I stepped off the stairs, landing on the flat, dirty metal floor at the bottom and crossed the small distance to stand beside Anton. His expression was unreadable, and in his hands he held the sawed-off shotgun at the ready, taking measured breaths as he looked on. The door was still shut, but even I felt nervous. It'd only take a single mistake for everything to fall apart.
My plan was – and I'm big enough to admit this – a catastrophe. It'd be more surprising to me if it actually worked out. And since we were already committed to seeing it through, there hadn't been much point to making changes on the sly. But not because of time constraints, rather that any changes wouldn't make much improvements. It'd be best to say we had a guideline and the rest was just winging it; which should make things work out a whole lot better. And would make me feel better when everything fell apart.
Anton's gaze shifted to me, and mine shifted to him. Without a word from him, we had an understanding. Simultaneously, we nodded, confirming to one another that the other was ready. With that he reached over and pressed the switch for the door, it quickly slid open as the hydraulics set to work.
The other side of the door was another factory floor, this one was badly busted up, as if it were the grounds of fighting. Surprisingly, there wasn't a single super mutant in sight. None were working on repairs, or trying to get whatever usage they could out of the machines. It would be more apt to say this floor had been abandoned, as it was either unneeded or due to the poor state it was left in. Perhaps, though, it was simply that the green giants couldn't make the repairs necessary to bring things back up and running.
Stepping out and scanning the room, the .32 pistol clutched tight followed along with my eyes. There really weren't any threats in this room. Lowering the pistol, I walked over to one of the numerous hanging or sitting goopy bags and picked out something I saw sticking out. There were two shotgun rounds just casually peeking out.
I lightly clapped to draw Anton's attention, and then tossed the shells to him once he looked. Momentarily caught off-guard, he managed to catch them despite clearly not knowing what they were. Once he looked down, I saw a trace of disgust cross his features as he wiped his hand and the shells off.
Not noticing much else of interest, I made my way over to the wall near a hole – a large doorway leading into the next floor. A metal door with grooves running parallel with the ground rested in the center of the hole, blocking us from view of the other side. Dropping down, I moved as carefully as I could as I stole a glance underneath and into the next room.
It didn't take long to spot the movement of shadows or the occasional mutant foot. It was clear they were at work. I could only spot four shadows, but there was no telling how many remained hidden or whether the big guy was with them as well.
A voice quietly called above, "How many, Miss?" I cast a sidelong glance to the man standing above me. I slowly climbed to my feet and brushed myself off before giving a shrug and held up four fingers. "Four... or four spotted?" I nodded. "Great..." He tapped his ear with his middle finger and then nodded twice, "Right, let's just sneak past them."
He moved over to a side door, readied the shotgun and took a low stance. "Just let me know when it seems like none are looking this way, then I'll open the door and we can sneak on through." Without waiting for any confirmation, he placed his hand on the knob, turned toward me, and waited.
Breathe in, breathe out.
I dropped back down and peeked under. After about a minute, it looked as if the focus of the mutants were elsewhere; so I gave a quick signal and hastily rose to a crouch, ignoring the groan of my joints as I did so. At the same time, I saw Anton pulling open the door out of the corner of my eye.
His mouth hung agape and he slowly pushed the door closed. I barely had enough time to give him a confused look before the reason was made clear. Anton dived to the side as a roar rang out from the other side, followed by a loud blast. The door splintered into pieces as the sounds of a shotgun cried out.
My eyes grew wide and I stood in-place. Several sausage-thick fingers gripped the now empty door frame, pulling the muscle-laden green creature through. A shotgun with a drum magazine rested comfortably in its right hand, smoke still billowing from the muzzle. The figure rose as it stepped inside, standing to its full height after having to duck to gain entry.
Before its eye could settle on either of us, another blast rang out and the mutant stumbled to the side. It was quickly followed by a second. Two clinks followed as empty rounds were ejected from the sawed-off shotgun and Anton thumbed in two new rounds.
Seeing that the mutant wasn't dead, I entered V.A.T.S. and made two shots against its chest with eighty percent accuracy. I regretted it immediately, as I braced the pistol with both hands and squeezed the trigger twice. The pain that shot through my arm from simply squeezing something was intense, but it felt like nothing once the recoil of the gun zapped through it.
As soon as V.A.T.S. ended, I waved my left hand in the air. It wasn't actually helping, but the movement was all I could think to try and make things better. Yet before I could gain any steady grounding, I heard another two shotgun cries. Looking up, one was from Anton and the other was from the shotgun mutant. Neither hit.
Shotgun mutant took a few more steps inside, then started pumping out rounds like it'd never go out of style. I ducked behind the nearest machine, and saw Anton dashing somewhere before I lost sight of him. Heavy bullets pinged off the metal, tearing and ripping its way through like a dull knife through steak. While it wasn't quick, there was still progress being made.
Instead of letting myself sit to my fate, I looked around the room and noticed the delivery system between machines was thick and bulky. If I was careful, I'd likely be able to sneak to another machine and make a getaway. And right as I set to put my plan into action another roar engulfed the room.
More mutants had entered the fray.
Anton shouted above the newly added gunfire to run. I saw him pop up on the far side of the room for just a moment, as his hand poked out and tossed something near the door. An explosion rocked the room, deafening the gunfire as shrapnel crashed against the machines. Just like that, I started sprinting as hard as my legs could carry me toward the opposite side of the room and toward the next bit of cover.
As I ran, I emptied my gun in the groaning and staggering mutants. I couldn't tell whether I landed any of my shots.
Soon enough, I ducked behind another machine near the far wall just as the mutant's barrage began anew. I spotted Anton crawling on his stomach as he used the conveyor belt for cover. I set the box of ammunition on the ground before me, and started to load shot after shot at an agonizingly slow pace – as it was all I could do to avoid potential pain. By the time I was done there were only enough rounds in the box for one more full reload.
Anton came to a halt at a different box and turned toward me in a crouch, we locked eyes for a brief moment and then he set the shotgun on the floor. He smirked, and then pushed it off. It skid across the ground until it banged against my foot. By the time I turned my attention back up, I saw that he started crawling along the short barrier until he disappeared from my sight – and then I couldn't tell where he was going. I only watched on in confusion as he did all of this.
By the time my brain jumpstarted once more, I had the shotgun in my hand and the pistol was nowhere to be seen. The gunfire had mostly died down, too. Stealing a glance past the machine, I saw that the super mutants had split off and were now searching around the room for us. As I moved back down, ready to crawl to some other part of the room, a mutant with a hunting rifle leveled the weapon my way and the bang sounded out.
I hurried back down as a ping rang against the metal. I clenched my teeth as I accidentally steadied myself with my left hand, and began to shuffle elsewhere, following after Anton. He likely had a plan to get away or get rid of these enemies. At least, I hoped as much, since right now I was drawing a blank.
Checking the Pip-Boy's compass, I saw seven hostile targets and one friendly. Based on the direction, four of the mutants weren't in the room; which meant one left to get reinforcements and another had died. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself, practically jumped up, leveled the shotgun as I went, and as soon as the barrel was facing a mutant I pulled the trigger twice.
The first shot landed across its chest, and it started to reach for the wound, letting out a groan as it went; but the second shot hit just above, piercing the chest. Blood gushed out and the mutant fell back. Before I could make any movements, another gun fired off and I felt something slap across my left shoulder. I twisted and fell as red hot pain scorched my shoulder.
My vision grew hazy, but I slapped the wound and used the growing adrenaline to pull out the stimpack and inject it straight into my shoulder. It felt as though the blood rushed to my head and a bout of dizziness washed over me just as I started to rise. I collapsed back onto the floor.
Through the haze and murk, I heard a ringing, as if birds were chirping in harmony. It was like a choir of squawks. Slowly, far too slow for my tastes, I regained my senses and the subtle shift of bird calls changed into the shouts of explosions and pattering of metal strikes. If it wasn't obvious before, then the thick set scent of gunpowder had settled in the room.
Half-crawling to my feet, I noticed Anton emerge from behind a piece of machinery, fire off a few rounds, and then duck back below. All the while, the mutants were converging on his position; their numbers in the room had thinned to only two.
I took a steadying breath, aimed down the sights toward the closer target, and pulled the trigger. And...
Click.
Reloading must have slipped my mind. I dived back behind the cover and pulled open the little satchel-style bag and peered inside. The .32 pistol, the box of ammunition, a stimpack, and the trigger. No shotgun shells to speak of. Then I remembered, before coming down to this floor I gave Anton the shotgun and all the shells I found for it. I figured he'd have an easier time dealing with the knockback of the shots.
I hadn't accounted for him returning it to me, so I didn't keep any of the rounds. There was only one thing left to do in this situation. I knew it, Anton probably knew it, and the super mutants might not have.
With a steady arm, I threw the sawed-off shotgun at the super mutant. Without waiting to see whether it hit, I had already started to get back behind cover and was fishing out the pistol. I felt the ground give a slight rumble as heavy footfalls battered across the floor, quickly closing in. I grimaced in advance at the thought. I could hear as gunfire took over the other half of the room.
I turned and came face to face with the mutant I had thrown the shotgun at and hopped into V.A.T.S., putting as many shots into the creature as I could. Which just so happened to be four shots, each targeting the creature's head with an incredibly high percent-chance to hit.
Things progressed much as I expected, I felt my body move on its own and I was soon holding the weapon with both hands. Then one after another, I unloaded the shots into the target. Each found their mark, but I'd have been more surprised if any had missed – as by my estimate, we stood about ten feet apart, maybe less.
It didn't look as if the shots had done much to the thing, so as soon as V.A.T.S. ended I unloaded the remaining shots. All the while, the hunting rifle in its hands pointed at me. I quickly popped behind the little lip of the machine box, just as a shot rang out from the rifle. It pinged against the floor at my feet, and I heard the bolt sliding back to set the next bullet.
I glanced over and saw Anton rush the super mutant on him. He fired with his .32 pistol and sidestepped a swipe from the creature's fist. I tried my best to reload as I watched, yet the pain in my hand slowed me down greatly. As did the mutant firing on me – it amazed me that this thing kept missing, I was certain my leg had been half out.
Just as the last bullet was pushed into the cylinder the mutant landed a strike on my shoulder just below where I'd been hit before, and I was lurched forward by the impact. I clenched my teeth and turned, it had started reloading. Steadying my aim with both hands, I fired off as I concentrated on the hunting rifle mutant's skull.
The first shot pierced through the creature's ear, while the next punctured the nose. The following leapt through the right cheek, then the other ear was shot. The last two bullets dug deep into the left eye. The super mutant let out a little groan, its body rocked and it soon toppled forward, its face smacking against the ground before it. It didn't react.
Looking over, Anton dived for the sawed-off shotgun, loaded the last slug, and fired while lying on his back. The shot exploded grey matter into a fine mist. His enemy fell to its back. And we collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
The relaxation that settled was short lived, as before either of us could move or properly calm down, a super mutant clawed its way into the room. It was followed by other super mutants. I tossed the .32 at the super mutant in the lead and leapt at the hunting rifle that had clattered to the ground just moments before.
I picked it up with my right hand and took another bullet as I made a break for cover. It bit through my left thigh and I dropped as my leg stopped supporting my weight. The hunting rifle clambered away and came to a stop before one of the conveyor belt systems. And as I hit the ground the breath was knocked from my lungs with a sharp puff. I wasn't given any time to regain my composure, as a sledgehammer mutant started rushing at me.
I pushed myself to my feet, ignoring the red hot pain searing my leg, and I half-ran, half-stumbled away. My vision grew blurry and my head fogged as I moved and eventually slipped back to the floor not far away. It was as I tried to rise that I caught something out of the corner of my eye. I twisted and crumbled my left arm to brace for impact.
The sledgehammer struck my arm and I was sent skidding across the floor. I smacked hard against one of the machines. The world spun as I tried to make out the three figures. A ringing had started in my ears, it was loud and constant. The exact opposite of the pulsating throbs in the back of my skull.
Sledgehammer mutants barreled toward me, but I lost focus on them and my eyes closed for just a second.
When I opened them again, the mutant was gone. Things were surprisingly quiet, even the ringing had died down some. My body ached and my head continued to pound. I tried to rise but found myself too weak, so I fished out the stimpack. I couldn't figure out what spot hurt the most, so I just injected it into my thigh.
I simply laid there and focused on my breathing as it slowly got to work. Each breath felt heavy and rough. It was evident that the sledgehammer had done more damage than I predicted it would. More than that, I couldn't figure out what happened after I... blinked.
Did I fall asleep? It doesn't feel like it, but perhaps...
My thoughts drifted off as a particular pressure spiked against the back of my mind, and my hand reflexively reached up and rubbed as I tried to soothe the pain. It soon passed and I was left panting on the floor, covered in a cold sweat. I knew, however, that I couldn't just lie there and recover.
I had to figure out what happened, how long I was out, and why I was ignored by the enemy – allowed to sleep for some amount of time. While I hadn't known the exact time, I could check my Pip-Boy and look at the chronometer. Yet, when I moved to look at it, it barely felt like my arm was there.
It is there, right?
I gulped and looked. My arm was still very much attached to my body, I just didn't have feeling in it. I poked it. It tingled, which told me that, instead, I hadn't had much feeling. An improvement, to be sure.
I exhaled, letting the stress and worry flow out. With that, I pressed my mind toward other matters. I pushed myself to a sitting position to focus on my surroundings, yet as soon as I started climbing up I was assaulted by an onrush of vertigo and collapsed back down.
What's going on with me?
Fear started to take my heart and my vision blurred by a different source as things gained a watery-film. I closed my eyes, turned over to my back, and let all of my thoughts rest on my breathing. In and out. In and out.
At some point, my mind began to wander as I imagined life back at home. About the food that never changed. The showers that were always on the cusp of being fully and comfortably warm, unless one found their way to the water control station and removed an inhibitor (much to "management's" chagrin). My thoughts shifted toward the people that largely kept to themselves, and were somehow both trusting and suspicious of one another. Finally, I thought of the library, where I spent a large amount of my spare time – if I wasn't off having "adventures" (as my mom called them).
Before I knew it, my eyes fluttered open and I felt at ease. As if nothing had been wrong in the first place. Yet, a new thought had entered my mindscape:
I want to see the vault again.
How long would it take before that was likely to happen? Would I even be allowed back? The head of security had it out for me, if he then took hold as overseer, then I could likely forget about being welcomed back. I'd be shot on sight. And that'd be if I were lucky. At least then I'd know to flee right away.
I huffed and rolled to my stomach, pushed up and slowly rose. Higher and higher I climbed until I was sitting on my knees. With a handful of deep breaths, I then continued to rise as I steadily and shakily got to my feet using the machine box for support.
The room was a mess, as if several explosions had gone off. Dirt and rock had managed to burst up through the busted floor, and several boxes were reduced to only a fraction of their former glory. Five new super mutant cadavers were littered about, some looked as if they were posed as they sat in silly positions.
My eyes soon settled on the hunting rifle, right where it had clattered away. On trembling legs, I closed the distance, slumped over as I almost fell while bending, and picked it up. Resting the butt against the floor as I retained a firm grip on the barrel, using it as an impromptu walking stick.
Carefully moving over to the wall, I leaned against the rugged surface and rested my improvised stick against it beside me, and then patted myself down with my good hand. Assessing the damage. Soon enough, I came to a conclusion: I hurt all over, but the places I'd been shot especially and my left arm most of all.
From my new vantage point, I spotted something I hadn't expected to see. Something that filled me with equal parts dread and relief and guilt. I felt my breath catch in my throat, and my stomach churned. I saw the corpse of a human man with short brown hair.
-Transmission in Progress-
This chapter is being released a few days later than expected due to the issues with the site. I haven't a clue when the next chapter will come.