I hate myself soooo much, I'm sorry for the delay, and I'm more sorry because I had to cut this chapter into two parts, but it was just to much, I should finish the next part in a couple of days or weeks (again, terrible sorry for not posting anyting in 2 months), I hope you like this and see you later.

"And how are we going to do that?" Asked the younger brother.

"Now, that is the right question."

Until now, they only had two options; interfere and not interfere, both of which didn't work.

"Perfect, back to square one, we still do not know what to do."

"That is not entirely the case."

"Care to illuminate?"

"As we can see, doing nothing is no longer a viable choice."

"Nor is it acting."

"That is at least from our part, someone must intervene to restore balance, but that someone can not be us."

It took a few moments for the dark entity to fully understand what his brother meant.

"You better not be suggesting what I think you are suggesting."

"It is just an idea."

"To all hells with your idea!"

"There is no need for profanity."

"We are not giving control over OUR creations to one of THEM!"

"You did not care for Remnant's wellbeing, at all, just moments ago."

A great uproar and turmoil came to the void, the dark God is not happy with his brother's idea.

"If someone is going to fill Remnant with chaos and destruction that is going to be ME! Not some self-proclaimed, good for nothing God!"

The brothers are not the only ones of their kind, there are plenty of gods and goddesses, some old, some new, some good, some bad, and somewhere in between. Each one of them has their own creations, their own worlds, universes, and ideas of how to deal with them.

"As I said, brother, someone must intervene, but not us, maybe by letting a fellow God take the charge we can learn a new perspective of things."

"Yeah, because they have dealt sooooo effectively with their worlds." The younger brother responded sarcastically.

"We are not the ones to judge when we are in the same situation."

"I do not care!"

"What a surprise."

"What does that mean?!"

And thus, the debate continued.

"Now, sign here, and here, and also here."

"Are we done?"

"Almost, just one more sign here, aaaaaaand there we go! Now you're the proud owner of Whisky Rose."

"Hooray." Said the new owner while tirely lifting his fist into the air.

"Yeah, Yeah, contain your excitement," I responded with the same sarcastic tone. "Remember, we can still sell what remains of the last lot, but once that's over, you'll be the only one with the rights to sell the drink."

I reach out for a briefcase behind the bar, bring it up, open it, put the papers inside, and handle it over to the man.

"And with that, we finish this transaction, I give you the papers that verifies you as the new owner, and the secret recipe."

"Thank youuuu." The new owner takes the briefcase, opens it, takes the papers and stashes them in his coat. "You can keep the case, I don't need it."

What a professional.

"Alright."

I take the briefcase back and put it in his place.

"This deserves a drink, how about you put one on the house?"

"After you push me under the Deathclaw? No"

"What did I do?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe snitch me to my boss."

"Whaaaat?! I would never do such a thing."

"Does the phrase, Blondie over here told me you haven't sold a bottle in months, rings any bells?"

"Hey! It's your fault for talking more than you should."

Look who's talking!

"Says the guy who hasn't shut up since he got here."

"Hehehe, come on man, don't be so salty about it, here." The guy took the glass I was cleaning and pour me a shot of Whisky Rose. "This one is on me."

I look down on the glass, back to the newcomer, and one more time to the glass, said fuck it, and drank the thing.

"There we go, chug! Chug! Chug!"

Before the bartender could respond to the man, a wanderer approached them.

"Excuse me."

*Gulp, Gulp* "Oh! Snake, need something?"

"Just wanted to pay for the meal, and ask for a Nuka-Cola, please."

Wait, what?

"I thought Sharyl was attending your table."

"She was, but she excused herself, told me she had things to do and sent me with you."

Oh, of course she has!

Why do we even keep her around? I admit she has a decent pair and a nice ass, but apart from that, there is nothing else good about her. She misses shifts, slacks off, and has broken customers' arms three times this month.

"Take a seat, Snake, while I get the numbers."

Snake sat in agreement, next to his other customer, and left his bags to rest on the floor beside him. He doesn't like that name, I know it, but the guy won't say anything until his patience runs out. I get to the kitchen window and pop out my head through it.

"Hey! Table six's bill!"

One of the Cooks passes me a piece of paper.

"Let's see, a steak and a Rum & Nuka." I read the paper while getting back to my customers. "That will be 40 bottle caps."

"And plus the Nuka-Cola?"

"Do you want another Rum & Nuka or just the Nuka?"

"Just the Nuka."

"Then 50 caps."

Snake pays me, and I pass him the soda.

"Hey, Julius, another round?"

"Of booze? Yes, of cards? I'll pass."

"Aww, come one, it was starting to be fun."

Tonight hasn't been that interesting, usually by this hour we have a couple of drunks fighting over who saw who, or a competition to see who can drink the most without passing out or throwing out, but no one seems to be in the mood tonight. As the guy who cleans the place, I guess I should be grateful, but it gets boring if nothing happens.

"Maybe for you."

"Now who's the salty one?"

"I ain't salty, I just know when to hold them and when to fold them."

You just wasted 30000 caps with no hesitation nor further reconsideration.

"If you say so, what about you, Snake? You gamble?"

"I prefer not to."

"Why not?"

"I want to save my money for the road."

Pussies

"Pfff! You guys are no fun, come on, it's your last night, humor me."

"Don't you have things to do or something?"

"Nop, you aren't that lucky." I can taste the sass leaving my mouth. "I get why you want the leave, but can't you do it in the morning? Wouldn't it be safer?"

"HA!" We turn our heads to the gun nut, who laughs. "Yeah, right, because there's such a thing as ''safety'' out here."

Mmmmm, okay point taken.

"Snake, this is Julius, Julius, this is Snake."

They turn their heads and face each other.

"A pleasure."

"Howdy, is Blondie always like this?"

"Only when he gets bored."

"You two realize I have a name, right?"

"I also have a name."

"Yeah, but you never gave it to us, Snake."

"Likewise, Blondie."

Uuhhh, someone is getting feisty.

"Before you two continue, can I get more booze, please?"

I turn around, giving them the back, while taking more bottles from the top shelf.

"Enjoy your poison."

"With pleasure." He takes them and turns his attention to the pale man next to him. "You want one?"

"I'm fine, not much of a drinker."

"Huh." Julius raises his eyebrow. "Curious, who comes to a bar and doesn't drink?"

The same guy who comes to a brothel and doesn't fuck.

Snake is a "business before pleasure" kind of guy, some of the girls (and boys) have tried to work their charm and offer their services, but he always rejects them politely, the guy is way too serious and prefers to be always alert of his surroundings, doesn't want to be caught with his pants down.

That's a good trait and all, but everybody needs to relax at some point, the only bad habit he indulges in is in a cigarette from time to time.

"I didn't came for the bar, this place is also an Inn, I needed a place where to stay, plus, I don't like the taste."

"Well, people don't often drink for the taste." Julius said while opening another bottle.

"So I've heard."

Julius, on the other hand, indulges too much on the alcohol and wastes his resources without a care in the world, not that I mind, he can give us all his gold bars if he wants.

"Hello gentlemen, sorry for interrupting." We turn our attention to the kitchen doors where Robert is standing.

"Hi Boss."

"Robert."

The head honcho of the place comes near us, takes a bottle and glass from the shelf, and pours himself a drink.

"Care to join?"

"No need, I'm just here to deliver a message." He takes one long sip before continuing. "The doctor is waiting."

"Soldier, report."

"The target has enter the town, Captain, over."

"Does she have it? Over"

"We aren't sure, she was accompanied by five men in a wagon."

"Where are they now?"

"In a Pub on the east side of the town, sir."

"Prepare yourselves, we are two miles away from the town, we'll get in and met you in front of the Pub, understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"So, how are we going to get in? Sneaking in would be the optimal, considering the town defenses, but you guys aren't exactly discreet." Said a man next to the Captain. "They'll spot us in no time, we'll need a distraction."

"Don't worry, I have a plan."

We see the figure of a petite and short woman examining the room she requested from the door frame. It's a small room on the second floor of the building, four walls, one door, and no windows.

She closed the door behind her to get more privacy, on the other side of the door are two of the mercenaries she got from Robert, guarding the room. The walls are adorned with red and black checked tapestry, there are three sofas, one against each wall, and a round table in the center of the room.

"Humm." She hummed softly, although the breathing mask she's wearing made the sound almost inaudible.

She takes off one of her gloves and gets in front of the table, running two fingers over its surface, brings up her fingers, trying to find any type of dirtiness on them, wipes her hand with a tissue, and puts her glove back on.

Robert was kind enough to let her use his business room, where he makes all of his important deals with his associates and rewards the loyal ones with an ''exclusive presentation'' of one of his girls or boys.

"Ugh." The image of all those body fluids been poured on the couches makes her considerate Robert's kindness.

Her attire is composed of black pants, some black heeled boots to make up for her height, a white long-sleeve button-up shirt, a pair of black leather gloves, a Pip-Boy attached to her right arm, and a black hooded cape.

After inspecting the rest of the room, making sure everything is up to her standards, she sits cautiously on one of the sofas, the one on the opposite side of the room, facing the door.

Seeing she has some time, may as well take care of herself. She ties back her shoulder-length copper-red hair in a messy bun to be more practical, checks the air pressure of her mask, then, takes off one of her gloves again and puts two fingers in her wrist to start monitoring her heart rate.

She does this three times, and subsequently brings out a notebook from her garments and rights down her vitals. Once she is finish, brings up her right arm, and starts using her Pip-Boy.

She got that old thing years ago, it's a Pip-Boy 3000, from the AE-series, this series is more fragile than its counter parts, but that's reasonable considering it wasn't made for field exploration, but rather for medical treatments, it was made exclusively for hospitals and other health-related institutions that requested it from RobCo.

The personal terminal can read her vitals; blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar levels, can tell her temperature, her blood type, among many other things. But, as said before, it's fragile and needs constant maintenance, otherwise, it can give wrong readings or break, that's why she also monitors her vitals manually, to ensure that it's working correctly.

The AE-series has almost all the same functions as the A-series (it was made after its image after all), but one relevant feature that was left out during its production was the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System.

Such a shame.

VATS was an impressive and incredible feature that Vault-Tec implemented exclusively for some of the A-series models, an advanced combat technology system that helps increment the reaction time and cognitive proses of its user, it did this by inserting four pairs of needles into the user's arm and connecting its systems directly with the nervous system.

It was an experimental system created for military purposes, after testing it in the A-series, they had a couple of setbacks, but they succeeded and started the second stage of the trial; experimenting with civilians.

They install a newer and safer version of VATS on some Pip-Boys 3000 Mark IV, and prepared a group test in Boston, however, the war came, and the test was never finished.

As much as I would love to experiment with Vaul-Tec's systems, in retrospective, it's a good thing they removed VATS from the AE line.

According to Vault-Tec test subjects' medical reports, 70% of the subjects were afflicted with a lot of medical problems, paralysis, loss of control of motor functions, memory loss, and strokes.

I have a lot of problems already, don't need more.

VATS made a real mess out of the nervous system, only a couple could adapt correctly, and even the ones who did still had problems once in a while.

*Toc, Toc.* "Ma'am, two guys want to see you."

She calmly put her glove on and puts away her notebook.

"Let them pass."

The door opens, and two male figures come in, one pale and one tan, both with the same height.

"Stop." They stop in front of the door frame. "Identify yourselves."

They exchange looks, and the pale one takes a step forward. He stands with a straight back, hands behinds his back, and speaks with a firm and strong voice.

"Michael Jerry Kellerman, First Lieutenant of the Thirteenth Enclave Company." And then proceeds to shows his dog tags.

The man is wearing black military boots, biker goggles, some leather armor, and a leather jacket. His whole person screams military, but he clearly tried (and somewhat failed) to pass as a mercenary.

"And you?"

The other man also takes a step forward to introduce himself.

"Julius McCarran, Gunner." He simply states it.

This one looks more the part, ballistic vest, big duster, and an unnecessary cowboy hat, yes, definitely a mercenary. Although, one who doesn't know the meaning of the word inconspicuous.

"Close the door and take a seat."

They do as I say, the gunner closes the door, and they sit opposing each other, letting their bags on the floor.

"And your commanders? I prefer to do business with the people in charge rather than their underlings."

She made a deal with Captain Thomson and Sargent Miller, not these two. The least they can do is show off to the meeting, and respect our agreement, most people would take this as an insult.

"We suffered heavy casualties, between them Captain Thomson, sir."

"Same here."

*sigh* What a waste of good resources.

"My condolences, I assume you're both the new commanders of your squads then."

"That's right, Ma'am."

"Well then, first order of business, gentlemen, did you acquire your objectives?"

"Affirmative."

"Yes."

Good, not a total waste then.

"You can give me the devices now."

"Not so fast." Said the Gunner. "I want to discuss the details of our agreement."

"We already discussed those details, and your people agree with my terms."

"That was before you sent us to a slaughterhouse."

"Being resourceful is a great way to ensure your survival, I recommend, you learn to do so." She responded with a bit of sass while looking at him in the eyes. "Since you accomplished your mission, I will dismiss this insolence, and give you the caps we establish, no more, no less."

"I'm not asking for more caps, I want in."

What?

"Excuse me?"

"I recognize a big operation when I see it, and I want in on this."

Really?

"Aha, and why should I let you "in"? As you say, what do I get?"

"A resourceful gun." He said with a grin. "I have proved myself useful, and for what I can see, you just recently lost some significant manpower." He said that last bit while turning his head in the direction of the Enclave soldier.

Someone has ambition.

"And here I thought you Mercs just wanted money."

"Oh! We do! But we also want to be free and alive to spend that money, and I can see this little plan of yours changing a lot of things in the East."

Not only in the East.

"You have a point, fine, considerate yourself hired, but I warn you, I don't treat incompetents or traitors kindly."

"Wouldn't thought that you do."

"Ahem." Said the Soldier.

"My apologies, it appears we diver ourselves from the matter at hand."

I extent the palm of my hand and they give me the storage cards, one blue and one red, they both fit perfectly in the palm of my hand, where they belong.

To think that all the power to mold the Wasteland in whatever I want is inside this little cards.

"What's the next move?"

"For now, Soldier, rest, you'll need it, I'm going to need both of your help in the recruitment of more forces."

"Our help?"

"Yes, you see, I want to recruit more Enclave forces, you're excellent fighters that can get the job done. However, I'm afraid that the other Remnants won't accept my offer."

"And what about me?" Asked the Gunner.

"I need more resourceful guns, you can talk to some of your people, see who's interested."

Standing up from her seat, she heads towards the exit.

"This shall conclude our meeting today, talk to Robert, and get yourselves a room."

"I was hoping we could talk about the GOAC."

The Doctor's hand was about to turn the handle of the door until the words of the Remnant reached her ears, stopping her.

"Come again?"

"The Garden of All Creation." Continued the Mercenary. "I'm also quite curious about it."

She expected some questions, such as; what are the storage cards? Why were they so important? And things like that, but not about the GOAC.

"Tell me, how much do you know of the GOAC?"

"Not much, what you told us, and some records we found in the pre-war bunker."

"Pretty much the same for me." Said the tanned man. "Except that, I didn't have time to explore that hell hole for more records."

What I told them?

"I suppose you have earned some answers." I turn around to face them. "The GOAC was one of many projects the old-world government had designed to try and stop the inevitable."

There were many of those back in the past, from the ATLAS program in Appalachia to one of the many insane ideas of Big Mountain.

"But what does it do?"

A really interesting question with an uncanny answer.

"Essentially, terraform time and space." She answered proudly. "Mold the reality around you in whatever you want, or at least that was the main idea. It's late, we can chat more in the morning."

She turned, opened the door and step outside the room while the other two were just starting to get up from the couches.

Things were going so good to be true.

"Flash them."

She order and the guards obey, throwing two flash grenades into the room and closing the door. Afterward, a loud bang came from the small room, the guards open the door and enter trying to subdue the people inside.

To their credit, they are giving a fight, despite being somewhat blind and disorientated, they manage to land some hits and even tried to pull out some of their weapons from their clothes.

"Hey! You two!" She yelled at two of Robert's mercs that were standing at the end of the hallway. "Some help, please."

The mercs run towards the room, and upon seeing the fight inside, they unsheathe their cattle prods and proceed to shock the hell out of those guys, until they were on their knees, and the other two grabbed their arms and put them behind their backs.

"Funny thing, I never told anybody about the GOAC."

And why should I? The Gunners are just mercenaries who would do anything for money, and the Remnants are desperate soldiers, they didn't need to know anything, and if she was running around telling everybody that she has a weapon capable of reforming time and space, then a lot of guns would be turning her way.

"So, let's try this again, shall we?"

She crouches so that her face could be at the same height as theirs.

"What happened to your commanders?"

None spoke.

"Shock them."

The cattle prods hissed as the voltage increases, and the liars were shocked for a couple of seconds, and yet they resist to answered.

"Still won't talk, eh? Alright, I know just the thing for you two."

She brings out a small box from her person, opens it, reveling syringes, and different types of unknown vials.

"I don't have the time, nor the patience for torture, so we are moving to the next best option, a little concoction of mine, that makes you suggestible and highly responsive, a truth serum, if you wish."

She takes a syringe and a vial, closes the box, and puts it back in her garments, then sticks one syringe into a vial and fills it up.

"Now, who wants to be first?"

Unfortunately, none of them were going to be first. All of a sudden, gunshots could be heard coming from outside and the lower floor, and not long after, an explosion happened in the adjacent hallway, shaking the second floor.

The shaking makes her drop the serum, and the prisoners tried to free themselves, fortunately, her Mercs reacted in time and shock them again.

"We know you are in there, Doctor!"

What?

"Settle down, Miller!" Another voice came from outside.

Stepping out from the room and turning to the left, one can see the rubble in the hallway and a big hole in the wall, caused by the recent explosion.

This can't be good.

"Follow me."

The Mercs heard her command, picked up the prisoners from their knees, and follow her outside the room. Patrician takes out her 10mm pistol and crouches thru the small corridor until reaching the hole, there, she puts her back on the wall and carefully takes a look of the street.

In front of the building are about six armed individuals, two wearing power armor, and a couple of bodies surrounding them. She recognizes two of the individuals.

"My name is Jonathan Thomson, Captain of Thirteenth Enclave Company!" The Captain in question is an old man with white hair and wearing a white officer's uniform and hat. "We have surrounded the building! But we are only here for the woman known as Doctor Patrician Stanley! Hand her over and her belongings, and I promise you that no harm shall fall to the rest of the people inside."

"But if you try to help her or otherwise stand in our way, we will hurt you!" A man next to the Captain shouted.

This one is younger and covered in scars, one prominent scar starts in his right eye, runs through his cheek, and ends at the base of the neck. He's wearing a full set of sturdy combat armor, has a laser rifle in his hands, a -O tattooed on his forehead, and he just turned his head upwards and spotted her.

Shit.

"Found her!"

Patrician quickly turns her head and takes cover behind the wall.

"Doctor! This doesn't need to end in bloodshed!"

"We had a deal!"

"That was before we learned of the GOAC and what it could do! Only the Enclave, the hope of this country, can use such power!"

Typical human hubris.

"And you, Miller?!"

"He pays more and no offense, but I trust the word of a soldier more than a scientist."

Fucking one eye moron.

"Bring those two." She whispered, and her mercenaries bring the prisoners in front of the hole. "You are willing to massacre these people, but what about your men?!"

The Doctor expected to gain some time while Robert (If he didn't decide to cross her yet) armed and prepare his men, what she didn't expect was for her captives to get shot almost immediately. One in the stomach with a laser and the other in the chest with a bullet.

"I don't know what game you're playing, but those aren't our men! The squads we sent to recover the lost technology haven't reported to us in weeks!"

"You are bluffing!"

"Want a demonstration?! Fine, fire!"

They fire their weapons towards our position, the captives break free, head-butting their way into freedom and leaping aside, just in time to miss the rain of bullets that imminently kill the men who held them. They immediately attack Robert's mercs, the pale one tackles one of them, while the tan one brings out a knife and stabs the other merc in the neck.

I bring myself up, as well as my gun, and started shooting, but this so-called Julius uses the body of his fallen foe as a meat shield, throws me the corpse, and kicks the gun out of my hands.

I'm not exactly what you'll call a fighter, my body is not well suited for most physical activities, born with numerous malformations and diseases, I had to go through different medical treatments in order to live, and some of them even let my body in an even more fragile state. So it's no surprise I was almost crushed by the weight of the cadaver, pinning me against the wall.

Miss Stanley uses all her force to push the body to the side and makes a run for the stairs. If she can make it downstairs, then she may have a chance of survival, unfortunately, as she reaches the room from earlier, Julius caught her, she falls, and he pins her to the ground.

"Hel-!" Her last attempt at getting help was frustrated by the mercenary, who, with one of his hands, covers her voice and with the other one, brings her up to her feet.

They turn around just in time to watch how the alleged soldier breaks the neck of the other man. He quickly stands up and pulls out a silenced 10mm pistol.

"Wait! Truce!"

He pulls the trigger three times, but none of the bullets hits them, instead, she hears the sound of something hitting the ground behind them, apparently, someone did indeed come to her rescue.

"Truce." He reloads his gun. "Room."

The merc takes me inside the room while the soldier closes the door behind us, Julius takes his hand off my mask and pushes me into one of the sofas.

"You move you die, now, where's the GOAC?" Asked the pale man.

She stares at them defiantly, and quietly judge her situation, questions about these men must wait, right now she must find a way out. I'm unarmed, and the only things I could use as weapons are syringes, I doubt I can take on them with just that.

"Please don't make things more difficult."

She could make time, and if she's lucky, someone may appear, but the last thing she wants to do is depend on luck.

"I have an idea." The tan man said while picking something from the ground. Upon seeing the object, the doctor's eyes wided.

No!

I try to run towards the door, but the soldier easily grabs me and holds me tightly.

"We don't have the time nor patience for torture." Says Julius while putting the needle in my neck. "So, we are moving to the next best option."

I can feel the liquid burning my veins and my head going dizzy. I designed the serum to take effect moments after injection, so there's no way I'm going to be able to fight off the effects.

"All set, now, Doctor, do you have the GOAC?"

"Ye-Yes." I tried to fight, but it is futile.

"Where is it?"

"In t-this town." All she can do is give vague answers, trying to postpone the inevitable.

"We don't like games, Doc."

"Where did you put it?"

"In m-me."

They both look at each other and exchange confused looks before continuing with the interrogation.

"Where?"

"In me."

"In which part of your body specifically?"

"In my b-back."

They turn me around and put me against the wall, afterward they lift my shirt and cape to reveal my bare back. Silence then came over the room as my captors analyze what was in front of their eyes.

"You grafted the damn GOAC into your spine?!" I heard them say.

"Yes."

I'm turned around once more and they confront me.

"How is this even possible?" The soldier asks. "The technology was already too unstable, any type of modifications or alterations would have caused catastrophic effects."

"I found a way."

"And why would you do such mad thing?" Asks the other one.

"As you can see, there's a lot of people who would kill for this technology, by implanting this in my body, I made myself quite indispensable, if I die the GOAC enters a frenzied and destroys itself."

"Better destroyed that in the wrong hands." Julius takes out his gun and points it at my head, while pale man silently agrees.

And who are you to decide that?

"You would be killing us all, by entering a frenzied, the machine will be activated, and with no control, it will affect the whole town, no, the whole region."

"Liar."

"You know I'm telling the truth, if you pull that trigger every atom of this place would be reorganize chaotically, mater would be going back and forward through time, just imagine the pain of that."

He keeps the gun up for a while before finally put it down and then curses under his breath.

"Give us the storage cards."

That's it.

"Listen, there's a bigger problem for all of us outside, help me install the cards in the machine, and we can take care of it."

(Speech check: failed.)

"Will you backstab us afterward?"

…

"Ye-yes po-possible" The drug is still affecting her head.

"Well, then sorry, Doctor." The soldier takes the rifle from his back. "But you aren't giving us any leverage."

He raised the butt of the gun, the last thing I felt was a hit to the head, and then it was just darkness.

(Quest update: The Good, the Bad, and the Doctor. Get the fuck out of here as quickly as humanly possible, and come up with a half-decent plan with your new companion (optional).)

"Sooooo, what now, pal?" Six asks his new partner.

"Well, for starters, how long will this truce last?"

(Options: Draw weapon [attack] or talk it out.)

A fair question, we don't know crap about each other, both of us lied about who we are, and he is clearly someone dangerous (everybody who knows about the GOAC IS dangerous, but he also gives an "I will break your neck with no hesitation" kind of vibe).

But almost everyone here is possible my enemy now, and I really don't need another name on that list, so, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, or at least until he turns on me (or I on him, vice versa).

"Until we get out of here, then we can negotiate something out, sounds good?"

"Good enough."

Snake crouches down and examines the lady's body, bringing out the storage cards from one of her pockets. I quickly acted and took one of the cards, causing a defensive reflex from Snake, who pointed his rifle at me.

"Relax, I'm just taking my leverage, you know how it is."

"Hmmm."

We stand up and proceed to plan our next step.

"We are outnumbered, and those guys will be crashing through the front door any minute now."

There's a lot of shit going on, and we are in the middle of the crossfire, we need to go.

"There's a back door that opens onto a back alley." Explains the presume soldier. "We can take the Doctor and scape through it."

"You think Robert would let us get away that easy? We did make a mess of his men in the corridor."

"We either hide the corpses or leave before he finds out."

Unfortunately, they don't have that much time, the Pip-Boy's yellow light was activated as they spoke. The Courier opens the door of the tiny room and investigates, a lot of noises are coming from the stairs at the end of the hallway, more people are coming.

Aaaaah, damn it.

"We got company." Six goes for his bags and prepares four frag grenades. "Take Doc, your things, and follow my lead."

"What are your planning?"

"To bullshit my way out of here, now, do as I do."

He pulls the pin of the four grenades and runs down the hallway screaming, and tossing each grenade near a dead body, while the soldier follows suit.

"Run!"

They reach the stairs in record time and find a couple of armed men.

"Take cover!"

"What?" Was the only thing the armed mercs manage to say before Six tackled them down, the explosives blowing up moments after cause them to fall all the way down the stairs and into the main floor. This staircase ends in another corridor, on one side, we have a path to the restrooms, and on the other, a path to the bar.

"What the hell was that?!"

Robert stood in front of the five individuals with some the town's people at his side, all armed and ready for a fight.

"An explosion, what does it look like?" Six and the rest get up from the floor. "Doc really pissed them off, so they reciprocate with more warning shots and grenades."

"Where are my men?"

"Some got shot and if they stayed upstairs, they are most likely dead."

"You two, go check." The two mercs Six tackled follow orders and go up the stairs again. "Is she alive?"

"Yeah, just a bad hit to the head, she'll survive."

Robert's mercs came down quickly from the second floor, one with a face green and on the verge of vomiting.

"Who lives?"

"No one! Is a bloody mess up there!"

"Fuck." Said Robert mad, and annoyed. "Where are the town guards when you need them?"

"Attention!" A voice shouted from the outside.

We all move to the main room, where the rest of the townsfolk are. The bar is now a warzone, windows broken, shattered glass on the floor alongside some dead bodies, and flipped tables that worked as barricades.

We take cover alongside Blondie and some others behind the bar.

"You have exactly five minutes! Before we storm out the place! Starting now, five!"

"Boss, please tell me you have a plan."

"I'm thinking."

"Well, think faster!" Screamed a blonde woman with blue eyes.

"Those assholes just gun down half of my forces and have surrounded us, we don't have many options."

"Can't we just scape through the back door or something?" Six asks.

"What part of surrounded didn't you get? Anybody who tries to go outside gets shot immediately."

Well, shit, this is bad.

"What about the cellar?" Snake adds. "Where does it take us?"

"How do you-?"

"I'm a bit nosy, remember? Now, where?"

"In the cellar, there's a tunnel that connects with a safe house in the center of town, I keep my big guns and explosives there, but it's a narrow path, and we are too many people, we wouldn't reach the house in time."

"Four!"

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

I lift my head, trying to see what awaits us outside, there are four Gunners and their leader, all clad in some type of combat armor and wielding assault rifles, the leader also has a grenade launcher on his back. Next to them is the leader of the Enclave troops and his two escorts, he's wearing a white uniform and carries a plasma pistol, while his escorts wear X-01 power armor and wield gatling lasers.

"We have eight hostiles in the front, how many in the back?"

"Six, two in power armor, if it wasn't for the power armor, we would have the advantage."

"Can't we just give them what they want?" commented the blue eyes woman.

"You know my policy, if there's a chance of winning we don't refuse the fight."

"But-"

"Sharyl! Either you shut to hell up and help us kill these bastards or get your ass in the kitchen and hide with the rest!"

"Alright, alright!" She reloads her handgun. "As if hiding was an option."

"Three!"

What type of watch is this retarded using?

"What makes you think we can win, boos?" I turn my head to hear the answer.

"They are bargaining." He states calmly. "You only bargain with someone in equal conditions, no need to do it with people you can easily kill."

Snake puts the Doctor on the floor and heads for the kitchens.

"Where are you going?"

"To the cellar." He turns to Robert. "They are wearing X-01 Beta models, that model has a bigger exhaust port in the back, give me two of your best snipers, and I'll hit them from behind."

"I'll ask later how you know that; you won't reach the safe house in time, much less come to our rescue."

(Quest update: Gain time.)

"He will." Six picks up the unconscious scientist and puts her in his shoulder. "I'll give you as much time as possible."

"They'll shoot you the moment they sense something off."

"They won't shoot, they need Doc alive, are you going to back us up, Robert?"

"Two!"

"Fuck it! It's your funeral, Blondie, Charles, go with Snake, Maria, Dick, go to the second floor in case we need more snipers, Sharyl, I want every explosive we have set up in the back door, everyone else, get ready."

Everybody moves to their assigned positions, leaving me with Robert and an unconscious Doctor behind the bar.

"Just letting you know, if you die, I'm taking Rosy back."

"Vulture."

"I know what I am, good luck."

I stand up and walk towards the front doors, while wondering if I get off by putting myself in danger, and trying to remember every detail Arcade has ever told me of the Enclave.

"One!"

Kicking the doors, I appear in front of my adversaries, who aim their guns at me.

"Howdy."

Hope the dialogue wasn't too much, there will be more action in the next part and we will finally reach Remnant.

Please leave a review or if you want send me a PM. Bye.