Fallout: Origins

Chapter 15: The Great Battle

The Vertibirds were roaring as they zoomed by, carrying on board not only Omega Squad, but the main force of the Canadian detachment of the Enclave. Their only goal: destroy the Elder of the Vancouver Brotherhood of Steel.

As the rotors were flutting, the only thing Michael could focus on was the last few days events. Him meeting with Patricia in the woods, and their adventures on the way back to their headquarters. Then his track of mind shifted to Patricia herself. They had spent a night together, which kept running in his head over and over again. A frown grew upon his face.

"Hey, Mike!" Jack snapped his fingers in front of Michael's face, and he quickly snapped back to reality.

"Hey, sorry, Jack. ADD kicking in."

"You didn't take your meds today, did you?" Jack sighed, and pulled a pill bottle out from his pocket. "Good thing I brought extra. Docs said this stuff should work pretty quick, not like your usual stuff. Take them, man, you're gonna need them." He placed two capsules in Michael's hand and focused on the others, as they were devising a plan. Michael downed the pills with a bottle of water, and the copilot turned to them.

"Approaching the LZ, Sergeant. How should we proceed?"

"Take us down right in the middle. I want the main forces creating a distraction while we move in to deal with Heron. Do it right, guys, and I buy first round when we get back. That means NO dying, got it?" Michael raised his pistol in the air, which was toasted with the rest of the squad's sidearms as well.

A few minutes later, the Vertibird landed right in the middle of the base, and when they exited, Michael's heart sank. He saw his brothers in arms being slaughtered like cattle at the front gate. He knew he had to help, but he also knew that he had to get to Heron as soon as possible to force a surrender.

"Riker!" Michael called out. "You stay here and help the main forces get through that damn gate. We're storming the barracks, meet us there when you finish. Got it?"

"Yes, Sir!" Riker hopped out of the vehicle and jogged briskly towards the front gate, which was protected by a machine gun turret.

"James, cover Riker. Don't let that lug hurt himself."

"Got it, Sarge." James grabbed his rifle and took the nearest cover.

"Everyone else, on me!" Michael led the charge towards the other end of the base. Patricia told them when to turn, but Michael remained on point the entire time, determined to see this come to an end before it became a pandemic.

They sweeped through the barracks quite quickly, as most of the Brotherhood forces were outside dealing with the Enclave. They cleared every room with ease as they marched their way straight up to the Elder's chambers. Along the way, their armor had become severely damaged, and they had to lose it. The only had basic armor now, which meant any round could be fatal. But they were ready for anything. When they finally arrived at the door, they took a moment to talk.

"Patricia." Michael looked at her with concern. "We're about to go in."

"Yeah no shit, dumbass. I can see that." Her tone was cocky, yet surprisingly calm.

"I mean, you may have to kill your old team mates if it comes down to it. Are you prepared to do that?"

"Yes. Now either open that door, or I will kick it in and shoot anything I see. Got it?" Patricia's mood changed on the drop of a dime, and was now pissed beyond all belief. Michael's heart started beating faster, accompanied by a few drops of sweat. Jack simply laughed and reached for the door handle.

The large metal doors creaked open slowly, and Michael could hear the faintest sound of scuffling on the other side. Ambush. He surveyed the room as quickly as possible. It was a spacious room, about the size of a ballroom. With a large desk with a chair in the middle, and several pillars scattered about the room, likely hiding the guards. He looked around for a possible area of cover, and could find nothing.

"Jack, frag." And he pointed to a little gathering of pillars on the far side. Jack pulled the pin and lobbed it as hard as he could, and the grenade flew across the room, exploding upon contact. Using the smoke and explosion as cover, the team darted across the room to the large, circular desk in the middle and took cover in the middle of it, protected from all sides. They were surrounded now, sure, but they had cover, at least.

"Elder Heron!" Michael bellowed, and his voice echoed in the room. "We only want you! You started this, and now it's time for us to end it! You can either come peacefully and stand trial among the Enclave and spare all of your men, or we can kill you and your entire chapter here. What kind of leader will you be known as? The coward, or the hero?"

There was a few moments of pause, followed by the pubescent voice calling out "I am a hero! But I will neither surrender, nor lose this day! Your forces will be driven from our home, and your head a trophy!"

Suddenly, for armed guards swung from behind the pillars, laser rifles in hand, all pointed at the desk in the middle. Patricia drew her gun and fired on one, killing him with a headshot. Knight Peterson was no more. Then, Jack fired a round, injuring Captain Anderson.

Finally, Michael stood up, and drew his pistol, pointing it at Anderson to finish her off. His iron sights pointed straight at her head, he squeezed the trigger, and the explosive shot rang through the air, as Anderson fell, lifless. Then Michael looked down, in shock. In his stomach, layed a smoking 10mm pistol, and the round through the other side of him. It jumped three more times, but all Michael could hear was the ringing of his ears as he bled out. 4 bullet holes in his stomach and chest, with Heron at the trigger. He had been hiding on the other side of the desk the entire time, throwing his voice.

"NO!!!" Jack screamed and put every round he had into Heron, of which Patricia followed his motions. Heron's body jerked around, with each bullet and laser passing through him, a smile on his face. The words he uttered when he hit the ground were "At least I avenged Elder Wolff." As he blacked out in a pool of his own blood.

Michael layed but five feet away, in the same position.