Hey, y'all! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out; college has been hell the past couple weeks. In other news, I plan on including some of the DLCs in this story, with a few twists here and there for added suspense. It's a FanFiction, so why the hell not? Remember to follow this story for updates and please leave review! As always…Until the sun sets again.
Corvus left his cover and scanned the horizon for any movement before standing up and striding forward, motioning behind him. A young woman wearing a drifter's outfit followed him closely, a double barrel shotgun clenched tightly in her hands and her blonde hair tied in a ponytail behind her. They made their way through the city ruins quietly, narrowly avoiding raider gangs and super mutant packs. They had nearly been caught, but some quick thinking from Corvus had saved them. A large super mutant band had been traveling through the streets, searching for any prey they could sink their rotting teeth into. When Corvus and his companion had seen them, they had ducked into an intact building, but it just so happened to be the mutants' lair. As the large group approached the building, Corvus looked around for anything to save them, when his eyes stopped at the open door of an elevator shaft. He ran over and inspected the inside; the cable was still hanging from the ceiling, and far above was another open door. Signaling to his follower, they sprinted up the stairs just as the mutants entered the building.
When they reached the fifth floor, they ran over to the elevator. Corvus leaned over the edge of the banister, looking out over the mutant camp and fired his rifle at the leader. His bullet impacted the beast's back, burying deep, but not enough to kill it. He looked up and roared at Corvus, the rest of the pack following suit and ran up the stairs, the ground shaking from their weight. Corvus quickly ran back to the elevator and jumped, reaching out for the cable. He grabbed on tight and began sliding down, when he felt the cable lurch dangerously. Looking up, he saw his follower clutching the cable for dear life. He continued down until he reached the floor and readied his rifle, waiting for his companion to join him. Once her feet touched the ground, they took off, running out into the streets, now covered in a thick blanket of rain.
Corvus stopped running and walked toward a military transport. On one of the wheels was a circle inside a diamond, painted on the hubcap. He reached inside the cabin and pressed a button, opening the back door to the main compartment where the soldiers would have waited. Once the ramp hit the concrete, he shut the cabin door and ran back, motioning his friend inside, pulling a lever once they stepped in. The door rose upwards, latching into place and sending the transport into darkness. "Just a second," said Corvus as he dug around in his pack. A moment later, a faint light filled the room from a flare Corvus took from his bag. "Ha, I knew I'd need these on this trip."
He turned to his companion and asked, "How are you holding up, Sarah?"
"Honestly, I've been better. I don't think I've ever been that scared in my life," she said, still panting from the heavy running from the mutants. She lowered her dripping wet form to the floor and sighed heavily. "Is it always like this with you?" she asked.
Corvus laughed deeply at that. "Pretty much. Though I won't have it any other way, or it wouldn't be as fun."
Sarah eyed him warily, before talking again. "I don't think you're even human. I'm starting to think you really are the Angel of Death."
Corvus looked dumbstruck for a moment before a smirk cut across his face. "Who says I'm not?"
She stared dumbly at him and laid her head back against the wall with a dull thud. "Who knew I'd be escorted to Goodneighbor by the one and only Charon of the Commonwealth." She looked up when she heard him chuckling. "What?"
"Nothing. It's just…that's the first title I earned out here, and it's still weird to hear people call me by that."
"Well, you certainly earned it. Didn't you get it after you wiped out an entire raider camp single-handedly?"
"Yeah, that was my first job for the Hunters," explained Corvus. "The current leader usually follows the recruit on their first mission, but my father was occupied in Sanctuary, so I went alone. Since then, I've gotten used to doing things my own way, with no interference. It's easier for me."
"Huh. Well, you've certainly proven that plenty of times. I've heard of Charon clearing out raider bands and mutant packs for years over the radio. Never thought you were real, though, at least until this morning."
"I'm real enough, trust me. I've gotten enough scars to convince me of that."
"You weren't convinced yourself?"
"After the life I lived, you tend to start hoping it's all one fucked up nightmare."
"What happened?" she asked curiously. Corvus looked away and said nothing. "Charon? What happened?"
"Nothing happened, and that's all I'm saying," he growled. Sarah nodded quickly, leaning back against the wall. "If you're tired, get some sleep for a couple hours. I'll take watch."
"Um, I don't think that's a good idea," she started. "I mean- "
"I'm not going to touch you, if that's what you're worried about," he said, cutting her off. I respect every woman I've come across and punish those who don't. You should know that from earlier."
She remained silent for a minute then closed her eyes, still uncomfortable around the man watching over her, but sleep soon came over tired body. Corvus watched her for a few moments until her breathing slowed and her body relaxed. He sighed and took his rifle out from its place behind his back. He took his rag out from his pocket and began wiping it down, cleaning off the grime and dust from the dirt and rain. He finished after an hour, entirely sure he had completed his job before starting the same process with his revolver, removing the rounds and cleaning the internal mechanism. He took another flare out from his pack after the first sputtered out and lit it, again filling the room with light. Half an hour later, he replaced both now clean weapons in their respective holsters and looked around the troop transport. He stood up and inspected the compartments along the top of the walls. If he remembered correctly, there should be…ha! there it was.
He reached inside one box and took out two small packages of dried meat. Crossing over to Sarah, he nudged her foot gently with his boot. She woke gently before seeing Corvus in front of her and pushing back toward the wall, cowering against it. "Hey, hey, I'm not going to hurt you."
"You're not?" she said without looking up.
"No, I'm not. I'm just giving you some food."
She glanced up and saw the package in his outstretched hand. "What is it?"
"It's dried brahmin. Not that great without spices, but it'll keep us going until we reach Goodneighbor." Sarah slowly reached out and took the wrapped food from his hand, shooting it back when she had a grip on it. "You have nothing to worry about. I'm never going to touch you without your permission, unless you really need a hug."
"I take it you give those out quite a bit, then?" she asked incredulously.
"Actually, yes. Especially back at my base, when someone loses a friend or family member for the first time. I just stay with them and wait for them to let it all out."
"I might have to take you up on that someday. I've…had a few experiences I'd rather not reveal quite yet, though."
"If you ever need me, just ask. I'll be there." She nodded in return, mulling it over. "Now, I believe we should head out, if we want to reach the city by nightfall. I'd rather not be stuck out here when it gets dark."
Sarah quickly finished her food and stood up, her shotgun in her hands. "All right, let's go."
Stalker led Caroline through the Vault, passing Minutemen and settlers along the way. "Where are we going?" asked Caroline, frustrated by the woman leading her along by the hand at a quick pace. When the woman didn't answer, Caroline tugged her hand, trying to free herself, but her grip was too strong. "Stalker, where the hell are we going?!"
Stalker stopped and turned around, looking at the young girl with a soft gaze. "We're going where no one can hear what I'm about to tell you, and there's only one place I'm sure of that we can go," she said as she once again pulled Caroline along.
"And where would that be?" asked Caroline, now willingly following the Hunter.
"The council room, just outside Ranger's quarters. It's one of the few completely soundproofed rooms in the Vault, and what I'm about to tell you cannot be heard by anyone else."
They reached the door leading to Ranger's quarters and Stalker punched in the code and entered, Caroline still attached to her hand. "How do you know his code?" asked Caroline suspiciously as they ascended the stairs.
"I'm his closest friend, Caroline. I grew up with him so he's practically my little brother. I know everything there is to know about him."
"Everything?" Stalker nodded. "Then, please, tell me about him! Why is he so quiet all the time? Why does he rarely smile? What happened to him?"
"Just be a little patient. Let's get up there first," Stalker said, cutting her off before she could ask any more questions.
They entered the council room, the door closing and locking behind them. Stalker released Caroline's hand and sat down in a chair to the right of the head of the table. The chair at the end was larger than the rest, with light padding, and most importantly, it could swivel, which Corvus had been overjoyed about when they first found it. Stalker took the maps and lists off the table and placed them in a large, metal box at her feet with an impressive lock on the front. Caroline sat down across from Stalker and said, "Okay, now that we're here, could you please answer my fucking questions?"
Stalker nodded and took on a serious tone which surprised the younger woman. "Yes. First off, know that Ranger is very protective about his past, so you must never tell him what you learned here today. Are we clear?"
"Crystal," Caroline responded.
"Excellent. Now, Ranger is not your average man, as I'm sure you're already aware. However, he is also not the average Hunter. As such, the official reason he left is because he was ordered by the general in the middle of the night to inspect some settlements." Caroline looked disappointed in her answer, but nodded all the same.
"Also, I'm not going to go into great detail about it until he approves, but…he had a very rough time immediately after he joined the Hunters. He was only sixteen, but he was forced to learn about the cruelty of the Commonwealth very quickly. His father was killed on a mission, his mother disappeared immediately after, and he was left in charge of the Hunters, on the brink of collapsing after the heavy blow they took, losing two council members in less than a week."
"So, he lost his parents?" Stalker nodded. "But…there's got to be more. With the way he acts…the conversations I've heard…it just doesn't add up!"
"Oh, there's much more. I've barely scratched the surface, so I'm going to leave the rest for him to explain. But his future? That's a different matter entirely."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, for starters, I've seen the way you look at him." At this, Caroline blushed deeply and looked away, her cheeks glowing red. "Now, I'm his closest friend, and I can tell you that he may not realize it, but he seriously needs someone to stay with him, to keep him from repeating his past. Going through that again could prove to be his undoing, so we need to get him back here."
Caroline thought deeply, then a thought hit her like a bell and she looked up. "What does this have to do with him leaving?"
"There we go; you're starting to catch on. This is not to leave this room or the council, but another reason Ranger left so quickly is because of you, little one."
"Me? What did I do wrong? I didn't even try to make a move on him!"
"No, but he saw your building attraction for him, and he's not entirely convinced that it's sincere. He thinks your affection for him is based solely on the fact that he helped you to safety and you're trying to repay him. I can see it in his eyes, just like the other dozen times this has happened. He doesn't believe he's capable of sharing those kinds of feelings since he's been so busy with his jobs that social interactions are almost nonexistent for him. He doesn't want to break anyone's heart because he couldn't return their affection."
"I'm not really surprised that he has more admirers, but…wait, so he doesn't want to be in a relationship because he's afraid of commitment?"
"He's not afraid of commitment, he's afraid of causing someone else grief. But that's not the point. What it really boils down to is this: you've got a shitload of competition, but I'm going to help you win."
"And what, Corvus is the prize?"
"Yes," she said simply, and another thought came to her. "And no. The prize is the two of you being happy together. I just want what's best for my friend, and I think that's you. You may be his chance to live again."
Caroline nodded, playing it out in her head. "All right. How do we do this?"
Stalker smirked and replied, "I thought you'd never ask."
"Get down!" Corvus yelled as a grenade flew over his head. Sarah ducked as the grenade passed through the space she was just standing in. She dove forward and the device exploded, sending shrapnel in every direction, setting off a nearby car, which went up in a ball of flame and blasted the two of them off their feet. Corvus landed on his rear and Sarah tumbled end over end, coming to a rest on her side. "Bloody hell," muttered Corvus. He stood up shakily and ran for Sarah, dragging her by the back of her collar towards a pre-war barricade. He laid her down gently against it before raising his rifle and firing at the super mutants, blasting off several of their heads.
Sarah came to her senses and stood up, only to be pulled back down to the ground by Corvus as a missile detonated in front of the barricade, sending a crack through it. "Fuck!" Sarah yelled. "How the hell are we gonna take out these bastards if they've got that shit?!"
"I need some distance to get out of the rocket's range. I need you to distract them with your shotgun while we both retreat, then I'll set up and take them down," explained Corvus.
"You got it!" said Sarah and jumped up, her shotgun screaming death.
Corvus ran away from the battle, Sarah covering him with lead from her weapon. After a moment, Corvus came to a stop and turned around. Kneeling down, he sighted the super mutant carrying the launcher and pulled the trigger, sending the round through the beast's heart and the body dropped instantly. Turning slightly, he aimed for a mutant carrying a massive assault rifle spewing bullets at them which peppered the concrete around the two humans. He fired and the round blasted through the mutant's head, its brain now a pulpy mess. "That should make it easier," Corvus mumbled as he smirked.
Standing up, he stowed his rifle and readied his revolver. Running forward, he shot every mutant he saw in the heart or head, taking them down in one or two shots each. He reloaded quickly and turned to see a giant mutant running toward Sarah, who was firing at the monstrosity, but the bullets were having no effect on the thick armor. "Shit, shit, shit!" she yelled as the mutant raised its weapon, a long pole with a thick blade on the end. She fell backwards onto her rear and raised her hands to cover her head.
She closed her eyes and waited for the end, the mutant screaming out in rage. A sickening crunch was heard, and Sarah flinched back in fear. When she didn't feel the blade destroy her, she opened her eyes to an amazing sight. Corvus was on the mutant's shoulders, straddling around its head, and had a combat knife buried to the hilt in the monster's cranium. It slumped forward and Sarah scrambled to get out of the way before it crushed her. The body crashed to the ground, sending dust flying everywhere, Corvus standing atop, his knife in his hand. At that moment, surrounded by the dust and the setting sun, Sarah was instantly afraid of the man before her.
Corvus stepped off the corpse and extended a hand out to Sarah, who looked up at him, her eyes full of wonder. "What are you?"
"I think we already established that," he replied with a grin.
Shaking her head, she reached up and grasped his hand. Corvus pulled her to her feet and began walking along the path once again, Sarah thinking for a moment before she ran to catch up.
An hour later, Corvus and Sarah walked toward the gate to Goodneighbor, the lights flickering nearby and the usual sounds of the city coming from over the wall. "All right, here goes," said Corvus, tensing beneath his duster.
"What's up? You look like you're heading to your execution," said Sarah.
"I might as well be," muttered Corvus as he pushed open the wooden gate, the hinges groaning in protest.
"Why's that? We just ran through a fucking army of mutants!" she asked, stunned momentarily, not realizing the city gates open for her.
"Well, well, well," came a gravelly voice from in front of them. "Look what the hounds dragged in. It's about damn time, boy-o."
Corvus sighed and looked up at the speaker. "Hello, Hancock."
Prophet sighed and rested his head in his hands, rubbing gently, trying to relieve the stress from the past half-hour. He had just received a request from the general to send Ranger to the Castle to discuss what had happened earlier that day, and why they had used her as a cover-up. After a very long and tiring discussion, he was hoping to get hammered that night, maybe watch Tracker and Fixer have another one of their arguments. It was rather fun to see those two fight, and everyone was waiting for the two of them to make up and get together.
After a minute of resting his head, he turned back to the radio and looked at the list in front of him. Written on it were several settlements he had to send messages out to and inform the Minutemen on duty of varying orders or fulfilled requests. Starlight Town had called for an engineer to be sent out to repair the generator powering the southern half of their turrets. Prophet had jumped on that one earlier that morning after the drama of Ranger's disappearance had cooled down. Somerville Place had also requested a medically skilled Minuteman to come by to help someone who had fallen ill. Prophet had fulfilled this request quickly, too; no one was dying on his watch.
He spent the next several hours sending replies and commands across the Commonwealth, until it was almost time for him to be relieved. Suddenly, a message came through one of the other stations in the room, static at first, but he could make out yelling and gunfire. The woman at the radio called back, attempting to clean up the signal and have them repeat what they had said. Prophet looked at the hand-written sign above the console and read out "Egret Tours Marina". The signal came back, stronger than before, but not enough to hear the entire message. The woman desperately tried to boost the signal, and it came through clearly.
"This is lieutenant Orslov! We are under attack! I repeat, we are under attack! They surrounded us from the east and the south! They are-!" The signal cut out, static once again.
The woman at the station was in a panic by now. "Lieutenant! Lieutenant, come in!"
Prophet turned to one of the guards at the door. "Get Stalker and Tracker in here! Now!" The man ran out the door as fast as his feet could carry him, heading toward the quarters the siblings shared. "Ranger, where are you?"
"Hancock?!" asked Sarah in a state of shock. "You mean the Hancock who's been mayor of Goodneighbor on and off for the last century, Hancock? And you pissed him off?!"
"Well, I'm certainly pissed off," said the ghoul, "but it's not for the reasons you may think." He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Corvus, pulling him into a tight hug. Corvus went stiff for a second before he relaxed and returned the embrace. "This sack o' shit went and disappeared for half a year, and when he returns the radio's buzzing about him. Then, he has the audacity to not visit us for the next five years. Let me guess, Reese and Russell keeping you busy?" asked Hancock before letting Corvus go.
"Not really," replied the Hunter, rubbing his now sore arm. "I've just been on patrol for most of the time, staying up north as much as I can, keeping an eye out for trouble. I'm actually on my way back up there now."
"Ah, okay then," the mayor said, nodding. "Now, what's this about a little lady I've heard about?" he asked as he pulled the man along toward the city hall.
Corvus sighed and motioned to Sarah for her to follow. She quickly strode forward, struggling to match the two tall men's pace. "I'll explain later. This really isn't the place or time for such a ludicrous rumor," said the gunman.
"You got it, brother. Let's have a drink and a bit of Jet, then we'll talk."
"I'll pass on the Jet, but I'll definitely take the drink."
"I'll take one, too!" chimed in Sarah. The two men looked back at her, smirking. "What? Was I not…?"
"No, it's fine," said Corvus. "Just glad that you're joining us," he finished with a smirk.
She nodded back and followed the men into the building and up the stairs. When they reached the top floor, two young women left a room and scampered down the stairs. Once the trio were settled in comfortably on the couches, each of them holding a beer in one hand, Hancock started asking questions. "So, what brings you here? Certainly not just seeing the sights or living old memories," said the irradiated man with a chuckle.
"No, I just came to drop her off," said Corvus, motioning to the ex-raider. "She's…looking for a place to start over with no questions asked, you got me?" asked Corvus, eyeing the ghoul across from him.
Hancock laughed deeply, sounding more like a rasping cough, but answered after a moment. "You're saying you came here to drop off a little lady, then just disappear into the night again?"
"That's about it," Corvus deadpanned.
Hancock turned to face Sarah and looked her up and down, noticing the shotgun she had laid across her lap. "Tell me, missy, how good are you with that there weapon?"
"I think I'm skilled, but I'd suggest you ask him," she said, nodding in Corvus' direction.
Hancock smirked and looked over to Corvus, waiting for an explanation. Corvus noticed and was flabbergasted. "What?! Let me guess, you just assume we got into a lot of trouble on the way here? I'm insulted!" he exclaimed and crossed his arms, looking away. Hancock just stared at the man, saying nothing, until Corvus cracked. "She's good."
"There we go! See? That wasn't so hard, was it? Damn, kid, you remind me of your grandpa. You're as stubborn as that old ass."
"Yeah, it's all in the blood," Corvus chuckled and took a sip of his beer. "I'd suggest taking her in, Hancock. She's skilled, and I'm sure she could use the caps."
"I just might do that. I've gone without a bodyguard for a while."
"Wait, hold on a second!" cut in Sarah. "A bodyguard? Really? Don't you think that's a big step, Corvus?" she said, turning to look him in the eye.
"Relax, Sarah, I think you'll do fine. Besides, a shotgun is useful when close to Hancock, and you'll also be running messages for him. You need to keep that shiny head of his safe and stress-free."
"Oh, come on, man," groaned the ghoul. "I know I'm bald, but do you really need to rub it in like that?"
"I'm not rubbing anything, but I can suggest a few ointments for you."
Hancock looked at him for a moment before laughing heartily, clutching his stomach, spilling half his drink over the floor. "Oh, damn, kid! That was a good one. Holy shit, I've gotta remember that one," said the ghoul after several moments. "Yeah, I can take care of her. I'll show her around the town. Once I introduce her to Charlie down in the Third Rail, word will spread quickly."
"Good," said Corvus, standing up. "In that case, I'm heading out again."
"The fuck, man? You just got here and you're already leaving? At night in the city, no less?" asked Hancock as he stood, followed by Sarah.
Corvus thought for a moment before sighing. "Fine, I'll rent out a room in the Rexford, then I'm gone first thing in the morning."
"Nah, man, I'll cover you at the hotel. After everything you've done, you deserve it. Just give the owner the word."
"Thanks, jackass. I appreciate it," Corvus said, slapping Hancock on the back.
"Easy there, dick. Don't knock me off my feet. I may be immortal now, but I'm still old."
"Oh, please, if you were getting old, you wouldn't have had those ladies leave in such a hurry earlier."
Hancock shook his head and muttered several curses under his breath. Corvus took his leave and walked down the steps and out into the night. The sun had long since set, and the lights were glowing, bathing sections of the street in a pale yellow. Corvus crossed the street and entered the Hotel Rexford, the lobby holding many patrons sitting on couches sipping beer or smoking cigarettes. He approached the bar and requested a room, saying Hancock had sent him.
"What'd Hancock say, hun?" asked the woman behind the counter without looking up.
"Dante's Inferno," replied Corvus simply.
The woman looked up at him, wide-eyed and stock still. After a moment, she left her stupor and handed him a key. "Room 314. Enjoy your stay, Corvus."
Corvus nodded and climbed the stairs, taking two steps at a time. On the third floor, he turned down the hall and stopped when he reached the door with 314 painted nearby on the wall. He inserted and turned the key, before pushing the door open with a loud creak emanating from the hinges.
"Well, at least I'll know if I've got intruders," he thought to himself. He closed and locked the door behind him before dropping his pack and removing his duster and hat, tossing them over the back of a chair. He removed his pistols from around his waist and laid them atop the dresser beside the bed and lying down himself. As he was drifting off to sleep, a knocking came from the door. He opened his eyes and grabbed Deliverer before standing up and walking slowly toward the door. He reached out and slowly turned the latch to unlock it and pulled it open quickly, aiming his pistol at the visitor. Sarah flinched back and raised her hands above her head.
"Damn, Sarah, don't scare me like that," Corvus groaned, turning back into his room and holstering the pistol.
"Sorry," Sarah replied meekly, lowering her hands. "I just wanted to come by and say thank you, for leading me away from that life, and protecting me on the way here."
"Hey, it was nothing. I was just doing what should have been done," Corvus muttered, rubbing the back of his head nervously.
Sarah nodded, noticing Corvus' arm, rippling with muscles. She then sent her gaze over the rest of his body, drinking in just how well-built he was. He was tall, but not overly so, maybe just over six feet, and his shoulders were broad, and looked firm. His chest was covered by that strange armor that looked like combat armor, but modified to cover more of his stomach and retain maneuverability. Corvus coughed, and she looked up at his brown eyes, and she flushed before she looked back down. "Sorry, that was rude of me."
"It's all right," he said and put a strong hand on her shoulder. She flinched away, and he removed his hand quickly. "Before you go, did Hancock send a message?"
Sarah thought for a moment before she remembered. "Oh, yeah! He said he needed you to take care of something."
Corvus sighed. "Of course he did. All right, who, what, when, and where?"
"Isn't there supposed to be a 'why' somewhere in there?" asked Sarah playfully.
Corvus chuckled, "Not with Hancock. If he wants something done, it's for the betterment of Goodneighbor. Now, what does he want done?"
"Well, he says there's a Gunner captain to the north by the name of Wills and that he might be planning on attacking Bunker Hill. He's hiding out at the National Guard Training Yard. He doesn't have enough men to destroy Bunker Hill yet, but he doesn't want any unnecessary death if he can avoid it," finished Sarah.
"All right. I'll head out in the morning and take care of that. Thanks for the message. See you later, Sarah," Corvus said.
"Yeah, later," muttered Sarah before turning away and walking down the hall, a blush still on her face.
Corvus shut and locked the door and walked to his bed, collapsing onto it with a grunt. He had a long day coming up and he needed rest before then. He unstrapped his armor and dropped it over the side of the bed, falling asleep soon afterwards.
"What's going on?!" yelled Stalker as she ran into the radio room. The Minutemen nearby backed away and one of them pointed at a woman sitting at a station on the far wall. Stalker marched up to her but paused when she saw the woman's downcast expression. She kneeled down and looked the woman in the eyes, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, what's your name?" she asked softly.
"Uh, Betty. I'm Betty, ma'am," stammered out the woman.
"All right, Betty. I need you to tell me what happened, can you do that for me?"
Betty nodded and drew in a deep breath. "I received a transmission from the Marina, saying they were under attack from the east and south. There was gunfire, and I think I could hear plasma fire too, but it was hard to tell with the static. They said they had been surrounded, but couldn't finish it off before the signal went out."
"All right, thank you, Betty. Why don't you go get some rest? We'll take care of it from here." Betty nodded and slowly got up, heading back towards her quarters, escorted by a Minuteman corporal. Stalker turned to Prophet and said, "Get Sparrow on the line."
Prophet nodded and ran to the Sanctuary Hills radio before speaking into it. "This is Prophet at the Hunter Vault, requesting Sparrow immediately. I repeat, requesting Sparrow immediately."
"Roger that, Prophet. We'll send for him right away," came a man's voice over the speakers.
"All right," Prophet said to Stalker. "What's our next move?"
"We need to assume that the Marina has been destroyed. I want you to send Sparrow down to investigate and return here with his report. Order him not to send any information over the radio, in case it's being received elsewhere."
"Yes, ma'am."
Stalker walked out of the room and set off for the meeting room. She reached it within minutes and stepped inside before she unlocked the box beneath the table. She took out the maps and spread them out across the tabletop and began pouring over the known enemy locations near the Marina. Most were several kilometers away, and were only level 2 or 3, low on the Hunters' hit list. The closest she thought would be of any risk to a smaller settlement the size of the Marina was Walden Pond, a level 5, having grown quickly the last two years. "Looks like we've got a new job," she muttered to herself.
Corvus woke with a startle and grabbed his revolver from his nightstand, aiming it at the door. Seeing nothing, he examined the rest of the room, but once again, nothing caught his eye. He looked outside and noticed that the sun was starting to rise, and he quickly stood and donned his armor. In less than a minute, he was ready and stepping down the stairs towards the lobby. As he passed the counter, he handed the key to the man standing behind it as the morning shift, and soon he was gone into the city. He weaved his way through the streets, avoiding unnecessary attention and reached the weapons store near the front gate. He stepped inside and approached the reprogrammed Assaultron behind the stand. "Hey, Kleo, I need a silenced long-range rifle. Got anything?"
"Of course, Ranger. Let me retrieve it for you," she said and marched her way into the back, her metal feet hitting the ground. Corvus leaned against the counter, waiting for her to return and inspected a 10mm pistol on the counter. He took it apart in record time and checked the parts, several of which were worn down and needed replacement, especially the firing pin. As the robot neared the counter, he began putting it back together.
"You need to replace the firing pin, Kleo. It's almost snapped in two and the trigger needs to be recalibrated. The slide needs to be sanded down, as well, or it's going to jam from the corrosion."
"Affirmative, Ranger. Your advice is appreciated." She placed a sniper rifle down on the countertop, a long scope atop and a silencer secured on the barrel. The stock was durable, the same design the American military used before the bombs fell. Corvus picked it up and felt the weight in his hands. He looked down the scope and sighted a bird on the top of a skyscraper with ease.
"Thank you, Kleo. This will work perfectly," he said with a grin. After paying for the firearm and plenty of ammunition, he strapped it to his pack and left Goodneighbor, making his way west. He would have to cross the river, by the way of two wrecked bridges, which were most likely infested by mutants or raiders at this point. Ah, well. Good riddance. He continued his trek, keeping his eyes on the horizon. He came across several raiders hiding out in a ruined building, sitting around a campfire. "Well, isn't this just perfect. I get to break in my new rifle," he thought with a smile, unstrapping the weapon. He loaded a magazine and pulled the bolt action back, pushing a round into the chamber.
Slowly, he lowered himself to the ground and lay prone on the dirt and asphalt. He raised the scope to his eye, and hoped Kleo had adjusted the sights as she usually did. Moving the rifle ever so slightly, he positioned the crosshairs over the back of what he thought was the leader, based on how the others moved around him. Corvus watched his actions carefully, and the way he waved a snub-nosed revolver around in the others' directions further confirmed his suspicions. Corvus breathed in deeply and let the air out slowly, then pulled the trigger. The rifle kicked back against his shoulder, and a thwiff was heard as the round exited the barrel, tearing into the man's back and exiting through his sternum. Corvus quickly slid the bolt back and sighted in on a panicking woman, her short combat rifle raised to her eye. Smiling, Corvus fired again, ripping through her throat and severing her spinal cord, killing her instantly.
With deadly precision, the raiders fell to his rifle, bullets blasting off heads or adding additional holes to their torso. Within minutes, the camp fell silent, with no raiders left alive. Corvus worked his way down the small hill, and looted the bodies, taking any ammunition and throwing their weapons into a ditch before covering them with tarps from a nearby dumpster. As much as he would like to sell them at a later date, they would only slow them down on his way to the target. "I'll just have to grab them on the way back later, as long as I'm coming this way," he noted to himself.
Once he finished with the raiders, he stepped onto the road and soon came across the first bridge. He took out his lever-action rifle and peered down the short scope, looking for any targets nearby to take out. He peered over the side and spotted several mirelurks nesting in the mud far below. "I hate those things. If only I brought some grenades, I could clear them out. Ah, whatever. If I remember correctly, there's no way for them to get up to the road for a mile in either direction." Corvus crouched and followed the rail across the bridge, staying close to the edge, which provided both limited cover and an escape route into the water below. Keeping his lever-action ready, he soon made it across the bridge and stood up, running across the intersection. He stopped and threw himself against the wall of a building before poking his head around the corner. After a minute of no motion, he began walking down the road, often ducking into a building for a minute whenever possible. The going was slow, but he would rather be cautious than dead.
Two hours, a dozen super mutants, and one bridge later, Corvus finally made it to the National Guard training yard. He laid down in the long grass and inched forward on his stomach. When he reached the edge of the grass, he looked around, and sure enough, several Gunners stood on the roof of the first building. Corvus watched them patrol and memorized their patterns before retreating and searching for any high ground with cover. On the opposite side of the complex, a bunker with barricades lining the top stood, overlooking much of the surrounding area. With a smirk, Corvus ran around, making sure to stay behind fallen trees or in the shadows. Several minutes later, he set up on the top of the bunker and began his gruesome work. With shot after shot from his silenced rifle, he dropped the patrolmen atop the structure, dead before their bodies hit the ground.
Once he was sure his side of the roof was secure, he replaced his long-range weapon and readied his revolver before running inside the office building. He kicked open the door and analyzed the entire room with a quick glance. A hole in the second floor revealed three Gunners and two more were on the first floor's lobby. He rolled aside and stood, firing his weapon into the face of a mercenary on the second floor, evening the playing field a bit. He then turned his attention to a massive merc on the first story with a shotgun and fired two shots into his chest, barely slowing him down. Corvus re-aimed and fired into the man's face, the bullet blowing through his nose and exiting the back side of his head, blood and brain matter spewing out.
A bullet ricocheted off Corvus' pauldron and he ducked, a spray of bullets filling the wall behind him. He ran aside and slid into an open door. He stood and loaded more rounds into his sidearm. He looked around for any ways to get upstairs where he was, but with no holes in the ceiling, and no destroyed walls, he would have to fight through the bastards. He breathed slowly, calming his heart. He stepped out from behind his cover and raised his revolver, firing it into the chest of a woman wielding an assault rifle and wearing cheap leather armor, which stood no chance against the massive .44 caliber slug which bore a hole in her heart. She fell from the edge and landed in front of a man, startling him, giving Corvus time to fire into the man's throat. The man stumbled back, dropping his rifle. He gripped his throat in agony, but quickly succumbed to the massive blood loss and fell backwards with a thud. Corvus readjusted again and fired at the last Gunner, still on the second story. She rolled aside and drew a sidearm herself, a 10mm pistol with a silencer. She aimed quickly and shot several bullets Corvus' way, one of which grazed his side, close to his wound from the deathclaw. Another bounced off his chestplate, not even leaving a dent. "What the fuck…?" muttered the Gunner and her pistol clicked empty. "Shit!"
She ducked down and ejected the mag and attempted to reload another, but she was trembling, afraid of the man with impenetrable armor. She eventually slid the clip home and peered over her cover into the lobby, but froze when she couldn't see the Hunter. Her eyes searched around frantically above, behind, and around her, but he didn't appear. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" she screamed out into the silence. "Here," she heard behind her, but before she could react, two hands shot out, one on her left shoulder, and another on her chin. With a violent jerk, she felt her head spun back and a crack was the last thing she heard, before darkness took her.
Corvus stepped over the body and continued on into the building, now that the lobby was cleared. If any more Gunners were nearby, they would have come rushing in when the sounds of the fighting echoed through the halls. Corvus unholstered Deliverer and raised it, ready to eliminate anyone else who attempted to interfere. Feeling a spasm of pain in his side, he remembered the wound and took a stimpak from a pocket inside his coat and jammed it into his side. He felt the cooling effect, and felt the small wound healing already.
Continuing through the base, he inspected every room and hall for more hostiles, but came up empty every time. "What the fuck? Where is everyone?" he muttered, as he left another bare room. He reached the other end of the facility and heard a man giving out orders to others, who quickly replied. Corvus couldn't hear what was being said, but readied himself anyways. He knelt down and listened for footsteps for a moment when he heard someone approaching. He stepped back around a corner and peeked out, seeing two Gunners standing in front of the door. He waited patiently, coming up with a plan as he watched them.
"Hey, man," said one of the mercenaries, "what are we doing here, again?"
"Fuck if I know," replied the other. "Just keep your trap shut and stay on guard. Captain said he heard gunfire, so just listen."
"All right, man, don't need to be a dick about it," whined the first.
"What the hell, asshole? I'm trying to stay alive and you're standing here complaining. You might as well just walk out there and get shot for all I care. It'll be nice to get some quiet around here."
"What does that mean?" challenged the offended Gunner.
"It means you're loud!" exclaimed the irritated man. "You'd better stay quiet or I'll send you to the boss!"
"Right, as if that scares me."
"Oh, that's it!" The annoyed merc jumped on the man and pounded his fists into the man's face. Using his chance, Corvus approached from behind and drew both his knife and Deliverer. With one swift motion, he shot the man on the ground in the face, and shoved his knife deep into the throat of the attacker. Both bodies slumped to the ground without a noise. Corvus silently stood and replaced his knife. He passed through the door and came upon a stairway, which he could only guess lead to the roof. He ran up quickly and reached the door, which was locked by a nearby terminal. Stepping up to the computer, he started it up and began hacking the device. A minute later, the door clicked open and Corvus stepped out slowly.
With a quick glance, Corvus saw several Gunners patrolling the roof, looking outwards and on the far wall was a group of four, surrounding one other, whom Corvus guessed was Captain Wills. He holstered his pistol and unstrapped his new rifle. He lined up the shot and readied himself for a fight after dropping the leader. He took a breath and let it out slowly, then pulled the trigger. The first round pierced the man's back and tore a hole in his heart. The second bullet found itself buried itself in the cranium of one of the guards surrounding the captain. When the mercenaries wheeled around and faced him, Corvus turned tail and ran down the stairs.
He slammed the door behind him and took a second to lock it again from the terminal. Running down the stairs, he jumped the last five steps and took off through the base, heading toward the main entrance, hoping to lose the pursuers on the way out. Behind him, he heard a door crashing open and added a burst of speed, not wanting to be caught by the lackeys. A few adrenaline-filled moments later, he dashed through the front door and took off into the Commonwealth, avoiding several bullets hitting the ground around him. He didn't stop running until he could no longer see the building. Sinking down against a nearby tree, began catching his breath from the ordeal. Looking up, he decided to head back to Goodneighbor before heading north again.
With a heavy grunt, he stood up and started the trek back to the city, his rifle in his hands. Just a few hours later, he was back at the gates of Goodneighbor. Surprisingly enough, he had met no resistance along the way. He had passed by the raiders' camp from earlier that day and collected the weapons he had left behind. Corvus' first stop in the city was Kleo's shop to barter off the weapons and refill his ammunition. "Hey, Kleo. Got a few new toys for you," he said with a smirk.
"I do not see the need for children's items of entertainment. I suggest taking them to another vendor for improved prices," droned the droid.
"Okay, I've got a few weapons for you," Corvus corrected himself. "I picked them off some raiders a couple miles out while testing out the new rifle, which works perfectly, by the way."
"I am glad your new ordinance is to your liking, Ranger. What weapons have you acquired this time?"
"Here we go," Corvus grunted, picking up his bag and emptying the contents onto the countertop. "I've got a combat rifle, revolver, several pipe rifles, and a shotgun that I would use only for spare parts. It's clearly past its prime."
Kleo said nothing and gazed over the weapons, deciding upon the best price for the haul. "I can give you seven hundred caps for these, Ranger. Is that to your satisfaction?"
"Almost. Could you add a dozen rounds for my lever-action and two more clips for an officer's pistol? Just take the price out of the seven hundred."
"Affirmative," replied Kleo as she picked up several of the weapons from the counter and deposited them onto the workbench nearby. She reached underneath and paid Corvus for the weapons and provided him with the ammo.
"Thanks, Kleo. It's been a pleasure, as always."
"Farewell, Ranger," called out the robot as he walked away. He entered the town hall and ascended the stairs to the third floor, where he saw Hancock laying back on a couch, a bottle of Gwinnett Ale in one hand, and an inhaler of Jet in the other. Corvus approached the couch and kicked it roughly, startling Hancock, who fell unceremoniously to the floor. He looked up with a groan and rubbed the back of his head.
"Come on, man," he moaned out when he recognized Corvus. "Why you gotta be like that? Don't wake a ghoul while he's sleeping, or he might turn feral."
"Oh, please. The only way you'd turn feral is if someone stole from your stash," retorted Corvus with a chuckle.
"Whatever, brother. So, you finish the job?" asked the ghoul as he stood up to look Corvus in the eye.
"Yup. Took out the captain and as many others as I could. There are still a few left, but not enough to cause a problem. They'll disappear soon enough."
"All right, man. Now, let's settle out your pay."
"No need, mate," Corvus said, cutting him off. "I already traded some weapons off to Kleo and got a nice deal from those. Unless you've got a brand new set of power armor laying around. We could use one more at Fairline City."
"I don't think I've got any of those laying around, but if any of my contacts see one, I'll let you know."
Corvus chuckled. "All right. Well, then, I'm heading out while there's still some light out. I'm heading straight for Tenpines Bluff. I'll set up there, and the added security will keep most others away. Too many people on our land these days."
"All right, man. I'll see you around, then."
Corvus nodded and left quickly through the front gate, heading north. An hour later, as the sun was setting, he turned off the road and into an alley, scanning for enemies as he passed through. At the end was a decrepit apartment building, the windows blown out and the door off its hinges. As quietly as he could, he entered, Deliverer ready in his hands. He climbed the stairs to the top floor and inspected each room, deciding against each. Upon reaching the final door, he stopped and peeked inside before sighing in relief. "Finally, a bed," he muttered to himself.
He entered and shut the door behind him, blocking it by placing a chair underneath the handle. He dropped his pack and duster and laid down on the mattress, his pistol still in his hand. He removed his hat and covered his eyes. Within moments, he dozed off into a light, dreamless sleep.
