I do not own Fallout 4, fallout 3, any of these characters or those mentioned.
Memory of a Memory
"Jesus Christ its cold, god damn July how is there Fucking snow... Snow, Nora always loved the snow, crazy woman that she is. Always wanting to take a drive or go for a walk in it, god I want to go on a walk with her. Damn war is always ruinin... war...WAR WHERE THE FUCK IS MONTGOMERY?"
With that thought he pulled himself from the bone chilling powder frantic and terrified, glancing to his left he saw the shell hole that had knocked him silly. Benjamin was right next to him a few moments ago, spinning he finally found the snow angel breach on the surface.
Quickly he trudged over and tried pulling his friend out, and ignored his gloves red and warm. Pulling him from the snow was no easy feat, when he tried to lift he would only sink further into the snow as the snow shoes could only keep so much weight, the fresh powder they received the night before made this feat even harder.
When he finally got him above Monty roused with a pained groan. Nate looked for a medic but none where in sight, no one was, off in the distance he saw a convoy moving towards the refinery though and in turn the front. He stood up waving and shouting but they did not stop.
"Fuck this" He said fulling the 10mm Pistol from his belt. After firing two shots into the air they finally halted. In a few moments two small figures began running towards them and after what felt like an eternity of fear for his friend they arrived with a sled in tow.
"SIR, what are you boys doing back here the fight is that way." she said with a crisp salute, hardly the time or place he thought.
"Get the Gunnery Sargent back to the compound, NOW!" He shouted disregarding the her jab.
"YES SIR. Sir, you should come to, I'm not to sure how your Standing right now." said the second hefting Benjamin's bleeding form onto the sled, worry and maybe awe in his voice.
Doing a quick once over he saw what she meant, various lacerations and burns where on his gear, a few went through his winter coat and the armor leaving blood to paint his cloths. At some point in the charge a laser rifle had burned through his snow pants and missed his leg plate burning him deep, but cauterizing the wound.
"Med-X will be all." He replied grabbing Monty's hand. "Don't worry buddy, their gonna fix you up"
"Jesus, don't get sappy on me now, we got a war to win." Said the now awake Gunnery Sargent in a strained voice. "If we both make it through this... Can I meet this girl you keep dreaming about back home, Nancy no... Nora that was it."
"Course you will. I'm sure she will love you, jackass"
"Careful, she might just leave you for me. You know I'm the handsome one." Replied Montgomery.
"Put him under" the Medic nodded and injected him with a generous amount of morphine causing him to fallback into a peaceful state. The medic injected Nate then began pulling the gurney/sled back towards the base. "All right, back to the task at hand".
Turning back westward he saw the charge had gone along just fine without him or his friend. He was now about two miles from the line, and two and a half a mile from the Chinese compound. "They made good time" he said to himself as he ran to the front.
He stepped over the body's, not really feeling much about death anymore though he did do the numbers in his head. Less men died than the pre-brief had guessed, though that was not saying much. Roughly one Fourth of their original force was now dead not adding the robots, only assaultrons where able to be deployed because of the snow. He jogged to catch up with the medics and they walked back to the line of men and vehicles, Once Nate was discernible on the snow beaten path they all saluted.
"Sargent Howard, damn we just got reports from the line that your ass was MIA. Glad to see not even Jingwei can kill you." Said the man, he had a southern accent and a fine mustache.
"Didn't Chase tell you to shave that shit off your face Rich?" replied Nate with a sly look.
"I figures I would if we survive, that or I die looking fine. Speaking about surviving, how the fuck are you alive?" He said gaining a laugh from Nate and his subordinates.
"I need a ride to the front if you could oblige?" Said Nate ignoring the comment.
"No sir you got to walk jus like the rest of us, the ATV is for the Bot" He said pointing to the Sentry Bot in the back of the vehicle.
"Damn Things were made for solid ground." said one of the men.
"And the snow rider is going to your friend" said Rich pointing towards the medics and Monty driving away form the front.
"Alright... keep me company? I might get scared" Said Nate trying to act as brave for the troops, he got some laughs.
As they walked Nate looked at the soldiers, they all looked stressed like they where fresh from boot camp. He supposed that Washington thought it would be a good idea to send fresh troops rather than the seasoned men they needed, typical. Most where basic riflemen, though there where some flamers in the mix and two specialty snipers carrying Gauss Rifle, the newest toys strait out of RnD.
"You girls know how to use those?" Implored Nate to make conversation on the relatively short walk. The two women glanced at each other as if wondering whether it was a insult or a genuine question. The younger one spoke first.
"Yes sir, we where trained for 3 months on these rifles alone." she said getting a brief nod from Nate.
"Mind if I hold it?" he then asked, a sly grin creeping on his lips.
"These guns cost more to fire than it costs to make your rifle, so no you can't hold it." The other women stated matter of factually.
The rest of the walk was rather quiet save the mumbling of Richard, soon fire from the front picked up and they where there.
The front was massive, quick trenches had been dug in with ice and snow barricades covering some of the forward men. They didn't do much save make it harder for the Commies to see what they where shooting at, so they would just fire through the snow walls.
Lasers and bullets and all in between where flying over head and past them. Screams and wails flowed off the no mans land like a twisted chorus. The men and ATV where quickly run into the trench and with it cover.
"Whats the situation" Richard asked a man running orders.
"The Situation is we thought HE was dead" he said pointing to Nate . "The men can't get a foothold and ammo is running low."
"Nate, To the General now" ordered Rich.
"Always happy to help. You Two follow me, If you got a rifle in your hands your no good right now so lay down some suppressing fire. Flamers, you can't do shit right now so stay on the edge of the trench and wait for the breach." He said to the fresh group, the Gauss rifles followed him down the trench. They passed a line of Mortars, then the machine guns that where running red hot by now, the men stopped periodically to lay the gun in the snow to cool them. He disregarded his blooded winterized coat on the way there leaving his chest plate exposed.
After a few moments he was at the forward command and it was not good. Men and woman were yelling and running around, Chase was sitting at a desk looking angry enough to rip the gate to the refinery down barehanded.
"SIR, Nate Howard reporting for duty"
General Constantine Chase, Four star general of the United states Army was many things: tough, gruff, unmovable, paranoid, possibly unstable, the word insane was even used but he was no coward, him being on the front was not even a question. A stern face with a sharp jawline and wintry hair on top with a proud smile was what awaited you in victory, and cold steel grey eyes filled anger and a punishment at hand in defeat.
"Your late Howard, the teams couldn't find you OR Montgomery, kept saying a Red sniper got you or something of the like. I gave you two hours to get you ass here or a court-marshal for desertion... Seven minutes to spare." He said glancing at his pocket watch sternly, but with a slight smile anyways.
"You look like you lost a fight with a bear Howard...Get this battle over soon, I'm giving you full discretion on how you want to do it, now Get Out of This Tent AND GET THOSE COMMUNIST BASTARDS." He yelled making everyone in the tent jump. Nate nodded and left with the two snipers in tow. He was stopped by Chase once more though.
"I just got word from the Anchorage front, They got General Xenwan. We wont be needing Jingwie anymore so put that chink on ice." Nate nodded and left.
After exiting the tent he asked a passing soldier where the quartermaster was, following the detection's he found him quickly and requisitioned a new Assault rifle, he left his in the snow by Monty, five Frags, one plasma which was a bitch to get, damn experimental gear, and a thermos of coffee. Slowly he made his way to the forward trench to get a view the field. And there it was... the Chinese compound.
It was really a refinery and monitoring station for the U.S. oil pipeline from Alaska to America, though it had suited the Chinese nicely. Five feet thick and twelve feet high of solid concrete walls reinforced with steel beams on the backside, originally meant to hold back eco-terrorists. Automated turrets every ten feet and Chinese snipers lining the walls, artillery in hills behind and barbed wire on the gates and walls. Riveted steel gates on the front, sandbag lines along the front backed with machine guns of their own.
Sipping his coffee he tried to daft up a plan, His mind raced for a way to overcome this but none came to mind. He was scared, though he would never let the men see, he always had to look like it was under control he was a war hero now. No job could be to tough.
Only a Sargent but Gen. Chase trusted him to order troop, create strike plans hell higher ranks saluted him some times. He had a track record of success ever since the Type 63 tank depot, they never thought about how many men died in the operation no, it was only the fact he got it done. Cold sweat trickled down his neck as he realized what they had to do... push them to the wall.
"Alright gather the men." he said to the sniper who had been tailing him even after he forgot they where there.
They ran off to get the men, confuse and wondering if people would come if THEY asked but went regardless. Nate walked to the cooks, as good a place as any for a meeting. Men trickled in over the next twenty minutes talking among them self's or staring off blankly, once both woman where back and said he had gathered all they could he stood up to address them.
"Men, Woman, Soldiers, WARRIORS... We've got a job to do, not a fun one and not a safe one but the most important of our lives. The Preservation of the American way of life is in our hands, if we don't send them home with their tails between their legs while their footing is loose then they will dig in and march on OUR homes, OUR family's! Maybe not today maybe not tomorrow but they will come and they will Burn Down your houses and RAPE your wives and Brainwash you children... And after that they will erase us from the books, The sacrifices of our brothers in arms will be forgotten they will make sure if that. SO LETS GO DRIVE THE RED MENACE BACK TO THE CHAIRMAN'S HELL!"
A cheer erupted from the crowd, and grabbed their guns and raised them to the sky.
"Power armor, you boys got the moving cover so your going to push the sandbag line from the left! Clear it for us. Snipers, fire from the trench on the wall, I don't want one turret left! Flamers wait in the trench too, on the gate breach you charge and turn the courtyard into a blast furnace! If you got a rifle in your hands then your with me in the charge for the wall. Lets get these dog eaters. Go and wait in the forward trench.
They all followed orders an found their squads, Nate walked to the auto shop where he was met with the smell of oil and the chief mechanic.
"What can you give me" asked Nate
"Shit. Well we got four assaultrons ready, five Mr. Gutsy's and no sentry bots" the man replied clearly not aware of Richards delivery yet.
"Good enough, boot them up" the mechanic nodded and walked to his terminal. With a hiss the robots came online and lined up. Nate walked in front of the head unit, robots worked in groups too making it so you didn't have to give the same order multiple time to all of them.
"Your mission is to clear the sandbag line at the foot of the commie walls from the right, acknowledge command."
"scanning... Sargent Nate Howard recognized. You do not have proper rank to give command to these units." Nate shot a irritated glance at the grease monkey and he shot back to his terminal. After a few short moment the gave him the 'all good' look and Nate continued.
"Acknowledge previous command"
"Acknowledged Sargent Howard, beginning operation."
The robots began moving towards the no mans land and Nate ran ahead of them. He shouted to go to the squads and they began the siege.
The charge was met with machine gun fire falling on them like rain. Men dropped to the snow and tried to cover themselves with it to camouflage and fired at the sandbag line. The enemy snipers fires on any who passed closer than two hundred feet from the walls. Nate dived behind a snow blinder and drew a Frag Grenade, pulling the pin he cooked it two seconds, screamed frag out and threw it as hard as he could. It must have passed the bags because the screams of Chinese ringed out over the gun fire.
He found sight of one of the Gauss snipers trying to shoot at the enemy snipers along the wall. She was ten yards away firing from a shell hole. Nate ran through the gun fire and dived into the hole.
"What are you doing out here Snipers are in the trench"
"YOU SAID FOLLOW YOU, YOU NEVER SAID STOP." she shouted back. Fuck Nate thought, to fresh to take a hint.
"Keep you head down"
Peeking out he saw they where gaining ground now, through the casualty rate was high. Power armored units had begun sweeping in from the left with mini guns for the Sandbag line when Nate saw the faint red light under the snow. The armored figures took a few more steps before they awoke the Spider drones, they where swarmed in a matter of moments by the explosive robots and blow to scraps. The guns on the walls and sandbag lines where thinning, Nate then began thinking about he door.
Reinforced steel would take a small nuke to breakdown, Explosives would do the trick though more than a few mire grenades. Nate spotted Rich and began running to him only to be hit in the calf causing him to drop. A medic from Rich's line spotted him and ran to retrieve him, the man grabbed Nate by the straps of his chest-plate and began pulling him back but a shot ragout and the medic dropped to the snow clean shot through the head leaving him to crawl to cover.
"Richard, remember the Trojan horse idea we had?" yelled Nate between pants.
"Fuck corse I do why?" yelled Richard still firing.
"Go get it ready for the gate" he then said getting a surprised look from Rich.
"...Alright but the quartermaster ain't gonna be happy about it" he replied running back to the trench.
The hero then took a moment to examine his leg. It was a clean shot through, thank god for med-X he thought. Asking a medic for his bag he glanced at the stimpak ration, though decided to settle with wrapping it, someone else would need that Stimpak before the day was though. Grabbing his rifle he shot over the barricade at the sandbag men.
From his spot he could see the robots closing the right, A mister gutsy fired his plasma arm and with a scream it turned a man to goo. Nate was left in shock by the display, Plasma was super heated gas how the fuck did it just do that to a fully armored man?
"HOW DID THE PLASMA MELT A MAN?" He asked the medic.
"Well sir," he said still firing." A Plasma rifle fires super heated gas as ammo, once you turn it on it begins heating. If you fire at a steady rate the plasma will heat evenly, if you don't you get super SUPER heated gas, its a design flaw to be sure. At those temperatures it can not only destroy the gun in four or five shots but it can melt the target in a moment."
Nate took a moment to think on what the man had said, it made sense.
"How do you know all that?' he asked the medical man.
"Everybody was something before the war, Just so happens I was a plasma welder for RobCo out in Nevada to pay for my med-school."
"Whats your name?" Nate shouted
"Elliott Tercorien Sir"
Before He could ask further questions the noise from men behind alerted him to the Trojan horse. Richard ran ahead to meet him.
"Damn quarter pissed up a storm but I got he Mines, damn things so touchy, and don't get me started on strapen em on."
The "Trojan horse" as it was referred to as, was a Sentry Bot loaded with mines and C4 bricks commanded to touch the Gate to the compound. Try as they may there where just not enough Chinese men left to stop the mad robot, bullets impacted the mines but they where made to only detonate with pressure. Forward men began running away from the gate as the bomb trudged along.
But there was a foresight flaw on Nate's part, one that he noticed to late. The robot came closer and closer until it activated the Spiderbots, the monsters erupted from the snow and charged the moving bomb and latching onto the hull. They exploded in unison and the Trojan horse went up along with it causing all the men to drop, the sound hit the ears like a truck, and the light was blinding.
Nate arose from the snow to look at the damage, then he saw the fusion cores burning and dived again. After the following explosion he rose, nervously. The gate was still standing but it helped.
The sandbags along with the men guarding them where all but gone, the snipers where ether thrown from the wall by the blast or dead leaving the walk to the gate open. He yelled to the men but found he could not even hear his own voice over the ringing, everyone looked around dazed and stupid.
Standing up he felt the painkillers running thin, making it a battle of will to continue, he marched to the gate and examined it. Not any weaker he thought, he turned back to the field and found most men gathered behind him, Grabbing his plasma grenade he waved it and pointed. Some confused, but a few soldiers walked up with theirs, one was the Gauss woman. He took the grenades and put them in a pile, then yelled for duck tape with his hearing getting better.
"A mans best friend" he thought as a support ran the tape to the front of the crowd. Grabbing it he tapped his grenade to the seem of the gate, then the next a few feet higher and so on. The men caught on and backed away as he finished the last one, saying a prayer he pulled the safety pin on all of them, then pushed the charge button on each starting the heating process. The Nubs on the top grew in green intensity then stabilized, Nate pushed the ignite button and ran as fast as he could diving into the snow yet again.
With a pop the plasma was released and burned through the doors hinges, eating away at the metal like piss on snow. They all waited as the plasma burned and burned until the door was cut away falling to the Earth.
They charged with Nate in the middle of the crowd, hell bent on the death of every commie in the buildings. The group ahead halted abruptly though and Nate pushed to the front to see the situation.
Jingwei stood in the middle of the court, his infamous shock sword in hand and two Americans on their knees. One Looking up with tears in their eyes and gave a yelp of pain was the sword passed through his neck. The other dropped and rolled as far as he could from the Chines maniac and was grabbed and pulled to the side lines.
"Mister Howard I presume? commendable work thus far, especially our listening post." he spoke in a thick accent, though calm. It made Nate's blood run cold, Jingwei knew something, He had a plan he had to.
"Its over, you have to know that"
"Yes it is isn't it. You have destroyed my tanks, my men and dragged my name through the mud... But you will never take me, not alive." He said raising his left hand. Every gun in the room was on him, he had a detonator.
Looking around Nate could see the charges on the pipeline, one breach and the whole pipe would go taking the whole force with it. Who knows how much damage it would do to anchorage? Nate raised his hands and dropped his gun, stepping forward. All the men looked confused, there leader dropped his gun? He ordered the men to do the same, and they did.
OoOoOoO
At hearing the gunfire stop General Chase arrived planning on praising the men, Though all he was met with was worried glances. All the guns where in the snow and he could feel the tension.
He too pushed his way to the front to assess the situation. He saw Nate and the Commie standing in the middle, then the detonator and it all fell into place.
"We can't take you alive," he said trying to calm the Chinaman. "You'll loose your honor right?" Nate said trying to remember movies he had seen.
The man scoffed nodded "Something like that."
"Don't blow the pipeline... duel me. If I win you win, you die in combat, that's better right? And if you win... You get to walk, leave and no one will stop you. I give my word, whatever an Americans word is worth to you" he finished.
Shock was quite but present, even Chase was lost in Nate's intent. Nate knew the men would be enraged by this, looking behind him confirmed it. He made eye contact with Chase which he knew was a bad idea, but he shot a wink and Chase nodded back.
Looking back at Jingwei he saw a debate in him. He look at the Americans wondering if they would really let him go. But even if they didn't he would blow the pipeline anyways, and get to kill their hero in front of his men. No loss on his part.
"Is this acceptable General?" Jingwei asked with a smirk. Chase looked at his men, but he knew that if he cared what the men wanted they would have given up with the war two years ago.
"You win, you walk just like Sargent Howard said." Chase said mustering all the control he had. "But Howard never loses General, so say hello to Satan for me"
Some random ran back to the no man and grabbed a sword of a dead Chinese officer, running up to Nate and handing it to him. While Jingwei took his stance Nate examined the weapon, wooden grip would stop the Chinese shock mod, good enough he thought.
Holding the blade in front of him and Jingwei doing the same the Americans made a cycle arena around them. Chase found himself next to Rich in the ring and whispered an order, Rich was shocked but a stern look had sent him walking to carry it out. He found a Gauss sniper and took the gun, Generals orders he said then walked to a further wall and took position.
"Don't make me do it Nate, win this shit fair and square" he whispered.
They stood twenty feet apart, breaths smoking in The arctic air on waiting for the other to begin. Nate felt the high dissipating fast, he knew he should have used more morphine his leg starting to shake and the burn sending waves of pain through him.
As he was in his mind Jingwei struck. Charging, Nate had only just enough time to dive away from the swing and landed roughly on the stone of the court. Jingwei did not let up, jumping into the air he missed Nate by mere moments by a roll.
On his feet Nate charged the Asian sword low. He never really practiced with swords save sticks as a child, regardless he struck at Jingwei, blocked effortlessly. Back on the guard he parried strike after strike, his blade hissed with the current of Jingwei's shock sword.
He knew he could not win this, not against a swordsmen like this. A deep on his thigh sent his muscles wild, his leg dropped limp and convulsing. He screamed and dropped his sword unable to keep his hand from shaking. Having disarmed his opponent Jingwei spoke.
"My freedom is at hand, I wish I could say you fought well." Many of the men shouted insults and pleas for Nate to pickup his weapon and fight back but he made no attempt to. Rich watched the China men from afar, but as he tried to shoot he realized it was not on or charging, He had failed to save Nate. "Now you will die"
A scream came from most women and even a few men as Jingwei plunged his blade into Nate's gut. A grin was on his face as he watched Nate's body convulse, but he only watched the pain in his eyes not the sly of his hands.
Gripping his trench knife on the back of his belt he plunged the blade into Jingwei's eye swift and firm. Screaming the China men dropped the sword and stumbled back. He reached for the detonator only to find thin air. Nate tossed it to the line of soldiers and fell to the ground, lying there on the cold stone he pulled his 10 mm off his belt and fired 4 shots into the General.
Blurred figures surround him, the voices and faces drifted away slowly. And the only one left was Nora in the end.
And for that he was glad.
OoOoOoOoO
"So your telling me I DON'T get to keep the sword an insane Chinese General stabbed me in the gut with?" he shouted at the U.S. representative.
He had been stabilized at the refinery, only by a little and flown back to Canada for treatment. Having been there for almost a month he expected a visit from Uncle Sam earlier but non the less it was nice to know Washington noticed him.
"We wish we could," A bull faced lie "But its being studied for American use on the field."
"What can I keep then?" He asked in a huff of rage.
"Well, your footlocker has been sent to your parents home as you have no spouse or address. But we have a few things to repay you for, more on that later." said the Government man getting a puzzled look from Nate.
"You can't just spearhead the entire post operations for the liberation of anchorage, kill a Chinese war criminal and almost sacrifice your life for your country and think we wouldn't want to thank you. Your a war hero" continued the Man with a grin. "That will be all for now, we will get back to you once your stateside again."
The man left and Nate walked down the hall to the cafeteria to meet Monty with the help of a nurse. Chase treated his men well, if they won battles, and did him a few favors. He got Nate's name in the paper as 'The Hero of Anchorage' for what it was worth, he got him increased pension and a Hospital shared with Benjamin. He also said a promotion but Nate had declined stating that he planned not to continue in the army, much to Chase's dismay.
Entering the cafeteria he spotted his friend sitting with some fellow soldiers, He walked over to grab food then seated himself across for Ben.
"Somebody looks better, they still following you around?" Said Ben gesturing to the nurse standing by the door.
"Everywhere"
The Hospital staff had been very overbearing about his recovery. He was kept in bed for the first two weeks strait and followed twenty four seven. His wounds had healed pretty well, though they would scar terribly, a field medics job is to keep you alive not make clean stitches.
Montgomery had sustained internal bleeding and major lacerations after the shell leaving him wheelchair ridden for weeks, though he would walk again. Overall the pair had gotten pretty roughed up above every other man in the room.
"So its mail day right? did yall get letters?" said on of the men at the table.
"Yes sir, Tax's, Bills, And a letter saying I won three free Superbowl tickets. You guys?"
"Bills taxes and my mom."
"Medical bills for my daughter, and Letters from said daughter."
"A letter form Nora"
"My dad died, inheritance"
They all finished their meals and quite banter which was broken by Ben.
"So you got the scans right, what did they say?"
"They said electrical shock at those levels is bad for you... Major nerve damage." every one was left in a silent.
"Well how bad?"
Nate swiftly grabbed a fork and drove it into his hand causing everyone at the table to jump though he didn't even flinch. "That bad, No more pain, touch is dull at best. Such is the price for freedom I suppose." he said somberly.
"Jesus Christ... but on the scale of things no pain isn't that bad right?"
"I guess"
OoOoOoOoO
Stepping through the gate he saw so many people holding signs, hugging their brave men and women finally coming home. No one was alone not even Monty, Who's Parents had driven to DC from New Mexico to see him. Looking around he finally found that face that was there for him, Nora.
He ran towards he as fast as he could, she saw him only in time to see who it was. They hugged as tight as they could, Nora cried and laughed as she held onto him like he would slip away at anytime. He had waited for this for so long, all the fighting and pain was made worth it for this moment. She finally stopped sobbing and kissed him, which was interrupted a moment later.
"Sooooo, you going to introduce me?" asked Monty from behind him.
"Oh Jesus right now? Nora this is Benjamin Montgomery my Battle Buddy, Benjy this is Nora my-"
"I'm his Girlfriend, pleasure to meet you" interrupted Nora shaking Benjamin's hand.
"Nice to finally meet you, you've got a spell on this boy something fierce." Said Benjamin. Nora shot a grin at Nate and he chuckled. "He's saved my life twice now, Bravest man I ever met."
"I know" replied Nora.
"Hello, you must be Nate Howard. Our little Benjy has told us so much about you." said an older woman walking up to the trio, presumable Montys mom.
"Thanks for keeping the fool out of trouble, God knows he needed it." said his father.
"So benjy tells me your set to win the Metal of Honor tomorrow, you are a very lucky woman" she said to Nora causing Nate a great deal of discomfort and making Nora glare at him
"That is enough mom, lets not interrupt them anymore." said Montgomery in a respectful tone. Him and his parents walked away.
"The Metal of Honor huh, Is that why you had me drive all the way to Washington?" she asked
"Yes though it was supposed to be a surprise" Nate said, Nora got a little uncomfortable by the last word.
"Yah Speaking about surprises, I have one for you too."
She walked over to the bench she was sitting on a moment ago, only a few feet away from them leaving Nate lost in wonder. What did she mean? was it bad, no it couldn't be, her tone was only worried at best. Once she reached the bench she grabbed something that made Nate's heart stop, the Baby carrier
"His name is Shaun"
OoOoOoOoO
"My freedom is at hand, I wish I could say you fought well. And now YOU WILL DIE"
Nate woke form the dream sweating and terrified, feeling his abdomen and the scar he calmed though. Just another dream he thought. The sun was shining though the window, he had overslept again. Nora was not next to him so she must have let him sleep in, Standing up he walked over to the bathroom and washed his face. Nora walked in.
"Your gonna knock them dead at the veterans hall tonight honey." she whispered in his ear.
"You think?"
"Absolutely, now quit hogging the mirror."
"Alright, alright you look better in it anyways."
Sanctuary Hills was nice, Nora loved it and it was away form the city like Nate liked. The home was given to Nate in exchange for allowing the government to use his likeness in some training program, seemed like a good deal to him.
Nora was always busy, she wanted to become a lawyer and Nate supported her in it with his pay though the war, now he was staying home with his son and worked every other day at the Red Rocket a few miles south-east.
He walked to the kitchen to get his morning coffee and some food then met his robotic butler, A General Atomics International 'Mister Handy', Codsworth. The robot reminded him of the Anchorage equivalent the 'Mister Gutsy, though his was far more courteous and gentle doing most of the work around the house for him.
"Ah good morning suh! Your Coffee , 173.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Brewed to perfection. And today's news paper Just delivered" He said in his English accent. When he and Nora had gone to the Dealership they asked what voice they wanted, and Nora had thought a British man would make a good butler. Nate grabbed the coffee from the robot and was met with it yelling at him.
"Mister Howard that coffee is near boiling, are you alright?" Inquired the robot, worried about his master. Nate had almost forgotten the lack of pain, only rarely reminded by the fear of others for him. Times like missing the nail and hitting his finger, or grabbing a trey from the oven with his bare hand where the only times his damage was mentioned.
"I'm fine Codsworth, can you hand me the paper?" The robot nodded its central eye and gave its owner the paper.
"Thank you Codsworth," Most people didn't bother thanking the robots, but Nate did it regardless. Grabbing the paper he turned to the war report. "If we keep pushing the Reds they will do something crazy"
"Your probably right suh, but what else can we do. We have to win right?"
He didn't reply, instead he grabbed two pieces of bread and put them in the toaster, then switched on the TV and listened to the News. Sipping his Coffee he read the sports section, Nora walked in and Nate passed her a cup.
"So, Monteys in town for the speech."
"Oh, Is his Girlfriend with him?" asked Nora.
"I don't think so, I'll ask him today. Also I think I should go see Nick tonight, He has not been himself sense Jennifer Died. Always blowing off plans to pour over those case files, or drinking."
"I think that's a good idea, Is he still being treated at the CIT?"
"Yah. He thinks their crazy you know, always scanning his brain like maybe that will fix him or thinking they will find a tumor as if the problems can just be cut out. Makes me nervous though, what if he goes after that Winter Bastard and ends up killing him?"
"Nicks not that stupid Nate, But I'm worried too." A knock on the door interrupted them. "Oh damn, Its that salesman again, I've been dodging him all week."
"Don't worry Hon I'll handle it" said Nate walking to the door. Opening it he found a smaller man in his forties on his porch. He wore a trench coat and a fedora, and had a clip board in hand
"Good Morning, Vault Tech calling" He began, almost too excitedly.
"Good morning"
"Isn't it, just look at that sky." spoke the man. He cleared his throat. "You can't begin to know how happy I am to finally speak with you, I've been trying for days." A worried tone on the words. Nate wondered what this man could want.
"Alright what appears to be the problem?"
"Oh no problem, I'm here to tell you that because of your family service to our county, you have been pre-selected for entry to the local vault. Vault 111" He replied with no small amount of gusto.
"Alright sounds great"
"We just need some information." Said the man handing Nate a clipboard. It was mostly dates of birth and names, only taking him a moment.
"Wonderful, I'll just walk these over to the vault this afternoon. And congratulations on being prepared for the future." He said walking back to the logo-ed van.
"Hey, its peace of mind, thats worth a little paperwork right?" asked Nora as he shut the door.
"For you and Shaun no price it to high."
"Good answer" Nora said giggling.
"I have my moments."
They finished there coffee in then went their own ways for the morning, Nate went back for the toast he had forgotten and Nora to go get ready. As he ate a Car pulled up and out hopped the familiar face of Benjamin with his bags. Nate walked quickly to the door to open it for his friend, and greeted him warmly, which was returned and they walked into the house.
"Damn, why didn't I ask for a house in that program deal? All I asked for was all my student debt to be paid." Said Benjamin laughing loudly.
"You should be happy, Nora's student debt took all my checks to pay off. Jesus man how long has it been," He replied then hugging his friend.
"Too long, Speaking of Nora where is the lady."
"Hello Ben" said Nora warmly peaking out from the corner of the hallway.
"Nice to see you again, Its been sense the wedding hasn't it. Time fly's I suppose. Any ways I bet your wondering why I came out his way," They both had wondered sense the call actually. "I got a job out here!" He shouted to Nate.
"That's great, what did you get?" asked Nate cheerfully, Having his best friend in the area would be nice.
"Picture this... Benjamin Montgomery, Head of security at ArcJet Systems." he said ecstatically
"That's great Ben, when will you be moving out?" Asked Nora happy to see Nate so happy.
"November twelfth, already got an apartment by the stadium. Who knows maybe we can catch a few games." said Ben.
"Well your always welcome here Benjamin." said Nora getting a thankful look from Nate.
"Mister Howard, Shaun has been changed but he absolutely refuses to calm down. I think he needs some of that 'Paternal affection' you seem to be so good at." interrupted Codsworth as Shaun cried in the other room.
"Well you heard him Nate" said Nora chuckling. "You TWO get to go handle that, I still need to get ready"
"Alright time for Shaun to see uncle Benjie." Said Ben walking down the hall with Nate.
Once they got into the room the crying calmed slightly. Nate walked over and spun the mobile and played with his little hands, Ben and Nora watched from the doorway whispering about how good a dad he was. Nate picked up the baby and handed him to Benjamin who looked completely out of his element, for all his boasting he was actually terrified of holding baby's, they always felt too fragile for him.
"So now that Ben is in town," said Nora glancing at him then Nate. "What should we do for the rest of the day?"
"Beers." Said Ben.
"That sounds fun. But we would need to get a sitter for Shaun." added Nate.
"I can ask the Hawthorne's, they always are so good with him."
"Alright, good plan but where shou-" He was cut off by Codsworth in the front room.
"SUH, MUM YOUR SHOULD COME AND SEE THIS!" shouted the Robot in a fearful tone.
"Codsworth?.. Whats wrong?" Nora said running to the robot followed by Nate, and Monty still holding Shaun.
The robot was staring at the Television news anchor with a deadly focus. The man on the screen held a worried tone and people in the news room where running around with papers and reports, it reminded Nate of the command tent in Alaska, a feeling that did not sit well.
"-Yes followed by sounds of explosions, Flashes blinding flashes. We have lost contact with the west coast... still trying to get confirmation... YES we do have confirmed reports I repeat confirmed reports of Nuclear Detonation in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Salt Lake city and the surrounding areas... Denver and Kansas City have gone Dark as well. My God."
Jesus this was long. Anyways I don't know how people could think Nora could survive in the wasteland I mean she was a lawyer of all things. And I know a high charisma (like a lawyer would have) would help but Nate was in the army so he would know how to clean and fire a weapon, How to fight and would be used to killing people which is the only things that could keep him alive in most of his future endeavors.
I also like to think that Nate served in Anchorage because that would make sense, He was a decorated war hero so what could he have done? The player in Operation Anchorage did quite a lot and could have been based on a real man Chase knew. Also why did the news anchor say they lost contact with New York and Pennsylvania, An attack from China would have come from the west not he east.
For the Anchorage part I did a hell of a lot of tweaks, All the terminals in Baileys crossroads say Chase was mad and making shit up like the Chimeras and the fatman's where also not in field deployment at that point. So I worked it how I thought it might have gone, changing the Tank depot to a real modal, and getting the door down in another way.
About the raciest slur's. They are terrible but important, Chase hated the commies and in turn Asians in general, most of the men probably did, I've been around military men most of my life, my brother is in the Army and hate of the enemy is an impotent aspect of war. So there had to be some display of hate.
As a writer I would like to make a formal apology if I did end up offending anyone with the language in this story especially the previously stated racism But my goal is to make this as real as possible and in a story like this horrible things can be said.-Whiskyfalls