CH 5 book 2: The survivors Gambit
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Following Farenheight through the open threshold of his statehouse office suite, John Hancock took a deep hit off the little red inhaler he kept tucked within the inside pocket of his worn red frock coat, feeling pretty good after his brief visit with Magnolia down stairs- he had been thinking endlessly as of late, trying to finish his latest song for her amidst the tedious every day responsibilities of being Mayor, and it felt good to finally get it all out- now, he could hardly wait to see how she would compose it on stage...
"So, I'm thinking the super mutants are getting a little too friendly as of late..." He informed the teen listlessly as he exhaled a lung full of the transparent white vapor, savoring the sour taste as the chemicals numbed the back of his throat and lit his nervous system. "Maybe we should round up some of the crew and thin them out?"
Disagreeing strongly, his daughter shook her head at the brash suggestion, wrinkling her delicate, freckled nose the same way her mother used to, as if she had just smelled something rancid- but she knew it was just the Jet talking though, making him impulsive- so she reminded herself to be considerate as she answered.
"Too aggressive- they will have the home ground advantage. Plus, our men are disorganized when they arent defending their homes- Discipline and morale plummet..." She explained neutrally, allowing herself to relax into one of the parallel facing love seats placed in the center of the crowded office suite, pulling out a battered pack of grey tortoise cigarettes and lighting one up casually as she placed her booted feet upon the shallow oak coffee table in front of her.
"So what than? We just turtle up?" He asked incredulously, sounding puzzled by her logic. "Thats not my style..."
Rolling her expressive onyx eyes exaggeratedly, the adolescent redhead exhaled a broad cloud of smoke before giving her father a soft, knowing smile, amused by his typical male bravado.
"Dad- the only thing thats not your style, is losing- Trust me. We keep the game defensive, a simple castle strategy will draw the mutants to us." She assured him confidently, knowing exactly what to say to make him see things her way.
"...And then we knock em off slowly...I like it." He praised after a moment of thoughtful deliberation, giving her a quick conspiratorial grin before maneuvering around the crowded living area to sit on the couch across from her- looking down at the coffee table critically, he reached out to straighten up some of the random items scattered across the flat wooden surface, absently pushing aside the little yellow holo-tape his associate, John Deacon, had dropped off the previous night, and stacking his collection of newly acquired news articles neatly as his Jet fueled nerves sought restlessly to release some of the pent up energy brought on by the drug- Just then, a commotion could be heard from below, and as they paused to listen, the pair shared a lingering look of apprehension before turning their attention toward the stairwell beyond the open doorway, where an unknown intruder swiftly ascended...
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"Audrey- I told you, you cant- Dont!" MacCready pleaded with the audacious vault dweller vehemently as she marched with purpose toward the front door of the Boston Statehouse- After taking a few shots of liquid courage while watching the rest of Magnolia's show, she was feeling curiously emboldened- and dangerously determined...
Ignoring MacCready's appeals to her better sense, Audrey Stryder promptly reached out, grabbing the brass handles on the heavy old door firmly before giving them a tug, and shooting the young merc a look of challenge that dared him to follow as she strode confidently inside, ignoring the shocked looks from Hancock's watchmen posted up at the landing of the winding, wooden staircase that dominated the center of the ancient, dusty lobby.
"Hey boys- The Mayor in residence?" She asked boldly, strutting right passed them to begin making her ascent as they fumbled over their responses, exchanging quick, dumbfounded expressions before finally managing to find their words.
"Hey- you cant go up there!" One of the men protested loudly as MacCready pushed his own way passed in an effort to keep up with his charge, blatantly ignoring and disregarding their authority as he muttered a string of alternative profanities beneath his breath. "The Mayors in a meetin'!"
Audrey hopped quickly up the narrow, creaking stairwell, determined to make it to the top before they could apprehend her- and hearing the commotion below, another stout, well dressed watchmen was waiting for her as she crested the top- arms outstretched.
"S'cuse me!" She apologized almost mockingly, not sparring so much as a glance toward him as she ducked nimbly around his tall, broad figure while he reached to grab her- silently, Hancock watched the scene unfolding through the open door of his office suite, leaning forward apprehensively in his spot on the couch across from Farenheight as their guest somehow managed to bypass his men, and make it to his room on the second floor...
Standing, Farenheight gave the woman in blue a look of reproach as she crossed the threshold to stand before them with the entire statehouse guard in tow- and MacCready, who gave the mayor a sheepish grin of apology as he stood his ground behind her in the doorway.
"Ayyyye, Hancock!" He greeted awkwardly, feeling understandably tense as the guardsmen converged on them at once, forcing his hands behind his back and shoving him roughly against the narrow door frame as he spoke. "How's the coolest Ghoul in the Commonwealth?"
Black eyes gleaming dangerously from his still seated position on the couch in the center of the room, Hancock barked a quick, guttural laugh, shaking his head and grinning in response as his heart pounded steadily against his sternum.
"MacCready- what an unexpected surprise..." He stated ironically, waving off the man who moved in to subdue Audrey before he could lay so much as a finger on her person. "And if it aint our new friend, the woman out of time- you know, its a shame about ol' Finn isnt it? He'll be missed when the next super mutant attack rolls around...Oh well, i guess." He commented casually, reminding her none too subtly that she owed her safety to him, incase her intentions were hostile...
Eyes darting briefly to Pipers latest edition of Public Occurance's sitting innocently on the cluttered, drug strewn coffee table in front of him, the vault dwellers expression darkened fractionally as she realized he had been collecting information on her- had that been what his "meeting" was about?
"Good- you know who i am." She stated boldly, surprising him. "Than you must know what im here for?"
John Hancock gave Audrey a long, level look as he considered her, remembering the footage he had reviewed in Condrad Kelloggs memory database of their ordeal in vault 111 down at the Den- seeing her there now, standing before him, he could scarcely believe the short, soft woman had somehow managed to be the one to waste the old merc- for far better men had made the attempt, and failed spectacularly in the process...
"Yeah- i know who you are, but as for why your standing here right now, blocking my light?...Got no idea." He admitted seriously, fixing her with a stern look that demanded answers. Resolved, Audrey stood her ground and maintained eye contact with the intimidating ghoul, refusing to let him sway her with his shocking visage.
"I'm looking for my son- and i heard you mention some things about the institute...?" She asked diplomatically, sensing he might be able to be reasoned with.
Shifting his position suddenly, Hancock relaxed against the cushions of his leather love seat as some of the tension in the atmosphere dissipated, chuckling as he recalled his spur of the moment pep rally the previous day- he tended to have a flare for the dramatic, and it pleased him greatly to know he had made an impression on the vivacious woman- for she was certainly making an impression on him...
"Like my little speech, did you?" He inquired almost vainly, chapped lips quirking into a cunning smirk. " I do it every once in a while, in case their listening in- i want those Synth-makers to know that Goodneighbor is off limits. nobody gets replaced in my town..." He told her matter of factly, voice going low and rough as he spoke of the commonwealths illusive boogieman...Rolling her eyes, Audrey scoffed visibly as she averted her gaze, remembering the crime scene she had stumbled across that very morning as she sneered inwardly.
Nobody accept Sammy, that is...
"Does anyone know why they do it? Replace people, that is..." She forced herself to ask, pivoting the topic of conversation slightly before she could say anything rude.
"...Hell if i know." He admitted flippantly, shrugging the question off as if it didnt matter. " To mess with peoples heads? Control us from the shadows? Or, maybe they do it just because they can..."
Leaning forward, Hancock fixed her with another intense, stern expression before continuing, making sure to be crystal clear as he spoke. "listen Doll- No one knows where the institute is, what kind of people they are or why they decided to engineer their own personal slaves, but there it is- and just to be clear, everyones welcome in Goodneighbor; I dont care if your a synth, a Ghoul or even a god damned super mutant, as long as you play nice- and let me tell you...Synths still under the institute's control? They dont play nice..." He warned darkly, the seriousness of his tone sending shivers down her spine...
"What...What exactly are they?" She asked strangely, brow furrowing cutely as she pictured the cracked, battered plastic mask that served as Nick Valentines face- He was nothing like the supposed "replacer-Synth" she had seen outside the Hotel Rexford that morning, who had looked completely human to her ignorant eyes.
Genuinely surprised by the unexpected inquiry, the auspicious ghoul did a quick double take as he registered her words- After the broken mask incident in Diamond city, and the massacre of the CPG so many years ago, he had thought such information should be common knowledge to everyone by now- even her.
"Oho- Did i hear that right?" Hancock purred almost pleasurably in response to the revelation. " We got ourselves a pair of virgin ears? You just made my day..."
"See, Synths are just like you and me- only they didnt get created the normal, fun way." He elaborated suavely, leaning into the conversation subconsciously as he spoke. "No, they were built- by the Institute... Some of the older ones are basically just robots, but the newer models? Shiiiit...Your own mother couldnt tell the difference- so thats why me and mine gotta stay extra special close to one another, ya feel me? Any slight change might be a clue that someones been replaced..." looking around, Hancock gave his men a quick, level look as he checked their demeanor, tasting the nervous energy in the room as Sammy's ghost flitted across the minds of each man present...Any one of them could be next- and they knew it.
"Now, Im done talkin about this- There anything else i can do for you...?" The mayor of Goodneighbor inquired almost rudely as he drew his lecture to a firm close. Sighing, Audrey deflated as she realized he could provide no further insight into her enemy than what she herself already possessed. Looking behind her, she gave MacCready an apologetic look before answering.
"Yeah- Could you tell your goons to unhand my associate? He was just doing his job..."
"And they were just doing theirs." Hancock retorted smartly, before graciously nodding toward his men to stand down, allowing MacCready to right himself beside her... Blushing, the young merc straightened his travel worn duster indignantly, trying to keep what was left of his pride in tact as he re popped his dirt stained collar. "MacCready eh? Hell of a gun to have at your back..."
looking away from him, the defeated vault dweller nodded sullenly in agreement.
"Yeah, he is- one of the better business arrangements i've made recently..." She admitted dryly, causing his ghoulish grin to broaden as he sensed the shade within her comment. "Anyway- that was all. Sorry to have bothered you."
"Oh no- It was a pleasure Miss...Stryder, was it?" He inquired lazily, relaxing further as his men moved into place around him.
"Mrs." Audrey bit back bitterly, quickly correcting his misuse of prefix, and shooting him a dirty look when his gleaming black eyes slid down her figure slowly to inspect her naked ring finger- which she promptly hid behind her back like an angry child...Was he trying to provoke her?
"Till death do us part..." he quoted cryptically, stark black eyes flashing up to meet hers as she realized then that he knew.
"...How...?" She asked breathlessly, shaking her head absently as her mind reeled- the only people who knew about Nate were Nick Valentine, Piper Wright, and Dr. Amari- but she had promised that all mnemonic data would be confidential!
"Wait- Your a widow?" MacCready inquired suddenly as he too caught onto the Ghoul's meaning, feeling a surge of empathy for the woman that made his previous frustrations with her careless behavior melt away, even as hurt washed over him. "Why didnt you tell me?"
Taken aback, Audrey balked, looking away uncomfortably as she tried to push away the feeling of grief that always threatened to overwhelm her when she thought of her husband and his untimely death- she couldnt handle feeling guilt too.
"Because- you made it very clear when we met that you werent looking for a friend- and after kellogg, i just wanted to leave it all behind me, and move forward..." She explained defensively, in response to his accusatory tone- How had this happened?
"Still- i told you all that crap about me earlier because i felt like you should at least know who your working with, but the longer i stay with you the more i realize i know nothing at all about you!" He pointed out indignantly, sounding more disappointed with her than angry- which only made her feel worse. "I just wish you would have told me about some of this stuff, so that i dont look like such a chump when I'm the last to know things...We're supposed to be partners!"
Cheeks burning, Audrey looked down at her feet in shame as she mentally seethed, silently damning the Mayor of Goodneighbor to the deepest pits of hell for turning him against her- no doubt, this was his way of getting back at her for challenging his authority...
Check-mate. Hancock gloated inwardly as he watched comprehension dawn on her pretty little face. Nothing happens in Goodneighbor, without me knowing about it...Hopefully, you've learned a lesson today, Miss Stryder.
"Roscoe, DeSoto- would you kindly see our guests to the door?"
No one fucks with Hancock.
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If youve made it this far, could you kindly leave some constructive criticism or at least leave a review so that i know this isnt a complete waste of my time...please?