"Guys, I can smell dog... We're gettin' close."
"Sweet!" Morgan chuckled before wincing and cutting herself short. "I...am pretty hungry."
"Nah... This is more like wet dog... Though we can cook the ones we kill if ya want." Garry explained, quickly pausing to look over his shoulder.
"Oh, right... You people don't know...
So this Raider gang, every Raider has a pet dog, some animal spirit bullshit that they all buy into 'cause they're high as fuck on jet. Their leaders are these two guys, claim to be brothers or somethin', go around callin' 'emselves 'Romulus' and 'Remus.'
We're probably goin' to be up against a number of guys, each one'll have his own dog. Dogs are meant to be extra vicious to, on account on them having really sore assholes."
"Understood." Said Rook, pumping the bolt of his rifle. "Do you know their weapon capabilities?"
"Not exactly sure, probably Chinese pistols... Rustic sawed off shotguns and maybe a few melee weapons to boot. I think these guys let their dogs do most of the work." Garry explained, glancing back over his shoulder.
"I was thinkin' that Morgan could hang back and take some guys out, with the M40, whilst we cleared out the dogs."
"I can try." Morgan agreed.
Garry nodded in agreement, appreciating it.
"I can move in around the side, I'm a good shot to... I know that leaves Rook on his own, in the open but I'm sure he can handle a couple of dogs. Hell, if they bite him, it'd probably do more harm to him.
Me and Morgan'll take out as many Raiders as we can before I move in and help Rook take on the dogs."
"What about me?" Heather asked, realising that she'd been left out of the plan.
"Hang back and cover Morgan... If this starts to go south, you and her need to be the first people out of here, since she can't run. Otherwise, Sniper always needs someone makin' sure that nobody can sneak up on 'em."
Rook handed the rifle off to Morgan.
"Keep the pistol for now. In case anyone gets too close." He pulled his shotgun free, and cocked it with one hand by letting the shotgun drop and then yanking it back into his palm by the lever.
"I will use this."
Garry looked around, gesturing to a building, that would make a great vantage point before making his way towards the Raider's camp. He planned to move a little off course, so that he could help Morgan as a spotter.
Who knew an Android could be such a poser... Morgan sighed and shook her head as she wandered off with Heather to find a decent vantage point.
Heather followed Morgan as she looked for the perfect building to use as a vantage point. The Former Slave found herself constantly looking over her shoulder for Garry, who went off to find his own vantage point.
"I hate this bit..." She uttered, with a sigh.
"I ain't gonna shoot you." Morgan sighed, glancing up to a rather tall building and heading her way towards it.
"Rook's unstoppable. This'll be fine."
"Something always goes wrong... Trust me, I've done this before." Heather replied, calmly as she followed Morgan up the stairs.
"At least we have more people this time."
"Nah, it'll be okay." Morgan insisted, plodding up the stairs slowly but steadily. "The majority of us are far away, and Rook is practically a tank."
Rook advanced on the raider compound, shotgun in hand. He looked casual, like he could be out for a Sunday walk.
"Yeah... These things turn out but still..." The Former Slave shrugged as they got up to the top of the stairway, she could see Rook making his move but couldn't see Garry.
"I think that Garry's in position... Rook's going near the camp, we should probably get into our place soon."
"Ya just a couple more flights, and I'll be ready." Morgan nodded, masking a sense of fear she had for Rook and his safety, despite her claims.
Heather nodded and kept an eye on the camp, just to make sure what was happening with Rook and the Raiders below.
Rook into his position at the entrance of the camp and came to a halt, expending raiders or their dogs to rear their ugly heads any minute now.
Morgan too got into position, lying on the floor observing the camp from above.
Let's do this..
The Raiders and their dogs immediately looked up as they saw Rook approach the camp, the Dogs immediately left their posts and began to run towards the Android at an alarmingly fast pace. The sea of dogs rushed straight towards the android and quickly jumped up at him, ready to pounce on him and tear him limb from limb as their masters rushed out with their guns.
Rook raised the shotgun to level height, simply extending his arm out in front of him, and fired at the nearest dog. Scattershot rained out of the weapons barrel into the animal's head, cleaving through it's skull and flesh, splattering brain, blood, and fur all over the side of the road. He cocked the shotgun in the same one-handed manner he had done before, and fired on the second dog. The buckshot key through that dog's neck, slicing several arteries causing fountains of blood to squirt up into the air.
The third made it to Rook and leaped at the android. He held up his forearm to receive the beast's maw, and the dog clamped both jaws down on it, dangling from the air, pawing at Rook's chest and waist. He brought the shotgun back and swung across his body with it, cracking the butt of the gun against the dog's skull, causing it's cranium to cave in. The animal twitched once, went slack, and dropped dead.
Rook recocked his shotgun and moved to cover.
Rook was immediately followed by the remaining seven dogs, that all immediately appeared around the wall as four now leapt up on him, clawing at his T-Shirt as two bits at his arms and legs, snarling as they tugged at him, sinking their teeth into his synthetic flesh.
Youch... Morgan thought, watching Rook with an impressed glint in her eyes. She peered up the camp at the dog's masters and focused on one, ready to take a shot.
The Raiders were somewhat amused at the fact that the idiot, who had wandered into their camp was quickly being overwhelmed and torn apart.
Rook swung his arm across his body, throwing a dog into the air. He smashed his boot through the head of another and finished a third off with a shotgun blast to the head. The fourth jumped up at him, trying to bit his face, and Rook caught it by the throat, and easily crushed the muscled flesh of the dog's neck in his hand, splattering blood over his arm and chest.
The dog that Rook threw quickly rolled onto its back and lunged forward, biting the Android's calf muscle as one of the other four remaining dogs jumped up at his throat, whilst the others jumped up at his arms, pulling them down to his sides.
Rook smashed a dog hanging from his arm into a wall repeatedly, turning its upper jaw into mush, and drove his knee into the crouch of the other, causing it to drop down. With his arms free, he aimed down at the dog gnawing at his calf and blew its brains out.
He knew he was covered in lacerations and bite wounds and probably required dozens of repairs, but right now he needed to focus on killing. He doubted any serious damage had been done, anyway.
Morgan held her breath, keeping an eye on the raiders. Her finger rested on the trigger and she bided her time, waiting for the right moment.
What did he say about these again?
The Raiders, knowing now that they wouldn't hit any of their lov- pets quickly raised their arms and took aim, open firing on Rook, having no idea that Morgan and Garry were watching from a distance.
Rook ducked into cover and slid more shells into his shotgun, bidding his time.
Morgan took the Raiders opening fire as the signal to start her own retaliation. She glanced to Heather and gave her a quick nod, before taking her first shot. There was a loud bang that made the girls ears ring and a raider down below crumpled to the ground, a portion of his brail plopping out beside him.
The M40's recoil kicked in and sent Morgan's arms skyward. She groaned as it tore at her wounds and tightened her grip to stop herself from losing the rifle again. She slowly readjusted herself, getting back into position.
"Joel! Move your fuckin' ass and get that nade we found last week!" A senior raider snapped as he raised up a Lee Enfield carbine rifle and continued to fire on Rook's position, whilst his people fired various weapons such as Chinese Pistols, Combat Shotguns and Hunting Rifles, all of which were badly damaged.
"Th-The one we got off of that asshole who-" 'Joel' asked, as if he'd have to, though he was cut off by the older man's barking voice.
"Yes you fuckwit, go get it.
Now!"
The Senior Raider kept up the pressure on Rook's position, whilst 'Joel' made a run for the tent, quickly dashing inside as he began to rummage through it.
Rook counted out shots, listening for when the majority of the raiders would need to reload. They were uncoordinated, and did not know how to balance out their shots.
When he had an opportunity he swiftly popped out and fired a lone blast at the raiders, before dropping back into cover.
One of the Raiders wasn't shooting at all, he peered around, until he saw the light shine off of Morgan's scope, prompting him to turn back to his people, pointing upwards.
"Guys-"
Just as he spoke a second shot was fired and a bullet went straight through his neck, shredding its insides and cutting his observation off. He stumbled backwards and fell on his back as he began to choke on his own blood.
Meanwhile, the eldest raider, who seemed to be calling the shots, quickly fired several shots at Rook as he ducked back down.
Rook glanced around. He'd need to circle around the raider's camp. He'd get above them in one of these buildings, and then drop down into the heart of it.
He stepped to the side, following the wall, until he found the door of the building he was up against. He kicked the door off its hinges and calmly walked inside, heading up the stairs.
Morgan breathed steadily until her heart rate had calmed down. She took a shaky aim at another raider, and fired, more prepared for the recoil this time.
Another Raider, wielding a hunting rifle, was hit, square in the chest, causing him to fly backwards and land on the floor with a thud. His comrades continued firing at Rook's position, though more of them were starting to look around for Heather, one of these curious Raiders got a bullet straight through the eye as Garry took his next shot.
Rook climbed up the stairs. He could still hear the raiders firing on where he had formerly been and felt a sense of satisfaction. If he dropped in behind them, they would be completely unsuspecting. Once on the second floor, he peaked out a window to make sure he was just over the camp.
He was.
He then opened said window and jumped through, dropping right behind the raider line...
"The sniper's over there!" A Raider snapped, quickly turning to Garry's position and spraying bullets at him, another one of his comrades joined in, pinning the Wastelander down.
As the raiders opening fire at Garry, Rook came up behind them, shotgun levelled out in front. He began blasting at their legs, firing and cocking his gun in repetition, without mercy or hesitation.
Morgan took another shot, this time at a Raider, Rook had missed. She stuck out her tongue in concentration and fired before withdrawing and sitting up to reload.
"How many shots I got left?"
One of the Raiders fell to the floor, crying out a curse as he did so, whilst the Senior Raider turned around and quickly began to fire at the Android, backing away as he continued to do so.
"Joel, get your fuckin' ass out here!" He screamed before raising his rifle up and taking a shot at Rook's head.
As he did so, Morgan's bullet went straight into the shoulder of another remaining raider, causing him to stagger to the side as he cried out in pain, wondering where the shot had even come from.
The bullet hit Rook square in the forehead, burning his skin down to the metal, but bounced off his titanium skull. Rook returned the favour, but the buckshot did not bounce off of the raider's forehead.
The Senior Raider's head was blown in half as his brains, bits of skull fragment and strands of white hair flew straight behind him as his head jerked back and he fell to the floor. His body landed in a heap, at the same time that a small metal canister landed beside him.
The metal canister began to pulse, emitting a tiny blue light for a fraction of a second before exploding into a large dome of pulsating energy, that absorbed the corpse of his former comrade and Rook, sending a powerful electrical surge through his systems...
Rook spasmed for a second, losing all control, before collapsing, as unconscious as a robot can be.
At the base of Morgan's Tower, the feint sounds of echoing dogs, coming from the bottom of the stairs, growing louder, with each passing second. It seemed that reinforcements had arrived...
"Shit..." Morgan growled, turning to Heather for a second. She rummaged into her pockets and passed her her last mine.
"Place that by the stairs. Hide it, and come back to me. We got reinforcements heading our way." With that, she got a steely glare in her eyes and turned back to the camp, firing on Joel.
Heather nodded, even she knew that these things had a motion sensor in them, so she decided to put it behind the door, placing it firmly on the ground before waiting for the red light to come on.
She then moved back to Morgan's side and raised her shotgun up against the door.
"What's going on down there? Are they okay?" She asked, not being able to see as she had her eyes fixed on the door.
The fuck did trash like you get an EMP from? Frigging typical...
"Fuck yeah!" Joel yelled, punching the air before looking back to the three remaining Raiders.
"Sounds like Romulus is back boys! Let's go, get us a sniper rifle!" He yelled as they group abandoned their camp, rushing over to Morgan's building to assist their comrades, bypassing Garry completely, who they had forgotten in the excitement.
A.R.C.
"There's been word that some scientists have started working on a water purifier down in DC... Ain't that just dandy? Though, bare in mind, dear listener; I just got the news, by all we know it might already be running, hah! Perhaps when they're done they'll come up north huh? Sadly, I think the Hudson's gonna need a lot more than 'one' purifier if we wanted clean river water here in the Empire Wasteland. No, Best keep getting it from the puddles around Central Park."
"Now, some music. Another Ink Spots song: If I Didn't Care
Do androids dream of electric sheep?
Rook did not know, nor did he care, but whilst unconscious, his link activity spiked. He began to get readings. There was another android not far…
Northeast of Central Park, at an undisclosed raider camp…
The camp was out in the wilderness. It was stationed in an old roadside bar, once a popular destination for bikers. And that was probably why the "Fleas" had set up here. The raiders were named for their vehicles, the Flea. They were salvaged, running on old nuclear fuel rods scavenged from a plant to the north. The Fleas used them to carry out their raids, hitting nearby targets like lone settlers or small communities. They were isolated, so they never feared an attack. In fact, they welcomed customers into the bar, so that they would spend money on booze.
That's why T2-30 was not met with guards or shot on sight. It simply walked into the bar, as naked as the day it was built. All eyes were on the android as it walked through the bar slowly, scanning occupants, looking for clothing that would fit him. A waitress looking it up and down and gave a sultry grin. The bartender turned away in disgust, and several bikers just glared at T2-30. It was ruining the atmosphere.
It settled on one Flea over by a pool table smoking a cigar, dressed in tight fitting white t-shirt, wearing tortoiseshell glasses, and jeans. He was bigger than T2-30 current form, but he'd change the mass of his bio-gel, and it would fit fine.
"I need your clothes, your boots and your moto-tricycle." He demanded in monotone to the biker, stepping up to him.
There was silence all around at the demand, until the big biker laughed, pulling his cigar from his mouth. Other patrons laughed with him.
"You forgot to say please…" The Flea chuckled and reach forward with his cigar, pressing the smouldering butt into T2-30 'skin.' The bio-gel flesh turned black as it crackled and burned from the cigar's heat, leaving a nice burn behind.
The Flea was still chuckling. That was, until he realized the android didn't even flinch. T2-30 slowly and briefly glanced down at where the cigar had burned its skin and then back up at the Flea.
The raider's face fell, realizing he may have just bitten off more than he could chew. T2-30 struck out and punched the raider across the face, sending the much larger biker flying back like he was nothing. Another raider came up behind the android and whacked a pool stick across the back of his head. It simply broke in half and T2-30 threw an elbow into the raider's face, sending him to the ground with a flurry of blood. Several more came at him and T2-30 simply flipped the pool table into them, knocking them all flat.
He returned to the original Flea he had terrorized. The man whipped out a pistol on T2-30, but the android was undeterred. It reached forward, and with uncanny speed, snatched the weapon from the biker's hand.
The raider breathed furiously and in panic, as T2-30 leaned closer and reached out, towards his face…
And picked up the glasses in between two fingers. He pulled the shades off of the biker's head and put them on his own.
Then he blew the raider's brains out, and proceeded to strip him down.
A few minutes later, he stepped outside, dressed in a white t-shirt, jeans, and glasses, with a pistol in his waistband. He approached the Flea's Flea, climbed into it, and started it up.
At that, an older man popped out of the bar, barring a 5.56mm assault rifle.
"I can't let you take the man's wheels, son. Now get off before I put you down."
The T2-30 slowly got off the bike, and began to approach the man.
"That's it, goddamnit." The man said, with a satisfied sigh, right before the android lunged out and snatched the weapon from him, and then whacked him across the face with the butt of his own gun. As the old man fell to the ground, the T2-30 went back to the Flea, climbed into it, and drove off.
"Shit. Shit. Shit." Morgan cursed, coming back from the window and focusing on the stairway now herself.
"Rooks outta commission. Bastards had an EMP." She growled, her anger and frustration growing clearer.
"Get into cover. Now!"
Heather nodded and rushed over to a desk, which she swiftly wrapped her hands around and tried to push over.
"Th-This thing's heavy, h-help!" She called as the barking of the dogs grew louder.
Morgan slid over as fast as she was able, and used her rifle to help Heather push the desk over, where she crouched behind it.
"Alright, I got one grenade left as well." She started, peering over the top. "The Mine should get the dogs at least, and hopefully the grenade will get everyone else. Wait until they are al in the room, do not reveal yourself..." Morgan sounded like she was talking more to herself than Heather.
"These pricks probably won't be up for negotiations."
"Th-They never are..." Heather whispered, speaking from experience.
"Just don't let them close, that's the worst thing that can happen..."
As heather finished speaking, the two of them could hear the sound of paws hitting the floor as the dogs reached the top of the stairs, the rabid dogs barked and snarled as they rushed over to the door and crossed its threshold, quickly triggering Morgan's mine.
The most of the dogs were killed on impact, the first one to activate the mine wasn't even identifiable as a dog anymore and his comrade to the right was blown off of his feet and went flying out of a nearby window.
The rest of the dogs were either killed or seriously wounded by the blast, having multiple broken bones and fractures and several severe burns.
Morgan nodded.
With a little luck, they won't even know what we look like.
The mine went off, and judging by the lack of barking, most of the dogs were safely taken care of. Was worth spending the last one, I guess.
Morgan breathed heavily and sat behind the desk, waiting for the actual raiders to show up.
Judging by the sound of feet pounding up the stairs, they were not far off.
Morgan was right, it wasn't long before five raiders quickly burst into the room, stepping over the dying, whimpering dogs as they began to sweep the room with their rifles, more footsteps could be heard pounding up the stairs behind them, suggesting that there were more.
They slowly began to pace around the room, examining every possible hiding place as they made their way over to the group's position...
Morgan closed her eyes and took a quiet shaky breath. She glanced out and slowly pulled the grenade from her shirt where she unpinned it at rolled it along the floor at the group.
It was a risky move. The direction the grenade was rolling would give away their position. She was hoping the majority of the raiders would get taken out in the blast...
What I wouldn't do for a smoke right now...
The grenade exploded before it could come to a stop, blowing one of the Raiders forward, against the wall and his comrades flying around the room, the ones closest to the grenade didn't make it, whereas the furthest ones away from the grenade were shook up, instantly rendered immobile by the trauma of the blast and multiple fractures.
"Fuck they're got grenades!" One of the Raiders called back, bursting into the room, with another four of his comrades and quickly moving their way over to the other side, hoping to get there before the next grenade was thrown.
Well, shit. We're fucked.
Morgan looked to Heather and nodded for her to take out her shotgun, whilst she pulled out Rooks 12.7
She slowly got on her knees and peeked out above the desk, her red cap strikingly obvious, and she took aim at the nearest of the surviving Raiders where she wasted no time in firing before ducking back down into cover.
The shot hit one of the Raider's in the thigh, causing him to cry out as he stumbled backwards and fell to the floor, clutching his leg.
Heather then fired one of her shots at the Raider as he fell, spraying a bunch of bullets into the side of his head, causing it to explode, like a melon, killing him instantly.
Unfortunately, now all of the other raiders were aware of their position, they immediately began to open fire at the desk, shooting at it with rifles and pistol ammo, putting major dents into its surface with each shot.
Shit!
"Gods where the fuck is your boyfriend?" Morgan hissed over the shots as she fired blindly from cover.
"We're gonna have to get out of here!"
"I could fire another shot... I can't see but this room's pretty small, I could hit someone." Heather suggested before a gunshot rang out throughout the building complex below and a .308 round went straight into a Raider's head, causing him to flip horizontally and land with a thud on the floor.
"Fucking finally." Morgan grunted, reloading the 12.7 and popping up to fire it again.
Urgh and we've got Rook to frigging cart around if we make it outta here.
Another Raider was hit in the chest before Heather jumped up and shot at the nearest one, quickly blowing him in half with her shotgun, putting it down to one Raider, who quickly fired at the two women, with his combat shotgun.
Heather crouched down and began to reload, snapping the caravan shotgun in two as she ejected the empty cartridges and began to fumble around her pockets for more shells.
Morgan popped up and fired her last shot right at the raider's chest. She didn't say anything, but her severely angry expression could say more than she ever would.
This prompted the Raider to stumble backwards, clutching the bleeding bullet wound as he did so before hanging his head and wincing. He didn't have much time to look at his injury before Garry pulled the trigger on his rifle, hitting him in the head and sending him straight to the floor.
Heather snapped her shotgun shut before looking up to Morgan, waiting for confirmation.
"Is... Is it over?" She asked, though as it did, Morgan could hear a number of heavy footsteps as someone or something large began to ascend the stairway.
"Guess not." Morgan groaned, diving out and dragging two bodies back. "Check one for bullets." She instructed as she rummaged around in the other bodies pockets, a grin on her face when she pulled out a pack of smokes.
Ah, excellent!
She stuck one in her mouth and struck a light from the one match she could find. Morgan breathed out, smoke billowing into the air and she relaxed significantly.
"Let's get this over with..."
Heather drew a couple of 10mm rounds from them as well as some shotgun shells but the Former Slave was already pretty stocked.
As she did so, a very large man appeared in the doorway of the room, with two large shoulder pads draped around him, clearly they were American Football shoulder pads, spray-painted red...
Or at least it looked like spray paint...
The man was around six to seven feet tall and looked like he could take a death claw on bare handed, with a brick-like forehead that could punch through a wall.
He carried a fire axe in his hand, with two blades taped to, that were most likely lawnmower blades.
He began to pant heavily as he examined the bodies of his fallen comrades, his breaths grew heavier and more frequent as the rage built up inside him, like a volcano, ready to erupt. After a brief moment or two, he burst into a shriek of mad rage and went feral, charging into the room towards the desk.
Shitting hell!
"Move it!" Morgan bellowed to Heather as she dived away from the desk and skidded backwards. She kept a firm grip on her cigarette, blowing smoke through her nose as she raised her 12.7 and fired twice without hesitation.
The first of the 12.7mm rounds hit Romulus' shoulder pads, the second hit his right pectoral, causing him to growl in annoyance and fuel his rage as he rushed forward, swinging his axe at Morgan as he attempted to chop her in half.
Great time to have to reload...
Morgans eyes widened and she stumbled back, hitting the wall in her desperation to avoid the axe. She darted off to the side and tossed a Raiders arm at him.
If I can keep him focused on me, Heather or her boyfriend should be able to take care of him.
I hope..
Heather quickly jumped up and blasted his ineptly armed back with her shotgun, this would be enough to kill a normal man but this just caused Romulus to stumble forward, falling to the floor before quickly scrambling to his feet and charging at Morgan, holding her accountable for the shotgun blast in the back.
He drove his axe down on her, clearly frustrated with the fact that he couldn't seem to hit her.
Morgan dived out the way again, rolling forwards and coming to a stop before cocking up the landing. She fell on her ass and groaned, clutching at her stomach.
Think...
I shoulda kept the mine!
She pulled herself to her feet as fast as she could and turned to face Romulus.
Romulus' back was turned to Heather once more, quickly causing him to get shot again, prompting him to stumble forward and fall towards Morgan.
Morgan stepped out the way, and drove her foot into Romulus' knee as hard as she could whilst she reloaded.
Romulus growled and stumbled back, hanging his head and snarling as he backed towards the window. It seemed to be the case that he was oblivious to it...
Heather, quickly realising this, hopped over the desk and began to fire her .32 pistol rounds at his head and face, causing him to shield it as he stumbled back.
"Morgan, start shooting!" She yelled, sounding exasperated.
Morgan merely nodded, and raised the 12.7
Time to say a line like Grognac or something!
"Enjoy the breeze, fuckface!"
With that, she began emptying every round she had into the mutants face.
Romulus looked away as he continued to stumble back, quickly finding that his unnaturally large shoulders prevented him from falling through the window as the onslaught of bullets quickl ran out.
Just as it looked like he might be getting up, he was quickly shot in the calf muscle, by one of Garry's rounds, causing him to slide down the window frame, where he was left barely standing...
Heather looked to Morgan and nodded sternly, one hard push outa do it...
Morgan sighed and holstered her pistol. She walked over and started pushing with all her strength. Which wasn't much.
The freakishly large Raider was immediately knocked off balance, where he plummeted dozens of feet down, joining one of his canine companions on the ground, with an earth shattering thud.
Amazingly, the Raider leader was still alive, groaning on the floor, sadly he didn't get long to adjust to his newly crippled state before Garry wandered over to him, drawing a Colt 1911 from his belt and putting a bullet between the dog lord's eyes, ending the fight.
He quickly looked up, addressing his companions...
"It's clear now, you can come down!"
"Hold it right there!" a voice which sounded as if it was mumbled through a microphone called out behind them.
Garry turned around as he addressed the microphone, somewhat surprised at their intervention.
It was quite clear who was calling out. A squad of about five people clad in power armour marched on their position.
Laser rifles in hand, one even had a gatling laser.
"Stand down, Citizens!" The one at the front commanded.
Garry recognised their armour or at least that it was Power Armour, though it was somewhat different to the Armour that Hamilton dragged in to the camp.
"You Brotherhood?" He called, still clinging to his rifle.
"Yes, that we are." The Paladin answered, a bit annoyed. It seemed obvious to him.
"You can never be too careful... You could always be those other assholes in Power Armour." Garry shrugged, glancing back over to the Raider camp before turning his attention back to them.
"The Enclave?" The leader of the little pose asked a inquisitive.
"Don't worry about them, our latest reports have shown their interest in New York is minimal, hence there's only these eyebots hoovering around, spouting their propaganda."
"They're more interested in what's happening down south in DC at the moment. Which is good, since it gives us more time to prepare for their inevitable "boots on the ground" operations in the Empire Wasteland."
The Paladin then got a bit more serious again.
"But, I would like to know what a bunch of civilians are doing down here. State your business please."
Garry looked around, it was obvious that he couldn't tell a real lie here as he really couldn't think of a good enough reason for them to be here, they were nowhere near Broadway or Queens.
"We came here for this camp, take out the Raiders and loot their stuff, I guess... Things didn't exactly go to plan though."
"Just you?" The Brotherhood seemed surprised that such a rag-tag gang could care for themselves.
"Well, that's great for you then, but we are here to inspect this... 'People's Republic of Chinatown' we heard about on the radio. Seems they've got some dangerous tech in hand."
Garry shrugged, he genuinely didn't know anything about that.
"You mean the Car? We saw a few ABCs drivin' one around, down south... Had a big gun on the back of it and everythin'."
"What? No... Their psychotronic frequency beacon." The Brotherhood Paladin explained. showing they were not on the same page here.
"And a Psycho... Frequency beacon is... What?" Garry asked, finding himself to be incredibly confused, he hadn't seen or heard of a psychotronic frequency beacon before. He began to wonder if that's what 'Joel' threw at Rook to disable him...
"Well it's the... look, just... A big antenna, alright?" The Paladin tried to explain, but instead just patronised the wastelander before him. While the other initiates behind him looked at each other silently mocking this idiot who wasn't 'in the know'.
"Nope... Nothin' like that... We saw a grenade, that could fry robots and a big ass military car and that's it." Garry shrugged, not knowing what else to say at that point as he glanced off to the Raider camp.
"Odd... We haven't heard about any of these things. Are you sure this is the PRCT you're talking about here?" The Paladin asked with a hint of doubt in his muffled microphone voice coming from under the emotionless helmet.
"Nah... That electricity grenade was these Raiders but these dog fuckers probably stole it off of someone else." Garry explained, with a shrug as he glanced away.
"Not sure about the car though... Driver was Chinese, so were some of the other guys."
"What's the fact they were chinese have to do with anything?"
The soldier said, now resting his rifle on his shoulder.
"The PRCT isn't based on race... Or language for that matter, apart from the few words they nicked from a Chinese dictionary they're as 'american' as you and me."
"Just sayin' what I saw... Chinese guys, talkin' Chinese in a big ass truck..." Garry shrugged, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.
"Don't know if they are China town people or not."
"Can you describe this truck again?"
"Erm... Well, it was like a car but with big wheels, a lot of armour on it, made out of like sheet metal and shit. I'm pretty sure that it was a military vehicle too..." Garry uttered, not having any frame of reference, when it came to cars.
"Ok, so basically an old miliary SUV..."
The Paladin turned to his companions.
"They probably got it from old Fort Morris."
"We'll be on our way then. But please, try not to get in the way if you see the Brotherhood of Steel" The Paladin finished
After that he gestured to his crew and they carried on, towards South.
Garry kept his eyes fixed on the Brotherhood, some things never changed, like overzealous assholes. He sighed heavily and entered the camp as he began to look around for something to use.
Morgan slowly inched forwards and made a dash before skidding along the ground to kneel beside Rook.
"H-hang on. It'll be okay. I'll repair you..."
Rook didn't respond, because he was unconscious. The EMP had overloaded his systems with electrical charge and it would take some time for them to recover and reboot.