Chapter Fourteen: The Unstoppables
"Dammit! Where the HELL have they gone?!" Fuming, Rhys stalked about the room, his jaw squared. "Top told that bald asshole to take the kid back to the room, didn't he?!"
"He did, but it doesn't seem like people are doing a whole lot of listening around here." Haylen sighed, leaning in the doorway as she tried to picture just where Deacon and Burke could have gone.
She heard something thump against one of the walls and glanced up in time to see the Squire's teddy fall to the floor. "Aw, come on Rhys! What'd the little guy ever do to you?" She couldn't help but tease, walking over to the bear and scooping it up.
"I should find a dirty puddle and let that bear soak in it. See if the kid starts listening then." Rhys muttered, striding over to the window. Haylen couldn't tell whether he was joking.
"Let's not be nasty. You'd feel awful if he started to cry."
"He needs to learn to toughen up." He turned to scowl out of the window, his grey glare scanning the bar below as Haylen set the bear back on Burke's sleeping bag.
"I wonder how Captain Kells and the Elder are going to react to Danse's report, though." Haylen mused, pulling her auburn hair free of her hairband and combing her fingers through it. "It's definitely not going to reflect well on the Squire, that's for sure."
"If he were our age, he'd probably get locked up in the cells in Cambridge. Good thing he's still too young for that." Rhys frowned, his grip tightening on the window sill. Haylen sighed sadly, noting the way his entire posture had tensed.
Not all that long ago, he'd been locked up in those cells for insubordination. Her heart still ached at the memory of him sitting despondently behind the bars, refusing to look at her.
"Hey. Haylen, come look at this." Suddenly Rhys had straightened up and was leaning further out of the window. Raising her eyebrows, Haylen moved to stand beside him, peeling back the rag curtain so she could see.
At the water pump nearest to the bar, Sparkes was pumping water into a bucket while two of his Gunners tried to hold Luck in place. The dogs growls and whimpers could be heard from the window and as they watched she thrashed violently, almost knocking one of the men over.
"Weaklings." Rhys snorted and Haylen couldn't help but smirk. When Sparkes had filled the bucket sufficiently, he carried it towards the dog and set it down, removing a rag from the water and wringing it out as he crouched in front of her. For a moment the dog stood, staring at the rag transfixed.
Then she let out a sorrowful howl as the man began to try and wipe her muzzle. Haylen was about to suggest they stop gawking and continue the hunt for the Squire, when the dog suddenly reared up on her hind legs, catching her handlers off guard and knocking Sparkes down onto his back. Haylen began to snort with laughter as the dog took off with her tail between her legs, the Gunners scrambling after her.
Wiping at her eyes, she stepped back into the room, not quite able to keep the smile from her face. She glanced up to find Rhys gazing at her with a small smile that almost softened his features.
Then it was gone, his lips pulling back into the familiar frown. "We should get back to it. Wouldn't want to keep Top waiting." He said, clearing his throat.
"Yeah, you're right." Haylen sighed, wishing her heart would return to its regular beat. She slowly swept her hair back up into her usual ponytail, taking the time to hide the blush creeping slowly up her cheeks, before moving to retrieve her hood and goggles.
"Hey, Haylen…" She glanced up to see Rhys standing at the door, looking down at his boots.
"Yeah?"
He glanced up at her, his expression almost nervous. Then he shook his head, his soldier mask slipping back into place. "Never mind. Let's get moving."
Danse scowled as he scrubbed at his uniform, groaning when the green-brown muck smeared further across his chest rather than lifting.
This stench is so appalling it could be used as a weapon.
He cleared his throat and winced at the smell, rinsing the rag Kay had loaned him under the water pump. She had point blank refused to allow him to wait inside and stink out the clinic.
He couldn't say he blamed her.
I have to get this off before I get in my power armour. As if the reports aren't embarrassing enough. I don't even want to think of the names the other troops would assign me. What was the Squire doing with dung on his hands, anyway?
"You missed a spot." He turned to find Nora leaning on the clinic's porch railings, smiling wanly at him. She looked exhausted. The hollows of her eyes were dark and her face had adopted a pale, almost translucent quality. Her flight suit was open and rolled down to her hips, secured in place by the knotted sleeves. When she walked towards the steps, he caught sight of the bandages clinging to her back and shoulders beneath the thin black T-shirt.
"How are you feeling, soldier?"
"Could've done with more sleep, but there ain't no rest for the wicked. At least the ointment I've got on me smells a lot better than the crap on you." Danse shot her a reproachful glare. "Sir." She added quickly, her smirk faltering at his expression.
"I could have you written up for that, Knight." He muttered, scrubbing furiously at the muck once more.
"What? You'd do that to an injured subordinate?" She came to a stop beside him and folded her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Anyway, just so you know, you've got handprints on your back."
"Ugh. I give up. I'll just incinerate it." Danse sighed, draping the cloth on the railing. "Did Kay fill you in?"
"She mentioned something about a vertibird, a dog, orange smoke and you covered in…" She gestured at the stains, lips twitching.
"Glad to see she covered everything important." Danse grumbled, moving towards his power armour and pulling himself inside. "In short, I believe Burke stole the vertibird grenade from my pack. A dog belonging to the Gunners somehow got a hold of it and set it off, smoked out half the settlement, and we seem to have overstayed our welcome because of it."
He waited for her to catch up before leading the way towards the vertibird.
She's certainly toughened up since her days as an Initiate.
He mused silently as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She was still limping, but she stubbornly kept up with his long strides, taking great care to hide every wince.
"Are you certain that Burke stole the grenade?" She asked abruptly, glancing up at him.
"I'm positive. He was supposed to be staying in the room under Haylen's supervision, but Joe Savoldi saw him disappear down an alleyway behind the tower. He ran straight into me when I went to investigate, followed by the dog and the grenade."
"Dammit. I thought we'd gotten past the petty thieving." Nora shook her head, her lips thinning.
"Evidently, he still hasn't learned his lesson." Danse shrugged, his pauldrons rolling with the gesture. "I don't know whether he intended to hide it or destroy it, but I'm relieved it went off. If nothing else, it gets us out of this… location."
"Not a fan of the Hill?" Nora queried, raising her eyebrows at him.
"A place filled with mercenaries, raiders and greedy merchants isn't somewhere I'd waste shore leave, no. The only thing that makes this place better than Goodneighbour is the fact that there are virtually no ghouls here, and the chems are too expensive for most of the riff raff to buy."
"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen a single lucid ghoul since we've been here." Nora frowned.
"I thought I classed the lack of ghouls as a good thing?" Danse sighed, shaking his head. "I'll never understand your acceptance of them."
"So long as they're not ferals or Triggermen, ghouls are people. Besides, I seem to remember you made an exception for Kent Connelly. Remember him? The guy who turned me into…The Silver Shroud!"
Despite himself, Danse cracked a smile at her impression. Sometimes the adventures she dragged him into bordered on the surreal.
"How could I possibly forget? Especially when you tried to make me wear that ridiculous outfit under my power armour."
"I just didn't want to leave you out! Besides, Grognak's even more popular than the Shroud! I was doing you a favour."
"Nora, that 'costume' was little more than a loincloth with boots and gloves."
A mischievous look crossed her face, momentarily banishing the pain and exhaustion from her eyes. "Oh, I know. It would have looked amazing on you!"
Danse glanced away, heat creeping up his neck.
"There's no need to be so modest, Danse!" She pressed, a grin creeping across her face. "You work out practically every day. You should show off more! It's a shame you're always hiding away in your uniform and power armour…"
"Nora, this conversation is getting inappropriate. I'm your Commanding Officer."
He could feel his ears beginning to burn and quickened his step, more than a little relieved to see the gates were coming into view.
"What? All I'm saying is that the next time I go out to bring justice to the evildoers, you should join me as Grognak! After all, every hero needs a sidekick!"
"Wait- sidekick? I'm pretty sure that Grognak was no sidekick." Danse frowned, glancing back down at her. "I might be relatively passive in the decision making as your sponsor, but I am definitely not a 'sidekick'."
"Well, in that case why don't we find more costumes and form our own team of the Unstoppables? Then we can be equals!"
"Nora, I am not becoming Grognak and that is my final answer." Danse said firmly, attempting to silence her with his best intimidating glare, though the effect was somewhat lost when his face was turning scarlet.
A mischievous sparkle lit up Nora's eyes and her grin widened as she raised a hand to cover her chest dramatically.
"You're breaking my heart here, Danse! Never mind poor Proctor Quinlan! You could be a hero for him… and a pin up for many!"
"That is enough, soldier!" Danse stormed ahead of her, down the steps. "One more word and I'll see to it you're scrubbing the Prydwen's hull until it gleams!"
"Silver like the Shroud?!"
Danse tried to ignore the cackling behind him as he moved towards the vertibird. On the one hand, it was a good to have someone so close, someone who wasn't intimidated by his rank or serious personality. But on the other, he wished she would retain some professional decorum.
As he approached the vertibird and caught sight of the empty deck, he frowned. Where are Rhys and Haylen?
He halted by the rungs.
"Lancer, has there been any word from Knight Rhys or Scribe Haylen?"
The pilot turned in her seat to face him, shaking her head. "No, Paladin."
Danse pursed his lips as he turned back to consider Bunker Hill. Nora was halfway down the stairs, favouring her better leg and advancing one step at a time, but there was no sign of Rhys, Burke or Haylen behind her.
"Paladin, I have strict orders to rendezvous with one of our patrols in Concord." The Lancer added wearily, glancing over her instruments. "I'll need to depart for the Prydwen in the next twenty minutes in order to make it on time."
"Understood."
Without another word, Danse set off back towards the steps, arriving just as Nora reached the bottom. She frowned at him when he began to ascend them once more.
"Where are you going?"
"I'll return shortly, soldier. Wait aboard the vertibird."
Nora huffed loudly in response.
Danse exhaled heavily, reluctantly stepping out of his suit. Nothing had been packed away and there was no sign of his squad mates, Deacon or Burke. Squaring his jaw, he seized Burke's pack and shoved the bear inside.
I might as well expedite our departure by making sure everything's packed.
He couldn't help but snort bitterly to himself.
That's if we manage to depart at all.
The way things had been going on this operation, he wouldn't be surprised to discover something else had gone horribly wrong. Especially when Burke was involved. As he finished securing the last of Burke's provisions and fastened his pack shut, he heard footsteps climbing the stairs.
Silently, he prayed it was Rhys or Haylen returning to gather their belongings and Nora's suit.
Hopefully this will mean the Squire's already secure on the vertibird with Nora.
Rhys marched into the room, his jaw clenched and hands balled into fists. He halted, raising his fist in salute.
"Sir. We can't find the Squire anywhere and there's no sign of the bald assho- civilian, either."
Danse sighed, rising to his feet and leaving the pack on the floor.
"Noted. Where's Haylen now?"
"She's helping Hart up the stairs."
Rhys had barely finished the sentence before Danse was striding past him towards the doorway. The two women were at the bottom of the stairs, Nora mentally prepping herself to begin the climb.
"Knight Hart, didn't I order you to stay aboard the vertibird?" He demanded, glowering down at her.
"Did you, sir? I must have missed it." Nora smiled up at him thinly, leaning against the railing.
Haylen was hovering behind her, casting a critical eye over the stained bandages covering her back.
"Return to the vertibird immediately or I am putting you on report!"
"Shouldn't we all be looking for Burke, sir?" She frowned, all traces of humour fading away.
Danse glared her down.
"There isn't time for that. I want the three of you to board the vertibird and report in to Elder Maxson and Captain Kells to explain the situation. I will remain behind to find the boy and-"
"Bullshit."
Nora's voice was sharp and steely, an all too familiar stubborn glint entering her eyes.
"I am not going anywhere unless I have both you and Burke with me."
"That was an order, Knight."
Nora scowled, her hand locking around the bannister.
"Come on Hart, don't disrespect him like this!" Haylen whispered, stepping in front of her. "You could get into serious trouble!"
"They could both end up in serious trouble if they stay here alone. I accepted this mission, so it's my responsibility to see that Burke makes it back."
"Don't be so arrogant, soldier!" Danse scowled as he stormed down the stairs, Rhys following close behind. "With your current injuries and insubordinate attitude, you'll likely be more of a hindrance than a help in this situation! This is your final warning, Knight. Either you get on that vertibird, or I put you on report!"
"Well then, I guess I'm on hull cleaning duty when I get back." Nora said coldly, turning away. "I'm going to check the plaza."
Danse forced himself to take steadying breaths as he watched her stalk away. Unacceptable. She is stepping completely out of line.
"Sir, I can pull her aboard the vertibird myself if you want?" Rhys offered, his glare boring into Nora's back as she disappeared from sight.
"Negative. There isn't time for that. I need you and Haylen to report in to Elder Maxson and Captain Kells. With any luck, we'll be a few days behind you at most."
"Yes, sir! Ad victoriam!" Rhys saluted him, bowing his head before turning back up the stairs. "Haylen, I'll grab our packs. You carry on to the vertibird."
As Rhys stepped into the room, Haylen turned to face the irate Danse with a pitying gaze.
"Are you sure me and Rhys shouldn't stay with you, sir? My medical expertise has already come in useful and… well, Hart isn't acting like herself." She added uncomfortably, folding her arms across her stomach.
Danse shook his head faintly, turning to look at her. "No, Haylen. I need the two of you to report in to Elder Maxson. He needs to know what's happened here and about these rumours of a mutant horde. Besides, you need to visit Cade. I don't trust this settlement's 'doctor'. "
"If you say so, sir." Haylen sighed unhappily. "Just… Take care of yourselves. Ad victoriam."
Danse straightened up as he returned her salute, gracing her with a small, if weary, smile. "I'll expect to hear of your full recovery when I report in, Haylen. Ad victoriam."
Haylen frowned, her eyes fixed on the ground as she walked past the brahmin corrals, paying little heed to her surroundings. She was completely engrossed in her thoughts, her mind replaying the argument she had just witnessed again and again.
Never in all her time serving with him had she ever seen someone show such insubordination to Danse. That it was Hart who was being disrespectful just made it all the more surprising, especially given how close she had become to him.
Maybe it's that closeness that stops him from sending her back straight away… Or maybe it's the fact that losing the Squire has had such a colossal impact on her.
It troubled her to leave them behind, but she would not question Danse's orders. Besides, the message she had to relay to the Elder and Captain Kells was one of great importance.
Boots stepped into her line of sight and she walked into something hard. Startled, she made to step back and look up, only to feel large, strong hands grasp her upper arms in an iron grip.
"You blind or something?" The Gunner sneered, his patrolman glasses glinting in the sunlight as he rolled a toothpick between his chapped lips.
Haylen's eyes narrowed and she attempted to shrug off his hold, but his grip tightened.
"You know, we Gunners have a certain thing called pride." He continued, leaning down towards her, so close she could smell the beer on his breath. "We don't like it when little ladies like you walk straight into us. Or when little brats give the boss' dog grenades. 'Coz that puts him in a really bad mood, and that puts us all in a really bad mood."
He squeezed again and Haylen bit the inside of her cheeks, glaring back up at him.
"Either you let go of me this instant, or I'll-"
"Or you'll what?" The mercenary sneered. "Pout? Cry?"
Haylen's leg swept upwards, her boot making contact with his crotch.
The man doubled over and released her arms, his hands cupping his crotch protectively.
Haylen seized the man's greasy dirty blonde hair and shoved his head down as her knee shot up. There was a satisfying crunch and the man stumbled backwards against the wooden fence, still doubled over and now sporting a broken nose.
"Bullies put me in a really bad mood, so you better stay out of my way." Haylen said frostily, turning away. A small crowd was forming around them, including a couple of Gunners who seemed more inclined to snigger at their fellow mercenary than to help him.
She had taken only a few steps when she heard clumsy, heavy footsteps charge towards her - then a heavy grunt, followed by the splintering of wood. She turned sharply, her eyes wide as she caught sight of the broken corral fence and two men struggling on the mucky ground.
"Rhys?!" She gasped, racing into the corrals.
The brahmin had retreated to one of the far corners, pawing the mud anxiously as they watched the struggle before them. Rhys was straddling the Gunner's chest, one fist grasping the Gunner's hair whilst he punched viciously with the other.
Rhys' face was contorted with rage, and he was striking the mercenary with such force she wouldn't be surprised if he was doing damage to himself.
As he drew his arm back once more, she seized his forearm, prompting him to whip his head around to face her, a snarl on his lips and eyes glittering dangerously.
She had never seen him so angry before, but she kept her expression stern.
"Rhys, that's enough. He's already had his ass handed to him."
Rhys turned his glare back down towards the man, and slammed his head back down into the ground with his free hand before rising.
"He was going to knife you in the back." Rhys' voice was quiet and she realised that he was pale, his arm shaking beneath her hands.
As he stepped away, Rhys ducked down and picked up a combat knife that glinted in the muck.
From the corner of her eyes, Haylen could see the other Gunners drawing in. There was a cold fury in Rhys' eye that chilled her to the bone, like he might do something they would both regret.
"Rhys. Don't. We've done enough." She insisted, grasping his shoulder. "He's not getting up from that beating anytime soon."
For a moment, Rhys' grey glare flickered between the groaning Gunner and the knife.
Then he drew his arm back and threw it over the wall.
"C'mon, big guy. Let's get to the vertibird."
Together they stepped through the broken fence, past the other mercs and bystanders to where Rhys had abandoned their packs on the ground. Stubbornly, he swept both packs up onto his shoulders and out of Haylen's reach.
"I can carry my own pack, Rhys! Besides, you're the one who just got into a fight, if anything you should let me haul them!"
"Not a chance, Haylen. You're still recovering. Besides, if any more mercs turn up. I'll need you to give them a kick in the crown jewels for me."
"Oh? Saw that, did you?" Haylen raised her eyebrows as she fell into step beside him.
Rhys managed a small smile, the tension beginning to leave his shoulders as the front gates came into view.
"Yeah. You made me proud with that kick. You honoured the Brotherhood and emasculated that dick all in one move."
When they reached the vertibird, Haylen hauled herself up first, before taking the packs off Rhys' hands.
The Lancer raised her eyebrows and scrunched up her nose when Rhys climbed aboard, his legs covered in brahmin muck.
Haylen couldn't help but smirk.
First Danse covered in fecal matter, now Rhys. God knows what she's thinking of us.
A small chuckle escaped her as she walked over to the Lancer, prompting Rhys to glance back from where he was now stood at the minigun.
"What's so funny?" He asked as she moved back towards the bench, having relayed Danse's orders.
She smiled at him as she sat, buckling herself down. "It's nothing. I was just thinking that Proctor Teagan better have a decent supply of uniforms in stock."
Rhys glanced down at his uniform and grimaced. "Fucking merc…"
As the vertibird began to ascend, he looked back over his shoulder at her again.
"Are you sure you're alright, Haylen?"
"Actually… I'm feeling pretty good." She smiled at him. "You'd better let me take a look at your hand when we're aboard the Prydwen, though. If you have one left after the pummelling you gave that guy."
A genuine smile softened Rhys' features, warming his eyes as he turned his gaze back to the Commonwealth below.
"Sure, Doc. I always liked holding hands with you."
A/N: I'm not dead and I have a good explanation for my absence!
One word: Dissertation.
Anyway, huge apology that you've had to wait a few weeks for this. I just really didn't have the time to write it, but I'm back now!
Originally, this was all one huge chapter that was pushing toward 7/8k word count which I felt was way too much to be read in one go. The good news is that as Chapter 15 is practically written, I can update twice this week! I'll put up the following chapter either tomorrow to celebrate the completion of my final exam, or the weekend so I can pretend like I have a schedule.
Thanks again for all of your reviews I've really enjoyed reading them and as always, thank you for following/favouriting Bleeding Steel! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter!
HUGE Thank you to Mr Ninja Pineapple for helping me plot out this and the following chapter- seriously could not have done it without your help! Also thank you PaladinGarrus for your amazing advice. Haylen thanks you too! ;P