A/N: Hello all and welcome back to our latest installment of Crazy Fantasies in the Multiverse! Getting back to regular posts has been fun. We left our friends off in a... difficult situation. It wasn't exactly a cliffhanger, but it was close enough. I decided to try something a little different with the start of this chapter so let me know what you think. Please leave a review if you're so inclined and, as always, enjoy!
Chapter 82: Playing the Game
Julian couldn't move. His legs wouldn't respond. He- he knew he should. Shouldn't he? If he didn't, the lady- uh- Wendy… That wasn't important.
She was gonna kill him. She was gonna shoot him with one of those- things.
The teenager's heart was pounding so hard it hurt. His eyes were the size of dinner plates as he stared at her. At the pole- bomb- thing in her hands.
"Wendy, don't. I can help you."
Damon's voice barely made it through the sound of rushing blood in Julian's ears.
"How?" the lady asked.
Castle, that damn Raider that started all of this, she laughed. "Yes, Damon, how will you help her? Seven seconds."
A breath caught in Julian's throat. Seven seconds.
Vinny. I- I don't want to end up like Vinny.
His jaw tightened so hard, it felt like his teeth might shatter.
The explosion. All that blood.
Damon still had some of it on him when they got back to the cell.
"I'm here to get my people out", the giant man said. "The more of us there are, the easier it will be."
Castle shook her head. "Five."
Julian forced a swallow past the lump in his dry throat. It didn't help. His mouth felt like it was full of sand.
Move. I need to move. I need to move.
But where would he move? They were standing in the middle of the ring. There were Raiders everywhere. Even if he got out of this place-
There were still thousands of them. What was he supposed to do?
I don't want to die. Please do something, Damon. Please!
"Four."
He knew he was hoping the soldier would kill the other lady but-
But he didn't want to die.
Wendy pointed the pole at him.
Julian's eyes went even wider.
His mouth opened and he felt a shout building at the base of his throat.
He was about to die.
"Better me than someone else." That's what he'd said to Mom. Was it? Would someone else have been able to-
Before he knew what was happening, he was hurtling sideways. Damon was in front of him, an arm the size of Julian's torso wrapped around him.
A boom so loud it made the teenager's ears ring.
Pain.
Searing pain shot through his left arm. It felt like he fell into a fire.
The scream that had been building in his throat exploded from his mouth. It was so loud- so hard- his throat went raw immediately. He screwed his eyes shut.
That hurt almost as much as the ringing in his head and the pain in his arm.
And then those three were joined by pain in his right shoulder an instant later when they slammed to the ground.
His head was ringing, his shoulder was throbbing, and his arm was on fire but… he was alive.
Alive!
An instant later, he felt the iron vice that was Damon's arm unwrap itself from around him. Julian opened his eyes just in time to see the man jump to his feet. He yelled… something, but Julian couldn't understand him.
The lady who had just tried to kill him turned to the other guy and said something. He couldn't understand that either.
Julian sat up, wincing as the burning hot pain in his left arm pulsed in rhythm with his heart. There was a hole in the side of his sleeve and blood was starting to spill from the gash along the outside of his arm. It didn't matter much to him, though. He was alive! Damon saved-
"... Hey Ben", Castle's voice pierced the ringing in his head. "Grab that other one and give it to her."
"What?" Julian muttered. Another one? Another one of those poles?
It was lying on the ground now. The end was smoking. But it wasn't over? There was another one?
Turning, Julian watched as the Raider grabbed another one of them. It had been lying by one of the prisoners Damon-
One of the prisoners Damon killed. To keep him alive.
Damon had just taken one of those for Julian. He was putting himself in danger for Julian. He had to kill other prisoners because of Julian. If he wasn't there, Damon wouldn't have-
"No bodyshield this time", Castle said.
Damon's hands balled into fists. "This is-" he didn't finish. His shoulders went up and down and then he looked at the lady. "Wendy. Work with me."
"How?" she begged.
"I-" Damon stopped again.
That was a good question. The only thing Julian could see was the wide end of that pole as Ben shoved it into Wendy's chest.
Castle waved her pistol around. "10 seconds."
Damon looked down at him. Julian wasn't sure how but the armored giant looked… scared.
Why!? I'm the one who's about to die!
"Nope", the Raider lady said. "You stay right there."
Julian's breath started coming in short, sharp gasps.
"I'd like to leave alive, if you have any ideas", Wendy said.
"Yes, yes, the Minutemen's hero. He has to know what to do, right? The paragon of the Commonwealth. HA!" Castle threw her head back and laughed. "We both know that's a lie, Damon. Five seconds."
Five seconds! What happened!? It had just been ten! What could he do? What was he supposed to do? Did Damon have another idea? If Julian did something, would that screw it up? If he didn't do anything, would he die? What if-
"You're that guy?" the lady asked.
She was staring at Damon.
Then she turned to the other guy- Buck.
"There are some bets you lose."
Wait. What? What did that mean? And her voice- it sounded off. What was she-
Wendy aimed the pole thing at him.
Julian's eyes shot wide. He was about to-
BANG!
A gunshot. That was a gunshot. It went off right next to him and- and then Wendy was falling. What happened?
Then something small and golden landed on the concrete in front of him. Julian didn't know why, but he fixated on it as whatever that was bounced a few times before rolling to a stop by his right foot.
It was a pistol's shell casing.
The teenager looked up. Damon was holding the pistol Castle had given him. It was aimed at Wendy.
Or… where Wendy was before she fell.
Damon shot her.
He shot her.
Why would he-
To save me. He killed someone to save me. Again.
He's had to kill people twice to save him now. How many people have died because Damon was protecting him?
"Better me than someone else."
Then the Raiders around the ring roared. It was all at once. Julian hadn't even noticed they'd been quiet. Until they weren't quiet anymore.
What were they cheering about? Were they cheering him surviving? Like they did after the obstacle course?
Why would they cheer about that?
Julian didn't know. But it was loud. Almost as loud as the pole going off. Or the gunshot.
Maybe louder. His head hurt. It was swimming. He didn't know what to do. Was he supposed to do something else now?
He didn't know but… what he did know was a lot of people were dead because of him.
"Better me than someone else."
XXX
I was still holding the pistol in front of me, aimed where Wendy's head had been a moment before.
It was trembling.
Wendy was dead. It was- it wasn't any more significant than anyone else I've killed. Just a squeeze of the trigger. A bullet. I don't know how many times I've done that. I don't even have a guess.
Just another body on the pile.
There was a sound. It was… cheering?
As I lowered the now-empty handgun, I looked at the crowd around the arena. The Raiders were all cheering. Because I killed someone?
Or…
My gaze shifted to Castle. She was standing beside Buck, smiling at me.
They knew what this was about. They knew Castle just made me kill someone.
No. That wasn't fair. She didn't make me do anything. I had a choice. I chose Julian's life over Wendy's.
Is it a choice I was free to make on my own?
No, but-
Was it a choice at all, then? I came here to get the support team out.
The cheering grew clearer and clearer as I pulled myself out of the clouds.
… That was true. Even so, it isn't like Wendy wanted that to happen. She was doing it because she had the same choice as me.
Difference was, her life was on the table too.
Castle stepped forward, still smiling, and extended the hand that wasn't holding her sidearm.
She hadn't put that away yet.
Even if she's afraid I'll do something, I can't. Not unless there's a threat to someone else. Doing anything at this point would be even more stupid than if I'd tried before I killed Wendy.
"See?" she said just loud enough to be heard over the crowd. "The rule of this game is: I get what I want. Thanks for playing." It was low enough, I don't think anyone else heard her. That seemed intentional.
This message was for me.
It was a win for her. I did what she wanted. I hated that.
"I like breaking rules." I offered her the empty gun.
I have to remember this is a mind game for her. She thinks she can break me.
Maybe egging her on isn't the best choice but I'm not going to give this asshole the satisfaction of showing her whether it was working or not. That might have been my ego talking. It did serve a purpose though.
While her smile didn't fade, the Raider's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"Bitch", Buck hissed from behind Castle. He looked ready to jump on the woman's back.
Before he could, Ben stepped between the two of them, rifle aimed at the prisoner's head. Buck froze, face red, eyes narrowed, body coiled tight.
Then he looked down at Wendy. She'd fallen sideways, vacant eyes locked on the ground a meter in front of her. Blood was seeping from the small entry -wound and pouring from the larger exit.
Here we go…
An instant later, Buck's eyes came back up. Instead of looking at Castle, he met my gaze. The fire hadn't disappeared from his expression but he swallowed so hard his jaw and neck almost looked like they were spasming.
He took a step back and held his hands up in surrender.
What?
Castle, who was still looking at me, chuckled. "Let's get going, Damon. I've had enough for now. There's plenty of excitement later."
She turned and started marching back toward the gate. "Get everyone back to their cells", the Raider said to Ben as she passed and handed him his sidearm.
The guard glanced at me, smiling. "You got it, boss."
I turned back to Julian. He was… still on the ground. The teenager was sitting up now but-
Blood was running down his left arm. It was seeping from a small gash over his deltoid. Did that just happen? Or had he been hit when the fighting was still going on?
Kneeling beside him, I reached for his wounded arm. "Julian."
His eyes were locked on Wendy.
"She was gonna kill me", he mumbled. "But you killed her first."
"Let's get a move on, metal man", York barked from behind me.
I shook my head. "She wasn't trying to kill you."
He met my gaze. "What?"
My hand stopped short of his shoulder and I let it fall. "I'll explain later." I jerked my head toward the gate. "Come on."
Problem was… what was I going to explain? I- I don't think she wanted to kill Julian. The way she was looking at me instead of him when I shot her… it didn't feel right. Why wouldn't she be worried about where she was aiming? Maybe, with that charge at that range, it wouldn't have mattered. Even then, why would she be looking at me?
Julian nodded slowly and I stood. He started climbing to his feet a heartbeat later. Or he tried.
When he put weight on his left arm, it gave out under him.
"Ow!" he yelped as he collapsed back to the concrete.
I reached down to help him-
"I got it!" the teenager snapped.
My hand froze again. "Alright."
He tried again and, this time, kept his left arm pressed against his stomach.
Once he was up, York motioned with his rifle toward the gate. Castle had already disappeared through it and into the crowd.
We started forward as a dozen more guards streamed in from the opposite side. They were, no doubt, there to round up the other prisoners.
Half of them were leaving the arena dead. Only two of the survivors, uninjured.
Telling myself "I'm doing this for the support team" makes sense but killing other prisoners to get them out… It didn't feel right.
No, to hell with that, it wasn't right.
We marched through the gate. Nate, Alex, and the others were waiting for us just outside. Julian walked straight to his mom. He very deliberately didn't look at me.
My eyes dropped to the ground between my boots.
How else am I supposed to keep them alive? I don't want to keep fighting prisoners but what other option do I have?
The tiredness in Wendy's eyes. She looked so resigned as I pulled the trigger. She knew the only outcome of that scenario was her death.
Because of me. Because Julian was my priority and-
And it wasn't like she could kill me.
Is this how Castle is planning to 'break' me? If she does, will it happen the way she thinks? Will I turn back into ONI's attack dog? But for the Raiders instead? What will happen to the support team if that happens? The Minutemen? What will happen to Nate, Brenda, Cass, Tommy, Perkins, Valentine, Preston-
Something cold and hard wrapped around my chest. My breath caught in my throat and- and I couldn't move it.
If this goes the way Castle wants it to, will I go back?
"Damon", Nate said.
I looked up to find the ex-soldier standing in front of me. He was frowning, lines creasing his forehead.
He was… worried?
Not right now. I just- I need a minute.
When I didn't respond, understanding flashed across his face.
"Come on", he glanced past me at the arena, "let's get outta here."
There was nothing more I wanted to do than get away-
Away from the arena.
… Right.
Relax. Talk to someone about it back in the cell. I don't need to fight this on my own.
Right.
After finally forcing a breath past the clamp around my chest, I nodded and started marching away from it.
My mind was flying. Too many thoughts were passing through it to process. Considering each of them was out of the question.
Focus on something else.
The base.
Raiders were still all around us, screaming and shouting. It was surprising none of them threw anything. None of them tried to push into the narrow aisle we were afforded. Why was that? Discipline wasn't what I'd come to associate with them. Yet here we were, passing through a keyed-up crowd of them completely unmolested.
Maybe someone's started taking real command over them.
That isn't a revelation. We've known they're getting more organized for a while. Maybe this is just an extension of that.
A minute later, we were out of the pressing crowd. There were still Raiders around, some following from the 'audience', but it didn't feel like the world was crashing down on us anymore.
We started passing through the base toward the building that had become our prison. Six guards, including Ben, around us. All of them were armed with small to medium-caliber rifles. None that would hurt my armor. All of them more than enough to kill any of my people. No sense in starting a fight now.
The buildings around us still weren't filled like they would have been before the bombs fell, but there were more Raiders around than I'd like.
We'll have to do something about that before we leave. And kill Castle. She's too dangerous to keep alive.
We turned south and started through the row of admin buildings. The broken concrete crunched under my boots as I walked. The morning sun had risen far enough to stop dyeing everything orange and had faded to a bright yellow.
There were still Raiders following us, jeering. They were joined by the ones near the buildings around us. It was like this was orchestrated.
Which it could be for all I know.
It wasn't just because she was intelligent and conniving. She's completely unconcerned with putting herself or the people around her at risk. That means she's willing to do unexpected or incredibly dangerous things. The Raider leader is clearly willing to do anything she thinks it would take to win.
Is there some way I can turn that against her?
A few minutes of walking later, we reached our temporary accommodations. There was, as usual, another contingent of guards outside. They all glared at me as we marched up to the door.
They weren't in any regular guard pattern. They weren't as focused as the MPs I'm familiar with would be.
That's something I can exploit when the time comes.
Through the halls and, finally, to our cell.
"Nice job, metal man", York sneered as he swung the door shut. "You wanna give me a lesson about what I was supposed to learn there too?"
I didn't respond. Instead, I turned away from the door and walked to the back wall of the cell.
It wasn't until I reached it and turned around that I noticed every person in the room staring at me. Not just the guards. Everyone on the support team and the prisoners in the other cell too. I needed to say something. Anything. It wasn't just for York. I- I'm here to get these people out. I'm here to give them some hope they will get out.
But am I the right person to do that?
How would I know?
"I'm not here to teach you a goddamn thing." Except for, hopefully, how to die.
"It sounds like whatever Castle had planned for you there worked." York laughed. "That's all I needed to know, dumbass." He turned to the other prisoners, still laughing. "You'll be up soon enough. At this rate, the Mintemen's 'hero' is gonna run through all our prisoners. We're gonna need more. Good luck when it's your turn!"
The guard didn't wait for a reply. He and the rest of the Raiders marched from the former cafeteria.
17. I've killed 17 prisoners since coming here.
It was the first time I've kept track.
The sounds of receding footsteps were the only thing audible for what seemed like an eternity. Every stride was followed by an unnaturally long pause before the next.
If this works, if I- we can't figure this out, will I go back?
I don't want to go back.
Everyone was still looking at me. It wasn't as if I had any new information for them.
If I don't want to, how do I stop it?
"Hey, asshole, who'd you kill this time?"
The question came from the other cell.
"Fuck off", I heard Brenda say from the front of the cell. "Blame the Raiders."
"Nah bitch, I'm gonna blame the guy killin' us."
Doubt I'll get the chance to process this correctly. For now, at least.
"What the fuck do you mean "blame the Raiders"? I don't see them killing us." That was a new voice.
Brent stepped up to the bars of our cell. "They want us dead too."
"You sure?" a third voice from the other cell shot back. "Seems like they're treating you real good. Just 'cause they want that bastard."
"That isn't-" Brenda started.
Nate decided that was the right time to interject.
"Enough!" the ex-soldier shouted. "No one engages!"
"There's nothing special about you! That murderer just happens to know you."
Blake barked a laugh. "At least we-"
"What did I say?" Nate roared.
"You people are too fuckin selfish to tell your pet to stop killing people!" another person shouted.
Tell me to stop?
"Yeah- yeah, I bet you put us in the same room without him, none of ya' would walk out."
My feet started carrying me toward the front of the cell. Why? What am I gonna do? Attack them? For what, being upset about me killing other prisoners?
"HA! It wouldn't even be a fight! I know what happened to the last Minutemen!"
I stopped once I reached the bars. Everyone on the support team had, as Nate ordered, fallen silent. I don't know if that command applied to me too but…
"They don't make decisions for me." Even though I knew I was the one talking, the words felt disconnected, distant. As if someone was talking to me from the end of a long hall.
"Oh shit, the fuckin robot talks", the first guy said. He was taller, maybe the same height as Nate, with a shaved head, a thick, blonde beard, heavy scarring on his face, and wearing what could best be described as rags. "So you gonna tell us who you killed this time? Doubt you even know, huh?"
"I fought to protect my people. Just like you would."
The man sneered. "You don't know shit about me, robot."
"I don't", I said, shrugging, "but your reaction says you'd make the same choice."
Is that true? Would they do the same thing? He is angry about what happened and he doesn't even know who died. Does his anger now mean he'd do the same thing if put in the same position?
Yeah… I think so.
Does that make what I did right?
Does it make killing the other prisoners right? No, probably not. But I am here to get the support team out.
How can I do that without fighting the other prisoners?
He didn't respond. Not immediately. I was right, he would make the same choice.
If I'm going to get everyone out without sacrificing… however many prisoners Castle will throw at me, I have to figure out how to break her rules.
Soon.
"Just because I'd choose to help my friends doesn't mean I'd kill everyone else", he eventually growled.
"Maybe." I nodded. "If you want to stop that from happening, you can work with us."
"Work with you", someone else snapped. "You want us to help you to stop killing us? What the hell kinda sense does that make?"
"I don't want to fight any of you. You're free to join us; it's your best opportunity."
"To not get killed by you?" the first guy asked.
"To get out."
A small smile spread across the man's face. It wasn't friendly. "Seems like the Raiders got some kinda liking for you. Maybe I kill you and we get some extra perks."
I let out a deep breath. "No. Even if you could, you wouldn't get anything out of it."
"Even if I could?" He scoffed. "You got a big head pal."
"You can call it that. I'm realistic. But if you pick a fight with me, don't expect any pity. The Raiders putting us up against each other is one thing, you deciding you want to kill me is another."
"How the fuck is that fair?!" he shouted. "You want us to forget the people you've killed?"
… It was a good point. Even if I didn't know about the Gauntlet and I tried to keep people alive in this fight, I still killed other prisoners. How can I ask them to work with us when I've killed people they may know? Who might be their friends? Even if the Raiders are the ones forcing us into these positions… I'm still the one killing people.
I heard someone step up beside me. When I looked, I saw Brenda standing there.
"Look, uh, what's your name?" she asked.
The man's eyes narrowed. "Why does it matter to you?"
Brenda stayed calm. It was a sharp change from earlier. "If we're gonna talk, I'd like to know who I'm talking with."
"Say what you gotta say", he retorted. "You don't need my name."
"Alright, that's fine. I don't expect you to forgive or forget what Damon's done. All we want is understanding. He came here to rescue us. That doesn't have to make us", she motioned between herself and the other cell, "enemies. We're the Minutemen. We want people to work with us. If you do, it'll be a lot easier to figure a way out of this."
The man leaned forward and gripped the bars in front of him. "You can take your 'understanding' and shove it up your ass, bitch." There was so much venom in his voice, it was like he was trying to kill Brenda through words alone.
But she didn't react. Not the way he wanted, at least. "I get it. We're gonna keep trying though, I hope you join us. Castle's the one we need to fight. Her and these goddamn Raiders."
Turning to look up at me, the young woman jerked her head toward the rear of the cell.
After a glance back at the man still grasping the bars, I followed Brenda away from the door.
"Asshole", she muttered as we reached the far wall. "Not that I can blame him for hating you. Not with what's happening."
"Yeah." I nodded slowly.
Nate walked over to stand beside her. The rest of the support team was still quietly watching. Same with the other prisoners.
"Did you still wanna talk?" the ex-soldier asked.
Talk? About- what Castle's trying to do? No. Not now. I know what she's trying to do. I know how she's planning on doing it, vaguely. It's… painful, the thought of turning back into what I was before. Not by choice or through conditioning, but by damaging my conscience so badly I shut it off again.
Yeah, I think I'd rather eat a bullet. Too many people I've come to care about would be hurt by that.
And I don't want that for me. Nate asked me, when we were in Goodneighbor, if I value my own life. If he asked now my answer would still be "I don't know". The difference is I do know I want something more. Being an attack dog again isn't what I want.
That's enough, for now.
"Not yet. I have an idea I need to think through. Give me a few minutes."
The question was so clear from the frown that spread across his face, he didn't even need to ask it. His mouth stopped before he could and, after a moment, he nodded.
"Understood." The ex-soldier turned to Able. "We've got a few things of our own. Blake, can you look at Julian's wound? Make sure that gets dressed… as well as you can."
"On it", the medic replied.
With that, Nate and Able began back toward the alcove.
While, no matter where I went, I'd have eyes on me, I still wanted some kind of control over my environment. The far corner, tucked away from the other prisoners' cell and away from the door, so I could have the entire room in front of me, seemed as good a spot as any.
I started that way as Blake reached Julian and Alex and the rest of the support team got the hint the activities were over. For now, at least. They each did what they'd been doing since I got here: finding as comfortable a position as they could and talking among themselves.
Brenda followed me into my chosen corner.
"What idea are we talking about?" she asked. "And what did you want to talk about with Nate?"
Despite everything, I smiled behind my visor. In a way, she was a lot like me: she didn't like leaving things alone. Her expertise might be in a different area, but her approach is the same.
"Thank you for stepping in. As for what I wanted to talk with Nate about, I know you're concerned but I'll be alright for now."
She frowned. "Am I that obvious?"
"Yeah", I said, nodding. "With me, at least. Maybe you aren't giving me enough credit."
"Uh-huh", Brenda huffed.
"There's something I need to figure out. I don't want to keep fighting other prisoners. Castle's the one I have to get past to change that. This is a problem I need to solve. Even if that isn't the right approach."
Understanding spread on her face in a small smile and she nodded. "I got you."
The young woman turned and left me to myself. It was… reassuring to know they trusted me to do this on my own now. Maybe I have been making progress.
Leaning into the corner, I started sorting through the information I had available.
My mark is Castle. Unlike every other mark I've had, my primary objective isn't to kill her. It's to exploit her. Figure out how to manipulate her. Not something I'd consider a strong suit but something I need to do here.
How?
Goal: change my fights from prisoners to Raiders.
What do I know about Castle? She's intelligent, arrogant, and, according to Able, psychotic. She thinks she's thoroughly in control of the situation. She thinks she knows the kind of person I am and that she can manipulate me into joining the Raiders.
Why?
Because she thinks I'm like her. She thinks I enjoy killing. She thinks… how had she said it? Something about me being a wasted opportunity with the Minutemen.
When we were in Goodneighbor negotiating with Hancock, he said something similar. He'd suggested the Minutemen were dead weight. If they hadn't dedicated themselves in the way they had, he'd be right. Castle would probably be right. But they had. They've made the changes necessary to survive in the world that's being built. Am I their best asset? Yeah-
Wait… Castle thinks the Minutemen are wasting me. Which suggests she thinks the Raiders can offer me more.
I've had a lot of encounters with Raiders and they haven't fared well. In fact, those have been the easiest fights. Does she think the Raiders can offer me more just because there are more of them? Does she think she can offer more?
Or does she think I'm wasting my potential not being used to cause as much destruction as possible?
Is there a different possibility? Most likely. If she's smart and clever enough to put this plan together and set up contingencies on the fly, I need to assume she'll have taken some kind of manipulation into account. After all, she did get one over on Nate by having me fight other prisoners. Sort of.
Getting the other prisoners on our side still might work…
How do we get them to cooperate?
Buck. What's going on there? He isn't the average settler. Trained and experienced. No doubt he, and maybe Wendy, were the reason that group had been so organized. He might be someone we can ally with. If he has sway with the rest of the prison population, that would go a long way to getting Nate's plan back on track.
On top of that, something tells me he's also a person of interest for Castle.
Okay, Castle is probably on the lookout for manipulation and can adjust to it. She thinks the Minutemen are dead weight and/or aren't utilizing me right. Her goal is to break me. The… simplest solution would be to concern myself with the support team's well-being at the expense of everything else. Buy time with the lives of other prisoners. But not only would that make things harder in the long run, I, and the rest of the support team, would have to deal with the consequences. Both physically and mentally.
That's something I don't want.
If I can figure out a way to buy time some other way, and we can get Buck to work with us, we might be able to garner more support.
First, we have to figure out how to get something else in the ring with me besides prisoners.
Arrogance, apathy, and competitiveness. Those are, most likely, the things about Castle that will be the easiest to exploit. Protecting the other Raiders from me isn't something she cares about. The reason she's using prisoners is because she knows it will cause psychological damage. If I can give her a reason to use Raiders instead, that might be enough.
Whatever the reason, it has to be better than her current ones.
Their competence compared to the Minutemen's. She thinks they're a waste of my time, make her prove the Raiders are better.
That could work. She obviously thinks a lot of her abilities. It might also be a good way to figure out how she thinks. Any good commander will be able to come up with new strategies and tactics but the more you see, the easier it is to anticipate what those will be.
An opportunity to do two things at once. Not bad.
I took a deep breath.
The… pain, for lack of a better word, from earlier was still there but I have an objective. Maybe I'll need to talk about that part later but, for now, I have a way to keep Castle from doing more damage. Both to the other prisoners and myself.
Pushing myself away from the corner, I started my way across the cell. It was quiet. I hadn't realized, as lost in thought as I'd been. There were a few hushed conversations both in our cell and the one across the room. Those came to a stop as I marched toward the alcove. Not that I needed any more reminder eyes were on me at all times.
It isn't like I'm going to do anything now. You don't need to watch me.
While I didn't know who I was saying that to, it felt as if the sentiment could apply to everyone. What are they staring at me for?
… Because I'm Damon…
I stopped at the front of the alcove. Nate and Able were standing by the far wall, talking quietly.
"- use that time for something", Able said.
Nate shrugged. "How? No one they don't want out is getting out."
"Deac and his team can." Able motioned at me. Or, I guess, the cell since they hadn't noticed me standing here. "They have their attention on him now. Those fights are a hell of a distraction."
"Yeah, but they gotta be careful if they-" the ex-soldier stopped, mouth open. His head slowly turned in my direction. "Hello, Damon."
"Hi", I replied.
"You- uh- were you just gonna stand there?"
"Didn't want to interrupt." I cocked my head. "Sounds like you have your own ideas."
The two men exchanged a glance before Nate exhaled and leaned against the wall. "At least that hasn't changed.", he muttered. "'Plan' is a generous word. How are you feeling? That wasn't long."
Starting toward them, I shrugged. "Better. I needed to think my way through a few things."
"I can imagine", Able said. "Is there anything you want to… talk about? With that?"
Were there things I wanted to talk about? I don't know. Maybe I should talk about some of it but I think, right now, figuring out how to make things better would do more good.
"Maybe later." I stopped in front of them. "Right now, I want to run an idea by you."
"Shoot", Nate said.
"Manipulate Castle. Figure out a way to get her to put Raiders in fights with me instead of prisoners. It would make getting the other prisoners on our side easier and…"
The ex-soldier nodded. "And it would keep you from having to fight the wrong people."
"Yeah", I replied.
"Well", Nate continued, "you wouldn't come over here if you didn't have a few thoughts of your own."
I nodded. "Two things. First, Castle. She's arrogant, apathetic, and competitive. She's enjoying the control she has over the situation and me. The first time I saw anything I think is real emotion from her was when I killed Wendy."
"Wendy was that prisoner you shot?" the ex-soldier asked.
"Yeah…"
Nate frowned. "Sorry, that came out wrong."
No… you're right. I waved the concern away. "We know Castle doesn't care about the lives of her subordinates and she thinks she's the smartest person wherever she goes. What she said after the Gauntlet, that the Minutemen are 'wasting' an opportunity, that no one else sees the potential she does." Funny. ONI would disagree. "That leads me to two possibilities: she thinks the Raiders can do a better job using me, or she thinks she can do a better job using me."
"That… makes sense." Able crossed his arms. "If I were to hazard a guess, I'd go with option number two. I don't think she cares about the Raiders. She might be one but they're a means to an end for her."
What did she want? "Power", I said.
The Railroad operative bit his lower lip. "Maybe."
"The rule of this game is: I get what I want. Thanks for playing."
That's what she said after I killed Wendy.
"She likes to be in control. The Raiders give her that-" My mouth stopped halfway through the sentence.
Wait a sec… "Do you… think she wants to take control of the Raiders?"
"Take control of the Raiders", Nate echoed. "That's an interesting idea but- I could see it. She thinks she's smarter than everyone else. I agree she enjoys being in control."
This made way too much sense to be coincidence.
"Castle has done her research on me. She knows I'm good at infiltration. She may want to use me to take control of the forces here." Whether that's through wiping out the leadership or maybe just a key player or two, I don't know.
Able grunted. "Now ain't that an idea. If you're right, that means she's put a lot more effort into planning this than we thought."
"Before we get too far off-topic, where do you want to go?" Nate asked. "We don't know if that's what she wants and, at the moment, it doesn't help us."
It was an interesting thought, that Castle might want to use me to take control of the Raiders, but he was right. One thing at a time.
"If we give her a good enough reason to put Raiders in the arena with me instead of prisoners, she might. I want to do what everyone tries to do to me: play on my aggression. Use her intelligence and arrogance."
"... That sounds like a good idea", Able said, "but how do we execute it?"
My hands felt like they should have been doing something. No rifle to hold so, instead, I clasped them behind my back. "Challenge her assumptions: that I'm like her, that she or the Raiders can use me better, and that the Raiders are more effective than the Minutemen. Castle is competitive." I looked at Nate. "That's something we have experience doing."
The ex-soldier rolled his eyes. "Nice jab. Yeah, we can workshop that."
"Second part is the other guy in the arena, Buck. He's different from the rest of the prisoners, someone important. He's trained and experienced. They put together a good strategy to fight us, he stayed composed through everything, and Castle knew them by name." I glanced back at the other cell. "I bet they'd know who he is."
"So he's notable", Able said. "Do you think we can use him?"
I turned back to the two of them. "Wendy… knew I'd kill her. She saved Buck's life. And he knew what was going on. I think he might be open to an alliance."
Able frowned. "Even though you killed someone willing to give up their life for him, Buck would do that?"
"I think so. His immediate response was to be angry at Castle, not me."
Nate exchanged a glance with Able. "Goddamn. Tin Man's thinking about public relations."
"Thank Brenda."
"Oh yeah?" the ex-soldier asked. "You'd shortchange me like that?"
I shrugged. "That implies you deserve credit."
He put his hands on his hips. "What have the last few months been?"
"Two months of wanting to kill you bracketed by annoyance."
Able laughed.
"Ouch", Nate mumbled.
Before I could say anything else, the sound of footsteps broke through the low din of quiet conversation in the cell. They were heavy and sharp. Purposeful. Almost marching.
That could be trouble.
"We might have company", I said.
The other two were alert in an instant.
Nate motioned to the front of the cell. "Come on."
We left the alcove as the approaching Raiders reached the door.
And a few seconds later, Castle burst through and strode straight toward me.
"Damon!" she exclaimed, that fucking smile still on her face. "I wanna take a walk if you'd be so kind as to join me."
Really? "At least you never got to her level", I muttered to Nate. He snorted.
"Why?" I asked when she stopped a few meters from the bars.
"Because I'm asking." Her smile didn't move, almost like it was painted on her face.
No point in arguing it. She's just gonna threaten someone. I stepped away from the front of the cell and motioned to the door.
York approached, wearing a smile not dissimilar to Castle's. Her arrogance was rubbing off on other people. Hopefully, that means they'll get complacent.
My eyes drifted back to Castle as the guard unlocked the door.
No… The other Raiders might. Castle won't. She's a woman in a group like the Raiders. I don't doubt part of the reason she's this is because of her past here. Being underestimated is, probably, part of her strategy. Part of how she got here.
The lock clicked and York swung the door open. "Out."
Despite gloating about how in control she is, Castle hasn't forgotten how dangerous I am.
There's a reason she stopped well outside of arm's reach. Underestimating her will only get more people killed. I have to remember that, especially if I'm going to try to manipulate her.
I caught Nate watching me out of the corner of my eye as I stepped out of the cell. He was frowning with a furrowed brow, his body tense. He looked worried. We hadn't had the chance to figure out exactly how we'd do this. The more times Castle puts me up against other prisoners, the less likely it is to work.
Not only because the other prisoners would be less likely to work with us but, despite knowing what she's doing, I can't promise it won't continue affecting me.
"Come on, there's something I'd love to know", Castle said as she turned to walk back out of the Cafeteria. "Don't worry about your friends. They'll be nice and safe."
That's a strange thing to say. My eyes narrowed but I followed her through the door.
"Why do I need the reassurance?" I asked once the door swung shut again, the other Raiders following behind me.
"Well, I saw just how desperate you were to protect Julian." She flashed a smile at me over her shoulder. "I don't want you thinking too much about them. We've got a few very important topics to cover. It would be a shame if you were distracted."
Instead of leading me outside for a 'walk', Castle led me up a set of service stairs to the second level of the administrative building. A minute later I was in an office. The large oak desk was still in relatively good shape, free of any marring beyond oxidation in whatever was used to finish it. Castle dropped into a large, heavily cushioned chair behind it that hadn't worn quite as well but was still serviceable.
"Damon, I gotta give you credit", she beamed, "whoever you brought with you is good."
I cocked my head at her. She probably means the infiltration team but I wasn't volunteering any information.
"Now, Damon, I know you're more intelligent than that. You can't be so easy to read. You think I'm dumb enough to not know you have people in and around our little base here?"
"Suspect", I said.
Her smile finally dimmed. "Suspect?"
"Suspect", I repeated with a nod.
She began tapping her right index finger on the arm of her chair. "I understand social conventions are a mystery to you but, usually, that means you explain more."
"You suspect I brought people with me."
"Ah", she said. The chair groaned as she leaned back in it. "How do you know I don't know?"
So that's what you're playing. I almost smiled. She's, of course, right: social conventions aren't my thing. But interrogations and "interviews" are something I'm intimately familiar with.
"Don't force information out when they'll give it up themselves."
While I don't remember who said that, it's exactly the tactic she's employing here.
"This conversation would go very differently."
Her eyes narrowed for an instant. If I wasn't paying attention to her expression, I might have missed it.
As soon as the moment passed, her smile was back. "Ah, Damon, I knew you were smart." She threw her head back and laughed. "I figured you woulda known what I was doing." The Raider leaned forward again and rested her forearms on her desk. "Of course, I could keep going but where would the fun in that be?"
They're all too comfortable. I need to take some kind of control here. We can't let them keep dictating what happens. The reason the support team is still alive is the threat I pose and how much Castle wants me. That only lasts so long.
She looked to my left. "Chris, go get Brenda for me-"
I stepped forward to stand over her and the desk. "No."
A heartbeat later, I felt every Raider behind me aiming at the back of my head. "You wanted to talk with me. I want to talk with you too." I jerked my head over my shoulder. "They aren't gonna do anything. Tell them to stand down."
Castle pursed her lips. She looked anything but worried. I could see the gears turning in her head. She wasn't worried. It was a perspective born from, either, extreme detachment or acclimation. She was used to being in dangerous positions.
That's something I'm familiar with too.
"You want to talk with me by yourself? Your friends are a lot better at the whole 'talking' thing. You sure you don't want their help?"
Well, she's definitely right about that.
"Yeah", I said. "And, yeah, I'm sure. They've handled most of these in the past. Difference here is I know how your brain works."
"Is that so?" Castle mused as she folded her hands in front of her. Her back went straight and she sat up in her chair. "Go on."
How to do this… "You have an objective. The only thing you care about is accomplishing it. You think in assets and obstacles." I cocked my head. "Most people don't."
She barked a laugh. "This is the part where you tell me we're the same."
"You said it when we first met."
Castle didn't answer. Her hands hadn't moved from their spot on the table but she wasn't smiling. The frown that had taken its place looked real. She was thinking.
None of the guards behind me moved. I didn't have to look to know they were all aiming at me.
The fact she was thinking here felt like a good thing. Her default to this point has been threatening to kill someone if she wants her way. If that isn't happening, whatever she wants is what's happening. Or she, at least, doesn't not want what's happening to happen.
If worse came to worse, I could kill the guards and Castle. It wouldn't be quiet. None of the weapons they were carrying would get through my armor. Any gunfire in here would draw attention. Nate and the others were still in a vulnerable position. Castle clearly doesn't feel threatened by the fact none of the guns in here would work. She's smart enough-
She's smart enough to know none of their weapons would stop me. She's relying on the threat of killing the support team to keep me in check.
So then the question is: why does she have a guard in here with us? Even if I were to kill her, someone would notice and then it would be over. We aren't prepared for an exfil.
Is it possible this guard isn't for me?
I glanced behind me at York. He had his combat rifle pointed at my head, eyes narrow.
He and Castle dislike each other. Hate each other. At least, that's the idea I got from their interactions to this point. The guard has his own ideas too. At first, I thought it was to undermine Castle to get ahead of her. But now…
How can I test this theory?
My first thought here was to go direct. That didn't feel right. I'm trying to gather information, not tip them off on how much I may or may not know.
How would Brenda or Nate handle this?
… They'd use the conversation's context. What does that look like here?
So far Castle knows I want to talk with her on my own-
On my own.
Slow down. Don't sound eager.
"I'd like a minute alone", I said, careful to keep my voice even.
Castle cocked an eyebrow. "You already have that."
"No." I jerked my head over my shoulder toward the guards.
"You think I'd be in the same room as you without guards?"
"The largest thing any of them are carrying is a .30 caliber rifle. Both of us know none of them would stop me."
The Raider's eyes narrowed. "What could you possibly want to talk about that wouldn't be alright for them to hear?"
Not a denial.
The problem is she's trying to call my bluff. I could drop a hint about her possibly wanting to use me to kill Raider leadership. But if I'm wrong about that, I nuke this opportunity.
"I don't want my people to hear it either."
"Damon", she said, lifting her hands from the table and crossing her arms, "I like to think I've treated you with a level of respect. The least you could do is return the favor. I know you aren't here to concede."
Level of respect?
She had, I guess, in a sense.
This might still have a chance. She hasn't shut it down yet.
She's leaning on me. I need her to make the next move.
"Correct."
After a moment of silence, Castle's eyes shot to my right before returning to me. She'd been comfortable giving out orders before this. Was I right? Were these guards here as much for her as they are for me?
"... As much as what you might have to say interests me, I'll decline. They might not be able to stop you but they can buy me time." That smile slid back into place. It was practiced and, even if the expression looked fake, smooth.
There was something different about it. I couldn't call how she'd been smiling earlier "genuine". This was even more plastic.
Holy shit. I was right. And I pulled that info out of her!
Even if I hadn't been able to verify her intent might be to use me to take over the Raiders, this was still- the only word I could use to describe it was "exhilarating". It was the same tingling energy I got whenever fighting started.
It was a rush.
Relax. Breathe.
I did but, as I pulled air into my lungs, I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. It was a small victory, but it wasn't insignificant. And it was me beating Castle.
Keep the act up.
"Probably not." I looked around the room. "Unless there's a door in here I don't see." When I settled my eyes back on her, I clasped my hands behind my back. "I'm not here to concede. I've thought of a few reasons you might want me that I'd be interested in. More than another gun to add to your army here."
Castle's smile stayed in place.
It stayed looking more wrong than usual too.
"Of course you wouldn't just be another gun, Damon. Do the Minutemen treat you like that? No, of course not. Because you're so much more." Her head tilted to the side. "An opportunity at so much more. This organization would change top to bottom with you here."
… Maybe I'm reading too much into that but it sounded like she was suggesting what I thought. It was a shock I was the one dictating the direction of this conversation. That almost never happens if the goal is to continue the interaction. Provided physical persuasion isn't involved. The question now is how can I pull more information out?
What information do I need? Pushing too hard is only gonna make things worse. Trying to corroborate my theory is the best bet. It keeps the conversation on topic.
How can I corroborate it?
What requirements would she need if she were going to use me to kill Raider leadership?
"Once I'm under your command. I'd make the Raiders so much more if you could control me."
Castle nodded. "Yes. I could do so much with you. So much more than waste your potential with a failed project like the Minutemen." Her smile changed, going back to its normal, unnaturally wide shape. "And don't worry, I've spent too long planning this to fail."
That admission was good enough for me. I'd need to run it by the others before I was sure but…
It seemed like she confirmed my theory.
Now I think about it, that makes a lot of sense. Too much. How had none of us guessed this before?
Something was missing here. I'd-
What about the prisoners?
Dammit. The prisoners. I need to stay focused.
"Not happening. I've killed enough of your people. None of you are worth my time. The Minutemen have better fighters."
Wow. That sounded egotistical.
Well… it might be a good thing with Castle.
"HA!" York barked from behind me. "That's why they were wiped out once already."
Castle leaned back in her seat. "It sounds like you're proposing a challenge. Not what I wanted to talk with you about but… well how can I do anything but accept? Your people against mine." She giggled. "That sounds interesting to me."
… Shit. I should have seen that coming. Nate said the bet on Julian's life happened the same way.
Protesting wouldn't do anything. I did get part of what I wanted. Maybe I can roll with that.
"They don't go into a fight without me", I said.
"Well, that doesn't seem fair." Castle motioned to the Raiders behind me. "You want to see how our people are better than yours, don't you?"
"The only reason I'm here is my people. I'm not letting you put them in danger without me there."
The Raider cocked an eyebrow. "Let me?"
I cocked my head. "Yeah. Letting you."
"Sounds like you don't trust 'em", one of the guards added.
"No." I shook my head. "I trust them. Same way I trust you'll do something."
Castle laughed. "I've won three times in a row, Damon. What makes you think you'll change that now?"
Nope, I broke that streak. "I like breaking rules."
"What happens when we say "no"?" York asked.
"Don't bother", Castle replied, waving the question away. "You don't know how these things work. Alright, Damon. You get to go in with your people. But, when I win, I'm going to take something, and you don't get to do anything about it."
"When I win." "You won't."
"Uh-huh. Pick five." She chuckled again. "You know, I'm impressed with you, Damon. I had a specific purpose with this little conversation but you managed to hijack it. Maybe I should give you more credit." The Raider stood and motioned toward the door. "You can go now, I have some prep work to do."
As I turned and walked past the guards, half of which were still aiming at me, I couldn't decide how to feel about what just happened. On one side, I beat Castle at her own game. She said as much, even if she didn't know the extent of it. I also got what I wanted: a fight against Raiders instead of prisoners.
And then there's the part where I'm putting five of the support team in a fight against Raiders with me.
I strode to the stairs and back down to the first floor. My pace was just a little too fast for a normal-sized person to keep up with comfortably. The guards were almost jogging alongside me. All of them looked irritated. I'm not too proud to admit I got some enjoyment out of that.
If we're gonna have a chance at this, Nate is coming with me. We're already operating at a disadvantage since Castle and the other Raiders have time and infrastructure to prepare the playing field and traps. Whatever they come up with, it will be to counter me. They think they can handle the others.
So I'll do what I've always done: adapt.
Nate is an experienced tactician in conventional small-team combat.
Since they're preparing for me, the unconventional fighter. That makes the ex-soldier perfect to counter them.
A minute later, we were nearing the cafeteria. I could hear talking through the door.
Question is, who else? I can't bring Able. If things do go sideways, he's the next most experienced person behind myself and Nate. We can't afford to lose two of the three in one fight.
On top of that, having him on the outside to do some analysis will be helpful.
And I think he'll be a little preoccupied digesting what I'm about to tell him.
Swinging the door open, the conversation slowed to a stop. Brenda, Nate, and three of the other support team members were all standing at the front of the cell.
Talking with the other prisoners.
The two Raiders standing guard at the door turned to me as I passed between them.
What the hell was going on here?
That's pretty obvious. They're talking. Brenda and Nate are probably trying to… do what damage control they can.
… Maybe… The other prisoners didn't seem open to that kind of conversation.
"Hey there, Tin Man", Brenda said and offered a small wave.
That was… also a strange reaction. She wasn't looking at the half-dozen guards around me. She didn't seem concerned with the half-dozen guards around me.
I'd only been gone a little while. What's happening here?
"... Hey." This was… yet another new development I'll have to contend with. What makes that worse is I wasn't even here for this one.
When I reached the cell door, York stepped around me and unlocked it.
"In", he ordered. Like it was necessary.
Maybe he needs to feel useful. I smirked. The Raider had already shown he was operating on a different playing field than Castle. Unless he's even dumber than I thought, he knows it too.
Once I stepped inside, he slammed the door shut and locked it with a clack.
"Gonna enjoy watching you get your ass kicked."
"It hasn't happened yet", I turned back to him. That… wasn't true but he didn't know about the Institute's ambush.
York smiled. "I like breaking rules."
"And not thinking for yourself", I muttered.
"Hey, I still ain't the one in a cell, 'Tin Man'."
Nate laughed. "You might be right about the 'can't think for himself' thing." He grinned at York. "I don't know if you noticed, but he chose to be in the cell."
The ex-soldier was, apparently, feeling good too.
"Tell 'em, Damon." York was still smiling. "Tell 'em what you walked 'em all into."
So you can see how they react? "Castle wants me to choose five of you to go into a fight against some Raiders with me."
"Oh", Nate said as he put his hands on his hips. "Is that it?" He turned to York. "You gonna be in the fight?"
"Lucky for you, no." The guard elbowed one of the other Raiders. "Remember his first fight?"
The man laughed. "Yeah. Got his ass beat."
I cocked my head at the ex-soldier. He rolled his eyes.
"After a few beer bottles from the crowd."
York shrugged. "Cry about it." He turned to me, still smiling. It wasn't reaching his eyes anymore.
"Can't wait to see what happens."
With that, he and the guards who escorted me back to the cell marched out of the cafeteria. The ones that stayed were still by the door.
"So a fight against the Raiders, huh?" Nate said. "And she wants five of us in there with you?"
"Yeah." I glanced at the other cell. The prisoners in there were still watching me but… they didn't look as anxious as they had before. "What happened here?"
"Everyone calmed down", Brenda replied. "None of us came here because we wanted to." She pointed at the Raiders standing guard. "These are the assholes who're making us fight each other."
"And that bitch, Castle", one of the others called from their cell.
"Damn straight", Trent said.
Nate smiled. "Looks like we won't be fighting each other this next time." He lowered his voice. "Nice job, how'd you pull that off?"
That part? A lot of luck.
"Same way you got in here", I motioned at the cell.
The ex-soldier squinted at me. "... You mean that… bet with Castle?" I nodded. "At least she's consistent."
"There's more."
"About this 'bet'?"
I shook my head. "No. About Castle. And my hunch."
"Alright", Nate said with a nod.
Instead of the alcove, I motioned toward the far corner, where I'd been earlier. Nate beckoned for Able as we began walking.
But… he probably shouldn't be the only one involved. Brenda would be best suited to deconstruct the conversation and…
If Trent is as intelligent as Nate seems to think, we could use his analysis here too.
"Brenda, Trent", I nodded to our destination.
The two of them joined us as the rest of the support team restarted their conversations with the other prisoners. They were taking this… surprisingly well. Even though they just heard five of them would have to fight Raiders, they didn't seem disturbed.
They're adapting. Good.
Except Julian. He and Alex were sitting against the back wall. The kid still looked shell-shocked.
Not that I could blame him
"Everyone's doing better", I said.
Nate nodded. "Starting to. So tell us about this meeting of the minds."
I did. I recounted the potential revelation the guards were there as much to keep an eye on her as they were to watch me. The… confirmation may be a strong word, but the evidence she gave me her goal here really was to get control of the Raiders. It was almost as fun telling it as it had been at doing it.
Once I had, they took turns for a few minutes asking questions. Everything from my thoughts to her mannerisms.
As excited as I was, I had to temper my emotions. The last thing I want to do is color their opinions with my own. The reason I'm asking them is because I want a double check, not to confirm my interpretation of events.
"Considering the available information, I can't disagree with his conclusion", Trent said. "We'll have to be careful, all we have at this point is qualitative observation, but the logic works."
Able nodded. "Sometimes, qualitative observations are the most important part of an investigation. We have to draw conclusions based on what we can get. It seems like everything's consistent." The Railroad agent smirked. "Well done. I think we can work with this. If she really is planning something like that, and her bosses are that suspicious of her…" his smile grew wider. "Oh, I love this kind of work."
"We'll still take it slow", Nate added. "Castle's smart. We can't put it past her to play a game like this."
That's for sure. I've been 'beaten' by her twice now. I don't know if my ego could handle a third time.
Speaking of… "We need to talk about the squad that will be participating in the next… 'match'."
Nate grimaced. "Right."
I turned so I was square to the smaller man. "Nate, I want you to take lead."
He frowned. "Care to explain?"
"You're conventional, I'm not. Castle assumes I'm the biggest threat; she's spent a lot of time researching as much as she could on me. Other than your connection to me, it doesn't seem she knows anything about you. Different person, different style, different experience. I think we play this like we did the school."
There was a brief pause as Nate's eyes bore into my visor. His jaw was clenched and, even if he tried to hide it, his chest was rising and falling quickly. He was trying hard to control his breath.
"... And you don't think you can run a conventional playbook?" he finally asked.
"No." I shook my head. "Not as well as you. I know conventional tactics. Knowledge and experience are two different things. We can't afford to take too long and we can't afford mistakes."
Another short stint of relative silence followed before the ex-soldier closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath.
"Fuck me", he muttered. "I got you it's just-" he pulled his eyes open and looked back up at me. "I was hoping you'd take the fighting over once you were here." A small, sad smile spread across his face. "Not- not the quality of a great leader, is it?"
Brenda shook her head from beside him. "No, that's completely normal. I'd be a little worried if you weren't scared." She glanced at me. "We all know you wanted to hide behind, Damon."
Nate pursed his lips. "No… that isn't what-" he grunted. "You know what? Fine. Fine, you got me. I don't want to hear anything about this so yeah, I'll take lead."
"Men", Brenda said, laughing.
The other two joined her. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't good to hear. Everyone- everyone was keyed up. Even I could tell this wasn't a completely genuine laugh.
But it was a laugh. Hopefully, that meant they were starting to feel better.
"So who else is on this team?" I asked.
A/N: Well well well, Damon was successful at something that didn't involve shooting someone! I'll be honest, this chapter (and that scene) were a little tricky to write. I always hate when stories that have characters who are supposed to be bad at something try their hand at it and... things just seem to go strangely well? Damon did not do a good job here, the only reasons he got what he did out of the conversation are Castle wants him to be on her side, she's arrogant, and Damon is creative and observant. I find it's more difficult to write a scene where someone is bad at something but still successful. We have some excitement coming up, however. His success means they get to fight Raiders instead of other prisoners. This might throw a wrench in the works so let's see where it goes! I'll see everyone next time!
Next chapter: 3/22, Sweet Relief