Chapter 443 - Sudden Hostage Situation?

Tamia and Josie had been wandering around the Fort for almost an hour now, yet they'd found no hide nor hair of Karl's daughter. They'd been given a wide and comprehensive description by Karl, yet none of the slaves they'd found had matched it...

Both were starting to get worried that Kar's daughter, Caroline, was already long dead. Regardless, their mission will continue no matter her state. They'd already got Dogmeat hidden behind a cluster of Legionary tents, finding the coordinates so they could teleport out should shit hit the fan.​​

It wouldn't be suspicious either, as if you ignore Dogmeat's cybernetic components, it'd just look like a dog sleeping on the floor. That said, their guide was beginning to get a little anxious at not bringing them to Caesar yet.

Tamia had pulled out all the stops to stall and find where House's hidden bunker was, but they'd not spotted any place it could be yet...

"Ma'am, we really must be heading to greet the Great Caesar now, any longer and I fear he'll have us all executed." the Legionary urges while rubbing his arm.

Tamia sighs and slowly nods, she'd wasted too much time already... Hopefully, Afton's distraction would allow them to find the bunker.

Tamia and Josie are finally led to the largest tent in the middle of the Fort. In front of it were a small group of heavily armed and armoured Praetorian guards. These were supposedly the toughest, strongest, and most skilful people in Caesar's Legion, their duty was obviously to protect Caesar should assassins try to sneak in and attack.

They're led through the tent and enter into a large room absolutely filled with guards, at the end was a bald, older man sitting on a throne.

"It's about time you've come to greet me... Whatever happened to simple courtesy nowadays." Caesar says as they enter, "Now, I hope you didn't keep me waiting for nothing, that would be most-" he stops speaking as he focuses on Tamia's face.

"You?... I must admit, I had not expected this at all. I heard you were dead." he states, slumping back into his throne to get comfortable.

...

Tamia just raises a brow, "Do I know you?" she asks, utterly confused by the situation... She'd prepared herself to be executed, tortured, or a whole manner of unpleasant things... Yet Caesar, the leader of the Legion greets her like an old friend? Was she in a nightmare or was she missing something?

Caesar upon hearing her words slowly nods and snaps his fingers while gesturing at Josie. "Take her outside for a minute, I need to talk with our... Guest."

"Hey, wait!" Josie attempts to resist by is quickly dragged out of the tent.

Caesar then looks at Tamia and crosses his legs, "Now then, now that your 'colleague' is gone, you can report on the status of your mission. It must have gone well for you to not have contacted us for so long." he says, waiting for her response.

...

"Mission?" Tamia parrots, still unsure of what was going on.

"Yes, your mission... Do I even need to explain to you how many resources we expended trying to place you as one of House's six Couriers? I could buy a whole region of villages the total!" he continues as if Tamia is just too stupid to understand what he's saying.

Tamia quickly shakes her head, "I think you've got the wrong person! I admit I don't remember much, but I'd definitely remember being in the Legion!" she says, though the fact that Caesar seemed to know her was seriously fucking with her head.

Caesar sighs, "Is that correct? I had heard that Chairman had shot you in the head, I can even see the scar now... But that doesn't change the fact that you still have a mission to complete... Did you manage to seize whatever House was transporting?" he asks, tapping his finger on his jaw.

Tamia shakes her head, "I don't know what he was transporting, I was shot in the head before I could do anything with it... Look, whatever relationship I had to the Legion is gone, I can't remember any of it!" she says, her mind still rapidly going over the implications of her once being in the Legion.

Caesar scoffs, "You made your oaths, you cannot leave for your belong to the Legion. To me! Whatever fanciful thoughts you may have right now do not matter, your injury and amnesia do not matter! You will return to my service, or we will deal with your guarantee." he states ominously.

"Guarantee?" Tamia asks, still having no idea what he's saying.

"Yes, we made sure your loyalties would remain with us... By hiding your family away. I snap my fingers, and your whole tribe are beheaded. So you should choose your next words wisely."

...

Tamia is honestly dumbfounded by this situation... She still had family left!? And they were currently being held hostage by the Legion!? Today was really not going her way! Add the fact Afton, one of the people she's known to be affiliated with would be crashing through the Legion's defences with his truck while armed to the teeth, she, as well as her family would be implicated!

She simply couldn't see a way out of this situation, everything had already been properly planned, and yet Caesar throws a spanner in works and everything is suddenly fucked!

Tamia begins visualising cutting the man to pieces but shakes her head at those thoughts. If she did that she'd be killed, Josie would be killed, her family would be killed, and the mission would fail...

"Well? Come on, kneel to your master and reaffirm your loyalty..." Caesar says, gesturing down at the ground before him.

...

Tamia, not seeing any other option slowly steps forwards and kneels down before Caesar... If anything, they would buy her time to think of something.

Behind her, Josie is brought back into the room with a black hood over her head, Caesar grins at Tamia, "Your first act in my service is to kill this woman."