Hades

For what it's worth, I've always thought you represented the community well. I remember some other talk show you were on, and I really think you surprised the audience with how normal and sensible you were, even as the host kept trying to portray you as weird. You've done a good job of keeping calm in a tough situation.

Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Honestly, it's comments like yours that make me eager to keep going. As for the story, it is really starting to feel like a fallout story to me. The main story, as it is, was supposed to be about Rain's lost memories, but between the side quests of the story and how long it's been taking me to send out chapters lately, I worry it's being forgotten. Still, we are reaching the end, swirling the drain you could say, so we'll be getting back to Rain's story eventually. Thanks again.

Viktor watched calmly as Surra rushed toward him. His sword was still stuck in the ground, leaving him unarmed. It was a foolish and cocky move admittedly, but he didn't want the sounds of metal on metal giving their position away. Stealth was imperative, and he refused to let this crazy woman's pride threaten his purpose for coming here. Her speed surprised him for sure. In a moment, she was right in his space, swinging her machete with reckless abandon. He kept his movements slight, just enough to dodge the blade each time. He wanted to tire the woman out, but her failures to draw blood seemed only to inflame her more. She was becoming faster and seemed to have an endless reserve of stamina. Viktor wasn’t too concerned. In his days as a slave, his master, the bloodthirsty bastard, had made him fight a variety of opponents. Viktor had always hated fighting, but he had also always been good at it. His former master had delighted in forcing him to fight opponents who were bigger, stronger, or faster. That being said, Surra was certainly one of the fastest and vicious fighters he had ever been up against. As he moved just outside her range though, he did notice a fatal flaw. She wasn't aiming for any vital spots. She continuously swung at his arms and legs, trying to hobble him. She didn’t just want to kill him, she wanted to humiliate him first. That flaw would be her end. He could have taken a dose of Invictus and ended the whole group in a few seconds, but it was the last thing he wanted to do. When he did take the drug, it became very difficult to tell friend from foe. Everything became blurs and barely formed shapes. He would end up slaughtering every living thing in the area, which was unacceptable. He needed to be cautious. There was one prisoner in particular that he had to save, the only one who mattered to him. * Two weeks earlier: “The Witch is still alive.” Jericho fumed. “I put the biggest bounty imaginable on that girl, and she's still kicking. I figured by now someone might have gotten a lucky shot in.” Viktor sighed as his friend paced the room. Indara’s death had sent his once logical leader into a frenzy, but Viktor didn't know how to calm him down. Every day that passed by without news that the Witch was dead made things worse. Viktor had never realized how much Indara meant to his leader. It was no secret that they had been sleeping together, but he had figured it was a simple fling. It was only after her death that he realized exactly how much she meant to Jericho. In a way it shamed him. It was his job to look after Jericho, but he hadn't seen such an important connection despite knowing how depressed Jericho had been. “Maybe this whole thing is karma, eh?” Jericho asked with a smirk. “Right? I killed Miles, his son, his whole fucking band of self-righteous nothings, and this is the price. A seemingly immortal Miles hunting me, and a goddamn kid kills Indara.” Viktor frowned. The loss of Indara was hardly comparable to the horrors he and Jericho had inflicted in the name of peace. If karma was a thing, more punishment would no doubt be heading their way. Maybe they deserved it too, but he wouldn’t ever say it. “Well? Am I talking to myself or what?! Why don’t you say something?” Jericho demanded. “What do you want me to say?” “Something! Anything! Don’t just stand there looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. Tell me what you think. How should we handle the girl?” This wasn’t going to go well, but Viktor had always been a tad blunt. “Leave her be. You sent Indara after her, and unfortunately, she didn’t make it. You can’t fault the girl for defending herself.” Jericho looked about ready to lash out, but reigned it in at the last moment. “If it had been you who died, she would have been the first calling for blood.” Viktor shrugged. “If I'm ever killed, that wouldn’t matter to me, trust me. I don’t believe the dead care about revenge.” The argument was interrupted by one of the men rushing into the room out of breath. “Boss……bad news….there's been a break-in.” Jericho waved him off. “Tell the guards. I’m too busy to chase after thieves.” “Okay. It’s just.….someone broke in that strongroom in the basement. Took everything in there.” They both shot to their feet. That room housed the leftover slave collars after their war with the slave trade. The door itself was heavy duty steel. It couldn’t be broken down or blown open. “That’s impossible.” Jericho muttered. The guards didn’t have a key to that door. Only Sylvia, Viktor, and myself have a key.” Viktor slung his sword over his back. “It's still just a door. It doesn’t matter how it happened, we need to get back the contents.” “You’re right. I just don’t understand. Who the fuck would even know what’s in there?” “It was a locked door, Jericho. People like to break in locked doors. It doesn’t mean they knew what they were looking for.” They has just left the room when another guard came running down the hall. Jericho almost waved her away, but she clutched onto him before he could. Her skin was white as a sheet as she spoke. “It's…..it's Sylvia…..someone……there's so much blood….” Viktor’s heart sank, his whole body tensed up, and his legs grew weak. He started heading for their room, but the guard pulled him back, informing them that whatever happened had occurred in the lab……in the basement. Jericho was right behind him as the guard practically ran them downstairs. The lab was in shambles. There was shattered glass and destroyed equipment strewn all over. Sylvia was on the ground in a pool of her own blood. Viktor scooped her up gently into his arms, feeling relief as her soft moaning confirmed she was still alive. She had lacerations across her face, defensive wounds on her hands, and maybe seven stab wounds to her abdomen. The world seemed to be going in slow motion. Jericho was calling for a doctor, guards were either rushing to obey or standing in slack jawed amazement that someone had dared to harm his wife. He heard nothing but the stuttering breathing of his wife. He wouldn’t have been able to put his feelings into words now. He had loved Sylvia since he was sixteen years old, back when they labored under the same harsh master. She had endured as much cruelty as he or Jericho had, worse really. Their former master had abused his female slaves in the way that sick men often treated pretty girls. Yet she had risen above the horrors of her youth, given him her love and their daughter, and used her incredible intelligence to aid their people. “She'll be okay, buddy.” Jericho assured. “Is she awake? Can she tell us who did this?” She had been unconscious when they had arrived but now her eyes fluttered open, looking around the room as though she wasn’t sure where she was. “Viktor…..my body feels heavy….” “Don’t speak.” Viktor told her. “A doctor is on the way. Just relax.” “How bad…..is it? It feels pretty bad.” Jericho had knelt down and taken her hand. “Don't worry, Syv. I’ve seen plenty worse. We'll get you back on your feet in no time, just you wait and see.” He was lying. They all knew it. She had lost a lot of blood, her skin was pale and her body was cold. She was a strong woman, but things looked grim at the moment. Her eyes widened suddenly. “Aimee……he took her…he took her.” Viktor and Jericho both shared a look at the devastating news. Viktor felt himself trembling and had to take a deep breath to stay calm. He hadn’t wanted her to waste her strength talking, but now he needed to know. “Who? Who took her? Who did this?” “A man…..He had a big scar across his face. I've…..seen him around before. I had Amiee doing her lessons…..he didn’t say a word, just came at me. I…..I couldn't stop him. He took her away, Viktor…..our little girl……” She fell into unconsciousness mere moments before the doctors arrived. With great reluctance, Viktor let them take Sylvia into their care. He himself made a beeline for his room. He had to prepare. He gathered as many supplies as he could fit into a bag and two vials of Invictus, should he have the need. Jericho came to him shortly before he finished his preparations. “What are you doing? Where do you think you're going?” “To get my daughter, obviously.” “Hey, I want Aimee back too, but let’s think a moment. It took a bit, but I found out the man’s name. Garret Tucker. I guess he's been with us for years, but I don't know him. I don’t know what his game is, but he can’t have gotten far. I’ll send out a call for his head. Trust me, he won’t get out of our territory with your daughter. I promise.” “No. Don’t send out any alerts. Call back any men you’ve sent. Leave him to me.” “Viktor, that's your pride talking. You need to be here for Sylvia….in case….well….” “In case she dies? That’s what you were going to say right? Let me answer. It doesn't matter. If I don’t get Aimee back she'll be furious with me when she wakes up. And if she doesn't make it, she'll haunt me forever if anything happens to Aimee. I have to go. I have to get my daughter. Alone.” Jericho shook his head. “We have a goddamn army at our beck and call!” “And Tucker has my daughter. Not to mention, he has the slave collars. Think about it. That storeroom gets broken into the same day one of the only people with a key is attacked? It's connected. If you send an army after him, he’ll see it coming and Aimee will die. That’s what he's counting on. So I'll go and shadow him until I can get my daughter back safely.” Viktor could see the gears turning on Jericho’s mind. The full plot revealed, he was doing what he did best. Scheming. But on this occasion, emotion was getting in his way. “Then let me come with you. We'll just go. Right now. You need someone to watch your back.” “I appreciate that you want to help, but I’ve never needed someone to watch my back. Stay here. Watch after Sylvia for me. She needs someone here that loves her. If she doesn’t make it…..well…..bury her somewhere nice.” Jericho sat down and sighed, wringing his hands together. “You astound me sometimes. You're talking like it's someone else on their deathbed, not your wife.” “Sylvia knows how I feel, and right now I can’t think about anything but getting Aimee back.” “Yeah, yeah. I get man. I still think you should accept some help.” Viktor clapped him on the shoulder. “You know, I've never thanked you…..for everything that you’ve done for us. Sylvia and I have always appreciated it, but…..things can’t be left unsaid at this point. I know I haven't always had your back, and you've suffered for it.” Jericho held up a hand, eyes closed. “Stop it, Viktor. Y-you don’t have say anymore. It’s all in the past.” “Just…..no matter what happens in the coming days, just know that you're a brother to me. Look after Syv for me, okay?” Jericho nodded sadly, maybe reflecting at the road the three of them had traveled. “She'll make it, Viktor. I know it….. and Aimee should be the first person she sees. Go bring her home.” Nothing more was said and the two friends went their separate ways, each hoping to see the other again. * “Stop dancing around!” Surra cried in frustration. “You're embarrassing yourself. I thought you were a badass?” Mr. Happy was the only one truly enjoying the spectacle, spinning in place as though the battle was driving him into frenzy. “Get him, Miss Surra! You show that brute what for!” Rain stood beside Miyuki, watching in disbelief as Viktor effortlessly dodged each one of Surra’s attacks. Ten minutes ago, she would never have believed that someone could make a fearsome woman like Surra look so ineffective. Rain had seen her tackle entire groups of people by herself, but Viktor just kept swatting her away like a fly, barely moving, his sword still stuck in the ground behind him. Then he appeared to make a mistake, didn't move fast enough. Surra managed to get in close and slash his left leg, just barely. This made him pause for a second too long and Surra sunk her machete into his side. And that's when she lost. She had gotten too close and she realized at once that Viktor himself had allowed it. She had only gotten the tip of her blade into Viktor’s side, and in the next moment, he struck out with his fist, hitting her nose and knocking her backwards. His other arm reached behind him and grabbed his sword from the ground. He brought the large blade down before the disorientated Surra could get away. It slashed down her body, from her collar bone to her navel. She stumbled back and looked shocked for a few moments before toppling over into a pool of her own blood. His opponent fallen before him, Viktor raised his blade high and pointed it downwards for the killing blow. For some reason which she didn't understand, Rain reached out with her mind and tried to wrench the blade from his hands. Though the blade jerked towards her, he kept ahold of it, just barely. But her display had surprised him, and suddenly she saw his terrible eyes latch onto hers, so fearsome that she actually let the sword go. Still though, he lowered the sword, having decided for whatever reason to relent. Miyuki looked like she could have screamed, she nearly did. Instead she just sunk to the ground. No one else moved. No one could muster the strength. They all stood by as Viktor calmly stuck his sword back in the ground, walked over to his bag, and began bandaging his minor wounds without a word. Mr. Happy even deflated for a moment. Just for one moment. “Oh my. I think I’m in love! Did you see that?! What technique! What utter skill! I thought Miss Surra was my one true love, but I fear I’m tempted to stray in the face of such……masterful work.” Rain could hardly process what had just happened and she certainly wasn’t sure how to feel about it. She had no idea why she had stepped in and saved the heir to the Oro. Surra had never been kind to her, far from it. She was a cruel, mocking, heartless woman at the best of times. But looking at her now, lying motionless in her own blood, it almost seemed sad. Tali was the first to break her body free from the astonishment of what had happened. She ran over to the motionless Surra and got to work like it was natural. It took a few more moments before the rest of them moved in to help. “It’s not too deep. She'll be fine. Probably.” Viktor called over as he finished patching up his side. Miyuki looked at Tali with desperate eyes wanting to hear her agree. “If I can stop the bleeding, yes, she’ll make it. But right now….it's pretty bad. I need time to try and patch her up.” “In the meantime, we still have a crazy person with an army of hostages.” Miles said with a sigh. “Okay people, let’s get to work. Gabe and Rocco, keep an eye on the facility, tell me if there's any movement. Rain, go find somewhere private and clean yourself up, then come back and help Tali and Miyuki.” “And what will you be doing?” Viktor asked. “I told you before this is my concern. I want you gone.” “Well that's a dumb idea.” Tali hissed, eyes still focused on her patient. “Do you have some semblance of a plan, or are you just gonna waltz on in and start swinging?” “I figured I'd sneak in, knock out whoever is in my way, kill Garrett, and get home in time for breakfast.” This time Tali did look up with a look of utter annoyance. “That's a dumb plan. One mistake and everyone in there goes kablooey.” Rain brought her hand to her mouth, utterly shocked at how Tali was mouthing off to the man who had just taken out Surra. Much to her surprise though, he actually smiled. “I’m assuming you have a better plan?” “I might…..if I wasn’t elbow deep in your butchery. As it is now, I’m a wee bit busy.” “We need to talk, Miles. Privately.” Viktor finally said with a deep sigh. Miles tensed up, his hands hovering near his weapons. Rain could feel his hatred from here, could sense how badly he wanted to gun Viktor down on the spot. Finally, he took a deep breath and followed Viktor. Rain watched as the two enemies moved away from the rest of the group. She reluctantly headed in the opposite direction to change herself, and prayed her captain wouldn’t make any rash decisions. * Miles took out his pistol, wishing desperately that he could have gotten a silencer from his bag. Viktor walked in front of him, totally exposed and unguarded. It would be so easy. Years back, Viktor had walked at Thornes’ side during the massacre of the Regulators, killing anyone who got too close to Jericho. Now he was right here, and Miles couldn’t bring himself to take him out. They stopped not too far from the others. Viktor didn’t speak right away, perhaps waiting to see if Miles would shoot him in the back. He didn’t seem all that concerned. “You have a good team this time, Miles. I've been following your exploits. Very impressive. That’s not even including the most recent one, where you almost took out Jericho, and that girl killed Indara. That being said, I'm a little surprised. You don’t look good, Miles. You look…..sick.” “I’d say I look pretty good for a dead man.” “That's true. That's very true.” Viktor said, looking up at the sky, hands on his hips. “Jericho understands your pain a bit better now, I think. He and Indara were close.” Miles took a few steps forward. “Not as close as you though. How would he react if I took you down right here?” Viktor didn't move at the threat. His response was flat and monotonous, a mere statement of fact. “You can't hurt me. You know it and I know it. Not only that, but you can't hurt Jericho either. You've lost your chance I'm afraid. You will never get close to him again. I won't allow it.” “I’m immortal. That’s a significant advantage I have. I’m willing to bet that I'll get another chance one day.” “No.” Viktor said with utmost seriousness. “If you were to try it, I would have no choice but to neutralize you in whatever way I could. Maybe I’d take your legs, your head possibly. Immortal or not, you wouldn’t be able to threaten Jericho again.” “Your threats don’t scare me.” Miles said with a confidence he didn’t feel. This man was terrifying for reasons Miles couldn’t understand. His display against Surra was one thing, but Miles had heard far worse stories about Viktor, too many of them to think they were made up or exaggerated. Viktor moved closer, his presence bearing down and making him appear larger than he was. His calm demeanor seemed to vanish like melting snow. “Your team, if they followed you, would be killed. All of them, Miles. I would take each and every one of them from you, one at a time, until you're alone again.” Miles found himself looking over to where his team was stationed and he suddenly found himself thinking of Rain. His own secret weapon, and possibly the only one who could win against this monster. “It’s time to give it up. Don’t give Jericho any more reasons to come after your group. He likes you, he really does. He respects you, and to some extent so do I. But Jericho, no matter what horrible things he's done is the best thing for this land. I won’t let anyone threaten the peace he's sacrificed so much to establish.” “Sacrificed?! What in the hell has he sacrificed aside from my friends and family? He used us as his pawns and got rid of us once we weren't useful anymore.” Viktor sighed and sat back down, his calm demeanor returning. “You don’t know him, not really. I’m not interested in arguing. Stay away, or I'll kill you all, orders or not. Consider this your only warning.” * Everyone joined together again as Tali finished binding Surra’s wounds. The blue-haired warrior lay unconscious on the field, her face pale from blood loss, her breathing slight. Miyuki held her hand, her eyes willing her lover to pull through. Rain sat beside her, wanting to give some kind of comfort to make her friend feel reassured. Viktor returned with Miles close behind, but neither met her eyes. “So, have you thought of a plan?” Viktor asked as he gazed at the factory. “Maybe.” Tali mused before pointing at the radio tower near the factory. “That tower is amplifying the signal to the collars. An EMP attached to the tower might be able to take out the collars ability to detonate.” “I’m sensing a ‘but’ incoming.” Rocco mumbled. “But….the problem is that these collars have a history of malfunctioning. If we take out the signal to the collars, it might shut them down…..or it could cause them to detonate.” “Is there any way to know for sure?” Viktor asked, a hint of anxiety creeping in his eyes. He looked calm to the eye, but Rain could sense something else under his seemingly uncaring facade. Something about all this was worrying him, but he kept it well hidden. Only his longing gaze betrayed his true feelings. Tali ran her hands through her hair. “I don't know. I haven't seen a slave collar up close before. If I had one to take apart and tinker with, then maybe I could be more certain.” Viktor went over to his bag without saying a word, searching through it quickly before pulling out a slave collar and tossing it to Tali, who looked at it with an excited gaze that she failed to hide. “What the hell?” Gabe asked. “You just carry that around do you?” “This one is special, personal.” Viktor explained. “It used to grace my neck a long time ago. I had the idea of putting it around this Overlord while I dragged him back to Jericho.” Rain was taken aback by his admission. She couldn’t imagine how anyone had managed to keep someone like Viktor as a slave. The idea seemed ludicrous. Rocco grunted as he sat down in the grass. “Just so I'm understanding the plan here, we're trusting a woman who manages to blow up most of her inventions everyday, to make something NOT blow up?” “Sounds ridiculous when you say it.” Gabe offered. Tali’s face grew red, as she began to proudly name everything she had made that had not blown up. Gabe and Rocco nodded halfheartedly while her list grew. Only Rain noticed how Viktor glared at her, and only she saw how a trace of fear entered his eyes. Meanwhile, Tali continued to argue. “What about, Mr. Happy? I didn't blow him up.” “But if there's a God, I'll blow you up one day.” Mr. Happy mused. “Blow you all up. Maybe chop you all into pieces first or boil you all alive in acid. I haven't decided yet.” “If an insane, murderous robot is your crowning achievement, we are all screwed.” Rocco sighed. Conversation died down as Tali worked, carefully disassembling the slave collar. Whatever she was seeing made her squeal in delight but they all left her to it. Rocco and Gabe kept an eye on the factory, Miyuki kept watch over Surra, and Rain watched Miles. Her leader seemed lost in thought as he gazed over to where Viktor sat nearby. He had murder on his mind, and every minute that passed made his feelings grow. She could feel how badly he wanted to take some small measure of revenge. But he didn't move. Not yet. An hour passed this way until Tali sat back, finally satisfied. She had put the collar back together with painstaking precision but she still looked like a doctor about to give bad news. “Well I'm pretty certain an EMP will do the trick and deactivate the collars, but the glitches on these collars are well known, especially when they are tampered with. Nothing I do will totally negate the risk.” Viktor didn't look happy, but without a better plan he didn't have much of a choice. “One other problem.” Tali continued. “I'll need to fit the device on the radio tower itself, but they have it surrounded. We could try talking to them I guess. Maybe they'll let us try. After all, we're trying to help them.” “More likely they would attack and try to make us slaves too. It's too risky for them and us.” Miles said. “Maybe a distraction?” Rocco offered. “We could try to draw them away. Not sure how though. It would have to be a big distraction.” Miyuki stood up suddenly. Without a word she matches over to Tali and snatched the slave collar from her. It was clear in an instant what she intended but no one was fast enough to keep her from clamping the device around her neck. As she did a small red light appeared indicating that it was armed, no doubt connected to the same network the other collars were attached too. “Have you lost your mind?!” Tali nearly screamed. “What have you done, babe?” Rocco barely got out. “Why…..I-I don't get it.” Miyuki looked over to the factory. “You need a distraction. Trust me, I'm the best one. Garret won’t be able to resist. This is the best option.” “Bullshit!” Rocco cried. “A better option would be one that doesn’t get your head blown off. Don't you do this.” “It's already done. I'm a bit committed at this point.” Further protests didn't move her, didn't change her mind. She walked up to each of them and said her goodbyes, lingering on Rocco and Surra the most. She knelt down and kissed Surra on the lips and whispered soft words to her. “This is a brave thing your doing.” Viktor said as he offered his hand. “If it's possible, I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you come back safe.” Rain was last. The threat of death was always near, but this time it seemed closer and it made her feel close to tears. Miyuki brushed off her concern and picked her up like a child. Normally, Rain hated being picked up like this. It was demeaning for one. Even worse, it meant her diapers were no doubt visible to the others. To his credit, Viktor turned his head as soon as he noticed. It didn’t matter though, not now, not when this might be the last time she ever saw Miyuki alive. “Don't you start crying, Rain. Whatever happens today, it’s of my choosing. This has to end by my hand. And if I don’t make it, that’s okay too.” “It's not okay! How could you say that?!” Miyuki took her hands and put them to her face, her eyes burning. “Look! You look into my eyes…..tell me what you see. Tell me.” After a few moments of hesitation, Rain opened her mind and delved into Miyuki’s, and once again she found herself looking through her eyes. * In the years that followed her escape from the arena of her childhood, Miyuki had roamed the wastes. She trusted no one, she let no one near her. She stayed away from towns and villages, choosing instead to live in squalor and solitude. She kept her sword close to her, clutching it until her knuckles grew white and her fingers lost feeling. She attacked anyone who ventured too close to her, convinced that they meant to steal her few possessions, whether it was her food or her life. She never gave them a chance to explain otherwise. But that winter was particularly cold and harsh. Her ruin of a home kept a roof over her head, but the holes in the walls let in the freezing air and burning snow. It didn’t come as too much of a surprise to her when she grew ill. The fever scorched her to the bone, and the moments when it passed only brought back the cold that so tormented her. One night as she slumbered, a lone figure made it's way into her home. The footsteps were loud enough to wake her, but she couldn’t force herself to her feet. She drew her blade anyway and swung at the figure from her knees. The figure leapt back in surprise and pulled down the covering from it's face. A ghoul. It didn’t matter to her. He was an enemy plain and simple. It took all her strength to stand up, but she managed it. “Take it easy, babe. I'm not looking for trouble. I just got caught in the storm. I was freezing my balls off out there. I didn't even know anyone lived here.” “Fuck you.” Miyuki spat out with great effort. “Get out of here before I cut your head off.” She swung again, but ghoul stayed just out of reach “No offense lady, but you don’t look like you're in any shape to cut my head off. You look pretty sick actually. I got some medicine that might help if you ask nicely.” She swung again, this time falling over in the attempt. The ghoul laughed and put up his hands. “ I was only kidding. Of course I'll give you some. Damn. Name’s Rocco by the way.” She screamed at him, she raged that she didn't want his help. He didn’t listen. He kept her safe from marauders, cared for her through her illness, and made no attempt to steal from her. It took all winter, but in the end, she actually trusted him enough to share her story. The world shifted. The world was dark and filled with screams. One scream in particular. Rocco lit a candle, illuminating the small, dank room. Miyuki wished he hadn't. She hadn't wanted to see what she was doing, not so well anyway. “How's our guest? Has he learned the errors of his ways?” Rocco spoke with a lighthearted tone that Miyuki couldn't share. The man tied to the chair before her deserved the pain he was getting. He had been running a group of bandits, tormenting villagers. What's more, he was an evil man, inside and out. That’s what Miyuki had told Rocco when she asked for his help. His name was Bill Tucker, the eldest and most violent of the Tucker brothers who had taken her captive so many years ago. She had killed the youngest brother when she had escaped years before. Garret Tucker had vanished after the arena had been destroyed. But old Bill had made enough noise that she had been able to track him down with Rocco’s help. “The punishment should fit the crime.” Rocco mused. “A month of torture doesn't hold a candle to the years he took from you. Maybe take an eye next?” He was right. She knew he was right. But it didn't feel right. Bill Tucker was beyond speaking at this point. He only moaned and screamed as she picked him a part piece by piece. He had been the most physically violent to her when they had kidnapped her, but even so this felt wrong. Despite everything he had done, she couldn’t bring herself to enjoy his suffering. On the contrary, it sickened her. But every time she looked into his eyes she couldn't bring herself to end it, even though her actions made her a monster in her own eyes. So she kept him, hurt him, over and over again. She barely felt human by the time he finally died, but she did feel a great relief. Of course her nights were plagued by nightmares of his screams long after he died. He tormented her in death as he had on life. It was a bitter irony. She began to believe she could never be free of her pain. * Rain returned to the present at last, jolting in Miyuki’s arms. She felt like she had been Miyuki for years, lived those events herself, and felt all her pain. Digging into another's memories was always hard, but this time was somehow worse. The memories, though painful, shed light on why Miyuki was so close to Rocco. Not for the first time, Rain marveled at how her own relationship with Miyuki had evolved over time, considering how hostile Miyuki was to just about anyone new to her. Miyuki didn't say anything at first. Instead, she carried her away from the others and laid her gently on the grass. Rain looked up at her confused until she saw one of her pink diapers on the ground beside her. She reached her hand down and gave her current diaper a few pokes. Sure enough, she was wet again, though probably not enough to warrant a change. Miyuki went right to it though, and looking in her eyes, Rain understood this would be the last time Miyuki changed her diaper. Her thoughts seemed so clear now. Miyuki didn't plan on coming back. She was going in with every intention of settling her past before her end came. “Why did you show me that? Why did you make me watch that?” Rain asked. As horrible as seeing Miyuki and Rocco torture a man was, Rain still couldn’t bring herself to blame her friend for it, not after everything she had gone through. “I needed you to see it. You needed to see what kind of person I really am. No matter what happens today…..it's okay. I deserve it, you know? If I don't make it.” As she spoke, Rain noticed her hands shaking as she finished wiping her clean. Rain knew what she was feeling. She had felt it herself many times, and had seen it many times in others since she had joined with Miles. It was terror. Pure terror. “But you will.” Rain interrupted, sitting up only to have Miyuki force her back down and finish putting her diaper on. “You have to come back. We can’t get by without you.” Miyuki shook her head, and a few tears fell down her face. “I'm a bad person, kiddo. I've hurt people my whole life. Sometimes to stay alive, sometimes for revenge. I'm still hurting people. The only person stupid enough to love me is Surra, and that's just because she's a shit person too. She'll probably die soon anyway.” As soon as the last tape was in place, Rain sat up and wrapped Miyuki in a tight hug. Her friend began openly sobbing as they clutched each other. Rain held her close, but couldn't find words to calm her. She could count on one hand the times Miyuki had cried. “Listen to me, Miyuki. Surra is going to be fine. You're going to be okay. We're gonna save the day like always, and then we're all going home, okay?” “I'm so scared, Rain. I thought I could do this, but now…..I don’t know. I don’t want to die alone in there!” Miyuki sobbed, her courage having evaporated. “Stop! You are not going to die. I promise you. Look at me. You're going to be fine. You just have to keep it together until we get to you. Can you do that?” “Yeah I think so.” Miyuki said after a few deep breaths. “I’m sorry. It's just….the idea of seeing him again, of being at his mercy again….” “Don’t worry. You're not the same little girl that he tormented in the past.” Rain said calmly. “Trust me, by the end of this job, Garret Tucker will be at your mercy.” * The inside of the factory was filled with blood and screams. So like the arena of old. Garret Tucker watched as two of his prisoners hacked away at each other with machetes. He sat in what passed as a throne on one of the walkways, high above the circle of combat. One of the combatants would win soon and the fun would be over. He unfortunately couldn’t afford to keep killing his slaves, not when there were only a few collars left. He still needed his army for a little while. His plan had gone better than he could have hoped. In one move, he had propelled himself up in the world. He had marked himself as a man of importance, someone to be feared. Very soon, he would no longer have to worry about the collars. All because of a certain brat he had locked up, waiting to be rescued. To think he had almost overlooked her. The attack on Viktor’s wife was just to get her keys, but taking Aimee was a stroke of genius if he had ever heard of one. Viktor would no doubt come to rescue her, he knew he would. Jericho sat unprotected from his enemies and soon the rebels who had helped him find the collars would take the opportunity to end him once and for all. An ignominious end to the great and powerful Jericho Thorne. He was snapped from his scheming as one of the two fighters fell at last. The winner stood triumphantly above his adversary, ready to make the killing blow. The winner, a large bald man no doubt used to working on a farm, looked up defiantly. “I won’t kill him. I can’t.” Such rebellion was bound to occur from time to time. These villagers weren't used to having a to take orders yet. But of course it wouldn’t last long. “What do ya mean? You got him on the ropes, big guy. Just squat down there and stab him. Look at him, he can’t even fight anymore. If ya don’t kill him, I'll have to kill you, and to be honest I was rooting for you the whole time. It'd be a shame to pop yer head off.” Garret pointed his remote a the man with a wolfish grin. The remote itself looked similar to an old television remote. All he had to do was type in the number of the collar he wanted to explode and the poor sap would go out with a wonderful bang. A larg red button would detonate all the collars if he was truly desperate. Finally, there was a password that would release all the collars, but that wouldn’t be happening. Garret didn’t even know what it was. No one was escaping. He watched with fascination as the farmer turned fighter debated and wrestled with his conscious. Sure enough, he did as he was told eventually and ended the losers misery. “Well done!” Garret cheered. “A true champion in the making right here ladies and gents!” He looked down at his gathered army, soaking in their hatred and resentment. I pointed the remote back at the winner and smiled before typing the number to his collar. For a few seconds he got to enjoy the look of fear on the man’s face before his face vanished forever in a fiery explosion. Oh the screams, the outrage. It was like music to him. He ignored them all, got up and walked happily to the small office that housed the most important girl in the world. She was typical for a five year old, he supposed. Ever since he had taken her all she had done was scream and cry, all day every day. Currently she had taken to kicking the walls with the energy only a child could muster. He unlocked the door and strolled inside, pushing the child backwards when she tried to run by him. Once the door was secured he turned back to his prize. “What's the matter, little rat? Ain't ya enjoying my hospitality? I thought you'd be grateful. I haven't hurt ya, have I? I'm keeping you well fed and warm. Lot's a people don’t get treatment like that.” The small girl moved herself into a corner and glared at him from over the collar around her neck. When it came to looks, she favored her mother, but that glare? That was pure Viktor. “I wanna go home! My mom’s gonna be mad if you don't take me home.” Garret knelt down to her level. Something about the look she was giving him bugged him. “I wouldn’t worry about your ma, kiddo. See I messed her up pretty good back there. She's probably dead. Like Indara you know? Theres another bitch whose no longer with us. Hell, maybe I'll take ya to visit her grave sometime.” Aimee kept glaring at him, but couldn’t keep her eyes from tearing up. “Aw….I’m sorry, darlin. Did I make you sad? Well hey, that's life. People die.” “You're gonna die.” Aimee said with difficulty. “My daddy is gonna come get me and then you'll be sorry!” He moved closer and took her small hands in his. “Ya don't get it, do ya little rat? Of course he's gonna come. He's gonna be wanting some vengeance most likely, and of course he wants to save you like a good old man should.” He said softly as he tightened his grip, making the child squirm in discomfort. “I want him to come find me. Know why? Cause as soon as he does, blam! I'm gonna put collar on him just like yours. Once I got big bad Viktor under my control, ain’t nobody gonna want to mess with me. Hell, they’ll be lining up to join me once Jericho is dead!” He squeezed the girl's hands tighter as he spoke, smiling when she finally cried out. “And of course yer pa will do whatever I say, cause if he doesn't……well you get the idea.” Viktor’s daughter kept up her glare, eyes brimming with tears. Garret was so focused on her face, he didn’t notice her tiny foot flying towards him. It hit him hard in the nose, making him finally release his grip and fall backwards. He got back up with a laugh at her spirit, his hand touching his nose and coming back with blood. “I'll let ya have that one, little rat. You're owed that much I guess. After all, you're the key to my future, the key to my rising power. You're gonna make me a king, girl! You feel me, girl?! I'm gonna be a fucking king!" Without really meaning to he began laughing uncontrollably. A knock at the door ended his fun and he briefly considered killing whoever was bothering him. With a grunt he got to his feet and unlocked the door. He didn’t recognize the fearful woman, but he rarely bothered to look at their faces too closely. “You have ten seconds to tell me why you're bothering me before I pop your head off. I'd hurry if I were you.” She kept her eyes to the ground. “I'm sorry m-master. A new slave was brought in just now. A w-woman.” “Okay? So what? Is she a particularly beautiful woman?” “She knows you, master. She called for you by name.” His interest was admittedly peaked. Who was this woman? Someone from Jericho’s territory maybe? He locked the office door behind him and followed his slave back to his throne. But the sight that awaited him when he looked down took his breath away. A face, all grown up, glared up at him with a burning hatred, a hatred that he recognized from long ago. “As I live and breath. If it ain't the little rat that done escaped the maze.” Miyuki tugged at the collar around her neck before spitting on the ground. “Hello, Garrett. Long time no see.”

So I'm going through a weird time. Not sure what I'm feeling. My wife and I have tried for years to have a second child. After our first, we suffered through two miscarriages, and those were so painful I don't know how we recovered. Four years have passed from our second miscarriage and we haven't gotten pregnant again, until yesterday. On this momentous occasion, I should be rejoicing, and part of me is. But the other feelings are there too. Fear that we might lose another and shame that I can't help but think that losing it might be for the best (we aren't in a greatest place financially) I had that same feeling the first time we got pregnant again and for as horrible as the miscarriage was, there was a very small part of me that felt a little relief. That's a horrible feeling to have. If the worst happens and we lose this baby....I want to be clear too, I don't want to lose it. It's weird I guess to feel responsible for something that's not my fault, but I constantly feel like that. Can't win really. I'm going to have internal conflicts no matter what. I'm bitchy that way. lol. Cross your fingers folks.

I'm still around and I do apologize for the wait. You would think I would have had more time to write during this virus thing, but actually I have had far less. It's nice to see that my story hasn't been forgotten and people still get excited whenever it pops up. I promise the next chapter is coming soon. Maybe Monday if I'm lucky and get time to finish it. Talk to you soon everyone!

Could be better, could be worse. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I will point out that you predicated a fight between Surra and Titus. You weren't dreaming big enough. lol. Let's see here, we got this current arc, then another really cool arc, and then we will have reached the endgame. Exciting stuff.

“People are disappearing. It started off slow at first, but more and more vanish every day, whole villages at once.” Tali brought the news reluctantly. They had only made it back to the base maybe a week prior and they were all still exhausted. Travel had been rough on Miles especially, and Rain had laid awake many nights listening to his ragged hacking and coughing. Even Rocco and Miyuki, normally always psyched for battle, looked grim at the idea of moving out once more. Rain was sitting on the floor in a pink nightie Tali had found for her. She shifted a bit, hearing her diaper crinkle as she accepted a bowl of noodles from Gabe, who took a seat at the table with the others. “The last time people started going missing, it was the work of that crazy priest.” Rain muttered as she ate. The thought of the Good Priest possibly being back unnerved her more than she let on. He should be dead though. They had left his cult in utter ruins and the priest himself had been left for his hungry monster to devour. That creature, whatever it had been, haunted her still. But Miles squashed that notion quickly enough. “It's not him. He never took so many at once. It was always a few at each village, whoever they could ensnare with that water of theirs. This is different. Whole towns vanishing overnight……” “There is one good thing in all this.” Tali continued. “There's a pattern, a clear one at that.” She pulled out a map and spread it on the table. Rain got up with a grunt, not caring that her diaper was peeking out from her nightie, it's white plastic no doubt tinged yellow by now. At the map, Tali traced the path of the disappearances. “It started up north, about midway between here and Thorne’s area. Then it spread south, straight south, taking every town along the way. That's four by now.” “So it's just random? Whichever place is closest from the last?” Miyuki asked. “Exactly. What I can’t figure out is how it's happening. From reports, there's noticeable signs of struggle left over, but not a single body left. So where are they going?” “How much time between each attack?” Gabriel asked. “A large group would draw attention unless the majority was based somewhere. If someone is capturing people, they must be going somewhere.” “I don't know about that.” Tali answered. “Everything we have is scattered rumors, but I do know that people have caught on. Towns are on alert, keeping an eye out.” Gabe looked over at Miles, wondering if he should take point once again. The captain just waved his hand wearily as an affirmative. He still had neither the energy nor the inclination to lead. Gabe cleared his throat and pointed to the map. “Good news is that we can predict where the next attack will be, assuming of course the pattern stays the same. Bad news is it will take a good while to get up there and who knows how many towns will be taken by then.” “Can't we just wait for this thing to come to us?” Rocco moaned. “No dice. If we're going to get ahead of all this, we need to move. Tonight. Now.” If looks could kill, Gabriel would be a smoking and charred pile of ash. His old days of soldiering made him immune to the groaning and evil glares of his teammates. But still, Miles didn't object. He had made it clear that Gabriel was in charge, but even he looked dampened at the thought of travelling so soon. He didn’t complain of course, just got to his feet sluggishly and limped to his room. After more arguing and complaints, they rest did the same. Rain changed out of her nightie and began putting on her clothes and armor. There was too much ground to cover for the whole baby in the stroller idea to work again. Tali came by to change her, but she informed her that she wasn’t wet enough to warrant a change, not in one of her night diapers anyway. Tali looked a bit shocked, but nodded and got back to packing. She packed her bags and headed to the armory. She chose a carbine rifle, a pistol, and her arc rifle. She figured that if the firepower she packed wasn’t enough, her powers would do the rest. It was going to be a slog, no doubt about it, but she would have been lying to say she wasn’t a little excited to use her powers again. The more she used them, the more intoxicating they became. Lately she had been using them for pranks, pulling or pushing things just out of people’s reach with her mind. It was stupid, juvenile, and almost not worth the associated headaches or fatigue that came with it, but damn it was hilarious. Gabe looked befuddled each time he entered his room to find it different than when he had left it. As a small measure of vengeance for his stupid idea to turn her into an overgrown infant, she had been moving his room around with only her mind to mess with him. It took effort and precision, but she felt it was worth it. Before the hour was up, they were ready to mobilize, with Gabe leading the way in his power armor. They were even taking Mr. Happy as a back-up measure if the fighting was too hard. Looking at them all, standing tall and fearsome, armed and armored, there was nothing they couldn’t handle, Rain was convinced of that. The journey north was spent trudging through mud and muck, moving though the woods and avoiding the main roads. Another one of Gabe’s ideas. The threat of bounty hunters or another assassin meant that they needed to forge ahead with caution. It also meant that she had to spend a good hour each night cleaning dirt from her boots. After the fourth day of travel she was utterly sick of it all. Maybe Hudson’s desperate search for a way to restore a vehicle was a worthy mission after all. She moved to her tent almost dead on her feet and collapsed onto her sleeping bag. Miyuki came in about two minutes after. “Look at you. A little walking and you fall to pieces. I think all those rides on Gabriel’s shoulders and in strollers have made you lazy. When we get back, I’m gonna make you run laps around the base again, you clearly need the exercise.” Rain narrowed her eyes in confusion. “What's up your butt?” “What's up my butt is trying to keep your butt alive. With everyone in the state coming after you, it's important to keep in shape. Now, speaking of butts, I'm here to clean yours, your highness, so turn over and assume the position.” Rain obeyed. “I don't see a problem. I have enough power to face anything, why should I run?” Miyuki unfolded a clean diaper and sat down in between her. “That's a good way to get yourself killed. You assume that your magic tricks will always keep you on top, but it's stupid to think that way. People adapt, kiddo, better believe it. You start relying on one trick and you'll be helpless if someone finds away around it.” Rain grumbled and tuned her out for the remainder of the change. She could fight just as well with her bare hands or with any kind of weapon. So what if all the walking got to her a bit? Miyuki closed up the new diaper and prepared to head out, probably tired from lecturing her. She left and Rain got into her sleeping bag along with her stuffed monkey and bear. She had come prepared for sure. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out one last item, one that the others didn't know about. She looked at the white and pink pacifier in her hand. It had mysteriously gone “missing” shortly after the last mission. Rain couldn’t explain why, but she had grown attached to the sucker, there was something……soothing about it. Tali would have loved it, but she had been busy with Miles. If the walking had been rough on anyone, it was him. Each day he moved with an almost determined gait, only to sleep like the dead each night. No one asked him to do any watches like normal. Rain blew out the candle and placed the pacifier in her mouth as she curled up for the night. It was her little secret. No one would know. * It was late in the night when an explosion woke her from slumber. She shot up at once, pulling on her skirt and grabbing her pistol. She spat out her pacifier onto her sleeping bag and stepped out into the night. She saw the rest of the team already up and about. The explosion had come from the west. Miles, Rocco, and Tali were headed that way. Gabe, Miyuki, and Happy stayed at the camp but kept their eyes on the others. Rain took a deep breath and moved to join the others. Then a hand clamped around her mouth and an arm began dragging her backward into the woods. She kicked and fought until she felt a powerful shock to her side. It hurt so bad, she couldn't focus on anything else. She might have passed out for a few moments, but when she came to she was being bound by a lovely dark skinned woman, while a large man looked out for others. He was bald with a handlebar moustache. But it was his armor that shocked her the most. It was power armor, but it looked……crude looking and unfinished, with one arm and one leg entirely devoid of a protective outer shell, the frame the only part left. Her arms had already been bound with duct tape, with the woman sticking two strips over her mouth when she stirred. Her legs were left for last, the tape encircling them several times. The dark skinned woman looked her over with a sad glance, then flipped up her skirt. “It's her. Diapers and all. Horace, this feels wrong. I can’t believe she's the target. She's so small.” The man turned his head a bit. “Don't be so sentimental. It's a job, that’s all. We haul her up north, drop her off, and collect the bounty like we always do. Anything other than that isn't our concern.” The woman still looked unhappy, but nodded anyway. She sighed and looked at her bound prisoner. “I’m real sorry about this. Fucking wasteland, y’know? I need the money. It's nothing personal.” “Don't talk to it.” Horace barked gruffly. “We head out in five minutes whether the others are back or not. Their little explosion trick worked, but we have the prize. Maybe we should just go. The money will split better between two rather than five anyway and I’ve gotten tired of those idiots. You're the only one I like working with anyway.” “This is the rendezvous point. They'll be here.” Horace seemed unconvinced. “Maybe. My worry is that they'll be followed. I'd rather not fight if I didn’t have too. A lot can happen in a firefight, like our cargo getting shot up.” Rain trashed against her bonds, whimpering with effort. Once again the woman looked her over with sympathy. “Don't mind Horace. He's a dick. My name is Bryn. I'll do what I can to keep you comfortable as long as work with me. Cooperate, yeah? If you don't the trip is going to be a whole lot harder than it needs to be, and we'll still get you there in the end.” Horace knelt down and grabbed her roughly by the chin. “What the nice lady means to say is don't fuck about or we'll beat the living shit out of you. We want you alive, but the bounty never said your legs couldn’t be broken.” Rain glared at her captors with fury in her eyes. She could have tossed the woman into a large tree if she wanted too, but that left the dude in the power armor and she wasn’t sure if she could lift him, power armor weighed a ton. And if she failed, then they would know what she could do and she could either be seriously hurt or worse. Then again, she'd never know unless she tried. “Shit.” Bryn exclaimed, still looking at her. “She's got one hell of a glare.” Horace just laughed, still looking out for his comrades. “I bet. She's pissed. I bet she thought she was safe, that she was a badass. The truth hurts sometimes.” Bryn actually reached up and checked her diaper. “Uh, Horace? Her diaper is wet. What should we do? We didn’t grab a diaper bag did we?” “We did not, but honestly, who cares? Let her sit in it.” “But she'll get a rash.” Horace kept his back turned. “Don't care.” She decided to test the waters a bit. She pushed out as hard as she could, directing it at the armored giant with his back to her. It hit him hard, but he didn't go flying, merely stumbled and fell forward onto his face. After a moment, he got back up, blazing with anger. His forehead was bleeding, must have hit a rock or something. “Jesus, Horace.” Bryne whispered. “What the hell happened?” “I don't fucking know! It felt like I got hit by…..something. Goddammit, my fucking head.” That’s when Rain made a mistake. She laughed. Horace turned on her with a murderous look. In two mighty steps he had crossed the distance between them. He lifted her up quickly and slammed her back down to the ground. All the breath left her body at once, and she could hardly sputter or catch her breath beneath the gag. “You think that's funny, bitch? How about I take out one of your eyes and see how funny that is!” He started choking her, his metal fingers wrapped around her neck. Bryn ran up and tried to stop him, but the man knocked her away effortlessly. She began screaming at him to stop, but she didn't seem to be getting through. Just when Rain thought she was going to pass out, he stopped and tossed her away. Bryn ran up and quickly tore the tape away from her mouth, supporting her as she coughed and gasped. “Are you alright?” Bryn asked before rounding on her partner. “What the hell? You got that pissed cause she laughed at you for falling over. Get a grip and act like a professional.” The bald merc took a deep breath and actually looked ashamed. “Yeah, you're right. I’m sorry, I was just pissed off. I think it's just tension. I hate waiting here when we have what we came for. We should just go already.” Bryn sighed and grabbed her canteen, letting her prisoner drink deeply. Her captor frowned at the marks on her neck. Rain drank a bit, still coughing, trying to find her voice. “Horace……you…..you should…” She couldn’t get it out. He turns back to her. “What? I'm warning you, I wouldn't advise saying anything rash. I’m not in a great mood right now.” Bryn kept supporting her, concern in her eyes. Maybe she feared Rain would say something smart, something to anger her partner again. Instead, Rain stared at the woman’s boot, and the knife inside it. Finally, she looked up and straight at him. “You……really should have worn a helmet.” She focused again, and Bryn’s knife flew from her boot. With a final thought, Rain sent it right at Horace. The blade sunk itself into the bounty hunter’s head before he could scream. As Bryn watched in horror, the large hunter fell over, his power armor crashing and breaking the earth beneath him. Bryn scrambled back away from her. “What the-what the fuck was that?! How did you-oh god, Horace!” “You should really let me go. I'm the worst person in the world you could have come after.” Somehow, her kidnapper found some reservoir of courage and grabbed the electric rod that she had used before. Rain tore it from her hands at once, and sent it flying away into the night sky. “Last chance, Bryn. You were nice to me, compassionate. I don't want to hurt you. If you let me go I'll spare you.” She didn't respond, having fallen to her knees in shock. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, couldn't register or make sense of it. But she did register the gun at the back of her head, looking up to see a ghoul dressed in black staring down at her. “Finally found you. I was worried I might not. Those other idiots weren't forthcoming with your location.” Rocco said with ice in his voice. Bryn looked up fearfully. “The others…..are they okay?” “Dead I'm afraid. Three of them. If you value your life, you'll listen to my friend. Cut her loose.” Rocco said. “Or I'll kill you and cut her free myself.” Bryn nodded at last. She was terrified, near tears. In one night, everything she had known of the world had crumbled. She scrambled and went to cut the tape away, only to realize that her knife was currently lodged in her partner's skull. She looked up at Rocco, trembling and whimpering at whatever she saw in the ghoul’s eyes. He realized at once what the issue was. He spoke in a low growl. “Go get it. Quickly.” She crawled over to Horace and tried to pry the knife free, but it wouldn't come free. Finally, she did start crying. She pulled with all her strength and fell backwards at last when it came free. Rocco watched her the whole time. Rain was getting an odd vibe from him as he stared at the bounty hunter coldly. “I promised her safety, Roc. She's not a bad person, she was just doing a job.” The ghoul smirked slightly, but he didn’t answer. At last Bryn cut her loose, dropping the knife after. “I'm sorry. I wasn’t going to hurt you. I t-told you I wouldn't. It was j-just a job, I swear. Let me go and you'll never see me again I-I swear.” Rocco knelt down close to the hunter. “What are you waiting for then? Pick a direction and go. Nobody is stopping you.” Bryn swallowed and smiled at Rain with tearful eyes. Then she managed to get to her feet and run. Rain watched as she almost made it into the trees. That's when Rocco shot her in the back. She dropped like a stone, but was still alive. She tried to crawl away as the ghoul followed behind her. Then he began whistling that haunting song of his, the one that made her skin crawl and her head ache. Rain watched frozen with surprise…..and fear. She was actually afraid of Rocco in that instant. Indara’s words came back to her, and she started to wonder if she had been right. Of all of them, Rocco was the most ruthless. It was hard to tell sometimes since nobody on the team left survivors, but on rare occasions, she got a feeling from the ghoul. He enjoyed what he did. He liked the violence. Bryn gave up trying to escape and went still. Her words carried on the wind, only just audible. “It's not fair…..It's not fair. I wasn't going to hurt her.” The ghoul laughed a raspy laugh and knelt down to her. “You would have given her to someone who would have hurt her. It's over, lady. Have some dignity and die with a bit of courage.” “It's not fair…..” “Life isn't fair, lady.” “Stop! What are you doing?! I promised her she could go!” Rocco looked back at her and smiled lightly, before finishing her off with a final shot. “I didn't.” Rain felt the rage welling up. She looked at Bryn and hated that the hunter had died so afraid. She wanted to instill that sense of fear in her savior for a moment. Then he walked over and wrapped her in an embrace. “Scared me, kiddo. I was afraid I wouldn’t find you in time. I’m glad you're okay. Sorry if I was harsh, but she did kidnap you. When my someone takes a person I care about, I tend to take it personally.” He meant it. In an instant her anger abated. He cared for her, he was the one who saved her when no one else had. How could she blame him for going a bit too far? She remembered that no matter how much she had liked Indara, and no matter how sympathetic she had been to the synth, she was still an enemy in the end. Indara had been wrong about Gabriel, it only made sense that she had been wrong about Rocco too. She did her best not to look back at Bryn’s corpse as they left, but failed. It turned out the bounty hunters had taken her farther away from the camp than she had thought. After almost fifteen minutes of walking they finally reached the others, all of whom were overjoyed to see her. Tali and Miles both seemed to want to stick to her like glue. They figured she was scared after her kidnapping, but she really wasn't. Even if Rocco hadn’t come for her, she would have escaped on her own. Either way, she indulged them for a few moments before she made her way back to her tent. Daylight would come all too soon, and thanks to the night's distraction, she knew she wouldn’t get much sleep. That was the worst part. She wasn't afraid about being abducted, she was annoyed. If this was how life was going to be with a price on her head, she was going to be faced with a lot of sleepless nights. What a bother. Tali of course came to change her diaper, but unwittingly found the pacifier Rain had left on her sleeping bag. She looked accusingly at Rain, who currently laid before her in a wet diaper. Rain sputtered for a moment trying to think of an excuse, but her guardian just popped the soother in her mouth. “You don't need to explain anything to me.” She said. No matter how hard she tried though, she couldn't hide the smirk she wore. * They arrived at the next targeted town too late. They had heard screams in the distance and had moved as fast as they could. They found the settlement empty and dead, not a soul around. Houses lay empty, their doors kicked in. Signs of conflict were strewn about, with a few bloodstains decorating walls and the floors. However, they still heard sounds of a struggle coming from somewhere nearby. The screams led them through the forsaken town and out the other side into the wilderness once again. Gabe stayed back to check the town over as the rest of the team continued. They moved closer, hearing faint gunfire as they went further and further out. They slowed down and hid themselves as best they could, laying flat on their stomachs and crawling forward. They found two survivors, a man and a woman, holding each other tightly as they looked around in a panic. They were clearly aware of some enemy nearby, though the team had yet to see anything. Rain fidgeted, wanting to get up and protect the couple, but Miles kept his hand up, firmly refusing to move. Tali and Miyuki seemed to have the same misgivings, but still they remained. From the darkness, small orbs came flying through the air from multiple directions, landing and bouncing until they were right near the couple. Before they could react, the orbs detonated, emitting a blinding light. The team was far enough away that the flash grenades didn’t faze them, but the poor couple twisted about helplessly, now unable to fight back. Five figures rushed forward as the pair stumbled about. The couple clutched each other tightly, but the figures tore them apart anyway. Two grabbed the girl, two grabbed the guy, while the last stood ready with a strange device in his hand. It looked faintly like a collar. “Slave collars.” Tali muttered. “I haven’t seen those in a long time.” “I thought Thorne had destroyed them all years ago.” Rocco whispered. The team watched as the couple were tackled to the ground and the last figure approached each one and began fitting the devices over their necks. Again they looked to Miles, desperate to intervene, but he wouldn’t give the signal. Rocco had his weapon ready anyway. “Captain, if we don’t do something now, we're gonna lose these guys.” Miles shook his head with a somber gaze. “There's nothing we can do. Look closer.” They looked closer and discovered what he meant. The attacker’s had collars on their necks as well. Slaves gathering more slaves? The couple screamed as the collars were fixed into place. The attackers backed off, looking dejected themselves. The one who had attached the collars gave a heavy sigh before motioning to his men to get the couple on their feet. “Sorry. We don’t have a choice, and now you don’t either. You belong to the Overlord now. If you value keeping your heads attached to your bodies, I suggest you fall in line. Let’s get back to the others. We don't have time to waste.” The group started heading out, their two new members clutching each other tightly as they followed behind. Rain watched them leave with a heavy heart. What could they do? “Well shit. What now, boss?” Rocco asked. “Fighting against men and women held against their will is a fairly gray area. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for helping people, but if I’m gettting shot at, I’m gonna shoot back.” “Even if they don’t have a choice?” Rain asked. “We can’t hurt innocent people.” She was shocked that it needed to be said. Surely he wasn’t suggesting they fire on people forced to fight them? “That's not what he meant.” Miyuki said, shooting the ghoul a look. Miles interrupted the argument. “We need to follow them. If they lead us to whoever has control, we might be able to figure out a plan. We need to avoid any type of engagement for now. They'll have to fight us, and we can’t fight them, so stealth is key here. Let’s get back to Gabe and then follow them back to this Overlord character.” They found the slaves fairly easily, the group they followed had merged with a much larger group, probably half of which were composed of the remainder of the town. They kept their distance, but it wasn’t hard to follow such a large group. “Something is off here.” Tali mused. “Those collars should have a fairly small range, these people shouldn’t have been able to move so far away.” “Why not?” Rain asked. “The whole purpose of the slave collars are to keep people from running off. Normally, if a slave were to escape, their heads would pop off as soon as they got out of range. But it seems these guys are miles away from their base.” “Think the collars are duds?” Miles mused. “Something to trick them into obedience?” The gears in Tali’s head must have been turning quickly, because she answered immediately. “Not likely. Whoever did this has probably made an example already to prove they were serious. No, I’m guessing they must be using some kind of radio tower to boost the signal.” “The bigger issue is how to solve the problem.” Miles said. “We can't even get close. Either the innocent people will be forced to fight us, or whoever is holding the strings could detonate the collars as soon as we're spotted.” It was a problem they had no answer for, as they followed the band of slave soldiers through the endless plains. Rain grimaced as she wobbled along. They hadn't had time to stop, and she was soaked. At this rate she would start leaking down her leg before long. She could always ask for a change and then catch up, but she hated asking. It felt so ridiculously infantile to have to do. Then again, having Tali or Miyuki check her diaper was even worse. It was impossible not to seem like a child when she was stuck dressing as one. The base turned out to be close by, but even then it had been hours since the chase had begun. They had followed the group up a large hill, and when they had come over the other side, there it was. A large factory out in the middle of the empty plains polluting the landscape with ugly steel silos. The land around the factory was nestled with broken bits of road, and nearby was a radio tower, just as Tali had predicted. They rested at the top of the hill, watching the prisoners enter the building, before moving further away to avoid being spotted. The next hour was spent doing the normal things that they always needed to do. They set up their tents and made their camp, and every minute Rain had to keep from screaming about the state of her diaper and it's cold contents. Once everything was set up, she managed to find Miyuki on her own and knew her chance to get changed had finally arrived. She started making her approach when Miyuki was toppled over by a figure who seemingly flew through the air. The two rolled and grappled on the ground before Miyuki found herself pinned on the ground with a knife at her throat. Surra smiled down at her. “Long time no see, lover. Happy to see me?” The others had rushed over during the commotion and groaned when they realized who it was. Surra put her weapon away and helped Miyuki to her feet with a look of pride. “What are you doing here?!” Miyuki asked. “Are you crazy, don’t you know what's going on?!” “Of course I know what's going on, that's why I came. I had to see what all the fuss was about. You guys should really be more careful though. I've been following you for days and you never even knew it.” For a moment Rain fumed that Surra had probably witnessed her abduction by those bounty hunters and decided to not help. She left it alone after thinking about it. Surra had never been looking to do her any favors. She tried instead to catch Tali’s gaze, hoping to convey her desperate need for a clean diaper. But of course, that didn’t happen. “This is a delicate situation, Surra.” Miles said with a roll of his eyes. “We're going to have enough trouble without you making it worse.” “Oh come on!” Surra all but whined. “I’ll be on my best behavior I promise. Hell, I’ll even tell you a secret if you let me stay.” Mr. Happy hovered up after doing a spin. “I for one am pleased as punch to see you here, my love. Give me and hour and I'll bring you the heads of every last slave soldier in that factory.” Miles shooed the robot away. “What secret?” “Someone else has been following you as well. Oh, where is he?” Surra looked around before pointing to a distant but approaching figure. “There he is! You know him?” The man was alone and didn’t seem to be wearing any armor, nor did he appear to be armed with anything other than a large broadsword hung over his back. He was maybe a little taller than Miles, with long hair and an equally long beard. The man made his way to them without a hint of fear. The closer he got, the more she saw why. There was something dangerous about this man, she could feel it in her bones, in her very being. Miles actually took a few steps back, and he actually looked afraid, but none of the others seemed to recognize the man. The man came mere feet away before finally stopping. Rain felt Miles oh his hand on her shoulder and pull her behind him. “Rain, get ready to run. When I tell you, just run. Don't stop, do not look back. Understand?” Rain looked back and forth between Miles and the newcomer, who had yet to actually say anything. The others all looked equally confused. “It's him.” Miles said quietly. “Viktor.” As she felt her bladder yet again release into her already soaked to capacity diaper, and felt a small trickle of moisture run down her leg, she mentally cursed herself for not simply changing her own freaking diaper. * Viktor was an enigma. He was everything she had heard and not at all what she had expected all at the same time. There was something fearsome about him for sure, but there was also a strange gentleness that emanated from him. When their eyes met, she could sense no hostility from him. There was a lot of sadness hiding behind his eyes, a wellspring of regret maybe, she couldn’t tell. The whole group aside from Surra had moved in front of her, to shield her from an attack they were sure was coming. It never did. “I'm not here to hurt the girl, you don’t need to worry. I’m after the same person you are. To that end, I’m here to tell you to leave this matter to me and go home.” “Why would I do that?” Miles asked. “Your presence here endangers those men and women taken by this Overlord person. If you move against him, he might detonate the collars. I won’t allow that. Turn around and leave.” Rain watched him closely. There was something he wasn’t saying. She felt desperation and fear, not for himself, but for someone else. But he had also added something else interesting. “He?” She asked. “You said…..he might detonate the collars.” “Very astute.” Viktor offered with a nod. “The person responsible for this was one of our guys. He stole the collars from us. After we had crushed the slave trade, we thought about destroying them all, we should have. But Thorne and I couldn’t do it, we didn’t know if they might be useful one day.” “So that's what this is about?” Miles asked angrily. “You fucked up and now you're here to fix it, is that it?” Viktor didn’t raise his voice above a whisper. “I don’t owe you any explanation. Leave this to me and go, or I'll be forced to wipe you out here and now. You will not interfere.” Rocco raised his shotgun. “Might want to rethink that. I don't care how badass you think you are, I could blow you away right now if I wanted.” “But you won't. Shoot me and the gunfire will give away your position and the Overlord might get nervous enough to kill those people. Physically, none of you can stand up to me. I do not want to fight, but there's more at stake here than you know. Turn back. I will deal with Tucker.” Rain winced as soon as she heard the name. She turned, hoping to stop her comrade before it as too late. Miyuki moved faster, rushing up to Viktor and grabbing him by the collar. Her voice quivered as she spoke. “Tucker? Garret Tucker? Handsome guy, southern accent?” “Not very handsome to be honest. Someone carved his face up good, left a nasty scar as a parting gift.” Now her voice changed, the fear gone, only anger left. “Garret Tucker was with Thorne this whole time? My mother gave him that scar before he killed her. He kidnapped me as a little girl, sold me to some arena to fight for his amusement! He kept me prisoner for eight years! How could you have allowed him to join with you?!” Her voice had risen high enough that the whole group looked around nervously. Rain almost tried to quiet her when she suddenly burst into tears and slid to her knees, still clutching Viktor. Even Surra had lost her bored gaze and almost appeared concerned. Maybe Miyuki had never divulged her past, maybe it hurt even the headstrong heir of the Oro. Viktor thought for a moment, watching the tearful woman in front of him carefully. “He told us he was a prisoner of the arena. We didn’t know what he was. I am sorry you went through that.” “Fuck your sorry! What do you intend to do about it?” “I'll kill him personally. You have my word.” Viktor assured her immediately. Miyuki couldn’t be mollified. “He’s mine. He took my life away, not yours.” “All the more reason for you to leave. I’m sorry, but I can’t have you going after Tucker for revenge. The risk is too great. Please, I'm asking you one last time to turn back.” “I’m tired of you.” Surra said suddenly, a wild smile appearing on her face. “You know what I think? I think you're used to everyone jumping to do whatever you say out of fear. But I’m not afraid of you, see? In fact, all I want to do is carve you down to size and show everyone what a nothing you are.” “Surra…….don't.” Miles said quietly. “You won’t win. Think about this. Everyone who had ever gone up against Thorne has failed because of this man. I don’t know how, but something tells me they aren’t idle rumors.” “Even better. Maybe I'll get a workout for a change.” Surra said with glee, drawing her machete. “Bring it on!” Viktor sighed and drew his own sword. He sat down his bag and from it brought out a small thin black box. He studied it for a moment before changing his mind and putting it back. “What was that?” Surra asked, moving closer slowly, looking every inch the predator. Viktor moved the bag away and stuck his broadsword in the ground. “A secret weapon, but I won’t need it, not for you.” “Oh, I am gonna enjoy this!” Surra said before charging straight toward him.

This might be my favorite chapter that I've written so far. And seeing as how I hate and loathe my own writing, that's saying a lot. I had a lot of fun with this one. Also, I made an oopsie! The vault where Rain gets her diapers from: I called it Vault 21, but in replaying New Vegas, I discovered it was already taken. My shame is endless. I've changed it to Vault 31 but have no intention on going back and fixing it cause I don't wanna. Anywho, hope you enjoy. Have a happy Cthulhumas readers! May he eat you last! They had been back at base for nearly a week when the bad, yet expected news, finally reached them. As per the usual, it came from Elijah Freeman, the travelling salesman, when he arrived with Rain’s diaper shipment from Vault 31. She could tell before he even spoke that the news wasn’t good. He greeted her with an enthusiasm that didn't match the nervous energy he was giving off. His bodyguard, Yusef, looked at her with a worried sympathy. They had all come into the main room of the base, knowing that Elijah would bring them word from the wider world. Even Miles had left his isolation to greet the trader. While his coughing had lightened up under Tali’s care, he still looked extremely lethargic, moving slowly like a man much older. Gabriel had kept a close eye on him from a distance, but gave his captain space to rest and hopefully heal. After payment for the diapers had been rendered, and business was over, Elijah sighed and finally spilled the beans. “Miss Rain….I don't know what happened but you've made a powerful enemy. Jericho Thorne has put a rather large bounty on you.” “He said he would.” Rain said quietly. That news didn't surprise her. That is, until she found out how much. Elijah handed her a flyer. “He's offered 10,000 caps for you alive, and 5,000 for you dead. As you can see, the description is pretty accurate.” It was too. The flyer listed her physical description amazingly well, not even leaving out her diapers. One of Indara’s men must have provided that detail. It also mentioned that she travelled with Miles. At the top, just below her name, was her new moniker in bold. The Witch of the Wasteland. There was a somber silence as the team took in the news. Miles looked crushed, Tali pulled her closer, Miyuki was cursing softly. Rocco was the only one who differed and gave her a thumbs up. “Hell yeah, kiddo. You're a certified badass now. Damn, I haven't seen a bounty like that……..well……ever. You might be more infamous than Miles even.” She wished that she could share his giddiness, but seeing the proclamation made the whole thing seem terrifyingly real for the first time. With a price that large hovering over her, she would be in danger no matter where she was. “I would take this a bit more seriously.” Yusef said, glaring at the ghoul. “The word is already starting to spread. Soon the hunt will be on. You'll have bounty hunters coming after you down here, and Thorne’s army waiting for you up north.” “What should I do?” She asked, knowing there wasn’t an easy answer. Elijah shrugged, shaking his head. “I'm not sure. You're best bet would probably be to try and get out of the state. Disappear. Head east to the Capital Wasteland. Maybe go west and seek the NCR’s protection.” Miles shook his head. “Any populated places will have hunters. Bounty hunters can make a great living in NCR territories, where they put prices on every ragged band of raiders that pops up.” Rocco shrugged as he lit a cigarette. “That’s true. The NCR have always been spread too thin to deal with marauding bands. So they hire bounty hunters. Got to hand it to them, there's no problem they can’t fix by throwing money at it.” “Why run at all?” Miyuki asked. “Rain still has the advantage here.” Rocco agreed. “No kidding. Indara’s killer will give most people a reason to think twice. Although, for that kind of cash, they might not think too long.” “The biggest advantage is her looks.” Miyuki said, giving Rain’s diapered tush a slap. “Thanks to these diapers, people will always underestimate her, and believe me when I say that’s a big mistake. Plus, she's got all of us to protect her. I feel sorry for whatever idiot tried anything.” Rain blushed even as she moved out of Miyuki’s reach. It was a good argument. With her powers and her looks, she had the potential to really ruin a bounty hunter’s day. She didn't like the idea of running anyway. Her family was here, and she would always feel safer in their presence than alone. Elijah was wringing his hands, looking at the ground while Yusef tried to get urge him on. There was more news, evidently bad. Miles sensed it and managed to wring it from them. “There's one final thing. We heard about it on the way here. It's about Hope’s Folly, that place you saved from the mutant attack in the winter.” Rain could feel her heart sink. The others seemed deflate as well. They all guessed the news. “What happened? Are they okay?” “It happened about a week ago. The Super Mutants returned in force, and attacked at night. By the time the sun rose the next day and some traders passed by, it was all over. The whole place was torched. No survivors.” She was at a loss for words. How could they all be dead? She thought of Erin, the friendly nurse that had taken care of her while she was hurt. Or their leader, Samuel Agrippa, that hard as nails ghoul. True, there were plenty of people there that had lashed out at her from fear, but many had also stood with her. She looked down at the locket Tali had given her, a picture of their team just after that terrible battle. Now it all seemed pointless. “No survivors?” Tali asked, jaw open. “Are you sure? Maybe they're hiding.” Yusef shook his head. “I doubt it. We've had no word of survivors showing up in any other towns. I guess it's possible, but it seems unlikely.” “They've gotten smarter.” Miles noted. If he felt a similar grief, he didn’t show it. “They came at night, rather than charging in during the day. They also kept up the attack, not giving them time to call for help. I guess they held a grudge against the town. Damn shame.” Conversation dwindled but carried on as Rain tried to come to terms with the news. Things were fucked. An army of mutants on the prowl, Thorne raging up north, and she was worth more money than most people would see in their lifetime. The bounty especially worried her. What if too many attacked at once and someone got hurt trying to protect her? She couldn't live with that. Miyuki put an arm around her. “Don't worry so much. We'll keep you safe. Anyone comes at you, we'll kill them. If more come, we'll kill them too.” That was easy for her to say, but Rain could tell she meant it. Miyuki’s world occupied a clear and easy space. Everything for her was black and white. If it was either her family or the rest of the world, she wouldn't hesitate in her choice. Rain loved that about her. As for herself though, she was starting to think that the best thing for everyone would be for her to vanish. Maybe she would never feel safe again, but she would be happy knowing everyone else was safe. * The attack came in the night about three days later. Rain was awakened by loud, blaring alarms and the sound of gunfire. She leapt out of bed, clad in just her diaper and shirt. The others were already up and gathering weapons. However many the enemy had, they had not made it into the compound yet. From the sounds of things, they were taking heavy losses from the security turrets Tali and Gabe had set up years ago. She pushed herself in between Miyuki and Tali, and both responded with various kisses and hugs. Miles, Gabe, and Rocco watched the action outside from a nearby window. “These ain't professional bounty hunters.” Rocco mused. “Professionals wouldn’t have rushed in blind. These punks are probably just some raiders looking to make a quick buck. They shouldn’t be too much of a problem.” “Worry not, young Rain.” Mr. Happy chirped. “I shall not let them take you alive. If it comes down to it, merely give the word and I’ll cut off your head. You won't feel a thing, I've been sharpening my saw for months.” “They still get paid if I’m dead.” Rain pointed out. “Better than being captured by the enemy.” He assured, willing to take any excuse available if it meant murdering her. “Enough of this.” Miles said. “They'll be past the turrets soon. All of you mobilize and deal with them. Rain and I will stay here.” “I can fight!” Rain whined. “You need to stay here.” Tali said, giving her a reassuring look. “We can’t rule out the possibility of a trap. What if the plan is to grab you in the chaos of the fight?” Rain sighed, hating her logic. “Okay. Just be careful out there everyone.” The poor raiders didn't get far. After they dealt with the turrets, they were picked off one by one courtesy of Tali and her rifle. The final nail came in the form of Gabriel in his power armor. The few survivors that managed to escape the compound were cut off and cut down by Miyuki and Rocco. All in all, the attack only lasted twenty minutes. “Are we sure they came for me?” She asked Miles, the only other person to have not taken part in the slaughter. “No other reason to attack us in such force. This screamed of desperation. Like Rocco said, professionals will be worse, because they won’t be stupid enough to attack a heavily fortified compound head on.” He didn't add anything more, just squeezed her shoulder affectionately. Rain could see he still felt guilty. He had already apologized before for getting her involved in all this, but she had rejected his attempt at self blame. She had voted for their attack on Thorne, and she was partly responsible for Indara’s death. If she had backed off of Thorne like the synth had asked, maybe things would be different. Miles didn’t seem to believe her, convinced he had done her wrong. Maybe his intentions hadn't always been honorable. Maybe he did try and use her for his revenge. That didn't change the fact that he had taken her in when she had nobody else. He had trained her so that she didn't always have to be afraid. Those were facts. She was who she was today thanks to him, and with his fragile health, she wished he wouldn't worry so much. While this attack wasn’t serious, it cemented the fact that she was probably going to be hunted for some time to come. How would they be able work like this? Tali returned from the roof, sat down her rifle and gave her a half hug. “Now that the excitement is over for the evening, how about we get you back to bed?” Rain nodded, still worried. She didn't even know why, but she was afraid. “Do you……would you stay with me for a little while?” Tali smiled down at her. “Of course, darlin. From the looks of things, you're in need of a diaper change anyway. Let’s go.” Rain called Miyuki over as well and asked her the same thing. “Sure. You don’t need to be afraid though. Even if one of those idiots had gotten past us, you could have just thrown them out with your mind. You're the last person who should be afraid.” The three of them went back to her room where she immediately laid down for a diaper change. Miyuki and Tali worked together, like it was a routine. It really was by this point, and Rain wasn't even embarrassed anymore. Back in the day, she had nearly had a heart attack at the idea of Miyuki changing her. Once she was in a dry diaper, she climbed in between the two in her bed. It was a bit cramped, but she felt like she could relax for the time being. Everyone seemed to think that she was afraid for her own life, but that wasn’t true. As she continued to develop her abilities, she found that she was far less worried about herself. The truth was she was terrified of losing anyone else. Having them close to her now soothed her. She just wanted to keep them close for now, just for a little while. * Two weeks later, they received a request for help. The town was called Barrow Heights, an old gated complex that had originally been inhabited by a band of Super Mutants. Some enterprising survivors had managed to drive them off or kill them off. Either way, a town had sprung up about six years prior and had been going strong ever since. Their troubles started when the mayor had been assassinated in the night. Some hired killer had gotten in his heavily guarded home undetected……and drowned him in his own toilet. Then a group of raiders had stormed in and taken over, treating the inhabitants as their servants. As long as everybody did as they were told, business continued as usual, although the raiders took a large portion of the towns money and resources. However, as was often the case, the townsfolk wanted revenge for their lost mayor, and evidently blamed the raiders for either killing him or hiring the assassin who had. Miles had called a meeting soon after. Rocco and Miyuki seemed ready for some work. The rest was good for everyone, but boredom often trumped near death encounters. With her arm back in shape, Miyuki had been going stir crazy. Rain was less excited. How would they do this? She was half scared to even leave the base. Then Miles had announced that he wouldn't be leading this mission, leaving it up to Gabriel. The old man took charge quickly enough. “Well the smart move would be to have Miles stay here with Rain and Happy. We should be fine on our own, and that way Rain wouldn't be put in danger.” “I don't want to stay behind!” Rain protested. As much as she worried about the price on her head, being excluded somehow seemed worse. Gabe smiled a grin that said he had figured that. “It just so happens I do have a plan B. I was watching an old spy vid a few days ago and the hero often used disguises. We could do the same.” Miyuki snorted. “That's your plan? What the hell kind of disguises would hide a bunch like us? We tend to stand out. And what about Rain?” “This seems a little far fetched, Gabe.” Tali admitted. But Gabe kept smiling like a master tactician who had considered all the angles. He looked so proud of himself, it was kind of reassuring. Until his plan was revealed. “Here's what I got. Miles and Tali, you would go incognito as a young married couple, with Rain being your daughter, young daughter obviously, still in diapers after all.” “That's stupid!” Rain protested. “I love it!” Tali exclaimed, her earlier doubts no where to be found. “Miles, we could put you in a nice suit, and I have that green dress I've never gotten to wear.” “What about me?” Rain asked, but already she feared the answer. Tali clapped her hands happily. “You have a pretty dress yourself that you’ve hardly worn. We'll do your hair all cute too. It'll be perfect.” Miyuki was laughing while Rain panicked further. She could see Tali already making an outfit up in her head. “B-but I’m not supposed to wear that outside. Miles, say something.” “It's Gabriel's op. What he says goes.” He said with a smirk he couldn’t hide. He leaned back in his chair, unwilling to help. “What about the rest of us?” asked Rocco. “My ugly mug is going to be tough to disguise.” “Two words my friend: Fake moustache.” “That will never work!” Miyuki complained. “I’m interested.” Rocco said. “I’ve always wanted a moustache.” Gabe continued. “Get this. Your cover will be a rich pre-war ghoul whose made it big playing poker. With your card skills, it'll come easy. Miyuki will be your…..uh…..escort for the evening, y’know kiss you for good luck and all that.” “I'm in. I mean, his logic is sound. This may be the greatest plan of all time.” Rocco said happily before turning to Miyuki. “You'll have to wear something sexy, low cut maybe. I'm more than willing to assist you in that regard.” “Have you lost your mind?!” Miyuki asked. Her face was as red with anger as Rain’s was with embarrassment. Miles was openly laughing at this point, either from Gabe’s hair brained idea or everyone’s reaction to it. It was nice to see him laugh. Gabriel ignored her. “I'll go as an old raider looking for a new gang to join. I'll try to get in undercover. Miles will ask around quietly and find out where they are. You all meet up, and I'll start fighting once I hear shooting. We'll be in the best position to take them out.” Tali raised her hand to ask a question. “Can we have some time to scavenge for more costume stuff? I have so many ideas!” “Well of course!” Gabriel beamed. “We need a fake moustache and fancy clothes for Rocco for starters. Plus, I need some good raider clothes. I may have to go hunting. Besides, it's not like these guys are going anywhere until we arrive to flush them out. We have time still.” “Yay!” Tali yelled, high fiving Rocco. “Let's get started!” They all split in different directions except for herself and Miyuki, the only two who continued to protest until the end. “What just happened?” Rain finally asked. “That's easy. Gabe has lost his mind and is planning this mission based on something he saw on a two hundred year old vid. We got the short straws, kiddo. I get to be some low class strumpet, and you'll be knee deep in baby land.” She didn’t like the sound of that, but she figured she wasn't going to be left much choice. Miles wasn't going to step in and the others were all too excited to say otherwise. She figured it was either go with the plan or stay at the base. How bad could it be? * Rain spent the next week in a type of horrible anticipation, often sitting in with Miles, who mostly stayed in bed lately, while the others went off scavenging for their costumes. Miles didn't say much, but it seemed like he enjoyed the company. Miyuki and Rocco had finally been informed of the truth of Miles’ immortality after his weakened state alarmed even them. Before that, the two had lived in absolute certainty of their leader's invincibility. Now everyone knew the truth and no more secrets were left between them. It was funny in a way. The others still seemed so protective of her, while she grew more protective of Miles. Everyday he didn't improve, she feared he had passed some terrible line that could never be uncrossed. So she sat by his side, talking to him when he was awake, gently holding his hand when he drifted to sleep. He looked so frail now it hurt to see. She practiced her mental abilities during this time too. If Miles was going to continue to deteriorate, she needed to become stronger herself. For both their sakes. At first she had little noticeable effects, but by the end of the week it seemed like she had a bit more control. Eventually, the day of reckoning came at last. Everything was ready and she waited in Tali’s room preparing for her descent into babyhood. Miles was up and about, looking sharp in a crisp, black suit. He still looked pale and bit fatigued, but he was getting better at hiding it. Tali finally arrived with her outfit. The blond haired woman was wearing a gorgeous green dress that had an elegant yet simple look to it. She had also styled her hair, putting it into a bun that screamed pre-war mom. “Ready to get dressed, pumpkin?” She asked cheerfully. She placed a few items on the bed, the standard stuff. One of her pink diapers, the wipes, the powder. Then came the dress, that pink abomination that even now made Rain’s eyes hurt to look at. The last two items she had hidden under a blanket. Not a great sign. Rain gulped and nodded fearfully. She laid back so Tali could change her wet night time diaper and deposit her into her humiliating pink one. Rain could hardly breath as her new diaper was put on nice and snug. The dress followed next, and Tali was barely containing her glee. “Let's get your shoes next, then I'll do your hair.” Tali said before putting on the black dress shoes on her. Rain kept quiet as she was slowly transformed into an overgrown toddler. Her hair was put in pigtails and then the final nail in her coffin came out from under the blanket. A pacifier, white with pink hearts. After Tali assured her she had managed to find a clean one from a box, she allowed the thing into her mouth. She felt like an idiot as Tali encouraged her to try it out. She sucked the thing, which did nothing to sooth her. Soon she was going to be out in public looking like this. “You look adorable!! I love it. I wish I could keep you like this everyday.” Rain grumbled behind her pacifier as Tali picked her up and cradled her. The woman was strong that was for sure. “Now for the last touches.” Tali sighed. “Even looking like the epitome of cuteness, you’re a bit too tall to pass as a toddler. So I managed to find a stroller for you. It’s pretty great, let me tell you. You get a nice comfy ride, and we'll just cover your legs with a blanket to hide how long they are. No one will ever know.” Rain popped out her pacifier. “Tali, I’m not sure about this. No one is gonna buy it.” “Ah ah ah, no talking, little one.” Tali said as she put the pacifier back into her charges mouth. “You haven't seen how cute you look. Trust me, no one will notice. All you need to do is sit back, be adorable, and maybe wet your diapers a bit. And that last one you do anyway, so you'll be great. Let’s get you in your stroller.” Rain could only whimper as Tali carried her to the waiting stroller. It looked ordinary enough, but Tali had clearly adjusted it and made it bigger. This made a certain bit of sense as she would seem smaller in it. At least it wasn’t an obnoxious color, but she was still mortified when she fit into it. Tali buckled her in, the strap pushing her diaper up close to body. “Oh. I almost forgot. Here's a bottle in case you get thirsty.” “Tali!” Rain whined, looking at the small pink baby bottle filled with water. “This is too much!” The woman was having too much fun to listen to her complaints. “Hush now. Mommy has to go find your Daddy.” She literally skipped off to find Miles, leaving Rain trapped in the stroller in the hall. She sat despondent for a few minutes before she heard Miyuki laughing at her. She looked beautiful. She wore a black sleeveless dress that fit her form perfectly. Her hair looked beautiful, long and black, with that single crimson streak down the right side. Rain could have killed her. Miyuki looked so sexy, while she was stuck in a stroller, the toddler she was always meant to be. The fact that she actually felt the need to pee a few seconds before it happened didn't do wonders for her dignity either. Miyuki knelt down, smiling smugly. “Oh my goodness! What a cute wittle baby you are. Oh I could just eat you up.” Rain narrowed her eyes and spat out her pacifier. “Don't you have a street corner to stand on?” “You little shit.” Miyuki muttered and began to pinch both of Rain’s cheeks while she couldn't get away. “I'm gonna pinch those little cheeks of yours until they fall off.” “Aghh! Get off me, you meanie!” “Now ladies, no need to fight. You should learn to play nice.” Rocco’s voice said, echoing from down the hall. The ghoul was dressed in a red velvet jacket with gold trim. Truthfully, it looked a bit ridiculous. Along with the jacket, he had managed to find a small fake moustache at a party store a few towns over. The final touches included a pair of sunglasses and large cigar. “I don't know about you two, but I'm dressed for success. Look at me! I'm gonna roll in there and take those suckers for all they're worth!” Rain was about to tell him that just because Gabriel never realized he cheated didn’t mean no one else would, but before she could, Tali showed back up and shoved the pacifier back in her mouth. Miles walked behind her, entirely too amused with the situation. “Alright everyone.” Tali said. “We're ready to go. Gabe already left. Miles and I will follow with Rain. Rocco and Miyuki give us an hour head start or so. It’s important that we all arrive separately and act like we don’t know each other until it’s time to move.” “I’ll get your attention when I know something. I don’t like Gabe going in alone, but I trust that he can take care of himself. Be careful everyone and look out for each other. Let’s move out.” * And so began their long trip to Barrow Heights. The three of them made decent ground despite the stroller. At first every bump in the road threatened to drive Rain mad, but after a time she almost got used to it. A relaxing rhythm formed. Miles and Tali walked hand in hand, talking quietly to each other and laughing. They made a cute couple. It was just a shame that it was only the mission that forced Miles to actually treat Tali like the wife she practically was. For her part, Rain did her best to get comfortable. As mortified as she thought she would be, once the first pair of travelers commented on how cute she was, she began to lighten up a bit. Eventually, so many people were seemingly fooled by her, that she stopped worrying completely. She relaxed, drank from her bottle when needed, got changed when needed, and thanks to the oddly hypnotic pacifier, napped for more than she had any right too. If this is how easy a toddler had it, she could see the appeal. The nights they made camp have her the chance to stretch her legs, albeit in the seclusion of the tent, wouldn't do to get spotted. How no one had gotten close enough to discover that she was actually a sixteen year old girl and not a toddler was beyond her. On the third day of travel, they finally arrived. It had cost them 200 caps before the raiders had even allowed them through the gate. The town reminded her a lot of Pride. Both were once a tangled complex of homes. Barrow Heights was different though in a few aspects. It just seemed so oppressive. The atmosphere was one of quiet tension. The walls and gates were covered with barbed wire. The inhabitants walked with their heads down and their shoulders slumped. The saw three raiders beating some poor drunkard that had gotten in their way, but of course, it was too early to do anything. “Everyone is staring at me.” Rain mumbled behind her pacifier. “I'm guessing kids aren’t all too common around here, probably weren't even before the raiders came.” Miles said. “They're probably all blown away by how adorable you look.” Tali said happily. Miles looked around. “Well, we still have time before Rocco and Miyuki get here, and I don’t see Gabriel around. What would a happy family fresh from the road be doing? A little shopping maybe?” Tali let out an ecstatic cry of joy. Rain however, could have screamed. Since they had gotten within a few miles from the town, she had been having stomach pain. It was a pain that foreshadowed a rather serious bathroom emergency. She knew she should have asked to use the bathroom before they had gotten here. Now she was trapped in this infernal stroller with people all around. Still, she had to try. “M-mommy?” She whispered, keeping her cover. Tali stopped and knelt down to face her. She looked so happy. This whole trip had been like something out of her dreams. “What's wrong, baby? You doing alright down here?” “I…..I hafta potty.” Rain said embarrassed. She could barely look at Tali. Her pretend mother gave a very real look of confusion before reaching in and checking her diaper. “What's wrong? You're only a little wet, sweetie. I'll change you in a little while.” Rain latched on to her arm. “No. I really…..really have to go potty. Really.” “Oh. Oh dear.” Tali said as she finally understood. After a moment she whispered back, still in her mommy voice. “Sweetheart, I’m really sorry, but we can’t exactly let you out to do your business. You're supposed to be a baby, remember?" “Can’t we go to a hotel?” Rain pleaded. “Please, mommy…..please.” Tali looked torn as she turned to Miles, who was looking around not paying attention. “Honey, maybe we should hit the hotel first. Our little girl…..uh…..she's a bit restless.” Miles agreed still not aware of Rain’s desperate situation. They made their way to a small building literally labeled “Hotel” only to get the worst possible news. They were full. No freaking vacancies. Now the only option was one of the public restrooms, and Tali squashed that hope. “I’m real sorry, darling. We can’t exactly risk you being seen just yet.” Rain strained against the straps keeping her in the stroller. “B-but I can’t hold it!” She said in a desperate whisper. Tali gave her a sympathetic smile. “Telling me this now that we're in town sort of leaves my hands tied. It'll be okay. Believe it or not, I’ve dealt with that kind of diaper too, a few times with you. Just do what you have too and I'll keep an eye out for a discreet place to change you.” Rain wanted to cry out that all the other times had been true accidents, the side effects of first using her power, but Tali kept her finger on the pacifier, effectively muffling her. Rain knew they couldn’t draw attention yet, but she was truly upset at the prospect of purposefully messing her diaper. Miles had wandered a few feet away, examining the defenses. This meant he still had no idea what was about to happen! If he had known, she knew he would have demanded a room. “Shopping then?” He asked with a serene smile. “You got it, honey!” Tali answered back before looking at her again. “Baby, don’t try to fight it. You're in a diaper already. You mind as well make use of it.” “Mmfph!” Rain whined as they got moving again. Her stomach felt like it was going to implode! How was she supposed to crap herself in a town full of people?” The happy couple wandered around the town, looking at the few stores that dotted the area. At each store, a raider was standing guard, preparing to take the gang's cut from any sale. The shopkeepers could do nothing but sulk and hand over their profits. Then they came to the general store, a small building on the edge of town. Tali spent an inordinate amount of time in the store, looking at the assorted junk and electrical components, with Miles smiling and nodding as she explained what she could make with each. Rain did her best to hide herself in her blankets as her stomach continued to grumble angrily. She didn't know why she was fighting it so hard, but she just couldn’t let go. She looked up miserably when Tali knelt down to her again, this time with stuffed monkey in a space suit in her hands. “Look at this, baby. He's called Jangles the Moon Monkey!” She said, her voice all syrupy. She also gave a subtle sniff of the air, checking to see if the inevitable had happened. “Maybe he needs a new home, huh? Would you take care of him if I got him for you?” It was taking all her concentration to not scream and cry, but Rain managed to hold her arms out in a pitiful affirmative answer. She had forgotten her teddy bear anyway, and she needed something to cuddle at night. “We need to pay first, okay? Be patient.” So she was rolled over to the counter, slowly losing her battle as Miles counted out the caps for her space monkey. The cashier was a younger woman with a sour expression, no doubt because of the armed guard waiting to take her money, but even she gave Rain a little smile when she saw her. Too bad she had no idea what was about to occur. Rain felt herself rapidly sucking on her pacifier right before it happened. She felt her diaper grow warm as her body released an unexpected stream into her diaper. This evidently gave her body the okay to release everything. Rain felt tears falling down her cheek as her body gave up and a slow, but steady mess pushed itself out of her bottom. She even had to lift her butt off the stroller as she forced the rest out, only to have the goo smash against her when she sat back down. Both Miles and the cashier looked over at her with surprise as she sobbed louder. She did her best to muffle her cries with her blankie, clinging still to her cover. Tali knelt down right away and handed her the stuffed monkey to cry into. Tali felt her diaper real quick and smelled the air. “I’m so sorry, is there a private area around here where I could change my daughter?” Miles just looked away, doing his best not to embarrass her further. Judging by the look the cashier had, she had already begun to smell what occurred. She gave Rain a sympathetic look. “Of course. You can take her through this door behind me. You can use my room. Bye-bye, Little Stinker. Take care of that monkey, okay?” Rain nodded while she continued to sob hysterically. Miles stayed out in the store as Tali took her into the back. Right before they made it to the back, she heard the large raider gag a bit. “For fucks sake, what are you feeding that brat?” Miles just shrugged. “Too much radiation in the food. It’s bad for digestion.” At last they were alone. Tali quickly put down a changing mat and helped Rain out of the stroller. Her tears, very much real, had started to subside. She laid down heavily, regretting ever coming to this town. Tali lifted her dress and opened the soiled diaper. “It's okay, little one, it's alright. Mommy will make everything all better.” Was she still acting? It was getting hard to tell. Rain focused on steadying her breathing while her “mommy” got to work. Wipe followed wipe until her bottom began to feel clean again. She simply stared up at the ceiling and sucked on her pacifier. What else could she do? Tali spread out a clean pink diaper and slid it under her. “There there. So much fuss over a stinky diaper, but look! All clean and dry. All better.” “It's not funny Tali.” Rain said quietly, spitting out her pacifier. “This isn't just some game for me. You have no idea how I'm feeling. How it makes me feel even more helpless than wetting my diapers. At least I can’t control that. Don't you get how important even a little thing like being able to poop in a toilet is to me?” Tali dropped the smile and brought her into a hug. “You're right. I’m sorry if I got too much into all this. You just look so cute. You saw I tried to find a private bathroom. I didn’t put you though that on purpose. But you're right. I shouldn't make light of what you had to go through. I’m really sorry. Can you forgive me?” As angry as she had been, she found it hard to stay mad at Tali. After all, it was her own fault for waiting until they had reached a town where secrecy was vital. She knew Tali would only ever do what was best for her. It wasn't a big deal for Tali because she literally didn't mind changing a poopy diaper. It just didn't matter. Tali saw a problem and simply resolved to fix it. And no matter how stinky or gross it was, it wasn't a big deal for her if it helped Rain feel better. Who could be mad at that kind of love? She nodded her forgiveness and held on tight. Then she finally looked up and put her pacifier back in her mouth with a sigh. “Can I have my monkey now……M-mommy?” Tali smiled and kissed her cheek. “Of course you can, sweetheart. Let's get you into the stroller first though.” Back into the stroller she went, but at least she was clean and dry. She was given the stuffed monkey and wrapped once again in her blanket. The whole ordeal had served to make her quite tired and she stopped worrying as she fell into a peaceful slumber. * She awoke to the sound of merriment. She pulled her blankie up to her chin and looked around. It appeared to be a bar. People crowded everywhere, drinking their fill. Miles and Tali were sitting at a table talking softly to each other. In the corner she saw a small table where a few ruffians were playing cards, just as Gabe had predicted. On a small stage, a man sat playing a guitar. She stayed quiet for several minutes watching and wondering what they were doing here. After nearly another ten minutes, the door flew open and two familiar faces entered the bar. “Hey! The party has officially arrived! I got money to burn and I hear there's a few decent poker players around here! Come on, you dirty plebs, give me a challenge!” A dozen hostile eyes focused on Rocco as the ghoul laughed maniacally, his cigar lit and hanging from his lips. A number of gazes quickly focused on the beautiful woman hanging on his arm and the tension began to cool. Over the top he may have been, but it had the desired effect of keeping all the eyes away from Miles as he went quietly up to bar area. She heard him speaking to the bartender. “It would appear that this town has a raider problem. Any ideas on where they're based?” The bartender looked around quickly and nervously. “We do indeed have a problem here. The raiders take what they please except, oddly enough, from here. They always pay their tabs here, which I then have to funnel to the rest of the town to keep people afloat. But I'm not the one you should talk to. I didn't contract any mercenaries.” Miles ordered a beer and drank it down while speaking. “Who should I talk to then? Who here might have been interested in hiring some problem solvers?” The bartender looked around once more as a cheer erupted from the gambling table. Rocco had won his first game. “Talk to Seven." “Seven?” “The guitar player. It's a nickname. Seven fingers, get it? He hasn’t given us any other name. Anyway, he showed up about a month before the mayor was assassinated. He seems to know the most about these miscreants. Doesn't seem to like them much neither.” “Tell him I'd like to buy him a drink.” Miles said before heading back. For the next fifteen minutes they listened to the mixed cheering and cursing of the card players as Rocco continued to win game after game. Every time their discontent threatened to overflow into a fight, Miyuki would lean over the table and whisper honeyed words. Whether it was her words or her cleavage that had such a calming effect was anyone's guess. A few times some of the actual…..uh……ladies for hire would wander over and coo over Rain, having gotten tired of being ignored in favor of Miyuki. The craziest part was that Rain was beginning to enjoy all the attention. She was starting to find the idea of being seen as cute rather flattering. At last the guitar player known only as Seven came to their table. He wore a black sports coat over a crisp, white shirt, unbuttoned at the collar. His hair was a sandy blond that fell midway down his neck. Rain hid further in her blankets as he looked at her with perhaps the greenest eyes she had ever seen. Her heart fluttered in her chest. He may have been the most handsome, most beautiful man she had ever seen. He kept looking at her with those eyes. Then he smiled at her. She could hardly stand it. “I hear you might be the problem solvers I asked for. I must admit, I expected someone….different, and more of you at that.” Miles leaned in and spoke quietly. “If you know anything about us, you know why we needed to travel incognito. My team is all around you, ready and waiting.” He gestured to the stroller. “Including our youngest and most promising member.” “I'm afraid I know you only by your reputation. I didn't realize there was any trouble.” “Is that so?” Seven looked down at her again, a kind look in his eye. “Well…..disguise or not, you're still the loveliest lady around these parts.” Rain literally vanished under her blanket in an effort to hide her burning face. He wasn’t serious of course, he was clearly just being nice. Oh, but he was so beautiful she wanted to believe it. “One of ours may be with the raiders as we speak.” Miles continued. “An older man, dressed as a raider. You seen him?” Seven nodded. “Oh yes. Though at the time I would never have guessed. He came in with a great deal of boasting, drank his weight in beer, and then beat one of the raiders bloody over some small argument.” “He did?” Tali asked, bewildered. “Our Gabe?!” “Yes. It makes a lot of sense now. The best way to get recruited is to give one of their men a beat down. Smart plan.” “Mmmfh mmmfph.” Rain snickered from behind her pacifier underneath her blanket. Gabe’s plan was asinine as sure as the sun was bright, and nothing could convince her otherwise. How she wanted to speak up and say it. Being a baby sucked worse every minute. “And what interest do you have in getting rid of these raiders? Have they done you some personal wrong?” Miles asked. His eyes had taken an intense look. Seven raised an eyebrow and laughed. “Strange question. They've wronged the whole town. However, it is personal I must admit. I was a drifter for a long time. The mayor of this town was good man, took me in, helped me settle. He was my friend. Then one day he ends up dead and a pack of raiders barge into town the same day. They had to be behind it.” Miles calmed and gave a small smile. “Very well. Tell us where they're based and we'll handle them.” “I'll do you one better. I'll take you there. They have watchers ready to alert the others if they see anyone they don’t like. But I've spent the last few months learning every back street this town has. I can sneak you past them.” Miles looked over at Tali, who shrugged. “We don't really have a choice, Miles.” “Very well. You head out first. We'll meet you in ten minutes in the alley outside. The rest of our team will follow shortly after us. Once we're all together, we'll strike.” Seven nodded and stood up. “You got it. I'm happy to help.” He gave Rain a final glance. “See you soon, cutie pie.” “Oh my god!” Rain screamed in her head. Seven made it to the door where one of the raiders blocked him. Whatever he said seemed to make the raider angry, but he was allowed to pass unmolested. Rain and her happy family waited the ten minutes, then followed. The raider at the door didn't even glance at them, too focused on the poker game. Miyuki looked over at them as Miles gave her the tiniest nod. The signal. The whole back of the bar was a network of back alleys, but they had been instructed to simply go straight until they found their guide. Rain stretched, wanting to be up and about and in the action at last. Once they reached the alley where Seven was waiting, she was finally allowed out of the stroller. She looked up a the handsome guitarist. She didn't exactly make for a fearsome merc in her pink frilly dress, or her equally pink diaper, which was of course soaked by this point. Miles retrieved his guns from their luggage and handed Tali a small machine gun. Rain also retrieved her own pistol, quickly shoving a magazine into it. Seven kept looking at her strangely. She couldn't understand it. Why did he keep staring? Did he find her constant blushes amusing? Was she just a joke to him? She felt Tali nudge her. “Sweetie, you look real fearsome, but you could at least spit out the pacifier. Unless you feel like keeping it in of course.” “Oh my god!” She once again screamed in her head, quickly spitting the paci out into Tali’s awaiting hand. She kept her eyes on the ground while Tali slipped it back in her stroller. What Seven must have thought of her. Why did she have to be this way? “Now we just wait for the others.” Seven said, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. “Want one?” Rain thought about it. Rocco smoked and he looked pretty cool. Maybe this was her way of proving she was grown up. She reached out with her hand, but to her surprise, Miles slapped her hand. “I don't think so, kiddo.” He said, and she could have sworn he and Tali were smirking. Her attempt at maturity had been ruined, so she did her best to remain unfazed. Seven just shrugged and lit one for himself and nothing more was said. She tried not to sulk and instead thought of the one person she could blame for her constant degradation and humiliation. “I am going to kill Gabe when we get back to base.” She thought wistfully. “Maybe I'll give him a wedgie with my mind powers. Death…..by wedgie.” She began laughing quietly to herself at the thought until she saw Tali glance over at her with a raised eyebrow. “You got a creepy, evil smile going on there, darlin. What's the deal?” Rain put on her best innocent look. “Nothing. Just in a good mood I guess.” * “Great game once again, gents.” Rocco said, rising from the table. “Unfortunately, I must be going. This beauty has an insatiable appetite if you know what I mean. I'm afraid I must bid you all a most fond…..bonjour.” He gave his best charming bow and “escorted” his escort out back. This might have been the best mission he had ever been on. He had made a sizable profit from the morons at the table. He had nailed his part to perfection. He thought he had managed to accurately portray the snobby, yet charming veneer of a wealthy pre-war ghoul. Who else had managed their parts with such style? They had barely reached the alleys outside when Miyuki ripped her arm away. “You're an idiot.” “Whoa there. Don't hate me because I'm impressive. It's okay to be in awe of me.” Miyuki grabbed him by the collar. “In awe? I’m gonna murder you and bury your corpse in a trash heap. You couldn't have lost one or two games? You just had to win them all? Do you realize how many times I had to talk all sweet and practically flash my tits?!” Rocco looked astonished. “You were flashing people?! Damn. I didn't notice, must have been too busy winning and being awesome. Come on, I won so much money.” Miyuki raised her fist, ready to pound him, when several men appeared from behind them. Men from the card game. “Trouble in paradise?” One of them asked. Rocco slipped back into character. “Not at all, good fellows. She uh…..likes it rough?” “Is that so? She must have expensive tastes as well for all the money you fleeced from us. Thank god for that guitarist giving us the tip. Now we have a chance to win it back.” Rocco threw up his hands. “Gentlemen please. You all look like reasonable fellows. I assure you there was no foul play involved.” There had been, but that wasn’t what they wanted to hear. Miyuki stepped forward, cracking her knuckles. “Don't bother. Your cheating ways have finally caught up to you. More importantly, didn’t Miles and them follow after that guitar guy?” That was a good point. Could it have been accidental? Maybe it was just an astute observation from a guy who didn't realize who they were. If it was anything other than a mission he might have believed it. But he never believed in coincidences on the job. No matter the case, they didn’t have time to waste on these idiots. “Go get them, beautiful. I got your back.” Miyuki just laughed. “Actually have my back, Rocco, don’t just stare at it. Oh I needed this. I've been in a foul mood since we started ridiculous job. Whose first?!” * The man known as Seven waited calmly for his plan to take shape. Sure enough they soon heard the sounds of a struggle coming back near the bar. His tip on the way out had worked. Now to sell it. “What now? Sounds like trouble back there. I'll go check it out.” He offered. The merc leader stopped him as expected. “No. Tali, go check it out. Call if you need us.” The woman seemed reluctant to go, but she obeyed. Seven kept his face neutral. His plan was going smoothly. In his line of work, he had learned two important things. Always have a plan, but always be able to adapt and change that plan on a dime. It's what made him one of the deadliest contract killers around. If his plan hadn't worked, he would have made his move while they fought the bandits. The fact that the merc team were using disguises tickled him. He often made use of disguises as an assassin. Memories from his time in New Reno and New Vegas came to mind, but also more recently. He had dressed as one of the mayor’s guards the night he had murdered him. He had been hired by the raiders occupying the town to rid them of the troublesome man. The mayor had taken to hunting them down for attacking his caravans before Seven had been hired. Not hired directly of course. A select few knew how to contact him, and even fewer knew his face. But as he killed the mayor and opened the gates for the raiders, an idea popped into his head. He looked to the girl in the pink dress, the one who seemed so smitten by him. The price on her head had been too big to ignore. So he hired Miles and his team to deal with the very raiders who had hired him, hoping they would bring her along. Sure enough, they had brought her right too him. Now the target was in sight and there was only one man in between him and his prize. He reached into his jacket for his pistol, and quietly attached the silencer to it. It was a shame though. He never liked killing kids. A gun was suddenly pushed against his head. The pale merc leader, Miles. This was unexpected. The target looked on baffled, innocent eyes looking at her leader and her crush. “Who are you?” Miles demanded. “I know you're no ordinary guitar player so spill it before I end you here and now.” He thought about lying, but it seemed unlikely to help in this situation. He needed to keep the man talking. “What gave me away?” “You said you only knew about us by our reputation, but word about the bounty on my friend has been circulating for weeks. That put me on edge, but to be honest it was your eyes that really set me off. I caught you looking at Rain like she was prey. You probably thought your quarry was right in your grasp, huh? The target looked confused, hurt. At least she hadn't run, that would have been annoying. For the first time in years his job had taken an interesting turn. Most of the time his targets never saw him coming until it was too late. This one was shaping up to be different. It made sense since this was one of the only occasions where he hadn't been hired, a contract he pursued on his own. Seven laughed. “My eyes, huh? Well goddamn. I never thought my freaking eyes would give me away. You're good. Truly. But if you think you have me dead to rights, I'm afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you.” He dropped low to the ground in an instant, his leg sweeping around to knock Miles over. He rose quickly, grabbing the targets wrist and disarming her before spinning back to Miles gun in hand. His gun emitted a small flash and the fearsome mercenary leader fell over dead, one bullet in his skull. He pushed the target onto the ground and raised his gun once more to finish it. How disappointing. “Wait!” She cried out. Did she really expect that to work? “I'm worth a lot more alive.” He paused. “That's true, cutie pie, but kidnapping isn’t my thing. There's too much distance from here to Thorne, and far too much could go wrong. I'll take an easy 5,000 over a risky 10,000 any day. Either way I'll be sitting pretty for quite a while.” Still she begged. If he had been the type that begging worked on, he might not have had the heart. “Nothing personal, cutie pie. Hold still. It'll be over in a sec.” He pulled the trigger. The bullet stopped an inch before her face, just stopped in midair. He fired three more times, but every bullet stopped before it got close. Then they all fell to the ground at the same time. Seven narrowed his eyes, trying to adapt and find a new plan. None were coming to mind. “Shit. I didn't anticipate this.” The target actually smiled at him as he saw a figure rise up behind him. He spun back around only to see a dead man looking back at him. The bullet propelled itself out of the man's skull and he watched in horror as the wound shrank to nothing before his eyes. The dead man raised his gun. Seven shook his head, quite perplexed. “I didn't plan for this kind of shit.” * Rain watched with a sad smile as Miles fired. It hit the assassin's shoulder and spun him around to face her. She focused, containing her power until he looked in her eyes. He didn’t seem frightened, just resigned. She hit him with a psychic blast that sent him flying into the air. The assassin known as Seven landed heavily on the roof of a building, laying there still for a moment before his body fell to the other side. Miles gave her a thumbs up. “Sorry about that, Rain. I was too careless. It's easy to do when you know you can’t die.” Rain wanted to kick herself. She had been so caught up in some stupid girlish crush that she had let her guard down. Unfortunately, it was Miles who paid for it. Miles who only seemed to get worse and worse each time he died and rose again. She should have acted sooner, should have protected him. For some unknown reason she found herself crying. “Are you okay?” “Hey, don't get upset. I'm okay I promise.” He said with an easy smile that didn’t reach his eyes. She found herself buried in his chest. “Why did you send Tali away? If you knew what he was why send her away? You might not have gotten hurt if she had been here.” “I needed to make sure Miyuki and Rocco were okay. I knew you could handle yourself if he got past me.” He hugged her tightly. “I hate to say it, but you don’t need me to protect you anymore.” That was the Miles she knew. Always worried about everyone else, never enough about himself. She kept sobbing, not at all ashamed of how much she had cried on this stupid mission. “Don't say that! Please don't say that. I do need you. I always will. Forever! That's why you have to be more careful from now on. For me.” Miles looked shocked for a moment, unable to respond, maybe simply surprised at how she felt. Didn't he realize how much he meant to her, to all of them? Not one of them wanted to see him hurt on their behalf. “Yeah. I'll be more careful, Rain. I promise. You don’t need to worry so much about me.” He let out a sigh and picked her up, holding her like a father holding a small child. “What happened. What’s going on?” Miyuki asked, Rocco and Tali behind her. “Did she have another accident?” Tali blurted out without thought. “Ugh. Dignity, Tali.” Rain whined. “Think of my freaking dignity.” “We're alright.” Miles reassured. “Our client's true goal was to lure Rain here. He tried to kill her to claim the bounty. His body fell over that building over there.” “Shit. I guess that means we aren't gonna get paid for this job?” Rocco sighed. “It doesn't matter. These people are in need. Maybe the townsfolk will pay us, maybe not. But Gabe is there still, waiting for us, so we have to go. Besides, I think you've earned plenty of coin, Rocco. Or were you planning on keeping it for yourself?” “No of course not.” The ghoul grumbled before muttering under his breath. “Even though the card game wasn’t a team effort. That was all me, but sure…..” Everyone ignored his whining as they got their weapons ready. They had only been able to pack small arms in keeping with their cover, so they would have to operate a bit more carefully. First they moved to the building where the assassin Seven had fallen. His body was nowhere to be found. It was an unsurprising surprise, and Rain couldn’t help but feel like she would see him again one day, hopefully not on the other side of his gun. Seven had at least pointed them in the right direction. He had also spoken true about how the alleys hid their approach. It took them longer than they liked to find the compound without a guide, but at last they found it. A large mansion, fenced in by a large black fence and guarded by three raiders at a heavy iron gate. The team no doubt looked rather odd, more so then usual. The guards began sizing them up as soon as they approached. Rain saw their eyes pass over Tali and Miyuki lustily, Rocco and Miles with caution. Then they saw her. And laughed. She put her hands on her hips indignantly. She must have struck quite an image dressed in her pink dress, with a pink diaper sagging just enough to be seen. Now standing at full height, she no longer looked a toddler in size, but her clothes looked infantile at any height. “What are you people supposed to be?” One of the guards asked. “Travelling performers?” “I might have thought they were a couple of pimps selling the ladies for the night, but the one looks too young for that.” The other guard mused. “I'll never tire of the wit of raider scum.” Miyuki muttered quietly. “What now?” Rocco asked. “We just going for it?” “Get the hell out of here before we make you.” The first guard roared. “On three.” Miles whispered. “One.” The team moved closer to the gate, gripping their weapons behind their backs. The three guards moved up, becoming annoyed at the intruders. “Two.” Miyuki and Rocco pushed to the front, guarding Miles. Rain moved to the left, Tali to the right. “Hey!” a new voice yelled. “I know that ghoul. He owes me money! I'd recognize that stupid moustache anywhere.” A large raider was approaching from the house. He was clad in the leather armor common of the raiders. His mouth was set in a scowl so convincing that only his eyepatch gave his identity away. Since he almost always wore his power armor, it was easy to forget that Gabe was the largest and most physically fit of the group, but the raider garb showed off the old warriors physique quite well. He looked fearsome indeed. The guards at the gate turned to him. “You know these freaks, new guy? Should we shake them down a bit?” One of the raiders moved closer to Tali. “I think maybe we should pat them down. I know who I think is the most suspicious.” The other guard looked at Miyuki leeringly and chuckled. “Yeah, the ladies seem very…..suspicious. We should probably start with them…..somewhere…..private.” “Nah. It's that ghoul you got to watch out for.” Gabriel insisted. “He's more dangerous than he looks. He's the one who took my eye. Gouged it out…..with a rusty spoon.” The guards looked over at the ghoul who had puffed himself up in an attempt to appear more fearsome. An attempt spoiled by his ridiculous garb. “You took his eye with a spoon?!” The third guard asked. “That’s pretty messed up.” “Why a spoon?” asked another. “You eat it or something?” “Probably did. Can't trust a ghoul I always say.” The guards proceeded to get into a philosophical debate about whether or not ghouls could be trusted so long as they weren't feral. The first guard swore they were all monsters in disguise, ready at any moment to pounce on normal humans and devour their brains. The other two accused the first of being racist, insisting they were as normal as everyone else. During their moral debate, the whole team stood by, nearly forgotten. Gabriel motioned for quiet as he pulled a knife from his boot. Rocco and Miyuki did the same, drawing blades and closing in. The team ended up gaining access to the mansion undetected…..mostly because the hapless guards were in fact…..idiots. Three slit throats later and it was done, the gate open. Gabriel looked over the group and broke into a big smile. “You all look fantastic! Wow, I'm just blown away. Miyuki, Tali, your outfits are spot on, really well done. Rain, you're cute as a button! And Rocco, that damn moustache suits you, honestly you look more…..dignified somehow.” Rocco flashed a wide grin. “Oh yeah. I'm keeping this beauty for sure.” Miles managed to get Gabriel to calm down enough to tell them the plan. He led the team to several different doors with the aim of them entering at different places at the same time. They would move in quickly and quietly, and strike the raiders from the earth before they had a chance to fight back. They grouped together in pairs of two. Miyuki and Rocco at one door, Gabe and Tali at another, and at her insistence, Rain would go with Miles through another door. The plan set, they gathered ready to enter and end this mission. “Keeping an eye on me, Rain?” Miles asked at their door. “You get reckless. You said so yourself, but as long as you stay by me, nothing will touch you. I promise.” “I feel safer already. I'll be relying on you.” Gabe let out a single whistle and three pairs of two moved in quietly. Moving in with Miles, first they encountered little resistance. Isolated guards or pairs of raiders were silently taken down with blades. But it wasn’t meant to last long. A shot rang out eventually and the house was alerted. Raiders began pouring from every room and corner, and from the stairs as well. A group of five found them as they exited a hallway. Rain moved in front of her leader. Her arms spread out wide. The raiders were armed with carbines and rifles, but she caught their every bullet in an invisible net before her. She let them fall and scatter on the floor as Miles began firing. They moved further into the mansion, with Rain simultaneously shielding them from fire, and sending enemies flying against the ceiling and walls with waves of her hands. She didn't even fire a weapon. She was the weapon. For the first time she felt like she had control, it wasn’t all instinct. It had gotten easier, less painful to maintain. She sent three more raiders upwards to the ceiling, and looked back at Miles. He had a grin on his face that equal parts amazement and pride. The battle didn't last much longer as the team converged in the middle of the house and moved up the stairs. Room by room, hallway by hallway, not a single bandit was left to escape. Finally, it was over. There were still a few raiders in town to handle, but that would happen soon enough. Rain had reached her limit near the end anyway, and stood on wobbly legs. “Everyone okay? Is anyone hurt?” Tali asked, checking for injuries. “All good except for Rain.” Miyuki reported. “W-what? I-I'm fine.” She stammered out, hardly believing it herself. “Ooh. Your ears are bleeding.” Rocco pointed out. “Is that normal?” “It's fine. I just overdid it a little.” Rain assured them. She wasn't entirely lying either. Her head hadn't started pounding yet. She was just exhausted. Yet when she tried to take a single step forward, she stumbled and would have fallen if not for Gabe catching her. He lifted her into his arms and carried her as they made their way to a large living area. Everyone took a seat where they could while she was deposited on the couch. “We need to head back into town, clear up any raiders and see about a reward.” Miles said, taking charge once more. “Gabe and Rocco, you're with me. Tali and Miyuki, take Rain and slip her out of the city. I don't want anyone getting any bright ideas. Keep an eye out for that guitar playing assassin as well, he may still be on the hunt.” Rain chuckled from the couch. “For the first time since we got here, I'm actually excited about that stupid stroller. I don't want to move for days.” Tali looked at her with a silly grin. “Ready to play baby again?” “Not playing anymore. I'm going to need my mommy and my auntie to change my diaper and get me home. I’m going to be totally useless for the next week at least.” Even though they knew she was mostly kidding, both Miyuki and Tali looked at her like she was a lost puppy and wasted no time in descending on her with coos and smiles. She reached out her hand to Miles as she was being lifted away for a much needed diaper change. “Promise me you'll be careful? I still need you to protect me, remember?” Miles the Deathless gave her perhaps the most genuine smile she had seen him use before, got up from his seat, and kissed her forehead. “You have my word, my little soldier. Get some rest. That's an order.” “Yes sir.” It was one order she was happy to follow. * Back at Jericho’s capital: “What's up, Pretty Boy?” “Piss off.” Garrett Tucker yelled as he passed a group of men in the street, his middle finger extended. He had never taken to that nickname, but it didn't stop this legion of assholes from using it. It had been an odd journey getting to Jericho Thorne’s capital city. After his elder and younger brothers had kidnapped and sold that little Asian brat, life was looking up for a time. Eight years worth of time in fact as the brat had proven tougher than expected in the arena. That began to end the day he had arrived to collect on nearly a month's winnings only to find his youngest brother, Jim, had been strangled and killed by his little rat, who had then cut a bloody path as she escaped her cage. His elder brother, Bill, had also vanished after forming his own band of raiders. The final nail in the coffin happened six months later when Jericho Thorne, a minor but growing power, had marched his men down to the stadium to end the operation for good. In a mad attempt to survive, Garrett had stripped off his armor and locked himself in one of the cells. So it was that Garrett Tucker joined the rising power in the north after being “liberated” from the arena. Luckily, none of the slaves recognized him, or he might have burned with the rest of his one time compatriots. For years, he had fought for Thorne and obeyed him like a dog, but that time was coming to an end. He grew tired of peace, tired of pricks like Hudson and Viktor looking down on him. Viktor’s wife too, acted like she was above him, even though she relied on her hubby’s reputation to keep her safe. Stupid bitch. He would soon show her the error of such thoughts. He finally found the building, a small eatery that concealed a rather spacious basement. He made his way through with nary a look and descended down below. They were there, various former tribal leaders, former only because they were kept leashed by Thorne. If only Thorne knew of the rebels in his very capital. “We all know why we're here.” Said the speaker at the front of the group, the leader of the tribe called the Mad Ones. “All of us have had enough of Thorne and his tyranny. The question now is what we do about it.” “Kill him!” yelled one of the assembled. “Chop off his head and burn his body!” “We won't be able to get close, not with Viktor around.” Said another. “Plus, Titus hasn't left the city yet. It's impossible.” “Why go after Thorne now?” asked another. “We should be going after Miles and that girl first, then worry about Jericho.” The head speaker gestured for silence. “Don’t forget, my friends, the rumors that Jericho himself sent the Regulators after us, to weaken us so he could take over.” “So what do we do about it?” asked the crowd. Finally Garrett stepped up. “I can help you get rid of him. It would be pretty damn easy too.” The speaker looked at him warily. “You've been his creature for years. Why would we trust you? You don't even belong here!” He gave his best charming smile, no doubt looking more hideous than charming. “You should trust me because I hate Thorne as much as you do. I want him dead and gone as you all do. But most importantly, I have a plan to do it. All I need is help finding something.” The crowd looked at him with suspicion until one person asked what Garret had been waiting to hear. “What would you need?” “A few relics of the past that Jericho and Viktor should have gotten rid of but couldn't seem to bring themselves too.” He couldn’t help but smile. He had their attention now. Things were about to get very interesting. The fun would soon begin.

Think of Miyuki and her past.

Yeah, they all know that. But they thought he was really immortal. They didnt know about the implant. The only ones who knew about it and that his body is rejecting it were Tali and Rain Miles wanted the others to not have to worry about him.

Sorry for the delay. November has been a very busy month. I'm not a huge fan of this chapter, cause not too much happens in it, but it needed to be told. As per the usual, I'm sure there's typos here and their that I'll discover after the fact. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, but I'm glad to be moving on. Also there's been less and less diaper content, which I don't like and will try to fix for future chapters. The next week was spent running. Nearly every minute of every day they ran. Jericho and his forces were constantly at their heels, with a vengeful Thorne leading the charge. They only stopped for a few hours each day, enough for a few of them to rest and Rain to get in a quick diaper change. They were all exhausted, and the group was running on fumes. Rain had recovered quicker than normal after using her power, and she was probably their best hope of getting away at this point, especially considering how low their ammunition was. Miles had been almost completely silent since they began fleeing. While his physical wounds had healed, Rain guessed he was a mess internally. Pale, feverish, and lethargic, Miles was having trouble keeping up with the rest of the group. Several times a day he would be doubled over with coughing attacks, spitting up large amounts bloody phlegm. He couldn't hide it anymore, and so Gabriel kept a constant vigil on him, even carrying him on his back when needed. Gabe hadn't asked anything yet, but he glared suspiciously at Tali, his eyes wanting answers. Mentally, Miles had almost checked out. He seemed…..less…....somehow, as if something had gone out of him. The only direction he gave was to keep heading south. Maybe it was the fact the Jericho was still alive, Rain couldn’t be sure. He stared ahead almost as though he no longer cared what happened anymore. They had been hunkered down for the last hour in an old gas station. Rain was exhausted and was happy to lay down for a diaper change. Her own thoughts were a whirlwind, with Indara’s death at the forefront of her mind. Her face kept flaring before her eyes, that and her death. She felt horrible about her death, as bad as her first kill a year ago. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Indara either alive and vibrant and smiling, or dead, mutilated by Rain’s own attack. Tali was keeping close to her like the worries mother she was destined to be. She had checked Miles over, but evidently the diagnosis was bad enough that she didn’t want to check again. Rain wondered how far the corruption had spread on his body, and quickly decided she was better off not knowing. “It wasn't your fault, Rain. When bullets are flying anything can happen.” Tali tried to comfort her. Rain was laying in her most vulnerable position, her legs splayed, wet diaper exposed. “It wasn’t any bullet. It was mine, one that I sent flying back at Thorne. And now she's gone, just…..gone. It’s my fault.” Tali ripped the diaper open and got to work. “You didn't put her in front of your gun. That was her choice. She made that sacrifice on her own. I know I can’t do anything to help you feel better, but try not to let guilt weigh you down.” They were quiet for the remainder of the change. Rain had her feet lifted in the air as Tali slid a clean diaper under her. “I…..I thought I lost you, Rain. I thought you were gone and I’d never see you again because I let you get taken.” Rain gave a sad smile. “What were you just saying about guilt? It wasn't your fault, Tali. I can handle myself. I’m not a kid.” Tali cleared her throat and Rain blushed as her bottom was set on the new diaper. God, it was hard to be taken seriously like this. Once she was finished and back on her feet, She followed Tali into the other room where Rocco was begging Miles for a plan. “Shit’s not good here, Miles. We’re running low on just about everything. I got four shells left for the shotgun, Gabe only has his laser pistol, and we have five pistol magazines to split between us. Where are we going, Cap? What's the plan once we get out of Thorne’s territory, cause he's likely to follow us.” Miles didn’t reply, didn't even look at him. His eyes remained on the floor. “Captain!” Rocco begged. “Leave it be.” Tali ordered. “We only have one way to go, and that's south. The border is close, we just have to keep moving. Hopefully, Miyuki will meet us there. Back me up here, Gabriel.” Gabe stood against the wall, silent and watching. He made Rain uneasy with his accusing stare. He seemed to have realized he was left in the dark about his leader and friend, and she could almost feel the anger rolling off him. It wasn't a surprise when he marched over and demanded to speak to Tali in the room they had just left. Rain followed, but kept hidden behind the corner of the wall. “Tell me what's wrong with Miles. I've never seen him like this, the coughing, the blood.” “I don't know what to tell you.” Tali protested. “Bullshit. I've noticed how you rush to his side after every fight. I didn't think much of it because I know you two are a thing, but now I wonder. You know something, and I need to know too. Is something wrong with Miles, something you haven't told us?” Tali sighed. “Do you really want to do this now?” “He looks like death in there! That's my friend, my captain, and you're hiding something important.” Rain poked her head out from behind the corner. “You should talk to Miles, not take it out on her. She's only doing what she thinks is best.” Gabe looked disheartened, and gave a final glare before he turned and head out. Rain grabbed his hand as he passed. “If there is something that Miles kept to himself, you should wonder if maybe he did it because he cares about you, not that he wanted to hurt you.” “Hey, heads up, people, we got company!” Rocco yelled. Rain barely had a chance to react before gunfire began blasting through the walls and windows of their hiding place. Tali got clipped in the side as they all hit the deck. Gabe rushed back to Miles, no doubt planning to shield him with his armor. The gunfire continued uninterrupted as they crawled out to main room. She heard Rocco’s shotgun boom as plaster and glass flew through the structure. Rain stood and readied her pistol, taking aim at a raider she saw coming through the door. She didn’t fire. The raider looked right at her, beautiful red hair blowing in the breeze. The sight almost took her breath away. “Indara? I thought…..” Indara raised her rifle, pointing it right at her, only to be blown away by Rocco. “What the fuck, Rain?! Did you forget how to shoot?” “It…..it was her. It was Indara. She…...she's not…..” “Rain….” Tali said with concern. “That’s not her. Look.” The raider that she had been so sure was Indara had somehow changed before her eyes. The now dead woman had black hair, not red, and her face wasn't anything like Indara at all. Rain dropped her gun and fell to her knees, feeling sick as Tali wrapped her in a hug. Rocco fired his final shot, hitting someone judging by the scream. He looked over exasperated and increasingly panicked. “Why is no one else shooting? Am I the only one who wants to survive this?!” Rain took a deep breath and stood up. Her mind might be playing tricks on her, but she could certainly help make sure they got out of this. She took a breath a concentrated on that feeling, that power inside herself, and was surprised that she actually found it. It was becoming easier to summon it, at least when she truly felt in danger. “Let's run for it. I'll take the rear and keep the bullets off our backs. Just keep in front of me, all of you. I can handle the rest.” “Can you really do this?” Tali asked. “Don't bite off more than you can chew.” “Don’t worry I got this. And if not, we'll all be dead anyway.” Rocco chuckled. “Hell yeah. Let’s get the fuck outta here. Rain, let me borrow your gun, I'll go first. Gabe, you stay behind me, Tali will follow you and try and lay down covering fire. Rain’s got the rest.” He kicked the door open and the team burst through the door. Almost immediately, Thorne’s raiders were yelling and following after. Rain kept back from the others, facing the approaching raiders as they took aim and fired. She put up a barrier, sighing with relief as the storm of bullets stopped in mid-air. “Keep running! I got this for now, but I don't know for now long.” Rocco lead the way, jumping over debris and finding the clearest route he could. Gabe followed as best at he could with Miles on his back. Tali was closer to her, occasionally firing at their pursuers. Rain kept catching their fire and throwing it back at them, but it didn't seem dissuade the raiders from continuing to try as they sent a steady wave of continuous fire at them. More and more enemies seemed to pop up, and Rain figure there was at least thirty men behind them. They ran and ran, hoping for some kind of light at the end of the tunnel. She could hear Gabriel’s harsh breathing from under his helmet. They were all on their last legs, moving ever onward despite their exhaustion. Rain could feel her head starting to hurt once more, and pushed it down and away. More enemies approached from the side, forced into cover by Tali and Rocco. They were just everywhere, like ants. Someone got a shot out, hitting Miles in his side. Gabriel took out his laser pistol and fired back, his shot vaporizing the offender to ash. “I'm out!” Tali yelled. “So am I. Just keep moving.” Rocco cried out. It didn’t look good. The city blended into one, long, endless stretch of road, with no end in sight. Her own barrier began to fail, and bullets began getting through, hitting and ricocheting off of stone, or hitting the ground right at their feet. Suddenly a wave of gunfire came from in front of them. For a moment, Rain thought it was all over, she thought they had been surrounded at last. But once she had caught up with the others, she saw something quite unexpected. “How's it going, Princess?” a voice called out. “I heard you might be in a spot of trouble.” Lined up were at least twenty men from Pride, with Oz standing at the front with his usual dumb grin. Miyuki stood beside him, cradling her arm and looking relieved to see them. Rain had never though she would be glad to see Oz again, but right now she could have hugged him, still might if they made out. Even more surprising was second force nearby, which were none other than the Oro, with Surra, Arax, and Hanno all there as well. Together, both forces had at least as much, if not more firepower than Jericho. Rain was admittedly less happy to see Surra, but she would take any help she could get. Hanno met her eyes and smiled goofily. She couldn’t help but smile back. Oz gave a little salute. “Miyuki ran her broken self near to death trying to reach us. As for these Oro fellows, they were already here when we arrived.” Surra lit a cigarette and blew smoke into air. “The old lady had some weird feeling or dream or some shit, sent us here without any explanation. Once we saw Miyuki, I figured it out.” The team ran the final stretch, getting safely behind the line of armed fighters. They nearly collapsed once they did. Gabe slid Miles off his back as he began having another coughing spasm. Miyuki met them as they stood over their leader, unable to help. Miles waves away her questions and spat out more blood onto the ground. Jericho’s men had fallen back a bit, unsure of what to do. They had been given so much trouble from just four people, and now found themselves outnumbered. The two forces stood opposite of each other, each hunkering down into cover. Rain was trying to help Tali with Miles when she heard Jericho from the front. He strode up, looking at the Oro and Pride forces in near disbelief. “What is this?! This is my territory. You have no right to interfere.” Oz shook his head. “Your territory ended half a mile back. You need to back off. We have more guns and probably more ammo if all the shots I heard are any indication. This is over.” It's not over until that witch is dead!” Jericho yelled. “We aren't afraid of fighting a larger force. Hand her over or this gets bloody.” Surra whistled and suddenly four red dots appeared on Thorne’s chest. “Unless you want to die here and now, I'd run back to your nest. Then what happens to your little empire?” Then Oz delivered a final blow of his own. “Firing on me is a bad idea, Thorne. I'll suspend all trade between Pride and your people. Trust me, I think it'll hurt you more than us.” Rain poked her head out and watched as Jericho paced about, trying to think of some way to retake control. He looked over the amassed forces of Pride and the Oro, then he met her eyes. “You aren't safe. Don’t think for a second you are. It doesn't matter where you go, you will never be safe! I'll leave for now, but you better believe we'll see each other again.” He took one final bitter look and then ordered the retreat. His men seemed relieved that they had avoided a battle in which they didn’t have the advantage. Rain watched them go, seeing Indara staring at her from the group, knowing she wasn’t really there. Once the threat had passed they were lead to a large, comfortable looking camp. Tali and Gabe immediately took Miles to a waiting tent, and Rocco looked to have passed out in the grass, leaving her to make the necessary thanks. She stumbled over to where Oz stood talking to Miyuki and Surra. There was an awkwardness in seeing the Oro heir once more, given their almost forced mother/daughter relationship. Surra must have felt it too, because she gave a deep scowl almost immediately. Miyuki’s arm was in a sling, but it certainly looked bad, the flesh was a deep and angry purple, and the pain in her face showed. Nevertheless, she smiled at seeing Rain alright. “Thanks for saving us, both of you. I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't come.” “Probably would have died.” Surra said dismissively. “What the hell did you do to piss off the biggest dickwad in the wasteland?” Rain closed her eyes, thinking of her latest kill. “Indara……she……I killed her.” “You? Really?” Surra smirked, almost laughing. “Maybe you're not a total loss after all.” Oz cleared his throat, trying to ignore the tension in the area. “Well…..uh……I was happy to help, Princess, happy to help for sure. But I gotta say, I really don’t need an enemy like Thorne. I may have overstated how much damage losing our northern trade routes would do. Plus, he's still got a lot more men than we do. If he marches down here……Look, I said I would help and I have, but I might not always be able to keep that promise.” “I understand. Thanks again, Oz, really.” She said shaking his hand. She offered the the same to Surra, but had her hand slapped away. “Oh, please. Like I came for you. I figured Miyuki might get herself killed, and I can't allow that. She's mine, after all.” Miyuki was blushing more than Rain had ever seen before, but it didn't last long. Oz wrapped his big arm around Miyuki’s shoulder, making her scowl. “I gotta get this little lady to my doc. She messed her arm up good getting to us. I'll see you around.” “I'll see you later, Miyuki.” Surra said with a sly smile. Her eyes though, were fixed on Oz. Rain chose to ignore this fact. Rain moved on, looking for an uninhabited bed to crash on. At least she was still dry, but her head was pounding and she felt sick to her stomach. “Looking for a place to crash?” Arax asked as she passed. As usual, Hanno was beside him, staring at his own feet. He didn't seem to be completely aware that she was there, but it was nice to see him anyway. Rain put her hand on her forehead, trying to keep the pain at bay. “Any place is good. I’m pretty beat. Thanks for the help by the way.” Arax just shrugged. “Aw, happy to do it. I'm a bit bummed we didn't get to fight, but oh well, I’m sure I’ll find something to kill on the way back. Anyway, there's a tent on the end there you can use. Get some sleep, we'll catch up later.” She smiled and waved goodbye. Hanno finally focused, giving her a happy wave. She moved onward, ready to get some rest of her own. “By the way, I heard I was almost your uncle!” “Yeah, just about. It's weird to think about, isn't it?” Rain laughed weakly. “Maybe you missed out on having me and Hanno as uncles, but I'd say you dodged a bullet in the end. I’m pretty sure Surra is the type of creature that eats it's young.” She would have laughed, but she was in too much pain, so she just waved again and made it to her bed. With a final sigh of relief, she crashed down at last and closed her eyes. She opened them once more to find Indara in the tent with her, staring silently. She stuck her head under her pillow and closed her eyes as tightly a she could, listening to her own erratic breathing. It didn't matter. Eyes open or closed, Indara was still there. Rain wondered if she would ever leave, then wondered if she really wanted that. Sleep wouldn't come for some time. * “You're in luck, gorgeous.” Oz said proudly. “It just so happens I got the best doc in the wasteland and he arrived this morning from Pride. He'll fix you up in a jiffy. He's kinda odd though. His name is Dr. Edgar Payne.” “Dr. Pain?” Miyuki asked with a frown. “Please tell me that's some kind of joke. An oxymoron like naming our homicidal robot Mr. Happy?” “Nah, not like that. It's Payne with a Y. Trust me, he's the best there is, a bit unorthodox, but the best.” “How unorthodox we talking about here?” Oz just chuckled and led her to a closed tent. The inside looked clean and immaculate, with a few beds, one of which had a disheveled old man sleeping in it, and a table with two empty bottles of absinthe. There were also a few books laying scattered on the ground as well, displaying the anatomy of the human body. It all looked pretty complicated to her, but at least it was doctor like, and that made her feel better. The quiet of the tent was interrupted by a loud snore from the old man in the bed. She looked over at him, smelling the booze on him from where she stood. Miyuki ignored him, still searching for the doctor. Oz however, moved to the bed and promptly shoved the old fella out of the sickbed. He shot up suddenly, coughing and sputtering. He wore a pair of plain brown slacks and a white shirt. His hair was white and frazzled, but his beard was neatly trimmed. He was clearly still drunk, his eyes were bloodshot and he nearly fell over upon trying to stand, so he settled on sitting back on the bed. “Mr. Oz…….what a pleasure. I seemed to have fallen out of bed, but no worries. Please, feel no need to help me up. How can I be of assistance?” He asked with a yawn. “I need you to take a look at my friend here. She's a bit messed up.” Dr. Payne looked at her through squinted eyes. “Hmmmm. Is she another one of your lady callers? I think I've seen three since I arrived at Pride.” “Not yet, but hey, I'm still trying. You never know.” “It's not like that at all!” Miyuki exclaimed, punching Oz in the arm to get rid of his dumb grin. “Hmmmm. Right. Well let's just have a look at you.” The doctor said, trying twice and failing to get to his feet. In the end he gave up and simply waved her closer. Despite her ever growing doubts about this so called doctor, she stepped forward. He studied her in silence for a while, and he looked so serious, he almost began reassuring her. Finally he stood up and cleared his throat. “Your arm's broken.” “I know that already, you ignoramus!” She yelled. He ignored her and stumbled over to a shelf, picking up a black bag, a dose of jet, and a bottle of absinthe. The more rational part of her wanted to turn and run out of the tent, but Oz didn't seem worried. Then again, it wasn’t his arm. “From the looks of things, I'd say you used a stim-pack right after. Well, somehow you've jostled it so bad it's starting to heal wrong. We'll have to re-break it and start again.” That wasn't what she had hoped for, but she didn't let her fear show. Dr. Payne was rummaging through his bag, pulling out various tools, settling on a large, blackjack type rod. He smacked it in his palm once and nodded. Now terrified of what was to come, she struggled to keep her good hand from shaking from nerves. “That booze and jet are for me, right? For the pain?” Dr. Payne looked at her agog. “Well….uh….yes, of course. I just need a bit myself, I don't really like all this medical stuff. It's yucky.” Her mouth dropped open. Was this old coot for real?! “Yucky?! You're a doctor! Why'd you become a doctor if you don't like medical stuff?” He took a large gulp of the absinthe and handed it to her, followed by a hit of the jet. “Don't recall. My mother made me, I think, the old shrew. Don't get me wrong, the science behind it fascinating, but for actual procedures, I need a bit of help. No worries though, I'm a much better doctor when I'm a teeny bit tipsy.” The old man started cackling at that, and Oz was practically splitting his gut. “I told you he’s a bit out there. Anyway, I'll leave you too it. Have fun now.” “Hold up, now.” Edgar whined. “I need you to hold her still. She’s looking like she wants to hit me already. I dare say, she won’t like me much better after I do this.” Oz groaned, but did as he was asked. Miyuki felt his heavy body drape itself over her, keeping her pinned. Dr. Payne had her stretch out her arm as much as she could, then grabbed her hand tightly. He gave her a large smile. “Say cheese!” “What?!” “Atcha!” he yelled as he brought the rod downwards. She had downed the rest of the green alcohol beforehand and sucked the jet dry, but still the pain shocked her into a loud scream. Thankfully, she passed out shortly after. * Surra had few things on her mind as she walked the large camp. First and most important was that Miyuki was going to be unable to provide her with any entertainment, not with her arm. Her second thought was how she planned in dealing with the first issue. Either way, her fun would have to wait. She had one last job before she could go home, and she preferred to get it out of the way now. Maybe the timing wasn't ideal, but she rarely let that stop her. She entered the tent Miles was staying in, despite the big Brotherhood goon standing outside. Clearly the two lovebirds inside were in the middle of something, as the Scottish girl jumped and quickly covered a shirtless Miles’ up with a sheet. Miles just looked at her with a weary gaze. “Oooh…..It looks like I interrupted something steamy. Normally, I'd ask if I could join in, but I bet you don't like to share.” “What do you want?!” Tali asked. “We're grateful and all, but we're in the middle of a medical examination.” “Is that what you call it?” Surra asked with a sly grin. “Don't get me wrong, I love role play, no judgements.” She heard Gabriel come in behind her, but she kept her eyes on Miles. Something seemed off with him. She had always heard such stories about Miles the Deathless, hell, she had even seen it. Now though……..He looked different, not nearly as legendary as the stories painted him to be. “In all seriousness I have a message from my grandmother.” When Miles finally spoke, it was hardly a whisper. “Give your message and go.” “My grandmother wanted me ask if you had forgotten your earlier conversation with her, something about using the girl for your war?” Miles kept his head down and voice low. “And she expects me to give you an answer, does she?” “She also wanted me to relay her earlier promise that if you can’t keep that brat safe, she will. We both know what that would entail, and I'm still very opposed to it. So for my sake, get your shit together.” Miles didn’t answer, his eyes staring into nothing. Gabriel stepped closer to her. “It's time for you to go. Now.” Surra shrugged. “That's fine. I don’t need an answer. I think the message is pretty clear. I'll let you get back to your…..examination.” She left the tent as requested and set her mind to more important matters. She scanned the camp, quickly finding her objective. He was big, handsome, and had a swagger she could appreciate. The leader of Pride saw her coming. “Oh, hey. Miyuki is gonna be fine. Yeah, the doc is fitting her for a cast just to be safe.” Surra didn't care about that. “You. My tent. Now.” He looked at her with a small grin. “Whoa. Not that I'm not tempted or anything, but I thought you were with Miyuki? I don't want to cause any spats y’know. I’m no home wrecker.” She jumped at him, wrapping her legs around his waist and began to nibble on his ear. “That wasn't a request. My tent. Now.” Now his smile widened. “You're kinda a freaky girl, you know that? But what the hell, I’m game.” She breathed heavily in his ear. “Shut up and go already. It's bad manners to keep a princess waiting.” * “Tali can you give Gabe and I the room, please? He's right, he deserves answers.” Miles said quietly. She nodded and left the room while Gabriel pulled a chair and sat close to his friend. Then he went about explaining everything. The advanced Phoenix system in his body, and his bodies unfortunate rejection of it, where the trouble stemmed from. Gabriel sat quietly, taking it all in stoically. “I'm sorry for keeping this from you. You were the first person to join me on my path, to share my dream of making the world a better place. I couldn't ask for a better friend. I am sorry.” Gabriel took his hand and squeezed it. “You don't have to apologize. If I had known………” “What? You would have protected me? Shielded me with your own body? That's not how I am and you know that. All of you risk your lives every day for me. I've just had a little way of cheating, of not sharing that risk. That doesn't make me a hero. Actually, based on my recent actions I'd say I've made that very clear.” “What the hell does that mean?” “Old Lady Oro was right. I went into all this specifically because Rain and her gift. I…..used her and then when she got taken......” Gabe shook his head. “Cap, that's not true. We all understand your reasons, we voted for it. You can't be so hard on yourself.” “I didn't care. The moment I saw Thorne, nothing else mattered. Rain could have still been a hostage, but I just……didn't care. I was ready in an instant……to sacrifice all of you to get revenge. That's not who I used to be. I must have really died all those years ago.” “Everything worked out though, Cap. She's fine, we're all fine. Look, you should get some rest.” Miles had his face buried in his hands. “I feel like I’ve lost my way. I can’t even promise you I won’t do it again. Whenever Thorne is involved I just lose it. Gabe…..for a little while I want you to take over leading the missions. I need rest……I need to……to figure some things out, make peace with it.” Gabe kept quiet for a moment. “Let me see. Your body, let me see it.” “No.” “Captain, I can take it. I just want to see how bad it is.” Miles shook his head and began coughing again. “I don't want you too. Not that, not yet anyway. It won't change anything.” “Is it painful? Besides the coughing and all?” Miles pursed his lips and thought for a moment before nodding. “Yes. But I deal with it. It's my burden to bear, and at least this device has allowed me the chance to keep helping people. Don't worry so much. Everything is as it should be. Will you do as I’ve asked?” “Of course, if that's what you want. No one is expecting you to be perfect, Miles.” He laughed bitterly and shifted in the bed. “Well, that's a relief. Check on Rain for me, would you? Make sure she's okay.” “Right. Sure thing, Miles.” Gabe stood with a sigh and left the tent. Tali was outside, and glanced at him, and he at her. There would be time for apologies later. Right now he just couldn't. He was still reeling from what he had learned, and a part of him couldn't even look at the woman without feeling angry. He walked the tents, looking for Rain. Might be that she would be asleep, but he needed to talk to her. It was clear that Indara’s death had hit her hard, which meant the two had talked together. Enough that she probably had questions for him. He wasn't relishing the idea of dredging up the past, but she deserved to know his role in the synth wars up north. Miles had never asked, simply saying that most soldiers had a regret or two. He had never pushed further. As for regrets, Gabriel had plenty of those. Maybe talking to Rain would make her feel better, or maybe it would be all for himself. When he finally found her, she was sitting up on her cot, pink diaper exposed for all to see. Her eyes were red, probably from crying. She looked like Miles in that moment. Exhausted and broken. He could feel the questions in her gaze, and the space those questions had put between them. He sat down beside her and considered his words carefully. “I'm sorry about Indara. We had a brief scuffle, but I could tell she was……a good person.” “Maybe there are no good people, Gabe. I can't say anymore. I liked Indara, but she had a lot of blood on her hands. But so do we. So do I. She begged me to stop, Gabriel, begged. But I didn’t listen, I couldn't. All I felt was that sense of righteousness, and the power flowing through me. I didn't want to stop. So I guess I'm just wondering if I’m the hero or the villain right now.” “It’s easier when they're definitely assholes.” Gabe said. “When you know they killed for no reason, or because they were looking for some fun. Other people are a mix. Trust me, Rain, it's good to question these things. People who don't question usually end up regretting it.” She looked at him coldly. “Are we finally going to talk about what Indara said about you? You've told me stories before about your adventures back east, about the Enclave or the Institute. You always made them sound……fantastical, like you were telling a little girl bedtime stories. How much of what you told me was true?” He swallowed hard and closed his eyes. “All of it was true. If I made them sound like something other than what they were, it's because talking about them seriously was too hard. And maybe because they were some of best and worst times of my life.” “I'm all ears, Gabe. My diaper is only a bit wet, so I got plenty of time.” Gabriel nodded and began. “I wasn’t born in the Brotherhood. I was found as a baby, abandoned in some godforsaken ruin they were searching. There was a scribe there, who just couldn't leave me to die, so she took me in and became my mother. My whole life was spent wanting to wear that power armor. I believed in the Brotherhood and their mission, to keep dangerous technology out of the hands of those who might misuse it.” “When I was twenty-five or so, I was sent east, to D.C. under the command of Elder Lyons. Things were…….different there. We lost contact with the Elders back west. So unlike back west, we actually protected people, along with collecting tech. I loved those days, felt like a hero I guess. Anyway, that's where I first fought against the Enclave.” “It was over a water purifier, right?” Rain asked. “You won using a giant robot? That real too?” “Indeed it is true. I got promoted after the battle to the rank of Paladin. It was the proudest day of my life. Then…..we took over the purifier from the scientists that made it. Made sense at the time. We had fought for it after all, bled for it. Looking back now, maybe that was the first sign of what was to come.” “After a few years, I got sent to Boston. We protected people there too, I guess. Except we were more like an occupying army and people didn't see us as heroes anymore. I had my own unit under my command just as the war against the Institute began.” “That's when you started killing synths like Indara.” Rain guessed. “Not like her, no. They were more basic, just walking robots, killing machines with no conscience. At first anyway. The discovery of synths that looked human, some even believing they were human, shocked us to our core.” “The order came down that we were to eliminate all synths on contact. It was strange to me. We dedicated our lives to preserving technology, keeping it safe, not destroying it. But the answer was pretty obvious. What's the difference between a nuke or a giant robot or a vertibird, and a synth? Control. We couldn’t control the synths, so they were of no value to us. In fact, since the Institute controlled them they were a threat. And we hunted them without mercy.” “You hunted them?” “Yes. Never killed a human looking one myself, but…..I gave the orders. Until the day we captured some escaped synths. They were being escorted by some sympathizers, the Railroad. We caught them, had the synths on their knees.” He paused. What came next must have been very painful. He started and stopped several times. “There was a girl, young, or made to look that way. She was begging…….for her life. I had to give the order, that was my job. The Brotherhood couldn’t be wrong.” For some reason, Rain smiled. She could guess what happened next. “You didn't give the order though.” “No. I couldn’t do it. I stopped my men and in the chaos…..I killed one, a young soldier, one who used to look up to me. Then I locked the rest up and went back to headquarters. I took as much as I could, schematics and weapons. Then I left, got as far away as possible. I wandered until Oz found me and took me to Pride. I spent a while there until a lone gunslinger showed up, and Oz suggested I go with him.” “Miles.” Gabriel nodded. “Until he came, my life didn't seem to have much purpose. I had betrayed and ran from the only family I had ever known, I had given up everything I cared about, and even though helping out at Pride was comforting, most days I just wanted to put a bullet in my brain. Miles saved me, gave me a purpose.” Rain nodded. For the first time she saw Gabe as he saw himself. An old man, tired and full of regrets. Despite how painful the tale was in the telling, she was relieved to know that Indara had been wrong about him. He had a good heart, but then again Rain had always known that really. She leaned over and gave him a hug. “Thanks for being honest with me.” He just sighed and squeezed her hand. “Every person has to have a line, Rain. Now, I only follow orders I agree with. Don't ever cross your line, yeah? Stay true to who you are no matter the cost.” * Sleep came in waves, but never for very long. Her dreams were a constant replay of what had happened, of Indara’s head popping like a balloon. Even once when she did manage to sleep, she was awoken by Tali coming to change her diaper. And when she had drifted back to sleep the nightmare began again. This time when she opened her eyes, she found Tali and Miyuki sitting in her tent. Miyuki looked better, despite her arm being in a rather unsightly cast. On the bright side it was pink. If she had been feeling more cheeky she might have pointed out that her diapers matched the cast. Knowing Miyuki, who on earth would have dared to put anything pink on her? Miyuki noticed her before Tali. “Hey, glad you’re up. I’ve been worried about you.” “I’m okay.” she said glumly. She couldn't even muster the energy to lie effectively. They knew it too. Tali changed her diaper once again while explaining that they would be staying with the combined Pride/Oro army at least another day. Miles needed the rest. Miyuki expressed a certain level of shock at this. Miles had never been down so long. Once she had been changed, she decided to go for a walk. Talking seemed to be just too much of a chore. Unfortunately, both Miyuki and Tali didn't get her desire for solitude and they walked alongside her. She could have said something, but she didn't. The sun was slowly rising, bringing with it a new day. Gabriel fell in beside them as they walked, but honestly, there wasn’t much to say. So they just small talked while Rain moved like an automaton, feeling numb to the world. As she looked for a way to escape the noise, they just happened to come across Oz leaving a tent, completely shirtless. He had a strange, haunted look in his eyes. “Oh……uh……hey everybody. How’s it going? “ Oz looked uncharacteristically shaken. His ebony body was coated with a noticeable layer of sweat. Rain figured they could all guess the reason, but what she couldn’t understand is why he looked so frightened, like he had just faced down Thorne again. “Geez Oz, can't you at least get dressed before you leave whatever poor girl you tricked into your bed?!” Miyuki complained. “Whose the lucky lady, anyway?” Tali asked with a smirk. “Oh, well…….you wouldn’t know her. Besides she's uh….” “She's what?” came a familiar voice from inside the tent. A moment later Surra strolled out, looking annoyingly beautiful after just awakening. Miyuki tensed up and Rain couldn't tell what she was feeling. Jealousy was a big one, shock, and a sense of hurt and betrayal. Oz looked around, his hand running the back of his neck. He didn't look as guilty as he should have. Rather, he also tensed up when Surra emerged, nearly jumping on ace away from her. “You fucked Oz?!” Miyuki asked at last. Surra let out a big yawn and stretched her body. “What in the world is an Oz?” she actually laughed when when Miyuki incredulously pointed to him. “Oh, him? Yeah we banged. I was bored. Or wait….what did you call it big guy? Making love?” Oz kept moving closer to Gabriel, but still couldn’t seem to commit to his escape. He looked miserable. As Miyuki and Surra argued back and forth Gabriel put an arm around him. “You know how to pick them, buddy. You know she literally eats hearts right?” Gabe chuckled. Oz started walking away, his shoulders slumped. “When I get back to Pride, I think I'm gonna have a church built.” “How come?” The big man had that haunted look again. “Last night, man. Let’s just say I feel like I need a priest.” Rain watched as Miyuki and Surra bickered, while Gabe and Tali teased Oz, then she took the chance to finally slip away. She wandered the camp aimlessly. The two armies were getting along famously, despite their differences. The Oro whooped and danced as they engaged in fighting bouts, the men and women of Pride cheered them on. She saw Arrax playing poker against Rocco and losing badly. Despite his unstable temper, he was showing some restraint as he handed over more and more caps for the shifty ghoul to take from him. Of course, Rocco was cheating, but everyone made their living somehow. She thought about checking in on Miles, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She couldn't bear to see the dead look in his eyes, it reflected too much how she felt inside. Eventually, she found Hanno sitting by himself, seemingly enjoying the morning air. She took a seat on the ground beside him and found him to be the perfect companion. He was a presence, but one who didn't fill the air with noise. She wasn't even sure if he knew she was there. For a while she thought she had found a bit of peace. But thoughts of Indara refused to leave her be, and she found herself crying again, softly. She buried her head in her knees and sobbed. After a moment, Hanno awkwardly put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, wanting him speak all of a sudden, to curse her, to tell her that she was a horrible person for what she had done. But he didn't of course, he didn't even understand why she was upset. She laid her head on his shoulder as he was either comforting her or playing with her hair, it was hard to tell. It was enough in the end and she felt a little better after her crying fit. But she couldn’t help but wonder one thing. How was she ever going to get past this? How could she ever be what she had been before she had tossed that bullet back? * Viktor stood outside Jericho’s room, standing guard against……something, he didn’t know what. Jericho had been locked in there since his return, permitting no visitors. Viktor himself had only gotten the bare basics of what had happened. It was a shit show to put it lightly. Indara’s death would cause chaos in the east, and while the men who had been there were keeping it under wraps for now, it would get out sooner or later. He still had no idea how he was going to break it to Aimee. He should have been there, but by the time he had made it back home it was too late. He had been forced to wait for Jericho’s return. Sylvia came from down the hall and wrapped her arms around him. “Is he still not eating?” “Nothing.” “It's been days. Indara must have hit him hard. I can’t believe she's gone.” Viktor had been surprised himself. Of all the generals, she was probably the toughest. But her death had thrown his already shaken and depressed leader into a darker pit of despair. There were things that needed his attention, but he kept his door locked and hid himself away. “Titus is here.” Sylvia said reluctantly, still buried in his chest. She wanted to grieve too, but her responsibilities wouldn't let her. Viktor nodded. That settled it. Grieving or not, this needed to end. He turned and moved his wife back. Then he kicked the door in. The room was totally dark, with Jericho sprawled on his sofa. He sat alone, surrounded by the luxury he scorned. Jericho didn’t seem surprised at the intrusion. “I was wondering how long it was gonna take for you to break my door down. You showed admirable self restraint.” “Hudson left this morning, headed back for his territory. News of Indara’s death is going spread fast. We need to appoint a successor.” Jericho ran his hands through his hair. “We don’t have someone trustworthy, someone from our tribe.” Their tribe, the one Jericho had formed originally as he battled the other tribes that now followed him. Many were dead, and the ones that were left had been spread out to the other territories, publicly to try and establish comradrie with former enemies, privately to be spies for Jericho. Either way, that wasn’t an option. “Indara had picked her own second. He’s here now. Titus.” He choked back a laugh. “The Centurion? The ex-Legion guy?” “He uh……he doesn’t like that nickname.” Sylvia said quietly. “Yeah well, that’s normally the case with nicknames, isn't it?” Jericho said dismissively. “I can’t trust some Legion lapdog.” “Indara trusted him. And we don’t have anyone else.” Viktor said, trying to manage his patience. Jericho thought for a few moments. “Send him in then.” Titus was a dark skinned man with short cropped hair, average height. He had a notable tendency to wear blue, maybe because red reminded him too much of his Legion days. Viktor didn't know too much about him, aside from the fact that he was an excellent swordsman. He must have some skill and no small amount of luck to have walked away from Caesar and live to tell the tale. Jericho stated him down, finally taking a bite from his uneaten plate of food. “So you want to take over Indara’s spot?” “If you like.” Titus said. “Things were going well out east. Hopefully I can fill in the gap.” “Why should I trust you? How do I know you're not still Legion?” “I am Legion. That part of me runs too deep. But it’s also why you can count on me. I was loyal to Indara and the east. I still am.” Jericho stared deep into the man's eyes, a small smile on his lips. Viktor had seen it too and knew what he would ask next. “You don't like me much do you, Titus?” “I don't.” He said bluntly. “I left the Legion to get away from needless slaughter. Then I found you and your burnings and your cruelty. But she was different. Indara and I were building something good out east. The tribes might not have liked you, but they respected her. Things were good. Then you drug her back into your war with Miles, and now I find out she's been killed by some girl with magic powers. So here I am, once again forced to be the minion of a bloodthirsty warlord. Apparently that's all I'm suited for.” “Not really inspiring confidence here, Titus.” Sylvia said. Jericho laughed. “No kidding. I appreciate the honesty, but why would I want you for my general?” “Indara cared for you. So for her sake at least, I’ll help you. I'll keep the east under control, because I care about it's people…..and because that's what she would have wanted.” Viktor wondered what Jericho would do. He looked like he was considering shooting the man on the spot, and his mental state was hardly great right now. Titus seemed a flimsy choice, but then again most people here were. At least Indara had trusted him. The two men stared each other down and the result was anyone’s guess. But Jericho surprised him once again. “Alright. I'm trusting you for now. Let’s hope I don't regret it.” Titus didn't say another word. He just turned and left, and they had a new tenuous ally. At least Titus was open about his dislike, and Viktor figured his sense of honor wouldn't permit him to plot treachery. Jericho sat back on his sofa and took a bite out of a pear. “That was either the best choice I could have made, or the very worst one. Anyway, what’s done is done. I want to talk about the girl. Rain. Have you posted the bounty like I asked?” Viktor nodded. The bounty in question was ludicrous. 10,000 caps for one person was simply insane. Villages and entire populations had been wiped out for less. Viktor wasn't one to count caps, but even he knew that such an expense was going to be disastrous for their economy, at least in the short term. Jericho sunk back into his dark mood almost instantly. “Viktor….if I asked…..would you kill her?” “Yes.” He answered without delay. To be honest, he hoped he didn't have too. He didn't like the idea of cutting down some young girl, regardless of what she was capable of. The look on Sylvia’s face said she felt the same. Jericho shook his head thankfully. “No. I want her hunted for a while. I want her to see that killing Indara was the worst mistake she could have made. But mark my words, her death will be avenged.” “Indara’s dead?!” They looked over to see little Amiee standing on the open doorway. She was all dressed for bed in her pink nightgown and must have gotten tired of waiting for her mother. Viktor closed his eyes with frustration. Despite her young age, she understood death, the finality of it. He hadn't wanted Her to find out this way. Her eyes filled with tears and she ran off before anyone could stop her. “Aimee, sweetheart wait!” Sylvia called as she chased after her. “Aw, shit. I'm sorry man. Really.” Jericho said. “She would have found out eventually.” Viktor said. “I'll talk to her.” * Aimee had found many hiding spots in her time in this tower, mostly to avoid her schoolwork. This time it was just to be alone. She was in a supply closet, one of many. Her mother wouldn't find her for a while. She couldn’t believe Indara was dead. She was so nice, at least to her. Aimee used to sit on her lap and play with her hair. Occasionally, Indara would tell her about her adventures. It was hard to think that she would never see her again. The thought made her start crying all over again. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed as she sat in the darkness of the closet. She knew she would need to leave shortly. Her dad might get upset if she hid too long. She just didn't want too yet. Leaving would make it real, she would have to face it, and she didn't know if she could face it yet. The door opened, flooding the closet with light. For a moment she figured her parents had found her. The figure in the doorway was familiar, she had seen him around before. He was called “Pretty Boy” by the others, probably as a mean joke Aimee figured. With his wavy hair and rogue smile, he might have been nice looking once. Now his face was marred by a long diagonal scar that ran down from his forehead to his chin. “Hi, Mr. Tucker.” She squeaked out, finally remembering his name. Garret Tucker. She wasn't a fan of him. He always called her by a really annoying nickname. “Well now. What do we have here? What's wrong, little rat?”

“Damn. I lost again. You'd think I would get better over time, but it doesn't feel like it.” Miles sighed and took another swig of beer. Tobias grinned from the other side of the chess board. “I was always told that every defeat is a lesson, but I’ve found more often than not that old habits are hard to break, no matter how much you want too. You just need a plan, Miles. You can't just rush in.” Tobias had already given his information on the next raider band the Regulators would target. Now they were just enjoying the weather and each other's company. Miles watched as Aiden stood watch with the others, who never seemed to mind the long chess games their second in command played with their informant. Aiden was getting bigger every day, and Miles found himself eyeing his son more and more, wishing he could somehow slow the clock and keep his son small. Tobias was also looking at Aiden. “He's a good kid, Miles. His resemblance to you is astounding.” “Well, I’m no expert but I think that’s how it's supposed to work. If he looked like someone else I think I'd be worried a bit.” Tobias laughed, nearly spitting out his own alcoholic beverage. “You know what I mean. I don't know what his mother looked like, but he is your spitting image that's for sure. He even acts like you.” Miles nodded proudly. “He never got to meet his mom, she passed giving birth to him. I’ve done my best to keep him safe and raise him well. I hope…..no, I know she would be proud of him. Maybe she would be proud of me, despite our beefs with each other near the end. That's all I can do. You ever think about having kids?” “No, I don't…….don't think I'm cut out for it. My best friend though is due to have a little one soon. He's hoping for a boy, but his wife is sure it's a girl. I think I'll settle with being an uncle. The consequences will be less severe if I mess up.” “Every parent messes up. Believe me, I know I have. You haven't told me much about your people, Tobias. You got a big group?” Tobias took his time answering. “Sure. More people seem to join everyday, but we lose our fair share as well. The core group, I guess you could call them, shrinks every year. That's a shame too, cause they're the best people I know.” “Well, they got a good guy leading them. In my opinion.” Miles said, sensing his friend's unease. Tobias seemed to darken further however, despite the praise. “No, not a good leader. I do what I have to in order to keep them safe, but not all of them see it or understand it. Shit, sometimes I have trouble seeing it.” Miles raised his bottle in a salute. “See? You're a parent already. That's exactly what Aiden is like. Stubborn even when he know it's for his own good.” “It seems like he wants to follow in your footsteps.” No. He’s an explorer at heart, you know? He knows what I do is important, but I think the concept of why it's important eludes him. He’s never around the fighting mind you, but he knows what we do. Killing people and all that. And I don't know if he looks up to me for it, or if I even want him too.” “And are you so sure it's important? Your mission, what you do? How do you justify all the killing?” Miles just shrugged. “All I do is try to make the world a better place. For that, there needs to be some form of justice. It's not perfect, but it's all I can do.” “Making the world a better place. Some might call that foolishly idealistic, but I like the idea of it; Making things a bit better than they were the day before.” Miles sighed. “It's not easy, and there was a time I questioned how more blood could make a positive change. I believe it now though. I've seen it work.” Tobias grinned sadly. “Not to get weepy or nothing, but I kinda look up to you. You got this optimism to you. Maybe it's cause of Aiden, maybe it's how sure you are in what you're doing. Either way, you make me feel more confident in my own choices. Even the hard ones. You've become a sort of light in the darkness.” Miles nodded and blinked rapidly, then cracked a smile. “Right, right. I’m glad you love me, but I don't swing that way.” Tobias rolled his eyes. “Asshole. You know, I was trying to be deep. Philosophical.” “Oh, yeah, I got that. I'm your guiding light! Your shining star!” Miles mocked. “Fuck off. Geez, I try to give a compliment.” He opened another beer and handed it to Miles, then opened another for himself. Miles raised the bottle. “To making the world a better place.” Tobias gave that sad smile again, or maybe it was a little less sad, as he raised his own drink. “Hell yeah, brother.” * There are times when even the most well thought out plans crumble as though they had never been laid in the first place. Everything had gone wrong in an instant, despite all of his plans and safeguards. Miles was coming. He had appeared out of nowhere, with two others in tow. They took his guards by surprise, that classic Regulator technique. The panic was nearly instantaneous, although they had recovered quickly enough. Jericho had ordered a fighting retreat to a nearby multi-floored parking structure. Many fell as they were pushed further by Miles, who was leading the charge more than his companions. Jericho made it inside the parking lot and then began moving up. Miles didn't let up, continuing the assault while his friends fought off some of Jericho’s men who had lagged behind. “Jericho!!!” He heard Miles scream. He needed a plan. But what? He kept moving upwards until there was nowhere to go. The way to the roof had collapsed and couldn't be crossed. He was pinned in. Still, he was already formulating a plan. He still had twelve men with him, and Miles had separated from his support. All he had to do was wait for Indara. She would show up with the kid, and join her forces with his, and then he would force Miles to relent. “Tobias!!! Jericho!!!” The yell came again. He took cover behind a column, as did his guys. Every gun was pointed toward the ramp that Miles would be coming up from. The battle below became a distant hum. There was just the slow steady echo of footsteps growing closer and closer. Miles walked up at last. Their eyes met. Those eyes were filled with a pure hatred that was almost chilling. His men attacked at once, automatic fire ripping into concrete columns and Miles himself. The noise was deafening, and Jericho could barley see from the swirling dust of the exploding columns. As it cleared, he saw that Miles was still standing, his torn coat billowed in the breeze. He was bleeding, shot up with holes, barely standing, but standing nonetheless. His guys had reloaded and kept firing. Miles took one ragged step after another, his body was practically a pulpy mess. Still, he kept coming, looking less and less human as he raised his own pistols and began firing. Jericho took cover, too shocked to fight back. What was he?! How could anyone keep standing after such wounds? He saw two of his guys fall, then a third. Another tried to run, and Miles shot him down without looking. His body was jerked again and again as he was riddled with bullets, but he kept coming. “He…….He won't die.” Jericho said numbly. Jericho stayed behind his guards, watching helplessly as they fell one after the other. It didn't take long until he was alone, facing his former friend. Miles wasn't looking at him, didn't seem to be able move. His body was torn to near shreds, his breathing was ragged and harsh. Then he tossed his head back and screamed, an inhuman, animalistic scream. And in that scream Jericho felt all his former comrade’s pain, his suffering and anguish and hatred. For the first time in five years Jericho realized how deeply he had wounded Miles. Enough to turn him into this……thing. A lifeless body motivated only by an intense desire for revenge. The bullets seemed to force their way out of his body, piling up in small, bloody piles. Miles had dropped his guns and fallen to his knees, blood pouring out his mouth. Then he began healing as though nothing had happened. In mere moments he looked as though he had never been hurt at all. Jericho had never seen anything like it. Slowly, he managed to get to his feet, hatred brimming behind his eyes. Jericho tossed his own gun aside and showed his hands. “Miles…..let's talk. Don't forget, I have your teammate in my hands.” In response, Miles launched himself at him. * Gabriel had been trailing Indara and her group for some time, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rain. But his loud and bulky armor meant that he had to stay far back. He feared what might happen to Rain of he was discovered. But he still hadn't seen her, and with every moment that passed he worried what that meant. Everything was going strange. Why was Indara moving south again? He knew he should wait until he got closer to Miles and the others, but if the synth had hurt Rain or did before he got there he would never forgive himself. Even though she had only been with them a year, she was one of them, and he had grown quite fond of her. He had been the first to teach her how to shoot, and every time she raised a weapon, he could see how his training had taken hold. He had never taught anyone before. In the Brotherhood, others fulfilled that roll. After he had left, after he was forced to flee the only family he had ever known, he figured he would live in obscurity until he died in some civilian shithole. He had never expected to find another family again, one that would accept him despite his past, although Miles was the only one who knew his whole past. He couldn't wait any longer. There was only one move he could make now. He had to get Rain back no matter what. Abandoning any attempts at stealth, he rushed toward Indara and her guards. Even with his armor, he wouldn't be able to hold on long against Indara’s troops, so he was counting on a new addition on his armor to help. He had fitted it during the long winter break, although he had been forced to seek Tali’s help. Ironically, it was her help that was the reason he hadn't tried it out before now. Brilliant though she was, her propensity for inventions that exploded was too well established. It was now or never. He sprinted toward the small army, probably making the ground shake as he did so. He was certainly making enough noise. They noticed him fairly quickly and began firing at once. Gabe just kept running, hoping that his armor held up, otherwise he was gonna look pretty stupid as he died. The raiders were too shocked at this near kamikaze attack, that they couldn't see what his plan was until it was too late. Indara didn't realize it either until his arms were around her. As soon as he had her, he triggered his new toy. The pack on his back let out a burst of fire, sending both himself and Indara into the air. For a few moments, Gabriel felt almost weightless, until gravity once again took over, sending them hurtling through the window of a broken skyscraper. “Holy shit! That was awesome!” He muttered as he got to his feet. He looked out the window and whistled. They had landed on maybe on the fourth floor, far lower than he thought. The room looked like it used to be an office of some sort. Cubicles decorated the room, the lights hung from wires from the ceiling. Indara’s men were currently trying and failing to find a way into the building. He managed to buy himself some time. Now he had a hostage, leverage to get Rain back. Well…….maybe. Indara had recovered by this point, and he suddenly had the feeling that he had caged himself in with a wild animal. Maybe this wasn't a great idea after all. “Madam, I must inform you that you are officially being take into custody.” Indara was already rushing toward him. She leapt forward with both of her legs out, drop kicking him straight in the chest. Any normal person would have bounced off his power armor. Instead, she sent him flying backwards. Gabriel groaned as he began to get back to his feet. “Seriously, surrender now……and I won't have to hurt you.” She leapt onto his back and stuck there like a deranged animal, trying to rip off his helmet. His next move was to run backwards. With Indara still on his back, he rammed them straight through the wall and into the next room with only a large oval table decorating it. The hit managed to knock Indara off, and before she could recover, he had grabbed the table and hit her with it, once again sending her through a wall and into another room. He stomped through the hole and swung his metal fists at the synth. She was too fast and he knew it. She dodged and ducked each attack, his fists breaking through cubicles, sending office supplies flying. Once again the synth managed to knock him away with a powerful kick, but otherwise she couldn't hurt him. Both had now managed to draw their side arms, probably mutually aware that neither would be much use. They fired anyway, unloading on each other with everything they had. Indara was using a familiar energy pistol unique to the Institute. Bullets would have been no issue, but her energy pistol was blackening and denting his armor. His own weapon scored a hit across her side, her wound deep enough to show bloody muscle and wires. Both ended up taking cover behind some flimsy office furniture. “This is pointless, Indara. My armor can take more damage than you can dish out. Give it up, already!” “My guys are coming up as we speak. We'll see who gives out first. I was supposed to leave you be, but I don't care anymore. I'll rip you out of that tin can personally and end you.” “I just want the girl! Hand her over and this ends now. I don't want to kill you, but if I have too, I won't hesitate.” Indara kept quiet for a moment, then to his surprise, tossed her gun aside and left cover with her hands raised. “If it's Rain you're after, she got away early today, probably headed to Miles and your friends.” “Like I'm gonna take your word for it.” Gabe scoffed. “Listen to me! Jericho is here. I just had a runner tell me he passed me by a few hours ago. Rain is heading right toward him, Miles has probably already found him. If we don't both get there, we won’t have anyone left to save.” Gabe listened, trying to hear if she was lying. Something in her voice rang true, and it chilled him to the bone. He put his own weapon away. Ancient enemies stood feet from each other, both ready to put their differences aside for the ones they cared about. “I don't know why, but actually believe you. Okay then, I guess I better get moving. Hopefully we can continue this another time. I had you on the ropes.” “Right.” Indara laughed. “I could hear that old heart of yours about to hop out of your chest.” Gabriel heard angry voices as Indara’s forces began knocking their way through the offices. He didn't have long. He moved to one of the shattered windows, preparing to make the jump. “Wait!” Indara called. “You never answered me before. How many synths did you kill when you were the Brotherhood?” Gabe felt his breath stop in his chest. The question brought a lot of painful memories for him. “If they attacked me, I killed them. Plenty of them in fact. As for the other………less hostile synths……I didn't kill any personally y’know, but……I didn't stop it either, not at first anyway.” Indara nodded. “I believe you. It doesn’t change anything though. I'll still kill you next time we meet.” “I'll watch my back. Look, for what it's worth…….we were wrong. The Brotherhood should have treated you as people. That's what you are. I can’t take back anything, but I am sorry.” “Don't be. I don't want to hear it, I don’t accept it, and it still doesn't change shit. Next time, I’ll kill you, and I’ll enjoy it. Now get lost. Keep that girl safe.” Gabe nodded, his helmet hiding his grimace. He jumped out the window, his landing shaking the earth beneath him. He started running immediately, heading south. “Hold on, Miles. I'm coming.” * Miles attacked with all the pent up fury he had built up for the last five years. Jericho didn't even try to defend himself. Miles rained blow after blow, marveling at his strength. His body had never taken such beating before. His body had taken everything Jericho’s guys had sent him and he was still standing. He never healed so fast before. Maybe his adrenaline was pushing the contraption in his body into overdrive. Either way, he felt stronger than ever. His right hook sent his old friend into a concrete column, his head bouncing off with a satisfying crunch. When Jericho tried to get up, he kicked him in the ribs as hard as he could. Jericho sputtered and coughed as he tried to get away. “Get up. That’s not nearly enough.” Miles spat angrily. Jericho staggered to his feet, supporting himself against the broken column. “I get it, you're angry. I don't blame you, but you don't understand. I had to make a choice. My people or yours.” Miles punched him again, knocking him to the ground. “Don't you dare. Don't you even try to justify what you did. You killed everyone I ever cared about. My friends, my family, my son!” He kept up his assault, his voice cracking as he picked Jericho up and threw him again into a broken stone column. Miles stopped as a wave of coughing knocked him to his knees. His body shuddered violently and he could see blood on his hand when he took it away. Jericho watched him silently, holding his ribs. There was a strange look on his face. Pity maybe, or possibly disgust. “Enough of this. Look at yourself, Miles. You're sick, man. I don’t want to hurt you, hell I didn't even want to come down here. But like last time, you just had keep pushing.” Miles was having a hard time breathing, taking desperate gasps for air and forcing himself to his feet. “You killed my little boy. An eleven year old boy.” Jericho opened his mouth to reply, but the words seemed to get stuck in his throat. He swallowed hard. “You're right. Aiden’s death was my fault. Killing me won't change anything, Miles, it would just make things worse. The north will be thrown into chaos until someone else takes my place.” Miles looked around and found his guns, putting one back in it's holster, pointing the other at his enemy. Maybe Jericho was right, but it didn't matter either way. “I don't care. You're murderer and liar. You manipulated me, you pretended to be my friend, and then you destroyed everything. Everything! You took my son from me! Now it's my turn.” Jericho nodded, looking resigned. “I pity you, Miles. I hate what I turned you into, I really do. And you deserve your revenge. But I can’t let you have it.” Miles heard a loud crack as Jericho pulled a rusty rebar from the column he was against. It whistled through the air, hitting him square in the head. Miles fired, but only managed to hit Jericho in the shoulder. His gun flew from his hands and he reeled backwards. Jericho hit him two more times, once across the back, and then across the face once again. With an enraged roar, he flung himself one more time at his enemy, getting his hands around Jericho’s neck right as the raider leader shoved the rebar through his chest. It went all the way through his body and exited out his back. Miles felt his strength leave him as his hands fell to his sides. Jericho moved him, leading him to the edge of the parking structure. He could feel a breeze on his back, but he couldn't manage to do anything. He couldn't feel his legs. “The problem with you and your pals, Miles? Always been so damn naïve. Things aren't so simple that pointing and gun and shooting people will solve everything. I'm sorry, pal but that's the truth.” Miles managed to weakly raise his right hand, clapping it around Jericho’s throat, but he knocked it away contemptuously. The two of them stood there in silence for a time, the gunfire from below seemed like a faint echo. Finally, Jericho sighed and gave a small smile. “I already put you in the grave once, old friend. I think it’s time for you to go back where you belong.” Jericho gave a single kick, pulling the rebar at the same time. For a few moments, Miles felt weightless as the rushing air blew in his ears. The ground caught up with him at last, breaking every bone in his body. * Rain had begun panting even before she heard the first gunshots. The winter had evidently left her a bit out of shape. For a while the day seemed peaceful enough, then the air came alive with a fury. She didn't know what was going on. Indara was further north, along with all her men, so who exactly was fighting? She worried about her friends, seeing as how they had taken a beating last time. Poor Miyuki had suffered a pretty bad broken arm, she probably wouldn't be much help in a fight. So she ran, despite her exhaustion, her aching legs, and her increasingly damp diaper. At least she was in a skirt, although the plastic covering of the diaper had the habit of sticking painfully to the skin of her thighs. She moved closer to the sounds of battle, so close now that she was surprised she still couldn't see anyone. She saw a large parking garage in the distance and skidded to a halt when she saw Miles on the third floor of it. Then to her horror, she saw him fall, losing sight of him before he hit the ground. It was when she looked up again that she saw him. Jericho Thorne. She could see the edges of his fiery tattoo from where she stood. She felt stunned, slowly feeling the familiar power flooding her body. He had hurt Miles. Again. After everything he had already put him through, he had hurt him again. Maybe Indara could see some small bit of goodness left in Thorne, but from her vantage point, she couldn't see any. As if by instinct, she pushed the power down her body until it reached her feet, then she jumped, feeling the air almost part as she soared upward. The feelings coursing through her at this moment were beyond anything she had experienced yet. She felt invincible, powerful, and righteous. She knew the backlash would be bad, crippling maybe, but right now that didn't matter. Enough was enough. It was time for Jericho to meet his maker. She had one moment where she got to enjoy his face as he saw her flying thirty feet into the air straight at him. She managed to go just over his head and land behind him. Before he could react she lashed out with her hand, her power slamming into him and doubling him over. Once again she wielded her power like a giant proxy hand, gripping him and tossing him across the room before he had a chance to be surprised. If only he knew his killer was still in diapers. He scrambled up and managed to grab a fallen AK. Before he could fire, Rain was twisting her power yet again, drawing it in close to herself, like a second skin. She stood motionless as Jericho fired at her, watching with a giddy joy as the bullets bounced off her. Jericho ran out of bullets and tossed the empty weapon aside before grabbing another discarded AK. He looked at her with a mixture of fear and disbelief. “What the fuck?! What the hell are you?! Who are you?!” Rain smiled a cheshire grin. “I thought you would know. You sent Indara after me remember?” He suddenly looked pale. “Indara…….you…..If you hurt her, I swear……” “You'll do what? You can’t touch me. As for me, I don't even have to touch you to kill you.” She grabbed him again, lifting him high into the air and began to squeeze. He dropped his weapon as he squirmed. She loved how he started to turn purple. She slammed him down hard on the ground, lifted him again, and slammed him again. Something hit her from behind, and she skidded across the floor. Her concentration broken, Jericho fell to the ground with a groan. Rain looked up to find Indara looking down at her. “Stop. Just stop, both of you. This is going too far.” Indara pleaded. Jericho managed to get to his feet. “Fucking freaks everywhere I look. First Miles, now this pint sized witch. What the fuck is this world coming to?” He picked up a large calibur revolver and pointed at her. Indara stood in his way. “No, wait. Stop now please. There has to be another way.” “There is no other way.” Rain said as she stood and prepared another psychic attack. “Either he dies, or I do.” Jericho smiled. “Right. You haven't seen what I have, Indara, what Miles can do, and now her. Our enemies have abilities I can’t hope to match, and they aren't interested in talking. In order to keep everyone safe, they both have to go away. Step aside.” “No! I'm not going to stand here and let you kill each other! Let’s just go home, Jericho, please.” “He's not going anywhere!” Rain said as she lashed out at last. She knocked Indara aside with a blast and turned her attention on Thorne. He fired three times, but she deflected them with ease. The next time he fired, she would send it right back at him and end this. Jericho scoffed and took aim. “I don’t know how you're doing this, but I bet you can’t keep it up for long. You're ear is bleeding.” Rain felt something warm running down her cheek and knew he was right. It was all the more reason to take him down as soon as she could. With his gun still aimed at her, Jericho pulled a grenade from his belt with his free hand and tossed it at her. Before she could deflect it she heard a shot ring out and it detonated. She barely got a barrier up in time, and the blast knocked her over. She scrambled to her feet as fast as she could, and saw him fire once more. She caught it at the last second, the bullet still spinning an inch from her face. She heard Indara screaming and Jericho staring slack jawed. She turned the bullet around slowly, then sent it flying back. * A few weeks earlier “Where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world?” Sylvia asked as the group sat down over a few beers. They had gathered the night before everyone went on their own ways. Jericho sat at the head of the table, Victor and Sylvia to his right. Hudson came next, and Indara rounded the group out. “I don't know that there's anywhere to go.” Viktor said stonily. “One wasteland looks the same as any other.” Sylvia slapped him on the arm. “Don't be so negative. Let’s just pretend that there's a larger world out there, and maybe out there somewhere is a place that was untouched by the nukes. Come on.” Hudson sighed. “Why settle on just one place? There's a huge world out there and Sylvia is right. No way everything is shit. I’d like to see it all, you know? At least all of the United States. Just wait until I get that car running.” Indara snorted. “Where I came from we just teleported wherever we wanted. Instantaneous travel.” “Bullshit. Nobody can do that. Besides, fast travel like that is just unrealistic, no matter how practical or advantageous it is.” “It’s not bullshit. I'm being totally honest. I'm a little surprised those eggheads never tried to make a running vehicle. Then again they tended to look on anything surface level as inferior.” “Lovely people, your lot.” Hudson grunted. “What about you, boss? Where would you go?” Jericho shrugged, unsure if he should be honest. “Probably some place far away. Some place out in the middle of no where.” Inwardly, he thought what he really wanted was a place where no one knew who he was. “Anti-social much?” Sylvia teased. “What's wrong with all of you? I can't get a decent answer out of anyone.” “Maybe you should give us an example of what kind of answer you’re looking for.” Viktor offered, a slight smile on his lips. “Paris! The city of love and romance. I mean, can you imagine how beautiful it must be? I’ve only seen pictures, but I'd love to see Paris for real.” “Indara? What about you?” Jericho asked. She thought for a moment. “The ocean. I'd really like to see the ocean.” Hudson scoffed. “What for? It's just water.” “Shut your face, Lucas.” Sylvia snapped. “That’s good, that's a good answer. Yeah. Sandy beaches, gentle waves……..” “Dead fish.” Viktor said. “Trash and junk.” Jericho joked. “You're all the worst.” Sylvia grumbled. Indara smiled. “In with you, Sylvia. Can you imagine Aimee at the beach? I bet she'd love it.” She sighed. “One day. I'm gonna see the ocean one day.” * Indara's head exploded in a shower of blood and circuitry. She had leapt in between them to quickly to react, the deflected bullet was moving at too high of a velocity. Rain and Jericho both yelled out in horror as her body hit the ground. Everything seemed to go quiet. Jericho rushed to her side, but they both knew she was gone. She was tougher than any human probably, but everything had come together in that one horrible moment. If she hadn’t been in that exact spot at that precise moment then maybe it would have been different. But that's not what happened and she was beyond any help now. What had once been a vibrant, living being was now just a hunk of flesh and wires. Rain fell to her knees, her power leaving her. The pain was already setting in, but she was too distraught too think of it. She had just spoken to her an few hours ago and now she was gone. “I…….I don't…..I didn't mean…….” Jericho was cradling her in his arms and sobbing. When he finally looked up at her, she saw a familiar hatred in his eyes, one strikingly similar to Miles. “You'll pay for this. If it takes the rest of my life, you'll pay. I'll turn this whole state, this whole country on you. I'll set a bounty so large that every hunter in four states will come to collect. Every day, everywhere you go, you will be hunted! You will know no rest, no comfort. Villagers you go to help will be more interested in the price on your head than the aid you can give them. It will never end, do you hear me? It won't end until I hang your lifeless body from my penthouse window for the crows to devour! Witch! The Witch of the Wasteland, that's how you'll be known from now on, I swear it.” Her head was already splitting as she struggled to her feet. She could have ended things there maybe, but she just couldn't. She gave him one last look, then limped her way down the ramp. She could hear his curses the whole way down. Tali was near the bottom with Rocco, having finally pushed their way through. Tali ran to her and wrapped her in her arms. Rain collapsed from exhaustion and grief and began bawling. “It's okay. I got you, little one.” Tali assured her. “Everything's okay.” “What happened? Rocco asked. “Indara got past us, what the hell happened?!” “We need to leave!” Gabriel yelled, running as fast as he could He had a broken Miles in his arms. “Indara’s people are right behind me, we gotta go. There's too many.” “Shit.” Rocco cursed. We're almost out of ammo too.” “What happened to Jericho?” Miles asked. His voice was hoarse, his eyes spoke of a deep exhaustion. “What happened up there, Rain?” She had was being carried by Tali as the group began running south. She had to force herself to stop crying on order to answer. “He’s still alive. I……I killed Indara……...I didn't……I killed her.” Even saying the words was painful. “Good. I hope she rots.” he said, his voice a whisper. It was harsh. She wanted to yell that he didn't know her, not really. But she couldn't do that. Miles had only experienced the bad side of Indara, he hadn't seen her inner frailty or beauty. She had killed his friends, but she was also so much more than that. Could Rain really say he was wrong? Was he any better of a person? Was anyone? Maybe they were all just victims, both of their groups. Maybe the past was just a perpetual cycle of wrongs by some that lead to other wrongs. Rain was starting to wonder if there was even a way of making a right choice. “Later go home.” She asked. “I wanna go home.” “Let’s hope we make it.” Rocco said. “We're outmanned and outgunned, and there's a shitload of pissed off raiders on our tail.”

Indara let Rain go mainly out of fear of what Jericho might do to her. While you, the reader knows that he doesn't intend on harming her, Indara didn't. I haven't revealed Jericho's history yet, but he is capable of extreme cruelty if he feels it's necessary. Before the Doctor arrived he made his reputation on it. Indara knows this, she's seen it, she's been a party to it. As much as she cares about Jericho, she can't ignore the possibilities. Hope that answers your question.

Rain woke to the feeling of movement, like she was floating on a pool of water maybe, a gentle rocking. It felt safe and pleasant, and it was only with great reluctance that she opened her eyes. She was in Indara’s room like she was before she had fallen asleep. The room was dark except for a small candle on the nightstand nearby. But this time she was surprised to find herself in her captor’s arms. Indara was….. rocking her, cradling her like an infant. As alarming as that was, it was made even more awkward by the fact that Rain wasn’t wearing pants at the moment, as they had gotten wet in her last accident. So she was in a simple shirt with her diaper exposed. And Indara was rocking her. She was pretty sure Indara didn't know she was awake yet. In fact, Indara didn't seem to be paying much attention anyway. Her eyes looked vacantly toward the wall. With one hand, she brushed Rain’s hair, while her other hand was on her diaper, making small little pats. Finally, Rain felt like she had to ask. “Uh……Indara? What are you doing?” Indara looked almost surprised that she had been caught. It was too dark to tell, but it almost looked like she was blushing. Could she blush? Gabriel had mentioned how human like synths could appear. They could eat, they breathed, who knows what else. “I'm sorry. I know this is probably demeaning for you.” Indara said, smiling down at her. “If it's not too much trouble, would it be okay for us to stay like this for a bit?” “Yeah……okay, sure. But……um……what's going on?” Rain figured she didn't have much of a choice anyway. Indara was strong enough that she probably wouldn't have been able to get free if she tried. Indara was quiet, gathering her thoughts, but she kept a steady rhythm of rocking and patting her diaper. There was almost a kind of sadness in her eyes now. Rain had seen her angry, seen her excited during their fight, and now the all too human machine looked sad. “I just realized I don't know your name. I'd like too if you're okay with it.” “My name is Rain.” She said, still wondering what this was all about. Indara looked confused for a second. “That’s not a typical human name.” And so while being rocked like a child, Rain told her story. Indara listened with an almost blank expression. When she had finished, Indara nodded and gave a small smile. “It was raining that day too, when Jericho found me. You've had quite the journey for such a young girl. I hope you get your memory back.” There seemed to be more that she wanted to say, but couldn't, or maybe wouldn't. It felt like a shadow was over her, hanging heavy over her thoughts. “Indara, are you okay? Is something wrong?” “I wasn't totally honest with you earlier.” Indara said at last. “I told you I was a courser, and I am to some extent, but I'm also not.” “What does that mean?” Rain asked from her cradled position. “My original function......god I hate that word……function. I was not created a courser. I was originally designed as a caretaker, to watch the Institue’s children while their parent's worked. For years and years I helped raise their young. I loved my job, I really did.” “Okay. So all this is what? Nostalgia?” Indara laughed. A sweet and beautiful laugh. “Yes. Although you're a bit bigger than the kids I looked after. Not too much though. I'm not an expert on human biology, but should you be so scrawny? Doesn't Miles feed you?” “I'm just small. I always have been. I don't think I look like a kid though.” Indara nodded, and Rain felt her hand probing her diaper, checking it. “To be fair, the diapers make you look smaller somehow. No offense, I think you look adorable. By the way, you're pretty damp, so I'll change you after I finish my story, okay?” Rain could feel her face going red. Not even Tali had treated her like this, although she got close at times. Indara had just checked her diaper while rocking her and declared that a change was in order. Like it was a simple fact, not up for debate. Indara continued. “You know why I loved taking care of those kids? They treated me like I was a human. They couldn't conceive what I was, only that they had fun with me. I cared for them and they cared for me and I was happy.” Indara closed her eyes and sighed, and the rocking stopped for a moment. Then she moved on. “Time passed however, and those same kids grew up and they began to see me as an object, a machine. A machine that gave them nostalgic memories, but still a thing nonetheless. I didn't understand why, but suddenly I didn’t matter anymore. But I had new kids to care for so it was okay. But the idea had planted itself inside me. They looked at me different because I wasn't a person in their eyes. But I knew. I did matter. I wasn't just some machine. And I asked myself, didn't I deserve love too? It took years before it hit me. I didn't want to be used and discarded anymore. I wanted to be valued and that would never happen at the Institute.” “So you ran away?” “The war between the Institute and the Brotherhood was causing chaos, and many synths had used the distraction to escape. But I was afraid to leave. I knew I would be hunted. The Institute would sends coursers to hunt me down. The Brotherhood would kill me on sight, as they had others who escaped. There was a group of humans who were helping my kind escape, but I couldn't trust them, the Railroad. I thought they would betray me.” “So one day I decided to escape on my own, and to defend myself from whoever came after me, I took extreme measures. I stole the combat data for the coursers and uploaded it into myself. There were consequences, of course. The data changed me, made me more vicious and predatory. I suddenly knew how to fight and hunt, how to kill and butcher and destroy. Still, I was sure that I could handle myself if I had too. Then I left and escaped into the wasteland.” Rain could tell the story was difficult for Indara, and she instinctually reached and put a hand on her shoulder. “So you were like a nanny bot….and then you made yourself into a courser?” “Yes. In a way. But I wasn't built as a courser, and I soon discovered that even with the combat data, a true courser was more than my match.” * Years before…. She hit the ground hard. She was scared and frustrated. Despite uploading the combat data, she wasn’t able to defend herself. The courser they had sent was modeled as a man, tall and tan, wearing the traditional black garb of the synth hunters. He looked down on her with no emotion. She had thought that all synths had emotions, but the coursers were different. They seemed to feel nothing at all. And he was so strong. No matter how hard she had fought, he beat her down. No matter where she ran, he followed. If she hid, he found her. He had chased her for endless miles, across whole states. It had turned into a kind of futile game, and she knew now that it was hopless. She was going to be taken back, and the Institute would tear her apart, rip away everything that she was. She would cease to exist. “Stop this pointless struggle Z-1366. Give up now and things will go better for you.” She scrambled away. “No! I won't go back. I don't want to go back!” “Not your choice to make Z-1366. Stop being hysterical. It's embarrassing. Come along now, or I'll be forced to use your recall code and deactivate you. I'll admit, I was curious to see if you could match me with your stolen skills. An error, no doubt, that I let my curiosity, pride even, dictate my actions. Nonetheless, this is over.” She leapt at him one more time, and when he knocked her back down as she had predicted, she tried to sweep his legs out from under him. He saw through her tactic and effortlessly dodged her leg, at the same time kicking her so hard she was sent rolling across the dirt. “It’s time to go home.” He said. He grabbed her roughly by the hair. She screamed and she kicked but he ignored her and was preparing to teleport. Then, in an instant, his head simply disappeared, exploded in a shower of blood. He let her go and fell to the ground. Behind where he once stood, a man looked down at her, concern in his eyes. He looked young and rugged at the same time. In his right hand, a held a large caliber revolver, still smoking. “You okay? I don't know what that was all about, but whoever that guy was rubbed me the wrong way. It seemed downright wrong to let him manhandle you like that.” She saw more humans approaching, but her savior held up a hand and they kept back. The sky had grown dark and suddenly she felt wet droplets hitting her skin, first slowly, then faster as more and more fell. It was cold, ice cold, but she loved it. It was real, it seemed like the first real thing she had ever felt. Rain. It was wonderful. She was afraid. Who was this man? What did he want? She pushed herself away in fear. “Please……don't hurt me. I just…..I wanted to be free. I wanted to be real.” The man knelt down. The way he looked at her….like she was someone. “You don't have to be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. If you're a slave, you can consider those days over. You're free. You can do whatever you want.” She sat in the pouring rain, as the man stared at her awaiting her response. Freedom. It didn’t seem possible. “I don't know what to do. I don't have anywhere to go. I'm alone.” “Well in that case, why don't you come with me? I'll get you someplace warm, get you something to eat. You'll be safe. It's up to you though. No one will force you to do anything you don't want too.” “Why? Why would you help me? I'm nothing…..I’m not even real.” Then he stuck out his hand as water ran down his face. “You look real to me. Beautiful, if a bit rough around the edges. You can call me Jericho. What's your name?” She hesitated, staring at the outstretched hand. “I don't have a name. I have a number.” The man kept his hand outstretched and thought for a moment. “No name huh? How about…….Indara? A unique name for a unique woman.” He called her a woman. Not a machine or a synth or a tool. A woman. She nodded shyly. “Come with me, Indara. Let's get the hell away from here. First home, then…..wherever you want to go.” After a moment, she reached out and took his hand. It felt warm despite the freezing water. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. She felt happy again, for the first time in a long time. * “Do you know what it's like to spend your whole existence as nothing, just a tool to uncaring overlords? To be told everyday that you were nothing? Can you imagine what it would be like, after all that, to have one person, just one person, tell you that you mattered? That's what Jericho did for me. Even after he found out what I am, it didn't matter. He still cared for me, he valued me. He kept me safe from the Institute too. There were too many people for a courser to even try and get me.” Rain nodded, hoping Indara was too invested in her story to feel the steady stream of urine Rain was currently sending into her diaper. “So you help him, a murderer, because he was nice to you?” “Is that any different from you with Miles? He’s a killer, Rain. So is Gabriel of the Brotherhood, so is that ghoul. So are you. We murder those we are convinced are wrong, evil, and we convince ourselves that we're right. Jericho saved me, gave me a home, and I helped him in return. Even when he sent me away to be his general and I knew I would only see him on rare occasions. It didn't matter. I was useful to the only person who mattered to me. In time, I even found others to care about and who cared about me in return.” Rain didn't like want she was saying, but she couldn't really argue either. There had been several times, countless hours where she had questioned the morality of what she was doing, but the people she killed were clearly bad, threats to innocent people. It wasn't the same. But still, she was the same as Indara. Where would she be now if Miles and the others hadn't saved her? “It wasn't just me.” Indara continued. “Take Barnabas. A Super Mutant, a monster. There was no chance for him to be anything else, until Jericho saved him. Hudson is the same, a man with few skills beyond violence, and a temper to boot. We were all outsiders and freaks, and he brought us together, gave us something bigger to fight for.” Rain understood this too. Really, Miles was the same. He had brought together an unlikely team, united by a desire to right the wrongs of the world. Miyuki, Tali, Gabe, Rocco, even Rain herself, were damaged in some way, or stood out from the crowd of normal people. “Why are you telling me this?” Rain asked. Indara shrugged. “I don't know. I guess I just wanted someone to know. When you're something that's made, I guess…..I guess I just wanted someone to know who I am, so that I can be remembered as a real person, if that makes sense.” Rain wasn't sure how to respond. Indara seemed very concerned with the idea of her identity, on being a real person rather than an artificial one. What could she say that could reassure her? “I'm afraid, Rain. I feel like something bad is going to happen. I want to tell you everything will work out, that you and I will make it back to our respective leaders. Maybe we'd even call each other friends one day. But……when it comes to Jericho and Miles, nothing can be that simple, and more often than not, the wrong people get hurt. So let’s just stay like this for a little while. Please?” Rain didn't say anything, she just nodded and tried to relax. She didn't know how to feel. The Indara she had seen in Miles’ memories was capable of ruthless cruelty, and her first encounter with the general had reinforced that image, but she also seemed so vulnerable and full of doubt. Rain curled closer to her captor. She was having a harder time viewing her as an enemy. “Indara? Do you have a heartbeat?” She was curious, but she didn’t know why. “Why don't you find out, little one?” She laid her head against Indara’s chest. After a moment she heard the rhythmic sound of a beating heart. Was it real? Did it matter? Just because Indara was made of different parts, did that mean she wasn't a person? Or was her ability to feel what made her real, as real as anyone Rain had met before? “Indara……I wanted to tell you I was wrong before. When I called you a monster. If I make it out of this, I would be happy to call myself your friend.” Her words struck the synth hard. Her face seemed to crumble, and a smile broke free. Indara leaned down and kissed her on her forehead. Then they just sat there together for some time, away from their troubles and uncertain tomorrow's. For a short time, nothing else seemed to matter. “Stay awake, okay? We…….we still have to…..change that diaper.” Indara said shakily. And Rain felt suddenly……tears hitting her face. She looked up astounded. Indara was actually crying. How could a machine cry? “What's wrong? Don't cry, please don't, you'll make me cry.” Rain begged, feeling tears already welling up in her eyes. She didn't cry much longer, but it was jarring to see such a woman so upset. “I just want to go home. I wish it hadn't been you I was told to capture. I don't see the reason for it, why he wants you, I don't understand. His fight isn't with you, so why? Why did he ask me to do this?” Rain was fearful too. She wanted to go home as well. She wanted to do Miyuki’s hair again, play cards with Rocco and Gabe. She wanted Tali to read to her and hold her until she fell asleep. She wanted to shoot with Miles again and ask him about his adventures. More than anything she wanted them all to be together, safe and happy and laughing. Indara composed herself at last. “Sorry. Enough of this mopey crap, it's not like me. Let me change that diaper for you. Maybe you noticed, but I'm pretty good at that too.” Rain let herself be laid on the bed, her face warming as Indara prepared a new diaper. She shouldn't have been so embarrassed. She had been changed by so many people it shouldn't have been such a big deal. Besides, it struck her that maybe Indara needed this right now. The synth took her time with this change. Rain laid quietly, her heart hammering in her chest, while Indara thoroughly cleaned her up, before laying her down on a new diaper. The powder came next, and the smell brought another small smile to the synth’s lips. She taped up the diaper nice and snug, nodding proudly at her handiwork. “There we are. Look at that. You're just too cute, you know that?” Rain raised an eyebrow. “That sounds suspiciously like baby talk. Still, I guess my diapers came in handy at last. I doubt you'd be treating me this nicely otherwise.” For whatever reason, Indara seemed to find that quite funny. She began laughing, quietly to herself at first, and louder as time went on. Then Rain started laughing too. She didn't know why, but she laughed so hard she felt tears forming in her eyes. “Don't say that.” Indara laughed. “I mean, you're probably right. They give you a kind of vulnerability, I guess. But it's you too. You have an innocence about you that's incredible for the wasteland. I lost whatever shred of innocence and naivety quickly once I came to the surface, but it's still there with you. It makes you seem genuine.” Rain almost snorted when she laughed. “What are the odds? Me, a girl stuck wearing cutsie adult diapers, getting captured by a nanny-bot…….courser…….person.” Indara looked thoughtful for a moment. “Or maybe……it’s just because you are very cute, and my original programming has nothing to do with it.” Rain shrugged and batted her eyes. “I guess we'll never know.” * There was several more days of travel. Indara’s men seemed to harbor a healthy fear of their captive after she had brutally killed three of their friends. Outwardly, Indara maintained a cold facade on the road, but she spent most nights talking with her captive. For her part, Rain tried not to worry too much about what would happen at the end of the road. One night, Indara seemed different, deep in thought. She didn't stay after changing her prisoner, although she promised to return. Rain shrugged and climbed into bed. She was tired out after the day's walk anyway. She was both surprised and strangely relieved that Miles hadn't found her yet. What she didn't want was for Indara to have to fight her friends. After putting her thoughts aside, she fell asleep pretty quickly. She dreamed that Miles came to save her, and after Rain explained the situation, he forgave Indara for her part in the massacre of the Regulators and asked her to join them. Indara accepted of course. The next girl's night found her joining Tali and Miyuki. They all had a great time together, although the dream had begun to fade by then so it was hard to tell what they had done. “Wake up, Rain. Hurry, we gotta move quick.” Rain opened her eyes to find Indara changing her diaper at an almost mechanical pace. She wasn’t sure what the rush was, but it was definitely the quickest diaper change she had ever gone through. “What's up? It feels too early to get up. What's the rush?” Surprisingly, Indara shoved her bag at her. “I'm letting you go. Right now. You'll only have a few moments. I sent the guard on duty on a patrol, told him I thought I heard something, so you'll need to hurry. If you go southeast for about 10 miles, you should find your friends. They've been following closely.” “Won't you get in trouble?” Rain asked as her skirt was pulled up. Indara took her by the hand and drug her along, her head on a swivel in case they were discovered. Finally, she opened a door leading outside. “Nah, I'll be fine. Shit happens and you got away. Jericho will understand.” Rain hesitated for a moment before wrapping Indara in a hug. “Thank you so much. I know it's weird but…..I had a good time hanging out with you.” The synth stroked her hair and have her another hug. “Go. Get back to the people who love you. I'm planning on doing the same. If you're ever up north, stop by okay? I promise I'll only baby you a little bit.” “I will. I promise. Until the next time.” With that Rain took off, quietly and quickly, making her way back to her friends with a big smile on her face. Indara stood and watched her go, giving a small wave, until she finally faded into the distance. * An hour later Indara was “woken” to the news that their prisoner had escaped. Her guys seemed afraid she would punish them, and were relieved when she waved it off. “You all saw what she did to those guys that attacked her. Who knows what else she can do. I was worried a small door wouldn't hold her. Hell, maybe she picked the lock, I don't know.” “We're going after her right?” one of her men asked. Indara pretended to consider it. “No. We're low on supplies as it is. We don't have the time to going rutting through the wasteland again. We'll just have to tell Jericho she slipped away.” As if to mock her decision, she saw a runner approaching from the south. He looked exhausted, and she knew right away he wasn't one of hers. “Miss Indara! I'm glad I finally found you. Jericho’s here looking for you. He sent scouts out in all directions.” She felt it again, a sense of dread. Taking a moment to keep her face blank, she finally responded. “Jericho is here. Where?” “Actually, it looks like we passed you, he's a few miles south.” South. Where Miles and his crew were. Where she had just sent Rain to not but an hour ago. She wondered if her artificial heart was beating faster, or if her anxiety was showing. She had sent that girl right into the heart of the conflict. “Okay. Well our prisoner just escaped south. Let's go. Maybe Jericho will have seen her.” She signaled to her soldiers. “Let's get moving guys! Jericho is near by!” Those two were on a collision course, and she feared what would happen if they weren't stopped. * “Captain, I hate to shit in your coffee here, but we've been travelling for day with no sign of Indara or her scouts.” Rocco said, waving himself with his fedora. “I hate to say it, but we're lost. We've even been travelling at night and still we're no closer than when we began.” Tali shot him a dirty look. “So what? We have to keep looking. We can't just leave her to Thorne. She didn't give up on you when you were stuck in that ghoul tunnel.” He stuck up his hands in a calming gesture. “Hey, I'm not saying we give up. I don't know. We could try and radio Gabe if he's in range, but we got no idea where we're going here. How long before we follow Indara right into Jericho’s waiting hands?” Miles turned on him. “That doesn't matter. Listen to me. If Jericho gets his hands on Rain, he will kill her. He'll either shoot her in the head and leave the body for us to find, or he'll burn her alive like he's done to countless other enemies. Do you understand? He's an animal, a murdering psychopath. So we don't stop until she's back safe with us, got it?” “Yeah, I got it. So where are we headed?” “Same way as usual. We're bound to find something if we keep at it, some clue that we're close. That or Gabriel will find them first. We won't accomplish anything just standing here, so let’s go.” They kept moving for about a mile or so, but it all looked the same. The same dead city and ruined buildings, eerie in it's lifelessness. Miles hated to admit it, but Rocco was right. They lacked the numbers to be able to search a city this big effectively. If they had Mr. Happy with them, he could have searched quickly, all day and night if need be. As it was, there were so many places to hide, and far too much territory to check. It was becoming more and more apparent that they might not find Rain in time. That was when they got lucky. They heard a crackle from their radio’s and froze in place. It was Gabriel, but it was so distorted, he must have been only just in range.” “Eye on Indara…….meeting with…….looks like……going the opposite……..heading south?” “South? She's heading toward us? Why?” Tali asked. “Gabe, do you see Rain with her? Gabe?” The radio came to life, but the signal was too unsteady to understand. Tali and Rocco looked worried, but at least they had a direction. It looked like the fight was coming to them. Sure enough they finally ran into a group about two miles later. The group however, seemed too small to be Indara’s. There were only twenty, maybe thirty of them at most. Miles had the team stay out of sight and wait. Something was off. If this was Indara’s group, then Gabe should have been in range of their radio's, but that wasn't the case. The confusion was cleared up the second Miles saw a familiar figure shouting orders. It was him. Jericho Thorne. Right here, only a few feet away. It was unbelievable. What mad notion brought him here, Miles didn't know, but this….this was the chance of a lifetime. “Who is that?” Tali asked. She had never seen him before so it was understandable. Miles could feel his heart pounding at the sight of his target. It had been five years since he had last seen him in person, but he had seen Jericho every day, every waking moment, every nightmare, for years. Now he was here. “Thorne….” He managed to say in almost a growl. He could barely contain the rage that threatened to consume him. He stood and began to move forward, not even noticing Tali grabbing his arm. “Wait, wait! What about Rain?!” Miles couldn’t be stopped, couldn’t think straight. “It doesn’t matter. We kill Thorne and this ends today. We won't get another chance, we have to move now!” “If we attack Thorne, Indara might kill Rain. We don’t know where she is. It's too much of a risk. Miles, stop!” He was already running ahead, his guns at the ready. Nothing was going to stop him. Not when he was so close.

I know how frustrating financial issues can be, trust me. As someone who struggles quite a bit myself, I can relate. Asking for help is tough too, not just because you have to ask for help, but because of how they look at you. Oh, they don't say it, but you know they're wondering why you can't get your life together and be successful like (insert random family member) It can be frustrating and depressing, and at least in my case, leads to self hatred. All I can tell you is to take it one day at a time. Another job will come and this will pass. Just keep hanging on, buddy.

Wow. Thanks so much. I want you to sympathize with Jericho. He's more a villian of circumstance. His full story has yet to be told. The HBO thing might be a bit much. You'd need a better writer for that. I already feel like I'm rushing too much, but I also felt like I wasn't making enough traction. So.....yeah. I just hope I'm not messing up the flow, and the dialogue still feels natural.

Rain dreamt once again of the crying little boy. He seemed so familiar, but she couldn't place him. It was strange too, since he was the only face that was clear to her, rather than blurry. As always, she wondered who he was and why he seemed so important. She awoke to the sounds of locks being undone. She opened her eyes hoping that she was in her own room, back at the base. However, the molded wallpaper and cold surroundings brought her back to reality. She was a prisoner, again. For the second time since she had left the farm, she was at the mercy of an enemy. She had fallen asleep assuring herself that at any moment Miles would burst through the door and rescue her. However, when the door opened, it was the cold glare of Indara that greeted her. “Get up. It's time to move on. We have a lot of ground to cover today, plus we'll need time to find a suitable place for the night, one that has a room that can act as a holding cell for you.” “What does Jericho want with me? Why me?” “Beats me. I didn’t ask. Doesn't matter anyway. He gives the orders, I follow, just like you and Miles.” Rain shot a cold glare toward her captor. “I have a choice. I can say no if I want too.” Indara smiled. “Do you though? When Miles came up with this little plan to take on Jericho, did you say no?” “I…..I wanted to help. We….we voted and I said yes.” “Yeah, and Jericho asked me and I said yes. Look, we both do what we gotta do and that's that. There's no point in hashing out the details. Change your diaper and let's get moving.” Left with little other choice, she did as she was told. Against her better judgment, she chose one of her pink diapers. She waddled far less in them, and to be fair, her thicker diapers were only a bit less embarrassing. The rest of the day was spent in walking. Indara kept her close, which also meant the other raiders mostly left her alone. Once again her hands were bound in front of her as she walked. She spent most of her time pondering how freaked out they would all be if she tossed them like ragdolls with her mind. Her bound hands wouldn't be an issue if only she had her powers. It was near sundown when Indara sent out scouts to find a suitable prison for her. It didn’t take long before a runner returned with a destination. Still there was no sign of Miles and the others. Where were they? Indara had promised they hadn't been killed, so why weren't they coming to save her? * They had found them at last. Unfortunately, the scouts had seen them and began running, five of them. So they followed, with only Gabriel lagging behind on account of his heavy armor. It didn’t matter though, he would catch up. For their part, the runners were pretty smart. They split up at the first opportunity, each going in different directions. So they simply chased after one instead. Once they got him, it was a simple matter of extracting their hideout. The runner they had followed tried to pick up the pace, but unfortunately, Miles had already sent Rocco to cut him off. Between the three of them, they cornered the man before too long. The raider had his hands on his knees, sucking in air. Not wasting time, Miles walked up and hit the man over the head with the butt of his gun. “Where is she?” The man looked up defiantly, giving an odd chuckle. “Where's who? I don't know what you're talking about.” Tali brought the butt of her rifle down on the man's hand next, causing him to cry out. Then she hit him across the face, breaking his nose. Tali was as angry and desperate as any of them had every seen her. While Miles looked on, a little concerned, Rocco gave an approving nod. Tali kept hitting the man until Miles had to practically drag her away. Spitting blood, the runner forced himself back up, still laughing lightly. “Ugh…..you crazy bitch. That really hurt.” “I wouldn't test her, buddy.” Rocco laughed. “She's not exactly in a good mood. Indara took someone very important to us, and you don't want to know the lengths we'll go to in order to get her back. Talk, and it'll be a quick ending for you…..or you can keep playing dumb and see what she breaks next.” “But I really don't know. What, did you think Indara is dumb enough to just head straight north? She'll go east or west first. She didn't tell us either. You dumb fucks, we were only meant to keep you busy. You've been chasing us in the wrong damn direction.” The bloodied man began howling with laughter, maniacally and without restraint. Miles watched, growing increasingly angry, while Tali collapsed into sobbing in Rocco’s arms. Unable to take it another moment, Miles aimed his pistol and shot the man in the head, cursing himself for his stupidity. “Well shit. Fuck.” Rocco cursed, still trying to calm the hysterical woman in his arms. “What the hell are we gonna do now? We got no idea which way bitchzilla went.” “What do you think Jericho is going to do to her?” Tali asked nervously. “I've heard stories…..that he burns his enemies alive. Do you think….?” Taking a breath to calm himself, Miles shook his head. “Those aren't stories, but it doesn’t matter. We're fine. Contrary to what our recently departed friend said, he didn't take us the wrong way, just a bit off course. We're still heading north after all.” “With not a clue as to which way to go. West or east?” “Well, Indara is the general of the east, right? My guess is that's the way they're going. So lets say northeast. So that's where we'll head. Gabriel will go west and try to catch up a trail. If worst comes to worst, we can meet in the middle and cut them off before they reach the capital. I'll tell him once he reaches us.” Rocco looked doubtful. “Splitting up again? Miyuki is already away, now Gabe? We're getting spread pretty thin here.” “No other option. We're running out of time here, but travelling with a prisoner will be slowing them down.” “Plus her diapers.” Tali piped up, drying her tears. “They have to stop……for her diaper changes, y’know? That buys us more time. Plus, all it would take is a single traveller or trader to see them and put us on the right track. A group that large, it's easy to spot.” Miles nodded. “Good. We have a plan. Let's get moving. We got a lot of ground to cover and we'll need to move fast. * Indara lead her to her new room which, while bigger, lacked a bed. Rain wasn’t looking forward to sleeping on the ground, although at least they had provided her a sleeping bag. Indara hadn't spoken to her much, except to occasionally check her diaper. In a literal sense. The woman seemed to have no qualms about reaching down and checking the state of Rain’s diaper. It was humiliating to say the least, as the goons got a good laugh every time Rain had to scuttle off to change herself. It didn't bother her though, since she was using the soiled diapers as a kind of bread crumb trail, something Indara clearly hadn’t thought of. Once she had tried to escape after a change since she was given a modicum of privacy. It ended with Indara catching her and promising to let one of her goons change her next time if she ever tried it again. Now, as they prepared to settle in for the night, Rain found herself wondering just who or what her mysterious captor was. “Can I ask you a question that's been bothering me?” Rain asked, grabbing a fresh diaper. “What exactly are you? I saw you get shot, cut….I saw you bleed……but…” Indara sighed and leaned against the door. “Your Brotherhood buddy not tell you about his exploits, huh? Never told you about synths or the Institute?” “He did. A bit. He doesn't like to talk too much about the Brotherhood. All he said was that he fought them before. So what, are you a synth then? Like a really lifelike robot?” Indara actually laughed at that. “It's a bit more complicated than that, but I won’t bore you with the science. I'm what's called a courser, designed to hunt down my prey relentlessly and without mercy. I was designed to be a killing machine. As you've seen yourself, I'm very good at my job.” Rain almost sneered. “How impressive. Why'd you leave then?” Indara hesitated, a somber look coming off her usual indifferent stare. “Because I was tired of being just an object. I was just a piece of tech to the Institute, something to be used and discarded at a whim. I wasn’t a person to them. So I left and decided to be who I wanted to be, to be free of the Institute and their machinations.” Without meaning too, Rain found herself laughing. Once she had started, she couldn't make herself stop. She laughed so hard, she could feel herself drenching her already struggling diaper. Indara had simply raised an eyebrow at first, but as the laughter continued, she grew more and more annoyed. “What is your deal?! What's so goddamn funny?!” Rain took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. “You. How serious you sounded just now. It's hilarious cause it's total bullshit. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's a lovely story, but it’s bullshit, all of it.” “Watch it, kid. You're starting to piss me off.” “Oh, you poor woman. You were forced to flee right? So you didn't have to be a killing machine, right? You don't see the irony? I mean, look at how far you've come. Now you kill for Jericho Thorne. Is it better since you chose it yourself?” Indara’s scowl deepened. “You don't know a goddamn thing about me, diaper girl, so I strongly suggest you shut the fuck up. Patience isn't really my thing.” Now Rain turned deadly serious. “You turned out perfectly, Indara. I bet your creators would be proud of you. They made the perfect killing machine, a regular Frankenstein’s monster. Bravo.” Indara’s face transformed into a mask of rage. In a single movement, Rain felt herself lifted under her arms and slammed against the wall. “How dare you stand there and call me a monster. Especially when you travel with scum from the Brotherhood, who hunted and butchered my kind for sport. Or that ghoul of yours…..maybe you don't see it, but that's a man used to cruelty, it's in his eyes. And you, who willingly offered to help kill men and women that you don’t know, who've never harmed you, because Miles has a grudge. You have a lot of nerve.” Indara tossed her into the corner with enough force to knock the wind out of her. Then she marched to the door and slammed it shut. Rain vaguely heard the locks being applied to the door. Slowly, she managed to get back up, holding her now aching back. Despite the sorry state her diaper was in, she couldn't bring herself to change. Indara had rattled her as much, if not more, than she had rattled her. Was she right? Were Rocco and Gabriel really the monsters she claimed? She climbed into her sleeping bag at last, wishing she had her stuffed bear with her. Instead, she used the jacket Miles had given her as another blanket. It took a long time for her to banish all the bad thoughts running rampant through her head so she could fall asleep. * Her rest was interrupted by the sound of the door locks yet again being undone. The room was too dark to tell what time it is, but it felt late to her. As much as she hoped so, she somehow doubted that it was Miles, there was no shooting to be heard after all. Maybe Indara was still pissed and wanted some payback. The door finally opened, the glow from the hall lights shining in to the room. Three people entered the room, two males and one female. The first of the men was bald with some distinctive tribal tattoos across his head and face. The second man was smaller, of Hispanic descent, and a scarred ugly woman came in last. “Nice work with the locks, Mike.” The second man said. The tattoed man smirked. “Always good with a lock pick, nice to finally use my skills for a good reason.” The ugly woman stepped forward. She was as big as the men and twice as wide. “You killed a bunch of our friends when you started this war. Did you know that?” “The first tribe you hit.” The Hispanic man muttered. “You killed six of our buddies. So now we've come to repay you.” “Not the face, got it fellas?” The woman added. “If Indara finds out we're dead, so no leaving any noticeable marks.” “That's fine. I'll start off.” Said the man with the tattoos before slamming his fist into her stomach. The force of the blow knocked her back into the wall, but it shocked her more than hurt. Miyuki hit a hell of a lot harder. When he swung again, she dodged the blow and stomped on his ankle, hearing a satisfied snap, and finally brought her elbow down hard on his face. Then the other two came at her from both sides. The woman managed to strike her in the head, and Rain saw stars. The second man hit her in the back, then pushed her to the ground. That's when Rain knew that the fight was over. The two began striking her over and over in the stomach and ribs. She couldn't get up. The first man however, did get up. He crawled over and began hitting her as well. She felt like she was going to pass out, but as the blows continued to rain down, she began to feel something else, something familiar. Suddenly she felt totally in control of her power, like it had never left her. With a sweep of her hand she blew the three of them away. She grabbed the two men with her power, one in each hand. The woman could only watch helplessly as Rain began tossing them against the walls with great force, leaving bloody splatters all over the room. The power felt so amazing, intoxicating. She could feel her mouth twitching upwards into a smile. She let the lifeless men drop to the floor as the big, ugly woman ran for the door. It was at that moment that Indara reached them, unintentionally blocking the woman's escape as she tried to understand what was happening. That moment was all Rain needed. She reached out with the power and grabbed the big woman by the neck. It was so natural……she twisted her wrist…..and the woman's neck followed after, turning completely around. She turned on Indara next, sending a wave of power knocking her against the hallway wall. Indara, however, was not an ordinary person. She forced her way forward one step at a time. Rain hit her again and again with her power, but Indara refused to give an inch. “Stop this! Please, just stop!” Indara cried in a voice she had never used before. Rain had been ready to kill Indara, ready to tear her limb from limb and dash her remains into the air. Until she had begged her to stop. Something in her voice had reminded her of Tali and of her mother maybe as well. She felt the power dissipate like it had never been there. She looked then looked at the carnage she had wrought and it made her sick. Blood on the walls, broken bodies surrounding her. And in the next moment the pain came crashing down like a hurricane. The world began to spin and it felt like every nerve in her body was in fire. Her head felt like it was splitting down the middle. She fell to the floor in a heap, unable to even scream because of the pain. Her diaper had begun to leak at last, as she felt a growing puddle form beneath her. Indara watched her writhing on the ground, and after a final look at her fallen men, rushed to her side. Rain felt her body begin spasm. She looked up trying to choke out words. “I'm sorry…..couldn't stop. It….hurts…..bad.” Rain sobbed. “Please make it stop hurting.” Indara looked her over, maintaining a stoic composure. “Your body. What happened here, why are you all beat up?” Rain could only scream and sob. “Hurts…..stop…..p-please….please help me….” “Shit. Hey, someone get in here! Bring some jet, now!” Indara cradled her gently, brushing her hair in an odd calming gesture. Finally, a woman came rushing in, handing over the drug before staring numbly at the carnage of the room. “Hey, kid, hey! Listen up. I need you to take a deep breath of this got it? You understand me?” Rain shook her head. “No….drugs are….bad.” Indara‘s cheeks puffed out as she failed to stifle a laugh. “Look sweetheart, jet is used by doctors as an anesthetic. I promise this will help, okay? I need you to trust me.” Rain gave a small laugh now. “You called me sweetheart…..I don’t know why…….it's funny.” “Hush now. Silly girl. Just breath in.” Not knowing what else to do, she let Indara put the inhaler in her mouth. She took a deep breath in and felt the world slow down. Suddenly she felt like she was floating. Her pain seemed far away. Her body relaxed at last. She cried tears of relief now. Indara gave her a sweet smile and laid her back down gently and then sent her helper away. “Okay, out with you, and shut the door behind you. Okay, little girl, let's get you cleaned up.” Little girl? Sweetheart? Indara was suddenly like a totally different person. She was so caring now, nothing at all like before. The Indara she had seen up until now was cold and indifferent, making the fact that she was a machine easily believed. Now she really did seem human, and her smile had this warmth to it, and her eyes had a light to them, a life to them. In a second she had gotten a fresh diaper, powder, and wipes. Rain couldn't feel her body anyway, so she let her captor do her thing. Indara changed her like she was a pro at it, holding her legs up with one hand, cleaning with the other, and finally setting her down on the clean diaper. A little powder, and it was done. She had chosen one of the thicker diapers, and there was a familiar sense of security in being wrapped up in one of them. “How's that feel, huh? Everything good, you feeling better?” She was, actually. More than anything she was tired, her body felt like the puddle she had left on the floor. Her legs were like jelly. Her head was swimming as hues of bright colors crossed her eyes. She felt herself being lifted into the air and carried away. “While I'm not completely clear on how all this happened, I'm guessing those three idiots broke in to get you, which means you're not safe locked up alone. So, it looks like you'll be staying with me for now. But hey, I'm the only one with a bed, and I don’t even sleep, so consider it an upgrade.” “Indara…..What's going to happen to me? What does Thorne want with me?” Rain asked, struggling to keep conscious. Indara hesitated. “I don't know.” “Is he gonna kill me?” “I…..I don't know.” * “A girl? You sent Indara to capture a little girl?” Sylvia asked. “ Not really a little girl. I mean, she's a teenager from what I heard, sixteen or so. A girl, yes, but not like….Aimee…..or whatever. Does that answer your question?” “Well, we've established that she's a teenager and not five, but no, that doesn't answer my question.” Jericho sighed. Normally, talking to Sylvia was a rare pleasure. She was one of the last friends he had left. He had thought that she had come to just hang out, have a beer, since Viktor was gone. Alas, it seemed like she wanted to pick his brain. At heart, she was a scientist, and her mind was always on, trying to work out all the angles. “She'll be very useful, trust me. Can you just let me have my secret plans, please? I hate talking about work. How's Aimee?” “Aimee is fine. You can talk to her whenever you want. Right now though, there's this little war with Miles going on, and I'm wondering how kidnapping his new child soldier helps in any way whatsoever.” “The idea is pretty simple. It’s precisely because she's a child that I chose her. Consider Miles’ track record with kids. The last time he tangled with me, he lost his son.” He paused at that statement and decided that even if Sylvia didn't want a drink, nothing was stopping him. He poured himself a glass a scotch and downed it in one gulp before feeling brave enough to continue. “So anyway, if I take this kid, another kid under his protection, he'll be desperate to get her back. I'll ransom her back for a large sum of cash and other goodies, and it goes without saying he'll have to agree to stop attacking my territories. No bloodshed and nobody has to get hurt.” “The tribes won't be happy, Jericho. They want him and his whole team dead.” He poured another drink and sucked it down, slamming the glass down on the table. “They're never happy. But I might point out that Miles has proven……difficult to kill in the past, and the next best thing is to stop his attacks, which this plan will do.” “And the girl? She won't be harmed will she?” Sylvia asked. She couldn’t help but think of her own daughter. Jericho sighed and stared out his window, glancing at the assortment of lights below, illuminating his city. “No one will die if I can help it. Besides….I already have one child's blood on my hands.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “I wasn’t there that day, but Viktor told me what happened. It wasn’t your fault.” “I ordered the attack. If it weren't for me, Miles’ kid would be alive. That's simply the facts. It's not like I can change anything.” * Five years earlier “Goodbye, Miles.” With that he delivered the final blow to a man he respected more than most. It felt crummy. He had used the Regulators to weaken or destroy his enemies. He hadn't forseen the tribes turning to him though, who they despised and wanted dead. His plan had inadvertently left them with no other choice. Then Miles and the Regulators had refused to back down in their misguided attempts to free the north. He had considered Miles a friend, and his death was simply another sacrifice to be made. Freedom wouldn't bring peace, but more chaos. In the end, he had seen an opportunity to end the conflicts that had plagued his people for so long. He just hoped it would be worth it. Viktor had caught up at last. He hadn't taken an active part in the battle, but had led some men in the almost futile attempt to maintain order in their large horde. The other generals had split up, each focusing on one wing of the fortress. Not that such direction was needed. This was a massacre, not a fight. “What's next?” Viktor asked. Jericho sighed and stood up, trying not to look at Miles. “I made a promise. Let's go get Aiden and keep him safe. I already sent someone to find him, so he should be in custody by now.” Miles hadn't needed to ask. Jericho had already given strict instructions that the boy wasn't to be harmed. It would be an unpleasant conversation for sure, but it had to be done. Everything was pretty much over. There were still a few isolated pockets of resistance, but the numbers just weren't on their side. Soon the last of the Regulators would be dead. What a sad end to goodhearted people. They approached the sturdiest looking building. According to that traitor Maxwell, that’s where Aiden would hide, which made sense. Viktor followed close behind, fretting like a nervous mother that some stray bullet might take out his leader. Jericho was more concerned with how to explain to an eleven year old boy that his father was dead. What awaited him inside however, was not anything he could have expected. Aiden was in the center of the room, clearly dead. The sight of his body was like a shock of electricity that ran the course of his body. He felt his legs give out as he fell to the ground. Viktor was stoic as always, but he had a look of disgust across his face. The man Jericho had sent to secure the kid was sitting on the ground with his back against the wall, holding his left arm tightly as blood seeped through his fingers. Finally, Jericho found his voice. He supposed it was a good thing that no one other than Viktor was there to witness his breakdown. “What have you done?! I told you he wasn't to be harmed!” The man had the decency to look ashamed. “I got past the defenders fine, but the kid had a gun too. Boss, he shot me in the fucking arm! I had to shoot back.” He complained as he struggled to his feet. “You had to shoot back? He was a little kid, for fucks sake! I gave you the simplest task imaginable and……god, look what you did…..” “It wasn't my fault…..” “I made Miles a promise! You killed his son, you fucking idiot!” He cried, feeling a few tears going down his face. He glanced over at Viktor, who had quietly positioned himself behind the man. Their eyes met and a silent order was given. Viktor wrapped his forearm across the killer's neck and slowly lifted him in the air. The man kicked and bucked as his face began turning purple, but he couldn't escape. Viktor held him tight until he stopped moving. Jericho sat by Aiden’s body for some time, until Viktor gently prodded him to leave. “I'm sorry kid. I didn't want this. If you see your dad…..tell him I'm sorry. * Sylvia took a seat on his couch, looking unimpressed. “Are you listening? You know what I think this is about?” “If I say yes, are you gonna tell me anyway?” Not surprisingly, Sylvia acted as though he hadn't said anything at all. “ I think this is your way of forcing Miles to sit down with you. You're forcing a dialogue. But it's not gonna work. It's been five years since you last saw him. That’s a long time for someone's hatred to fester.” Jericho shook his head. “If…..if I could just explain what happened….” “He wants to kill you, Jericho! He doesn't want to talk, and I doubt he'll want to negotiate. Look, I know you’ve had to make a lot of horrible decisions, but you made them because you had too. There's no turning back.” “I know.” He said. He rested his forehead against the cool glass window, looking down indifferently at all that he had accomplished. He had established peace in the north, that was true. But it had cost him his friends and no small amount his humanity. He had people tortured and killed. He had burned his enemies and left their charred remains to spread terror. Sylvia didn't know, she couldn't truly understand his pain, because he and Viktor had taken pains to keep her isolated from those things. They wanted her hands to be clean, even if theirs could never be. “I know I shouldn't worry, but I am. He's going to be gunning for Indara with everything he has.” Jericho had to concede that she was right. It still didn’t change anything. Indara had never failed to complete a mission. After Viktor, she was probably his greatest asset. No, not just an asset. He cared for her, he had ever since he had found her years ago, back when she was alone and wounded, and the surface world was alien and terrifying to her. “Indara will be fine. She can handle it.” Sylvia looked even more doubtful. “Can she though? I know she's capable, I know that. But I also know how she is around Aimee. She always looks so scary and focused, but she has a soft spot for kids. She adores Aimee, you know that. She's a totally different around her.” “Everyone adores Aimee.” Jericho waved away her concerns, but the cogs were turning inside him, and he worried that maybe he had made a mistake. “Does she know you don't intend to harm the girl?” “No. But I told her to bring her alive and unharmed. I have no doubt she will succeed.” Sylvia didn’t say anything else, but her warnings had taken root and no matter how much he drank they wouldn't leave his head. It didn't help that she kept staring at him. She was worried, and that was making him nervous too. Finally, he made up his mind. “Goddammit! Alright, you convinced me. I'll go help her.” She shot up off the couch like she was on fire. “Whoa, hey that's not what I meant. I just thought you'd send someone to back her up.” Jericho was already getting ready, packing his bags. “Who could I send? Viktor and Hudson are gone. Barnabas and Yates are too far away. I'd say I'm the best option, if not the only option.” She grabbed him by the arm. “Are you crazy?! Miles is out there hunting for you, and you want to go to him? He'll kill you on sight.” He knocked her hand away. “You've forgotten who I am if you think I'm fine with hiding in this damn tower for the rest of my life.” His eyes softened. “Look, I'll take some men with me and just meet up with Indara. Between our forces we can handle anything. Don't worry.” “Please don't do this. If we lose you……I don't want to lose you. Please stay. At least until Viktor comes back.” “If I wait for your hubby, he'd probably forcibly keep me here. No thanks. It'll be fine, trust me. Indara will keep me safe. All this means is that I'll be able to random the girl sooner instead of dragging her all the way here. But…..uh, speaking of Viktor. I know he'll probably be a bit pissed that I left, so smooth things over for me okay?” Sylvia continued to pester him as he got outfitted and packed. Then he headed down and picked twenty soldiers to accompany him. They would have to move quickly in order to help Indara. He knew it was risky, stupid even, but to be honest, he hadn't felt this alive in years.

It hadn't taken very long to find the slaver’s camp. Viktor and Hudson had left that very night, along with maybe ten of Hudson’s men. They packed lightly and moved quickly, only resting a few hours each night. Speed was of the upmost importance. If they arrived too late they would never be able to recover the slaves once they were sold. For Viktor, there was another reason to hurry. He didn’t like leaving Jericho alone anyway, but especially now, with Miles on the war path and the tribes more agitated than ever. Indara would have already set out by now, and soon conflict would be inevitable. If Miles somehow got the better of Indara, he would march on the capital and make his attempt on Jericho’s life. The capital was huge, plenty of places for a small group of assassins to hide. He needed to hurry and get back before anything escalated, but at the same time, he understood why his current mission was so important. He had been a slave before, lived that life, hopelessly bonded to another. That was long in the past now. He was a different man now. He had forged himself anew and washed away the failures of his past. He had to be better for his wife, his daughter, and for Jericho most of all. If he had been better, Jericho Thorne wouldn’t have been needed, and his friend wouldn’t be suffering now. Viktor cursed himself everyday because of it. Focusing on the mission at hand, he watched as Hudson spoke softly to his scout. After a few moments, Hudson came over, slinging his axe over his shoulder. The man hadn't let go of it since his brush with death earlier, nor had he forgiven his near executioner if his constant pouting was any indication. “Well it looks like the buyers are wandering in. If we're gonna make our move, we need to do it soon.” Viktor nodded, steeling himself for what he was about to do. “I'll go. You stay here and out of sight. Once it's all over, you and your men can come in and release the captives.” Hudson grunted, annoyance clear on his face. “How will I know when it's all over?” Viktor didn’t bother to respond, heading in the direction of the camp. They had positioned themselves a good distance away. This suited him as he didn't want Hudson or anyone else snooping on him. Everyone was interested in finding out his secret, how he did the things he did. He walked briskly toward the makeshift camp, and knew at once when he had been seen. The guards ran in panic, no doubt rushing to whoever was leading these foolhardy lawbreakers. Surprisingly, the leader turned out to be a woman. Viktor sized her up as he approached. She had short brown hair, and she was blind in one eye which was totally white. A large ugly scar decorated that same side of her face. She was definitely tough, with a confident gait and a no nonsense look. She was carrying a machine gun and had her finger on the trigger. If she was nervous or worried at Viktor’s arrival she didn’t show it. “Are you in charge here?” The woman eyed him, no doubt taking note that he was alone and without any noticeable armor. Finally she sighed. “I am. My name's Alexandria.” “I see.” He answered. They stood in silence for a moment. More and more men began to notice their exchange and began moving closer, most recognizing Viktor quickly. “Viktor. What brings you out here? Tired of being tucked in Thorne’s backside?” The others behind her lined up nervously, while the buyers from out of state frowned and looked on impatiently. “I believe you know why I'm here. I don't know where your prisoners are, and I don’t know how you thought this would work, but it stops here.” “That supposed to scare me? In case you haven't noticed, you're a bit outnumbered here. Look, are you wanting a cut? Is that it? We can send a bit you're way and you can go back to Thorne and tell him you scolded us.” “Too late for that.” Viktor said, pulling a black case from his bag. “I know slavery used to be common among your people, but Jericho has outlawed it. And since he's my friend, I will enforce it.” “Thorne has no right to dictate anything. We've always done this.” Now realizing that she wouldn’t be able to buy her way to safety, she signalled her men and the buyers. Viktor had been counting and he reckoned there were about twenty-two of them, give or take. Not nearly so many as he had thought. He opened the small black case and removed a small syringe filled with an amber liquid. The woman eyed him like he was nuts. “What the hell is that?” “Ninety seconds.” Viktor said quietly. “What?!” “Ninety seconds. Or one minute and thirty seconds if that's easier for you to understand. Make it that long, and you'll survive to tell the tale. No one else has, but….maybe you'll be the first.” There was a rising panic among the men, the leader was feeling it as well. Only the buyers seemed unconcerned, more annoyed at the delay than anything else. One of them stepped forward, a dirty looking man with no top teeth. “What the fuck is going on? What the hell is that?” He asked, gesturing to the syringe. Viktor plunged the needle into his right arm. Almost immediately he could feel it taking effect. The world around him slowed and he marveled as he usually did at how strong he felt, at how light his sword was. Taking a deep breath, he took a step forward and lost himself to feelings coursing through him. * Alexandria stumbled as she fled, hitting her knee on the ground roughly. It didn’t matter. She couldn’t feel anything at this point. She glanced down at where her right arm had been severed at the elbow. The wound was gushing blood like a fountain, but somehow she kept going, from shock or adrenaline she didn’t know. She heard screams behind her, too many to tell. She didn't know what was worse, the screams, or how short they were. It was how each scream stopped one by one that terrified her. The growing silence of the battle that would end with her death. She had never seen a human being move so fast. Sure, people on jet moved quickly, but whatever was in that vial was something else entirely, no chem she knew made someone that fast, that strong. Viktor had drawn his sword so quickly it looked like a flash of light. She had instinctively raised her arm and lost it immediately. Despite the pain she had felt, she tried to follow him nonetheless. Everyone was firing at once, the gunfire was deafening, but she couldn't see him anywhere. Then people started to die. Cut down, cleaved in half, decapitated, it all happened so quickly. One moment a human being was standing, alive and well, and in the next instant it looked like they had simply…..popped open, spilling their insides everywhere. She thought once she had seen a blur of motion, but by then she had decided to flee. How long had it been? Surely at least a minute had passed by now. She looked around, desperately searching for a place to hide. She was having trouble standing now, and the world was blurring before her eyes. She fell and managed to crawl into a tent. She found herself sobbing as she laid there. “I don't want to die here…..please…..someone help me.” Suddenly, the tent was torn away as though it had been ripped by a great gust of wind. The world was too dark and she couldn't see the final blow that sent her head flying from her body. Thankfully, she didn’t feel it either. * “The screaming and stuff has stopped. I guess he's done in there. Come on guys, let's get in there and do our jobs. Fucking hell that didn’t take long.” They rushed as quickly as they could, and Hudson could tell they all wanted to see the aftermath of Viktor. He didn't want to see it though. Once had been enough. Despite some of his actions to the contrary, Hudson didn't like mass violence and slaughter. And there was something unnatural and…..hellish about the way Viktor did it. Sure enough, the scene made the Axe sick to his stomach. He hid it well, though some of his men didn't fair so well. Many had never seen anything like this before. Sure, they'd seen plenty of combat and death, but this…..blood, body parts, and shit decorated every inch of the ground. And of course, Viktor was no where to be found. They found the captives still in their cages, an assortment of women and children. While he would have preferred to have gone after Miles, this type of thing made him proud to be under Jericho. Without Thorne keeping them in line, these fucking barbarians would murder or enslave whoever they could get their hands on. Hudson was happy he wasn’t around before Thorne that's for damn sure, and while they might hate him for it, Jericho had brought the only semblance of peace these tribes had ever known. He approached one of the freed captives, a disheveled, thin woman whose eyes told tales of her treatment. “Hey, did you see anything? What happened here?” She just shook her head. “I didn't see anything. Just a blur….and then death.” * Viktor was using every last bit of his strength to reach safety. His body was about to give out. He needed a secure place to hide out for a few days while the withdrawal hit. It was always the after part of these missions that were the most dangerous for him. He would be incapacitated and vulnerable for quite some time. Shortly after Tobias had taken the name Jericho Thorne, Viktor had begun searching for a trump card of his own. He knew that his friend would always be a target, and he needed a way to protect him. It was through his wife Sylvia that he discovered combat drugs. Psycho, for instance, while regarded as a common chem, had once been used in warfare as a way to improve a soldier’s strength and endurance. So Sylvia had set to making her own concoctions at his request. The result was a compound she called Invicta. A mixture of psycho, jet, med-ex, and various other compounds at incredibly high dosages that would kill anyone whose body had not been trained to tolerate it. All designed to increase his strength and speed to untold levels, as well as numb any pain while sharpening his other senses. He had nearly died several times as he built up his body to withstand the drug’s effects and after effects. Slowly, over the course of years, they had increased the drug's efficiency, until they had settled for ninety seconds. So far, he had never needed longer. Finally, he saw a suitable building. It was relatively intact, no wide, gaping holes that anyone could get in through. He forced himself to check the whole outside of the building to make sure. Then he stumbled inside and began blocking off the entrances with whatever he could find until he felt unable to continue. He found a corner and curled up, his body both freezing and burning at the same time. The nausea was coming as well, likely to last for the rest of the day. After that, he would enter a near comatose state for a day or so. As his suffering began, he reminded himself that this was what he had brought in himself. He would do whatever was needed, whatever he had to do, if it helped Jericho. He owed him that and much more after all. He couldn't let him down again. * Another camp, another massacre. Rain looked around the carnage they had wrought, doubts plaguing her. Each attack disheartened her further. It never seemed to end. There was always another target, another group of “evil” men, men that she had to demonize in her mind in order to do what she did. The latest attack occurred at night. They had silently set themselves up so they surrounded the camp. Tali started things off, sniping from a distance and sending their enemies into a panic. Then the team had converged at once, from all sides, slowly firing into the mob. The fight was short and bloody, and left her feeling sick to her stomach. Each fight she tried to draw on that power she had used before, to no avail. Only once had she managed to wrest a weapon from an attacker, and the pain that followed that display had brought her to get knees. Almost immediately afterward she sensed some kind of murderous intent from behind her, but when she looked it was only Rocco, who simply winked at her. It seemed that she couldn't even trust her instincts once she was weakened from the power. As usual they rested at the camp for the night before moving on. They were in the heart of a giant city now. What was awkward was how quiet the city was. There were neither raiders nor mutants prowling about. There were no sounds at all, the whole area was utterly dead and lifeless. Tali stuck close to Miles, despite her vocal opposition to this war. For his part, Miles seemed to have forgiven her. Every once in a while he could be seen giving her a comforting touch, or whispering a kind word. “This place is creepy.” Rain admitted. “There's something off around here, but I can't tell what.” “Keep your eyes peeled, everyone.” Rocco said dryly. “Puddles the Psychic thinks something is off.” Rain glanced back angrily but left it alone. Ever since her powers had shown up, Rocco had acted increasingly strange. His mood around her seemed erratic, and she had caught him casting almost suspicious glances at her. What his problem was, she couldn't say, but it was getting really old. “She’s right.” Miles said, his eyes darting around suspiciously. “Something is wrong here. The city is never this dead. I mean, I'm not even seeing a mole rat running around.” “So what? What's that mean?” Tali asked. “Its like the area was swept or something.” Gabe said from the front. Suddenly, there was an explosion right under his foot that made the big warrior fall backward. The armor had taken the brunt of it, but parts of the metal were dangling off. “Back! Get back and don’t move!” Miles yelled. Gabe grunted and slowly for back up, his head on a swivel. “Shit. Look at the ground. See how it’s been disturbed recently? Someone planted mines.” Rain looked hard, seeing small mounds of dirt all down the street. There was no way they'd be going any further this way. It also explained why the city had been so thoroughly swept of any creatures. No doubt whoever laid the mines didn't want some random mutant setting them off. “Yeah, look. You can see them. Just barely.” Miyuki pointed out. “I thought the point of mines were to be not seen.” Gabriel clutched at his damaged leg. “Trust me, they're pretty fuckin hidden.” “Everyone back away slowly.” Miles ordered. “We can see them because she wanted us to see them. This was a trap, and we walked right into it. This has Indara written all over it.” “Are you sure?” Tali asked. “How do you know?” “I've collected a lot of intel on Thorne and his generals. From what I gathered, Indara likes to play with her targets, trap and hunt them. I thought it was gonna Hudson coming for us, maybe Viktor if we were really unlucky. We need to go back before it’s too late.” The rushed back the way they had come, trying to get out of the city, only to find the road they had taken blocked by cars. Spray painted on the rusted vehicles was a message. RUN. HA HA! “Shit. She knows we're here.” Rocco muttered, raising his shotgun nervously. “They must have been watching us.” As if to confirm his suspicions, gunfire erupted from farther away, aimed at their feet. They were forced to run back once again, this time taking a side street. Almost as soon as they did, more hidden shooters began firing at them. Rain felt Gabriel shield her with his body. She could hear the bullets ricocheting off his armor. “Other way. Keep running!” Miles cried. They came to another street, with abandoned cars lined up on both sides of the road. As they were running, a figure jumped through a glass window of a nearby building and rammed straight into Miles, sending him rolling. “It's Indara!” Miles yelled as he tried to regain his footing. Take her out!” Indara was dressed in leather armor, her face obscured by a white hockey mask, and her red hair was flowing in the wind. Gabriel raised his rifle, but the woman was too close and ripped it from his grasp, turning it and firing at them, causing them to scatter for cover. The group began firing back at her as she ran behind a large pile of rubble. She ran so fast that none of them even touched her. As the smoke cleared, Rocco and Gabe rushed forward to where she had sought cover. “She's gone!” Rocco cried. “Where the fuck did she go?!” Rain caught movement in the corner of her eye as Indara made a beeline for Miyuki. Meeting her charge head on, the two women crashed into each other, both losing their weapons. Rain watched from behind a car as the two traded blows. Miyuki was fighting harder than Rain had ever seen before, but Jericho’s general seemed to evade or block any blows. Rain had taken aim, as had the others, but with Miyuki so close, they couldn't fire out of fear of hitting her. Finally, Miyuki scored a hit, her spiked knuckles tearing into Indara’s shoulder. Miyuki kicked her in the stomach, then punched down into the woman's back. Indara acted as though she didn't feel the blows, each time rising back up to attack again. She finally caught Miyuki’s arm and held it fast under her own, despite Miyuki constantly striking her with her other. Tali managed to shoot her leg, but again, Indara didn't seem to react. She calmly twisted Miyuki’s arm into the air, and brought her other hand down hard on the trapped arm. Rain heard a sickening snap, and Miyuki began screaming. Rocco had drawn his sword and rushed toward them, bringing the blade down deep into their attacker's shoulder. Still holding Miyuki’s broken arm in one hand, she grabbed Rocco by the neck, lifting him effortlessly off the ground, the sword still in her shoulder. Everything was happening so fast. Miyuki was still screaming in pain, and Rain was too afraid of hitting her to fire. Rocco was gasping for air, weakly trying to get free, but Indara held him fast. “Rain, your powers! Take her down!” Miles yelled from cover. She tried. She tried to focus, tried to summon again that power she had felt before. But it wouldn't come, no matter how hard she wanted it too. “I can't!” She cried despondently. “I can't do it!” She looked over and saw Gabriel running at full speed, ramming his power armored frame into Indara as they both went crashing into a dilapidated building. Rocco had fallen free at last and was gasping for air, while it looked like Miyuki had passed out. “I know what you are! There's only one explanation.” Gabe rasped, holding the woman down. Indara let out a beautiful laugh. “Oh, I'll bet you do, you Brotherhood piece of shit! Murderer! If it were up to me, I'd kill you right here and now. Instead, I'll have to make do with this.” She suddenly pushed him off of her with an incredible burst of strength, sending the massive Gabriel flying onto his back. Before he had a chance to recover, she began stomping down on his head over and over, her foot slowly denting the helmet he wore, which should have been impossible. Unable to even fight back, Gabriel quickly fell still. Rain saw her chance, raising the rifle she got from Tali, the newly renamed Arc Rifle. She took careful aim, and then fired. A blue arc of electricity hit Indara square in the chest, sending her flying back further into the rubble. Indara rolled to avoid the next shot and sprinted from the building, hiding behind cover once more. Rain, Miles, and Tali kept a constant stream of fire, but she was hunkered down too well. “There's no where to run, Miles!” Indara called out. “My men have this whole city surrounded. I just didn't want them interfering.” “It's me you want, right?” Miles asked from his own hiding spot. “Jericho want revenge, is that it?! Maybe he wants to hand me over to the Doctor like he did with Maxwell!” There was a silence after that statement. No one was firing, it was totally quiet. Then she laughed again, long and hard, as though she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. “Oh, Miles. When will you learn? Who said I was after you, huh?” Rain somehow knew what that meant. She looked around, seeing just how far she had been driven from Miles and the others. Miles seemed to have gleaned Indara’s meaning at the same time Rain did. “Get out of here, Rain! Run and don't look back! Hurry! Run!” Indara stepped out of cover, two grenades in her hands. She threw one at each side of the road, the bombs rolling under the cars. Rocco quickly scooped Miyuki into his arms and ran as the grenades went off. The cars began exploding one by one, flying into the air and creating a wall of fire and debris between her and the others. Rain could see Indara staring at her from behind her hockey mask, and instantly knew she didn’t stand a chance. She sprinted as fast as she could, not realizing she had her rather large diaper bag on her back until she reached the door of an abandoned building. Indara walked calmly after her as she went inside and began running up a staircase. She got to the third floor before she could go no further. The staircase had collapsed and she was forced to head into the building. From the looks of things, she was in some kind of old hotel. She picked the fourth room down and slipped inside, shutting the door behind her. She saw an old heavy dresser, and kicked it over, using it to bar the door, then she rushed into the room and put her back against a wall, raising her rifle and aiming for the door. She steadied her breathing as she heard the staircase door open. Indara’s laugh seemed to echo through the whole floor. “Are you playing hide and seek with me? You naughty little girl. That's okay though. It just so happens hide and seek is my favorite game. My men will have moved in by now to keep your friends busy. No one is coming to help. It’s just you and me.” Rain felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest. She tried to stay calm, keeping her rifle trained on the door. Miles and the others would be coming soon, she knew it. She just had to hold on. “Let's see…..where could the little girl have hidden, I wonder? I feel sorry for you, kid, I really do. You would have been better off living in whatever gutter Miles found you in. Unfortunately, you picked a side that lost a long time ago.” Rain could hear her getting closer and closer. She wiped some sweat off of her head and prepared to fire everything she had. Then the footsteps stopped. “Found you.” Indara said happily. The voice had come from behind her, in the adjacent room, but before she could react, hands burst from the wall and wrapped around her throat. Rain dropped her rifle and tried to pry the hands off, but Indara’s grip was like iron. Rain felt herself letting a heavy stream of urine into her diaper as the world went black. * “She's gone! She's not here, Miles. She took her, oh god.” Tali cried into his shoulder. They had been pinned down for some time by Indara’s lackeys before it became very clear that they weren’t trying to hit them, merely keep them contained. Suddenly, the gunfire died down and her men rushed off. Tali was the first to run after Rain, carefully managing to avoid the flaming cars. The others had followed, even Miyuki, whose arm dangled uselessly at her side. They searched every floor, every room. Tali could feel her panic rising more and more with every empty room. Finally, on the third floor, they found Rain’s weapon left on the ground. However, Rain herself was gone, along with her bag. Miles held her tightly, trying to console her. Something about his soothing voice enraged her further and she drew back and slapped him hard across the face. “I told you! I told all of you this would happen! You can’t just fuck with Thorne and expect to get away with it. I…..I want her back, Miles. I want her back!” Tali sobbed, sinking to her knees. Miles embraced her again. “We'll find her, I promise. Indara didn't kill her or the body would have been left here. Whatever her plan is, she needs Rain alive. So I promise you, we will find her.” “How are we gonna pull that off, Cap?” Rocco asked. “Look at us. We're not exactly the picture of health.” “Bullshit.” Miyuki spat, cradling her arm. “It doesn’t matter how hurt we are, I'm not leaving Rain. We'll set off in all directions until we find her. Indara is with a big group right? They can’t have gotten far.” Gabe was sitting against the wall, still looking disoriented after getting his broken helmet off of him. “It won't be easy. Indara……she isn't normal. You saw her chuck me around, didn't you? She's far too strong for a normal person. However, I think I know what she is.” “Well, she sure didn't like you too much, Gabe. I mean seriously, what the fuck?” Rocco asked. “That can wait.” Miles said. “Tell us on the road. If I had to guess, Indara will be heading for Jericho’s capital. That's the only thing that makes sense. So that's where we'll go. Except you, Miyuki. I need you to head the other way.” Miyuki groaned as she rose up. “What the fuck are you talking about? I'm going after Rain. I'm not leaving her with that bitch! She wouldn't leave me!” “Listen to me! With your arm injured, you won’t be able to help us as much, but you can still help Rain. Take something to deaden the pain and run south as fast as you can. I need you to deliver a message.” * Rain felt Indara push her forward again as they neared an abandoned building at last. They had been walking for some time once she had woken up. Indara had promptly refused to carry her any further, setting her down before binding her hands behind her back. The building they approached had no one guarding the perimeter, so they weren't noticed, but once inside, Rain was greeted to a cacophony of jeers by the assembled raiders. “We got you now, bitch! Miles can't save you now.” One man yelled. A tough looking woman stepped in front of her and punched her hard in the stomach, sending her to her knees. “Aww….is the baby gonna cry? Let's see those diapers we've all heard about.” Laughter erupted from the crowd and someone else rushed up to kick her before she could rise. Finally, Indara stepped forward, angrily pushing them away. “Alright, enough of that shit. Keep it down too, we don't Miles finding us. We won't stay here long, so I want a constant vigil on the entrance. Anyone who walks in that door gets it, ya feel me? I'm taking the brat to a cell now, and I don’t want any of you getting close to her or you'll answer to me. Is that clear?” Her men cheered again as Rain was hauled up and forced forward. “Oh, and by the way. Great job out there today. Drinks are on me when we get home.” The cheers grew louder as they went on. Indara forced her to a room at the back of the building. She felt her bonds being cut before she was shoved inside. Indara took off her mask, looking down on her with pity. She finally threw Rain’s diaper bag to her. “Might want to get cleaned up, kid. You'll want to look your best when you meet Jericho.” She walked over to the corner of the room and grabbed a bucket that had been placed there with obvious purpose. “No offense, but I'm guessing you won't be needing this.” She shut the door without another word and Rain heard several locks being set. She felt numb as she robotically fumbled in her bag for a clean diaper and her other supplies, then walked over to the small bed and sat down. She couldn't believe she had been captured by the enemy. Part of her knew she should be afraid, and to some extent she was. However, she was also curious as to why Jericho Thorne wanted her to begin with. She had chosen one of her thicker diapers, somehow feeling like it was a better alternative to her pink ones. After changing herself, she curled up on the bed, covering herself with a dirty, torn blanket. She just wanted to go to sleep wake up safe with her friends. Plus, while she wasn't tied down to a bed, her inability to leave the room she was in made her suddenly claustrophobic. As she laid on the bed, she glanced down at the dirty diaper she had rolled up on the ground. At least she had one plan. She was gonna chuck it at the next person to walk through the door.

Yes, you're pretty regular with comments too, so thank you.

I'm glad to see a comment from you, honestly. It's always nice to hear people's thoughts. I know I shouldn't care about how many people comment, but I can't help it. It's nice to know you're still reading and enjoying the story. As it is, I kinda rely on Trip to give me feedback, which I appreciate, but comments are a nice way of seeing whose still reading. I don't want to lose readers cause my story is long and I take forever in between chapters. Lol. Still, glad you're still with me. Thanks again.

Glad you're liking it. I know I'm throwing a lot of characters out, but I've been excited about introducing Jericho and Viktor. Also, Miles isn't going after the generals per se. They actually want to avoid them and their individual armies. You won't need to wonder about Viktor for long. I plan on explaining his deal soon, next chapter probably. I'm happy you're liking Jericho and his crew. Jericho is very much an opposite of Miles, and where Miles has built up his own team, so has he. In any case, I've kept the shadow of Jericho Thorne in the background for too long. I'm glad he's finally in play.

The Regulator compound was different than what Rain had expected. It was situated far from any other settlement, in a secluded forest of dead trees. It felt like they had traversed the whole forest before they finally reached a clearing where the base was. The base wasn’t nearly as large as what she had seen in her vision, but it didn't take long to understand why. What was once a large and expansive barracks was now a destroyed shell. It looked like it had originally been surrounded by a protective wall, mostly made of giant logs whose tips had been sharpened. Most of the wall was destroyed, the logs laying all around the base. The inside wasn’t much better. Nearly all of the buildings had been burned to ashes or at the very least showed signs of heavy damage. The sturdier steel buildings were stained and blackened. It was interesting to note that despite supposedly being abandoned for many years, the grass had been cut and maintained so it wasn't overgrown. The center of the complex had been transformed into a large graveyard, each grave had been marked with wooden crosses. Rain glanced over at Miles. His face betrayed nothing of what he felt, but she could feel his inner anguish. After stopping at Ridgeville to collect their pay, he had hardly spoken to anyone aside from Tali in the two weeks they had taken to reach the compound. He had moved forward with a determined gait, as though he were forcing himself to continue. One thing was clear. This place was painful for him, and as they had finally approached the compound, he had paused and closed his eyes, like he was trying to keep his memories at bay. Tali stayed close to him, her hand grasping his tightly in a show of support. Rain, with her heightened empathetic senses, felt as though his feelings were crushing her. She was suffocating. She found herself shoving herself in between Miyuki and Rocco. Miyuki noticed, putting her arm around her and pulling her close. Miles took a deep breath and pointed to a small shed near the back of the compound. It was guarded by two armed men, lazily stretched out in some lawn chairs. The shed was the only undamaged structure in the place. “That shed wasn't here before. They must have built it.” He left the rest unsaid. The shed must have been built for George Maxwell. “What about the two idiots guarding the thing?” Rocco asked quietly. Instead of answering, Miles began moving to the compound, no longer trying to hide his approach. The rest of the team was forced to follow behind. The two guards were so engrossed in their own conversation that they failed to notice his approach. When they finally did it was too late. Miles had drawn his gun and wordlessly executed them before stopping at the entrance to the shed. It was covered in heavy chains, with many large padlocks keeping them together. At the bottom of the door was a small slot, an empty metal tray barely sticking out from it. Tali tried to interject. “Miles, I know you're upset, but you just killed two of Jericho Thorne’s men. You know that's going to….” “Get them off.” Miles interrupted. “Gabe, get those chains off.” Gabriel took a moment, his eyes going back and forth from his leader to Tali. With a sigh he shot the padlocks off before yanking the chains off and throwing them aside. Before anyone could say anything, Miles kicked the door in. Immediately, the team was repelled by an indescribable stench. Rocco and Tali visibly recoiled and moved away. Miyuki fell to her knees, looking sick. Aside from Miles, who had already entered the building, Gabriel was the only one who seemed unfazed. Despite the smell, Rain felt compelled to follow Miles inside, but Gabriel grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her back. He didn't look at her, but there was a look in his eye she hadn't seen before, and a feeling coming from him. A sense of desperation to keep her from seeing inside. “Whatever's in there, you don't need to see it. This is not for us. Just…..stay back. Let's give the captain some space.” The others obeyed and moved far away from whatever horror awaited in the shed. They sat in a circle, each unable to find anything to say. So they just sat in silence. * Miles looked at the creature that was supposed to be George Maxell. He had curled into a corner of the shed. He was missing most of what made a human an actual human, such as eyes and fingers and teeth. He was horribly thin, and it seemed a miracle that he was even still alive. Miles guessed that the Doctor had eventually grown bored with Maxwell, and had sent him here to rot away, lightly guarded in the assumption that Miles would never return. The walls were smeared with waste and blood. The smell was horrible, but Miles didn't notice it really. It was as though it couldn't reach him. This was the man who had saved him from the life of an orphan, who had taken him in and made him what he was today. And he had given them up. He had betrayed his own out of fear. Miles was surprised to notice that he didn't feel as angry as he thought he would. Instead he just felt a sense of sadness and loss. Maxwell had always been a such a strong man, but what remained of him, shaking in the corner, was hardly recognizable. He didn't deserve this. No one deserved this. Miles forced himself to speak, as Maxwell no longer had the ability to see. “Maxwell. I’m here. It's…..it's Miles.” Maxwell shot further back into the corner, shaking his head wildy. He could no longer speak. Miles felt a tear running down his face. He wasn't sure why his adoptive father was so afraid. Maybe to him, Miles was a dream, a nightmare that he couldn't even be sure was real. Did he think it was just another form of punishment? Another ghost come to haunt him? Miles knelt down and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “It's okay. I've come to stop it all. Everything will be okay.” Everything would be okay. * It felt like they had been waiting for hours, although it was probably more like minutes. Then they heard a single, echoing, gunshot. The suddenness made her jump and instinctively reach for her gun. Miles exited a moment later, ignoring them and walking numbly to a far off grave that sat by itself. Rain shifted and noticed how wet her diaper was. It would have to wait. It wasn't the right time. “Is that Aiden’s grave?” Rain asked aloud. “I would imagine.” Tali answered. “We've never been here. From my understanding, Miles never came here again after what happened.” Rain watched as her leader sat by the grave. Surprisingly, she noticed some flowers on the grave. They were dead now, but still, they had clearly been placed there recently. Fresh flowers were a rarity anyway in this wasteland, leading her to think they had been grown by someone. Since it obviously wasn't Miles, who had left the flowers? Rocco yawned and laid back on the grass. “Y’know, it sounds harsh and all, but I'd say the old dude got what was coming to him.” Miyuki shot him a dirty look. Tali looked horrified. “How can you say that? I don't think you could have paid me to walk in there. He's obviously been through some terrible things.” “Well, he is a traitor. He gave up his friends and family without a fight. I just think the punishment should fit the crime is all. You agree don't ya, Miyuki?” Miyuki just shut her eyes tightly. “Just shut up, Rocco. Please.” She was hugging her knees, as though she was trying to shrink herself, and she had a sad expression on her face. Rain kept watching her leader as he sat by his son's grave, speaking softly. “Has he said anything about Aiden’s mother? I got the impression she wasn't in the picture.” Tali pursed her lips in something almost like annoyance, then she seemed to feel bad about it afterwards. “She died in childbirth. I guess they were both pretty young at the time, and Aiden was kinda unplanned. I don't think they were super close, but Miles didn't want to leave his son alone. That's why he brought him here.” Rain could sense a bit of jealousy behind her calm face, but it was overwhelmed by the sense of concern for Miles. Tali was obviously tempted to go and comfort him, and Gabriel looked fairly concerned as well. They seemed to know that there wasn’t anything they could say to help. Miles didn't stay at the grave for long. He stood and walked back to them, a look of chilling determination on his face. Gabriel stood. “You want us to dig a grave for Maxwell? It won’t take long.” “No. Burn the shed down. A pyre will suffice for him. We're in a hurry.” “Captain?” Gabe asked? “What are you talking about, Miles?” Tali asked. “We're going after Thorne. This…..I can't let this go. I'm going to kill him.” The group looked around at each other with eyebrows raised. Miles wasn't the rash type, but it was hard to blame him for feeling angry. Tali was the only one who tried to speak to him, sensing his mood. “Miles, we talked about this before. We can't go after Thorne. It's impossible.” “Well, we have faced some pretty bad odds before. Maybe we could pull it off.” Rain said. She wasn't trying to argue or take sides, just pointing out the facts. Tali shook her head. “We've tried before. About a year before you showed up.” Rain could have rolled her eyes at yet more history that she was unaware of, but Tali kept going. “There was some kind of rebellion or civil strife. A few tribes were causing trouble. We thought that would be a good time to strike when he was distracted.” “This is different.” Miles said angrily. “Jericho knew we would try and take him out when he was weakened. He planned for it and set a trap. We barely got out alive. Gabriel nearly died.” Gabriel just shrugged. “I've almost died a lot. We risk death all the time.” “We aren't talking about a couple hundred Super Mutants, Rain. We're talking nearly a thousand raiders, all them united by their sole hatred of us.” “A thousand spread out and spread thin.” Miles argued. “And this time we have a secret weapon. Rain and her powers.” “What?! She can't control her abilities, Miles, and you want to drag her into your war?” “I'm not debating this. We're going after Thorne. That's an order.” Rain sat uncomfortably watching the scene play out. It could have been her wet diaper that was bothering her, but really it was just….disconcerting to see Miles and Tali argue. Miles had walked past them, apparently thinking the matter closed. “I think we should vote on it.” Tali said. She had said it so quietly, and she looked almost surprised that she had said it at all. The whole group looked at the ground awkwardly. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Miles stopped and turned back, a look of shock across his face. He spoke in almost a growl. “What?! A vote? Are you kidding me?!” Tali just looked at him, clearly resolved. “That's how we do things, right? None of us are compelled to follow an order. I'm sorry but I can't condone this.” Miles glared at her coldly but agreed. Gabriel sided with Miles, as did Rocco. Miyuki surprisingly sided with Tali. Then it was Rain’s turn. If she sided with Tali, the vote would be even and the operation would be ended right there. But Miles was staring at her now. This was important to him, and more importantly, he believed in her, in what she could do. Maybe her powers could turn the tide and put an end to all of this. Plus, if Jericho was dead, Miles would have no reason to keep fighting. Maybe he would settle down with Tali once his past was put to rest. “I'm in. I'm with you, Miles.” She said, looking him in the eyes and nodding. She glanced over to Tali, who had her head down, utterly defeated. She felt bad, but if Tali had won, Miles might have never forgiven her. “It's decided. We'll start with the individual tribes who support him and head north. We'll hit them fast and hard, then keep moving. This ends when Jericho Thorne is dead and not a moment before.” He walked off with Gabriel to set the shed aflame. He didn't say another word to Tali. She looked like she wanted to go after him, but Rain tugged on her sleeve before she could. “Do you think you could change me? If you're not too angry with me?” She sighed. “I'm not angry. I'm just scared. This can't end well, Rain. You can’t understand what you just agreed to. Anyway, it’s done and Miles will probably be mad at me for a bit, but I'm right and he knows it.” “Don't worry, Tali. I'll do my best to help us through this. In case you missed it, I’m pretty badass now. I don't think you need to worry.” “I hope so, cutie. Anyway, let's get you changed, okay?” * A few weeks later. “Something must be done.” A voice cried. This is unacceptable. You've gone easy on him all these years, and this is the result.” “Miles and his band must be stopped, Jericho.” Another voice said. “He should have died a long time ago. Now it must be done.” Lucas Hudson sighed from the corner of the room, watching his leader with interest. The leader of all the tribes in the south had gathered in Jericho’s lair, at the top floor of a former hotel that now served as a sort of royal court. Jericho sat at the front of those gathered, like a king on his throne, although he wouldn't call it that. Honestly, despite the luxury the hotel had to offer, Jericho hated the place for some undisclosed reason. In the weeks that followed Miles’ visit, he had gone on a rampage with his small band, terrorizing the tribes and causing many casualties. To his credit, he only attacked groups that were out and about, like the Mad Dog’s chem lab, or the Viper’s weapon supply depot. He hadn't gone after their homes, where women and children were gathered. Not that this mattered to the angry tribes. They had been wronged, and only blood would satisfy them. Hudson was a bit nervous as he had inadvertently set all this in motion. Now he had been summoned to the capital for the first time in years. However, this probably meant that he was going to be tasked with dealing with Miles. To be honest, Hudson kinda liked Miles, but it was his territory that the jerk was destroying. He would relish the opportunity to hunt Miles down. Jericho allowed the chieftains to yell and curse. He himself looked bored and almost depressed. He still had a baby face that made him look young, but the duties of ruling seemed to have weighed heavily on him. His fiery tattoos looked somehow less fearsome than they had. Viktor, his bodyguard, stood beside him. He was a tall man, thin for his size, but still impressively muscular. With his long brown hair that fell to his shoulders, and a long and full beard, Hudson always thought he looked like a Viking from the history books. Viktor however, liked to consider himself more of an old fashioned knight. His weapon reflected this as well. It was a double edged broadsword he had found in a museum somewhere. He had it slung across his back and no doubt it was still wicked sharp. “Why don't you say something, Jericho?” the chief of the Flying Hawks asked. “Your fondness for our enemy is well known. Have you grown so weak that you'll allow this to continue?! If you won't act then maybe it's time for someone else to be in charge.” Viktor took a step forward. Just one. Hudson chuckled to himself. That's all it took to make the leaders of these fearsome tribes back away and shut their mouths. Viktor was a stoic and quiet man, even more than Miles, but his skills were well known, even if no one had actually seen them. Hudson remembered a particularly tough fight, maybe a year before Miles had first shown up. Some tribe whose name he couldn't even remember anymore had started a fight with Thorne. They had lost. Badly. In a final act, they had holed up in their fortress. It was on a hill in an empty field, a view in all directions. They had strong walls and deadly snipers. No one had been able to force them out after some serious losses, Jericho sent Viktor alone to deal with them. Hudson had laughed at the time. It was ridiculous to think that a glorified bodyguard could somehow handle what an army couldn't. He was wrong. It took less than three minutes before the gates were opened from the inside. Hudson would never forget the inside of that fort. It was like a whirlwind of carnage had torn through. All fifty or sixty men had been decimated, many cleaved right in half. No one knew how in the world one man with a sword had killed so many so quickly. Yet it was the same every time Jericho reluctantly sent him out. Viktor left alone, and left no survivors in his wake. Viktor was the final solution, the person sent when Jericho needed a message sent. Even looking at him was terrifying. He had a presence of some kind that just couldn't be challenged. He just had an this air of invincibility. Viktor was without doubt the deadliest man in the state, maybe the world. Hudson glanced over at Sylvia, Viktor’s wife. How a gloomy giant like him had snagged such a beauty was a mystery. Her long dark hair was kept in a neat bun, her olive skin glistened, and her dark eyes stared anxiously at Jericho. Along with her husband, she was one of his oldest friends and closest confidants. She was also an excellent chemist and kept the capital well supplied with stim-packs and other medical necessities. Because of these reasons, she always had a place in Jericho’s council meetings. Finally, Jericho spoke. “The matter will be dealt with, as I've spent the last few days telling you. I'm not sure what else I can promise you all.” “When?! Miles and his group cause more destruction every day while you sit here doing nothing.” There was a sound from the end of the room. The elevator was coming up floor by floor, dinging with each floor. Jericho looked up and smiled faintly. “I had to wait for her to arrive. Now you'll see how this problem will be handled.” Everyone looked back as the elevator door opened, revealing a pale woman with fiery red hair. She was clad in leather armor, and strode forward confidently. Her movement always reminded Hudson of some kind of wild animal, a feral beast. Yet here she was. Indara, ruler of the eastern territories. Now Hudson was intrigued. Was Jericho summoning all his generals? Did he intend this to be another attack like the one on the Regulator compound? He didn't relish the idea of seeing Yates and his dead looking eyes. As for Barnabas, he always caused a fuss when he came to the capital, being a Super Mutant. “Thanks for coming, Indara. I'm sorry for pulling you away from home.” Jericho said with an almost warm smile. “You asked me to come, and here I am. I'm assuming it has to do with Miles.” She looked over at Hudson with a mocking grin. “What have you been doing, Hudson? Can't handle your own territory?” Hudson bristled. He wasn't a big fan of his fellow general. She always looked as though she knew some private joke that no one else did. It was mildly irritating. “Why do you think I'm here, you ginger bitch?” “Indara alone will handle Miles. I have another task for you, Hudson. How many men did you bring with you, Indara?” “Fifty. More than enough. I do have a favor to ask though, if I may.” Hudson fumed as Jericho nodded for her to continue. Hunting down Miles should have been his task, but he couldn’t protest openly. Why in the world would Jericho summon them both? “The Crimson Hands recently raided another tribe, some small one. There's so many and they all have ridiculous names.” Jericho sighed. “I never prohibited raids. I wish I could, but the tribes have their ancient grudges don't they?” He made a point of ignoring the outraged looks the gathered chiefs gave him. “They took slaves though. They're planning on selling them to some slavers from out of state. I would have dealt with it myself but I was eager to get here.” Jericho sat up a bit, and a familiar flame seemed to light behind his eyes. He looked at the tribes gathered, and now they did seem to fear him. “One thing. Slavery was the one thing I outlawed. Have I not let you all operate as you please? I outlawed one thing, and this is how I'm repaid?” Sylvia took a step forward and cleared her throat. “Send my husband to handle them, Jericho. Viktor would be happy to solve this for you.” Jericho looked over at his bodyguard awkwardly. He looked as though he was about to refuse when his old friend spoke for himself. “I can do it. I'll leave in the morning if that's okay.” “If you're sure. I hate to bother you with this.” “I'm here to help you in whatever capacity you need. You never need to worry about sending me out.” Indara clapped. “Great! I’m glad that's settled. Now, do you think I can get a room for the night? I'm a bit tired from all the travel.” Jericho nodded, giving his female commander a knowing look. “That's fine. I'll speak to you later about the finer details of my errant friend and his punishment.” Indara smiled and gave a small looking bow, then she left for her room. The chiefs seemed pleased, but would have continued to complain about other things if Jericho hadn't shooed them away. Suddenly Hudson found himself alone with Jericho, Viktor, and Sylvia. He stepped up, ready to argue until he saw the look his leader was giving him. “Hudson, I find it strange that Miles has decided to attack us so suddenly, don’t you?” Hudson could feel a cold lump forming in the pit of his stomach. Sylvia glanced at him briefly before excusing herself. The tension seemed suffocating. “Miles has held a grudge for a long time, man, you know that.” “Did you also know that old man Maxwell was put out of his misery? After all these years, do you think Miles just decided to drop by his old hangout for no reason? No one outside of myself and those close to me knew where Maxwell was kept.” “I mean, he has a kid buried there.” Hudson said weakly. Jericho stood up, his hands clenching into fists. “Are you going to keep lying to me, Lucas? Did you not think that I had heard about your little journey down below your territory, where Miles operates? You go down there and a week later, he's killing my people. Did you Miles and let your mouth run? Or did you purposefully betray me?” Viktor began walking toward him now, slowly unsheathing his sword. “On your knees.” Hudson backed away a few steps. Part of him wanted to fight, the other half wanted to run. But Viktor was looking down on him, almost daring him to try. He wouldn't be able to get away, and fighting Viktor was pointless. He knelt down at last. Feelings of hopelessness and disbelief raged in his head. It couldn't end here. “Come on, boss. Is this how you're gonna end it? I've been loyal to you, man. I've always had your back and you’re gonna ice me just like that?” “Don't move. It'll be worse if you move.” Viktor ordered, his deep voice echoing the empty room. Jericho looked on impassively as Viktor raised his sword up high. Hudson bared his neck despite his fear. “Jericho, come on already, for fucks sake! I'm sorry! It was a mistake!” The blade descended as he winced and took a deep breath, preparing for the pain to set in. He shut his eyes tight, not wanting to see it coming. It never did. The polished steel blade had stopped just inches from his neck. Hudson let out his breath and sank down to his butt. He felt numb. He wasn't a man easily frightened, but he was shaking now. “Fuck you, Viktor…..fuck you.” Jericho walked over and helped him up. “You are loyal, Lucas. I've never had reason to doubt that. To be fair, Maxwell has haunted my dreams for a long time now. I've been wanting to put the poor bastard out of his misery, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. But this has happened because of you, so I had to fuck with you a bit. You'll follow Viktor to deal with this slaver issue. Once he's done I want you to free the slaves and make sure they get home safely. Leave Viktor to get back on his own.” Hudson got up, annoyed that his legs were still shaking. “I'll get my men ready then.” He headed for the elevator, ready to be gone and away from this place. “Hudson.” Jericho called once more. His eyes had a familiar cold fierceness. “Don't ever betray me again.” * Sylvia watched her husband packing his bags. She hated to see him go, and was almost regretting offering him to begin with. He was such a quiet man, it could be hard to tell what he was thinking, but he had always been this way. They had been childhood sweethearts for as long as she could remember. He had always let his actions speak louder than his words. She rubbed his arm. “You aren't angry with me, are you? I know I shouldn't have answered for you.” Viktor shook his head. “It's okay. I understand why you did it. Jericho wouldn’t have asked me himself.” “He's been different, Viktor. These last few years…..” “I know. Imagine how hard it must be….to be him. All the people who hate him, want him dead, and he hates himself more than anyone else.” Sylvia let her hair out of her bun and opened the safe in their room, pulling out a single black box and handing it over. It was a small parcel, but it's contents were of vital importance. “Tobias…....I mean Jericho used to enjoy this stuff y’know? Now he just seems to go through the motions.” “He enjoyed outsmarting his enemies, Sylvia. He enjoyed stopping those who wanted us all dead or in chains. Everything else weighs on him. That's why we're here. To be strong for when he can't be. We owe him that much.” “I'm worried about him. What happens to all this without Jericho Thorne?” Viktor wrapped her in his big arms. She clung to him, taking comfort from his embrace. “You don't need to worry, Sylvia. I won't allow anything to happen to him. As long as I'm still standing, he'll be fine.” “I know. On another note, I know you don't need me to tell you, but make sure you get some place safe after…..” “Daddy!” A tiny voice cried and a small figure dashed into the room, leaping into Viktor’s waiting arms. “Are you going away?” “Let your father get ready, Aimee.” Sylvia told the five year old little girl. As usual, she was full of energy despite most likely running around terrorizing the fearsome raiders that guarded the place. She was sorta like royalty here, or at least acted like it. Viktor held her up, a small smile appearing on his face, a smile that he seemed to reserve for his daughter. “Just for a week or so. You'll behave for Mommy, right?” Aimee rolled her eyes. “I always do, even when she makes read boring books and do homework and stuff. I'm the best, Daddy, you know that.” “You complain about your lessons every chance you get, young lady.” Sylvia said with a roll of her eyes. “Heaven forbid I try to keep you from becoming like the rest of the brainless morons around here.” “Aww…..I'm telling on you, Mommy.” The girl said, despite not knowing who exactly her mother was talking about. “Daddy, are you leaving cause Uncle Jericho asked you too?” Viktor kissed his daughter on her head before putting her down. “That's right. If you do some things for me, I'll bring you a present.” “Presents!” Amiee cried happily. “What is it? Tell me! I'll do anything!” “First of all, I want you to behave and listen to Mommy. I know you like to give her a hard time when I'm gone.” “Nu-uh! I already told you, I'm the bestest behaved girl ever. What else?” Viktor knelt down. “The next time you see Uncle Jericho, give him a big hug okay? He probably needs it.” “I’ll go right now!” The girl proclaimed, ready to fly off in search of her prey. Sylvia caught her just barely. “Not yet, Wild Thing. Jericho is probably talking to Indara right now. Wait until later okay?” “Indara is here?! Cool! Can I go see her? Please…..it's been literally a billion years since I last saw her. She was teaching me fight last time, so I can be strong like Dad.” Viktor shook his head and sighed. “I'd rather you became smart like Mom. It'll get you farther in life. Anyway, leave Indara be until she isn’t busy, okay? Believe it or not, I think Uncle Jericho missed her too.” “Sylvia snorted. “Oh, I'll bet.” * Jericho stretched and yawned as he watched the red haired beauty leave his bed. She walked over, still naked, to a small chess set he kept on a table by his window. She didn't seem to care that she was nude in front of a window, but then again not many could probably see her, considering they were on the highest floor. From his perch, Jericho could look down at his city, his empire, filled with men and women who openly wanted him dead, as well as many others who only secretly wanted him dead. The few old friends he had left were rapidly shrinking. Some died…..others left, unable to bear the cruelties he inflicted on their behalf. “Do you play?” Jericho asked. “We just finished playing.” Indara answered playfully. “Did you miss me that much? Are you lonely here without me?” “I meant chess….but yeah, I've missed you.” Indara shrugged and stretched like a cat, her eyes watching his reaction. “I'm not much for games. I like hunting real prey, not plastic pieces.” “Miles and I used to play, back in the day.” Indara have a bored look and began to gather her clothes. “Seriously? We're talking about Miles now? Way to kill the mood.” Jericho looked up at the ceiling. “Chess can tell you a lot about a person. Miles was very aggressive in our matches, bold and brash, hoping to force me to make a wrong move. But I always kept him at bay with a strong defense. I always told him to think more defensively.” “And that told you what exactly?” “He's never needed to think defensively because the Regulators always taught him to attack, to overwhelm his opponents with speed and precision. He’s never been like me, like us. Hunted and constantly under attack, always fearing the next plot. That's the difference between us. That's why…..I'll always beat him.” Indara gave a big grin, tossing her clothes back on the ground and getting back into bed. “Don't worry. I'll teach him a lesson. Are you sure you don't just want me to kill him?” “That has proven very hard to do, hasn't it? But no, I want to send a message. Can you manage this for me?” “Is that Brotherhood of Steel guy still with him?” Indara asked as she twirled her hair. Her eyes narrowed when he answered. “Can I kill him?” “Still bearing a grudge, huh? Hate to disappoint you, but I'd like you to stick to the plan if possible. It'll hit harder, trust me.” She hopped back up and put on her underwear. “I should get ready then. I'll be back soon, don't worry.” Jericho raised his hand to stop her. “You don't have to go….yet. If you don't want to.” He hated how pathetic he sounded, but with what was about to happen, he didn't want to be alone for tonight. Indara only seemed a little surprised. She nodded and slunk back into bed. “You don't want to do this, do you? You really like Miles, don't you?” Jericho closed his eyes, trying very hard to remind himself that he was in the right. “Miles is a good man, one of the best I've had the honor of meeting. I've put him through a lot of pain and suffering…..and before this is over, I'll put him through a whole lot more.”

Yes, it is I! I've actually been in a writing mood so I've come to gift you all with more of this story that I guess people like for some reason. Enjoy. Another town, another mission. This one incidentally fell into their lap. They had travelled to the town, Ridgeville, to trade. They had a surplus of scrap and needed to get rid of it in favor of more useful things like food, which had lessened considerably from winter. Tali and Gabe were normally loath to sell potentially useful materials. Gabriel used any scrap metal to repair his armor, while Tali would use whatever junk at could in order to make random things that either exploded or at the very least could be chucked at enemies. Ridgeville was located inside one of the many cities that dotted the landscape. Not many built their homes in cities. Between mutants and smaller raider groups, cities tended to be more dangerous. On top of that, there were less opportunities for hunting, and the like, making successful scavenging a must, and trade more vital than ever. Either way, the town itself was rather impressive. Scaffolding connected the various buildings that served as homes, and the whole town was decorated with lights of various colors. At night Ridgeville must of have been exceptionally beautiful. The town encompassed a large amount of the city, probably several blocks. The streets were well populated, and despite their complete lack of any walls or other defensive structures, the people seemed at ease. Clearly this was not a village used to trouble. Looking around, the answer as to why started to become more clear. Almost every building had turrets set up, much like the kind they employed at their bases. In any case, it hadn't taken long for them to get recognized. Always eager to help, and with the promise of better trading deals and supplies as payment, Miles accepted and the job was explained by the town sheriff, a grim looking man named Murphy. The man was rather ordinary. To be honest, Rain was to caught up with eyeing the various stalls filled with goods to pay much attention to him. She would let Miles handle the business aspect, she just needed to know where to aim and who to shoot. “So how can we help you, Murphy?” The old sheriff took off his hat and leaned in close to whisper to the group. “There's been a murder. Happened yesterday. I’ve kept it quiet for now, but soon enough people will get suspicious. Then they'll be out for blood. As bad as it sounds, we can't afford for the town to shut down because of this. But if you can solve it before they notice….?” Miles nodded sympathetically. “Tell us as much as you can, and we'll get to it. What happened?” “The victim was a woman named Rebecca Powers. She owned a little store at the edge of town, dealing in old electronics mostly. Not a particularly popular store, but she did alright. She was…..well she was very private woman, kept to herself mostly. She didn't seem to really like it here, nor did she like most of us all too much. Honestly, she probably wouldn't have bothered with the store if she could've avoided it.” “Keep going. Do you have any idea who did it?” “That's where we're lucky. We know exactly who did it, or at the very least have a good suspicion. There's a drifter whose made himself rather unwelcome in most towns. Goes by Zhang. Asian fella, about your height, real shifty though. Not much else I can give you besides that. But we'd like him brought back alive if possible.” Miyuki rolled her eyes. “So we're looking for a shifty Asian, huh? At least he'll stand out.” Murphy blanched. “I didn't mean no offense. We welcome all people here.” “Why are you so sure it was him?” “His normal method is to sneak into a town and steal whatever he can, then hightail it out before anyone notices. We got warning from a nearby settlement that he was around, so we knew he might come here and we were watching out, but he still slipped in. I was informed that he was in Rebecca’s shop, but by the time I got there it was too late.” “She was dead and he was gone? I’m assuming he stole her things as well?” Murphy sighed. “I don't know if he took anything or not. I didn't frequent the joint and we haven't looked for any type of inventory log. Rebecca didn't suffer fools though, that's for sure. My guess is she caught him and tried to deal with it herself. It…..it wasn't pretty, Miles. He cut her up bad. Now she might not have been the most friendly of people, but she was one of us. We're simple people and whatever our flaws, we look after our own.” Miles nodded. “So it's a small town's justice then? I'm betting it won't be pretty.” “There'll be a trial. We're not animals. But yeah, it probably won't be something you'd want your little one there to see. That a problem?” Rain snapped back to attention at that. She had been focused on a food stall that was frying something that smelled pretty damn good. The others were snickering at her, and she turned back around to hide her red face. Miles chuckled but didn't bother correcting him. “If you could give us an idea of which way he went, we'll get after him.” “He was last seen heading north.” Murphy pointed. “Closest town is only a few hours walk. Maybe he's still there, selling off his goods or resting at an inn. If not, he might be rushing towards Jericho Thorne’s area.” “We'll catch him. He's days away from Thorne’s territory.” After a quick stop at the food stall, they headed off. For her part, Rain was regretting wearing pants instead of her usual skirt, but she had wanted to wear the Regulator jacket that Miles had given her and it looked better with pants. Still, even in her lighter diaper, she felt like she was waddling. Miyuki gave her a nudge, nodding her head towards Miles. “It's no wonder he thought you were Miles’ kid, look at you. You match and everything. How adorable.” “Maybe you're jealous he didn’t give you one, huh? I mean, I joined last after all, but I guess the captain likes me better. Must be hard for you.” Rain said smugly. “Pfff. Dream on, little girl. I'd say he’s painting a target on your back with that thing. He's probably hoping you'll act as a decoy.” Rain brought her hand to her mouth in mock surprise. “Wow. To think Miles would trust me to act as his decoy. Hey don't worry, I'm sure you can find something to punch…..or whatever, make yourself useful, y’know?” Miyuki laughed menacingly, wrapping an arm around her neck and putting her in a light headlock. “You better watch it, missy. I will not hesitate to pull down those pants and spank your diapered behind.” “Oh. I thought you only liked spankings when Surra was involved. Were you a bad girl, Miyuki?” “That does it. Can we stop guys? Rain needs to relearn some manners. Maybe we'll work on potty training afterwards.” Tali smiled back at them, shaking her head. “Behave you two or I'll put laxative in one of your meals tonight, only I won't tell you who.” Miyuki let her go at last. “You're more used to it than me, but I don't want to risk it. The jacket does look pretty good on you though, seriously.” Rocco chimed in from behind them, fanning himself with his hat. “Uh….could we hear more about Surra spanking you, Miyuki? Please? I'm a lonely ghoul.” Miyuki gave a disgusted look. “That's an image I didn't need. You should be like Gabriel, at least he's a gentleman.” “Hmmm? What?” Gabe asked. “Sorry I was uh…..lost in…..thought. I very vaguely recall something about spankings?” “Oh my God! You too?!” “What? My rugged good looks only get me so far, and the eyepatch doesn't help as much as you'd think. If I were a younger man then maybe.” Rain ran ahead with her hands over her ears. “Ewww. No, stop, there's a child present! Don't scar me with this grown-up talk.” Miyuki pointed at her. “You started this. Get back here and suffer with me!” “Gee I would, but I need to be closer to Miles. Y’know, as his decoy. Have fun though.” Rain giggled, sticking out her tongue. Rain rushed to the front and took her place beside Miles. He subtly extended a fist for her to bump. “Nice one. A little mean, but she did used to beat you up after all, right?” She shrugged and gave an evil grin. “I'm too busy laughing right now to feel bad. Check back later.” From the back she could hear Rocco fishing for me details. “I mean, was there a whip? You don't have to say it out loud, just blink twice if there were whips involved.” “Rocco!!!” * They walked through the ruins of the abandoned city, heading for the next town. As she had thought many times before when traversing a city, Rain marveled at the idea that people once inhabited places like this, populating the huge skyscrapers that were now empty and foreboding, almost like sleeping giants. She tried to imagine people walking the streets, busy going one place or another. She tried to imagine those giant buildings perfect and whole, standing tall and proud under blue skies, instead of desolate and crumbling monuments with broken windows and overgrown moss. She looked over at the multitude of rusted and broken down vehicles, wondering how such devices could have ever worked. In a few, there were still crumbling skeletons at the wheels, having taken their last breath inside a steel can. Where had they been going? Maybe they were rushing to safety when the end came, or stuck in traffic that surely existed back then. Rain had to turn away from a few vehicles when she saw multiple bodies in them. One even had some….very small ones in the back. With a sigh, she tried to envision one more time what this city might have looked like before mankind was crushed by their own weapons of war. A somber musing, and one that was quite sad as well. Her reverie was cut short when what looked like a settlement appeared on the horizon. They had barely walked an hour, it seemed too early to have reached their destination. Miles and the others had stopped in their tracks, and the sudden tension in the air said that they had indeed stumbled on something unintended. Looking again at the settlement ahead she could vaguely make out a flag flying, a flag that depicted a devil surrounded by flames. “That can't be.” Tali whispered. “Off the road!” Miles ordered. They moved off the road and crouched down beside some cars. They hadn't seemed to have made themselves known yet, though Rain could see armed men patrolling the perimeter. Gabe grunted and nodded toward the camp. “No doubt about it. They belong to Thorne. Probably one of the generals judging by the size.” Miyuki shook her head. “That makes no sense. They're way too far south. You think this is some kind of attempt at expansion?” “Who cares why they're here?” Rocco asked. “Do you see the other flag? Which general is it?” Sure enough, a second flag was flying near the first. The wind was blowing too much to see it though. Rocco nudged her. “Kid, you ever seen a picture of those old time plague doctors?” He continued as she nodded. “If you see one now, get ready to run. That means the Doctor is around. You don't want to get captured by him.” The Doctor was named Thomas Yates, a regular name that hid a more sinister persona. A general of Jericho Thorne, he ruled in the far northwest. Miyuki was terrified of him, in fact, everyone seemed to be afraid of the Doctor due to his penchant for torturing his enemies. “No. Look now that the wind has died down.” Miles said. “It's an axe, right?” Sure enough, the banner was a red axe over a black background. So it was another general, Lucas Hudson, and ruler of the southern border of Thorne’s empire. “What the hell is Hudson doing down here?” Miles queried. “Last I heard, Thorne had set up pretty clear borders. It makes no sense.” “So what now? We can go around I guess.” Rocco advised. Miles seemed to consider it, but then smiled thinly. “No need. We'll just pass right through. Maybe we can ask about our thief. Either way, I don't like the idea of leaving them there without knowing why.” “That's crazy! We're talking about at least a hundred men in there.” Rocco objected. Miles looked back, his bright blue eyes narrowing in a look that dared another complaint. It didn't seem like he was taking no for an answer. “Just watch yourself. Hudson is a fairly reasonable guy. So long as we don't give him cause, we'll be fine. Everyone keep your hands away from your weapons. We'll approach slowly with our hands raised. Let's go.” They headed toward the huge encampment, with Rain feeling more apprehensive with each step. Somehow, a man nicknamed the Axe, didn't strike her as a reasonable guy. Not to mention, she remembered her vision of the attack on the Regulators. Miles was stopped from getting to Thorne by a fire axe in the back. With how much Miles hated anything to do with Thorne, she found it odd that he wasn't demanding an immediate attack. The guards saw them quickly, and soon a party of fifteen raiders had come to meet them. At the head was an ugly man with a bushy dark moustache. He gave an order and the men spread out to surround them. The moustached man glared at Miles, recognition burning in his eyes. Miles however, seemed calm as a still pond. Either he didn't recognize the man, or he was being very diplomatic. “I need to speak with Hudson. Send word we're here.” The man shoved a finger the captain's chest. “You don't order me around you bastard! Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right here!” Miles didn't so much as look at him. “You'll die if you try it. We aren't here for a fight. Now run and fetch your commander.” “You don't remember me do you? You attacked my tribe many years ago. I nearly died thanks to you.” “I tend to forget all the stupid assholes I’ve killed or nearly killed. Count yourself lucky.” The man clenched his fists, only barely restraining himself. “You got balls. I should have torn them off at your base five years ago. You have no idea how happy I was when we burned that shithole to the ground. I killed so many of your friends. Come on, draw your weapon, I fucking dare ya.” Miles finally looked at the man, murder in his eyes. It seemed like conflict was inevitable. Gabriel looked as though he was ready to jump in front of Miles if need be. The others all seemed to be reaching for their weapons. “Wait! Wait!” a small voice cried out. A young man was rushing toward them from the camp. He was thin as a reed and seemed only a year or so older Rain herself. The man with the moustache tensed up, a Rain could feel an intense frustration coming from him. The boy reached them at last, heaving and sucking on large amounts of air. The distance was so little, Rain couldn't help but marvel at how out of shape the boy was. “Mr. Hudson……he……ah….he wants to see them……He sent me…..to escort them.” The man grunted and stroked his facial hair. “You don't look like you can escort anyone, Kyle. Pathetic. Look at you, you're huffing and puffing from a light jog!” “I have asthma…” Kyle whined. “Bah. No such thing. Don't fake an illness because you're a weak little girl. Hell, there's a little girl right here who could probably kick your ass.” Rain felt her eyebrow twitch from annoyance, but the thin young man trembled anyway. “Why would she want to?!” He asked bewildered. “You piss me off, Kyle!” The man yelled. “It would seem we're done here.” Miles stated. “Lead the way, young man.” Kyle took another deep breath and pivoted on his heel. They passed the snarling group of men and began their way to the camp. The camp itself was hastily constructed, with tents crowding almost every inch of ground. The reception inside was just as bad. Most of the gathered raiders jeered and booed at them. Lewd jokes were directed at Tali and Miyuki. Many yelled curses at Miles. And of course, numerous jokes about the “little girl” in the group persisted as they made their way to the biggest tent near the back of the camp. For the first time in the day, she was happy she hadn't worn a skirt. Her diaper being exposed here would have been too much to bear. Kyle led them inside where two men stood by something amazing. It was a car, but it had been beautifully restored with a cherry red paint job. The metal parts seemed new and the whole vehicle was polished lovingly. Lucas Hudson, the Axe, was immediately noticeable. He was shorter than Miles by just a bit, but looked very well built. He had dark tan skin and he was wearing what looked like prewar military pants and a white tank top that was discolored with grease. His head was shaved at the side, and the hair he did have was styled into a mohawk. He glanced briefly at their group before signaling that they should wait. Rain glanced over at the corner where his fabled fire axe stood nearby. The other man was much older and was beaming over the vehicle proudly. “We did it sir. Look at how she shines. I honestly wasn't sure we would find the parts we needed, but just look at her.” Hudson was smiling happily. He headed over to Kyle and slapped his back, almost knocking the poor boy over. “Look at that, boy! Have you ever seen anything like it? Check it out, Miles. Look at my baby. It took years but she's almost ready. I bet you're jealous, huh?” “Very impressive, Hudson.” The old man looked suddenly confused. “Uh….sir? What else is there to do? We've restored her as best we can already.” “What the hell are you talking about? We're going to get her running. It's been my dream for years. I'm tired of having to walk all over the damn place.” “Sir, I thought you simply wished to restore the vehicle. I'm afraid there's no way to get her running.” Hudson blankly looked at the man. Beside him, Kyle stiffened in fear. “What do you mean?” “I thought you knew. The technology for those vehicles was lost hundreds of years ago.” “Then what have we been doing all this time? You were recommended as an expert in old cars. Now you say you can't fix it?!” Kyle tugged meekly on Hudson’s arm. “Stay calm, sir. Please?” “I am calm. I’m calm. I'm so fucking calm. Please…..continue old man.” The man seemed to realize his precarious position and began looking at the exit longingly. “I am an expert at fixing them up, yes, but no one knows how to get them running, they used nuclear fusion after all.” Hudson appeared to be getting more and more red and had begun pacing around. “So let's…..just do that then.” “Ludicrous. Such an art was lost long ago. It’s impossible.” Hudson looked over and pointed to Gabriel. “I heard the Brotherhood had a giant fucking robot and vehicles that flew. Flew! In the fucking sky!” “I-I'm sorry, sir. There's simply no way. I didn't mean to mislead you.” Kyle looked more and more worried. “Sir, please. Remember what we talked about. Count to ten remember?” Hudson kept pacing. “Yeah yeah, I know. I’m good. One…..two……three…..four……ah fuck it!” In a split second he had his axe in hand. The poor old man barely had time to scream before the blade had descended down on him. Hudson kept counting with every swing, until he reached ten. He took a final deep breath before tossing the axe on the ground. He looked over at Kyle, who had sunk to his knees despondently, a hand over his face.” “Boy! Clean this up and get our….guest out of here.” “I hate my job.” Kyle complained. “Why do I bother? It's always the same.” “Kyle!” Hudson yelled, gesturing to the bloody body. “We have guests. Don't be rude, get this guy outta here.” The boy got to his task unhappily. He took the body by the arms, whimpering as he struggled to drag to corpse away. Rain couldn't help but feel bad for him. “And bring me a new shirt! Good kid, Kyle. I'm friends with his father. He's always been a sickly kid and I promised to help toughen him up. A task I might add, that has rivaled the restoration of my baby. He has been helping me work on my anger though.” Miles smirked. “Oh, I can tell.” “Miles, I'm afraid you've caught me at a bad time and my good mood has suddenly spoiled. What are you doing here?” “I was going to ask you the same thing. You're far from your territory.” Hudson shrugged. “My former mechanic said the last part I needed for my baby was down here. Besides whose gonna mess with me? I'm Thorne’s man after all.” Miles had tensed up again. The two enemies glared at each other openly. This was the man who had halted Miles in his tracks, who had assisted in the destruction of his home. The situation seemed likely to explode at any second. “I see you got a Kyle of your own. How's it hanging, girlie? I've heard a lot about you. They say you're quite the fighter.” Rain met the bloody general’s gaze. “I'm afraid I don't know much about you.” “Not much to tell. I used to be in a caravan run by my father. We were trading our wares in Jericho’s territory. But my dear old pa was a tad greedy. We reached a road with a toll and instead of paying, my father killed the guards and we had to flee. He thought that Jericho was a nobody and wouldn't deign to pay the rather small toll. That was a bad move. I fuckin told him that too.” “Did he come after you?” “Of course. Jericho himself led a group to get revenge. So there we were, outgunned and outnumbered. I was never one for numbers and trade, so I grabbed the nearest thing to me and started swinging. That very axe there. But my father and everyone else had already fallen. Needless to say, Jericho was impressed and offered me a place with him.” “Now you see who our enemy is, Rain.” Miles said coldly. “The type of people for which nothing is sacred, not even family.” The Axe chuckled. “Let's be civil now, Miles. Here I am being polite. Now I'll ask again. Why are you here?” Tali spoke instead, trying to ease the situation. “We're pursuing a thief who murdered a woman nearby.” Hudson scratched his head. “I don't suppose he was a squirrelly Asian fella by chance? Cause if so, take a look outside.” They pulled open the tent and looked to where the general was pointing. Sure enough, there was an Asian man hung by the neck from a lamp post. “The little bastard tried to steal food from our cook, Bertha, who happens to be as big as a Super Mutant and about as friendly as one too. Not a great cook either, but that's neither here nor there. Believe me, it was a mercy when I finally ended his misery.” “Well that’s that I guess.” Rocco sighed. “Saves us the legwork.” “See? I did ya a favor. You can even keep all the reward too, that's how nice I am.” Miles turned, ready to leave. “We're done here then. Til next time I suppose.” Hudson has finally torn off his bloody shirt as Kyle returned with a clean black t-shirt. “Leaving so soon? Don't feel like reminiscing? I was just gonna say how much you still surprise me. I mean, I watched you get shot to hell and even stuck my axe in your back. Yet here you stand, like nothing had happened.” Miles turned, his fist clenched. “No. Not like nothing happened. I will never forget, Hudson. One day, I will kill you. You and Jericho both. I came here because you're the least horrible, but the more I stand here, the angrier I get.” It was true. In fact, Rain couldn't think of a time when Miles had ever been this angry. It seemed to roll off of him like an aura of hatred. Normally, he was the picture of calm. Miles never lost his cool. Ever. “You're lucky it's me then, considering the others would have already killed you. Might wanna remember that.” Miles seemed to reign in his fury and calm down. Only barely. “The other generals still around?” “Sure. Indara is just as wild and beautiful as ever. To be fair, we generals don’t see much of each other these days.” “What about the Super Mutant?” Rain asked. “Barnabas? Yeah he's around. My personal favorite actually, he's funny as hell. Then again, the idea of a big Super Mutant who rides on giant brahmin and wields a chainsaw might sound funny at first until you see the ugly fucker coming at you.” “The Doctor?” Miles asked. It looked like he was willing to put aside his anger in order for information. The axe swinging general seemed all too happy to talk as well. “Yeah, Yates is still around. Everyone hates him. But he's feared, that's for sure, and in an outfit like ours, fear equals strength. There's even talk of him taking over in a coup.” That got Miles’ attention. “A coup? Is that really possible? Could Thorne be overthrown?” Hudson wagged a finger at him. “Don't get your hopes up. Yates is a goddamn psychopath. He's hardly interested in leading his own men. People like to talk. But Jericho……well he's been off the last few years. It seems like wiping the Regulators out took something out of him. He's not the same. The other tribes see this, and they've never been content under an upstart like the boss, as you know.” “If so many want him dead, maybe they should help me instead of trying to kill me.” “Nah. They still hate you more. Besides, Indara and I wouldn't allow it, Barnabas neither probably. Then there's Viktor. He's always nearby and ain't nobody looking to take him on. I get you hate him and all, Miles, but Thorne has done a lot of good since taking over.” Rain found herself speaking up. For some reason she couldn't help herself. “He's done a lot of harm too. How much blood is on his hands?” Hudson nodded, looking thoughtful. “Oh yes. He's done a ton of harm for sure. No argument there. What can I say? The man's a damn paradox. Despite acknowledging that you're our enemy, Jericho seems to really like you. I’d even say he admires you.” Miles was practically fuming at that, his hands balled into fists, and his knuckles turning white. Hudson kept talking, unaware. “He hates torture, but he gave that Maxwell guy to-“ Finally he seemed to have realized that he had said too much. But Miles had already drawn his weapon, the barrel of his gun directly in the general's face. “What was that? What….did he do to Maxwell?! Tell me now…..or die.” “Miles….” Tali warned, reaching slightly to place a hand on his arm. Gabriel also stepped forward. “Some caution please, captain. Remember where we are.” George Maxwell was the man who had taken Miles in, and was like a father to him. He had been captured by Thorne and had ultimately led the raiders to the Regulators front door. Lucas Hudson was apparently not a man to be threatened. He took a step forward and put his hand over the weapon. “Are you….seriously threatening me right now? Are you honestly going to come into MY camp and threaten me?! Do you have any idea what I could do to you with a single word?” Miles pulled the hammer back on his weapon, and they all realized that at that moment he would have fired without hesitation. Even Hudson seemed to have become grimly aware of his position. “Fine. You didn't hear this from me though. After we grabbed the old man, Jericho asked him to give you up, and then he became really angry when he did. I don't know why, maybe because the old guy hadn't even been smacked around or anything when he gave you up. Jericho was furious. After the battle, he gave Maxwell to…….to the Doctor.” “How long? Is…is he still alive?” “Well……last I heard he was. In a manner of speaking.” Miles had lowered his gun, but his whole body was shaking, whether from anger or something else was unclear. “Where is he? Is he with the Doctor, at that rumored asylum in the far west?” Hudson sighed. “No. Jericho wanted him to be surrounded by the one's he betrayed. At the one place he knew you'd never go back too.” Miles turned and walked out without another word. The answer was clear to them all. They were going to get George Maxwell, and he was at the Regulator headquarters.

Well......yeah. I'd say we just passed part one of like....three. The main conflict is coming soon, I'm working hard on it. Part three is when things will start to crawl to conclusion. And then.....well yeah, you'll see. It's gonna be a doozy.

I'm up for it. We're gonna be getting into the meat of the story. I'm pretty excited.