The group of four moved silently down what was once a major highway, now nothing more than a collection of pavement chunks. It was a rather odd looking group, with one man in a military uniform, one in full power armor, a young boy in grey combat armor, and a young woman in brown hooded robe. All were armed, you had to be these days. Bruce, known back in the ruins of DC as the Lone Wanderer, scanned the horizon with his keen eyes. He was looking for the familar shape of one the most dangerous wasteland beasts. Up ahead was the entrance to a canyon, or quarry. A large piece of Pre-War machinery sat there, and Bruce noticed something moving in it's shadow. It was the hunched form of a Deathclaw, it's long, powerful arms tipped in claws that could sheer through power armor like butter.
"Guys, stop. I see one, about seventy yards to the right, next to that hunk of metal." The group stopped, looking where Bruce had indicated. They all saw it, and Avery, the man in power armor, and Arthur, the boy in combat armor, readied their laser rifles. Bruce knew from experiance a laser rifle wouldn't do much against one unless you hit it in the eyes or mouth. But it wouldn't do to tell them that, he needed morale up. He drew the 10mm pistol that had once belonged to Colonel Autumn, and was now his. His right arm mad a quiet clacking noise as he flexed it, and Veronica looked at him funny. Bruce lined up his shot and fired, the gunshot making Arthur jump. Bruce was rewarded with a roar of pain. He knew the bullet wouldn't kill it, but now it was part blind.
It charged, slowly at first, but picking up speed. It was rather small for a Deathclaw, but still enough to kill them. It skin was a mottled brown, not that different than the ones back home. It's left eye was gone, a bloody crater replacing it. Avery and Arthur began to fire, taking the hint from Bruce they fired at it's face. The creature was in obvious pain, but still didn't slow down. As it neared, Bruce drew a wicked looking combat knife from his boot, serrated and with a knuckle guard for punching. The Deathclaw slowed and tensed it's legs, preparing to leap at them. A resounding gunshot sounded, and the creature's head exploded. Bruce turned to thank their saviors when he saw who they were.
One was wearing a long leather trench coat, a Pre-War helmet and gasmask covering his face. A police issue bulletproof vest protected his chest. The other wore clothes straight from a Western holovid, tan trousers with a worn leather holster slung around them. A large pistol sat in the holster. A dirty blue shirt was all that protected him, and a wide brimmed hat covered his face from the sun. The one with the pistol cracked a grin.
"Well, well Hauser. What have we here?" He looked at his companion.
"I don't know, Phillips, what?"
"I do believe that that boy right there in the trench coat is the one that caused that ruckus at the tradin' post." He contiuned to grin, and Hauser, then one in the helmet, shifted his grip on the massive rifle he carried. Bruce finally spoke up.
"Ok, you NCR cocksuckers, how bout you let me and my friends be on our way, and I won't take this knife and ram it in your throat." They both started chuckling, and Phillips', the one who looked like a cowboy, hand started drifting towards his pistol. With an inhuman speed the trench knife left Bruce's hand and buried itself in Phillips' throat. His pistol snapped up and he popped off two rounds. Hauser fell to the ground, both eye lenses shattered by bullets. Bruce sauntered over and plucked the massive rifle from Hauser's dead hands. Bruce found the magazine release, and hit it. The mag fell out, but Bruce caught it before it hit the ground. Three rounds here, and one in the chamber, and it had amazing stopping power. He turned to Veronica.
"What kind of rifle is this?"
"It's a .50 MG anti-materiel rifle, designed for use against light armored vehicles and power armored troops. But don't get me off track, what's up with your arm?" Bruce sighed, he knew this would come up sooner or later.
"There is a Post-War community in what was once called Massachusetts, now called the Commonwealth. It's an irradiated shithole, but the real jewel is the Institute, a conclave of scientists possessing radically advanced technology. They have sucessfully created androids, which look and act like living human beings. I cleared out a little problem they had a year or so ago, and they gifted me with a cybernetic arm, much faster and stonger than flesh and blood." Veronica's look was somewhere between awe and disgust.
"You actually had you arm replaced with a metal one?" Bruce nodded. It wasn't like he hacked his own arm off and taped a Protectron arm on. He walked over to the other dead man and unbuckled his holster. He pulled out the pistol, noting it was a .44 magnum. Satisfied, he unbuttoned his coat, showing a black field jacket with the name "Autumn" stitched on the left breast pocket. He began unbuckling the bulletproof vest from Hauser. He pulled it free, tossing his coat to Arthur. He buckled the vest around himself, then the gunbelt. He pulled his coat back on.
"Are you guys ready?" They all nodded and Bruce took off. Until he realized he didn't know where they were going. He said as much to Veronica.
"We can go the short way, or the long way. Short way takes us through those hill, and we might meet up with some Super Mutants. Long way takes us through a small NCR mining town, and we'll probaly meet some Powder Gangers."
"Short way. Super Mutants are one of my many specialties." They walked slowly, Bruce using his keen hearing to listen for Super Mutants. They passed a small, empty shack atop a hill, rounding a corner. A Super Mutant stood there, his skin color was a dark green, much different than the yellowish orange of the Mutants in DC. Arthur and Avery took aim with their rifles, but before they could fire, it spoke.
"Wait, humans. I mean you no harm. This place is dangerous for a human." Bruce swaggered up to the gigantic green mutant.
"It can be dangerous for your kind too, mutant. I've only met two other intelligent Super Mutants before, and they didn't look like you."
"My name is Neil, human. Not 'mutant'."
"My name is Bruce, Neil. Glad to meet you." Bruce held out his hand, all traces of animosity gone. He held a deep seated hatred for the Vault 87 mutants, but Fawkes and Uncle Leo had earned his friendship and trust. Fawkes was a steadfast companion, and a vaulable ally in combat. Uncle Leo was a great thinker, and a force of peace in the Capital.
"Would you listen to a proposal, Bruce?" Bruce nodded. "The leader of Super Mutants here at Black Mountain is insane, and they have been killing caravans and settlers, more than usual lately. My leader, Marcus, wanted to create a safe have for our kind here, but Tabitha rallied her kin and drove him off. I have been doing what I can to turn mutants away to Marcus' new location, but it would be easier if Tabitha were gone." Bruce pondered on this. If it were true, then most of the Super Mutants out here were at least semi-intelligent, unlike the ones back home.
"Very well, Neil. We'll help." Neil grinned, but it looked more like he was about to eat somebody. Neil then took off up the mountain, while Bruce and company slowy started. Primative barricades covered the sides of the road, and two Super Mutant guards stood there. One held a massive machine gun that looked tiny in it's arms and the other held a Super Sledge. Bruce aimed the massive rifle he carried, and sighted the gun-toting Mutant. He fired, and watched in awe as the shell almost tore the Super Mutant in half. The other looked around in confusion until it spotted Bruce. With a half-mad laugh it charged at them. Avery and Arthur opened fire, the lasers buring the tough green hide. The coup de grace was when Veronica met the creature's charge and rammed the power fist into it's chin. It's thick neck broke with a crack, and it's body dropped.
They walked up towards the other dead mutant, where Bruce motioned to Avery to pick up the machine gun. He slung his rifle and picked it up, taking point. They saw no more mutants until the rounded a curve. One came running down the hill, bellowing and swinging a sledge hammer. Avery dropped on his stomach and fired the gun at the Mutant's legs. The machine gun roared it's own war cry and cut the Mutant down as it ran. The wounds didn't kill the mutant, but it's forward momentum kept the bellowing beast tumbling off the edge of the mountain.
The came to the top of the mountain, a site of dilapedated buildings and rubble. The group of four crouched as Bruce scanned the area with his rifle. He saw two Mutants just mill about, one with a hunting rifle and the other with a large piece of concrete on the end of several steel rods.
"Ok, I see two. I'm gonna take out the one with the rifle, then let you get the last one Avery." Avery nodded, but Veronica spoke up.
"Just because you can see two doesn't mean that's all there is."
"Huh?"
"The Nightkin, they're Super Mutants who use Stealth Boys. Due to something about their biology they can use it a lot longer than a human."
"Ah, shit. Fuck it, we'll do it anyway." Bruce sighted the Mutant up and fired. It's head soon disappeared in a shower of gore. The other Mutant roared and charged them. Avery opened up with his machine gun, but after six shots it jammed up, useless.
"Uh oh." The Mutant backhanded him, throwing him into the side of a building. Bruce was about to blow it away, when his rifle was sheared in half by an invisible assailant. A huge, crackling shape stood over Bruce as the Stealth Boy wore off. Dark blue skin stood in contrast to the green of the other one. It held a massive sword that looked like it was made from a car bumper. It backhanded Bruce, sending him head over ass into a burned out car. Arthur started firing his laser rifle, the super heated light burning through the skin of the Mutant at such a close range. It roared in pain, but Arthur kept at it, soon the Mutant was on the ground, dead. The other Mutant looked at Arthur, giving Veronica enough time to attack it. The power fist broke the Mutant's right arm, before it threw her into Bruce, who was just getting up. Arthur fired as the Mutant, his face twisting in horror as the laser rifle ran dry.
The Mutant kicked him, sending him tumbling into a large impact crater, possibly made by a nuke. Bruce rose up, firing the .44 revolver at the Mutant. The Mutant's head was destroyed as it started to climb down the crater. Bruce heard the Geiger counter on his Pip-Boy begin to click as he realized Arthur was still down there. Bruce jumped into the crater, watching the Rad counter on the Pip-Boy rise. He picked up Arthur's prone body and slung him over his shoulder. He began to climb back up the steep incline, the going slow because of the boy's weight. As he began to crest the lip of the crater, the bruised face of Avery appeared. He grabbed onto Arthur's armor, pulling him out.
"Thanks, Avery."
"You look like shit boss." Bruce chuckled a little, then realized Avery had actually cracked a joke. He only did that when shit got serious. Arthur had been exposed to a very large dose of radiation in that crater. Bruce opened one of the pockets on his black combat pants, pulling out a small packet of pills.
"What are those?" Bruce looked at Veronica.
"A year or so ago, one of the eggheads at the Institute tried to make a pill form of RadAway. It worked, sort of. It just abates the effects of radiation poisoning for awhile, instead of getting rid of it all together."
"So, how long does it last?"
"An hour, two hours tops." Avery handed Bruce a battered canteen, who took it gratefully. He put two pills in Arthur's mouth, then poured some water in there. Arthur swallowed it, which was a good sign. Bruce gave the canteen back, then hefted Arthur up on his shoulder. He carried him to a small shack that had been made functional by the Mutants. It was mostly one room, with a wall of tin roofing enclosing one part. Bruce laid Arthur down on a makeshift bed, throwing his trenchcoat over him. He checked his .44 and his 10mm pistols, making sure they were fully loaded.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm gonna that goddamn Mutant, then we can leave in piece." He strode from the building, watching as several blurs made their way towards him. He pulled a syringe from his pocket, a lable of masking tape marked it as "Pyscho". He injected it into his thigh, whincing as the contents emptied into his bloodstream. His face soon twisted into a feral grin, his pistols aiming at the blurs. He fired with the 10mm, causing the steal field to crackle. A loud roar sounded and a head was gone. Four more blurs rushed at him, while he fired his pistols with reckless abandon. When they ran dry he dropped them and picked up one of the rebar clubs they dropped. He was bashing bodies, his rage fueled by the drug coursing through his veins. He got to the top of the hill, a small compound surrounded by a makeshift fence. A loud cackle was heard as was the screaming of a rocket.
Bruce dropped to the ground, feeling the drug wearing off. He cursed himself for his addiction, but he was a war junkie. He knew he was screwed right now, the only weapon he had was his trench knife. He looked back down the hill at the dead Mutants, hoping to see a fire arm. All of them had melee weapons though, useless right now. As he looked, he spotted a small green object on one of their bandoliers. A grenade! He crawled down the hill, whincing as rockets whistled overhead. He fumble at the body for the grenade, cutting his hand a piece of the Mutant's makeshift armor. He grabbed it and began back up the hill. The rocket launching Mutant was standing on what had probably been some kind of broadcasting tower. Bruce primed the grenade and chucked it, watching as it flew over the Mutant's head and landed behind it. The grenade detonated, cutting the Mutant's legs off. The Mutant roared for another minute or so as it's blood pooled on the ground below. He opened the door into one od the buildings, finding nothing but a .357 magnum revolver and a little ammo.
He opened the door to the other building, noting a locked door next to a console. Another computer sat on a metal table and Bruce felt a compulsion to look at it. He noticed most of it was sort of a diary, but the 6th entry was just a series of numbers. He grinned as he went over to the keypad and punched in the code. He opened the door and was surprised to see a ghoul sitting at a computer.
"Hey, you came to rescue me?" The Ghoul had a strange accent, like the Mexican banditos in the old Western holovids he watched back home.
"Sorry, I didn't even know you were here. I'm trying to kill the leader of the Mutants here. I'm Bruce by the way."
"My name's Raul Tejada. Is it okay if I tag along with you?" Bruce nodded, then watched as the ghoul walked over to a large trunk at the end of his bed. Raul opened it and pulled a weathered gunbelt from it. Unlike the one the NCR man had worn, this one had two holsters, filled with two .44 magnums. Raul walked back over to Bruce.
"Okay, I'm ready boss." They walked back out of the building. A loud bellow alerted them to the presence of three Mutants, one regular, the other two were Nightkin. The regular one and one of the Nightkin charged, swinging sledgehammers. Bruce had drawn his newly aquired revolver, snapping off two shots into the regular Mutant's head. Raul had taken care of the Nightkin, but the last had grabbed him around the throat and slammed him against a building. Bruce examined the Nightkin as he drew a bead on it. It wore a blonde wig obviously meant for a woman, and red heart shaped sunglasses. He finally put an end to the obscene rantings it was screaming in Raul's face by emptying the revolver into the back of it's head.
"Thanks, boss." Bruce nodded as he patted down the Nightkin's trousers, finding a small key. He walked towards what was most likely the broadcast station for the radio. He walked in, looking around at the still functioning consoles.
"Raul, is there any way we could rig this into sending a message to say, I don't know, Washington D.C?" Raul walked up to the equipment and examined it.
"Sure thing, boss. But it'll take a couple hours at least." Bruce thought about it. He had to get Arthur to the Brotherhood or he was going to die. But, he needed to send a message to D.C to send in the cavalry. It looked like he had stepped into another full-scale war.