A/N: Well hullo everyone. We return from the land of cliffhangers to resume our insane journey of disparate worlds smashed together! This chapter's tone was difficult to pin down while I was writing it. I think you'll understand what I mean as you read but I'm not giving anything away. It's clearly a difficult moment for everyone involved and a major move by our friends. Events have been set in motion and it'll be fun to see where it all ends up. Anyway, that's enough rambling from me, leave a review if you're so inclined and, as always, enjoy!
Chapter 76: Rescue Plan
I shouldn't be sitting here. I should be going after them.
And do what? The Raiders put way too much work into this to make a mistake like not giving themselves enough time.
Those motherfuckers have the support team. They have Nate. They have Brenda. They took-
The rest of the team matters too.
Yes, but they aren't-
They have Able. Alex and Julian too.
My mind brought me back to when I met her. Alex was the first person I found when I got to the Commonwealth. Besides the Raiders I killed.
Deservedly so.
A lifetime ago.
Alex had been so desperate to find Julian. She was willing to confront me, someone who showed up out of nowhere, killed her captors, and look more like a big ass robot than a human. She'd been willing to throw herself in harm's way without a second thought.
For her son.
My breath hitched.
A scream. The sound of tearing flesh. Spraying blood.
My hands, hanging, clasped between my legs a meter from my face, were barely visible. It wasn't because the room was dark, there was plenty of light streaming through the window to my left. Dogmeat was lying on the wooden floor beside the door, sleeping.
It was because my head was so preoccupied with trying to process different scenarios, trying to come up with courses of action, trying to find solutions to the bomb that just got dropped on me, there wasn't room for much else.
The experience was strange. Almost as if I were a spectator, watching the thoughts and feelings unfold from outside of my body.
But I wasn't. The emotions, the anger, frustration, sadness, and pain were all very real. And very close.
Jessica said the Raiders captured them because they want me. For what? The easy answer was "to kill me". What else could it be for?
Fuck me. How could I let this happen? I said being outplayed by them would be embarrassing. Not only was I outplayed, they captured Nate, Brenda, Julian, and Alex- they captured my friends. On top of the rest of the support team. Then they let Jessica go to deliver this message. Well, they sent her to tell me something, but this felt like a taunt at the same time.
I'll kill them. I'm going to kill them. I don't know who "them" is yet, but I'll find out. That's something I can do, at least. It can't happen without a plan though.
A quiet shift across the small room pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Jessica rubbing at her leg, face twisted in a grimace. A medic- Chris, maybe- treated the wound; cleaned it, and closed it with a Stimpak.
She'd been asleep for the last hour.
The room was in the Finches' shack. They wanted to take her to their infirmary.
I wanted privacy. A dozen people shoving two dozen questions at her wouldn't be productive.
And I needed whatever conversation we had to be as productive as possible. It needed to be secure too. I don't know who I can trust now. At the very least I know Jessica was part of the Institute. An alliance with the Raiders would be unlikely.
The former Institute scientist groaned as she pulled her eyes open.
"Ow…"
It was several more seconds of labored breathing before she turned her head-
"Holy-" she recoiled and immediately regretted the sudden movement. Jessica grabbed for her head and groaned.
A thousand questions were battling for my attention, fighting to be the first one asked. Was anyone else injured? Had anyone been killed? Did she know how they knew where to hit? How were they attacked? Why had they let her go? Did she know what they were planning to do with the support team? Did they say what their objective is with me?
More questions than I could process.
But I didn't say anything. I don't know if it was because I'm scared of the answers, or because I know it wouldn't be helpful. Probably both.
Every muscle in my body was tingling. I need to be out there, I need to be finding them. Sitting around has always been something I'm bad at. Doing it while my friends are suffering because of my mistakes… well that's a new one. And a lot worse.
Doing that without a plan would be a waste of time. Time I can't waste. This is something I can't do half-assed.
A moment later, Jessica took a deep breath and pushed herself into a sitting position. The cot creaking under her was the only sound in the shack. Her eyes were piercing, jaw set.
It was a stark departure from the wide-eyed, open-mouthed terror on her face the first time we met. Granted, the circumstances in that hospital were different.
That was a thought for another time. Same goes for the torrent of emotions racing through my head.
Right now, I need to learn.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed the mounting distractions as far away as I could. "Tell me everything you remember." My voice was a lot steadier than I felt.
Jessica didn't reply. She just stared.
It took every ounce of willpower to stay sitting on the workbench I'd dragged inside. It wasn't like I could rip the memories out of her.
"You know", she said slowly, "this is the first time we've talked since the hospital."
"Yes", I responded.
"And that was the first time I ever 'met' you."
I nodded. "That has nothing to do with this."
"Of course it does", Jessica snapped. "My only real interaction with you has been you- you blowing the hospital up. You killing Grant. You trying to kill me."
My hands clenched into fists as I fought down a rising tide of frustration. If the circumstances were different, would I be upset about her distrust?
No. The circumstances aren't different.
"So, what, you're gonna go to the Raider base and get them out?" I asked.
Accused is probably the better word.
Her eyes narrowed. "You're damn right that's what I want to do. That was my team, not yours."
"No, that was Nate's team."
"That I was part of!." Her voice raised almost to the level of a yell. "And now I'm here, sitting in a nice comfortable bed talking with you while the rest of them are having who the hell knows what done to them by Raiders. That was my team."
"And that was my goddamn intel!" I shouted, jumping down off the workbench. The floor shook under the force of my landing and weight of my swirling frustrations. I jabbed a finger into my chest plate. "This was my operation and my people are at risk because I brought back bad information! Because the Raiders want to get at me!"
Jessica ripped her covers off and pushed herself to her own, unsteady, feet. She faltered, grimacing as she weighted her left leg. I reached out to steady her but the former Institute researcher ripped her arm away.
"Don't touch me!" She placed a hand on the cot. "I got lucky, a bullet in the leg and a few miles walk while everyone else is prisoners. Don't you dare make this about you! We came here to try and help! Nate told us about how shaky the information we were working off of was. I'm a researcher, I know all about validating findings. I know about risk management too. You aren't the only one who can evaluate it!"
I let my arm fall back to my side. "No, but I am the one with the most experience doing it."
"You're telling me you didn't know they might be up to something?" she asked incredulously. "Because that isn't what Nate said."
"I did."
"So why the hell are you acting like you're the only one responsible for everyone's safety?" She threw her hands up. "How would any of us have guessed they were going to try something like this? They were going to know when and where to hit us? Are you clairvoyant?!"
Why am I acting like this?
If only that answer weren't so easy.
"... Because." I broke away from her gaze, looking out the window to my left. There were settlers outside but they were busy. Probably still worried about Raiders coming back. After all this, I couldn't guarantee I knew they wouldn't be. Even if I thought they wouldn't, they just played me. What the hell am I supposed to trust right now?
"I care about them", I said, voice low. "That's new to me. There was a time I-"
There was a time I had that and I couldn't protect them. Now I can and I wasn't there to.
Now isn't the right time for a trip to the distant past. I can't do anything about that. I have to do something about it now.
What about Julian?
… That too.
"I wasn't there to help. And whatever you want to say, the Raiders targeted you because of me. People get hurt and killed in combat, I understand that as well as anyone. This is different." I turned back to Jessica. Her shoulders had relaxed ever so slightly. Her jaw wasn't clenched, and her breathing had calmed. "So please, tell me what happened. I just want to get them back."
She paused, frowning. Even I could see the doubt on her face.
It shouldn't have hurt, I know that, she was right after all; the last time she had a real interaction with me was at the hospital.
But it did.
Brenda gave me a chance after getting a lot closer to what I do than most. Able took on the responsibility of preparing the Minutemen's defenses, and that was after he identified the Brotherhood's informant. Julian is a good kid, skilled and he was determined to play his part to help the Minutemen succeed. Alex was there from the beginning, maybe the first person to trust me.
And then there's Nate. I'm still not completely sure what to think about him and our friendship. But it is a friendship and I don't want to see him suffer because of me.
The others… someone feels the same way about each of them as I do about the ones I know. They don't deserve any less just because I'm not the one who will want them back. They're in that position because of me too.
"Is it that hard to believe?" I asked. I was starting to understand how difficult it was to talk with me at times. "I know I can be difficult but why would I lie about this?"
Jessica closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. She sat back on the cot with a quiet groan. It wasn't until then I realized Dogmeat was on his feet, next to me. He was alert, but not aggressive. "… What are you planning?"
"I don't know yet. This has to start with gathering as much information as I can. Something like this can't happen again."
"Okay", she said, nodding. When she opened her eyes again, they were focused. "But whatever you do, I'm not sitting on the sidelines."
I could tell her she's already in rough shape. I could tell her she didn't have anything to prove. I could tell her whatever I do will most likely end up in the Raider base where she'd be vulnerable.
Actually… I couldn't. I couldn't tell her that.
All of those things were true but it didn't matter. They were things I would have told her a few months- hell a few weeks ago. Now, I understand exactly what she's feeling.
Because I'm feeling it too.
"Agreed."
She nodded. "We were about five kilometers away, passing by a neighborhood. It felt wrong. I don't know if it was because the forest was too quiet, I heard something, or I just had a funny feeling. Doesn't matter, I decided we should go around."
She was their point man?
That… makes sense. Point is a high-risk position. Nate would be the best option but it was his command. It's hard to take command from there. He must trust her. A lot.
"We didn't get 10 meters off the road before we were surrounded." Her face twisted into a grimace and she balled her hands into fists. "I don't know where they all came from. It was- one second we were on our own, then they were around us."
"Some point man I turned out to be", she spat through clenched teeth. "Walked right into their fuckin trap."
"How many were there?"
Jessica blinked. "I- uh- I don't know. They had us outnumbered a few times over, at least."
That's a lot of Raiders to be set up on short notice.
More information.
"Did they attack?"
She shook her head. "They told us to put our guns down. Nate…" a deep breath. "Nate ordered us to surrender. He broke the radio, though."
Smart. Maintaining secure comms is a must. Especially now.
"What happened after that?"
"They forced us back to the neighborhood. Talked to Nate." She squinted at me. "They knew who he is."
Nate? How?
"What do you mean?"
"The guy he was talking to- he said "We got you.""
So much of this still makes no sense.
Keep going.
"Then?"
"He said Nate could choose anyone to go to the farms except for himself or… she said her name is Brenda." Her jaw clenched tight again. "He made me go."
Nate or Brenda? If they're after me, and they specifically wanted Nate and Brenda to stay, they know we're close.
"That bastard told me "Tell that armored clown we want him up at our base. Castle isn't patient." Didn't take a scientist to figure out he was talking about you." She frowned. "Then he shot me. And put the rest of them in trucks. Running and driving trucks they brought around from behind the houses."
I blinked.
Perfect. Now they have transportation too. At least that means going after them would have been useless.
That wasn't much comfort.
"Anything else?"
She shook her head. "Just a lot of very painful walking."
"Yeah." Jessica had walked five klicks with a hole in her leg.
What are the important elements here?
They were doing this to get to me.
The Raiders knew where to be and brought enough to force an outright surrender. They were there and waiting long enough to avoid detection on approach. There was a three or four-hour gap between when I passed through and when Nate's force did. Not that they needed much time with working vehicles.
They may or may not have been specifically looking for Nate and Brenda. Either way, they know who they are and that they're connected to me. That information would have to have been gathered recently. Within the last three weeks. The only time we engaged with Raiders was- well I never engaged with Raiders. Brenda and Nate had. When we were escaping the assassination attempt.
While interesting, that deduction wasn't very useful.
A more important implication is, to prepare for this operation, they would have known the support team would not only be passing through that neighborhood, but they'd be doing it after me. It was a very small group that knew about that.
It also meant the Raiders have an informant in the Minutemen's leadership or intelligence groups.
My jaw set.
Those bastards have someone who infiltrated that far without us knowing. It puts everything at risk.
And that person served the support team up. To the goddamn Raiders. Whoever they are… I hope someone else figures out who it is first. Because if I do, I'm going to tear their arms off and beat them to death with them.
We still have to consider the possibility at least some of this was luck. They might have been hoping to catch me with the support team. If that's the case, they wouldn't necessarily have been looking for Nate and Brenda. But then why would he say "we got you"? That makes it sound like they were the target.
"Something about this just doesn't make sense to me", Jessica mused. "They knew we were coming. That means they probably have someone spying on us. But… the only people who knew who was coming here to help were you guys and us." She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees-
Only to recoil as her left elbow hit her healing quad.
"Dammit," she hissed. "I can't imagine someone planning our defenses would be an informant for the Raiders. Which means they must have been on the team." The former Institute scientist looked up at me. "How could we not know that?"
The informant would have been on the team? She was right about the minuscule number of people in the know… and I don't want to consider the implications of someone in leadership being compromised.
… If the informant was on the team… "That would explain how they organized this ambush."
Jessica frowned. "You mean going after us?"
I nodded. "If they weren't going to target me, but they want me, they'd have to make sure they got the leverage they needed."
"So they were looking for Nate and… Brenda specifically?"
"Likely." It would also add a potential source for that information: whoever their informant was, if they're on the team, would have been around long enough to recognize my connection with them. If they're the source of that information and not whatever happened during the assassination attempt.
That only made my guilt in this situation even worse. If they were targeted because of my relationship with them… who else is in danger because of me?
If the Raiders were trying to lure me into a trap, going after people I care about is a tried and true method. It's something ONI employed from time to time. Bag an Innie's family and they usually flipped. I was never put on one of those operations, they were usually a subtle affair better handled by more conventional… socially intelligent assets. More than a few of my ops were performed using information gathered like that.
The extractions were usually pretty clean from what I remember. Like this. Hard to convince someone to flip if the people you're using as leverage-
… Wait a minute.
"Did they harm anyone besides you?" I asked.
She shook her head. "Not that I saw."
A large enough force to convince Nate to surrender outright, no casualties, and they send a person back instead of a corpse.
Do they… want something from me?
"We need to talk with Isaiah", she said. "He'll be able to help us figure this out."
Isaiah? I cocked my head. "Who?"
"He's the analyst who came with us. Isaiah's good at breaking things like this down. We need to go back to Sanctuary, see what we can figure out, and put a plan together to get everyone back." She frowned. "And make sure those assholes pay."
An Institute analyst. I remember him showing up with Nate. Could be useful.
But there are two things I need to do first.
"Give me a few hours. The Raider I recovered this intel from is at a different settlement. I need to talk with him again. And there are some supplies I'd like to get."
"… And I'm guessing you think it would be a bad idea for me to leave for Sanctuary. Too much risk." I nodded. "Alright." She pushed herself back against the wall. "I'll stay here and hope my leg stops feeling like it's gonna explode."
I started toward the door, Dogmeat on my heels. He was going to need to stay here. I don't have time to be meticulous right now. Which means I have to substitute sound movement and recon practices with speed. The school is several hours away if I maintain my normal pace. I'll need to be back in Sanctuary by then.
The Raider said Castle isn't patient. Pretty obvious threat to the safety of the support team. Whatever we do, we need to have it planned soon. As in today or tomorrow.
Vincent was waiting outside with Jake, Abraham, and Matt. I know the first three well enough to trust. I don't know Matt. And the fewer people who know, the better.
"The Raiders captured the support team", I said. "They want me to come to their base. That's all I've got for now." I looked at Vincent. "Able is with them."
The Railroad operative's shoulders sagged. "What do we know?"
How do I tell him without risking more information? It's probably overkill but… I'm taking every precaution until I know who did this.
"It's the same situation you two were first brought in for. But with Raiders." Certainly not the most subtle hint, but I don't have the time or patience to be creative.
A frown crossed his face before understanding dawned. "Okay." He nodded.
"As far as we know, everyone's still breathing. I think it'll stay that way for now but we don't have much time. Can you contact Sanctuary? Stay discreet. I have something I need to do. I'll be back in a few hours."
"Yeah. I can do that", Vincent said quietly.
Okay. I nodded toward the house. "Thanks. Keep her safe."
"Are we just supposed to wait here until then?" Jake said. "There has to be something we can do to help. I can come-"
"The best thing you can do is protect the Farms", I interrupted.
That was a little harsh. He's just trying to help.
"This place is too important to risk. This-" I turned to the west, where the team was ambushed. "This was my fault. I'm not going to weaken your defenses here to correct it. Sorry, Jake. What you do here is important. I can't ask you to abandon that."
"Nah, we get it", Abraham said. "We got a home to protect and food to make for folks. You got some Raiders you gotta kill. Killin' those Raiders don't mean a damn without all this."
Better than I could have said it. I nodded.
The younger Finch frowned and looked down at the dirt between his boots. "I get it but… they took our people. And I can't-" He signed. "I just wanna feel useful."
Vincent put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey man, my best friend is in that group. We're doing things the way we are for a reason. We just gotta trust each other to do our jobs." He looked at me and offered a smile. It was forced. "And we got Damon doing this job. It doesn't get much better than that." The Railroad operative turned back to Jake. "So while he's doing his, we need to do ours. The people here need you to help keep them safe. And we need those people to make us food and give us a place to keep our heads from getting blown off. Got me?"
Jake took a deep breath and nodded. "I got you. Sometimes I just feel so useless. We're here while they're gettin' who knows what done to them."
"Yeah", I said quietly. "I understand that."
I need to go.
"We'll get them back though." And leave a lot of dead Raiders on the way.
Aren't I supposed to be trying to curtail that reaction?
Sure. I'll get back to working on that after these bastards pay.
"Dogmeat", I said to the German Shepherd. "Stay here."
He looked up at me and let out a whine.
Matt stepped forward. "C'mon bud, he'll only be gone-"
As soon as the sniper got within arm's reach of him, the large dog pulled his lips back ever so slightly and his whine melted into a low growl.
That was an… odd reaction. I'd never seen Dogmeat react that way to anyone. Did he know something was wrong? Was he that determined to come with me?
"Okay then", Matt said. He backed away and Dogmeat fell silent.
"Hold on a sec", Jake interjected, "I got this." He knelt a few meters from the German Shepherd and locked eyes with him. "It's gonna be fine." The young man's voice was quiet and calm. "Damon'll be back in a bit. You just gotta wait here until then, alright." He sidled forward, just out of reach. Dogmeat was staring at him, but he didn't growl.
"He'd take you, but whatever's happening has to happen fast", he continued, just as calm. "Everything'll be alright." Jake moved forward again, this time well within reach of the dog's mouth. "Everything'll be alright."
He reached out slowly and laid a hand on the top of Dogmeat's head.
"Everything'll be alright."
After a few seconds of rubbing, the large black and brown dog relaxed.
"We get along good", Jake said as he continued petting. "Dunno what happened to this guy in the past, but he gets attached to people. I had a dog like him. Her name was Judy." He looked up at me. "Looks like he's taken a liking to you."
Taking a deep breath, the young man stood. "We're all worked up. Guess it's goin' around."
I nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
"We're fine", Vincent said, the worry finally making its way into his voice. "We aren't the ones who need help."
Right.
X
By the time I made it to the school's suburb, I was breathing hard. A mixture of concern, desperation, and anger fueled a run across 20 klicks of broken, uneven terrain, forest, and navigating the occasional neighborhood that only took an hour. Images of what the Raiders might be doing to the support team- to my friends- plagued me the entire way.
Someone would be able to follow my trail but that's something I could worry about later.
Or not.
My main concern was sitting somewhere in the school.
And, whether or not it was a good thing, I was eager to have another conversation with him by the time I reached the parking lot. This asshole is the one who told me what the Raiders were doing. I don't care if he did it knowingly or not, he's the reason they were in that position.
I didn't have to play that the way I did. I could have stayed with the support team. We could have planned it differently.
Rational thought was difficult to listen to considering the circumstances. He's a Raider. We aren't the ones who went after them.
That doesn't absolve me of blame. There are different ways that could have gone.
Would it have been any different if I'd been there? I've had it easy so far but people are clearly starting to adjust their behavior to account for me. Several insurrectionist cells came close. All they needed was time. My approach needs to change too.
By the time I reached the front door and was greeted by Pat and several other settlers, I was having trouble staying still. My hands were fidgeting with my rifle as if they had a mind of their own.
What would I even ask him?
Start with the basics: leadership, personnel, strategy. The more I know about how the Raiders work, the better I'll be able to plan.
Pat asked me something about what happened. I wasn't paying her much attention as she led me into the school.
My response sounded equally distracted, even to me.
The school's head of security shot me a frown. "You alright?"
Pay attention.
"No. A lot happened. The Raiders caught us off guard. Some people got captured."
"Damn. Who?"
"17 people. Brenda and Nate were with them", I added quietly.
She cocked an eyebrow an instant before realization struck. "Oh… son of a bitch. How?"
"The attack on the farm was a feint."
Pat nodded slowly. "So that's why you wanna talk with Dom. See why he lied to you. Or if he lied to you."
I nodded.
We continued in silence, the only sounds, boots on concrete and quiet conversations from the settlers around the school. Pat led me to the rear of the school and stopped at a sturdy-looking steel door. I could feel myself almost vibrating with restless energy despite my 20-kilometer run.
"One sec", she said before knocking twice. Two knocks came in reply and the stocky woman swung the door open.
Just inside was another settler wearing clothes similar to Pat's. Beyond him was a room, well-lit from the morning sunlight spilling through a pair of barred windows on the far side. They were almost certainly additions made by the settlers, welded into the existing steel frames.
And between them sat "Dom". He looked exactly the same as the last time I saw him, handcuffed to the desk he was sitting at. Which makes sense, considering that had been less than a day ago.
Goddamn… had the fight really been this morning? Just a few hours ago? It felt like years.
"What the hell are you doing back here", he spat. "Don't you have some more of my friends to kill?"
Seeing him, safe and mostly comfortable while I fought alongside other Minutemen to keep the farm safe and the support team was captured wasn't upsetting. That seemed odd to me.
But who the hell is he to complain about us protecting ourselves from their attack?
I stepped around Pat and the guard. My hands were balled so tightly, my forearms were hurting.
"You attacked us", I hissed, trudging toward him.
"Only because you made us!" the Raider shouted. His anger and confidence wavered as I stopped on the other side of the desk.
"We didn't make you do shit. You gave me bad intel."
His lips pressed into a thin line and he leaned as far away from me as he could, anger-fueled courage failing him. "N- no I didn't. It isn't my fault if something happened."
"I don't care. You're the one who told me your friends were going to attack our farms. We had no choice but to react to that information."
"What? You gonna torture me again? Huh?"
"I'll do whatever I have to", I promised. "We didn't pick this fight. Now our people are in danger."
"HA! At least someone didn't torture them to death!"
At least- WHAT?!
Something in my head snapped. I don't know what. I didn't care.
I raised my right arm and drove my fist down on the wooden top of the desk. It broke a hole through the thick fiberboard with a loud crash before my gauntleted hand slammed down into the steel tray beneath it. The sheet metal crumpled.
The Raider recoiled, trying to scramble from his chair. He was still cuffed to the desk.
Ripping my hand out of the new hole, I launched a straight kick at the desk. More wooden splinters scattered as the tube-steel collapsed under my armored boot. Both it and the Raider it slammed into were launched across the room. Dom cried out in both pain and surprise.
Before the desk had the chance to land on him, I was already stalking forward.
Someone shouted my name from behind. That could wait. This asshole wants to make jokes about his people taking Minutemen, people I care about, people other Minutemen care about, prisoner? When we weren't the ones asking for this fight? When we weren't the ones attacking isolated settlements?
No. Not when they're still in danger.
The Raider had landed with the desk on top of him. He wasn't moving. His eyes were open, staring blankly up at the ceiling. His chest was heaving up and down.
The guy wasn't injured. Shocked, sure, but he'd be fine.
Someone snagged my wrist. I pulled it away.
"Damon! Stop!" the same person, Pat, shouted.
I did. I was standing over the downed man. His eyes had finally focused back on me, wide.
Pat stepped in front of me and held out a hand. "Damon, slow down. We're part of the Minutemen, but we got our own way of doing things. This isn't it."
Deep breath.
"It isn't how the Minutemen do things either. Usually."
Torture isn't alien to me though. And I need answers.
Putting a little fear back into this asshat might do some good. He should be careful about what he says.
The stocky woman lowered her hand. "We're good?"
"Yeah." I nodded before looking back down at the stunned Raider. "No more jokes."
"Dan, you got a key?" she asked the guard. "Let's get this off him."
"... Yeah", came the hesitant reply.
Footsteps were pounding down the hall behind us. No doubt to see what the commotion was about.
I pulled the crumpled, ruined desk off the Raider far enough for 'Dan' to remove the handcuffs. Once it was free, I shoved it aside as the two guards helped Dom to his feet.
"Is everything alright in here, Pat?" a new voice came from behind us.
Another guard, one I didn't recognize, was standing in the doorway. A half dozen people were in the hall behind him.
"Everything's good", she said, glowing at the young Raider. He was rubbing his wrist and wincing. "Dumbass wants to get himself killed, apparently."
"Alright…"
"I'll let you know if we need a cleanup crew later."
He squinted at her, then me. "Blood is a pain to clean."
"If Dom keeps saying stupid shit, it'll be a lot more than blood", Pat mused. "Give us some space."
"You got it, boss."
Once the crowd had dispersed, Pat marched to the side of the makeshift jail cell and pulled a chair into the middle of the room.
"Sit", she commanded.
The Raider, still looking a little dazed, followed the order as soon as the chair was stationary.
I should have come better prepared. I can't let how I feel about this hurt my chances of getting everyone back.
But… how do I do that?
… I don't know. It's something I'll have to figure out.
For the time being, I'd need to keep a lid on the simmering cauldron that was my emotional state.
"You didn't know the orders you were given were a trap?" I asked.
Dom blinked. Then blinked again. "A trap?"
This is going to take some patience.
"The intel you gave me was wrong. Your task force attacked our settlement first thing in the morning. They didn't do it to capture or destroy it, they attacked us as a diversion."
A diversion that got people killed. I never got to see Brent's body. I remember hearing Bryan's voice though. The horror and anger and pain.
"We- they- no, Johnson told us we were attacking the farms to destroy your food supply." The Raider still sounded dazed.
Johnson. That was probably the task force's commander.
Destroy our food supply. That could be taken one of two ways. The most straightforward was they wanted to cripple the Minutemen's ability to remain self-sufficient. The more… insidious interpretation was this was the Raiders' plan from the start: attack settlements, drive people into the Minutemen's care, then destroy our resource base. It would-
This was fake, Damon. Fake. Worry about the implications of what actually happened.
"Was that information given to everyone?"
He shrugged. "I- I don't know. Our- we were supposed to make sure we were back by the time everyone left. That's why he told us."
I caught Pat shift out of my peripheral. We exchanged a glance, her eyes narrowed.
"Other teams left before yours. Do you know if he told them the same thing?" I asked.
"I don't know." Dom shook his head slowly. "What does this have to do with what happened?"
Was he starting to recover from whatever daze he was in?
"Other teams?" Pat asked.
"This guy was part of a three-man patrol", I said. "The others were between 12 and 15."
She frowned. "Why would they send out one smaller team? Why wouldn't they tell everyone what the plan was?"
"Yeah", I nodded.
Pat stepped forward and crouched beside the Raider. He reluctantly tore his eyes away from me to look at her.
"Far as I can tell, it seems like Johnson told you whatever he told you because he wanted someone to find you."
That was probably true. But this only puts more blame on me. These are things I should have verified before building our plan.
Sure, maybe I was never trained to gather intel on a broad scale, this was just lazy.
Well done. I shook my head. "Great", I mumbled through a deep breath.
"No. They wouldn't do that. We-"
"Yes they would", I interrupted. That wasn't a delusion I was going to let him hold onto. It was something ONI would do, undoubtedly. Hell, it wouldn't surprise me to learn some of my operations were based on that principle. Lure your enemy to the wrong spot, or distract them, and you make your life a whole lot easier. Trying to find and capture the people they were looking for would have been damn near impossible.
Unless they manufactured the circumstances to do it.
Smart.
I hated myself for thinking that.
"Your bosses don't care about you. They care about what they can get from you."
"Yeah?" he shot back. "How would you know?"
Pat reached up and hit Dom in the back of the head.
"What the hell-"
"You want him to hit you again?" she asked.
"I don't want any of you to hit me."
The response was… oddly petulant.
"Well then don't be a smartass", the head of security snapped before looking back at me.
I nodded to her. "They wouldn't have sent three of you out on your own. The other teams were too large to subdue without drawing attention. Johnson used you as bait. He wanted you to get captured and interrogated. There was no other way to accomplish what they needed."
"Why shouldn't I think you're lying? Huh? You killed my-"
"Killing your teammates was necessitated by your actions", I snapped. "We didn't come looking for a fight. You did." Deep breath. "And I haven't had anything to lie about. You're the one providing the information."
Dom's mouth drifted shut. I'd like to think the widening eyes were the start of a realization. But it wouldn't be that easy.
"Don't think about it too hard", Dan's voice came from my left. "Pretty common, historically. Armies would do it all the time. Usually wasn't with their own people but", he shrugged, "you're Raiders."
Pat turned to him. "Dan, is now really time for one of your history lessons?" she asked. It sounded like she was complaining.
But the guard was smiling.
Had… they done something like this before?
"I don't see why not." He looked up at the ceiling. "Commanders don't want the people on their side to know they used their friends as bait, so most of the examples I know of are controversial. Best ones…" the guard grimaced. "Probably not a good way to put it… the ones I know the most about are the Chinese disinformation campaign before the New Plague in '53, then the US's while they were gearing up for Operation Anchorage. Both of 'em put people in enemy hands with false information to make sure they were able to catch 'em off guard. Whatever the Raiders are doing ain't as in-depth as that, but it sounds like they took a page from the pre-war book."
"Ah, I see where you're going with this", Pat said as he finished. "Well, ain't that a bitch. Your bosses served you up so you could give us some bad info."
Dom looked from her to me, to Dan, and back. He looked lost. Confused. If I were in his position, I'd probably be telling myself we were lying. Considering my history with ONI… I wouldn't put it past them to use anyone, including me, as this sort of decoy. Hell, if an insurrectionist cell captured a SPARTAN and got information from one of us, they'd probably take it as gospel.
Pat placed a hand on his shoulder. "They sold you and your buddies out. That's the only thing that explains all this."
Quiet greeted the declaration. He stared at her, wordlessly. I could almost see the gears churning in his head.
Then, all of a sudden, the muscles in his jaw loosened.
"It doesn't matter."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
He turned to me, eyes narrow. "Johnson and Castle are trying to beat you. If they think this is the best way to do it, I'm fine with that. You killed Eric and Mark. You've killed a bunch of others. Whatever we gotta do to kill you, I'm fine with. You won't get anything else outta me."
"My life isn't the only one. Are you alright with them wiping out settlements full of innocent people?"
"You can't say anything that'll change my mind, asshole."
"We got folks who came from those settlements", Pat said. "I don't mind introducing-"
Dom shook his head. "No. You could have told them to tell stories."
Tell stories. The burn pile. Cass's reaction. The attack on Clare's settlement, where I found Andrew. Vinnie's.
Dawn.
And this jerkoff wants to pretend those people are fake.
I crouched in front of him so I was at eye level. Despite his sudden resistance, the young Raider leaned back in his chair.
"A few days ago, I ran into three people who escaped one of your attacks. Their names were Blaine, Cole, and Dawn. Dawn was Cole's mother. She'd been wounded when they were running. The wound got infected. She fell into septic shock." I cocked my head. "I had to euthanize her." Disgust, anger, and revulsion were climbing my throat. Her pale, sweaty skin. Her gaunt face and malnourished frame. "That's what the monsters you're trying to protect do to people. A 10-year-old had to ask me to euthanize his own mom so she wouldn't suffer."
My jaw clenched painfully hard as soon as I finished that sentence.
Cole had been near-catatonic when we reached the Farms.
Had he been there during the attack? Goddamn. I hadn't even thought to ask. Was he doing better? Was Blaine?
"The Minutemen don't do that", Pat continued, filling the silence I'd left in the room. "The Minutemen are trying to help people. Just like they used to. I'm sure you've heard the stories about them."
Dom's eyes were locked on me. "Monsters", he muttered. "I've heard the stories about you. You- you shouldn't be calling anyone a "monster"." He turned to Pat. "And anyone he's with is just as bad."
"True", I said, nodding. "I might be a monster. But the Minutemen aren't the ones attacking innocent people. We aren't the ones wiping out settlements."
While I could see his newfound resolve wavering, it didn't look like it would break. Not without some physical persuasion.
And I don't have time for that.
"Fine. This is what will happen. I'm going to leave. We're going to figure out how to get our people back." I stood. "And then I'm going to do it. I don't care how many of your friends I have to kill."
He started to stand, but Pat shoved him back into his seat. "Don't do anything stupid. I'm not gonna step in a second time."
"If Castle came up with this plan, he knows you'll do something! It won't work!"
Castle. Castle. "Better people have tried. Better people who were more experienced, smarter, better equipped, and more familiar with my capabilities."
Then again, I had intel teams and support behind me then.
And I do now too. I allowed myself a small smile.
Maybe I do.
"I'm going to kill Castle."
"Yeah right! He's been through more than you could imagine!" The young Raider's defiance was feeling more and more like desperation.
"Doubt it." I turned to Pat. "I have to go. We don't have much time."
She nodded. "We'll do whatever we need to help."
"Thanks. For now, make sure you stay safe." I glanced at Dom. "They might use this as an opportunity to expand further."
"I'll get with Carter and talk with the other settlements. We got room here, we can keep 'em for a while if we need."
Before I could turn to leave, another thought occurred to me. It was petty. It was immature. It was useless.
But Dom wanted to play the tough guy.
It might not have been his decision, but he's the reason the support team is in the position they're in. And he's co-opting that course of action now.
"You think, if it had been up to you, you'd have made the same decision?" I asked.
The Raider blinked. "What?"
"Feeding me false information. You'd have done it."
"Oh." He nodded once. Sharply. "Yeah. I would have."
That's what I thought. "Whatever happens to my people, I come back here and do to you."
With that, I turned and walked toward the door.
"Thanks Dan", Pat said and followed after me.
The guard laughed. "No worries boss. Thanks for the excitement."
She swung the door shut behind her and jogged to catch up.
"Do to him?"
"Yeah", I nodded. "I'm pissed. More than I've been in a long time." I looked down to meet her gaze. "He wants to endorse what's happening, he deserves it."
The image of Cole saying goodbye to Dawn…
"His people attack and kill at random. They go to where other people live, kill them, destroy their homes, and I bet the people who are doing the fighting don't know why. And don't care why."
Pat frowned. "Maybe. The kid just seems… lost to me." She shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe I'm being sentimental."
Maybe. I'll be sentimental when Brenda, Nate, Julian, Alex, and everyone else are out of their 'care'.
"I don't mean to be rude", Pat continued, "but if we're operating on a clock, I need to get people out there.
I nodded again. "Understood. I know my way out."
"See you soon, then."
We parted, Pat heading for a staircase, and me for the front of the school. I had another long run ahead of me. The rest hadn't been much but it would have to do.
Pushing myself too hard won't do any good.
No, but running isn't pushing myself. I'll have plenty of time to recover while taking a limping Jessica back to Sanctuary.
The more time I can buy now, the more time we can spend figuring out what to do.
After leaving the school, I headed west at a dead run. Like my journey down, I wasn't particularly careful about being quiet. A small group of feral ghouls tried to pounce on me as I passed a house on the edge of the suburb. They were left far behind by the time the buildings vanished through the trees.
My armored boots pounded into the dirt and underbrush, dodging trees, roots, rocks, and loose ground. It slowed me down, but it wasn't as if I could use an alternate route. Everywhere was forest.
The two primary pieces of information I have to work with are there's an informant, possibly on the team, and the Raiders probably fed the team I captured bad information. They knew Nate and Brenda were connected with me, which could have been a result of the informant, or their fight with the Raiders in Boston. They specifically targeted the group when I wasn't there, meaning they probably weren't sure they could pull this off with me around.
… Unless they were playing something else.
Vertibirds were flying somewhere to my east. I couldn't tell where, exactly, but they weren't anywhere near me.
Castle wants me. He's waiting for me. The guy is cunning and creative. Whatever we come up with, it has to be something he wouldn't be prepared for. Failing that, it has to be something we can succeed with even if he is prepared for it.
How could this entire thing revolve around me? How could the Raiders dedicate this many resources to capturing the support team? To get to me?
It was a question I didn't know the answer to.
But I do know they aren't the first to do this.
Both the Brotherhood and Institute have implemented similarly complex strategies to kill me. The main difference is those were focused on me.
Not people I care about.
Fighting- that's easy. I know how to do that.
How am I supposed to handle caring about people who are targets because of their connection to me? People who, for their competence and, in Nate's case, experience, can still be vulnerable.
I'm vulnerable to the right plan too.
Which may be what this is. How do I keep this from happening again? Is- is the best solution to distance myself from everyone?
I was so distracted I almost tripped over an exposed branch in front of me.
If being close to me is why Brenda and Nate were targeted, is the right decision to not allow people to get that close?
Is that why ONI kept me isolated? So I wouldn't be vulnerable to strategies like this?
My breath was starting to come harder. I'm not entirely sure it was related to the running.
Because I'm falling into their trap. I'm going to try getting them back.
17 people. I'm going to divert my and the Minutemen's attention to rescue 17 people. A tiny fraction of our entire population.
But that number seemed so inconsequential. These aren't just 17 people. They're people I know. Or if I don't, they're people others in the Minutemen know. They're people I or someone else cares about. They aren't just numbers. They're valuable assets. They're some of the best combatants the Minutemen has.
They're friends and family.
How can I write them off as numbers lost to a war when-
When I know them?
When I care about them?
If I'm not going to write them off, stop worrying about it.
But doing this could put the rest of the Minutemen at risk.
Split resources. This will be compartmentalized in the first place.
Who would be the best people to do this? Jessica and Isaiah are probably along for the ride. I'd guess the others Nate brought from the Institute too. The recon team up there.
That isn't enough.
Who else? I can't take Vincent away from the Farms, not when we're already down Able.
The best people I can get. Planning complex missions is, obviously, something I'm still working on. I need people around me who can help.
Deacon, Glory, and Dez.
Infiltration, combat, and leadership.
Preston has to be able to focus on the Minutemen, especially if I'm going to be indisposed. I probably won't be able to pull Dez into this, not entirely. But I could still use her help.
My boots continued pounding against the ground as I ran. My breathing was hard but steady. Trees and underbrush blurred passed.
I'm going to get them back.
And I'm going to kill Castle. That bastard wants to pick a fight with me, wants to go after other people to do it.
He's gonna get that goddamn fight.
X
When I arrived at Sanctuary, my first objective should have been to get to the Vault and start figuring out what the hell we were going to do. Preston and Dez would already be there. We're operating on a limited timetable.
It was my first objective. But there was something I needed to do before that.
Whatever Jessica wanted to say, I'm still responsible for what happened. Corey shouldn't learn about it from anyone else.
After we walked through the gate into Sanctuary, I stopped the first guard on the other side. "Where's Corey?"
He blinked. "Uh, I think it's his shift in the watchtower." The young man turned and pointed toward the armored platform they built on the center house overlooking the water. Sure enough, Corey was standing at its edge, watching me.
How would he react? What would he say? What should I say?
"Get the other people in your group", I said to Jessica. She cocked an eyebrow at me.
Now isn't-
"Once things get started, someone will need to be in command. But", I continued, "could you gather the others from the Institute in the Vault?"
After another heartbeat's pause, she nodded and half-marched, half-limped away.
And I started for the raised platform. The man's eyes never left me.
As I drew near, he disappeared from the edge and emerged from the house a few seconds later. He was clutching his combat rifle hard enough to turn his knuckles white. He tried to keep his face neutral and breathing calm, but it didn't work. His eyes were wide and his chest was rising and falling a little too quickly to be normal.
"What happened?" he asked, trepidation on the edge of his voice.
"It- co-" I'm not giving him an order. "Can you come with me?"
Corey frowned. "Are… you alright?"
"Please. I'd like to talk somewhere else."
"... Okay…" He turned to the platform. "I'll be back, Gerry!"
"Don't be too long", came a scratchy reply. "I don't wanna be stuck up here with Hannah."
"You got it." Corey met my gaze again. "Lead the way."
I nodded and we began toward the back of the settlement. Sanctuary was bustling with activity. The main street had so much foot traffic it was beginning to remind me of Diamond City. Any available land was dedicated to growing crops and most of the houses had shelters built between and around them. It wasn't as haphazard as the stadium, however. They were well-constructed and organized to maximize space. The benefits of having a dedicated, and experienced, team of engineers.
They were prepared. They could survive without me for a little while.
"Damon", Corey said after we crossed the bridge and began up the hill. "What's the big deal? Why do you want to talk with me?" He hesitated a few more seconds. "Did- something happen to Brenda?"
The path was empty but… "Wait until we get to the bunker. I'm- I'm not trying to be difficult." I glanced at him over my shoulder. "Things… have gotten complicated."
He swallowed hard and nodded.
Several settlers passed us as we walked up the hill. Each of them stopped and moved aside to let us through, nodding to me as they did. I absently returned the gesture. Might as well if they're going to make this a habit. The half-dozen guards around the Vault's entrance, most likely to act as supplementary lookouts for the armored bunkers, did the same.
After what felt like an eternity, we were standing on the large, cog-shaped elevator as it descended.
"Now?" Corey asked.
What do I say? I've never delivered this sort of news before. I've never seen it delivered before.
She isn't dead. That's a good place to start.
"Yes", I said through a deep breath. "We're keeping things quiet. The Raiders planned an assault on the Farms. It was supposed to happen this evening. We deployed a support team to reinforce their defenses."
The elevator thudded to a stop at the bottom but I didn't budge. If I'm going to say this, I need to say it. Otherwise…
"I went ahead to inform the Farms and provide support in case of an early attack. The support team followed a few hours later. The Raiders launched the attack early, before the team could reach us. We repelled the assault but… that wasn't their objective. It was a diversion so they could capture the support team. Specifically Nate and Brenda. Because of their association with me. They're alive", I added. "As far as I know. The Raiders want me. This is how they decided to do it."
Corey didn't reply. He stared at me, mouth slightly agape, eyes wide again.
He looked lost. Hurt.
I looked away. "I'm sorry. It's-"
"Don't you dare make this about you! We came here to try and help! Nate told us about how shaky the information we were working off of was. I'm a researcher, I know all about validating findings. I know about risk management too. You aren't the only one who can evaluate it!"
"The information I had wasn't good, but I didn't have time to validate it. And it was a trap. We all knew it might have been. I just-" I looked up at the large steel shaft above us, the afternoon light streaming through the opening. "It feels like this is my fault and-" my chest tightened as I fought for my next breath. It hurt. A lot.
And, what, I don't know what I'll do if something happens? Yeah, I do. I know exactly what I'll do.
But.
"And I'm going to get them back."
When I looked down to meet his gaze again, Corey's eyes were glassy and unfocused. He let out a half-choked breath and closed them. The tears that had been welling up spilled down his face. The man pinched the bridge of his nose as he struggled to control his breathing.
"Sorry", he said quietly, voice thick with emotion. "Sorry. I know you don't wanna see me crying."
Wha- I don't want to see him crying? "No, it's-" I remembered Nate's reaction when we first got to the Institute and met Shaun. When I brought Nora's body back. Brenda is someone Corey cares about. A lot. … More than I do. Maybe I can't appreciate what those tears feel like or mean, not completely, but I don't begrudge him them.
"I get it", I said quietly. "I understand."
Corey wiped his face and looked up to meet my eyes again. His were red and puffy. "You do?"
I nodded. "As well as I can. Brenda… she gave me a chance I didn't know I needed. Her and Nate… there are others on the team too. I want all of them back. I'm going to do whatever I need to get them back."
He wiped his face again and tried to smile at me. "I know. You're Damon. Who else was on the team?"
You say that like I don't screw up, like I don't fail.
But This is something I can't fail on.
"It was-" We'll be going through all this once everyone's here. Do I want to do it twice? That would mean including Corey in the brief.
He knows. The best way to keep things compartmentalized until we figure out who our Molé is would be to find him a spot on the mission.
Telling him might not have been the best idea, then. Other people will be missing someone on the support team. Corey gets special treatment just because I know Brenda?
Sometimes that's how things work. But yes, this was an emotional decision. I didn't have to do this. That doesn't make it the wrong decision. We'll find a position for him.
"Give everyone some time to get here. We'll talk more about it then."
"Whatever happens, I need- want to be a part of it."
"Yeah", I said, nodding. "I get that too. We'll figure it out."
Boots rang on metal and I turned to see Dez, Deacon, Preston, and Cass emerge from the door across from us.
"Damon", Preston said, "what happened? Vincent didn't give us many details."
The four of them stopped on the other side of the walkway.
Emotions needed to take a back seat for now. I have a job to do.
"The Raiders hit the Farms early." I motioned toward the short bridge and started across. Corey followed. "It was a diversion to capture the support team. Their objective was to get to me. They're using the people on the team to do it. Specifically Nate and Brenda. They let Jessica go to pass the message on. She's gathering her people. We need to keep this one tight."
"You're saying it was set up?" Deacon asked. I nodded. "A mole then. Not many people knew about the support team."
"Agreed."
Preston took a slow, deep breath. "Alright. Dammit." He closed his eyes for a moment and took another deep breath. When he opened them again, they were locked on me. "Are we sure about bringing the folks from the Institute in on this? The closer we play whatever we do to the chest, the better."
"Yes", I said. "It's unlikely they're compromised. They'll want to get Nate back too. We need trained, intelligent people. That's them."
Deacon nodded. "Makes sense." He looked at Dez. "Let's add Danse to this. He's been itching. If we're gonna get our people back, I don't see why he can't be a help."
"You won't get any argument from me", she replied. "Hearing about how this all went down has been the only thing I've thought about since this morning."
The only person who hadn't said anything was Cass. I couldn't tell what she was thinking. Her jaw was clenched and body rigid. The teenager was staring at me with an intensity I hadn't seen before.
It didn't seem like anger, though. She was swallowing constantly, almost like she was trying to keep something down.
Don't need to be a genius to figure out what that was.
X
Recounting everything didn't take long. Not like there was much to tell.
"I don't like the idea we have multiple moles hiding in Sanctuary", Danse said quietly. The former Brotherhood Paladin was frowning at me. "But it's something we thought might happen given the number of people who have come in."
Which might have been part of the Raiders' plan. Not necessarily this one, but an overarching strategy to get people in the Minutemen. Maybe other settlements too. Maybe the Brotherhood.
Those implications were ones that Dez and Preston promised to handle here.
As for our rescue mission, I couldn't take any more resources. I'm already doing it. Then there's the former Institute scientists who, if nothing else, are incredibly intelligent. Deac pledged his help too, the Railroad's best field operative. Then Glory, their best fighter, and Owen, one of the Minutemen's best for support.
In total, I'm trying to take on the main Raider force with myself, Danse, Deac, Glory, Owen, Cass (an inexperienced field operative), Corey, Nate's group, the recon team, and a dog.
16 people total. Against thousands of Raiders.
I know what I can do. Balancing that equation doesn't seem like it's in the realm of possibility.
But I'm already taking too much, too many key pieces.
"It isn't too much if they start interrogating our people", Preston said. "They all know a lot about how we work. Can't let them take that information."
True enough. But there are too many people who could take advantage of the situation.
Then again, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't grateful. Getting everyone back…
I have to fix this. I'll take all the help I can get.
"I'll play along…" Jackson said, eyeing me.
Thanks for that endorsement. It wasn't like they had another option if they wanted to help. Which I'd think they would.
Saying that wouldn't be productive.
"I'd like to know as much as possible about the situation", the man beside Jackson said, Isaiah. The lighter-skinned guy was young, maybe a few years older than me, and shorter than Jackson. I didn't recognize him from the time I spent in the Institute.
"The thing I'm still stuck on is how they hit us", Jesica said. "They knew when and where to find us. They knew Nate and Brenda are people Damon cares about. It sounds like their target is him, but they didn't want to risk fighting him head-on. The only people who knew about this were us and Minutemen leadership, so they probably had an informant. My thought process is that person was on the team."
Deacon grunted. "Nah. I mean, yeah, definitely possible an informant would be on the team, but they wouldn't give up a source of information on an op like this." His eyes roamed the small assembly. "A few things feel off here. We know they have heavier weapons that can take out Brotherhood soldiers." He looked at me. "Do you think those would work on you?"
"If they hit the right spot? Probably."
He hummed quietly. "Yeah. They were set up and waiting. They wanted high-value targets connected to you but weren't you. Despite having the hardware to kill you. Glory?"
"Yeah", the Railroad soldier said, nodding. "I don't think they were afraid of fighting you. They want something from you."
"They want me alive", I finished the thought.
Both nodded.
"Sounds like it", Deacon said. "And if they want you alive, they'll want to know what you're getting up to. You aren't gonna catch anyone off guard anymore. The Institute, Raiders, and Brotherhood, they all know you're clever and creative. And you're stubborn."
"Which means keeping a close eye on whatever we're doing", Isaiah said. "It would make sense to have a plant in both places then. On the team and here." He looked at Deacon. "If we're going to assume no one who knew about the team is compromised, that would explain why they knew when and where to hit."
Jackson crossed his arms. "Are we making that assumption?"
There were three people, besides Isaiah, I wasn't familiar with in that room. Just like Jessica, it would be incredibly unlikely for Isaiah to be that informant.
But Preston and Dez said they would handle that. So, for now…
"Yes. Our focus is the team. Let the people here deal with that problem."
It ran contrary to everything I know, ignoring a potential mole in the middle of our leadership, but I can't be everywhere. Even if I could, counter-espionage isn't something I know how to do.
"That's right", Deac nodded. "So we're gonna assume the informant we're responsible for is on the team. Other than that, we keep our activity quiet. Like, only the people in this room know, quiet."
And we need to move fast. The Raiders were the ones who took initiative during their plan to capture the team. We can't give them that again. We can't give them the time to think or react to whatever we're doing.
"The team is at the base, they want me alive, we're likely dealing with multiple informants in different locations, and we don't know who they are. Let's keep this simple. Attacking the base head-on won't work. Sneaking in to extract them won't work. The best option is an infiltration."
Glory cocked an eyebrow at me. "Best option? More like "only option"."
"They'll be on the lookout for that", Isaiah said. "And you don't blend in. We might be able to get in and find them without getting noticed-"
"No", Jackson interjected. "Like you said: they'll be watching for that. If new people show up, they might get nervous. Plus", he looked at me, "we don't know exactly why they want you. Alive."
Another of the former Institute members nodded. "They probably did that to keep us guessing. It's hard to plan for something we don't know is going to happen."
He's right. We don't know what they want. They want me alive, and they want my cooperation, which accounts for both avoiding a fight with me and not hurting anyone on the team. Figuring that out might take a while. Too long, for all I know. Again, something they no doubt are using to their advantage. Limited time means limited preparation.
Well… we need time and information…
I turned to Deacon. "Can you get inside?"
The Railroad infiltrator cocked an eyebrow behind his omnipresent sunglasses. "Absolutely."
"Can you get everyone inside?"
"That would be a harder ask. The more people you're trying to get inside, the more questions will be raised. Especially if they're on high alert."
"Agreed. Their focus is going to be on me. We need to buy time and we need to gather information. I'll give you a distraction. You get everyone inside, find out what you can. I'll do the same, we meet and compare notes when possible."
Deacon's forehead wrinkled as if he was squinting at me. "Distraction. You'll do the same. Meet and compare notes. This sounds a whole lot like you're planning on giving yourself up."
Giving myself up. To Raiders. "Affirmative."
"Ah." He frowned for an instant before nodding. "That makes sense. You sure you can deal with whatever they're going to throw at you?"
"No. But I can improvise. I doubt they'd go through this trouble to get me in their base to kill me there."
"True. True. And we could definitely use the distraction to get inside. We'd have to be ca-"
"Wait wait wait", Jessica interjected, waving her hands. "Let me get this right. You're going to give yourself up?!"
I nodded. "They're worried about us coming up with a plan. We're operating on a short clock. We don't have enough information. They have the initiative. This changes that."
"Except the part where we don't have a plan. The part where we're going into a massive base of Raiders with no plan. That part." She turned to her compatriots. "That part seems important to me."
"You're right", Glory said. "Sometimes you have to jump in to come up with that plan. If we can buy ourselves some time and info, it doesn't matter if we come up with a plan now or later. Doing it later means we have more to work with and can adapt to whatever they have cooking. It gives us more flexibility and makes it harder for them to counter."
Jackson grimaced. "It matters if it means we get stuck in there without a plan."
"Right about that too." Glory nodded. "As long as we're careful, we'll always have a way out." She looked at me. "It's Damon that would be stuck."
"I'm fine with that. The team's in this situation because of me."
"No", Jackson said, voice suddenly harsh. "You don't get to be that selfish. Much as I hate to admit it, you're too important to what everyone's trying to do here to get yourself trapped or killed. You don't get to resign yourself to being captured. So", he uncrossed his arms, "why don't you guys share with the rest of us how we're gonna make sure we have an exit strategy?"
Too important? "Do you think I don't know what my responsibilities are?" I didn't try to hide the challenge in my voice. "I've been here from the start. Before there was anything in Sanctuary. I fought to defend them from two Raider attacks. I helped the original group fortify the first house. I've known Alex, Julian, Preston, and Sturges longer than I've known Nate. Don't tell me what I have to do."
Jessica stepped between Jackson and I. "Slow down, Damon-"
"No! I've let enough people remind me what I'm supposed to do. I've let enough people tell me to calm down. I'm not a wild animal. I'm not a child throwing a temper tantrum. Don't treat me like it."
My episode at the school might say differently.
No, it doesn't. I purposely didn't do anything to seriously harm Dom. I was mad. I was never out of control.
I looked back at Jackson. "There is no good way out once I'm at the base. They won't leave me on my own. I'll have to see what kind of security they have before I can come up with a strategy." I cocked my head. "But say what you want to say. Tell me I'm not taking this seriously."
"You're making some assumptions I don't think you have the right to make. We didn't do anything to you. You killed Grant." Jackson grunted. "I was around when you were helping put the Institute's plan together, remember? I know you know what you're doing. You're invested in this which is reassuring. That doesn't mean we do this half-assed. Whatever preparations we can make before going in there, we need to."
… Am I making assumptions?
About how they think of me, yeah.
Do I have the right to make them?
Don't know. But they aren't helpful at the moment.
Deac and Glory were staying quiet. Maybe they thought this was something we needed to handle.
"Yes", I said, "I'm invested in this. It doesn't mean I'm going to do it half-assed. We need to recon the base, gather as much information as we can, and we need to take some kind of leverage before going in. But", I continued before he could say anything, "going in is going to happen. It's the only way to get them out alive."
"And then what?" Jackson asked. "How can you guarantee we'll be able to get out? If we're gonna do this, I need to know I can at least trust you to be straightforward with us."
Straightforward? "Why wouldn't I be straightforward with you?"
Does it matter? I need their help to get the team out.
Fine. I held up a hand to stop whatever his response was. "It doesn't matter. I can't guarantee we'll get out. This is a high-risk operation. I'm not leaving them to be tortured and killed. Even if I wasn't personally invested in their survival, they know too much about our defenses." As logical as the answer was, as normal as that answer was for me, it felt so… cheap. Yes, the strategic considerations were important. They just felt like they didn't matter. Not right now.
"Okay… then how do we give ourselves the best chance?"
"… Leverage", Danse said. It was the first thing he'd said for a while. "We need to get you some leverage. We need to spend some time scouting the base to establish rough numbers, arms, patrols, layout… the basics. Then we need to get you some leverage before you go in."
Isaiah hummed. "Leverage, huh? It can't be people, they've already shown they're willing to sacrifice people to get to you."
"Grunts", I said. The last time I got close to one of their task force leaders, he committed suicide. "They're more sensitive about their commanders. One of them might work."
"Maybe." Deac nodded slowly. "Information would be better. The threat of information, more specifically. They don't take the Minutemen seriously yet. The Brotherhood is a different story."
"Information is something we could get from one of their leaders", Isaiah replied. "And threaten to give it to the Brotherhood."
One of the other Institute scientists frowned. I think Nate had said his name is Corey. "Unless we get the right one, that information won't be damning enough to make them nervous."
"Yeah, but we have no way to know who that might be."
"Uh… that isn't necessarily true", Nate's Corey looked at me. "Do you know anyone who was involved in planning this? Those people are probably important enough."
I nodded. "Johnson was the commander of the task force that assaulted the Farms. Castle is the one who put all of it together."
"Not much but it's a start", Corey said.
There was one issue with that. "Castle will be protected in the base. Johnson is our only option. If he's still in the field."
"So how do we find that out?"
… Well. "Contacting the recon team to see if a 200-person force returned to base in the last 12 hours."
"Sounds like a good start", Deacon said.
So recon the base, find an HVT, use them as insurance, infiltrate the base, everyone besides me disguised as Raiders, find the team, come up with an exfil strategy, and then get out.
We'd need a little more detail going in once the reconnaissance was finished, but this works for now.
We're on the clock.
We were going to get the support team out.
And I'm going to make sure the Raiders don't make the same mistake twice. Especially Castle.
"Let's get started", I said.
A/N: Pieces in place, players at their marks aaaand... go. I think this chapter has been a great illustration of how Damon's changed as a person. He's still brash, rude, and assholish, but he cares about people. A lot. Even people he doesn't know. Empathy is a difficult emotion, both in real life and in writing. This story has been very long but I feel his progression to this point has been about as natural as I could have made it. Same thing goes with the others in the rescue team. They're all invested in this. Yes, a lot of them know people who were captured, but they aren't just doing this for them. They're doing it as part of a community. I'm really excited for what's coming. That's for me to know and you to find out though ;) I'll see everyone next time!
Next Chapter: 9/8, Castle