Ch.29: Battle of Action part 1

[3rdPOV]

The sounds of gunfire and explosions rang out across the settlement.

The enslaved settlers reacted with varying degrees of fear and indifference, with most deciding to take cover or hide.

Some of them had already been told by the Doc that a person had come to free them and help kill the raiders.

Most held hope that they would be free soon and waited for thier moment to strike.

Huddled behind one of the buildings in the settlement was a group that included the Doc.

"Will that person really do it? Can he even?" One slave questioned.

"The boy wouldn't lie about this. Either way we don't have a future if things stay the same anyway." The Doc said trying to reassure them. "We just need to be ready to fight once these damn collars come off."

"But it is just one person right? Are we really putting our lives in the hands of a stranger?" Another slave spoke.

"What other choice do we have? We have been waiting for a chance for years and we finally got one. Even if we end up dead, isnt it better to go out fighting?"

Murmurs spread throughout the group but they all seemed to agree even though many still had fear in thier eyes.

The sounds of gunfire stopped for a moment, causing the group to look anxiously toward the town hall.

"Did they kill him?" One slave asked out loud with a hint of depair.

Another slave appeared and joined the group looking excited.

"Hey! I saw a guy fighting those scum and a few of them were killed! I saw that guy retreat back toward Old Martha's place with a few more scum chasing him." He reported.

The Doc rubbed his chin in thought.

"We should join the fight now." He said causing the other to look curiously at him.

"W-what about the collars?!"

The Doc met his eye and said, "This is our chance and it is slipping away. We probably wont get another." He said lifting a small caliber pistol. "I'm old so I don't mind dying for you youngsters. If none of you are brave enough to join me. I wont hold it against you."

He turned on his heel, his old tattered lab coat fluttering behind him.

The others looked at eachother trying to gauge if anyone would follow him.

"I'm going too!" A younger man claimed and followed after The Doc.

This caused a few other brave souls to overcome thier fear.

Within moments at least 12 brave men and women followed behind the old doctor ready to die for thier freedom.

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[1stPOV]

My wounds had healed without issue. I stood in the shadow of an old building feeling pretty angry that my stealth operation had failed for such a stupid reason.

'That woman was sharp and decisive. She left me barely any time to even shoot her... Far beyond the abilities of a normal raider.' I thought as I raised my hand up to my face where a shotgun blast had torn my cheek open.

Before, coming that close to death I might have felt fear. Or apprehension.

But now I felt anger and a lot more of excitement.

I was getting good XP from those raider kills and actual combat experience instead of just sneak attacks.

I can't always rely on the stealth suit, there will likely be many times stealth simply wont be an option so this is valuable experience.

I heard the approach of the raiders that had pursued me. There was two, but likely move would soon be coming this way.

Bringing both pistol up and then waiting for the right moment to strike, when the footfalls sounded like they were close, I jumped out and activated VATS.

*bang* x8

I unleashed a flurry of rounds into the two men who turned into experience points in front of my eyes.

I smirked. 'Time for payback.'

I ran back toward the town hall but then I started hearing gunfire being exchanged.

I looked over toward the center of the settlement where the slaves had begun a fight with some of the raiders.

And they were kicking ass...

'Looks like I need to do my part quickly before the raider leader decides to recreate that scene from Scanners.'

I laughed internally as I launched into a sprint back towards the doors I got kicked out of.

I noticed the raider chick was no longer where I left her.

I didn't have time to worry about ass right now but that bitch was deadly. If she was given a stimpak, she probably would still be healing but that might not diminish the threat by much.

I kicked my way through the double doors inside the building and entered a wide audience room that was likeley used for holding town meetings.

Benches lined both sides of a central isle and the place was messed up like I just walked into a drug den.

Bottles, syringes and trash debris littered the place. And the smell of fresh blood permeated the air.

As I entered I activated VATS, and counted one raider on the right and two on the left as well as a large thuggish looking man holding a shotgun with a bandolere of grenades strapped to him chest.

Oddly enough he was dragging the female raider by her hair but then dropped her as I made my entrance. It seemed a little strange but I had other concerns. At least the bitch was still unconscious and not able to fight.

The three raiders that were on my right and left snapped to attention and were raising thier weapons.

With both pistols, I targets chests and heads to make sure they dropped.

They didnt have time to return fire before gaping holes appeared in the places I shot. The three scrubs went down like the others. But the man at the back of the room scowled and raised his shotgun and fired at me. I ducked down behind a bench and her the man bellow.

"I dont know who the fuck ya are, but you're dead!"

*chikchik*bang* the sound of the shotgun pumping and firing began going off.

The pellets splinters the wood of the benches I was taking cover behind.

I reached out and returned fire, but the man kneeled down behind the sets of benches on his side.

I pulled out a frag and then stood to toss it. However the other guy had the same idea as I saw him lob one of his own my way.

'Heh. But I have VATS.'

*boom*

I shot the nade out of the air and watched as mine continued it's arc towards him.

The raider boss dove behind another section of benches and avoided the splash damage as my frag went off.

*bang*x12 I shot at the benches and finally felt happy at not being the one having to dodge gunfire.

My explosive shots caused massive holes in the wooden bench and I could hear him shuffling to avoid my shots.

"How do you like it fucker?" I reloaded my mags and then kept firing.

The guy was running out of cover since I was blasting it all but once he got to the end of the bench he stood up and let his shotty do the talking as he returned fire against me.

One of my bullets hit his guts and his pellets tore through between the gaps of my armor on my left arm.

I felt blood trickle down but the wounds would close soon enough.

The raider went down but I couldn't see him from my position and I didn't get an XP notification.

I cautiously moved down the center isle, keeping my sights on where I expected the raider to be.

When I saw him he was clutching his side with one hand and digging through his pocket with another.

I saw him pull put a syringe of a chem I couldn't identify at first and immediately injected it into his arm.

'Shit was that Psycho?!'

"Raaaghh!" I heard him roar as he stood up. His wounds were not healing and he suddenly looked amped up. He charged me with no fear and a face full of rage.

I began firing shots at him but he didn't even register the pain as he ran at me with his arms up covering his face.

'He's using my move!'

*slam* I wasn't able to put him down fast enough and he tackled me. Both pistols flew out of my hands and as I landed, the fucker jumped on me and put his hands on my throat.

I tried to pry his hands off but because of the chem he took, his strength was abnormal and I wasnt having much luck.

"Get... off!" I gasped and struggled to get the roided up raider off me.

The guy's pupils were dilated like saucers and he had a manic grin on his face and he choked me.

'Fuck... Am I really gonna die by being choked? And by a man?'

I could feel the pressure building up in my head as I was not able to take in oxygen, my face started to turn blue.

"No..." I was starting to see stars.

But thankfully I still have a guardian angel.

*bang*x?

I could barely register how many bullets went off. But I could make out what looked like a blooming roses as the raider boss was pelted in his head and neck.

The splash of his blood as the bullets tore through him created quite the macabre yet somehow beautiful artwork I saw in my oxygen deprived haze.

*cough*x5

I cough and inhaled air with full on manual breathing while sat upright and grabbed my fallen pistols.

I looked over at the guy I had been fighting and saw even in his last moments, even with a blown out eyeball and holes in his head, he still had a crazed smile.

Now up on wobbly legs, and heavy breathing I saw my savior.

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[A/N: the last chapter is still being edited and will be released later tonight. My bad. Schedule has been crazy.]