FO4 | Book 0: The Diaries of Anarchy ✔️

September 7, 2267

"The plan will work," she insisted.

"You said that about the last one when we tried to infiltrate the asylum —" 

"I know there's a lot of shipments entering that asylum, and I have no idea why, but how was I supposed to know it was that hard to infiltrate? Those mercenaries are trained killers, nothing like the ones we're about to take out in this warehouse."

"Okay, I'll hear you out." I leaned back in my chair in the bar. We sat in one of the secluded booths, having drinks and listening to the radio.

She lowered her voice even more, so low I could barely hear her over the radio. "Marowski's stash is only being guarded by eight look-outs, each carrying rifles and pistols. No laser weapons, no plasma weapons, no explosives, no scopes. But here's the catch — there's a to of traps inside, namely laser trip wires and turrets."

"That's still more than we can handle by ourselves."

"Exactly. That's why I assembled a small team to help us with the operation."

"A team? Where'd you —"

"I have my ways," she said with a devious smile.

She had been gone for almost two weeks before today. That would explain where she got the time to recruit people. I had learned not to ask her where she disappears to; it would always wind up pissing me off. I was better off not knowing.

"Here's what we're going to do. We meet the operatives in the —"

"Operatives?"

She sighed. "Don't interrupt me. And trust me when I say that they're a good team. I've worked with most of them before. Anyway, we'll meet the operatives in the ruins near Quincy. That's where the warehouse is located. Including you, William, and myself, we'll have a group of seven."

"If I recall, Marowski just bought the Hotel Rexford," I mentioned. "So he has already sunk a lot of caps into a big purchase recently."

"Yes, he has. And this heist will further break him."

"Heh heh. Cold-blooded. Never liked the guy myself. When are we gonna start this heist?"

"We head out in an hour. And John..." She stared into my eyes before getting up from the booth. "Don't screw this up."

____________________

It was dark when we met with William and the other "operatives" in Quincy. I had about twenty bullets for my shotgun and a recently sharpened knife. I wore a few pieces of cheap leather armor over my t-shirt and jeans, so I felt more prepared for this than for other jobs we've pulled.

Marowski's stash was in an old warehouse in the ruins. It wasn't too difficult to get to, but it was like Maggie said. There were around eight look-outs posted outside both on the ground and on the rooftop, and who knew what was waitin' for us inside.

All of us had little to no trouble taking out the look-outs, and I could see why Maggie insisted on calling them "operatives." They were silent as the grave and swift with a knife. They wouldn't use a gun unless it was necessary. I had gotten pretty good with the knife, too, but not as good as these guys.

Inside, two of these operatives knew how to deal with the traps inside, and we wound up not trippin' a single one. By the time we reached the stash in the back of the warehouse, we had to take out the armed chemists that were makin' 'em. We were home-free after that.

"How are we gonna divide the spoils?" asked William.

"Everyone gets a little something," said Maggie. "We'll divide everything equally, caps included. Call it an offering of good faith for future operations."

"Future operations?" I asked. "I thought this was a one-time gig."

"No, this operation went perfectly thanks to the people standing in this room. It'd be a shame to let talent and well-structured teamwork go to waste." She looked around at all the faces that were unfamiliar to me, then she frowned at me. "I hate to say it, dear, but you need to pick up the slack. How many people did you take out during this operation? One?"

I could feel myself get uncharacteristically embarrassed — a learned response. "Y-you told me not to blow the operation, and I didn't. Hell, I practically stayed out of the way."

"Then why should you get anything at all if we carried you?" asked someone I didn't recognize.

"This won't happen again," Maggie reassured them. "I've been working with him for a while. Besides, we'll have plenty of others working with us eventually."

"Will we?" I asked incredulously. "Why wasn't I informed of anything?"

She shot me a look. "Can this not wait until after we've hashed out the chems and left the warehouse?"

"No."

She sighed. "I want to build a group of like-minded individuals that put caps above all else. People who want to strive for a higher quality of life. Even if we have to steal and kill to achieve it."

"You're building a gang of raiders."

Her face went blank as if she'd never thought of that before, then she smiled. "Huh. I guess I am. But we'll be so much better than the common raider gangs. We're thinking big-picture."

Then, as she turned to the group and started barking orders to them, that's when I had had enough. Raiders kill and take from the innocent. Raiders were the biggest problem the Commonwealth had, and the reason so many good people died. It was one thing for her to take from me, treat me like garbage, even if it's what I deserved. It was another thing to subject the Commonwealth to one more group of lowlifes.

"I'm leavin'" I muttered.

"What?" Maggie asked without turning to look at me. She was rummaging through a box of Calmex.

"I didn't stutter. I said I'm leavin'."

"You're not taking any chems?"

"Keep your chems. I'm goin' back to Diamond City."

She searched my eyes. "Oh, you're serious." She laughed.

"Laugh it up, like you always do. You're a bitch, and it's somethin' you take pride in. While you and your little operatives gather up your loot, I'll be busy walkin' back to Diamond City."

"Hey, watch what you say to her," said William.

We both ignored him.

"You've threatened to leave so many times. Even if you did, you'll be back."

"No. I won't. You've treated me worse than dirt for the last year, and I'm done with it."

"I wouldn't have to treat you like that if you weren't so goddamn pathetic."

"You're the one who's pathetic! Look at you! Look at what you're doing!"

She reached her hand up to slap me. I caught her wrist and thrust her hand away. "Never touch me like that again."

William shoved me. "Hey!"

I reared back and sucker-punched him, knockin' him to the floor.

"Go, John. Get out of here," Maggie demanded. "Watch how shitty your life turns out. Eventually, you'll be begging me to take you back."

"Like hell. I don't wanna see your face again." I turned and left her and William for what I thought would be the last time.