."
"You just saved him –"
"Didn't matter. It was Gob's owner. It's only justified if he did it."
"I bet Gob was glad –"
"Like hell, Doc. He thinks I am a selfish, self-centered fuck. He seems to think I betrayed him." Knox suckled his cut. "Only a slave has a right to off his owner for the world of hurt they caused." Or an employee. Beside him, Charon bumped his arm. Their eyes met and Knox remembered the first command he ever gave Charon after seeing Ahzrukhal explode into red mist at Charon's shot. 'You gotta do that to me one day, Charon. Like…fuck me up like that, okay… And don't fucking hesitate.'
He wished he had paid more attention to his surroundings or his pip-boy the way he usually did. Knox didn't see the frag mine till he heard it beeping. By that time, he realised they were being ambushed.