Hello everyone, hope you are doing well. First, massive thanks to all of you who have been reading/favorite/follow this story. We are close to the end of Damian's journey through the Capital Wasteland. Without further notice, let's get right into it.
Enjoy.
(The Citadel)
Sarah and the rest of the Pride were in the briefing room at the Citadel. With them were Elder Lyons, various high-ranking Brotherhood members and some scribes. Reilly and her men, who had arrived the day before, were also present. Standing around a wooden table, each one silently observed an old map of D.C., centered on the Jefferson Memorial. Numerous annotations had been drawn on it. Crosses, circles, lines and arrows of different colors that a person unaware of the situation could not decipher.
"There, there, and there again."
Colvin was pointing to different points on the map and a young scribe would haste to add an annotation.
"That makes a total of ten machinegun nest just between the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the Tidal Basin," Reilly commented. "And given their locations, they're going to make a real mess before we can get flush them out."
"Not to mention that they probably had to booby-trap the area and post snipers in the buildings," said one of the Brotherhood Paladins.
"I've spotted some interesting sniper positions," Colvin replied, pointing to new locations on the map. "But nothing to suggest that the area is booby-trapped."
"Well," Donovan said in a sigh. "all this MGs and snipers won't be a problem until we cross the FSK bridge. And we'll be sitting duck while we cross it with all their Vertibirds."
Silence fell as the soldiers and mercenaries memorized the new map annotations.
The Brotherhood was understaffed compared to the Enclave, and it wasn't the five members of the Rangers who would fill the gaps. Butcher and Reilly were still suffering from wounds received at the Statesman Hotel and were only here to provide tactical expertise and medical support to the Brotherhood troops.
No matter how they approached the situation, a frontal attack on the Jefferson Memorial would result in bloodbath for both sides. The Rangers had been introduced to the Brotherhood's secret weapon and marveled at it, but even Lyons and Rothchild doubted its contribution to the battle.
In a corner of the room, right next to a pile of maps and files, a small table had been set up. An old military radio had been placed there and a young recruit was sitting in front, headphones screwed on his ears and listening nervously. On the radio, silence, heavy. The recruit was waiting for the message from the sentries at the gate of the Citadel, the message that would announce the return of the Star Paladin Cross's team.
Occasionally, Lyons would turn to the radio operator who would raise his head to him and signal that the airwaves were still silent.
Reilly would stare at the map and bite her lip. The Jefferson Memorial was only accessible from two directions. From the North, following the Francis Scott Key Bridge from the Citadel and down the main street to Tidal Basin, and from the East, from Rivet City.
The Brotherhood had staked everything on an assault from the North. It was the only way their secret weapon could get to the Purifier and it was also the most direct route. Access from the East would force the troops to go through the metro tunnels from the Farragut West station near Megaton, through all the ruins of D.C. to Seward Square, and out at Anacostia Crossing to Rivet City. Apart from the extremely long time such a journey would take, the D.C. metro tunnels were always a dangerous place and the various stations still intact changed hands far too often to allow a whole army to pass through them. Indeed, a station occupied by humans could be invaded by feral ghouls or Super Mutants and vice versa, and that was without counting the tunnels full of radiation, collapsed or blocked by train cars, making it impossible for soldiers in power armor to pass through. The Enclave could also redeploy quickly with its Vertibirds and trap Brotherhood troops in the tunnels, with no hope of supply.
Moreover, an attack from the East would expose Rivet City to fighting and the risk of destroying or even damaging the carrier was too great.
An attack from the river had at one time been considered and then quickly ruled out. Neither the Brotherhood, let alone the Rangers, had any boats and if they feared crossing the bridge, crossing the river in old boats salvaged along the Potomac would take the form of collective suicide.
Reilly massaged her temples. She almost came to regret the clashes between her men and the Super Mutants or the Talon Company. The only good thing about the direct attack from the North, apart from the secret weapon of the Brotherhood, which was still a big question, was the proximity of the Jefferson Memorial. It was quite possible to place support units along the Potomac bank from the Citadel to Arlington Library. The problem was that the more units supporting the bank, the fewer troops would be available for the assault.
"Assuming we can get across the bridge and reach the Purifier, we'll still be stuck by the force fields they've set up to isolate Memorial," sighed Reilly.
The radio operator leapt to his feet, knocking over his chair. Everyone turned to him.
"The Star Paladin Cross is back!" he cried.
"Do they have the G.E.C.K.?" Lyons asked hastily.
The radio operator repeated the question into the microphone. He turned to Lyons.
"Negative, only the Star Paladin and junior scribe Hood are here."
"What?"
Elder Lyons, Sarah, Reilly and the others left the briefing room and headed for the Citadel entrance. They crossed the corridors of the Citadel and made their way to the inner courtyard.
Cross was laying Hood down on the ground. The young scribe was sweating, and her left leg was burnt. A doctor was called, and two soldiers arrived with a stretcher. They carefully placed the young woman on it before taking her inside the Citadel.
"Cross," said Lyons as he approached her.
The Star Paladin turned to him and dared not look at him.
"What happened? Where are the others?" asked Sarah.
"I... I failed in my mission," said Cross.
Lyons looked at her for a few seconds.
"Explain to me," he said calmly. "What happened?"
Cross recounted the events, from their discovery at the entrance to Vault 87, too irradiated to get there, to the crossing of the caves and Berry's death. She also told of their intervention at Paradise Falls and the liberation of the children of Little Lamplight to gain access to the caves and Vault 87.
"I'm sorry," she concluded. "There was nothing I could do to stop him from continuing on his own."
"So, Franklin entered Vault 87 alone," Sarah repeated. "And then what happened next?"
"I walked Hood back to the caves. I wanted to leave her in the hands of those children to be treated and go back, but her injury was more serious than I expected and her state was getting worse."
She left a short silence before resuming.
"I failed in my mission and accept all the consequences. I have no excuse to present to you."
"Star Paladin Cross," said Lyons.
The woman turned to him, ready for his punishment.
"You most certainly saved the life of Scribe Hood, and I am saddened to learn that our Brother, Knight Berry has fallen. We have received no news of young Franklin, and it is still possible that he is at this moment on his way to the Citadel with the G.E.C.K. in his possession. It is impossible at this time to determine whether or not your mission is a failure. In the meantime, get some rest and I want your full report as soon as possible."
"Yes, Elder."
Cross moved away towards the gate leading into the Citadel.
"What a fucking idiot," sighed Sarah.
"Don't worry, Sentinel Lyons," said Reilly. "Franklin will come back. He managed to sneak into Vernon Square and rescue my men. He'll be fine."
At the same moment, a soldier in grey clothing ran up and presented himself to Lyons.
"Elder! We... He... We just received a radio transmission."
Lyons looked at him, frowning. All units of the Brotherhood in the ruins of D.C. were ordered to maintain radio silence except in extreme emergency.
"Well, what is it?" the old man said impatiently.
"It's... It's quite strange," the soldier articulated as he tried to catch his breath. "The message came from a man and said that he would from the skies and not to be shot down."
"But, what does it mean?" Lyons said.
"I don't know, but he wasn't using any of our identification codes and I didn't recognize the voice. Still, he seemed to know a lot about us, and he seemed to know you and the Sentinel."
Lyons exchanged glances with his daughter. They didn't understand what this could mean.
"And did he say anything else?" Sarah asked.
"No," said the soldier, shaking his head. "When I asked him to identify himself, he introduced himself as the 'Lone Wanderer' and asked not to be shot when he approached. Then the call cut off."
Reilly approached and planted himself in front of the radio operator.
"What did you say his name was?"
"He... He identified himself as the 'Lone Wanderer'. I checked, it's not part of our identification codes and..."
"Are you sure?" asked Reilly.
The soldier nodded. Reilly turned to her men. They, too, had heard the conversation and seemed to understand. She turned to Lyons and his daughter.
"Care to share with us?" Sarah asked.
"It's him," Reilly said simply. "The 'Lone Wanderer', it's him.
"Who... Wait... Was that Franklin on the radio?"
"I'm pretty sure it was. That's the wacky nickname Three Dogs came up with for him."
"Yeah," Donovan added. "He hates the nickname, but I don't know who else would have fun using it."
Lyons turned to the radio operator, who was always there.
"Did he mention something called G.E.C.K.?"
"No Sir," replied the soldier. "By the time I understood, the transmission was cut off. That was five minutes ago, the time I found you to inform you."
At the same time one of the sentries on the building's roof bent over the railing towards Lyons and the others and shouted.
"Enemy aircraft incoming!"
All the soldiers moved as one.
"Wait! Wait! Don't shoot!" Sarah shouted.
Lyons called out to his daughter. His gaze commanded her to explain herself.
"Father, if this is Franklin, then shooting down the aircraft would be disastrous."
"It could also be a trap," Lyons said.
"Father, please."
Lyons looked at his daughter for a brief second before addressing the soldiers in the Citadel.
"Hold your fire! Wait for my command!"
The Vertibird roared past them. It turned around and began to descend. Its undercarriage hit the ground in the center of the courtyard and the engines shut down. All the Brotherhood soldiers and the Rangers took up positions around the aircraft, pointing their weapons at the cockpit, the engines and the side doors of the aircraft.
A few seconds passed in a heavy silence, until the door of the Vertibird slid open.
(Two hours earlier, around Raven Rock)
Damian and Fawkes were walking along an old highway, filled with rusty cars and trucks wrecks. Damian was chewing what was left of a pack of Sugar Bombs, eager to eat a real meal once he got to the Citadel.
He and the Super Mutant were discussing literature, philosophy and history. Damian masked his surprise to see a creature like Fawkes so cultured and with a language as rich as his own. The Super Mutant, who preferred the less pejorative term "meta-human", had no memory of his transformation or his life as a human. It only remembered waking up in a test chamber in Vault 87 and after a brief discussion with other Super Mutants, being thrown into the cell where Damian had found it. Luckily, the room he was in had several books in it and Fawkes had begun to read them and memorize some of the passages, waiting for the day of his release.
Damian, on the other hand, had recounted his adventures in the Wastes and had vaguely mentioned his life in Vault 101. The Super Mutant had listened to him and seemed very interested in the different human societies that had emerged in the Wasteland, sometimes commenting by quoting from books he had read during his captivity.
"So you were looking for the G.E.C.K. to fulfill your parents' dream and bring some stability to this devastated world," said Fawkes.
"Yes, but now that the Enclave has the G.E.C.K., things are likely to speed up. The Brotherhood will have to lead the assault to retake the purifier."
Damian felt the weight of the small vial of FEV in his waistband. He had wanted to get rid of it by breaking it and letting its contents evaporate or throwing it as far away as possible, but he had resolved to keep it with him, lest someone find the vial or its effects would be felt after it was released. Nor did he want to give it to the Brotherhood. Although he had some sympathy for Lyons, Sarah and their comrades, he was not sure that the Brotherhood would destroy the virus. Damian knew the Brotherhood's position on ghouls and other mutants in the Wasteland, and he didn't want to risk the Brotherhood using the vial to get rid of it, even after making sure only Super Mutants were affected. He was going to keep the vial and somehow destroy it without anyone knowing.
They were heading South, down a highway that snaked its way through the rocky hills. They had come across a wanderer who at the sight of Fawkes had run away screaming. Fawkes had looked at him sadly, commenting that the influence of his fellow mutants was too deeply ingrained in people's minds to expect any different treatment. Damian had tried to reassure him, but he was also apprehensive about the moment when he would knock on the door of the Citadel or Megaton, accompanied by the Super Mutant.
They were following the highway for about two kilometers and came to a bridge when something caught their attention. An Enclave Vertibird and its crew had landed not far from the road. Damian and Fawkes approached discreetly and took cover behind the median of the highway.
The aircraft must have fled from Raven Rock just before it was destroyed and landed here, probably because of damage or to contact the rest of the Enclave's troops. The pilot, accompanied by a man in a grey suit, was working on one of the aircraft's engines, while the squad stood guard and the officer accompanying them seemed to be talking to someone inside the Vertibird.
A small smirk appeared on Damian's face. He counted the soldiers in the Enclave and looked at the area around them.
"I think I've found a less tiring way than walking," he said smiling to Fawkes.
Five minutes later, Damian and Fawkes were in position. The Super Mutant activated its laser gatling and opened fire. Taken by surprise, most of the soldiers didn't have time to take cover. The laser rays were bouncing off the plates of their power armor, but the rate of fire was such that the rays would either penetrate the metal or melt it.
Damian eliminated two soldiers and the officer. He saw that the blades of the propellers were starting to spin. He jumped over his cover and sprinted towards the aircraft, holding his rifle in one hand and his pistol in the other. He jumped inside the Vertibird. In the cockpit, the pilot and co-pilot were trying to take off. When they heard Damian, they turned around. The co-pilot tried to grab the gun from his waist, but Damian did not let him time to do it and shot. The back of his skull exploded, spilling a wreath of blood and brains all over the windscreen and controls.
Damian aimed his gun at the pilot who raised his hands in the air.
"Cut the engines," Damian barked.
The pilot quickly nodded, and the sound of the engines began to diminish until they shut off. Damian glanced out the window and through the door. All the soldiers were dead, and Fawkes had joined him. The Super Mutant tied his gatling around his broad neck and inspected the interior of the aircraft with an interested and fascinated look.
Damian turned his attention to the pilot, still strapped in his seat and still raising his hands. He motioned for him to get up and ordered him to get rid of the co-pilot's body. The man looked at the disfigured and blood-covered head of his comrade and then turned his head towards Fawkes. He stood up slowly and pulled the co-pilot's body to the door. Damian kicked the corpse out.
The aircraft collapsed slightly as Fawkes went inside. He couldn't stand upright and bent forward to enter the cabin. Damian went to the pilot's seat and searched for a weapon. He turned around and pointed his gun at the pilot. The pilot closed his eyes.
"You're going to get this thing off the ground and take us to the Citadel."
"Wh... Where? asked the surprised pilot, who was stunned that he wasn't dead already.
"The Brotherhood of Steel headquarters in the ruins of D.C. near the Potomac. You will take us there."
"No," said the pilot, mustering all the courage he had left.
His gaze slid to the traces of blood in the cockpit and the pieces of brains slowly sliding down the windshield. Damian hit him in the forehead with the butt of his pistol. The pilot stumbled to the ground and held his face. He felt the cold barrel of Damian's gun on his head.
"Look, you're still alive because I know you can fly this thing. So, either you take me to the Citadel and stay alive, or I'll have my friend throw you off that bridge and see if you can fly without your Vertibird.
The pilot looked up at Fawkes who was staring at him. The pilot nodded. Damian stepped aside to let him settle in while Fawkes closed the door.
Damian sat down on one of the seats so he could hold the pilot at gunpoint. The aircraft started to hum and slowly rose into the sky. Damian could feel that the engines were struggling to support the aircraft and he could see the pilot clinging to the control column and constantly checking the fuel and engine gauges.
After about ten minutes, Damian got up and settled into the co-pilot's seat. He wiped the blood off the dashboard and looked for the radio. He put the headphones over his ears and started to scan the different frequencies. Fawkes sat behind the driver and put his big hand on the seat, silently advising the pilot to keep quiet.
Damian switched the different frequencies. Most of them were silent, he found some of them broadcasting Morse code messages. He vaguely remembered one of the Brotherhood frequencies. Sarah had spoken to him briefly about it when he was staying at the Citadel.
Damian heard Three Dog's voice in one of the frequencies. He was talking about life in the Wastes, rejoicing that everything was as usual, monotonous and interspersed with brief storms of violence. He switched to the frequency mentioned by Sarah and started to talk.
"Citadel, please come in."
There was no response. Damian tried again when a annoyed voice came through the speakers of his helmet.
"This is the Citadel, you are using a military radio frequency, please get off the air immediately."
"Finally," sighed Damian.
"Leave the airwaves immediately, this is a military frequency and civilians are not allowed. Identify yourself or leave the airwaves."
Damian was silent for a few seconds. Almost no one at the Citadel knew his name. Presenting himself as Damian Franklin would get him nowhere.
"Look, I need to speak urgently to Elder Lyons or his daughter. It's very important."
The radio operator at the Citadel didn't answer. Damian heard him sigh. Some interference began to penetrate the frequency.
Damian turned to the pilot.
"What's going on with the radio?" he whistled.
"The explosion at Raven Rock damaged the antenna," the pilot replied. "We found out as we fled. It's a miracle you can pick up anything with it."
"For the last time, identify yourself or clear this frequency," repeated the annoyed radio operator.
Damian sighed. An idea came to him.
"I am the Lone Wanderer, Damian said. "Tell Lyons that I'm coming from the air and to not shoot at me."
Damian got no answer. He repeated his message, but only parasites responded. He sighed and pulled the helmet out of his ears. Through the windscreen he recognized Arefu and saw Megaton in the distance. He turned towards the pilot.
"We'll be there soon," the pilot said nervously.
"Good," Damian spat at him. If you try to branch off to the Jefferson Memorial or think about firing on the Brotherhood, I'll blow your head off."
He waved his gun at the pilot's face.
"If you kill me in midair," replied the pilot nervously looking into the barrel of the gun. "We'll crash and end up in the river or a building."
"You'll be dead before then and that's a risk I'm willing to take," Damian said.
The Vertibird approached the Citadel at full speed. Damian could see the small silhouettes of the soldiers moving about on the roof and around the Citadel. He hadn't been shot yet, but Damian waited with apprehension for the moment when the aircraft would come under fire from sentries or be hit by a rocket. In that case, the aircraft would spin out of control and end up in a pile of crumpled metal.
"Land in the center of the yard," Damian replied, placing his gun against the pilot's skull. "And remember. I'd rather take my chances in a crash than let you do something stupid."
The pilot flew over the courtyard before turning around and landing slowly.
"Cut the engines and get up," Damian said.
The pilot complied. Damian motioned for him to get into one of the passenger seats, fasten his seat belt and put his hands on his head with his fingers crossed. Fawkes stepped forward and grabbed his laser gatling.
"It's best that you stay out of sight for the moment," Damian said. "I'll let you know when you can come out."
Fawkes nodded his head. He sat between the pilot and co-pilot seats and faced their prisoner. Damian made sure the pilot wasn't going to try anything and looked out the windscreen. He could see the Brotherhood soldiers and their laser guns pointed at the Vertibird. He headed for the door. He put his hand on the handle and took a deep breath before pulling it and sliding the door.
Lyons, Sarah, several soldiers in power armor, and to his surprise, Reilly and her men, stood before him with their rifles or pistols pointed at him. Damian slowly raised his hands in the air.
"Lower your weapons!" Lyons ordered. "Put your guns down!"
Damian heard the safety click into place or the energy weapons diminish in power. He jumped out of the device and walked to Lyons.
"I'm glad to see you alive," said the Elder of the Brotherhood. "But would you be so kind as to explain to me what that means."
He pointed to the Vertibird with a gesture.
"It's quite a long story," said Damian. "But we have more important things to deal with! Berry is dead and..."
"Yes," replied Lyons. "The Star Paladin Cross and the Scribe Hood returned shortly before you made your… Entrance, and informed me of the situation."
"They did? Are they all right?" Damian asked immediately. "Hood was injured and..."
"They're fine, Lyons gently cut him off. "Hood's in the infirmary and Cross will probably be glad to know you're safe, too."
Damian seemed relieved. He had feared that the young scribe's injury would be fatal to her in the long run, or that they would be ambushed on the way home.
"Cross told us that you entered Vault 87 alone," Lyons continued. "What's your story? Do you have it? Were you able to find the G.E.C.K.?"
Damian looked at Lyons, Sarah, and everyone else present.
"No, I mean, yes, but..."
"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, frowning. "Do you have it or not?"
"I had it," Damian answered. "I managed to find it with the help of someone, but the Enclave captured me and brought me back to their base in the mountains to the Northwest."
Lyons turned to a soldier who nodded and began to move towards the interior of the Citadel.
"It's no use," Damian intervened. "Their base is completely destroyed, but that's not the most important thing right now. The Enclave has taken the G.E.C.K. to the Jefferson Memorial and they must be connecting it to the purifier right now, if it hasn't already."
"Then we need to move as quickly as possible."
Lyons turned to the soldier again. He headed inside the Citadel, gathering several other soldiers with him.
"Explain everything to me in detail," Lyons said as he returned to Damian. You mention someone who helped you retrieve the G.E.C.K."
"Yes, I did."
Damian turned to the Vertibird.
"Fawkes, you can come and get our pilot friend out, too."
The pilot jumped out of the plane and was immediately flanked by two soldiers and escorted away. Fawkes made his appearance. All the soldiers present pointed their weapons at him. Damian rushed to the Super Mutant and faced the Brotherhood and Rangers with his arms raised.
"Don't shoot!" he shouted. "He's on our side!"
"On our side?" said Donovan. "Are you kidding me? He's a fucking Super Mutant!"
"Listen to me! Damian shouted. I assure you he's with us and he won't try anything!"
Damian looked at Fawkes and asked him to put his gun on the ground and put his hands up. The Super Mutant did so and dropped his laser gatling in front of the nervous and hateful eyes of the Brotherhood soldiers.
"I met him in Vault 87," Damian said. "He's not like the other Super Mutants and without him, I would never have been able to get the G.E.C.K. He then followed my captors and helped me capture this Vertibird."
Damian looked Lyons in the eye.
"Trust me," he said.
Lyons stared at the Super Mutant for long seconds. He signaled his men to lower their weapons.
"Sir," asked one of the soldiers. "This is..."
"I know what it is," Lyons said. "Put your weapons down. He can stay, but he's unarmed and must not leave you or he'll be shot."
Damian thanked him with a nod. The soldiers sheathed their weapons and Fawkes was able to put his hands down. He turned to Lyons and bowed forward.
"I thank you," he said to Damian. "Once again you've pulled me out of a difficult situation."
"Yeah, well, stay close to me as long as we're here."
Lyons approached them. He gave a suspicious glance at Fawkes. The Super Mutant sat on the floor and folded his arms.
"Tell me what happened," Lyons said.
Chapter is a little short, mainly because when I translate, I realize that I can write the same thing with less words.
Hope you enjoyed. Next time, the final battle will be upon Damian and the Brotherhood. How will it turn out? What will be the fate of the Capital Wasteland? Find out next time.
