Burke reached the Black Market entrance sooner than he expected. The surrounding area really had been purged by Hel. He'd only run into a few mole rats and a feral ghoul, not a single human in sight. He'd tried not to show too much concern when he'd found out she'd killed so many people non-discriminately. It had shocked him, but he couldn't judge her for it. If anything he was even more angry at himself for abandoning her. He told himself to put it aside for now and readied himself for the absolute circus he was about to walk into.

It had been years since he'd had to personally visit the Market. He hadn't missed it. Two guards stood at the narrow entrance as he came up to it. He knew more were hiding in the rocky crags around them.

"The fuck ya think yer goin'?" The shorter guard asked, aiming a sawed off shotgun at Burke's chest.

Burke raised his right hand with his thumb and forefinger bent at the second knuckle towards each other, the other three fingers pointing straight up together, "Got a soul for sale, cheap." He hoped the passphrase and hand sign were still correct. It was the last he'd heard since over a month ago. If Levi had already changed it, his visit was going to be short.

The guard lowered the shotgun and nodded Burke forward, "A'ight, get in 'n do yer business. Leviticus is changing that tonight though, so make sure ya learn the new one on yer way out."

"Got it," Burke nodded and made his way through the metal door under the outcrop of rock. The Market was one of the best kept secrets in the Capital. It was an old mine before the war. Leviticus had founded a trade center out of it over fifty years ago. It had become a thriving mega center of the darkest underbelly of the Capital. You could find anything here, probably even someone really selling a soul. There were certainly plenty of people for sale. From guns for hire to slaves; adults, ghouls, kids. Whatever you wanted, the Market had it. Burke passed a slaver and a customer haggling over the price of a twelve-year-old girl.

"You guarantee she's clean?" The customer asked, eyeing the child and scratching at a sore on his chin.

"Sir," the slaver sounded insulted, "I only keep the finest stock. I swear, she's untouched."

The girl stood between them, eyes glassy and far, far away. Burke continued on deeper into the mine without a second glance. This was the real reason he didn't want Hel along. Knowing her, she'd have killed both men and rescued the girl, mowing down anyone that got in her way on the trip out. He didn't want to dwell on what she would think of him if she found out he'd been here and done nothing. You've done worse. Shrugging the thought away, Burke located a trader that had food.

"What'll it be friend?" The young man at the counter greeted him.

"Food, decent food," Burke specified.

"Only sell decent food," the man gave a tight smile, "No tainted meat, best produce in the Capital, and no long pig."

Burke doubted the bit about the produce but nodded, "Let me see what you have."

The young man handed over a piece of slate with his current stock written over it in chalk. Burke looked it over and sighed at the prices. The Market's rate had certainly gone up.

"Alright, I'll take everything but the mirelurk eggs."

"Everything?" The man coughed, "You serious?"

Burke took out one of the bags of caps he'd brought with him and tossed it on the counter, "Serious."

The man reached for the bag and emptied it into a container on a scale to his left. Weighing it against a previously calibrated hunk of scrap metal, he pulled out a small handful and handed it to Burke. "You be taking it all now?"

"Pack it up for me. I'll be back through here later."

The man nodded as Burke turned away. A little further in he found a wares trader but unfortunately she didn't have any teddy bears.

"Not something people round here usually ask for," she said, eyes narrowing as if she could peer through the helmet to see his face.

"Right. Thank you." He took his leave and noticed he had a tail. Fuck. Probably shouldn't have dropped so many caps at one booth. He made his way to one of the many bars and inquired about the bartenders stock. He kept himself angled so he could keep an eye on the two men following him. They weren't much bigger than he was, but both were well fed and had decent armor. One turned to say something to the other and Burke cursed. The two rectangles on the man's shoulder had marked him as one of Levi's men. The old man had apparently taken an interest in the mysterious big spender that had shown up in his Market.

He knew there wasn't any point trying to lose them. If Levi wanted to see you, he did. It was up to you whether you did it bloody and beaten or not. He purchased five bottles of scotch and headed straight for the two men. They didn't seem surprised that he'd spotted them and waited until he reached them.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Burke said.

"Leviticus has summoned you," the man with the sigil on his shoulder said.

"Lead the way," Burke nodded. Fuck, fuck, FUCK!

They lead him down deeper and deeper, the crowds dwindling down until the only people they passed were other men with the sigil somewhere on them. The man that had spoken to him motioned for the other to wait outside a door. He took Burke's shotgun and pistol and left them with the other man and ushered Burke in front of him. Burke stepped through into a room he'd hoped to never walk into again.

…

Hel couldn't find Charon anywhere. She'd eaten like Burke had asked her, a whole half of a mutfruit, and she'd gone looking for Charon to share the other half. She'd looked everywhere in the tower and now was climbing up to the satellite dishes. She reached the top and peeked out. There wasn't any sign of him up here either. Eyebrows furrowed, she tried to remember if he'd said anything about going out. Now and then he went hunting for mole rats to supplement their food storage. Maybe he'd taken it upon himself to go hunting since he hadn't been allowed to go with Burke. She shrugged and lowered herself back into the tower. He'll turn up.

…

Not much had changed in the years since he'd been down here. There were still cushions and sex slaves draped over every surface. Burke remembered the old man's appetites but was surprised they were still going so strong. The thing that had changed the most was Levi himself.

The old man sat in his throne-like chair at the end of the room. A young male slave was fanning him while a female kneeled in front as a footstool. Levi had already been old when Burke had first met him, but now he looked ancient. His eyes were sunken in and his long hair was as thin and white as cobwebs. His hands were gnarled and twisted with arthritis. He gestured for Burke to approach and his hand looked like a claw grasping at the air.

"It's not every man that walks with that sort of proud, upright stride," Levi's voice was still strong and low, completely at odds with the man Burke saw. "Especially one that can also sling around the kinds of caps you do… Mister Burke."

Burke pulled his helmet off and ran his fingers back through his sweat-slicked hair, "Levi," he nodded.

"Ah, so it is the Blue-Eyed Devil after all," Levi grinned, "Never thought you'd grace me with your presence again."

"Neither did I."

"Your men haven't been making their usual stops this past year. When they do, I hear whispers. These whispers worry me, Richard."

Burke's jaw clenched at the sound of his first name. He'd left that behind. Hadn't even told Hel about it. There's a lot you haven't been telling her.

"People gossip," Burke shrugged.

Levi's eyes narrowed, "Indeed. I must admit I'm quite curious what brings you here now."

"I was in the neighborhood. Felt nostalgic."

"Ha!" Levi threw his head back. "You always could make me laugh," his grin was wide but his sunken eyes locked onto Burke like a Deathclaw's. "Richard, tell me the truth. What are you doing here?"

Burke felt cold sweat rolling down between his shoulder blades. He couldn't let Levi know he was with Hel. If anyone in the entire Capital could be dangerous to her, it was this bent old man in front of him. Levi had the kind of pull in the Wastes Burke had been working towards, but where Burke had wanted to try and use that power for humanity, Levi used it for the sake of using it. If Levi caught a whiff of Hel, she'd be the woman being used as a footstool. Or worse.

"Needed supplies," he decided to go with a half truth, "The Capital's getting a little cramped for my tastes." He was surprised his voice sounded so calm. "I'm branching out. Taking a look at what's out West."

Levi crooked a finger and a boy slave that couldn't have been much older than fourteen scampered to his side. Levi pet the boys head like a dog and leaned over to murmur something in his ear. The boy nodded and scampered away again.

"I said the truth, Richard."

Burke felt his bowels turn to lead. "Believe me or not," he shrugged.

The boy returned and two of Levi's men followed dragging someone between them with a shroud over their head. The someone was very, very tall. Fuck.

"I think 'or not' is my answer." Levi nodded and the boy pulled the shroud off of Charon's head.

God fucking damnit.

…

It was getting late and even if Burke hadn't returned yet, Hel had expected Charon to show up. Climbing up the satellite with her sniper rifle, she used it to look around the area for some sign of either of them. She was certain now that Charon must have snuck after Burke. She hoped it was something as simple as that. Sweeping the scope of the rifle over the Wastes, she spotted movement coming from the direction Burke had gone. Several heavily armored men were headed straight for her.

"Huh," she raised her head from the scope and peered over the land with her naked eye. "Well you sure don't look like friendlies." She laid prone on the dish and settled the butt of the rifle against her shoulder. She waited until they had all come over the ridge before she sniped the first one into oblivion.

…

"This ghoul a friend of yours, Richard?"

"Never seen him."

"And you, zombie? I suppose you don't know him?"

Charon spit and remained silent. He'd followed lover boy because he'd been suspicious about where he was headed. Turned out he'd been right. He thought he was being careful and staying alert but apparently his dark memories of the place had clouded his judgment.

The old man in the chair scoffed, "Come, you two. I may be a decaying old man, but my eyes and ears are legion. I know each of you has a connection to this Scourge of the Wastes everyone fears. If you're both here, where is she? Lurking in the shadows out there somewhere?" He grinned and waved a hand to the two men holding Charon. "Take him to Brenner. See if he can get anything out of him."

Charon forgot to breathe. No, no not him. I can't go back! The two guards hefted him up and dragged him off. He risked glancing at Burke but the smoothskin didn't acknowledge him. He was on his own. He didn't struggle, there wasn't any point. They wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in his skull. His best chance was to go along and try and figure out a way out. Idiot. No one escapes this place. But no one had ever had Hel in their corner either.

The guards took him down long corridors carved out of stone. Metal doors every five paces or so did little to muffle the screams and cries of the tortured trapped behind them. Charon counted and when they passed the sixth one on the left he turned and spit on his old cell. They made him what he was, but they didn't own him. He held onto that thought as they brought him into the Conditioning Room. They kicked at the back of his legs, buckling his knees and sending him to the ground. Grunting, Charon leaned back on his heels and looked over at the center of the room.

Brenner's back was to them but there was no mistaking him. Charon had spent decades of his life here. He knew the monster without seeing his face. He was just as thin and narrow as he'd been when Charon was here. He was leaning over his work table, one of his victims strapped down on it. His bony shoulder blades protruded past the fabric of the white lab coat he wore, almost making him look like he had stubby little wings growing out of his back. The victim was whimpering and Brenner laid a thin, veined hand with long fingers on their forehead.

"Shhh, my dear child. I will make you anew. This pain is only temporary." His hand moved back to the center of the victim and they let out a high pitched scream. It went on and on and then suddenly cut off.

Brenner's head and shoulders slumped, "Damn," he brushed a hand down the victim's face. "I'm sorry, child, you weren't strong enough."

He turned, wiping his hands on a rag. His pinched, noseless face downcast and sullen. He tossed the rag into a trash can and turned to see the two guards. His dark eyes rolled past them and then lit up when he focused in on Charon.

"My child," he gasped and strode over to Charon, his long limbs seeming to bend at odd angles. Charon couldn't help his body flinching back from Brenner's hands as he reached for the sides of his head. "Charon, you've returned to me. How is my favorite son?"

Charon grit his teeth and stared up at the ghoul that had ground up who he was before and turned him into who he was now. Brenner had made it so that he didn't even know his real name. His earliest memories were all of this place, of this man, of pain. Brenner touching him made him want to scream, run and puke. He swallowed and remained silent and still.

"My boy," Brenner continued to fawn over him. His spider-like hands tracing over his head, his face, his shoulders. Charon couldn't stop the shudder that ran through him. "Your contract?" Brenner asked, "You're still bound?"

Again, Charon remained silent. He wasn't giving them anything. Brenner could try, but Charon would die like the thing on the table before he betrayed Hel.

One of the guards spoke up, "Leviticus wants information from him. Says he knows about the Scourge."

Brenner straightened and clapped his hands together, "So that's who owns you! To think, one of my children. Oh, Charon, you've done very well." He sighed and motioned to the guards to bring Charon further into the room. "You were always my most difficult work, but once you were complete," he took a deep breath, his waspish chest puffing out as much as it could, "You were perfection. That programming," he pet the back of Charon's head, "Ah, she must get such joy from you, my obedient one."

The guards took Charon to another table. He and this table were old acquaintances. This was where Brenner 'disciplined' his children. Charon had been disobedient more than most.

"Come on up, child," Brenner patted the steel table as though it were a comfy bed.

Charon sat down on it and swung his legs up to lay down. The guards exchanged a surprised glance. They'd expected him to be trouble like the usual poor souls they had to drag into this room.

Brenner grinned, delighted, "Ah, my boy, you make me so proud. None of my other children could hold a candle to you. At first I thought it was the fact that you were a fellow ghoul, but I've attempted the same treatment for countless others- I keep extensive notes, you know, every detail of your creation- But none of the others ever turn out like you." He lifted Charon's arms up to the shackles at the top of the table as he continued. "Most die, others become brain dead so they have to be told to do every little thing. Those can be useful for some things, but not like you, my boy. You can think and reason. She must find you invaluable!" He shackled Charon's legs and chuckled. "The one draw back to you is your ability to resist my questioning. But I'll find out. It will be interesting, no? To find out which of my little tricks is the stronger, my reprogramming of you, or my ability to drag answers from you. Yes," he chuckled again and Charon felt his blood run cold, "Most interesting indeed."

…

Burke watched them take Charon away and his brain raced with how he could get them both out of this place.

"Richard," Levi sighed heavily and took his feet off the slave footstool to stand, "I know about your little love affair. Your men have been very concerned about your state of mind lately. Losing your touch. Not keeping up with things." He made his way towards Burke, a slight limp in his left leg. "What woman is worth a lifetime of work?"

Burke didn't answer.

Levi tilted his head, "Aah, you've fallen very hard for her, haven't you?" He chuckled, "The Blue-Eyed Devil is in love. Phaw," he spat at Burke's feet, "What a waste. You could be a great man, Richard, but not if you're living in her shadow. Let her keep running free and she'll undo everything you've worked for." He extended a hand to Burke's shoulder. "Tell me where she is. I'll set you free from her."

"I don't know where she is," Burke wanted to swipe the hand away and smash his fist into the old man's face, but he knew he'd have bullets rattling around his skull before his fist connected. There was the guard he had come in with and Burke knew there were others hidden from view around the room. He'd been one once after all.

Levi stared at him, "Richard, I know she's nearby. She's been making quite a ruckus out there lately. People are afraid to travel to my Market for fear of running into her. Don't make me send you to Brenner. You were always one of my favorite men. I'd hate to ruin you."

"I called it off over a year ago, Levi. Why do you think I'm headed West? She gets ahold of me," he scoffed, "Brenner would be a mercy compared to what she'd do to me." He hoped he was being convincing.

"And it's just a coincidence that you and her pet zombie have come to me at the same time?"

Burke shrugged, "If that ghoul really is with her, I can only assume she knows I'm in the area and sent him to track me. If that's the case, I'd like to be on my way as soon as possible."

Levi continued to stare. His clawed hand still rested on Burke's shoulder. He darted his eyes behind Burke and gave a quick nod. Burke's head exploded in pain and his vision went blurry as he fell to his knees.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Richard. When you came to me as a young man, I envisioned greatness for you. You were the most focused of my men. You carried out every order to the letter. A perfectionist with a rich future. Now, I'm afraid you've thrown it all to the wind for one little bitch."

Burke groaned as his head throbbed and he tried to get to his feet. Instead he ended up leaning on his hands as the room spun around him.

Levi leaned down to hiss in his ear, "I had my men watching you ever since you left your tower. I know exactly where your little princess is hiding. I was hoping you'd come to your senses and be honest with me. But now? Now I'm going to make you watch as I make her mine."

Burke moved to grab for him but he was hit from behind again and his world went black as he fell to the floor.

Looks like the boys got themselves in some trouble!

Thank you everyone still keeping up with the story! I appreciate all of you.

Much love,

Meg