John had found himself a little irritated as of late.
Sure, they had managed to get to Rivet city. Sure they had managed to get doctor Li to help them, despite James' protests John was convinced she probably had some 'extra' motive to help, and gotten to the memorial without incident. Sure they were making progress, not that John saw them, but he believed his father.
Still...it was so damn slow! Nothing was happening! John understood science was a slow progress, he had entered the memorial knowing things wouldn't be over within a day after all...yet after all he'd been trough this sluggishness the days brought was infuriating. There was nothing happening! He was just walking around doing maintenance and the odd job since he wasn't enough of an egghead to directly aid in the project...which was as dull as it sounded.
Was it possible that he'd gotten addicted to the action of combat? John frowned as he walked up the slight slope of the floor that went up to the intake pipes...he still persisted in wearing his combat armour and carry around his weapons, despite their obstructive nature and the comments from the others around....it was not a pleasant thought. Him, addicted, to death.
Still, James was clearly trying to change him. Every moment the scientist had to spare he spent it with John, much to Li's frustration, and the talks were always pleasant and about anything but the details of John's adventures. The message was clear; Proud of you, please change. John understood the reasoning, who wanted a son that risked his life fighting on a loose foundation of morals? Heck, James would probably have sent John back to the vault if it had been possible.
Grunting John pulled at the lid to the intake pipes, the lid only slowly giving way since it had rusted shut. Still, John had grown in strength since he left the vault...with a flex and another grunt he pulled the lid free, flakes of orange rust falling into the dark hole now revealed. "Great, maybe if I'm lucky there's a feral down there..." John moved for the steel pins stuck in the hole, no doubt a ladder leading downwards.
As he climbed John found himself smiling. Despite the irritation of being so inactive he knew it was good for him. He was working with his father, got to fall asleep on a full stomach and despite being frustrated he knew it would be good for him to get a 'normal' life. Heck, he had even caught himself relaxed enough to be surprised by people a few times....which was surprisingly pleasant when the people in question weren't shooting at you...
Reaching the bottom of the hole John fiddled with the flashlight he'd gotten, that the thing actually worked was amazing, as always John found himself amazed by the solidity of pre-war stuff...heck, he should discuss that with his father next time. Finally the old thing became active, sending a globe of yellowish light playing across the area in front of him.
The pipe was large, almost large enough to walk through upright...almost. John grunted, mentally adding another thing to complain about as he hunkered down a little and begun to move through the crusty pipe. There was still a little water in the bottom of the pipe, that combined with the mush covering the inside of the pipe gave the place a sweet smell that reminded John of the underground.
"No feral huh? Only a...wheel?" John kicked the dark piece of rubber, making something beneath it crack and pop into sight. "Aaand a dead radroach. Nice." Continuing John hefted the small pack on his back and focused on the light shining through a hole in the pipe instead, it looked odd with sunlight in the disgusting sewers of the memorial, but at least it illuminated the lever for the manual drain. "Didn't even get to kill the damn roach..."
Flicking on the small communicator stuck on the wall next to the lever John spoke: "Okay, I'm turning the lever now, but don't flush any water through here yet, please." There was a chuckle at the other end. "Oh and I might be here a while, you were right, there's a basted hole here, only thing keeping it together is some steel mesh. I got enough junk to weld it shut though."
"You're sure you don't want Daniel to help you?" John heard James voice crackle through, referring to the engineer who John found as pleasant as an irate deathclaw. Another chuckle. John rolled his eyes, longingly looking out through the mesh where the walkway above him seemed to glitter. God to be out there and...not think about this everyday garbage.
"Very funny, I think I can manage." John muttered, easily turning the wheel to the lever and instantly being rewarded by the sound of sloshing water somewhere in the distance. "Now it's a pretty big hole so I might be here for an hour or two...do you hear something?"
"I don't..." A burst of static followed, making John wince even as he listened to an odd...chopping noise. Louder and louder...it was as if something consciously slashed through the air over and over again. "...we...there's something...Madison..." Whatever was wrong with the communicator finally won out, completely blocking the signal.
Suddenly something large appeared.
Blinking John saw a machine rivalling a bus in size fly...fly up in front of him. That something that large, and working, still existed was surprising in itself...that another appeared was just sick. With the agility of a bloatfly they came to hover above the steel walkway, doors on their sides swinging open.
John frowned, he didn't like the look of them. The rear ended in in the tail ends similar to the broken airplanes John had seen in Rivet city. The main body was bulky and rounded, a pair of long guns sticking out from beneath what had to be its cockpit, once again it reminded John of a bloatfly. ...the only thing really detracting from the impression was the engines sticking out to each side of the machine, cylinders whose tops ended in large spinning rotor blades.
On instinct John reached back to his assault rifle, the solid weight comforting as he watched shapes materialize in the doorways of the large flyers. A moment later someone jumped out, quickly followed by another...and another... John quickly realized he was watching an almost military deployment. Brotherhood? What could they possible...
His suspicion was quickly disproven when a a man wearing a tan uniform and a black cap appeared, a strange gun in his hand as he waved for others to follow towards what had to be the entrance to the memorial. Instantly half a dozen large figures rushed past him, almost glowing rifles in hands.
John flinched. It was power armour...but not the one he was used to seeing. This armour was darker in shade, polished until it was a gleaming black, and far smoother in design. Like giant beetles...except for the eared helmets and yellow eyepieces...armoured bats? They looked vicious none the less, as if someone had designed the armour to frighten any foes.
Snapping out of a reverie John would never had allowed himself to get caught in a few days ago John turned to the left and quickly moved down the pipe, knowing where it would end from the blueprints he'd seen before. Still, he hadn't expected the drop down the pipe, a drop that made him grit his teeth in pain.
It woke him up though, hurry...remembering the need for speed he rushed forward, gun leading the way.
The pipe opened in front of him, leading to a room John still didn't understand the reason for, a test chamber? Eh who cared? The important thing was that John already saw someone up there, one of the power armoured monsters moving towards the mainframe door. Now that John was closer he could get a closer look on that odd rifle in the man's hands. Looked like some sort of laser rifle...only far more brittle in design.
Silently dropping out of the pipe John barely registered the landing before moving on, keeping low he still moved, fast and silently. Who knew what these guys wanted, one better not take chances however...John flicked the safety off on his assault rifle.
Moving up the way to the second level John batted aside the worry worming itself into his gut and forced himself to focus on the present. The present being the massive armoured shape checking a desk in the main room leading to the mainframe and up to the rotunda. His odd weapon was in one hand while the other quickly rifled through the desk, apparently uncaring about ownership.
Despite the bad feeling John was getting he wasn't about to just shoot the guy...lowering his rifle a little he walked up the final steps and called out: "Hey! Can I help you?"
The armoured man instantly turned, aiming his odd rifle at John while a booming voice called out: "Drop the weapon and come forward with your hands up."
"Yeah...not going to happen until you tell me who the hell you are." John took half a step forward, his rifle raised. Crap... "And it better be good."
"In the name of the enclave I demand that you surrender yourself now!"
"The enclave? Isn't that just an old radio station on repeat?" John cocked his head to the side, silently noting the room to his right, where he had been born...still open. "And if not I thought the guys claiming to be the government wouldn't point weapons at their citizens..."
He saw the trigger finger moving before the shot came, which was the only reason he dodged in time, blinking at the sight of a sizzling green blob fly past him even as he rolled into his birth place. "Shooting doesn't make it any better you know!" Was there a tint of panic in his voice? Damn James and...
Father!
Pressing against the doorway John took aim and poured bullets towards the advancing foe. Sparks flew off the upper torso of the soldier as the bullets bounced off his armour...then the man ducked and returned fire. Forced back John stumbled in surprise at the sight of his cover visibly melting under the power of the enemy shot. Holy....crap!
Slamming a new clip into his gun John went back into position. Frightened at the proximity of the approaching foe he fired off another quick three bursts, the bullets skidding off armour and helmet, gouging small craters into the armour...but not penetrating it. Maybe he should aim for the same... "Shit!"
Jumping to the right John actually felt the heat of the next shot as it slammed into the opposite end of the doorway, melting part of that side too. Stumbling back John managed to maintain his footing by leaning on an old shelf...and watched as the enemy appeared in the doorway with a raised rifle.
John fired first though, emptying the remains of his clip in the only place he knew he could hurt his foe...the rifle.
With a sound of shattering glass and creaking metal the strange weapon cracked and split, breaking apart in the man's hands. The soldier didn't hesitate though, dropping the broken remains of his rifle he rushed at John, his right arm pulled back for a punch.
Dropping his empty rifle and ducking John heard the resounding crash of the foe hitting the wall behind him with an armoured gauntlet. Then he launched himself forward, knocking his foe stumbling back despite the weight of his armour. Drawing his sword John frowned at the armoured man pulling a short motor-driven sword, serrated teeth already spinning...what the hell was that thing!? Looked painful...
"Surrender and I'll make your end peaceful." The soldier commanded over the sound of his weapon. His free hand shooting out in some outlandish guard.
"Fuck yourself." John growled, grabbing his sword with both hands. How the hell was he supposed to hurt this thing? The joints seemed awfully easy to harm compared to that dark steel...
The ripper shot out, a stab right towards John's stomach. Batting it to the side John pushed forward, came up close to his foe, put a foot behind that of his foe and pushed!
Instead of falling over however the soldier merely stumbled back before regaining his footing, ripper cutting the air between them.
Going into a low guard John anticipated the next attack, an overhand stab aimed at John's chest as the free hand came low to grab John and keep him in place.
Flying forth John stabbed out, catching the assaulting foe off guard. The left hand of his opponent caught his collar, holding him into place. It didn't help though, the overhand stab was nailed fast into the air as John's sword penetrated the inside of the elbow. The dark undersuit there was more resistant than expected, but there was enough force behind John's sword and his opponents sweeping attack to break through. He quickly twisted the blade into the wound...
"Ah!" Nerveless fingers dropped the ripper as the soldier cried out, his usable hand pulling John past him and sending him tumbling into the wall by the doorway. Still grasping his now bloodied blade John watched the soldier use his working hand to reach to his side, no doubt for some stimpaks....his back was still turned to John though.
Pressing his advantage John rushed forward and slashed down, cutting a wound on the inside of the knee of his foe and dropping him unto one knee with a cry of pain. John saw no blood, probably a shallow wound...still, enough to press on. Unclasping his left hand from his sword John reached forward and grabbed the foe's helmet by the 'snout' and pulled. The helmet was fastened but still moved under his effort, enough to expose a little undersuit...
A reach around, a pull...and blood begun to pour out of his foe and down his armour.
Stepping back John watched the heavy figure slowly slip to the floor, helmet hitting the floor face first, the hand reaching for his side still twitching, as if he was still trying to reach whatever hidden aid he might have. Wiping his blade off against the doorway John grinned. "Damn you were a tough one! I'll enjoy gutting your friends." Ah, there it was, the rage, he'd missed that...
Wait...father!
Forgetting all ideas of investigating, looting or even getting his rifle back John rushed off.