Crawled Out Through The Fallout

Chapter 46

"We're ready to move out, General."

Preston adjusted his comically oversized gun. I nodded to him and turned to the rest of the group.

"Is everyone clear on the plan? I'll go over it one more time to be sure. We can't afford any mistakes."

"Don't worry, Blue. We can do it."

Piper gave me a reassuring smile before I continued.

"Initial entry team will be me, Sturges, Deacon, and Piper. Once we are in, we get to the relay room and Sturges will make the frequency able to bring the rest in. Danse will lead a group of Brotherhood soldiers to guard us through the Institute to the core in the basement. Once there, I will place the detonator, overload the system, then we get out of there as quickly as possible. Sturges has calculated the safe distance from the explosion. We will be teleported to the safe zone, where we will detonate the core. And last, we celebrate our freedom from the boogeyman of the Commonwealth."

I looked around at all the faces trying to mask the fear in their eyes, putting on a brave face. I hoped I wasn't leading them all to their deaths, but I had confidence in my friends. If anyone could pull this crazy stunt successfully, it would be us. And to think I used to just be a housewife. Now I'm changing the world.

"Sturges, lead the way to the tunnels."

Paladin Danse stopped us before we moved.

"We don't have any time to waste. We are not walking."

I put my hand on my hips.

"Then what do you suggest?"

He gave a knowing smile.

"I don't know about you, but I find a vertibird is the fastest way to travel."

Large engines were heard echoing through Sanctuary Hills, and a fleet of vertibirds landed near the northern lots.

"Excellent idea, Paladin."

I climbed aboard the nearest vertibird and pulled Deacon up with me. Sturges and Piper joined us in the vehicle.

"Ready for take off?"

"Ready as ever. Let's do this."

The fleet rose above the rooftops and flew over the wastes.

...

We disembarked at the closest flat area to our destination and made our way to the tunnel. We stood at the edge of the water looking down at the set of pipes we would go through. I held out a bottle of Rad-X to them. They all took one, and Danse reached for the bottle.

"Nuh-uh. You've got power armor, Danse. You're fine."

Deacon smirked and whispered to me.

"Hell yeah, he is."

Danse pouted a bit before putting his helmet on. I grinned at Deacon's comment.

"Don't let him hear you say that."

Deacon chuckled and nodded.

I looked back out at the group.

"We don't know how much or how little security there will be this way, but we have to keep quiet. Everyone ready?"

There was a chorus of nods from my companions. I dove into the water and swam to the pipe. I got through it and stood in the large waterway. I was soon joined by the rest of my company.

There were splashes coming from up ahead in the pipe. I took out the Deliverer, ready to shoot. I turn the corner and see a feral ghoul.

"Ghouls."

I whispered to the crew.

"Vermin!"

Danse replied and aimed his laser rifle.

"Wait! The shot would echo down here. Let me."

I pushed Danse's rifle down and shot at the ghoul. I hit my mark, hitting it twice in the head and once in the chest. It fell, splashing into the water.

We continued the walk through the pipes until we reached a fork.

"We need to go left."

Sturges pointed.

I nodded and took the turn. A group of ghouls blocked us from the terminal we needed to get to. I aimed at one, taking it down. The others saw us and started running towards us. I shot as fast as I could, but there were too many. Danse saved me from a hit by smacking a ghoul away, slamming it into the wall. He bashed another one over the head with his rifle.

The route was clear. Sturges stood at the terminal and unlocked it. The gate opened and we walked in. We were getting close to the Institute.