Crossfire - Fallout 4 - [R J MacCready x Sole Survivor]

Chapter 10

"Well, whatever you did, it worked-"

A beep, and the robot whirred back to life. It extended its claw so suddenly – Dawn was quick enough to dodge it – but it made no further movement after that.

"Welcome to. Boston Common. Metro. Station. May I have. Your tokens. Please."

Dawn balked at the machine before turning to her partner. "You, uh...You have any subway tokens, Mac?"

A blank stare was his reply. He absentmindedly patted at his pockets, despite knowing full well that he would have no reason whatsoever to have any of those stupid tokens on him. "Nope."

She hummed when she looked back at the robot, brows furrowed in deep thought. "Maybe I should have changed the personality settings to something else-"

"TRAVELING WITHOUT. A VALID. TOKEN. INCURS A SIXTY. DOLLAR PENALTY."

A siren blared from the Protectron in steady alarm, lights flashed from the top of its head plate and it grabbed Dawn's wrist to keep her from escaping. She scrabbled helplessly as she pulled away, but its grip was too tight. "I can't..." She swore under her breath as she tried to resist. "Mac, I can't get it off me!"

"PLEASE WAIT HERE. FOR THE. AUTHORITIES. TO COLLECT YOUR. FINE-"

The ground shook with a thunderous roar. Both of their attention was at the far end of the common when they watched the swan fragments rise, black water dropping in fat rivulets as a giant, hulking behemoth emerged from the pond. MacCready looked on in horror when the behemoth shook off some slimy water from its limbs, grey skin wrinkled from being submerged underwater, and it turned, and the giant glared straight at them with its black beady eyes.

MacCready barged into Dawn, shooting the connective ball joint of the Protectron with his sidearm, and kicked at the claw to free her. The Swan was running towards them with giant strides, yellowed bricks for teeth bared as it scowled at its new victims.

"Move!" MacCready yelled as he dragged Dawn with him. Another roar echoed behind them as they ran away. The Protectron's shrill siren glitched when the giant grabbed it with fat hands, crushing the metal between its fingers. It threw the mangled robot at the pair, and they narrowly dodged it when its body crashed in front of them. A giant hand made a grab for Dawn, but she ducked and scrambled away from its grasp. The mercenary whipped out his rifle and shot at the Swan, drawing its attention to him and hopefully make it ignore Dawn at its feet.

"Run!" He bellowed, grabbing some of the rounds strapped around his thigh to reload his rifle. He fired at the mutant, slowing it momentarily, but it gained back its momentum and swiped at the young man.

He's not as quick to dodge.

All breath escaped him when he was knocked aside like a kicked can. He let go of his rifle from the pain and the force of the blow, and landed a few meters away. His discarded rifle clattered next to him. Stars flicked into his vision as he lifted himself up onto his elbows and coughed – and by God did it hurt to breathe – with his ribs aching under the strain.

The stars receded, but his hazed vision only saw a giant foot in the air above, ready to stomp and crush him.

Gunfire. The Swan was jarred enough to lose its balance and its foot missed MacCready by inches. Dawn was stood in the open as she emptied her clip, bullet after bullet, each shot hitting the Swan's neck. The giant swayed, its fiberglass armour creaking from the movement. It switched its attention back at Dawn with a grunt and stomped over to her and roared in anger.

A raised foot. Another stomp. But Dawn evaded each attack. More rapid fire from her pistol popped through the air, but it wasn't powerful enough to pierce its thick hide. MacCready crawled to his rifle, not quite trusting his legs yet to stand or run; and instinct kicked in as he assumed his sniping position.