A/N: The fight has arrived. After the buildup from the last few chapters, the Farms are about to be attacked! Not much to say here today. We're still moving along and it's time to get this party started. Anyway, leave a review if you're so inclined and, as always, enjoy!
Chapter 75: It All Comes Home
"We're in for one", Vincent said, motioning to me. We were standing on the raised segment of freeway over the Farms. It was still dark, but there was enough light up here with a clear sky to see unassisted. "Damon found out the Raiders are coming after us. We knew it was gonna happen eventually. We just gotta do our jobs. He's in charge up here. I don't want you doing anything different just cause you got Tin Man watching." The Railroad operative smiled at me. "Cass told me."
If he thought that would ann-
He's trying to break the ice. I looked at the six settlers, four men and two women, around us. Each of them was armed and carrying a set of the night vision systems I'd seen earlier. That constituted all three shifts they had for now. Vincent told me they rotated people up here once a week. We were standing in the center of the overpass in front of the large shelter they'd built. It was far enough from the edges to avoid prying eyes. The sun wouldn't be up for another three or four hours. Nate's group would be here an hour after that. If the Raiders stick to their schedule, we should see them in the afternoon.
Without anyone to keep track of them, I'm not going to put any confidence in that.
Half of the settlers were wide-eyed, had shaken hands, shallow breath, or some combination of the three. The other half were doing the best they could to hide it.
Whether that was because of me, that we just told them we'd be attacked by a large force of Raiders, or both, I don't know.
When Cass and I left a few days ago, Andrew had stayed behind to help. When I asked, Vincent told me the Synth was working on a project on the south side of the farms. I could check in on him after the fighting was over.
He wasn't sure about Blaine and Cole. It had only been a few days but… hopefully they were being taken care of. We needed to see about finding the other group from their settlement.
If he's trying to put them at ease… how do I respond to that?
"I'd expect something to do with a robot."
"What- like an Assaultron?"
KLEO? That Assaultron down in the Institute? The one the Railroad has?
I shrugged. "That might work."
"How about "Assaultron 2.0"?" Vincent asked, clearly amused.
"Better."
He scoffed. "You ever fight one of those? Might be a compliment."
"Yeah. I have."
"Right. Why am I not surprised." He rolled his eyes. "Forgot you're on a mission to shoot one of everything in the Commonwealth."
It was my turn to smile behind my visor. This would probably end up getting exaggerated, and add to whatever ridiculous image people have of me… but I sort of want to see how Vincent reacts. "No", I shook my head. "I tore its head off."
"Y-" he stopped, mouth half-through forming the word. The settlers were all staring. I'm not sure whether it was surprise or doubt.
"It was too close to use a rifle."
Vincent frowned. "Nah, you're messing with me. You aren't good enough at hiding it. You're enjoying this too much."
"You've heard about the Deathclaws, right?"
"... I've heard about that. But I know how things can get blown out of proportion. People have said everything from 2 Deathclaws to 10. It's still-"
"Seven. If you want confirmation, ask Nate when he gets here." I cocked my head. "So yeah, the assaultron's head."
All of them, including Vincent, damn near froze. Hell, a few of them stopped breathing for a few seconds.
Okay. There might be some positives to this. I didn't mean to laugh, but the next thing I knew, I was. Sure, maybe they haven't fought with me before, but the open-mouthed dumbfoundedness the Railroad operative was staring at me with was too much.
Vincent shook himself and threw his hands up. "Why the hell are we even here then?! Go fight the damn Raiders yourself!" He was smiling.
I took a deep breath to stop myself from laughing more. "Because Deathclaws don't have guns or team tactics."
He blew a raspberry. "Whatever. One of these days, I'm gonna force you to tell me which of these stories is true." The man turned to his team. "Looks like we've got nothing to worry about with our Deathclaw-killing, assaultron-dismembering friend around. Just follow his lead and you'll be fine."
They were still staring, but their eyes didn't look like they were about to pop out of their heads.
"Stop gawking and introduce yourselves", Vincent said.
After a heartbeat's pause, the first settler, a middle-aged woman with her short, brown hair tied back and wearing what looked like an old tactical rig stepped forward. She was carrying one of the semi-automatic rifles the splinter group had provided. This rifle had a barrel a few centimeters longer than the one Nate carried and was fitted with a bipod and scope.
"Name's Valerie", she said. "Glad to be fighting with you."
The next one, a man that could have been her son, raised a hand. The wood-stock bolt-action rifle he had slung over his shoulder jostled as he did. "Brent."
Matt, Wayne, Miranda, and Bryan all introduced themselves in turn. I nodded to each of them as they did.
Once the greetings were done, Vincent excused himself and climbed back down to the settlement below. Jake had already been informing their team leaders of the impending attack. They had more preparations to do, including coordinating how they'd stagger their response. That's their problem. I need to make sure these people are ready to buy them the time necessary to make that work.
"Who's command is it up here?"
"Uh… yours, isn't it?" Brent mumbled.
Under other circumstances, I'd think that was a joke. Right now, the young man had sounded more timid than sarcastic.
Matt jabbed an elbow into his side. "I'm in charge of the night watch."
"Best shot?"
Valerie raised her hand. "Me and Bryan. We been hunting together a long time. Provided for our people for a few years before coming here. Had to fight off Raiders more than a few times." Now things were down to business, she and Matt seemed focused. That's good.
"You two will engage first with me. The rest of you will support as needed. For now, watch three at a time in two-hour rotations. Sleep or eat when you aren't on watch."
"Is there anything in particular you want us to watch for?" Matt asked. As the words left his mouth, the settler swore. "Sir. And I'm not being a smartass. I mean is there anything different we should be looking out for?"
They really were serious about this pseudo-militant conduct. Is it just with me?
I shook my head. "No. Just don't make yourselves targets."
"Stay hidden", Bryan nodded. "Can do."
"I'm on the north end", I said. "Arrange yourselves as you see fit."
Wayne, Bryan, and Miranda walked toward the shelter while the other three dispersed. I headed to the north side of the overpass. That felt like the direction the Raiders would attack from. East was water, west was Minutemen controlled, and to come from the south would mean traversing hostile territory, both Minutemen and Brotherhood.
We couldn't count that out.
There were piles of rubble scattered around the overpass. A cursory observer wouldn't see anything of interest but, from this side, they were very clearly placed strategically. Each of them was wide enough to cover two or three people with at least three different holes that could be used as firing ports. They were deep enough that, unless someone looked for a long time with a high-powered optic, the darkness would shade any signs of a rifle.
Again, the defenses here are well done.
Settling behind one of the carefully arranged piles, I set the Mk18 aside and pulled the McMillan from my back. I wouldn't be using it here, the combat rifle had more than enough range for this fight, but the more powerful scope on the McMillan would make observation much easier.
Once I was comfortable, it was time for the worst part of any fight: waiting for it to start.
If the Raiders stuck to their schedule, we had 12 hours. Maybe more.
But I'm not going to let Raiders get the drop on me. That wouldn't just be embarrassing, that would get people killed.
An hour passed with nothing of note. There was a lot of activity coming from the Farms below us, preparations for the (potentially) coming fight. A few animals were lurking in the woods beyond the perimeter. At this range, it was difficult to tell what they were.
I couldn't help the creeping concern this was a feint. Nothing had happened to suggest that was the case, and we were still a ways away from zero hour…
But still. This entire thing was based on a single point of information. The Raiders were getting too smart to be playing from behind like this.
If Dez's teams had been able to get to the base and report any large troop movements back, that could have been confirmation. One problem is we started from nothing. We're building a community of settlements and an information network all at once. While also trying to prepare for a war.
That isn't an excuse. The Institute, Brotherhood, Raiders, and Supermutants aren't going to wait for us to get up and running.
More time slipped by as I scanned the forests to the north and northeast. The overpass had a commanding view of the surrounding landscape. I could even see the factory that had been the Forged stronghold. Another fight that felt like a lifetime ago. It's a good thing I dealt with that back before all of this started. They would have been a major problem by now. And Jake wouldn't have survived to help get the defenses organized.
The guy had been terrified to the point of shaking earlier but, from what Vincent told me, he's done a very good job. I guess he took whatever lesson he learned from that ordeal to heart.
Black began fading to blue in the eastern sky. The sun would be cresting the horizon soon. Everyone below should be getting ready for a stand-to.
Still nothing.
Whether that's a good thing or not, I'm not sure. It might not be the most considerate thought I've ever had, but I wanted the wait to be over. Raiders want to attack us, fine. Just get it over with already.
Relax. I can't fight effectively if I'm keyed up.
I tapped my index finger on the McMillan's lower receiver.
Deep breath.
Seconds crept by with an agonizing slowness. I swung the scope to my right to begin another scan-
… Something…
Double checking the scope was at its highest power magnification, I tried to peer through the darkness cast by the surrounding trees.
Would it be Raiders? This early? Maybe a recon team? The trees were thick, but not thick enough to cover a force of a few hundred of them.
My gaze wandered from the scope and I turned my head to look at the brightening sky to the east.
The sun was a few minutes from peaking over the horizon. From the sounds below, the entire settlement was up for their stand-to.
This doesn't feel right. Why? Why didn't it feel right?
The trees wouldn't be enough to cover the approach of a few hundred Raiders. They'd know that.
Deep orange was melting into a pinkish-yellow.
This… doesn't feel right because I know a tactic they could use here. Under normal circumstances, the trees wouldn't provide visual cover.
During the half-hour before sunrise, the sky would be bright enough to cast shadows. Then, when the sun breaks over the horizon, it would give an advantage to whoever was fighting from that direction. Both visual cover and light interference.
I got back on the McMillan's scope and adjusted my HUD until the night vision was so bright it was almost blinding. It responded by filtering out most of the glare.
Movement.
A lot of movement.
The shadows were still too deep for me to tell exactly what was there but I seriously doubt that many animals would be this close to a large settlement.
Pulling my new encrypted handset from my satchel, I keyed its transmit button.
"Vincent, this is Damon, do you copy?."
"This is Vincent, I hear you."
"Potential contact from the northeast using sunrise for visual cover. Cannot confirm."
There was a brief silence before the Railroad operative responded. "Got it. Keep us posted."
"Understood."
I placed the radio beside me and continued scanning the forest.
Movement. Brief glimpses. Not enough to identify anything.
If this was the Raiders… what happened? Were they trying to move into position early for the attack? Had they changed their game plan?
Or was I right and they fed me bad information?
Was it something else entirely?
Dammit. Who else would it be? The Brotherhood? Why would they be attacking the farm? Refugees wouldn't be sneaking through the forest, they'd be trying to get here as quickly as possible.
More movement further north. The shadows were getting deeper as the sky brightened. Sunbreak wasn't far off.
"Matt", I called.
"Yes sir?" came the response.
"Get everyone up. Valerie and Bryan on me."
"... Okay."
A minute later, I heard the two guards crawling up behind me.
"What's up?" Valerie asked as they neared.
"A lot of movement to the northeast. I can't verify it's Raiders."
"But you think it is."
I watched the area through my scope for a few seconds, searching for anything. "Affirmative."
Almost as soon as the word left my mouth, the sun peeked over the horizon to the east. The shadows in the forest deepened and the glare in my HUD washed everything else into a dull yellow. My visor corrected as well as it could, but NVS would be useless from here on. If mine struggled to cope with the sunrise, the units the settlers had were paperweights.
This would be a perfect time to attack. Hence the stand-to.
Still. If this is Raiders, they've already taken the advantage. On the incredibly small chance this isn't them, I can't take that shot. Even if I was 100% sure, it was impossible to get a clear one with the mixture of shade and glare.
"Spread out. Stay out of sight."
"Gotcha", Bryan said.
The two crept away in opposite directions.
Every second felt as though it stretched into eternity. It was painful to sit and wait. What I wouldn't give to be in those trees, hunting the Raiders down, turning this fight into one I'm more accustomed to.
There's a reason I did this. I have to remember that. There's a reason I'm up here.
Besides, I'd be in the woods eventually. Probably.
Another 30 seconds passed.
Then a minute.
The sun continued climbing over the horizon. Its glare cast the forest in deeper and deeper shadows.
Silence.
What the hell are they waiting for?
Anticipation had been gnawing at the back of my head for the last several hours. Now it was screaming at me.
Second-guessing my morals has become a common occurrence. Second-guessing my observations and instincts in combat hadn't. But now… am I raising a false alarm? Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?
Yes. I am. There's movement out there. Too much and in the wrong places for it to be animals or wind. Especially considering the air is calm. Relax. Stay alert.
I adjusted my grip on the McMillan and took a long, slow, deep breath.
And then another.
It's possible they're waiting for something. As with any tactic, stand-tos have their weaknesses. Many of the people who were on watch would either have just woken up or had very little sleep from their own shift. The longer the stand-to drags on, with no activity, the less effective a response will be.
That's something Vincent would know. It's probably something he's talked to Jake and everyone else about. He's smart. He's spent a lot of time working with these people. I need to trust the people we put in place to do their jobs.
Another deep breath.
The sun was completely detached from the horizon and climbing into the sky.
Our friends couldn't wait too long. If they did, they'd lose the glare's advantage.
It's good they weren't able to attack from directly east. That would have made life much more difficult.
More seconds ticked by. I could hear noise drift up from the settlement occasionally but, other than that, it was calm.
This type of calm always felt so thin and fake. Like the world was holding its breath before it dropped a bomb on my head. It's something I've grown used to through years of training and combat.
Doesn't mean I'm not uncomfortable with it.
"You got anything else up there?" Vincent's voice cut through the silence.
"No new developments", I replied.
A few seconds of silence, then, "Alright. Got it."
He sounded as anxious as I felt.
Can't let that affect me. I've done this a hundred times before. I can't let my emotions hurt my performance.
Shoving the distractions away, I performed what must have been my 200th scan.
There was so much treeline to work with, the Raiders had plenty of options for an approach. If I were planning this, I'd pressure as much of the perimeter as I could to stretch the defense. Then I'd drive a wedge through wherever I felt was the weakest. It's a basic strategy, but it allowed for countless tactics to-
A puff of smoke burst into life 100 meters north of the treeline. It was dyed orange by the sun.
Contrail.
"INCOMING!" I shouted.
Another two appeared an instant later.
"INCOMING!" I heard Bryan and Valerie echo just before the first rocket slammed into the overpass 20 meters to my right.
Debris rained down on me as I sighted where the first RPG came from and squeezed the trigger. The massive rifle sent a blast that scattered so much dust and debris, it partially obscured my vision.
A heartbeat after the McMillan boomed, the second rocket drowned out its report as it slammed into the front of the overpass. The battered and worn concrete beneath me shook under the force of the explosion.
The last rocket sailed overhead.
I chambered another round and fired at the second.
Then the fight started.
Gunfire erupted from the trees, showering both the freeway's remains and, I'd assume, the settlement below.
Bullets were crashing into everything around me; the cover I was behind, the concrete to the left and right, and there was the telltale crack of bullets snapping overhead. This type of saturation fire was rarely meant to kill. The 400 meters of open ground and budding crops between them and the settlement would make that even harder.
No. This was cover.
I grabbed the radio. "Vincent, do you copy?"
"Yeah", came the flustered reply. "I hear you."
"Watch for an opening in their fire. Let me know if you find one; that's where they'll try pushing through."
"Got it. I'll keep in touch."
It was a common enough strategy, if not risky. As long as your people are disciplined enough to keep their aim off your approach, it can work.
That is, it can work if you adequately suppress your target.
The farm was well-fortified with multiple levels of defense. We have to assume they know that.
Another contrail.
My aim snapped to its origin-
This time I caught sight of the Raider partially tucked behind a tree, frozen in time, launcher on her shoulder. She was starting to stand, no doubt to relocate.
Placing the crosshairs a meter over her head and squeezed.
She stood up at the same time as the rocket pounded into something below me.
Straight into the 12.7mm bullet. It slammed into her, just beneath her neck. Even if she'd been wearing any armor, that much energy didn't care. The Raider's upper torso disappeared in a plume of blood turned orange by the rising sun.
How long had it been since the first volley? 20 seconds? That was enough time for them to relocate. Or were there more than three?
That launcher wouldn't be out of commission long. No doubt someone else would pick it up. Hopefully, they'd be a little less effective.
All of them would be more careful about exposing themselves too.
Now another factor comes into play.
When will the snipers down there figure out where I'm shooting from? There are a limited number of places they have to look and, with how much dust this thing throws up, it won't be long.
The volume of incoming fire increased. More rounds started peppering the overpass. Was that a response to losing one of their people? Or was that a deliberate shift?
One bullet landed just to the right of the small break in the debris I was using for cover.
A gunshot sounded to my right. Then another. And a third. Valerie must have found something.
The return fire from the settlement below was starting to pick up too.
I need to find their snipers. They can't start picking people off up here, not with the limited overwatch personnel.
There are a lot of places-
Another round slammed my cover, this one just above the opening. Had one found me?
I can take a hit. Focus.
Too many places for snipers to hide out there. I need to narrow it down.
Large caliber rifles, they won't be near the front. They likely won't be near any of the active ground units to avoid drawing attention. Yes, they could use surrounding forces as cover but, if an opposing sharpshooter's attention gets pulled to their area, it's a liability. Better to be isolated and relocate if necessary.
There had been movement all over the treeline prior to the start of the fight…
My eyes shifted back toward the north, deeper into the woods.
Another pair of contrails leaped from the woods, these ones streaking toward the settlement below.
Yes, it was important to find any snipers, but I have to stay on top of them too.
"Damon", Vincent's voice came across the radio. "Looks like we might have an opening on the west side. That area isn't being hit anymore."
"Copy", I replied. I have more resources available.
Leaving the McMillan where it was, I pushed myself back and low-crawled away from the edge of the overpass. We really need more encrypted comms…
Once I was well out of view, I stood and jogged back toward the shack. The other three were still maintaining their positions to the south and west. It was good discipline.
"Brent!" I shouted over the gunfire. The young man had been watching the southern approach with Matt. He turned to face me from his spot, laying behind what looked like an oddly shaped wooden shelter. "I need you on the northwest side. Link up with Bryan and watch for an approach."
Another boom from a rocket impact echoed from below.
His eyes were as wide as possible, but he nodded and mimicked my maneuver, staying low until he was away from the edge.
A moment later, I was back behind my cover and pulled the McMillan into my shoulder. Rounds were still hammering the overpass. They couldn't keep this up forever. This type of saturation fire eats through ammo.
"Vincent, you've got overwatch on the west side", I reported over the radio.
"Much appreciated."
Movement caught my attention, a few hundred meters back from the main assault. It was gone before I could center my scope on it.
That was a target.
Patience when you have bullets flying everywhere is difficult, even in my armor.
Patience is exactly what one needs when hunting other snipers. It's a game and the first person to give up their location usually dies.
It's a game I've played a few times on missions. It's a game I'd suffered through countless times during training.
So I kept my eye on that area. It was a thicket of trees with a small break on the left side. Plenty of places to hide. Whoever was back there might not pop up in the same spot, but they wouldn't be able to move far without notice. One disadvantage of not having a well-fortified position. Relocation is far more important for the attacking force.
Valerie's rifle was still ringing out to my right. I lost count of how many times she's shot. At least 15. She must have been engaging the front line. Not a bad use of her position but… she was making herself a target.
Where would I be if I were in that thicket? A spot with good concealment and the ability to relocate relatively safely. I'd avoid that left side… The front edge too. It was well-connected with the rest of the forest on the back right. Plenty of foliage cover there too. The next question was low or high? Definitely low. More options and the elevation doesn't provide much benefit here. A prone position, if they're counter-sniping.
Low. Back right. Probably using underbrush as cover. A good shooter wouldn't expose their weapon…
The most logical position was a small group of bushes a few meters back from the middle of the thicket. There were trees on either side and plenty of cover to move from position to position.
Now the question is do I gamble on that or wait until I see movement again?
Wait. I have time. We're prepared.
I took a steadying breath.
Seconds ticked by. Bullets continued to cascade around me. They weren't hitting me. Even if they did, they wouldn't do anything. At this range, small caliber rounds wouldn't get through conventional armor, let alone Mjolnir.
Another rocket speared out from the treeline. I heard Bryan or Brent's rifle ring immediately afterward, maybe- hopefully- in response. I don't know-
A plume of dirt spat out of a thicket five meters to the right of the one I was studying.
A cry from my left.
My aim switched to the new target. I sighted a few meters above where I saw the dust kick up and pulled the trigger.
The McMillan boomed a massive bullet toward the sniper. I didn't see any reaction from the thicket. Either whoever was under there was incredibly calm and disciplined, or they were dead.
"Status", I demanded.
A few heartbeats passed before I got a reply.
"Brent's hurt!" Bryan shouted.
Still no sign of movement. "Is he hit?"
Another brief pause. "No! It looks like whatever hit us threw gravel in his face!"
"Can he-"
A round flew through my firing slot. It skipped off the top and sent a spray of pulverized concrete over my head.
That was way too powerful to be a standard caliber.
They were going to find me eventually. Their snipers were dialed in on us. Staying in one place so long is always a bad idea but I knew that. Right now, the two of them need time.
Valerie's rifle barked again.
"Sniper! Two or three hundred feet into the forest on the east side, near the lake!"
She'd been searching too? When did that happen?
Later. I chambered the magazine's last round. "Copy. Brent, can you fight?"
"I… give me a minute." His voice was tinged with pain. "I can I just- I need to get the shit out of my eyes."
"We'll get to a new spot once he can see", Bryan added.
Good. "Valerie, find the shooter, I'll draw attention."
"On it!"
Setting the large caliber rifle aside, I retrieved my MK18 and propped it on its magazine. Not as stable a firing platform as the McMillan and its bipod but I've made worse work.
My attention switched to the treeline below. Can't make it look like I'm trying to draw attention. And that doesn't mean I don't pick good targets.
I waited.
Patience with gunfire going everywhere and a sniper who had a bead on me. That's a talent I'm still working on.
Another deep breath.
Shooting continued.
And continued.
And continued.
"We're moving!" Bryan shouted.
Seconds continued to tick by, violence and mayhem in all directions.
And I still waited.
The time dragged by so slow it was damn near unbearable. There were targets I could take. With the sun's glare starting to lift off of the canopy, I was able to pick out Raiders in the tree line. If I started shooting, I could lighten the load on the defenders below.
But I needed to wait. That sniper will be counting on me to wait. Maybe even assume I changed position. If we can drop one of them, that's worth more than a few more attackers on the front line, especially at this range. Especially if the target I choose is higher value than the frontline attackers.
More time trickled by so slowly it felt as though it were standing still.
Pick the right shot. Don't rush it.
Raiders were running between cover constantly. Each of them was just one Raider at 250-300 meters from the settlement. Not worth-
Another contrail.
My eyes snapped down and to the right. There, tucked in a thicket just beside a tree near the front.
At this distance, the medium-range assault scope wasn't quite as powerful as I'd like. It would have to do.
Just like the last one, he was crouched, rocket shouldered. By the time I had eyes on him, the leather and steel-covered attacker was starting to stand.
The Mk18 barked and, this time, the round caught my target in the head. His momentum carried his body sideways and the launcher fell from his arms and tumbled forward, into the opening. A pair of Raiders darted from the surrounding trees, both going for the weapon.
My second shot was low, burying itself in the ground between my target's feet. I corrected and the next bullet speared through her solar plexus as she reached for the launcher.
With the other two dead, the last Raider dove back for cover.
And left the launcher in the open.
The next squeeze of the trigger sent a fourth round crashing into the weapon. The fifth round followed suit, hopefully, rendering the weapon useless-
Dust and debris exploded in front of me, showering my head and shoulders with shattered concrete. My shields flared in sympathy for an instant.
Before they could fade, I heard Valerie's rifle send a booming response.
"Shooter down!" she screamed.
"Reposition", I ordered. "I'll cover."
"O- okay. I'm moving." Her voice was shaky, no doubt a sign of adrenaline.
This wasn't the first time I've relied on teammates before, I spent almost a year with Fourier's squad. This was the first time I had to rely on non-SPARTANs.
They're doing alright so far.
More rifle fire sounded to my left. Bryan and Brent engaging whatever forces were on the west side of the assault.
I grabbed the radio again, keeping my right hand on the rifle and eye on its scope. "Vincent, status on the west flank."
"We're seeing some push from them over there. How's it going up above?"
"Two snipers and one rocket down."
"Got it. Looks like we're in for a long fight."
"Affirmative." I need to get into the forest.
It would be where I have the most impact. And the more impact I have the shorter this fight is.
"How many fighters are you holding out?"
"I've got 15 sitting on their hands", came the reply. I couldn't tell if he was aggravated or joking.
Doesn't matter. "Five more minutes."
"Then you make your appearance?"
"Affirmative", I repeated.
"Can't wait."
As soon as he was off the radio, I set mine down and had my left hand back on the rifle.
Two more Raiders tried for the launcher. One of them dropped to the ground, a hole in his head, the other got away with a bullet in his shoulder.
"I'm good!" Valerie shouted.
I clamped the McMillan to my back and pushed away from the rubble. "Moving!"
Five more minutes of this. It would take me a few minutes to get into the woods but, once I was there, it turned into my kind of fight.
Once I was repositioned, Mk18 propped on a small pile of wood and concrete, I started searching for another good target.
Both Brent and Bryan were shooting almost constantly now. That would draw attention. I'd counted 15 snipers in the force when they'd been at the school. That means we weren't anywhere near done with that threat. But I understood their aggression. If the Raiders were trying to push the west side, they needed to keep them in check.
The sun's flare had largely lifted from the forest. Shadows cast by the trees were still long and deep, but the light that washed everything into a muddy orange was gone. It had been replaced by a yellowing glow that, while annoying, didn't inhibit vision.
My best way to keep any enterprising counter-snipers off the two of them was to draw that attention to myself.
"Valerie, stay on sniper watch", I called. "I'm drawing attention."
"Got it!"
Picking another target, a Raider that had remained in place for too long, I put a round through her mouth and she fell backward in a puff of blood. The impacts with the Mk18 weren't as spectacular as the McMillan, but it did the job.
My next was a man half a dozen meters to the right of her. He was, likewise, stationary, rifle propped on a tree. I squeezed the trigger again-
He ducked back behind the trunk just as my rifle barked another round out. It passed through the air his head had been in an instant prior.
… I hate missing.
Out of the first magazine's remaining 11 rounds, 8 connected. Not great, but not horrible. That was eight more Raiders not in the fight. Ammunition conservation was something I needed to consider. Four magazines left, that's 80 rounds. The McMillan would be almost useless in the forest. My knife has its time and place, but I'd rather not be forced to use it.
Just as I hit the bolt release and chambered another round, a bullet punched a hole through the plank of wood just beside my helmet. It couldn't have missed me by more than a centimeter or two.
"Sniper!" I shouted.
"I think I saw something!" Valerie responded. "Get him to shoot again!"
"Copy."
Before I could find another target…
A scream came from my left.
" No NO NO! BRENT'S HIT!"
It was going to happen. I knew it was going to happen, eventually. Three close calls on my part. One on Brent's. The odds were one of them was going to land. It's almost a guarantee.
But still…
Goddammit. These motherfuckers.
"How bad?" I shouted.
"HE'S DEAD! HE-" Bryan's voice faded into a wordless scream. It was angry and pained. But if he was dead… there was nothing we could do but keep fighting.
"Stay with me Bri!" Valerie shouted from my right. "We gotta keep going! We'll get these fuckers for that!"
Three minutes. Three minutes until I can get down there. Three minutes until I get to take some kind of initiative back.
Three minutes.
"I- I'm with you", Bryan's voice came back. It was shaken. Shaken and angry. Valerie said they'd fought off Raiders before. I doubt this was the first time they'd lost anyone. "Give me a minute. I'm moving."
No sooner had he said that than another plume of smoke burst from the treeline.
And speared directly toward me.
I sprung to my feet and dove away from my cover. I hit the ground a half-dozen meters away just as the rocket slammed into where I'd been an instant before. The overpressure crashed into me and my shields flared again. My ears were ringing as I started looking for a new position.
"Damon!" Valerie screamed. I could barely make it out over the piercing ring.
"I'm good!" I shouted. "Stay on the sniper!" I turned to the south side of the overpass. "Matt, you're with Bryan."
The guard stood and looked at me. His eyes were the size of dinner plates and his shoulders were rising and falling rapidly.
He didn't look like he was ready for a fight.
But Matt started moving toward the northwest side of the overpass.
The Raiders weren't even pushing yet and things were starting to feel tight.
Was that because I'm up here, a half-klick away from where I'd normally be in a fight like this?
It doesn't matter.
Right.
My next position was behind the remains of a car. It was very close to the broken northern edge of the overpass. A few more decades of decay and it might drop over.
For now, it would provide good visual cover.
Looking out from under the vehicle's rear, I had a good view of the western side of the assault.
Two and a half minutes.
More and more Raiders were visible on the tree line. They were starting to group up.
"Break up the force on the west side!" I barked before steadying my aim and sending the first round on its way.
An instant after the bullet hit one of the attackers, both Bryan and Matt followed suit.
Two shots later and the Raiders were scrambling for cover.
The volume of gunfire had dropped off over the last minute or two. Were they running low on ammo? Did they think they'd softened the defenders enough for a push?
Or were they changing tact?
"Sniper!" Valerie shouted a split-second before her rifle barked.
She was getting anxious. That shot wouldn't have hit with her shouting at the same time.
She needs a few seconds to breathe. "Reposition." No response. "Valerie, reposition."
No response. Had she been hit?
Before I could decide whether to check or not, she finally called back. "I know where this bastard is. I can get him!"
And he's probably looking for you now too. "Valerie, repo now!"
I squeezed the trigger again and dropped a Raider who had braced their rifle against a tree branch. That was an amateur move. They know there are snipers up here.
They're still Raiders.
No response again. Giving orders like this isn't standard fare for me. But she needs to listen.
She didn't make me decide whether to force the issue.
"Alright. I'm moving."
Two minutes.
They passed slowly.
Fire and move. Fire and move.
Matt and Bryan were maintaining their area, keeping the Raiders from grouping up on the west side for an assault. Valerie calmed down. I managed to find two other snipers. She took out another of the launchers. Or the person carrying it, at least. The settlers below continued returning fire. Bullets continued peppering the area around me.
Their tactics didn't change much. It's possible whoever set this up didn't expect such a well-organized and effective response.
Did I need to go out there? Was I effective enough here?
Then, just as I was about to move back toward the center of the overpass, the incoming fire increased. Dramatically.
Bullets snapped by overhead, crashed into my cover throwing up chunks of concrete, and peppered the ground around me.
"Heads down!" I shouted before grabbing the radio again. "Vincent, I'm mobile. They're getting ready for a push. Rifle support from down there would be appreciated."
"I hear you."
"Matt!" I called. "You're in charge!"
A brief pause, filled with the sound of bullet impacts and gunfire from below.
"Alright. Good luck."
Good luck? I hope I don't have to rely on luck. Either way. "You too."
I pushed myself back and low-crawled away from the edge of the overpass. Once I was out of sight, I stood and jogged back to the shelter.
The cable I asked Anna for was coiled beside it, one end secured to exposed rebar in the roadway. I pulled the large wooden board they used to cover a meter-square hole in the surface and kicked the woven steel cable through.
Outside of drilling, I'd never roped down like this before.
Now's the time to use it.
Grabbing the cable, I dropped through the hole.
The principle was pretty simple: use your hands and legs to keep yourself on the rope, squeeze to slow your fall.
Problem here is steel doesn't have as much friction as a woven fiber rope. The cable was also much narrower than the rope I've drilled with. I wasn't high enough to kill or even seriously injure myself with a fall, but it might put my armor into lockup and I don't have time for that.
So, after I fell almost unimpeded for the first few meters, I clamped my hands around the cable as hard as I could. That was enough to control my descent.
When I reached the ground a few seconds later, I wasted no time sprinting for the lake. Dogmeat, who had, apparently, been waiting for me, shot from his spot next to one of the makeshift houses.
"No", I called. "Stay here."
The large black and brown dog slowed to a stop, head cocked.
You can't come in the water with me.
Despite his apparent confusion, Dogmeat stayed put beneath the overpass, well out of sight of any Raiders.
For the umpteenth time, I wondered where the hell he'd come from. That dog was too damn smart.
I made it to the edge of the water and slipped under the surface. Just like every other time I did it, the silty, loose ground gave way beneath my armored boots, not wanting to support 500 kilos. Every step felt like a fight both to keep my balance and to move quickly enough to prevent myself from sinking. It was an odd game where moving fast was difficult and necessary.
It did have its advantages, however. If the Raiders caught on to my presence on the freeway, they might still think I'm there. If they hadn't they might be wondering where I am. Or if I'm involved at all. Whatever the case, the less time between dropping from the overpass and engaging in the forest, the better.
It was a little over three minutes when I reached the northern bank of the small lake. It put me about 30 meters from the tree line. With the sun at my back, it was much easier to see where the Raiders were attacking from.
The relatively sparse forest in front of me was swarming with activity as I crept out of the water and up the embankment.
But… It had moved to the west.
There wasn't any movement on my side of the trees.
My first thought was to continue pushing, to engage and pull attention away from the settlement. Something made me stop and pull the radio out again.
"Vincent, do you copy?" I whispered into the handset.
"I hear you. The shooting's died off from the east. That you?"
"Negative. Do your shooters see anyone on the eastern flank?"
"One sec."
Without much cover, I was making myself a target standing on the shore. I ran toward the trees, rifle up, scanning for potential targets. Had they anticipated my maneuver? That would be… odd. The timing was too convenient but, despite my reservations, luck, convenience, and chance are part of combat. No matter how infuriating that might be.
When I reached the edge of the forest, I crouched next to a tree that was almost as wide as me. There was no movement in my immediate area. The sounds of shooting had moved off west too.
"No one here's seen anything over there besides you", Vincent's voice came over the radio.
… What the hell? "Copy. Moving"
I slipped between the trees, careful to keep my boots clear of any bushes, dry brush, and fallen leaves or branches.
The sounds of shooting were getting closer
Signs of a large group, broken branches, trampled underbrush, and countless footprints, littered the area.
It felt as though a group of Raiders was just waiting to ambush me but, as the gunfire continued to my west, I was exceedingly careful to check for any potential trap.
No odd, unnatural piles of leaves or underbrush. No disguised tripwires. No attackers hiding behind trees or in bushes.
Outside of the occasional dead body and casings, I didn't see much out of the ordinary
Maybe they pulled their people to focus the attack on one side but… you at least leave a custodial force. People to make it look like your assault is still across the entire perimeter. And to make sure no one does what I'm currently doing. Adjusting to concentrate your force like this telegraphs any potential push.
A push they haven't made any attempt at yet.
Gunfire drew closer as I crept through the forest. I started seeing signs of movement ahead of me. Slowing, I watched as a Raider ran from a small group of rocks he'd been using as cover to a tree northwest of where he'd been. Another Raider was right behind him, covering his move.
The fighting had only been going on for 15 minutes at this point. No way they thought they'd softened the Farm's defenses that much. Especially since Vincent just had more of his long-range shooters join in. Now they'd have to take into consideration there are more forces we're holding back.
Which is technically true since I still haven't engaged.
I stopped, watching a squad-sized group of Raiders continue moving to the northwest.
All of this felt wrong. All of it. The assault, the timing, how I gathered the intel, the changes they made, their strange tactics, their longer than normal high volume suppressive fire, and now their pullout.
Whatever this was, it didn't feel like a regular attack.
My options were wait and see, trail them, or engage and see how they respond.
There were no traps behind me, no signs of Raiders lying in wait.
My gaze switched back to the forest I'd just moved through. Still nothing.
Start some fires, see what runs out.
Settling the Mk18's sights on the closest Raider, a woman wearing an old combat helmet that didn't look at home with the mix of rusty armor and leather, I steadied my aim and squeezed.
Her helmet was flung into the air as she slumped to the ground, a red spray behind her. The combat rifle's report boomed through the forest
Before it could fade, my aim was on the next Raider-
He ducked behind a tree.
A few seconds later, I caught another glimpse of him.
Running.
Away.
They were retreating.
What the hell?
30-40%. That's what Nate said, that's what I knew from my own experience. That's what I'd learned during training.
If this force was 200+... I counted seven dead bodies. I know I was responsible for two of those, along with, possibly, four more. Even assuming the rest of the dead were scattered throughout the forest, there couldn't be more than 15 or 20. And that was probably an optimistic estimate.
Whatever the number was, it wasn't even close to the 60-80 or more that would constitute a conventional retreat.
I scanned the forest around me again. No sounds outside of the retreating Raiders ahead of me. Nothing trying to sneak through the forest.
This isn't right… I pulled out the radio again.
"Vincent, put people out to watch your other flanks. This force is retreating."
"Retreating?" He sounded as confused as I felt. "We've already got people on watch. I'll check with them."
The Raiders were moving fast. I could barely catch a clear sight of any of them now.
No chance they would be doing this to get away from me. Not only would they have had to anticipate my maneuver, they'd have to want to avoid an engagement with me entirely.
They were at least 150 meters away from me now and moving quickly. I could catch up to them but… that would be a stupid move. They're up to something and diving in without knowing what it is would put everyone at risk.
So I stayed put as my targets slipped further and further away from me.
A minute ticked by, the forest around me calm. Their gunfire had dwindled to nothing. They were too far away for me to hear any shouted orders or boots on dirt.
With the sun still low and behind me, it gave everything an odd, flat appearance, as if it were all in the same plane. Add the yellowish-orange hue and it made the forest feel… almost alien.
An interesting thought considering my experience.
Another minute ticked by and everything had gone quiet. The shooting from the settlement had stopped.
Then another minute.
"Damon, we've got nothing out here. No movement anywhere else."
Nothing. "... Understood."
That should have been a relief. Their assault was over. The Farms were still safe.
It wasn't.
Why the hell had they attacked us like that? To send a message? That's a large investment to send a message. That didn't fit with their MO either.
They approach settlements with the intent of either wiping them out or, apparently rarely, coercing them into joining.
If they wanted to send a message… well, they've been doing that for the past few weeks in a very different way.
I scanned the forest one more time. There were no indications they'd left a force behind.
"Coming out", I said into the radio.
"Okay. I'll make sure no one shoots you." Vincent sounded relieved. An understandable response to the assault being over.
Relief was the furthest thing from my mind. It felt like something else was going on here.
Standing, I crept toward the treeline. I double and triple-checked every place someone might be hiding. I came across another two bodies.
A moment later, I emerged from the forest and headed toward the closest passage through the minefield. I remember it as the one I'd been shown when I left Andrew and Cass here.
Every few seconds, I checked my back to make sure it wasn't about to be stabbed. I couldn't feel anyone watching me but that doesn't necessarily mean they weren't. It didn't mean there wasn't someone out there.
The quiet that had settled over the Farms and surrounding forest was calm; I could even call it peaceful.
And it felt like the silence was there with the sole purpose of antagonizing me. The quiet wasn't reassuring. It was anxiety-inducing.
Like the bomb was about to drop.
What was the bomb? That's the question.
When I reached the collection of houses at the north end of the Farms, Vincent, Jake, Abraham, Abigail, and Dogmeat were all there to greet me. The settlers were all still at their posts, in buildings, in towers, rifles trained on the forests around us.
"Something isn't right", I said before any of them could try for a congratulatory opening. This wasn't the time to celebrate. We needed to figure out what the Raiders were playing at.
Vincent frowned. "Care to share with the rest of us?"
"That fight was too short and didn't cost them enough for a pullback." I glanced behind me, toward the trees to the north. "It feels like a diversion. Static fights like that last a long time. They didn't soften us, we didn't drive them back."
A diversion for what?
"Yeah, I got that feeling too. They never tried to get into the perimeter." He nodded. "It's something we've used from time to time. Usually as a diversion to pull people out. We don't have anyone here they'd want. Or anywhere else, I don't think." The Railroad member frowned. "I could see a situation where they'd pull back after realizing our defense was better than they planned… but that doesn't seem like a "Raider" thing to do."
After everything that happened over the past 24 hours, the fight was a letdown. This was a large force of Raiders to field. Probably the largest they've sent out since consolidating their forces at the base. What the hell would be the point of bringing all that manpower up from the school, planning an attack on our largest settlement… and then running?
They didn't do any serious damage to the infrastructure. Yes, a lot of the buildings had some new holes, but everything was still largely intact, and- I let out a quiet breath.
And even if we lost some people, it wasn't enough to make a strategic difference.
"How many did we lose?" I asked.
"Five dead", Jake answered, voice low.
"Including Brent?"
Jaw clenched shut, he closed his eyes and nodded.
… There's nothing I can do for them now. Focus on what the Raiders are doing.
But Brent was under my command when he died.
How is dwelling on that now going to help the people who are still alive? Worry about them. Think about what I need to do better later.
I drew myself up, pulled my shoulders back, and nodded. "Understood." What would the reason for such a large diversion be? An attack on Sanctuary? … Maybe but, even without my assistance, it would take a much larger force than the one they had here to overrun the island. The settlers there had done a phenomenal job planning and constructing their defenses in the short time they had. We would have heard about it by now.
"What would they be diverting our attention from?" Vincent asked, to himself as much as anyone else. "We didn't weaken any other settlement's defenses to push them back- to fight them here." He looked up at me. "You're here, and the people coming to help are on their way. Is there anything else?"
"No." I shook my head. "And the only people who know about the attack are the core group, myself, and the support team."
"... Well you're here", Abigail said slowly. "Is it possible they found that out and figured they didn't want nothin' to do with you?"
It's… possible but… "I don't think they're that scared of me."
That may not be true. They didn't attack the school.
No way of knowing if that's because Carter told them I was there. It didn't seem like they wanted that fight anyway. They were trying to play nice with them.
"They were retreating before I engaged."
Nothing. I couldn't think of any solid reason they'd do this. If they wanted to feel out our defenses… maybe they'd do something like this. That's a lot of resources to spend on a field trip. It didn't sit right.
"We can put our heads together in a little bit", Vincent interrupted my thoughts. "Let's get people on rotating watches and make sure all of our bases are covered."
"Sounds good", Jake replied, nodding. He and Abraham turned and started toward the nearest post. Abigail marched in the opposite direction leaving the Railroad operative, Dogmeat, and I.
"Come on. Let's head to the south end and double-check they haven't seen anything."
I nodded and followed him through the buildings.
Could this have been an attack to draw me here? Why? What purpose? How would they know I came here? How would they know I knew about their attack?
Unless the Raiders I interrogated were sacrificial.
But that's… a huge gamble on their part.
Maybe not. Maybe they thought, if I was around the school, I'd be watching them. If I was and I picked that group up, they attack the Farms. If I didn't… they might still attack with a different goal in mind.
While betting on my learning about this attack was anything but a sure thing, that doesn't mean the attack itself was a gamble. It's a common strategy, having multiple plans in place depending on circumstances. Hell, it goes beyond being common. Any competent leadership will have a multitude of contingencies.
We left the first group of buildings and headed for another about 300 meters away.
Vincent was having the same concerns as me.
"This doesn't make sense." He started rubbing his close-cropped hair. "If that force was as large as you said, and it sure as hell seemed like it, why would they run like that? They didn't accomplish anything. Our defenses are still fine. Our buildings and fields aren't bad." The Railroad operative looked at me again. "Got any more ideas, Tin Man?"
"Maybe. This could have been a contingency. If the Raiders' plan was to attack the farm their operational goals might have changed depending on whether they thought we knew it or not."
He frowned. "And how would they know if we knew it?"
"The team I interrogated turned up missing. I made it look like they got caught in an attack but they might be playing it safe."
Another thought came to mind. It wasn't a pleasant one.
"Or…" I said slowly, "they have plants in Sanctuary who figured out we were mobilizing a team to assist here."
Vincent paused for a moment, eyes narrowed. "... All the new refugees we've been getting."
"Yeah." I nodded again. "Doubt their goal was to put infiltrators in the Minutemen with those attacks, there are easier ways to, but it's possible they used it as cover."
We were getting close to the next block of buildings.
"Let's pretend that's what happened", he said slowly. "If they knew we were going to put up a fight, why still attack, then retreat?"
I shrugged. "Their objective changes based on their plan. We need to figure out to what."
"I'll need to put more effort into finding any we have here. It's kinda what I do."
"That makes one of us."
He shot me a small, wry smile.
The defenders on the southern side of the settlement hadn't seen anything. It was almost disappointing. If they had… maybe this mystery would be a little less difficult.
Vincent and I walked the perimeter, careful to stay clear of the mines.
"Dammit", he muttered as we neared the west edge to turn around. "It would have been nice if this could be a simple win. But no. The Raiders are scheming now. Is it possible we're overthinking this?"
Possible. "Yes. It's better to be careful."
"I agree but still… assho-"
"VINCENT!"
The shout came from across the fields to our right. A settler was standing just outside of one of their small watch towers, waving his arms over his head to get our attention.
"WE'VE GOT SOMEONE COMING FROM THE SOUTH!"
We exchanged a glance and jogged back toward the settler.
"How many!" Vincent called.
"Just one!"
One?
"They aren't dressed like a Raider either", the guard said as we neared. "They look injured."
The Railroad operative motioned toward the settler. "Lead the way, Frank."
Frank glanced at me before turning. He double-timed to the east.
A single person? Not dressed like a Raider? Injured? It could be a trap but… that would be a strange one considering what just happened on the north side of the settlement.
We passed more settlers on watch and, a minute later, reached the road that led into the Farms from the south.
There they were, one person, walking toward us with a heavy limp. They were dressed in khaki cargo pants, and a torn jacket over a tactical ve-
I stopped.
And everything clicked.
We'd been played. I'd been played.
Holy shit. Holy. SHIT!
No. No no no.
Vincent was just turning to me when I broke into a sprint.
"Stay here!" I barked.
Even from 200 meters away, I'd recognize that face. I'd almost killed her a little over a month ago.
Jessica.
"That's one of the support team!"
Her face was caked in blood, sweat, and grime. Her hair was matted and stuck to her head. But her eyes were locked on me.
It took what felt like an eternity to cover the distance between us. It couldn't have been more than a handful of seconds, but it felt like I was running in place. The space wasn't closing, no matter how hard I pumped my legs, no matter how hard I pushed.
But then I reached her.
And she collapsed.
"Jessica", I said as I reached out to stop her fall. "What happened?"
The former Institute member opened her mouth but all that came was a pained groan.
She took a deep breath and cleared her throat, forcing words out.
"The- The Raiders hit us", she croaked. "Took everyone else. Let me go. Told me to tell you they want you."
The bottom of my stomach dropped out. My world froze. The only thing I could see was the injured woman in my arms.
They'd gone after the support team. Brenda and Nate.
To get to me.
There was one word, the only word, I could use to describe what I felt in that moment. I'd felt it twice before. Once recently.
It was as if everything was squeezing my mind into a single point. Regardless of what I did here, the people who fought at the Farms, we lost. I lost. They did all this just to get to me. And I hadn't even been there for the main event. Other people had to deal with what the Raiders actually had planned.
Other people, people I care about, were the target.
Because of me. And I hadn't been there to do anything about it.
Helpless.
I felt completely, and utterly helpless.
A/N: Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo yeah. I did it. Again. It's been a while since we've had one of these moments, huh? I'm not going to say much here either. I'll see everyone next time!
Next Chapter: 8/25, Rescue Plan