"Do you think we could conquer the world?"
"Nuka world? Of course, we can."
"No," I say, my voice soft. "I mean, the earth."
"Let's just stick to the Commonwealth and then move from there."
"It's..." I pick up the little red gun, turning it over in my hands. I give it a shake, hearing splashing from inside. I pull the trigger, water shooting from the nozzle. I angrily rush over to the speaker.
"This isn't going to work. This is a toy!" I growl at the mysterious man on the other side.
"Look. I may be an asshole. But I'm not that much of an asshole. You need to trust me."
"And why should I do that?"
"Because I want Colter out of here. He's a shitty overboss. And the only way to get him out is if you kill him."
I pause for a moment, milling it over in my head. This seems to be my only ticket out of this hellhole alive.
"I'm listening."
"Good. If you kill him you'll become the next overboss. But in order to kill him you gotta shoot him with that water gun. You'll know when to use it. Then real bullets will harm him. But until then, he's invincible."
"Wait, what's an overboss?" I question. He sounds tough.
"I'll explain all of that after. But for the love of god, don't get yourself killed. Don't be a dumbass. Play it safe and you'll beat him. I've hidden a mini gun on the door down the hall and on the right. It's tucked under a blanket and fully stocked with ammo. It'll rip his power armour to shreds."
"Are you certain this will work?" I ask, anxiety building inside my chest.
"As long as you play it safe you'll win. I promise. Now get in there. He's getting impatient."
"No, wait-!" I start, but the intercom goes dead. I groan out loud. This doesn't feel real.
I put the water gun in a loop at my waist, walking down the hall where the man instructed. Just as he said I find the mini gun under a blanket. I can barely lift it.
I walk down the hallway towards the metal door, the sound of cheers and screams on the other side. I can see a man wearing a suit of power armour on the other side. I've never s en that kind before. It's been highly modified with chunks of scrap and pieces of metal jut out from all angles. Barbed wire and chain link fencing decorate and protect the face and chest of the armour.
He's standing in what looks like an old bumper cars arena. I scan the area, trying to figure out a plan. I see a yellow car to the left. I'll try to take cover behind there from the start.
"Okay, boy." I say, kneeling down in front of the dog. "You stay. It's too dangerous for you out there. If I die you need to escape. Run as fast and far as you can."
I feel afraid to leave the dog behind. Knowing he'll be there waiting for me if I survive gives me a sense of reason. If I die what will happen to him?
I hold the mini gun at my side, facing the door with a new sense of bravery. I have good metal armour. And a water gun.
The door opens with an obnoxious buzz and I step into the large arena. I sprint to the left side, bullets dinging off my metal armour with every step. I keep my eyes on Colter.
His power armour suddenly turns bright blue and white, surrounded by electricity. Then it dawns on me.
I pull out the water gun, stepping out from my cover, holding my breath.
"Is that... a water gun?" He exclaims, laughing. "You're dead meat!"
The arena erupts into cheers.
I pull the trigger and a weak stream of water shoots out, hitting his foot. Suddenly he begins to violently shudder, as if being electrocuted. He cries out in pain.
"You son of a bitch!"
The bright volts of electricity disappear.
I pull down the trigger on my mini gun, filling him full of bullets. I grasp onto the heavy, bulky gun, trying my best to keep it steady as it violently shakes in my hands.
His suit falls apart, shards of metal and wire flying around the arena and piling around him. He stumbles backward, blood pooling at his feet. I don't let up. I'm leaving this arena alive.
He falls to the ground, screaming in pain. I wait a moment, seeing if he'll get up. But he doesn't. He just lies on the floor in a puddle of metal and blood, letting out gargled gasps and coughs.
I drop the mini gun on the floor. It's a show they want, right? Let's give it to them.
I stand over Colter, quickly pulling my water gun out, laughing as he flinches. I squirt his face with water. When he seems to relax for a moment I pull out my pistol.
"You're dead meat." I say, pulling the trigger and putting a bullet through his skull. I close my eyes as soon as I pull the trigger. I don't look at him again.
The reality of what I've just done sets in and as the adrenaline dies down my stomach knots up. I just... I just murdered someone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, undesirables, and everything in between, let me introduce you all to our new overboss." The mysterious man says over the intercom.
The doors in the arena open up and the dog runs to my side, jumping up on me in excitement.
I turn around, seeing a tall man emerge from behind the glass. "Hello, Overboss." He says to me.
(This is Gage)
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"You're the man from the speaker."
"Right you are. The name's Porter Gage. But you can just call me Gage."
"Right. So, now maybe you'll tell me what an overboss is." Maybe it's because this man just saved my ass, or maybe it's something else, but I feel like I can trust him.
"You are the overboss of Nuka World. You run things around this place now. Follow me and I'll show you to your new suite and tell you about the gangs."
I follow him through the doors, and up an elevator as he tells me about the operators, the disciples, and the pack.
We walk through the park, dirty people dressed in armour and brightly coloured clothes wandering around. Some sneer at me as we pass. Gage shoots them a nasty look and they cower away.
"The new overboss, huh? Don't look like much."
"Don't forget what the overboss can do, rat. One word and you'll be kissing Satan's ass." Gage shouts at him.
He really meant it when he said I run things around here now. Though you can see the power he himself holds over this place.
We come to an open area. I recognize this place from pictures. It's the Fizztop Grill.
"This is yours. Here you'll be waited on, hand and foot. The world is yours."
"Are you saying I can have anything I want?"
"Yes, ma'am." He responds.
I never knew the coming to Nuka World would be a good thing. I knew I was leaving the life I once lived behind. But even if I stayed, that life ended when the war started.
