Fiction: Fallout 4
Summary: Takes place before Knighted, after Bullets Fly. Ashtyn meets the Railroad by pure accident.
Category: One-Shot
Disclaimer: I do not lay claim to any of the following work. While the writings themselves are my own, my character is created fully by myself, the other characters and story elements I do not own. I also do not own any of the Fallout 4 elements that are in play. Full credit goes to where it is due. Thank you. Thanks to Bethesda.
-oOo-
"Fucking bitch went this way, down that alley!"
"You sure? It's too dark, can't see a damn thing."
"Come on you fucking slacker! You wanna lose her?"
"Shut the hell up. You're not the one she shot."
"Stop being such a puss. We can't let her get away."
Heavy foot falls, panicked labored breaths erupting from parted lips in quick bursts, lungs begging for oxygen, throat scorched dry from lack of water, nerves raw and on edge.
I wasn't moving fast enough.
My right foot screamed with every step, blood oozing from the laceration that marred my ankle, a constant reminder that I had made one hell of a mistake going through this alone. Why hadn't I thought ahead? Why didn't I think to ask Haylen to travel with me to Diamond City? Why did I ever think I could do this by myself?
"You're slowing down, bitch! We're gonna get ya!"
Shit.
I had waltzed my fine ass right into their trap. Fuck, where was my head in that one? I took the bait willingly – a woman asking for help, raiders had her brother captive in the back of some store. So stupid of me. Of course it was a setup. A two year old could have figured that out. And here's me, twenty-seven years old and winner of the 'Most Idiotic Person in the Commonwealth' award.
A volley of gunshots spattered against the brickwork above my head, cascading dust upon me, a sprinkle of plaster and glass peppering the top of my head. I ducked low, reaching forward to clasp the corner of the building to vault myself into the open street.
It wasn't safe out here. I had to find somewhere to bunker down.
But where could I go?
My heart felt like it was stuck in my throat, cutting off the few gasps of air I had left. Adrenaline was wearing thin, teetering me towards the brink as it began to wane. I was running on empty… I couldn't keep up this game of cat and mouse for much longer.
"Think, Ashtyn, think!" I hissed, eyes flicking back and forth across the roadway. The shops had been long abandoned though a few street lights remained, illuminating the broken cobblestone below in rapid fire bursts, the wires faulty after two hundred years of use. The doors were boarded up or blockaded by countless bookshelves and countertops. The windows were impossible to squeeze through without slicing my body in half by jarred pointed glass. I was trapped.
And my pursuers weren't giving up.
I heard them gaining behind me as I weighed my choices (albeit, they were few… leaning towards none). Their cackles echoed off of the demolished walls, mocking me as each second ticked by.
Fucking think!
"Found you!" one of the raiders snarled.
I peeked over my shoulder, spinning on my heels to face them, hand grasping wildly for my gun at my back.
Their sneers glistened in the moonlight, sweat coating their skin as they closed in on my position. There were two… But I knew more were following behind them. It was only a matter of time before I was completely surrounded.
"Hey, fellas. How's about we talk this out like civilized people?" I tried, fingers gripping Righteous Authority to my chest, index inching towards the trigger. I couldn't fight them all. Not by myself. Oh Gods, I would give anything to have Danse at my back… Fuck, I would even take Rhys at this point. Anything but this.
"Don't think so, little girl," the first one jeered, muscled sausage like hands groping for the machete he carried, brandishing the blade before him. It looked wicked, sharp… it would cut through me like butter.
"You far from home, bitch?" the other cooed. "Don't worry, we'll send you back to your family. In pieces, of course."
Shadows pirouetted at the back of the alley, the murmuring of more voices. Double shit.
A church lay dormant behind me, down the street. I couldn't make it there in time, not without them seeing me. I had to come up with a distraction… some way to distort their vision. But without a clue as to how to do that, I was stuck.
I had to stall. Had to hit the pause button long enough to come up with a strategy. "That's hardly fair… Little ol' me against all of you? Can't we work something out? You want caps?" I asked, gesturing towards my hip where my petite leather pouch of currency rested. I wasn't sure how many I had collected. Two hundred? Three? Certainly that had to be enough to convince them to find another play toy.
The first chuckled, a low growl of a laugh that made my hair stand on end, my whole body convulse away. "Nah. You killed Pete. So, we can't just let ya go. Rules are rules."
"Didn't know you guys had a Code. Isn't that too Brotherhood of Steel for a bunch of raiders?"
"Think of it more as a guideline than actual Code."
"How cliché of you," I muttered, taking a tentative step back.
The machete snapped forward. "Not another move."
"Why not? You're going to kill me any ways, right? Might as well make it a little challenging."
"I think not," he warned, the threat clear in his voice. "Besides, you're fenced in. Nowhere to run."
I stole a glance to my left and right… only to confirm his words to be true. While I had been attempting to come up with a plan, his buddies had circled around and were now closing off either side of the street. Triple fucking shit cakes.
"Now, how's about we make this easy? You sit there like a good little girl, and maybe, just maybe, we'll give you a quick death. We'll think real hard about it."
"Wait… you're capable of thinking? Didn't know that."
Pain exploded through my body as a raider slammed the barrel of his gun against my lower back. The blow caused me to double over, Righteous Authority dropping to the ground at my side as my hands splayed against the concrete.
"You have a mouth. Gonna have'ta fix that."
"You barely know how to keep your armor together, how are you going to fix jack shit?" I bit.
Only to have to spit out a mouthful of blood as I received a swift kick to the jaw. I gagged, coughing hoarsely to clear my throat, body curled up into a heap, arm wrapped protectively around my head.
"Shut. Up."
"Or what?" I groaned, attempting to right myself, free hand clutching at my belt. I had to have one… "You gonna cry about it? Go whine to Raider Leader? Maybe they'll make you a hot chocolate and let you pout."
I cried out as a hand snarled into my hair, lifting me off the ground till only the toes of my boots remained one with the earth. My face contorted with hot fire agony as stars danced in front of my vision, a blade pressed against my gut.
"So, we ain't doing this the nice way then."
"No…" I whispered. I opened up my closed fist, a flash grenade held tightly in my palm. "We aren't."
The pin dropped in slow motion, the raiders' gaze tracking it with precision. A few in the back wised up enough to try to dive for cover… But those in front?
Didn't stand a chance.
That included me.
The raider that held me cursed, his grip releasing as the grenade hit the street. I felt him lunge away from me along with the others… but it was too late.
I raised an arm to cover my eyes, bowing low to shield myself from the blast as it detonated, sending the world around us into a brilliant bright light. "FUCK!" someone hollered. "I can't see! She blinded us! Someone find her!"
Move, damn it!
I had to leave Righteous Authority behind, I didn't have time to grab it. I had precious few seconds and every fucking one of them counted. I'll come back for you.
Pivoting on my heels, I stood, head swimming. The ground wavered below me, buildings swaying in place as I tried to right myself. Blinking I started forwards, steps uncoordinated but sturdy enough to hold me. Just get to the church…
My stomach heaved with nausea as I pitched the door open, as I stumbled inside landing heavily on my hip.
"Where she go?"
"Find her NOW!"
I grasped the broken floorboards with my nails, dragging myself through the threshold, cowering low behind a pew.
"Check the buildings!"
"She couldn't have gotten far!"
With shaking hands, I pulled a stimpack from my pack, flipping the plastic cap away before plunging the needle into my thigh. Relief flooded my system but my head still felt like a load of bricks, my ears still rung as if I was drowning underwater.
"Just burn it all! She'll either die in the flames or be forced to run out!"
Glass breaking, the sound of fire licking at woodwork. Molotovs.
"Give it a rest," I whispered, clutching the back of the pew to haul myself up. But my feet gave way below me, legs too weak to hold my weight.
"Don't forget the fucking church!"
No…
Smoke erupted from the glass bottle that landed at the entryway, flames already caressing the sides of the walls. Years of rot had eaten away at the structure, decades of heat made the wood brittle… flammable.
I coughed, chocking as my precious oxygen was obliterated into nothingness. Shit… fuck… think….
I crawled towards the front of the church but each step was harder than the last, my body growing heavier and heavier.
My eye lids drooped, vision faded around the edges. My body slumped forwards, shoulders sagged.
The heat increased, enclosed around me.
My skin felt alive with fire.
Stay awake…
I caught a glimpse of Shaun, heard his laughter.
Stay awake….
I smelled fresh laundry.
Stay… awake….
I saw Danse scowl, that hint of humor playing just behind his eyes.
Stay…
And then…. There was nothing.
-oOo-
A cot below me, a soft breeze… Gentle music in the background. The smell of smoke no longer so suffocating.
"I don't like this." A woman's voice, faded, distant, muffled.
Everything hurt. Every square inch of my body ached. I didn't even have the strength to open my eyes.
"She doesn't have to stay long, boss. Just long enough to get healed up. But, hey, just saying? She could be a valuable resource." Male.
"Oh? And how would that be?" She sounded tired, as if they had had this conversation before.
"I've been watching this one. She's done a lot of shit. Not quite hero worthy status but, man, people know her."
Were they talking about me? Who were they?
A heavy sigh, a slow exhale. "Like what, Deacon? We don't have time for this."
"Okay, okay. Seriously though, news flash? She's a big deal out there. I'm surprised you haven't heard of her. She's with the Minutemen. Not a General or nothing but she's with them, helped save a lot of settlements."
"Deacon…"
He cut her off. "And if that wasn't enough, she helped this little ghoul boy named Billy. Real Good Samaritan act there. Not many people would have stopped to do that."
They were talking about me.
"Swell, she cares about the little guys," sarcasm laced her voice.
"Remember that ship? The USS Constitution? Everyone saw that ship fly into the side of the Baxter building. She was part of that."
Who was this man? Deacon? How did he know so much about me?
"Doesn't mean she would help us. She doesn't look like she can handle herself in a fight."
"She's the champion of the Combat Zone. Amazing feat."
"So she can handle low grade thugs, good for her. Not good enough for us."
"Brotherhood of Steel is considering letting her into their ranks. Hell of a thing, that is. Trust me, Dez, she's someone we want on our side."
Stalker.
"She brought destruction to our doorstep."
"Give her chance. Have I ever let you down before? What are our options any ways? Shoot her? Come on. We need help. We need friends, now more than ever."
"So, you're vouching for her?"
Vouching for me for what?
"Yes. I am."
"Then she's your responsibility."
"No problem, boss."
They moved closer to me, fingers were placed against my wrist, searching for a pulse. "She's alive." The woman, Dez, said. "She should be awake come morning. Keep an eye on her."
"You got it. Gonna go play with some baddies?"
"Someone has to clear away the raiders she led here. Glory and I will sweep the area."
"Be safe out there."
"Sure."
The room feel quiet after that, nothing but the sound of DCR playing. I allowed my muscles to lose their tension, let my breathing still.
I needed rest.
-oOo-
When I woke again, I wasn't sure how much time had passed. I just knew I could move without a bolt of pain ripping through my flesh. I twitched my fingers first, curling them into a fist as I slowly eased my eyes open.
"Morning, sunshine."
Deacon. His voice was unique, easily recognizable. I swiveled my head to the side, gaze finding him. He was seated beside me in a metal chair, arms crossed but posture relaxed. Besides him was my stuff – my pack, my armor… and Righteous Authority.
"Bit of a shitty reception you got there but, sadly, that's life here in Boston nowadays."
I parted my lips, tongue thick in my mouth. "Where am I?" I croaked.
"You want something to drink?" he offered a carton of water which I took with hesitation. "You can trust me."
"You're a stranger." I sniffed the water as I forced my body into a sitting position, feet dangling off the side of the cot. I was underground, that much I was certain. The dirt earthen and brick laden walls were evident of that. Everything also had that damp cave smell. The lighting was dim. The radio had been turned off but I could hear people talking out in the main room through the doorway behind Deacon.
"So are you," he countered.
"Is this where you tell me that, if you wanted to kill me, you would have already?"
He smirked. "You caught me. Can't fool you."
Deciding the water was safe to drink, I took a sip. It soothed my parched throat. "Why did you save me?"
"You're welcome for that, by the way." He leaned forwards, propping his elbows on his knees, fingers clasped together. "But, we couldn't have the bad guys finding our lil hideout. You just so happened to be there. Figured we couldn't just leave you to roast to death."
"Appreciated." My mind flashed to the conversation I overheard. I needed answers. "So, is this some kind of group?"
"You could call it that. You're at the Headquarters to the Railroad. Name is a bit cookie cutter but it works well enough."
Railroad… Railroad… I swear I had heard that name before. Did Preston mention it? Cait? Danse?
"Looks like you're drawing a blank. Makes sense considering you're whole 'frozen like an ice cube' phase. Guessing we weren't around during your time."
My body went cold, every muscle taut like a rubber band. What… What had he just said?
"Wow there, go any paler and you'll be a ghost. Let me explain. I've been watching you for some time. Not like a creeper. Just making observations. I saw you crawl out of the Vault on the hill, 111. Did some research, leanred what they had been up to there. Some real shit they put you through."
Act natural, easy there. Breathe. "You could say that," my tone was cautious, wary.
"But, thing is, when I saw you upstairs, about to get cooked, I convinced the others to let ya down here. You don't owe me any favors, don't worry bout that. Just figured you deserved a real shot at life since your first one was taken from you."
I was speechless. He knew everything about me… at least, everything there was to know about me in this time. He risked his neck for me. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it. Seriously, don't. Can't have you ruining my appearance," a smile played at the corners of his lips.
As long as I knew he wasn't going to stab me in the back… It was time to get some of my questions answered. "I… uh, I heard you talking to a woman. Dez?"
"I knew you were awake! Dez didn't believe me. But yeah, that's our leader. Desdemona. She kind of keeps our ragtag group together."
"And what is it your group does?"
"Listen, that's a long conversation, one we can have for another time. Right now? Right now you focus on getting healed up. You gotta get to Diamond City, right?"
I grinned. He really did know everything. "Yeah, I do."
"Want some company this time round? Can't have you getting obliterated halfway there again."
"Why are you so willing to help me?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Help goes both ways. I help you a little, and you'll help us. Dez is interested in you but we gotta turn some heads and get some attention before she really lets you in. We can talk about that on the way to the Crown Jewel."
I bobbed my head in understanding. My questions would have to wait. For now. I finished my carton of water, crumpling the paper container in my hand.
"Great. You want to go meet everyone?"
I sent a tentative glance towards the door. It was my only way out. Not like I had another option.
"We don't bite. Not unless you want us to," he joked, standing and offering me his hand.
Fuck it, what did I have to lose?
I took his hand and allowed him to help me up. "Sure."
"Welcome to the Railroad."