On Thin Ice
Chapter 11: No more
Virgil had seemingly found himself a nice place to call home. Well at least a temporary home. The former Institute scientist had crawled into the bowels of the Glowing Sea, hid deep within a cave guarded by a Ravaged Deathclaw just outside the mouth of his home. Radiation levels were low enough for Ruby to slip off the helmet of her hazmat suit and slip it into her pack. The pair had managed to slip by the danger outside of the cave without disturbing it. The woman had mastered sneaking around the Commonwealth to avoid most danger and her skill was only just proven moments ago when they managed to slip by without disturbing a single claw from the foul beast. Hearing heavy steps further in the cave, Ruby slipped her pack down on the floor by the mouth of the cave and ventured further down surprised that the turrets hadn't gone off when she stepped into their sensor range. Yet this moment was tense, Ruby's heart hammered hard into her chest seeing a large creature fumbling around the base of the cave. The woman wasn't prepared to see the scientist she sought out was a Super Mutant. Yet she wasn't going to be the one to start judging now. It didn't stop her from getting itchy to reach for her Assault Rifle though. Holding her hands up in a defensive manner, Ruby slipped into view of the large scientist. Her dark hues growing wide when his own eyes met with hers. She could almost feel the air grow heavy. Hancock shuffled behind her, she had learned that Mayor moved his feet quite often when he wasn't sure of their surroundings. Ever keeping an eye out around them.
"Hold it.. No sudden movements." Virgil snapped.
"It's ok. I know you escaped from the Institute.. I'm just looking for a way to get in." Ruby held up her hands.
"You know about my escape!? How.. No.. why would you want to get into the Institute to begin with. That would result in your death." Virgil frowned sharply at the woman.
Ruby dropped her hands to her sides. "My son was taken from the Institute…"
"Oh.. I'm sorry.. That would give anyone a good reason to want to break into the Institute. So.. Do you know how Synths can get to the Institute." Virgil inquired.
"No, I'm afraid I don't."
"They use some kind of radio wave to beam them in and out of the Institute. So you will need to hunt down a courser and bring me it's hardware. It's embedded on a chip deep in its head." Virgil tipped his head.
"I.. actually came acrossed a courser during my travels. I found one attacking a group of innocent people and well.. After I shot its head open, its chip caught me off guard so.. I took it." Ruby's brows raised. "My only guess was that group was actually a group of synths."
"Fantastic! Then this saves us both a lot of time." Virgil clapped his hands.
"Us both?" Ruby frowned.
"I help you get into the Institute and you help me find the serum that can turn me back into a human." Virgil's hues gazed down at the woman, growing serious.
"Can do, where can I find this serum?" Ruby ran her fingers through her hair.
"It'll be in my office."
"Right.. Got it." Ruby turned herself and walked back towards the mouth of the cave. Picking up her pack she was immediately stopped when Hancock blocked her way back in.
"I aint one to judge, but can we trust this guy?" Hancock frowned with concern.
"Well.. He hasn't tried to kill us yet.. So I suppose we can." Ruby reached up and placed a gentle hand on Hancock's cheek. Smiling softly.
"Alright love." The Mayor moved out of Ruby's way, letting her walk back down into the cave. Placing the pack down on the floor, Ruby kneeled down and opened it up, rummaging through her bag until she found the chip floating around the bottom of her bag. Her fingers reached around it and pulled it out. Standing back up to her feet, her small hand reached out, handing the chip to Virgil.
"Ahhhh yes that is what you want." Virgil smiled. Taking the chip from the small woman's hand. He turned his rather large hulking form over to his computer and plugged the chip right into it.
"Mmm ok.. I see.." Virgil started mumbling to himself, his large fingers flying over the keyboard as large amounts of information started scrolling on the screen.
"Alright, here I have information on how to get into the Institute as well as information on how the relay system works. Hopefully you have someone who can build this because that is a little beyond me." Virgil sighed. Pulling the information off of his computer and onto the holotape, he turned himself around and gently slipped the holotape into Ruby's hands.
"I wish you good luck."
"Thank you." Ruby smiled.
#
Hancock dragged his feet as Ruby marched on ahead of him. His ears ever vigilant for any enemies lurking deep in the bushes. Yet with the way the woman carried herself, he worried less and less about her safety knowing she could kick some serious ass if she wanted. Still he knew she valued his help. The damn sun had came out again in full force. After spending nearly 3 days in the glowing sea, Hancock had began to grow used to the lack of bright light in the sky that stung at his eyes. Keeping his Tricorn hat pulled sharply over his dark hues, the Mayor trudged onward, one more step forward. Ruby pressed forward avoiding many of the major broken down roads and opting for slightly longer but more quiet passages over to the Castle. They had briefly met up with Preston over in Sanctuary to tell him the news and that Ruby wanted to move the operation over to the Castle, knowing it would be more of a secure place then Sanctuary ever was.
"Will someone ever turn that damn thing down, it's to bright out here." Hancock sighed.
All he could hear was Ruby cackling as they pushed forward. Her steps slowing pace a bit, then suddenly she stopped walking. Looking up from the ground, Hancock immediately stopped. They had managed to reach the Castle before afternoon. Hancock gave Ruby a cheeky smile and walked past her small form, his arms swinging as he entered the castle's doorway.
Ruby's gaze met with Hancock's as he smirked at her, making his way forward. She watched the way the Mayor would swing his arms, the way his feet marched in front of him. He never lied, he was a very charismatic individual. Another reason why the woman had allowed herself to grow attached to him. The way the pair would greet others almost became a routine. Ruby would greet their guests and Hancock would wander off and away, but never to far. He remained close enough to keep an eye on whomever they met but far enough away Ruby wouldn't be feeling smothered when she was trying to conduct business. Hancock got good at reading the woman's body language. Whenever she grew uncomfortable she would lean back on one leg and tip her head. Her arms always either crossing in front of her or close to her rifle. That was usually his signal to come back close. Ruby knew of this and he knew of it.
Allowing Hancock to drop out of her sight, Ruby's dark hues met over to see Preston standing close to the radio tower in the center of the castle. His muscled form leaning against the wall looking down at the man who tended Minutemen radio. Preston hadn't even noticed Ruby showed up until she walked right over to his side and tipped her head.
"Hey." She smiled.
"Oh! Hey General, didn't think you'd make it here so quickly." Preston straightened himself up. His own deep umber eyes meeting with Ruby's gaze. The woman placed her hands on her hips chuckling softly.
"Well we would have been quicker if I didn't take the side routes but I would rather save my bullets if I can." Ruby blinked a few times.
"No worries ma'am." Preston nodded.
Ruby noticed a form walk up beside her. Though it was not the usual red frock she had grown used to, turning herself, she was met with Sturges' warm smile.
"I see you came along?" Ruby returned the other's smile.
"Why yes. I don't think anyone else can figure out what we need better then I!" Sturges laughed.
"You've got a good point." Ruby smirked wider, gently shaking her head.
"Ive got the holotape from Virgil to build this relay, I'll give it to you so you can figure how this whole thing works and I guess while you do that, the rest of us can go search for supplise?" Ruby's hand stretched out, placing the holotape into Virgil's hand.
"Sure thing ma'am." Preston nodded.
Ruby nodded and dropped her arms down to her sides, knowing it was going to be another long day ahead of them.
#
The woman's muscles ached every time she moved. Her head pounded and she could feel her joints screaming to rest. Dragging supplise from the nearby town back into the castle was no easy task. The sheer number of everything they needed to gather was high and on top of that they had enemies nipping at their heels the whole journey back and forth. Ruby had to remind herself though, this wasn't just for her to find her son but it was to gather information about the Institute.. To perhaps find a way to finally shut them down once and for all. This was for everyone in the Common Wealth. The light was beginning to glow at the end of the long dark tunnel. Ever since Ruby woke up from that lonely vault everything had come slamming down onto her shoulders. Everyone expected her to end all the pain and suffering, yet despite all of this. Ruby found herself among the company of friends and loved ones more so now then before the bombs dropped. She was still trying to figure that one out, but the woman figured that when another saw a person with a good heart they tended to latch on and refuse to let go.
Shrugging her dark navy coat off of her shoulders, Ruby reached around and pulled it off, draping the General's jacket over a broken down chair. The woman was alone in her quarters of the castle. Preston had made it clear to the rest of the Minutemen that this was her space, and hers alone. She was not to be bothered when the doors were closed unless there was an emergency. The woman felt comfort in this. Every settlement she built, she had built for everyone else. Granted Ruby had her own small house in Diamond city she never really felt settled anywhere. She was always on the road with a companion traveling behind. Usually Hancock more so anymore. Ruby didn't feel like she had a home or like she really belonged anywhere. It bothered her, specially if she was going to bring Shaun home. Sighing slowly, Ruby kicked her boot's off and stretched her legs out, leaning back against the worn down bed.
A soft knock upon the heavy wooden door drew the woman out of her deep thoughts, her dark hues darted up a soft frown sinking down on her forehead.
"Yes?" Ruby called out.
The door slowly opened, a tricorn hat peaked in, a pair of charcoal hues gazing up over at the woman's frame.
"It's just me love, can I come in?" Hancock asked.
"Of course.." Ruby pulled herself off the bed and straightened herself.
The Mayor had looked uneasy, just as much as Ruby had felt. Knowing that the woman was going to be traveling into the belly of the beast had almost made everyone uneasy. It was incredibly dangerous yet everyone knew that she had to do this alone. She had been the answer the Commonwealth needed and if something had happened to her, who knew what would happen to the rest of everyone else. Hancock reached out and brushed his hand down Ruby's cheek. She could almost feel him trembling. Closing her eyes, she pulled herself close to his frame, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso.
"Hancock, I've got a bad feeling about all of this..I'm not going to lie." Ruby sighed.
"Look, I get it. I am nervous too but you will make it through this and when all is said and done, you will have your son back and the Institute will be gone." Hancock pulled back just enough to gaze deeply into the woman's uneasy hues. Yet she nodded and gave the mayor a week smile.
"Alright." Ruby buried her nose into his collar, savoring the close moment between them.
Authors Note:
Things are about to get seriously intense! Just a heads up in the next chapter I am going to start straying from the canon storyline. It'll be good though! I wanted to take this story into a slightly way. Thank you all for the love thus far. Means everything to me. Chapter updates will be slow but until then.. Happy Reading!