Wandering the Wastes

S

Silk

First time out of the vault
Giving the spear a final twist, Lyla put her foot down on the carapace of the now extinguished Radroach and yanked her weapon free. Any shelter and the little buggers could be found there, usually feeding off some poor bastard who'd been unlucky enough to be overwhelmed. It'd certainly explain the older odour that lingered in the house over that of the three newly vanquished bugs. They tasted like feet unless spiced and they definitely smelled like old feet, feet that had been dipped in old and moldy brahmin cheese with bits of faeces clinging to the cuticles and then sponged with unwashed testes. She was glad for the scarf that hung about her face, it filtered the worst of it otherwise she'd have chundered the moment she walked in.

At least there was no more movement in the house apart from her own, the living room was an array of broken and chewed furniture, old radroach husks and a decidedly human skeleton. The kitchen wasn't much better, everything had been opened and looted long before she got here. Still, it was always worth looking, people missed things and sometimes left things as well. At least the houses were easy to search, so many out this way seemed to look the same. Like the old world had lost it's imagination and just replicated hundreds of the things all at once.

Weirdos.

Walking back to the front door and looking outside, it still seemed quiet out there. Another morning amongst another batch of houses in some nameless and abandoned settlement of old, the sun was rising and it was only going to get hot. With her water reserves starting to get a little low, she wasn't so keen on moving about during the day when she'd sweat more. Night was the friend of someone who travelled, as long as you didn't stumble across a deathclaw but realistically, the day was no friend either in that respect. At least at night you were both stuffed and it came down to luck and not rolling an ankle.

Taking hold of her bag she'd left outside the door, she dragged it inside and closed the door behind her. This would have to do, though maybe she'd toss the bodies out first.

After checking upstairs.

There wasn't much to find, save a room the radroaches hadn't gotten into yet. The mattress was a bit rotted but still serviceable, it definitely beat lying out in the open. It always felt a little sad when you found a relatively untouched room. Normally rooms had been fouled by the people and creatures of the waste, but this looked like only a couple of people had slept here before and hadn't torn the place apart. Posters still hung from the walls, soccer and baseball to match the glass cabinet where only a couple of wooden trophies still stood, anything metal had probably been looted. Searching the drawers yielded a few pieces of clothing, her size but not to her taste save for a bra that was just her size.

A little poignant, but she wasn't going to dwell on it. The rest of the top floor secured, she headed downstairs to grab her backpa-

"Fuck!"

The couch collapsed as she reached the bottom of the stairs and already a head was emerging from the wreck. Grabbing the bag, she didn't make for the door but instead made her way up the stairs as the radroach pulled itself through and a second began to emerge. Tossing the bag down the hall, she made for the shelving and pulled it down, crushing the first radroach that was making it's way up and blocking the second. Looking over the barrier, she could see the wreck more clearly. The couch had been sitting over a hole that several more radroaches were pulling themselves through now. Sticking her spear over the barrier she got the tip under the second radroach and flipped it in a lever motion, sending it sailing back down the stairs onto it's back. After a little while it managed to rock back onto it's feet where it scurried into the kitchen.

Taking the shelving from the other rooms except for the one she'd earmarked for herself, there was no way the roaches were getting at her and they seemed relatively unconcerned with her now that she wasn't downstairs. Taking her backpack to her room and closing the door, she had a look outside. Still clear, no horde of radroaches, maybe they'd even be gone from downstairs after she'd taken a nap. If not she could drop from the window and make her way then, either way a problem for future Lyla. Pulling the bed away from the window so she wouldn't end up in the sun, she shifted the chest of drawers across the door and started unpacking her things. A container with some brahmin jerky and some water, she was right for a rest. With any luck, the afternoon would be her time to go.

OOC: If you're interested in meeting up, message me. Oh, and if there are any problems with the bio or posting be sure to let me know mods, I just wanted to kickstart something while I still had a bit of spark.
 
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Yawning, Lyla stretched out as she rolled onto her belly and looked out the window. Mid-afternoon, still a bit of time to get ready and make some distance with the light. Definitely time to change, jeans and a long-sleeved shirt for the night. She was going to have to find a jacket at some point, the nights were beginning to become colder. A blanket too, even though she didn't want to weigh herself down too much. Blanket was preferable to freezing, or maybe a long jacket like the Trailblazers used, she could use a drizabone.

Boots were the last to go on, jeans tucked in to hold the warmth. A bit more food and water before heading off while looking outside. The light wind from the morning seemed still now and there wasn't a cloud to be seen, good weather to be out in. With any luck she could make at least a few more hours travel. A few days away from where she'd been told there was a large settlement, from there she'd be able to restock and explore. If, of course, this settlement actually existed. It wouldn't be the first time she'd gone in one direction to find a place empty, of not just people but also a settlement altogether. Of course, maybe she'd just gotten turned around but she doubted it.

Moving the chest of drawers and letting herself into the hallway, she made her way to the stairs and took a look down. Still a few radroaches but they seemed fairly docile. It might prove easier to just head out the window, but she didn't like the idea of risking injury. Of course, it was preferable to radroach bites, and while she'd not gotten sick in the pasts she didn't particularly fancy risking it just now.

Window it was.

Heading back to her room, she took another look out the window as she finished packing up. Plenty of ti-

Crack!

She was down on the ground before she even had time to think as the tinkle of glass rained around her. Running her hands over her face and body, she couldn't find any blood but outside she could already hear voices outside.

"Wooowee!"

"Get her!?"

"She's down!"

"John get over here! You and John get through that door, lets see what she had!"

At least three. Hands shaking, Lyla pulled out her 9mm and scrabbled toward the door on her elbows so she wouldn't cut her hands. Opening it just enough so she could pull herself through, she made it behind the stack of bookcases at the top of the stairs just as the door ripped open. A single shot from what sounded like a shotgun and then the door was shut again.

"Fuck me! Radroaches!"

"So!? What are you armed with a fucking rock!?"

"Shut up! There's at least five, we go in together and clear them quick, alright!?"

"Three, two, one, go!"

She didn't fancy her chances running, not with three of them. But since they already figured she was down, well, maybe she could reduce the odds. Shots were ringing as the door was ripped open and she only waited a moment before she looked over the barrier with her gun raised. Four men and she fired four shots before she ducked and ran back to her room with shots ringing behind her.

Grabbing her bag and spear even as she heard a scream from downstairs, she quickly ran to the room opposite, flicked the window latch and lifted. Tossing the bag and spear outside, she hung on as she threw herself over then dropped down. Grabbing her gear she made for the next building while the gunfire behind her ceased. She knew she'd dropped two and as much as she wanted to scavenge she liked living more. Off to the east and double time, by the time they got up there and realised she was gone, she'd have the distance and she'd keep on running till there was some more.
 
Ruefully she reviewed her 9mm, three bullets left. She remembered having two clips once, those were better days.

The morning sun was a welcome guide now that it had finally broken the horizon and the dim grey of dawn. It'd been a few days since she'd met those bandits, or opportunists, they were always much of a sameness. Replacing the clip and holstering her gun, she pulled out a map from the pack she was kneeling before and looked over it with a pencil. Westfall was a bust, but if she continued on east she'd reach Vale and then maybe Ontario. Maybe she'd find something out there more to her liking. If it wasn't too irradiated to enter, but it wasn't as if Ontario had been one of the great cities like New York or San Francisco. She'd just have to see how she went, and if it wasn't to her liking she was pretty sure she'd swing down south. Maybe get back onto the road and follow the 84, Nevada was a desert and word was NCR was in that territory.

It was bad enough they were trying to push further north into Oregon, one day they'd cross paths with Eureka if they went north far enough and then try and force Eureka to bow to them like they had with other settlements they'd once been aware of. Bypassing that altogether would be worth it.

Taking one of her waterbottles out and sipping as she folded the map with her other hand, she packed both away and shouldered her gear and hauled herself up by her spear. Another day or two of walking before she ended up at Vale, if she followed the directions right. If nothing else, she'd hit one of the roads first and be able to follow them in, if she was willing to take the risk of raiders watching the ways.
 
Vale was quaint.

At least that is what it felt like, maybe in the old world it might've supported a few thousand at most. But as it got closer, one couldn't help but get the feeling that it never really made it big. Maybe it lived in the shadow of Ontario, perhaps it was lucky not to be swallowed up altogether like other cities had absorbed smaller settlements and made them suburbs. Then again, Ontario wasn't that big, the capital of Salem was far to the north and Lyla didn't really intend to head that way. Trailblazers head out that way, out here they were less inclined. Most settlements that were populous and filled with opportunity were along the coast, there were more options there for people. Inland, well, those options began to diminish.

According to common wisdom that was.

At least there were some people here, guards at the gates that looked wary enough and people going about their business behind shanty walls and barbed wire. The view from an old Mormon church afforded that much, combined with the scope that she'd pried from a useless hunting rifle. There were maybe . . . a couple of hundred at most. Most were lightly armed, more like the frontier settlements that dotted the landscape than a raider's camp. That wasn't a hundred percent guarantee but it was better than nothing. Besides, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Exiting the church and walking down the 20, it wasn't long before she was at the gates. A man and a woman were sitting above the 'rampart', such that it was, and it was the woman who called down first.

"What's your business?"

Looking up and smiling brightly, Lyla waved up at them. "Just wanting to buy some supplies and passing on through to ava' captains out Idaho way."

It was the man who squinted at her before calling out. "You got a strange way of talking, you from out west?"

"Yep, not that far from the coast."

"Eureka?"

"How could you tell?"

"We'll open the gate, give us a sec." Getting up from their seats, they disappeared for a moment then the front gate swung open. Consciously slinging the spear over her shoulder, Lyla walked over slowly so they had time to observe she was friendly. At least it seemed Eureka's name counted for something out this way, it meant that Trailblazers must have come this way at some stage.

"Don't suppose you've got a name?"

Smiling cheerily, which wasn't hard now she could see the general flow of business so close, she cocked her head slightly as she answered. "I'm Lyla, from out Eureka way. And you are?"

"Tony."

"Barbara. You don't look like a Trailblazer."

Looking at herself meaningfully, Lyla looked back up and smiled. "I guess I don't."

"Well . . ." the two looked at each other before continuing. "Follow the 20 down to the market, or if you're interested in some work hang a right on Court St. The sheriff has some jobs that need doing if you're interested in a few extra caps. And if you're interested, and every other Trailblazer that has passed by has been, the Stone House is near there as well. Oh, and you look like you've been out there for a bit. The hot springs here are clean but they aren't free, they're across the bridge on the other side of town."

"Ripper, hooroo then."

At that Lyla set off down the street, leaving the pair wondering exactly what their newest arrival had said.
 
Supplies came first, refilling her lighter fluid and getting food and fresh water. People were easy-going enough since she didn't look like a tribal, there was also a nice Brahmin leather duster but that was beyond her caps. It was the first settlement of size she'd found since leaving Eureka and it was nice to be around people again. People who weren't trying to kill her or steal from her anyway.

Maybe it would be worth going by the Sheriff's, but it was off to the Stone House first. It wasn't that far from the farmer's market and it was an interesting sight, well, it was an interesting site as well she supposed. Unlike the other houses that were more of the same that she saw out in the wasteland, the walls were literally chunks of rock that had been shaped into large bricks and mortared together. Stepping onto the patio and running her hand along them, she was surprised to find that it was sandstone. They'd started cutting sandstone in Eureka thirty years back to build new houses to replace the tin shanties they'd first made on the surface, but there was more supply in the Winchester Bay area than she'd have thought to find around here.

"Its a lot older than Eureka, still stands today though. What do you make of it, Lyla?"

Looking over her shoulder to see an older gentleman in a long coat, Lyla smiled at him and turned around. "I see word gets around quickly. I think it's good that some of the old world still stands, the old old world. This is older than most of the stuff I've come across."

"That it is." Stepping onto the patio with her, the man nodded at the building. "It was the first building here, before Vale was Vale. The town grew up around this spot, after the Oregon Trail ceased to be as popular this was a good place for the casual traveller to stop by. Its still one of the finest buildings here, back then they used it for weddings and celebrations and today isn't that different. Sometimes I think the old old world, as you put it, was better than the old world. They made things to last."

"Its good to see things like this survive everything that has happened." Cocking her head slightly at the old man, Lyla added, "I don't believe I caught your name."

"Sheriff Towers, at your service." The old man doffed his hat with a small smile.

"An old gunslinger as a Sheriff? Isn't that a bit of a cliche?"

"Everyone who lives long enough becomes a cliche."

"I suppose that's true. The guards at the gate mentioned I might be of service to you rather than the other way around. I was going to come by after checking this place out."

"Glad to hear it. We have a few jobs that need doing around the place. One in particular for a traveller such as yourself, if you're still headed out east?"

"I am."

"We have dispatches for Parma to the south-east. All you have to do is get there and drop it off with the Sheriff down there."

"Sounds deceptively easy."

"I guess you've not been out this way before. Ontario is flooded with Ferals and the other two nearby points to cross, Nyssa and Adrian, are held by the Tomahawks. They'll either kill or enslave you, so either you've got to sneak past one of those areas or head further south and cross at Homedale."

Frowning, Lyla set her pack down and pulled out her map for Oregon. Speaking as she scribbled, she asked, "and you don't want to risk one of your own?"

"Not really, no. Homedale is the safest bet but its also the longest, more time for something to happen to you. The others are shorter but your chance of catching yourself a dirtnap is higher. Neither is good but we'd like someone to forge through and you've made it this far from Eureka so you have a chance."

Frowning, she put her map away and zipped her pack up before getting to her feet again. "I'm heading out that way, might as well be paid for it. I take it that pay will be waiting for me there?"

"Sheriff Johns is good for it. You're not the first person to do this run, and hopefully if things go right with this no one else will have to for a long while. Come by the office before you leave town and I'll hand you the letters."

"No dramas, see you tomorrow." Taking up her spear, Lyla left the man there. If she was going to be setting out so soon she wanted to check out the hot springs and get some rest, if there was somewhere nearby with a good bed.
 
Washed clothes, hot spring, fresh meal. These were the things that made Lyla happy.

As did the Goodrich Hotel. Nice place to stay, her own room with a lock on it was nice. The key sat nicely in her pocket as she relaxed, a couple of guys had sat down with her during her late lunch but when it was clear she was just interested in talking and not much else they'd moved on to the bar where people more their speed were. That or they hadn't liked her that much, she wasn't too concerned either way.

What did interest her on the otherhand was the piano that sat in the corner. Wandering over to it with a beer in hand, she sat her drink on the floor next to her as she took a seat and lifted the fall. Holding the soft pedal down with one foot, she tried a few notes and winced, it was definitely not in tune and some didn't work at all. Lifting the cover to reveal the strings inside, she could see what the problem was. Whoever had last used the piano was a dumbarse and had not only failed to tune the piano but they'd left the tuning wrench in amongst the hammers which was why some of them didn't work.

Fishing it out, she inspected the wrench briefly, it was a little worn but it still fit easily enough when she started tuning. Tapping away at keys as she worked her way across the board, she was only at it for a few minutes before she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"You can fix it?"

"Doesn't need a fix, just a tune. Can do that easy enough." Blowing a stray hair out of her face before turning around, she found it was the barman. Dave, that was it.

"If you can, dinner and drinks are on me."

"Cheers."

It was a few minutes after he left that she leaned down to have a drink and found a second bottle next to the first. Finishing it and taking a swig of the second, she turned back to the task at hand. Another twenty minutes and she might reach middle C.
 
How this happened she didn't know.

Dinner and drinks for fixing the piano had become put on a show come dinner time. She was definitely not the greatest piano player who ever lived, but for some reason it was all going down well. Guess they didn't get much entertainment out this way. Even Sheriff Towers seemed happy enough, drinking moonshine and chatting while she hammered out another song. There wasn't much call for what she liked to play herself, more the stuff which you could find on the old records. Heart and Soul, Fools Rush In, I Only Have Eyes For You, the sort of stuff she'd played and sung for her dad, it used to remind him of her mother. It was easier to imagine that she was playing for him rather than this crowd of strangers.

It'd been a month now since she'd left, she missed him to be sure as well as Kev and Luke, but just staying in Eureka her entire life wasn't her. She didn't want her whole story to be born in Eureka, grew up in Eureka, married and had kids in Eureka, died in Eureka. People in the old world used to travel, they used to see things, experience things. There was an old book she read that had explained it best. That there were people who slept their whole lives, never having new experiences to jar something deep inside of them, something that had to awaken. The sleeper must awaken.

How else would she have ended up here if she hadn't dared to set out and find what was in her, what she was made of?

Yet she still missed them. But then, anything worth doing was rarely easy as dad had said. Maybe that was why a lot of travellers and explorers seemed to all have stories of their families being dead, easier to wander when there was no one tethering you to a place.

At least she'd have a few extra caps in her pocket after tonight, and it seemed, maybe a few fans. Maybe she could do this at different settlements she visited, it'd be one way to make money at least. There were worse ways to make money than putting smiles on a few faces, some people who roughed it out in the new world didn't smile enough.
 
Ontario wasn't even worth it, not with the equipment she had. Plus, with the amount of ferals that were meant to be abound, that meant radiation. Without some rad-x or radaway, she wasn't really willing to risk it.

Nyssa on the otherhand, abandoned for the most part except for the bridge which didn't have a single car on it for cover. Instead the raiders were a band of six, a couple outside at all times with one on the ground level and the other up the top of a billboard that hung from a laddered post, maybe thirty feet from the house and fifty feet high. High enough to give whoever was up top a fair view of the area to see who was coming. If it wasn't for the overgrown brush around an abandoned freight car she'd not have been able to get a close enough look with her scope to see what was what. One thing was certain, she wasn't getting through there with an open gunfight. But there was always more than one way to skin a cat and they were just waiting there, defensive. Luke had always said the advantage was with the unseen attacker, whoever had the initiative.

Six to one, but they did like hanging about in that house. There was a way to use that to her advantage come night time. All she needed to do was scavenge about in Nyssa and she might be a bit lucky to find what she needed. That and for only one of them to be on the billboard at night. Assuming no one else came in, but if worst came to worst she could always run away again. Running always worked when nothing else did and fighting a 'fair fight' out here was stupid. Heroes died but it was the pragmatic who survived.
 
It had taken the better part of the afternoon to find what she was after then a bit of rest before late night came.

Her pack left behind with the container, it was a slow approach. Circling the house and the burned out sheds nearby, slowly working around until she was close to the river. All it took was patience, waiting until the sole sentry they'd posted in the night turned around and make for the next bit of cover. It was a good hour until she made it to the far side of the house from the billboard sentry but it was worth it. She'd had to give up her spear so she could carry the bottles of metho she'd scavenged from various garage's and filled up, thankfully most people weren't willing to hit the piss that hard that they'd drink the stuff.

Three bottles was all she needed.

Working her way around, pouring it around the building as she listened to the low talk and snores from inside, she worked as quickly as she dared. There were two doors to the place, one was at the front with a roof over the patio, the other was just around the corner and opened up toward the billboard. That one took a bit more effort but the sentry was looking far, not short under the full moon.

There was no hesitation on her part as she left the last bottle on the ground near the door and withdrew her lighter from her pants pocket. She'd already considered what she was going to do beforehand, kill six people and take their things before continuing on her way. They were people, but then she'd seen what raiders were capable of. They'd made their choice.

Whoooooosh!

A rush of wind and flame as the house was engulfed in a rapturous conflagration. She was already underneath the billboard as the flames rose, waiting as the sentry cried out and yelled as he half dove down the ladder in an attempt to get down to help those screaming inside. He'd only jumped down the last few steps as he prepared to try and bash the closest door down when Lyla had him by the hair, yanked him back and stabbed him in the back several times until his weight went dead and dragged from her hand. Snatching his rifle from the ground, she made her way to the left to afford herself a good view of both doors and placed the rifle butt firmly against her shoulder, kneeled and waited.

It didn't take long for the side door to burst open. She waited till they had all stumbled out, some of them with possessions haphazardly in hand. It wasn't a contest at close range with them still struggling to breath, five more corpses on the ground. The house was burning up too quickly to dart in and loot like she'd intended, but at least she could lift what she could off the latest gifts to the carrion of the wastes. A couple of baseball bats, probably what had been used to bash the door down, were no use to her. But there was another 9mm amongst them and a couple of cases of ammunition. Add to that the rifle she'd lifted, a .223 Colt which was semi-auto, she was definitely a lot happier with her situation than she had been before.

Turning out the pockets there were some extra caps that were handy, that was it for here. She'd need to run to her pack, load up and quickly get across the bridge before people from the other bridge got savvy, or raiders from another camp that was unknown to her. With any luck if she kept her head down and moved quietly and slowly once on the other side so she wasn't too obvious, she'd reach Parma before dawn broke.
 
"So you're telling me that you wasted five guys that have been holding that bridge from us for three months now."

Lyla raised an eyebrow at Sheriff Johns, he seemed a little unsettled by the prospect. "Easier from my side where I didn't have to cross a bridge. You can ask them yourself if you'd like."

She didn't like the look of him. He was young but corpulent, with the sort of slitted eyes some people get when they are so overweight that their eyelids are swollen with grease. Alright, that was most unkind, but she just didn't trust it. It reminded her of gecko that wasn't sure if it was going to either laze in the sun or try and chase you down and savage your leg. To compensate for her thoughts she smiled brightly. "We could walk together if you'd like."

The distaste on his face at that comment said exactly what he thought of that. "That won't be necessary, we've already sent out men there to see for themselves and occupy the bridge if it's clear. In the meantime, assuming your story is true, do you know what you carried?" He held up the letters in his sausage fingers for effect.

"Nope. Not my business."

"It could be." He'd already flicked through them so he tossed aside the paper on his otherwise cluttered desk nonchalantly. "We've wanted to dislodge their hold on our trade routes for awhile now. You've already managed to do half the job in terms of the bridges, we'll be moving on the other bridge soon. We could use an extra gun in the meantime to head out with them, would you be willing to head out with us?"

Out of the goodness of her heart? Not when they could handle themselves. "Get myself shot at? No. You've still not paid me for delivering those letters."

The pursed lips were those of an accountant, too bad that sense of restraint with money didn't extend to brahmin burgers. What was wrong with her? She normally wasn't quite so mean and he hadn't done anything too offensive. Apart from the whole eyeing her over like a kid eyes off a cupcake but far more lasciviously. Reaching over to the draw, he pulled from it a small bag and tossed it over. Picking it up and having a look inside to find a bunch of bottlecaps, she ignored the offended look on his face as she reached to the side, unzipped the bag and put them away.

"So, lets say I was to go. You're not in immediate danger and can handle this yourself, I'd just be an extra gun. What is my incentive?"

"There was a woman who came by this way awhile back, similar to your build. Had herself a nice piece of leather armour. Didn't save her in the end, she took a bullet to the thigh, clipped her femoral artery and she bled out before we could save her. I'd pitch that armor in to give my people an extra gun to keep them safe."

"Ace." Cocking her head slightly at the returning frown, she added, "I'll do it if I get to wear the armour there. When do we head out?"

"You head out in ten, see my deputy about that armor."
 
Well, their side of the bridge was clear. That was the problem.

The Tomahawks were holed up on the other side, at least they hadn't been noticed yet but there were a lot of them. At least ten, most of them seemed to have a gun of some sort on them.

Not that they didn't have the numbers, she'd come along with twenty from the town who'd decided to take up arms. The problem was that the bridge was a terrible chokepoint and there was no cover on there, no cars conveniently placed there for them to be able to move between cover. The only cars in immediate sight were on the other side of the bridge and formed a nice barricade for the Tomahawks to take cover behind. Any movement over there was going to be a death run and she didn't fancy that herself. She'd sooner hand the armour back and walk away than put herself in that position, armour was little good to a dead woman.

At least they didn't have a high sentry point like the other bridge. But they occupied both buildings either side of the road on the other side of the bridge. If they were sleeping in rotation that meant there could be even more of them.

"This is why we didn't go sooner."

Looking at Calhoun, Lyla rolled her eyes. "I didn't realise I was that obvious. This is a dog's breakfast, we charge that bridge and we'll be stonkered. Yet your Sheriff wants us to take it now rather than wait for Vale's people to get down here."

"Tomahawks will reinforce here if we give them time, we don't know where they're based so they could come from either side of the bridge. Either way, if this gets reinforced much more we'll bleed a lot more people."

"Dog's balls. We're going to have a nut out a better plan than charging down here." Looking at the river, it was then that something came to her. "Making a raft would take too long, but the river looks low, the growth is higher there and the water is calm. A map I looked at before leaving said there was a small island further south, Suzy, we might be able to use that to cross. If I take seven people with me, you keep the rest on this side. We engage and hopefully take a few down at the start. If we've circled right around we might be able to drive them off, you wait on this side and cut them down if they charge over. Or if they don't, you can at least charge over with them not paying as much attention. Just keep low and get to those cars."

"Sounds good to me."

"Alright, lets get back to the others and go from there."
 
The first volley decided it.

They'd been able to walk across thigh deep to Suzy then across to the other side of the Snake River. Working their way back up and around had taken a couple of hours but they were careful and remained unseen, totally worth it. They had some cover on this side of the river but there was no chokepoint like the bridge for them to feed into. There was ample cover between a couple of broken buildings and gnarled trees dotted the space inbetween which would allow them to move up as long as they were careful. Just what they needed to look like they were coming in hard and in force.

Three were cut down in the initial shots, then they'd pushed up hard and kept firing. The speed of their movement and the fire gave them the illusion of numbers. Lyla was able to sit back a little with her rifle and put pressure on while those with handguns moved closer, pinning down any attempt to exit the closest building and winging someone in the process. The Tomahawks fell back from both positions to the bridge where the cars they'd massed provided them cover and a position to flee from. They'd taken down seven and there were still as many at the cars.

They didn't last there long and decided to make a break across the bridge. It didn't last long after that.

Surprisingly only a couple of people were injured, the afternoon had been the right time to hit them. While the others were meeting up and caring for the others, Lyla had checked through the buildings to make sure they were clear. Also to steal away what she could first. A stimpack, some caps and a second 9mm with some ammo were all she was able to steal away without being obvious. Better to be modest then get into an argument over who got what. Particularly when her backpack was still in Parma.
 
The luxury of being able to explore Parma was an appreciated one.

It was definitely larger than she'd realised, larger than Vale. You could tell where they had deliberately ripped up old buildings though to make room for crops. The buildings ripped down had provided materials for the walls, apparently someone in the past had found the site and had a bit of know how when it came to building. Little wonder no one had rolled over this place yet, some of the work was probably better than back home in Eureka. Not that she wanted to admit that to herself but thats just how it was, you didn't learn by refusing to take knocks when they were deserved.

It was definitely filling up though, people who had travelled far enough and wanted to a place to settle, this wouldn't seem too bad. Except for that dickhead Sheriff but at least her dealings with him were done and she had the armour she wanted. She'd stick around a couple of days, maybe take some light jobs, maybe even do some performing if they'd have her before she left. It'd do to rest up, it'd give her enough time to take in the place at least. They actually had a pool, which would have been great if the geiger counter hadn't gone off. It was part of why she was looking at it so mournfully now, it'd be nice to have a dip if she wasn't going to grow a couple of extra toes for her trouble.

"Not the best idea." Turning to find a woman in her forties standing nearby, Lyla simply raised an inquiring eyebrow at her as the older woman stood next to her. "I don't suppose after all your excitement with the bridges that you'd be interested in some work?"

"It'd depend on the work." The woman, with her brunette bun and slender figure reminded her of a praying mantis. Well, alright that really was harsh, why was she so negative about Parma? "What did you have in mind?"

"Exploring, which I've heard you're already doing." The woman smoothed her plain dress and held out her hand, "my name is Ellen Michaels."

"Lyla Black." Shaking the hand that was offered, Lyla gave the woman her full attention as she asked, "what did you have in mind?"

"Come with me."

Following the woman for a couple of blocks until they reached what Lyla presumed was Ellen's house, they stepped inside to find what looked like a chemistry's student's wet dream. She guessed.

"Over here." Joining her at a map on the wall, it was a handy map for the entire state of Idaho. There were several notes on it, of particular notice was the one that Ellen was pointing to just a bit north-east of Boisie. "A number of people in this area came from an old vault around this area, Vault 57. It shielded people from the initial blast and fallout, but due to limited supplies they had to open after thirty years. A number of our descendants helped found this town, from the Sheriff to the Doctor it's normally a vault descendant who holds the position. There is something I'd like checked out there, even though it has long since been picked clean."

A Vault? This sounded intriguing, if dangerous. "If it's already been picked clean, then what is stopping you from going there and what are you after?"

"Wildlife last we knew a generation back like Molerats and the like, no one has been there for awhile. What I want is going to sound absurd though. I want dirt."

"You're right, that does sound absurd."

"I'm hoping there is still some dirt there that is uncontaminated, there are some experiments I'd like to run with filtering radiation. The first step is to have that uncontaminated soil though." Pointing to a large plastic container, Ellen added, "I need at least one full container's worth to start. If you get through and find the dirt and bring it back, I can send others to get more. As for pay, I can pay in caps or alternatively I could take you under my wing for a bit and train you."

"Caps sounds good to me." Picking up the container, Lyla considered the map before talking. "I'll leave the day after tomorrow, anything else?"

"The card that is sitting right there. You'll need that to enter this Vault, or to exit from it."

Pocketing the red keycard, Lyla smiled at Ellen. "Got it. Going to go grab a few things I might need for this trip, I'll see you before I head off."

"See you then."
 
Travel took longer than expected.

Apart from a few gecko's and a feral ghoul, the trip had been relatively uneventful. Took the better part of a week, even after she was able to leave some of her things with Ellen. She'd not come across anyone along the way, as far as she was concerned it was a great hike. The trees that made up what was once a national forest were gone, upon their long dessicated remains feasted a whole range of fungi, some of which had grown taller than the trees she had seen. It was eerie, particularly at night when they glowed lightly under the moonlight, but it was definitely a new experience. There hadn't been much in the way of predators once she'd made the line of mushrooms.

There it was though, the cavern that led to the first vault she was going to see with her own eyes. A proper vault, not the network of bunkers that her ancestors had taken refuge in. Even to see it would be an experience, even if it were picked over like Ellen had said. Still, she had her spear and she had her guns, she'd just have to be careful in there not to get caught out by a rush of wild creatures. Though having said that it was curious that they had not been seen on the way here. Must be daytime cycled, in the night there was nothing but the soft glow of the flora around her, the moon and a cave tha-
 
Hurt.

That was the first thing Lyla registered as awareness crept back in, shortly followed by the fact that everything was black. No, not black, blindfolded, tied up, around some sort of post that felt metallic. Trying to move her feet to find that they were bound around her boots, she stilled herself through supreme for of will as opposed to giving in to her initial reaction which was to thrash and call out. No sound, it felt neither warm nor cold, even the metal pole she was bound to wasn't cold. Tucking her knees in she brought her feet down and began to push herself up slowly. The pole would not give, as she moved up she used her hands to see what it was. She couldn't lock down what it was but there were no sharp edges there for her to cut herself on, or what felt like rope. It was a little coarse though, maybe that would have to do if she was going to start working away at it.

Her blindfold needed to come off first though, it might not be worth trying to run depending on where they were. Moving her head either side until she found the bob of the knot holding it in place, she began to work her head up and down with the knot of the fold, pulling it up bit by bit until she could make out a low light. Working away at it until she felt the knot shift onto the top of her scalp, she tossed her head to one side to free herself of it completely.

The room had a dull blue light to it, metal walls and consoles were abound. None of the consoles themselves worked, the soft light was the only sign there was any power in the facility at all, emanating from lights hanging from the ceiling. It was quiet, as she worked around the poll she realised it was against the wall. To her left was the door, she just needed to get free. Focusing to bring her trembling limbs under control, she began to work away at the pole, rubbing rope against it as hard as she could, focusing all the movement so it was down near her wait so she was pushing and pulling on a single point. Pausing a couple of times in her work, she was thankful for the lack of visitors as she slowly whittled it down a thread at a time.

She could the warmth building up in her wrists, the itch, the pain, but there were no alternatives nearby. By the time it broke free, her wrists were on fire and bloody but at least she was able to catch herself on the pole as she toppled to one side. Sliding down it to sit on the floor, the rope around her boots was easier to undo, a simple bowline that she had to pull the cord free of. As she got it free she took a closer look at it, it was the rope she'd brought with her from Parma, one of several things she'd bought there in case she needed it to move around the Vault.

Which is where she was fairly certain she was now.

Picking up the rope scraps as she stood and looked about the room, she considered her options. The room was bare, much like Ellen had said the Vault most likely would be. Though for her to be here and tied up, it was most likely people lived here now and not the friendly sort. They hadn't killed her, as far as she could tell they hadn't done anything else to her except strip her of her pack and weapons, but friendly people rarely ambushed you and tied you up. At least when she put her hand to the back of her head and withdrew it there was no blood.

The imposing metal door was sealed, it looked heavy and noisy. If she opened it she was going to alert anyone nearby to the fact that she was up and about. Of course, waiting here also presented a problem, if too many people came then she was stuffed when they found she wasn't there anymore and decided to search the room. But then, only a few people would be preferable to everyone converging on her at once, if there were a heap of them, she couldn't even be certain of that. This room had no traces of anyone except herself.

Shit, shit, triple shit.

Assume that at least two would come to get her. Open the door and step through, see she wasn't tied up. Door opened by sliding, there were no visible hinges, she'd been tied up to the left of the door. They would be exposed but so would she if they had the presence of mind to turn around quickly. If there were two she'd have to take out at least one in the first few seconds. No usable weapon, could use the rope to loop around and swing them into hard metal but not guaranteed to work. Person could yell out for help if not knocked out, could not strangle them without the first coming to their aid and if they were stronger she was boned.

Looking at the rope that had been bound around her boots, she uncoiled it and looked over it's length. Long enough for what she wanted, something that could do the work for her. Hunkering down beside the door, she looped the rope so the knot was large enough and with the spare rope from her wrists she wrapped her knuckles up to give them some sort of protection if she had to use them. Controlling her breath was hard, she closed her eyes as she slowly inhaled and exhaled to counter the jitters running through her once more as her mind threatened to stop working. She consciously turned her thoughts to what she might run into to try and prepare herself for what was going to happen, even as she focused her awareness on hearing the steps she was waiting for.
 
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Her eyes snapping open, Lyla quietly got to her feet and took a step or so away from the door to it's left. It sounded like only one set of footsteps but it was hard to tell through the metal and she didn't think she'd be that lucky. Wait a moment for the second to come through, then rope them and shove them into the first, jump over and attack the first while they were off-balance. If she moved quickly enough it'd work, if not, well she was stuffed either way. Closer, closer, her grip on the rope tightened then loosened because she was aware of it biting into her palms alongside the rope she'd already wrapped around her fists.

The doorway parted and a single man stepped through, one set of steps. He was just starting to say something when she managed to slip the knot over his head and pull hard so it constricted against his neck. Not just with her arms but with her body weight as she dragged downward, pulling him down onto her which served to muffle the sound of his fall. He pulled against it out of instinct which served to tighten it more then he laid into her a couple of times with an elbow to her ribs before she let go.

It didn't matter at this point.

Getting to her feet as he scrabbled at the rope, he didn't seem to realise that the constrictor knot fed off the pressure he was putting on it, making it bite deeper and making it harder for him to breath. It did occur to him to cut it but she was on her feet and able to kick the knife out of his hand. Racing over and grabbing it as it stopped clattering, she quickly walked back over to him as he weakly jack-knifed on the floor. Not so much out of pity, more out of a need to keep him silent as the grave, she stabbed him twice in the chest with the second blow leaving his wide eyes stark and empty.

Blade dripping with gore as she pulled it free, she looked up to the door as she listened out, nothing. Grabbing his body and dragging it away from the door she had a quick look over him and felt herself go cold all over for two reasons. The first was that this guy didn't have a handgun on him, she'd wanted a handgun if she was going to fight her way out.

The second was a tattoo on the left side of his face, a pretty distinct one that she'd gotten accustomed to over the past couple of weeks.

A Tomahawk.

They must not have realised it was her from before, they wouldn't because no one survived. But if they did, let alone what they'd do to her now as it was. Shaking the shakes out of her arms, she bent down and wiped the blade on the corpse's clothes, letting it drip as she walked was going to lead people her way. No point taking the guy's clothes, they were way bigger than her size and no one would be fooled. Walking lightly to the door, she poked her head out into the corridor. No one in either direction, no sound.

Stepping outside, she hit the button next the door to close it behind her and decided to go left. When in doubt, follow left because eventually you have to find your way out.
 
Even under only a soft light, Lyla felt exposed as she snuck about the corridors.

Room after room she checked, empty. Maybe there were only a few Tomahawks here, it'd crossed her mind that this was possibly their home that no one had found but she would've expected a lot more of them but she was finding neither, let alone a way out yet. It'd gotten to the point where she'd actually returned to where she'd started and was heading the other direction. Maybe this wasn't their base, maybe she'd just come across a couple of them, maybe even just that guy that she'd stabbed in the room she was held.

That was wishful thinking, no way it was just one guy by himself.

The corridor ended in a single door, nowhere else left to go. Laying her ear against it, she couldn't hear anything on the other side. Squeezing the knife-handle tightly, she moved to one side and touched the door to open it.

Elevator, she'd not come across one that worked before but she knew what it was at least. Stepping inside there was the very simply problem of what was going to happen next. There'd have to be a guard at the top that was paying attention, maybe a couple. With just a knife she was not getting out that way, even if her initial urge was to do exactly that. Stuff the task and her gear, living was way more important. Except she wasn't going to live without her gear, that simple. Even if she could outrun everything that came after her, she couldn't guarantee she'd find food out there and it was a long way back to Parma.

Fuck it.

That eliminated the top floor, top of five. She was on the bottom, that meant that on at least one of these levels they were holed up. Most likely that was where her equipment was as well, though she hoped they had it in some sort of storage area rather than having divied it up already. Of course, whichever floor she went to, if they were there they'd be looking at the door when it opened. No gun, no chance if they had one and still stuffed if they didn't, they'd have time to call out for help.

It felt like pushing her luck, waiting for the elevator to move, but it meant she could at least get the first hit in rather than the other way around. If she was going to get through this alive it was the only way she was going to be able to do it. Waiting patiently on the inside of the lift, she waited for the elevator to move.
 
Lyla almost jumped as the elevator started with a jolt. The light came on for level four, she wouldn't have much time. Adrenaline surging through her, she stepped to the side opposite the elevator controls. Realising how sweaty her palm was, she swapped hands for a moment and wiped her hand dry before replacing the knife, ready to go. Remember, wait a moment, see how many there are. Slash for throat, move to the next one if there is one. Don't stop moving, until no one is standing. Don't let anyone get a gun if they haven't already drawn, prioritise anyone with a weapon after the closest. Surprise will slow them down, just have to be quick, be quick.

Crunch.

A jarring stop then the doors opened, "I bet he's fucking her n-"

Two stepped on and they were turning to the controls as they did so. Reaching over as she stepped forward she cut the closest's throat and as the other began to turn at the gurgle she was already pushing forward. Her free hand clamping over his mouth as she drove him back off-balance into the wall, she thrust several times as she desperately kept hold of his mouth to stop him from yelling out. He went down weakly as she whirled about, no one there. Peeking outside, a corridor ran along the doorway but not too far. There were several doors on the other side but none of them were opening.

Looking over the two bodies, she found one point of interest, bastards had her 9mm's. Taking them along with their ammo, she tucked one of them inbetween her belt and pants and kept the other in her hand. Stepping out, it was a dead end to the left so she went right and inched her way to the corner quietly before looking around. A small corridor that opened into a larger one that ran across it. Four doors along that far wall.

So, four doors here, five back in the other corridor, she could at least see this area if not floor was clear. Moving back to the elevator she picked up the bodies and dragged them out into the corridor. It was bad enough that there was blood all over the floor and wall, it'd be even worse if someone called the elevator and found the bodies. Dragging them to the dead end, she left them there and went to the first door. Using her knife hand to tap the button to open the door, it slipped open quietly to reveal a bedroom. More importantly, a raider on the bed.

She almost shot him on the spot, instead she stepped inside and tapped the door closed behind her. He started to stir but he wasn't going to get the chance to go anywhere. Taking a couple of running steps she jumped and landed on him, digging her knees into his arms and sticking the gun straight into his mouth as it started to open to yell out so hard that if he wasn't gagging on the muzzle it was probably a broken tooth.

"Shhhh!" Holding the knife above his eye, he quickly stilled even as his eyes darted this way and that wildly. "I want to talk to you, but you have to be really quiet, alright? If you're not then we can't talk and I'll make you quiet. Quiet, alright?" Getting a small but shaking nod, she looked at him intensely. "I'm going to ask a question, then I'm going to inch this gun out just enough for you to talk around it. Don't fuck with me. Now how many of you are in this vault?"

Pulling the gun away just enough, he talked around the gun, "fifteen."

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. They were down to twelve and the odds were still terrible. "How many on this floor?"

"Eight."

Eight, maybe each room was a bedroom. If they were still asleep, she could kill over half of them before they could get up as long as no one was alerted. She could do that, she'd have to do that. Too many of them to leave behind her, they'd hunt her down for this, had to kill all of them. Fighting the hysteria back, she moved the knife a little closer to his eye. "Where are my things?"

"Took the guns, rest are up a level."

"How many people there?"

"Four."

Not good. "What is on this floor?"

"Bedrooms and generator, thats all."

Generator? "Where is the generator?"

"Other end of the hall, opposite a bedroom." So that was the odd door out.

"You want to live don't you?" Getting another sharp and shaky nod, she simply said. "Close your eyes and count to ten quietly."

His relief at the chance was painful, eyes closed, she waited a couple of seconds then stabbed down. Quick, quiet, instantaneous as the blade reached his brain through they eyesocket. She had a lot of work ahead of her, if people were sleeping she needed to butcher them now while they weren't in a position to fight back. Getting up from the bed, she made her way to the door and opened it, ducking a quick look outside before moving to the next room. Once she was done, the generator was going to be her key to getting out of here.
 
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Fuck.

She couldn't stop shaking. Eight dead, she'd killed eight people and there were still seven more out there that were going to kill her over it once they realised. The elevator hadn't moved at least, she'd actually mopped most of the blood off that she could using their bed covers. It was wishful thinking that she could get rid of all of it, but at least if they weren't paying attention they'd overlook it.

It was an insane plan, that she'd even gotten this far was insane. Switch the generator on and off a few times to simulate problems with the power so they sent a couple of people down to investigate. Maybe she'd be able to take out a couple more people before she had to venture elsewhere to balance her odds. Hide in the room where the first guy in his bed had been, they'd walk the other way to the generator room and she could step out and shoot them in the back without them having a chance to draw on her. If she could just stop shaking so she could even aim her guns!

Pacing wasn't helping, standing still only made it worse. She needed something to help her calm down. Searching the rooms had left her with the pile of things she'd put in her ambush room. Weapons wise she now had several 10mm SMG's, a 10mm pistol and a couple of .44 pistols and their accompanying ammunition, that didn't calm her down overly. Three stimpacks that wouldn't be of much help with her calm, some Jet which was not the easy way out she was after.

Water, there were a couple of bottles. She couldn't tell how radiated they were without a geiger counter but she slowly put her shaking hands around one, popped the top and began to drink. Small sips between pacing, sips that soon caused her stomach to start clenching in hunger. There was nothing here that could help with that though. She'd have to get to her own pack if the bastards hadn't already looted everything from it. The thought almost made her laugh, she still had seven people to kill and she was worried about them eating her food!

Humour was what she needed, the shakes and the cold in her limbs began to leech away until she began to recover a semblance of normality in what was the worst day of her life. Finishing the water, she tossed the bottle to the side and checked her weapons. She was sticking with her 9mm's for what was coming up, better weapons she knew worked rather than crap which could backfire on her. Stepping outside and walking down to the generator room, it was cramped but everything she needed was right in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she reached out for the switch for the generator and began the process of simulating generator failure.
 
"-ust sleeping through it, arseholes."

The elevator had arrived and there were at least two of them, sneaking a peek as she saw three, even better as they were walking down the hall. Stepping out she began to follow them quietly to minimise her chances of missing, rolling steps muffling the sound of her boots as their conversation carried over.

"Well, once we're sure the power is going to remain stable and we're not going to be stuck in that elevator we'll go grab that chick and take her up to Bossman. He wants to ask her about what is out west."

"Wants to stick one in more like."

"Probably both. Either way not our pr-"

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

The first two went down but the third began moving before she could train him. Still, nowhere to go and he followed the other two after a moment. Walking over to them to find that they weren't moving, she quickly went over them. Two sawn-off's and another 10mm pistol. Grabbing one of the sawn-offs, she looked it over. It was in good enough condition to use, she'd hold onto that one. The others she gathered and dumped in her hoard room. Popping the clips for the 9mm she restocked them with what ammunition was left for them and popped them back in. Between those and the shotgun, they would have to do for the next level. Heading over to the elevator, she stepped in and punched it for the next floor up.

Now was the time to push while there was only or two people on that floor and before they started wondering what was taking the others so long.
 
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