The Wildcard

"Bang!" shouted a deep voice, followed by a loud gunshot that echoed through the wasteland not far north of Megaton.

Plague had been salvaging some scrap metal in what used to be a house's backyard. As he was doing so he noticed a group of raiders a good distance away attacking two travelers. In response Plague pulled out his scoped magnum revolver and blew a raider's head off without having to look through the scope.

He had enough experience to know that whatever he aimed at would either be dead, or about to be.

In a fluid motion, Plague hopped the short picket fence, and fired before he hit the ground as a raider fell. He didn't care if the travelers lived, but he saw it all as some kind of game.

'Kill the attackers within a minute. Extra points if they survive. Two raiders down, one running for cover, last one is looking around for the shot's point of origin in shock like a dumbass…'

Plague repeated the rules as he charged. Ten feet away from the dumbass, Plague pulled out a sawed off shotgun from his hip and raised it up and nailed the raider with the short double barrel in the head before he noticed him coming.

The blow didn't do much damage over that spiked helm. The raider thought he got lucky, sadly he was wrong. The blow was only meant to confuse him while the attacker wrapped an armored left arm holding what looked like a polished revolver around his neck.

"Hey buddy, your friend has a gift for ya!" shouted the stranger as he spun the confused raider around, putting him in the line of friendly fire as he dropped his hunting rifle.

The raider in cover pulled the trigger of his 10mm pistol before he realized his friend was in the round's path. The raider went limp after one of the rounds hit him in the jugular as the stranger simply moved his arm out of the way. After a few seconds of silence a domed helm looked over the now dead raider's shoulder.

"Nice! Double points for friendly fire kills." shouted the helmet-wearing attacker. "Now. Got twenty seconds to live. What will you do?" he asked the shocked raider behind his rock cover.

"Did ya hear me?" he shouted when the raider didn't move. "Come on! I'm starting to get bored already."

Patience was 'NOT' one of Plague's perks. After five seconds of this short standoff Plague dropped his meat shield to show himself.

What stood there was a man with an old duster jacket. On his left arm was the arm from a suit of power armor, which looked like it had been ripped off of the suit and then fully repaired. On his right hand was a power armor gauntlet that looked as if it went through the same treatment as the arm.

He also had on some power armor boots that covered up to his knees. The dome like helmet was from an old Chinese stealth suit, but looked as if something had raked three massive claws on the left side.

"Shoot already dumbass!" Plague shouted waving his arms around in annoyance.

The raider was confused. Just a few seconds ago this armored man was on a warpath. Now he is yelling at him to shoot.

The hesitation annoyed Plague even more.

"My God! Shoot!" shouted Plague followed by a few profanities that could have been heard a mile away.

Finally the raider put aside his confusion and fired….nothing…The man was gone as if he was never there.

"Where are you?" he shouted as he spun around looking for the target.

He was answered by something revving up like a chainsaw next to him.

Before he was able to aim his gun, his hand was sawed off. Screaming in pain, the raider fell back while holding his injured arm.

"There is no kill like an overkill." said the bodiless voice.

The weapon revved up again, followed by the raider's chest exploding. Blood sprayed everywhere and covered the invisible man kneeling over the raider with what looked like a hilt sticking out of the center of the blood explosion.

The raider screamed as he felt his insides get shredded. He also frantically waved his hand and stump around only to be swatted away by the stranger's free hand.

The ripper roared loudly through the wasteland, silencing the screams. Finally when they died down, so did the engine in the ripper.

As Plague pulled out his toy he became fully visible. After putting the ripper away he turned to the terrified travelers, as his other hand pulled out a rag and started to wipe his dark blue visor.

Plague walked over and slightly bowed his head and pretended he was tilting a hat when he realized the traveler in question was a woman with brahmin-hide clothing.

"Pardon me madam. Are you and your friend alright?" Plague asked trying to charm the lady.

'It won't hurt to be a little friendly with her. Hell, it's not like there are many fine asses around.' Plague thought to himself. 'Now that I think about it, how long has it been since I've been with a women?' Plague scratched the back of his head. '…I remember. That girl I saved last month from slavers. It was an accident since I thought the slaver was a rad-scorpion from a distance. Dumbass with that dumbass spiky helmet walking behind a rock with those dumbass spikes. Damn was the ginger grateful though once I removed that collar.'

"I…I think we are fine." answered the brunette with short hair. "Clair, you alright?"

Plague stood at attention when a second girl walked around the startled brahmin. This one had long blonde hair in braids.

"I'm good but Ted's hurt." the blond said with worry.

Hoping to get in good terms with the beautiful ladies, Plague walked around the animal (after stealing a glance to the nearest human ass.) and approached a man with goggles lie still on the ground.

He also had on one of those stupid stormchaser hats all the wandering traders had for some reason.

'It's like it's a fucking membership.' Plague thought as he opened the man's shirt to inspect a nasty looking bullet hole.

Plague was about to treat the wound when he started noticing things.

'If this is a trading caravan then why are none of them armed?' the realization hit him fast. 'This man's been dead a while, the blood on him is dry… this wound was also made by a different type of gun than the raiders had. The blonde's hair is too well organized, so was the brunette's, and they looked too clean to have been traveling. The women are to lower my guard!'

Even with Plague's quick thinking, he was too late. A needle stabbed him in the neck just under his helmet.

"What the Fucking… hell?" Plague shouted as he turned.

The girls looked at him with smiles as an Enclave transport ship came into view far behind them.

"Y…ou. The…Hell?" Plague mumbled as the sedative took effect.

Plague knew he didn't have much time. He turned and stumbled in Megaton's direction.

"the sheriff…he owes me… must signal."

He didn't make it five feet before he fell to his knees.

The girls walked next to him to make sure he wouldn't get far. One stood on both sides of him while the blonde readied another syringe to his right.

"At least we don't have to pay those bastards." the brunette stated as she looked back at the carnage.

"I guess there is always a silver lining. By the way, did you see him stare at your ass?"

The brunette looked to the blond in shock.

"Why are you surprised? We are supposed to seduce him." the blonde said followed by laughter.

"NO. NO. NO. I was supposed to be all nice and trusting. 'You' are the one who was supposed to seduce him with that cleavage you have." the brunette was now pointing at the blonde.

The conversation was interrupted by a hollow chuckle from the man.

Bath girls jumped. They thought he was out.

"Too… bad. Your m…missing out." Plague mumbled.

"What the hell? They said inject the whole thing." the brunet shouted to the blond.

"I did!" the blond raised the first needle as proof.

"Don't… worry your pretty… little heads" Plague started. "Well… don't worry about me anyway." the girls hung on every word as if the one talking was a corpse. "Let me guess… Enclave offered ya…both a deal?" the deadly silence answered the question for him. "Not the first time… I've seen them hire civilians. They are tight on… resources and funding."

"What are you implying?" the brunette asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

Plague let out another chuckle.

"They've… even tried to hire me. There is a reason... I don't accept… used sniper rounds… as payment."

Bath girls looked at each other with fear on the faces.

Plague was a killer, but he had always had a soft spot for damsels in distress. He had killed men and women, yes. But he would always give the ladies a chance to put the guns down and walk away.

"Sadly… I can't help ya… It's too late for me. You two can get away. Run… for it. Get… to Megaton… Tell 'em Plague sent ya…"

The girls had been silent as Plague spoke. They didn't know if he was lying or telling them the truth.

"Why would you tell us this?" shouted the blonde.

"We tricked you. Why?" the brunette added.

"Call… it good parenting from a good… father. Hell, call it chivalry. Just go." Plague slowly raised his head and looked at the sky. He knew he got through to them.

He wanted to move but the drug already paralyzed his arms and legs.

"Before ya go…I need a favor. Can one… of you ladies raise my right arm… up to my face."

After a few seconds he thought they already left till he felt someone grab his hand and struggle to lift his arm. He finally saw his most trusty tool. His pipboy was now in front of his helm.

"Pipboy…101...lockdown."

The girls then realized what they had done when the heard that number. This man was always all over the radio. He saved lives, killed slavers and Super Mutants by the hundreds, fought alongside the Brotherhood of Steel to purify the water. And they had just gift wrapped him for the Enclave.

Plague's weapons then atomized and entered his pipboy. Next most of his clothes did the same, and was replaced by stronger looking power armor.

If he was going to die, he would make them work for their kill. The suit then went into lockdown. The gray metal became darker as his pipboy was covered by metal.

Plague opened his eyes and was greeted by two blurry angels.

He smiled when one bent down to him and said something. The drug was finally taking its toll. He couldn't hear the angels. He just assumed one of them said thank you. His smile grew wider when she kissed his visor and ran. The second angel kissed the visor next and then ran as well.

Plague watched them run to the structure in the distance.

The Enclave transport landed near the man. As soon as it landed, soldiers spilled out and surrounded the vault dweller. The last to exit was the commander. He wore Enclave power armor with his helmet under his arm. The man's bald head was exposed to the sun.

Once he reached the sedated man in the circle of armored soldiers he rubbed his temples. 101 locked his suit while he was on his knees with his right arm in front of his face.

The suit looked old and seemed to have been upgraded. That didn't matter. 101 would be out for days.

When he noticed a brahmin chewing on a weed in the distance, he realized the girls were nowhere to be found.

'Ah well.' he thought. 'Saves me two rounds.'

"He's in lockdown. We don't have time to crack him open. Prep the mini nukes!" he ordered.

Less than a minute later 101 had a collection of mini nukes strapped to him.

"Alright let's get out of…" the commander was interrupted by a confused soldier strapping the nukes.

"Sir. I think he's awake."

Plague fought against the sedative as he watched them add the mini nukes. He had been speaking quietly into the mike in his helmet since the angels left him.

"As… I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…"

Who Plague assumed was a commander leaned in to try and look through the visor.

"…I fear… no evil…" Plague heard clicking in his helmet.

"He's praying." shouted the commander with amusement in his voice.

"…for You are with… me…"

"Why bother, 101?" the commander asked. "God can't save you. Funny though; none of the reports ever said you were the religious type."

"…Your rod… and Your staff, they… comfort me…" more clicks went off in other parts of his suit.

"I guess knowing you are going to die will do that." the commander was now standing to Plague's left watching him look forward.

"Forgive me… father… for I have sinned…" one big click went off in the back of his helmet.

The commander almost dropped his helmet in surprise when Plague turned his head and looked right at him, as his visor opened to reveal a scarred, and tired face. "What the h…"

"…For there is a reason… I'm called Plague. And I come bearing gifts."

The two women were just outside of Megaton when a large explosion went off far behind them. They both looked back as the ground shook under them.

"Oh god." mumbled the blonde. "He was right…" she looked at her friend with tears going down her face. "We… we killed him. He saved us… and we killed him."

The blonde was now sobbing as her friend hugged her. Slowly they both started walking to Megaton.

The wasteland has just lost a hero.