Fallout 4: Episode One: Rebirth

6

Opening the large main doors of the museum, Jim limped out into the afternoon light to see a few straggler Raiders running down the street toward them. At first he thought they were screaming some kind of war cry but then he saw it.  Behind them it emerged from the fog, leaping onto a car with a loud crash of  twisted metal and broken glass. The creature was like something from a horror movie. It looked like a dinosaur with horns and huge claws. He felt his breath leaving him as he watched the monster leap from the car and impale a raider on it's great clawed hand.  Preston raised his laser musket and looked Jim dead in the eye. "It's a Deathclaw! Get Mama Murphy to safety!"he cried as he turned and fired at the advancing behemoth. Jimmy Joe grabbed The old woman by the arm and raced back inside the Museum lobby. Glancing sideward he noticed a collapsed section of flooring and he led her carefully down into the basement. Jun held her other arm as they helped her down a rubble pile into the darkness.  A small green glow emanated from a very old computer terminal in the corner near a steel cage. "You guys will be safe down here," said Jim pausing to activate the computer. Jun frowned, puzzled by this stranger's skill. "You know how to work those things?" he asked. "Yep, worked computers on the battlefield during my time in the service." Having hacked the old computer he used it to open the steel cage's door and got Mama Murphy and Jun inside." Marcy appeared at the top of the rubble pile above them, out of breath. "That thing ate the raiders and is chasing Preston down the road!" Jimmy Joe nodded and turned toward a power generator against the wall. He carefully removed a power core from the generator and shoved it in the mail sack. "Might come in handy." He said, climbing out of the rubble to the ground floor. Marcy opened the door and he ran into the street. He saw terror in her eyes and he felt it too. He was afraid. Terrified. Up ahead he saw the creature pacing around a car to try and get close to Preston who was turning a crank on his weapon. Preston shouted, "There's a vertibird on the roof of the museum! It has a minigun mounted on it!" The creature roared and Jimmy felt like he was going to vomit. Running like a madman he bolted into the Museum and ran up the stairs. Preston threw a hunting knife striking the beast in the chest. It ripped off the door of the car and hurled it at him knocking him against the brick wall of a storefront behind him. The German Shepherd appeared out of nowhere and lunged at the creature's tail, clamping on with his powerful jaws. With a snap of his tail the reptilian horror threw the brave canine against a lamp post. He yelped and ran toward Preston turning and growling at the huge predator. Leaping over the car the monster threw aside the car door and grabbed Preston in it's claw. It lifted him into the air easily like a child's toy.
Preston looked defiantly into the creature's eyes as it opened it's reptilian mouth. He grabbed a signal flare from his pocket and burned the beasts face with it. The great behemoth dropped him to the hard ground as it recoiled from the pain. Suddenly, the creature began to disintegrate right before his eyes as chunks of its flesh flew into the air like a fine pink mist. All Preston could hear was the roar of the minigun that was ripping the gray-green beast to shreds. The dog ran for cover as blood and blobs of goo sprayed everywhere. Turning and looking upward, Preston was shocked to see Jimmy in the suit of power armor that was on the roof near the vertibird. Holding the minigun in his armored hands, he finished off the Deathclaw, which let out it's last foul breath and collapsed on the pavement. Mama Murphy opened the Museum doors and walked into the light, followed by Jun and Marcy. "The warrior has awakened!"said Mama Murphy, smiling broadly. "Just like you envisioned." said Preston, standing to his feet. As the sun began to set, Jim handed Preston the laser musket and asked, "Where are you guys heading?" Shifting his pack and adjusting his worn minuteman hat, Preston replied, "Mama Murphy told us about a safe place north of here called Sanctuary Hills. It's not far from here if you want to come with us." Jimmy Joe opened the armor suit and stepped out for a breather. The dog ran up to him and he squat down to give him a hug. "Good boy...you gotta be careful, you almost ended up as a pile of dog meat." Sturges laughed, and said "Hey, that's a great name for him." Jim laughed and nodded in agreement. Turning back to Preston he said, "I lived in Sanctuary Hills before the war. It's not what I remember but under the circumstances it would be a good place to camp out. You'll find my Mister Handy bot there, just tell him  that I sent you. His name is Codsworth and he will prove quite useful to you." Preston smiled and nodded holding out an old policemen's badge.
"For your service to your fellow man, I want to offer you the honorary title of General of the Minutemen. Take this badge and help as many settlements as you can."  Jimmy looked confused and asked,"You mean their are civilian settlements that have survived the war?"  Marcy chimed in glumly, "Nothing to speak of, just a bunch of scraggly farmers trying to scrape out a living." Preston shook his head and said, "No, there are viable communities that just need a helping hand." Jim smiled and nodded, "Ok, Preston, I'll be glad to help anyway I can. I'm honored to accept the title." Taking the badge and affixing it to his vault suit, Jimmy Joe climbed inside the power armor suit which hummed to life as he turned to face the group. "Any idea where these goons came from? I'm trying to find the people who killed my wife and stole my infant son." Preston turned to Mama Murphy who smiled sympathetically but said nothing. Sturges finished loading his revolver and said,"These clowns are holed up to the south of here at the old Corvega plant. You had sure better take some backup with you because that place is fulla' raiders. One thing my ole man used to say is don't go solo to the dance floor." 
"I'll keep that in mind...thanks, maybe I'll see you guys again." said Jimmy and he turned and walked away.
Mama Murphy, eyes glazed over said, "The lone warrior will return Preston, and next time he won't be alone."
Preston replied "He doesn't look alone to me!" They watched as "dogmeat" followed his new master down the dusty road as the sun began to set.