Fallout: Fury Blood

Chapter 27: Echoes Of The Dead

"Harper."

Kelly ignored Danse's protest as she stepped into the clearing and toward the raider. Doom-Guy's black smile was predatory, a cunning glint in his eyes.

"Woman," he lavished her with piqued interest. Now on equal ground, she could see his face in detail. It was of lean leather, telling of a life lived out in harsh conditions that tested both physically and mentally. Scars of purpose ridged above his brows, and red streaks of blood hit outward from the nostrils, over the eyes, and out to the temples, disappearing over his bald scalp and under his grotesque headdress. A single line of blood slit across his throat as if a forerunner of death. Interspersed throughout all this patterning were black tattooed fangs, but most prominent were the two on either side of his craggy lips, imitating those of vampire fangs. Severe, black eyes stole over her figure and undressed her in one, salivating sweep, forcing her to repress a sickened shiver.

Doom-Guy's line of sight then darted up and past her, gauging warily, and Kelly heard and felt Danse moving up behind her. She knew without needing to look that he would be giving the raider his signature scowl, warning him off with it, and it eased her tension to know he was at her back. Without even knowing the full extent of the situation, he had followed her regardless.

Kelly jutted her chin in renewed confidence. "Your challenge?"

The raider settled his dark gaze back upon her and curved his lips again just for her. "Follow me."

He turned, but Kelly wasn't finished. "The prisoners. I want them freed first."

"Two-part deal," Doom-Guy said, angling his head her way but continuing ahead. "Part one first."

She ground her jaw but didn't argue, passing Danse a glance over her shoulder before following the raider. Danse gave her a wordless frown, but followed in her wake. The others also fell into step.

"Could two of you please go back and bring Dogmeat here?" she asked them on thought. "We can handle this guy."

Hancock nodded and whacked at Deacon's shoulder for him to come along. "No problem, Kelly. You just keep a close eye on him. Don't let him jerk you around."

"Yeah, be careful," Deacon seconded, then applied to Danse, "Keep her safe. Don't let her do anything... Kelly."

Danse must have heard that, because he issued a nod and a taut, "I won't."

Satisfied, Deacon looked back to Kelly, hesitating only a moment. "We'll be back before you know it."

She nodded thankfully to both and then followed back behind Doom-Guy as he led her, Danse, and Clay-Crawler down through the ominous tunnel.

"Harper," Danse spoke after a moment in hushed tones, "I would appreciate a SITREP right about now..." So she quickly filled him in on the deal made with the raider and his claim that Dogmeat could be saved. He was sceptical of that, until she told him it was confirmed by Clay-Crawler, who nodded again to Danse's doubtful glance. Still, he didn't like the position she had gotten them into, and Danse was not the type of man to stand by quietly when he sensed trouble. "This is too risky, Harper. Even for the sake of Dogmeat. Your decision could have dire consequences for all of us."

"I have to do this."

"At the end of the day, he is just a dog."