The card killer Options

[Acadian]

I know what CK should do to survive but I'm glad he's not doing it.

Yeah, I'm cheering for Sonora!

[SubRosa]

Hopefully Belle will be the last of the CKs victims.

[Lopov]

@Renee - he may be losing control but today's story shows that he's still quite intelligent.

@TheCheshireKhajiit - when in trouble, you gotta remove the trouble.

@Acadian - cheer some more and maybe your wish will be granted.

@SubRosa - unfortunately she won't be the last.


Today's story is slightly more 'complicated' than others, particularly to those haven't played Fallout before. I tried to write it as clearly as possible but if there are some questions, I'll answer them.
_______

XIV

Lucy West’s happiness was short-lived.

Before Sonora's regulators would come to Megaton to question the new deputy, Cory Costner died.

Killed by the same unknown man who killed Leo Stahl, another Megatoner, earlier that night.

When sheriff Simms passed her the sad news, Lucy wanted to kill herself and probably would if her friend Jenny Stahl, late Leo’s sister, wouldn’t be there to comfort her. Jenny lost a brother and Lucy lost a boyfriend – how could life be so cruel? It was sheriff Simms who found the mutilated corpse of his young deputy close to Vault 101.

“I’m sorry, kid,” Simms was on the verge of tears, standing next to what remained of young Cory. “I’m sorry that I ever invited you into our ranks. You’d be alive now if it weren’t for me.”

On rocks above the sheriff the young man who was presumed to be dead, was watching the sheriff through the scope of his magnum revolver. His plan had worked as intended and deputy Cory Costner died that day.

Earlier that day he noticed a young man eating in the Brass Lantern. He was about the same size as him and had a similar skin tone. The young man’s name was Slim and he was a wastelander who just briefly stopped in Megaton to buy some supplies. Deputy Costner offered him five hundred caps if he’ll run out of Megaton at exactly 11 PM, then meet him outside Vault 101. An odd request, especially from a lawman, thought Slim, but first of all the pay was too good to refuse because the deputy gave him half of the promised sum in advance and second, it was supposed to be a test of sort for some other lawman, or so the deputy said. “All will be explained later,” said deputy Costner and handed Slim two hundred and fifty caps.

At exactly 10:55 PM deputy Costner sneaked into the water processing plant of Megaton. There Leo Stahl, the town’s drug dealer, was waiting for potential customers as he did every night. Instead of some junkie, deputy Costner waltzed in and without saying a word, shot Stahl in the head, killing him on the spot and then took all his drugs. As he came out of the water plant, he yelled that Leo Stahl’s been murdered and that he’s going after the killer. He also ordered the closest citizen who happened to be Old Walter, to wake up sheriff Simms.
Deputy Costner ran out of the town, through Springvale and met with Slim right outside Vault 101, as agreed.

“I did my part, deputy. Not sure I get it but as long as I…”

Deputy Costner didn’t bother to reply, instead he shot Slim in the head, from much closer distance as he shot Leo, turning Slim’s head into a bloody pasta. He quickly undressed and put his duster on Slim’s corpse, then cut off his limbs. He carried his corpse to the road below Vault 101, tossed it on the ground next to his distinctive regulator hat and rifle.

Then he ran back up and hid behind the rocks, waiting for the sheriff to come. Simms fell for the trick and why wouldn’t he? The plan was foolproof.

Wastelander Slim who came to Megaton that day, was probably a junkie and was supposed to buy drugs from Leo Stahl. Something happened between the two of them, they argued and Slim killed Leo, then stole his drugs. Deputy Costner was close enough to hear the shot and promptly ran after Slim who was spotted running out of Megaton, confirmed by three witnesses – guard Stockholm, beggar Carlos and robotic deputy Weld. A few minutes later deputy Costner ran out of the town as well, going after the killer. Unfortunately the deputy was careless and Slim obviously ambushed him by the vault. But it wasn’t enough just to kill him, he cut off his limbs too, probably as a message not to follow him.

That was how Simms explained the sad events of the bloody night the following morning and that’s what Megatoners believed. As the sun was rising over the sad town, a distance south of it the man presumed to be dead, already decided for a new name – Chester. It would be his last fake name in the Capital Wasteland because he was planning to head west soon. It was fun while it lasted but he was getting bored of the Capital Wasteland already. Only a little more time needed to pass for the story of his sad death to get around and the it will be time for the final act of the card killer.

***

In the following days news of Cory’s death reached Sonora Cruz, the leader of the regulators. Lucas Simms himself went to report the sad news.

“Whoever did it, hacked my deputy to pieces,” said Simms, saddened.

“Did he? And what did you find on his corpse?”

“Was I supposed to find something special?” Simms was confused.

“Just tell me what did you find, Lucas,” patiently said Sonora Cruz.

“His rifle and his hat were next to the body but there were also cigarettes, stimpaks, some snacks, a few keys…”

“Was there a yellow radio headset?” Sonora interrupted him.

“What? No, no headset. Why are you asking me this?”

Sonora said nothing but leaned back in her chair. The unknown murderer killed the deputy yet he didn’t take his stimpaks but the yellow radio headset.

I believe it brings me good luck so I always carry it with me since I bought it, said Cory as he came to enlist, she remembered his words very clearly.

“I’d ask you a favor, Lucas,” continued Sonora. “Search his house in Megaton and send me a message if you find a yellow radio headset. No questions, just do it, alright?”

The following day a courier delivered a message to Sonora – there wasn’t any trace of a yellow radio headset found in the late deputy’s house.

Sonora Cruz was concerned – it could be that the late deputy gave the yellow headset to someone else as a gift, it could be that he lost it but it could be that he staged his own death. With the blown-up head and chopped body who can say for sure?

Sonora Cruz had a good reason to be concerned.

_______

Wastelander Slim, the unsuspecting victim of the deputy's plot

Death of Leo Stahl (to avoid confusion, Leo and Slim are similar to each other but Slim has a beard)

Deputy Weld...

...witnesses Slim running out of Megaton

"I did as you wanted."

Useful no more

Mutilated body

Watching "his" corpse

Simms at the scene

Sad sheriff

Nothing personal but...

...the killer needs new armor

This post has been edited by Lopov: Nov 10 2017, 06:23 PM

[Acadian]

The CK conceived and executed a good plan - smart. Happily, however, it looks like Sonora is also smart. Clever of her to remember the yellow headset and connect what its absence on the corpse could mean. You're doing some cool plot weaving here!

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

The CK conceived and executed a good plan - smart. Happily, however, it looks like Sonora is also smart. Clever of her to remember the yellow headset and connect what its absence on the corpse could mean. You're doing some cool plot weaving here!

Khajiit agrees; very smart! He almost got away with it too!

[SubRosa]

The CK is a clever rascal. But I think he's met his match in Sonora.

[Renee]

Yea see, I was gonna say -- If it's just him running out of the water processing building and saying 'Leo's been shot!" it's too obvious how this happened. Then all they'd have to do is link the caliber size of any guns in Cory's possession to whatever killed Leo (circumstantial evidence). Then, IF they have the capability to check rifling marks from bullet to gun, and IF the bullet in Leo's head is still intact, now Cory's in jail (forensic evidence).

Circumstantial evidence builds suspicion, but cannot often be used in court in its own. It's just not enough. But forensic evidence like rifling marks on bullets is indisputable.

So that's why Cory got that Slim kid to run out of there. Well, Cory is smart, but not that smart! He should maybe have set Slim on fire. There is no DNA testing in the Wasteland, they're just too backwards for that, I'm assuming, so that won't be a prob. But all Lucas would have to do is have Lucy identify the body. She's seen Cory naked (I'm assuming) and they all know it by now (I'm assuming). So she'd know any particular marks on Cory's body like freckles, birthmarks, tan-lines, whatever.

Of course, Lucas Simms might not be as bright a sheriff as we'd like. This sort of idea might not even occur to him. They just assume it's Cory who's been found. Wow, no body identification? Don't they watch CSI? Kidding.

Well at least Sonora Cruz is on top of things. Heh, maybe she should be named Sheriff!

[Lopov]

@Acadian - thanks! The card killer thinks that Sonora might not be fooled so easily so it's better to take some precautions...

@TheCheshireKhajiit - maybe he'll get away with it totally.

@SubRosa - we'll see about that soon...

@Renee - one of your suggestions made me chuckle the other day as I read your reply because it's included in today's short story.
_______

The Interlude II

“That…that’s not him.”

Lucy’s words shocked Sheriff Simms.

Sonora Cruz was right when she didn’t trust the scheme and asked Simms to show remains of his body to Lucy West, the only person in Megaton who saw Cory Costner naked, to recognize him.

“What does this mean, Sheriff?” asked Lucy, crying. “What is this…?”

“I…I don’t know, dear.” Lucas Simms was embarrassed as well. “Go home and rest now, I’ll…I’ll send the word to Sonora.”

“Is Cory still alive?” cried Lucy. “But why would he do this to me?”

To this Sheriff Simms knew no answer until today but when Sonora told him of his suspicions about the card killer’s true identity, Simms began to have his own doubts.

“Sonora must know of this immediately.”

But by the time the messenger departed from Megaton and headed for the Regulators HQ, the card killer was already there. He intended to leave the Capital Wasteland but not before throwing the final card, this one next to Sonora’s corpse.

[Acadian]

I'm hoping this means he hasn't yet killed Sonora and there may still be time for her to kick his butt!

But now I'm hanging... wondering what that messenger will find...

Heh, getting Lucy to ID the headless body was a good idea, as Renee mentioned earlier. Isn't it fun when a reader is thinking along the same lines as you?

[SubRosa]

Looks like we will see the CK draws an inside straight, or if Sonora cashes him out...

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

Oooh, khajiit is imagining that the CK is skulking around the HQ, hiding in the shadows, and waiting for his opportunity to strike! Will Sonora be ready for him? We shall see!

[Renee]

Will Sonora be ready for him? We shall see!

Bingo. This one just said it. I think she will be, in some manner.

We have to consider there are three CK chapters left. The next one is going to be longer. That's going to be the 'showdown' one, between Sonora and 'Cory.' I think Sonora already knows what's going on, but does she know what's going to happen?

That's weird that they'd use a messenger when they've got ham radios. Yeah, none of these work in the base game (or nobody uses them) but still.

This post has been edited by Renee: Nov 16 2017, 03:02 PM

[Lopov]

@Acadian - Sonora hasn't been killed (yet).

@SubRosa - the regulator vs the card killer!

@TheCheshireKhajiit - Sonora shouldn't be underestimated but neither should be the card killer.

@Renee - there were supposed to be three chapters left indeed but I cut one (I became like Bethesda, cutting things out before the final release) and I merged the today's story into one chapter so...

...what's ahead is the final story of the card killer. And for a change, this entire story and pics are taken from the perspective of Sonora Cruz.

_______

XV

Rusty was young, quick and agile and as such served as an ideal messenger. In the Mojave he’d probably be called a courier but in the Capital Wasteland the word “messenger” was more popular. He exceled at sneaking and managed to slip by even the most dangerous creatures without being seen. Lucas Simms stressed out the importance of his mission – carry the news about deputy Costner to Sonora Cruz – as fast as possible. That wasn’t a problem for Rusty, he was a quick runner. He ran all the way from Megaton to the Regulators HQ, occasionally sneaking past some raiders and vicious dogs, but only when he made it close to the HQ, his running gradually slowed down until it became cautious walking. Something wasn’t right there. He spotted dead brahmin from the distance but that didn’t alert him, perhaps they were old and just died, but as he got closer, he saw a bunch of bodies outside the HQ. None of them seemed to be moving…at least that’s what he thought at first. Yet as Rusty got closer, carefully walking towards the shack to see if he’d recognize any bodies, someone’s hand firmly grabbed him by his ankle…

***earlier that night***

Sonora Cruz was awakened by silence. An odd thing to wake someone up, but until tonight there was never silence in the regulators headquarters. Except now it was.

Ernesto should be walking downstairs, he was on duty inside the shack tonight.

But she didn’t hear any footsteps.

Even a faint smell of cigarettes that was always present in the shack when Ernesto was on duty, was gone. Earlier this day Sonora gave him some of her own cigarettes because as usual, Ernesto was out of them.

But she didn’t smell any cigarettes.

The radio was silent as well – the radio which wasn’t supposed to be silent because Ernesto liked listening to the GNR when on duty. But the only thing Sonora heard was silence – dead silence.

Did Ernesto step outside to talk to Johnny and Silvia? Unlikely.

Sonora got up from her bed and immediately noticed something at the entrance to her room. A small black figure – what was it? Before thinking she grabbed for the 9 mm gun next to her bed and pointed it in the direction of the…

Sonora wakes up

The little man

...…garden gnome? Yes, that’s what it was – the garden gnome. Sonora quickly checked her gun – it was loaded alright. Even if this one wasn’t loaded, Penelope was, but still, it was better to be sure.

Who put the gnome there? Definitely not her henchmen, they never joked in such a way.

Something was wrong this night. Something was very wrong.

Carefully she stepped over the garden gnome and out of her room on the first floor, then slowly leaned over the wooden fence from where she had a good view of the ground floor. Her eyes immediately shifted to the left to the radio and as she had correctly assumed – it was turned off.

Not a sound

Except that - silence. Sonora felt like she could almost touch it.

“Ernesto?” she asked the empty shack.

No answer, not that she expected any.

For the first time a startling thought crossed Sonora’s mind – the card killer. Did he come for her?

Sonora dealt with many dangerous lowlifes and until tonight she wasn’t afraid of the card killer because he usually preyed on hapless victims but what made her scared, was that there was no sign of her henchmen – they were tough guys, all of them, they’ve been regulating the wastes for years, and if whoever was after her, killed them, then she better be careful. Her sixth sense was telling her that her henchmen were dead and that their killer intentionally placed the gnome to her room to be the first thing she would see as she would wake up. Obviously someone wanted to play some game with her.

‘Alright, bastard, let’s play’ Sonora was encouraging herself, as she was slowly stepping down the stairs, careful not to step on some concealed trap.

Beside the main room on the ground floor there was only one small room, which served as a storage. Just like the main room, that one was empty too. Ernesto’s ashtray next to the radio wasn’t as full as usual which meant that he was probably…gone for quite a while.

Emptiness

Only one thing remained for her now – she had to step outside. And she better does it quick because the killer is probably expecting her to cautiously crawl out.

Head-on Sonora kicked the door so they opened wide with a loud sound, then jumped outside, clutching the gun. As she landed, she almost tripped over a pile of…

…three bodies.

Ernesto, Johnny and Silvia, her dead henchmen. Shivers ran down her back– they were lying on each other, dragged together to ensure that they’ll be the first thing to see when coming outside.

Sonora stepped back, quickly looked right, then left…left, that’s where he was. Crouched behind the freshly slain brahmin. Waiting for her.

He is here

Evil in waiting

Though he was wearing the raider-like leather helmet which covered the upper half of his face, the familiar kind smile was playing on his lips. The smile which she disliked as soon as she saw it but it was thanks to this smile that many innocent women were killed. The card killer was here and he definitely didn’t come to talk.

Didn't come to chat

“’Hola senora Sonora,” he stood up, and Sonora saw a bloody knife in his right hand – one of the last things which his victims saw and her late henchmen as well.

“Die, bastard!” yelled Sonora without a second though, aimed and pressed the trigger but all she heard was a dull click and no bullet left her gun.

“Too bad,” smiled the card killer and boastfully stepped over the dead brahmin. “I could have slit your throat as you were sleeping. But it was so much fun to switch ammos with blanks. To see your reaction. To see that you’re lost. Guess what happens now, Sonora Cruz? Guess what happens now?”

Yet now a sly smile appeared on Sonora’s face, causing the killer to momentarily stop. “I bet you will never guess,” she said and threw the 9mm gun on the ground, while at the same time quickly pulling another gun from the inner pocket of her jacket.

This was no ordinary 9 mm gun, this was her own modified version of a 10 mm gun, Sonora’s favorite weapon called Penelope, the last thing which many lowlifes heard and saw. She always slept with Penelope next to her heart and once again this habit proved to yield a good result. Now the kind smile was completely gone from the card killer’s face.

“Guess what happens now, punk?” Sonora repeated the question, aimed, fired and…

…missed!

The bastard was fast, she didn’t expect him to react so swiftly, as he leaned right when she fired. As a result, there he was now, already at her.

The card killer attacks

He fiercely swung his bloody knife, cutting a deep wound in Sonora’s right cheek. The pain was immense but Sonora fired again, the aim was bad but she hit him in the left shoulder. The killer staggered, obviously surprised by the powerful blow from Penelope but before she could fire again, he again jumped at her, slitting her forehead, nose and part of the left cheek.

Penelope at work

Sonora was used to pain but the killer’s knife was obviously coated with something that stung like hell and was making her legs weak.

‘Poison! His knife is poisoned.’

He never stops,

until he kills...

who he...

wants!

She tried to run away but because of blood running in her eyes and her weakened legs, she fell over some rock. Without faltering, the card killer was behind her and stabbed her in the back. Only thanks to her thick vest which she was wearing beneath her duster, her life was saved this time.

‘Get hold of yourself!’ she encouraged herself yet words won't be enough and Sonora Cruz knew that very well.

Penelope vs Knife

Who laughs now?

Because there won’t be the next time if she won’t react fast enough. She tried to stand up but the card killer kicked her in the head, turning her over. This time her nose ached, and blood came pouring out. It was broken, no doubt but that was the least of her worries.

‘He’s playing again. He thinks he already got me.’

If she deceived him for a few more seconds that she’s already defeated, her last plan might work.

“Already on your knees, Sonora?” mockingly asked the card killer. “I am disappoint. I expected more. I hope you won’t be disappointed if we don’t have sex? I’m just not in the mood tonight and your bloody face isn’t of much help either.”

Still on her knees, arms clutched around her belly, Sonora Cruz did what she saw as her last chance. Her powerful gun obviously wasn’t enough to penetrate the killer’s armor, just like her, he was probably also equipped with some thick vest beneath it. Yet in her pocket there were two special bullets – capable of piercing even the thickest armor. Such ammos couldn’t be found in the Capital Wasteland but she hailed from the west and in the Mojave such ammunition was a fairly common sight. She already spent most of such bullets on some powerful enemies, so only two remained. She obviously stood no chance against the killer in melee combat, he was too damn quick and agile yet Sonora knew that her next bullet must hit the target – or she will be gone for good, in the same place with the card killer’s other victims, wherever that was. No mistakes allowed this time, Sonora Cruz. In a matter of seconds all regular bullets were out and Sonora put two armor-piercing ones inside.

“Alright, Sonora…” the card killer mocked her again. “Time to finish…”

That was when Sonora quickly turned around and fired. Straight to his chest. But…

…the card killer merely staggered.

‘How can this be?’

Yet a second later blood came pouring from beneath his armor like a small yet torrential waterfall.

He bleeds

“You b!tch,” he yelled and coughed up some blood. This was a good sign for Sonora Cruz. The bastard bled after all.

She expected him to fall but unbelievably the card killer gathered his strength to make another run-and-jump at her. And she had just one more armor-piercing bullet.

It was nor or never.

As he got close to her, once again faster than she expected, and his knife cut another fresh wound on her left cheek, Sonora fired her last bullet.

The killer staggered again, looked at Sonora and smiled.

But as he smiled, more blood came pouring from his mouth.

“Die, damn you, die!” yelled Sonora and tried to stand up yet her legs wouldn’t allow her.

The final round

Sonora's last chance

Bang!

“That’s not…” the killer faltered back. “…possible. I…am…invulnerab…”

"No, you ain't!" victoriously yelled Sonora and as the card killer was falling back, a deck of cards flew from his jacket, and as he landed on the ground, cards strew all around him like signatures which he left behind one too many times.

The fall 1

The fall 2

The fall 3

Among cards

“Dead among cards,” sighed Sonora and crawled to his body. Her face probably looked worse than a used pre-war cutting board and her back ached horribly but there he was – lying in front of her, encircled by the very cards he loved so much.

Even before Sonora removed his leather mask, she knew who was behind it - the same man who enlisted as a regulator a few weeks ago. If she only listened to her sixth sense more closely, some people might still be alive.

Masked

Unmasked

When he came to recruit...

Getting more dizzy with every passing second, Sonora managed to put an ordinary bullet in Penelope, aimed at the killer’s face and fired – turning his head into a bloody mess. He was dead before, she knew it, but it was better to be sure.

“Adios, amigo.”

***back to the present***

“Help…me. Please,” Sonora barely had any strength to talk yet when she sensed someone walking close to her, she knew this might be her last chance for survival. She was bleeding, she was poisoned and she definitely didn’t want to end like the last of card killer’s victim. She grabbed the stranger’s ankle whoever he was, it could be a raider for all she knew, but fortunately it was Rusty of Megaton.

A few minutes later as Rusty’s stimpaks were already having an effect as was his antivenom, Sonora Cruz made sure that the killer’s corpse was still there, next to her. And it was, still encircled with its damned cards. The price was high but the wasteland was safe at last.

_______

The epilogue

In the following days news of the card killer’s demise spread over the Capital Wasteland. The young man, who went under many different names and whose real name would now never be revealed, neither would be his motives, if there were any at all, was dead for good. Some like Lucas Simms couldn't believe how easily they fell for his life. Some others like Lucy West, still refused to believe the truth. Susan Lancaster from the Tenpenny Tower, however, wasn’t surprised at all – she linked the young stranger to Millicent’s death immediately but why would she care as long as he paid for her sex services.

The remaining ten killer’s cards were taken by Rusty to Megaton yet it wasn’t long and they caused a huge interest among various wasteland collectors of rare items. Immediately recognizing an opportunity to earn some proper caps instead of small fees which he got paid as a messenger, Rusty left Megaton and traveled across the Capital Wasteland, selling the cards of death at ridiculously high prices yet some devoted collectors were prepared to pay for them no matter the price.

Sonora Cruz was recuperating from her injuries and though deep wounds on her face would leave her scarred for the rest of her life, she considered it as a punishment for not reacting quicker because she knew that she could at least save some girls if she only acted against the deputy of Megaton earlier.

When Lucy West found out that she was pregnant, it was just another reason to leave Megaton for good. Many people avoided her since the card killer’s identity was revealed and Lucy still stubbornly refused to believe the truth. Pregnant and sad, she left Megaton, and traveled to Arefu where she moved in together with her brother Ian.

For most wastelanders, though, life soon returned to their old habits, and the card killer became just another fading memory in the dangerous wasteland.

The end

This post has been edited by Lopov: Nov 17 2017, 05:19 PM

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

Nice epic battle to end the story! For a minute there, Khajiit wasn’t sure Sonora would survive. Glad she did! Nice work Lopov, Khajiit really enjoyed this story!

[SubRosa]

You had me on the edge of my seat as well! So good to see the CK get his deck shuffled!

It was also good to see that unlike the goons that Eulogy sent after Rattler, Sonora made sure the job was finished.

[Acadian]

What a nailbiter of a battle! So glad to see CK lying in a pile of bloody cards and that the magnificent Sonora survived!

Well done, Lopov!

[Renee]

Okay, so THAT'S him??? Okay yeah I can see this! He looks like an evil Brad Pitt or something.

You know what? Those shots are all creepy, but the creepiest are definitely the ones taken in VATS.

Ha ha DIE you Brad Pitt-looking mother trucker DIE! And time for some Jaeger shots for all of us.

Well good job for moving this story to completion, scoundrel. Looks as though it took a lot of organizing to get all those shots and match them up with the words. How on Earth did you get the story from Sonora's perspective though? ... Never mind, I don't want to know. That part really has me mystified, but it's also good to keep some mystery going,

.

[Lopov]

Thanks all!

Evil Brad Pitt, lol.

There isn't any big mystery behind the final scene but I'll include it in spoilers just in case...