This is set before my story Homeward Bound. Hope you enjoy. R&R
The Lone wanderer kicked the empty can across the car park, outside of the Super-Duper-Mart. Looking to the distance, James Junior thought about his father. Where was James Senior? The Lone wanderer had spent the last five months searching for his father, and now it seemed like each day the chances of finding him were getting slimmer and slimmer.
"Are you even alive?" James asked the wind, as he adjusted his glasses that he wore to appear older.
Jericho leaned against the wall of the building, smoking the dirty cigarette that he'd taken from the corpse of a raider. He had only started traveling with the Lone Wanderer a month ago, and already he had regretted his decision. The kid seemed to avoid any action they ran into.
"Hey Kid. We done here?" Jericho asked, an irritated tone in his voice.
Jericho couldn't believe they were almost killed by raiders, over a busted fucking pip-boy. The kid had made some kind of deal with Moira Brown to fix his pip-boy, in return for some medical supplies and food from the Super-Duper-Mart. It wasn't even really broken. The kid could still pick up radio stations, tell the time, and even monitor his rads. Hell with the exception of a cracked screen and a few dents, Jericho couldn't see a thing wrong with the kids little bracelet.
"I think so…." James sighed in despair, as he lifted his pip-boy and stared at the cracked screen.
He began to tune in the radio to have something to listen to, on the long walk back to Megaton. Its cracked screen reminded him, of the hell he had experienced in the Pitt. Once he had arrived there, his clothes, pip boy and weapons were taken away by the ruling raiders. Upon meeting the leader, James's pip-boy was returned to him in worse condition then it was currently in. At first, James had used the extent of his mechanical know-how to repair what he could of the wrist device. But in the end all, all he could do was fix the signal receiver and giga-counter. A month after leaving the Pitt, James was approached by Moira Brown who offered him a deal. He helped her with a project, and she would fix his pip-boy for him. The reason he needed it fixed, was because of something he found a few days after his return. He had found some old holo discs in his father's old lab, each were labelled with the date of their recording. The best part was, that one had been recorded only 3 months prior. His only problem then was, that his disc player was busted. And that, is why the Lone Wanderer was outside a decrepit super market, in the middle of a heat wave. Three dogs voice announced over the radio, snapping James Jr. back to reality.
"People of the Capital Wasteland! It is I, Three Dog, your ruler! Hear me, and, obey! Oh, sorry, that's that, OTHER, radio station."
The Lone Wanderer gave a chuckle at this joke. He had met three dog earlier in his journey to find his father, and he was impressed with how cool the man was considering his surroundings.
"Kid we leaving? Or are ya waiting for someone to jerk ya off?" Jericho asked impatiently and crudely.
"Ya…wait what?" James said confused at Jericho's statement.
"We….fucken….moving or what?" Jericho said slowly to the Lone Wanderer.
"Yeah. I guess." James answered, walking towards Jericho.
"Seems we've got - dadadadada - a bit of news, Just listen to this!"
James and Jericho walked up the hill away from the Super-Duper-Mart, as they listened to the DJ read the news.
"Okay, it seems the settlement of Grayditch has gone quiet. Residents haven't come out to trade with the caravaners, and attempts to make contact have been met with silence. So if you're out by Grayditch, you may wanna pop in and see what's what.
"What's that coming this way?" James asked pointing, as something in the distance came closer.
"Who cares?" Jericho said in his usual gruff manner.
"I think…" The lone Wanderer started as he concentrated at the incoming being.
"…It's a kid?!" He stated as the kid ran straight up to them.
"Thanks for listening, chiiill-dren! This is Three Dog, OWWWWWW! And you're listening to Galaxy News Radio! We're Radio Free Wasteland! And we're here... for you."
"Those…Those monsters! They're gonna get me!" He shouted in fear to James and Jericho.
"Monsters? What the Fuck are you talking about kid?" Jericho said in disbelief, as James got to one knee and listened to the boy.
"What's wrong son?" James asked, remembering how his father used to console him in times like this.
"There's these….these…big..." The child sniffed and sobbed in fear as James tried and easier question.
"Calm down son. What's your name?" James asked with a gentle smile.
"You have got….to be shitting me!" Jericho said in sarcastic disbelief.
"Bryan…Bryan Wilkes" the boy answered.
"Okay Bryan….Now what's happening at home?" James asked smiling.
"There's Monsters….I don't know what they are….but their attacking my town!" The boy said gasping, tears in his eyes.
"Okay…Okay. Bryan, I am gonna ask you to be a big boy…" James started as he looked up at the child.
"Can you do that for me?" James asked with a smile, causing Jericho to spit at the ground.
"You fucken serious?! We playing Mommy and Daddy now?!" Jericho said in aggression, as James turned to Jericho and glared.
"Shut up Jericho." James said as he turned back towards the scared child.
"Fucken Make me!" Jericho said in a defiant tone, causing James to shoot him another glare and shake his head.
"Don't listen to him. Look… Bryan… Can you be a big boy?" James said calmly as he looked at the boy.
"Okay." He said sheepishly with a tear.
"What's your town's name?" James asked with a serious look.
"Grayditch. Their burning it down!" Bryan said, as James noted the coincidence of the town having just being mentioned on the radio.
"That-a-boy…Can you bring us to your town?" James said patting the boy on his shoulder, ignoring the boys warning.
"I…I guess so…Can you find my daddy?" Bryan asked, trying to make a deal with The Lone wanderer.
"Sure… You know I'm looking for my dad too-"
"Oh this is a fucken match made in heaven! The orphans out in the fucken wastes, looking for their daddy's! I'm outta here!" Jericho mocked, having become sick and tired of the goody two shoes.
"Jericho!" James shouted in anger.
"What?!" Jericho announced, ready for a fight.
James looked at Bryan and told him to wait up ahead of them. He needed to make a deal with the raider, who he now regretted hiring. It was a shame, as James had hoped that they would have become good friends someday. Right now however, he needed to make a deal.
"What can I offer you to come with us?" James asked slowly through peeled teeth.
"Hmmm…..How about you pay for all my drinks back at Megaton?" Jericho said with a devilish grin.
"Deal. Now let's go!" James said as he swung his gun over his shoulder and followed Bryan, Moira would have to wait on those supplies.
Night had fallen, by the time the three got to the settlement of Grayditch. The dark sounds of the night echoed in the silence of the streets, as James, Jericho and young Bryan Wilkes stepped into town. Flames danced in the night, as James and Jericho ducked behind a Pulowski Preservation shelter that was placed outside of an old pre-war diner. The lone wanderer dropped his supply bag to the ground, and begun to peer around the corner of the diner. Nothing was visible. Bryan opened his mouth to say something, but was quickly silenced by James's hand. Jericho knew the look on the Lone Wanderers face, and it meant there was fun to be had here. A sound of scuttling approached them as they pushed their backs to the old diner, but it was too dark to see what was coming. James pulled his hand away from Bryan Wilkes's mouth, as James concentrated on the noise.
"It's the monster's…" Bryan said weakly and quietly, shivering in fear.
"Bryan. I want you to get into this shelter, and lock it from the inside…..Understand?" James asked the young man, gaining a quick nod of approval from the boy.
Bryan Wilkes quickly dashed around the shelter to its entrance, as the scuttling grew louder. Jericho actually was looking forward to this, first raiders and now monsters. It almost made up for the disappointing month he had spent with the Lone wanderer as his bodyguard. It wasn't that they didn't see action, it was that the kid had tried to avoid conflict at all costs. Jericho knew people like him, and they were usually the first to die, or the first to go crazy. Maybe the kid was both.
"Jericho! You ready?" James asked pocketing his glasses and pulled out his infiltrator.
"About fucken time kid!" Jericho said with a smile as the moved out of their cover into the view of the monster.
The large ant remained motionless below the flickering street lamp, as James and Jericho lowered their weapons in surprise.
"Fucken…ants?" Jericho said with disappointment in his voice.
"Their… really big…?" James said at the sight of the ant, bewildered that overgrown ants could do this much damage.
"Where's the fucken deathclaws?! Where's the fucken Muties!" Jericho shouted, as he had hoped for something a little tougher than overgrown picnic bandits.
"There is no way big ants did all this damage." James said as he looked around at the carnage, turning his back to the ant.
"So we missed the fucken monsters!?"Jericho said in anger and disappointment, at this anti-climactic situation.
"What the fuck is it doing now?" Jericho asked, as he noticed it had suddenly come to a halt before them.
A blazing inferno shot from the ant's mouth towards the wastelanders, before James had the chance to answer Jericho. Jericho's instinct's kicked in, causing him to dodge the streaming flames. James on the other hand, did not possesses this instinct and was set aflame. His screams filled the air, as flames burnt through his clothes to his skin, and caused him to throw his rifle away in panic. Pulling off his burning clothes, he ran away from the ant so as to not be set aflame any more than he already was.
Jericho opened fire on the ant, blowing the fuckers head to pieces. James jumped to the ground and rolled around in the dirt, his father's safety tips coming in handy once again. The flames died down, and James rolled onto his stomach groaning, as his back and left arm displayed horrible burns. The pain however, did not disappear with the flames. In fact, the cold night breeze, brushing against his charred skin, seemed to only make it worse. At least now, they knew the ants were the "monsters" responsible, for the town's current state.
After an enthusiastic shout, and what James hoped was Jericho pouring a bottle of beer on the ground. Jericho slowly walked over to James, who was now paralysed in pain, and kicked him in the leg. Causing a pained scream to escape James's mouth.
"You're alive? Tough little shit aren't ya?" Jericho said, as he hunched down at James.
"Fu…fuck you." James said, to Jericho's surprise.
"Look at those burns…" Jericho mocked with an impressed whistle.
"Get up kid." Jericho said coldly standing up straight, not showing a hint of compassion for the young vault dweller.
"I can't…Can't move!" James whimpered, as his head turned slowly to Jericho.
"Get the fuck up Vaultie…" Jericho said kicking James in the side, brushing James's burns.
James let out a scream, as his companion kicked him. James had never felt so much pain in his life. It was as if someone was pricking him with millions of needles. And then, some asshole was coming along every five seconds to kick him, just for fun.
"Jericho! Cut that out!" He shouted, turning his body quickly to face Jericho.
Pain ran through his body quickly, causing him to release a loud agonising roar. Jericho then, stabbed a needle into the Lone Wanderer's chest, causing the pain to subside a little.
"That should keep your mouth shut!" Jericho said as he removed the needle.
The pain had come to a halt for some reason, allowing him to get to his feet. His head was spinning from the effects of the injection, and seemed to have hindered his motor functions slightly.
"What…what was that?" James stammered at Jericho, feeling weak at the knees.
"Some Med-X." Jericho said bluntly, as James stumbled towards his companion.
"Oh…Thanks Jericho." James thanked, confused at Jericho's act.
"I did fucken nothing. Sept stabbing ya kid. And that was just fun." Jericho stated, as he lit another cigarette.
James's past experience with Med-x was brief, but memorable, as it thought him that the pain would return soon. James waddled over to his bag, and pulling out a stimpack, injected himself with its healing medicine. The med-x was still active in his system, but he didn't have the time to waste sitting and waiting for its effects to expire. He had to find Bryans father and get them both somewhere safe. Pulling a t-shirt out of his bag, James carefully slipped it over his scarred body. He walked over to his dropped weapon. Picking it up, he checked it for any damage.
"Jericho. I'm heading into Bryan's house to look for clues, maybe find out what the fucks going on here. Guard the shelter, till I get back." James ordered, remembering the description Bryan had given him earlier of the house.
"Kid…I'm staying out here, because I want to blow more fucken ants heads off." Jericho said with twisted enthusiasm.
Rolling his eyes, James walked towards the house with the shack beside it.
The scene inside the house was horrific. Flames engulfed the centre of the house in a huge pyre, as the dead bodies of ants scattered the floor of the den.
"Mr Wilkes?!" James shouted, as he searched for some evidence of a life.
The ant's corpses led James to the source of their demise, a burning corpse with a broken machine gun. Grabbing the nearby fire extinguisher, James put out the fire that had burnt the man's body to an unrecognisable husk. Sighing deeply, James examined the man's corpse.
"You died protecting him….didn't you?" James asked the corpse of the dead man.
James sighed and searched the house for anything he believed he could use. Once he had finished his sweep of the burning building, he had recovered some medicine, some items from Bryan's room, and some ammo from Mr Wilkes corpse. Bryan would want to come in to the house and look around for himself, but James couldn't do that to the boy. He knew what he had to do. Nobody should suffer that, and carry that burden.
"I'll look after your son Mr Wilkes. I promise. " James said sadly, as he lifted a blanket over the corpse of the dead man.