Chapter 6

The Dynamic Duo


Sunlight poured through the grimy open window and peeked through cracks in the wall, highlighting the dance of cigar smoke and dust in the small musty room. The heavyset man sat across from her, feet propped up on the wooden desk.

"So lemme get this straight", he took a puff of the cigar. "You wanna put me in this little paper of yours, so you come walkin into my hideout, arms swingin without a care in the world".

"I didn't exactly walk in here unarmed Mr. Malone", she interrupted, straightening in her seat. "I knew you wouldn't just shoot an unarmed woman on sight, that's not your style".

She reached into her jacket and froze for a moment when she heard distinct metallic clicks on either side of her.

"Whoa, easy there guys", she held up a hand before slowly retrieving the cigarette from her jacket.

"Do you mind?", she smiled at Mr. Malone, wiggling the cigarette between her fingers.

A nod from the pudgy mobster setting the Triggermen on either side of her at ease before he slid a chrome plated lighter across the desk.

"Thanks", she lit the cigarette and took a drag. "Where was I?"

"You were telling me why I shouldn't just rub you out right here".

"Right….see I know quite a bit about you already Mr. Malone, that warehouse on Brickshire, for example, where you run guns, your little side business dealing chems. I know you have people in Goodneighbour and Diamond City, hell, I've even got a few of their names".

He flashed her a toothy grin, biting down on the cigar, the only crack in an otherwise perfect poker face.

"Sounds like you're a real busybody Ms. Wright, not exactly a healthy quality for a young lady such as yourself". "And all the more reason to take you out".

"With respect sir, that wouldn't be the smart move here", she countered.

"Ha ha ha ha ha", he chuckled as he stood, his laughter echoed by the Triggermen in the room.

"Lemme guess", he made his way to the window. "Anything happens to you, and Diamond City security gets their mitts in my business, is that it?"

"Something like that", she exhaled a stream of smoke away from the mob boss.

"Just like a broad to stick her nose where it don't belong, you think you're the first person to try an blackmail me, sweetheart?"

"Miss Wright, you're playin a dangerous game", he turned and pointed at her with the butt of his cigar.

"Sir, I think you have the wrong idea here", she assured him.

"Do I now?"

She took another drag of her cigarette. "I've had this information for almost a year."

He gave her an almost quizzical look.

"Remember that anonymous tip two months ago about the gang raid on one of your storehouses?", she asked with a quirk of her head. "Or how about the raider gang a few months before that?". "You know, the ones that kept hitting your patrols near the church?"

"Who do you think tipped your men off?", she added.

He took another puff of his cigar and regarded her for a moment in silence, no doubt trying to figure out her angle or maybe just to make her squirm.

To her credit, she betrayed none of the anxiety she felt. This was hardly new to her after all. She ground the cigarette out on the desk and relaxed in the deceptively comfortable chair, while meeting his gaze.

"And why exactly would you do that missy?". "What is it you want?"

"I did it because, as bad you are, at least you're a reasonable man. You don't go around killing people for fun. You're a businessman, I get that. And while I don't like your methods, the gun-running, the chems, I can at least understand it. I'm not going to pretend to like you Sir, but I can at least see the need for your Triggermen, even if Diamond City doesn't."

"So Diamond City needs me?"

"Ha ha ha ha ha , how do you figure that, doll?", his amusement clear on his face.

"All those raider gangs out there, have one thing in common, they're animals.", she leaned forward in her chair. "They get off on murdering and torturing innocent people, they can't be reasoned with and they thrive on the chaos they create. Its groups like your Triggermen that keep the raiders in check, because as many gangs as there are out there, they're disorganized, small groups fighting among themselves…"

"Hear that boys?", he interrupted her.

"We're Diamond City's guardian angels!", the chorus of boisterous laughter around the room doing little to faze her.

"Sounds like you got it all figured out doll", he approached her, the weathered floorboards creaking under his weight.

"In fact, sounds like you got enough to put in your little paper already, so why are you here", he leaned in, an arm on the back of her chair, staring down at her.

She swallowed almost imperceptibly, before looking up at him with a confident, if forced, smile.

"I told you, I'm not going reveal anything damaging about your business Mr. Malone. What I want, is to do a piece on you, personally. The information I have on you is second hand, I want your own words, that way you have a say in exactly what you want the people to know about you."

"And what makes you think I want 'the people' to know anything about me, or my business", he straightened and took another puff of his cigar.

"Reputation", she countered.

"I'm sure you know how valuable reputation is in your line…", a knock on the door interrupting them.

"What is it?", the mobster called.

"Boss, we found another 'guest' sniffin around outside", came the voice from behind the door.

"Christ, what am I, runnin a motel?"

"Bring em!"

"Hey, ease up hotshot", a man stumbled into the room, a patchwork trench coat and a battered fedora.

"Well I'll be, Nicky Valentine, my old pal", Malone chuckled, a wide grin splitting his face as he forcefully shook Nick's hand.

"Skinny", Nick nodded in greeting, while throwing Piper a glance. "You okay Piper?"

"You know me, I'm always okay", she grinned, hiding her relief. Her little charade was starting to become tedious.

"So you know this little lady?", Malone motioned to Piper. "Ain't that a coincidence."

"Boys I'm sure some of you know Mr. Valentine", "How long has it been Nicky?"

"Not long enough if you ask me", Nick mused.

"Ha ha ha ha, why don't you have a seat Nicky boy, and tell me what the hell you're doin here", the mob boss motioned to one of his goons, and they dragged a chair from the corner. Depositing it unceremoniously in front of the desk.

"As much as I'd love to catch up, I'm afraid this isn't a social call", Nick insisted. "I'm just here to collect our intrepid journalist here."

"Is that so?", "A real pistol this one", Malone returned to his chair.

"Don't I know it", Nick agreed.

"Heh, well, see we still have a little problem here", he lounged back in his chair.

"How do you figure that?", Nick asked, approaching the desk to stand next to Piper.

"For starters, I don't usually set up shop this close to Diamond City unless I have business to take care of, and I don't get unannounced guests when I do. Now I got two in one morning. One of you care to explain that?"

Piper gave nick a look before she spoke, "Well I heard you were nearby, and..., I figured it was a good opportunity to track you down and get that interview I've always been meaning to get".

"A lot more convenient than wandering around downtown to find that supposed vault that I heard you were using as a hideout."

"You heard I was 'nearby'", "And who told you that, doll?"

"Mr. Malone, I'm an investigative journalist, I may not be as good of a detective as Nick here, but I'm good at my job. I heard about that child your people kidnapped outside Diamond City two days ago, and kidnapping is a pretty big deal these days, what with the institute and all…", now it was Nick's turn to give her an uneasy look from under the brim of his hat.

"So you're sayin I should be expectin Diamond City security to come bangin on my door anytime now, is that it?"

"No, no not at all sir. I told you, Diamond City security isn't going to hear anything about you from me, unless something happens to me or Nick here. I'm just after the story, Diamond City security has their own job to do".

"….If they care to anyway", she mumbled.

"Boss, it's almost time", one of the Triggermen interrupted.

"Already?", Malone sighed, "How bout that, where does the time go?"

"Nicky, looks like we're gonna have to do this another time".

"Fine by me, I know you're a busy man", Nick nodded.

"Miss Wright, afraid I'm gonna have to say no to your interview, but you can be damn sure I'll be keepin an eye on you from now on".

"That's a shame, can't blame a girl for trying, well it's been a pleasure Sir", she rose from her seat.

"Boys, show our guests the road".

"Cya around Skinny.", Nick tipped his hat with a skeletal metal hand, before leaving the room with Piper.


"Did you find him?", Piper muttered under her breath as they walked down the corridor, careful not to let the two goons a few feet behind them hear her.

"The kid's safe, just keep walkin", Nick answered, throwing her a quick sidelong glance.

Just then, the door at the end of the hallway ahead, burst open.

"Boss the brat's gone!", a panicked Triggerman shouted, freezing them in place for a second before they heard another voice from the room behind them.

"What?!"

"Valentine!"

"Crap", Piper hissed.

"Oh for cryin out loud", Nick sighed, doing a one eighty and punching the closest Triggerman in the nose.

Piper followed suit, kicking the man behind her in the shin.

"Sorry!", she managed, before both men hit the ground and Nick tackled her, pushing them both through the nearest door in the narrow hallway.

A few bullets hitting the wall before they shut the door.

"I want em alive!", Nick heard the mobster say as he held the door shut while Piper scrambled to slide a broken desk behind it.

"That's not gonna hold for long", he said, backing up into the room.

Though, room might have been a tad generous, they seemed to be short at least one wall. The street could be seen below, the morning sunlight filling the blown out room.

"That's a long way down", Piper said, toeing the edge of the warped floor to get a better look at the sidewalk. The crashing sound and splintering of the wooden door making her jump, she could hear the angry mob just beyond. They'd likely be through it in a matter of seconds.

"The fire escape's seen better days, looks like we're gonna have to jump", Nick approached her, looking over the side.

"Jump?" , "Are you crazy?", "I can't make that!"

"It's not as far as it looks, you'll be fine, just aim for the hotrod", Nick reassured her, nodding his head to the wrecked vehicle on the sidewalk.

"Hello!, human here", she jabbed her chest with both thumbs, "I'll break my legs!".

A few gunshots shredding the door, and forcing his hand, he swept her off her feet.

"Nick, what the hell!"

"Hold on!" he advised her, holding her tight before taking a running jump off the second floor.

"Niiiiick!", she screamed the entire way down, before they hit the hood of the car with a crash. She slipped through his arms and landed on the hood on her butt.

"Ow! God dammit Nick!", Piper winced.

"Ugh!, I'm gonna feel that tomorrow", Nick declared, wincing as he knelt next to her on the car hood.

"Are you alright?", "Can you walk?", Piper asked in concern, helping him up.

"I can still dance a jig", he assured her as they hopped off the car.

The crash from the room above told them the mobsters were almost through the door.

"Time to shake a leg!", they bolted down the sidewalk just as a group raiders poured into the street from a side alley further ahead.

"Whoa!", "Wrong way", Piper stopped suddenly, causing Nick to crash into her.

"Hey!", "There he is!", they heard one of the raiders say before the group made a beeline for the duo, hissing and hollering.

"'Now they show up!?", she heard Nick mutter.

"Friends of yours?", Piper sounded almost hopeful until a bullet whizzed past them.

"Hardly!", Nick ducked.

"Oh boy, c'mon!", Piper grabbed his arm and they dashed across the street towards a dilapidated bar.


"Stupid lock", Piper muttered as she worked on the door.

"Come on Piper, I'm not comfortable with our asses sticking out in the street like this".

"Don't rush me", she hissed.

The hollering and whistling was rapidly growing closer, and while the door, which was in a little alcove on the sidewalk provided some cover from the approaching raiders, they were directly across from Skinny Malone's hideout.

He could clearly see into the room they'd jumped out of, on the other side of the street when the Triggermen finally broke through the door.

"Almost got it…", Piper muttered.

"Boss there he is!", Nick heard the Triggermen shout, before a hail of bullets narrowly missed his head.

"Piper!", he grabbed his hat and ducked as dust and debris rained down.

The trigger happy Triggerman receiving a fist to the back of the head when Malone entered the room, "I said 'alive' you idiot!"

"Got it!", Piper shouted, throwing the door open and scrambling into the room.

"Valentine!", he heard Skinny Malone's angry voice from the second story room.

Nick simply tipped his hat to the mobster with a smile in response, before Piper dragged him into the bar and slammed the door.

"Boss! raiders!", they heard from outside before the gunfire started in earnest.

Piper plopped down, with a sigh of relief, her back to the wall next to a window, arms around her knees. Nick stood next to her peering out the boarded windows. The tiny cracks ensured that they weren't totally in the dark.

"Looks like Skinny's got his hands full", Nick commented, whipping out a cigarette and lighting it while he peered through the cracks.

"Who were those raiders anyway, looked like they knew you", Piper asked, looking up at him.

"Didn't take much to wind them up, I even left a trail for them to follow, right up to Skinny Malone's doorstep", he explained. "But it looks like I overestimated those knuckleheads, they were supposed to get here much earlier so we could escape in the chaos", he took a drag of the cigarette, the smoke seeping through the cracks in his neck.

Just then, a stray bullet broke through the boards, shattering the glass behind it and hitting the detective in the shoulder while Piper shielded herself from shards of falling glass.

"Are you kidding me?", he prodded the hole in his trench coat.

"Ellie isn't gonna be too thrilled about this, I just had her patch it yesterday", Nick sighed.

"Will you get down!", Piper grabbed his arm and pulled him down to sit next to her.

"You took a pretty big risk using raiders like that", Piper mused, closing her eyes and knocking her head back on the wall.

"Well I wouldn't have had to if you didn't take so long getting out. You said you would distract him not sit down for tea and shoot the breeze", he took another puff.

Piper growled, snatching the cigarette from his metallic fingers and inhaling deeply, "I had it under control, I was just about to leave when you stumbled in".

"Yeah?", "And what would you have done if he agreed to your interview?"

Piper snickered, "Skinny Malone?", "There's no way he would have gone for that"

She briefly entertained the idea of rummaging behind the bar in front of her.

The gunfire outside, showed no signs of subsiding.

"At least we got the kid out, him and his old man should be safe in Diamond City, though they might not wanna go for a walk outside again for a while", Nick mused.

"Former chemist of local mob boss decides to go down the straight and narrow". "Or, 'daring rescue of child from the clutches of the evil Triggermen'", Piper mulled over potential headlines.

"Skinny's chem business is gonna take a pretty big hit if he can't find a replacement, I'll have to ask Diamond City security to keep an eye on the both of them", Nick decided, stealing the cigarette back.

"Pffft, not like they're good for anything else", Piper folded her arms, stretching her legs out on the dusty wooden floor, kicking a toppled bar-stool towards the bar.

"They have their moments, seems to me like you're just getting jaded in your old age", Nick teased.

Piper shot him a dirty look.

"What's really on your mind?", Nick probed.

"Nothing it's just…I could use a little bit of good press you know?", "Doesn't matter what I do, unmasking murderers and criminals, exposing cover-ups, I'll always be viewed as 'that nosy reporter'".

"The dirty looks, people always keeping me at arms length, it comes with the territory, I know that, I don't have a problem with it but… All Diamond City security has to do, is shoot a few super mutants or raiders and call it a day, they're heroes. But a kid goes missing and unless there are neon signs telling them exactly where to go, it's too much trouble for them to get off their asses.", Piper ended her rant with an exasperated sigh.

"So you're jealous?", Nick teased.

"I'm not jeal !….ok maybe a little jealous, but it's not about tha…"

Just then, the door burst open, startling her, partially kicked off its hinges by a raider clad in leather, a green Mohawk and, 'creative' facial decorations. Grinning at some hidden joke, rows of blackened teeth splitting his face.

"Uh…Nick?". They slowly climbed to their feet.

"Back up", Nick whispered. "There's a door at the other end of the bar", Nick pulled her behind him while he faced the raider and they slowly backed away.

The raider pulled out a baseball bat causing him to instinctively reach into his coat, cursing under his breath when he remembered he never got his gun back from the Triggermen.

The sound of another door being kicked open behind them. And another 'colourful' raider burst through the door with a pair of brass knuckles. He howled in delight the second he laid eyes on the pair.

They were surrounded.

"That's…..that's not good, what's plan B, Nick?", Piper muttered as they stood back-to-back while the raiders closed in, grinning from ear to ear.

"Hahaha, where'ya gonna run?", the raider facing Nick asked menacingly.

"I'll take the ugly one", Nick joked.

"Nick!", Piper hissed, this was no time to crack wise.

"I'm out of ideas here, can you take 'knuckles' over there?", Nick asked, his voice low.

"With what, my fists?", "I ditched my gun, remember?"

"C'mere girly, I ain't gonna hurt ya", the raider in front of her assured her.

Piper rolled her eyes.

"We're in a bar, you'll think of somet…", Nick started, but was interrupted when the raider with the baseball bat charged at him. He pushed Piper out of the way before ducking under the swing and tackling the 'ugly one'.

Unfortunately for Piper 'out of the way' meant towards the other raider.

She managed to stop just short of crashing into the raider. "Uh…hi, 'Knuckles', was it?", she offered with an uneasy smile, looking up at him.

'Knuckles' offered her his own twisted grin before his hands shot out, grabbing her by the collar. Her response was instant and instinctual, swinging her leg into his groin causing him to double over grunting, then grabbing an empty whisky bottle off the bar and breaking it across his face which sent him careening into the wall off to the side.

She spun around to see the other raider had Nick pinned against the wall, trying to grapple with him.

Piper grabbed the nearest bar-stool and swung it down on the raider's back, sending him to his knees letting nick follow up with a solid right hook to his jaw.

The grip on her ankles almost didn't register as she fell face first on the wooden floor, the wind knocked out of her, before she was dragged and spun around roughly. 'Knuckles' was once again in her face, on top of her this time. Shards of glass still lodged in his bleeding temple.

"Bitch!", with one hand on her throat, he reared his brass knuckled fist back.

"Nick!", she managed to choke out, shielding her face, bracing for the worst.

His fist never landed however, she caught a brief glimpse of Nick's loafers making contact with his face, knocking him off of her before Nick himself was grabbed again from behind.

She scrambled to her feet, grabbing another bar-stool despite her coughing fit.

Thankfully 'Knuckles' was still stunned when she cracked the bar-stool across his face, knocking him out. She turned around just in time to see Nick ram the other raider's head through the drywall.

"Goodnight princess", Nick muttered as he let the raider fall over and straightened his trench coat.

"You alright Piper?", Nick turned to her.

Piper took a deep breath, "Still in one piece, guess I can scratch 'Bar fight' off of my to-do list", she managed a smile while rubbing her sore neck.

"Wish I could say this was my first", he chuckled as he approached her, his hand gingerly shifting her collar to check the damage. Brow furrowed, the dim glow of his eyes scanning her bruised neck.

"Nick, I'm fine", "Thanks…"

"Alright then, it's about time we blew this joint", he decided. "Keep your eyes open, I'm sure there's a back way out of this dive".


Fresh air and sunlight on her face, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and smiled as she walked alongside the detective.

"Keep your eyes peeled, we're not out of the woods yet", he advised.

"We're close enough", Piper assured him, "Well within Diamond City's patrol route".

"And you call 'me' reckless", Nick countered.

Piper just smiled, "So how was the reunion with your old pal Skinny Malone?"

"He's not my 'pal', we just have a little history", Nick stated flatly.

"Not feeling nostalgic then?"

"No."

"I'd love to hear a bit about it though, off the record?"

"Then you can start holding your breath and I'll let you know when I change my mind"

"Pffft, smartass", Piper smiled, nudging him on the shoulder.

"Try to keep your head down for a while, alright?", "Skinny isn't the type to take this lying down, and he has people in Diamond City and Goodneighbour", Nick warned.

"I know that, don't worry, and he knows I have his number, I'll be fine", Piper assured him.

"So what's your plan when we get back?" Nick asked, after a minute of walking in silence.

"Breakfast, I'm starving, then I have a few pieces to finish off, help Nat with her homework after school and I'll probably head to Goodneighbour after that".

Nick gave her a look.

"Will you relax, I can handle Skinny Malone".

"It's not that…Magnolia is playing tonight isn't she?", Nick asked.

"Uh..I don't know…maybe…I think so, why?", Piper blushed, mentally slapping herself.

"It's Nothing, just….be careful alright?".

"Jesus, Nick!".

"What?", "I'm just sayin, a woman like that has a lot of experience under her…", he began, but Piper cut him off.

"Stop. Talking.", Piper hissed as she pinched the bridge of her nose in embarrassment as much as annoyance.

"She's not the kinda gal you can go steady with, I'll just leave it at that", Nick finished.

"I know that, I'm a big girl Nick, I know what I'm doing", "Can we please stop talking about my love life"

"More than happy to. Forget I said anything".

They walked along in awkward silence for a while longer.

"You know, there was this one time I heard she…"

"Nick!".