November 9th
I exhale and shift my gaze across to the east and mutter as my eyes catch a bit of drifting dust. I keep my eyes trained on the small building ahead of me, teaming with activity of several shabby looking raiders. They actually look organized this time, with one, obviously the leader, interacting with his fellow pack members in a nice, calm, almost caring looking manner. I pick up my binoculars and look through the building windows and find the interior mostly empty, save for a few mattresses and empty food tins.
"Goddamit…" I grunt as I see a sniper stationed with his back to me.
"Dusk," I sigh and grab my radio, "sniper on the west tower. Going in quiet might be difficult for you."
"Copy that," Dusk chuckles. "Do you have a knife?"
"I always have a knife. Why?"
There's silence for a few moments, then Dusk responds patronisingly, "Take care of him, Winter."
I sigh and look down, before muttering, "Copy that."
I'm overlooking the raider camp around 50 metres away on a hill. The building they're staying in in tucked away from the world, covered by the hills surrounding it, a nice little communication depot for the BoS. I slip down the hill with ease and hide behind the shitty looking wooden fence. I peer through a crack in the wood and look around for anyone who may see me. There's not a soul nearby. I place my rifle on the ground and carefully climb up the fence and balance on the top of it. The sniper's post is a simple 1 metre jump across, but it's also 1 metre taller than me. I have to be careful that he doesn't hear the thud of my hands hitting the wood, so I lean my body forward. I extend my hands so that my palms hit the corner of the wood first, creating a soft pad. I carefully pull myself up, praying that the wood does not creak. I lift myself up and crouch down. I slip out my knife and creep up to him. I raise my knife and drive the blade into his brain. He instantly goes limp and his gun starts to tip forward, the trigger very quickly approaching his limp finger. My hand jolts out and I grip the barrel of the gun and tilt it up before the trigger meets his finger.
"Now where did you get this?" I frown and examine his rifle. It has a high power scope and I look through it and flick a switch, it has thermal and a heat signature scope as well. I open up the clip and find some funny looking bullets and I look down at the body. He's the typical looking raider. Filthy, sunburnt skin in a fine shade of red, with a neat little pattern of scabs cuts on him from drugs. He most likely picked it up off of a dead Enclave who BoS didn't touch. I carefully move the gun away from him and drop down the watchtower and onto the dirt.
"Oof," I grunt and crouch down again.
"Alright, I have you on my scope," Dusk says. "Smile for the scope, sugar."
I stick my tongue out at her general direction, perched up on a hill nearby, and I hear her chuckling.
"You're pretty brave, Daniels," she grins, "considering I could blow you away at any given moment."
"Just tell me what I have to do," I smirk.
The reason I'm sneaking around like a mother fucker actually took me a few tries in figuring out. Lyons said that the building was a hot spot in raider activity, which surprised me. Like packs of wild dogs, raider packs don't generally mix around each other, they usually battle over territory for the sake of just, fighting. Lyons explained the reason for caution was the fact that it had a high amount of raider activity, and this pack was known to be a big one. Dusk and I have spent the past few weeks scouting out the place, getting patrol patterns down as well as trade routes… which have been minimalized for some reason. Any gunfire and they'd come-a-runnin'. So, they decided to send in the best in expendables to try and tidy the place up without risking casualties. Dusk is sitting around with a silenced rifle, only to be used for emergencies. Gunfire creates spatter. So does stabbing, but not quite as much.
"Open the door to the main building," Dusk whispers. "Dive behind it. If anyone comes out to investigate, either stab him or I'll shoot him."
I nod and open the door to the main building and duck behind it so I'm pressed between the door and the outer wall of the building. I wait a few seconds, then I get the all clear from Dusk.
"Listen to me," Dusk says firmly as I enter the building, "first sign or any trouble, you come running out of there, understand? I don't want Lyons on my ass for getting your ass killed."
"I love you too, Dusk," I chuckle and smirk and turn around a corner, before I hear a sharp click.
"Don't move," a soldier in Enclave armour says firmly and presses his gun against my temple. "Hands where I can see them."
"Shit…" I swear and slowly raise my hands.
"Drop the knife," he orders. My knife clatters to the ground and I'm immediately shoved against the wall.
"Ow- hey!" I shout as he bangs my head once against the wall.
"Shut up!" he orders, ripping out my revolver and throwing it away from me. He pats me down and shoves me toward a staircase. "March. Hands still where I can see them."
Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.
He pokes my back with the gun and I groan irritably as he does it again, "I'm moving! You don't have to poke me!"
"Piss off you little bitch," he grunts.
When I get up another few flights of stairs, he grabs me by the collar of my jacket and pushes me into a hallway. From there, he pushes me further into another room. It's dark and dusty, with the only thing there being two chairs and a desk.
"Sit down," he orders and pushes me into the chair.
"Ow!" I shout as he handcuffs me tightly onto the desk.
"That's enough!" a strong, honey southern accent booms in the room. Stepping forward toward me is a man dressed in a long duffel jacket with grey-white hair. He looks up at the man who handcuffed me and says calmly and smoothly, "Joshua, you may go now. Very good work, by the way."
Joshua nods and leaves, shutting the door behind him. My eyes scan the room searching for a loose frame, a flaw in the wall, anything to get me to escape. The only thing I have is the door, but I'm sure that that would be guarded.
"Relax, Winter," he smiles, lacing his gloved fingers together and drawing a comfortable breath. "You are in no danger."
I look at him calmly, though my heart pounds hard against my chest so hard I'm actually afraid he can hear it. My mouth dries up when I see the gun at the corner of the table, and I shift in my chair slightly.
"Congratulations on your recent promotion to the Lyons' Pride," he smiles. "I understand it's a most prestigious organization of thieves and children with guns. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Enclave Military Colonel Augustus Autumn." He holds his hand out to shake mine, but chuckles and retreats his hand when he sees that mine are binded, "My apologies, I tend to forget the simple things."
I ignore the comment and look curiously at Autumn, "What's wrong with your eyes?"
Autumn has one hazel and one green eye, and both light up when I ask the question.
"Ah, you're very perceptive," he smiles and points at them. "I have a rare eye condition, heterochromia iridum, to be exact. It means I am born with one eye a different colour than the other. It isn't as obvious as your leg amputation, but it's still a very minor disability."
"Uh huh."
"Your eyes are very unique too. A nice, bright, crystal blue; very powerful and equally as beautiful."
I don't say anything and look down at my wedding ring, feeling my eyes start to go hot with tears when the thought of never leaving this room comes into my mind. Amata… I'm so sorry. I refuse to let myself cry, I won't let him see tears. I stay strong and look back at him and block thoughts out of my head.
"Would you mind if I examine your prosthetic?"
"Yeah, actually, I would."
Autumn leans back in his chair and threads a hand through his hair, chuckling again. Sweat starts to line my hair as the stuffy room starts to make me hot. I lick my dried lips a little bit and struggle to stay calm.
"You're married," he comments, a smile still on his face as he points to the ring on my finger. I don't say anything; I keep completely still and allow one bead of sweat to run down my temple.
"Amata Almodovar," he says loudly, getting up off of his chair and pacing. "Born in January of 2259. Hispanic, brown hair, brown eyes, married to Winter Daniels, a member of the prestigious Lyons' Pride. Mother of a child, who I can only assume is… one? Two months old?"
"… Almost two…" I croak out and do my best to hide the complete hysteria and anger in my voice.
"Ah. What is the baby's name?"
I don't say anything, I only close my eyes. Please… Please God, I'm begging you. I'm begging. Don't let them get hurt. Please. Please… I'll do anything. I'm sorry, I take everything back, and I'll do anything you want. I'll die if I have to, just don't let them die. Please… Please…
"Charlie," I eventually croak out.
"Would you like to see your family again, Winter?" he says, with every syllable of his voice dripping with Southern-joy. "I can arrange that. I can bring you right to them."
I look up at him, "If you so much as touchthem, I will personally rip you into quarters and feed you to Ghouls."
"Thank you for answering that question the way that you did," he smiles. "You are proving my point as to why you're sitting here."
"What?"
"You were given a thorough education, correct?"
"I don't see what that has to do with my family," I snarl. "Yeah, I was given an education."
"Then you'll know about this great country of ours before this world became what it is today. What our lovely Capital used to be, how just a glimpse of it sent every American into patriotic pride. Now, look at it. You've been there, I know you have, you fixed that radio antennae for that buffoon on that radio station. You know how horrible it is out there, how you wouldn't dream of going there unless absolutely necessary. That's why you sent your family away, somewhere safe, so they wouldn't have to deal with them, people who respond to mere innocent questions with violent threats, such as you did just then."
"I sent them away so they wouldn't have to deal with this war," I grit my teeth.
"And they may never have to. Tell me something, do you know why you started fighting this war?"
"Because you shot up and took over my father's life's work!" I snarl.
"I know we did, but you as an individual did not have to fight in the war, I'm sure a man like your father wouldn't pressure you to put your life on the line to , instead you chose to, why?"
"Because I want my family to be safe."
Autumn's irritating grin spreads further up his face.
"What?" I mutter bitterly.
"That's what we're trying to do! We're trying to keep you and your family safe! We wantto help the unsophisticated such as yourself, Winter. You were born out here, you know what it's like. We want to rebuild civilization, to help heal the world. We have the scientists for this who are working around the clock to find ways of treating complex radiation illnesses. We have ways of purifying small bodies of water, we can make everything work. However, you on the other hand, want power, and dominance over those who pose a threat to you."
"Right," I mutter, finally letting my anger get the best of me, "that's why I've kidnapped you and tied you to a table."
"A formality," he nods. "We really do want what is best for you, Winter. You, in fact, are the closest thing to a pure human I've come across who was actually born outside of a fallout facility. No mutations, no mental disabilities, in fact, you are actually a perfect representation of what the Enclave wants to achieve. A healthy, normal young woman willing to fight for her survival and… most importantly," he reaches down and taps my right leg, before lifting up the leg of my jeans and seeing the skin on my right leg, "the resources open to her to keep her intact."
"What?" I frown, yanking down my jean leg and glaring at him.
"Don't think we haven't noticed something, we don't leave the Brotherhood to twiddle their thumbs and talk amongst themselves. We have eyes and ears everywhere. BoS soldiers all over Rivet City, buzzing over how the soldier from Lyons' Pride, who got a piece of metal to strap onto her shirt, telling her she was a good soldier, suddenly can run and jump around like God himself has blessed her with a brand new leg. Do you believe in God, Winter? Any God at all? Any spiritual being that can answer requests?"
"No."
"So someone didn't bless you with a new leg?"
"Nothing spiritual, though."
"Alright. Do you know who gave you the leg?"
"No…"
"Guess what?"
"What?"
"I think you're lying."
Oh shit.
"See, you Brotherhood soldiers don't like… sharing," he smiles. "It's something our parents constantly urge us to do. Augustus, share your toys with your little brother. Augustus, share your spare ammo rounds. Winter, share the knowledge of your cybernetic leg to the people who can benefit from it. Wouldn't it be nice if we knew that? Think of how many people just like you we can help. Will you help us help them, Winter?"
"Look, I don't want to get into the ethics of what you just said, but I'm going to tell you right now, I have no idea who gave me this leg. Lyons drugged me and had me unconscious the whole time so I didn't know. All I can remember is a white room, that's it."
Autumn takes in a deep breath and walks behind me. I can hear his boot tapping against the floor, the sound echoing across the room. Suddenly, I feel him grab my hair and yank it back. I spot something glinting against the light in the room and see a combat knife inches from my neck.
"What use are you to me if you don't feel like talking?" he smiles, digging his fingers further in and pulling harder. "And what use is Amata, and Charlie. No one wants to touch damaged goods, she'll die alone and frightful. Who knows, he might grow up and be just like his daddy. I'll have no qualms of ending Amata's suffering early. Or, I could take her and the brat to a raider camp; have them do whatever they want to them. They can spend the rest of their days hating you because they couldn't protect you. I can do that, or I could… oh the possibilities are endless aren't they?"
"You need me," I say through my teeth, my eyes at him and not at the blade, "you do. I don't know who he is, but Sarah Lyons does. If you lay a finger on them, I'll find out, I'll know. Lyons will tell me, and I'll bash my head against the wall until I'm dead, then what possible reason will they have to tell you then?"
I honestly don't know how I managed to string together that excuse considering I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Lyons Pride won't give him in exchange for me, he's too valuable. They will, however, find a way to get to me before my use to them runs out."
Autumn smiles, "Oddly calm for a woman with a knife to her throat. Joshua, come in."
Joshua walks in and puts my radio down on the table, "Only one casualty sir, the sniper we let into the outpost."
"I want you to be quiet now." Autumn smiles and turns on my radio. "Hello."
"Hello?" Dusk responds.
"I want you to listen to me verycarefully, because your friend's life depends on it. Understand?"
"Who the hell am I speaking to?"
"Augustus Autumn from the Enclave. Say hi to her, Winter."
"For fuck's sake Dusk listen to him. Don't do anything stupid," I say sternly into the radio.
"I've got you, Winter, don't worry," Dusk says firmly.
Autumn tells her what he wants; the name of the guy who built my leg, or the guy in person if possible.
"And, if there is any sign of shenanigans, and you give me a decoy. I willfind out, and I won't hesitate in blowing this little lady away. If I don't get what I want within fourteen days, you'll be taking a corpse back with you and I'll find someone else to give hospitality to. Do you copy?"
"I'll see what I can do," she snarls.
"You have 20 seconds to get your plan rolling." Autumn slides the radio to me and I position the radio so I can press the button.
"Listen to me, Dusk, and listen good. Don't worry about me, just- for fuck's sake, make sure that Amata and Charlie are safe. Please, that's all I want. Promise me that if it comes down to saving me or them, you'll save them, okay? Tell Amata that I love her, more than anything in the world."
"Winter, we're going to get you out of there, okay?"
"Promise me!" I shout.
"I promise."
August rips the radio away from me and turns it off, "Alright. Welcome home, friend."
…
November 10th
"Boo!" I grin, poking my head up out of the bed. Charlie giggles and I pull up his shirt, blowing a raspberry on his stomach and adoring the look on his face when I pull away. I tickle him and his little hands move as he laughs silently. He's such a happy baby, all things considering. He cries occasionally when he wants something, but other than that he is the perfect representation of what a two month old Winter would have been. Cute, always smiling, and the best cuddle buddy ever.
"Yah!" I laugh as I lift him up, "I love you!"
I carry him down to the doctor's clinic and see James hunched over his desk examining a patient file. Seriously, there's around 100 people left in this Vault and we still have something to do.
"Hey you two," James smiles when he hears Charlie's baby sounds.
"We're here for Hepatitis B," I sigh. Yes, there is one thing in Charlie's life that is always causes him to bawl his eyes out, the constant list of immunisations he must undergo.
"I'm sorry pal," James smiles as I lie him down on the patient bed. "Trust me, you'll be thanking me later."
I smile and kiss Charlie's tiny nose. His brown hair is growing a little bit more, soon it'll probably look normal.
"He's getting a nice little bit of puppy fat," he smiles and lightly taps Charlie's stomach as he swabs his thigh.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Lord no, you were a chubby baby. It's good," he injects Charlie with the needle. Charlie looks around a little concerned, before starting to cry.
"Oh poor baby," I chuckle and pick him and give him a hug.
"Oh, don't be a wuss," James smirks at him, "you'll be fine."
I look at James and smile at him slightly awkwardly, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. It wasn't-"
My voice is cut out by the sound of barking, a dog's barking.
I turn my head and grin at James, who grins back at me. I can hear Dogmeat's nails scampering against the metal floor, clearly having picked up my scent, but something seems… delayed in his stepping. Winter probably put him on a leash and he's yanking against it in an eagerness to get to me. Dogmeat limps hurriedly into the room with a blue bandage wrapped his leg.
"Dogmeat!" I gasp, instantly handing Charlie off to James. "What happened to your leg? Winter! What did you do?!"
I stand up and wait for her, grinning like an idiot. After a few seconds I groan in frustration.
"You know how she is," James laughs. "She's probably talking to someone. Go, I'll look after these two."
I sprint out of the medical clinic, a huge grin on her face. My wife is home! I can hug her, kiss her! Oh man have I hatedsleeping alone! I'm gonna hug the living shitout of her when I see her! Then yell at her for letting Dogmeat get hurt, then- Four Brotherhood soldiers and Doctor Li are standing in a circle, in deep discussion, not one of them is Winter.
"Hey Li!" I grin and hug her, "James is in the medical clinic if you're looking for him."
Li turns and nods at me.
"Where's Winter?" I grin. "The cheeky bastard's being a tease again."
I look at the BoS soldiers, who step back awkwardly and look at the ground. I look back at Li, who looks at me.
"No," I shake my head and step away from her, "no. Please, no."
"Look, she isn't dead, but it isn't looking good. We'll explain everything later, but for now we need to get you and Charlie to safety in the Citadel. You're in danger here."
"Why just us three?" I shout as Li walks to our apartment.
"Because you're in danger?"
"What the hell did she do?!" I shout' "What happened to my wife?!"
"Look, just get enough stuff packed for Charlie and pack some damn clothes. I'll get James to get some baby formula."
"Where is she?" I beg, grabbing her arm. "I need to know where she is, I need to be with her!"
"Amata! Keep calm," Li says firmly, "Freaking out won'thelp the situation."
I sigh and nod rapidly, "O… Alright… Alright…"
I run into my apartment and frantically pack Charlie and I's clothes and stuff a few tins of baby formula into the bag as well.
"Winter what have you gotten yourself into?" I whisper and throw my bag over his shoulders.
When I eventually make it back into the clinic, James and Madison are engaged in a heated argument with Dad.
"I'm sorry, Alphonse, but if there is an imitate danger to them, we haveto move them to someplace safer!" Li says irritably.
"But the Vault is the safest place out there!"
"You don't have the defences to hold down this place! We'll station a few BoS personnel to guard the outside of the Vault in the chance that the Enclave will invade your property," one of the soldiers says back at him. "Trust me, you don't know who you're dealing with here!"
"I'm not allowing my grandson to go out there!" he roars back.
"It's the safest option! He'll be fed pure food and kept well away from any physical harm," Li says firmly but with a very motherly tone to her voice. "The Citadel was created with state-of-the-art defences, the lowest levels are able to withstand the force of an atomic bomb and some rooms can be locked from the inside and are unable to be opened, even withstanding the force of a rocket launcher. He will not be harmed, Alphonse."
"You dare to call me by-"
"Enough!" I shout. "We're wasting precious time here. I've been to the Citadel, it's safe, an entire military between my son and the people who want to harm him is fine by me. Can we just go, please? I'm very, very interested in the opportunity to find out what the hellhas happened to my wife, please."
Dad glares at me, "Now is not the time for Winter to again play a part in you parental decision making. She is twenty two years old, she does not need a baby sitter."
"I never said that she did, Charlie isn't safe here, Dad! More than anything I need him to be safe. They have medical supplies there! We have everything that we need to keep him healthy, I need him somewhere where I don't lie awake at night thinking that something horrible is going to happen. He's myson, and it's myresponsibility to what happens to him. If you have a problem, deal with it."
I pick Charlie up in my arms and James picks up my bags.
"Pride! Move out!" One soldier, with Kodiak written on his right breast plate, speaks into a radio, "We have the targets and are moving out, over."
"Copy that Kodiak. Vertibird is standing by for extraction, over."
…
"Ali!" I shout as I run into the Citadel. I see her sitting down on a bench and she runs up to me and hugs me tightly.
"Where… Where is she?" I hold back tears.
"She's being held captive, high priority target."
"Oh god…" I whisper and bury my face in my hands. I feel like I need to move, I need to run somewhere. I can't stay still, I need to do something to make sure that she's okay. No! No, no no! I need to stay here, I need to keep Charlie safe, I need to make sure that he has a parent left to raise him.
"Hello Amata," Sarah Lyons exhales as she walks up to me and shakes my free hand that isn't holding Charlie, "Do you remember me?"
"Yes, of course I do," I nod. Sarah sounds equally as stressed out as I do. She has bags under her eyes and her hair is tied back into a slightly messy bun.
"So, this must be Charlie," she smiles tiredly and shakes his hand with her thumb and index finger. "I've heard a lot about you, little man."
I smile a little bit when Charlie smiles, before Sarah takes action, "If you'll follow me I'll take you to your quarters."
I follow Lyons quickly down the Citadel's levels, and frown where we pass the guest rooms, "Where are we going?"
"The Lyons Den," Sarah breathes. "The safest place in all the Wasteland."
She opens the door inside and I one woman sitting down at a long table eating noodles. Upon seeing me, she immediately stands up and rushes over to help me move the bags.
"Dusk, just put them where Winter's things are," Sarah nods.
"Right away," she says and places my bags beside a few that Winter carries around with her.
"Why is Winter's stuff here?" I frown.
Sarah and the woman I assume is called Dusk look at each other for a few seconds, then at me.
"Why wouldn't they be here?" Dusk frowns.
"Isn't this room meant for Lyons Pride members?"
"Yeah."
"Then why is an MP sleeping here?"
"Uh oh," Dusk looks at Sarah and chuckles. "This isn't good. Might be better if the kid stays wherever in that building she's holed up in."
"Excuse me, does anybody want to fill me in?"
"Well your wife is sleeping and storing her equipment in a room that is meant exclusively for Lyons' Pride members," Dusk says slowly.
"She didn't," I gasp and look at the names of the members written on the wall in stencil. Right down the bottom of the list, in fresh looking black paint is Daniels, Winter K.
God dammit Winter.