Awesomeness: I know! It certainly makes things interesting with the truth out in the open now, just dangling there. Scarlet is kind of reckless, though, so it wasn't too big of a stretch for me to see her actually telling him.

Heulwen: Yes, just more proof, or at least fictional proof, that no matter how tough you are, if you're a man there's still a big baby inside there wanting attention and needing approval. Heh. And I am still playing around with exactly when I will fully reveal the past, but in Scarlet's case it may be very soon, especially with the way this chapter turned out.

Sip Fornicaras: I almost didn't think of it either, the water thing, but then I got to thinking about it and was like, why the heck would people need to know how to swim. Especially with things like lakelurks and the like why would they want to either.

King: Well, hell! You know I almost didn't put that line in the story because it seemed a little over the top at the time, but I'm glad I did. It was just too perfect with Scarlet's needling personality. Sorry I nearly killed you! And I'm glad I'm endearing Vulpes to you (and hopefully others) because part of my intention was to make him and many others within the Legion shine out as more human.

Chapter XIV

Predator and Prey

Allying with the Boomers had been a pleasing and subtle affair. It happened at the end of a three-day period in which the Boomers celebrated the bomber they had longed to possess. The two heroes of the hour had been invited to stay and they accepted. Scarlet saw Vulpes' longing to complete his task, and begun to see his impatience was not so much of a disrespect for their hosts but a perfectionism in his work. He was obviously used to getting things done quickly and moving onto the next; no doubt that this drive was what brought him to the top of the Frumentarii at such a young age. Regardless of this she convinced him that this was just another part of their job as ambassadors of goodwill and it paid off in a surprising manner.

A couple times already they had mentioned the war that was brewing on the Boomers' doorstep, but never with intent. This time it was Pearl that brought it up, inquiring what it was the two of them were going to do now that they were finished with their little break form the word, i.e. helping the Boomers out. "To be honest," Scarlet sighed, taking a short sip from her glass, "we'll probably be trying to find out ways to help in the upcoming big blowout." There were touches of apprehension on her face as she said it. She wasn't really a fan of war, but knew it was unavoidable out here. War was something that not even the bombs had been able to strip from mankind. Sadly.

"Big burdens for such nice young people to carry." Pearl told them. The smile she had didn't quite travel all the way to her eyes, where instead there was a little sorrow for them. She reached across the small table they were sitting at and placed one hand respectively on Scarlet's and Vulpes'. "If you ever need anything you let us know. We have the bomber to work on now, but that shouldn't take long with Loyal and Jack on the job. You've shown us immeasurable kindness, of which we intend to repay."

Scarlet found herself unsure in that moment, realizing that Pearl was offering to back them in the battle if need be. She also realized the fact that it wasn't just her, but Vulpes as well that had their gratitude and if they chose different sides in the end it would be explosive. Pushing aside her thoughts she smiled and placed her free hand on top of Pearl's. "I would hate to really ask something like that of you guys, but really, I guess we would appreciate some help there at the end. If we need you we know where to come."

That had been on the second day. On the third they left Nellis to return to the Strip. On their way back Vulpes would mention the same problem Scarlet had thought of. "It would be a shame if you did not choose the Legion now. How terribly inconvenient would that be?" She could not tell if he was mocking her or not.

"Yes, it would be." She told him, "however, you did as much as I did and I don't feel like I would have the right to just rip carefully made allies out from under you. As long as the Legion leaves them alone and doesn't try to take them over, I'll let you have them."

Vulpes considered her words with fascination. How curious a code she must have for her to make that kind of decision. Many would be plotting how to do the very thing she was promising not to do. It was just human nature to desire power and leverage. "Caesar makes the final decisions on that. Yet, we can speak on their behalf; perhaps convince him they're more of use to us left in their Air Base. We have been known to make allies without conquering before – though rarely."

Scarlet just stared at her feet, wondering what was running through his head. He'd met her demand not with rejection, but thought. She hoped he saw the uselessness in trying to attack the Boomers, too, and a small part of her wondered if maybe somewhere in that cold heart of his he had actually began to like them. She would probably never know, but as long as they remained safe and she would not worry about a guilty conscience. Many people in the world deserved horrible fates; the Boomers were not those people.

-X-

"I have to go to Jacobstown."

There was no room for argument in Scarlet's tone as she shoved the last box of dandy boy apples in her traveling bag. For the past few minutes Vulpes had been trying to talk her out of going, or at least postpone the trip until they had returned word to Caesar that the Boomers would not only make good allies, but had agreed to help, in their own way. He had already complained that they'd wasted most of that last day at Nellis because she had wanted to pal around with Janet and some of the other women. She had thought that maybe, despite not being Legion, he might have found something to talk about with the men, but when she got back she found him sitting alone in the tent that they'd shared, reading.

True, she had felt bad for assuming he'd be the social type, yet she also knew it was required for the wound in her leg. One more day hadn't been much in the way of progress, but it had been necessary for her to maintain the story that all was well. To her dismay it was getting worse now instead of better and she hated to admit it, but he had been right all along. She should not have pushed herself like she had. A promise was made to rest after they completed their job with the Boomers and she intended to keep that. First was a bigger promise, one she made to Rex and Doc Henry before she left Jacobstown for the Fort. After that she'd lounge around the Lucky 38 until she could jump up and run a marathon. No one would ever need to know it had gotten as bad as it did.

She zipped up her bag and turned to him. "You don't have to go." After the words were out she thought of her leg and how she might have some difficulty if she ran into trouble. "But watching the way I do things is part of your job, too, right? You've seen me do a job for the Legion, now come watch me do some mundane errands."

Vulpes leaned against her doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. She noticed that the entire time they had been talking he had remained there. "What kind of errands?"

"I have this cyber-dog named Rex," She informed, "and his brain got all fritzy and I had to take him to a specialist there. When I came to the Fort he was undergoing brain surgery. He should be okay now. I told them if I wasn't back by a certain time to send him to his old owner, so I have to get up there and get him pretty soon."

"Shouldn't you at least stop by Crocker's and tell him you've been to see the Boomers?" Vulpes received a dirty look at this question.

"Crocker can wait. The only reason I went to him in the first place was to keep the NCR off my ass. Caesar comes first," and when she saw the smirk on Vulpes face she added, "and not because I've chosen the Legion yet or something, but because I want to punch him in the face less."

"So you want to punch Caesar in the face?" Vulpes said, amused.

"Well, a little." She admitted, holding her thumb and forefinger just centimeters from each other. "Not as much as I want to kick the NCR in the balls though."

Vulpes shook his head, but felt a satisfaction at the image of Scarlet lining up NCR soldiers so they could each have a turn to be kneed in the balls. As a man he felt he should be disturbed by it, but as a Legion officer he wouldn't have to worry about it. "You do know that you're going to join us one day, right?"

"Come to the dark side…" Scarlet muttered under her breath. "Yeah, maybe I will. Maybe I won't. Maybe I'll raise my own army and simultaneously kick both the NCR and the Legion out. Oh, but before all that," she grinned wickedly, jabbing a finger into his chest, "I'd kidnap you and turn you into my personal concubine. See how you like that, huh, mister smarty-pants."

Vulpes actually found himself intrigued by her fantastical vision. He gave her points for creativity and boldness, especially when it came to her thinking he'd allow her to dominate him in any way shape or form. With a wry snort he drawled, "as tempting as that sounds, Scarlet, I am hard pressed to see how you could raise an army in such a short amount of time."

Her mouth twitched with annoyance. "I could be a fucking deathclaw whisperer all you know! Onward my frightful minions!" She threw her hand up in the air as she shouted her battle cry.

"Or," Vulpes had lowered his voice into a dangerous purr as he stepped away from the door. His eyes locked her in their predatory gleam, which held her immobile until he reached one hand around her to press against the small of her back. "You could forget about your little 'deathclaw army' and let the Legion win. Then we could reverse that fantasy of yours and I could make you mine." He knew he probably shouldn't match her boldness, but he hated to miss an opportunity like this. Knuckles brushed along her jaw until his fingers unfurled to lift her face up. She was trembling beneath his touch, an appropriate reaction from her for once. If she knew what he could do to her if he allowed himself to lose control she'd do more than tremble. The hand at the small of her back traveled upward along her spine until it came to rest on the back of her neck. Then he lowered his head. As her eyes fluttered closed he let his lips skim just barely across hers, nothing more than the touch of butterfly wings.

Without warning he released her and took a step back. He turned towards the door and replied, tone back to being quite conversational, "Then again you've not made your decision yet and we're left to carry on with our work." A shrug with the implication of a mocking 'aw shucks.' "I suppose we should get ready. Never been to Jacobstown, but I'm sure hiking up the mountain will be quite a journey."

Scarlet had nearly fallen over when he let her go, as if he had been the only thing keeping her balance. If looks could kill he would have dropped dead right then and there. She searched the room with flickering eyes for something to throw at him, but found nothing of substantial weight and heaviness to match her frustration. Instead she just gritted her teeth and tried to form a calm reply, one that didn't allow him to realize just how much he had gotten under her skin with that little stunt. "It is. Cazedors, mantises, bighorners, oh my!" She attempted to keep the snarl she felt boiling up from showing, and managed to keep her words to a sarcastic minimum. She would pay him back; she didn't know how yet, but she would goddamnit.

-X-

Super mutants. Why hadn't she told him about the super mutants? Vulpes' first reaction was to reach for his weapon, even though the thought flashed through his mind that it would probably not be sufficient enough to take out that many. He wasn't the type of man to panic, mostly due to the fact that he was cautious and tended to plan for any kind of outcome. This he hadn't been able to plan for. What stopped him from actually pulling his gun was the gentlest of touches on his wrist. Without even looking Scarlet had sensed his tension and diffused it within moments. Seconds later she was jogging ahead and waving her hand in a friendly manner. "Marcus!" She called out to the giant that was walking towards them. "I'm back! How's Jacobstown?"

Marcus, Vulpes found out, had endured a long and historied past and was now the leader of this little super mutant haven in the middle of nowhere. Vulpes didn't think much of super mutants to begin with. They, like ghouls, were just a mistake that nature had made during the time that it was in its greatest upheaval, a mistake that hadn't been rectified yet. Scarlet seemed genuinely pleased to be here among them though and talked briefly with the leader about the goings on as he walked them up to the main lodge where Vulpes surmised they would find her cyber-dog. "Oh, and be careful human, Keene's in a bad mood."

"Keene's always in a bad mood." The petite blond rolled her eyes. She turned her head to Vulpes and explained. "Keene's one of the nightkin. He hates humans, but so far leaves me alone if I do the same for him."

Vulpes nodded, silent, and followed her into the building. To state that it was dark and gloomy would be calling it too bright. If it had been night he had a feeling that she would have had to use her pip boy light or moved around from memory. She immediately turned to the right and headed to an archway passed the stairs. The moment she was through the door he could hear a cascade of raucous barking. "Rexie!"

He approached and saw the girl already on her knees with her arms around the dog's neck. She hugged on him for a few seconds before giving the dog a few firm pats and then lifted herself to her feet. "Greetings and salutations Doctor Henry, how's the furry patient been doing?"

"Quite well, actually," an older man informed her. "I've had to keep him inside though because he'd taken to trying to bother Lily's herd. Misbehavenest cuss I ever did see. I don't know how you do it."

As the two talked Vulpes took to examining the animal with his eyes. It had wandered its way over to him and pressed a cold nose into his palm and was sniffing him. He took a small piece of meat from his bag and held it up. To his surprise the dog settled into a sitting position and whined with anticipation. He lifted an eyebrow but handed it over. It took the piece with an almost dainty manner, teeth barely brushing his skin. He reached out and patted its half-metallic body, eliciting a series of happy pants from the mutt. Eventually the dog came to nudge against his leg and then sat beside him, almost as if he were leaning on him.

"Oh, well, looks like you made a new friend!" Scarlet chuckled when she was finished with her talk.

"He seems to be very friendly." Vulpes noted, absently scratching along the animal's sides.

"Yeah, seems to be doesn't he?" She said, with a touch of nostalgia. "If you're a friend he's all happy like that, but you become an enemy he'll rip your face off." There was a pause as she seemed to relive some of Rex's greatest face-ripping achievements and sighed, "I love that dog."

"I bet you do."

-X-

The nightkin towered above them, expression full of menace and hatred. It was the kind of hatred that the Legion felt for Profligates. That still didn't make Vulpes any more comfortable to know that they had something in common, because like the Legion would not lower themselves to find allegiance with his kind, the nightkin named Keene would not bend to humanity. He and Scarlet had been on their way out when the creature slammed its huge palm onto the doorframe and blocked their path. Scarlet had not even looked up at him, just crossed her arms and continued to look directly at his unnaturally colored torso, as if to say she wasn't afraid and would not lift her head to admit she was smaller. "What is it, Keene?" She growled, more annoyed than anything else.

"You think you can just waltz around here like you own the place, human?"

"I didn't considering walking waltzing, but if you would like I know a few steps."

Keene narrowed his eyes at her. His temper was already flared. "This is no amusement park for your kind. We are not here for you to come and gawk."

It was then that Scarlet looked at him. "I am not here to gawk. I came to pick up my dog. I harbor no amusement at your predicament, or pity. You know I have done what I can to help you, but I can only do so much. Science is not an overnight thing and you must give it time."

"Yes, your help. You disappear with Lily for a night and come back empty handed. Worse than empty handed. Your help is not needed. We can do this on our own."

"And that is why many of your brethren are continuing to go crazy as we speak, suffering from split psyches and finding solace in the one thing that is making them worse, that's killing them." She spat. "Yes, as I can see you are doing just fine. Now let us pass and we'll be out of your way."

Instead of moving he shifted his body over as she tried to go under his arm. "I should kill you where you stand."

"Then do it." Scarlet flipped her hand. "I tire of these conversations with you anyway. You're like a brick wall, a big loud blue one."

Vulpes' eyes flickered between them, body tensing in preparation for some kind of a fight. He considered on stepping in but didn't know what he would say or do. His companion and this nightkin had a history of long-going animosity and he doubted if he would have the words to end it. Even worse this Keene was dead set on finding something to damn Scarlet with. He was picking a fight, perhaps trying to get her to make the first move, possibly for an example to the rest of the town that humans were horrible creatures. It most likely frustrated him that Scarlet didn't play into his illusions or was afraid of him, because he did try to be frightening. There was an instant where when the rage boiling on Keene's face twisted into something dark and familiar. Vulpes knew he was strongly considering taking Scarlet's offer to kill her right there.

The Legionary had never been so glad for a super mutant to burst through a door way as he was in that moment. "Marcus needs to see you." The mutant said, and from the direction of his eyes and tone everyone knew he was talking to the young woman.

"Hear that, Keene, Marcus needs me." It was a veiled threat. A reminder that Keene didn't run this place, that Marcus did.

"That's right, Marcus' little pet." Keene growled. He then stepped sideways and motioned with his arm to let them pass. The look on his face however was anything but friendly. Scarlet didn't even regard him as she marched passed to follow the now retreating super mutant. That's when Keene dropped his voice to almost a whisper, quite a feat for a mutant, and said, "Marcus won't always be around to protect you."

Scarlet's eyes shot wide open and her calm demeanor vanished. She turned on him, voice full of venom as she hissed, "you do anything to harm Marcus and I promise you I'll hunt you down like an animal and I will enjoy ripping the skin from your bones as you scream."

It was the most graphic threat Vulpes had ever heard outside the Legion. Despite his mind having difficulty in reconciling the image of the small woman in front of him torturing the angry giant it was no less disturbing and Vulpes had a feeling that she would do it. Within her lurked a viciousness waiting to be released. He could sense that so strongly sometimes it hung in the air, dense and almost having form. "Scarlet." Vulpes said softly, placing his hand on her forearm. Her touch had calmed him many times in their journey and perhaps it would do the same for her. She needed to stay focused.

She seemed to snap right out of it, but the ice remained in violet depths of her eyes. "Remember what I said, Keene. I bid you good day." A whistle cut through the air, indicating for Rex to follow them, and the three left Keene behind. Whether her words had bothered him or not would remain to be seen.

-X-

Marcus and a few of the other resident super mutants were waiting near the entrance. Their eyes were trained on a few human men that had taken up position near a group of boulders. A few sat around chatting. One man, perhaps their leader, was standing beside the road with his arms across his chest, watching the settlement. "Who the hell are these jack-offs?" Scarlet wrinkled her nose as she evened up with Marcus. Frankly she had had enough idiocy for one day. The anger at Keene was still pulsing through her veins and she wanted him to pay, but knew it was foolish and wrong to try anything on him. So far they'd only exchanged threatening words and as far as she knew that could be as far as it ever went.

"We believe them to be NCR mercenaries." Marcus' replied in his strangely sophisticated cadence. "We do not know for sure why they are here, but we expect it to be because they find us threatening. Lately they have been coming closer. I am concerned that I cannot keep the rest of Jacobstown from acting out against them if this continues."

Vulpes watched the men warily. It did seem like the NCR to poke their nose into other people's business, even if those other people weren't exactly people. Despite the appearance of this city to be quite peaceful he was sure the cowards of the Republic were down there with their tails between their legs, imagining blood and carnage raining down from the mountain. Like anything else they did the NCR had failed to take note of the most obvious of facts. "Why don't you just kill them?"

Marcus looked shocked, but even more so when Scarlet didn't seem to object this idea. Seeing his face she said, "sorry Marcus, I'm just pissed at Keene right now so I got a little bit of red in my eyes."

"He tends to do that." Marcus agreed, and then switched topics again, "I don't want them killed. That would just lend credence to whatever reason they were sent here for. I just want them gone. I thought that since you were a human you could talk to them."

"I could try. Stay here." She told Vulpes.

"What? There are a lot of men out there. You can't go by yourself."

"Yes, I can, and I need you here to cover me in case they do turn on me. You're no good to me if you're caught in the middle of it, too." She gave him a reassuring smile and a wink, her hand patting his arm. "Don't worry, I got this shit."

She ordered Rex to stay with Vulpes and marched passed the entrance towards the waiting men. He could see she was trying to maintain some kind of friendly demeanor as she struck up conversation with its leader. After a few minutes it became apparent it wasn't going to stay friendly, at which point Scarlet grabbed the man by his shirt and yanked him down to whisper in his ear. Whatever she said caused his eyes to widen like plates and he shoved her away; a few seconds later he was motioning for his men to move out. Scarlet lifted her hand as they departed and gave them a mocking wave.

"What did you say to them?" Vulpes inquired as she came back. Her self-satisfied grin told him it must have been something particularly nasty. The way she handled herself sometimes electrified him. The knowledge of how strong-willed she could really be was always buoying against his fantasies of just how much of that she would put away for him when the time came. Would she become his demure little pet, or would she meet him with as much enthusiasm as she did every battle?

"Not in front of the children." She pressed her hands over Rex's ears. The dog didn't understand what was going on and just panted as he rubbed his head against her hand. Turning to Marcus she grew a fraction more serious, "I wouldn't worry about them anymore. They shouldn't bother you again."

"I hope you are right."

"If they do return just send for me. I gave them a warning, and if they're not afraid of what I had to tell them then they are too dangerous to live."

"Some might say that about us." Marcus mused.

"There's a difference between having potential to be dangerous and being a threat. You'd never hurt anyone, not unless they came at you first. Then you'd still feel bad." Scarlet gave him a sad, reflective little smile. "Oh, speaking of which," She dropped her voice, "watch out for Keene."

"Keene wouldn't do anything here. It would be foolish."

"You'd be surprised." She sighed.

"Do you know something?" The super mutant looked rather worried now.

"Uh, not really. Listen, it could have been just words, you know how he likes to mess with me. You're a good friend. Just… don't let your guard down around him. I don't trust him. He might get it in his head he could pull a Tabitha."

Marcus looked grim and nodded. "I will be careful, my friend."

-X-

Despite Marcus' invitation for the three travelers to stay Scarlet declined, telling him they had urgent business elsewhere and needed to get back. Vulpes was thankful for her consideration and they set off. They walked in silence for a while, Scarlet watching the dog as he romped around the road and sniffed at random things. She seemed happy to have him back in her company. "You and Anthony would get along." Vulpes said suddenly. When she tilted her head at him in question he explained. "Anthony is out 'master of hounds.' He trains most of our dogs and breeds them. He's very good at what he does. I think he would find your choice of pet interesting at the very least."

"Hm. I think I've seen him. Goes around with a really big dog by his side."

"That's him and his favorite dog, Lupa."

"Lupa, as in Lupes, like, wolf?" She inquired.

He regarded her with an air of surprise, but nodded, "Yes, as in wolf."

Scarlet dropped her eyes down to the ground, realizing maybe she shouldn't have said that. She still didn't know how much the Legion was aware of their own creation. From the sounds of things they had no idea that Caesar had modeled them after another long-gone civilization. The last thing she wanted to do was cause a stir and they wouldn't have believed her even if she told them that it was the truth. "So, uhm, I'm sorry about earlier," She changed the subject, rubbing the back of her head nervously, "I should have told you about the mutants. I just didn't think about it. I know the Legion doesn't really think positively on them, do they?"

"No. We don't." He answered honestly.

"You know, they're just like everyone else. Well, those like Marcus. They just want to live in peace. It's not their fault what happened to them. As much as I hate to admit it, even Keene has a right to be the way he is to me. Frankly I think they're better than most humans, just for the fact that other humans don't really have a reason to hate me, or attack me, yet they do. Mutants, they just do what it takes to survive."

Vulpes pursed his lips in thought. "I will consider this."

Scarlet smirked at him. "You know I first thought you were going to be this belligerent hard-case that shot down everything I said just because."

"Oh, Scarlet, if I didn't know you any better I'd feel insulted. The mark of an intelligent man is to know that sometimes it is wise to be open to other people's views. You are doing this with the Legion; I felt that I should return the favor and try to see things from your perspective."

Scarlet couldn't tell if he was just saying that to gain points with her, or if he was really truly opening his eyes to a bigger picture. Whichever way it still meant a lot that he said it. Her smirk transformed into a gentle smile and she leaned her head over to nudge his shoulder. "You're not so bad, you know, for Legion scum."

"Or yourself, filthy profligate."

-X-

Their game of chase began innocently enough. In Scarlet's usual excited fervor she made their walk back towards the Strip less boring by spending her time racing Rex around the broken asphalt. They would feint attack each other and then speed off for another round of cat and mouse, or in their case dog and silly human. Vulpes, like always, spent his time the faithful observer. He had never been one for games as it were, but didn't mind if she wanted to play them. He was getting quite use to her antics really, and in his own way actually found them pleasant. She caught him watching them and smiled. "You know, you stand there all serious all the time, why don't you come join us."

"Remember the last time you asked me to come join you for fun?" He inquired. He had no intention on joining her. It wasn't anything against her or the act.

"Yes, but I don't see any bodies of water around, even if Rex does sometimes drool." She laughed to herself, amused by her own cleverness. "Make you a deal!"

"What kind of deal?" He still wasn't going to join her. Somebody had to keep an eye out for enemies and mutated creatures, and since she was too busy frolicking it would have to be him. Not that he minded. She provided him with a sense of comfort in her easiness as well as entertainment.

Rex was tugging on her pants leg, making a playful growling noise. She yanked her leg around a little, playing impromptu tug of war. She smiled coyly at him and said with a sing-song cadence, "I'll be your slave for a day."

Vulpes' felt a sudden stillness within him. It took him a moment to realize that he had stopped walking, and that the thundering in his ears was the sound of his heart bursting back into motion after a brief delay as she caught him by surprise. He still hadn't recovered when she continued on.

"If you break out of the serious shell of yours for just a little while, that is. One game. That's all."

"What kind of a game?"

Mischief spread in her eyes. "Well, Mr. Fox, why don't you hunt me? If you can find me and capture me… I'll give you that day. If you can't within the allotted time and I make it back up to the road here… well, better luck next time. So what do you say? Willing to relax a bit and have a little fun, or you going to continue to be a big curmudgeon?"

The most dangerous smirk she had ever seen appeared on his lips and he replied, voice as dangerous as that smirk, "why, Scarlet, what a fascinating offer. Just know what you're getting into with that offer."

"Oh, I think I know." She grinned. "But this isn't going to be easy. I'm pretty fast and stealthy. Good luck on actually finding me."

She had no idea. How cute. "I'll give you to the count of twenty – just to make it interesting. Wouldn't want it to be too easy now."

She rolled her eyes, "yeah, uh-huh, sparky, let's go."

"One." He said.

For a moment she seemed to freeze. Had she expected them to just keep talking?

"Two." He emphasized the word and tilted his head as if to say, "get going."

"Shit." She muttered and finally took off into the surrounding woods, Rex close at her heels.

"THREE!" He said a little louder, so she could continue to hear him. When the sounds of her movements began to grow faint he lowered his voice and whispered the numbers to himself until he came to, "Twenty." My darling little fool, what have you gotten yourself into?

-X-

As soon as Scarlet crashed into the underbrush she knew this was not going to be as easy as she had thought. Perhaps if she hadn't been injured she wouldn't have to be so careful. She cursed her own mouth as she hoisted herself over a fallen tree. Rex went under it. Thankfully he was being quite the good boy today and remained quiet the entire way. She leaned against another tree, this one much younger, and still alive, so she could rest her leg. "I'm an idiot, Rexie," she told her companion. Then another thought crossed her mind, one much darker than what would happen if Vulpes caught her. What if she lost her way and couldn't find the road. Even with her pip-boy sometimes it was hard to tell which direction to go. The thought of being lost in the forest wouldn't usually upset her, but anything could happen with the creatures up here. If she got hurt even worse there would be no way out.

"Yes," she said with finality, "I'm an idiot."

Rex whined. Suddenly he took off, leaving her all alone. She tried to call him back with a series of harsh whispers, but he took no heed. Probably found a mole rat or something. Damnit. The last thing she needed was to lose her dog, right after getting him back, too. She rubbed her aching leg, but let go after a few seconds when she realized it wasn't helping her as much as making the pain worse.

Crack. A sound off in the distance. Her head snapped towards the sound. It was the familiar dull echo of a boot snapping a stick somewhere. Hn, could he be so careless? Was he just playing games with her head now? Propelling herself off her tree she ran further into the forest, dodging behind bigger trees and boulders. She didn't see the shadow moving along higher ground, following her steps with dogged grace.

Just when she thought she found the perfect hiding spot so she could check her pip-boy to see if she could make it back to the road she was overcome by a sense of apprehension. She knew the impending doom feeling very well. It was the same one she had felt before Benny had swaggered up to her and sweet-talked her into going someone alone. And by alone he meant where a bunch of Great Khan's were waiting to knock her unconscious so he could steal the chip and shoot her in the head. She frowned at that memory, and also remembered that she had promised herself that she would never let another man manipulate her like that again.

Well, there goes that damned promise.

She shut her pip-boy down and started to get up to go find another place to hide. That's when the hand came out of nowhere and grabbed her by the collar, yanking her against a tree. For a few seconds she struggled until she heard Vulpes' voice, "Game Over."

He came out from behind the tree and circled around in front of her, keeping her pinned there the entire time. Despite the game being over, as he had put it, the look of a predator stalking its prey was still very much alive in his eyes. The same wolfish grin he'd had back in her suite at the Lucky 38 resurfaced and he seemed so much like his namesake it frightened her. One of his hands came to rest on her waist as he slid his body up against hers. They'd been close before, but never like this. He didn't merely just brush his hips against hers, but captured them there. For a few moments, even through the hard, thick material of his clothing she thought she could feel…

Scarlet wasn't a child, but the blush that crept across her cheeks made her feel like one. It was getting much too difficult to keep her composure. Not with the pressure of his hips grinding against hers, or the hard muscle of his torso flush to her breasts. A dark chuckle rumbled through his chest as he lowered his head beside hers, and then nudged it to the side. She felt his lips on her skin first, skimming down the side of her neck to the find the pulse of her jugular vein. Then she felt the sharp points of his teeth. He nipped once to test her reaction. After her soft gasp she felt him smile against her neck before he laid into her flesh, grabbing a fistful of hair in one hand to ensure his work surface remained at his disposal. Later she would note with astonishment that never once did he break her skin, but in the furious rush of hormones she could swear he was devouring her.

A moan broke from her lips. "Yeah fuck that deathclaw army…" She breathed, and between his vicious nips she thought she heard him chuckling again.

"You know," he finally said lips brushing against her assuredly mauled flesh, "if I had been a real fox, and you my prey, I would have ripped your throat out." The caress of his tongue made her shiver, even more so when he blew a slow, controlled breath across the wet area. His second attack was less ferocious but no less exciting. This time he didn't just bite her skin, but found patches he liked well enough to suck on. Each time he worked his way lower, down her shoulder, across her collarbone. She closed her eyes and didn't even hide the soft mewls that rolled up through her. Instead she just clung to him, one arm around his back where she fisted the fabric of his shirt, the other lifting so her fingers could stroke through the thick, dark locks that had now drifted down to frame his face.

In that moment, if Caesar had popped up and asked if she wanted to join the Legion she would have said yes.

Unfortunately it wasn't Caesar that appeared. It was Vulpes that first noticed that they were not alone. He slowly withdrew himself from her body and began to survey their surroundings with caution. The slight tilt of his head told Scarlet he was also listening. He had heard something, a something unnatural to this environment. He could have sworn – no he had heard the sound of a gun. It had been the sound of a hammer being drawn back. "Scarlet," he said, "We have to move."

"What's wrong?" Even as she asked she was doing as she was told. There were just some expressions you didn't argue with. The one on his face at that moment was one of them. They were in danger.

"What's wrong," said a new voice, one belonging to a man that was now stepping out of the twilight shadows, gun trained on the pair, "is a little bitch like you thinking she can threaten me and my team." It was the leader of the group of mercenaries from back at Jacobstown. "Also—" He nodded towards Vulpes and one of his men came out of the darkness behind him and pressed a blade to his chest. Vulpes' hand was already halfway to a hidden weapon of his own. "Wouldn't do that if I were you."

From out of the woods came his entire team, making five total, including him. They had completely surrounded them. One of them held Rex by his collar. Although unhurt Scarlet's eyes widened. "Let go of my dog you bastards!"

Norton swiveled his gun to her, "shut your mouth! I should shoot you on sight for what we overheard." At first Scarlet looked puzzled and then her face melted into horror. "Yes, that's right. We've been following you ever since you left. I know who you are; you're that Courier everyone and their mother have been talking about. They praise you all over the place. I wonder what they would say if they found out you were traveling with this Legionary?" He walked up to her and shoved the bandana on her head a few inches higher to confirm his suspicions. "Hn." He turned and walked back a few steps, "what we got here, boys, is a traitor to peace and freedom!" He gave his men a little laugh. "And him," he pointed at Vulpes, "maybe we should hang him up like his fellows do ours?"

Scarlet's face paled and her eyes flickered to him. Vulpes' eyes showed no emotion, but a small tick in the corner of his mouth told her he was fighting control as well as trying to figure out a way out of this.

"Hey, boss, you said we could have a little bit of fun with her. That's still the plan, right?" One of the other men said, his eyes following the curves of her body with one vulgar sweep. She felt disgusted.

"If you want, but it already looks like she's had a bit of fun."

Scarlet's hand fluttered up to her neck where she knew Vulpes must have had to leave some marks.

"You know," Norton said, a fake kind of sorrow written on his face, "it saddens me that a pretty little girl like you would defile herself by letting trash like him touch you."

"He's not trash!" Scarlet spat angrily. "He's more of a man than you'll ever be!" She didn't know why she was so readily defending him. As far as she knew he was just using her to advance the Legion. He wasn't her lover. She wasn't even sure if he was her friend. That still didn't change her own feelings, which were slowly coming into focus. She hadn't wanted to admit it, but she was falling for him, and fast. She wouldn't let this assholes hurt him. She narrowed her eyes, "and I'll die rather than let any one of you put your hands on me!"

"Very well." Norton said. The gun he carried lifted towards her, and everything went into chaos. The shot that would have landed in her heart barely skimmed her shoulder as Vulpes shoved the man with the knife to his chest away and grabbed her arm. He then pushed her back into a safer position and rounded on the mercenary, hit boot making a sick, cracking noise as it slammed into the man's head. She was pretty sure with the leverage he got and the angle that he'd broken the man's neck.

Scarlet pulled her own weapon, her .357, and aimed for Norton, but he had turned and started to retreat. Instead she turned it on the mercenary who asked if they could use her as a plaything and fired three rounds into his skull. She had only needed one, the last two she gave for free.

"Let go of the lady's dog." Vulpes sneered at the last man standing. He had already dispatched two. The man trembled, his hand coming loose from Rex's collar as he turned to run. Scarlet mercilessly put a bullet through his chest. She had no qualms shooting a man in the back; not if they deserved it.

"Rex," Scarlet hummed, and then dropped her voice to an eerie cold, "Kill."

The man's screaming echoed through the coming blackness. The sun was almost gone now. Gone, like Norton. She looked at Vulpes and he nodded at her with a hiss, "the leader's mine." She agreed and they tore into the trees in pursuit of the man that could bring all their plans crumbling down. The man who threatened to hang Vulpes up like one of his lessers. Scarlet realized as they chased him through the dark that she had begun to think like him. She would have to figure out if that was a good thing or not later.

-X-

They caught up with Norton at the edge of a ravine. Vulpes reached out and yanked the man backwards and tossed him to the ground. He placed his boot on his chest, "surrender your weapons." Norton did as asked and dropped his gun at his side. Scarlet rushed and retrieved it. When Vulpes gave her a nod she checked his body for any hidden items. She found only some NCR money and a plasma grenade, which she pocketed for herself.

"All clear." She announced.

Vulpes dragged the man to his feet and walked him back to his dead comrades. "You don't have to watch this," He told Scarlet as he placed his gun back in its holster and produced his favored weapon, his ripper.

She shook her head. "I'll watch." This man had almost killed them, agreed to let his men rape her, and threatened to return and tell everyone she was a traitor. No, she wanted to see the end of him, no matter how bad it was, and she knew it was going to be bad because Vulpes' eyes were vicious.

"You fucking whore!" Norton screamed.

"At least I won't be fucking dead in a few minutes!" She screamed back at him.

"I want you to know that the reason I am going to do what I am about to do isn't just because you're a profligate, or even because you tried to kill us. I'm going to do this because of what you were going to let your men do to her." He nodded at Scarlet. "You wonder why our people are at war? It's because you're lesser than scum. You are animals that cannot be reasoned with. You take without giving. We conquer only because we know the truth: that humanity will never find peace until it is unified under one flag." His hatred melted away as his eyes fell on Scarlet one last time, "last chance."

"Make it hurt." She whispered, wrapping her arms around her body. Everything ached and her leg was throbbing so hard she thought she was going to cry. The smell of death was dense in the air, which should have made her sick, but it only made her want more.

Vulpes nodded, understanding. "I plan to."

She wondered if any man had felt a pain greater than this mercenary as he died. She hoped if they had that they were just as vile. It seemed like forever his screams went on. At first he begged for mercy, mercy he would not have shown the two of them. Then he just screamed. Through it all Scarlet stood immobile, watching the torture Vulpes wrought upon their enemy. She also begged for forgiveness from whatever god existed, if one did at all, because she was surely damned for enjoying this.

When it was finished Vulpes stripped the men of any possessions that might have given away their identity and then used one of the men's knives to cut their faces and make them unrecognizable. They both knew that the odds of them being found were astronomical, but he was careful and she did not object. After that they walked in silence back to the road and turned towards the strip. That's when Scarlet finally spoke again, her voice sounding so small in the pressing night.

"This was all my fault. I'm sorry."

Even though Vulpes could not see her face clearly in the dark he knew there were tears in her eyes, because he could hear them in her voice. "I don't see how this is your fault."

"I'm the one who pissed them off. I'm the one who dared you to that game where we dropped our guard. If we would have been paying attention they wouldn't have snuck up on us."

"We might have also never known that they were trailing us and could have possibly just followed us back to the Strip instead of trying revenge. Then they would have gone to the NCR, or to Crocker, and you would be branded a traitor and hunted down. In a way the mistake ended up being a good thing in the end. Now they can never tell anyone."

"You don't understand." She stopped, burying her face in her hands. "This always happens! I'm like some cursed rabbits foot or something. People die around me, Vulpes, and you almost did, too."

"This is the wasteland. People die." He wasn't very good at comforting people. It wasn't exactly something that was needed within the Legion. You were either strong enough to handle life or you weren't.

"No… not like… fucking hell. Never mind." She shook her head.

"I am not going to die." He told her. "Better men than them have tried and I'm still here. We have a job to do and I plan to see it to its completion. Even if I do die it will be in the glory of battle, for which you are not to shed a tear for, do you understand me?" He turned his head to look at her. "It is a pointless thing to do. What was it you told House before you killed him? That holding onto the past leaves you dead inside? Well, if you really believe that then you'll let it go. And if I die you'll let me go, for when I'm gone I will be your past – and it would be a shame for me to be the reason you crumbled."

She didn't know what surprised her most, the fact he was trying to make her feel better, the way that he was unarguably right, or the fact that he remembered something that far back. He had been listening to her this entire time. "Vulpes…"

"Promise."

She sighed. "Okay." It was a lie, because she knew that if he died she would grieve. She didn't know if she would ever stop. And in her mind she heard the ghostly whispering of the past, of something that still haunted her and she closed her eyes against it.

He'll come back soon, you'll see, and then everything will be fine again.

But everything wouldn't be fine. It wasn't fine then and it sure as hell wouldn't be fine if it ended the same way now. "Let's just go home." She said emotionlessly, not knowing if by home she meant the Strip or the Fort. She didn't feel like she knew anything anymore.

This is the longest chapter to date being 15 and a half pages long (in case anyone was interested). I also changed the title because originally it might have fit a little better, but after the way this turned out "Predator and Prey" just worked better despite not sounding so creative. Sorry for the length if you hate long chapters. It just happened.

Next Chapter: Weak and Powerless - Upon returning to the Strip Scarlet is surprised to learn that the NCR has captured a Legionary named Silus and is having trouble interrogating him. Vulpes urges them to go and despite beginning to feel extremely under the weather she agrees. Can she reconcile herself with what she has to do, or will she finally break under the strain of her secret?