Two days later, inside Diamond City Market...

 

 

            I took a bowl of noodles and watched what was happening in town. I was no longer obliged to serve its inhabitants and I hoped none of them would recognize me. My outfit was perfectly adapted to this purpose. 

 

 

            I found a simple job, a bounty to collect. 250 caps, clean up a place from a raider gang called the Shamrock Taphouse. I was going to need a better outfit, a gun and why not some tattoos, a haircut and a new nail color. I had a few things to trade. 

 

 

            I went shopping. I rolled my eyes at the shopkeeper to get a discount.

"So let me get this straight : a gun, an outfit, and some supplies?"

"That's right. Do you know where we can get some tattoos here?"

"I think there's a guy who knows how to do that in the Dugout Inn. He won't give you a discount though."

"He's not as charming as you I guess?"

I made her chuckle. Maybe I was getting a touch with her. I didn't have her as a client when I worked here in my old life.

 

 

            Damn I liked my look. It was almost dark, the sun was setting over Boston and I had some ass to kick.

 

 

            I had arrived at the place called Shamrock Taphouse. From the outside, the place looked abandoned. Inside, there must have been a few raiders, nothing too bad for a girl who had just cleaned an entire factory in her bare feet and jeans.

 

 

          The few members inside were no problem. However, they had tortured and killed one poor guy. A letter was in his crotch. 

"Honey, I found a way to get out of here. There are materials for you in a small warehouse by the river. Meet me there at midnight."

It was worth it to investigate.

 

 

           The same night, around midnight.

 

 

            I waited until 1am. No one came. The letter was for a woman, judging from the equipment left in the storage space. I wasn't going to bother. I put on the suit and the diving tank. The outfit was indirectly intended for me, I fit right in. 

 

 

            I went to the shore and put on the breathing mask. It was time for a midnight swim and I had my arms free. Everything was going to be okay.

 

 

          The water was cold but no waves at the horizon. The end of the deceased man's note concluded with : "If I am not there, follow the light among the stranded boats." He was right. A submarine happened to be stationed here. I dove for an opening.

 

 

          The main hatch was closed from the inside, I found another entrance that gave directly into the heart of the submarine. It must have been intended for maintenance work. I was moving forward carefully, armed with my pistol. I was a silhouette in the distance but I recognized the movements, it was a ghoul, like the ones that swarmed in Lexington.

 

 

            I continued my exploration of the submarine. More ghouls were in the canteen. They were no match for my Desert Eagle.

 

 

          The lower level had hardly any light. I had to be extra careful not to get ambushed by one of these monsters.

 

 

            I screwed up. I didn't pay attention to the two radiation signs. I opened the compartment in which the sub's power source was located. A huge dose of radiation washed over me, I collapsed.

 

 

            I was dragged and tied up in a room of the submarine. The radiation burned my whole being but the pain became acceptable. I was slowly coming back to myself.

 

 

            I raised my head and saw the person who had saved me and then tied me up like this. It was the captain of the submarine turned into a ghoul. The star on his coat, I had seen it before. In the life before the war, it belonged to the Chinese flag. He stared at me, happy with his new capture. 

"You. Raider? Scavenger? Come to loot? Mistake. Open the reactor, pass out. Give Radaway to you. Come home with me."

 

 

          He unhooked me and dragged me into the control room. I wasn't struggling, I was still woozy from the radiation and what was injected into me to remove it. 

"Beautiful woman. Young and strong. Thank you for my crew. I never could. Now home, China!"

 

 

          The captain forced me towards his cabin, his gun pointed at me. The cigar he had just enjoyed gave him a cough. 

"Walk slowly. Enter."

I was thinking about how I was going to get the hell out of there. The chain connecting the handcuffs looked rusty...

 

 

            I was handcuffed to a scale on the floor. He took his time to do it. I didn't know what he wanted to do with me and I didn't care. Once he was gone, I would break the old chain and get out of here before I ended up in the ocean.

"Be good. Launch the submarine. Come back after."

 

 

          With the captain gone, I hastened to break the chain that held me down. After a few minutes, my hands were free, only the bracelets remained. On his desk was his sword, which he had put on display. He deserved to have it back. 

 

 

            I snuck into his command room silently thanks to my bare feet. He sensed something was wrong and drew his gun. Unfortunately for him, I was within range and thrust his sword into his body.

 

 

            I went up to the main hatch. A box was just before the exit, with my possessions as well as those of other unfortunate adventurers who did not survive this forsaken submarine.

 

 

            I returned to the shore with some jewelry and capsules. It was morning, a beautiful day that started in the best way. I took a break and rested while gazing at the old Boston airport. On top of that, I had a bottle of Irish whiskey. Lucky me.