Chapter Twelve: Out of the Frying Pan
Nora held Nate's ring in the palm of her hand, the chain entwined within her fingers. She could only just see it in the dark of the room, the fading glow of the oil lamps glinting dully on the gold. Aside from Burke's quiet breathing and Deacon's faint snores, the world was silent. What would you think of me now, Nate? Would you be proud of me? Or would you be disappointed?
Nate had been in the military. He had been quick, strategic, athletic and resourceful. Had he been in her place, if she had been the one to take the bullet, would Shaun be safer? Would he already be saved? Nate would not have required the months of training she had. He would have made the perfect Brotherhood soldier or Minutemen General. What choices would you have made? Would you even be where I am now?
She let her eyes drift shut, trying to recall the warmth of his embrace, his soft husky voice as he murmured to her and whispered her name. She felt her throat constrict and her hand balled into a fist around the ring. I'm on my own and even if I find Shaun, he won't know me. What future can I provide? I can't even protect Burke…
The image of Burke lying injured upon the vertibird floor flashed across the back of her eyelids.
Nora's eyes snapped open and she sat up, turning to look at the couch. Burke still lay upon it, sound asleep with Deacon's jacket blanketing him. Deacon himself was seated on a plastic chair, his hands tucked into his armpits and chin resting on his chest. She couldn't see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but from the slow, deep rhythm of his breathing, she thought he was asleep.
She inhaled deeply, raising her hand to her forehead where she felt the gauze Danse had secured over the minor head wound. Maybe I'm not entirely on my own…
Her thoughts drifted to the kisses she had shared with the Paladin, the way he had consoled her at County Crossing, the warmth in his eyes and smile when he let his guard down. She recalled the sight of him at the river, completely at ease in her company. In his armour, he was an awesome sight, powerful and infallible, a symbol of the Brotherhood's might and honour. Outside of his armour, Danse was strong but gentle, honest and brave. He was also endearingly awkward and bashful at times, filled with wonder at the old world and hope for a better future.
Yet he too was haunted by loss. He had been careful to maintain a professional distance between himself and his soldiers, fearing the pain of losing them following the death of Cutler. But he had opened up to her, let his guard down. And I'm starting to do the same with him… She cared for her other companions and trusted them with her life, but she had never been able to speak of her old life, or her terror at living her new one.
She sighed, easing herself up slowly from the warped wooden floor and stretching, wincing at the ache in her muscles. She slipped the chain back around her throat and zipped the collar of her flight suit closed.
Ever since she had awoken from her two century slumber, she had done her utmost to maintain a strong, yet positive façade, desperate to hide her weakness and swallow her fears. She had never let anyone know just how vulnerable she felt, how lost. But she had opened up to him and rather than feeling foolish or helpless for doing so, she had felt stronger for it, finding the first real comfort and consolation she had known since witnessing Nate's death and Shaun's kidnapping.
But was it right that she find such comfort in him? Did she even deserve to? She smiled bitterly to herself as she crept towards the stairwell. What would you think of me now, Nate? Would you be angry at me? Or happy for me?
She illuminated the stairwell with the light of her pip-boy, making her way back up towards the roof. After Stockton and his heavies had left, it had taken her some time to get her emotions back under control. They were all tired, hungry and dehydrated, and in no condition to race back towards Bunker Hill, especially as there was a great chance of the gates being closed upon their arrival. Instead, they had decided to spend the night in the building. Deacon had barricaded the hidden door that the Railroad agents had left through and Nora had pulled the planks that had formed a bridge onto their rooftop.
It was as safe a place as anywhere outside the settlements. Deacon had even managed to talk her into trying to sleep rather than keeping watch. Nora's lips twitched slightly as she reached the door at the top. She paused for a few moments, listening for any sound on the other side before sliding the bolts open and letting herself outside.
The night sky was already beginning to lighten into dawn. She drank in the fresh air eagerly, freeing herself of the musty, stale odour that pervaded the building. She was exhausted, but the cool wind was refreshing, the chill sharpening her senses. She always felt better about things when she was out beneath the open skies.
She turned her gaze to where Bunker Hill's tower loomed over the broken city, illuminated by the light canopy. I hope the others made it back okay… I really hope Haylen's alright. The Scribe had been the only reason her time as an Initiate in Gladius had been tolerable, providing a sympathetic ear and encouraging words when Danse and Rhys had worn her down with training and rhetoric.
Sighing, she turned and walked to the opposite side of the roof, turning her back to the settlement. She could make out the ghostly illumination of Diamond City in the distance, the light flooding from behind the Wall like a monstrous spotlight. It would take them the better part of a day to reach it, perhaps even longer if they ran into trouble. That's if Danse doesn't decide we need to return to the Prydwen first. Her body seemed to grow heavier at the thought and she sighed, closing her eyes as her shoulders slumped.
"Enjoying the romantic view?"
She jumped slightly, relaxing when she recognised the voice. "Couldn't resist," she called back over her shoulder, her voice hoarse. She hadn't taken the time to eat or drink before beginning her hunt with Deacon, and so her throat felt raw and stomach painfully hollow.
She didn't hear Deacon's approach, but moments later he was crouching beside her, peering into the street below. Nora followed his gaze and they watched as a stray dog advanced cautiously along the street, slinking in the shadows.
"Cap for your thoughts?" Deacon finally asked, straightening up and folding his arms. Nora sighed, stepping up onto the concrete ledge that bordered the roof.
"I'm just thinking about all the bullshitting I've got to do in the coming hours. I've got to somehow persuade Burke to keep quiet, then I have to lie to Danse and convince him not to march us straight back to the Prydwen… The longer we have to work on Burke, the safer our secrets will be." She began to walk along the roof perimeter, the wind whipping her messy ponytail against her skin.
"I'm going to have to do a lot of mediating on our side, too. Dez will not be happy with this and PAM will probably have a meltdown." Deacon sighed, walking alongside her.
"I'm sorry." Nora halted and turned her back to him, looking back down into the street. The stray dog was still in sight, warily sniffing around a rusting car. Suddenly it yelped and began to sprint away. Nora watched as a feral began to sluggishly pull itself out from beneath the car. In one smooth motion, she slipped Righteous Authority from her shoulder and lined her eye up with the sights. She fired, watching as her shot struck the head. The creature slumped back down onto the concrete, its skin glowing softly for a moment before disintegrating into ash.
They remained silent, watching as the ash settled.
"I know this probably isn't the best time, but I need to ask you something." Deacon said quietly, breaking the silence. Nora turned to face him, her eyes questioning. "This… might be a personal question, so just don't hit me, or shoot me when I ask, okay?"
Nora frowned, hopping off the ledge and slinging her rifle back over her shoulder. "What's the question?"
Deacon studied her intently from behind his sunglasses. "Nora, are you Knight Hart, or are you Charmer?"
Nora frowned, folding her arms and tilting her head. "What's that supposed to mean, Deacon? Aren't I both?"
"Look, just hear me out here." Deacon sighed, folding his arms and shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. "…You were with the Brotherhood first, way before you found the Railroad. I appreciate that. I also know you're loyal, like, stupidly loyal, which is kind of what's got me worried."
"I don't understand. I'm loyal, but you're worried?" Nora's grip tightened around the strap of her rifle.
Deacon exhaled, his brow furrowing as he ran one hand across his bald scalp. "Look, why don't we have this conversation on the stairs? I feel exposed out here."
Nora pursed her lips, but nodded, leading the way to the door and turning on her pip-boy lamp. Deacon closed the door behind them and bolted it, before seating himself on the top step, patting the concrete beside him. Nora obliged and for a few moments they sat in an uneasy silence, both of them studying the walls in the emerald light.
"Deacon, are you questioning my loyalty to the Railroad?" Nora finally asked, keeping her eyes glued to the steps below, counting them silently in her head.
Deacon sighed, nudging his shades back up along his nose. "We're best buds, aren't we Charmer?" He finally asked, clasping his hands between his knees.
"Of course." She answered without hesitation. "Death bunnies for life, right?" She tried to ignore the voice in her head that reminded her she had never fully opened up to him as she had opened up to Danse, but she mentally shook the thought away. He turned to look at her, and she felt his eyes boring into her from behind his shades.
"Right, but the Brotherhood's for life, too. At least until they get you killed sending you out on suicide missions…"
At that Nora snorted, shaking her head. "That's a bit rich coming from you, don't you think?" Deacon didn't return her smile and her own faded. "Okay, what is this really about Deacon?"
"You've been spending a lot of time with the Brotherhood lately." Deacon said quietly, glancing back down the stairwell. "And though I hate to be the jealous best friend, I've gotta admit. It's making me uneasy."
"Uneasy?" Nora's brows knitted together and she leaned forwards, trying to catch his gaze. "Why is it making you uneasy? I haven't ratted you out before and I never will."
"Oh boy. Let's just cut to the chase and try to make this a less awkward experience for the both of us." Deacon craned his head back to peer up at the ceiling. "So, what's your relationship with Danse these days?"
Nora's eyebrows shot up beneath her fringe. "My what?"
"Your relationship. Is it professional? Friendly? Bromance? Romance?" Deacon's gaze returned to her, the inflection in his last word impossible for her to miss. A myriad of emotions crossed her face in a matter of seconds, before she finally settled for an indignant expression.
"I don't see what my relationships would have to do with our conversation." She finally managed in clipped tones.
"Oh shit…" Deacon shook his head slowly, massaging his temples. "I knew it. I'd hoped I was hallucinating in the radstorm, a trick of the light…"
Nora's mouth dropped open and she was suddenly gripping his arm. "That was you in the radstorm? You were the one watching us?! How long have you been spying on me?!"
"I wasn't spying on you, I promise!" Deacon protested, shaking off her tightening grasp. "I was keeping an eye on you and I just happened to see you at the window, with Danse. Look, it's been weeks since I last saw you. I was worried and I wanted to catch up, make sure you were okay, only to find you in Danse's company. Again."
"Well of course he's going to be in my company, Deacon, he's my sponsor! Who were you expecting to see? Arthur fucking Maxson?" Nora raised her arms in exasperation, staring at him.
"Well I know for a fact that ever since you left HQ, you've been with the Brotherhood. You haven't even checked in with the Castle!"
"So you have been spying on me! Unbelievable!" Nora shook her head faintly.
"Hey, keeping tabs and spying are two completely different things!" Deacon insisted. "I couldn't sneak into the airport even if I wanted to. Everything in there's collared and tagged, including you." He raised a finger and pointed at Nora, who was now glowering at him, her blue eyes blazing with hurt and anger. "You're surrounded by fanatics in there, Nora, who are doing everything they can to feed you their doctrine. And honestly? I'm really scared that you're starting to take it."
"Do you really think so little of me?" Nora's voice trembled.
"If I didn't think highly of you, if I didn't care about you, I wouldn't even try." Deacon replied, staring straight into her eyes. "But what else am I supposed to think? You're spending more time with the Brotherhood than anyone else, you're making moon eyes at Danse under radstorms and you're prioritising this Squire over the safety of the Railroad!"
"If the Railroad starts kidnapping children then they've become no better than the Institute!" Nora shouted, her hands balling into tight fists on her lap. "I've been staying with the Brotherhood because they are better equipped than anyone else to help me find a way into the Institute! And you know what Deacon? They're not all crazy fanatics. I've got friends among them too, the same as the Railroad and I'm not just going to turn my back on them!"
"This is what I mean!" Deacon cried, gesturing at her emphatically. "Are you listening to yourself?! The Brotherhood aren't the Minutemen Nora! They're a serious military force and they're doing everything in their power to snare you and keep you in check! Haven't you ever questioned why you were put under the sponsorship of Maxson's right hand Paladin in the first place?!"
"Oh, well let me think." Nora rolled her eyes and began to count off on her fingers. "He recruited me in the first place. He had already begun to mentor me in Cambridge. He personally requested to be my sponsor, and then there's the whole me hunting for the Institute thing going on!"
"Granted, the Institute reason is compelling. But do you honestly think Maxson spared him just because of that and the fact Danse wanted to be your sponsor? You're the General of the Minutemen. You made them a rising power after they were reduced to nothing! You even armed them with enough artillery to make them a force to be reckoned with! If the Brotherhood controls you, they control them and I can only begin to imagine Maxson's plans for them and the Commonwealth! You've already persuaded the settlements to supply the Brotherhood with food and materials! It's just resources now but what happens when they want to take people too?"
"Unbelievable!" Nora rose sharply to her feet. "I don't have to listen to this!"
"No, you do have to listen to this. You just don't want to!" Deacon snapped, rising with her. "Maxson's got you under his thumb! He's given you a mentor that he knows will groom you into the perfect Brotherhood tool! You're already starting to let him hold sway over the Minutemen! It's not too far a jump to assume you could betray the Railroad, too!"
"I'm not betraying anyone!" Nora's shout echoed down the stairwell. She was physically shaking with anger.
"For now," Deacon said quietly as the last echoes faded, "you're able to maintain some kind of balance while everyone tries to avoid open conflict. But this false peace won't last long. The Brotherhood would destroy every last synth without exception and they will move to kill us if the Institute doesn't do it first. Then what happens? Do you really think they'll just fly out of the Commonwealth again? They're going to want to stay and consolidate their power. If the Minutemen don't bow, they will crush them. Settlements like Goodneighbour, people like Hancock, Valentine, Piper. They will purge them. Is that the future you want to help create, Nora? Is that a future you can stand to live in?"
Nora turned on her heel and began to hurry down the stairs, Righteous Authority bouncing on her shoulder, the light of her pip-boy jumping across the walls. As she descended, she thought she could hear light footsteps rushing down ahead of her, but when she reached the room at the bottom of the stairwell, the Squire was where she had left him, curled up beneath Deacon's jacket.
"Alright, I'm headed out." Deacon announced, trying to catch Nora's eye. The woman stubbornly glanced away, clenching her jaw. "What? No take care out there Deacon? Deacon don't leave me I'm scared, please hold me?"
"How about Deacon stop talking and go scout?" Nora finally grumbled, narrowing her eyes at him.
Deacon smiled tightly. "Fine then. Love you too." As he turned to walk between the crates towards the hidden door, Nora sighed behind him.
"Come back safe, Deacs." He waved his hand in response before slipping out of sight once more. The door creaked open and closed behind him.
Nora closed her eyes, raising her fingers to massage her temples. She needed to deal with the issue of Burke's keeping their secrets. What can I say to him? And what am I going to tell Danse? She groaned internally. It was now imperative she keep Burke away from the Prydwen for as long as possible, just to be safe.
Yet she had given Danse the right to call off the mission whenever he saw fit and he now had the vertibird grenade. If he had wanted to end the mission before, he was going to be desperate to do so now. And she had given her word not to question his decision.
"Nora?" She straightened up and opened her eyes to find the Squire was sitting up on the couch, watching her. "Has the bald man gone?"
"Yep, he's gone." She smiled wearily and walked over to join him on the couch. "How're you feeling today?"
"…Bad." Burke shrugged, folding his arms and frowning down at the floor. "Can I ask you something, Nora?"
"Of course. What's on your mind, Burke?"
"Is the Brotherhood really as bad as he said? I heard you shouting on the stairs and… Would they break the Minutemen? Would they take people away?"
Nora frowned, her arms hugging her chest as she considered his question. "I think the world's about to go through some big changes soon, Burke. If the Brotherhood felt that the Minutemen were a threat, I don't doubt that they'd fight. But I'm in charge of the Minutemen and I won't let it come to that."
"The way he was talking, he made it sound like you were betraying them." Burke's frown deepened even further. "He also said you would betray the Railroad. The Railroad are enemies of the Brotherhood though, from what I heard. So you can't be with them. Because that would make you a traitor to the Brotherhood, wouldn't it?" He turned and fixed her in a green stare.
"I'm not a traitor to anyone." Nora said firmly, glaring him in the eye.
"But if you're with our enemies, how could you not be a traitor?" Burke insisted, his gaze unflinching.
"My primary mission within the Brotherhood is to find the location of the Institute, and destroy it." She began, working to keep her voice even. "The Railroad are the only group in the Commonwealth who possess some knowledge about the Institute and they can help me find them.
"But the Railroad helps synths to escape from the Institute and if the Brotherhood ever found out about them, they would destroy rather than work alongside them."
"They help synths?!" Burke spluttered, his eyes growing wide with horror.
"Yes, they help synths to escape the Institute-"
"But synths are abominations!" Burke cried, staring at her, completely aghast. "Synths kill people! They steal their identities and pretend to be human! They need to be destroyed!"
"Enough." Nora snapped, pulling him up short. "Synths are no more dangerous than people, Burke. The ones the Railroad helps don't want to hurt anyone, they just want to live out their own lives in peace. It's the Institute that makes them dangerous. It's the Institute who makes them kill. Can a Brotherhood soldier ignore the commands of their Elder or superiors?"
"But they're machines that think they're alive! They'll turn on humans! They're not like us!" Burke protested. "Besides, the Institute can control them! They must be destroyed!"
Nora heaved her shoulders in a silent sigh, turning to look at the peeling wall across from her. It's no use trying to tell him otherwise. Besides, we're not supposed to be talking ethics. We're talking secrets here.
She cleared her throat. "We'll just put that matter aside for now. That's not what I need to talk to you about. Burke, I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone about the Railroad, Stockton, Deacon or me."
Burke was silent and when she turned to look at him, he was staring at her, his jaw squared.
"You owe it to me, Burke." She said quietly, looking him in the eye. "I saved you from being sent across the borders. I'm the only reason you're not back on the Prydwen explaining to your superiors why you stole my fusion core. I've done my best to be good to you. What's say you pay me back by keeping quiet about this?"
Burke turned away, folding his arms. "But they help synths." He frowned. "They're enemies of the Brotherhood."
Nora gently placed a hand on his shoulder, still mindful of his wounds. "Burke. Do you trust me?"
For a few moments he hesitated, then nodded slowly.
"The Elder gave me leave to take whatever steps are necessary in discovering the Institute and the Railroad will help me with that. But if he were to find out about them, he would be obligated to disrupt them, which would make it a lot harder for me to continue my mission. The Institute makes synths, right? So the sooner the Brotherhood can stop them, the less synths there'll be."
Burke turned to look at her, his expression thoughtful. "So… if I keep quiet it'll help you bring down the Institute? And stop the synths?"
"Yes." Nora nodded. Well, I'm not lying. "Burke, no one else in the Brotherhood knows I'm in the Railroad. Not even Paladin Danse, and they can't know. Even if it's for my mission against the Institute, I could still be charged with treason and Danse as my sponsor would suffer for it too, even though he doesn't know a thing about it."
BOOM.
The ground trembled, the walls shook and a shower of dust rained down from the ceiling. Nora launched to her feet, adrenaline beginning to pump through her veins as she pulled Burke after her, seizing Righteous Authority from a crate with her free hand. "What was that?!" Burke hissed, clutching at her arm.
For a few moments they stood in the gloom, eyes turned towards the crates that blocked their view of the door. They could hear gunfire somewhere outside. What is going on out there?
"Burke, keep close to me." Nora whispered, grasping his hand and pulling him towards the stairwell after her, illuminating it with the light of her pip-boy. There came an even larger explosion, plaster and dust raining down from the ceiling above. They advanced as quickly as they dared, up towards the rooftop. When they reached the doorway, she left Burke and crept towards the ledge of the roof, warily peering over and into the street.
Black smoke was billowing up to the sky in a twisting pillar. She could hear the gunfire clearly now and warily rose to peer over the ledge.
Raiders were on the street below. She counted nine in total, one of them donning some kind of power armour. They had caused one of the cars on the street to explode, the shrapnel littering the road and were now focusing their fire upon another, shouting taunts whilst two of their number held back two savage dogs from running into the bullets.
"I'm gonna crack your skull like an egg baldy!"
Nora felt her heart skip a beat, turning to regard the car they were firing upon. She could just make out the figure crouching behind it. When they leaned out to return fire, she caught sight of the shades and bald head and cursed. Deacon was pinned down with scant little cover to run for, even though there was great risk that his current one was about to become a fiery inferno from the raider's bullets.
There's no other way.
Nora stepped up onto the ledge, peering down sights of her rifle. She aimed for one of the gun toting raiders and fired. The shot struck the man on the arm, prompting him to scream in pain and disrupt the others who ceased firing to turn and stare at him.
One of the raiders turned their back towards her and she took the advantage. The shot struck the raider square in the upper back and she watched with satisfaction as he slumped, his skin glowing red for a moment before disintegrating into ash. And that is why you wear more than a harness to battle.
The raiders began to panic, rushing for cover. She saw Deacon rise and begin to sprint away up the street. Suddenly, the two dogs broke away from their handlers and began charging after him. Cursing, Nora tried to follow them with her rifle. She fired at one, but missed, leaving a charred mark on the road instead.
"Up there! Get 'em!"
Nora barely had enough time to jump back down onto the roof before bullets began to tear through the air around her. She flinched as she heard them biting into the concrete.
"Somebody find a way to reach that asshole!" A gruff female voice shouted. "I'll give a shot of psycho to whichever of you brings me their head!" Nora could hear the raiders scattering below. She checked the number of shots Righteous Authority had left, wincing when she saw the small 03 on the counter. She only had one full fusion cell left in her pocket, meaning she only had 29 shots in total. Her eyes fell upon Burke who was stood in the doorway, staring at her.
Nora licked her lips, trying to hear her thoughts over the blood roaring in her ears and the shouting of the raiders. They needed to get out of there, preferably before the raider in the power armour reached them. Where the hell do these people find armour and fusion cores anyway?
She peered cautiously over the edge of the concrete. There were two raiders still in the road, guns trained in her direction. She ducked back down as they fired. The others must be searching for a way to reach me. We have to get out of here before they find the door or fire escape.
She whistled sharply, beckoning for Burke to move beside her. The boy darted from the doorway without question, dropping down beside her. "What're we gonna do?" He whispered urgently, his eyes searching hers.
"We're going to go across the roofs. They know I'm here, but they don't know about you. We have to keep it that way. Whatever you do, remain hidden, got it?" Burke nodded, biting down on his lip. Nora flashed him a reassuring smile. "We're going to get through this, you hear? Just stick close to me and do what I say, got it?"
Just then they heard an excited shout from an alleyway next to the building. "Looks like they've found the door. You ready for a strategic withdrawal, Burke?"
"Yes Ma'am!" Burke nodded more emphatically, managing a small smile back at her.
"On me Squire!" Nora rose into a stealthy crouch and began to steal away across the roof, revived by adrenaline and her determination to get the boy to safety. She grabbed the first of the planks she had set on the roof the night before, quickly extending it across the large drop until it rested on the ledge of the neighbouring building.
They heard a loud splintering crash somewhere below and some of the raiders cheered. Nora quickly set the second plank across. "Squire, that'll have to do. Go ahead of me."
Burke swallowed, but squared his shoulders and clenched his fists as he stepped up onto the ledge. Holding his arms out for balance, he walked across the makeshift bridge quickly and reached the other side, sagging with relief when he stepped down onto the roof. Nora released the breath she had been holding before she stepping up and beginning to cross herself, the Squire turning to watch her.
She was halfway across when two of the raiders reached Burke's roof from the fire escape.
"Squire! Down!" She shouted, levelling Righteous Authority towards them. The Squire threw himself down as she fired, two shots searing into the torso of one whilst the other dodged behind a ventilation duct. Nora launched herself across, placing herself in front of the Squire. "Up! Keep behind me!" She ordered, keeping her rifle trained towards the rusted steel behind which the raider had taken shelter.
The raider made to lean out and fire at them, only to retreat as Nora's final shot seared his cover.
Grinding her teeth, Nora began to move, ejecting the spent fusion cell and reloading her remaining one. She had barely slotted it in when Burke yelled and pulled on her arm, prompting her to sprint forwards after him. Glass shattered where they had been stood only moments before, flames exploding against the rooftop. As Burke charged towards the fire escape, Nora began to lay down suppressing fire, her lips curling into a snarl as the raider circled around his cover and out of her sights.
Another bottle arced through the air and she swore, launching herself onto the fire escape after Burke as the raider shrieked taunts behind them. He wouldn't be able to follow immediately, a wall of fire now cutting off his path. She could hear Burke clattering down the steps ahead of her and followed as swiftly as she could.
Above the clanging of the metal beneath their feet, she could hear voices shouting, drawing closer and her heart sank. "Burke! Hold up!" She shouted, taking the steps three at a time. Burke halted on the platform below her, resting his hands on his knees and panting. She reached him just as the raiders reached the mouth of the alleyway.
The fire escape vibrated as bullets began to ricochet from the metal, sparking as they hit. Nora wrapped her arms around Burke and turned her back to the onslaught, shielding him with her body.
"Hold your fire assholes! That bitch ain't gonna die sweetly today!"
The gunfire stopped, the echoes still ringing in their ears. Nora straightened up slowly, keeping one arm wrapped around Burke as she peered over the railings, to where the raiders were congregated at the alley mouth. The raider in power armour stomped forwards, her lips peeling back in a feral smile as she ground one mechanical fist into the other.
Razor wire was woven about the plating, dark red tribal signs daubed on beneath it. Rusted cage armour had been fused to the torso, forming a protective cover over her head. The woman shot her a wolfish grin. "You're fucking dead bitch. Better say goodbye to that little brat of yours before we roast ya!"
In one swift motion, Nora had released Burke, moved to the railings and levered Righteous Authority at the raider. She fired, the shots striking the raider's torso plate. "Shit! Light 'em up! Fucking burn 'em!" The woman snarled, backing away hastily and stepping on the foot of one of her men.
As the unfortunate raider shrieked and cussed, the others began to produce Molotovs and lighters. She heard feet on the metal above them as the raider from the roof began to descend. She rushed back to Burke as one of the raider's roared "fire in the hole!"
The first bottle shattered on the landing below, their aim as poor with projectiles as with their guns. Burke let out a terrified yelp. "Burke! We have to move up do you understand?" Nora shouted, pushing him ahead of her. "Just stay close! I'll take care of them! I won't let them hurt you!"
Flames exploded right behind them. "Damn it! Stand still!" One of the raiders roared.
"I got a whole shot of psycho for whoever gets the bitch! First one to get the kid gets some jet!" The armoured raider shouted. Suddenly the fire escape was being bombarded. Flames seemed to roar all around them and Burke threw his arms in front of his face, guided only by Nora's hand on his shoulder as she ran behind him. Suddenly he was shoved up against the brick wall of the building, the Knight huddling over him.
He heard another bottle shatter, directly above them and Nora let out a pained shout as some of the flaming liquid spattered down through the metal grille and onto her back.
"I got the woman first Wire! Y'see that?!" The raider above them shouted excitedly, stomping on the metal.
"Nora…" Burke's voice trembled as he peered up at her face. She smiled at him tautly.
"It's nothing… got worse burns frying bacon."
Burke could feel tears prickling his eyes, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. The heat of the flames seemed to radiate from all sides and as another bottle shattered above them, he felt Nora's arms tighten around him once more, heard the hiss of pain that escaped between her teeth.
Then he heard an almighty crash, accompanied by panicked shouts and screams. Gun and laser shots began to pierce the air and Nora straightened up warily, her breathing ragged. The raider above them was shouting incoherently above, his next bottle sailing down into the alleyway instead of the fire escape. Nora glanced over the railings, then suddenly began to surge up the stairs, her rifle at the ready and boots stamping over the dying flames. Crimson rays of light poured through the gaps in the grilles above as she fired, driving the raider back.
Swallowing, Burke crept towards the railing to peer down into the alleyway. He could hear the clash of metal striking metal, the panicked screaming of the raiders. The entire fire escape was trembling from the violent shocks occurring on the ground and when the alleyway came into view he found his eyes growing ever wider.
The power armoured raider had been thrown across the blazing alleyway, driven face first into the brick wall at the back. The Paladin, donning his full suit of power armour held her pinned there, tearing at the valve of her armour to render her both immobile and unable to escape. The other raiders were faring little better than their leader.
Bullets and lasers were fast picking them off from the street and some had been burned by their fellow's poorly aimed Molotov. One of the able bodied raiders tried to make a run for it, only to be reduced to ash by a well-placed laser shot. There came another loud crash from below and his eyes returned to the Paladin and raider leader. The raider had been wrenched from the wall and dropped onto her back. The Paladin raised one armoured foot and Burke turned away, clapping his hands over his ears, the memory of the Paladin grinding the mutant hound into the mud too fresh in his mind.
What felt like an eternity later, he felt something tap his arm and when he opened his eyes, it was to find Nora stood there, smiling wearily down at him. He lowered his hands from his ears and heard the Paladin calling up to them. "We'd better head on down, Burke." She said gently, gesturing for him to move ahead of her. "The cavalry's arrived."
A/N: I'm very sorry this chapter is so late. I was overwhelmed by university deadlines and projects and whenever I did find the time to write, it just wouldn't flow. But hey, better late than never and it's also the longest chapter I've done yet! I'm now away from uni for the Easter holidays which will hopefully allow me to fit in writing this alongside the coursework and revision I still have to do.
Thank you very much for your patience, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you very much for your continued support and interest in the story and especially for your reviews! They really help to motivate me to keep going! C: