Chapter 9
Walk of Shame
"Ugh", Piper groaned, forcing her eyes open just a crack. It was far too bright and her head felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to it. She lifted her head just a bit, squinting against the light of the open window. Dragging a hand across the dirty sheets to her face, she brushed a lock of her dishevelled hair from her mouth.
This wasn't her place, this wasn't her bed and she was pretty sure she didn't have a stitch of clothing on under these sheets. She wracked her aching head, trying to remember the events from the previous night. The roof of the Third Rail came into view outside the window as her eyes adjusted to the light.
Goodneighbor.
Oh…
She spat another stubborn strand of hair from her lips and sighed, blowing the rest from her face. A soft rustling in the room caught her attention and she whipped her head around.
"Whoa!", she screamed, bolting upright in the bed and yanking the sheets to her chest, as well as a pillow for good measure, barely managing to avoid tumbling off the side.
"Well good morning darling, and here I thought you were going sleep the day away", the older woman smirked at Piper while she wiggled her hips into the slinky, red dress.
"M…M…Mag…uh…Ma'am!?", Piper stuttered, her eyes wide as she stared slack jawed at the songstress.
"Ma'am?", Magnolia teased, as she finished adjusting her chest inside the dress, slipping the straps over her shoulder. The older woman placed one knee on the bed eliciting a squeak. Piper wasn't sure if that squeak came from the mattress or her own gaping mouth.
"After what we shared last night sweetie?", Magnolia leaned over, her hands pressing down on the mattress, but this time Piper was fairly certain, the girlish squeak was hers.
The woman's face inched closer and she smiled seductively. "Cute", she planted a kiss on Piper's cheek before pulling back and standing, running a hand over her dress to smooth out the wrinkles.
"S…Sorr… Piper blinked. "Did we..um..did we do…uh I mean", bits and pieces from the previous evening flashed across her mind.
Great job Piper.
Of course she would remember all those times she'd visited the Rail, making a fool of herself with her clumsy attempts at flirting, the playful banter over drinks and the awkward innuendos.
But not this, oh no, the best part and all Piper could manage were 'bits and pieces'.
There's that attention to detail from the Publick's star reporter!
"My head hurts", Piper muttered under her breath, cupping her forehead.
"Come now. Don't tell me you don't remember, honey I'm hurt", Magnolia picked up her bag from the nightstand.
You don't look hurt, Lady.
"No, no of course I remember, just a little hung over, that's all. I…uh, I had fun last night ma'am..Mags", Piper had to fight the urge to slap herself.
Very smooth.
The older woman checked her bag before turning to Piper, cocking her head to the side and looking her over. "So did I sweetie, we should do this again sometime", she smiled curtly, turning on her heel and was out the door before Piper could dig herself any deeper.
The door closed, and Piper sighed, bringing her palms to her face. "Way to go Piper" she groaned, falling face first onto the pillow.
"The Rexford!", Piper hissed, hopping on one leg as she struggled to pull up her boot. "The freaking Rexford!", the top of her boot slipped from her fingers causing her foot to slam into the nightstand, breaking one of the drawer handles. "Rrrrrrrrgh!", she seethed, unable to hold back the exasperated growl that escaped her clenched teeth. She would never be caught dead in a place like this! She tugged at her coat sharply, snapping the leather taut to get rid of the creases, and to kick off the 'ickiness' she felt that permeated the cheap, filthy, 'love hotel'
Nope, never in a million years. Unless someone drugged her and dragged her sorry ass inside.
Another snippet from the previous night flashed across her mind.
The clink of glass, the woman in the red dress, seductively staring her down from across the table, running her fingers sensually over Piper's wrist. A dark corner of the Third Rail. "So sweetie, ready to get out of here? Or are you gonna make a girl beg?".
"No!". "Imean yesss!", Piper blurted out, eyes wide as she tried to blink sobriety back into her face. "Uh, Imean n-no to the begginggg, yesss to thaa…uh…", her lips moved but words eluded her, like a fish gasping for air.
"You have a place in Goodneighbor honey?", Magnolia smirked, taking Piper's hand as she stood.
"Uhhh, ye…nnno but theress thissplaccce acrossthastreet…"
"Oh God…", Piper groaned, a hand over her face as she banished the memory.
It was just as she imagined it would be when she stepped out of the room. It was the last door at the end of the long dark hallway. A candle here and there provided some scant light, the rest coming from the dingy window behind her. Enough to see the dust and cigarette smoke in the air.
Seedy as hell.
Piper hitched her coat collar around her neck and tugged the front of her cap almost over her eyes before stuffing her hands in her pockets. Gritting her teeth and making her way down the hallway, her eyes darting from side to side at every door she passed, at every sound she heard. At the sound of squeaking mattresses, no doubt from kids excitedly jumping on their beds to the sound of a woman obviously enjoying the best hot shower of her life. The enticing aromas of sweat, smoke, mould and cheap perfume, among others she dared not guess at.
Two old men sat in the dark, on the balcony at the end of the hall, smoking cigars and chatting in hushed tones as they overlooked the lobby below. The floorboards creaked as she got near, earning her their attention when they turned in their seats. She lowered her head as she passed them by and hurriedly made her way to the stairs.
The place was so damned dark.
She finally reached the lobby, looking up at the elegant, unlit chandelier overhead, almost lost in the darkness. She felt the stares from the greying woman behind the front desk, the old man holding up one of the pillars and the patrons lounging in the dark, the light from their smokes illuminating their faces.
She pushed on the front doors. They didn't budge, but the rattle they made, echoed off the walls of the otherwise hushed lobby, causing her to slink further into her coat.
"Twist the handle and pull, honey", she heard the old woman at the front desk say. But she didn't dare turn around, instead doing as she was told and squeaking a "Thanks", over her shoulder before stepping out into the streets of Goodneighbor and the light of day.
She let out a heavy sigh, squinting her eyes against the change in lighting, her headache returning as she cut across the street. Through the steam hissing out of the grates beneath her boots, towards the Third Rail, hoping not to run into her latest mistake. It was between her and the gates of Goodneighbor though, and she steeled herself as she turned the corner, a silent gasp, almost tripping over her own feet.
Nick Valentine stood outside the Third Rail, chatting with the Mayor. He noticed her almost as soon as she turned the corner, sparing her a glance as he spoke with the Ghoul.
She sighed again. There was nothing for it, they were between her and freedom.
"That's all I can really tell ya. You can ask around all you want, as long as you don't cause any trouble", she heard Hancock say as she approached.
"Thanks, but I think I got all I need for now", Nick nodded.
"Piper", he smiled. "Don't you look all bright eyed and bushy tailed".
"Nick", Piper nodded, forcing a smile behind her raised collar.
"What's with the uh…", Nick tugged at his own collar.
"I'm cold. Alright?", she rolled her eyes and Nick smirked knowingly, retrieving a cigarette from his coat pocket.
"Heheh, well if it ain't little miss reporter, I heard you had a good time last night", the mayor's raspy voice dripped with amusement. She narrowed her eyes at him from beneath the brim of her cap. That smug grin splitting his face.
"Hancock", she said simply in greeting.
The mayor's eyes lingered on her for a moment longer, revelling in her awkwardness. "That all, Valentine?". He turned to the detective.
"Yeah, appreciate the information", Nick tipped his hat to the mayor, and fished out his lighter.
"Don't mention it", Hancock turned to leave, giving Piper one last look as he turned, the smug grin returning to his face, his barely supressed chuckle trailing behind him. Piper's glare bored holes in the back of his head before he finally disappeared into the Third Rail.
She turned back to the detective upon hearing the familiar, 'click click' as Nick lit the cigarette.
"What was that about?", she asked.
A stream of smoke escaped his lips before he spoke. "New case fell into my lap yesterday, just doing some preliminary legwork".
"Missing person?", Piper asked as they started walking, happy to put the Third Rail behind her.
"Not sure yet. A trade caravan passed through here a few days ago. They set up camp for the night in one of the old buildings down town, on their way to Diamond City. One of the kids wandered off in the middle of the night and hasn't been heard from since", Nicked flicked the ashes from his cigarette as they walked through the dank alleyway.
"That doesn't sound good, there are a lot of reasons for a kid to go missing out there", Piper mused
"True enough, but I'm not ruling anything out just yet. I was just on my way to check out the camp site".
"Mind if I tag along on this one?"
"I don't mind, but don't you have a paper to run?"
"Actually, I'm all caught up for once, and Nat should be printing out the latest issue as we speak"
"Well alright then", Nick reached over and tugged her cap up, away from her eyes. She squinted at him over her collar in annoyance, tugging it back down and shoving her hands in her pockets once more.
"Listen, do you mind if we stop by Diamond City first?", she asked.
"Sure, you can take a look at the case file before we head out. And I'm sure you'll want to take a shower after last night".
Piper's head snapped to him and she stopped in her tracks as they exited Goodneighbor's gates.
"The Rexford huh?", he took a puff of the cigarette, grinning at her wide eyed shock. He couldn't see her mouth behind her collar but he imagined it was hanging open all the same.
A growl of embarrassment was all he heard before she turned and stalked ahead of him.
"That place has quite the reputation y…", he started as he caught up and fell in step with her.
"It's a long walk to Diamond City, Nick, and we are so not talking about this", she interrupted. "And you're not gonna tell a soul, you hear me?", she growled, narrowing her eyes at him as they walked."
"Heh, you don't have to worry about me, my lips are sealed", he chuckled.
"So tell me, was the Rexford your idea, or was it hers", he probed, after a few moments of blissful silence.
"Rrrrgh", she growled, snatching the cigarette from his fingers and nudging him with her shoulder into the path of an oncoming garbage pile. A satisfied smile on her lips as she took a puff, hearing the clang of trash cans and the crinkle of garbage bags behind her as she walked on.
"Real mature Piper!", he called after her, slogging through the garbage bags at his feet. "Maybe I should ask Natalie to come with me instead!". He looked up when he finally freed himself. A cheeky grin on her face as she waited for him, cigarette in hand. He shook his head, unable to help the smile that tugged at his lips, and taking the cigarette from her as he approached. She smiled, brushing a spec of dirt from his sleeve.
"Feeling better now?", he asked, as they walked.
"Just a little", she nudged him playfully with her shoulder as they continued onwards to Diamond City.
She hit the table hard on her back, the legs beneath it snapping under the force of the impact, sending her crashing to the ground. Heavy footsteps as the giant of a man strode towards her, a cocky, psychotic grin splitting his features. She lay there writhing on the ground in a daze, a fit of coughing wracking her body. He grabbed her by the neck and dragged her to her feet as he passed, barely breaking his stride. Her heels dragging on the floor, trying to find her footing as he pushed her back before slamming her against the wall.
"Don't worry love, I ain't gonna kill ya", his tattooed face dominating her view as she clawed at his fingers, struggling to breathe. His knee planted firmly between her legs, pinning her against the wall and lifting her a few inches off her feet.
It was something she'd begun to realize from her constant 'altercations' with the people of the wasteland. Their reflexes, were slow and they were physically weaker than she was used to. Not drastically, but enough that it was blatantly noticeable. From what she remembered of her self defense lessons with Nate, or her sparring partners for that matter, there was a clear difference. Whether it was from poor health or diet, or from the many drugs that the populace seemed so keen on. Or perhaps a result of generation after generation growing up in the irradiated wasteland, she could only guess.
Of course, there we the occasional freaks of nature, like her present company, running his tongue slowly over her cheek as she grit her teeth, his breath choking her just as much as the fingers around her throat. His hand snaking its way up her stomach while her own fingers reached for the Stiletto blade in her boot, her other hand clawing at his wrist. She winced as he squeezed at her tender chest, his tongue moving to her neck, wrenching her head to the side. Relief when her fingers closed around the steel handle, just as his found the zipper of her vest.
"…g..ing…..h..rt", she choked out.
"You say something love?", he raised his head to look at her, easing the pressure on her throat just a little.
Her scowl transitioning into a shaky grin, her emerald eyes focussed on his exposed windpipe.
Just what she was waiting for.
"Th…is…go..ng….to…hur..t". Her hand lashed out, striking him in the throat, his eyes going wide as he withdrew his knee, letting her feet touch the floor once more. Finally able to pry his hand from her throat, he was too shocked to resist when she twisted his wrist and yanked his arm downwards, bending him over. The knife danced in her fingers for the briefest moment before she jammed the blade into his elbow. His anguished howl as she withdrew the blade cut short by a knee to the face. He was still in her personal space when she grabbed his hair, pulling him in for a headbutt to the nose that sent him staggering back before he finally fell on his ass.
Leona fell to one knee gasping for air, and regretting that last move as she blinked the cobwebs from her eyes. Her fingers rubbing her sore throat, scowling in disgust at the sticky saliva on her neck.
"You! Fucking! Bitch!", her friend rolled around on the ground cradling his arm and sounding decidedly 'nasal' as blood ran down his chin from his broken nose. She watched as he managed to climb shakily to his feet. Death in his eyes and his right arm hanging limp at his side.
She sighed, from exhaustion as much as irritation, running her thumb over the knife handle in her hand. Finally pushing herself to her feet and shaking the last of the cobwebs from her head.
"Fifty caps, sweet thing", the old woman informed her, while reaching up to one of the myriad of packs and chests stacked atop the Brahmin.
"Hold on", Leona rifled through the pack at her feet. She spared a glance at Dogmeat as he sat next to the trader's injured bodyguard. Her canine companion looked content as the man scratched him behind the ears and fed him part of his meal.
"What happened?", Leona asked.
"What was that?", the woman asked, craning her head over the Brahmin.
"What happened to your bodyguard?", she repeated, nodding to the man's bandaged leg.
"Oh that", she shook her head in disgust. "Raiders, what else"
"Lost two good bodyguards when they attacked, and damn near half my goods!", she threw her arms up, gesturing wildly."Hell, if Daisy here weren't so skittish I'd have probably lost it all!"
"Fucking raiders", she spat.
After a few moments of digging in her bag, Leona finally stood, holding a small sack. "Um, I only have thirty eight, would you be willing to trade? I have few things you might be interested in".
"Sorry honey, no caps, no sale, no exceptions". "I gotta get rid of all this, I don't need more stuff", she gave the Brahmin a hearty slap on the side. "If you don't got the caps, then I'll be headin out, sorry sweet thing".
"Please, if you could just take a look, I'm sure you'd…", the woman held a hand up, silencing her.
"Alright honey, I'll tell ya what. You look like you know how to handle yourself", she nodded to the rifle slung over Leona's shoulder.
"You want me to get your stuff back, don't you?"
"No, no no, you don't gotta go that far", she waved her hand. " See, along with my goods, they also got a family heirloom of mine. Ripped it right off m'damn neck!"
"You want me, to find your necklace", Leona raised an eyebrow and folded her arms.
"You don't gotta go searchin either. I can tell you exactly where those sons-a-bitches are hidin out".
"I don't think s…", Leona started.
"You do that for me, honey, and you can have whatever you want", she interrupted.
"You're blackmailing me", Leona stated flatly, unimpressed.
"It's business darlin. You ain't gonna find another trader or outpost for miles".
Leona chewed on her lip as she mulled over the offer. "Fine, I'll do it"
"Stay there boy", she held up a hand to Dogmeat after a few minutes of chatting and deal making with the old woman. "I'll be back soon".
The old woman shuffled over to her bodyguard, settling on the log next to him.
"I don't get it, she could have just robbed ya", the bodyguard mused. "I ain't in no condition to stop her"
"Ha!, honey when ya lived as long as I have, you get a sixth sense about people", she rubbed at her sore knees.
"Nah. That sweet thing", she nodded to Leona's retreating form. "Robbin me never crossed her mind".
"Poor thing ain't gonna survive long out there".
He spat the blood that leaked unto his lips, wiping the rest with the back of his hand."Gonna skin you alive when I'm done with you, bitch", he growled, his voice rough and gravelly.
Despite his obvious rage, he didn't immediately charge at her, no doubt leery from their recent exchange. His eyes falling to the knife in her hand as she switched to a reverse grip. She wasn't going to let him grab her again. How this large man had managed to sneak up on her in the first place, she had no idea.
Two dead raiders could be seen in the room behind him as they circled each other. A stomp of his foot as he feigned a charge, causing her to jump in anticipation. He laughed, a psychotic grin on his face revealing rows of blackened, bloodied teeth.
She had to fight the urge to run, afterall, she had what she came for. But was it a good idea to turn her back on this hulk of a man? He would probably be able catch up to her on the stairs leading out of the bunker. Perhaps even sooner, since he was no doubt more familiar with the layout of this place. And the last thing she needed was to run into him in a tight corridor. No, she needed the open space of this room. If she could at least cripple him, then she could chance a break for the exit. This was beginning to be more trouble than it was worth.
He charged at her, swinging his good arm at her head. The punch missing completely as she ducked and sidestepped, stomping the side of his knee and stabbing him in the shoulder as he passed her by. He staggered forward, falling to one knee, growling in frustrated anger. But once again, he pushed himself to his feet and turned to face her, gnashing his teeth as he glared at her with bloodshot eyes.
Hit. Him. Harder. A voice In the back of her mind berated her as she circled him with slow, measured steps, her chest rising and falling with each breath as she waited.
In his rage it didn't take long for him to lash out at her once more. He was clearly not thinking, as he used the same attack as before, lunging at her with a wide swing of his meaty fist. She didn't sidestep or dodge this time. Instead she stepped forward suddenly, staying low as she caught his arm and leaned into him, using his momentum to slam her elbow into his ribs, feeling the bones bend and break as the air rushed from his gaping mouth above her. She followed up by jamming the blade into his knee and twisting before jumping back, out of his reach. He stood there for moment in wide eyed shock before falling to one knee. A high pitched wheezing as he struggled to breathe. His hand reaching out to her before she finished it with a kick to his head. Strong, but dumb and slow, a walking cliché.
She bent over, hands on her knees, finally able to catch her breath. There was no further reason to stay here, it was time she headed up and out of this bunker. She made her way to the next room, with the two dead raiders just inside.
Was this the right way?
Movement in a dark corner of the room catching her attention, and she froze for a split second before the figure crept forward, closer to the light. She sighed, releasing the breath she'd been holding. A child, haggard and dressed in rags, stood half in and half out of the darkness. She'd heard that raiders counted enslavement of their fellow wastelanders as one of their finer qualities. Hardly surprising as she stared at the emaciated child hiding behind a broken table in the dark. A boy, maybe thirteen or fourteen with long wild hair. She slowly slipped the knife back into her boot and knelt, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible.
"It's alright honey, what do you say we get out of here huh?", she smiled
No response. The child just stared.
"Can you understand me?".
Nothing.
She was exhausted. Was she going to have to drag this child out? Would he run if she tried to approach him?
"C'mon sweetie, help me out here, I'm not gonna hurt you…", she extended her hand.
The movement in the corner of her eye almost didn't register. One of the raiders she'd thought dead was on his knees just a few short feet behind her. He cradled a bullet wound to the stomach as he tried to stand, looking half dead and ready to drop at any moment. But he managed to raise the gun in his hand just as she sprang to her feet. The bullet catching her in the left arm before she could get to him. A pained cry escaped her lips as she closed on him and grabbed the gun, pushing it towards the ceiling. He was hardly in a condition to put up a fight, and even with one arm she managed to get him to drop the pistol at her feet.
She felt the tug on her boot before she felt the bite of a blade in the back of her thigh. She cried out, looking back, shocked to see the haggard child snarling up at her, his hand on the knife handle. The blade buried in her leg. Somehow she managed to bite back the pain long enough to lift her injured arm and backhand the boy, sending him to the floor, knife still in hand, the blade leaving her thigh as she hissed through clenched teeth.
Her attention returned to the half dead raider already on his knees, an elbow to the face knocking him out again. She fell to one knee, cupping her injured thigh, the pain making it difficult to breathe, a cold shiver running across her skin. She had no time to rest before the boy barreled into her, screaming, knocking her unto her back and straddling her as he swiped the blade wildly at her face. She managed to bring her arm up and block his wild swings. Shallow cuts crisscrossing the fabric of her long gloves and the exposed skin of her upper arm. The knife wasn't a slashing weapon, something the boy realized soon enough. He reared back and plunged the knife down at her but she managed to catch his hand, holding the blade at bay, just above her throat. She was exhausted, the wound in her thigh burned with searing pain, her injured arm sweeping the ground at her side, searching. She didn't have the energy or leverage to throw him off.
"Stop. Please!", she cried, holding the knife at bay with one hand, her fingers finding the barrel of the raider's pistol. But he didn't see it, and she couldn't bring herself to lift it.
"Please", she choked, tears rolling down the corner of her eyes. "I'm not..", her breath hitching when she felt the tip of the blade on her throat, "Not going to…hurt you".
Words that were meant for her as much as they were meant for him, as she cried, her fingers tightening around the barrel of the gun.
If he understood her, he didn't show it, instead throwing his weight behind the knife. Her teary eyes going wide, her pupils dilated when she felt the first trickle of blood on her throat.
Wild eyes staring down at her, his lips curled in a scowl or a gleeful grin, she couldn't tell. The muscles of her arm were on fire, a second from giving out.
Her world stopped.
A single shot was all she heard. The boy's eyes locked on hers, the blade sliding off her neck and hitting the ground next to her head.
The child slumping over on her chest, his hair tickling her cheek. Behind him, a smoking pistol held in a shaky hand.
Her hand.
The burning in her chest told her that she was holding her breath.
Her mind catching up to reality all at once as she sucked in a deep breath, the pistol falling to the ground.
"No…no, no, no, no….", her eyes wide and unblinking. Trembling hands hovering over the body on her chest, before she rolled over, cradling his head as she lay him down. Dark crimson blotting the side of his chest. It was difficult to breathe, her breaths coming in rapid bursts as she stared down at him, falling tears mixing with the growing crimson.
It was all a blur, as surreal as those first few moments when she'd stepped foot outside the vault.
She was on the outside looking in, as she climbed the stairs of the bunker. Eyes unfocused, her palm sliding along the wall to keep her steady, leaving behind red streaks as she passed. Her thoughts coming in brief flashes.
She took one step. Her hands frantically cupping the boy's side, trying to stem the growing pool of blood as it engulfed the discarded stimpack.
Another step. Bloody palms tapping his cheeks. 'Wake up'.
Another. Bloody hands pushing down on his chest. The breath leaving her lips, filling his empty lungs.
She pushed the bunker door open. The blast of daylight not fazing her.
A few steps, her boots dragging on the loose earth before she fell to her hands and knees, heaving as she emptied the contents of her stomach.
In a daze as she pushed herself up, staggering back and falling to her knees once more. Her hands between her thighs as she sat back on her heels. Dirt clinging to the dried blood on her upturned palms, dark clouds growing on the horizon.
The sound of a familiar whimpering behind her before she felt Dogmeat lapping at her cheek. She turned to him. For a moment she wasn't sure if he was real. Fresh tears stung her eyes, rolling down her cheeks as she slowly snaked her arms around his neck, careful not to touch him with her palms. Her face buried in his fur as she cried.
NOTES :
There are certain parts, that I feel could use a change and some polish. I'll most likely come back to this one and make a few edits as I continue on with the story.
Regarding the action scenes. Are they easy to follow? They're easy for me to follow since I'm the one writing them, but I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
:Changed the alignment back, thanks for the input Words Dance. Was thinking the same thing, more natural this way. Wish the formatting tools were a little more robust.
:Still making edits, so this Chapter will have some minor changes since the initial upload:
:Appreciate the comments and the interest. And Mandalore, I agree completely with your assessment of the factions^^
