From the Ashes- Afire Love part 2

bridges burned

It was time to speak with Maxson.

You and Haylen stepped off the vertibird and onto the flight deck, walking side by side.

"Sentinel. Scribe," the soldiers greeted you while you walked by. You and her nodded at them as you headed into the flight deck, where Elder Maxson stood in the sticky green light. There was a radstorm raging on outside. Dark clouds swirled, occasionally lighting up with streaks of yellow lighting. Maxson heard your approach.

"Elder Maxson."

"You're back."

"Yes, there's something we need to report."

"Continue." Yellow lightning struck, contorting his face, bending the hardened features with sickly light and dark shadows.

Haylen, who was at your side, stepped forward to speak. She stood with her hands folded behind her back. "Elder, you'll recall that before we destroyed the Institute, we became involved with the Railroad. They helped us gain access to the Institute by helping us build the molecular relay. However, we failed to keep our promise to them that we wouldn't harm the Institute."

"The ends justify the means," he muttered. "Where are you going with this?"

"Well, given those circumstances, we have reason to believe they're planning to launch a counterattack against us."

"Is that so?" Maxson questioned. "Why now? Why not months ago, when we'd just destroyed the place?"

Haylen hesitated for a moment, so you decided to step in. "The Railroad likes to hide in the shadows and wait for the right time to attack. Back then, they had lost their allies inside the Institute, and quite possibly access to their resources. They would have needed time to build themselves back up before launching a counterattack."

As you spoke, Maxson nodded along, clearly deep in thought.

"Additionally, with the campaign to reclaim the Glowing Sea, our forces have been spread out. We're much more vulnerable than we were all that time ago."

"The time would be right," Maxson agreed. "If they wanted to strike back, it would be now. And, given how they operate, there would be no warning."

"Our thoughts precisely," you echoed. "We plan to launch an attack on their base under the Old North Church. We came here to request a backup team."

"And your mission?"

You gulped. "To eliminate the Railroad."

Maxson held eye contact with you, firm, unblinking. Was he trying to sweat you? Did he see through the story you'd fabricated? The room was dead silent.

Finally, he spoke. "Ok, Sentinel. We have five knights on standby. Wait for them on the Flight Deck. I'll send them out shortly. Are you prepared to brief them on the mission?"

"Of course, Elder Maxson."

"Then get to it. Ad Victorium."

You and Haylen saluted and walked out silently. The radstorm still hadn't cleared. A lighting blot jumped from one cloud to the next.

"Are you sure about this, Y/N?"

"Yes."

"I'm just worried about lying to Maxson. What if he finds out this is about Danse?"

You looked at her. "He won't find out."

That quieted her. As you arrived at the vertibird, a formation of knights leaving the command deck was marching towards you. One stood in the front, the other four in two rows behind the leader.

They marched across the deck, stopping in front of you. You saluted to them, and they reciprocated. "We were told to meet you here for briefing on our mission," the one in the front said. A female voice came through the helmet of her power armor.

"Yes." You breathed in. Breathed out. "Our mission is simple. We infiltrate the Railroad Headquarters and wipe out every last one of them. I'll take the lead, Haylen will take the rear. It's a surprise attack, so we're expecting no resistance. After that, we locate and capture the assaultron P.A.M. in order to decrypt the files stored in it. We move fast and spare no one. Got that?"

"Understood," nodded the knight in the front of the formation. Each of them loaded onto the vertibird, with you taking the last seat in the middle.

Haylen jumped into the front seat with the captain. "Head for the Old North Church," she ordered the pilot. Wordlessly, he began flipping switches, and the aircraft came loose from its dock. The engine roared. Haylen looked back at you, but you pretended not to notice.