DIAMOND CITY
i open my eyes and see the light and dust floating around, place smelling of stale air and alcohol, i must be at Dugout. What a weird dream. Wonder what it meant with those words. Getting up and and take sips of water from the bottle, i stretch and begin my usual warn up, consisting of push ups and jumping jacks. And eat a tato too
Today is the last part of the job, after that I could go to Sanctuary or another of the nice places I know or heard of. Or just get back here in DC or my home, but first I go to find my friend. And after some greetings I found him "Morning"
"Hi, we were about to call you and are ready to leave"
"Let's go" We are the steps to go out - "Heeeyy why leaving ? Do you not forget something ?"
Near the newspaper behind is Darcy... urgh... "Hi no we have all, see you next time"
"Aww what's wrong ? Maybe someone -"
"Miss, excuse me but we must hurry, have our job today"
"Aawww you tigers didn't object to me yesterday, maybe I could come with you ? Give you-"
I interrupted her before it got worse "Darcy come with me"
"Oh that's a good start baby" ...
"Uhh could you wait for a few minutes ?"
"Less than 5. Quick"
Going to the market and the houses, i speak "Sorry but you can't come. Too dangerous"
"I know sweetie, just coming to ease all the tensions. I need a real good time with the two of you"
"We had too, thinking about it makes me hard again, but listen. On the way there could be raiders or mutants. You shouldn't come, you are more of a city person"
"Ooh sweetie come on just-"
"Yesterday I have seen one of our group being killed by a mutant and you can still see it on my clothes. That fucking beast hammer went almost through an entire very lightly protected person and there was blood everywhere" it makes me angry knowing it could have happened to me and also I'd be scared shitless to have it in front of me
"You have a family damn it, what if your son would never see you again or die like that ? Or even your husband" That almost make her teary and saddened "Come on now, maybe you will stop it and I can give your family and you a new place to live in or visit. I could even get you there" I say patting the scavenged .38 rifle
"Aww ok...ok... you are right..."
"I knew you were clever enough but got to go now"
"Alright sweetie, pass by me next time and you can have me all the time you want"
"See you, just remember you have a husband" Said that I find them and we go out of DC
"Alright, check our weapons, yes again. We will go through college square until Starlight and follow the road to the farm, be careful about ghouls and raiders. Some said to have heard laser shots, so me and you - he points at me - will scout ahead for safe routes. Lets go"
Getting past the bridge, we scout while the others hang back "Alright you go left, don't shoot unless you have to and once done you get back"
From the boat wreck below the bridge, no noises are heard, for now maybe. I know it was a usual spot for raiders and i even tried to get there if not for their damn dogs. Using the ancient wall of the CIT ruins and looking for some time I see movement far away. Around i see ramps , one above me and one past the truck with barrels. Taking the long way around it , I find 3 stims in a tent and a .10 clip in the trailer, and from up the ramp, observe
3 figures and dressed like raiders and it's been some time since I have been here. Could come back and tell them to change road and take the opposite one, or go through Cambridge even it being possibly being occupied by laser shooting mercenaries, ghouls or more raiders. Retracing my steps back I tell them what i have seen
"I saw 3. Look like raiders, at the buildings after the ruins"
"3 ? We could get out alive i think or pass by Cambridge"
"Boss, I would not do that, could be even worse" The last guard says
"Hmm alright, let's wait for Jess. You should return there and wait for him. Clear it out and we'll come"
I wait on the elevated position a few minutes and the guard shows up "Ready ?"
"Yes i was up here before, your rifle is a better option than mne"
Going and waiting on ground level I take aim with the .38 shooting one in the back and unload more on the rest, heard the hunting rifle twice and it all ends. One of the figures i shot first was slowly crawling away, leaving a trail of dark blood. Probably the .38 doesn't have enough force to go through hard armor and killing but I kept shooting because of this. With my knife out I stab the scum in the back and check the others are dead too. Hearing nothing i loot some more .38 and .10 before waiting
"Shit, there was no need for that. You don't act better than them"
"I made it quick"
"Don't care. We wait"
"What's that frown, Jess ?"
"Him, kid's a bad apple, I'm telling you"
"We will discuss later, let's leave"
The trip to Starlight was was mostly calm but for a few ghouls and scavengers, which we put down or evaded them. Lonely ghouls are not a danger for a group but better leaving scavvers and raiders alone if you can spare it. We rested and bit watching people doing their routines and got water from the fountains
"Boss I think we may have a problem"
"Tell me"
"It's him" Me "Doesn't act very different than the raider scum, I'm telling ya it's a problem"
"Why say so ?"
"He stabbed a wounded raider in the back and looted their stuff" All look at me, some with disdain and the rest, shrugging "Come on Jess they were scum, I'm not saying it's all cool but they deserve to be put down"
"What do you say boss ?"
"Hm I do agree with Jess but also Alan, they didn't need it anymore but you should not act like that scum. And it's not the first time. Now let's take a bite or whatever and finish our job"
As we take the road west we get close to the billboard, i climb up and see someone was already here. 2 stims, 2 purified water, a radaway and a cola.
Movement below and 2 figures on the left going across the grass. Fucking raiders again. I signal the guard, climb down and slowly follow the road to Concord, and aim there. 5 shots drop one surprised raider and wounded the other, taunts, yells and random shots, silenced by two louder shots while two other people rush from the rocks with their melee weapons. I shoot at my left and run back without thought, only wounded one and miss all the shots, which he charge with his fist up, quickly deflecting the hit and smashing the stock on his face "FUCK YOU" stopping and spitting, before rushing again i see the other circling me, having to kick that one away I get hit on my left shoulder. And ithe fucking hurts, I throw the rifle at him, deflecting it, I shoulder push him away - hearing different shots distracting me but luckily see the raider before it hits me, dodging and ending in a grapple "You're DEAD !" And use the instant to headbutt him in his already broken nose dazing and stunnig it. Holding his arm i get my knife with the other, and desperate he tries to kick, missing me and I pull closer to my knife as he holds my hand, I let the other arm punch his face before grabbing his neck and stabbing at the body...
Falling down I look around for more and catching my damn breath... that was fucking close. And see my friend and the other running at me, looking at the bodies "Are you ok ? We saw that one getting behind you, can't risk shooting the other one though"
It was then that fucking Jess climbs down the rock. But if he was there... "Why the fuck didn't you help me ?"
"Rifle jammed, didn't have time to shoot"
"Go fuck yourself" Pointing him with the N99
"Shut up before I shove it up your ass"
"Shut up ! Again !"
"He almost made me get killed !"
"Lower it Jess, i heard your rifle too but all the shots were his. Lucky we rushed here, thought someone died. Why didn't you shoot ?"
"Hmm that's true, why didn't you shoot ?"
"Are you with him boss ? I can't believe you listen to a fucking scavver than a minutemen"
"I didn't say it, he's with us for a job and we pay for it same as you. Now fucking stop and leave, we are close now" I retrieve the rifle, loot 2 mags of.38 rounds and see a fire behind the rock "There is a fire, come with me ?"
"Yes" Tree logs arranged around the fire and a box with buffoon, an empty inhaler and a rum bottle
"We will share this ?"
"Sure, let's move"
The rest of the trip was quiet and tense, we see a man and a woman working the land, noticing us they seem to talk and he gets closer, hand on his hip. A pipe pistol and his average build, lacking armor, don't really make it a danger
Waving at us "Howdy folks, you the caravan ?"
"Hello Mr, we are " Him and my friend shake hands
"Blake"
"Jess, fancy to see you here, not with the minutemen ?"
"I am, just on my own until my job is done"
"Seems fine. Follow me and we'll unload and pay you"
Along the fields, guarded by some minutemen around the farm, he stops "Folks this is my wife Connie, dear that our caravan"
The tanned blonde smile and greets us, excusing herself and return to the crops "Lucy, they're here, come on !" A slim, auburn haired girls comes out of the home
"Hi.. I am Lucy" A shy one eh ?
"Help them unload, dear"
"No mister, that's fine" My friend says before they enter the home and we do our job
"Hi Jess"
"Hey Lucy , how are you ?"
"Fine. Can I come with you and join too ?"
"Aaah, why not ? We will talk about this later"
"I'll wait you inside"
We receive 200 caps each for the job "Might as well sleep here. We got beds and since they help us with everything we are fine too" They agree but I have a different opinion...
"Thank you sir, is Sanctuary doing well ?"
"Yes, doing great kid"
"I thank you again for the offer but I will have a trip there"
"Understood, farewell kid" And with that i leave for the close town "Hey ! Where are you going ?"
It's my friend "You heard it. Maybe looking for something to do"
"Come on don't be a child, Blake has room for all and we are on the same side" Well fuck.
"Ok, fine , I will stay here and leave tomorrow. So what do we do now ? We have are lot of time"
"We will talk. I don't like this situation bringing us down" Of course...
"Alright. We also have that bottle of rum, remember ?" Satisfied i head back
After a tasty lunch with vegetables, afternoon came in lazily. We sat on the roof chilling in the shade, even being winter it's quite hot, having small talk about farming and the land
"Say kid, what changed your mind ?" I lazily point at my friend "Him, and did well. Your wife is a great cook, I'm happy he changed my mind"
"Well thank you, I consider myself lucky eating like this since years"
"Indeed you are mister, i have some rum we can share"
"Well been some time since a chat over drinks, I'm in"
"I want too, can I ? Who was she ? ... Lucy yeah "Sure, why not ?"
"I can share something of mine too. Oh i didn't get your name ?" And see that fucker glaring at me
"Ulysses"
"I'm Lucy. You have a strange name, where is it from ?"
It was from an historical myth from overseas, a man wandering for a decade to return home, after a long war"
"That's cool, I want to know more"
"Sure thing, but later"
"OK. What are you going to do next ? Return with your friend ?
"Not really this time, I'd go around here to see if there is something to do"
Here father leans in "We could use help with our land, or some guarding. Minutemen are pretty strong but in a tight spot"
"Hmm thanks mister, I'll think about it. Caps are always good, and if I could get more of that food..."
"Heh that's the spirit folks ! When it's not so hot i can share about plants and food"
"It will be useful anyway, you never know. For now let's have our earned rest for now " Yawning and closing my eyes, I somehow doze off ...