Motley Mutants: Post-Apocalyptia

by Jem Cottage

"Gather round, oh tired and disillusioned waste-folk! I implore you to tune in those antennas, I welcome you to pop open those cans of Potato Crisps, and I require you to huddle up next to those beautiful beaus and honeys of yours; for I, MC 'Anonymous' Valley Chey, have come to regale you! I bring detailed word of just how everyone's favorite wasteland vigilante crew came to be."

7. Chapter 7 - The Catacombs

Motley Mutants: Post-Apocalyptia Ch. 7 - The Catacombs

+ "Yo, yo, yo! Anonymous Valley Chey here, your resident Queen of Claptrap. How are my pleasant peasants doing today? ...Good, yeah? Well of course you are! Now that there's one less raider gang/mercenary group/not-so-legit Company calling our sweet Carolines home, that is. I mean honestly, those dudes were about as confusing to me as I was to my parents when I was 13. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then let me refresh you on the now defunct, Alabaster Raiders. Or, if you prefer it, the Alabaster Raiding Co. It all began back in Alabaster Alabama - Yup, you heard right! These clever birds named themselves after a prewar city which was named after a white rock. Clever! Anywho, so a whole bunch of Alabama no-goods decided to take up arms together so they could start a 'business' marauding across the interior south-east. They operated in similar fashion to most mercenary groups, except most mercenaries have at least a sliver of morality left to preserve. Their first leader, a dude who called himself Alabaster, fancied himself a regular business man. He wanted to model his waste-pirate gang after the likes of prewar Rob-Co and such. Y'know, cuz Mr. House just loved to send his employees around the world to rape and pillage. Business stuff, I guess. Can you imagine this guy trying to explain his business model to a group of raiders? (Mockingly) 'I mean it's not that I don't want to raid anymore guys, c'mon you know I love raiding helpless settlements. It's not that, I swear. It's just that I think I'd rather be more businesslike, y'know? Like wouldn't it be cool if we all wore like tattered pre-apocalyptic blazers and learned to read and write?' ha-ha! Anyway, fast forward through a few years and through a few new leaders - all of whom maintained the title Alabaster - and they end up here, in the Northern Carolines. They set up shop in Old Oakwood, and I think most of you know the rest by now. What some of you may not know is that these knuckle-draggers finally bit off more than they could chew. Rumor has it, that Alabaster launched a full scale attack on those assholes over at Montecrief house, completely wrecking the place! Wonderful, right? 'Let them kill each other', I hear you say. Well that's exactly what happened. Once the dust settled, I received several firsthand accounts from listeners - that's you guys, mwah - informing me that while all of the slaveholding pricks were killed in the attack, so too were the Alabaster Raiders! Oh, and this is odd: Of all of the bodies found at the compound, none of them have been confirmed to be a slave, nor were any slaves seen fleeing the scene. The result of slow business? I don't know, but if there were actually slaves, and they did make it out, I hope they all make it home safely; I'm currently having my Intern pray to our baby Buddha statue for them as we speak. But wait! Shit gets even weirder! I'm told that a group of Brotherhood soldiers accompanied by a frickin' SUPER MUTANT managed to extract Montecrief, the leader of the ghoul slavers, alive in a vertibird. I told you doubters that the tin cans were working with the muteys! Man, I'm so good. Okay so now that I've softened you all up with some good news, I think it's time I moseyed on over to the, well, not bad news per-say, but certainly…we'll call it peculiar news. How's that? Recently, and by recently I mean this very morning, I was informed by my producer slash, information gatherer slash, narcotics procurer, Quiet Allen, -say hi Allen." "Hi, Allen!" (Faintly heard in the background of the broadcast) "Alright now shut up; you're supposed to be quiet, remember? Ha-ha. He told me that an entire army of green muteys had apparently been seen near settlements along Merchant's Highway, headed towards Old Oakwood. Here's what's peculiar: They haven't attacked anybody they've come across! Hundreds of settlers must've boarded their doors and gathered their families, parents with ten-millimeters and rolling pins in hand, only to realize that the muteys wanted nothing to do with them as they marched on by. They must be headed somewhere in specific…migrating maybe? Quiet Allen, look that up for me on our information terminal, would you? Do super mutants even migrate? Regardless, here's my PSA: Please don't incite a fight with these guys! They may seem apathetic in regards to you, but give them a reason to and they'll eat you up, bones and all. Hey, maybe they'll leave the Carolines altogether, who knows. Digressing. That's enough news from this music jockey. I want you guys to know that I refrained from getting high today so I could get through all of that, so, you're welcome dudes and 'etts. Speaking of music, here's, 'That's Life' by the one the only, Frank Sinatra."

+ Liona was growing more anxious with each passing moment. She watched impatiently as Dalton took an excessive amount of time to gather his equipment for the mission. "One more second, guys. Just need to find my - Here it is! My One Hitter Quitter!" Dalton raised a heavily modified gauss rifle into the air and began reloading it.

"Great. Let's get moving." Liona said.

"Yes, let us. There is no telling what's become of Mr. Fink." Worried Edgar.

"Don't worry, Edgar. I'm sure he's -"

"Warning: We are under attack. This is not a drill. We are under attack. All non-combatant personnel are hereby ordered to report to the Steel Chapel immediately. All Brotherhood Knights are required to report to their previously assigned defensive stations. To all Knights or Lancers not assigned a station, report to your immediate superior. All hands on deck, people. I will repeat this message." The base's intercom interrupted.

"Under attack? From who?" Dalton asked no one in particular. Liona sprinted out of the forgery to find the Steel Chapel's hallway was quickly filling up with people. The civilian children were being huddled into rooms, surrounded by squires, who were surrounded by scribes, first lab, and then field. Liona waved to Edgar and Dalton, beckoning them. Almost as soon as they were seen by a particular crowd of people, a woman with dark brown hair called out for Edgar.

"Ms. Fink…I'll meet you two at the catacombs. I've got to talk to her first. She'll be worried sick!" The robot zoomed to meet the woman in the crowd.

"Come on." Liona and Dalton weaved their way through the increasingly congested hall, until at last they made it to the portcullis gate, only to be blocked by none other than Doyle Samson, and his extra-large fit suit of power armor. "Doyle. We need to pass through the courtyard. It's urgent." Doyle turned to Liona, seeming to be stunned at first. He leaned in slightly and shouted over the cacophony of voices echoing in the great hall.

"No can do ma'am. You're a Scribe. Scribes must remain here to protect the civvies."

"Doyle, what's going on out there?" Dalton asked.

"Sergeant Heyward." Doyle chest saluted. "I am not only permitted to allow you to pass, but I'm also supposed to ask that you do so. All Knights must report to defensive positions. Didn't you two hear the intercom?"

"I will just as soon as I get out there, but I need Liona to come with me. The scribe and I are on a…secret mission." Dalton shrugged slightly to Liona.

"A secret mission? That sounds…wrong." Liona and Dalton glanced nervously at one another. Doyle rubbed his hairless, and freckled cheeks for a moment, before shrugging and saying, "Well, far be it from me to question a Knight Sergeant, and a Senior Scribe. Have fun." Doyle permitted, before stepping aside. Outside, the two saw just what was threatening the fort. From the courtyards opposite end, more mutants than any Knight present had ever seen before were approaching steadily, firing automatic rifles and missile launchers in uncoordinated volleys. They saw many dozens of Knights meeting the mutants in battle towards the center of the courtyard. The defense was currently being led by Commander Dorsey, whose team had set up an improvised command position near the Chapel, utilizing fallen stone walls and trees for cover. Hovering in the sky above were Lancer Captain Kellard's vertibird forces, firing 50mm bullets and hive missiles down at the swarming mutant tide, making only slightly noticeable dents in the attacker's lines. Dalton and Liona shuttered in unison at the sight of the gargantuan Super Mutant Behemoth who came climbing into view over the collapsed commissary building. The Behemoth's steps shook the very landscape on which he stood. He wielded an uprooted oak tree, which he swung haphazardly connecting with buildings, Brotherhood Knights, and even other mutants. The vertibirds focused fire on the mindless horror, tearing its thick hide with explosive hunks of lead. Clearly perturbed, the Behemoth picked up a fallen Knight who had been wearing T-45d power armor. He effortlessly hurled the corpse into the air, making direct contact with the foremost vertibird's tail propeller. The bird spun wildly as its pilot struggled to regain control. The machinegun operators in power armor bailed, safely plummeting to the earth, leaving the helpless pilot on a direct crash course with the Steel Chapel. Liona, operating on instinct alone, pointed her dominant hand's index finger at the falling bird. Instantly her newly acquired Puppeteer Sleeve shot a bright blue beam into the air connecting her finger to the now suspended chopper, allowing her to pull it down to earth safely behind cover with the other soldiers. Liona and Dalton hurried to the side of the vertibird. Crawling safely out of the side door, was the lancer pilot, smiling wide and laughing nervously. This brought the attention of Paladin-Commander Dorsey, who had watched the whole ordeal from afar.

"Liona. How in the fiery hell did you do that?" The Commander asked. "Never mind. Whatever it is doesn't matter right now. We could really use your assistance, Senior Scribe. With a weapon like that we could collapse these old buildings and retard the enemy's progress."

"I don't know if I can do that, Commander. I just only just -"

"Well you have to try, dammit! Liona listen to me: If you don't, the Chapel will fall. We need more time to mount a proper defense." Paladin-Commander Dorsey insisted.

"L, if you focus on the foundation of the medical building, I think the sleeve is powerful enough to topple it." Sergeant Heyward recommended.

"Alright, I'll try." Liona agreed.

"Atta girl. Just like your mother would have done. Now hurry!" The Commander returned to his forces, and to his helmet's radio, which he was using to coordinate distant detachments. "I need a team of Lancers to keep the Behemoth preoccupied until I can figure out how to kill it, Kellard! And will somebody get those goddamn emergency defense turret online? Where the hell is the Star-Paladin?!" Shouted the Commander. Dalton covered Liona as she sprinted to higher ground, firing massive bolts of energy into the tightly grouped mutant ranks. They clambered atop a mound of rubble for a better view of the battlefield. Liona connected a control beam with a corner pillar of the medical building and began pulling it with all of the might that the alien device could provide. Dalton stood beside Liona providing more cover fire as the scribe struggled with the building. The enemy line was closing in on the Brotherhood forces, and on melee range, where they would easily have the advantage. After a minute of struggle with the prewar architecture, Liona finally felt the supports of the building budge just before a rocket zoomed between her and Dalton slamming into the ground behind them. The impact forced her to release her hold on the building, as she and Dalton fell from the loose rubble and onto the grass below.

"Keep going! I'll cover you, L!" Dalton reassured Liona, who stood up and quickly resumed pulling the building. Dalton focused the fire of his gauss rifle on the infirmary's other support pillars, chipping away at them with each blast.

"Dr. Rourke is going to be so pissed!" Liona joked. Just as the mutant horde stepped in front of the medical building, its structure gave out, raining thousand-pound hunks of stone on the heads of the mutant vanguard, effectively splitting their forces into two disorganized halves. "We did it, Dalton!" Liona effused. She looked to her side where she expected the smith to be standing, smiling back at her. Instead she found him lying on his back, feeling for legs which were no longer attached to his body. "Dalton!" Liona grabbed him using her Puppeteer sleeve. While dodging enemy fire, she carried him to the Brotherhood's defensive positions, and safely behind cover.

"I'm fine, L… F-flesh wound…that's all." Dalton insisted.

"We need a medic!" Liona screamed. Dorsey trotted over to the mutilated weaponsmith, accompanied by a field scribe.

"We'll take care of him, Liona. You two may have given us all a fighting chance against these bastards."

"L…" Dalton weakly whispered. "L…" He whispered again.

"Dalton I'm right here. You're going to be fine. The medic's applying stimpacks right now." Liona tried her best to comfort her friend. She took hold of his hairy hand, gently.

"Save Fink…" Dalton whispered to Liona. She felt his fingers grip tighter around her hand for a moment, before going limp.

"Is…is he…" Liona stammered.

"He's gone into shock. He'll be fine, Senior Scribe, but I need to move him into the Chapel now." The field scribe responded, before rushing him to the chapel with the help of another nearby medic. Dorsey held Liona's shoulder.

"You would have made a damn good field scribe, just like your mother, Liona… But for now you've done more than enough. You'd better go back inside of the Chapel with the rest of the scribes - with Heyward. That's where you are needed." Dorsey bargained.

"No not yet… I… I've still got to - What's that?" Liona's original thought was interrupted by the sight of a giant vertibird speeding onto the battlefield from the mutant horde's flank. "It's Rocky..." Liona whispered. It flew to the front of L.C. Kellard's vertibird squadron, significantly raising the entire formation's offensive prowess. The massive vertibird, which was affectionately referred to by the Lancers as Big Bird, targeted the core of the super mutant army with a magnificent barrage of automatic laser fire and scorch missiles. As the attackers scrambled to regain their composure whilst avoiding Big Bird's steady rain of firepower, the bird's bottom opened up. Liona and Commander Dorsey watched from below as something mechanical shifted around within it.

"What is that?" Liona asked Dorsey.

"Just wait. You'll see." The Commander allowed himself to smile slightly underneath his metal helmet. From within Big Bird's belly, came an equally enormous weapon lowering on a retractable device. It extended to the nose of the bird, armed itself, and signified that it had done so with an audible tone.

"All engaged forces, fall back to the Chapel, now. To all engaged forces, fall back." Commander Dorsey ordered across the radio. The remaining fighting forces of the Brotherhood recollected in front of the Steel Chapel, where Knights continued to lay fire at the ever approaching mutant army, in the hopes to at the very least delay them. Once all forces had retreated, Dorsey gave Big Bird the OK to fire. "Let 'em have it, Big Bird!" The weapon perched near Big Birds nose fired its payload, releasing 4 focused mini nukes from four independent launchers. They whistled a sinister tune along their brief flight, which ended in a seismic impact near the unknowing super mutant Behemoth, and all of the forces surrounding him. The sudden explosion toppled the remaining buildings onto the battlefield further obstructing the invading force's progress. "Lancer Captain. I think we found your missing bird."

"We sure did, Paladin-Commander. Welcome back to the flock, Big Bird." Kellard responded.

"Ha-ha! Enough with the shocked-'nd-awed looks, everyone. We still have a fight to win. Those bastards may be crippled and limping, but they're still moving. Let's go, let's go!" Dorsey rallied his Knights to their stations. Big Bird lowered to within a leap's distance from the ground, allowing Rocky, Agrippina, Reece, Dutch, and Shipley to do so one after the other. By the time Rocky's boots made contact with the ground, Liona had already wrapped her shaking arms around his hulking frame.

"Liona," Rocky reciprocated Liona's hug, remembering just how much the young, red-headed, habitually-knocking, scribe meant to him. To see her alive reinvigorated him, and banished all his fears which had formed upon witnessing the attack on Fort Duke from the skies. Several spooked soldiers near Commander Dorsey pointed their weapons at the strange mutant, unsure if he was attempting to eat the scribe or simply squeeze her to death.

"At ease, soldiers. He's one of us." The troopers obeyed their CO, though not without exchanging a few incredulous looks amongst themselves.

Liona pulled Rocky away suddenly, unable to fully enjoy the moment while still knowing what was transpiring as they embraced.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I know you just got here, and I know there's a battle happening at the moment. But I need you to trust me. Do you trust me, Rocky?" Liona asked, her gaze unwavering.

"Always, Liona." Rocky responded without hesitation.

"Elder Cyrus is planning on opening a vault, and using the FEV stored within it to create more super mutants. He also kidnapped a squire named Ramsey Fink who was trying to stop him, so now we have to go and save him." She smiled awkwardly, not expecting Rocky to believe her.

"I know, well…I knew most of that." Liona tilted her head and squinted at Rocky. "I know it doesn't make sense, but that doesn't matter right now. Where did Cyrus take Ramsey?"

"He could be at the vault already for all I know. I was heading there when the mutants attacked." Liona explained. "We may still have time, but we have to go now." Liona declared.

"Seems sort of far-fetched, if you ask me. But hey, it's only the second most ludicrous conspiracy theory I've ever heard about the Brotherhood." Said Agrippina, drawing queer looks from everyone present. "What? …I also heard you guys were interdimensional aliens from this rude barkeep in Rivet City. I think it stems from all of the metal suits, and the obsession with gathering technology, y'know?"

"Who is that?" Liona asked squinting at the faintly glowing ghoul being helped out of the Vertibird.

"That, is Montecrief. Must have finally woken up." Reece answered. "Believe it or not, that bastard kind of saved our lives today." The ghoul, who had been given an extra BOS uniform complete with a bomber jacket to wear, approached the group slowly.

"Feeling any better?" Rocky asked.

"Yeah, a little bit. Huh…I'm sorry you all had to see that back there." Montecrief apologized.

"Are you kidding me? That was so freaking cool Monte! I'd pay good caps to see that again!" Agrippina exclaimed. "Oh, and here's your pistol. You kind of dropped it during your…thing."

"Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the show, Aggie. It sure hurt like hell." Monte admitted, pocketing his silver peacemaker.

"What are you guys talking about?" Liona asked, feeling as confused as she had been all day.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you all about it later. For now just know that Monte here is a friend." Rocky explained.

"A friend, huh? Since I don't have any of those left, I think I'll take it." Monte added.

"This is great and all, but seeing as to how there's a war going on not 50 yards from us, maybe we could move past all this chit-chat and onto the real issue at hand. How are we going to deal with the whole vault situation?" Reece said, changing the subject abruptly.

"James, I appreciate your willingness to help. But your place is here with the other Knights." Rocky asserted. "We can handle this."

"Like hell. I already told you once, Sentinel. I won't leave you alone again." Reece explained.

"James, this battle isn't over. Right now men and women - your brothers and sisters - are dying at the hands of those mutants. As Star Paladin, you're the highest ranking Knight here, and it's your duty to help them." Rocky insisted.

"Doody…he-he." Agrippina giggled softly.

Reece thought for a long moment. He looked across the carnage and debris, the fires and the smoke; the remains of a place he called home. Reece chest saluted Rocky, who did so in return, then he jogged over to Commander Dorsey's position to assume command.

"Sorry Rocky, but Shipley and I better do the same. I've still got squadmates out there…somewhere." Dutch said.

"Yeah. There's no telling what kind of trouble Hutchison and Phillips have gotten themselves into." Shipley added.

"I understand. Be safe. Fight well." Rocky chest saluted the duo, who then stormed the battlefield to search for their comrades.

"Well that leaves Monte and me, I suppose. Where are we off to now gang?" Agrippina asked.

"No way. She's supposed to be locked up, Rocky. And I certainly don't trust, Montecrief." Liona declared.

"You mean in that building that's currently being sacked by ferocious green monsters? …No offense Rocky." Agrippina Volleyed. "This isn't really the time to get picky about help, now is it?"

"I trust them, Liona. Montecrief may have done heinous things in the past, but he saved my life twice today. As for Agrippina, she had every chance to run or to sabotage the mission, but she didn't. She was an asset." Rocky defended Agrippina, who smiled appreciatively at him.

"Besides, we don't really have anywhere to go. We might as well help save the boy." Monte added. Liona looked at Rocky, and elected to defer to his judgment.

"Fine, but need to go to the catacombs now. We can exchange information on the way there."

+ The group of four spent the twenty minute trek through the nearby woods and to the catacombs getting each other caught up on the latest information. Rocky explained to Liona how Montecrief helped him come to suspect the Elder, and how the ghoul had single handedly defeated the Alabaster raiders, saving everyone. He told Liona how Montecrief hadn't held slaves in over a hundred years, and that the slaves he did hold were truly prisoners of a long since forgotten battle. Liona informed the rest of the group how she and Dalton came to suspect the Elder, and all about the Elder's correspondence with the Warrenton Mutant camp. She told them how Dalton had been hurt during the battle, but not before giving her the Puppeteer Sleeve. She explained that Edgar would be waiting for them at the catacombs and described as best she could how Fink had tried to stop the Elder by taking the Pip-Boy from the raider being held in the fort's prison before being captured himself.

"So this squire, Ramsey Fink, did all of that to save the Brotherhood? What a brave little boy." Agrippina decided.

"Yeah, he's a special kid who for whatever reason loves getting into trouble. I just hope he didn't go too far this time." Liona replied. She looked at Rocky who seemed to be lost in thought. "Rocky, you feeling alright?" She asked.

"Hm? Yeah, I feel fine, it's just…the Elder communicating with the Warrenton mutants has me thinking. There's only one mutant who could have been on the other end of those messages. And with the mutant attack happening simultaneous to the Elder opening the vault… Well, it can't be a coincidence. I don't think the Elder isn't working alone." Rocky speculated.

"Boston?" Liona asked.

"Maybe."

Finally the group came within a shouts distance of the entrance to the catacombs; a small stone building at the far end of the campus, concealing the stairway to the underground graveyard. As they approached, Liona spotted a shirtless man dressed in baggy, orange prison overalls with the sleeves tied around his waist. The closer they got to him the more obvious the lines of his body tattoos became. The colorful ink spotted his exposed, light brown skin. The man didn't move or speak until the group stopped directly in front of him. Once they did he tossed his half-smoked cigarette into the grass and patted it out beneath his poorly-fitted boot. The tattooed man spoke first.

"Finally. You guys sure did take your sweet ass time getting here. And would you look at that! I can see that robot wasn't bullshitting when he told me a super mutant would be coming too." The group gawked queerly at the half-clothed man.

"You were waiting for us?" "Who are you?" Rocky and Liona spoke one after the other.

"I'm Sweetheart."

"You're a sweetheart?" Agrippina asked.

"I mean I like to think so, yeah." Sweetheart admitted in jest.

"But what's your name?" Liona asked.

"I just told you. I'm Sweetheart." Sweetheart insisted, scratching his inked upper chest.

"I think what the man is attempting to say is that his name is Sweetheart, correct?" Monte asked the tattooed man.

"Yeah, that's what I've been saying. My name is Sweetheart." Sweetheart repeated.

"Well. This conversation is going nowhere fast." Agrippina pointed out.

"But why are you here? Did you say something about a robot?" Liona inquired.

"Oh, ok. I guess Edgar didn't tell you about me. I'm the prisoner who Ramsey stole the Pip-Boy from. Edgar came back later and freed me, and told me that Ramsey needed help. Said I could get my stuff back if I came here and waited for you guys. I said ok… is any of this ringing any bells?" Sweetheart asked.

"Some of it." Liona answered. "So he took your stuff? And you're here to get it back."

"Sure am…that little genius, dickhead. He took my bag of confiscated belongings, from when the Brotherhood locked me up. I think all he wanted was my rifle, but he took my clothes too on accident. I found this oversized prisoner outfit on the dead guy in the cell next to mine… Oh! He did leave me this little baby, though." Sweetheart reached into the spacious left pocket of the overalls and grabbed his switchblade. He flicked it open so he could admire its blade in the waning daylight. After realizing that nobody cared, he awkwardly folded the knife back up and returned it to his pocket. "Look, I was gonna help regardless when I heard the kid got caught. From what Edgar tells me, he was just trying to do what's right. So I figured, 'Hey, this world could use more people like him.' y'know what I mean?"

"If you're here to help, then you can start by telling us where Edgar is." Liona demanded.

"He should be in there somewhere. He said he was going to look for a way into the vault while I waited out here for you guys." Sweetheart told Liona, who wasted no time striding passed him and into the catacombs, followed by Rocky and Agrippina. Sweetheart was leaning against the outside walls, taking a brief moment to light another cigarette when Montecrief walked passed him. "Dead man's cigarette?" Sweetheart asked the ghoul, who stopped walking and promptly grabbed one from the human's hand. Sweetheart gave him a tiny match box to light it with.

"Thank you. I've had quite a shit day, indeed." Monte divulged, handing the matches back. The two continued talking as they slowly followed the rest of the group into the catacombs and down the long staircase.

"Man, you don't even know what a shitty day is." Sweetheart replied, shivering slightly from the sudden shift in temperature as they descended. Monte chuckled and took a deep drag of his bequeathed cigarette.

"It's been that bad has it?" Montecrief asked. Sweetheart nodded briefly before releasing a plume of tobacco smoke into the cold, underground air. "Tell you what, Sweetheart. I'll tell you how horrendous my day was, and then you can tell me how terrible yours was. If my day proves worse than yours, then I get the rest of that pack. And if your day, through some act of the devil himself, proves to be worse than mine, I'll give you this warm bomber jacket. Deal?" Sweetheart chuckled and nodded at the odd, glowing ghoul.

"I'll take that action. Deal." Sweetheart inhaled more of the stale tobacco. "Let's hear it."

"Well, I woke up this morning to the news that a group of Brotherhood spies were hiding outside my home. Instead of killing them, I let them enter, in the hopes that I could learn what they were looking for. It turns out, a group of raiders who had also been spying on me had seen the Brotherhood soldiers entering my home, unmolested. They saw this as a sign of us working together, and since the Brotherhood had only just this morning fucked them over by ruining one of their raids, they decided today would be a perfect time to attack me. They showed up at my door, murdered all of my fellow ghouls, and forced me to destroy my home in order to defeat them. In doing so I nearly killed myself. Alas, I was saved by a super mutant working for the Brotherhood, who then brought me here, to yet another warzone." Montecrief laughed at his own debacle of a day. The two finally reached the bottom of the stairs, where the rest of the group was chatting amongst themselves, searching for Edgar.

"That is some shit, man. Damn, ha-ha. Well okay, my turn. Uhh, so I went out on a job this morning tasked with finding a Pip-Boy for some collector guy, who was willing to pay a lot of caps for it. Thing is, I hated my job, and I hated everyone I worked with. Just a bunch of sadistic assholes you know? So I decided I was going to take the Pip-Boy for myself, ditch my partners, and sell it to the buyer directly. Everything was going according to plan, when all of a sudden…" Sweetheart paused, and squinted at the stone floors of the catacombs.

"When all of a sudden…what?" Monte confusedly asked.

"When I was attacked by Brotherhood soldiers." Sweetheart met eyes with Montecrief. "They shot me in my ass, they knocked me out, and then they threw me in an unconditioned prison cell… Wait, is your name Montecrief? Of Montecrief House?" Sweetheart asked, to which Monte nodded.

"And you are a raider, formerly affiliated with the Alabaster raiders, correct?" Monte asked rhetorically. "This day just keeps getting weirder doesn't it?"

"Sure does… Here man, you earned these." Sweetheart offered the pack of cigarettes to the glowing ghoul.

"Thanks. Here," Montecrief removed his bomber jacket and tossed it to Sweetheart. "It's not even mine anyway." Sweetheart quickly donned the warm, leather jacket, cozying up within its wooly interior. "Here, everyone take a match." Monte passed a lit match to each member of the crew. The group split up, each searching one of the many corridors for any sign of Edgar or the Elder.

"Edgar!" Liona called. "We came just like you said!" She continued calling, her echoes exploring throughout the catacombs dark depths. Using her match, the scribe studied the walls around herself, soon noticing that there were words carved into the stone above the grave directly in front of her. As if somehow she had subconsciously sought it out, the first name Liona read on the wall was her mother's: Fiona Daughtry. It was there where she had been buried with Leo's ashes just a few short years ago. Liona knelt beside her mother's grave, and beside Leo' final resting place. She tried to remember the good times; the times when she and her mother were close. When they would play games, and read stories together. She tried to remember back to when she was a little girl and how her mother would set aside entire days just for her and Leo, so that the three could have a picnic in the courtyard together, and explore all the way to the edges of the campus grounds. On some rare nights they would hike the steps and ladders to the top of the Steel Chapel, so that they could all watch the moon rise over the wasteland. These memories had brief hold on her however. In their stead were those more recent, and more malignant. Memories of her mother spending entire days working at her lab, only to come home and have a brief, surface conversation with Liona before locking herself in her room for the night. On such nights Liona would sleep outside her mother's door so as not to miss her when she left for work in the morning. For hours she would listen to her mother cry over Leo's death as she cried along with her, until they both exhausted themselves and fell asleep. They shared many sad nights like that, until they didn't share anymore nights at all. "Why didn't you just let me in?" Liona whispered in the darkness just as her match burnt out. "I finished it, mother. You should see him, he's so much like Leo…but he's not. His name is Rocky, and he is my hope mother. You lost yours in Leo, I know…but I've found a new one in Rocky. I just wish…" Liona crumbled then. For so long she had felt like a dam made of sticks tasked with restraining an entire ocean from bursting through. She slumped over and cried - truly sobbed - like she hadn't in years. Her wails were completely unrestrained then; the dam she had built in order to hold them them had now been reduced to helpless driftwood floating atop the currents of her emotions. Most of the group was too far away to hear her moans; everyone except for Agrippina, who poked her head around the corner holding a torch.

"Hey, Liona. We found a bunch of…torches. Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Agrippina immediately fell to her knees and began consoling Liona, looking her over for any injuries.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Liona insisted in a quivering tone. "It's just that…this is my…my mother's…" Liona fell into Agrippina's chest, helplessly allowing herself to be comforted by the near-stranger.

"Shhh, sh, sh, sh. You're fine, you're going to be fine." Agrippina promised while holding Liona tightly in her arms. The two remained like that, arm in arm, for an entire minute until they heard the boy's yelling from afar how they had found something. Liona pulled away first, slightly embarrassed, but mostly relieved and thankful not to have gone through that experience alone. "Are you ready to go? I'm not completely sure, but I heard that the wasteland may need saving." Agrippina joked while standing up. Liona laughed softly and used Aggie's arm for help getting up off the floor. They walked together through the converging isles of graves and into the main hallway of the catacombs near the stairwell where they saw a yellow torch light flickering at the end of a narrow hallway. They walked towards the burning light, soon arriving in a room half the size of the entrance room where Rocky, Monte, and Sweety were standing in front of an open elevator.

"Look what I found!" Sweetheart proudly announced, stepping back to allow the women to see his finding.

"An elevator…at a gravesite? That's odd." Aggie thought aloud.

"Did the Brotherhood build this, Liona?" Rocky asked, examining the construction of the transportation device.

"No, we didn't. When we first got here this entire area had already been excavated, so we made use of it by converting it into a place to lay our dead to rest. We were never sure why it had been dug out in the first place; I always assumed it was the raiders who were here before us that did it. I guess it makes sense now that we know about the vault. As for the elevator - I've never seen it before." Liona answered.

"The bad guys must have gotten down here before us and taken this elevator to the vault. They must have known how to find it." Said Agrippina who remained beside Liona.

"Yeah, that makes sense. But you know…" Liona looked around the room, examining its walls. She continued, "I've never seen this part of the catacombs before. I don't think this room was even accessible prior to today. The Elder must have had it blocked off a while ago."

"Regardless, we should get a move on." Montecrief added. "Wouldn't want to keep the poor boy waiting."

"Hold up everyone." The entire room looked at Rocky, who spoke up unexpectedly. "There's something you should know first. If the Elder is working with the super mutants, with my former clan, then he must be working with the clan leader, Boston. He's a super mutant, but he isn't at all like most of us. He's clever, he's obsessive, and he's manipulative. I traveled with him for years before the Brotherhood and Liona granted me my humanity back. Getting into this vault and obtaining the FEV are not simply goals for him, they're inevitabilities. He'll do anything, and kill anyone in order to succeed. I guess what I'm trying to say is that none of you have to do this. We've all been through a lot today, and I want you all to know that you don't have to go with me."

The group swapped cursory glances, each taking a moment to mull over Rocky's words until finally Aggie spoke.

"Nah, I'm good. You can't get rid of me that easy, Greeny." Aggie smirked and winked at Rocky. "Although, I reckon it'll take more than one person to watch a back the size of yours." Aggie turned her attention to the rest of the group, challenging them.

"Yeah, 'I reckon it would'." Sweetheart mocked Aggie. "And I'd hate to let such a pretty thing like you take on such a difficult task all by yourself."

"Are you going to help or not, playboy?" Agrippina quipped after rolling her eyes.

"Yeah sure, why not? I'll tag along with you, big guy." Sweetheart committed. "Sounds like fun."

"Well, I would look pretty cowardly were I to back out now, wouldn't I? You can count me in as well, Rocky. Huh…that would make us one motley crew of mutants, wouldn't it? A ghoul, a super mutant, a raider, and a synthetic." Montecrief highlighted.

"Wait, wait, wait…who's the Synth? I'm the raider, you're the ghoul, he's the super mutant, and…holy shit!" Sweetheart exclaimed upon his realization. "You're a synth?!"

"I wasn't telling anyone, Monte! You ruiner." Agrippina scolded.

"Oh, really? My apologies. I guess I just thought it was obvious to everyone."

"Obvious!? How could it be obvious? She looks…I mean I thought she was a hot chick!"

"Aww, you really did? How sweet!" Agrippina feigned. "Liona, I know we only just met, but please tell me your coming with us. I simply cannot be left alone with this mongoloid."

"Of course I am. Rocky and I began this together. I'm just glad we don't have to finish it alone." Said Liona, who was immediately and aggressively embraced by Agrippina.

Sweetheart stepped into the steel confines of the elevator and was soon followed by the rest of the males in the group. The females, Liona and Aggie, traded smirks before walking into the crowded elevator together. "Well. There's only one way to find out how this story ends." Montecrief muttered. He pressed the only button provided on the elevator's destination panel. The unmarked button glowed a feint yellow, prompting the elevator to seal itself shut, and to turn on its interior lights. As the group listened to the electrical hums of the lowering machine, they all fell into a long, pensive silence. The worrisome thought that they may not be taking this elevator ride back up lied foremost in their minds.