Chapter 27: It's Just Business

The Capital Wasteland, three months after the battle at Adams Air Force Base...

"Keep movin' meat, or I'll leave ya for the radscorpions!" the slaver yelled as he pushed the young woman along. The fifteen year old Hispanic female was the last in a line of over a dozen wastelanders, chained together at the wrists and dragged through the desert. Their captors, ten slavers armed with AK-47's and assault rifles, were leading them through a dried up river bed just south of the abandoned town of Minefield. The young girl, Carmen, was trembling with fear as she heard the slavers up ahead joking about what they were going to do to her and the other female captives when they reached their destination. The sun was beating down on them, and part of her hoped she'd die from thirst before any of that happened.

A sudden thud from behind forced her to turn around, and the slaver that just a moment ago was taunting her, was now lying on the ground with a bullet hole in his head. She quickly faced forward, and realized the other slavers had no clue their friend had just been killed. Keeping quiet, Carmen scanned the rock formations that were on either side of the river bed, hoping to get a glimpse of the assassin. A moment later, another silent bullet struck the slaver just ahead of her in the throat, and his body hit the ground hard. That got the other slaver's attention, and the line stopped.

"Hey! What the fuck..." A bullet to the chest cut the slaver off.

"SCATTER!" their leader screamed, and the remaining slavers ran in all directions, firing their guns wildly up into the rock formations. All the chained slaves could do was hit the ground and pray.

"Hold your fire! Hold your fire, damn it!" the leader ordered. "Did anybody see'em?"

All he got back were several nervous no's. The slaver crouching down next to the leader began to shake and stutter. "Oh man! It's...it's HIM! It's the Wanderer, man!"

The leader grabbed him by his armor and slapped him. "You wanna be afraid of somebody, BE AFRAID OF ME!"

Another gunshot rang out, a load one, a forth slaver's head was blown to pieces. The leader looked up to where he'd heard the shot, and spotted a glimmer running for cover. "Over there, fire!"

The slavers emptied their magazines into the rock formation, hoping to hit the unseen enemy. In their panic, they ran out of ammo at almost the same time; an armature's mistake. Another gun shot from above, and a fifth slaver was taken out.

The slaver who was slapped by his leader had had enough, and dropped his gun and ran down the river bed. The leader took aim with his AK and shot the man in the back, killing him instantly. "Anybody else want to run!"

There was no response. Frustrated, the leader ran over to Carmen and grabbed her by the arm. "Fuck this!" He lifted the frightened girl up and put a pistol to her head. "Hey Wanderer! I assume it's you. Enough games! I know you got a soft spot for the meat, so if you don't show yourself on the count of three, I'm going to put a bullet in her brain! Then I'm gonna keep killin'em, until you DO give up!" He began counting down, and when he got to one, Carmen closed her eyes and prepared for the end.

"Hey, over there!"

The leader stopped counting, and they could see a cloud of dust, followed by a shimmer of light in the center of the river bed. A second later, the stealth boy wore off, and the slavers finally got a glimpse of their attacker. He was wearing what looked like the tan duster of a Regulator, (the self-proclaimed lawmen of the wasteland) only this one had a hood that covered the attacker's head. As the duster flopped in the breeze, the slavers could see that he was wearing green combat armor underneath. On the chest plate was the symbol of Reilly's Rangers, and next to it was the symbol of the Brotherhood of Steel. On his right forearm was a PIPBOY, and he was holding a .44 caliber repeating rifle.

There was no introduction, for none was necessary. The slavers and their prisoners knew who it was. "The Lone Wanderer." the leader sneered as he threw Carmen to the ground. The remaining three slavers came out from cover, and joined their leader with their guns raised.

"Drop the rifle; nice and easy."

The Wanderer complied and raised his hands.

The leader smiled. "Damn! I thought you'd be taller."

The Wanderer didn't speak.

"I thought you'd go down harder then this. Okay boys, on the count of three. One, two..."

The Australian Cattle Dog came out of no-where and tackled the leader to the ground, simultaneously sinking his teeth into the slaver's arm, causing him to scream. Before the other three slavers could react, the Lone Wanderer pushed back his duster with his right hand, drew his desert eagle, and activated his VATS. Locking in on each of their heads, he fired three shots in rapid succession, and it was over in seconds. The last slaver, the gangs leader, was still struggling with the vicious animal when the Wanderer whistled. "Dogmeat! Heel, boy!"

Just like that, the dog released it's hold on the slaver's arm and stood on his chest, growling and snarling at the man. The Wanderer put away his desert eagle, drew his sawed-off shotgun, which had the name "Lucy" engraved on both barrels, and pointed it directly at the slaver. The Wanderer removed the hood, revealing the scared, rough face of Marcus Lincoln. He looked the slaver over carefully, and immediately noticed the red armor he was wearing, along with a red X on a metal plate strapped to his left arm. Marcus sighed. That could only mean one thing. "You're from the Pitt, aren't you?"

The slaver responded by spitting on Marcus' boot, and Dogmeat showed his teeth.

Marcus ignored the insult. "I'll take that as a yes." He placed the barrels of the shotgun on the man's forehead. "Why are you here?"

"Why the fuck should I tell you!" He spat out. "We know all about you! You don't show any mercy to slavers. I tell you what you want to know, and you'll kill me anyway!"

Marcus couldn't deny the accusation. He never gave any quarter to slavers, for they were the scum of the earth. He hadn't known Lucy West very long...but he would've like to. Slavers like the one at his boot were responsible for her death, which was why he had her name engraved on her old shotgun's barrels. He wanted it to be the last thing these slavers saw before they died. "You're right, you are going to die. The question is am I going to kill you? Or is he going to kill you?"

The slaver looked over at the dog sitting on his chest, his mouth just inches from his throat.

"And I warn you," Marcus continued, "he hasn't had lunch yet."

Dogmeat began to snarl and show his teeth.

"ALRIGHT! Alright! I'll tell ya! Things have been...pretty slow back at the Pitt, alright. Not much meat up there anymore, so we were sent down here for some fresh stock."

A good story, but Marcus wasn't buying it. "Bullshit! If that were true you would've come down here with more then ten guys, and carried back more then a dozen people! That's hardly worth the trip." He pressed the barrels harder against his forehead. "Last time. WHY are you here?"

The slaver closed his eyes, and without warning, seemed to bit down on something. Marcus heard the crunch, and a moment later, the slaver started convulsing, and white foam began coming out of his mouth. Marcus grabbed the man's lower jaw in a futile attempt to stop him from dying, but it was no use. The cyanide had done it's job, and the man was dead in seconds.

"Damn it!" Marcus cursed. He stood up and stared at the now dead slaver and shook his head. This was the third raiding party from the Pitt, or Old Pittsburgh, he'd encountered in the last two months. The Brotherhood dismissed them as just small bands of desperate slavers, but Marcus was convinced there was something more to this. The fact that one of them would commit suicide rather then talk only confirmed to him that something else was behind this. He searched the leader's pockets and found the keys to the slave's shackles, and Marcus quickly unlocked them.

Carmen stared up at him with awe. "Is it true? You're the Lone Wanderer?"

Marcus nodded. "Take their weapons and supplies, you should be safe heading south."

The Wastelanders thanked him, and as they looted the dead slavers, Carmen carefully approached Dogmeat. "Can I pet him?" she asked Marcus.

Marcus smiled. "Yeah."

She began to pet the dog's head and rub behind his ears, and Dogmeat began waging his tail. "He's a beautiful dog. Where'd you find him?"

Marcus picked up Abraham Lincoln's Repeater, then kneeled down and started to rub Dogmeat's other ear. "I found him in an old scrape yard a few weeks ago. Raiders had attacked his owner, but Dogmeat here managed to kill the last two. Just before he died, his owner asked me to take care of him and well...he's been with me ever since."

Dogmeat licked the girl's face and she laughed.

"Carmen! Let's go!" An older woman yelled.

Carmen and Marcus both stood up, and the girl hugged him. "Thank you. I'll never forget you."

Marcus put an arm around her. "You're welcome. Now go on, they're waiting."

Carmen let go, and ran towards her family, and Marcus watched as they headed off. All in all, not a bad days work. He looked down at Dogmeat. "You ready to go home?"

The Dog barked and waged his tail.

At the rate they were walking, Marcus figured it would take him and Dogmeat another day to reach the Citadel. When going out on these scouting missions, Marcus preferred to walk, since a load 4x4 truck had a tendency to attract attention. While still a member of the Pride, Marcus spent most of his time roaming the Capitol alone; hunting down Raiders, slavers and Super Mutants. The Pride's Spec Ops expert, Knight Commander Gallows, had taken Marcus under his wing, and taught him the art of infiltration and sneak attacks. He had to make due with stealth boys since Gallows had the only cloaking suit in the Brotherhood, but they got the job done.

He stopped for a moment and pulled the duster's hood off his head. It was unusually hot this day, and Marcus took a long drink from his canteen. He heard Dogmeat whimper, and the Wanderer poured some in a tin cup and gave it to him. "It's a good thing I didn't wear the T-51 out here, hu boy?"

Dogmeat just continued to drink and wage his tail. Marcus preferred his Ranger armor during these long recon missions since it was lighter and more comfortable then the bulky power armor the Brotherhood gave him. After Adams Air Force base, Marcus was rewarded with a set of T-51 armor; the most advanced in the Brotherhood arsenal. Like his Ranger armor, Marcus had both the Ranger's and Brotherhood symbols painted on them, to show his allegiance to both factions. The modified duster was the symbol of the Regulators, who had invited him to join their ranks not long after the war with the Enclave. Sonora Cruz, the Regulators leader, had personally approached him, and since she shared the same goal of purging the Wasteland of evil, Marcus accepted. Sonora told him to bring back the fore fingers of any evil people he killed for a bounty, but Marcus didn't like the idea of caring fingers around. Besides, as he told her, he wasn't doing this for money. He requested an extra large sized duster, and brought it to Bannon at Potomac Attire. The Rivet City merchant managed to attach a hood on the duster, and altered it to drape over Marcus' Ranger armor without being too bulky or in the way. The look was simple, but intimidating.

As Dogmeat slurped up the last drop of water, his ears went up and he started to growl. Marcus heard movement behind him, and he quickly spun around, and took aim with Lincoln's repeater. A lone figure stood before him a few feet away, aiming an M4 carbine at him. The mysterious figure was wearing armor that resembled Rivet City militia armor, but this was painted baby blue, and the visor was tinted, preventing Marcus from seeing his face. After a few tense moments, Marcus broke the silence. "Friend? Or Foe?"

The stranger lowered his weapon and Marcus did the same. "Who are you?"

The stranger placed the rifle on the ground and removed his helmet - revealing the most beautiful face Marcus had ever seen. "Someone who loves you."

Marcus nearly fell over. "Amata!"

As he stood there in utter shock, Amata quickly closed the distance between them, and rammed her lips against his. At first Marcus wasn't sure how to react, but soon his shock gave way to longing and desire, and the two lovers embraced in a frenzy of kissing. When they could no longer breath, their lips parted, but they remained in each other's arms. Marcus stared at her beautiful face, still not completely believing what was happening. "Are you real?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Amata smiled and kissed him again. "Is that real enough?" she breathed.

Marcus smiled and held her tight. This was not a dream; this was real, and she was here with him. His joy suddenly turned to panic as he quickly began scanning the area around them.

"It's okay," Amata said, "I'm alone. No one's here except us."

Marcus was even more surprised. "You don't know how happy I am to see you, Amata but...what do you mean you're out here alone?"

"Well, being Overseer does have it's quirks, and...I like to come out here by myself and visit the other settlements." She took a moment to look around. "Out here, even though it can be terrifying, I feel..."

"Free?" Marcus asked.

Amata smiled. "Yes. I can kinda see why you chose to stay out here."

Marcus held her close. "That's not why. Amata, it's too dangerous for you to be out here alone."

Amata seemed a little insulted. "I can take care of myself. Besides," she grinned, "a certain Lone Wanderer has made things a little safer out here."

Marcus rolled his eyes. "It's still too dangerous."

Amata pulled him closer. "Just shut up and kiss me."

Marcus happily complied, and the two lovers embraced again. They were interrupted by a slight whimper, followed by a bark. Marcus and Amata looked down at the dog and laughed.

"What's wrong boy?" Marcus said. "You jealous?"

Dogmeat barked.

Amata reached down and petted him. "He's so cute! What's his name?"

"Dogmeat."

Amata looked at him like he was crazy. "Dogmeat? Really?"

Marcus chuckled. "It was kind've a joke at first but...he seemed to like it so it stuck."

Amata looked back down at the dog and continued to rub behind his ear. "You poor thing. Given such a horrible name."

Marcus crossed his arms. "And what would you have called him? Fluffy?"

Amata laughed and wrapped her arms around him again. "God, I missed you." she sighed.

They began to kiss again, slower and with more longing this time. Marcus let his back pack slip off his back, and he began fumbling to undo the latches on Amata's armor.

"Marcus!" Amata looked around. "Here? Now?"

Marcus shrugged. "No one's out here. And besides, Dogmeat will stand watch."

A devilish grin appeared on Amata's face, and the lovers embraced.

Night had fallen on the Capitol Wasteland, and just like any other night, the temperature had fallen with it. Marcus made a small campfire in the clearing, and he then slipped back into the bed roll with Amata. Laying on his side behind her, he placed his arm around her waist, and pulled her naked body against his. The warmth of their bodies and the fire were more then enough to keep the cold at bay. As they laid their, Marcus told her about his adventures (the parts not broadcasted over GNR radio). He told her about the battle of Project Purity, and the terrible moment when he almost met the same fate as his father. Amata tightened her hold on him when he told her this. He told her about the Lyon's Pride, Charon, Fawkes, their final victory over the Enclave - everything he could think of. Amata told him the progress the Vault had made since being opened. She was particularly proud of the extra security measures she had taken. The security force had been doubled in size and had received updated armor and weapons. Gone was the outdated riot gear, and in it's place was the same kind of combat armor worn by Rivet City security. Their arsenal now included assault rifles, M4 carbines, AK-47's, combat shotguns and grenades, and thanks to Amata establishing trade with the other settlements, they had received training from Lucas Simms and Commander Hill.

Even the Vault itself had been updated. The dilapidated wooden door leading to the Vault's cave was replaced with a reinforced steel door, and was guarded 24/7. Security cameras were placed both outside and inside of the cave, allowing the Overseer to see who was trying to get in. If a member of the Vault wanted to get back in they had to produce a password, which changed daily. They were also given a duress code just in case someone was forcing them to try to enter the Vault, and this would result in a complete lock down. Even when the right password was given, a squad of armed security would muster in the Vault's door control room, weapons at the ready. Inside the same room was a .50 caliber machine gun nest that was also manned 24/7. Finally, the Vault had one more fail safe. Amata had Flak and Shrapnel install C-4 explosives in the walls of the Vault's cave, and the acting Overseer carried the detonator at all times. If the Vault was ever breached, and the security force overwhelmed, the Overseer would detonate the explosives, burying the cave and sealing the Vault forever.

To say Marcus was impressed with his girlfriend, would have been an understatement. "I'm happy for you. I'm glad things are working out in the Vault."

Amata smiled as she felt him kiss behind her ear. "Thank you."

"So the trading with other settlements is going good?"

"Yeah. For a while our biggest commodity was water. That was until somebody decided to turn on a giant purifier in the Tidal Basin."

Her sarcasm was not lost on Marcus, who playfully used is finger to trace her magnificent curves. "Well, I couldn't let you have a monopoly on the purified water industry. That would be unfair."

Amata slapped him on the leg. "Ass! I'm just kidding; it was a good thing you did, and it's opened up another market."

"What's that?"

"Farming. People are going to be planting crops soon, but nobody knows how. We've been growing food in our green houses for hundreds of years, so we've been teaching people irrigation techniques, and repairing old farming equipment."

"So, you're trading knowledge."

"That's right. You remember Christine Kendell?"

Marcus nodded.

"Next month she's opening up a school in Megaton for the children there."

Again, Marcus was impressed. "That's great. I'm happy for her."

They laid their in silence for a while, watching the fire and enjoying each other. Marcus began to gently stroke her hair. "You told me how the Vault is doing. What about you?"

Amata let out a sigh. "Honestly, I don't know how my father could do this job for so long. That's why I like coming out here, away from everything and everyone. And," she rolled over on her back and looked up at him, "I would...fantasize about something like this happening. That I would run into you out here, away from prying eyes." She placed her hand on his bare chest. "And you and I could finally be together again."

Marcus leaned down and kissed her. "I had similar fantasizes about you. It nearly killed me the day I had to leave the Vault."

Amata choked up. "I wish I could've gone with you."

Marcus caressed her cheek. "I know; I do too." He looked into her eyes. The light from the fire danced in them, and it only heightened his desire for her. "So what happens tomorrow?"

Amata took a deep breath and looked up at the stars. "We have to guard our secret...but...I can't bare the thought of you never being in my life, Marcus. I can't."

Marcus tensed up. "What are you saying?"

"We will have to be very careful and discrete, and moments like these are all we'll have for a while but...I'm willing to try."

If they hadn't been wrapped up in a bedroll, Marcus would have jumped up for joy.

"But," Amata continued, "I would understand if that was not good enough for you. I would..." her voice cracked, "...understand if you needed someone else who could be there more..."

Marcus didn't let her finish. He pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss, and Amata lost her train of thought. They continued to embrace, and were soon lost in each other; the only sounds that were heard in the clearing were from their own desires and the crackling of the fire.

After watching the sunrise over the Capitol, the two lovers reluctantly got back into their armor and gathered their possessions. Marcus helped her with the clamps on her back. "I wish I could walk you home."

Amata sighed. "I know, but if you walk me home after being gone all night - people will get suspicious."

Marcus begrudgingly agreed. She turned around and he took her in his arms. "When can I see you again?"

"Not for a couple of weeks at least. Tomorrow I'm leading a caravan north to the Republic of Dave. We're going to try to establish a trading agreement."

Marcus cringed. "I've been there and you better be ready. It's not going to be as...easy as you may think."

"Why? I heard they have elections up there."

"Yeah they do, but only one guy's on the ballet and he wins every year."

Amata sighed. "Oh...that kind of republic."

Marcus laughed. "I'm afraid so. Listen, you need to be careful if you're going that far north. I've been running into these slavers from Old Pittsburgh and they don't fool around."

Amata smiled; she loved that he was so concerned for her safety. "Don't worry; there'll be over two dozen of us and we'll be armed to the teeth."

Marcus stared at her with hungry eyes. "How will we get together after you come back?"

Amata grinned. "We'll find a way. I know where you live, remember."

Marcus responded by kissing her. Neither of them wanted to let the other one go, and they lingered for several minutes. Finally, Amata broke the kiss, and forced herself to let go. "Okay, okay! You're going to start something we can't finish." She smiled at him. "I love you, Marcus."

Marcus held onto her hand. "I love you, too."

Reluctantly, they said their goodbyes, and Marcus let go of her hand. He and Dogmeat watched as she headed southeast, and continued to watch her until he could no longer see the yellow 101 on her back. As he began his own trek back to the Citadel, Marcus was on cloud nine. He had all but given up on any kind of future with Amata, but now...she was back! It was far from perfect, and they had to keep it a secret, but that's the way it was when they were teenagers and they made it work. Marcus would make this work. He had to make this work.

That same afternoon, Marcus returned to the Citadel and submitted his report to the Elder and Rothchild. Just as before, they dismissed his encounters with the Pitt slavers as just desperate thugs looking for new victims. Frustrated, he went looking for Sarah to request permission to scout further north; to the very edge of the Capitol. Star Paladin Cross informed him that Sarah and the rest of the Pride were sent on a last minute urgent mission, and had to maintain radio silence. Since he was out of options, Marcus decided to ask Cross if she knew anything about the Pitt.

"What I do know is this: take the worst parts of the Capitol Wasteland, multiply them by a thousand, and you will still not even be close to the hell that is the Pitt."

Marcus was stunned. How could any place be that bad? "So you've been there?"

Cross looked away. "Yes." she finally said. "It is something myself and all of the older veterans swore never to talk about. If you want to know more, I'm afraid you'll have to ask the Elder."

"I did. He's not talking."

"Then I cannot help you. I'm sorry, my friend."

Marcus' frustration was building, and he wanted to push the issue but decided against it. He knew Cross would never defy the Elder. What happened up there that was so terrible that no one, not even the battle hardened members of the Brotherhood, could talk about it? Having had enough of the stone walling, he decided to head back to his home in Megaton, and wait for Sarah and the Pride to return.

"Good morning, sir! What can I do for you?" Wadesworth, the Mr. Handy butler robot said as he greeted Marcus to his home. The people of Megaton had given the robot to him as a gift, shortly after the war with the Enclave. At first Marcus was apprehensive about excepting such a lavish gift, but after spending weeks in the Wasteland, covered in filth and exhausted, the Mr. Handy was a welcome sight. He walked over to the couch and began taking off his armor. "Just the usual, Wadesworth: have my armor repaired and cleaned."

"Certainly, sir. While you were gone, Mrs. Moria Brown came by and delivered your nuka-cola machine. It is on the second level."

"Yes!" Marcus said. This day just kept getting better and better. Last month he'd bought a work bench for his house, and the month before that he'd purchased an antique juke box from Moria. The nuka cola machine was the last piece he needed to make his house feel more like a home. After removing his armor, and donning an old Robco jumpsuit, he walked up stairs and admired the nuka-cola machine. It was in pristine condition and cost him 450 caps, but having ice-cold nuka cola was worth it to Marcus. He removed one from the machine, took a drink, and let out a satisfying sigh. "That hit the spot." he said. After chugging the rest of it down, he grabbed a towel and a small toiletries bag, and walked outside of his home. He proceeded down to the public showers that were attached to the water treatment building in town. The showers had been constructed by Walter, Leo Stahl and engineers from Vault 101. The entire town chipped in for them, and they were a God send to Marcus. It was just a start. Eventually, everyone would have their own shower in their home, but this was definitely better than nothing.

Marcus went inside and after stripping down, walked into an open stall and turned on the water. As he relished the feeling of the hot water, he heard the door open and someone else step inside. "Well, well, it's the goody-two shoes."

Marcus rolled his eyes and sighed. "Hello, Butch."

Butch hung up his cloths and towel, and entered the shower stall next to Marcus'. Marcus regretted that the stalls only covered someone from their shoulders to their knees, because he was forced to see Butch's face. "You're in a good mood, Butch. Moriarty give you a few more scraps this week?"

Butch sneered. "Yeah, yeah, keep talk'in. While you're out there catching bullets and saving the world, Jericho's taken me under his wing. He's Moriarty's right hand, and pretty soon, I'll be his left."

Marcus rinsed the soap off his face. "Yeah - the one he wipes his ass with."

"Fuck you, man! At least I'm not the Brotherhood's errand boy."

Marcus snorted. "Better then working for a scum bag like Moriarty."

"Just a means to an end, man. Pretty soon, I'm going to be livin' it up in my suit in Tenpenny Tower, and you'll either be a crippled old soldier boy - or a dead one."

Marcus looked him dead in the eye. "Either way, I'll still sleep better then you, Butch."

Butch sneered and soon finished his shower, and got dressed. He then grabbed Marcus' towel and cloths off the hook. "Hey Marcus!"

Marcus turned, and Butch ran out the door with his stuff. "BUTCH...DAMN IT!" He could hear Butch laughing outside as he ran back to his house. Marcus cursed and shut off the water. He had no choice but to wait for someone to come by and help him. Marcus didn't hate Butch, but he never liked him, and since he'd joined Moriarty's gang he'd lost all respect for him. And, it seemed, the former leader of the Tunnel Snakes had yet to grow up.

The door to the shower house opened, and Lucas Simms stepped inside with two towels. He handed one to Marcus. "Butch?"

Marcus took it and nodded. "Butch."

The next day, at about four o'clock in the afternoon, Marcus was inside of his home preparing for his next scouting mission. The Pride had still not returned from their mission, and he decided to spend the day preparing. He was at his work bench carefully building what Glade called a bottlecap mine. At first Marcus thought the Knight Commander was pulling his leg, but after seeing the destructive power of it, they immediately became his favorite mine to use.

There was a knock on the door that made him jump. 'I really need to put a do not disturb sign on the door when I'm doing this', he thought. After carefully putting the components down, Marcus answered the door. "Jenny? What is it?"

Jenny Stahl was out of breath, and she had a look of dread on her face. "Marcus...they...they need you down at the clinic. Hurry!"

Marcus took off running, and he burst into Doc Church's clinic. Inside was Lucas Simms and Billy Creel, and he could see Doc Church working on someone in the back - someone wearing blue armor splattered with blood.

Panic filled Marcus to his bones and he pushed his way past the two men. He looked down at the patient's face - and he was both surprised and relieved. "Susie?"

Susie Mack opened her eyes. "M...Marcus!" She tried to reach for him, but Doc Church held her down. "Easy!" He turned to Marcus. "Help me get her armor off!"

Marcus reached down and began to unlatch her chest plate. "What happened?"

Susie's breathing was labored, and she struggled to talk. "We...ambushed! This morning. They came...they came out of nowhere! We...we tried to fight back but we... one of the guards...fell on me. I hid." She looked up at him, her eyes almost pleading. "I'm sorry...Marcus! I tried! I tried!"

Marcus felt a knot in the pitt of his stomach. "Susie, was Amata with you?"

Susie gave a weak nod.

"What happened to her?"

Susie's eyes closed, and Marcus grabbed her shoulders and violently shook her. "SUSIE! WHERE IS AMATA?"

Susie's eyes opened. "They...they took her! They killed - everyone else!"

"Who? Who took her?"

"T...Talon. Talon Company took her. They said they were...taking her to...to...Fort B...Bannister." Susie's eyes closed, and she finally passed out from the blood loss.

Marcus turned to Church. "Will she make it, Doc?"

The doctor shrugged. "She's been shot up pretty bad, and she's lost a lot of blood. She'll need a transfusion."

Both Billy Creel and Lucas volunteered. Marcus thanked them both. "Do whatever you have to, Doc. I'll cover the expenses." He approached the two men. "Let the Vault know what's happened. I'm going to the Fort to get Amata."

Lucas nodded. "Be careful, kid."

Marcus thanked him again, and bolted out the door. He sprinted to his home, and when he got there, he quickly donned his T-51 armor. He then grabbed his tri-beam laser rifle, desert eagle, "Lucy", and his grenade launcher. As fast as he could, he bolted out of his house, with Dogmeat running after him. After getting into his truck, he frantically punched up Fort Bannister on his PIPBOY, and it indicated that the Fort was northeast from Megaton. He looked over at Dogmeat, who was sitting in the passenger's seat. "Better hang on, boy. This is gonna get rough." He put the truck in drive and sped off, leaving a large cloud of dust behind him.

Fort Bannister had been hit hard during the Great War. Most of the outer buildings were reduced to rubble, and there was a large crater in the middle of the once mighty complex. Underneath this destruction was a different story. Most of the complex had survived, and Talon Company had managed to make it their main base of operations. After being stripped down to her jumpsuit, Amata had been taken down to the bottom of the base's only surviving empty missile silo, and was tied to a chair. She had been wounded in her right shoulder during the deadly ambush, and she winced in pain when the merc pulled her arm behind the back of the chair. Though the mercs had bandaged the wound and given her a stimpak, they gave her nothing for the throbbing pain. Amata raised her head and took in her surroundings. A metal stair case encircled the entire silo, and it was joined with several platforms. She could see several guards on each platform, armed with machine guns a laser rifles.

As she sat there, staring at the hopeless situation, she tried her best not to give into the despair eating away at her. She thought of her people in the caravan, how they fought valiantly when the attack started, and managed to take a few of the Talon Company mercs out. But they were inexperienced, outnumbered, and surrounded on all sides. It was clear even during the fire fight that Amata was their main target. She could here the mercs yelling: "Don't hit the Overseer", and "We need the bitch alive!" Even after being shot in the shoulder, Amata kept fighting, and the remaining Vaultees had formed a circle around her, detemined to protect their leader. One by one they fell, until finally Amata was the last one standing. A few moments later she was out of ammunition, and the mercs moved in. Knowing she had no other recourse, she reached inside her armor and removed the cyanide capsule, but before she could deny her attackers complete victory, they grabbed her arms and knocked the capsule in the dirt. She fought them with all her strength, but it was no use, and a brutal right hook to her head nearly knocked her out. As they dragged her away, she could hear the sounds of her wounded being executed as they begged for mercy.

"Well, well, look'e what we have here."

Amata looked up, and saw a rather tall merc walking down the stair case. He was wearing armor different from the rest of Talon Company, and it was clear he held a place of authority in the group. He made his way over to the captive, and stood in front of her. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Commander Jabsco, the leader of Talon Company. And you must be Amata Almodovar; the Overseer of Vault 101...and the Lone Wanderer's bitch!"

Amata did her best to hide her shock. 'How could they possibly...' "I don't know what you're talking about..."

Jabsco waved his hand. "Oh please, don't even bother to deny it. We can still smell him on you."

The other mercs began to laugh and sneer at her, but Amata did her best to put up a brave front. "What the hell do you want with me?"

"It's pretty obvious, isn't it? We've been trying to catch that boyfriend of yours for a while now. He's proved to be...pretty slippery. So you are going to bring him to me. I'm going to send him a message, telling him that if he gives himself up, I'll let his little girlfriend go."

Amata's eyes shot open in terror. These animals were going to use her to kill Marcus - and there wasn't anything she could do about it. Jabsco saw the fear in her eyes and he stepped closer. "Oh, don't worry, sweetheart." He stroked her left cheek with his finger, and she quickly jerked her head away. "I have no in tension of honoring the deal." He grabbed her jaw and leaned in so close she could feel his breath on her face. "The last thing he'll see before I take his head, is you bent over a table while I fuck you in the ass!"

The guards let out another cheer, and Amata spit in Jabsco's face, causing him to let go of her. "You're disgusting!" she spat.

Jabsco calmly whipped his face and smiled. "Ohhhh, you are going to be soooo much fun." He turned and walked towards the guards. "No one touches her, understand?" He stared at Amata and licked his lips. "I get first dibs."

The guards sneered again, and as Jabsco climbed the stairs out of the silo, Amata could no longer hold back her tears.

Night had fallen when Marcus arrived at the outskirts of Fort Bannister. After leaving his truck a mile back, he and Dogmeat had made their way to the ruins of a blown out building not far from the Fort's main gate. With his binoculars, Marcus could see a fence with barbed wire around the base, and the main gate was flanked by two small guard post made of plywood and sandbags. Beyond the main gate, were there used to be buildings were now military tents, and there was a third guard post on the backside of the compound. He could see over a dozen guards, a Sentry Bot, and a couple of guard dogs.

Marcus removed the binoculars from is eyes, lowered his head and sighed. He knew he had to get Amata out of there, but he had no idea how he was going to do it. He suddenly regretted rushing out here without a plan, or help. He thought about calling Charon and the rest of Reilly's Rangers, but then realized he'd forgotten the Ranger radio. He could get back to his truck and go to the Citadel for help, but the thought of leaving while Amata was still in there made his chest tighten.

As he pondered this, Marcus got the sudden feeling that someone was watching him...someone who was close! At almost the same moment, Dogmeat let out growl, and Marcus spun around - his knife at the ready.

"You're getting slow; I was almost on you."

Marcus sighed and lowered the knife. "Gallows! What the hell are you doing here?"

The Knight Commander crouched down next to him. "We could ask you the same question."

"We?"

Gallows turned and made the hand signal to advance. Marcus looked past him, and he spotted the other five members of the Lyon's Pride coming out of the darkness, and heading toward their position. Marcus blinked several times; trying to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"We gotta stop meeting like this." Sarah said with a slight grin.

Marcus looked around at his teammates; shock still on his face. "Sarah! What...what are you guys doing here? I thought you were on a mission."

"This is the mission." Paladin Kodiak said.

"Two days ago one of our patrols went missing, so my father sent us to find them. We found two of our brothers dead, but one was unaccounted for. We tracked them to this location, and we're going to go in there and break him out."

Marcus could not believe his luck. A moment ago this rescue seemed impossible. Now, with the Pride's help, they had a chance.

"So why are you here?" Sarah asked.

Marcus froze for a moment, not sure of how much he should tell her. He decided to play it safe. "The a...Overseer for Vault 101 was taken hostage by Talon Company."

Sarah looked over at the Fort. "Hu. Looks like we have two rescue missions, then. Why did you come out here alone without backup?"

Marcus clamored to come up with a believable response. "Well...I didn't know where you were, and you know how thin we've been stretched since we started guarding water caravans."

Sarah grumbled with agreement. Even with Rivet City security lending a hand, these water caravans were a drain on vital resources. "Still, it was pretty risky coming out here alone. You're good, Marcus, but you're not that good."

Marcus nodded in agreement. "I know. So, do you have a plan?"

Sarah locked and loaded her tri-beam rifle. "Yeah...show these bastards what happens when they fuck with the Brotherhood!"

Amata didn't know how much time had passed since she'd been brought down to the silo, but if the numbness in her arms and wrist were any indication, it had been quite a while. She tried to wiggle her hands out of the restraints, but the guards were constantly watching her, making any kind of escape impossible. She wasn't much for prayer, but she was silently praying now for a miracle.

An alarm blaring caused her to jump, and the guards immediately began running up the metal stairs. Amata's heart seemed to skip a beat, and a smile appeared on her face. "Marcus!" she cried out with joy.

The love of her life was here...and he was coming to rescue her.

Marcus fired two more lasers into the down Sentry Bot for good measure, and the robot's lights flickered and died. The front gate and guard post were now smoking ruins, and what few Talon Company Mercs remained retreated into the tunnels leading down to the rest of the base. Sarah's plan was simple shock n' awe, and the surprised mercs didn't have a chance against the Pride's firepower and tactics. They had located their missing scout in one of the tents, alive and thirsty for payback. After liberating a laser rifle form a dead merc, the Knight joined the Lyon's Pride as they entered the underground tunnels.

Jabsco ran into his command center, where four of his men were waiting for him. "Report!"

His second in command spoke up. "It's the Wanderer, sir. He's here!"

Jabsco's mouth dropped open. "That's not possible! How the hell can he know we have her?" He stepped forward and stared daggers at the merc. "Are you sure you killed everyone in that raid?"

The merc swallowed hard. "Yes...yes sir! I saw to it myself."

Jabsco was not convinced. In one swift motion he drew his combat knife, he named Occam's Razor, and slashed the merc's throat open. The man grabbed his throat and gasped for breath, before finally bleeding to death on the floor. Jabsco looked at the remaining, very nervous mercs. "Alright boys, today we collect two bounties: the Lone Wanderer, and the Lyon's Pride. Now go get'em!"

His men saluted, and headed into the fight.

Marcus and the rest of the Pride had fought their way through the underground base, and had reached the merc's living quarters. Both he and Sarah each tossed a frag grenade, killing three mercs, and Glade led the charge inside with his Gatling laser. Two more mercs were turned to ash by the massive weapon, and the rest fell further back into the base. As they pushed forward, Marcus frantically searched every room for Amata. He was trying to contain the panic that was building inside of him, but it was becoming more difficult the longer the battle progressed without finding her. They were about to round a corner down a hallway, which led to the base's command center, when two auto turrets opened fire, pushing them back. Inside the command center, Jabsco, along with eight other mercs and a Sentry Bot, added their own fire to the turrets.

"Shit!" Sarah yelled. She looked over at Marcus, who was busy typing on his PIPBOY. "What are you doing?"

"Something Rothchild and I have been working on." He continued to type on the touch screen. "It's a funny thing about these turrets." He looked up at Sarah. "They're wireless!"

A few seconds later the turrets stopped firing. This was not lost on Jabsco, who stared at the auto weapons. "Hey! What the hell?"

Marcus began typing on his PIPBOY again. "And now we reconfigure the targeting, and...goodbye." He pushed the touch screen one more time, and the turrets turned on the Talon Company Mercs and opened fire. Jabsco watched in horror as his men were cut down, and he was struck in the left arm before he finally retreated.

Marcus grinned as the entire Pride looked at him in awe. "Cool." Kodiak said. "Does that thing come with a can opener, too?"

Marcus readied his tri-beam. The Sentry Bot was still active, and it had just taken the two turrets out. He turned to Kodiak, who shouldered his rocket launcher. "You ready?"

The Paladin nodded, and Marcus popped out around the corner, and activated his VATS. He targeted the robot's optics, blinding him long enough for Kodiak to fire his launcher. The rocket struck the Sentry Bot, blowing the top half of it off. Sarah and the rest of the Pride moved up, and they advanced into the last section of the base.

Amata could hear the gunfire and explosions getting closer. Since all of the guards had left, she frantically tried to undue her restraints, but she was not having much luck. She heard the upper door open, and she expected to see Marcus running down the stairs. Her heart sank when she saw Jabsco staggering inside, with blood splattered on his armor. He practically tumbled down the stairs, and when he had reached the bottom of the silo, he drew his combat knife and stood in front of Amata. She held her breath and prepared herself for the worst; convinced that the Merc commander was about to slit her throat. To her surprise, he walked behind her and proceeded to cut away her restraints.

Amata let out the breath she was holding and smiled. "You better give it up, commander. If you don't let me go, my boyfriend is going to tare you apart."

Jabsco cut the last restraint, violently lifted her out of the chair by her shoulders, and placed the combat knife to her throat. "Not if he wants you back in one piece, sweetheart!"

The upstairs door burst open, and a second later one of Jabsco's men tumbled over the railing, and fell to the bottom of the silo. The Commander of Talon Company watched in horror as the Lone Wanderer and the Lyon's Pride entered the silo, and began heading down the stairs.

Jabsco stood directly behind Amata, drew his .44 pistol, and place the barrel in the small of her back. "If you so much as twitch I'll kill you!" He said in her ear.

Amata stood perfectly still, and when she saw Marcus, her heart began to race. Even with the merc holding a gun to her back, she was no longer afraid. She didn't have to be. "Marcus!"

Marcus and the Pride made it to the bottom of the silo. "Are you alright, Amata?"

"Yes. I am now."

Marcus felt a great relief wash over him, but it was far from over. Jabsco had been backed into a corner, and because he was standing directly behind Amata, he could not use his VATS to get a clear shot. "Let her go, now!"

Jabsco grabbed Amata by her throat with his left hand, and pressed the gun barrel even harder against her back. "I know all about your targeting system, Wanderer. Even you can't hit what you can't see."

Marcus gritted is teeth. He wanted to kill this man more then anything, but he couldn't risk Amata's life. "It's all over! We've taken your base and your men are dead. If you let her go, I'll let you live."

Jabsco snorted. "Yeah right! You're just gonna let me walk out of here?"

Marcus carefully placed his tri-beam on the ground and raised both his hands. "I give you my word. Let her go, and tell me who put the bounty on me, and you'll live."

Jabsco seemed to be weighing his options. "Why should I tell you that?"

"Because it's the only way you're going to leave this place alive."

The statement hit Jabsco like a bullet. As he looked around and the guns trained on him, he knew he had little choice. "Alright." He relaxed his grip on Amata. "I'll tell you who it was; it doesn't matter anymore. His name is..."

The .308 round slammed into Jabsco's chest, killing the merc commander instantly. Marcus and the Pride turned around, and spotted the lone Talon Company sniper on one of the platforms training his gun on Marcus. Before he could fire, however, both Dusk and Colvin each put a .308 round into the merc, and he fell over the railing.

Marcus turned back around, and saw the merc leader lying dead in a pool of his own blood. "Damn it!" he cursed. Whoever hired Talon Company, must have planted moles in the organization to make sure nobody, not even the group's leader, could betray them.

Marcus looked over at Amata, the love of her life, and all of the fear and anxiety that gripped him since she'd been taken, left him in an instant. It was over. She was safe, and here with him. He smiled as he approached her, and he reached for her - and that's when Amata removed her trembling hand from her chest, revealing the large bullet wound.

For the first time in his life, Marcus was completely and utterly frozen. His mind was screaming for him to do something, but he could not will his body to move. He stared at the gaping wound as crimson fluid poured out of it. Amata stared at him with blank eyes, and her voice was barley above a whisper. "Mar...cus!"

She collapsed into his arms, and Marcus snapped out of the shock he was in and tried to hold her up. "Amata! AMATA NO!"

Her legs had completely failed her, and she was dead weight in Marcus arms. He carefully laid her down on the ground, and she began spitting up blood.

"AMATA!" Marcus frantically took off his pack and dumped the contents out, trying to find his medical pack. "You'll be alright! Just stay with me!"

He found the bag and ripped it open, removing a pack of gauze and a stimpak. He pressed the gauze onto the wound, causing Amata to gasp. "You'll be alright, baby! Just stay with me!"

As he readied the stimpak with his other hand, Amata suddenly grabbed his wrist, and Marcus looked down into her eyes. To Marcus' surprise, her eyes were not filled with fear or terror...but seemed to be at peace. Amata weakly smiled at the man she loved, and gently placed her other bloodied hand on his cheek. Marcus continued to stare at her dumbfounded...and then he saw the light leave her eyes, and her hand dropped down next to her.

Marcus began to tremble. "AMATA! DON'T..." he injected the stimpak above the wound, straddled her, and began CPR. "Come on baby! Come on baby! Don't leave me! Please!"

As Marcus frantically tried to save Amata's life, the Lyon's Pride watched the entire heart breaking scene in silence. Glade looked over at Sarah and shook his head. They both knew it was too late. Colvin silently prayed for his friend. Kodiak turned around, unable to watch any longer. Gallows stood in the corner; his helmet making it impossible to read his emotions. Even the hardened sniper Dusk had to fight back the urge to cry. Dogmeat laid down a few feet from his master, and a whine escaped from him.

Sarah watched as Marcus continued to count out heart compressions...in between begging Amata to come back to him. It was clear to everyone that Amata was more then his old Vault's Overseer. He...loved this woman. Taking a deep breath, she slowly approached Marcus and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Marcus..."

He wrenched her hand away, and blew two more breaths into Amata's mouth. Nothing. He continued his compressions; desperation and pain in his voice. "Come on baby! Come back to me!"

Sarah had to swallow the lump in her throat, and she cautiously knelled down next to him. "Marcus."

He continued to ignore her.

Sarah placed both hands on his arm, and this time she held on to him as he tried to wrench them away. "Marcus! MARCUS! SHE GONE!"

"NO!"

Sarah reached over and tried to make him look at her. "MARCUS! Marcus look at me! LOOK AT ME!"

He stopped mid-compression. He didn't look at Sarah. He couldn't. He couldn't face the truth.

Sarah's voice cracked. "She's gone, Marcus. She's gone. I'm so sorry. There's nothing anyone could've done."

Marcus stared down at Amata. Her eyes, those beautiful eyes that he'd fallen in love with so long ago, eyes that were full of life...were now as dead and blank as a doll's eyes. His hands were trembling as he placed them on her face, and he leaned closer, hoping in vain for a miracle. That life would return to those eyes and she would be alright.

The miracle never came. She was gone. His love was gone. He pressed his forehead against her's and broke down. His sobs echoed in the missile silo, and Sarah began to rub his shoulder in a vain attempt to comfort him. Marcus kissed Amata's forehead and closed her eyes. That's when he noticed the blood on his hands. Amata's blood. His hands were shaking as he stared at the crimson fluid, and he threw his head back and let out a loud, tortured scream that startled everyone; even Sarah. She knew that kind of scream; she'd heard it too many times. It was the sound of ultimate suffering. The kind of suffering that robbed someone of their very purpose for living. As he stayed there, shaking with pain and rage, Marcus reached down and pulled out his desert eagle. He held the pistol up, staring at it with a look of hopelessness in his eyes. Sarah tensed up, and mentally braced herself to stop him from doing the unthinkable.

Marcus' gaze shifted between his pistol and Amata's corps. It would be so simple. Just one pull of the trigger and...

The sound of someone groaning caused Marcus to turn to his right. He looked past Sarah, and he spotted the Talon Company sniper trying to crawl along the floor.

Marcus' expression suddenly went from one of despair, to one of total hate and darkness. Sarah recognized that expression, and her throat went dry. It was the same look he had when he'd killed Colonel Autumn. Slowly, he got up on his feet and calmly walked over to the dying merc. He reached down, picked the man up, and slammed him up against the wall. Marcus began viciously pistol whipping the merc, and soon the walls was streaked with blood.

"WHO PUT THE BOUNTY ON MY HEAD!" he screamed as he pistol whipped him again. "WHO DID IT! YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS YOU'RE PAID! WHO WAS IT!" He slammed the butt of the pistol into the merc's jaw, breaking more teeth.

The merc spit up blood and struggled to speak. "I'm...dying you fuck!"

Marcus slammed him against the wall again. "OH NO! TELL ME WHO HIRED YOU! Then...you have my permission to die!"

The merc spit blood in his face. "Fuck you!"

Marcus didn't bother to wipe the blood away. He holstered his pistol, drew his combat knife, and plunged it into the man's left eye. The merc screamed in agony, and a horrified Sarah Lyons stepped forward, but stopped after any a couple of steps.

Marcus pulled the knife out of the merc's socket, and the man's eyeball flew across the room and landed on the ground. Even the battle hardened Pride were sickened by it, and Colvin silently crossed himself.

The merc was still alive, and Marcus held the knife to his other eye. "WHO hired you?"

The man shook his head in an almost pleading way. Marcus forced his other eye open and readied his knife.

"WAITWAIT! Wait!"

Marcus pulled back.

"Alright! Alright I'll tell ya. It was Tenpenny. Allistair Tenpenny! He put the bounty on your head! When we couldn't catch you, he told us about your...your girlfriend. He told us we could use her to get to you."

Marcus stood there in silence as the full weight of everything sunk in. Allistair Tenpenny founded and ran the wealthiest settlements in the Wasteland: Tenpenny Tower. Marcus had even stayed there for a night, and got along pretty well with the residents...until he found out how anti-ghoul they were. "Why does Tenpenny want me dead?"

The merc shook his head. "I don't know."

Marcus raised his knife.

"I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T KNOW I SWEAR! We never asked why. It doesn't matter. It was just business. It...it was nothing personnel!"

Marcus pressed his blade against the man's throat. "It is very personnel now!" he growled.

"Please! I told you everything I know."

"Yes. Yes you have." Marcus let the merc go, and he turned and began to walk away. "Dogmeat. It's chow time!"

Horrified, the merc saw the growling dog run towards him. "NOOOOO!"

Dogmeat struck, and the man's screams echoed through the silo as his throat was ripped out.

The Pride stood there in utter shock. Most of them were sick to their stomachs at what they saw. Marcus kneeled down next to Amata's body and carefully picked her up. With Dogmeat following close behind, he quietly climbed the stairs out of the silo. The expression on his face was blank; almost as lifeless as the corps he was caring.

Sarah watched as he walked through the upper door and left the silo. Silence filled the room. Finally, Sarah cleared her throat. "Okay...show's over. You know the drill. Secure this base and any tech and intel we find. Move it!"

The Pride silently obeyed. As they went about their duties, Sarah climbed the steps of the silo, walked through the base, and made her way outside. She stood on top of the smoldering wreckage of one of the guard post, and watched as Marcus slowly carried Amata's body off into the Waste.

A single tear ran down her cheek.

Herman Gomez, the acting Overseer of Vault 101, was pacing back and forth in Amata's office, not sure of what to do next. After Doc Church and Lucas Simms returned a wounded, but thankfully alive Susie Mack to the Vault, they had been on full alert. Susie told them about the devastating ambush, Amata's capture, and how Marcus had gone after her. There was definitely no shortage of opinions on what the next course of action should be. Some, including his son Freddie, wanted to launch a rescue mission. A few wanted to wait to see if Marcus could rescue her, and others just wanted to shut the Vault for good. For now Gomez had decided on option two, but he didn't know how much longer he could afford to wait.

The intercom buzzed, and Gomez answered it. "Yes?"

"Sir, this is post one. You...you'd better see this."

Post one were the guards at the outer cave door. "What's wrong?"

"It's...Marcus he...the Overseer..."

Gomez ran over to the external camera's video screen...and what he saw confirmed his worst fear. "Oh my God! Let...let'em in, but...be ready for anything."

The Vault's door alarm went off, and the security force quickly mustered inside the utility room. As the massive door was pulled away, they took up position around it and readied their weapons. The mounted .50 caliber was locked and loaded, and trained on the giant cog. Gomez made it down to the utility, and despite her wounds, Susie Mack joined them. When it was finally rolled away, a haggard looking Marcus Lincoln slowly walked inside - caring the bloodied body of their Overseer, Amata Almodovar. Gasps and shrieks of horror filled the room, and soon everyone lowered their guns. Susie's hands covered her mouth, and tears began to form in her eyes.

No one said a word as Marcus carefully laid Amata down on the floor. He stayed there, on his knees, staring at her lifeless body. Susie and Gomez approached him.

"Marcus." Herman's voice cracked. "My God, what happened?"

Marcus just continued to stare. His face and voice showed no emotion as he spoke. "Talon Company captured her...so that they could get to me. I tried to rescue her but..." He couldn't finish the sentence.

Gomez had to swallow the lump in his throat. He, more then anyone in the Vault, knew what Amata meant to him. To see the man like this...was heart breaking. He placed a hand on Marcus' shoulder. "Marcus...I'm so sorry. I know the...history you two had. I know you were exiled but, you can stay - at least until we...say goodbye to Amata properly."

"Are you kidding me!"

The voice was from one of the security guards, Susie's brother, Wally Mack. "You want him to stay? After all this?"

Susie stepped forward. "Wally..."

"How many more of us have to die because of him, sis? First Dad! Then Hannon! Now Amata and over two dozen of our friends!" He stared down at Marcus with contempt. "You're not a hero, Lincoln. You're the angel of DEATH!"

Silence filled the room, and everybody waited for Marcus' reaction. He just stayed there, frozen and catatonic. Gomez walked up to the young security officer. "That's enough, Wally! You are dismissed! All of you!"

Wally holstered his weapon and stormed off; the rest of the security detail following.

Marcus leaned down and gave his love one last kiss on the forehead. He slowly stood up and turned to leave.

"Marcus wait!" Susie stepped in front of him. "Please, don't leave like this. Wally was just hurt and angry. He's wrong about you."

Marcus didn't seem to be staring at her, but through her. His voice was barley above a whisper. "No he's not." He calmly walked around her, and headed for the exit.

Susie nearly burst into tears, and she tried to reach for him. "Marcus..."

"Susie." Gomez came over and shook his head. "Let'em go."

They watched as Marcus, followed by his dog, walked out of the Vault. The giant cog rolled back into place, and the Vault was sealed. Susie could not hold back her tears as she looked down at her friend's body. "I'm sorry! I should've...I should've..."

Gomez hugged the distraught woman. "No, no, there's nothing you could've done."

The medical personnel had arrived, and even they could not believe the scene.

"Take her to medical...and be respectful." Gomez said.

The lead medic nodded. "Yes, Overseer."

That made Gomez do a double take, and it finally hit him. He was now the acting Overseer - the last job in the world he wanted. As the medics took Amata away, Susie stared at the Vault door. "What do you think he'll do?"

Gomez let out a tired sigh. "I don't know, but if I know Marcus, he's going to find whoever's responsible for this. And when he does, he's going to show them no mercy."

Marcus climbed the mountain that housed Vault 101, and when he reached the top, he stared out over the Wasteland in the direction of Tenpenny Tower. In the dead of night, the lights of the tower could be seen for miles, and Marcus stared at those lights were hate and blood lust.

"I'm coming for you, Tenpenny," he growled. "and hell's coming with me!"