Amata was semiconscious, stirred by anxious voices. She could hear name being called by someone familiar, but she presumed it a dream and did nothing.
A light shake startled Amata; she blinked awake to see Julian's worried face looking down at her. His green eyes were wide with alarm, as were a few others.
The Sentinel stood, tower-like in her steel armor. Her chin was pinched in thumb and forefinger as she stared blankly at the ground. The other Brotherhood soldier stood next to her looking out into the distance, his head shielded entirely by his helmet.
As Amata's eyes darted around taking a head count, she noticed they were one short. One body short.
"Where's Neal?" Amata practically shouted, her voice shocked with sudden realization. She knew it was a rhetorical question, for they wouldn't be sitting here if they knew. The silence confirmed her question.
Amata looked to Julian for an explanation.
He wiped his forehead nervously, "We don't know where Neal is. No one saw anything. He must have walked off," Julian trailed off.
Amata's expression widened with shock, "He's dead, how could he just walk off?!"
"I don't know. We don't think he's dead. Not entirely. But he's under Burke's control," Julian said, his voice drained of hope.
The color from Amata's face drained, "Why didn't anyone tell me this earlier?"
"There's nothing we can do now," Sentinel Lyons said her face was all business, "He's had a quite a head start."
"So what are we going to do?" Christine asked.
"We hit Megaton," the Sentinel ordered.
"There's a weapons cache nearby we can use to equip everyone," Gallows added.
"Pack up your shit, we move in five," said Sarah who glanced out at the horizon, keeping a wary eye on her surroundings as always.
"What about the Vault? Can't we go home?" Christine asked.
Sarah's voice was as emotionless as her voice, "As soon as you help us with Megaton, you're free to do whatever the hell you want."
Bury me with my guns on, so when I'm cast out of the sky, I can shoot the devil right between the eyes.
Neal was dead… or dreaming, he couldn't quite tell. He could see his parents standing together before him arms resting around the small of each other's backs. They both smiled at him proudly as he approached them.
"Dad? Mom?!" a puzzled Neal stuttered.
They only smiled at him. As Neal continued to stumble forward, he glanced down at himself. He wore not his usual armor, but instead a simple white beater and trousers with dangling suspenders, his favorite leisurely outfit. He walked closer to them, staring at his mother, Catherine. Her darkened complexion was similar to that of Neal's. He could see his own features in his mother's beautiful face, such as her intense blue eyes and dark hair. He was unable to pull himself away from her. He had never seen his mother in person before, none of the photos his father showed him did her justice.
"Am I dead?" Neal asked, his voice echoing strangely off the blindingly white surroundings.
"No my son, you're in a coma, induced by very powerful drugs," James said. Neal could scarcely believe he was hearing his father's voice after what felt like centuries. "You're friends believe you dead due to your masked life signs."
Neal's gaze fell to the invisible floor, "Then I've failed."
For the first time, Neal heard his mother's voice, "No Neal, you've done more than your father and I ever dreamed. We're so proud of you."
Neal couldn't find the will to smile back, "I've failed. Everyone will suffer under Burke. Everything we worked for will be undone."
Faintly in the distance Neal could hear voices that were no more than whispers, "You're alright for a smoothskin… Yeah, of course I'll run the place. It's the only home I got. I don't wanna know what ya did with Moriarty… Not like the bastard didn't deserve it though"
"Too bad you're so young kid. I could teach you things you'd never forget… I don't know why you give a shit about a whore like me, but thank you. I'll turn my life around, maybe help Gob…"
"I wish I had more than words to thank you for what you've done for me and my family. Thank you for getting Ian back..."
"The people of Megaton owe you a greater debt than we can repay. The only thing I can really offer is to live among us… They just don't make em like you anymore, kid…"
The voices that called to Neal were ones of the past, important people, and defining moments.
"Are you a mail carrier? Oh, I do hope my fall catalogue is in!"
Neal's brow furrowed. Why was that important? He glanced at his parents smiling before him and let the words flood around him in a whirlwind.
"It's the Wanderer! Kill him and we'll be richer than Tenpenny himself!
"You're just a damn goodie two shoes!"
"Welcome to Galaxy News Radio! He's more than a man, but short of a god. Wanderer, the wastes have turned humanity against each other, but you remain an unwavering figure of all that is good. What has helped you stay so benevolent?"
"Oh my goodness, you look just like him! You're all grown up!" "
"Well, you happened… After you were born Project Purity came to a halt…"
"Stop looking for your dad and help stop mine... If you're still out there and care enough… you'll remember it…"
"You saved us. You're a hero, but there are still people who believe the vault's problems are your fault. I have to ask you to leave the vault forever. I'm sorry. Goodbye for now. I'll see you in the wastes someday…"
"Oh my god! Lucky I ran into you out here, who better than the hero of the wastes to come to my rescue. Things are going better in the vault since you last left, so thank you. I know Amata misses you a lot…"
"Well, I don't blame you for how you feel towards us. I'm sorry for how we treated you when we were growing up, but I suppose you get the last laugh. Take care out here, Neal…"
"Listen, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but just stay out of our way and let us do our jobs. Tag along and try not to get killed…"
"Welcome to the Lyons' Pride, the most elite squad in the Brotherhood of Steel's East Chapter. You've certainly impressed us all…"
"So, do we draw straws? This isn't how I expected it to go… The Wastes will not forget your sacrifice. I won't either. Steel be with you. Goodbye…"
"Surprised to see me?"
"I never thought I'd say this to anyone. You especially, considering how we first met. I'm not any good at this emotional stuff, but I'm not afraid either. I'm better because of it. I love you Neal…"
Neal blinked hard, bringing himself back to his mother as he heard her speak, "There are so many people depending on you, honey. You can't give up now. I can't bear what they've done to you, but you survived it all in spite of everything. I couldn't be more proud," she said passionately, her voice burning with pride.
"Definitely better than a garbage burner," James joked, causing the entire Washington family to laugh together for the first time.
"You can't die yet, Neal. A lot yet lays ahead," James said to his prodigious son.
"There's light at the end of the tunnel. There will be much happiness. We will still be waiting for you no matter how long it takes," he continued.
"We love you, Neal," Catherine said with a smile.
His mother's face began to recede, her face growing gaunter by the second. When finally his mother became nothing more than a skeleton as her bones clattered to the ground. The sounds of a spiking heart rate monitor could be heard. His father merely faded in an irradiated cloud. The monitor beep slowed to a flat line. It was eerily similar to the nightmare from the Punga tree. He fought it with all of his will. What did it all mean?
Neal faded from the scene, he found himself standing before the many moments in his life he nearly bit the dust.
Outside of Galaxy News Radio, the various vaults he visited, Super Duper Mart, Greyditch, Minefield, Germantown Police HQ, Raven Rock, Adams Air Force base, to name a few. There were many moments where the Lone Wanderer thought he would die. Many times he thought his luck would run out, but yet he found a way out. He wondered where he Thinking back on all of the hardships he endured, Neal knew there had to be a great amount of luck involved with his legacy. Despite all of the letdowns and heartbreaks, it made him all the stronger. It made him the Lone Wanderer.
Above all else, the Lone Wanderer was known for his indomitable willpower and stinginess. Truthfully, as he thought back on his life, Neal was ready to die. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he left the world a better place, for there was no one alive who could come close to the accolades he had attained. It was a lonely life he led, a lot of time spent on the move and in the fray. There was no future for settling down in sight. Neal was a rare, drying breed in a harsh, unforgiving world. Sarah was one such person he could confide in.
It was with this the Wanderer realized as much as he wanted this final break. He couldn't simply leave everyone behind. No matter how much some deserved to see what it was like to not have someone to drape their problems on, he knew he couldn't die now. Not now.
"Everyone equipped?" Sarah asked, strapping some microfusion cells to her hip.
Everyone sounded off, some were nervous, while others were perfectly calm.
Sarah looked over the vault dwellers. Bravo team consisted of Christine, Freddie, and Susie. They were all equipped with leather armor, Chinese assault rifles, and 10mm's as a sidearm. Their main object was to provide suppressing fire for Alpha team when needed. Alpha team consisted of Sarah, Charon, and Gallows. Fawkes was a heavy strike and leader of Bravo team. Equipped with a Gatling Laser and a Super Sledge, Sarah made it clear she wanted Fawkes to make his attacks controlled and blow open any defenses. The Sledge was only to be used if absolutely necessary. Julian was also considered part of Alpha team, but served as an over watch sniper. He was equipped with a sniper rifle, refusing armor claiming he was better off without it. Amata was assigned to be his spotter and was given leather armor as well with a 10mm and a combat knife as a last resort.
"Alright, Bravo team, keep your ears peeled. When you see Fawkes move to fire, you follow his crosshairs and fire at the enemy positions. I don't care if you hit the enemy, just keep the enemy pinned down for us," Sarah ordered, earning nods from each of the team members. She could see the sense of purpose renewed in the vault dwellers' eyes. Now, they could actually fight their oppressors. They could seek to avenge those lost.
"As for over watch, stay down and make your shots count. Get some high ground and keep checking your six. Alpha, you know what to do," Sarah said, "Let's move out." And hope like hell Neal isn't there…
Amata clutched her 10mm pistol and groped against the rotted remains of a pre-war house. She kept her eyes peeled on the area nearby Springvale Elementary, knowing very well it was a hotspot for raiders. Amata pulled the binoculars that dangled from her neck to her eyes and scanned the terrain.
"No movement," she reported to Julian, who in turn relayed a hand signal back to the rest of the group.
Sarah took point with Charon at her six. She checked her angles reflexively and proceeded forward, viewing the terrain down the sights of her laser rifle. Besides her own, Sarah saw little to no movement. There was no wind, and the only sound that could be heard was her footsteps.
Sarah and Charon continued forward towards the gas station, taking cover behind the skeletons of the scattered cars. It was then Sarah heard the familiar 'clink' of bullets ricocheting from her armor. She crouched lower, noticing the small knick that ran along her right shoulder pauldron.
Judging by the angle of the laser's path, the shot came from up the path.
"Overseer, can you spot anything," Sarah shouted.
Amata scanned the terrain, "Enclave power armor," she said to Julian.
"Weak points, higher ground?" Julian asked, engaging the action of his rifle.
"Looks like the areas around sockets are exposed, hips and shoulders," Amata reported.
A figure clad in a black military duster and gas mask approached the cog. In the figure's gloved hand was .44 revolver, the hammer was cocked and wielded with an experienced aim.
As vault security watched the footage from their office, they began to suit up.
"Is that Washington?" Officer Gomez asked nervously.
"If it is, I wanna know what that bastard's done with my daughter," Allen Mack said through gritted teeth. He hadn't forgotten Steve's death at the Wanderer's hands all those years ago, and now his daughter had been kidnapped in mysterious circumstances.
"Wanderer, is that you?" Officer Gomez tentatively said over the microphone.
The man did not respond.
Allen shoved the senior officer aside and grabbed the mike, "What the fuck did you do with my daughter?" Allen shouted.
Still no response.
The only reaction from the man was his hands moving at the door controls.
"We changed the password, he can't get in," Officer Kendall reassured.
As if on cue, the vault door beeped and subsequently began to recede.
"What the fuck?" Kendall said shocked.
"Armor up," Gomez ordered, "We don't know who that is that the door, and he's well armed."
Upon reaching the sealed door that lead to the steel cog, the inexperienced and poorly equipped security team fearfully prepared for the worst. Gomez moved up to the door and rested his back against it.
Allen Mack, a newly appointed militia member, volunteered to breach the door. He nodded to Officer Gomez who took extra pains to move the door as silently as possible.
Mack rushed through the door and was about to check his corners. No sooner had he crested the entrance, when he found himself quickly but effectively disarmed and placed into a vice like hold. An armored forearm held him tightly by the jugular and the barrel of a gun was pressed firmly into his lower back.
"Tell your rent-a-cop friends to stand down," a gruff voice ordered, it was slightly distorted through the mask, striking fear into Mack's false bravado.
"Like he-," Allen wasn't able to finish the retort, his windpipe completely devoid of oxygen as the armored forearm continued to press tighter.
"Now," the voice rumbled, the impatience sounding fatal.
"O-okay," Allen managed, his face turning redder as he struggled to breathe. The man released him, but kept his gun pressed into Allen's back.
"Stand down!" Allen shouted, his voice more fearful than hoped to show.
The rest of the officers cautiously came through the door, weapons still raised. Upon seeing Allen held hostage, they did not put them down.
"We've been held at gun point enough! What do you people want?! Where are our kids?!" Gomez shouted, his voice exasperated.
The man didn't respond, he only proceeded to drag Allen Mack in front of him, keeping a human barrier between him and the security forces.
He moved backwards down the stairs, lifting Allen up with one arm and carrying him upright. The man continued to drag Allen around the corner, and from the sounds of things, knocked him unconscious with the butt of his revolver.
The officers began to apprehensively take aim, waiting for the man to reappear.
Much to their surprise, the man reappeared carrying and unconscious, full-grown man in a fireman's carry. The man was much bigger than Allen.
"Put your weapons down, or you'll end up like your friend over there," the man's rough voice said, gesturing to the far corner.
Officer Kendall appeared to have had enough, taking a poorly aimed shot from a standing position. He was shaking so bad, the bullet was nowhere near its intended target.
Almost immediately following the light ping of Kendall's pistol four loud reports of a .44 responded. Kendall attempted to fire his weapon, but it only made strange clicking noises. The other militia security guards: Gomez, Stanley Armstrong, and Officer Hannon tried as well to fire their weapons, finding they too were broken.
The mysterious man said nothing, only proceeding to enter the main atrium of the vault and vanished down a corridor, the gasps of fearful vault residents could be heard as he passed.
The skirmish between the Enclave and the motley group of vaulties, Brotherhood soldiers, and mutants (oh my!) had been a back and forth affair with no one appearing to have the upper hand. It reminded Amata of a comic she once read in the vault called Duck and Cover!
The children's book illustrated the steps for pre-war civilians to take in the event of a nuclear event. Viewing this from the aftermath, the book was useless, serving only to prevent mass hysteria of the general populace. As if crouching and covering your head was going to protect you from a massive bomb.
But here, on this barren wasteland, duck and cover was an everyday occurrence with all sorts of boogeymen popping from the rotted woodwork to try and kill or eat you.
Observing the Sentinel and the others ducking behind cover, only to pop out and fire bore quite a resemblance to the comic.
Amata watched as the Sentinel pulled a pulse grenade from her belt, pulled the pin and held it for a moment, gripping the handle for a second before hurling it a good 30 yards into the enemy bunker. The explosion sent at least three Enclave soldiers flying in its wake.
The Sentinel glanced over to them, "Fawkes!" she shouted, signaling the super mutant.
All that could be heard was terrifying cackle as the massive green monster reveled in the slaughter. A whirring noise started slowly and gradually grew louder until red lasers fired from the high tech mini-gun, dubbed the Gatling Laser. Alpha broke from cover and began to charge the bunker. Now it seemed, they were on the offensive.
A/N: Sorry for the delay, 3 tests within 7 days really takes it out of you. Now that I've had a break, I've had time to dabble around on Fallout 3 and return my inspiration. As always, review or PM with questions or comments. Thanks for reading.
TS