Fallout 3 - Beautiful Stranger

Chapter 9 Part 2

The river flowed a sluggish trail through the area, a natural barrier between downtown D.C. ruins and the rest of the Capital Wasteland. Patience calculated that the river stretched over a thousand feet in width at this point. Too far to swim.

Upon reaching the river, Vincent turned the party south-east, following the bank, his eyes watching both sides. Several times, he brought them to a halt as he spied raiders on the northern bank and, once, a large party of Super Mutants exiting a building, dragging several humans along.

Patience's gut wrenched as she stopped herself from firing across the river. The idea of allowing the Super Mutants to take the humans, and do god knows what to them, almost made her choke with bile. It wasn't right. Every fibre of her being wanted to somehow find a way across and slaughter every last one of the Super Mutants.

"They're already dead. Or worse." Vincent noticed Patience's dilemma. He remained calm as the Super Mutants disappeared into the ruins, the shouts and screams of the humans deadening, becoming dull and then growing silent. "Pick your battles, vault dweller."

"Oh, she's already got one battle picked out ready." Valrie continued pushing Vincent's buttons.

"Don't torment the puppy, Valrie, it might snap and then I'll have to swat its nose." It helped to lighten her mood, but trifling with Vincent could work against them.

"You know what, fuck you! Both of you!" Vincent almost jumped to his feet, the Super Mutants now out of sight. "You don't know a fucking thing about me."

He strode away, head down, shoulders tense and hunched. Beside Patience, Valrie let out a cackling laugh. It didn't appear that the older woman was about to give Moriarty's bodyguard a moment's respite. As far as Patience could tell, if Valrie couldn't spit in the face of Moriarty, then his agent would do as well.

She couldn't find it in herself to feel any sympathy for the man. He had, after all, chosen to ally himself with Moriarty, a man that Patience forged an instant dislike and distrust towards. The only reason she allowed the man to come with them was due to necessity. He, through Moriarty, knew how to get to Vault-Tec HQ. She did not. It was a simple as that.

For, she guessed, the hundredth time, she considered what Valrie had said, before. It would be so easy to switch off. To settle down in Megaton, or as a bodyguard for Valrie on her trading route. It would be so easy to put aside her need to find answers. At least, that's what she thought to herself. The reality was, she could no more ignore the questions in her mind than she could stop breathing.

Vincent crouched, bringing them to a halt once more. Using military hand signals, he told them to observe beyond a broken down piece of wall. Patience kept low and hunched against the wall, taking a second, then glancing around the side.

She saw a wharf at the side of the river, built to take two or three small river boats. Pilings, set into the concrete of the dock, lined the edge, ready for boats to tie off to. On the inland side of the wharf, several tables and chairs sat, some with umbrellas, and, at the far end, a small hut stood alone and apart. The hut, large enough for, at most, three people, appeared well maintained. Brightly painted with a red and white striped awning protruding from beneath the roof. It all seemed so unreal. So mundane. Like a picture postcard of a time long gone.

"I go first, follow in single line, keep your weapons down." Vincent spun his assault rifle behind his back and stood up, walking around the broken wall, towards the wharf.

Valrie raised an eyebrow to Patience and Patience could do nothing but shrug. She stood, rested her assault rifle onto her chest (keeping her finger near the trigger guard), and followed Vincent around the wall. Valrie, reluctant at first, followed.