The men who came before me, Jesse thought, really fucked this place up.

He and Sue sat on the ruined seats of a Pre-War arena, looking out over the sunrise through a crater. A bomb had fallen and taken out the entire other side of the bleachers, ruined the oval shape. Past the crater deadened trees stood at an angle toward the sun, the red light bleeding through them. Soon it would rise into the black clouds of the area and disappear.

Jesse's side hurt from the shot he'd taken there, and a minor graze on his cheek burned like fire. I've been lucky, he thought. Sue stirred, running a hand along his chest, and sat up straighter. She'd been napping, leaning on him.

"You like it here?" he asked her, thoughtfully. He set his jaw, staring out at the sunrise.

"I dunno," she said, and leaned her head onto his shoulder. "Never been to Flat Rock before."

"I mean the whole place." He put a foot up onto the bleachers ahead of them.

"No, then."

He put his arm around her, held her gently. "When we get out of here, whenever we're done... you wanna come north with me?"

"Is that where you wanna go?" She looked at him, putting a hand on his.

"Gotta go home," he said, gruffly. "Amos would thump me right proper if I never went back."

"You think we'll make it out alive?"

Jesse shrugged. "Maybe. I don't think Lionel will."

Sue rubbed his hand lightly and sighed. "I don't think so, either."

They sat in silence for a while, and Jesse started feeling the pain from his side wound as she pressed against him. He ignored it, trying not to grind his teeth at the frustration he felt, not being able to roll with Lionel's plan. They'd been forced to abandon the ghoul in Flat Rock, and run for their lives.

"Can you tell me, now?" she asked, suddenly.

"Hmm?"

Sue turned her blue eyes onto his brown ones. "About Phaeton. Lionel."

Jesse pressed his lips together and breathed out through his nose. "Maybe."

She smiled, softly. "He's not that scary, is he?"

"Chick," he said, adjusting himself and wrapping both arms around her shoulders, "Jesse Royce is scared of a lot of things." He tossed her hair over her shoulder, playfully.

"Is he on that list?" She grinned.

"No," Jesse said. "At least... well, if we get into Detroit, and he finds―" he stopped himself.

"Finds who?" Sue looked out over the crater.

"Her," Jesse said, in what he hoped was a mysterious voice. "Baby Bear."

Sue said nothing. Jesse let her go and ran a hand through his hair. He shrugged.

"Not telling, then?"

"Not my story," he said, firmly. "Mine is more fun, less heartbreak." He laughed. "More nutshots."

Sue scoffed. "I'd prefer less," she teased, "I might need those."

"Gracious me," he said, and fanned himself playfully.

The sun continued to rise into the sky, fading as it hit the terrible light-stealing clouds that hovered over Detroit. They didn't notice.

Lionel had been aware of Sue and Jesse, he saw the way they'd been acting. He was somewhat relieved that the boy had moved on from whatever he'd held for Celia. It made things easier, in a way. He could cut the kid a break.

The anger that he felt, it wasn't easy. He was jealous. He knew it, but he couldn't help it. A boiling tar pit of hate and fear bubbled inside his chest, rising up and splattering his brain like the blood on the towers he'd destroyed.

He'd only had one day.

Lionel sat in the ruins of Tower 21, tapping a tuneless beat on the consoles. Nothing responded, though he didn't expect to understand it. He wanted to make more chaos. On the wall, a tinny radio was sputtering out noises as he tapped, static and warbling and blips. He took that as a good sign. Klaxons blared in the distance but he ignored them, and leaned back in the chair, thinking.

Jeremiah was standing behind him, waiting. "Phaeton?" he asked.

Lionel turned to see the man looked fearful. "What?"

"I'm going to get out of here before Sigma shows," he said. "Kelley is coming with me. We'll meet you at Trenton?"

Lionel shook his head. "Won't need to," he said. "This will end here. You should go back to Flint."

"Are you―" Jeremiah cleared his throat. "Are you turning yourself in?"

Lionel laughed, long and bitter. "I am not an idiot," he said. "Sigma will kill me."

Jeremiah looked at the ghoul with a sad expression. "And you're just letting that happen?"

Lionel stared at the wastes through the open door, seeing the darkness that came even with sunlight. "No," he said, "but it will happen. Go back to Abramov, and tell him he needs to pick up where we left off."

Jeremiah nodded, solemnly. "You take care, Phaeton."

"Thank you, Jeremiah," Lionel said, and he honestly meant it.

After the man had gone, Lionel stood and stretched out his legs. He walked outside and looked at the sky, at the ground. He wished he could have picked a prettier spot to die at. Flat Rock was pretty damn boring.

Pneumatic hissing behind him and thudding footfalls alerted him to Sigma's approach. He waited until the last moment to turn and face them.

"I've come," Bradley said. Mayer stood to his side, silently.

"Only two?" Lionel asked, raising the skin above his eyebrow.

"Angus is no longer a part of Sigma," Bradley said, evenly. "And I know you killed Wade."

Lionel nodded, vaguely. He hadn't thought about the young man since he'd left him for the ants.

"Is this it?" Bradley unlatched his helmet, held it under his arm. "Is this what you want, Lionel? Revenge?"

He stared the old soldier down, didn't respond.

"If you don't want revenge―" Bradley tossed away his helmet and held his palms up "―you want the girl?"

The ghoul's arm lashed out, grabbed Bradley by his throat. With all his strength, he lifted the man from the ground and closed his fingers tightly.

"She is with the High Ferrule," Mayer said, quietly. "You won't be able to get to her, without Sigma."

"I only need one of you to take me," Lionel said, coldly.

"True," Mayer said.

Bradley grunted, but did not flail about or fight excessively. His eyes began to roll back into his head.

"You should let Bradley do you the honor," Mayer said, morosely.

Lionel dropped Bradley to the ground, and stared the tall bastard down. "And you?" he asked.

Mayer sighed, removed his helmet, and looked at Lionel with tired eyes. He looked like he'd been crying, his face blotchy and red. "I have been bound by the chains of my faith for too long," he said. "I can't continue, into this world we've created." He stared unflinchingly at the ghoul. "If you would?"

He would, so he did. Mayer's body crumpled to the ground, and bled a dark shine against the black earth. Lionel put away his revolver and held out his hand to the recovering Bradley.

"This is a deal with the Devil," he said, "and your soul will be my payment."