A Little Help Here!

The Fight

Bruce and his gang made their way down the ramps and rooftops to the solid ground out in front of the Brass Lantern. Jenny Stahl was outside serving some steaming-hot iguana bits to one of the settlers. Leo stepped out of the building when he heard the rumble of men stop outside their restaurant.

"Hey there, bud!" he said to Dodger with a wary eye. "What's uh, what's going on?"

Andy walked out behind his brother and crossed his arms, waiting to see if anyone was going to explain.

"Alright, let's do this, boys," Bruce raised his leg up and popped his knee.

"What? No! Not so close!" came the cry of Confessor Cromwell standing in the dirty pool of water surrounding Megaton's undetonated atomic bomb.

"Quiet old man," Bruce snapped. "You ready kid?"

Dodger looked at Charon who gave a small nod. Leo took a step forward.

"Dodge, what's going on?" he enunciated again.

"It's okay," she assured the settlers who had curiously gathered around. Dodger looked back up at the saloon where Gob was standing at the rail watching them from above. Moira and Doc Church stood at the opposite end of the courtyard and Jericho leaned against the Brass Lantern counter.

"It's okay," Dodger continued. "We're going to fight, just stay out of the way. I'll end this quickly."

She looked at Bruce and held up three fingers. "Rules," she began. "One:  unarmed, no weapons." Charon made a fist at his side where he wished he were holding his knife.

"Two: first team with all members on the ground loses." Jericho stood up straight and twisted his back, ready for some action.

"And three: since the teams are unevenly matched..." the rowdy gang looked among themselves wondering if they'd be allowed to fight or wondering which sorry locals this kid would call in for desperate backup. "...Jericho, sit this one out."

"What?!" Jericho's game face fell. "What the heck?! Are you serious?"

Dodger answered, "Stay back, Jer. Just me and Charon against these mole rats."

Jericho cocked his head, poked her shoulder, and said in a lowered voice, "Call me 'Jer' again and I'm joining their side." She brushed him away.

"Are you crazy, Dodge?" Leo piped in. Bruce grinned nervously. He was very anxious to leave, but he knew this was going to be quick.

The breeze blew some dust up around Bruce's feet. Dodger and Charon stood still, waiting for him to make the first move.

One of the guys timidly stepped up behind him and whispered in his ear, "Um, Bruce, we don't have TIME for this..."

Choosing to ignore him, Bruce let out his battle cry: "Alright boys, let's show these ghoul-loving rad-brains some wasteland fury!"

Three of them rushed forward immediately. One began throwing some aimless punches at Dodger, who promptly kneed him in the stomach so hard he threw up in the dirty bomb water. The other two lunged at Charon, attacking from left and right.

Another one came at Dodger, with some impressive footwork. He dealt some sick kick combos, left, right, roundhouse to the chest. She stumbled backward, trying to remember how to kick-fight. She'd gotten so used to her combat shotgun that unarmed fighting felt strange.

Charon shook one guy loose off his arm and shoved him down into the water. He punched the other in the ribs -- the startling crack made Jenny cringe.

"You must not do this! Not here!" Cromwell jumped back when the baddie hit the ground and splashed water all over him. "I implore you, do not resort to violence!"