There was no such thing as an ally out in the middle of The Wasteland. Some people stuck around longer in your life, Braxton Sutter knew that from experience, but in the end, everyone was willing to sell you out for what they wanted. In fact, Braxton had lived the life of a man who did what he had to do in order to survive. It was partially why he had taken on the moniker of The Blade, to distance himself from what he had to do. Like leaving the wife he had once cared for so much. Allie had been Braxton’s world in the beginning. She had been everything he considered to be good and pure in this world. Allie had been willing to fight to protect their home, to protect Braxton. Braxton, in turn, had thought he was doing the same for Allie. However, as things had gotten worse and worse, Braxton noticed that he found more and more to dislike. It had worsened and worsened, more and more, until Braxton had turned on Allie. He had sold her to a doctor in The Capital before fleeing into The Wasteland. That was all it had taken for the soft-spoken Braxton to turn into the cold, calculating Blade. His goodness was gone, mind and heart hardened in the aftermath of what he had done. Braxton joined with a man named Lucas Turner, who urged Blade to give in to his baser urges. It had started with raiding innocent encampments, turning into the murder of said innocents. Then, as the ultimate taboo, Lucas had urged Blade to sample human flesh. There was no going back after that. Blade carried a reputation as a hunter, alongside a man who was simply referred to as The Butcher. Yet there was always a nagging voice at the back of his mind, a voice wondering if there was any hope for redemption of his soul. Blade sat at the fire for the evening, cleaning his knives after an ambush under Lucas’ order. The Lacroix family had been an easy enough task, even if it was only to help Lucas get the bait to lure in their next big target. Across from the fire, staring at it dutifully was Butcher, no sound save for the crackle from the fire and his companion's heavy breathing. The silence was broken by a deep screeching sound, an almost electric sound. Butcher sat up straight, eyes widening. He and Lucas shared a look, each gathering their weapons. “What is that?” Blade shouted, trying to be heard over the earsplitting sound. “Callihan and his monsters,” Lucas mouthed, trying to scan the landscape before them, grip tight on his gun. Blade had heard of Sami Callihan. He was a raider who was infamous for his use of a switchblade. He used the siren to make sure those he was after couldn’t focus. His monsters, however, were not a group that Blade was familiar with. His own eyes tried to adjust to the darkness of the night, but he couldn’t make out any shape in front of himself. But from the tight grip on the back of his neck, clawing at his neck, it wasn’t in front of him where Blade needed to look. He swung his knife, hoping to cut whoever was attacking him. The knife he carried sliced through the air, not catching his intended victim. In the dim firelight, Blade could barely make out a feminine figure. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the woman’s red-streaked hair, Blade might not have noticed her at all. His eyes focused on the figure, on the mask she wore. He was certain he had seen her before. “Demoness,” he hissed as she moved with her clawed glove again. From the trickle down the back of his neck, he knew she had caught him once. “You’re that devil woman…” “At first you think she is a devil,” came a girlish taunt from beside the clawed woman, “But she’s not. Just a protective one, Braxie.” He let his guard down for just a moment, knowing that voice. It was all it took for the whip to catch around his foot, pulling him onto his back in the dirt. He watched as the duo moved into the firelight just a tad more. He had been smart to recognize the demon assassin as others called her. Rosemary was formidable, beautiful but powerful. Next to her, as beautiful as ever, stood his bunny. His Allie. “Mercy…” he begged, “if you ever loved me, Allie…” “If I ever loved you?!” she let out a harsh laugh, “I lived for you. I worshipped you! And how did you repay me, Braxton?” “Allie I-“ “Shut up,” Rosemary hissed, kicking the downed man hard in the side, “our bunny is speaking! You listen!” Blade hissed as Allie straddled him, hand clasping around his throat, “You sold me. Now you ask for mercy? No. No mercy. You’re going to suffer. Just. Like. Me.”