The Truth About The Order

Hazel was standing by the patroller. She had a wrenching feeling in her gut while she listened to Racer complain to one of his "crew members" about the detonator. It didn't feel right. She didn't want to do the brotherhood any harm. She just wanted them out of her life.

"I think I got it," the crony exclaimed.

"Finally, let's roast those power armor loving bastards."

"You seem to be enjoying this a little too much Racer," Her words were sharp and passive, even though she was looking at the dirt, she could feel his eyes on her.

"Your damn right I am, we don't need any more problems getting in our way to liberating KC,"

She looked up at him. Eyes strained, "lib- liberating?" She questioned, unsure what he was saying.

"Uh. Yeah, what do you think we can't take the city with these degenerates breathing down our necks,"

"What? Hagan said you had clearance to KC? That it was the only way to get past the Westland," she felt utterly confused. Why would Hagan say he had clearance if he didn't? Was he telling the truth?

"Yes. It is the only way past, practically no one's been able to get across that border in decades because those stupid old ghouls keep acting like the cities theirs. Keeping it to themselves, that land should belong to the young, the strong, the ones whose flesh isn't falling off."

"Excuse me?"

"God, you're stupid for someone who's made it this far, I'm saying the old ghouls are gonna go bye bye, you get that, dumbass?"

She was appalled, this little shit says that crap then takes the opportunity to heckle her "You're going to kick out all of those ghouls just because you want to control the Westland?! That's insane!"

"Whatever, not like it's a bad thing. They're just ghouls."

The man flipped the switch and charged the detonator. Hazel cringed. She couldn't let this happen. These people were practically raiders. Raiders with a fancier name. They just wanted to take other people's shit and shoot up innocent ghouls. No matter how much she hated the brotherhood. She wasn't going to be ok with this. Preston wouldn't have been ok with this… Out of rage, she smacked the detonator out of his hand. "Bitch! What's your problem-"

He grunted loudly after she knocked him across the jaw, he stumbled back and yelled in pain. His partner gaped at her.

"Just ghouls?! What's your problem?! Ghouls are still people!" The goon went for the detonator. She ran after him, tackling him to the ground. Reaching for the detonator, clutching it tight so he couldn't rip it out of hands. Racer pulled her off him, throwing her across the dirt and taking out his pistol.

"You got a death wish or something?!"

She breathed heavy, wiping the dirt off her face, "I should have known your group was no good, I was an idiot for letting Hagan's happy demeanor lure me into the belief that you might be the good guys! You bastards are just like them! Think you're better than the rest of them because your DNA isn't genetically altered!"

"The fuck are you talking about?"

"At least the brotherhood thinks what they're doing is for the greater good! You just want to claim that city as some sort of… Of territory!"

He scoffed, "You either give the detonator to me or I'm gonna blow your head off."

She glared at him, "I'm not going to help you, I don't help your kind anymore!" She slid her hand across the bare ground, grabbing a handful of dirt and throwing it at his face.

"Fucking hell!"

Hazel fled to behind the Jeep. She checked the doors. Unlocked. More bullets rang out, followed by crunching footsteps. She climbed into the front seat. Keys keys keys. Shit! They were coming up from the back of the vehicle, she locked the doors and dove into the trunk.

"Come on out Jones. You got nowhere to go!"

She looked around for a weapon of some sort. She wasn't about to be wasted by some creeps. Unfortunately, the only thing back there were few empty crates.

Racer reloaded his gun, "you got 'til the count of three to get out of my car before your brains ruin the upholstery!" He pointed his pistol at the back windows. He knew the crew would be pissed about getting the glass to replace it. He didn't care. "One…! Two!"

"THREE!" Hazel kicked the door open, let out a war cry, and slammed a wood crate over his head. He screamed. Flailing around in the dark of the box. She ran out and tackled him around the waist. Grabbing the crate by both sides and smacking it against the ground. As fast as she could, she fished around in his fatigue pockets. Bingo. A small trinket of a cardinal hung off the chain with two small keys. For good measure, she smacked his head on the ground one more time before she scrambled up, getting into the car again. Started up like a dream. In the rear view. Racers goon was too busy taking the crate off his good friend's head to go after her. She stomped the gas, launching down the gravel road.

God. This was just a whole night of fuck ups. Danse was still at their compound. When they find out...

Danse was becoming increasingly worried. He couldn't sleep. Hazel, the only friend he had out here. Being forced to do merc work against people that were her own kind not too long ago. And she was doing it all for a shot at freedom, they didn't know if those people were actually going to give them a vertibird, it all seemed highly unlikely. His wound felt moderately better. He got out of the hospital bed, outside. Spotlights bathed the gravel and grass in light. Maybe a walk would do him some good. He approached the perimeter, beyond the fence was nothing but woods. It seemed like all there was in these parts were dead trees and dirt. Out of the blue fog encasing its interior, he heard a familiar bark.

"Dogmeat!" Out of the lip of the woods bounded the pup. He was out there all by himself. He barked happily and hopped up against the fence.

"What are you doing hiding in the woods?"

"Hey, you. Outsider," he looked up. One of the orders crew walked up to him. Dogmeat snarled and backed away. The man ignored him, "What are you doing out here?"

"I was just taking a short walk. There isn't any trouble, is there?"

"I don't know." The man looked at Dogmeat. "This mongrel belong to you or something?"

"He's not a mongrel, and he belongs to my friend,"

The man frowned, "Right… You should head back to your bunk if you know what's good for you, not a lot of people out here know your face. That's a sure way to get a bullet in the brain,"

"Noted. Thank you for the tip,"

He grunted and walked away. The people here were so crude, it was becoming increasingly off-putting. You think after all the civility Hazel had with these people, even after they destroyed their supply. He avoided thinking about how late it was. Dogmeat turned his head curiously. Danse smirked at him. "Let's find a way to get you inside. Probably a gate around here somewhere, right boy?"

The pup barked. He smiled and walked next to the fence, looking for somewhere for the dog to get inside, a hole, or a gap of some sort. Further in the woods, he heard the tread of tires. Certainly, another one of their patroller cars. He saw the car roll up to the fence and park. The lights were off. Strange. He squinted and put his head down. Sneaking up to the vehicle. He saw a figure creep out of the front seat, keeping low on the ground. Dogmeat barked. The shadow jumped.

"Who's out there?"

"Danse?!" Hazels voice cried out shrilly in the dark. He saw her walk into the moonlight. Looking beat to hell. "Oh, God Danse, it's you! Thank God it's you…"

"Good God… what happened on the mission?"

"It wasn't the mission," she approached the fence, practically leaning on it. "We have to get out of here. These people, they! They're horrible!"

"You're hurt," he examined all the dirt on her suit, it looked like she had been rolling around on the ground.

"Don't worry about it, just come on! We have to go…! We have to go… we can't stay here," her face was worn and scratched. She looked like she was going to pass out right then and there. Danse nodded, scaling over the old chain-link. He took her back to the car. Dogmeat followed. Quickly, they filed into the vehicle. Hazel reversed back into the woods, turning back to the gravel road she had used. He could see guards were staring to run to the fence as they receded further into the brush.

Danse watched her closely from the passenger seat. That driven look in her eyes was almost disturbing.

"What's the plan now…?"