Fallocaust (The Fallocaust Series) (36 page)

The boy got up and disappeared into the bathroom. He emerged about a quarter hour later, with his hair brushed and his clothes on. He needed time to prep himself like he was some chick. Hell I only started brushing my teeth in the mornings since he started sleeping over. Usually it was an effort for me to put pants on before I ventured out of my house.

“Morning, baby,” I said with a smile. I wasn’t sure if I was treading on dangerous ground after what had happened last night. So I decided to lay on the charm.

Killian returned the smile though it looked forced. “Morning,” he said back reaching down and picking up fatty the cat. “Good morning, Biff Biff!” he gave the fat spotted cat a kiss. The chubby thing erupted into purrs.

“Biff Biff?” I mumbled shaking my head.

“Have you checked your bandages yet?” Killian asked meekly, putting the cat down. He picked up the bag of medical supplies he had been instructed to use on me.

I shook my head, continuing to clean my gun. My ear and my back and neck ached, but the pain killers had been dulling it to an acceptable level.

“You want to do the honors?” I asked. Killian nodded. He probably wanted to inflict pain on me after the stunt I pulled last night. Sure enough after I took my shirt off he started peeling my crusted and stained bandages from my back. I winced and clenched my teeth as parts of scab started to come off with it.

He sucked in a breath. “They don’t smell bad, but... they just look awful.” He sounded sad, I felt his hand brush against my back.

“I heal quickly,” was my reply, “even quicker with my own personal doctor.”

His heartbeat gave a flutter, I could tell he was smiling.

“Did Greyson take good care of you last night?” I asked, he didn’t seem to have any injuries on him so he must not have cracked his skull open.

I said some colourful swear words as Killian started to douse my back with stinging antiseptic, the whole room started to smell like Doc’s clinic.

“He was very nice to me, though it was terrifying when he first knocked on the door but he announced himself as soon as he did so it was short lived. He’s pretty cross with you, he knew that chances were it wasn’t the right legionnaires.”

... and he was right. I was going to have my other ear ripped off the next time I saw Greyson.

I grunted in recognition, a few moments later the big tweezers came out and he started picking off the dead skin. I clenched the side of the couch and started cursing the Legion and the factory out loud. Burns fucking hurt, stitched up cuts were one thing but getting my back scorched from the explosion was excruciating. He seemed to realize it, because when he finished he pushed my metal tray of drugs towards me.

After I helped myself to a bit more yellow powder, my little doctor started patching me up. He still seemed a bit cold towards me, but he would be fine. I’m sure he couldn’t stay pissed at me for that long. I mean what could I stay to him? Sorry? I was planning on doing the exact same thing again once Reno’s tentacles found the two I was looking for.

When I was all cleaned up and bandaged, Killian sat on the other side of the couch with his corn bosen and started eating the rest of breakfast. I continued to clean my gun, hoping he wouldn’t bring up anything more about last night.

Funny though, the more time that went by the more it bothered me. I gave him a few quick glances, wondering when he was going to say something. It was an hour into him sitting on the couch, reading a psychology book that I started to get done with his silent treatment. Or what I assumed was his silent treatment.

“Why don’t you play a song on your guitar?” I asked, screwing the scope back onto my freshly cleaned gun.

“Maybe a bit later, I need to tune it first,” Killian said not even looking up. Yep, he was silent treating me. It crossed my mind to throw something at him, or kick him in the leg. It wasn’t that hard to make him happy, or I assumed it wasn’t.

“Want to play Mario?”
“The generator’s off, we should conserve fuel.”

So this was a relationship...

I looked around and spotted Biff the cat licking his paws after eating my corned bosen. I picked him up and kissed his face.

I saw him lower his book to watch me. Without breaking eye contact with the cat I leaned in and pretended to eat his face.

I heard a muffled laugh behind me. The cat squinted his green eyes and purred at me. I looked up at Killian and took another pretend bite.

There was that smile, I put the cat down to bask in my cleverness when he tossed the book at me, I caught it in midair and watched him laugh.

“You’re really hard to stay mad at, asshole.”

I grinned, and he blushed and looked away from me with an unimpressed grunt. “You’ll get yours when Greyson gets a hold of you, and you know what?” He gave me the most evilest look with those brilliant blue eyes. “I’m going to be quiet the whole time, but on the inside I’m loving every moment of it.”

I couldn’t help it, my mouth dropped open. “You’re a sneaky manipulative fuck!” I said aghast. Killian gave me a meek little smile, he even looked surprised that he said that. “I need to learn quickly, or else I’ll be spending half my life crying because of you.”

We stayed in the basement for a few more hours. I gave some drugs to Killian to take for his own injuries but he ended up getting rather stoned on them. So he cleaned the entire living room and kitchen of my basement, which I allowed of course. I was looking forward to him cleaning my whole house. I hated housework, so I stuck to cleaning his new Magnum since I hadn’t gotten the chance.

Eventually I knew it was time for me to take my licks from Greyson. In the middle of the afternoon we ventured out of the basement and made our way towards the square. I wanted to see if there was any news regarding the legionaries I had murdered last night.

It was Miller who spotted us first, he took one look at me before ducking into the make shift mayor’s office. Moments later Greyson stormed out. Miller ran away like the little brown noser he was.

“They weren’t even the right ones!? I fucking knew it!” Greyson snapped stalking towards me, he was holding up a note. I suspected it was a radio memo from Reno while they were in the basement.

“Well they’re still legionnaires, it’s not like I fucking killed scavengers!” My voice started to raise, Greyson’s less than civil tone had my hackles up.

“They were out trying to find the Raven,” Greyson hissed, he looked around dropping his voice. “Kessler’s put a big bounty on your head, Reaver. I just got a radio from the west watch. Kessler! Not a chancellor, not a commander. Imperial fucking General Kessler, your stunt at the factory has gotten all the way to Skyfall. He has every legionnaire out looking for you now.”
“The Raven, not me,” I shot back. “They don’t have my blood, do they? You made damn sure of that. I’m a shadow to them, they’ll never find me.”

Greyson gave me a hard look. “Do not get cocky, Reaver. Watch your ass. Did Reno have his way with one?”

Jesus, not in front of the fucking kid. “He was safe with him, and I’m assuming our scavengers got the bodies before any one else did.” Reno wore a condom with any legionnaire he fucked. Not just because of disease but if they were found and autopsied they would find Reno’s DNA in their asses; and he was in the books.

Greyson nodded darkly. “Of course they did.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

That earned me another look. “When Kessler and Silas’s other chimeras get involved, all bets are off Reaver,” Greyson’s tone was stern, bordering on pissed.

Beside me I could feel Killian, though something told me he wasn’t laughing inside like he said he would. “This is all the way to Skyfall. You... the Raven has to lay low. You can’t do this anymore. I know they hurt Killian, but he’s here, he’s safe and most of them are dead. No more legionary deaths, that is an order.”

I glared at him. He had my ass in a corner now.

“I said that’s an order, sentry,” Greyson snapped, he stared back at me, but I didn’t look away or blink. I returned his gaze.

“Yes, sir,” I replied, my voice was ice. Without another word I turned away from Greyson and walked away from the square. It pissed me off beyond reason that he had to pull this shit in front of Killian. I hated taking orders from him, especially when he made it clear it was an order. I could kill whoever the hell I wanted when I wanted. Fuck the Legion.

Killian walked behind me, not saying a word. I needed to let off some steam so I decided to water my weeder plants after that, anything to keep me busy. I was ready to snap at anyone in that moment. Greyson had done a great job at annoying me, and my whole body was aching again.

Greyson had us over for dinner that night, I didn’t want to go at first but Killian talked me into it so we could make nice. It was free food after all. He made peace by making one of my favourite, bloody rat steaks, and canned potatoes mashed with butter. He was in a better mood that evening, so the hostility of earlier in the day was quickly lost after a couple beer between the two of us.

While we were visiting several people dropped by the see Greyson, and when they saw Killian there they asked him questions and wished him well.

They all seemed to want to see how he was doing, though they knew better than to ask him what happened. I felt protective of course, I just wanted the fucks to leave but I let them gawk for a few moments before they got sent on their way. It’s amusing how quickly people leave when you’re trying to kill them with just a stare.

I went over my plans for the scavenging mission with Greyson after we were all fed and happy. Donnely a small city was where I was planning on bringing myself and Reno. It had only been open to the public for a few years. It had been condemned by King Silas as still being too radioactive before hand, so we had a good chance of finding medical supplies. Our chips might buzz a bit as we were going through but if we were lucky that would be the extent of our troubles. I was hoping we would be gone a day and a half at the most. Greyson pointed out a small cluster of homes on his tattered map, also condemned, that we were planning on sleeping in. Well Reno, I wouldn’t be sleeping, didn’t need it.

That night I pulled my blanket over me on my cushions, and closed my eyes. Once again though I could feel his eyes on me. I wasn’t as disgruntled and tired as I was the previous night though so I decided to humor him.

“What?” I grumbled.

“Sleep beside me again?”

I gave out a sigh.

“I wont touch you, I promise.” That was shaping up to be our motto in the relationship.

I felt like an idiot that he had to say that to his boyfriend to get him to sleep next to him. I seceded though and got up. I saw his smile and rolled my eyes in mock defeat and laid next to him.

“I guess it saves time, I usually end up beside you anyways,” I said.

“I have bad dreams...” he replied defensively.

“I know, I don’t mind.” I yawned, I would be rather grossed out if I thought there were maggots in the bed too. “I’m getting better, ain’t I?” I had to ask.

Killian nodded and gave me a quick peck on the cheek.

I gave him one in return, before closing my eyes. I could still feel his eyes on me. “Will you teach me how to shoot my Magnum soon?” he asked, before stifling a yawn. “I want to learn to defend myself better.”
“Sure,” I mumbled. This made him happy enough to not ask me any more questions. After five or so minutes of silence I heard him start to snore. That was my cue to push him gently off to the side and claim my own area on the other side of the bed. He was hot like a furnace and I liked the cold. He was asleep anyways, he didn’t care.

That morning the sun was out and blistering, and the next several days as well. I went on to do my block duties and my faithful little boyfriend followed behind me. He still hadn’t asked to go back to his house to get his things and I didn’t push him to do so. He was most content taking care of me, and helping out in any way he could. With him helping me with my injuries they were continuing to heal quickly. The first day of him returning to volunteer at Doc’s clinic had him taking the stitches out of my back and ear, marking eight days since I had rescued him from the factory. I found myself missing his company on his first day back though, so I mostly sat on top of the clinic and watched him do his thing from the ceiling windows. He didn’t even notice.

As the next day rolled on, I decided to keep well on my promise and teach him how to shoot that gun of his. Right now it was just a fancy decorative piece for his holster since he couldn’t shoot worth shit.

After telling Greyson my plans that afternoon we made our way to the target range east of the square.

It was a horrible place to be in reality. Bones and rotting carcasses littered the area, with make shift bulls eyes spray painted on, barely visible through the sun baked blood stains.

Greyson had recovered a diseased rat carcass for Killian to shoot at. Though it was a grisly sight. The greeny red flesh was hanging off of it, dripping maggots in place of blood. It was ripe in the boiling sun and so rank even the cats steered clear of it.

The heat only made the smell worse of course. I had grown tired of wiping the sweat away from my eyes and had instead tied a kerchief over my head. I had given Killian a green one to wear as well, though it was blood stained from an adventure I had long since forgotten about.

A silenced gun shot cut the hot air. I looked to see the top of a rat’s head get blown off. Its rotted skull flying off and hitting the concrete blocks behind it, leaving a dull stain. In place of the skull the brains had come to life, shifting and wiggling inside its skull, a mass of arid grey.

Moments later another one, blowing the rust coloured cheek bone off, and the third almost getting its ear. Though it missed and hit the wooden beam we  had nailed the carcass to.

“His response time is getting faster,” Greyson observed beside me. He was at his usual. A cigarette stuck between his teeth, aviator sunglasses on and a dirty tan baseball hat. Like me he was only dressed in a grey beater (it was white at one point in its life), and cargo pants. It was too hot for anything else, including my bullet proof vest.