It's the End of the World

Chapter 19

The vic pushed my arm away, causing me to stumble. I blinked and shook it off as I prepared to throw another punch. I swung again, this time being sidestepped. I whipped around to face the runner. I studied him for a second. Taller than me. Wearing no armor, just a plaid shirt, jeans, and a mask. A bit of hair showed through the mask, the bright red a stark contrast to the dark gas mask. He spoke again.

"I'm not here to fight you."

I did my best to maintain my commanding presence.

"Good. Then this should be easy."

I stood with my fists up.

"I came to see you."

I scoffed, keeping my arms up.

"Got a complaint for me?"

"No. I just needed to see you. You know me."

I narrowed my eyes and stepped around him.

"Then why won't you show your face?"

He reached up and took off the mask, tossing it a few feet away. I shook my head at him.

"I don't know you."

He looked intently at me before speaking again.

"I know you had a mission about two and a half years ago. You had to get a prototype. You fought a small army of synths and disarmed a minefield to get it."

I gave a short laugh.

"Whoever told you that embellished the story quite a bit. I had help. And that does not prove you know me. You have about three seconds before I pay five hundred caps to blow your head off."

He took a step forward, now only a foot away from me. I narrowed my eyes at his audacity to come closer without trying to fight me.

"It's the end of the world. Skeeter Davis."

I blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"The first song we slow danced to. It was in the Hotel Rexford, when we had that looting competition."

I took a deep breath, trying to keep from reacting.

"How. How do you know that?"

He smiled at me, and something seemed familiar. It clicked.

"I know I look a little different. But I'm still me, boss."

My breath caught in my throat as I looked up into the eyes that used to be hidden by sunglasses.

"Deacon... It's been two years! TWO YEARS!"

I fought back tears.

"And just walking in here?! If I hadn't been using knuckles I would have killed you! What the hell were you thinking?!"

Deacon stood there quietly, letting me shout. The crowd was quiet. They were listening to the scene that was unfolding. After I had a minute to get all my anger out, took a deep breath. 

"Come on, we have a lot to talk about."

I gestured at Gage for him to open the door.

"The fight ain't over, Overboss."

I yelled at Gage to open the door. 

"Dammit, Gage! Open the fucking door!"

He hurriedly did so. I pulled Deacon along with me, pausing by Gage to drop the bag of caps at his feet. 

"Tell everyone the fight is over. I'm leaving. Take the rest of the day off."

Gage nodded with a surprised look on his face. I led Deacon to the Grille to catch up on everything that has happened. I sat at a table with him.

"I know you must have lots of questions for me, boss."

I nodded, trying to organize my thoughts.

"Yeah. How did you make it out? And you don't look the same. What happened to you? Why didn't you come back sooner?"

As the questions poured out, the tears began to do the same. I was overwhelmed by all the emotions I was feeling at once.

"Turns out I was relayed to the wrong place. I ended up in some island to the north. I had to change my appearance because of what happened-"

I interrupted him.

"Because what happened?"

His eyes widened as he realized.

"You... you don't know, do you?"

I watched as his face fell.

"The Railroad was hunted down by the Brotherhood. For helping synths. I don't know how many of them survived."

"I had no idea. I'm so sorry."

Deacon nodded slowly.

"That's why I had to change the way I look. I grew out my hair, and had surgery."

I tilted my head and touched the red hair.

"You mean to tell me that your hair isn't black?"

He chuckled.

"That was a wig. On a more serious note, how did you end up here? Running a gang of Raiders?"

"I did it to get away from the Commonwealth. And it was an opportunity to make Preston pay."

"Pay? For what?"

"For what he did to-"

I paused before continuing.

"I did it for you."