Pain...pain everywhere.
John instantly regretted becoming conscious, even with his eyes closed the beating he'd received made stars dance before him. What had happened? All had just gone dark...hadn't he won? Hadn't he killed his foe? He remembered...he remembered that he'd won. Yet the pain shooting through him spoke a different story, the time he had fallen down the stairs in the vault was nothing compared to this.
For some reason his hands were tied together above his head...and he couldn't feel any floor under his swinging feet. He couldn't feel his arms or shoulders either...but considering the pain raking the rest of his body he was sort of thankful for that. Why was the back of his head pounding? He didn't like that...
Muttering a groan he forced his eyes to open ever so slightly. With his head hanging against his chest he could only see the rest of his body, which wasn't that encouraging. Stripped of his leather armour he was only dressed in a pair of frayed blue shorts...when had he received all those injuries? His body seemed covered in ugly purple bruises, as well as a few cuts and imprints from where his armour had dug into him. Despite the pounding headache he felt a little relieved, despite how ugly it looked his medical knowledge told him there were no serious injuries. Not that the thought helped with the throbbing pain...
"Human food! Bad!" Groaning inwardly at the familiar speech John forced himself to look up.
He was in the lower level of a subway station, the platform towering up ahead of him silent and dark. He was tied by the wrists and hanging from a wooden barricade leaning against the corner at the lower level, three other barricades had been erected around the corner in a semicircle, protecting the small camp. Central of the camp a stained white table and a broken barrel with fire rising from its insides stood, three super mutants clustered around them.
One of the mutants threw aside John's backpack filled with supplies, disgust colouring its brutish features for a moment. "Eat human!" The mutant shot a thumb in John's direction as he glared at the other two. They seemed busy dissecting John's possessions, one of them laughed at the leather clothes and brushed it off the table before reaching for his hunting rifle with an eager smile. The other seemed completely immersed with his SMG, all too big fingers prodding at its trigger with a stupid frown.
Looking up from its newly acquired rifle one of the mutants shook his head. "No! Human strong! Human needs green stuff!" Green stuff...what the hell did those creatures mean with that anyway?
Wait...were they discussing wherever they should eat him!?
"I'm hungry!" The first speaker complained, rubbing its stomach with a growl. "Human is...fresh!" Oh God...they were serious, it wasn't a joke. Fuck...fuckfuckfuckfuck! "Human not...that...strong!"
"Human killed friend! Human strong! Human be good mutant!" The third beast argued, looking up from John's SMG and tossing it to the floor as if it was mere junk. "Human...become mutant...easy!" They couldn't be serious! They wanted to make him into one of them!? That's even worse! Or...he would live after all...but...no! Never!
"Human kill friend! Eat human!" The first super mutant argued. God it was painful listing to them... "Eat human for killing friend! Human fresh!" John's legs felt like they've turned into jelly as the meaning of the argument sank in.
"Just try it..." John didn't realise he had spoken until the three frightening creatures turned to glare at him. Swallowing he felt a cold hand grasp his heart, God...what were you doing John!? "Try it, I dare you, I'll kill you all with my bare hands." The croaked words seemed pathetic, all the more so as he begun to cough, his throat feeling as if he'd been eating barbed wire.
"Ha! Human awake!" The second mutant seemed very amused at that and walked over to him, leaning towards him and blowing its disgusting breath into his face, making him cringe back. "Human funny!" He prodded John's chest, making fresh pain course through him as the pricked bruise throbbed alive, drawing a wince from John. "Human brave!"
"And you're ugly, stupid and smell funny!" Shut up John! Just shut up you fool! Why would you want to anger one of these things!? The mutant reared back at the look John shot it, the defiant look concealing his fear. "And...weak!"
Wait...on the platform...had something moved?
"Weak?" The creature frowned, its limited mind trying to comprehend the word and how it could apply to it. The other two snickered, or rather a few throaty sounds escaped them while they looked at their confused friend. That set it off. "I not weak! I strong! I great mutant! I...have...killed many humans!" To show what it meant the creature reached out and grabbed part of the barricade John was tied to, ripping a piece off in an explosion of splinters and making him look away for fear of being blinded.
Oh God! The thing could tear him apart piece by piece! He was going to die! He didn't want to die! To be food for such a monster...it was wrong! "Oh yeah? You're strong? You sneaked up on me! Fight me fairly and I'll beat the crap out of you!" Gah! Why wasn't his mouth obeying his mind!? Please shut up...just shut up and hope they'll shoot you instead of eating you alive... "I'll split your skull!"
"He...insult you!" The third mutant exclaimed, confused rather then angry. The first one nodded. "Yes...free him, kill him!" Oh crap...maybe he could run? Yes...the moment they freed him he should try to make a run for it, those big things couldn't catch him if he ran through the tighter spaces. Of course they could probably just bash their way through...but that would take time. Maybe there was hope?
The second mutant hesitated, as the one arguing to take him prisoner it seemed to struggle with the concept of changing its mind. Then an angry look crossed its face. "You insult me! I crush you!" Two massive hands reached out and John couldn't stop himself from screaming in fear before he realised the monster was reaching against his hands. "Weak human will die!"
There was no fleeing. The moment his hands were free John could do nothing but cry out in pain as his legs wouldn't support him, falling to his knees he tried to rub his wrists...only to find that his arms barely obeyed him at all. Gritting his teeth he groaned, an odd fire crawling up his arms and shoulders. "Ohhh....ah..."
"Human weak! Stand human! I crush you!" Was it just him or was this thing stupider than he rest? To be killed by this thing...not only was it terrifying...it was embarrassing. "Get up!" John cried out at the kick, it was weak, merely meant to get him moving, yet it made him nauseous as his injuries cried out in protest. "Get up!"
"Give me a moment you idiot!" John growled. His fear slowly replaced by cold anger. He wanted to hurt this monster, just a little, just enough to...just enough to satisfy some animalistic urge. Groaning he rolled his shoulders, struggling not to cry at the pain of fresh blood rushing into his arms and returning feeling to them, mostly a feeling of strain and pain.... "Or are you in a hurry? Huh? Idiot..."
"Ha! He called you idiot!" The third mutant laughed, apparently amused as it placed a hand against its stomach. "Funny human!"
"Not funny! Human not funny!" John's challenger growled and took a step backwards, glaring back at its two laughing friends.
Now!
Flying to his feet John put all the strength he had left in his worn body into a kick into the mutant's groin.
"Ow! Sonofabitch!"
Stumbling back John clutched his foot while the mutant gave him an amused look, it had been like kicking a rock! There hadn't been anything there! Absolutely nothing but more muscles and fat under tough skin...was the monster made of steel or something!? Swaying John tried to stand on his injured foot and glared at his opponent, the eyes...go for the eyes! Hurt the thing! "Ha! Human weak!"
Roaring John leapt forward, hands forming into claws and aimed at the sickly yellow eyes looking at him with amusement. Just a little further...a little further and he would pull out those ugly things! He would...
He didn't so much feel the punch as he did the wind blowing out of him as he was slammed backwards. His back slammed into the barricade he'd been tied to, new wounds opened up in his knees and palms as he fell on all four...he couldn't breathe. Looking down his eyes widened at the massive purple bruise quickly growing over the ribs on his left...nothing seemed broken but...
The nausea struck him a second later, clasping a hand unto the injury John could only watch as he retched, his breakfast pouring out over the floor along with all too much blood for his liking.. His body was growing cold...his mind swimming, John absently realised that he was about to lose consciousness. Gasping for air he reached up from his injury and wiped the froth from his lips, the sickly taste in his mouth was nothing compared to the pain and nausea rolling off him. "Ha! Human dies now!"
Oh God...here it came.
Blinking John realised he had somehow gotten back to his feet. Feet wide apart he steadied his right hand against the wall while the left clutched the massive bruise, shaking his head he glared at the mutant, pouring all his rage and defiance into the look he tried to will the monster out of existence.
For a brief moment the creature hesitated, but it didn't fade out of existence as he'd hoped...instead the hesitation turned into a delighted grin. "You will taste good!" Taking a quick step forward it raised a massive fist...
A fist that suddenly exploded into bones and gore.
Stumbling back against the wall John watched numbly as the monster clutched its ruined hand, its blood covering its arm and John's face. Had he actually done that? Willed the hand out of existence?
Then more gunshots echoed from the platform above them as shadowy figures moved along the edge and towards the escalator. The wounded mutant fell to its knees, blood exploding out of its chest as heavy bullets slammed through its torso, a throaty choking sound escaped it before it fell face first to the ground.
Stumbling back the third mutant knocked the burning bin over, the liquid content splashing over its legs and setting them on fire. Not the least bothered by the pieces of charred flesh dropping off its legs it reached for the gun tied to its back with its right arm...only to growl and stare in disbelief as a ruby laser beam cut into its shoulder and dropped the entire limb into the fire.
As the mutant slowly dropped to the floor while clutching its massive wound, setting even more of itself on fire in the process...the last mutant roared and charged up the escalator with a massive sledge above its head.
With a thump a foot kicked out, catching the beast in the face and amazingly knocking it back.
With bone jarring crumping sounds the monster bounced down the escalator, the sledge falling one way as legs, arms and head smashed against metal steps in quick succession. Finally dropping unto the floor the creature shook its head, somehow still alive and struggling up unto its feet, broken teeth bared at the mysterious group above the platform.
Only to be met by a fusillade of bullets and laser fire, turning its head and the shoulders into mush.
Blinking John watched quietly as his saviours began to descend the escalator. They were seven in numbers...and dressed in the oddest armour John had ever seen. It was reminiscent of those old propaganda posters but...it was difficult to accept that those things actually existed anymore! Yet there they were, bigger then life. The government? How...?
The metal clanking of those feet moving across the floor was surprisingly loud, how they had managed to sneak up on the camp was a total mystery to John... The guns they carried were equally surprising. Heavy guns he'd only thought super mutants able to carry...laser weapons he'd only read about....wow, the government...had saved him?
Coughing John found himself speaking, if only as a way to make them notice him above the rest of the junk. "Nice to see you, I would have handled them myself but you beat me to it apparently..."
A metallic chuckle escaped one of the...men? Things? Were they human? Another shook its head as it stepped closer, the movement of the large helmet indicating it was looking him up and down. "Civilian, what are you doing here?" Despite the echoing and metallic tint to the voice it was clearly female, female and authoritative.
"Heading for...GNR." John winced, both out of pain and of embarrassment as he realised he was standing before a heavily armoured woman in a pair of shorts. Heh, if he could feel embarrassed he was probably not dying... "Who are you guys?"
"The brotherhood of steel, Lyon's pride more specifically. We are the order out of here and you better remember that." The woman snapped, obviously not tolerating any disagreement. "We are headed for GNR as well, to break the super mutant siege there. If you get in our way I'll kill you myself." The tone was matter-of-factly, creating a weary smile on John's lips, ah...not the knights shining armour then. Oh well...he was just happy he was alive by virtue of some miracle...again.
"GNR? Could I...come along? I'm not sure where it lies and..." He gestured at his broken body, then sensed the woman before him hesitate. "I'll of course help you as much as I can, another gun aimed at those mutant bastards." He spat a bloody piece of phlegm at the corpse next to them. "I won't be in the way I promise."
"Really?" There was another chuckle further off as two of the other soldiers heads turned to one another. Were they talking to each other via mikes or something? The one in front of him crossed her arms, he could practically feel her frown upon him. "You're going to help us? You can barely stand! You think you can fight? Actually able to kill a super mutant?"
"Done it before." John answered truthfully, feeling a little desperate. He needed their help...he needed protection, if only until he healed up properly. Besides...he didn't want to get lost down here... Shuddering at the thought he forced his aching shoulders to shrug. "Let me get my stuff on and use my stimpaks and I'll be ready to do my utmost for you." He meant it, he needed to mean it.
The woman turned her head, obviously having a private conversation with the rest of her friends. One gestured at his equipment, another at his broken torso...God he wished he could hear them, to defend himself against whatever they were saying. Instead he just stood there, forcing his aching body to stand straighter in front of them, the realisation that he was still alive helped a little but...
"Fine, you have five minutes."