Paradise Falls was Slaver free. Their leader, Eulogy Jones, lay on the floor of his 'house', dead at the hands of one of his former slaves. The slaves were freed, and the Slavers were no longer living.
After Crimson managed to pull herself together, she, Clover and Dare disabled the explosive collars around the slave's necks, then disabled the generator electrifying the fence and shot the lock off of the door.
Watching the former slaves pick through the remains of the slavers, taking their choice of equipment from the bodies and buildings, Dare leaned against the bar and refrained from grunting in discomfort as a pounding headache beat inside of his skull, thin rivulets of blood dripping from his nose. Sniffing wetly, he grabbed a rag from behind the counter and wiped at his face, his eyes clenched shut.
That was the cost of using the Sniper's Mind for too long. It started with headaches that eventually went up in strength, followed by bleeding from the nose as part of the brain began to hemorrhage, and if they didn't stop then, they would die.
And while the pain was not enjoyable, Dare didn't mind it. It seemed that he had fully unlocked his heritage, though time would tell if it would last, and he wasn't too keen and trying right then and dying painfully.
Wiping away the red fluid, the sniper looked down at the barely-burning cigarette sitting on the counter. Despite the battered box, the smoke itself was pristine and the curling fume wafting off of it was calming. Picking it up, Dare stuck it between his lips and took a draw, feeling almost immediate relief for his headache.
Pulling the smoke away, he gave it a suspicious look. That's strange. He thought, spinning the burning bundle in his fingers. It's helping my pain, somehow.
Not willing to look too closely, he stuck it back in his mouth and stepped away from the bar. After grabbing a pack Brahmin from their pen, he led it into the former theatre and began to pack away everything with value into the saddle-bags. Among those items were five more of the glowing Nuka-Cola's, a Vault-Tec Bobblehead depicting the Vault Boy standing behind a podium, several bottles of whiskey and vodka, a few lockboxes containing various ammo, mostly consisting of 10mm and .44 bullets and medium-sized pad-locked box that rattled with caps.
As Dare took the former slaver leader's hat and put it with the other things, Clover stepped into the room with an excited, almost childish look on her face, a piece of blue cloth draped over her shoulder. "Look what I found, lover!" She announced gleefully, holding out her right hand for inspection.
He gently gripped her limb and examined the thick metal glove with a curious gaze. It was a little rusted, but well oiled and cared for, with a slab of reinforced metal sitting above the wrist, secured to the glove by rivets, with a diamond-patterned piece of metal facing out. "What is it?" He asked, letting it go.
Clover grinned wildly and turned, throwing her clenched fist at a nearby wall. Just as her elbow fully extended, a pneumatic hiss sounded out and the slab of metal shot forward, punching a hole straight through the aging drywall. "It's punches things better, lover!" She turned pleading eyes on him, a slightly disturbing sight for a grown woman to have. "Can I keep it, please?"
Thinking it over, the sniper shrugged. "Sure, just be careful with it."
The former slave skipped over to him and threw her arms around his neck, avoiding sticking him with the spikes on the shoulders, and passionately kissed him. "You are so good to me, lover!" She chirped happily, striding out of the building with a little skip to her step.
That's not going to be weird at all. Dare thought derisively, securing the packs to the double-headed animal, before leading it out, finding the former slaves milling around the oddly quiet center of Paradise Falls. Sighing, he knelt by the pile of scrap that was once Burke's Silenced 10mm and retrieved whatever salvageable components there were, including the silencer. Finished, he stood and glanced at the former slaves, all looking to him for direction. "We're heading for Megaton."
One of the three little kids raised his hand. "We're going back to Little Lamplight, Mungo." He declared firmly.
"Are you sure?" The sniper asked with an arched eyebrow.
The little kids drew himself up. "We can take care of our-!"
Dare cut him off with a short wave of his hand. "Not what I was asking." He interjected shortly. "Do you know your way back?"
The girl of the group nodded quickly. "Yup! We can make it there, no problem. You're not so bad, for Mungo. You should come visit us in Little Lamplight, we'll tell the Mayor you're okay so he doesn't shoot you." She turned to one of the other slaves, a man with a wispy goatee. "You too, Rory."
"I make sure to do that," He agreed, giving her a short hug. "Stay safe."
She nodded in return, and the three children ran off across the Wasteland, the setting sun throwing their shadows long across the ground.
Dare tugged on the Brahmin's saddle and led the small convoy in the direction of Megaton, the former slaves all marching in line behind him, save for Clover, who stuck to his side, and Crimson, who walked on the other side of the dual-headed cow. He glanced at his new companion, noticing the blue cloth draped over her shoulder. "Clover?" He asked, pointing at the garment. "What's that?"
"Oh! I forgot to show you this." She removed the piece and held it up on front of her, revealing it to be a blue jumpsuit that was trimmed with yellow, the number 77 on the back. "I don't know what this is, lover, but I thought it might be interesting."
He hummed in thought. "It looks like a Vault Jumpsuit." Dare thought aloud. Though he had never seen one in person, the tales surrounding the Vaults made it pretty recognizable. "It's a good find, might be worth something." Moira would probably like it.
Clover smiled and draped it over her shoulder, looking like a kid with a piece of candy...a heavily armored kid carrying an advanced sledgehammer and a pair of shotguns.
The dry, barren earth crunched under their tread, the only noise besides the low, whispered words between the former slaves. Dare peeked at Crimson from the corner of his eye. The dark-skinned woman had changed into some of the rough, more protective clothing that most Wastelanders wore from her revealing dress. She was obviously deep in thought, her glazed eyes fixed on nothing, simply putting one foot in front of the other.
"Crimson?" His rough voice pierced the veil of her whirling emotions, pulling her from the stupor she found herself in. "What are you going to do now?"
She scoffed, shaking her head with a rueful smile on her face. "How would I know? I just got freed. I don't know what the hell I'll do tonight, let alone the rest of my life."
Clover scowled at the dark-skinned woman and gripped her sawn-off shotgun. "Don't talk to my lover like that, bitch!" She growled.
Dare grasped her arm firmly, looking directly into her eyes. "Calm down, Clover. She did nothing wrong."
And like that, the tension was gone. The former slave released her gun and smiled happily. "Okay." She replied, simply enjoying her 'lovers' presence.
Crimson shook her head, an unhappy bend to her lips. "In some ways, I'm luckier than she is," She snorted at the thought. "Somehow. Eulogy didn't break me like he broke her...I don't think she'll ever be how she was."
"You've known each other for awhile?" The sniper asked curiously, glancing between the two women.
"Believe it or not, we actually used to be friends." Crimson replied miserably, looking at Clover with sad eyes, as the other woman completely ignored her, her armored arm slipped around Dare's. "He focused on her more than me, and she just...snapped...I….I don't want to talk about it anymore."
Her voice had tapered off to a low whisper, and Dare nodded in understanding. "I understand."
Necessity had stayed his hand for more than a month, and every slave in Paradise Falls had suffered for it. It was no use wondering 'what if'; the time had been spent and there were no refunds, only dealing with his what his actions had caused.
They fell silent and remained that way as the small caravan traveled to Megaton, the dark metal walls rising in the distance as the sun's last rays began to lay long on the earth.
Dare breathed a relieved sigh he wasn't entirely aware of holding as the sniper above the gate-still didn't know his name-looked down at him with an incredulous look visible even through the goggles on his face.
"You don't do anything by half, do you?" He called down, waving.
Dare shrugged with a small, self-deprecating smirk on his face. "Not if I can help it, apparently. Can you call the Sheriff?" He asked politely, blowing a small cloud of smoke.
"Will do."
The sniper lead them into the town proper, inwardly noting the that smoke hadn't even burned halfway down, even though it had been lit for more than an hour. He also noticed that he felt revitalized, as if he hadn't been choked out, used and walked a few miles, though he was still fatigued in a mental sense.
Lucas Simms met them in front of the deactivated bomb, his arms crossed over his chest and a slightly stunned look on his weathered face. "Well, I can honestly say that I didn't expect this." He muttered quietly, looking over the Wastelanders.
Dare sighed tiredly, running a hand over his mohawk. "What did you expect, Sheriff?"
The older man shrugged. "I don't know, exactly." He replied honestly. "Well folks, welcome to Megaton. You're all welcome to stay as long as you need, and if you need anything, just find me, okay?"
The sniper watched as the Sheriff enlisted a few citizens hanging around to show the former slaves to the communal quarters, rubbing his eyes. "I'm going to head home, Sheriff." He spoke up. "It's been a long day."
"I can believe that, son. You've done good today, you deserve the rest." Simms smiled approvingly. "I do want to talk to you tomorrow, though."
Dare nodded, grinding the butt of his smoke into the ground. "Sure." He trekked back up to his house, Clover following behind him, and tied the Brahmin up to a bit of pipe before unlocking the door. "Clover, can you start unloading, please?"
Looking mighty pleased to be helping, she nodded quickly and began to pull packs off of the animal as the door opened. Silver looked up from her terminal with wide eyes, before she jumped up and dashed at Dare, throwing her arms around his neck. "Dare!" She cried happily, pulling back from the hug to kiss him.
Clover stepped into the house and set a pack aside, scowling at the woman embracing her master. "What the hell are you doing to my lover?" She barked, meaningfully cracking her knuckles.
Dare rolled his eyes and set Silver down, who looked between them with a confused expression. "Who's this, Dare?" She asked warily, sliding behind the sniper for protection.
"It's a long story, and I'll explain it in a bit." He replied, looking at Clover. "Clover, this is Silver. She lives with me, and she is not someone you can hurt, understand?"
The hostility was abruptly gone, and the white-haired slave smiled adoringly. "Okay, lover." She stepped back out to finish unpacking, leaving the two behind.
Dare sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's disturbing, isn't it?" He asked, glancing at Silver.
"Yeah…" She muttered, watching Clover unloading the packs while humming. "Is she...a slave?"
He nodded silently, running a hand over his head, frowning as his fingers came into contact with his mohawk. "Wadsworth, can you cut my hair, please?"
"Oh, I thought you'd never ask, Master!" The floating robot said happily, hovering over to him. "Let's get that dead rat off of your head!"
Dare sat at the table and closed his eyes. He didn't see any sort of clippers on Wadsworth, so whatever the robot was doing to cut his hair, was something he didn't want to see.
His hair shaved, the sniper thanked his butler and got Clover's attention. "Clover, the room right next to the stairs is yours. You should get some sleep." It wasn't worded like an order, though the slave acted as if it were.
"Okay, lover. If you need anything," She ran her fingers down his cheek, over the skin of his throat and rested it on his chest, her intent pretty clear. "Anything at all, just say the word."
Clover winked at him and stepped up the stairs with a little swing to her hips, leaving the two behind.
Dare filled a pot with water and set it on the stove to heat, removing the blue reinforced jacket from his torso and setting it aside. Turning to face Silver, he leaned against the stove and sighed. "Clover was one of the personal slaves to the leader of Paradise Falls," He began slowly, "She and another woman. I had come prepared to buy any number of slaves to keep them out of harm's way, and the only one he offered to sell was Clover. He told me she's 'crazy in love with whoever holds her leash', his words, and I thought it would be a good idea to have some backup if things went down, so I bought her from him."
Silver frowned in concern. "So, that whole 'lover' thing she does is genuine?"
He shrugged. "As far as I can tell, she's obsessed with whoever her master is. The leader broke her completely; she's so devoted that she'd kneecap herself if it made her master happy."
"That's horrible." The blonde woman whispered, looking horrified. "What are you going to do with her?"
Dare gave her a helpless grimace. "I don't know. I'm not going to sell her to anyone else, or set her free, she'd latch onto the first person she'd see and be back at square one. I guess...I'll let her stay here and see if I can't break the conditioning on her. I can't say how successful that would be, though." He turned back to the stove and turned it off, taking a rag and starting to wash his face.
Silver sat back in her chair, quietly contemplating the new situation. "Whatever you do, it can't be worse than her old life." She shuddered, not even wanting to think of it.
"Yeah…" He dropped the rag and turned to her, pulling her up and into his arms. Somewhat startled, she hugged him as Dare exhaled deeply. "I...am really tired. Today has not been easy."
Silver smiled up at him, leaning up and gently pressing her lips to his. "Tomorrow will be better, Dare. Let's go to bed."
He put his arm around her and leaned on her while they went up the steps, closing the door on the night, and that chapter of their lives.
…
The night hadn't been easy for Dare. Guilt invaded his dreams, twisting and turning them to nightmares, visions of the men and women he knew being tortured and murdered plaguing his sleep.
Eventually, they too faded, leaving a black, empty well. No dreams, no nightmares, just darkness.
Dare awoke with a soft grunt, blinking groggily in the dim sunlight that managed to slip through the thinnest cracks in the roof. Glancing down, he found Silver lying on his chest, her silver-blonde hair splayed over his skin while light snores issued from her lips.
Gently stroking her back, the sniper sighed and gazed up at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting back to the day before. While he had not saved all those he wanted (which he realized was impossible from the get-go), he had saved many from a continuing life of slavery. So, while he was not happy, he was content.
However, something Eulogy had said stuck with him. Whoever had sold off Carter, Frank and his mother's gun hadn't stopped there. They had gone to a 'pit', and what that meant exactly escaped Dare's understanding. But he had a new target, and, thankfully, his mother's gun to help him.
And that train of thought led him to his Mother's gun. Dare doubted whoever had taken the pistol off of him had taken proper care of it.
Softly kissing Silver's temple, Dare slipped out of her warm grasp and tucked the blankets around her before padding from the room and down the steps. Wadsworth hovered around the stove, cleaning it, and he passed the robotic butler and took a seat at his workbench.
He reached for the red-striped pistol and froze as his eyes locked onto the revolver that sat where his revolver had been. Cautiously picking the weapon up, he noticed several things. It was chambered for .44 rounds, and it looked both somewhat ornate and brand new. The silver finish shone when it caught the light just right, and the metal had small, detailed carvings all along it. The grip was an off-white color with gold screws, and stamped on it in the same color was a single word.
JUSTICE
Frowning, Dare flipped the chamber open, finding it fully loaded with .44 magnum rounds, which also looked new. The few boxes of .357 ammo he had bought and scavenged had been multiplied and swapped out with .44. Even the spent shell casings he had gathered had changed caliber.
The revolver was not the only thing to change, either. The worn, battered box of cigarettes were brand new, and he could see the brand name.
Mysterious Smokes- The Strange Brand for the Strange Man.
Flipping the top open, Dare saw that it was full of equally fresh smokes, and the lighter he had taken from the corpse of Eulogy Jones now bore the initials 'SM' in curly letters.
"Wadsworth?" Dare turned and drew the bot's attention. "Did anyone come in here last night?"
"Of course not, sir!" Wadsworth replied with an offended tone. "Had any rapscallion intruded the previous nightfall, I would've roasted them where they stood! And then awoken you, Master."
Nodding, the sniper narrowed his eyes as a thought occurred to him. "Has this gun always looked like this?" He asked carefully, pointing at the revolver.
The butler bobbed in what equated to a nod. "Yes indeed, sir. I have wondered where you acquired such a lovely looking weapon."
Spinning the chamber, Dare snapped it closed with a flick of his wrist. "It was a gift," He mused, mostly to himself. "From a Stranger."
Shaking his head and vowing to look into it, the sniper set the revolver-Justice-aside and set his mother's pistol...his pistol on the bench, fondly rubbing his thumb over the initials on the bottom of the grip.
R.E. His mother's initials, as well as the same for the gun's name, which was called 'Red Empress'. Rachel Elizabeth had cobbled the weapon together from gathered bits and pieces, like the most comfortable grip, the smoothest slide and so on. She had done something to the barrel, which when shot, carved the bullets in such a way that they became barbed and tore through flesh, leaving ragged, bleeding wounds behind. She had never properly explained how that came to be, and looking at the barrel itself showed nothing strange.
Dare smiled to himself as he disassembled the weapon. Surprisingly, it was in very good shape despite being in the hands of some who most likely hadn't given it the proper care. The firing pin was a little dirty and a section of the grip was worn, but it was otherwise fine.
Reassembling the piece, he slid a fresh clip home and jacked a round into the chamber, smiling at the smoothness of the action and the comforting feeling of holding the weapon once more. It took 10mm ammo, which was the most common caliber you could find anywhere in the Wasteland, exactly as his mother had designed it. Efficient, useful and deadly in the right hands.
His mother had been a Ranger, and was one of the few who took the name literally. She had ranged from her home all the way to the California, the home of the NCR, and eventually ended up in the Ruins of Seattle and met his father there.
As a Ranger, she had held Survival and Efficiency above all else, and was responsible for teaching Dare all the little tricks he had employed all his life, like stealth, scavenging and maintaining his equipment. To be fair, his NCR father had also beaten the importance of maintenance into his head. Both had lived and died by their guns, so it was only natural.
Spinning Red Empress around on his finger, Dare tried to judge what the time was by the meager sunlight that infiltrated the house. He had plenty of things to bring to Moira, and while he was searching for the 'pit', he might as well help the eccentric shopkeeper out.
"Wadsworth, what time is it?"
The robo-butler hummed for a second before answering. "Eight o'clock on the dot, sir! Would you like breakfast?"
The sniper nodded, tilting his head as the sounds of light impacts reached his ears. "Better make that breakfast for three. Sounds like the girls are getting up."
"Breakfast coming up!" Wadsworth announced cheerfully, moving about the kitchen.
While he was waiting, Dare sorted through the packs of loot. He stored the Nuka-Cola in the fridge (which was taking up quite a bit of space), and set aside the weapons and armor. Those would be sold to Moira, the medical supplies he felt he could afford to sell would be sold to Doc Church. Some of the alcohol would be kept around, as would the food.
The bobble head of the Vault-Boy standing at a podium was set in the stand.
Eulogy's lock-box, once the lock had been picked, contained close to seven thousand caps. Dare would divide them into equals piles to be given to the former slaves, to help them in their new life. He had recovered plenty of money from the slaver's 'clinic' and gunshop, so it was not a problem for him to give the caps away.
All-in-all, Paradise Falls held a bounty, not to mention that it could be re-settled. It would need cleaning and some rebuilding, but the area was fortified and easily defensible. It was something to bring up with Simms.
…
After breakfast, which was made a little awkward by Clover attempting to sit Dare's lap and feed him, the sniper stepped out of his house and stopped by the small eatery. "Excuse me, do you know where Simms is?" He asked Jenny Stahl.
The brunette pointed at the communal quarters. "He went up there to see those slaves you freed. You know, that was a good thing you did. Actually, it seems like since you've been here that goods thing have been happening more and more often." She mused, almost to herself. "And it's almost always because of something you did. It's not much, but I'll give you a discount on everything when you come by, okay?"
Dare smiled at her and nodded thankfully. "I appreciate it."
She returned the gesture and went back to wiping down the bar as the sniper made his way up the ramp. Entering the communal quarters, Dare found the Sheriff talking to the former slaves, with the exception of the single ghoul. Miss Jeanette, if I recall correctly.
"Ah, Dare." Simms spoke up, seeing him enter the room. "Mornin'. Need something?"
He held up a bag, which held the small pouches containing the caps. "I have something for everyone, actually." He started passing the pouches out, making sure every slave received one. "I looted a bunch of caps from Paradise Falls, and these are the ones I found in Eulogy Jones' quarters. It's not much, but it should help you get on your feet."
As the former slaves looked at the amount they received, Dare turned to the surprised Simms. "I also wanted to talk to you about resettling Paradise Falls." At the look he received, he explained. "The area itself is fortified and defensible, and there are plenty of livable buildings. It would need cleaning, yes, but it would be a very good place for a settlement."
"Hm." Lucas hummed, scratching at his beard. "I understand where you're coming from, but the place has a bad reputation."
"True," Dare acquiesced, "but all the slavers are dead. Leaving it alone would just allow unknown elements to move in and set-up shop, maybe even another band of slavers. Settling it could turn its' reputation around. Also, it could serve as an ambush point. Before word spreads, slavers and raider packs would come by to buy or sell. With the right people, Paradise Falls could be used to eliminate a good many of them."
As he explained, a small smile curled Simms' lips, growing to a full-blown grin as Dare finished. "Son, I like the way you think." He threw his arm around the sniper's shoulder spoke under his breath. "Listen, you know I've been watching you carefully since you came here. I've seen what you've done, all the good things, and I've come to a decision."
He shook Dare's hand, slipping him a folded note. "Read this, and follow the coordinates. I can't tell you anything much, only that it's a place that would welcome you with open arms."
Dare nodded and pocketed the paper, remembering the last pouch he carried. "Do you know where Miss Jeanette went?"
Simms nodded, patting his shoulder. "Apparently she know's Gob, and she's over at the Saloon talking to him." He backed away and turned back to the now-happy former slaves. "Keep up the good work, Son."
Dare nodded in acknowledgement and left the building, heading for the Saloon. Upon entering the establishment, the sniper found Gob enthusiastically chatting with Jeanette, giving her a friendly side-hug. "Hey, you two."
The ghoulish bartender, upon recognizing the voice, stood from his seat and wrapped Dare up in a strong, if squishy, hug. "My friend, am I glad to see you! Thank you for freeing my sister!"
Dare blinked and stepped back, looking between the two. "You're related?" He couldn't help but ask. Beyond them both being ghouls, they didn't look all that similar.
"Well, not by blood, no." Gob clarified. "But basically, yeah."
"Oh." The sniper said, before holding out the pouch. "Here. I divided up the caps I took from the leader, and I've got your share right here."
Jeanette opened the pouch, her jaw falling open. "This is...this is a lot of money." She whispered in awe. "Are you sure this is the right amount?"
Dare nodded. "Yup. Divided it up among all the former slaves. It should help you get on your feet."
Gob peered into the pouch, his eyes going wide. "Buy a new pair of feet, I think you mean." He muttered to himself.
The moment was broken by Moriarty's voice coming from the back room. "Oi, Gob! Quit chattin' with your freaky friend and get back to work!"
The bartender growled to himself and stepped around the counter. "Sorry Jeanette, I've got to get back to cleaning or Moriarty'll smack me around again." He said ruefully, grabbing a rag from under the counter.
Jeanette frowned unhappily, watching her brother clean. "Why don't you just leave, Gobbie?" She asked sadly.
He shrugged and sighed. "I went out lookin' for you fifteen years ago and I got caught by slavers. That old bastard bought me off of them and I've been working my debt off ever since. He even charges me room and board, so I still owe him."
The girl ghoul set her pouch on the counter. "Gobbie, I have money now, I can pay him off and we can go back to Underworld. How much do you owe him?" She asked curiously.
"You can't do that, Jeannie. You just got freed." Gob denied.
The woman narrowed her eyes on her brother. "I can and I will, Gob. How much?" She questioned firmly.
Sighing, the bartender runs a hand over his face. "Six hundred caps."
Opening her new pouch, Jeanette poured the right amount of caps and pushed it over to Gob. "There."
Hesitating, Gob eventually piled the money into a small box and put a lid on it. He took a deep breath before spinning around on his heel and marching into the back. "Moriarty, you fat prick! Here's your damn money!" He yelled, the sounds of an impact and several metals clinks telling that he had thrown the caps at Moriarty. Possibly his head.
Silently, Dare took the pouch away from Jeanette and poured a steady stream of metal currency into it from his moneybag, before shutting it and giving it back. "I got a lot of salvage from Paradise Falls." He said simply, looking up as Gob left the back room, slamming the door behind him.
"Now would be a good time to leave." He said quickly, grabbing a few things from under the counter and then striding around it, nodding to Nova as he went. Dare left with the ghoulish duo, walking with them to Megaton's entrance. "Well, we're heading back to Underworld. It'll be good to be home after so long."
"Do you guys need an escort?" Dare asked curiously. "I know Super Mutants run rampant over Downtown DC."
"Nah," Gob waved him off. "the muties don't bother ghouls usually. They ignore us for the most part, so we should be fine. Thanks, though. And thank you for being my friend, Dare. If you ever find yourself near the Museum of History, stop in Underworld and visit, buddy."
Dare shook the ghoul's hand firmly. "I will. Take care." He wished them well, and watched as the pair of ghouls set off towards Downtown DC. Shaking his head at the events that just seemed to happen around him, the sniper headed to his house and gathered his salvage, getting Clover to help him carry it all.
The white-haired woman received her share of strange looks as they walked, as she was still wearing her blood-spattered Metal Armor. Moira was messing with some sort of machine at the counter while the merc, as always, leaned against a wall.
"Oh hey, Dare!" The eccentric red-head greeted him with a bright smile.
"Morning, Moira." He replied, setting his pack down, turning to Clover. "Just set the rest down and you can go back home, okay?"
Clover shrugged and put the rest of the salvage on the counter. "Whatever you say, lover."
And that's still weird. Dare thought as the former slave left the shop. "Well, I have quite a bit for you today, Moira. I think you'll like what I've got."
Moira began to sort through the items, muttering prices under her breath as she moved through the small stacks. Finishing, she blew out a short breath. "Well, it's a good thing that caravan is coming through in a couple days, or I'd be wiped out!" She said with a chuckle. "Anyway, it all looks good. Let me get me caps!"
While she ducked behind her counter, the sniper noticed the Vault 101 jumpsuit hung on the wall behind her. It was reinforced with leather armor and a little worn, but looked fine. And that reminded him of something else. "Oh, right. I have something I know you'll enjoy." He retrieved the Vault 77 jumpsuit from his pack and held it up for her to see.
"An authentic Vault jumpsuit!" Moira gasped, hesitantly reaching out and taking the jumpsuit from Dare, examining it from every angle. "I've never heard of Vault 77, though."
"I'd guess one of the slavers took it off some unfortunate soul from there." Dare said with a shrug.
The eccentric shopkeep set the jumpsuit down on the counter, running her fingers over the fabric. "How much do you want for this?" She asked curiously, glancing up at Dare.
The sniper shook his head, taking the pile of caps for the salvage. "Nothing. It's a gift for you. I know you like Vaults and that kind of thing, and I don't have any use for it, so I'm giving it to you." He explained simply.
Moira smiled happily, tucking the clothing under the counter. "Thank you, Dare. It means a lot to me."
He gave her a small smile. "No problem, Moira."
…
The next day, Dare sat on top of the gate to Megaton, leaning back in a chair with his hat tilted down over his eyes, his sniper rifle leaning against the railing. Simms had asked him to take watch as Stockholm-that was the human guard's name-had something important to do nearby. Having nothing better to do, Dare took the offer and had thus been watching the area, occasionally scanning it with a pair of battered binoculars.
Popping a piece of gum in his mouth, the sniper cleaned the lenses with his sleeve and looked through them, quirking an eyebrow at the small band of Raiders moving through what had once been a small town called Springvale. They had skirted around Megaton and were headed for the new Trading Outpost in Springvale Elementary, apparently to pillage it.
Clicking his tongue, Dare pushed his seat aside and lay down, peering the scope of his sniper. Sighting on the closest Raider's head, he closed his eyes and let the cold logic of his Sniper's Mind roll over him.
Opening his eyes, he peered through the scope, calculations flying through his mind. Waiting a second longer, the raider took a step sideways and lined up with another bandit, and he pulled the trigger. Quickly adjusting, he calculated the second shot and fired, then did so again, aiming at the last Raider's head.
For the small band, it was like lightning struck from the cloudless sky. In the back, one man's head exploded while the woman walking next to him just crumpled. Not even a second later, one raider jumped in surprise, the bullet that was aimed at his forehead missing and passing straight through his eye.
The last barely had the time to turn around before the .308 special impacted into his bare chest, hurling him off of his feet.
Four kills in three seconds. Dare nodded to himself, sitting up and ejecting the clip from his sniper. Not bad.
Reloading, he grabbed the spent shells and stored them away, ignoring the light throb in his head. I still need to see if it will work with smaller arms again.
A few hours later, the sun had reached its peak and was beginning to descend, and Dare was given the chance to test his SM out. A trio of mole rats attacked Deputy Weld, and while the protectron could defend itself, the sniper still pulled Red Empress from his holster and let his Sniper's Mind wash through his brain.
Time slowed to a crawl, but unlike before where his actions were automatic, Dare could control himself. He examined the mole rats, marking their weaknesses. Focusing, he let his body move and it brought the gun to bear, putting one round into the base of a rat's skull, another through an eye, and the last through the fleshy neck of the last.
Time returned to it's normal pace, and the three mole rats dropped to the ground, dead.
Satisfied, Dare sat down on his chair and kicked his feet up, sipping a bottle of Nuka-Cola.
…
While scavenging, Dare noticed that there was an encampment of some sort sitting near the broken end of a freeway on-ramp with one path leading up to it, like Arefu. Peering through the scope of his sniper, he was surprised to find that it was occupied by ten raiders, one with a sniper scanning the horizon from the edge, thankfully in the opposite direction of Dare's approach.
Scanning the encampment, he noticed that one of the raiders, who looked to be the leader, carried around a flamer, the tank standing out on his back. Quickly formulating a plan, he took aim and shot, taking out the knee of the sniper, who tumbled from her perch with a loud scream, drawing the attention of the other Raiders, who moved to the edge and peered over it.
Kneeling for stability, he switched his aim to the sentry at the ramp and killed him with a headshot. Dare swung around and took aim at the raider with the flamer and fired.
The bullet bounced off the tank, and ricochet off the metal while leaving a small hole, causing the raider to lurch forward but otherwise be unharmed. He spun around with the flamer out, pointing into the encampment, shouting something.
Dare waited for a few seconds, then fired once more, hitting the tank again.
Despite the small size of the tank, the explosion was pretty sizable, causing Raiders to go flying in every direction. It even lit a pair of old, stacked cars on fire, and within three seconds, breached the reactors.
A mushroom cloud rose over the ramp, causing Dare to arch an eyebrow in surprise. Loud creaking rang through the air as the section of freeway gave away and collapsed to the ground, a mixed plume of dust, rubble and smoke rising into the air.
"Whoops." He hadn't meant to do that. And it was probable that whatever equipment the Raiders may have had on them was ruined.
After scavenging the remains of the camp, finding nothing much except for a few bottles of alcohol and a laser pistol in pretty good condition, Dare headed back to Megaton, pausing his approach when noticing the Brahmin caravan outside the entrance, along with a pair of Power Armor wearing soldiers, both bearing the Cogs, Wings and Sword of the Brotherhood of Steel.
They silently stared at him from behind thin, tinted visors, one casually carrying a minigun while the other had what looked like a Laser Pistol, though bigger, longer and stronger. A Laser Rifle.
Huh. Dare thought before striding past them and into the town proper. He entered his home to find Silver sitting at the table with her head in her hands, staring at a pack with a troubled look on her face, looking up when he came into the room. "Dare!"
"What's wrong, Silver?" He asked immediately.
Silver closed her mouth, nervously playing with her hands. "Well, while you were gone...I went to see Moira about something, and there were these Brotherhood members inside with a robed one, a Scribe. They had come to see Moira about a terminal they had found that they couldn't unlock...I offered to help and had it open in two minutes."
Silently, the sniper stared at her, wondering why she was so nervous.
She brushed a lock of silver-blonde hair behind her ear and swallowed audibly. "Well, the Scribe was so impressed with my skill, she...she offered to take me on as an Apprentice Scribe." She finished quietly.
"You would have to leave." Dare said solemnly.
Nodding, Silver bit her lip as moisture gathered at the bottom of her eyes. "I would. I-I want to go with them, and be helpful and useful for once in my life….but at the same time...I don't want to leave you, Dare." She confessed, her voice shaking. "You helped me kick my addiction, and you took me and treated me like...like a woman and a lover, but...I don't know what to do…"
Sighing, Dare brought the woman in and hugged her tightly. "Silver...would going with the Brotherhood and becoming a Scribe...would that make you happy?" He asked quietly.
She nodded against his chest, slowly wrapping her trembling arms around him.
"Then that's what you should do." He stated firmly. "You have to do what makes you happy, Silver. You'll be able to use your skills, you'll be protected and respected…I don't see why you shouldn't go."
Pulling back, she peered up at him with sad grey eyes. "But what about you, Dare?"
Dare shrugged simply. "I'm just a sniper, Silver."
Silver sniffled and lightly shoved his chest. "You're not 'just' anything, Dare. You saved me. Gave me a home. Helped me feel better about myself. I can't just leave without repaying you."
Dare took her by the shoulders and stared seriously into her eyes. "The best way you could ever repay me is by living a full, happy life. That is all I ask."
The blonde woman gave him a watery smile, wiping the tears away from her cheeks, chuckling slightly. "Alright, I will. I promise." She reached up and pulled him down, tenderly kissing his lips.
Dare hugged her body to his, running his hand through her shining hair one more time, pouring all of his feelings through the kiss.
When they separated, Silver took her back and put it on, walking past him and stopping at the door. "You know…" She started quietly. "If you ask me to, I'll stay."
The sniper released a deep sigh, smiling sadly. "I know."
Silver returned the gesture and turned the knob. "If you're ever nearby...come see me, okay?" She asked gently.
"I will." Dare replied with a nod.
Silver left, the door slowly swinging shut behind her, closing with a final, solemn click.
Closing his eyes, Dare pinched the bridge of his nose, ignoring how empty his house suddenly felt. He sighed deeply, sitting in a chair, cradling his head in his hands.
A soft, warm hand touched his back, and Clover stood quietly by his side. "Lover?" She murmured, "You know I'll always be with you…right?"
Sniffing, the sniper slid his arm around Clover's waist, softly pulling her against his side. "Yeah, Clover…I know. Thanks."
…
One Week Later…
Dare sat at the far end of the counter at Moriarty's after ordering a drink from the new bartender, Rory. He sipped the burning liquid silently, playing with a cap as the sounds of mingled conversation filled his ears.
It all went silent when the door open, admitting a man into the Saloon. This man looked nothing like the Wastelanders, wearing a yellow-trimmed, worn blue jumpsuit with a .32 revolver on his hip, his salt-and-pepper hair and beard adding an experienced quality to his handsome face. His eyes briefly met Dare's before locking onto Moriarty's, and the man moved forward. "Colin, I need to talk to you!"
Moriarty narrowed his eyes on the man, before gaining a surprised look. "James? I haven't seen you in years, not since you and that brat of yours disappeared into that Vault of yours."
As James walked past, Dare glanced up and spied three yellow digits on his back-101. He sipped his drink quietly. I have the feeling that things are going to get very interesting, very soon.
…
…
…
A/N: Whew, and that's the end of that chapter and the beginning arc of this story. Quiet a lot to cover, I know, so I'll dive right in:
The Sniper's Mind has to have some drawbacks, I mean, come on. It is a brain mutation, after all, and Dare can't use it for too long or it'll start to kill him. It is basically VATS, but less 'pausing time' and more 'slowing it down', like the new VATS in Fallout 4. Except that it was my idea, thieves! Stop right there, criminal scum!
Clover is pretty fucked up, when you think about, and that kind of conditioning is not something that can be dealt with in a couple of days. It would take years at most.
Yes, those 'Mysterious Smokes' are quite Strange, aren't they? I'll not be explaining them for a long while, except for the fact that they do have restorative properties. Though I'm not saying how. Why? Because it's a mystery!
See, that's what I meant by a 'gun of light' in the last chapter. If you want a good idea of what 'Justice' looks like, it's the Mysterious Magnum from Fallout: New Vegas without the pearl-handled grip. It too is a mystery.
Dare's Mom's gun, Red Empress has a pretty humorous backstory to it, but that will be told later. And you also found out his Mom's name: Rachel Elizabeth, and that she was a Ranger when she was alive. There's a trend among Dare's family, in which both sides were pretty much badasses in their respective fields. More will be revealed as it goes on.
In Fallout 3, Miss Jeanette did mention having a brother, but it went exactly nowhere in game. Here, she is Gob's 'sister'.
Why is Dare giving away caps? Well, he's not a bastard, and as I said, he got a lot of salvage from Paradise Falls, and after all the jobs and things he's sold, he can afford to be generous.
Now for the big thing, Silver: It has always been my intention for what went down, to go down. She didn't have much in-game, so I wanted to write a little character-arc for her, so I did. It was also done to free up some space for some other ladies to come into Dare's life, if you know what I'm saying.
But yeah, mostly the character stuff.
So, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and the stupidly long author's notes. If you liked it, why not leave a review? That would be nice, I'm just saying.
Next chapter…Dare meets someone special.
Stay Awesome.
~Soleneus
P.S.: No post-script this time. Made you look! Though I do have a twitter account if you want to talk and whatever. TheRealSoleneus
Stay Awesome Some More.
~still Soleneus