Last Stop New Vegas

[CortezHorse]

Let's hope it doesn't attract any animals


Ben stepped back through the threshold of the small shelter. Stretching his back from the strain of carrying the literal dead weight of the woman.


"Nah, I don't think so. She don't smell yet so long as it isn't a real windy night nothin should catch her scent."


It was always a risk though, some creature wandering up or worse. It was the only thing they could do though, it was either that or the body spent the night inside with them because burying her just wasn't an option. With the heat, hard ground, lack of digging implements and a drive to really want to bury the stranger there was no way he'd get the girl deep enough to cover any possible scent.


Think we could move some of these shelves to barricade the door? You know, just to be on the safe side of things


"Yea, that isn't a bad idea."


She was thinking, not that he believed she was dumb by any means but the fact she was thinking about securing their shelter proved she was learning. Before he knew it Darling would be ready to take on the Mojave by herself.


Together they pulled a couple of the shelves to block the doorway. They weren't particularly heavy but they were cumbersome and anyone trying to get through would find themselves quickly stopped by the large mish-mash of metal and wood. Once it was all said and done, Ben sat down near the dog, scratching gently behind her ear.


"How's your, uh, graze doin? Still sore?"

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"I have good ideas now and then. Like traveling with you, for example."


Once the barrier was in place, Darling removed her hat and glasses, setting them on the closest shelf. Fingers combing through her loose curls, smoothing them back out, she moved to grab a seat on the other side of Freckles. One of the pup's large ears twitched as Ben scratched, though she remained perfectly at ease. It had probably been a busy day for such a small creature.


"Hmm? Oh. Yeah it's still kind of sore, but that's to be expected, I think."


She spoke as she worked her boots off, setting them to the side. Though she had always walked a good deal, it seemed this trip had taken more out of her than usual, her legs aching as she stretched them out in front of her.


"How are you holding up, though?"


She wanted to know how his wound was doing, that was a given, but more than that she felt an odd need to make sure that he, himself, was okay. He hadn't been complaining about his leg, but he had snapped a bit earlier and that was just as worrisome. Though very ready to brush off her own mental health, Darling was a touch more cautious when it came to others.


It was easy to know she would be fine, it was harder to know about everyone else.

 

[CortezHorse]

How are you holding up, though?


Ben lazily turned his head towards her, not surprised by her asking about his well being at this point. He rucked up his shirt and looked down at his hip.


"Looks good to me. Hasn't been given me to much trouble. I think I'll live and be able to keep at least one leg."


He pulled his shirt back down then shucked his duster off, glad to have the heavy thing off of his body. It was good protection against the sun, as well as predators and knives he'd found out in the past but damn could it get hot. Right behind his jacket followed his boots and it seemed he was getting comfortable, not planning on expounding upon his general well being anymore. Truth be told he didn't realize Darling had been asking about his physical as well as his mental state. Sure it was easy to get use to someone asking if him how he was holding up after getting shot because you don't want your partner dying on you but it was a little more far-fetched to think that the person he only met a couple of days ago was actually concerned about he was feeling.


"You wanna use my blanket again?"

 

[Interstellar Bun]

She waited in silence for more of an answer that she clearly wasn't going to get. Still, it was good to know he was doing better despite the hack job she did that first night in the dark. It was nice to know that maybe she did have a skill that was of some use out in the Wastes. Though not emotionally prepared to go out shooting more people already, she could pull her weight with her patch jobs that relied on luck and empty prayer as much as it did her own skill level.


"You take it, I already commandeered it once, I don't think it would be fair to do that again."


Though she was prone to getting cold easily, which made it easier to handle the warmer temperatures, Darling figured she'd be fine since they were indoors. If not, well, she'd figure it out when she got there.


"But you know, if both of us do end up being miserably cold, we could always just snuggle up to conserve body heat."


For a moment, she managed to keep a straight face before a smile found its way on to her features, marking that she was, once again, joking. Now that Ben had started to tease her back, Darling felt no remorse in trying to get a reaction out of him now and then. It was all in good fun.

 

[CortezHorse]

But you know, if both of us do end up being miserably cold, we could always just snuggle up to conserve body heat.


Just as he had at all of Darling's other playful jabs, he ducked his head with a grumble. If possible then he'd be blushing as red as the sky at dawn but despite his lack of blush capabilities, his embarrassment was easy to spot.


"Here just, uh, just take this."


He handed her his heavy leather duster, still avoiding her eyes like a nervous pre-teen. It would function just as well as a blanket and would keep her from making anymore suggestions about cuddling. Well, not that he wouldn't if he had to! He just, well, it was just, ahem.


"I'll stay up for first watch. Get some sleep."


It wasn't as if his mind would shut down at let him sleep just yet anyway. Today had been an odd one without a doubt. He'd shared more with Darling than he had with anyone in a long, long time. Then the dog came along and, well, right back to the struggle of do I continue to be friendly or not? He knew how it would go though, it'd happen enough times in the past for him to know the old tune. Even though he walked the same path a dozen times with other partners and groups, he never seemed to learn after each similar outcome. He'd become more angry, more sullen, more bitter and more sad but he never truly would learn because he'd still reach for the possibility of friendship. Like some withering plant reaching for the fading sun, he continued to grasp at kindness that was shown towards him.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

The duster was large on her, though that was to be expected and it was actually rather nice. Because of that, she had no trouble wrapping it about herself. It came with a sense of comfort, as it was still warm from both the sun, and recent use. The faint sunlight that filtered through the boarded up windows was starting to disappear, the rays of gold and pink light no longer making the place seem rather welcoming. Some part of her wanted to argue that he should be the one getting some sleep, but she knew it was for the better. She could get some sleep, Ben could mull the day over or whatever it was he did, and she could be up and ready to take the second watch with no trouble.


Perfect.


Moving to lay down, Darling found that getting comfortable on an old floor was much more difficult than it was out on the dirt, oddly enough. Head resting on one of the softer bits of her bag, she curled in on herself, arms drawing in to hold the jacket close.


"Alright, but wake me as soon as you start to get tired. You need sleep just as much as I do. Goodnight, Ben."


She was looking out for his health and well being, yes, but at the same time, she felt the need to carry her own weight in this. There was a nagging reminder in the back of her head that Ben didn't need her. Not really. He was fine on his own, he had done stuff like this before, and if she wasn't actively helping, then maybe she was just a bother.


Those thoughts followed her as she shut her eyes and slowly relaxed enough to drift off to a sleep that was marred with unpleasant images.

 

[CortezHorse]

"Goodnight."


He turned his head toward the boarded up window, watching as the last rays of the dying sun sputtered away. The building soon turned completely dark, the only illumination was the faint moonlight spilling in through cracks. It was peaceful, quiet, Ben had always had a fondness for the night. Disregard the dangers it brought and it was almost a completely different world. The soft glow of the moon dulled the distinct harshness of the desert, the cool night air washed away the oppressive heat of the day and the darkness brought silence as the few fool people who lived in this wasteland bedded down.


He breathed the air in deeply, trying to clear his head of the day. The pup kicked and wriggled in its sleep, dreaming of fetch and play. Ben smirked, giving her a soft scratch before furrowing his brow as he noticed his other partner having a disturbed sleep. Sitting up straight, Ben leaned over the pack separating them and watched as Darling cringed and fidgeted. Ben began grinding his teeth as his mind started up; should he let her sleep on? Wake her up? The more she flinched at an unseen horror, the more resolute Ben became in waking her up to take her away from her nightmare. With a gentle hand he reached over and shook her shoulder.


"Darling? Darling, wake up."

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Her dreams were fragments, bits of twisted reality that felt all too real to her as she suffered through them. They were coming towards her, faces unrecognizable creations of raw hatred. Though she moved back, they were faster. She could feel her heart beating, the weight of her gun in her hand, the way the trigger felt under her finger. Worst of all, she could feel the way her gun locked up. One of them grabbed her and the line between fiction and reality was blurred.


Fear filled her lungs like water, anxiety twisting around her heart. She woke with a start, throwing her shoulder back as though Ben had burned her. There was a split second in which she wasn't sure where she was, wide eyes darting across the room before she saw Ben. A heavy breath escaped her and she let her shoulders slump before pushing herself to sit up.


The noise woke Freckles, who proceeded to whine before limping over and trying to crawl up into Ben's lap.


"Christ." Her voice was nearly as raspy as his.


The memories of her dream were already ebbing away. The memory of fear, however, stuck to her bones though she did her best to mask it.


"Is it morning already?"

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben jerked away when Darling practically flailed out of her nightmare. It took her a moment to collect herself and he watched with concerned eyes as she finally came to. He ushered the frantic Freckles into his lap, giving her a few reassuring pats before looking back to Darling as she spoke.


"Nah, you been asleep for just around an hour."


He paused, wondering if he should push her any further. She knew she'd had a nightmare, should he really question her about it? For a few moments he sat there in silence, petting the shivering pup as he listening to Darling's breaths begin to calm.


"It looked like, uh, you were havin' some sort of nightmare so I woke ya."


Once again he paused, thinking of what to do, what to say. Just keep it simple.


"You ok?"


His voice was rough, it always was and that would never change but his tone was soft in this moment. His milky eyes were concerned as he watched distress and fear ooze from the normally upbeat woman.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

She mussed up her hair, letting her elbow rest on her knee as she hunched forward. Heart rate slowing, Darling focused on calming down. While nightmares didn't always haunt her dreams, she had experienced them often enough to know that she needed a moment. The darkness had a weird way of twisting reality.


Finally, she looked to him, and the faint silvery glow of moonlight let her see the genuine concern on his torn up features. For a moment, she didn't respond, she just watched him with her own grey eyes.


"I'll be okay. It was just a bad dream, you know how those are."


The answer came as she looked away once more. It wasn't as though she was trying to be dismissive, but working her thoughts out after she had just been woken up was proving to be a bit of a challenge.


"It just felt...real, you know? Like my mistakes had actually gotten you all killed. Seeing your friends and family die, even in a dream, it's...-" She droned off, shaking her head instead. There was no word for something like that. "I'm sorry if I startled you, though. I don't suppose Freckles appreciated that did she?"

 

[CortezHorse]

He cocked his head as Darling went into a very brief explanation of her nightmare. Afraid that they'd gotten killed? As in he was part of that? He was part of the friends category? He tore himself away from his inner thoughts and looked down at the balled up pup in his lap.


"Ah, you didn't bother me none and Freckles will be alright. Won't ya?"


Ben began scratching the pup, comforting her until she popped her small head up. Her large ears perked up with curiosity now as her temporary bout of fear passed.


"See? Already good."


He smirked but the expression dropped quickly when he focused back on Darling.


"So, you sure yer ok?"


Ben wasn't sure what to do, how to approach the situation or her. He could remember though, how he'd interact with his family. Hesitantly he reached out a hand, his rough fingers barely resting on the back of her smooth hand. The motion was awkward and stiff but he followed through with it.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

The texture of his fingers on her skin was odd. In a bravery possessed only by those who had just woken up, she turned her hand to hold his for just a fleeting moment in a comfortable, friendly motion. Then, she withdrew.


"Just a bit startled still. Nightmares like that kind of cling to you."


But Freckles had settled back down, her large brown eyes closing as she once again fell asleep with a quiet huff in Ben's lap. Darling, on the contrary, had made no move to sit up or try to go back to sleep. It wasn't as though she was ruminating on it, or even wanted to talk all that much, but it was nice to remind herself that things were okay.


Pulling a bottle of water from her bag, she took a swig of it, hoping that would quell her thoughts.


"Thanks for checking on me, that was real sweet."


She was starting to feel better, drowsiness kicking in once more as the panic finally disappeared. During her shift to watch, she'd pen letters to everyone, and hopefully find a courier in the morning just to make sure everyone was okay. Surely they were fine, after all, it was she who was out and about doing dangerous things.

 

[CortezHorse]

His fingers flexed, a stuttering, flinching reaction to her digits wrapping around his own. It made his heart catch in his throat, this small act was more intimate than he'd been with anyone in years and in the blink of an eye it was over. Darling drew back and Ben forced his sluggish brain back into action, drawing his arm back to his side.


Thanks for checking on me, that was real sweet.


"Wasn't nothin."


He mumbled out his response, focusing on the slumbering pup in his lap. His large hand rested on Freckle's side, feeling the rise and fall of her tiny body with ever breath. He decided to focus on that instead of, other things.


"Go back to sleep if ya can. Ain't got nothin to worry bout, I'm here."


Ben hadn't meant the sentence to sound so sappy and didn't even realize there was a chance it could be taken that way. He just wanted his traveling partner to be able to sleep soundly so she could travel without falter tomorrow. That was all he meant, of course it was.


Darling had second watch so that meant Ben woke up to the crack of dawn, still cool and calm but the soft rays of sunlight were just beginning to peek in. He grunted as he peeked an eye open to look around and noticed Freckles curled comfortably on his chest, rising and falling with his breaths. He rolled his eyes at the lazy pup and sat straight up, letting her slide into his lap.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Darling didn't mind second watch. Dragging out her small journal, half the pages ripped out in other letters, Darling spent her watch not contemplating the existence of life or how far she had come, but just writing a seemingly endless list of letters. By the time morning had come around, the letters detailing her adventure thus far and anything she could think to write about had been folded and addressed and stuffed back into her bag.


Tumbling into Ben's lap, Freckles let out a squeaking yawn, stretching out before relaxing once more. Her good paw rubbed at her eye as she half nuzzled against the ghoul's leg.


"I never thought of you as an early riser."


Darling smiled as Freckles got out of Ben's lap, limping about as she went to investigate the room she had been too tired to explore before.


She sat up and shrugged Ben's duster off. Though she had come to like the unflattering and rough garment, she figured returning it to its proper owner was a good idea. She handed it back over, one hand trying to smooth out the wrinkles on her own clothes all the meanwhile.


"How'd you sleep?"

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben took his jacket with a silent nod of thanks. Tossing it to the side, he stretched, his back popping as it curved and strained.


"Fine."


He yawned, running a hand through his remaining tuft of hair. His hazy eyes looking around the brightening room.


"How'd the rest of the night go?"


It was a double ended question really. Did anything go bump in the night while I was asleep and are you still okay? It seemed he was taking it easy this morning, not rushing to leave as he had yesterday. Just leaning against the wall, watching Freckles as he waited patiently for his answer.


Freckle's large ears pricked up, facing towards one of the walls. She tilted her head in curiosity then begin to growl, those comically big ears now flat against her head. Ben furrowed his brow and shuffled up to his knees to peek through a gap in the boarded up window. He squinted, not truly able to make anything out but the longer he stared the more something came into focus. People, more goddamn people were coming this way.


Ben growled in his throat, quickly detaching the cracked, aged scope from his rifle to try and get a better look at their approaching guests. What he saw caused his heart to jump into his throat. Those uniforms, he knew them, he could never forget; and with a clatter he dropped the scope and backpedaled as if what he saw had burned him. His eyes were wide and his breaths became more rapid as he stared at the wall.


"No, no, no, no. I'm not going back. I'm not."


He frantically whispered this out and in an instant was on his feet and at the back window. Maybe, maybe they could get through the window and sneak out! Yea, they could do that! They'd be none the wiser! Ben clawed at the boards on the glass, wrenching the coverings away splintering piece by splintering piece like an animal. He'd never let the Legion have him again.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"The night was good, nice and quiet."


Though, she only managed to get her answer out before Freckles started acting, well, oddly. No longer leaning against the wall, Darling squinted, watching as the mutt reacted to something she couldn't see. Ben's initial reaction was, at this point, expected. He was on edge, needing to know what was out there, and Darling waited for him to growl out an order for them to leave or otherwise scoff.


What he did, however, was neither one of those things.


"Going back?"


Darling had unfolded her legs, quickly lifting ot her feet.


"Woah. Ben, Ben wait."


There was something stern in her words. Nothing thus far had scared her as much as seeing Ben so afraid. Closing the distance between them in just a few strides, she touched his arm, trying to get him to stop for just a moment. Her heart, previously calm, was thrumming harder in her chest, though she did her best to keep the worry out of her face and voice. There was no chance of surviving whatever was out there if they were both reacting on raw fear.


"What in the hell is going on?"

 

[CortezHorse]

The moment Darling set a hand on his arm he struck out at her. In a knee jerk reaction he pushed her away with his arm and raised his voice to almost a point of a roar.


"Don't touch me!"


He clawed for a few more moments at the boards before pulling away with a defeated growl. His pacing was erratic, his eyes darted around the room as he looked for a quick escape before finally answering her question.


"Caesar's Legion, haven't you ever heard of them? Slavers, they're always looking for more."


Finally he stopped his pacing, right in front of her to look at her.


"We have to leave, Darling. Right now we have to go. We can't fight them!"


He moved back toward the window where he'd been peering out and looked through the gap once more.


"Shit, shit, shit! They're just getting closer."


It was obvious at this point that Ben wasn't in his usual calm, straight forward mind set. He was focused on escape, his eyes wide and panicked, his breaths rapid and shallow, an animal pushed into a corner.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

He pushed her and she stumbled back slightly, one foot bracing her as her expression hardened.


"And you think we can get out of here without being seen if you take in account that we have a lot of gear to lug around, a dog, and we're all injured in one way or another?"


Caesar's Legion. She had heard things, but had never seen them up close. Being in NCR territory kept her safe from their influence, after all.


Darling looked around, forcing herself to think. She wasn't one for fighting, and the fact that Ben wasn't even up for that made her realize just how dangerous this situation was. The one thing she was good at, however, was hiding. She ran her hands through her hair, shoving it back out of her face as she let her fingers curl about the ends, tugging it slightly out of stress.


"Look, there's a chance they might not even come in here, right? If they think the place is empty, maybe they'll avoid it. I think we should take our chances and hide. We can probably fit in the crates stacked up against the back wall and if we're quiet, they'll just walk right past us."


She let her hands drop down.


"It's up to you if you want to run, I'll be right behind you, but I think you should consider hiding as an option. How do you think I got all the way out here by myself without getting shot so far?"

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben forced himself to listen through the drumming in his ears. His mind wouldn't stop circling, wouldn't stop forcing memories to flash behind his wide eyes. Still, he listened to Darling and numbly nodded then nodded with more force as he snapped himself out of it.


"Yea, yea, right. Ok, come on let's do this."


Quickly he began moving, picking up his gear and placing it in one crate, along with Darling’s, and sliding the lid on top. Their things would be hidden from sight and so would they, nothing to suggest anyone was here. Ben handed Freckles to Darling as she climbed into her hiding spot and helped her place the cover over top of them then slipped into his own hiding place.


The men’s voices were heard before long and one made an exclamation that was worrying. It had Ben holding his breath and pressing himself into the corner of the crate.


“A dead body? All the way out here?”


“Well, there is a shack over there. Prolly just got off’d while hiding or something.”


“I dunno, she looks pretty fresh still. Nothin has even tore into her yet.”


Did they know? Had he doomed them by tossing the body outside? A deep voice sounded just outside, from around where the window would be. He must be trying to look in.


“Ain’t nothin in here but the windows are boarded and..”


There was a shaking at the door, he was trying to get in.


“and the door is blocked. Either they can disappear or we still got folks in there!”


Laughter was heard then and the voices drew closer, there were knocks on the walls followed by taunts and teases to come out. Ben swore he couldn’t breathe for a moment, couldn’t even think. Their voices were so much like those of the past, so much. They took both him and his sister and she, she didn’t make it. He was glad she didn’t last long though, as awful as her death and life leading up to her untimely end was. If she’d lived, or even turned into what he was then she would have suffered far more than him. Where male slaves were pure bred dogs, women were mutts; both dogs, both nothing more than animals, but one’s life was considered more than the other. Darling, Darling wouldn’t last. She was so sweet, so happy, the things they would do to her. No, no it couldn’t happen again. The thought of being taken into slavery once more crushed him but the thought of seeing Darling suffer like that was more than he could handle.


“Come on out or we’re just burn the place down! You can die for all we care. We ain’t wasting our time pushing through the door.”


There was laughter once again and calls to burn the building. Ben squeezed his eyes shut tightly and with a deep breath he began to crawl from his crate. Once out he rested his hand on top of where Darling was hiding and quietly mumbled, just loud enough for her to hear.


“Just stay here, no matter what you hear. Trust me.”


He began pulling away the shelves with a clatter and the men outside became quiet as they waited. When Ben stepped outside into the light he flinches at the sheer brightness of it, when his vision cleared he saw the familiar, smirking faces of legionarres around him. He took a few more hesitant steps toward them; hands raised and was quickly brought down with the butt of a gun to his stomach. Ben gasp, crumpling to his knees and gasping for air. The men laughed as a couple set to work binding his wrists.


“Look at the sad state of this one. Only got one leg! He’s barely fit to be a slave.”


There was murmuring as they walked around him, debating on whether to keep him or not. One man knelt down and jerked his head up, forcing his mouth open to look at his teeth.


“His teeth are still good, won’t be trouble that way. Plus, we need ghouls for work around radiation. One leg or not.”


The rest seemed to mumble agreements and Ben was pulled up with a yank, the bindings on his wrists tight and uncomfortable. Then he felt a familiar, sickening click and weight around his neck.


“Lucky for you we brought a couple of these along just for such an occasion.”


The man smiled a rotten, sickening smile as he secured the collar tightly around Ben’s neck. It was then that Ben felt himself go blank, completely numb and hopeless. He wasn’t going to be as lucky as before, this was it. His rifle, his duster, everything from his past was being left behind, a new, terrible future was in store. It was foolish for him to believe that he could have any sort of happy life in a place like the Strip, even more foolish to believe he could share such a life with someone. He cast one last glance back at the building where Darling hid before stumbling forward, being lead by a rope attached to his wrists.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Folding herself up into her crate, Darling held on to Freckles tightly as she waited. Eyes shut, she focused on keeping her breathing slow, silent. If she remained calm, Freckles would as well. The dog shook, nuzzling close into her neck as she waited. If they just didn't move, this would work, it had to work. If they burned the place down, they could still escape through a back way, let the flames and smoke cover their escape.


Then Ben moved.


Just stay here, no matter what you hear. Trust me.





Her heart rate jumped, breath catching in her throat as her eyes opened, searching the darkness of her small crate for an answer. Maybe he had an idea. She'd trust him. She trusted him even when she heard the scraping of things being moved, even when she heard the door open. She trusted him until her bones ached, until her joints were screaming and Freckles was whimpering. The interior was sweltering and, finally, she reached up to pop the lid off.


Ben was gone. He was gone and there was no chance of him coming back.


Looking down at the pup who now squirmed, looking around, Darling felt her heart grow heavy. She unfolded from the crate, feeling her joints pop and hearing her boots land quietly on the floor below. There was a moment in which she felt sorrow, something that grew deeper and more vibrant with every breath she took.


Then, there was anger. She was mad at him for leaving her, mad at him for just telling her to trust him. She was angry with the Legion, with their luck, with the fact that when things were just starting to go well, this had to happen. They couldn't catch a break.





With a grunt, she hefted not only her bag onto a shoulder, but all of his gear as well, and started out. The Legion was long gone, but in the untouched dirt, even she could mark where they had been. There was no moral debate, no inner conclusion to come to. The answer was clear. She would go after him, even if she knew he wouldn't want her to. Darling knew that this would be dangerous, that people would have to die at her hand, and yet, this didn't seem to bother her. Not yet.


"It'll be okay." The promise was directed to Freckles who still whimpered in her arms as she trotted along. "We'll get him back."


A group that big would have to stop sooner rather than later, and that's when she'd have her chance.


She stopped only once when she saw a mountain of rubble and an bone sticking out. A bit of digging later and Darling had promptly removed a heavy black vest with the letters S.W.A.T emblazoned on the back from an ancient skeleton. It was big on her, hot in the Mojave sun, but she figured it was a small price to pay and she was lucky to have found it. If she was going in to try and break a single ghoul out and risk fighting a gang of slavers, at least she had a bit of protection for her vital organs now.


The trail, previously lost, was picked up once more and she walked. The sun sank slowly and her steps kept a steady rhythm that matched the throbbing of the wound on her arm. Dirt stuck to the sweat on her skin, brought on by the heat and the extra strength it took to lug his rucksack and gun about. Maybe she would indulge in a drink after all this was said and done. Assuming they both survived, that is.


She had no plan, not really, and that fact became more pressing as she realized the group would be setting up camp soon. And still, she walked. Giving up on Ben wasn't an option.


Not now.

 

[CortezHorse]

The legionnaire set a grueling and unforgiving pace throughout the day. They sneered, pushed, beat and laughed at Ben every step of the way but the ghoul silently shouldered it all. It was disappointing to the cruel group who wanted some sort of reaction from their new toy so as the day went on their fun torcher became harsher. Ben was only offered relief when they met up with a second group of legionnaire, covering the deserts in a different area and dragging along three new captures themselves.


It was two smooth-skinned women and one man, they all three seemed terrified and rightfully so. Of course the women attracted most of the attention of the disgusting males around them but it was a bitter miracle. At least for now they would leave Ben alone.


It wasn’t long after that the now larger group stopped and began to set up camp. They used the opportunity to order around their captures, getting them use to how their new lifestyle would work. The smooth-skins simpered and cried, only bringing down fists and other punishments upon them. Ben, however, already knew this game and was able to respond exactly as they wanted. Once again the legionnaires were disappointed by this and even frustrated. While Ben was setting up a tent as commanded he was suddenly lashed across the back by a metal tent pole once, twice, three times. He bit down on his lip so hard it bled but he kept in the cry of pain. Now writhing on the ground, the legionnaire knelt over Ben and growled in his ear.


“You’re suckin’ all the fun out of this. You know that?”


His friends laughed as he stood up and the only thing left to do for Ben was get back to work. Do as you’re told; be as invisible as you can be. He repeated these things on loop in his mind, sentences he never thought he’d have to remember again. The fight he once had, the fire in his soul, all of it seemed sapped away as he mechanically performed each task given to him. So easily he’d accepted this fate.


Night fell and while the legionnaires sat around their fires, telling stories, laughing, eating and drinking. Ben and the other three captures were all bound tightly to stakes, close enough to the camp for their new masters to watch them but far enough away where they couldn’t enjoy the warmth of the fires. It was a way to mentally break them, for the new captures to feel their submission and their place, a dance Ben knew all the steps to. In his mind he knew it wasn’t necessary for him to go through all of this because inside he was already broken. The moment the collar was snapped around his neck, it was over.


“Hey zombie.”


Ben looked up and instantly received a face of food filled spat. The legionnaires laughed uproariously and the man who had spit on him wiped his mouth, grinning like a demon.


“What do you say?”


And Ben said it, as the chewed beans and spit dripped off of his face, he said it.


“Thank you.”


His soul withered with the words while they laughed.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

The fires blazed wildly in the darkness of the Mojave night. Shadows danced about and even from the distance, Darling could hear their laughter, their voices. Crouched behind a large rock, Darling had dropped their bags and had placed Freckles in one so she'd stay put for once. The pup still had room to breathe, as she had left the top mostly unzipped, and in the pile of clothes, she slowly settled down. The bag was warm compared to the evening air, after all.


Crouched down, one hand placed on the rock, Darling watched, waited. She waited until her knees were screaming at her and she lost feeling in her lower legs, until she could hear the noise starting to die down.


Figures moved like shadows, patrolling around the camp and the blonde slowly realized that using her pistol wouldn't be an option, not unless she wanted to alert everyone of her presence. From her bag, she pulled a knife, removing the cover from the blade. It was sharp, fitting easily in her hand as it was used for skinning and cutting up different animals.


A dark part of her realized that now would be no different.


Half crouched down, Darling crept forward. Slight of frame and light on her feet, she made little sound as she moved.


A hand gripped the mouth of one of the patrol's as the knife was sharply drawn across their jugular from behind. The motion was quick and deep, efficient as though she was simply bleeding an animal. With no ability to scream, the man went limp in her arms and, slowly, she lowered him to the ground. Blood oozed from his throat, drenching the sand and staining it red. Later, she could cry, hate herself for how easily she was able to take the life of another human being, but in that moment, there wasn't a single emotion that filled her. Darling felt nothing at all, the need to survive smothering anything else.


The process was repeated once more perfectly, though on the third and final member of the patrol, she had made a mistake.


Hand bloodied from being bit in retaliation and a gash in her vest she finally moved forward, lingering in the shadows. The others seemed to have fallen asleep, save for those who occupied the single lit tent, the ones who were planning how they would continue on. They'd be expecting a report from the patrols, she was sure, so she'd have to be fast.


What she hadn't expected to see was three others sitting along side Ben. That would make their escape a bit more complicated.


"Don't make a sound." The words came as a cold whisper as she finally eased up towards Ben, still crouched low to the ground. Her eyes moved across the camp one more time before finally looking at her friend.


"I'm getting you out of here. All of you."

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben and the others were laid on the cold ground, all shivering and doing their best to huddle together for warmth. The rags they’d been forced into did little to shield them from the cool night air. There was the sound of footsteps, heavy breath and Ben prepared for another barrage from one of the legionnaires. It never came though, instead a voice that was familiar and had him sitting up like a bolt.


Darling, she’d, she’d come all this way? She’d come for, for him? He could barely process it as he stared at her wide eyed.


“Darling, wha-what are you doing? You shouldn’t be here.”


He whispered to her, his eyes shooting over to the lit tent then back to her face. Her expression was one he hadn’t seen before. Determination, dead set determination. She wouldn’t leave without him, he could read it in her eyes.


“Darling, our collars.”


A hand went up to the metal monstrosity around his neck.


“We can’t leave with them on. They can track us and blow em up whenever they want. You gotta get the controls from the master.”


He nodded in the direction of the lit tent.


“Four of em are in there if I remember right. The one who’s got the controls is a fella with a shaved head and a scar on his cheek.”


Ben couldn’t believe he was telling her this, letting her do this. There was no other option though and he knew that. If he wanted to ever live life without a leash again then he’d put his faith in Darling.


“You get them controls from him and we can get outta here.”

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Stepping around them, Darling knelt as she sliced through their binds.


Four more people. Tonight, she'd kill four more people. That is, if everything went right. If not, well, she didn't figure she had much of a chance otherwise. Not moving, she stared at the cut ties for a moment too long, taking in a shaking breath that was hidden by the weight of her vest. Biting her lip, she finally looked back to Ben.


"As soon as you hear gunshots, run. I don't care if I'm still in there, I want you to run due south to the large rock. Your stuff is there. Take it and go."


There was no room to argue, but more than that, there was no time. She was up once more, keeping to the shadows as she made her way to the tent. Drawing her gun in her free hand, Darling disappeared around the back of the tent, getting out of the way of the light and, more importantly, out of Ben's gaze. If she died, she didn't want him to see.


She shut her eyes for just a moment, willing her hands to still as she recalled the description she had been given.


The one who’s got the controls is a fella with a shaved head and a scar on his cheek.


He would be her target. If she had to kill anyone tonight, it was him. Making sure the safety on her gun was off, that the clip was fully loaded, she said a prayer to a god she didn't believe in, and entered.


Chaos erupted. There was yelling, screaming in some sort of language that she didn't fully understand. Her eyes caught sight of the man in question and three shots were fired. The bullets found their target and the man fell back, gurgling on his blood, choking slowly. A bullet dug into her vest, stinging but not actually impaling her.


Another shot and a second man was down. Then-


Her gun jammed.


One of the final two men grabbed her wrist and twisted so that she called out in pain, her hand dropping the knife that she had gone for. His companion, on the other hand, had reached for a large weapon she didn't recognize. Words were exchanged and she only caught part of them.


"Not so tough now, is she?"


The end of the weapon was jammed into her side where the arm hole of the vest fell too low on her, it hit her ribs and she convulsed as electricity shot through her bone, making her vision blur and blacken on the edges. She was screaming until her throat went raw and she could taste blood, held up only by the vicious grip of the one who still had her wrist. Through it all, she was still trying, still blindly trying to find a way to fight back even if she knew she would never win. She was going to die.

 

[CortezHorse]

As soon as you hear gunshots, run. I don’t care if I’m still in there, I want you to run due south to the large rock. Your stuff is there. Take it and go.


He grit his teeth at that order, he couldn’t do that, couldn’t leave her. Still he nodded as she rose and like a shadow made her way to the tent. His eyes were glued onto her, a new person he’d never seen, completely in awe until she disappeared. The distinct sound of gunfire cracked and the camp began to stir. The three others rose and started to run but paused just long enough to look back at him.


“She said to run! Come on!”


“No, no you go. Take what you need of our supplies.”


He stood and started for the tent, his speed picking up as he heard her cry out in pain. His blood boiled and his very being was aflame as he hurtled toward the tent. Dipping down he grabbed a discarded tent pole, broken in half during set up and perfectly sharp at its point. He dove into the opening of the tent with a roar, shoving the pole into the man’s chest who held Darling. The motion sent all of them tumbling and the tent crashing down. In the chaos Ben scrabbled towards the collar master, ripping away the string of controls from his vest as he heard yells began to rise from other areas of the camp.


The remaining legionnaire in the tent fought with the fabric, trying to find the intruders and Ben kicked out at him as he made a flailing reach for his leg. A sickening crunch was the reward and once rough fingers wrapped around a soft wrist, he yanked Darling up. Tearing out of the tent he pulled her as fast as he could towards the darkness of the desert. Bullets and voices chased after them and Ben knew they had to hide.


The darkness concealed much of everything around them and Ben’s wide, milky eyes searched for anything that could be cover. The legionnaires’ voices drew closer as they began to pull themselves together, truly realizing what had happened. A place to hide, a place to hide, a place to hide. There! He slid to a stop in front of a rock face, a small dip in the sand alluded to a den dug under the rock, allowing some animal cover from the hot day sun.


“Come on, get in here.”


He softly instructed Darling, helping her squeeze into the tight space and he followed after. It was small and uncomfortable but it was well hidden. As the legionnaires approached, Ben wrapped his arms tightly around Darling, holding her flush against him. Protective but thanking her at the same time because if they were found then he would never have another chance to thank the one person in his long life who ever risked so much for him.