Fallout: The Meaning of Zen
Chapter 2
Blow out your candle.
Of all the times when a gun would be useful right now, in fact a back door would be even more so, but alas the only way out is through hell. "Will you shut up" I will after we get out of here I replied *The explosions are becoming louder* "We, no, no I'm going to sneak past, while the rest of you die." Then I wish you luck, machete and I got this under control. Sion looked upon me with shock, I looked back and told her, "be safe" as I walked into the fray (I want to say like a bad-ass but with my stomach torn and self-confidence shattered I think I was walking like a man about to kill himself.)
As much as I hate it, since this place only has one point of entry it makes entry tough for our invaders. (Unfortunately we are also easy targets for those grenades they're lobbing over the wall. I can't fight fire with sword but there are injured in the line of fire. I can at least get them out of the way.) I spy a broken wooden box of various drugs and snatched some med-x the rest won't be useful right now, I took a hit of med-x and used the remains of the box as a shield to move closer. It will deflect some shrapnel from the down pour of grenades but I need to be careful.
I spot one of the guards clutching their side, she's bleeding out fast. Damn it she's not the only one but I can't save anyone if I worry about that, (maybe sneaking out was the right idea.) Snap out of it just keep focus and save one at a time. My makeshift shield takes some stray bullet fire as I move to the bleeding guard.
Ma'am hold still * I apply the dose of med-x and try to apply pressure* Ma'am we have to move you out. "Fuckers!" They killed James if you try to move me I'll shoot you along with them" Fuck I don't have time for this, on to the next. As I shuffled along thoughts kept popping in my head. (Who are these guys? Why are they attacking the followers? Who the fuck was James? Shit I should have let her die and took her gun.)
I pass some followers too late to save or what was left anyway as I moved to the next injured guard. Bullets wiz by me head as the enemy slowly advanced inside. Fuck who are these assholes. I spotted one of the invaders dressed in an all red combat mark II armor wielding a Incinerator, surrounding him are what seem to be junkies given leather armor and SMG's.
They're in and advancing, damn don't think about the odds, focus get these people to safety(There is no safety this place is a death trap.) Sir I have med-X and we need to move you ou-. Damn it, too late on to the next(you've failed again.) *several high pitched screams and the smell of burnt flesh fill the air* Fuck…I choke back my tears as I grabbed the Guards SMG and 10 bullets, the rest of the magazine was spent. "No use running small fry" a voice came from behind me…Fuck. I'm going to die here *sign* well let's try to end this in style. *Thump-Thump* I hear the familiar sound of a grenade rifle; the explosions however are on the other side of the wall.
"Up on the wall takes that bitch out" Sion! NO YOU DON'T SUPRIZE FUCKERS! I unleashed the last 10 bullets in their direction didn't kill anybody but it got them to duck long enough to get behind cover of a cinderblock wall. I hope Sion got clear as well, I don't know how long we will be able to hold out either way. "Sir Alpha teams mission is completed our job is done"
Everyone Pull Back! *The sound of gun fire starts to dissipate* after waiting a minute it seems everyone has stopped shooting. I peer out over my cover and everything is quiet,
But being quiet also means no one's alive to groan in pain…Shit!
The damage was worst then I thought. Junkies and ex junkies to unlucky to get up and get to cover were hit and bleed out before they could get help. Followers and even some guards ran to the inside of the fort, and apparently they had a run in with alpha team. Poor bastards, there's no way the followers can stay after this, especially sense it seems like what junkies that were left alive are using this chance to get free chems. I can't complain I still have those vials of med-x on me.
No one feels safe anymore and they're starting to leave the fort. I hope Sion, and Miss Farkas are alive but I guess there's nothing I can do here. I'll sell this SMG in the morning, I doubt I will get any sleep. I'll see if I can get stitched up before I leave.
Most of the followers were dead and those who weren't had better things to worry about then my wound. So I hadno help but an abandon stimpak and bandages make for a quick fix. As I started to leave there was a tap on my shoulder I turn to see Sion holding her grenade rifle.
Hey glad to see you made it out alive.
"Can it, I need your help"
I'm sorry the explosions fucked my ears, come again.
"They took the Doc."
There were a lot of Doctors.
"Farkas."
What are you sure? "I saw them take her while I was climbing over the wall." (Wow she really wasn't planning on helping us defend, bitch!) So you shot to try to make them let go of her, hmm strange, if I remember you two didn't seemed that close.
"Hey fuck you, I don't owe you any answers, she's just been helping me and I'm returning the favor." (And yet you still give me an answer.) "You going to help me or not?" I will under one condition. *she raises her eye brow* "what?" You answer 3 of my questions and I help you. "Shit, fine what are they." What are you good at? Sion gapes at the question clearly she wasn't expecting it. "I fight…dirty with these babies,* flashes her knuckle knives*(I saw firsthand.) I also am good at not being found, (sneaky bitch) and it's not much but I'm learning how to use this thing. (Not much my ass and I was right about that) "Next question" Do you have any armor or ammo? "No armor and 5 grenades." (…wait, where she is keeping grenades for that thing.) Lastly how many caps you got? She pauses for a moment. "What for I am not paying you" Well if you didn't notice I have no ammo for this gun, any medical supplies are stolen by now, and where going to go up against a small fucking army to rescue Miss Farkas.(A pipsqueak and a little girl.) *She moves closer to whisper in my ear.* "1000" Damn how did you get that much? "You said only 3 Questions." Right lets go shopping, Mick and Ralph had to have woke up to all that noise. (I am going to die.)
I knock loudly on M&R door for a few seconds before one of them answered. Mick! Glad you're up we need to buy ammo and guns. "Whoa, Whoa, what's going on" Ok the followers were attacked many killed, they took the Head doctor and we are gonna go save her. "Ha Ha Ha Ha" He cackled. "Are you crazy I heard military grade firepower, you to wont stand a chance no matter what you buy." Sion and I just looked at each other. We can at least try. "You two are crazy" Sion pulled out her cap pouch and dropped it on the ground and it landed with a thud. "But you're crazy and you have caps so I'll show you my specialty wares. Follow me, we entered the store and moved to the back wall, Mick touched it and a whole room full of weapons appeared behind a cell door of course. "Now since you two are suicidal I'll give a 50% discount just this once." (It might be the only time anyway.)
Our caps combine gave us 1330 caps, and thank god he gave us a discount or else we would be shit out of luck. Unfortunately we spent nearly all but 350 caps on weapons and ammo (expensive bastard.) I was able to buy a saw-off shot gun and 55 slugs, not my weapon of choice but considering Mick didn't have any 10mm ammo and how I suck with long range weapons the hunting rifle was out of the question. Mick didn't have any more 40mm for Sions rifle but he did have 9 sticks of Dynamite.
I bought Sion a Silenced .22 pistol, her stealth will probably be the only thing keeping use alive. I sold him the SMG and got 200 for it and bought us both back packs. "You two, are sure you want to do this." We said nothing and just kept loading our bags and our guns. "I see well take these as a gift and come back safely." He gave Scion a Magazine on explosives and a block of C-Fucking-4 and its detonator. (I guess he thought the chick loading up on Dynamite knows what the fuck she's doing, I hope to God! She does too.)
*With only 400 caps left we set out to find some armor.* Shit I remembered no one sells armor in Freeside…Damn, The only place I know of is the Gun Runners and they're not cheap. "pft tourist." What? "There's a pawn shop in west Freeside that sells armor." O Great, wait there's a west Freeside? "You have to go around the city wall to get to their entrance though, they believe they're independent from Vegas, and done everything to keep it that way." I guess the NCR hates them then. "Yea like they hated the guys attacking the followers" Right, (Now that I think about it, where was the NCR, It's not like the followers are Freeside only they help everyone shouldn't someone been watching out for them.) By the way have you lived here your whole life? *glare* It's going to take us a while to be completely ready; I'm just trying to past the time. She huffed and after a moment told me.
"No I haven't I've just been struck here for the last two years." ( I'm curious but I don't want miss sneak, stab, boom in a bad mood.) * We exit to the waste* so where did you learn how to fight? There was a long pause before she answered that one. "My Father." He must've been quite skilled. "Yea he was." And mother? "Slave, dead." Ah! "Now tell me about yours" Only fair, well let's see I never knew them. "Bullshit! I told you now tell me."
It's the truth, I grew up in a settlement far from here, and when I was born they gave me my name and I was left there. From what the Chief remembers, "Chief?" that's what our leader calls himself. (Did she just smirk?) He remembers my mother being a doctor and Father in black combat armor, said they came from the east from a place called Washing D.C I think, or was it Washington. *We reached west sides gate* "Okay the shop is down the street to the right we can't miss it."
"Also?" she asked.
Yes, I replied "When I was about to kill you, you said the only regret you would have is not finding out what your name means." Yes I did, didn't I (she never did answer why she tried to kill me). "Why do you want to?" Hmmm I thought for a second and realized I didn't have an answer, so I just used bullshit.
I'll tell you what, when we free Farkas I'll tell you my sad tale deal. *Offers hand shake. * Sion pauses and seems to scan me before agreeing, "Deal" *we reached Miguel's Pawn shop.* "Miguel its Sion open up." * There were sounds of movement before the door opened* (Miguel is a young man, nice hair doesn't seem to be a dick…yet, maybe I can talk his into giving a discount.) "Sion what are you doing here at this time of night, and who are you?" I'm, I was cut off by Sion. "Long story short a group of assholes attacked the fort and took the Doc, he's helping me get her back." So we're here to buy some armor.
No! He said bluntly, "What do you mean No!"
Just as I said no, I am not selling you armor just so you can get killed Sion. "Dumbass that's why I am buying armor, so I don't get killed." If they had the balls to attack the followers and take Farkas then there's nothing you can do about it. "Fuck you" If I may, you don't have a problem with selling me armor do you. Don't bullshit me Miguel said, As soon as I sell you armor your just going to get yourselves killed. O Please! even without armor I'll still go anyway.(I'm really doing this?) *Miguel and Sion looked at me in shock* your armor just may be the difference between life and death. (God Dam it I am.) Fuck, Miguel said in defeat, come in let's see if I can get your sizes.
As we waited inside the shop for Miguel to get some armor it was Sion that started the line of questioning. "Your good at that aren't you?" What? "Sweet talking, you seem to know the right things to say." Not really I replied, if you think I'll be able to talk us out of getting shot I'm sorry to bust your bubble, but I can talk to a reasonable individual and hopefully get somewhere. "Then what was that about going off by yourself to save Doc." She's a woman taken prisoner being transport through the waste by men, that's never good.(The Fuck do I care) Sion frowned at my answer and was about to say something before Miguel returned. All righty here's what I can offer, Sion take whatever no charge, you however pay full price*as he point towards me* (I wanted to call him an asshole but I expected to pay full price anyway, so I just called him a dick.) besides with the caps I have I can get what I need hopefully.) I nodded and move over to the selection, it wasn't much but he had 2 helmets, several merc outfits, leather armor, and a suit of reinforced metal armor. Too bad neither one of us can wear it. Sion took the leather armor, it wasn't her size but Machete and I could handle that (O great did I'm talking as if that thing has been with me for ages.) and the metal helm. I didn't have a choice and bought the combat helmet, and Merc Adventurer outfit for 156 caps. It won't protect me much if at all, but I'll look better when I'm dying.
Realizing how royally fucked I looked Miguel asked what weapons we had. I told him of my saw-off and Sions assortment. He groaned and told us to come check his guns for something with more range. He had what I've been looking for 9mm SMG with ammo and a Lever action shotgun. Sion didn't want anything else but I nudged her towards the shotgun while I bought the SMG. Miguel tried selling me on a hunting rifle but I told him without a scope in this darkness it would be useless to me. (Speaking of which I need to buy some flashlights.) In truth I just suck at long range if I am not in the line of fire I could maybe get a lucky hit but in a fight no sir. I kept my saw off loaded and tucked in my shirt and put spare ammo in my pockets. I walked over to Sions armor to "resize" it, while Miguel had a chat with Sion I ease dropped just a little bit.
Look I know the Farkas has been helping with your addiction but going after her is foolish, and I don't want you dying over something foolish. Sion said nothing at first then said "Thanks for the help" and walked towards me. "Is it done?" Yes and I can use the leftover strips to use for a tourniquet if need be. *She looked at me puzzled* to stop bleeding limbs. "I know what it is." She said as she put on her armor over her outfit the only thing visible was the skirt she wore. She kept her blades hooked on the sides of her belt and her pistol in the back. She put the grenade rifle in her bags and equipped her helmet as I did the same. Ok all set aside from our medical supplies, (which consistent of the vials of med-x I kept. If we were shot we would be fucked.) We are ready to get going. Wait Miguel said, take these, he handed me 5 stimpaks whilst whispering in my ear. "If you come back and she doesn't I'll shoot you myself" Understood! I equipped the Merc outfit and placed 2 stimpaks in my bag and gave Sion the other 3. "bye" Sion said to Miguel, "Be careful" was the last thing he said before we left.
As we exit out of Westside I said. Okay we're ready Sion if you please, *she grunted as she gave me my shotgun* well yes thank you but I meant lead the way. "Why do I have to lead the way" she said in an annoyed tone. Because you saw where the attackers took Farkas. "Yea out the north gate" I mean after they left the north gate. She looked at me in shock. "How would I know" (O my God.) What! wasn't you watching them take Farkas. "Yes they went out the north gate after that I don't know" she said with a crack in her voice. What were you doing when the attack ended then? "I was choosing whether to save her and if I should ask you for help. I started to chuckle realizing this is the 2nd most eventful birthday, I have ever had…FUCKKKKKK!