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"Mind telling me why we're back here? I don't think Skinny Malone's corpse needs double tapping." Nick said.
Ash sighed. "Just trust me."
It had been a few weeks since she saved Nick, but they'd come back to the area where they escaped Skinny Malone. It wasn't to loot the vault, but to explore a nearby building. The Combat Zone, with a glowing sign to match in the dead of night. Ash had originally asked Nick to come, then let Piper tag along after she insisted on getting the scoop. After all, Publick Occurrences always needed new and juicy stories.
"You sure about this, kid?" Nick asked.
"C'mon, Nick. I'm dying to know what's in there." Piper smirked, cocking her pistol.
Ash pushed the doors open, revealing a dank hallway. They immediately spotted the people to the left, hands and feet bound with sacks over their faces. Piper moved closer to read the sign near them.
"Rulebreakers." Piper muttered. "There were some rules painted on a board outside…"
"Get ready. I feel a fight coming on." Ash pushed the next doors open.
The theatre was dark, say for the shone on the center stage; a crude recreation of a boxing ring. People whooped and booed as a figure slammed another into the floor. A man's voice sounded over a speaker.
"And that concludes this round. Cait is the undisputed winner!" He announced. One of the fighters raised her arms in victory.
"And who—" The announcer's blood ran cold as he noticed the trio in the doorway. "Shit. Take cover!"
Suddenly, shots fired throughout the hall. Bullets flew past the trio as they ducked behind the doors, shooting back at the pissed raiders. Ash gripped her rifle and fired, spraying into the chests of each raider she could spot.
"Blue, watch out!"
Ash's side stung as a raider took a pool cue to her hip. She cried out in pain and kicked him off, just as Piper shot him in the head.
Nick rushed forward, gunning down a bartender and ducking behind the counter.
"Gotcha." The synth smirked as he grabbed a bottle of vodka.
Ripping off a piece of cloth from the conveniently dead bartender, he shoved it down till it reached the bottom. He fumbled with his lighter, igniting the cloth and tossing it at a group of raiders.
"Incoming!"
The front of the stage went up in flames, raiders crying out as they tried to put themselves out. Piper and Ash finished them off from a distance, burying their bullets into their flesh.
When it was over, the two approached Nick.
"Not bad." Ash nodded. "You're a pretty killer…uh…guy, Valentine."
Nick chuckled. "Thanks, I guess."
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the stage.
"Hey! We don't want no trouble!" A man called out. "Not anymore, at least…"
"Oh, don't be such a coward, Tommy." A woman scoffed, her Irish accent thick and strong.
Ash tightened her grip on her rifle. "You armed?"
"No! No, we swear."
"Then get down here. Hands up."
Sure enough, two people came walking down the steps. The man was a ghoul, with burned skin and bloodshot eyes. But otherwise, he seemed civilized, with neat blonde hair and a tan suit.
The same couldn't be said for the woman. She had messy red hair and pale skin, covered by a tank top and tan jeans. She looked more annoyed than scared.
"That was uh, well that was some show, I'll say." The ghoul stuttered. "Suppose you three didn't come here to be entertained."
"What is this place?" Ash asked.
The man scoffed. "Well, ain't you polite? This here's the Combat Zone, at least it was till you decided to shoot up our paying clientele."
"We saved your asses." Piper placed her hands on her hips. "The least you could do is thank us."
The scarred man let out a laugh. "Now that's a good one. You kill my clients and expect me to thank you? If they weren't scum, I'd have my little birdie here turn you inside out."
"Stop fuckin' callin me that, Tommy." The red haired woman hissed.
Tommy sighed, folding his arms. He took a moment to look at the corpses that littered the theatre, the blood that splattered over the furniture. He seemed relieved, but a part of him looked almost sad.
Nick approached the man, speaking up.
"Look, we're real sorry about your business. But your people shot first, so we gotta do what we gotta do."
"Yeah, you're right. I won't say they didn't deserve it. The only good thing about 'em is that they paid."
"Suppose you best change your target audience, then."
"Aint gonna happen over night."
Tommy turned to Ash. "Alright, here's the deal. I ain't got no audience, which means I ain't gettin' no caps."
His gaze shifted to the woman. "No caps means no food. Which means you got nothin' left here."
"Now hold on just a minute." The redhead growled. "You get rid of me, and who's gonna be entertainin' people when you get 'em back?"
"Trust me, it's gonna take a lot longer than you think, little bird." Tommy sighed. "I'll figure things out, but you ain't needed here no more. Got it?"
The woman looked between Tommy and the trio, her scowl growing deeper. She stormed off to the back of the stage.
"Fuck you, Tommy." She grumbled.
As she disappeared, Tommy turned to the three.
"Now I ain't got much to bargain, but I think you should take over Cait's contract. She's a real fighter, and she'll watch your back for the right price."
"You think we're gonna buy her?" Ash asked in disbelief.
"As much as I'd appreciate the startup funds, Cait would rip my limbs off if she thinks I sold her." Tommy said. "Plus, I don't own her. Where caps go, she follows."
-
Cait stomped to her corner in the room. The Kennels, they called it. And it fit. About seven mattresses crammed into one room, where the fighters slept in between shows. It reeked, stinking of sweat and booze. Bottles and chems littered the floor, but Cait's stash was tucked into a small wooden box, locked away as her prized possessions. Kneeling down, she grabbed the key inside her pillowcase and unlocked the box.
The needle greeted her like an old friend. It was her last dose—poetic, given the circumstances. A life of suffering and wandering seemed to be her destiny, but at least Psycho could help her get away for a while. She took the needle, aimed it at her vein, and…
"You packing?"
"Jesus-!" Cait cried out, fumbling with the needle. She shoved it below her pillow before turning around.
Ash stood at the doorway, unimpressed. "Tommy says you're a good fighter. That true?"
"Why do you care?" Cait rolled her eyes and slipped the needle into her back pocket, standing up.
"Cause I need a fighter, and you need a place to stay." Ash droned. "I think I can make us both happy."
"You think I'm gonna trade one shithole for the another–"
"A warm bed. Homegrown food. And you don't have to share it with folks that are gonna stab you in your sleep."
Cait pursed her lips, stepping closer to Ash.
"I'll believe it when I see it."
-
Most nights, Sanctuary Hills lived up to its name. A quiet little community that housed settlers and wanderers alike. Thankfully, tonight was like most nights, where guards patrolled the fences as the rest of the town slept peacefully. By the time the group reached the town, dawn had begun to break. Piper and Nick retired to their shared home while Ash showed Cait around the neighborhood.
"Well, at least you got fresh air." Cait joked as they walked. "So, what's the catch?"
Ash shrugged. "Just watch my back when we're out on runs, don't fuck with the people, and we'll be just fine."
"Thought you said you needed a fighter?"
"You need to be one to survive out here."
Cait looked down. She could feel the outline of her Psycho needle from inside her pocket.
"You got that right."
Ash led her to a small yellow house. There, Piper was typing away at her typewriter. She looked up as the pair entered.
"Meet your new housemate, Piper." Ash said.
"Oh, uh, hey." Piper nodded. "Sorry, gotta get back to this."
She returned to her work as Ash showed Cait her room. It was beaten, but pretty clean for post-apocalypse standards. Cait frowned at the two beds.
"Do I really need a roomie?" She grumbled.
"It's empty for now, but if Sanctuary grows more, then yes." Ash explained. "Least its just one farmer and not six smelly raiders."
Cait sighed and sat on the bed. It smelled old, but it was warm, as if it had just been set out in the sun. She placed her shotgun by her bedside. It was the only thing worth bringing from the Combat Zone.
"Bathhouse is the first house by the bridge if you wanna get cleaned up. Anything else?"
Cait looked at Ash, wondering if she could maybe help with her need for chems. But considering how small the community was…
"I'm good."
"Good. I'll let you know when you can start."
Ash turned and left, closing the door behind her.
"Time for a new life, I guess." Cait sighed as she laid down.
-
Nick was walking back to the house just as Ash left. He put out his cigarette as she stepped to the curve. "You show the new girl to her room?"
"Yep."
"And what'd she say?"
"Not much. But she's staying, that's for sure."
The synth gave Ash a knowing look. "Good. Cause you're gonna need her if you wanna take down Kellogg."
Ash didn't meet his gaze.
She just nodded and walked away.
"Get some sleep, Nick. You earned it."