Chapter 9: Warfare on the Manhattan Streets

"In the end, it doesn't even matter."

We looked at each other trying to figure out what just happened. "What's happened?" I turned around and saw Scout sitting up in bed. "AH!" She screamed when she realized her father and Judith were outside. She wrapped the covers around her and ran to the door and closed it.

I looked at her as she dropped the covers on the bed and recovered a new set of undergarments from a drawer.

The way she swayed her hips as she pulled up her underwear made me bite my lip and turn away. "Sol and Mond just 'visited', I'm trying to figure out why, it was strange. He came in here and asked me if I had travelled with Vigilante. I couldn't answer because your dad got in the way. What also got me about the short exchange was that Sol called your dad an old friend. Would you know why?"

She quickly replied with a, "No."

I nodded my head. "Fine, if you have a secret you don't want me to know, I won't go after it. I think I'm going to go to Times Square. Take a look around."

I stepped back into Rockefeller Center. The towering skyscraper, the Rockefeller Tower, stood next to me. I looked back down to the faded gold statue in the pool. I scanned the water for I don't know what. I stopped at the sight of the distilled ripple at the center of the pool, and then a hulking figure pulled himself up out of it like a sea monster. He was soon followed by two more, equally huge beasts.

"Alright you two mongrels," Growled the first one, "We're here for the leader of the Solstice, no one else."

"What about that tiny one up there?" Growled another one. He had the sound of someone who was slow added into the growling.

The first one turned up to me. My eyes were wide in fright. From his green jaw, two large looking fangs came up. Across his shoulders was a radioctivity symbol. "Kill her you fools!"

"But you said no kill anyone else."

"You fools! She could warn them!"

"Oh right..." The last two of the brutes turned around and lifted up hefty laser rifles. The first beam zapped over my head and I threw myself to the ground. I reached into my holster and pulled out V, I wondered if the tiny gun could do anything against them. I scurried closer to the edge and pointed the gun at the first ones head and...

Nothing! The bullet made impact into his forehead and he lived. "Ow! Brat!" He pulled out a large piece of concrete on a metal pole and ran up the stairs that led to the pool. I turned to look at where he went but he disappeared into thin air. I turned back to the other two in the pool, still firing away. Most of the shots were spraying off erraticly, but some were finding a closer mark and whizzed past me. I edged V back over the lip and fired down at them.

"You need bigger gun to do big damage to us! Stupid!" I sighed, they were the idiots. They just told me how to kill them. I swapped out V for Justice and fired, putting a bullet in one of their chests, knocking them back a bit. "Ouch!"

I fired again, and again, and again. Six bullets, three for each of them. they both lay in the pool, dying it red with their sickly dark blood. I reloaded both of my pistols and let out a puff of air. I got up and turned back to NBC to warn them.

"Not so fast, human." I looked around for the disembodied voice.

"Where are you?" I asked thin air.

I turned until I saw a distortion in the air. "Hello." the beast who ran away uncloaked and swung the mighty scrap hammer. I screamed in pain. I heard my rib crack as it impacted against my body.

"Heh, at least first generation super mutants are smarter then you... stupid, ignorant, people." I gasped for air, one of my ribs must have punctured my lungs because my chest burned for oxygen.

"The shots came from over here!" I fought between blackness and the bright early morning. Was this how I'll die? Would I die having just found the love of my life, and finally becoming happy?

I watched in a daze as the super mutant screamed in pain as its chest melted and burned. Someone was using plasma weapons. "Gamma! No! Let go!"

"Ma'am, move out of the way!"

…

I awoke with a start. the room I was in was pitch black besides a dim light shining from a door's window. I ran my hands up and down the metal surface I was on. "Lay back down, Gamma." I did as the southern voice told me too and a hand placed a damp towel on my forehead.

"Judith?"

"Yes... We're inside the St. Patrick's Cathedral."

"Is Scout okay? What happened afterwards?"

"The gun shots you let off and the laser bolts of the super mutants attracted the attention of the Solstice soldiers stationed at the Cathedral."

"But why am I here? Where is here anyway? Are we close to Rockefeller Center?"

"Ya'll ask so many questions." She let a smile onto her face, the light outlined her features eerily. "The Patrick's is close. Gamma, ya'll are here because the super-mutant broke all of your ribs. At least three had punctured your lungs and two came close to your heart. The only person, or thing, out here that would be able to have fixed you would be an Auto-Doc, which the Legion has several of, the closest being Mond's."

"Why would they want to save me? To them I'm just another citizen."

"You was brought here under strict orders from Father Mond, I was keeping you alive throughout the transport."

"But... how do you have medical experience? You were just a radio host."

"There's a lot to me you don't know."

"How much?"

"Y'know when you asked me why I came out here? Yah want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because ah couldn't be a doctor in the clinic. Ah was placed into my job as radio host because of G.O.A.T, but ah really wanted to work in the Clinic. I came out here in hopes of finding people to help. Now explain to me what the whole ruckus about Mister Gutsy was."

"Well," I started. I went on to explain the whole purpose of the Vaults and that tests, especially the one 67 was assigned. I went over how everything was a lie. "How did you get out, how did you find the password and what not for the door?"

"Well, ah got help from yer... brother."

"Oh... of course."

…

"This morning, three super mutants, under the banner of the Irradiated Forces snuck into the Rockefeller Center in an attempt to assassinate President Sol, or Father Mond. Now who could have been the one to stop them? That's right, Gamma. After a flurried firefight, she was left unscathed, except for the moment when the world stopped. I watched from my window as my daughter rushed for the door, and Solstice paladins ran into the large Plaza. After the super mutant snuck up on her, he was able to place a good swing from his club, leaving Gamma in a critical state, I am unsure of her status at the moment, whether she's alive, or lying dead in the Cathedral. On that same subject matter, Irradiated Forces have pushed further into the Manhattan Ruins. They are now as far in as Central Park South. Under heavy fear of an attempted attack, all important personal are being evacuated from Roosevelt Island to the secondary Citadel within Freedom Tower, and the surrounding World Trade Plaza. Just like all the traders in Times Square, I've got to move out kids. With the recent pushes made by the Irradiated Forces, I don't know if we could stay longer. I hear the Empire State Building's nice this year. Oh, and Gamma, my daughter wants to give you this... weird message; 18."

…

I looked down at the pool of dried blood on the ground. It was my blood. "Come on, Gamma, we gotta get a move on."

"One second, please? I forgot something here." I turned and walked into NBC with Judith on my tail.

"Watcha forget?"

"Your asking as many questions as I do." I turned past the Secretary Bot and stepped through the mechanical door that showed a room full of Eyebots. "Here we go..."

I heard a pop and a fizz, "Samantha, Bill!" I called out enthusiastically.

"Umm, Gamma? Who's Samantha and Bill?" Scout's voice filled the room.

"What the-?" I looked over at the astonished Judith, grinning.

"Where are you two?"

"My dad and I are in the top floor apartment of the Empire State Building. That's where all major public and political figures have been moved."

"Oh good, I was beginn-"

"Stop right there, Gamma. I need you to get me something."

"Okay? What is it?"

"It's in a floor safe in m- our room. The safe is under the dresser. There'll be three things in it. Bye love, for now."

"Wait, why couldn't you get it before?"

An obvious pause followed, "Because we were being over watched by Solstice paladins, if they saw what was in there they'd confiscate it."

…

After much struggle, Judith and I finally moved the dresser out of the way and looked at the safe in the ground, "After you, hon." Judith gestured towards the ground and I began to pick it. "Ah'm gonna check if all mah stuff was moved."

She left the room just as the safe clicked opened. I reached in and grabbed at the items in it. I brought my hand back up and saw what I had. In my hands were a holotape, a book, and a... gun? It felt like a gun, but looked like the cheesy alien blasters from the movies they occasionally showed in the Vault.

I shrugged and threw the items into my bag. I got up as Judith walked back into the room. "All of mah things were packed and were takin' with 'em, we're good on mah end. Do yah have Scout's stuff?"

"Yes, let's get going, don't want to be stepping outside as Irradiated Forces waltz into the Plaza." Judith nodded and we left NBC for what could possibly be the last time.

We got outside and walked all the way to 39th street before we were stopped in our tracks. I turned around as a roaring explosion came from the direction of Times Square.

War was spreading to the the Manhattan streets.

…

"As of recent events, the trading area commonly known as Times Square In the war torn Manhattan has befallen to the Irradiated Forces. "

…

We ran and ran until we skidded to a halt at the front of a large barricade of steel and concrete. "We need to get through!" I called up to the only guard on the wall. A panel of sheet metal in the wall moved to the side and allowed us in. On the other side were at least fifty more Paladins.

The short stroll put us right in front of the doors for the Empire State Building. "You'll need clearance to come in, ma'am." The guard put a hand on my shoulder to stop me.

"I'm here to see Check and his daughter." I said and tried to push past again.

This time I was stopped by the barrel of a gun. "Ma'am, you do not have clearance."

"Let them in, Crossroads." I looked over at the empty helmet in astonishment, but turned my gaze back to the source of the voice.

A man in a white lab coat stood at the door, holding it open. Crossroads lowered his gun and we walked in behind the man in the coat.

"Who are yah?" Judith asked as the door closed behind us.

"I'm Parchemin. I'm an operative of the Followers of the Apocalypse. I've been here since we finally set up those broadcasters, my colleagues are downstairs, would you mind joining us, Gamma?"

"I'd love to but I have previous engagements to keep track of. But, once I get done with those I'll be down to visit you."

"Make it quick then, we'll be waiting." He turned around and walked off to a door.

"Now to find out where-"

"-Gamma!" I turned around and saw Scout standing in the open elevator. She ran and embraced me. We stood for a minute hugging.

"Ya'll are sweet together." I smiled at Judith and let go of Scout's grasp. She dropped her smirk a second later, "But there's a war going on."

I sighed, "Right. Well, I better go see wht Parchemin and the Followers want." I turned back around to Scout and dug into my bag, "Here's what you wanted." I took out all three items and put them in her clutches.

"Judith, you should go upstairs and get settled in. I'll see to the Followers." I watched as they got into the elevator and ascended.

"So, we meet again," I turned around to see Crossroads, his helmet off. "I could arrest you for aiding a criminal."

"But you won't."

"No, my higher authority has different plans for you."

I stared at him for a second. "What?"

"In due time, you will find out your purpose, we all must. Now, good day to you, Gamma." I stared as he walked back through the doors. I turned around and walked through the doors leading to the basement, trying to figure out what he meant.

"Now, Parchemin, what do you want?" I asked as I hit the bottom step. Around me, men and women dressed in lab coats worked tirelessly around a large egg shaped object.

"Hello," He stepped away from a bank of monitors. "Let me explain what is going on. That object there is an Old World machine. From the files we've collected on these computers, it was a machine used to capture memories. They called it Project: Serenity."