The Pitt has fallen and the people don't even know it yet.
To be fair, it's something that has happened behind the scenes and in the background. The old guard is gone, replaced by tin men who stalk the street and bark requisition orders at the people. I'd say it's troubling but really it's just sad. The people here have gone through so much. Only recently have they gotten a taste of freedom, but they don't know the Brotherhood like I do. They believe the propaganda spewing from the Prydwen loudspeakers. Some of the locals see it as a sort of symbol. "Peace through strength" or whatever else they hear. Maybe they don't want to admit that it's a disaster waiting to happen, what with all the weapons and firepower that is stored in that thing.
The last thing I want is to pick a fight with the Brotherhood, especially not on their newly conquered turf. But I'm stuck with a contract and stabbing the Lone Wanderer in the back is definitely a worse option in my eyes. So here I am, biding my time in the Lower Districts and waiting for a chance to meet with the big man himself.
"The usual?" the bartender asks. He's a ghoul who goes by the name Ed. Good guy, keeps secrets, and most importantly his taste in alcohol is horrible. Keeps most of the drinkers out of the place. I shake my head while taking a stool at the bar.
"Supposed to meet a guy." I tell him. He squints at me but nods. He knows that I like to use his bar as a neutral space to meet new clients. Ed isn't a fan of my doing this. For some reason, he likes the bar empty and runs it for fun but he's a good guy and he basically lets me do what I want so long as I've got the caps.
"Then you'll pay the usual rate." Ed grunted. He reached below the bar and produced a rag and began wiping at the pristine wooden countertop. It's a shame that Ed runs his bar so poorly. The place is so clean and well-maintained that it would be a massive hit with travelers. It's a real treasure to see any kind of place to be so well-kept. The kind of quality you see at Ed's used to be a standard in the Pitt. Three weeks of fighting and occupation by Brotherhood forces has changed a lot of that around the city though.
In any case, I toss a handful of caps towards Ed as thanks for his generosity. He swipes at them and replaces this with a shot glass of the swill he calls "Special Drink". I hate it. He knows that I hate it, but he makes it for me in hopes that I either give up drinking or I stop frequenting his business. Thankfully, I've got an iron gut or something that prevents me from puking at the concoction. I lift the glass in salute and drink it as quickly as possible.
Once the feeling of nausea has passed I turn around and try to quietly catch my breath out of site. As I do so, I notice a cloaked man has entered the bar. He strides quickly to the bar and waits for Ed to answer him.
Ed looks at me inquisitively and I shrug.
"Can I get you something?" Ed asked, walking slowly towards the man. He pauses after seeing his face. I don't have a good angle and can't see any distinguishing details myself. The man simply lifts his left hand and places it on the desk with a thud. A Pip-Boy, I note.
"I am supposed to meet someone here." The man speaks loudly, almost without discretion.
"I see." Ed responds cautiously. Something's thrown him off, I frown. "Can I get the name of whoever you are meant to meet?"
"Of course." The man reaches his gloved hand back into his cloak. As the cloth garment ruffled in the movement, it was evident that the man was heavily armed. In the split second, I managed to catch a glance at what appeared to be a holstered revolver and maybe even a knife. The man reached forward and produced a neckchain that was laced through a small bullet casing. Okay, this is the man I'm supposed to meet. "I believe the name is-"
"Carter Wood." I interrupt. If this is who I hope it is then I need to make my presence known. Otherwise, I remain a possible threat. The man has had his left hand on his belt since he noticed me watching for weapons. The cloak masks whether or not his hand is on the gun or knife but there is one way to solve that lack of information.
I step forward off the stool towards him and approach from his left. I reach my hand out for a handshake as I do so. "You have my calling card." The man turns my direction and holds the chain and casing out at me.
"You are the detective?" He asks, eyebrow raised. I answer affirmatively but take note of what I can see of the man's face. He looks exhausted and he's also a good deal shorter than I expected but, his eyes are sharply watching me as I observe him.
"So they call me." I say. I glance at my empty hand and accept that he isn't going to take his hand off his weapon. "Instead, I grasp at the chain and gesture at the man towards my booth. "Please", I say. I take a step away from the bar hoping that he will move first. He looks over as if searching for traps but follows my lead.
We sit at the booth as Ed begins closing the bar. He shutters blinds and turns off lights. It seems he is convinced he knows the man's identity. I am not so certain.
"What have I done to earn the ear of the great Liberator of the PItt." I ask bluntly. I watch his reaction carefully. At the first mention of the former title of the city's leader, the man places both fists on the table. His stature stiffens but he leans forward casually.
"You know who I am?" he asks, his voice is nearly a growl. He is extremely cautious about who knows his identity. Thankfully, I waited for Ed to completely close the place before asking. He slams the "CLOSED" sign against the front door before I continue.
"Yes." I respond carefully. The man's stature does not change.
"Then you know what I am capable of." He lowers his hood and finally, I get a full read on the man who killed the tyrant Ashur. He is young but years of leadership have taken its toll of him. He has a weary grimace but his eyes remain strong and convicted. He is ready to fight if I prove to be a threat in his eyes.
"Yes." I reply, I clasp both of my hands together on the table. I make sure the gesture is visible and I lean forward as well. "I just wonder what use my services could be for a man of your stature. Former or otherwise." He continues to eye me carefully. He reaches behind him, and hands me a key and note.
"The Brotherhood is here to stay and we are unlikely to dislodge them anytime soon." he speaks, watching as I study the key and unwrap the note. It turns out to be a pre-war map of some kind of hotel. "They have occupied my residence so I am naturally unwelcome among them. You can gain access that I cannot at the moment." I listen as I study the map. At a closer glance, I realize that this was hand-drawn and not printed. There are details here about additions or changes to the original floor plan. I notice that there are also details omitted regarding fire escapes or other measures that would have been present for pre-war documents. What is his game?
"What do I expect to find there?" I ask him. He now relaxes and looks around the room.
"The Brotherhood has a security detail stationed in the building. Expect a platoon or more. Could be a command detail there as well." I reach into my coat and produce a notepad and pencil to take note of these details. I can usually remember this things but I have started writing some of these details down in front of clients. Helps maintain the image of being a detective. I'm not sure if the ruse is working on him though.
"What I want you to locate is a briefcase left in my old office. Retrieve its contents and return it to me." He continued. I nodded as I wrote and waited for him to continue. Instead, I met his expectant gaze and we sat together in momentary silence.
"That's it?" I asked him.
"Did you want to do more?" He asked. For the first time since I introduced myself, his eyes were no longer narrowed and hostile. Now, they expressed surprise and maybe even amusement.
"No." I responded. "It's just, jobs aren't usually this straightforward." Now his eyes returned to their default glower. He grunted in response.
"Frankly, I don't trust you with anything more complicated." He replied. He unclenched his fists and stood from the booth. "We're done here. Bring me the contents and we'll discuss your payment."
"Since I'm not getting an advance payment on this, can I at least inquire why you chose to hire me?" I asked hoping to catch a whiff of more information. He did not respond but he did stop in place.
"The less you know, the better Mr. Wood." he replied. "If you have any concerns on payment, let me assuage your doubts." He raised his left arm and undid a latch on his Pip-Boy. He returned to the booth and offered the gauntlet to me. Naturally, I assumed it to be a trick and waited for his next move but he seemed sincere.
Taking it into my hands, I recognized that the device's appearance hid the care the user took to maintain it. It was a rugged and bulky machine but the screen shone brightly and its buttons were almost new.
"It's your." he spoke once more. I looked up to ask more but he continued without waiting. "Pending the success of this job of course. I will not need it anymore once you bring me the contents of that case. I assume you're satisfied with the quality?"
"Yes, of course." I replied with a gulp. I gingerly handed it back to him. A Pip-Boy would be a game changer. Half of the caps I make from jobs go to guides and maps to help travel the wastes between cities. Having access to digital maps and other pieces of data will make everything so much easier. All the more reason to do a good job.
The Wanderer seemed satisfied with what was probably a pretty dumb expression on my face. He simply walked once more towards the door, throwing his hood back over his head.
"Wait!" I called after him. "How do I find you after retrieving the case?" He didn't bother looking back.
"We'll find you, Mr. Wood." he spoke once more and strode out the front door. Once he was gone Ed began the slow and arduous process of reopening the bar. The man never stopped his grind for no customers. As he worked, I couldn't help but wonder at the possible reasons that would bring the Wanderer to me. To seek out my services. Such thoughts didn't last long. The only thing that matters is that figure out exactly how I am going to break into one of the most secure locations in the PItt. That PIp-Boy is mine.
My thoughts are interrupted by a leathery palm in my face. I look up and see Ed's lovely grimace. I reach back into my coat and hand him another handful of caps. He counts them gingerly before grunting in approval.
"You should have told me it would be him." He rasped. I only smiled in return.
"He needed to believe that I don't know who he is." I replied. "That's the only way I can work with him."
"Why are you so eager to do this job?" Ed asked. "I didn't hear much but I know it's a tough one. Even for you." As he spoke, I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. Ed was right, breaking into a Brotherhood outpost was hard enough. Breaking into their stronghold? Almost impossible for most people. As I thought hard, I realized Ed was still waiting for an answer.
"Would you believe me if I told you that I want to stick it to the tinnies out there?" I offered. Ed sighed in exasperation.
"You're too selfish for that. Besides, you're the most cautious merc I know." Ed spat as he resumed his place behind the counter. "You'd never take any risks like fighting the Brotherhood without the right payment. And a Pip-Boy? That's ain't your style even if you pretend. You know you're a shit actor right?"
"Hey!" I replied. "I'm a detective, not a merc." I corrected him as I stood from the booth. It's already pretty late and I'd be able to plan better after some sleep. Ed was right though, this job would definitely be a risk. I may not be a big name anymore in the Pitt but during its heyday I was an expensive hire. If what I heard about the big man is true, there's no way he didn't have some kind of idea who I am. Either he's desperate or he's testing me. Given how little information he offered outside job details and the fact that he'd easily kill me at a moment's notice, the best way to find out why he sought me out is just to finish the job.
"Yeah, yeah. What the hell you ever 'detect' anyways?" Ed called after me as I stepped out the door. I waved him a curt farewell and stepped into the freezing cold. Night was slowly turning into day now. You could tell because the sky was no longer a pitch black but instead a very murky blue. I sighed, cursing myself for missing another night of sleep as I walked down the muddy road back home.
A few hours sleep and I'm back on my feet. Thankfully, there's no snow and if the forecasters are right we're sure to enter springtime weather any time now. However, they have been wrong in the last couple weeks so I'm not all that hopeful. I'm not made for snow, I don't even have the clothes for it and only managed to survive thanks to Ed's Lost and Found. I'm sure he won't mind how many items I've liberated from his plastic bin if he finds out.
In any case, there have been very few moments where the case wasn't stuck on my mind. I'll put aside the fact that the Wanderer hired me and he wants to keep his involvement a secret. I'll also ignore the fact that he knew of me well enough to hire me but not enough to identify me by sight. Maybe that'll be something important later but for now, it's probably better to focus on getting me inside of the Haven hotel.
It's located in the Upper District that once was home to the Raiders and Slave Masters that ruled Ashur's Pitt. Never liked that name, but it did stick with the locals. After the Fall, the Upper District was transformed into a massive base and housing complex for emancipated and for the soldiers that fought for them. It's remained a military complex since then and the Brotherhood's coup ensured that they occupied its defensible positions and militarized it to ensure another coup would not be possible.
Therefore, we cannot use force to enter the building. That would have been stupid anyhow, trying to use force against gatling lasers and power armor. So, we'll need to play this smart. The map I received only included the floor plan of the main lobby and the floor containing the Wanderer's office. It may be possible to sneak in from underground but I'd rather die than risk that. The city may be cleared from Trogs but I doubt the Brotherhood are as zealous in their "cleansings" as they claim.
Given that the hotel sits in the center of a major, empty square the only way in will be to enter through the front door. I guess that will have to be how I get in but maybe I can be surprised after talking shop with my partner.
Looking up, I realize that I'm close to my destination. I've crossed from the rundown slums where my lovely apartment sits to the slightly better tenements and businesses of the Lower District. In particular, I've reached Market Square, one of the first places "reclaimed" by the Expansionary Defense Force's operations to expand the PItt's living space. This was something done shortly after the Wanderer took power and so the markets are usually booming with activity. A few short weeks ago, having a hundred people milling about and haggling would have been considered a slow day. Now, it's practically empty.
The Market is an open area where traders and caravans can enter and set up shop. The brahmins and pack animals stay outside along with the guards while the traders are allowed in side a massive canvas tent where people can trade while staying safe from the elements. I never liked the pinstripe red and white design but it does keep out the cold pretty well when filled with people. Today was not such a day though.
I entered through a opening in the canvas and was pleasantly surprised to find that there still a dozen or so people moving around the stalls and manning them. Maybe the Pitt could rebound from the recent crisis. In any case, I'm not here to shop but to find my partner-in-crime, Charli.
And she is exactly where I expect to find her. She's at the machinist shop, Craterside Supply & Co. where she is arguing with the shopkeep. It's easy to find her because she's actually rather tall and built like a freight train. I approach her from behind and tap her shoulder.
"Ah!" she grunts in frustration. I look up at her and find her waving around a pulse grenade excitedly. "What do you mean 500 caps? These aren't even worth 50! I mean for christ's sake, the casing on this is cracked!" She waves the grenade frantically at the shopkeep who is now angry and cowering from the grenade waving in her face.
"I can't help the prices being so high, Charli!" the petite girl shouted back. "Brotherhood Quartermasters keep issuing req orders and I'm not getting paid! You don't like the prices and I don't like getting my shit taken but you're gonna have to deal with it or just leave." I smile at the back and forth between the comical duo. This was an exchange that happened frequently and one that I often made sure to be away from. Not today.
"Charli!" I shout, interrupting both.
"I am so sorry, sir. I will be with you shortly after I deal with this difficult customer." the shopkeep spoke in her best, not at all frustrated service voice. Meanwhile, Charli thrust the grenade now into my face as I turned from the shop to Charli.
"Carter!" She exclaimed, my eyes firmly planted on the grenade in her thin fingers. "Can you believe this bullshit!" I nod quietly and place my hand on the grenade, gently nudging it away from my face
"I can't. Especially not with it in my face." I reply diplomatically. Charli likes to keep our arsenal of weapons and tech well-stocked but she also has a tendency to insist on the best deals. This habit of hers and her eye for high-quality weapons does not often bode well for our relations with merchants.
"How are we going to replenish our supply? After the last job, we only have 6 left!" Charli continued as she waved the grenade. Only after a few seconds of thought did she realize that the issue was not so important after all. She just smelled a good deal and got excited in the chase. "Ah." She said meekly as she realized that our stocks of pulse grenades were not low at all for our purposes. She placed the grenade back into its wooden box.
"We need to talk Charli." I tell the tall girl. She continues perusing some of the other items at the stall as she talks to me.
"Okay." she starts. "We have a new job?"
"Yes. It's a real doozy too." I tell her, watching as she inspected some piece of electronics that I don't recognize.
"Oh yeah? What's new there?" she replied, her focus now directed on a busted power fist. She inspected it carefully and flipped it here and there before shoving it in the shopkeep's face.
"How much?" she asks. The shopkeep glared at Charli carefully, almost certainly miffed from the lack of tact and apology from the taller girl.
"200 caps." the merchant spoke. Charli snorted in reply.
"This thing is busted, I'm not paying more than 120."
"180."
"Is that the best you can do?" I smile as she starts another chase in front of me.
"Charli, we need to talk about the case now. Wrap up." I tell her knowingly. I know her well enough that she is happy to argue all day long to badger her way into a good deal. I need to put my foot down and save a little time for everyone. Charli looks at me and back at the power fist.
"150." She says.
"Take it. Please don't come back." the shopkeep replied, holding her hand out for the caps.
"Yeah, the front door is the best way to go." Charli spoke, agreeing with my earlier assessment. Now that we were situated at Ed's we were finally able to talk in greater detail about the job. Ed was busy in the back kitchen cooking. He didn't often cook but he made it a point to whenever Charli was in. We never knew what exactly he would make but Charli always asked for a surprise and Ed usually delivered.
As we discussed, I was staring closely at the map while Charli kept one on her newly acquired power fist and another on the rest of my notes.
"You don't need me to agree with you for you make a decision, boss. What do you need me to see?" She asked, her focus obviously placed on the machine in her hands but she was also interested in the case.
"Just a feeling that I'm missing something. A pair of fresh eyes can see what mine dont." I replied. I ran through the information I had collected. On the way back to Ed's we made a couple detours to visit a few other contacts and took a look at the Long Road, the local name for the Brotherhood path to Haven hotel.
"Hmm." She murmured in agreement. "If the front door is the only way in, you either follow that lead or go underground."
"No, no metros or sewers." I replied.
"Ah right, your fear of the dark." she replied absentmindedly. I grimaced. She didn't know how dangerous the subway lines can be. I made sure we stayed out of it precisely because of what I've seen happen there before. "Okay, well we can't fight our way in. You'll just have to walk."
"Right, I've figured that out. It shouldn't be too hard, the Brotherhood claims that anyone can walk in to talk to the Administrator. I'm just worried about-" I start.
"Yeah, getting out is gonna be tricky. We don't know what's inside the case. It might be hard to conceal or the Brotherhood might search you when you go in and out." Charli observed, completing my thought lines.
"So no weapons, no easy way out, and no easy way to smuggle the materials out." I rub my temples. "What are we missing?" Charli perked up at the mention of weapons.
"Who said anything about no weapons?" She smiled.
The next day, Charli and I stood in the long line on the Long Road. We had been waiting since dawn and still the line was unbelievably long. Thankfully, the sun was shining today and the rare instances we stood in its glare, I could feel it warm. I was bundled in my thickest coat and a Yao Guai cap but Charli only stood beside me in a leather jacket and jeans. She was the picture of a causal pre-war American.
"How are you not cold?" I shiver, looking at how little she had bundled. She shrugged.
"I don't know, this just feels nice?" she asked. She looked down at me and grinned. The sun shone overhead and illuminated her blond hair, creating a picturesque image of my tormentor. I silently cursed the disparity under my breath and winced when a piece of metal pricked my skin. Charli noticed and bent down slightly.
"How is it?" she asked. Charli had somehow managed to repair the power fist and also modify it to somehow work using only a fraction of the parts. I don't understand it but supposedly it can enhance any strikes with my right arm without ripping my arm to shreds. I was nervous but we tested it thoroughly. Well, more like we used to to bend a pipe that broke in my apartment, but that's a good start. She also managed to make it easy to conceal in my clothes so it should be difficult for the Brotherhood to find it.
"It's poking and pricking me but it's manageable." I observe. The couple ahead of me looks back at us in horror.
"Okay, keep those in mind so I can improve it later." Charli replied, seemingly unaware of their glances.
"I'll try." I replied.
As we continue waiting and walking, it's quite clear that the Brotherhood is incredibly nervous about the long line of people. They know that there's a good chance in this line that there are veterans of the Emancipation Wars. Even if they didn't recognize the sudden political shifts, that doesn't mean that they'd approve of being mistreated and occupied. I still cannot tell if the people realize that they've been occupied or if they do not care. Either way, we are waiting and there are visible foxholes, machine gun nests, and countless patrols of power armored units. They want to seriously discourage the use of force here.
Getting out will be difficult unless we figure something out. It's already been three hours in line and while I can see that massive doors of the hotel, I'm still no closer to reaching an escape plan. Hopefully, Charli and I can find something by the time-
My thoughts are interrupted by an incredible BOOM. My ears are ringing and it's hard to think. I know what to do and I try to close myself from the sensory overload but I realize now that even now I'm struggling to breathe due to the overload. I resume focus and realize that Charli has dragged me closer to the hotel and we are being ushered inside by the guards. The explosion took more out of me than I realized but it is well that we're in.
It is then that I realize that I still can't hear over the rining in my ears. Charli shouts something at me but I can't hear me. There are red lights blasting around us and the guards are rushing out the door as more people flood in. Charli drags me further and we are in the lobby. She looks around a carries me further inside until we've reached a small set of stairs in the back of the lobby. It is here where the ringing is no longer deafening.
"Boss!" Charli pants. "Carter!" I grab at her shoulder and try to mouth a response.
"I'm fine." I pant, it seems I'm still winded from the explosion. It must have been close to us. "I'm fine. What about you?" I managed to speak.
"I'm okay." she replied. "You know anything about that?" She points her thumb back towards the lobby. I shake my head.
"Can't be a coincidence though." I pant. "We need to hurry." We both look up at the stairs.
"What floor do we need to reach?" Charlie panted. I reach into my coat and wince, and produce my notepad. Scribbled onto the map are symbols "38". I groan at the prospect.
"Let's go." I say, forcing myself to stand and I take my first step up the first flight of stairs.