Kirk and Lucy moved cover to cover to the fighting. Finally they found them. A raider was tackled by a dog and it clamped down on his throat, crushing it. Another raider came around the corner hitting the dog with a bar. The dog yelped and repositioned away from the raider. "FUCKIN MUTT GOT JERRY!" More gun shots rang out and a man with a big coat covered in pockets came out holding a gun. He shot the other raider in the back, but was hit from behind by another raider with a bat. Three other raiders came around and started beating the man. One got his gun and tried shooting the dog, but it ran to cover. Kirk looked at Lucy and nodded. She nodded back and got ready.
Kirk came out of cover holding his pistol in his left hand and open fire. Lucy came around and blasted at one raider, putting him on the ground. Kirk focused his fire as best he could at the one with the gun, but kept missing. The dog took the opportunity and charged the man with the gun, while the man they were beating grabbed the last one around the legs and brought him down. The dog had clamped its jaws around the raiders gun arm, tearing into it. Kirk ran up and shot the raider, while Lucy did the same to the other one, shooting him with her pistol.
The dog ran over to the man, and growled at them. "It's okay boy, I think they're friendly..." the man said weakly, petting the dog. Kirk kneeled over them, pulling off his pack. "I'm a doctor, let me help." The man held up his hand, and shook his head. "D-don't bother son...I ain't got long." he pulled his collar to the side and showed a heavily bleeding wound at his neck and shoulder.
"Bastards...ambushed us...one jumped me from behind stabbing...my neck." Kirk put his kit away and sighed. If only they were faster, he cursed at himself. If he didn't take that small break at the rock, he probably would've saved him. "I got...one favor. Take my dog...he is a good boy and...well trained. Take any of my goods...as well...obviously..." The dog whimpered and licked his face. "Dogmeat... help them... like you helped me... be a good boy now..." The man let out a heavy sigh, "I'm...comin'... Mar-..." The man went limp.
Dogmeat howled into the sky. Kirk closed the man's eyes and then rubbed his own. Will he see death everyday from now on? He looked around the corner where the fight came from and found a small hovel and two dead bodies. He turned back around to see Lucy petting the dog. "Oh you are such a cutie aren't you?" Dogmeat was wagging his tail a bit, enjoying the pets. "Lucy, we should scavenge and loot the bodies now right?"
Lucy walked over to him, "Yea, sounds like a good idea." She grabbed his left hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She understood why he asked, and found it sweet. Without Jericho, she was the next most experienced one. Kirk nodded and they started looting. Dogmeat just sat nearby looking around while they did so. They found food, ammo, and a few meds. They also found his stock and a nice duffel bag to carry the extra stuff in. Kirk found that they couldn't take everything, it would be too much weight to carry, so they reorganized their packs and the duffel bag evenly. They left the excess stuff behind and Kirk marked it on his PIPBOY map and added a note of supplies here. Kirk also found some binoculars and strapped them to his suit.
Once they were all set, Kirk made his way to the vantage point overlooking Minefield. "Um, Kirk?" He turned around and saw her halfway between him and Dogmeat, who sat and stared at them. "Are we gonna take him with us?" she asked. "I figured he would just follow us, honestly. I don't know anything about dogs." he stated. Dogmeat stared at them, whining a bit. "He did say he was well trained, maybe we tell him to follow?"
Kirk nodded, "Follow." Dogmeat ran to Kirk wagging his tail. "Sit." He sat. "Stand." He stood. "Go there." He went to where Kirk pointed. "To me." He came back. Kirk laughed to himself, "Amazing, good boy!" He petted the dog, what an unexpected boon out here.
"Such a good boy!" Lucy exclaimed giving him pets. "Oh, here you go!" she said, giving him some kind of of meat from her pack. "I think these are treats for him." she said showing Kirk a bag of jerky. Kirk was amazed at how easily he followed instructions. He was nervous to have a dog but if he is this well trained, it will only help them.
Kirk took the binoculars and surveyed Minefield. It was covered in ruined houses. Big ones. He saw the park in the middle. Kirk sighed, as he saw the numerous amount of land mines scatters all about the area. What was more nerve wracking were the ones he couldn't spot. How the hell was he gonna do this? Lucy took the binoculars and looked around as well. "She asked you to get to the park in the middle, then defuse a mine and bring back right?" Kirk nodded, he was starting to realize this was suicide. "How would she know? We already have a mine from Arefu that Jericho defused, can't we just lie and say you did it?"
Kirk sighed, that thought had ran through his mind. "We could, but we would be missing the whole point of the survival guide. The mine is really just a bonus, what she really wants is someone to tell the experience of navigating hazards, like a minefield. Yeah, we could lie and make something up about that, but we would really be robbing people of vital experience and I think she would know if I was lying anyway." Kirk rubbed his stubble, thinking deeply. No matter how he played it in his mind, it was definitely suicide to go down there. Even if Jericho showed how to defuse one mine, there seemed to be countless down there. How many could he defuse correctly on his way to the park? How many can he safely avoid to the park? But the biggest threat was something else entirely. Who put the mines there in the first place, and are they still there?
"So what's the plan?" Lucy asked, petting Dogmeat. Kirk looked at the two of them looking back at him. Kirk sighed, "Fuck it."
Kirk stood in front of the entrance to Minefield. His heart was beating out of his chest and legs shook a bit. Lucy and Dogmeat stayed back behind a boulder. She didn't like the idea of him doing it by himself, but it was less risky this way. She also held onto his pack, so all he had was his rifle and pistol. If he died, she would immediately head back to Arefu. "Kirk!" He turned around to see her running up to him and gave him a kiss. "For luck." She returned to Dogmeat.
Kirk took a deep breath and went forward. As he stepped around the occasional mine, he started to see a pattern in the placement. He also was able to spot the more concealed ones if he focused on the landscape. 'I can do this, I can do this, stay focused.' He repeated this in his head as he came into line of sight of the park. This was going easier than expected, and he felt his confidence grow. As he started to make his way to the park, he caught a flash of light from up high, then a shot rang out.
Lucy was petting Dogmeat for comfort to keep her anxiety in check. Dogmeat made reassuring noises to her, probably sensing her worry. "You're right, he will be okay." She thought of the last few days with him. Ever since the Super Mutant, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Especially since last night. 'Am I falling for him?' she wondered. These thoughts were disrupted by an explosion. "KIRK!" Dogmeat nudged her and barked at her to follow. Dogmeat navigated the mines and kept looking back to make sure she was following him. They made their way through quickly and saw Kirk behind a pile of rubble, holding his leg.
"Kirk!" Lucy yelled, going to run to him. "STOP!" Kirk yelled, holding his hand up. She did and took cover at a car. "The tall building! A sniper!" Kirk yelled, pointing in the direction of a tall ruined building. Lucy nodded and peeked out, only for a shot to barely miss her. "Oh shit!" she yelled, heart racing.
Kirk had barely reacted in time from being almost blown up by a mine, that the sniper shot. Thankfully Kirk was already diving out of the way as soon as he saw the flash. He acted on instinct and that saved him, but his leg caught a small piece of debris. Kirk pulled out a Stimpack out of his pouch and pulled out the piece of shrapnel in his calf. He stopped the bleeding with the Stimpack and got his rifle out and a syringe of Med-X. He injected a small amount into his broken hand and got his rifle ready. It was good fortune he got a scope for his rifle, or else he might not have a chance against this sniper.
Before he could take aim another shot rang out, followed by an explosion near Lucy. She screamed as her ears rang. Kirk leaned out and took aim, he saw an old man in rags. As Kirk went to shoot, the sniper flicked over to Kirk and shot him in the shoulder. "AGH!" Kirk cried, dropping his rifle and falling back behind cover. Kirk started panicking, they were in way over their heads. He has the advantage in every possible way. More shots rang out, followed by repeated pinging noises. Kirk looked over to Lucy and the car she was behind started smoking. 'Oh no.' Kirk pulled out his pistol and tried to work up his courage to shoot again. "LUCY RUN!" he cried and forced his body to move and he unloaded his mag at the sniper. This forced him into cover as Lucy and Dogmeat ran over to him. The explosion from the car forced them to the ground, as Kirk rolled on top of her to guard her from any debris.
"You okay?" Kirk asked rolling off her and back against the cover. "Y-yeah, are you?" she asked, but noticed his shoulder. "H-here I got a Stimpack." She injected it with shaking hands into Kirk's shoulder and he picked up his rifle again. He wouldn't be able to shoot that well now, but he had to try. He noticed her fear, he did his best to hide his, but she could probably sense it. "Lucy, I think we messed up. We should've waited for Jericho to be better. If he was here, he would know what to do."
Lucy grabbed his hand. "If anyone can get out of this fucked situation, it would be you. I just know." For some reason Kirk believed her. He started thinking of all possibilities. The man had the advantage in a gunfight, and with Kirk's injuries made it impossible to win, so that was out. They could try to run, but not quick enough to avoid mines safely even with Dogmeat leading them. Kirk realized then why the man didn't shoot when he first entered, it was to lure him into a deathtrap with no escape. Lucy could try to distract him, but the odds where either survived trying to shoot him were low. He had no options, the only way out of this was to take out the sniper. Kirk had nothing else in his arsenal to-. His thoughts were interrupted by Dogmeat's barking. Dogmeat.
"Dogmeat, he can probably reach him." Kirk realized and got his rifle ready. "Are you sure?" Lucy asked, worried for Dogmeat. "We have no other options, I'm hoping he would be too fast for him to shoot, and he avoid the mines much faster than us too. When he charges him, I am going to shoot him, if I can't then we hope Dogmeat can get up there and take him out. You got that boy? When I say go, you take out that man up there." Dogmeat barked in acknowledgement and took a stance. Kirk took a deep breath, "GO!"
Dogmeat bolted down the street toward the building, zipping around the mines. In desperation after a few missed shots, the sniper shot a mine and caused chain reaction of explosions down the street, but Dogmeat was faster and just barely made it out of range. Kirk took aim at the sniper and pulled the trigger. He got him on the forearm and watched as his rifle fell down the building. Kirk watched the man hold his hand up as he sat down out in the open. A sign of surrender? "DOGMEAT, STOP!" Kirk yelled, and saw him stop just in front of the sniper, growling at him.
"Holy crap, we got him." Kirk said in disbelief. "What now?" Lucy asked. "I think he is surrendering so let's go up there and see who this is." With that they made their way up the street now covered in debris from the mines. Kirk noticed the park still had mines in it and made his way over to it. "Kirk? What are you doing?" Lucy asked.
"What we came here to do in the first place." he said, as he knelt in front of a mine. He thought back to Jericho's words at Arefu. 'Counter-clockwise, light pressure, counter-clockwise, light pressure.' He repeated this like a mantra in head and then acted.
With his first defused mine in Lucy's pack, they approached the building. Kirk found the sniper rifle on the ground and picked it up. It was heavier than it looked, and well maintained. He brought it up with him and found the sniper petting Dogmeat, with him wagging his tail.
"Hello, you have a good boy here." the man said, chuckling. "Rare to see dogs like these nowadays."
"Well he is the reason we are alive, so yes he is a good boy." Kirk was thrown off a bit, he didn't expect him to be friendly. "Who are you? Why did you try to kill us?"
"Name's Arkansas. I thought you were slavers or raiders. Do you mind grabbing me that medkit over there?" he asked pointing to a white box in the corner. Lucy brought to him and he started treating his wounded arm. "Won't be able to shoot for awhile now. Gotta depend on my mines, which I need to change up the pattern, since you were able to so easily avoid them. Getting sloppy in my old age." he grunted, wrapping his arm up.
"Why do you defend this place so aggressively? Are their families in the houses?" Kirk asked, observing the area. "No, just me. Slavers took my people a long time ago. I just stay to take out as many as I can, before I go. They seem to think I am some sort of prize so every few weeks a group comes out and I kill them. Rinse and repeat for years and there you go."
Lucy looked at Kirk, feeling bad that they almost killed a seemingly good person. "Sorry for invading your home. We were just defending ourselves." Kirk explained, handing him his rifle. The man took it and started looking it over. "Now who are you and why are you here? Can't be scavengers, everyone knows not to come to this place. You're not raiders or slavers. Can't be mercs since their is only two- er- three of ya, also I'd be dead. So what's the deal?"
Kirk chuckled, "I don't even know how to explain it, so I'm just gonna be blunt. I was tasked to help out in writing a survival guide. I was to come here navigate the mines to the park, defuse one, head back, and tell my experience. You were an unexpected element." Arkansas just stared at him in disbelief and started laughing loudly.
They weren't sure it was because of his laughter, or realizing how ridiculous the explanation was. But they all started laughing hard with him for awhile. It felt good to release the tension. "That is crazy! You can't make that up!" Arkansas roared in laughter. "Almost killed by a boy doing a suicide mission!" he roared in tears. After the laughing subsided, Kirk went back to the entrance of Minefield for his pack that Lucy left.
Kirk thought over what just transpired and found himself thinking he must be incredibly lucky. What were the odds that he would come across a dog that seemed like a miracle, and him being just what he needed to survive a minefield and sniper. Too lucky. As Kirk picked up his pack, he heard a whistle behind him. When he turned around, he saw a gun pointed at his face.
Lucy was talking with Arkansas when Dogmeat barked and growled, looking out over the area. Arkansas looked over, "Shit!" He got up with his rifle and aimed down the road. Lucy came over and saw a big group of people holding Kirk hostage walking down the street. "Who are they?" she asked, pulling out her pistol. "Slavers."
"If you shoot, he dies!" one of them yelled. "Surrender, and come down here!"
"They must've watched you guys and waited to strike, smart." He groaned and put down the rifle. "I can't shoot and no mines ahead of them. Too many of them for small arms. I hate to say it but we don't have a choice girl. They got us."
Lucy reached into her pack and grabbed a pencil and paper. "Where would they take us? Paradise Falls?" Arkansas nodded, wondering what she was doing. Lucy started writing, 'Jericho, captured by slavers. Taking us to Paradise Falls. Follow the dog, he is very smart and well trained.' She wrapped the noted in a spare tank top and tied it around Dogmeat's neck.
She pulled out a spare shirt of Jericho's that she took since he wouldn't need it. "Smell this and find this man, in Arefu. Lead him to us. Got it?" Dogmeat got the scent and barked and took off. Avoiding the eyes of the slavers.
Arkansas and Lucy approached the group with their hands up. "Smart move. Tie 'em up!" The slavers bounded them and took them outside Minefield. Kirk noticed Dogmeat was missing, and looked at Lucy who winked at him. He nodded, trusting her. They went to a nearby camp site and were shoved to the ground. "Grab the collar!" one yelled. Kirk observed the group, ten of them total, men and women. "The men are wounded, hey Rip, fix the products!" A man came to Arkansas and checked his wounds, didn't do much with him. When he got to Kirk who tried to resist as he lowered his suit and cut off his shirt, he paused. "Boss, we got a heavily damaged product over here."
The leader walked over, "How bad- holy shit! Everyone, come here and look at this!" The slavers gathered around Kirk to his annoyance, but their was nothing he could do. "Ooo, you came across some raider's didn't ya? You are more damaged than it appears then. Boss, this slave might have no value. Probably better off killing him." Kirk tensed up and so did Lucy. "Nah, he looks like a real vault dweller that alone is rare value. Keep him and fix him." The 'fixer' removed Kirk's binding and ordered him to undress at gunpoint. Kirk complied, there were too many of them. He removed his PIPBOY and suit so that the slaver could work on his wounds, once done, he bound his hands again and worked on his shoulder and leg wounds. When finished he left him in only his boxers. Kirk went to protest to let him get dressed but was interrupted.
"You folks are lucky we only have one. We came for the old man, but are always happy for extras. Especially a rarity like a vaultie and a beauty." one said, placing a collar on Arkansas. "If you try to run, all we have to do is push this button, and your head pops. Got it old man?" Arkansas said nothing. "We finally bagged Jones's VIP target! We drinking tonight!" the supposed leader of the group yelled, arms wide. The group cheered and grabbed bottles of alcohol.
Kirk felt dread, feeling the bindings on his wrist and being almost naked were bringing up memories he didn't want to remember. A slaver girl walked up to Kirk. "Look at this handsome man, and he looks very clean. Hey, the rule is we can't touch the women right? Men are free for use then correct?" she asked her leader. "That's right just no rough shit!" he answered. Kirk anxiety rose, 'No, no no, no, no. Not again.' The woman approached him. "Stay away from me! Don't fucking touch me!" Lucy watched in horror as the woman took off her coat, as she stood over Kirk. Arkansas looked away.
The slaver slapped Kirk across the face. "Shut up slave, I own you now! Depending on how you do, I might just purchase you myself!" She cackled. Kirk froze in horror, not from the slap or what she said. It was because he got aroused when she hit him.