Chapter 5

I sat in the pen waiting for something to happen. This was not a situation I wanted to be in at all. I continued to think about what my escape plan would be. Slavers would walk over and drop some old Brahmin meat and Insta-mash. It was dry, and every once in a while they would give us something to drink. My anger grew towards the Slavers each and every hour. Eulogy Jones as he was called, walked over to the pen every once in a while to check on me. He had accused me of doing a job, that I had done for him three years ago. He was a thief, liar, and about to die.

“How is it going Eulogy? You still working as the [censored] for your slave clients?!” I said approaching the cage door. He smirked at me, and stood at attention in front of the cage door.

“Ben! Its been awhile, still working for [censored]s, and blowing it all on booze?” Eulogy said approaching the cage door. His two body guard slaves stood behind him. Their old rusted Chinese Army swords glimmered in the moonlight. They were his slaves, but I wondered what they would be like if they didn’t have that heavy explosive collar around their necks. Eulogy looked at my eyes, his piercing stare was fake, and he had no real power. Fear was what his power was, but it couldn’t last forever.

“Don’t worry Eulogy. Once I get out of here, you and me can go out on the town with your ladies and get hammered!” I said holding up a invisible beer bottle. I pranced around in front of Eulogy acting like I was drunk. “We’ll have a grand time. You, Me, and the ladies!”

Eulogy just looked at me, the anger was rising inside him. I had escaped a previous slaver compound out in the west. I think it was somewhere in old Montana that I escaped from. Thats where I met Eulogy for the first time, then again when he had established himself the leader in Paradise Falls.

The women snickered to each other about my comment. Eulogy realized this, and was not any happier about it. He walked off, anger in his step. I returned to my wall, and continued to think of my next plan of action. The two able bodied Big Town residence walked over, after I realized that the slaves in my pen had watched the whole incident. They walked over with a sort of sticking it to me look on their faces. I didn’t care though, I would leave them behind to suffer their fate, while I looted the slavers and took their caps. Spending it all on booze and guns.

“Well! It looks like your in the same “boat” as we are. Are you going to help us with getting out of here?” The young woman asked me looking at the top of the pen. The young man just stood silently smiling.

“Listen you little [censored]. I don’t need any of your [censored] right now! I’ve got nothing that can get me out, so what make you think I can get you out also? Get the [censored] away from me before I break your knee cap.” I pushed through them, and walked into the rooms with the old mattresses. I sat in a chair that had several tears into it. The Big Town residence followed in after me.

“What the [censored] did I tell you. Get away from me or I will kill you. Maybe while the slavers rush to see what’s happening to you, I can make my escape. But that would involve leaving you behind.” She stood before, they had sort of boxed me in. I knew they wanted to talk. She just smiled with the other guy as she began.

“Well that could work, but me and my friend here have spoken with some kids from Little Lamplight were we used to live. They say that they have a way out, but need our help to get the plan moving. So what do you say? Want to help?”

I just looked at her, thought for a moment then stood up. I was at-least three feet taller than the young man, and five feet taller than the young woman. They stepped back, my power was fear as well, but I also had brains.

“[censored] your plan!” I said pushing them over onto a mattress. “Your plan is [censored], I’m not going to get my ass shot off to save a bunch of little [censored] heads. I’ve got my own priority to deal with. Find someone else to help! Now leave me ALONE!” I yelled at her. She just sat on the mattress, her eyes began to get water, and I knew she was going to cry. I didn’t care, I relished in the broken heart feeling she was having. I knew it, and she knew it. I was their only way out, and I was not willing to risk my own ass.

Later that day, it was around eleven o’ clock, and the regular slaver walked over with a large piece of stale dry Brahmin meat. The slaves fought over it for a moment before the young woman from Big Town stopped them. She took it for herself, and then came back with smaller pieces and handed them out to the others. I didn’t take her offer, but just stood against my wall thinking.

There was a sudden sound of commotion on the other side of the wall. I could hear Eulogy’s voice, and some other slavers when suddenly a gun shot echoed through out the whole slave compound. The slaves winced, but I just looked trying to hear what was happening. Eulogy walked over to the cage with his slave body guards right behind him.

“BEN! Get the [censored] over here. Your free, Emily just bought you for 2,356 caps. You are one lucky guy today aren’t you, Ben?” Eulogy said motioning to a slaver to open the door. The slave body guards kept an eye on the others as I approached the door. The slaver opened it, and I calmly walked out. Eulogy stood in front of me, just staring.

“What was that gunshot?” I asked curiously.

“Nothing important, a Mole Rat had burrowed under one of our walls, and spooked one of my men. He shot it in the head clean.”

“Nice to know!” I said with a smirk on my face. Eulogy just stood with a curious look on his face, wondering why I was smirking.

“What’s that for?” He asked looking around.

I looked at the slaver, his 10mm Pistol strapped to his hip. It was an easy steal, I just had to watch for the slave body guards. I stepped over to the slaver, and patted him on the shoulder.

“It was nice knowing you, Slaver” I said. He looked at me curious as well. I think they thought I was crazy or had just completely lost my mind. In a way I had, I let my anger control my next movements. I acted as if I was going to turn around towards Eulogy when I brought my right elbow to the slavers face. I quickly gripped his 10mm Pistol, and torn the holster along with it. He fell to the ground, holding his face. Eulogy was quickly shocked by my sudden attack, and ordered his slave guards to attack.

“GET HIM! KILL HIM!” Eulogy said running away to his house. One of the slave guards quickly got to the gate, and smacked a old slave man in face with the hilt of her sword. It was a strange attack, but affective. She jammed a piece of broken steel between the door, and the chain wall. They were helpless, but I had my own priorities to deal with. I kicked the blonde slave guard in the stomach as she stumbled backwards. The slaver on the ground recovered from my attack, and tried to grab me from behind. I unleashed two hot 10mm rounds into him, and swung around hitting the other slave guard in the face. She screamed in pain as she fell on the blade of the blondes sword. It was stuck in her back. I let her suffer, and grabbed her sword laying next to her.

A slaver, I knew as “Forty”, rushed from around the wall, and fired at me. The bullets all but hit me, a few had zipped near my head, but missed. I raised the 10mm, and fired three rounds at him, one hitting him in the shin, the other in the gut. He dropped his Chinese Assault rifle, and reached for it holding his stomach wound. I rushed over, when more gunfire zipped over my head. I ducked, and tumbled next to to “Forty”, and shot him in the neck. The shot was completely wild, but it was effective. I fired the last shots in the 10mm’s magazine, and threw it away. I grabbed the blondes sword who had been knocked out I guess. I grabbed “Forty’s” Chinese Assault rile, and fired back at the Slavers, making them take cover.

I opened the gate, and the two Big Town residence ran out to help. The woman grabbed the 10mm, and grabbed another clip from the dead slaver. These Slavers were just getting in my way. I needed to get to Emily and Eulogy quick.

“I knew you would help us get out.” The young woman said firing the pistol while the young man grabbed the sword from the wounded slave body guard. I didn’t respond, but continued to fire. I placed the sword on my belt, and switched another magazine from the rifle. I shot a slaver clean through the head as his lifeless body fell onto a broken metal barrel. Two slavers in metal body armor, tried clobbering the young man with their Super Sledge’s, but were shot dead by me and the young woman.

The other less exsperienced slavers were hit by bullets, and some exploding ruble, but not as serious as they ran out threw a building next to Eulogy's "Mansion". I sprayed at some more Slavers, and they fled into their barracks. I ran into Eulogy’s “Mansion”, and looked around. I grabbed my new sword, and search around for him.

“Up here Ben!” Eulogy said standing on the second floor. I looked up, and smirked.

“Your friends are dead, and you and Emily will be dead soon!” I said running up the stairs. He met my blade with another, I tried to get him to Perry my attack, giving me a clean shot to hit him in the stomach.

“You won’t die like your friends Eulogy, you and Emily are going to suffer. Neither of you will be the same after!” I said kicking Eulogy’s feet from under him. He fell to the ground, his sword bounced, and fell to the bottom floor. I put the tip of my blade to his throat, and pressed down. “You won’t be the same after this Eulogy! I promise.”

I quickly tied Eulogy to a wall, and stretched his arms and legs. Emily was no where to be seen.

“Where is Emily? I’ve got some [censored] to deal her also!” I said smacking Eulogy in the face. I found some gloves, and some torturing tools. This was going to be my revenge. My pay back. My true nature would be revealed to him, I would be considered a monster by him once I was finished.

Woah!! The other side of Ben is going to be released!!

This story makes some good reading let the pain begin muhahah x]

Definitely good stuff. Brief while also being descriptive, with just enough specificity to make it relatable. IMHO (as a BA in English), you've got both a good method and a great story arc going here. I'll be looking forward to more!

That is exactly what I was going for. Brief yet descriptive. I want people to use their imagination while reading this, rather then me telling every little detail about a "speck of sand" or something like that. Ernest Hemingway was really into description, but I could never really get into his books because he sort of detailed the "speck of sand". I prefer books that allow me to imagine while reading.

Also, EVERYONE!!!! exspect Chapter 6 to be out on Monday, along with Chapter 7. I've got alot of work (Watching SAW's, Hostile's, Wrong Turn's, and other violent torture movies for inspiration ), so it might just be Chapter 6.

Alright!! Some torture is coming, just what we need Good job Max!!

yay torture! :prod:

When can we expect the next chapter?

Sorry for not posting lately, I've been flooded with work junk. Hopefully tomorrow/ today for me, I will post the next chapter. I hate when work gets in my way of writing.

Really good!
You have developed the character very well and have had a great plot so far.
Keep up the good work.

:gun: WOOO YEAH WOOO!!!!!

Thanks, I'm going to have to start up on this sometime tomorrow maybe. I sort of hit a dry spell from where I left off.

woo after a long time you have come back to us XD

O.k. everyone, the long awaited Chapter 6 is out. And yes, it is what everyone who has been loyal to my story has been waiting for. So, enjoy Chapter 6.
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Chapter 6

I checked the tools that were at my disposal. Three different types of old scissors, scalpels of different size and variety, and several different varieties of saws. There were others, but I didn’t know what they were called or used for. I just grabbed a small scalpel, and began. Eulogy squirmed a bit as I raised the scalpel to his face. He was profusely sweating, I could see the fear in his eyes as I slid the small sharp blade against his cheek. It quickly nicked him, and he began bleeding a bit.

“You won’t come out of this the same. So either make your peace with whatever you believe, and let me get started.” I said cleaning the scalpel.

“Peace! You want me, Eulogy Jones, to make peace. You haven’t learned a thing Ben, in a situation like this, the only peace you can make is with the one opposite you.” Eulogy smirked, and began to realize that his life was about to end. My eyes burned with a fiery rage as I gave him a sinister smile. Eulogy had my full attention, nothing could stop me from my objective.

“That’s fine Eulogy, if you have no peace to make, then I will proceed.”

“You sick bastard. You won’t survive this.”

I grabbed another scalpel, and began cutting into the webbing between his fingers. He showed little emotion to the pain, but I was just getting started. I was far from the grand finally, he would suffer slowly. Just like the pig and filth he was.

As I finished cutting all the webbing between his fingers and toes, I cleaned the scalpel, and suddenly realized that there was a small cabinet under. Inside was a collection of knifes, spear like instruments, and several other instruments for pain. I looked up at Eulogy, I could tell he was nervous about my new discovery.

“What do we have here?” I said with a sarcastic tone of voice. Eulogy trembled in pain and fear of what was coming.

“Please don’t use those. No one is that sick!”

I ignored his comment, and pulled them out. I grabbed two metal spear like tips from the cabinet, and realized under them were four rusty hooks. They seemed to have been used for hanging meat. A bit of Brahmin still rested on one of the hooks. I quickly grabbed them, and placed them next to the spear tips.

“I don’t know if you know this about me, Eulogy. But I was once a nice, saint like, person. I never had anything to do with murder, torture, or hate. At least not until I came of age, and began to realize that the wasteland was not a friendly place, and that the only way to truly survive was by any means necessary. That involved “unlawful” acts.”

Eulogy just trembled, unable to respond. Under that rough and tough like exterior, was a man: Afraid, abused, and fearing for his life. Sadly for him, I did not have the feeling to keep him alive, and if I did. He would never be the same again. I proceeded with my actions. I grabbed a scalpel, and began cutting his torso, giving him fairly deep cuts. His biceps were exposed, and I took that to my advantage. Quickly I cut into his arms, unable to comfort his pain, he cried out. I relished in the pain that I was causing him. His cries of pain, and pleads for me to stop only fueled my rage.

“You shouldn’t have tried to double cross me Eulogy. I’ve done a lot for you and the slavers, but in return, I am put in a slave cell and accused of ripping you off. That’s not what I call a friendly relationship. How about you, Eulogy?” His head drooped a bit, trying to recoup from the pain. He tried looking into my eyes.

“You and your kind are not able to be trusted or reasonable. I hope that you suffer in your days ahead.” Eulogy dropped his head, and began to fall into unconsciousness. Hardly halfway in, and already he was blacking out.

“Oh no you don’t!” I quickly grabbed a scalpel, and found a bottle of scotch. I soaked the blade, and drove it into Eulogy’s right thigh. Suddenly he sprung to attention, screaming out in pain. I kept the blade in, I could feel the blade had nicked a artery, and I wanted him to stay alive for the time being.

“Don’t worry Eulogy, your pain will be over in due time. I will keep the blade in so you don’t bleed to death. It will subside soon enough.”

I continued on, I drove a spear tip into his left shoulder almost to the end of the spear. I grabbed the other spear tip, and thrust it deep into his right shoulder doing the same with what I had done with the other. Eulogy was fading in and out, and I was getting thirsty. I took a break and found a bottle of whiskey in my bag. I took three straight hits. It was some powerful stuff, even I was rushed with the sudden power. I found a old cloth shirt, and torn it into several pieces. I lit a stale cigarette, and walked back over to Eulogy who was still having a hard time keeping awake. I grabbed the scotch bottle and soaked two of the cloth pieces. I carefully pulled one spear out at a time, and placed the scotch soaked cloth around his wounds.

“Please... stop... I can’t... I can’t... I can’t take anymore. Please!” Eulogy said between screams as the scotch seeped into his large wounds. I slapped him a few times, and stunned him awake.

“Sorry ol’ buddy ol’ pal. But you aren’t in charge here, I am.”

I walked out of the room, and walked upstairs. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a flame thrower. Burning him like that would be to quick, and I didn’t want it to be quick. His suffering powered me to trudge on. Suddenly an idea popped into my mind to how I could use the flame thrower to my advantage. I rushed to the bottom floor with the flame thrower in hand, and left it in the doorway. I rushed over seeing Eulogy was blacked out. It was o.k., I wanted this to be a surprise. I grabbed the knifes, and walked back over to the flame thrower. I positioned the flame thrower so I could heat the blade of the knifes, and not get burned myself. It was hard at first try, I had torched the handle as well. I grabbed another, and failed once again. I was beginning to get frustrated at myself for this. Suddenly I grabbed a wet cloth, one not soaked in scotch or any other flammable substance. I wrapped the handle in the cloth, and placed it back to where it was. I pulled the trigger on the flame thrower, and a sudden, SWISH, echoed releasing the hot flame. With one quick shot, the blade was almost red hot.

“Perfect.”

I slapped Eulogy a few times, waking him up from his almost coma like state. He quickly spotted the heated blade in my hand, and struggled to get out of his restraints. He winced at the unavoidable pain that he was about to suffer. I pressed it against his face, he suddenly cried out in complete agony. For being a murdering mercenary and killer, I had surprisingly little blood on myself. I pulled the blade from his face, pieces of skin being pulled off along with the blade.

“You sick [censored]! I swear I’ll get you.” Eulogy said holding back his cries. Suddenly I had the feeling to stop, but I also wanted to continue. I heated two more knifes and placed them on several places on his body. His arms, legs, torso, and face were completely scared from the almost burning blades. Suddenly before I could realize what I was doing, I had a hook under his shoulder blade. He screamed in pain as the hook probably brushed against his shoulder bone. I quickly grabbed some rope that was laying around and tied it through the loop of the hook. I jabbed the other hook into his shoulder and tied another rope through that one.

“What are you doing? This is-”

“Shut the hell up. Remember I’m in charge.” I said tying the ropes through a loop, and binding them together. I cut the restraints that were previously around his wrists, and let him hang by his shoulder blades. His screams and cries for me to kill him quickened in pace, and so did his breathing. I chuckled at the sight.

“You brought this on yourself, Eulogy. This is your end.” I said cutting deep into his stomach. He was covered in blood, and now blood dripped from the tips of his toes.

His feet still restrained, he was helpless. I cut his arms once again, but this time with the heated blades. He cried asking for me to kill him. I was getting tired of him, and this whole thing. I was loosing the chance to gain more money, and the chance to find Emily.

“O.k. Eulogy, I’ll kill you. But it won’t be pretty.”

“Just... kill me!”

I cut him a bit more, and then stepped back, dropping the knifes, and stood at the door. I grabbed my revolver and raised it to his chest.

“Good bye Eulogy. It was fun while it lasted?”

I fired three shots into his chest, all just an inch apart from one another. He cried for a moment as the hot lead drilled deep inside him. I stood there thinking of what I had become. I was proud of it, he completely deserved what he had received. I walked over, and quickly cut his throat, blood flowed out and drizzled down his body. A pool of blood had collected at the bottom of him.

I walked back outside and wondered where Emily had run off to. I decided to head towards Tenpenny Tower, one of the most seediest evil men lived in the tower rightfully named after him, and I knew for sure he or his puppet, Mr. Burke, would know where she was.

I walked back out into the arid wasteland. A place of death, villainy, despair, and greed. My home.

Oh, bravo :]
This is some intense stuff. Haha. Can't wait for the next!

good job :thumbsup: hopefully the next one won't take so long to write.

hurray for ben hurray! lol i hope the next chapter wont be too long

This one of the best fan fics i have seen in along time
keep up the good work!!!!! :flamethrower:

Major Announcement- I just want to let everyone who has read and reading this too know, that I may end Ben’s story sooner than I planned. I’m currently working on another Fallout fan fiction story that I would prefer to spend more time on, and then post it on here (obviously). So be expecting maybe two or three chapters after this chapter. I may pick-up Ben later in something else, but right now he is being put aside.

Chapter 7

The low sun shimmered off the leaning metallic tower of the small ruined chapel, giving it a sort of “beacon of hope” like image from afar. I trekked on, giving little way to the beating heat that radiated off the wasteland ground as I spotted several figures surrounding the ruined chapel. I quickly darted behind a large rock that from the top, I could see the chapel, and a small valley below. The ruined wasteland was amazing from my small hard perch. I didn’t want to give away my position to the mysterious figures, and ducked behind the rock waiting for the sun to duck behind the rising hills behind me.

It didn’t take long before the sun was almost completely gone, and the moon began to show itself to me. I crawled back over to the top of the rock, and pulled my binoculars along with me. I was a complete shadow, my armor gave little to being spotted with the naked eye. Hopefully, the figures wouldn’t spot me with their binoculars, if any.

I spotted four sitting together eating some radiated meat on one of the chapel pews. Three others were guarding the chapel, two guarding the weak perimeter, and the other stood guard at the top of the chapel, inside the leaning metallic tower. I studied my options: Either charge in guns blazing and get my face shot off, sneak around and take the two guards on the ground out, and make my move, or wait for the guard to switch. If it did at all.

I decided to take my second option, I crawled down the rock towards the chapel. My heart was still at a steady pace, I moved quietly, carefully check for any possible ambush that might catch me off guard. Nothing happened, I just continued to sneak quietly through the once lush and green shrubs, and tree’s. I thought for a moment on what the world was like before it became a wasteland, but I had to stay focused. I snuck behind another rock, not nearly the size of the other, but it kept me hidden, and gave me a reasonable view.

The two guards met at the rear of the building, then spoke a bit, and then turned back towards their way. I watched for a few minutes, making sure the guards routine didn’t differ in someway, it didn’t. I reached for my knife, my trusty combat knife, and made my move. I crawled towards the first guard that made his rounds to the left of the building and back. He wore the typical Traders clothing, something that didn’t give him the look of a villain or any kind of evil from the wasteland.

“Pst... Pst... Hay you!” I said in a whisper at the man. He looked around confused and sort of out in a daze. “Hay pal, over here. I’ve got something for you.”

“Who’s there? Leave or I’ll come find you and kill you.” He replied in a raspy voice. He hardly looked like a waste-lander, his face seemed soft, and not rough and grizzly like most waste-landers faces.

“Don’t be a fool, come over here. By the dead tree.” I said to him. His face seemed to sink a bit but then quickly looked around and moved to the tree. My trap was set, he took three steps towards the dead tree, and took another three when I quickly slunk behind him with my combat knife. My knifes blade drove deep into his kidney as the top part of my knife which was serrated did even more damage inside. He tried to cry out, but I covered his mouth and pulled the blade out and brought it to his throat. He quickly quieted as my blade sunk deep into his throat, cutting through the tough part in the middle. Blood didn’t spray like would have been imagined, it only bled rapidly and consistently. I leaned him forward, making sure the blood from his throat did not stain his traders gear. It could come in handy.

I stopped the bleeding by stuffing a rag in his throat, and undressed him down to his shorts. I left the clothes behind the rock I had hid behind, and waited for the next guard to come. The mans life I had just taken seemed so instant. It all seemed like it had taken just seconds from me calling him over, and taking his life. I did not look at him, I knew what I had done, and had no regret towards my action. Though some how, I felt sorrow for the man. He really didn’t have that gruff wasteland look to him, but he was a casualty that I could not risk alarming anyone nearby.

The second guard was much easier, I walked right over to him. In plain sight. He must not have noticed my blood dripping blade in my hand, or maybe he hadn’t, it mattered little anyway. He stepped forward, my face was shadowed from the moon light as I reached at him, swinging my blade into the side of his neck. He gurgled something to me as I revealed my face in the moon light. My eye’s burned with a homicidal rage, my smile turned into a sadistic grin, my teeth showed big. I was not much of a man, I was a beast, an evil sadistic beast of the wasteland. I had no predator or rival higher than myself, I fed on the weak and trembling of the wasteland. I hunted those who challenged my predatory might, I was more beast than man, nothing could kill me or rival my might.

He cried for a moment, probably thinking of all those in his life before he exhaled his final breath. I suddenly realized that my face was covered in blood. I licked my lips clear of the thick syrup like substance. I cleared my eye lids and licked it from my hands. My hunt was beginning. I charged in blindly, everything I had thought of had gone out the window as they say, I charged the tower guard shooting him quickly with my revolver, and catching the four others that were talking with one another. One drew a Ripper, but I quickly shot him in the chest with my sawed-off shotgun, the barrel smoked a bit as I fired the second barrel into another. The two others tried to protect each other, one pulling out a revolver, similar to my own, but was not quick enough. I leapt towards the man, he quickly dropped his revolver in fear and just froze. I dropped my shotgun and reached my combat knife quickly. His guts spilled onto the floor as his stomach opened wider and wider. He tried holding them in, but he was too stunned.

The other man trembled in fear as he wet himself a bit. I smirked a bit looking at the yellow stream roll down his leg. He suddenly turned around and ran out the front. His left shoe squished in the soaked stain that had collected. I laughed a bit, and grabbed a old Remington that was placed against the wall. I looked down the iron dot sights and pulled the trigger without even checking if it was loaded, luckily it was. The man’s body just fell to the ground limp. I didn’t even bother dragging him over with his friends, I just left him there to rot. I checked their junk and goods they had collected, and had come to the conclusion that the group was contracted by someone in the D.C. ruins to gather junk to be brought back to Rivet City and sold in their market. I gathered what I could carry, along with the other Traders clothing and continued towards Tenpenny Tower.

They had been a minor delay that I could have easily just avoided, but this was the wasteland, and I was no longer much of a man.

Hey great chapter once again! But i hope you do finish this series off with a good ending!! Keep up the nice work!
:)

Chapter 8

The tower quickly grew in size, several windows were lit, and the walls stood strong but looked like they could quickly be pushed over by a Behemoth. Ben continued on towards the growing tower, and looked around. To the west, hills and burned dead trees scattered around. Ben had never gone west, but he had gone to several settlements that were still considered to be in the Capital Wasteland by all capital wastelander's. Tenpenny Tower was once a hotel and luxury palace for those with money, at least those who had money and lived before the bombs had fallen. People could be heard talking and laughing about things as Ben approached the front gate.

He walked over to the intercom and pressed the button. Suddenly a voice crackled over the intercom, and had a tough hardy voice to it. The man was obviously trying to be tough and fearing, but it didn't work on Ben, a man who was losing his humanity.

"Who is it? Identify yourself quickly." The voice said in a rapid order.

"May I come in, I have things to trade and deal. I also need to talk with Mr. Tenpenny or Mr. Burke." Ben replied in a normal fashion. He didn't want to give too much away that he was becoming more beast than man.

"You may come in to trade, but Mr. Tenpenny and Mr. Burke are with someone at the moment. You'll just have to wait your turn, understand?" The voice said, and then was quickly overcome by the static of the intercom. The front gates opened, and suddenly Ben stopped in his tracks, two men stood holding rifles waist high at him.

"Welcome to Tenpenny Tower!" A man said to Ben. He turned his head to look at the man, while still keeping an eye on the two idiots.

"What a nice welcome party. You must get a lot of guests." Ben said in a sarcastic tone. He did not have time for this, he wanted to find Emily and kill her as soon as he could. It was already dark, and the sun wouldn't be up for another few hours. Ben had already lost a day on her.

"Its just a precaution. Go ahead inside, but don't cause any trouble or the last thing you'll see is me standing above you with a smoking gun, understand!" The man seemed to have a complex about finishing his questions with "understand". Ben gave a face like he really cared, and promised he wouldn't cause any trouble for Tenpenny security.

Ben walked in, and was suddenly overcome by wealth and glamor. Everyone living in Tenpenny Tower was so luxurious, not compared to Ben who was, well, no longer much of a man. Several Tenpenny residents looked at Ben, snickering at one another about him and his clothes. Be quickly caught one of the residents remarks.

"What an animal, he was obviously born to a pack of Yao Guai." Ben just ignored the remark and carried on to the little shop. A woman, obviously very conservative and reserved sat at her counter as Ben walked in and laid out a bunch of junk on her counter. He laid all the things he had collected out in the wasteland on the counter, and let the woman look at them a moment. He could tell she had her thoughts on him, but he cared little, just like he cared about the others.

"These plates, I'll give you six caps each and for those cups and mugs, I'll give you three caps each." The woman said. Just the very way she held herself and the tone of her voice showed that she was what Ben expected her to be.

"O.K., what about the rest?"

"I'll give you three hundred caps for the rest. I could turn it into something or another."

The woman handed Ben his payment, and began processing the things into her stock book. Ben decided to look around her shop, and see what she had to offer him. Ben was three hundred caps richer. He was lucky for what he got, mostly the traders and store owners would try to scam their customers or "business associates". Ben walked over to the clothing area, and spotted some leather armor, that seemed would fit him. He grabbed the armor and placed it on the counter. The woman was still putting her buy in her stock book.

Ben walked over to a table that had different varieties of ammunition for him. It also had a variety of weapons, nothing that great or valuable. Ben found a box of shotgun shells, fourteen were in the box, enough for him and his little trusty shotgun. There was also a box of .32-caliber rounds, some had dents in the casing, they were no use to him, they would only cause a misfire and either blow his gun up along with his hand or just jam it up. He tossed the dented rounds into the trash when the woman spotted what he was doing.

"Hay! Excuse me sir, but what do you think your doing. This does not belong to you, now if you would like that suit of armor either pay for it or get out. You already have your pay."

"I was just trying to help," Ben said continuing to throw out the dented rounds. "You see lady, if some wastelander walked in here, and grabbed these .32's they would be really mad. Dented rounds aren't good for anyone out in the wasteland. It usually always leads to death, believe me, I've witnessed it before!" Ben replied with a heartening tone of voice. The woman looked at him, looking into his eyes to see if he was telling the truth. She couldn't tell so she grinned and sat back down in her seat.


After a couple of minutes cleaning out the box of .32's Ben walked over and placed the shotgun rounds and box of .32's on top the leather armor. The woman looked up, and tallied it all up.

"That will be seventy-six caps please. And thanks for clearing out the ruined ammunition. I wouldn't want a wastelander like yourself coming in here and causing trouble over some dented ammunition." Ben smirked and thought about what he would do if he had boughten the dented .32's without knowing. Tenpenny Tower would probably become a empty tower.

"I don't think the wastelander would be coming back, he would probably already be dead." Ben replied and handed the woman her caps. Ben walked out with his new armor and ammo, and walked into a dressing area behind a curtain. He took the ammo and loaded two rounds into his shotgun, and three rounds into his revolver. He put the rest in one of the pockets. Ben gathered his old clothing, and put it into his bag, all folded nicely to fit with the rest of his belongings.

Ben walked out of the store, and back into the lobby of the tower. The front guard he had spoken with earlier was sitting with his feet on the front desk. He was smoking stale cigarettes with two of his subordinates and laughing about something. He quickly eyed Ben.

"Hay pal, Mr. Burke will see you now. Go upstairs and meet with him. He'll take it from there."

"O.K." Ben replied walking over to the elevator. The ride was quick, surprising for how tall Tenpenny Tower was. As Ben stepped out of the elevator, Mr. Burke stepped forward. His tortisshell sunglasses and business attire gave him an impression of villainy and fear. Ben was hardly effected by the tone.

"Hello sir, my name is Mr. Burke. How may I and Mr. Tenpenny serve you today?" Mr. Burke said in a deep hollow grim voice.

"Yes, I'm searching for a woman named Emily. I don't know her last name, or if she even has a last name. But I was wondering if you two could help me?" Ben replied in a polite almost cynical manner to him.

"Yes as a matter of fact, there was a woman by the name of, Emily here. Though she left a day or two ago. She said she had some things to take care of in Megaton and that she would return later tomorrow."

"Thank you very much. I guess I'm off to Megaton then, thanks again Mr. Burke." Ben said walking back into the elevator. The elevator ride was much quicker going down than up, it was strange to Ben that an ancient elevator was still working, and that it had not fallen to the bottom and smashed. As Ben walked out the elevator door, a single man walked past him into the elevator, and beside him a dog. He didn't seem to be any different than Ben, he wore typical wasteland clothing, and his face was smudged with dirt and wasteland dust. Though the man had a soft face, similar to the man he had killed back at the chapel earlier. The man seemed to be a mute or at least very quiet. He seemed like another lone wanderer of the wastes, his dog followed him into the elevator, and the two disappeared as the elevator rose. Ben put it out of his mind, and headed to Megaton. He had to catch Emily at Megaton. It was his only chance before he lost her trail.

Try not to be so literal. For example, "I fired three shots all an inch apart from each other" could be "I pulled the trigger again. Another time, and one more. The holes were like..."

You get the point, kinda. I'm not good at writing in the first person. Also, watch your spacing and grammar...and insanity, or at least the homicidal kind...doesn't necessarily behave that way. If you want your character to be insane, research how people become insane and what types of DSM criteria would make somebody go on a rampage earning them a reputation in the wasteland. For example, would a homicidal person who revels in the glory of the kill take jobs ? Probably not. Would he live in an abandoned house talking to himself and polishing his gun all the time ? More than likely. To a homicidal maniac, the beauty is in the kill. He should glorify all these aspects of killing, and pain would not make him think negatively. As a matter of fact, he'd enjoy it more, and it'd probably arouse him. Also, try to steer clear of characters and towns already encountered and considered as canon. It makes things less interesting, because the majority of us have expirenced these things already, and some, like me, through two or three rerolls.

Or maybe it's late and i'm just ranting. In any case, the premise is good, it just needs some fine tuning, and more detailing. I'm just nitpicking here.

If you had read the earlier posts, maybe you did? But Ben likes to keep his homocidal side hidden, he's like a homocidal gentleman about it. Ben isn't all that open with what he does, but he's earned a reputation for being called "The Butcher" because thats what he does to his enemies, he butchers them in every definition of the word. He revels in the blood and such, but at the sametime he doesn't like what is in him and contradicts it. Thats where the whole homocidal contradiction thoughts come from, but that contractidiction doesn't seem to hold up against his homocidal side. But I think Chapter 9 will explain more of what happens to him.

We have different perceptions of what makes up a homocidal person, then. I prefer not to have mercy on my characters. Just me.

But see its not that he is exactly homocidal, exspecially when its a world with no real rules. He's more of a guy who has a tendency to do really brutal things to his victims.