Radioactive Romance

All over again

We made our way, a caravan of legionnaires, through the desert up to the meeting point. Caesar's Legion was characteristically decked out in their finest armor. His personal bodyguard, the Praetorians, were hand-picked from among the ranks of the Legionaries who had served long enough and had killed enough to qualify as centurions.

Those invited to join the Praetorians had to choose a current member whom they believed to be the weakest and challenge them to an unarmed duel to the death. If they won, they would take on the mantle.

The Praetorians resisted the use of proper weapons or firearms, preferring to rely on unarmed combat. They believed that weapons or firearms could break or jam. Ironically, they still wore ballistic fists to give their punches a devastating impact beyond what a normal human blow could inflict.

On the other hand, the Brotherhood arrived by airship, repelling down lines from helicopters. They were dressed in power armor, their metal suits glistening with guns and high-tech pre-war and post-war weaponry.

These two sides couldn't be more different, and the hostility between them was immediate.

"I was very specific in my terms," Edward spat at the power armor-clad knight.
"The Brotherhood will honor your terms once we have assessed any potential threat," the knight boomed back. I couldn't see his eyes, but I felt his stare.
"I will make camp there," Edward waved a hand towards a ridge, and his men immediately began unloading tents and supplies. "I will not be discussing anything further with this... robot," Caesar directed his comment at me.

"Folks, I am the least qualified mediator in these parts," I said, holding up my hands.
"We will sort it out," Y/N stepped forward between the three of us, her hand outstretched to the knight.

I tilted my head at her.

The knight shifted in his power armor and finally stretched out an iron-clad claw. "Knight Zeno."
"Y/N MacLean."

Y/N did an incredible job negotiating terms with the Brotherhood. After Knight Zeno, Knight Nero, and Knight Carus came forward as the Brotherhood delegates in charge of this "investigation."

"I'm just wondering, folks," I interrupted, "...do you see the irony in the Brotherhood naming their knights after Roman emperors?" I laughed. "And here is a guy called Edward who fancies himself Caesar?"

I was met with the empty gazes of Brotherhood masks.

After some negotiations and a lot of not-so-thinly veiled threats and posturing, we arrived at two knights without power armor, four squires meeting with Edward, and a group of four Praetorians on top of a high peak above us.

I had specifically chosen this place. Back in the day, it was a resort that overlooked the mountain scape. Now, broken-down gift shops, restaurants, and cafes gave each side a place to retreat to.

I had immediately made an enemy of Knight Carus, who had taken his mask off and had been eyeing me since.

Leaning against the doorway of an old gift shop doorframe, I surveyed the view from the top of the broken wooden stairs, weathered and beaten by the elements. Y/N was standing with Edward, probably placating his tender ego. No one here knew what I did, and I just hoped I knew enough to keep us alive long enough to stop Y/N's daddy.

"You're getting awful close to needing to ask me to dinner first," I growled at Carus, who had been watching me strip one of my 10mm pistols as per our terms.
"Shut the fuck up, bonebag," he whispered out of earshot of Y/N. He had also been staring at her in a way that made me want to spit fire.

"I'd say come up here and get me, but well, it's hard to walk up the stairs when you're wearing a 12-piece cast-iron skillet set."

"Why don't you come down here and let me snap that scrawny neck?" Now everyone was listening.

"Knight Carus, stand down," Knight Zeno walked over to where we were.
"No one will miss this fucking Ghoul," Carus spat in my direction. "After all, apart from the girl, he has nothing to offer us."

"The girl?" I questioned slowly, looking at Y/N, who had started to walk over. "You say one more fucking thing about her, and I will fucking kill you."

Carus let out a booming laugh, his dark skin shining in the afternoon sun. "I'm going to take her back to Lost Hills after I kill you."

"I bet that outfit makes you feel like a big man, doesn't it?" I started to reassemble my 10mm. "Well, I know because I used to wear one back in the day."

Caesar and Y/N, accompanied by the Praetorians, now stood with the knights and their entourage of squires. "There was only one problem with it, there was a flaw in the welding," I said as I pulled a single bullet from my boot, hidden just in case. "Just below the chest plate." I loaded the magazine and heard the bullet click into the chamber. "I wonder if they fixed that in this new model." I fired a single round into Carus' chest.

Carus smiled as the suit barely moved with the impact of the bullet. His bright white teeth turned to Knight Zeno, who stood staring open-mouthed at Carus. Carus coughed blood and fell face first into the dust.

"I guess not," I said as I descended the stairs. "Now let's have this fucking meeting before I really lose my patience."

I explained my terms matter-of-factly to the group. I explained what I needed and what would be given in exchange; essentially, a truce and backup in exchange for power and control.

It's the same in this world as it was in the pre-war world. Everyone is hungry for their slice, but this time, they are all playing by my rules. I am the outlaw, and this is my world. And in my world, there is a high cost of living all over again.