489. Capturing One Of The Council

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The council had been running things from the shadows for too long. And now? It was time to drag them into the light.

Morning light filtered through the rusted metal panels of Diamond City, casting long shadows across the makeshift training yard just outside the main gates. The sounds of grunting, the dull thud of boots hitting dirt, and the occasional sharp bark of orders filled the air as Sarah drilled the Diamond City guards in hand-to-hand combat.

Sico stood to the side, arms crossed, watching closely. Danny was beside him, shifting uncomfortably.

"This still feels weird," Danny muttered.

Sico glanced at him. "What does?"

Danny gestured toward the training. "Piper. Snooping around the council. I mean, I know Piper are part of the Minutemen and now try to help the city she grow up, but seeing her out there, try to find the corruption of the council than snooping around finding news—it's just… feels different."

Sico smirked. "You sound like you miss the days when Piper was always get in trouble because of her newspaper."

Danny shook his head. "Nah. I knew back then Piper were going to be somebody. Just didn't think it'd be this."

Before Sico could respond, Sarah shouted at one of the recruits, a younger guard who had just been thrown to the ground for the third time.

"Get up!" she barked. "You think a raider is gonna give you a second to breathe? You hesitate, you die. Again!"

The recruit groaned but scrambled back to his feet.

Danny winced. "She's tough."

"She has to be," Sico replied. "These guys aren't ready for a real fight. Not yet."

Danny exhaled. "You're expecting one, aren't you?"

Sico didn't answer immediately. He watched as Sarah paired off another set of recruits, her sharp eyes scanning for weaknesses.

Finally, he said, "I don't expect anything. I just prepare for everything."

Danny nodded slowly, but his expression remained troubled. "I just hope all this isn't for nothing."

Sico clapped him on the shoulder. "It won't be. Trust me."

Danny sighed. "I do. That's what worries me."

Sico smirked. "Then stop worrying and start watching. You might actually learn something."

Danny let out a half-hearted chuckle, but his gaze stayed on the recruits.

Across the city, Geneva sat at her desk, her fingers tapping anxiously against the surface. A stack of papers lay before her—reports, schedules, and lists of names, all part of her job overseeing the election.

It was also, she realized, a roadmap of corruption.

She exhaled, forcing herself to focus. She couldn't afford mistakes. If she was going to help Sico, she needed to be smart.

The door creaked open, and Piper slipped inside, her ever-present notebook in hand.

"You get anything?" Piper asked, shutting the door behind her.

Geneva nodded. "Nothing concrete yet, but I found something interesting." She tapped a paper on her desk. "One of the council members—Paul Reyes—has been making a lot of unofficial visits to the warehouses near the waterfront."

Piper raised an eyebrow. "That's where they store the city's supply shipments, right?"

Geneva nodded. "Exactly. But the thing is, he's been going at odd hours. Late at night, mostly. And from what I can tell, there's no official reason for him to be there."

Piper grinned. "Sounds shady as hell."

Geneva sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Piper flipped open her notebook. "So, what's the plan? Sneak in and see what he's up to?"

Geneva hesitated. "Piper, you know this is dangerous, right? If Reyes is involved in something illegal, we don't know who else is backing him. This could go all the way up."

Piper leaned forward, smirking. "That's kind of the point, isn't it?"

Geneva shook her head. "Sico told us to be careful. If you get caught—"

"I won't," Piper said, standing. "I've done this before."

Geneva exhaled. "Alright. But at least tell me where you're going so if something goes wrong, I can tell Sico."

Piper hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. I'll check out the waterfront. See if I can get eyes on Reyes."

Geneva frowned but didn't argue.

"Just… be careful, Piper," she said softly.

Piper gave her a wink. "Always."

Later that night, Piper moved carefully through the darkened streets, her footsteps silent on the cracked pavement. She had been watching the warehouse for nearly an hour now, hidden in the shadows of a nearby alley.

Sure enough, just as Geneva's reports indicated, Paul Reyes showed up.

But he wasn't alone.

Piper narrowed her eyes as two men emerged from the warehouse to greet him. They were dressed like traders, but something about them felt off.

She moved closer, keeping to the shadows.

"…The election's already locked in," Reyes was saying, his voice low. "We just need to make sure no surprises happen before then."

One of the men—tall, built like a raider but too well-dressed to be one—grunted. "And the money?"

Reyes nodded. "You'll get it. Just make sure the ballots go where they need to."

Piper's heart pounded.

They're rigging the votes.

She pulled out her notebook, quickly jotting down everything she heard.

Then, she heard the unmistakable click of a gun being cocked.

"Y'know," a rough voice said behind her, "snooping's a real bad habit."

Piper froze.

Shit.

Sico was just finishing up the day's training when Geneva came running up to him, breathless.

"Sico!"

He turned, immediately on alert. "What is it?"

"It's Piper," she panted. "She's missing."

His expression darkened. "Where?"

"The waterfront. She went to check out Reyes, but she hasn't come back."

Sico swore under his breath. "Get the Minutemen ready. Now."

Danny stepped forward, alarmed. "Wait, you think she got caught?"

Sico's jaw clenched. "I think she's in trouble. And I'm not waiting around to find out."

Sico moved fast, leading a small squad of Minutemen through the streets. Danny, Geneva, and Sarah were close behind.

They reached the waterfront within minutes, keeping to the shadows.

"Split up," Sico ordered. "Find her."

They moved quickly, searching alleyways, warehouses, anywhere she might be.

Then, from inside one of the buildings, Sico heard muffled voices.

"…gonna be a problem, you know that, right?"

"She's a reporter. Who's gonna miss her?"

Sico didn't wait.

With a swift kick, he slammed the door open.

Inside, Piper sat tied to a chair, glaring up at Reyes and his thugs.

The thugs turned, reaching for their weapons—too slow.

Sico fired first. Two shots, two men down.

Reyes stumbled back, hands raised. "Wait! This—this isn't what it looks like—"

Sico strode forward and punched him hard across the face. Reyes crumpled to the floor.

"Piper," Sico said, cutting her loose. "You alright?"

She rubbed her wrists. "I was until you stole my big dramatic escape."

Sico smirked. "You can thank me later."

Danny and Geneva burst in, relief flooding their faces.

Geneva exhaled. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Sico nodded. "Take Reyes, too. He's gonna have a lot to answer for."

As they moved out, Piper grinned. "You know, Sico… I never doubted you'd come for me."

Sico glanced at her. "Yeah?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I knew if things went south… I had the Minutemen backing me."

Sico smirked. "Damn right you did."

As they moved through the dimly lit streets of Diamond City, the tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Sico led the group with his rifle slung across his back, keeping a tight grip on Reyes, who was still groggy from the punch he'd taken.

Piper walked beside him, flexing her wrists where the ropes had been too tight. "Not that I don't appreciate the rescue, but what's the plan now?"

Sico didn't look at her. His eyes were locked straight ahead. "We're taking Reyes back to the security office. We need to have a little chat."

Behind them, Danny and Geneva exchanged uneasy glances. Geneva had been quiet since they left the warehouse, her expression tense.

Finally, Sico turned his head slightly. "Geneva. What do you know about Reyes?"

She hesitated before answering. "He's definitely on the council. He's been involved in city affairs for years—mostly handling logistics, trade deals, that sort of thing."

Sico frowned. "And this whole rigged election thing? Think he's calling the shots, or is he just a middleman?"

Geneva exhaled, her voice low. "I don't know. But if he's involved, that means there are others. Reyes isn't the type to act alone."

Sico let out a slow breath. This was worse than he'd thought.

Piper nudged him. "So… does that mean we get to interrogate him?"

Sico smirked. "Oh, we're definitely going to interrogate him."

Reyes groaned, shaking his head as he started coming to. "You people have no idea what you're getting yourselves into," he mumbled.

Sico gripped him tighter. "Oh, I think we do. And I think you're gonna tell us everything."

Reyes scoffed, though it was weak. "You don't scare me."

Sico chuckled. "Give it time."

They arrived at the security office near the center of Diamond City, a reinforced building that once served as part of the old stadium. Inside, the lights flickered, casting long shadows across the walls.

Sarah and a few Minutemen were already waiting.

Sico shoved Reyes into a chair in the center of the room and folded his arms. "Alright, Reyes. You can talk now, or you can talk later. But one way or another, you're going to talk."

Reyes glared up at him. "You think roughing me up is going to change anything? You're playing a game you don't even understand."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. We've heard it all before. 'You don't know who you're dealing with,' 'You're making a huge mistake'—save it." She leaned forward, her voice lowering. "We already know you're rigging the election. What we don't know is who else is involved."

Reyes clenched his jaw but didn't say anything.

Geneva stepped closer. "Paul, listen to me. The people you're working for? They won't protect you now. You got caught. And if Sico decides capture you under the Minutemen banner instead of Diamond City security, well…" She let the words hang in the air.

Reyes swallowed hard.

Danny crossed his arms. "What's it gonna be, Reyes? You wanna start talking, or do we have to make you?"

Reyes looked around the room, weighing his options. Then, finally, he sighed. "Fine. But if I tell you, you have to protect me."

Sico smirked. "That depends on what you tell us."

Reyes exhaled and slumped in his chair. "The election was never real to begin with. The council—most of them—already decided the outcome weeks ago."

Piper stiffened. "Who?"

Reyes hesitated.

Sico stepped forward, looming over him. "Names. Now."

Reyes licked his lips. "Okay. The ones at the top? Mayor Hartwell, Clarence Codman, and Malcolm Latimer. They're the ones pulling the strings."

Geneva's expression darkened. "Hartwell? But he—"

"He acts like he's for the people," Reyes muttered. "But he's just another pawn. They all are."

Danny swore under his breath. "So the whole election's a sham."

Reyes nodded. "They've been using traders, mercenaries—anyone who can be bought—to make sure things go their way."

Piper shook her head in disgust. "Unbelievable."

Sico exchanged glances with Geneva. "We can use this."

She nodded. "Election day is soon. If we can expose them publicly, there's no way they'll be able to control the narrative."

Reyes scoffed. "You think people will believe you over the council?"

Sico smirked. "Oh, they will."

Piper grinned. "Because we're going to make sure everyone in Diamond City hears the truth."

Reyes shook his head. "You're making a mistake."

Sico leaned in close. "No. The mistake was thinking you could control this city forever."

Sico exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he turned to Sarah. "Take him to the Minutemen office and keep him under guard. Nobody talks to him unless I say so."

Sarah nodded. "Got it." She gestured to two Minutemen standing by the door. "You two, get him up."

Reyes groaned as he was hauled to his feet. "You can't just lock me up like some common thug."

Sico smirked. "Sure we can. You're not special, Reyes. And if your bosses find out you've been talking, you should be thanking us for keeping you alive."

Reyes's expression twisted into something between anger and fear, but he didn't resist as Sarah and the Minutemen led him away.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Sico turned to Geneva and Piper. "We need more. Reyes gave us names, but we need proof. If we go public now, they'll just deny everything, and half the city will believe them over us."

Piper nodded, already flipping open her notebook. "You want dirt? I'll find it."

Geneva was more hesitant. "Sico, this is dangerous. If the council figures out we're onto them—"

"They already know," Sico interrupted. "You think Reyes was the only loose end? They'll be covering their tracks by now, which means if we're gonna move, it has to be fast."

Piper grinned. "Good. I work best under pressure."

Geneva sighed but nodded. "Alright. What exactly do you need us to do?"

Sico crossed his arms, thinking. "Piper, I want you back in the field. Eavesdrop, sneak into offices, get whatever you can. Documents, letters, anything that ties Hartwell, Codman, and Latimer to the rigged election."

Piper's grin widened. "Breaking into offices? Now you're speaking my language."

Sico smirked before turning to Geneva. "You're going to do what you do best—listen. People trust you, and they don't see you as a threat. Start talking to anyone close to the council. See if they slip up."

Geneva nodded slowly. "I can do that."

Danny, who had been quiet until now, rubbed the back of his neck. "And what about me?"

Sico looked at him. "Keep your ear to the ground. People talk to you, Danny. More than you realize. If anyone's nervous, if anyone starts acting differently, I want to know about it."

Danny sighed. "Great. So I get to be bait."

Sico smirked. "Only if you do it right."

Danny rolled his eyes but nodded.

Sico straightened. "Alright. We move now. We don't stop until we have enough to blow this thing wide open."

Piper clapped her hands together. "Time to go make some trouble."

Geneva sighed. "Let's just try not to get caught."

Sico's smirk faded, his expression turning serious. "No, really. Don't get caught."

The room went silent.

Piper swallowed, her grin slipping just a little. "Right. Got it."

Geneva nodded. "We'll be careful."

Sico exhaled. "Good. Let's get to work."

And then Sico watch they went out of the place, while sighing because he knew Piper doesn't take his word seriously on don't get caught. But that's Piper, she always confident to do anything even thought that puts her in danger but she knew that she has a many friends to watch on her.

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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:-