It's the End of the World

Chapter 15

In the months that followed the complete take over of the Commonwealth, Gage and I became very close. Our relationship was mutually beneficial, and gave us both something to look forward to. I took him with me on various errands I wanted to run, and he watched my back when we were in less than safe places. And finally, I had someone that no one would dare harm. One of the many perks of being the most powerful person around. Other than Elder Maxson, who went back to the Capital Wasteland after the Institute was destroyed.

I leaned back in a patio chair with a Nuka-Cola in my hand. It was just past noon on a warm day. I watched the Raiders go about their business in Nuka-Town. It was my go to activity when there was nothing pressing to take care of. Other than having a few runners to take down, there wasn't really that much to do anymore. I looked behind me as I heard footsteps on the concrete ground.

"Gage! How's my favorite Raider?"

He chuckled and pulled up a seat next to me.

"Same old, same old. Anything planned for today?"

Before I could answer, Fritsch ran over to us. He hunched over to catch his breath.

"Runners. Group."

I exchanged looks with Gage.

"A group of runners? That's unusual."

"They're almost to the warehouse. You should come see. They're dressed funny."

I chugged the rest of my soda and tossed it into a trashcan as I walked past. Gage got up and followed me. We climbed to the roof of the warehouse to get a look at the runners. I couldn't quite see, so Gage hoisted me up to get a better view.

"Who are they?"

"Oh, man. This is too good. They're Minutemen."

Gage set me down.

"As in the people we took the Commonwealth from?"

"The very same. Let's get to the arena and armor up."

We took a short cut to get into my private armory next to the Cola Cars Arena. I put on my strongest armor and loaded up on my best weaponry. Gage did the same, using his choice of gun.

I walked into the Arena and heard the announcer giving progress on the vics.

"And here they come, folks! Time for a show!"

I stood in the center as the door opened. The group walked in, led by none other than-

"Preston Garvey. How nice of you to visit. Came to file a complaint?"

Preston lowered his gun.

"I don't want to fight you, General!"

I laughed in his face.

"After everything I have taken from you, you still call me General. That's not me anymore. I'm the Overboss."

He shifted his gaze around the Arena, then back to me.

"I have hope for you. The person we know is still in there."

"Ha. You're more naive than I thought. Don't you see? This is the path I chose. No one chose it for me, like my life before."

Sturges stepped in from behind Preston.

"What changed?"

"Plenty of things. I wanted Preston to feel the same loss I did, by taking away what he loved most. And now, now I realize. This is where I am meant to be."

"You're destroying the Commonwealth! This isn't the way to go about your loss."

I shook my head at Preston. 

"I didn't destroy it. I made it safer. Raider attacks? Nonexistent. Hunger? Not a problem. Land? Plenty for everyone. Your complaint is that I did it better than you."

With every word, I took a step closer to Garvey until my face was inches from his. I stared him down as I grinned, knowing I had won.

"But there's fear. It isn't safety. It's terror. And that's not how we do things."

"That's how I do things."

I spun around and walked away.

"I'm not finished with you!"

Garvey shouted to me.

"So you want to fight? About damn time."

I aimed my gun at him.

"I will if I have to. Don't make me do it."

I looked around at the cheering crowd of Raiders. 

"How about this. You all put down your weapons, I won't kill any of you.If you resist, you'll get to see just how good I am with a gun."

Preston gestured for his followers to surrender. I stepped back to where Gage stood and whispered to him.

"Open the door. We'll take in Sturges and Garvey. The others, well, how about a little audience participation?"

Gage nodded. 

I took Sturges' strong arms and held them behind his back while Gage got Garvey. We walked through the Arena, leaving the other Minutemen to the mercy of my Raiders. The sounds of guns going off and yelling echoed behind us. Gage and I took the men into Fizztop Mountain and pushed them into two of the many cages. Once they were locked in, I walked over to Preston and leaned on the bars of his cage.

"I bet you're wishing you hadn't pressed that button now, huh?"