Last chapter guys thanks so much for the reviews and follows.
Butch has to kill one of the neighbours. Her name is Mrs Henderson and he is allowed to be as creative as he wishes to be. Butch honestly doesn't want to be creative at all. He doesn't want to do it.
Outside killing is done because if you don't kill them they will kill you. It's called survival, this is just murder.
It is the middle of the night, he could easily sneak into her room and slit her throat. Quick and easy just like that pint sized slasher horror story they were told one year in the vault on Halloween.
He slowly creeps up to the house but growling stops him in his tracks. The dog he had taken to earlier now ran in front of him standing between him and the house continuing to growl.
"You gotta let me passed boy, I have to do this."
The dog keeps growling and snapped his teeth as Butch tried to get passed him.
"I have to get Lily out."
The dog whined and portrayed a sad yet intelligent look, Butch knows there's more at work here than just a household pet.
The dog slowly walked up to him and tugged at his trousers dragging him down the street.
"Lemme go !"
The dog lead Butch to a house that never really caught his attention before. The windows are boarded up and there is no name fancily drawn on the mailbox. Butch eagerly makes his way in knowing that this is something 'Betty' couldn't have planned. The house is dusty and unoccupied. Slowly walking past a table Butch trips and bangs into the side. He frowns in confusion as the contents of the table don't move or fall but instead make a musical note. The dog follows him in and grabs a book off the shelf. It's called 'You're special '.
He picks it up careful to avoid the wet bitten side.
"Hey we had this in the vault."
The book brought back memories of his childhood. Every new born was given a book and a music box. A music box with repetitive notes...
"Good boy !" Butch shouts.
Butch makes his way around the room tapping every object he can find seeing which makes a noise or not. The notes are familiar and he eventually finds the right order, the song that filled his childhood.
A large computer screen appears and Butch steps back with a yell. Computer hacking. He can do this, he hacked the vault computers just for the sheer hell of it. Butch Deloria wasn't an idiot and he wouldn't let anyone tell him that.
Butch began tapping furiously on the keyboard. Statistics all passed by quickly. These 'residents' have been here since 2077 trapped in their own bodies in a simulator controlled by Braun. Hello 'Betty'. Braun had changed identities to suit the environment and had spent his time creating environmental and spontaneous disasters.
Butch made a noise of disgust and then found notes detailing the fail safe. All the residents would die, permanently, not temporarily as Braun's plan would make them but at the same time he would be putting them out of their misery. The previously read notes showed that these people had practically been tortured. The dog whined behind him with a slow nod. Butch knew what he had to do.
As soon as he hit the button gunfire rung out through the streets. A simulated Chinese army worked their way through the streets shooting down the residents by their homes as they ran out from their bed. Butch ran out of the abandoned house towards the one that held Lily. She stepped out screaming clutching her ears.
"Butch ! What's happening ?!"
Butch grabbed Lily and ran towards the swing park which held a screaming Betty. Jericho, in a pair of pyjamas, tried to punch one of the Chinese soldiers but his fist went straight through the non existent body.
"Jericho ! Here ! Now !" Butch roared.
Jericho stomped over "what's going on son ?"
"He's ruined everything !" Betty screamed. Instead of a girlish squeal it was a deep accented roar.
"Oh my god" he heard Lily whisper behind him.
"He doesn't have control over any of these people anymore." Butch spoke up.
Betty looked around frantically to the destruction around her.
"Just get out !"
A door materialised in the middle of the park and the dog began to scratch at it.
"Open it" Butch instructed Jericho.
He slowly twisted the handle and stepped through without a second glance as if it pulled him over, the dog followed. Lily stood frozen with wide eyes and Butch took the opportunity to take her in. She wouldn't be clean and proper soon, she would have scars, dirt and blood over her features. Butch would get back his tan and trademark hair.
"You were right." Lily held onto his face "I'm so sorry. You were right. I don't remember home but I know this isn't it."
She kissed him sweetly and stroked his cheek.
"Lets go home" Butch gave her a warm smile and led her to the door as soon as Lily looked into it she stepped through easily without a thought.
"She won't remember this you know" Betty spat behind him "you did this for nothing."
Butch simply gestured with his finger and stepped through the door frame.
Strong hands pulled at Butch's' shoulders. Jericho was bringing him out of the pod and dropped him ungracefully onto the floor.
"Get up meatbag it put us asleep for too long. We have shit to do."
He heard a squeal and turned his head to see Lily run into her fathers arms. He smiled at the sight, she finally got what she wanted. He unsteadily got to his feet drowsy from the simulation.
"Can't find your feet princess ?" Jericho spat.
"Fuck off man."
Lily grabbed her fathers arm and ran towards them "Daddy this is Jericho and of course you know Butch. He's just Butch."
Of course, just Butch. Butch gave a small sigh and he noticed as James looked at him sadly.
Lily continued to chat away with her father and Butch sat appreciating his hands. Brown with faint lines across them. His hands. His body.
"Butch you coming ? I'm going to show daddy megaton !"
Butch stood up.
"You okay Lils ?"
"Of course why wouldn't I be ?" She raised an eyebrow and then snorted and punched his arm "you're not going soft on me are you Butch man. It was just a long sleep."
"Nah nosebleed. I don't care bout ya."
Lily snorted and strolled past him towards the exit.
"I'm proud of you Butch."
He turned to face James who stood with a sincere smile.
"Not many people would have sacrificed their happiness for someone else's."
"Well yeah. It was nothing man."
James patted Butch's shoulder and followed his daughter.
He might just have to live with Lily not caring about him like that. He won't know what it's really like to kiss or hold her but at least she's free and Butch would free her again and again just to keep her happy.
Fin