Two Best Friends play F3, Chapter 3

(Inside Super-Duper Mart, with Kyle and Co.)- "alright, we're in. AJ, take crimson and Reilly and go right. i'll take our new friends and split left then up the middle." i whispered, and watching AJ confidently smirk, he nudged crimson to follow him, while i turned to my two companions, gesturing myself for them to follow me as i branched left. unsheathing my Bowie Knife from its sheath at my hip, holding it southpaw as i crept across the floor of the Super-Duper Mart. "i'm tellin' ya Razor, those two sluts are becomin' a major pain in our asses. they don't put out, they constantly bitch at us, i'm surprised somebody hasn't blasted their faces off and fucked the corpses already." a crass raider piped up to who must've been the leader, who growled in response to the comment. "shut yer fuckin' mouth, you scab. Ravager and Death are the best scavvers we got. i hear you disrespect 'em one more goddamn time i'll introduce ya to mistah crowbar. got it?" the man asked his lower-ranked minion, who grumbled at his words, walking away in anger. "ugh, so damn hard to get any good fuckin' help these days. where the hell are the others? i thought they would've come back in by now." Razor asked himself, and an uneasy pit developing in my stomach, i slid along the aisle shelves as quiet as possible, cursing underbreath when my foot tapped a rusted tin can, making it roll noisily across the tile floor. "what the hell was that?" Razor barked, and readying my knife for a fight, i just barely reached the edge of the aisle before a dark shadow loomed in the lowlight, and a form stepped into view, reeking of death, iron and god knows what else. stabbing my knife into his thigh, i wrapped my elbow around his mouth to keep the man from yelling aloud, dragging him backward into the darkness with a vengeful scowl.


"you're a bad, bad man Razor. it's about time i removed your DNA from the gene pool." i taunted deathly quiet, removing the knife from his leg, and pulled his head up by my elbow, flipping my knife around to place at his throat. "auf wiedersehen." i whispered darkly, dragging the blade across Razor's throat without an ounce of remorse for the sorry bastard, listening to his muffled gurgles as he drowned on his own blood before i quickly twisted his neck to the side, cutting those short as well. "shit! where the hell did Razor go? Razor! Raaaazor, come on out big boy." cooed one of the female raiders from the catwalks above, and widening my eyes in disbelief that i'd managed to overlook those catwalks, i ducked down, motioning for my companions to do the same. "damnit, never around when i want him, always around when i don't. ah well." the raider groused, resuming her patrol above me, and putting me at ease. for now at least. scaling the aisle to our right, i peeked over the top, and i was thankful when i saw AJ and crimson also dealing with guards of their own, their bodies hard to see from the shadows, but still visible to the trained eye. "hey, what the hell happened outside? there's a deathclaw corpse with a hole in its face, and four of our men are dead! the fuck gives?" a raider shouted from the entrance to the supermarket, making me hiss out a curse, drawing my shotgun and preparing for a fight, before the braver of the two female raiders put a hand on my weapon, pushing it down with a shake of her head. "leave them alive. they're the ones i told you about. focus on the others on the catwalks, and we'll deal with them later." she whispered, and nodding in begrudged acceptance, i stashed my gun, and grabbed my knife from where it lay on the ground, once more holding it southpaw, and stalking to the end and then around the aisle we were in. "how many are left that aren't your guys?" "let's see.......about three? should be an easy mop-up if we can convince the others you three are the good guys. loosely termed, that is." my ever helpful new assistant supplied, and nodding stiffly, i sheathed my knife, once more unholstering my shotgun and peeking up over the aisle to my teammates. three. three more raiders. i signed to my brother in arms, whom nodded once he saw the message, drawing one of the few stealth weapons we pilfered from Lock and Load, a Silenced 10mm, from his backpack, cocking the slide back and aiming for the raider patrolling the catwalks when the others weren't watching. satisfied when all i'd heard was a quiet thwick before the sound of a body dropping to the floor could be heard, along with a roar of rage that could be heard throughout the marketplace. scared off of my ass by the sudden noise, i peeked up over the aisle again, to see crimson tackle the last raider, pounding his face into the ground over, and over, and over again, until he stopped screaming in agony, and crimson's fists were caked in blood. "jesus crimson, i didn't know you had it in ya. would've given you a melee weapon if i knew you were going to be that brutal." i called from my perch, grinning like the cheshire cat when the raider scouting party looked between her, then me, then back to her, wondering which one to fear the most. the guy who has drying blood smeared onto his trenchcoat, or the woman who just beat a man's face in with her bare hands? they ended up choosing the latter, and raising their weapons to crimson, they were milliseconds from pulling the trigger when my lady-raider friend ran out from behind me, pushing herself through the now angered mob of raiders and shielding crimson with her own body. "she's a friendly! calm down!" "Ravager, she just took down Joey without an ounce of remorse! you really expect me to calm down when i see something like that?" "Reinard, her and her friends just killed the fuckers you and i both openly despised! don't you remember Razor was just using us as cannon fodder to scavenge for him?" 'Ravager' reasoned with a pleading expression on her face, that 'Reinard' took into consideration, slowly lowering his weapon and gesturing for his buddies to do the same. "yo, grimmy, you got a name?" one of Reinard's entourage asked me, and turning to him, i kept my hood up, letting him see nothing. "i prefer that only my allies know my real name. but for now you can call me Kromwell. Kromwell Smith. in time, once my comrades and i can trust you, you'll all learn my real name." i explained simply, watching with interest as AJ brought crimson, kicking and screaming and begging for AJ to let her go and allow her to keep beating the shit out of that fallen raider, and set her down in front of us all, sighing deeply. "you just had to pick the damaged goods, didn't you?" AJ sighed wearily, and motioning crimson over, i looked her up and down, not finding anything that would clue me in as to what would warrant such an outburst from her. "you okay babe?" "no, i'm not okay." "well, what did that raider do to you that made you kill him like that?" "you remember how i was a slave back in Paradise Falls?"


(2264, on the outskirts of the Capital Wasteland bordering the Commonwealth)- "Charlotte! please, don't go so far ahead!" a young woman, not long out of her thirties, called out worriedly to her six year old daughter, whom stopped what she was doing immediately, looking at her mother apologetically when she recognized the distress in her mother's tone. "i'm sorry mama. i just thought we'd wanna get to the DC place as fast as we could." "that's alright sweetheart, but remember what mommy keeps telling you. there are bad people out here, men that wouldn't hesitate to-" "going somewhere, ladies?" a gruff voice hissed to the travelling family of two, making them both shudder in fear. "you're in Razor's territory. either pay the toll, or you ain't goin' nowheres." a filthy man, no older than thirty, chuckled darkly, looking the mother and daughter up and down and no doubt thinking perverse thoughts about the both of them. "oh no, i know that look in your eye Joey. we can't do that. not to a kid-" "shut the fuck up Jericho, you're the only one here against havin' a little fun. this is DC, remember? laws haven't existed for over 200 years here. which means," the raider known as Joey grinned, grabbing young Charlotte by the arm and tugging her over, despite her mother's protests, "we can do whatever we want to the filthy bitches. kill the old one!, she's too far gone to be a decent fuck anyhow." Joey cackled, leaving Jericho behind feeling uneasy, while two others of the pack they'd traveled in shot the mother dead, leaving Charlotte an orphan.


(Present Day, back in the Super-Duper Mart)- "i spent ten years after that being abused, sexually molested, and put through hell by the scumsucker i just put down. and when he was done with me, the fucker sold me to Eulogy up in Paradise Falls. i was sixteen at the time, so Eulogy went easier on me than he did Clover, but it was still a hard life to live. i spent the next three years with him, and not long after my 19th birthday, you and Blackhawk show up, kill Eulogy, and accept me into your family. something i can't be more thankful for." crimson explained, a long and sad tale that even had the hardened raiders we were in the company of shedding a tear, before she gave me a hug, sinking into my arms with a sigh. "thank you. for all you've done for a damaged girl like me." she said further, and smiling warmly, i hugged back, rubbing her back thoughtfully. "you're more than welcome, crimson. believe you me, you're with family now. from now until the day you die, you'll always have a home with us should you want it." i whispered into her ear, pulling back and easing her off of me with a smile. "well, as compelling as that story was, we still need to loot the store. i'd appreciate it if we could have you and your men's help in that, Reinard, but if you decline, i would understand." "no, no. if anything, we should be helping you guys more than that. we were apart of Razor's gang for years, and he was a cruel son of a bitch. threatened to kill us if we ever left for someone better. but now that he's gone, you've freed us from his bullshit, and we can all get on with our lives. i speak for everyone here when i say we're eternally grateful. if you ever need something more from us, don't hesitate to ask." "well, Blackhawk and i could use more hands to help us help the Wasteland. you'd be much better off as mercs than you are as Raiders, and you'd be given better weapons, armor, you name it. there would still be the matter of a probation period to prove your worth, but if you pass that, i guarantee you we'll have a place for you within Trans-World-Operations." i explained as clearly and concisely as i could, thankful ravager came to my aid when Reinard still looked confused. "me and death already decided to join up with them, they seem trustworthy enough, especially since the hooded guy here managed to take down a Deathclaw with nothin' but a shotgun, and his buddy managed to pop a hole in two of the raiders who'd tried to stop him." "'kay, that explains the dead deathclaw and two of the dead guys outside, but what about the other two?" "one insulted this lovely lady here," i began, gesturing to the woman who'd spoken up on my behalf, "and gotten the brains blasted out the back of his head, and the second was made an example of. as you probably noticed, since his throat was slit." i explained, crossing my arms when Reinard gave me a look of disbelief.


"bullshit. no man alive has the balls to take on seven armed raiders, the charm to turn two of 'em over to his way of thinkin', and is stupid enough to take on a deathclaw with nothin' but a shotgun and a Bowie Knife." "then you obviously haven't met my brother in arms, captain non-believer. because as i can attest, he did. and let's not forget, i was the one that killed two of the seven raiders trying to kill my bro, so it wasn't ALL him." AJ supplied with a cocky grin, while i gave a shrug. "he's right. if you guys had checked over the bodies, you would've no doubt figured out that two of the seven were killed by a .308 caliber round. and one by shotgun shells, 12 gauge in particular, before coming to the last body of the group, who had his throat slit by a thick-edged Bowie Knife. and deathclaws aren't as menacing as you think. you just have to gather the balls to nut up, shut up, and kill the damn thing before it kills you." i explained oh-so-simply, gesturing to the door when he still looked unconvinced. "have your entourage check the bodies for confirmation. but little side note, the shotgun blast on the deathclaw came from above, not below. and you'll no doubt find genitalia damage, so you can piece together from there how i killed the thing." i added, and watching Reinard shoo off his men to go confirm what i told him, i led him, ravager, and the rest of my comrades to the back of the store, where Razor's little gang kept all of their goodies, wrapping an arm around Reinard's shoulders. "you see Reinard, you can't really label Blackhawk and i as 'normal' like you can with your average waster.  because we're not pussies. if we're presented with a challenge, like say the bloodbath your men will have looked over outside by now, we won't shy away from it. we'll embrace it, and goddamn it should we have to we'll make it wish it had never shown its face to us. we're T.W.O. and we don't back down from a fight. but, like all mercenary organizations starting out is the hardest part. and, i'd much appreciate it if you and your men were to be the first to join us." "sounds tempting enough, if only to get weapons and armor good enough to hold off against a lone-wolf deathclaw. not to mention the pay wouldn't be all that bad either......y'know what? we're in." "wonderful! but just so we're clear. Blackhawk and i are going to put you through HELL. we will break you, and rebuild you as the soldier the Capital Wasteland needs you to be. so i hope you're made of the stern stuff we're looking for within T.W.O., because we won't accept anyone who can't keep up with the program." i cautioned, but Reinard hoisted his AR onto his shoulder, leveling a determined glare at me. "i swear to god, you ain't gonna find a band of raiders as determined and strong-willed as my boys. we're loyal, we're smart, and we don't take shit from people dumber than us. though that would fall under the 'we're smarter than the average raider' category, i still feel it needed to be said, if for any reason beyond covering all my bases." Reinard explained, and putting a hand to my chin in thought, i left the conversation hanging, thinking of PT drills i could run that could turn these slightly malnourished, underweight underdogs into the most fearsome mercenaries this state has ever seen. it was going to be hard doing of course, given raiders don't like taking orders from a superior officer they don't respect, but after me and AJ break them down and roar at them like the Soldier from TF2, i think they'll get the hint that we need not earn respect from them. and believe me, they have every right to walk out and do their own thing, but not only will they never be allowed to rejoin, but they'll also be viewed as an enemy if that happens to come down to it.

but Reinard and his crew didn't need to know that. yet. "hey boss! they're fuckin' right, almost everyone out there either has a bullet in 'em, or got their throat slashed open! hell even the deathclaw corpse looks like it's been through hell, and the wounds sure as hell ain't consistent with any firepower those tin-cans or their fucked up Outcast cousins like to use. these mooks are actually tellin' the truth!" one of Reinard's men hollered, sauntering into the Super-Duper Mart with a newfound confidence in him, that i was anxious to press out of him. "really? is that so? well then, where d'ya need us to go, oh wise and fearless leader?" Reinard asked sarcastically, and crossing my arms with a scowl, i gave a warning growl, making sure Reinard knew i wasn't about to deal with his bullshit. "you watch your tone with me maggot, because as of right fucking now, you are apart of this man's army. and you will follow my orders, and the orders of my second in command, to the letter. i don't want to hear any backtalk come outta your mouth either, cadet. so you backsass me like that one more time, i'll have you eatin' mud while you're doing push-ups in the rain! do you get me boy?! you're my bitch now!" i hollered to my new subordinate, sounding the perfect impression of TF2 Soldier, and pressing my nose into Reinard's, staring him down with a snarl. "from here on in you are a member of T.W.O., that's Trans-World-Operations in case your pea brain can't comprehend acronyms, and as a member of said mercenary corps, you will report to Paradise Falls immediately, and await further instruction! you are under no circumstances to ever leave the confines of the base unless on a job or escorted off premises by one of us, and if you do, it shall be deemed an act of treason, meaning we will not stop, we will not rest until each and every one of the traitors who leaves my beloved corps, ARE HUNTED DOWN LIKE THE TREASONOUS DOGS THEY ARE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" i roared at the man who led my new recruits, smirking when he cringed at the volume of my voice, but did nothing else. "SIR, YES SIR!" "then get out of here and don't report back to me until Blackhawk, Crimson and i have returned to Paradise Falls from Rivet City with adequate supplies. go!" i ordered sharply, and with a stiff salute, Reinard gathered his men, which included Ravager and Death, and left the supermarket, the doors still swinging they took off so fast. "well done gunny sergeant Hartman. what next, you going to treat a fat guy like shit until he blows his brains out in the barracks latrine? (ah, Full Metal Jacket references. good times.)" AJ taunted, and giving him the bird, i hopped a nearby pharmaceuticals counter, crouching down to pick the lock on one of the ammo boxes i knew was below. "go jump in a lake, a-hole. i always wanted to do that, and i wasn't about to pass up the opportunity, seeing as we're going to be leading the most fearsome, ruthless, and renowned mercenary corporation this dustball has ever known. besides which way, always wanted to see how well my TF2 Soldier impression would stand up if i put some actual emotion into it. not bad, eh?" i asked my second in command, who nodded, but didn't do much else. "aww, who's a good puppy? is it you? is it you?" i heard crimson gush from beyond the other side of the counter, smiling fondly when i heard Reilly yip in response. "you were a good girl for daddy today, reilly. thank you." i told my canine companion, popping the lock to the ammo box and grinning like a fool at the treats stashed within. "5.56 ammo, .32 cal rounds, nope and nope, damnit! and here i thought i was going to get something good." "you do realise that these are raider encampments you're talking about, right? of course they're going to have shit on them and in their storage containers. we'd be lucky to find sniper cartridges and shotgun ammo around here, especially in large quantities." AJ piped up matter-of-factly, and growling to myself, i went about picking the lock on the second container, finding this alot easier than the games had let on.


"rake the pins, turn the lock. rake the pins, turn the lock. rake the pins," i chanted, popping the top off of another ammo box, "reap the rewards." i cackled, swiping up a few .44 cartridges, and a......a..... "Kyle, no. put the nuke down." "goddamnit AJ, i found this thing in an ammo box! please, just let me keep this one." "no, chances are next opportunity you have you're either going to try and hurl that thing like a fucking football if we don't find a fatman to launch it from, or....." "or? there's something better than a Fat-Man isn't there?" "no. forget i ever said anything." AJ piped up much too quickly, raising suspicions and my eyebrow as i discreetly stashed the nuke in my pack, feeling it would come in handy later. "he worries too damn much about my mild psychopathic tendencies." i muttered under-breath, pulling my pack back across my shoulders with a grunt, the mini nuke surprisingly lighter than i'd thought. "mental note, don't drop pack. ever." i muttered to myself, scouting out the rest of the pharmaceuticals area with a frown. of course there wasn't going to be anything good in this part of the supermarket, most of the good stuff was behind the door to my right, locked via a terminal beside it, that i doubted i had the skill to hack into. "welp, i've got 99 problems but the pick ain't one, so let's try it that way." i proposed, kneeling down in front of the door, and using a bobby pin as the tension wrench, i repeated what i did to the ammo box, smiling a devil's smile when the door opened up, and revealed a cue ball sitting in its charging station not too far away, with a computer terminal beside it, along with a few ammo boxes, and another mini. "hello momma, come to daddy." i cackled gleefully, striding into the room with a grin, popping open the first aid kit within and looting the stims and such necessities from it, leaving the blood pack for anyone who was dumb enough to try and use it. "yo AJ! get yo ass in here! we got a cue ball and some quantums to raid!" i called to my partner, pulling the mini nuke off the counter, and finding a roll of duct tape on the shelf adjacent to the cue ball's stasis tube, i grinned evilly, motioning AJ over to the terminal. "open 'er up, and get that cue ball up and running. i've got a surprise in store for any morons who try to raid this place in the future." i stated simply, waiting until AJ finished hacking the terminal and freed the robot from its prison, before jumping the thing and duct taping the mini nuke to its back. the second i did that, i hauled ass out of the back room, scooping up crimson and reilly with AJ nipping at my heels. "you son of a bitch! you son of a motherfucking bitch!" "i know, ain't i just tha woist?" diving out of the store just as the backroom went up in a mushroom cloud of flames, i cackled to my heart's content, the protectron helper within and any valuables as well thoroughly destroyed. "the fuck dude, we could've scavenged some good ammo from out of there!" "true as that may be, this is easy mode brother. chill the fuck out, and keep walking towards Rivet City. we're bound to meet up with you know who in no time by then, and then we can really get this show on the road. think about it, whatever shit these clowns had, the Brotherhood's got better. and we help vault boy out, we'll be able to join them and get power armor training. and i just fucking KNOW you're not going to pass that up when the T-60B is out there. whaddya say?" i asked my best buddy in the whole wide apocalyptic hell, smirking when he gave a defeated sigh. "you're damn lucky you know how to push my buttons. let's go." "if i didn't, we wouldn't be friends now would we?" i commented dryly, scooping crimson up off the ground with an apologetic glance, and pulling out reilly's 'leash' from my pack, wrapping the long cord of leather through her collar and knotting it tight. "honestly though AJ, you're worrying to much. we're Fallout veterans bro! we can do this no problem." "tch, you worry too little. you killed how many men and women in the past couple days? and you act like it's the most natural thing in the world." "because at our cores, every human has the capacity to kill. i admit at times i enjoyed sticking it to those bastards in Paradise Falls, and alot more here in hindsight after hearing how crimson grew up, but every kill i made was either for self-preservation, another survival skill of humanity, or it was to get rid of someone who isn't worthy of life, like those fuckers who used to troll lol lol round our base. i reiterate, you worry too damn much." "maybe i should just lock the both of you in a closet and let you two sort things out the old fashioned way." crimson interjected, and going wide eyed at just what she had alluded to, before narrowing them at her in a glare that could turn sand into glass. "don't joke about that crimson. i fucking mean it." i hissed lowly, watching crimson like a hawk as she lowered her head to avoid my glare. "you two can sort this shit out when we get to Rivet City. right now we're burning alot of daylight, and i'm not going to be held up because of fucking pent-up sexual tension." AJ snapped, and growling at crimson before turning away, i nudged reilly forward, and took the lead, knowing the best way to Rivet City, as to avoid the muties and raider packs that lurked around there.


(Rivet City, three hours later)- "fuck me, after the shit we just went through today, i could use a drink. how 'bout you AJ?" "we're too young to dri-" "ah ah ah! laws don't exist here anymore remember? we can get plastered if we wanna. besides, you only live once." i reminded my reluctant adopted brother, who sighed blearily, rubbing the bridge of his nose and pushing his glasses further up onto his face, before giving me an expectant glare. "well? let's go. you want to get wasted, i'll make sure you don't get into any fights while you do so." "ah c'mon AJ, lighten up a little. this is a once in a lifetime opportunity we've got here! and i promise, come morning we'll track down the crybaby from 101 and see if we can help at all. right now doe...." i trailed off, grinning evilly.

(The Muddy Rudder, fifteen minutes later *Nickelback's This Afternoon would be good to play here*)- "hey i'm tellin' ya man, she's into you! but i still think you can do better." AJ hollered with a grin, slamming another shot of whiskey on the bar counter and waving for another round. "yeah, i dunno man. just feels off, y'know? like i'm makin' a mistake or sumthin'." i replied, slurring a bit after i downed my own shot of vodka, best drink in all of Soviet Russia. "duuude, you're fucked up. fuckin' slurrin' n' shit." AJ giggled helplessly, and crossing my arms drunkenly, i turned away, coming face to chest with the one thing i didn't want to run into down here.

Talon Company.

"ooh, whadda we have here boys? the big bad mercs who raided Paradise Falls. y'know boys, our employer ain't too happy with you disruptin' his slave trade o-" he barely got to finish his sentence when i slammed my elbow into his mug, twirling him around and slamming him into the bar faster than the eye could track. "care to repeat that asshole? i couldn't hear most of it, given i was enjoying a drink with my friend, and didn't want to hear your crap, but i couldn't help but hear you mention a slave trader who hired you. who is he?" i growled darkly, vodka on my breath but my drunkenness fading fast as adrenaline coursed through my veins. "AJ, hope you're a crack shot even when you're drunk nigga, 'cause i'm gonna need it." "don't worry, i've been drinking a couple months longer than you. i thinks i can handle it." AJ slurred slightly, pulling out his .44 and leveling it with the head of a TC merc who had their shotgun digging into my back, cocking the hammer and loading a round into the chamber. "unless you want yer friend's entrails splattered all over the bar, you'll put the toy gun down kid, before you and your friend get hurt." "ooh, i'm so scared. but you should know by now that i'm the distraction in this instance." AJ drawled out with bored exasperation, while using the merc's distracted attention to my advantage, i swapped our positions, flipping the TC merc around so the barrel of the shotgun was digging thoroughly into his armored abdomen. "now, who the hell is your boss. TELL ME! or things'll get messy." i snapped, reaching for the Bowie Knife at my hip, only to find it gone. "looks like your little entourage is nothin' but a bunch of wooden targets buddy," AJ began, tossing MY KNIFE into the head of the third merc, "because that's one," AJ continued, before popping a round into the shotgun merc's skull, making his trigger reflex fire a shell into the armored abdomen of my impromptu informant. "and that's two. care to be the third?" AJ asked with deathly calm, leveling the .44 with my informant's head, successfully turning the poor bastard into a blithering mess. "alright! alright! i'll tell you everything! he's a shady guy, real scumbag, runs a slave trading business out of the ruins of Chicago! never seen his face, always had a courier bring us our contracts and had the courier stay with us at the Capitol building until they were completed! i swear that's all i know!" the merc blabbered, and nodding to AJ, i released him, taking the Assault Rifle off his back and nudging him forward with it. "then get the fuck out of here, and report what happened to your 'employer'. tell him we ain't leaving DC any time soon, and he's going to need to send more than three half-decent mercs to try and take us out. i hear you trying to hassle anyone on this ship, or anyone outside of it on the way out, i'll hunt you down and slaughter you like the mindless lamb you are. and believe me, that would be easy, i never forget a face. now get the fuck outta here!" i threatened, dropkicking the piece of shit in the direction of the door, before turning back around and sitting back down on my stool. "now, where were we? ah yes, crimson." i resumed nonchalantly, wiping some brain matter off my trenchcoat as i did so.


(The Weatherly Hotel, the next morning)- "ah my fucking head. did somebody get the number on that sledgehammer?" "what sledgehammer?" "the one that did a tap dance on my face head first. do we have any fucking aspirin in our packs?" i groaned in pain, sitting up from my bed at The Weatherly, and rubbing my forehead tenderly. "well, you did almost drink yourself to death, while AJ and i had to carry you back up here, but beyond that you should be fine, if not dehydrated. and i'm sorry to say no, we don't." crimson explained, making me cringe when the volume of her voice was ten times what it was yesterday, a damn good sign that i was officially hung over. "here, take this. it'll help with the hangover." crimson whispered, passing me a bottle of purified water with a smile. "thank you. truly, thank you." were the only words out of my mouth before i wrenched the top off the bottle, downing its contents with a relieved grin. "that's much better. thank you." i repeated, sitting up further in my bed to find i was shirtless, and someone had treated the dark bruises on my chest and shoulder from taking the impact of those .38 rounds. "i really hope AJ's the one that patched me up, or this is gonna get awkward REAL fast. but i have a feeling that ain't the case." "no, no it isn't. AJ is too hungover to have treated your bruises properly, so i was the only one left to do it. you'd actually be surprised how good you get at patching yourself up when you're beaten, starved, and sexually molested for ten years of your life." crimson explained, and sighing wearily, i swiveled myself off the bed, standing to my full height and looking around for my jacket and trenchcoat. "oh c'mon, it's not like i haven't seen your chest before. and your arms. and your scars...." crimson trailed off, her eyes half-lidding while i couldn't seem to find the rest of my clothes anywhere. "you hid them didn't you." "mm-hmm." "are you going to tell me where they are?" "nope." "well then," i began, slinking my way over to crimson, and pulling her head back softly, "i believe a trade is in order. my company, for my clothes. that good enough?" i didn't even get a reply before crimson pounced me back onto the bed, growling in delight as her fingers traced the faint scars on my chest. "you have a nice body for someone who isn't even of legal age yet. why so?" "because after i met AJ, i knew i'd need to be able to keep up with what he does. granted we were both living civilian lives before we came here, but our builds are proving to be-nngh! quite useful." i grunted, wincing as crimson raked her fingers down one of the scars, not really hurting me, but making my brain say 'hello dolly, how are you doin' today?'. "mmm, i'll say. especially since i'm feeling one attentive not-so-little soldier riding up the crack of my ass." "well can you really blame him? you in shiny metal and tight-fit leather, i have to get him to stand down every time i look at you. and that ain't easy." i groaned, surprised when crimson laughed, a thick and quite sultry sound that had almost made me think i'd died and gone to heaven. who knows? maybe i did, and i just don't know it yet. "mmm, yeah, i can imagine it would be quite- hard." oh now that one was bad. that one was just bad. but crimson giggled anyway, shocking me by climbing off, and pulling my jacket and trenchcoat from the footlocker at my feet. "you fucking cocktease. one of these days crimson, one of these days!" "yeah yeah, i know the shtick. maybe someday i'll let you rock my world baby boy, but for now, we've got work to do, and i'm not about to fool around with my superior officer when there's work to be done." "*sigh* yeah, you're right. but first i want to know something. where do we stand right now? 'cause that sure as hell wasn't harmless flirting." i asked idly, not really expecting an answer while i pulled on my jacket and trenchcoat, but shocked when i got one. "to be honest, i'm starting to like you alot more than i should, just like i said that night back in Paradise Falls before you-know-who interrupted. i just don't know why, but i feel a.....connection with you, i guess. and no, that's not another bad joke, i'm being serious." crimson explained with a smirk, while i attached the armor plates from my Leather Armor to my trenchcoat, still listening intently. "i guess you could say at the moment we're kind of dating? i'm not exactly looking forward to later encounters," "hey!" "calm down, i was kidding, but with you i feel safe. you're the first person to make me feel that way in a long time, since before.....well...." "you needn't say more crimson, you told me the story. and while i'm honored you think so highly of me to feel safe in my presence, why don't you feel that way around AJ? i noticed you didn't include him." i asked, genuinely curious as to why crimson hadn't felt safe around my brother in arms. granted he can get salty at times, and that's scary to anyone who doesn't really know him that well, but he's a good guy. hell, that's why he's my friend.


"well, AJ is nice enough and all, but i constantly get the older brother 'you break my little brother's heart i'll end you' vibe coming off of him. and i knew you guys were close, but i didn't think you considered yourself actual brothers." "AJ gave me life advice when my parents were either too lazy or too drunk off their asses to care. hell, i guarantee had we met when we were kids, we would've been bonded at the hip for most of our lives. no, that isn't a mutation joke, shut up. anyway, AJ really did act like an elder brother to me at times, and that's why we get along so well. that's why you feel that vibe coming off of him. because we consider each other family, and family doesn't let family make decisions that could scar them later. doesn't let them make mistakes." "am i a mistake?" crimson asked, and feeling a pit form in my stomach, i swallowed nervously, choosing my next words carefully. "AJ......AJ might think you're not right for me, and that's why he acts the way he does around you, but no. i don't think you're a mistake. i think you're the first person to really show me affection since AJ and i woke up in Paradise Falls almost a week ago now. and i thank you for that. i thank you for loving a mild psychopath like me." i explained tentatively, thankful crimson wasn't suspicious of said explanation, and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. "you're welcome. and as far as i'm concerned, you're not a psychopath." "how so?" "because the psycho doesn't get to kiss the woman he saved." oh if only she knew. but as crimson tilted her head up to connect her lips with mine, i was surprised to find even though she's been through thirteen years of misery, hardship, and other unpleasantries, her lips were surprisingly soft. "ahem! if you two are done sucking face, i'd like to get down to the marketplace SOMETIME today!" AJ barked with authoritah, but i just gave him the bird, not releasing my hold on crimson. "*sigh* little bro's all growed up. *sniff* i promised myself i wouldn't cry!" once again AJ was ignored, until crimson and i broke away, and glared at AJ in annoyance. "dude, five minutes. that's all i fucking ask. five minutes, before you come in and ruin the moment. would that be so hard a request to make reality?" "yes. now c'mon, i want to get some ammo for our guns." "*sigh* fiine. fuckin' taskmaster, always cockblockin' me and shit." i grumbled disappointedly, hefting my pack up onto my shoulders, and finding it a little lighter than normal. "oh you fucking prick. you motherfucking little thief." "i don't know what you're talking about." "you swiped the mini nuke out of my pack you little turd! i can tell, i can feel that it's gone! where did you put it!?" i accused, stalking over to AJ with a snarl on my face. "alright then, for your information i sold it last night before the Weatherly closed up." "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" "calm down! i'm sure you'll find another one." "it's not about the nuke, it's about what we went through to GET the damn thing! do you know how rare it is to find a mini nuke in a fucking ammo box? do you? because it is NOT easy! i had plans for that nuke AJ! plans that have been thoroughly cocked up because of you!" i snarled in anger, shoving past him and out the door down to the marketplace. "and where the fuck are you going?" "crimson, can you bring reilly down for me? i'd have AJ do it but it appears he's vanished off of the face of the earth." "oh-ho-ho, REAL mature. well i can play at that game too asshole!" AJ snapped in reply to my ignoring him, making me smirk evilly as i opened the bulkhead door to the Rivet City Marketplace.


(Rivet City Marketplace, five minutes later)- "so Flak, what have you got today?" i asked the shopkeep, whom upon registering that there was a customer at the table, strode on over, and sat down beside me. "well, i've got a selection of hunting rifles, not that deadly but still nothin' to scoff at, a few assault rifles, mostly given to me by the Brotherhood in exchange for something else, a shotgun or two, the usual these days." "hmm, any weapon modification blueprints?" "yeah, come to think of it i do remember some gangly kid, about your height giving me a blueprint to a modified AR. you're welcome to have a look if you like." flak informed me, and watching him walk over to his weapons cache to pull a rolled up piece of blue paper out from behind it, he rolled it across the table to me, where i unrolled it and flattened it out. "interesting. how much?" "guy didn't give a price, so i'll sell it to you for what i thought it was worth. hundred caps. no more, no less. and don't you think about trying to haggle me down, hundred is a steal for being able to modify an existing weapon." flak explained, and thinking it over, i noticed the plans WERE in pretty good shape, ink still legible, paper still crisp from manufacture. these were either made on paper that was kept in prime conditions since the Great War, (which is the most likely) or the plans themselves weathered the storm since being made back then, which i highly doubted. "fair enough, you have a deal. do you accept trade?" "yes i do. what have you got to trade?" "i have a few shotguns and pistols that i looted from the Super-Duper Mart down by Megaton. would you be interested in taking a look and appraising their condition for the plans?" i asked the weapons merchant, who stroked his beastly mustache with a stoic expression, contemplating my proposal. "you'll likely need a hell of a lot of 'em to pay for the plans since weapons in good shape aren't a commodity around here anymore, but sure, let's have a look." flak responded, and setting my pack down on the table, i opened it up, and pulled out two shotguns, and a handful of 10mm caliber pistols. "hmm, the shotguns aren't in bad shape, easily take fifty caps off the asking price between them, but the pistols.....i'm not sure if you got the caps to afford the plans, buddy." flak observed idly, crossing his arms with a displeased expression on his face.



"well damnit. is there anything i could do, put my traits to good use to pay for the rest of it?" "actually there is. i've been looking for a weapon for some time now. actually, i'd hardly consider the thing a weapon, but that's beside the point. it's a round thing, flat-faced, looks like somebody stuck a television screen on the front. heard about the thing back when i was your age, got real excited to go after it, but even after turning half the capital upside down i couldn't find the thing. since then i've heard some slaver scumbag up in Paradise Falls has it." flak explained, and noting i'd found just what he was describing in the pathway guard's hands, mean bastard ironically named Grouse, i'd dug through my pack, pulling the gigantic bastard free and plopping it on the table, with energy cells to match. "you found it already!? hot damn kid, you're good." "i'm not good, i'm just skilled. you listen to GNR?" "yeah, Three Dog was talking about a couple mercs for hire who devastated slave trade here in DC. in fact, you kind of match the descriptions he gave of them. one of them anyway." flak commented idly, holding the Mesmetron is his hand, before it clicked in his head, and he almost dropped his gun. "holy shit. if you have this, and you're dressed like that, then that means-" "yep, i'm Reaper. and currently i'm at odds with my partner, who thought it wise to sell off the mini nuke i was planning on leaving as a surprise gift for a few friends of mine due west of here." "damn. who were you planning on giving that to? Tenpenny Tower? Little Lamplight?" flak asked in abject horror, before i waved him down with a shake of my head. "i may kill people to make a living, but i would never, EVER, lay hands on a child. as for who the nuke was for, let's just say i had a few not-so-well-kempt friends out that way who were going to find the lovely little 'gift' sitting in the middle of their trainyard. unfortunately however, that plan is now in the royal shitter." i explained angrily, glaring at AJ out of the corner of my eye. "well, that aside, with what you've given me here; the gun i've been looking for, with ammo to boot, two pristine shotguns, and a handful of 10mm pistols, you've more than earned yourself those blueprints, ammo, and my good graces. feel free to come back any time you need a gun. i'll be sure to give you two half off of every purchase." flak explained, and smiling gratefully, i bid the man farewell, once again snubbing AJ as i made my way to the direct entrance to the marketplace. (just for reference, Flak n' Shrapnel's is located on your left if you choose to use this entrance. and from the outside, it's the one straight ahead from the crane bridge.) "oh c'mon man, i'm sorry i sold off your miniature football of death, okay? how long are you going to keep this shit up?" "until we find another mini nuke in an ammo box. and how long do you think that'll be?" i said simply, tuning AJ out but also surprised when he didn't say any more. "where to next?" crimson asked while holding reilly's leash firmly in her grasp, walking reilly while i contemplated where our talents would be best put to use. "well, i have it on good authority that LW hasn't gone to GNR yet, considering we weren't able to pick up the signal back in Paradise Falls, and Gob and Nova were moaning about it back in Megaton, so the most logical place to go would be there, if we want to intercept him. he'll need all the help he can get to rip DC from the hands of the Enclave, and fix things for the better. now c'mon, we're burning daylight, and i'd like to get as far as humanly possible before we have to stop." "and should we encounter super mutants when we get to GNR? then what?" "then what? we mow them down and loot their corpses, that's what. think about it, we're three people, one attack dog, helping out another four to five and another possible attack dog take down the muties around GNR. my only regret, is....." "the behemoth." AJ interjected, and going pale at the very mention of the thing, i tightened my already clenching fists as we walked, gritting my teeth.


(five hours later, Friendship Heights)- "y'know, this wasn't what i had in mind when i pictured unimpeded traversal to GNR!" crimson shouted over the gunfire, blowing the head off a raider who had gotten within muzzle-on-forehead distance of the .44 AJ gave crimson, spraying blood all over the ground in a bright red Rorschach's blot of death. "deal with it, we'd have to go through these guys either way! at least this way it's more fun!" i shouted back, bringing the pommel of my Bowie Knife slamming down into the temple of a raider who'd gotten too close to strike with the blade, sending them to the ground in unconsciousness. "shit, missile launcher!" AJ shouted, and whipping my head up just in time to see the missile fly from its tube, i watched it fly for reilly......only to be shot out of the air with a loud CRACK. another sharp rapport was heard soon after, and looking at the man behind the giant weapon, i'd seen his head was gone, the bloody stump shooting up blood like a macabre fountain as the corpse sunk to its knees. "who did that? i want to know who just killed that launcher!" "was me boss, private first class Reaver reporting for duty!" a young voice called out from the hill across the street from the metro station, and looking in that direction, i'd seen a freshly scrubbed face peek over the ridge with a sniper rifle in hand, pushing their combat helmet further up their head so they could see. the kid looked familiar, scrawny build, barely enough muscle to really fire a gun very accurately, but still, he managed to save reilly from going to doggy heaven, so i should be thanking him regardless. "well, never thought one of Reinard's would be fit to fire a high caliber firearm, and a sniper rifle at that! thanks for the assist kid, you kept my dog from meeting her maker, and i'm happy you did that." "anytime sir! bossman R sent me out to give you guys a hand after we set ourselves up in Paradise Falls. said you'd need the extra pair of hands if you were goin' to GNR." the kid explained, and nodding in acceptance of his logic, i waved Reaver over, watching as he looked towards the right side of the road, then the left, and darted across before sliding to a stop at my side. "any reason at all why you just did that?" "raiders sir. more are bound to be drawn to the sounds of gunfire, it's how our gang were so good at scavenging. we just waited until the other gangs killed each other, and took their weapons off of them. was just keeping an eye out for anyone like us." the kid supplied helpfully, providing me with but a little more insight as to how the raider gangs operated. apparently Razor's gang were the opportunists, scavengers and vultures, who picked clean the bodies of their 'brethren' when they killed each other in a gang feud. "alright then, let's go. be warned though, we're going to be going up against ghouls, and that thing isn't going to be good at taking them down. i suggest switching either to something bladed, or swiping a shotgun out of Blackhawk's pack. got it?" "sir yes sir!" the young blood barked, sidling up by AJ's side instead, and pulling out a combat shotgun, thankfully smart enough to have brought a combination of ammunition with him out here. "just what have you got for weapon ammo kid?" "four clips of sniper ammo, a drum mag or two of shotgun amunition, and a clip of 5.56. it's not much, but R told me to travel light in case i ended up walking a while." understandable logic, not unlike what i would've told him had i given the order myself. maybe Reinard knows more about mercenary politics and strategy than he lets on. "very good, follow us if you would please." "sir? what about crimson?" "she's got the most powerful handgun in the world, boy. she'll be fine. and if you're insinuating otherwise," i began, nodding in crimson's direction, where she was reloading her magnum round by round, "she's a crack shot. not a good combination for a man, a woman and a gun. because with her skill, you'll find yourself lacking testies in the middle of a firefight by way of .44 caliber vasectomy. i paintin' a good enough picture for ya son?" i explained simply, and upon the rookie's nervous nod, i grinned, ushering my entourage down into the metro station. we'd loot the above ground base in due time, but i wanted to get to GNR and help the Lone Wanderer clear it out before nightfall happened.

(thirty minutes later, Chevy Chase)- "well, here we are.  at least i think this is where we need to be." i commented with a frown, putting a hand to my chin and surveying my surroundings. looked to be the right place. "shit, contacts at our six!" a tinny voice called out from in front of us, and cocking my head in confusion, i just barely had time to register the sound of a mini-gun revving up to speed before i tackled crimson and the rookie out of the way, pinning them to the ground and hiding behind a collapsed concrete wall with a grimace on my face. "who was that? Enclave?" "no, they'd be wearing power armor if it were. looked more like raiders." two voices argued back and forth, coming to a stop by the concrete pillar i hid behind, listening close. "i know i didn't kill any of 'em. come out come out wherever you are! or i'll start leveling the place." "Paladin Rios, desist! our fight is with the muties, not with the wastelanders. besides which way, if they came out all this way, it's likely they're either here to kill us, or help us. and considering how they dodged your mini-gun fire like it was the devil itself, i'm going to assume the latter." a silky smooth, authoritarian voice barked to the bastard who'd shot at us, who grunted in annoyance, lowering his gun. "Sentinel, you might rank above me, but it don't change the fact that you're nothin' but a daddy's gi-gah!" the stupid fuck groaned, making me wince as the only sound i'd heard before he yelped in pain was the sound of metal slamming hard into metal. "i'm still your superior you disrespectful little shit, now on your feet. you're needed inside." the female voice barked sharply, and hearing the sound of metal boots beating a hasty retreat away from the crazy lady, i relaxed, rising from my crouch with Reaver and crimson in tow. "ah! i thought you were hiding behind something. Sentinel Sarah Lyons, at your service. i hope you're reinforcements?" "as effective as mercenary reinforcements can really be, ma'am." reaver piped up, swiveling Sarah's attention from me to him. "name and rank?" "don't have a name ma'am, callsign's Reaver, T.W.O. private first class. technically i shouldn't even be out here, and going through basic training like my brothers and sisters, but my superior wanted me to help out his superior." "and i'm assuming this man beside you is your superior?" Sarah asked, and half-nodding, i made a 50/50 motion with my hand. "yes and no. the superior he's talking about is a man by the name of Reinard i recruited a couple days ago. and, it just so happens that Reinard's superior is me. callsign: Reaper, second in command of T.W.O., at your service ma'am." i gave out with a salute, standing stock straight until Sarah waved me down. "at ease. this is good, we've been getting reports of one big ugly sonofabitch coming this way, and we need a few extra hands to take care of it. you guys able?" "ready able and willing. though all we ask is one thing." "name it." "after this, you give my friends and i shelter within The Citadel. we're good at our jobs and all, but it'd be nice to wear a suit of armor and not have to worry about a bullet ripping through it. y'know?" i asked, my mood deflating when the Sentinel frowned, crossing her arms. "i'm afraid i can't do that. you look like respectable mercs, and i can appreciate that, but i don't know any of you well enough to make that judgement call. and that's not adding in the hellstorm that would come down on my head from Elder Lyons. but........." "but?" "we could use a few extra hands helping out around the citadel. now c'mon, the seismic shocks are getting more frequent, and i have a good feeling i know why." Sentinel Lyons ordered, and picking up my shotgun from where it lay on the ground, i hefted it onto my shoulder, motioning for the others to follow. "alright people, you heard the lady! we got a behemoth to kill!" i barked harshly, already moving forward before i heard the boots of my companions following suit. we weren't even at GNR plaza though before a thunderous boom shook the ground, and a roar unlike anything i'd ever heard filled the air. "shit! double time it!" Lyons ordered, and breaking out into a sprint, we came onto the scene just in time to see a scrawny looking vault kid in Talon Combat armor launch a mini nuke out of a Fat Man, hitting the behemoth dead center in the face with it. "damn. and i thought i was a good shot." i remarked with a stunned expression, following Sarah over to the kid, and holstering my shotgun, before crossing my arms in wait. "nice job you did there kid, never saw a big ugly fall on their ass before, especially one of the bigger big uglies." "all in a day's work ma'am. now am i allowed inside? i need to talk to Three Dog about my dad." the kid asked, before spotting me, AJ, and crimson from over Lyons' right shoulder. "who are you guys?" he asked in a very slight british accent, making me shrug in nonchalance. "people you needn't know until later, kid. for now, name's Reaper until i say otherwise, and my friends here are Blackhawk, Crimson, and Reaver." a bark cut me off soon afterward, and forgetting reilly, i facepalmed, shaking my head. "and Reilly. sorry girl." i apologized to my canine companion, smiling when the little ankle biter yipped back at me, giving me her version of a smile. "okay, those names are DEFINITELY not real. especially yours and your friend with the sniper on his back. you can't be the guys from GNR. can you?" the kid balked in self-doubt, while i gave a smirk out from under my hood. "that's for you to figure out kid, right now, i've got my own questions for Three Dog, and i'd rather them be answered now." "alright then, you guys can go on in. but try anything stupid, and you'll be dead before you hit the floor." the Sentinel cut in, and nodding to the unhelmeted blonde, i shuffled past them to the entrance, leaving the door open for my friends before following behind them.


(GNR studio, fifteen minutes later)- "ho-ly shit. so y'all are Reaper and Blackhawk huh? i've gotta hand it to ya guys, ya done good gettin' those slavers out of Paradise Falls. that's one step closer to fightin' the Good Fight in my book. now, what do i owe the honor of you guys poppin' in to my studio? i hope y'all haven't come to kill me." three dog joked morbidly, raising a chuckle out of AJ, but nobody else. "no, we haven't come to kill you. we actually came out here to see what you know about DC. we'd actually like to know about the broadcasts that you do, where to find places like Evergreen Mills, where to go should we wish to go to The Pitt, things like that." "and why would you want to go to The Pitt, may i ask?" three dog asked redundantly, already knowing the answer but trying to gauge our reactions. "oh you know why. now, can you tell us where we can do the most damage to these barbarians or not?" "alright, alright, calm down. i'll tell ya where you need to go, but in exchange i need a favor done." i sighed, knowing exactly where this was going. "y'see, my radio signal hasn't been the best lately. apparently some super mutant thought it was smart to shoot the big shiny round thing on top of the Washington Monument, and ever since i can't broadcast to anywhere else but downtown. not the Temple of the Union, not the Commonwealth, not nowhere. but that's where you guys come in. i got a tip from one of my brotherhood pals that there's a dish about the same size and make as the one i put on top the big 'ol white penis in the Museum of Technology. but....." "oh again with this? just fuckin' tell me what's guarding it, and i'll deal with it." "muties. lots of 'em, and they ain't the types that are smart enough to leave us be either. you go in there, they'll be all over you like a bloatfly on shit." the dog warned, and sighing in exasperation, i rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on that could dropkick a donkey into deep space. "so what, you expect my men to go with me on a suicide mission, just for information? do you think i'm honestly that heartless?" "hah! says the guy who slaughtered an entire town full of slavers. yeah, i think you're that heartless, especially since your girl over there," three dog began, pointing to crimson, "was a slave who'd been beaten, abused and molested since she was a little girl, and you keep tryin' to get into her pants." "and how the hell would you know about that? i never told anyone but my friends that story in my life, and those friends are sitting right here with me!" crimson barked in outrage, shooting up from her seat on a degraded couch with a hand on the .44 at her hip. "whoa there sister, cool your jets. you may not recognize me, considering your mom and i had a disagreement long before you came into the picture, but i know who you are. who you really are, Charlotte." three dog explained, shocking me with the reminiscent lilt in his voice. "i'm sorry your ma had to die like she did back in the Commonwealth. i really am. i'm sorry i couldn't have been there to protect you while you were growin' up, but i had a responi-" three dog didn't get to say more before i slammed him into the wall beside me, a hand firmly wrapped around his throat and eyes peering into the depths of his soul. "don't you fucking dare try to mess with my girl's head, you sack of shit. she's spent thirteen years enduring psychological trauma and loss, and you try and make a joke out of that i will personally make you regret it. don't talk to me about responsibility, because if you were really a fucking father, you would've BEEN THERE FOR HER FROM THE START!" i roared, tightening my grip that much further, making three dog cough and wince as my hand slowly choked him to death. "i-i'm not her.....*cough* *cough* pop." three dog wheezed, and narrowing my eyes further still, i released my hold on his throat, picking him up by his shirt collar and pinning him to the wall. "then tell me. how the fuck do you know who she is, what happened to her, what happened to her mom, and where she's from? tell me, before i carve my name into your chest!" i growled, feeling AJ's hand try to pull me away from three dog, to no avail. "you stay the fuck out of this, i'm trying to get answers out of this fucking weasel." i snapped harshly at him, turning back to three dog with incomprehensible malice in my eyes. "i'm her uncle, *cough cough* me an- *cough cough* me and Charlotte's mom had a disagreement five months before she was born. *cough cough wheeze* i wanted to hunt down the bastard that knocked up my baby sis and split, but Linda wouldn't let me. kept sayin' how it didn't matter, and how she'd still be a good mother to her kid, *cough cough* but i knew the Wasteland better than anybody, and knew that someday, somehow, it'd take them both for its own sick twisted purpose. that a good enough explanation for ya, hot-head? *cough cough wheeze*" three dog explained raggedly, grunting when i let him go, and stepped away from him when he hit the floor, coughing up his own left lung.


"honestly, what did you think i keep sayin' 'Fight the Good Fight' for uh? so that people who share my experience don't lose hope, and don't stop tracking down the fuckers who wronged them and their families like i did. the second one of my informants told me Linda was dead, i'd thought it was a sick joke. but when they told me they found her on the roadway leading from Massachusetts to DC, shot through like fucking swiss cheese, i......for the first time since i was young, i cried. my baby sis was killed in cold blood by those Raider fucks, just because they couldn't get anything else out of her, and since i revived GNR i've been telling everybody that can relate to me to Fight the Good Fight. find the fuckers who wronged 'em and make sure they never hurt anyone again. especially people like Charlotte." three dog continued on, and looking back to crimson, i could see she was still trying to comprehend it all, and knelt down to three dog's eye level, sending him a glare. "you brought that on yourself, you know. but i'll have you know now that the raiders who took your niece, and made ten years of her life a living hell, are nothing but a distant memory anymore. crimson herself killed the bastard who kidnapped her, and she beat his fucking ugly face in with her bare hands. not only that, we made sure their little hidey-hole in the Super-Duper Mart, will remain uninhabitable until the human race can rebuild from the Great War's tragedies, and possesses the machinery to clear away the rubble. your niece and your little sister have been avenged, i assure you." i told the still wheezing man, helping him to his feet, and guiding him over to a chair, where he sat down hesitatingly. "besides which way, i'm sure someone else will do your favor, given they have much more to lose than we do." i commented dryly, turning 'round and making to leave. "wait!" three dog panted, and turning my head in his direction, three dog threw me a holotape, that i snatched out of the air without a problem. "that's a holotape that'll show you the locations of where you want to go. Evergreen Mills, Tenpenny Tower, The Pitt, any place that specializes and debauchery, sin and evil, i guarantee is on that tape." "why give me this after i just roughed you up like i did?" i asked the now frazzled radio DJ, who said nothing, but continued to try and catch his breath. "because you did what i always wanted to do, but got too old to do alone. you avenged my baby sister, and i can't thank you enough for doing that. keep fightin' the Good Fight my brotha. you're a good man, and this hellhole sorely needs more people like you, even though you did rough me up pretty good." three dog explained, while i slotted the tape into my pip-boy, downloading the locations into its onboard map. "thank you, Three Dog. and believe me, when we get done here, the Capital Wasteland will be a better off place. provided we don't run into any more behemoths." i explained to the still recovering disc jockey, bidding him farewell before shuffling out the door with my companions in tow.

AN- hope you guys enjoyed! this chapter was unfortunately cut off, considering it was going to be longer than this, but Sta.sh is being a royal dick, telling me the text must be 64kb at max. so hope you enjoyed, you'll likely see the next chapter sooner, considering the other half of Chapter 3 makes up Chapter 4.