Kicking the rifle aimed at him aside John barely registered the heat of the plasma bolt flying past him as he took aim with his magnum. The solid kick of the weapon was full of memories, and though the first bullet didn't penetrate his foe's surprisingly tough helmet it did send the man stumbling back into the door leading to the rotunda.
Taking a careful step forward the soldier adjusted his aim to bring John back into his cross hair. Another five bullets into the head and the soldier lowered his rifle though, both arms hanging limply by his side...obviously disoriented. Amazingly his helmet still hadn't been penetrated, but it was now covered by a fine network of cracks, and the craters in it were so deep that it was a small miracle no blood had been drawn.
Dropping his now empty pistol John ran forward, jumped...and flew towards his foe with both feet first. An odd yelp escaped the soldier as the heavy blow sent him tumbling back, John barely heard it though, too busy catching the dropped rifle before it hit the ground. Grabbing the oddly designed weapon with both hands he growled when he hit the ground...then sat up and brought it to bear on his foe.
The soldier was still struggling to stand up, hand leaning on the door, when John fired.
The kick of the weapon surprised him, but not as much as the sight of the head of his foe's head, helmet and all, disintegrating into green goo. Was he just him or had he'd seen a young face staring at him in shock?
With a clatter the rest of the soldier fell to the floor.
Grunting John got to his feet and retrieved his pistol. Reloading the pistol and putting it back into its holster he made a quick check of his new rifle, making sure nothing was wrong with it with his limited expertise.
Then he rushed on, pushing through the door to the rotunda with far more force than necessary he raised his rifle, ready to put any other opposition to death.
There was none however.
Frowning John heard an odd choking sound to his right, a quick spin and aim and he found himself about to shoot doctor Li in the back. Standing at the top of the stairs leading to the control room she was completely focused on something occurring behind the safety glass, her hands pressed up against it and eyes wide with fear.
Crouching low John heard a muted voice from within the control room, a voice he didn't recognise, rifle at the ready he quickly moved up the stairs. Li didn't notice him even as he brushed past her, or perhaps she didn't care? Either way John was quickly past the scientist while keeping out of sight, then threw himself around the corner and aimed...right at the closed security door.
Blinking John lowered his rifle, realizing even he couldn't harm the radiation shielded doors. Then he saw what was going on behind the door.
"No!" John's cry was a mere whisper at the sight.
A regal looking man in trench coat had his back to John, hands behind his back. Standing by the controller James was facing him, he shot John a glance, then returned to frowning at the man in the trench coat. Between them Janice Kaplinski lay in a pile of her own blood...John grimaced. Flanking the two opposing men a pair of enclave troopers in their heavy bat-armour stood, rifles trained on James.
Hostage situation? John bit his lip...mind racing with ideas in how he might get in and resolve it...in the end he drew a blank as the man in the trench coat drawled in southern accent. "Now, as you've seen we are quite serious in our aims, so please, activate the machine."
"But I've told you, it's not complete, it has never been complete." James argued, face full of desperate honesty. He straightened, chin high, despite his worry John found himself beaming with pride. That's right, don't give them shit. "Now I must ask you to leave."
"You still don't understand the position you're in. The enclave is in command of this facility now, more troops are arriving as we speak, and will not hesitate to kill more of your team if you don't comply." The officer growled, the hands behind his back tightening a little around one another. "Now please, the machine."
James looked over at John...then his shoulders dropped. No! "Alright, you win." No! "Give me a moment to get the machine ready." James turned to the central controller, tapping in a an odd code John hadn't seen before, all he knew was that it was not the activation code. "There's no need for further violence..." No!
Dropping his rifle John took a step forward, fists clenched as he looked on, his throat tightening in worry. The code...it wasn't right...it was completely wrong...everything was completely wrong!
The moment the radiation shields to the main containment chamber exploded John knew what was happening. Overload...despite the shielding of the door his pip-boy crackled in warning of radiation. John barely registered the ground shaking when something beneath the floor broke, his eyes focused on the scene before him.
The radiation shields had been right next to the enclave troopers, both were already on their backs, unmoving. The officer was fiddling with something in his pocket as he stumbled sideways, then slammed something into his arm and toppled over. John couldn't care less though, eyes focused on his father.
James was already turning pale, clawing at the floor he was pulling himself towards the door. A look of desperation on his face.
John went into a frenzy, head whipping left and right, hands moving and tweaking everything he could find, trying to find...something. The controls, there had to be a way to open the door from the outside! Even with the radiation locks activated there had to be...
"Son..." Looking back into the room he found his father pushing a hand against the glass of the door. John answered the gesture, feeling his throat close up. "Get out of here..." James' eyes were going dim, his pale skin seemed...loose...even as John watched James' right ear begun to slide downwards...as if nothing held it in place any longer. "Run!"
With a thud the man fell, his hand slipping off the glass and leaving a smear of blood. Even as John watched his father's skin begun to disappear as blood begun to pour out of ever pore of him. Dead...he was....dead?
John blinked...dead!? It didn't seem possible, it just didn't...add up. He frowned, it...didn't sit right with him. He felt...confused, empty and...weak? Confused, yes...he was confused. He couldn't figure out why though...was this grief? It was so...odd.
Later...run.
Shaking his head John ducked low and grabbed the dropped rifle, glaring at his surroundings, the concrete around him suddenly seemed insulting, like a prison feebly trying to hold him fast. Right, run...now. John put the rifle over his back and stepped over to doctor Li, the woman was still staring through the glass, at the blood covered husk that was...had been...his father.
"We must leave." She blinked, as if she hadn't really heard him. "Now!" He grabbed her elbow.
"Get away!" She pulled her arm away even as she turned to face him, her face crunching up in a cry as the tears flowed freely. "This is...he's dead! It's all wrong! It's all wrong! Everything is ruined! He's dead! They're going to kill us! We're all going to-"
John barely managed to control his slap, knowing better then to hit the woman with all he had. He still had to grab her by the shoulder to stop her from falling down the stairs though, and her cheek was afire with redness. Focusing on her now slightly clearer eyes he spoke: "Yes, everything is fucked up, now lets move, we grab the others and head for the sewers before more troops arrive."
"Wh...wha..." Li shook her head, her eyes wide and body shaking. She looked bewildered, ready to collapse in a foetal ball at any moment. Scientists... "There's...fer..." She shook her head and John closed his hands on her shoulder, keeping her from falling over. "It...it's...dan..."
"Ferals I can handle!" John shook her shoulder, jolting her back into the present. "Enclave is different. Now obey my father and move!"
Stumbling Li went down the stairs, her odd gait suggesting she was still too out of it to really know what she was doing. Still, with John's guidance she took a left and followed him through the door...
Face to face with a yellow eyed helmet.
Growling John went forward, grabbed the wrist of his foe before the soldier could bring his weapon up to him...and pulled his magnum. Slamming the butt of the gun into the face of his foe he pressed closer, then pushed the muzzle of the pistol right into the left lens of the helmet and pulled the trigger.
With a shatter and a crunch the bullet crashed through the thick lens and into the skull of the soldier. It didn't come out the other side though, instead John heard the distinct pinging noise of a bouncing bullet as it bounced around within the helmet, turning the head within it into sludge.
Stepping away John let the soldier drop away, a mix of bone fragments and blood pouring out of the broken lens. Turning he found Li staring at him, her eyes wide with shock, heh...at least she was now awake. "Right, you get the others." He pushed a fresh bullet into the pistol, face grim. "I'll keep these pissants away until we can all leave."
"K...keep away?"
"Yes! Keeping them away! It involves shooting, throwing grenades and generally being unpleasant!" John snapped, making the scientist flinch back. "So hurry getting the others so we can go!"
Not bothering to look if she was actually obeying him he turned to the task at hand, pulling forth the plasma rifle he marched towards the exit and whatever foes awaited him...