After repairing his armor at the station in Goodneighbor, Mason and the others left, heading north a bit since he knew a church was nearby.
"How much more fightin' is there gonna be?" Mason grunted, stomping the head of a mongrel in as Heather and Piper both took care of one. Grabbing the one Dogmeat was holding, Mason crushed its head between his hands, dropping the corpse to the ground.
"A lot. At least between here and the Castle," Heather remarked, Piper agreeing with her.
"This is gonna be a douleur dans mon cul," Mason remarked, Heather smiling while Piper just shook her head, having already given up on understanding what he says.
"There's a church to the north," Mason remarked as he climbed some rubble over a trailer. "May not be much, but we're gonna see if there's anythin' good there." As they reached the ground, the sensor of the helmet picked up movement nearby, and as Mason looked down, saw a ghoul crawling from under the rubble.
"Bon sang!" Mason yelled, stomping the head of the ghoul in as another charged at him from a set of stairs nearby. Bringing up his arms, Mason knocked the ghoul back as it lunged, sending it flying into a wall. Walking up to it, Mason grabbed it by the head before squeezing.
"RAGH!" a ghoul yelled, jumping from some stairs towards Mason. Swinging up an arm, it connected with the ghoul, sending it flying into the banister of the stairs.
Mason was about to go in the direction of the stairs, towards Faneuil Hall, before feeling something bounce off his helmet. Turning his head, slowly, he saw a raider standing on a guard tower in a small encampment. Turning his attention to them, he began to stroll towards them, more raiders coming up the tower to fire.
"Fuck, they're wearing Power Armor!" one of the raiders yelled as Mason reached the gate. Placing a hand to the gate, Mason brought his fist before swinging forward.
BOOM!
Surprisingly the gate still stood but shook tremendously. Pulling back his fist, Mason swung.
BOOM!
"Shoot the fucker!" one of the raiders yelled, trying to get the others to focus on him instead of the others. Which Mason was glad about. Get their attention on him. Taking a few steps back, Mason got into a running stance before charging forward.
Breaking through the gate, Mason came to a stop as the wood clattered to the ground, looking around to see three turrets, turning to aim at him. Storming to the nearest one, Mason put a fist through the top of it, grabbing it in the middle and by the barrel. Ripping it off its mount, Mason threw the turret at another. As the turret blew up, the last one remaining began firing, Mason holding his arms in front of him to prevent bullets from hitting the sensor on the helmet. As Mason moved towards the turret, Heather and Piper continued taking down raiders, Dogmeat holding down a few raiders to help them.
Reaching the turret, Mason threw a leg forward, kicking it off its mount, sending it into the wall where it blew up, sending sheets of metal flying. Two raiders got hit, one piece embedding itself into the skull of one, the other piece landing in the other raider's chest.
Turning, Mason noticed Heather and Piper had taken care of the other raiders, Dogmeat sniffing the bodies, trying to find anything useful.
"Find anythin'?" Mason asked as he stuffed some armor into a bag. Could use it for scraps. It didn't offer much protection.
"Just some bullets and armor," Heather replied.
"Stimpaks, Blue," Piper told him, passing them over. "Could be useful."
After wrapping them with some cloth, Mason placed the stimpaks into Heather's bag, trusting her to keep them safe.
"You guys ready?" Mason questioned as he stepped back into the armor, it closing with him inside.
"Sure thing, partner," Heather said, smiling.
"Time to hit the road."
Turning back towards Goodniehgbor, they headed back the way they came before reaching the stairs that lead to Faneuil Hall. Heading towards the building, Mason stopped as he noticed a Super Mutant with a hound nearby.
"Heather, how many you see?" Mason asked, seeing her already scouting the place with binoculars.
"A few muties, I'd say eight. And two hounds. One of the mutant's has a launcher."
"Where's the one with the launcher?"
"On the scaffolding to the left."
Having a more clear picture now, Mason thought of a plan.
"Heather, Piper, you go right with Dogmeat. Don't try to circle around, find some cover while I go left and draw their attention."
"That missile'll tear through your armor," Piper remarked, making Mason sigh.
"Depends on the angle. Besides, too fast in armor and the mutants are too big for him to get a clear shot."
"Reckless. I like it."
Getting ready, Mason waited for Heather and Piper to find a spot with Dogmeat.
"Five near the front, three on the scaffolding. And two hounds accompanying the five. Seems easy enough," Mason remarked, annoyed by the fight that was about to occur. He knew most people were afraid of these people, but to him, they weren't all that much. While they were strong, it seemed they were at peak human strength. Something he'd reach when he was twenty-one. Not his words, but his Staff Sergeants.
Upon seeing Piper get in cover with Heather, Mason took a deep breath.
"Time to get work," Mason muttered, before charging forward.
"Die, human!" a Super Mutant yelled as it saw him, alerting the others that had yet to do so.
"Not today, morceaux de merde," Mason taunted, a Super Mutant coming at him with a board. As he charged, the skirmisher with a launcher fired a missile, aiming for Mason. As the missile neared him, Mason spun to avoid it, the projectile narrowly avoiding his chest plate as he kept moving forward. As he turned back forward, he slammed his shoulder into one of the mutants, sending it back as it tried to hold its footing.
"Come on, baiseuses!" Mason yelled, the Super Mutants roaring at him. "That can't be all you chattes got!"
Uppercutting the nearest one, Mason stepped back as the one with a board tried to swing at him, leading the Mutants from the side to the front of the building.
"I'll eat your brain and drink your blood!"
"Might make you smarter," Mason remarked as he kicked a Mutant in the shin, pushing himself back even further as their leg broke.
"Aaaaiiiieeee!!" the Mutant roared, grabbing its leg as it fell onto its rear, screaming in pain. "Get away! Get away!"
"Shouldn't charge recklessly," Mason stated, catching another Super Mutants arm as they swung, using his free hand to grab its leg and swing him into the air.
"Stupid human!" the Mutant roared.
"Here... you... go!" Mason grunted, throwing the Super Mutant back, a missile from the Skirmisher hitting it.
"One down, seven to go," Mason muttered, turning to see a Mutant charging ducking under a swinging board. Kicking forward, he knocked the Super Mutant back, making it topple over a hound.
"AAARRRGGGHHH!!!" the mutant yelled, trying to get up as the hound fell over.
Turning, Mason saw the skirmisher preparing to fire the launcher, and got prepared as another mutant charged.
As the mutant swung a board down, Mason pushed it to the side, placing a hand on the shoulder of the creature as he pushed it to the side, getting himself out of the way as the missile hit the mutant, spraying its guts over him. Seeing that the hound was turned to ash while the mutant that had fallen over it had bullets in its head, Mason grinned.
"Doin' better!" he yelled, Heather grinning and Dogmeat barking. "Three down, five to go!"
Bending forward, Mason charged. Bracing himself, he ran through the supports of the walkway on the side of the building, taking out what was keeping it up. The walkway began to shake, almost coming off the building.
"AAARRRGGGHHH!!!" the skirmisher yelled, nearly dropping the launcher.
Looking at the side of the building, Mason sighed before saying, "One more try."
Charging back the way he came, Mason reached out, the arm of the suit reaching into the building as he ran, ripping bricks out of the building as he tore through it, tearing through the last of the supports on the ground. Coming to a halt, Mason turned as the walkway fell, crushing the Super Mutants that were on it.
He began to turn to the others before hearing the rubble begin to move. Turning back to it, he saw the Skirmisher that had the launcher jump up as scraps got sent flying, a few pieces bouncing off his armor.
"Let's go, little guy," Mason growled, his arms raised, using a hand to taunt the creature.
"STUPID HUMAAANNN!!!" the skirmisher yelled, charging forward.
"That'd be you!" Mason growled, jabbing the creature. As it reeled back, he threw a hook, sending the mutant into the wall of the building.
"AAARRRGGGHHH!!!" the mutant roared, getting up and charging at Mason.
Kicking the creature in the ankle, Mason pushed it to the side, sending it sprawling to his right.
"DIIIEEE!!! The creature yelled, preparing to charge at Mason again before falling, its ankle broken.
"Not today," Mason growled, stepping back as Heather shot the creature multiple times in the head.
"Stupid muties," she commented as the creature turned to ash. "No one knows where they come from."
"This... Institute I've heard of could be responsible, though doubtful," Mason remarked, making Piper's eyes light up. "Don't quote me on that."
As they moved on, Mason spoke up. "There's a church to the north. It's in the name, but there might be some materials there."
"Old Northy," Piper remarked, surprising Mason. "Thought the place was cleaned out."
"I said might, not will be," Mason shot back, making the others laugh. "It's got something of a tunnel in the basement. Probably some ferals down there."
"How do you figure that?" Piper questioned, making Mason sigh.
"I know of the tunnels cause I had to do some work down there before the bombs fell. As for the potential of ferals, a few people would've gone there just to hide from the bombs. Probably survived longer because of it," Mason explained, surprising them.
"Stand behind me," Mason ordered as he stepped into the church, his armor making the ground rumble. "Don't know what's in here."
Moving through the church, they disposed of any ferals they ran into, Mason acting as a shield for them. By drawing their attention as he stomped with each step, the ferals noticed him before Heather and Piper, who shot them in either the leg or head. It was easier for them in the tunnels Mason had told them about, mostly since he was able to just ram them into the walls. Reaching the end of the tunnel, Mason found the Freedom Trail marker, indicating the end of the line of the trail. Noticing the arrow, Mason stepped out of his armor and placed a hand on the sign.
"We lost so much," Mason sighed as he looked at the sign. "And for what." Taking a deep breath, Mason turned to leave before feeling the circle shake. After trying something, Mason was surprised. "It... spins?"
After spinning it for a bit, Mason left it on the R and laughed as he placed his hand on the center, laughing as he leaned on it before it sunk in, surprising him.
"Que diable?" Mason muttered, moving it to the a before it. Pressing the button and spinning it, he spelled out RAIL, before stopping, expecting something to happen. When nothing did, he began racking his brain.
"Is everything alright, Blue?"
"Seem stuck to me," Heather remarked, making Mason chuckle.
"Nobody would do this unless it leads to somethin'. I have to spell somethin' using the word rail, but..." Mason said, looking at the letters before realizing what it could be. After spinning and pressing the button a few times, he stopped on the letter D, before looking at the others, "Moment of truth."
Pressing the button, Mason stepped back as the wall beside them began to shake before sliding. Stepping back into his armor, Mason grinned inside his helmet as he looked at them.
"Told ya."
Stepping forward into the dark room, Mason noticed movement in the dark, but couldn't say anything before lights turned on, nearly blinding him.
"Stop right there,' someone said, Mason seeing a woman notably smaller than him, and another beside her holding a minigun. "You went through a lot of effort to arrange this meeting. But before we any further, answer my questions. Who the hell are you?"
"Why don't you tell me who you are first?" Mason demanded, surprising the people as they looked at his armor, then his two companions and dog. The woman looked him up and down, weighing her options before sighing.
"In a world full of suspicion, treachery, and hunters- we're the synths' only friends. We're the Railroad. So answer my question."
"We were just explorin'. Ain't our fault your password was tellement putain easy to figure out," Mason remarked.
"Yet you just so happened to find our secret door," the woman said, making Mason scoff. Wasn't much of a secret. Anyone with a lick of common sense could have guessed it. "Right. It's clear you're not with the Institute. Byt who told you how to contact us?"
"Que diable are you talkin' about? I just told you your passwords putain facile to figure out,:" Mason moaned, surprising them.
"You really don't know? I'm Desdemona, and I'm the leader of the Railroad. And you are... Deacon, where have you been?" she said, talking to someone coming up behind her. Looking at the guy, Mason didn't like the vibe he was giving, though he couldn't tell anyone why.
"You're having a party. What gives with my invitation?"
"I need intel. Who is this?"
"Wow. News flash, boss. This guy is kind of a big deal out there."
"Fairly certain we haven't met. Would've remembered meetin' someone like you."
"You're right, but we didn't have to. You've made waves." Deacon said, surprising him. "You saved Amelia Stocked from those maniacs at Covenant. That earns you points in my book. And... as if that wasn't enough..." When the man finished that, Mason was thankful he was wearing his armor as his face paled, remembering that event. "Des, seriously, you haven't heard of him? This guy is the General, the leader of the Minutemen. It seems like the whole Commonwealth is flying his flag."
"So you're vouching for him?"
"Yes. Definitely. When I say we want him on our side... this guy gives deathclaws a run for their money." As soon as he said that, everyone in the room froze, the one with a Minigun gripping the weapon tighter, Desdemona paling.
"That changes things. I don't know what, if anything, you've heard out there about us. You know what a synth is, right?" Taking a few deep breaths to slow his heartbeat, Mason spoke.
"Yeah, I've heard of 'em."
"Good. The Institute treats them as property. As tools."
"Get to the point."
"So we seek to free the synths from their bondage. Give them a chance at a real life. I have a question. The only question that matters. Would you risk your life for your fellow man? Even if that man is a synth?" That was stupid. If the synth was murderous, Mason didn't see a reason to save it.
"It depends on the circumstances."
"There's no middle ground with this. Would you risk death to save a synth or not?"
"Let me tell you something, Desdemona," Mason remarked, taking two steps forward, minigun wielding lady aiming her weapon at him. "Firstly, put the toy down, young lady," Mason growled, looking at the woman. "Second, I'd risk my life for anyone, I don't give two merdes if they're human or synthetic."
"So you would risk your life for synth then," Desdemona remarked.
"No. I'd risk my life for a person. Even then, from what I've heard of you guys, which is nothing, you're hurtin' for members. And from what I've heard about this Institute, you stand no chance against them in a straightforward fight. I'll see myself out."
Turning to leave, Mason was stopped by Piper gesturing behind him.
"If you change your mind, speak to Deacon," Desdemona told Mason, Leaving the room, Mason took note of where Deacon was, leaving them behind. As his companions followed him out, Piper spoke up.
"You helped Nick, didn't you?"
"That was by circumstance," Mason remarked. "The man has skills I need after we retake the Castle."
"He is a synth, though," Heather pointed out.
"As I said, I don't care if someone is synthetic or human. All that matters is whether or not they're a good person." As they exited the church Mason muttered to himself, "Even if I'm not."
As they were walking south, they ran into some raiders and mirelurks while going by a taphouse. Though it took a bit of work, with Mason knowing he'd have to do a bit of repair to his armor before retaking the Castle, they managed to eliminate the threat and continued south before reaching a military checkpoint, finding it occupied by Gunners.
"What are Gunners doing here?" Piper questioned as Mason surveyed the area.
"Don't know. But we do need to take care of them before heading to the Castle," Mason remarked, a stern look on his face as he held the binoculars Heather had brought carefully in his mechanical hands, his helmet on the ground at his feet. "Before I retired, this place was working on something. What it was, I don't know.
"Maybe armor of sorts," Heather responded, grinning.
"Maybe. But there are twelve gunners," Mason informed them, handing the binoculars back to Heather carefully before putting his helmet on. "So you three better stay behind me," Mason ordered, standing straight. "Time to get to work."
Charging forward, Mason began to storm the gunners, aiming for the trailer that had four in it.
"What the hell is that!?" one of the gunners yelled, seeing Mason charge, his headlamp shining brightly.
"Pest exterminator," Mason growled, bracing before... BAAAMMM!!!
Hitting the trailer, it fell as Mason pushed on through, making it bend where he ran into it. As he pushed, gunners began to fire, the ones still alive in the trailer trying to get out before falling from the moving ground beneath them.
"You're dead meat!!!" one of the gunners yelled before a laser hit him square in his chest.
Forcing his way through, Mason pushed the two halves of the trailer apart as he came out, making a few of the Gunners stumble back as he stared them down.
"None of you are getting away," Mason growled, glaring them down. Marching forward, Mason began to speed up, before breaking into a jogging pace.
"SHIIITTT!!!" one of the gunners yelled as Mason neared him. Before they could raise their weapon, Mason swung his arm, catching him in the chest, sending him flying back, the fence falling back from the force the body hit it with as he fell.
Not stopping, Mason swung his other arm out, catching another gunner in the chest, sending her flying into the outpost, making blood splatter from her back as she hit it. Crossing his arms, Mason slowed down as he ran into a third, sending them flying as he swung them up, catching them in the stomach.
"Bastard!!!" one yelled. "Where the hell did you come from?!"
Storming forward, the gunner shot bullet after bullet at Mason, the bullets bouncing off the armor, a few embedding themselves into it.
"You," Mason growled, pointing at the gunner as he approached him, noting his older appearance. "Guilty."
Swinging down, Mason drove the fist through the man's skull, sending the man to the ground. If he wasn't dead from a metal hand, he was certainly dead from the impact. Looking around, he saw his companions, Heather looking at him in admiration, Piper a bit of both fear and surprise.
"Are you two alright?" he asked as he approached, stepping out of his armor when he reached them.
"You did good," Heather remarked while Piper looked him up and down.
"Is it, uh... is it getting hot in here?" she questioned as Mason looked at her confused.
"Alright," Mason said, pulling the fusion core out of the armor. Checking the energy levels of it, it was nearly depleted, and went ahead and put it in a bag while grabbing a new one. Grabbing a rope and tying it to his side, he turned to the others. "You two check the bodies for ammunition and weapons. We'll leave the armor inside and come back for it later." Looking at the outpost, he sighed. "I'm gonna check inside."
Leaving the others to search the bodies, Mason went inside the outpost.
~~~~~~
"Nervous?" a man questioned, Mason joining his squad in the outpost. "No need to be. Not until we're on the field."
"Sorry Maxson. I got someone waitin' for me at home. Just want to make it back."
"I hear that!" one of his squadmates yelled. "Got a wife with two kids!"
"Drunk again, McCormac?" someone questioned, the man holding a canteen of whiskey.
As the man went to help McCormac, Mason turned to Maxson. "Why do you take the time to talk to us?" he questioned him. "You lead hundreds of us?"
"And you're all people," Maxson told him. "It helps me lead, knowing everything I can about the people under my command."
"I suppose that's fair," Mason told him. "Knowing their strengths."
"And their mindsets," Maxson told him. "Because at the end of the day, I'd rather have an average soldier willing to save others than an exceptional one looking to die."
~~~~~
Sighing, Mason looked around. Wasn't the same one he'd gone on the tour he'd first met Roger, but it was similar. Stepping up to one of the terminals, Mason pressed a few buttons before pressing enter, turning off the emergency frequency.
Looking around, Mason found a Guns and Bullets magazine, opting to put it away to read later. Looking around, he found a trunk in the back, and after fiddling with the lock, opened it, searching through it.
"Que diable est-ce?" Mason pondered, pulling out something that looked like a wetsuit of sorts with wiring and leather.
"Everything alright," Heather asked as he folded the article of... clothing?
"It's alright. I found somethin', but it can wait until after the Castle," Mason told her, putting the armor into a bag.
Hopping into the armor after putting the new core in, Mason turned the headlamp on and turned east.
"Time for some work."
Moving through the city between them and Fort Independence, they ran into some Super Mutants and two hounds, though Mason took care of them with Heather and Piper's help.
"Won't be long," Mason remarked. "I know Preston's anxious."
"I like him," Heather remarked. "Always helping the little people."
Moving through the city, they soon reached the road leading to the fort, seeing Garvey with quite a few people in a diner.
"General!" Garvey said as Mason exited from his Power Armor, leaving it at the Power Armor station.
Everyone looked at him, surprised by the way he looked.
"Gotta say, you know how to make an entrance," Garvey remarked before looking at the Castle. "Gotta admit though, she is a beauty. A bit rough, but everything takes time."
"Fortifiable," Mason remarked. "Though the walls need to get fixed. Two of 'em have fallen."
"It could use some work, but the main point is the radio. It'll allow us to contact people all over the Commonwealth."
Before Mason spoke up, he noticed someone and approached them.
"Who... are you?" he questioned, looking at someone that looked eerily like him.
"The names Black, sir. Mason Gage Black."
Everyone looked between them, surprised by the lack of animosity.
"Well, I'll be damné," Mason remarked. "Only difference between us is our scars. You know your parents?"
"Yes. They were former Minutemen, but they're too old to fight. I came in their place."
"Hope you can keep up," Mason told the man, before turning to Garvey. "So what's the situation look like?"
"Mirelurks," Garvey told him. "They've dug themselves into the place, but it's worth the effort."
"Agreed," Mason remarked. "What are our options?"
"No need to make this complicated," Someone spoke up. "Why don't we just go in there and shoot the damn things."
"No," someone else said. "We need to be smart about this, set up a firing line."
"Or attack from both sides," someone else said. "Make sure none of the buggers get away."
"Well General, it's your orders," Garvey said, everyone looking at him. Moving through the room, Mason moved to the front, looking at the Castle.
"Goin' in and shootin' blindly is utter stupidity," Mason muttered, looking at the people behind him. "The pincer maneuver would be smart, but it doesn't account for that third hole."
Looking at his friends, he spoke up. "Garvey, I know about your skills. Heather, can you lead a squad?"
"Depends. Against people, no. Mirelurks, yes."
"Alright," Mason remarked, moving back to look at the Castle. "But even with the pincer maneuver, people could still get caught in crossfire."
Looking back, Mason addresses the room.
"Who here has experience with explosives. As in, you know the blast radius of a putain de mine?"
Of the people in the room, three raised their hands.
"Alright. Garvey, how many people are here?"
"With Piper, we have thirty people.
"Alright," Mason remarked. Taking one last look at the Castle, Mason addressed everyone. "Here's what's goin' to happen. After I speak to my companions here," Mason said, gesturing to Heather and Garvey. "I'm going to speak to each and every one of ya." Looking at his two friends. He got a stern look on his face.
"It's time to take this place back. Let's go outside to discuss the plan."