Spectacle Island: A Fallout Story

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"Nick," a voice cuts through the thick fog surrounding the pier.
I whip my head around looking for the source of the voice. I can hardly make out Nick's face through the fog, but I can see a stern expression worn on his face.

He stays silent.
"Nick!" It calls out once more; it sounds fairly familiar.
"Who is it?" I call out in a loopy voice, masking my identity, but holding my combat knife close.
A male figure emerges from the fog and I slide up behind them, swiftly holding a knife to their neck.
"Who are you?" I hiss.
"Guess, sweet cheeks."
I know this voice; I know it a little too well for my own liking.
I drop my hold on him.
"MacCready. I should've known," I spit, twisting the bastard towards me. His bony face and crooked smile greet me. "Looks like I've had you in a chokehold twice today."
"Bite me."
"Be careful what you wish for."
"What the hell is going on?" Nick emerges from the boats with a lantern, his yellow LED eyes shining through the fog.
"It's just MacCready," I forcefully push him away.
"Jesus~" he stumbles back, and to my dissatisfaction, finds his footing.
He stares at me with an unimpressed look; his eyebrow furrowed and his lips slightly pursed.

Seems like I'm really starting to cut through his thick skin.
"Bea! C'mon!" Nick barks. I can make out a look of disgust illustrated on his face in the dim light. "I don't like the bastard either but have a little decency, would ya?"
"He needs to leave."
"What do you want MacCready?" Nick interjects, ignoring my irrational hatred for the man. Well... Nick himself isn't a huge fan for the same reasons, one being:
He's an opportunistic mercenary prick.
"I was posted and I saw you two sneak down this way. My curiosity is dangerous, I guess," he squints his eyes and stares at me like a fox pinning its prey. "Besides I'm bored here. Spectacle Island is too peaceful."
"Too peaceful," Nick echoes MacCready's words.
"So you're just a nosy little bastard?"
"You got it," he winks.
"Really?" my voice cracks. "Really?"
Nick scoffs and turns away, the light of the lantern slipping away into the foggy night.
"Wait, where are you going?" MacCready chases after him. "I still wanna know what's going on!"
"Fucking child," I mutter to myself, watching his ass chase the synth to the night.
I sheath my weapon and stand idle, hesitant.
I would rather not engage with MacCready tonight.
I can hear them conversing in hushed tones, only picking up a couple words here and there.
"...diamond... the ghoul...yea... it's dangerous."
"That's... .... you need... gun... I'm pretty... a shot."
"... not my cup of tea..."
"... bottlecaps ..."
"... shoulda expected..."
"What're you guys talking about?" I shout into the abyss.
"Nothing," MacCready barks back.
I jog over to the two, my hand finding Nick's shoulder.
"He thinks it'd be better if he came along," Nick drones. He sounds deeply unimpressed.
My whole being turns sour at the thought.
"Hey look, I hate those fu- err~ things... and just the two of you? You're sentencing yourselves."
"Okay." Nick laughs with a touch of disdain, "How much do we have to pay you then?"
"I'll make a deal. Half the reason I wanna join is because I'm bored and I wouldn't mind spilling some ferals, but I never do anything without a couple bottle caps waiting for me at the end."
"Yeah. We know," I sneer.
"So," he ignores me, "100caps. I'm being generous."
I look MacCready up and down through the fog; to his binoculars fastened to his belt, the ammo worn around his leg, and lastly to his rifle.
He would be useful.
I just don't know if both Nick and I can put up with him. I have no clue why he wants to tag along in the first place; maybe he's got an alterior motive.
I don't trust him.
I look at Nick, hoping his opinion is illustrated on his face. Yeah, he looks just as annoyed as I am.
"Nick?"
"I don't know, Bea."
"Look, you guys can split it 50/50. You need me and you know it," he snickers.
"What about Preston? Piper? Are they on the Island?" I whisper to Nick.
"No clue."
"Shit. Well... fuck it, we don't have to talk to him," I turn away from Nick. "Alright, fine. Just keep your mouth shut and you'll get your reward after all is said and done."
Nick groans and lights a cigarette.
"Well, time for a dysfunctional family boat ride."

"Knock it off," Nick growls as he paddles the dark water.
MacCready innocently looks up from his rifle; he had it aimed directly at Nick.
"What? I'm just making sure nothing ugly pops out of the water.... My bad, it's easy to mistake you for a mireluk," he smirks.
"Shut up, MacCready," I snap at him.
"You're lucky I can tolerate your bullshit, Bea."
I ignore him and continue to paddle.
It's silent except for the sloshing sea.
Nick says nothing which suprises me; usually he'd have a witty comeback lined up.
He's gotta be beside himself about Diamond City. He's about as emotionally involved with that place as I am with Spectacle Island.
Makes sense to me; that place gave him a chance to lie down roots after being tossed aside by The Institute and 'waking up' in a pile of garbage. That's what he knows at least...
I look at the old bot, his brows sewn together, his heart set to protect Diamond City.
He's a dignified, dutiful man.
My heart pounds a little faster and I feel... a little anxious.
I laugh out loud.
"What the hell are you laughing about?" MacCready sneers, gripping his gun a little tighter.
Nick looks up with inquiring eyes.
"Nothing, nothing."
Slosh.
Splash.
More silence.
Looks like I've got a crush on a hunk of metal.

Diamond City looks no worse off than it did before, the bright lights are still bright, the smoke from the power generator is still reaching into the blue sky, but... it's uncharacteristically quiet. I don't see a single soul.
"It's quiet... a little too quiet," MacCready chuckles to himself, "man, I always wanted to say that."
"I mean... you're right though." I draw my sword, preparing for the worst.
I'm gonna need Santa Maria for this kinda job; a combat knife won't cut it.
Anxiety starts to bite at my gut now, something's not right; I can feel it.
"Something's not right," Nick says, nearly reading my mind.
"There's not a single soul here..." I stalk down the stairs, white-knuckling my sword.
In the dusty, unkempt street, my eyes fix on a shadowy figure, slowly wobbling in our direction.
I'm not going to assume they're human.
I stand still waiting for their next move; if they charge towards us, I'll just slice them to bits, if they go another way though, we can follow~
"Hey!" MacCready calls out.
I turn around and throw my hands.
MacCready doesn't seem to care, he's already aiming his gun.
"What are you doing?!" Nick hisses.
I look at Nick with disbelief and he mirrors the expression.
"C'mon! It's just one guy!" He squints and switches up his footing, ready to shoot.
The shadow perks up and stumbles towards us. We all intuitively know by that run, the way it's flailing it's arms, that it's a feral.
"Shit! MacCready, shoo~" before I can say shoot, he's already done it. The shot rings out into the city, breaking the eerie silence. The feral collapses into the dirt.
Nick and I stand in disbelief. MacCready smirks, lowering his rifle.
"I never miss."
"They... they've hit the city?" I mutter.
"Why only one..?" Nick lets those three words slowly escape his lips.
Then, just as slowly as Nick's words, handfuls of ghouls peel themselves out of the shadows from just about every visible corner of the city.
"Shit," MacCready curses, raising his shiny gun.
I hope he doesn't miss his shot now.