Chapter 2
"Boss?"
A hushed growl rose up from his throat, as he held the picture frame in his hands.
No, he thought, that can't be her.
He put it back on the wall, blaming his moment of insanity on the vast amounts of time travel comic books he'd read over the course of his life. MacCready plopped himself back on the bed, no longer caring that the mattress was uncomfortable. Things like these happen, right? There was no way a nonghoulified two hundred year old woman was sleeping in the room next door.
He thought over the possibilities, wild theories, ancestors passing on exact lookalikes for a few generations, whirring around in his head. Once again, the more he thought about Dawn, the more questions were raised. He'd only known this woman for a mere twenty four hours, and he'd never regretted taking up employment before. Not since the Gunners.
The risks were too high, he didn't know this woman from Adam and she never explained to him explicitly what he had been hired for. Throughout their travels she had let him trail along as she ambled around the ruined city, shooting anything that moved in her vicinity like some jumped up kid. She seemed scared of her own shadow, and that sort of mentality would get her killed in the harsh wastelands.
His mind made up, MacCready got out of bed, grabbed the picture frame off the wall, and walked purposefully into the living room. Dawn was still sitting up on the mattress, her head leaning against the windowsill as she watched the feral ghouls stumble along the streets below. She looked up at him, and the more he watched her the more similar she was to the pre-war woman in the photograph.
"I need an explanation," he said, hoping that she wouldn't ignore his questions like before. Thankfully, she didn't, and Dawn sat up with an annoyed sigh.
"What do you want explained?" Her voice was low and defeated, as if she knew this was coming sooner or later.
Now that she was open to questioning, MacCready didn't exactly know where to start.
The world is your oyster RJ, he thought bitterly.
"Well," he began as he gestured vaguely to the picture frame in his hands. Dawn watched it intently. "W-who is this woman in this picture? And why do you have a key to this apartment? And what's with the Pip-Boy? A-and why do you want to hire me for good?"
Dawn didn't answer straight away, and she didn't look directly into MacCready's eyes as she mulled over her words. Eventually she stood up, walked towards him, and gently pried the picture frame from his hands.
"This was my mother's apartment," she began. "I had a spare key in case I wanted to visit. That picture..." Her voice was forlorn, but she paused once again as her expression hardened. "Listen, MacCready...I will explain everything in due time. I just need you to trust me."
That explanation wasn't good enough, and he scoffed at her attempt. Stubbornly, he stood his ground when she tried to walk past him, probably to hang the picture back on the wall, but when she realized that he wasn't happy with her response she stood back and sighed once more in defeat.
"I don't know you," he said slowly, making himself perfectly clear to her. "And I can't trust you because I don't know what I'm here for. At least tell me the reason why you've hired me so that I can at least do my job. How do I know you won't put a bullet in my back?"
The last question visibly disturbed her, as if the mere suggestion of it offended Dawn. She shook her head, lips tightening into an annoyed frown. "You're right..." A hand rose up to brush some of her hair away from her face. "I don't know how to bring it up with you, but I just..."
Her voice trailed off as she shrugged. Dawn pointed toward a chair, wordlessly telling MacCready to sit down, as she settled back down onto the mattress, turning on the light from her Pip-Boy. The room was illuminated a sickly green.
"I'll be straight with you," she began. "I hired you because I need someone to watch my back. I'm from a vault, and I'm totally inexperienced with the world outside of it." Dawn glanced outside the window, her face turning forlorn and sullen again. "I don't know what I'm doing in terms of survival, and I'm surprised I've made it this far." Her brown eyes met his at last. "Over the next few months, I need you to teach me everything you know. I saw you when you took on those raiders at Libertalia, you know exactly what you're doing. You're deadly, you're efficient...and I need to be like that."
There was another pause as Dawn observed his expression. He kept his face straight and his expression even, but Dawn could see from his eyes that he was far from impressed. A beat passed and he reached into his pocket, pulled out a packet of cigarettes, and lit one swiftly with his lighter. An exhale of smoke later, he shook his head.
"Why?" He asked.
"I need to find my son."
A nerve was struck within him, and he searched her eyes for any indication of dishonesty. There were none.
She was serious.
He knew not to pry, especially now that there was anger simmering beneath her skin. She didn't seem lost, or scared, or wishful...there was a fire in her eyes that screamed at him, the very same look he saw whenever he glanced at his own reflection. The determination was there, and despite their differences, despite them being complete strangers, MacCready knew that they were the same.
He didn't need to know more, because he already knew what this meant to her.
MacCready stretched out his hand, the open cigarette packet facing her like the peace offering from the night before. But this time, it wasn't out of pity. She took one and sparked up, looking out the window to signify that the conversation was over, and they both sat in silence as tendrils of smoke wafted around them. Nothing more needed to be said.
At sunrise, he knew their journey would begin.
X
They were back on the open road, and MacCready felt like he was in his element. Dawn walked closely ahead, occasionally barking directions over her shoulder as she navigated around the city ruins. He clenched his jaw, not uncomfortable with her being too close to him as they travelled.
"Hey," he called, "You walk on ahead. I'll hang back and watch you from behind."
She seemed unhappy with his suggestion, pausing mid step as she turned to look back at him. "I'm not comfortable with that," she countered. "I don't like being out in the open."
He tutted as he shook his head, raising his rifle to prove his point. "I'm a sniper," he uttered, "I shoot from a distance."
She digested his words, then sighed after careful consideration. "Okay," she huffed as she shifted her weight between her feet. "But...what if I come across any enemies?"
MacCready raised a brow, clearly stumped by how this clueless woman has managed to survive this long. "You shoot them?" He patronized. "Y'know, point your gun? Pull the trigger? Shoot 'til they're dead?" He shook his head, his patience now wearing thin. "Listen, just trust me to cover your back. If you come across someone, duck and cover. I'll handle the rest."
Dawn closed her eyes as she stiffened. She muttered inaudibly to herself, then opened her eyes to look at the mercenary. "Fine, fine," she caved in. "Just...don't miss."
He scoffed at her words, but chose to bite his tongue and let the insult slide.
Like she could do any better.
The sun was high in the sky, and the heat was almost unbearable as it shined down on the both of them. Sweat beaded on MacCready's face, his mood sullied after walking in the heat for a few hours. Dawn had given up on wearing her mask, and it swung loosely from her hand as she walked on ahead. He observed her, noting how she walked. The way she moved was almost leisurely, as if danger wasn't lurking behind every corner. Must be nice to be so carefree, he thought, but his experiences in the wasteland have quashed away such ways of thinking long ago.
A loud crack echoed through the air, and MacCready immediately aimed his rifle. Dawn didn't seem nearly as alert as she looked around to see what direction the gunshot came from. He grit his teeth in frustration, and at that moment he didn't care if he was going to give away his position. He ran at full pelt towards Dawn and pushed her behind an overturned car for cover before a barrage of bullets peppered the ground they were on mere moments before.
"Shit!" Dawn took out her pistol, shaking hands clicking the safety catch off before she shot blindly over their cover. "Where are they?"
MacCready clenched his jaw as he quickly peeked over the top of their cover, his blue eyes scanning the area for enemies before he crouched back down.
"Three raiders," he shouted. A bullet whistled above him where his head used to be. "I'm gonna get to higher ground, cover me!"
She gawped at him in confusion, her lips mouthing cover me with speculation. MacCready looked up to the heavens with a clenched jaw - why am I lumbered with this moron - before his head whipped back to address her.
"Just shoot in their fuc- in their freaking direction!"
Startled from his outburst, she kept on shooting at the raiders blindly, causing them to scatter as MacCready ran into the building behind Dawn. He jumped over a desk to grab the edge of a hole in the ceiling above, clambering up into the next floor. There was a window to the side, and he quickly kicked the glass to shatter it before bringing up his rifle and resting the barrel on the windowsill.
Dawn frantically shot in the raider's direction until her gun clicked dry. The raiders took advantage of the lull in gunfire, sprinting full-tilt toward her cover. MacCready lined up his sights, his heartbeat thumping in his ears as his barrel followed the movement of a lone raider.
His sights hovered between the raider's eyes. The trigger squeezed. A loud bang, and the raider tripped and fell into a spray of his own blood.
"Sniper!" The raider nearest to Dawn screamed as she ducked for cover. The remaining raider psycho also ducked with her, and began blind firing at the window. MacCready rushed over to the next window and cleared the remaining shards of shattered the glass with the butt of his rifle.
He quickly checked through the window frame for the two raider's positions, but was dismayed when they hid themselves behind a nearby truck. He hissed through his teeth as he reloaded his rifle, peering below to check if Dawn was okay.
"Boss!" He called as he pulled the bolt back and aimed at the truck. "Frag 'em!"
Dawn visibly paled, but she knew she had to draw out the raiders somehow. With determination, she suddenly stood up and ran towards the truck.
She holstered her pistol and started fiddling with something on her chest. MacCready's eyes went wide when he saw her in his sights, and was about to yell at her in anger when he heard her shout.
"I HAVE A BOMB!"
His jaw dropped when the raiders scrambled out of cover and scattered away from her. But his composure returned swiftly as he shot at a female raider that just so happened to be aiming a shotgun at his employer. She screamed in agony when her wrist exploded, splattering blood between herself and Dawn. The shotgun clattered to the ground, and without hesitation, Dawn picked up the weapon and aimed it at the woman's head. She stilled in surrender, whimpering in pain all the while.
MacCready quickly searched for the last raider psycho, who was still running away from Dawn's bomb threat. He aimed his rifle, lined up his sights with his head, and fired a clean shot that pierced through the psycho's skull. His body skidded momentarily before sliding to a stop, now dead.
Sweat dripped from his brow and MacCready let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The mercenary dropped down the hole on the floor and jogged over to Dawn, who was still aiming the shotgun at the female raider's head.
"Just put her out of her misery," he snapped as he reloaded his rifle once more, but Dawn held her position and didn't move.
"She surrendered," Dawn said breathlessly as she tried to reason with him, but MacCready wasn't taking any bullshit today.
He stomped over to Dawn, barging her out of the way and snatched her pistol from her holster. With no hesitation he aimed the gun at the raider and pulled the trigger. It was a quick death, and the body flopped back onto the floor, dark blood spreading from the viscera on her wrist and head. He heard Dawn gasp behind him, and with one hand he clicked the safety back on the gun before shoving it into her chest.
She fumbled with her pistol as she holstered it once more, watching the mercenary walk away from her and crouch at one of the bodies on the ground, searching for ammo.
"MacCready!" She shouted in anger, her voice cracking. "What the hell!? She surrendered!"
MacCready stood back up and faced her, a livid expression contorting his face. "She's a raider!" He yelled. "They don't surrender! As soon as you turn your back on one they pull a knife and stab you from behind!"
Dawn was about to shout back before a reflection caught her eye. She looked at the bleeding corpse at her feet and noticed a sharp combat knife clutched between the body's dead fingers. She kept quiet, and felt stupid for letting her emotions get the better of her judgment. She listened to MacCready's footsteps as he walked back toward her, satisfied with the looted ammo, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him.
"C'mon," he said, nudging her shoulder with his elbow. His voice was gentler now. "All that gunfire must have attracted some attention; let's get out of here before something worse comes along."
Dawn tore her eyes away from the woman and trailed closely behind MacCready, letting him take point and lead their way to safety.
X
Diamond City, the green jewel of the Commonwealth. MacCready never really took to this part of the city, but it was the closest place he could go to rest and restock. Dawn didn't speak a word during the whole journey there since the raider fight, but it was fine. He was still annoyed with her incompetence during the whole thing, and he knew he would snap at her if she spoke.
Not exactly a good idea to piss off my employer.
"You, my lady," shouted the local hairdresser, his voice louder than the other merchants in the market. "Your hairstyle is what I call the Scavver Special, the flecks of blood is the main giveaway." He looked over to Dawn, who tucked a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear self-consciously. "Come by if you need a more appropriate cut."
MacCready smirked at Dawn's sudden shyness, but she kept quiet and slowly ambled behind him. Deciding to lighten the mood, he walked over to the power noodle stand in the center of the market, and took a seat on one of the high stools.
"Oh man, you ever had this guy's noodles?" The young merc said with a chuckle as he watched Dawn sit on the stool beside him. "They're amazing!" He looked over at the robot across the bar, who was busy stirring a large pot of broth. "What's up, Taka! Set me up with some of your shima...uh, shimachanga..." He stalled, his face suddenly going blank. "Uh, w-whatever they're called."
It whirred around fluidly before asking "Nani shimasu-ka?"
He pointed a finger in recognition and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, that's the stuff!"
"Nani shimasu-ka?"
MacCready leaned languidly on the bar, smirking up at the Protectron in front of him. "Damn right I'll take two servings," he said as he idled on the stool, the grin on his face faltering slightly when he looked back at his boss to see that she was still indifferent. He shook his head defeatedly. "What's up, boss?"
Dawn seemed too busy picking some flecks of blood from her sleeve, a small frown on her face as she was deep in thought. MacCready nudged her with his elbow.
"Hey, come back down to earth space-man," he deadpanned, his face settling into a neutral expression. Dawn looked back to him, wide eyed as she was caught off guard. "Is something wrong?"
"W-wrong?" She repeated, then backtracked, and finally, shrugged. "It's nothing, I've just...got a lot on my mind, that's all."
Takahashi placed the two servings of noodle bowls in front of MacCready, and he slid one of the bowls over to Dawn and passed a pair of crudely made chopsticks to her. "A lot on your mind, huh?" He mused as he placed some caps into the Protectron's outstretched claw. "Tell me about it."
Dawn said nothing at first, she was absentmindedly busy stirring the noodles in the bowl in front of her. "I..." She began. "I-I was just thinking about the raider fight. I made a few mistakes that would've costed my life if you weren't there to watch my back."
He swallowed his mouthful of noodles before answering. "It wouldn't have been that way if you started listening to me every once and a while," he picked up a few strands of noodles with his chopsticks. "Which reminds me," he paused. "I told you to throw some grenades to get them out of cover. Why didn't you?"
A small chuckle escaped from her lips as she raised her wrist up and began turning a few dials on her Pip-Boy. "I didn't have any frags," she answered. "So I took inspiration from a run in with a super mutant suicider once. I played the opening sequence of Red Menace on my Pip-Boy, put it on full volume and pretended it was a mini nuke. The beeping and the flashing light was enough to convince the raiders." She laughed genuinely this time. "My god, you should have seen their faces!"
The whole thing was so ridiculous, even MacCready laughed along with her. He felt a tear gather in his eyes from the mirth of it all, and he hastily wiped it away when his laughter died down. "Oh man," he wheezed, the grin on his face crinkling the corners of his eyes. "That was surprisingly a smart move."
Dawn carried on stirring her noodles, shaking her head in disagreement. "No, that was a dumb move," she corrected. She looked up at MacCready as she watched his grin change into a devious smirk.
"Okay, I guess you just got lucky then," he said before slurping up some noodles. He savored the taste before swallowing. "Listen, we need to work on your gun skills. Your aim is terrible."
"Yeah," she agreed with a brief nod. "I never really touched a gun until I left the vault."
After staring at her food for long enough, she finally attempted to use the chopsticks to eat it. The noodles slipped from her chopsticks messily, splashing the both of them with broth. Dawn chuckled as she tried again.
"It could be worse," he mused as he watched her struggle with her meal. He reached over the counter to grab a spoon and fork and passed it over to her. "At least your gun play isn't as bad as your chopstick skills."
This earned another laugh from Dawn, who placed her chopsticks on the bar and accepted the fork and spoon from his hands.
"Thanks."
Author's Note: I've decided to release this chapter early, since I'm going to be busy this weekend.
I am the worst at action scenes, so I want to thank Mr. Snarks and Someone Else Took My Name (what a username!) for their invaluable Beta help and critique! These guys are brilliant and are just too precious for this world. Seriously, kudos to them.
If you have any feedback then let me know! I love critique, so don't be afraid to tell me your thoughts :)
See you next week!
