After Emil and Avery went on an assignment to defend a Minuteman settlement far west near the Glowing Sea, the increased exposure to radiation rotted away the remaining parts of the brain that kept Avery coherent and sane. On the return trip to the Castle, Avery finally turned feral when they and Emil were making camp for the night. Avery attacked Emil, and wounded him during the couple of minutes it took Emil to process what was happening, before he was forced to shoot and kill them.

He cleaned his wounds as best he could out in the Wasteland, and made his way back to the Castle the next day - sure to bring Avery back with him. Most Minutemen were shocked, appalled, and even angry - assuming that Emil had deliberately killed Avery out of hatred and a reversion to his Brotherhood beliefs. Despite others claims, Mokushi tends to Emil's wounds as the medic of the Minutemen.