The sun was setting as 2D looked through his binoculars, looking for any sign of life. There was none, and he groaned, putting the binoculars away. 'We've been at this for days, when will we find other people.' thought 2D.
He jumped off the rock to where Dogmeat was waiting. The dog barks happily, wagging his tail, panting. "I don't see anything for miles, sorry." said 2D.
Dogmeat whined and the bluenette reaches into his bag to pull out a water bottle. He takes a sip and pours some into his hand, letting Dogmeat lap at it. "How long till we find a town, or something, this is getting ridiculous." said 2D. Dogmeat licked his lips and put a paw on the teen's hand, wagging his tail.
"Thanks for keeping faith, but I don't see how we'll find shelter for the night, we're in a wide open area." said 2D. He stood up and walks on with the dog walking next to him.
"I really wish Murdoc was here, he knew the Wasteland well enough to find good places to stay the night." sighed 2D. Dogmeat barks and the teen laughs. "Calm down, if Murdoc was still here, you'd be coming along still." smiled 2D. Dogmeat huffed a bit and held his tail high. 2D again laughed at this.
They climbed down a hill for 2D to squint his eyes a bit. It was getting darker, the sun was still out, but the bluenette could see that it would be pitch black soon. "I just hope tonight isn't a new moon." said 2D. Dogmeat whines, agreeing with the teen.
The two walked on, 2D sighed and grabbed Murdoc's necklace, staring at it. 'How am I going to find you if I can't even find my way around the wastes?' thought 2D. He ran his fingers over the cool metal, sunlight catching and making it gleam.
Dogmeat paused and jumped to a rock. He sniffed and starts barking. "Huh, what is it?" asked 2D. He walks over to his dog who uses his nose to point.
2D looks to see something in the distance. It was a building, an actual building! "Way to go, maybe there are some people there who can help." said 2D. Dogmeat barks happily and the two slide down the hill and to the building.
It was very old and had old cars and motorbikes outside it. The two examined it more till the teen sees an old sign. "Smith Casey's Garage, huh, this was where people used to get their cars fixed I think." said 2D. Dogmeat barks as 2D looks the building over.
There was a short water tower thing next to it and what 2D could see as destroyed robots. He paused to look again. The robots were destroyed, but they were smoking.
They'd been killed not too long ago.
'Wait, I've seen this before.' thought 2D. He remembered back when he ventured out into the Wasteland to prove himself to Murdoc, a Yao Guai had been shot just before he was attacked by...
"Talons." gasped 2D.
At that, he heard gunshots and dove for cover by the water tower. Dogmeat joined him, snarling and fur bristling. The teen looks to see Talons, A LOT OF TALONS! "Shit." cursed 2D.
"Come out and surrender, if you do, we'll make your death quick and painless." said a Talon. "Go fuck yourself!" yelled 2D. With that, the Talons opened fire again.
"Ugh, we're outnumbered." said 2D. He grabs his gun and starts firing. Dogmeat growls and takes off running. "No, come back." said 2D. Dogmeat didn't listen, he jumps a Talon and bites into his throat.
"Wow, strong dog." commented 2D.
A bullet whizzes by his head and 2D shoots at another Talon, killing him. He had to get out of here, he only had a little bit of ammo for the laser rifle. 2D then looked to the garage, they had to get inside.
Taking a breath, 2D ran from the cover of the water tower and towards the garage door. He ducked many times to avoid getting hit by the Talons. He was hiding behind the last car, the door within sight. He just had to run three yards to get to it.
2D looked over to see Dogmeat take out another Talon. "Dogmeat, we're falling back!" yelled 2D. At that, Dogmeat ran over, but not before grabbing something. 2D ignores it and runs to the door.
"Shoot him, he's making a break for it." yelled a Talon. 2D opened the door, letting Dogmeat get in. There's only one last shot before the door is closed and locked.
2D slides down the door, gasping as he holds his side. Dogmeat sniffed to see blood oozing out. The teen had been shot in the side. "I-I'm fine, they missed hitting anything important, ugh, I at least think." moaned 2D. He looked around, seeing the space look similar to a shop, with a counter and register.
2D then stopped as he saw something moving towards him. Mole rats, and a whole lot of them. 'This must be a Mole rate nest.' thought 2D. The Mole rats filled the room, making Dogmeat back up a bit.
One of the Mole rats scurried over, standing before the wounded teen. 2D held his breath as the creature sniffed him, then his face. He closed his eyes, but only for them to bug out.
It licked him, the Mole rat licked him!
It snorted and then sniffed his bleeding side. Without hesitation, the Mole rat starts licking the wound. The teen watches a bit but closes his eyes as the Mole rat uses it bottom teeth to dig into it. "OH GOD, GAH, THAT HURTS!" screamed 2D. The Mole rat pulls back and there's a small noise. 2D looks to see the bullet, it had dug the bullet out for him.
"Th-thanks." said 2D shakily. The Mole rat screeches at the others and a few move away. It then lays down next to the bluenette, who pets it. "Guess the wildlife likes me." chuckled 2D. Dogmeat barks, agreeing.
Eventually, the Mole rats walk back in, one of them carrying a bag. It drops the bag at 2D's feet who opens it. Inside is medical aid, he smiles. "Thank you." said 2D. He takes the aid out and starts working on his wound.
Dogmeat watches silently as the teen treats himself. With a sigh, 2D finishes bandaging it. "I'm no doctor, but I hope this holds till I find one." said 2D. Dogmeat barks and stands up, walking away.
2D is confused till he's being ushered up by the Mole rat. He is then lead behind the counter where an old mattress laid. "Uh, thanks again, you're really kind." said 2D. The Mole rats nod and move away so 2D could lay on the mattress.
Dogmeat joins him, laying at his side. 2D sighs and runs a hand over his bandages. "I don't think anyone would mind if I stayed for a bit." said 2D. Dogmeat only laid his head down and 2D sighed.
He was injured, surrounded, and lonely. 'What a great start to saving Murdoc.' thought 2D bitterly. It was bad enough when he got himself lost in the wastes, but now he couldn't save himself!
How useless is he?!
He groaned a bit and grabbed at his lover's inverted cross, looking at it. As he did, he thought of Megaton. How was Wadsworth doing, did he even know that Murdoc was kidnapped? He thought of it, wondering if he should head back to get help.
2D shook the thought off, letting the necklace fall back on his chest. 'No, Megaton isn't home without Murdoc, no where without him.' thought 2D.
He rolled to his uninjured side, seeing Dogmeat sleeping peacefully. 'At least I have Dogmeat, he has faith that we'll complete our task.' thought 2D. He sighed, he wanted Murdoc back, he missed him deeply.
2D sighed more when he noticed something. There was a paper covered in a little blood by Dogmeat. 'Is this what Dogmeat grabbed?' thought 2D. He sat up and grabbed the paper, unfolding it.
The teen's eyes widened, it was the contract for the hit on him! Gulping, 2D carefully reads the paper.
- Talon Company
It is very important that a vault escapee is killed immediately. The name of your target is Stuart Tusspot, he is 6"2' with blue hair, hard to miss.
5,000 caps will be awarded to you if you kill him and show me his deceased body.
Please get this job done ASAP, I do not wish for him to remain alive to do more harm.
- Alphonse Almodovar (Vault Overseer)
2D was shocked and threw his fist down, waking Dogmeat up. He couldn't believe it, the Overseer put a fucking bounty on his head?! He went to destroy the paper but froze.
"Wait, how could the Overseer have known of the Talons, more than that, how could he have contacted them?" wondered 2D. Dogmeat whined as 2D stared at the paper.
The Vault has always been shut, no one had ever left it, so, how could the Overseer have set up the bounty?!
"I don't understand this at all." said 2D. Dogmeat settled on his lap as 2D petted him gently. 2D looked to the contract and sighed.
"What's going on in the Vault?" asked 2D.
A/N: 2D ad Dogmeat have found shelter for the night with a nest of Mole rats. But a new question has risen up, how could the Overseer of vault 101 make contact with the outside world. It should be impossible with the vault never opening, right? What secrets rest inside it? Stay tuned and plz review.