490. Expose The Truth

If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead, be sure to check out my Patreon!!!

Go to https://www.patreon.com/Tang12

___________________________

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.

Sico knew Piper well enough to understand that "don't get caught" was more of a suggestion to her than an order. She thrived in situations like this—thrived on the adrenaline, the risk. It was part of what made her so damn good at what she did. But it also made her reckless. She was confident to a fault, always believing she could get out of any trouble she found herself in. And, to be fair, she usually did. But this wasn't just another exposé on corrupt traders or stolen supplies. This was the Diamond City council. People who had power. People who would do anything to keep it.

He ran a hand down his face before glancing at Reyes, who was still locked up in the back room. The Minutemen stationed at the office had taken shifts watching over him, ensuring he didn't try anything stupid. Not that Reyes seemed like the type to put up much of a fight. No, the man was scared, and for good reason. If his employers found out he'd talked, he was as good as dead. Sico wasn't exactly fond of the man, but he wasn't going to let him get killed just yet. They still needed him.

The next morning came fast. Sico had barely gotten any sleep, his mind running through every possible scenario. He knew Geneva and Piper had been working through the night, and Danny was already up, making his rounds through the city, rallying support. The election was tomorrow, and they were running out of time.

Inside the Minutemen office, Sico sipped on a mug of coffee, watching as a few soldiers went over their patrol assignments. Sarah had made sure that security had been increased throughout Diamond City. More Minutemen were stationed around key areas—markets, entrances, even near the mayor's office. The council would notice, but they wouldn't be able to stop it. Not without making it obvious that they were nervous.

Sarah walked into the office, stretching her arms before plopping down on the chair across from him.

"Guards are getting better," she said. "Still a little sloppy, but they'll hold their own if things go south."

Sico smirked. "And how's the increased Minutemen patrols going?"

Sarah rolled her shoulders. "They're making their presence known. People feel safer. But some of the guards on Hartwell's payroll aren't happy about it. You can see it in their faces."

"Good," Sico said. "Let them know we're watching."

Sarah nodded, taking a sip from her own mug.

As the morning stretched on, Sico kept checking for any news from Piper and Geneva. He knew they were deep into their work, and that meant one of two things: either they had found something big, or they were about to get into trouble.

Meanwhile, Danny was in the marketplace, standing on top of a wooden crate, addressing the crowd that had gathered around him.

"The council wants you to believe they have your best interests at heart," he shouted, his voice carrying over the noise of the city. "But tell me, have any of you seen real change? Have your lives gotten better under their leadership?"

A few murmurs ran through the crowd. Some people nodded, others looked uncertain.

"They sit in their offices, making deals behind closed doors, deciding what's best for us without ever listening to what we have to say!" Danny continued. "But that ends now. We have a chance to take back our city. A real election. A real choice!"

A cheer rippled through the crowd, Danny knew that he do this because the people has been under the control of the council far too long.

Back at the Minutemen office, Sico was going over maps of the city when one of his men walked in.

"Sico, we've got a problem," the soldier said.

Sico immediately stood up. "What is it?"

"It's Piper. She was seen near the council building last night. Someone must've spotted her, because now Hartwell's men are looking for her."

Sico swore under his breath. He knew she would push her luck, but this was bad. If the council was onto her, then she was in serious danger.

He turned to Sarah. "I need you to keep things under control here. I'm going to find Piper."

Sarah frowned but nodded. "Be careful."

Sico grabbed his rifle and headed out, moving quickly through the city streets. If the council was actively looking for Piper, then they would be watching the usual places she went.

He found her holed up in a small, abandoned shack near the edge of the market.

She was pacing when he walked in, her arms crossed, frustration all over her face.

"They're onto me," she said before he could even ask.

"No kidding," Sico said. "What the hell happened?"

Piper ran a hand through her hair. "I was close, Sico. I almost had something—documents that proved they were planning to rig the votes. But I didn't have time to grab them before I had to bail."

Sico sighed. "You need to lay low for now. If they catch you—"

"They won't," Piper interrupted, her eyes fierce. "I'm not done yet, Sico."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Piper—"

"No, listen," she said, stepping closer. "I know where the documents are. They're in Codman's office, locked up in a desk drawer. If we can get to them before the election tomorrow, we can blow this whole thing wide open."

Sico stared at her. "You're serious."

Piper nodded. "Completely."

Sico exhaled. "Fine. But we do this my way."

That night, under the cover of darkness, Sico, Piper, and Geneva made their move. Geneva had gotten word that Codman wouldn't be in his office, which gave them a small window to get in and get the evidence.

Sico led the way, keeping to the shadows as they moved toward the council building. Piper and Geneva followed closely behind.

They reached the building without incident, slipping inside through a back entrance. The office was on the second floor.

"Stay quiet," Sico whispered as they crept up the stairs.

Piper moved ahead, picking the lock on the office door with practiced ease. Within seconds, the door clicked open.

"Remind me to never leave my stuff lying around you," Sico said in a low voice.

Piper smirked before slipping inside.

Geneva moved to the desk, pulling open drawers. "Got it," she whispered, holding up a stack of papers.

Sico grabbed them, scanning the pages. His eyes narrowed. "This is it. This proves everything."

A noise outside made them all freeze.

"Time to go," Piper whispered.

They slipped back out the way they came, disappearing into the night.

The next morning, as the sun rose over Diamond City, the people gathered for the election.

Sico, Piper, Geneva, and Danny stood in the center of the crowd as the council members took the stage.

Before Hartwell could speak, Sico stepped forward.

"We have proof," he called out, holding up the papers. "Proof that this election was never real to begin with."

The crowd erupted into murmurs.

Piper stepped up beside him. "These documents show that Hartwell, Codman, and Latimer have been rigging this election from the start. They were never going to let the people choose!"

The crowd's murmurs turned into shouts of outrage.

Hartwell's face went pale. "This is ridiculous! Lies!"

Sico let the uproar settle for just a moment before he lifted a hand, his voice were sounding through the crowd with calm authority.

"If this was just some lie, then why don't we let someone else speak for themselves?"

He turned toward the Minutemen standing at the edge of the gathering and gave a sharp nod. One of the soldiers disappeared into the crowd and returned moments later, dragging Reyes along with him. The former council enforcer looked uneasy, his eyes darting around as if he was searching for a way out.

But there wasn't one.

The people of Diamond City had their eyes on him now.

Hartwell's face twisted into a sneer. "This man is a criminal. You expect us to believe anything he says?"

Reyes let out a dry laugh. "That's rich, coming from you. Weren't you the one signing my paychecks?"

A ripple of murmurs passed through the crowd.

Sico stepped up beside Reyes, placing a firm hand on the man's shoulder—not roughly, but enough to remind him where he stood. "Reyes here was part of your plan, and He knows exactly what you and your little friends have been up to." He turned to the crowd. "And he's going to tell all of you the truth."

Reyes hesitated for a moment, clearly consider his options. But Sico had no doubt he'd make the right choice. Reyes might be a scumbag, but he wasn't stupid. If he lied now, the Minutemen wouldn't protect him anymore. And he knew the council would rather see him dead than let him talk.

With a heavy breath, Reyes squared his shoulders and faced the people of Diamond City.

"I worked for Hartwell, Codman, and Latimer," he admitted. "I was the one who made sure that people who spoke out against them suddenly had 'accidents.' I arranged meetings between them and the guys who rigged the ballots. I helped funnel caps from dirty deals into their pockets."

The murmurs grew louder, shifting into outright shouts of anger.

"I didn't care at first," Reyes continued, looking around. "I thought, what's one more corrupt leader? Everyone's just looking out for themselves. But then I saw just how far they were willing to go. Threatening people. Having folks disappear. Making sure no one ever stood in their way."

He exhaled. "And that's why I'm standing here now. Because I know if these bastards stay in power, this city is never going to change."

Hartwell took a step forward, his face red with fury. "You lying son of a—"

Sico turned his gaze on him, cold and steady. "Don't," he warned.

Hartwell froze, his hands curling into fists at his sides.

The energy in the crowd was shifting fast. This wasn't just frustration anymore—this was anger and fury. People had been waiting for years for something like this, a moment where they could finally fight back against the corruption that had ruled their city for too long.

Danny, who had been standing off to the side, took a step forward and raised his voice.

"We all knew something was wrong," he called out. "We just didn't have proof. But now we do." He gestured to the documents in Sico's hand. "And we're not going to let them get away with it."

A cheer erupted from the people, and Sico could see the shift happening in real-time.

The power wasn't in the hands of the council anymore. It belonged to the people.

Hartwell and the others knew it too. Codman looked like he was about to bolt, sweat beading on his forehead, and Latimer had gone completely pale.

Piper took a step closer to Sico and muttered, "They're going to try something."

Sico already knew that.

"Minutemen!" he called, his voice cutting through the noise.

Immediately, the soldiers who had been stationed around the perimeter moved in, forming a line between the council members and the crowd.

Hartwell's eyes darted around, and for the first time, there was real fear in them.

"You can't do this!" he scream. "We are the legitimate leaders of Diamond City!"

"No!" Sico said sternly. "You were. But not anymore."

Hartwell quickly put his hand inside his coat, reaching for something inside his coat.

Sico moved before he could pull whatever it was—a weapon, a knife, something desperate and stupid. He grabbed Hartwell by the wrist, twisting it just enough to make the older man yelp in pain before slamming him to the ground.

The crowd roared in approval.

Codman and Latimer tried to run, but the Minutemen were faster. Within moments, all three of them were restrained, hands bound as the people of Diamond City surrounded them, jeering and shouting.

Danny turned to the crowd. "What do you say, Diamond City!? Are we going to let these men keep ruling over us!?"

A deafening "NO!" rang through the marketplace.

The crowd's anger was a living thing now, spreading through the streets of Diamond City like a fire that had finally found air to breathe. The corrupt councilmen—Hartwell, Codman, Latimer—were on their knees, bound and beaten, their reign collapsing before their eyes.

Sico glanced around, watching the people feed off each other's energy, their years of frustration bubbling over into chants and shouts. But this was dangerous moment, if they didn't handle this right, it could turn into a full-blown riot. And as much as Sico wanted to see these bastards pay, they needed to do this the right way.

That's when Piper spoke up.

"Wait! Everyone, listen!" she called out, stepping forward. The urgency in her voice was enough to cut through the chaos.

Sico turned to her, brow furrowing. She had that look—the one that meant she had something big to say.

"Today is election day," she continued, turning to face the crowd. "But we all know it was never going to be a real election. These bastards were never going to let you choose your leader. They rigged it from the start. So now, we have to make our own choice."

The crowd quieted slightly, listening.

Piper pointed at Hartwell and the others. "These men have proven they're not fit to lead. We can't let them stay in power. But that doesn't mean we should let the city fall into chaos." She took a deep breath before turning to look at Danny Sullivan.

"We need a mayor. Someone we can trust. And I know just the person."

Piper smirked. "Danny Sullivan was born and raised in Diamond City. He's spent his life protecting this place. He's never asked for power, never looked for a way to benefit himself. And today, he proved he's willing to stand up for the people."

Danny's face flushed red as murmurs spread through the crowd. Even though Danny knew that the Minutemen will help him and push him as the Mayor, but if many people looking at him like this still made him a little embarassed.

"He stood up here," Piper continued, "and fought for your right to vote. He spoke the truth when it mattered most. And I think that's the kind of leader we need."

The energy shifted. The anger in the air started turning into something else—hope. People looked at Danny, really looked at him, and started nodding, whispering to one another.

Sico watched Danny closely. He could see the wheels turning in the man's head, He was about to said something, but Sico stepped forward, putting a firm hand on his shoulder.

"She's right," Sico said. "You already act like a leader, Danny. You've been doing it for years. This city needs someone like you."

Danny let out a breath, shaking his head. "I—I'm just a security guy. I don't know the first thing about running a city."

"You know how to protect it," Sico said. "And you know how to listen. That's more than we can say for these bastards."

The people of Diamond City were watching, waiting for him to say something.

Danny rubbed the back of his neck, then looked out at the crowd. "I don't know if I'm the right guy for this," he admitted. "But if you'll have me—if you really believe I can do this—then I won't turn my back on you."

A moment of silence.

Then, someone in the crowd cheered.

Then another.

And another.

Until suddenly, the entire marketplace was roaring with approval.

Danny Sullivan, the man who had spent his life keeping people safe, was now their mayor.

Sico let himself smile as Danny stood there, overwhelmed by the support. He knew it wouldn't be easy—governing never was, because he experience it first hand. But with proper guidance, Danny will be a good Mayor for Diamond City.

________________________________________________

• 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:-