454. Rebuilding Diamond City PT.2

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The three of them sat there for a while, watching as Diamond City slowly, painfully, but surely—continued to heal.

The next morning, Sico woke to the sound of distant hammering and the murmur of voices outside. The city was already awake, hard at work before the sun had fully risen. He groaned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before sitting up. His body still ached, but the exhaustion was becoming familiar—something he'd just have to live with for now.

Pulling on his jacket, he stepped out of the old mayor's quarters and into the morning chill. The air smelled of dust, steel, and sweat, but beneath it all was the faintest trace of something better—progress.

The marketplace, or what was left of it, had turned into a makeshift command center. People gathered in small groups, waiting for instructions, while Sturges and a handful of Minutemen directed the reconstruction efforts. The convoy from Sanctuary had brought in supplies, but there was still so much to do.

Sico made his way through the crowd, nodding to a few familiar faces before spotting Sturges near a partially collapsed building. The mechanic was covered in dust, his sleeves rolled up as he inspected a pile of steel beams.

"Morning, Sturges," Sico called.

Sturges turned, stretching his back with a groan. "Mornin'. You sleep any?"

"Enough," Sico lied.

Sturges gave him a knowing look but didn't push it.

Sico crossed his arms, glancing around at the ongoing work. "How's it coming along?"

Sturges let out a long breath, rubbing his chin. "Slow, but steady. We got a good number of folks helpin', but most of 'em ain't exactly trained for this kinda work. Takes time to teach 'em the basics while keepin' things movin'."

Sico nodded. He had expected as much. "How long do you think it'll take to rebuild Diamond City?"

Sturges sighed, looking around at the ruins. "Month or two, at least. Maybe longer if we run into supply issues or another attack."

Sico frowned. "We don't have that long. We need to get this place secure and functional as fast as possible."

Sturges scratched his head. "I hear ya, boss, but we ain't got a magic wand. We can only work as fast as our hands let us."

Sico exhaled through his nose, thinking. "What if we bring in more people? Get more hands on deck?"

Sturges nodded slowly. "Could help, but we'd need to organize 'em. Can't just throw people at a problem and expect it to fix itself."

Sico glanced over at the Minutemen standing guard near the gate. "I'll talk to Preston, see if we can recruit more people from the settlements. If we can convince 'em to help, we might be able to cut that timeline in half."

Sturges smirked. "If anyone can convince 'em, it's you."

Sico gave a small chuckle before turning serious again. "In the meantime, focus on getting the outer walls reinforced first. If those Super Mutants Preston mentioned decide to head this way, we need to be ready."

Sturges gave him a two-finger salute. "You got it."

As Sico turned to leave, a loud crash rang out from across the marketplace, followed by a chorus of shouting. He immediately broke into a run, weaving through the workers until he reached the commotion.

A group of civilians stood near a collapsed scaffold, staring down at a man trapped beneath a pile of wooden planks. The man groaned in pain, his leg twisted at an unnatural angle.

"Shit," Sico muttered. "Somebody get a medic!"

Sarah appeared beside him, already pulling a stimpack from her belt. "I got it."

Sico knelt beside the injured man as Sarah injected the stimpack into his leg. The man hissed through his teeth but relaxed slightly as the pain began to dull.

"What happened?" Sico asked, looking up at the gathered workers.

One of the men, a teenager barely out of his teens, looked guilty. "We were tryin' to lift the frame into place, but the ropes snapped. It just… fell."

Sico sighed. "Alright. Get some people to clear the debris. And next time, make sure you double-check your ropes before lifting anything that heavy."

The workers nodded, moving quickly to clean up the mess. Sarah helped the injured man to his feet, supporting him as he limped toward the medical tent.

Sico exhaled sharply. They couldn't afford mistakes like this. Every delay put them further behind, and every injury weakened their already fragile workforce.

He ran a hand through his hair before heading toward Preston, who was speaking with a group of Minutemen near the gates.

"Preston," Sico called.

The Minuteman turned, giving him a nod. "What's up?"

"We need more people," Sico said bluntly. "The rebuilding is going too slow, and we can't afford to waste time."

Preston crossed his arms, considering. "We could send word to the other settlements, see if anyone's willing to help."

"Do it," Sico said. "And offer food and supplies in exchange. If they're gonna help us, we need to make it worth their while."

Preston nodded. "I'll send some runners out right away."

As Preston walked off, Sico took a deep breath. They were making progress, but it still felt like they were just barely keeping their heads above water.

The day passed in a blur of hammering, shouting, and endless decision-making. Sico moved from one worksite to another, answering questions, making calls, and keeping morale up as best he could.

By nightfall, he was exhausted, but there was no rest to be had.

Sarah found him near the front gate, staring out at the dark wasteland beyond.

"You should sleep," she said, leaning against the wall beside him.

Sico scoffed. "You sound like Sturges."

"That's 'cause he's right."

Sico sighed, rubbing his temples. "I can't afford to rest. Not yet."

Sarah didn't argue. She knew him well enough to understand. Instead, she handed him another can of food. "At least eat."

He took it without protest, popping the lid and taking a bite. It was cold and bland, but at least it was something.

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the distant sounds of construction and the occasional call of a night patrol.

Sarah finally broke the silence. "You think we'll make it?"

Sico glanced at her before looking back at the ruins of Diamond City. The city was battered, broken, but still standing.

"We have to," he said simply.

Sarah smiled faintly. "Yeah. We do."

Sico took another slow bite of the cold food, chewing as he stared out at the wasteland. The distant howling of the wind carried with it the sounds of hammers striking metal, the occasional murmur of voices, and the creak of old buildings shifting under the strain of reconstruction.

Sarah leaned her head back against the wall, crossing her arms. "So? What's on your mind?"

Sico sighed, setting the half-empty can aside. "Come with me. I need to see Preston."

Sarah arched an eyebrow but didn't question it. Instead, she simply nodded and pushed herself off the wall. "Alright. Let's go."

The two made their way through the remnants of Diamond City, stepping over scattered debris and weaving past groups of workers still struggling to clear the streets. Even this late at night, a handful of people remained at work, using lanterns and makeshift floodlights to keep going. The city never truly slept anymore—there was just too much to do.

As they approached the Diamond City checkpoint, the sight of Minutemen soldiers moving in disciplined formations caught Sico's attention. Preston stood in the center of it all, his posture rigid and commanding as he barked orders to his men. He pointed toward various locations on the perimeter, assigning patrol routes and reinforcing weak points.

"Keep an eye on the eastern entrance. We don't know if any raiders are lurking out there, and I don't want any surprises," Preston said, his voice firm. A group of soldiers saluted and jogged off toward the designated area.

When he turned and spotted Sico and Sarah approaching, his expression softened slightly, but only for a moment. Duty still weighed heavily on him.

"Sico," Preston greeted with a nod. "Didn't think I'd see you up this late."

Sico smirked tiredly. "You know me. I don't sleep when there's work to be done."

Preston chuckled. "Yeah, figured as much." Then his gaze flicked to Sarah. "Good, you're here. I need you to take a few soldiers and patrol the western perimeter. We've had reports of movement out there, and I want someone I trust keeping an eye on it."

Sarah straightened. "Understood. I'll take care of it."

Preston gestured toward a small group of Minutemen waiting nearby. "Take those three with you. If anything seems off, don't engage unless necessary—just report back."

Sarah nodded, turning to Sico. "Guess that's my cue."

Sico met her gaze. "Stay sharp."

She smirked. "Always." Then she turned, motioning for the soldiers to follow as she disappeared into the darkness beyond the walls.

Preston watched her go before turning back to Sico. "She's good. One of the best we've got."

Sico nodded. "I know." He folded his arms. "But we both know that's not enough. We're stretched too thin, and it's only a matter of time before someone tries to take advantage of that."

Preston exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I hear you. We need more people, more supplies, more defenses. But we're already asking a lot from the settlements."

Sico glanced out at the ruined city. "Then we offer them more. More protection, more trade opportunities—whatever it takes to convince them to help. Because if we don't get this city up and running fast, it won't matter how many people we have patrolling. We'll be sitting ducks."

Preston studied him for a moment, then sighed. "Alright. I'll send more messages out first thing in the morning. See if we can rally more folks to help with the rebuilding."

Sico nodded. "Good. And while you're at it, see if you can get any engineers or builders. Sturges is doing his best, but he's overwhelmed."

Preston gave a short laugh. "Aren't we all?"

Sico smirked but didn't deny it.

After a moment, Preston grew serious again. "You should get some rest, Sico. I know you're pushing yourself, but exhaustion's gonna catch up to you eventually."

Sico shook his head. "Not yet. There's still too much to do."

Preston sighed but didn't argue. "Just don't burn yourself out."

Sico offered a small nod before turning back toward the city. The night was still long, and there was no time for rest.

The hours blurred together as Sico moved from one problem to the next. He checked in on Sturges and the workers, made sure the injured man from earlier was stable, and even helped reinforce part of the outer barricades. By the time the sky began to shift from deep black to muted gray, signaling the approach of dawn, exhaustion was clawing at his bones.

He was about to take a short break when the sound of hurried footsteps caught his attention. He turned just in time to see one of the Minutemen from Sarah's patrol sprinting toward the gates, his face pale and eyes wide with urgency.

Sico's stomach tightened. "What happened?"

The soldier stopped just short of him, panting. "It's Sarah's group. They ran into trouble."

Sico's jaw clenched. "Where?"

"Western perimeter. Raiders, maybe worse. They're holding their ground, but they need backup."

Sico didn't waste a second. He turned on his heel, calling out orders as he moved. "Preston! Get a team together—we're heading out!"

Preston was already moving, shouting for reinforcements as Minutemen scrambled to grab their weapons.

Within minutes, Sico and a small squad were sprinting through the ruined streets, heading west toward where Sarah's patrol had last been seen.

The echoes of gunfire rang out before they even arrived.

Sico's pulse quickened as he pushed forward, rifle in hand. When they finally reached the scene, the sight that greeted him was chaotic.

Sarah and her group were crouched behind cover, firing at a group of raiders who had taken up positions in the ruins ahead. The enemy outnumbered them nearly two to one, but Sarah and her soldiers were holding their ground with determination.

Sico didn't hesitate. "Flank 'em!" he ordered, breaking off with Preston to circle around.

The Minutemen followed his lead, moving swiftly through the debris. As soon as they were in position, Sico gave the signal.

Gunfire erupted from their side, catching the raiders off guard. The sudden pincer attack shattered their formation, and within minutes, the tide of the fight had turned.

One by one, the raiders fell or fled, and soon the only sounds left were the distant howls of the wasteland and the heavy breathing of the survivors.

Sico rushed to Sarah, who was leaning against a broken wall, a gash on her forehead but otherwise unharmed.

"You alright?" he asked, scanning her for injuries.

She wiped the blood from her face with a smirk. "You should see the other guys."

Sico let out a breath of relief before glancing at the rest of the group. "Anyone else hurt?"

One of the soldiers had taken a bullet to the shoulder, but it wasn't fatal.

"We need to get back," Preston said. "Before more of them show up."

Sico nodded. "Agreed. Let's move."

As they made their way back to Diamond City, Sico couldn't help but feel the weight of it all pressing down on him. The city was fragile. The people were tired. The dangers were endless.

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• Name: Sico

• Stats :

S: 8,44

P: 7,44

E: 8,44

C: 8,44

I: 9,44

A: 7,45

L: 7

• Skills: advance Mechanic, Science, and Shooting skills, intermediate Medical, Hand to Hand Combat, Lockpicking, Hacking, Persuasion, and Drawing Skills

• Inventory: 53.280 caps, 10mm Pistol, 1500 10mm rounds, 22 mole rats meat, 17 mole rats teeth, 1 fragmentation grenade, 6 stimpak, 1 rad x, 6 fusion core, computer blueprint, modern TV blueprint, camera recorder blueprint, 1 set of combat armor, Automatic Assault Rifle, 1.500 5.56mm rounds, power armor T51 blueprint, Electric Motorcycle blueprint, T-45 power armor, Minigun, 1.000 5mm rounds, Cryolator, 200 cryo cell, Machine Gun Turret Mk1 blueprint, electric car blueprint, Kellogg gun, Righteous Authority, Ashmaker, Furious Power Fist, Full set combat armor blueprint, M240 7.62mm machine guns blueprint, Automatic Assault Rifle blueprint, and Humvee blueprint.

• Active Quest:-