by M. P. Pubs
"Put her over there." the ghoul doctor, Doc Barrows instructed them.
The three men carefully placed her on a gernie in the corner of the clinic. The doctor and his nurse, Ms. Graves, quickly pushed them aside, and began removing the woman's armor. Marcus turned to Winthrope. "Who is she?"
"That's Reilly, the founder and leader of Reilly's Rangers. They're a mercenary group operating out of downtown DC."
The ghoul must've noticed Marcus tense up when he said the word mercenary. "Relax kid, they're not like those Talon Company assholes. Reilly doesn't do assassinations, and she'll only take a bounty if the person's a real scumbag."
Marcus breathed a little easier. It was nice to know that some merc's had a heart. The doctor and nurse tossed Reilly's armor on the ground. "Looks like she was hit in the lower abdomen." Nurse Graves said.
Doc Barrows nodded. "Yeah and the bullet's still in there."
Marcus picked up the armor and it didn't take long to find the hole in the lower front plate. From the size it looked like a 7.62mm round.
"She's lost a lot of blood." the doctor said. "Check her holotags for a blood type."
Nurse Graves removed the tags from around Reilly's neck and placed them inside a small computer. When the information came up the nurse sighed. "Damn! She's AB negative."
"Shit!" Doc Barrows cursed. "We don't have a type that rare on hand, and she's probably the only human in the whole fucking wasteland with it."
Marcus placed the armor back on the ground. "Actually she's not the only one, doc."
Everyone in the room turned to look at him. "You're blood is AB negative?" the doctor asked,
"Yes. My father was the doctor in our Vault and..."
Doc Barrows grabbed Marcus' arm. "Sounds very interesting. Nurse! Get the transfusion kit ready."
Before Marcus knew it, he was being pushed into a seat next to the unconscious Reilly.
"Take off the top part of your armor and roll up your sleeve." the nurse told him.
He quickly obeyed and presented his left arm. Once the nurse had finished hooking up the tubes of the transfer kit, she stuck the rather large needle into Marcus' arm. A moment later a steady stream of blood began to flow through the tube and into Reilly.
"There you go." Nurse Graves said. "How do you feel?"
Marcus gave her a nod. "I'm fine."
"Good. I'm going to hook up an IV to your other arm. We don't want you passing out too."
Marcus thanked her and as he was stuck with another needle, Clover walked into the clinic. "What' going on, suga?"
"Well, it seems I'm the only one with her blood type so we're going to have to stay for a little longer."
Clover walked over and knelt in front of him. "I don't mind that baby, but if you keep stopin' to help everyone in the wasteland who's in trouble, we'll never find your dad."
Marcus quickly swallowed the lump in his throat. It was true these detours were slowing him down, but he couldn't let Reilly die. As much as Marcus wanted to find his father, he wanted to be able to look him in the eye when he did. "I can't help it. My father always taught me to help others when I could. I mean, wouldn't you want someone to help you if you were in trouble?"
Clover shrugged. "Sure...but on one would help me, suga. That's not how things work out here."
"That's not true." Marcus placed his hand on hers. "You helped me."
Clover shook her head. "That was just so I could escape from Eulogy."
Marcus looked into her eyes. "And the second time? When you saved me from that Super Mutant?"
For a few moments Clover was speechless as she stared into Marcus' brown eyes. Finally she flashed a coy smile. "Well...I...we've been having so much fun that I didn't want it to end."
Marcus smiled back. He wasn't buying it. "There's more to you then that."
"If you two are done with your pillow talk," an annoyed doctor Barrows said, "I'd like to finish getting this bullet out."
Clover leaned in and kissed Marcus on the lips. "Till next time, lover."
Marcus grinned. "Okay. I hopefully won't be too long so wait for me back in the room. Take Charon with you and...behave yourself."
Clover looked at Charon, then turned back to Marcus. "Don't worry baby, I only take the live ones." She turned back to Charon. "Come on, honey."
Without saying a word the ghoul followed her out of the clinic. Though Charon was silent his mind was busy trying to comprehend what he had just seen and heard. At first he had assumed that this Marcus was just another slaver, and the sight of Clover wearing a collar confirmed that. Only this Marcus was - different. Not only did he willingly give his blood to a stranger, but Clover seemed less like a slave and more like a companion - a companion he actually cared about. This was very confusing to Charon, but he decided not to dwell on it. All he knew for certain was that for the next two weeks her severed Marcus, and he would obey his commands to the death if necessary.
After his companions had left, a rather embarrassed Marcus looked up at Doctor Barrows, who had just extracted the bullet from Reilly. "I'm...sorry about that. Clover is very..."
"Rude!" Nurse Graves bluntly finished.
Marcus shrugged . "Well I was going to say immature."
The doctor reached for a pair of sutures. "That's okay kid, I've heard worse."
Marcus looked over at Reilly. "How is she, doc?"
"Well the bullet's out and there's no major damage. So between that and your blood I think she's going to make it."
Marcus was relieved. "That's great. How many of these Rangers are there?"
Doc Barrows thought for a moment. "There are four others that I know of. They always travel together, so something pretty bad must've happened for her to be out here alone and wounded."
Marcus began to fear the worst. "Do you think they're all dead?"
The Doctor shook his head. "I don't know, kid. Reilly's Rangers are some of the toughest sonsabitchs around here, but this place has a habit of swallowing up the toughest of the tough."
Given everything that he had seen since leaving the Vault, Marcus had to agree with that grim statement. "How long do you think it will be before she wakes up?"
Barrows shook his head. "She needs rest and if you haven't noticed you've given her almost two pints of blood. So you're not going anywhere for a while either. The next six hours will be critical. If I wake her up now, it might kill her."
Marcus sighed. So much for not taking too long.
* * *
Six hours after the operation Marcus, Clover and Charon walked into the chop shop. Reilly was still unconscious and was hooked up to an IV and heart monitor.
"Is she ready to wake up, doc?" Marcus asked.
Barrows shook his head. "She's stable but I don't think we should wake her yet. There's still a risk of her going into shock."
Marcus raised his PIPBOY. "We're out of time doc. Listen to this:" There was the sound of gunfire which made everyone in the room jump. A minute later a voice could be heard speaking. "This is Butcher from Reilly's Rangers, we are currently trapped on the roof of the Statesmen Hotel by Super Mutants. ammunition is running low and we need immediate extraction." There was a pause and more gunfire. "If you can't reach us look for Reilly in Underworld. We will repeat this message for as long as possible."
Marcus turned off the message. "If there's any hope of helping the Rangers, we have to wake her up now!"
The doctor sighed. "Alright, but if something goes wrong it's your responsibility." Barrows walked over to Reilly's bed and prepared a syringe. Once he injected it's contents into her IV, Reilly began to stir. A moment later she opened her eyes and sat up in bed. "What...where am I? What happened? How long have I been out?"
"Not long, fortunately." Marcus said.
"Right...can't remember what I was doing. Wait! Oh shit!" She pushed the blankets off and began pulling the IV out of her arms. Doc Barrows and Marcus tried to restrain her. "Reilly! Reilly! You have to rest! You've been shot!"
&nb
sp; "My men. My team! What happened to them?"
Marcus struggled to hold her down. 'This woman is as strong as a bull' he thought. "Your team is alive...I heard their distress signal."
After hearing that Reilly began to calm down. "Who are you people?"
"My name is Marcus Lincoln and these are my friends: Clover and Charon."
"Marcus donated some of his blood to you." Barrows said. "You're alive because of him."
Reilly studied Marcus' face. "Marcus Lincoln. The Lone Wanderer?"
Marcus nodded.
"The stories are true. You really are a 'do-gooder'. Listen, we don't have much time. We were mapping Vernon Square in downtown DC when we got jumped by Super Mutants. Usually this isn't a problem, but this group was larger and more organized then we have ever seen. We fought our way into Our Lady of Hope Hospital to make a stand."
Marcus guessed what happened next. "Don't tell me: more Super Mutants inside?"
"You got it. The ugly bastards just kept coming. We fought our way up and found a way across to the Stateman Hotel next door. The Super Mutants seemed driven...like they smelled blood. They just kept coming. We had no choice but to head for the roof. " Reilly paused and she let out a sigh. "On the way we lost Theo, one of my guys. We were unable to get the ammo case off his body before we were pushed onwards. We set up traps, dug in on the roof and made our stand. I slipped out with a stealth boy to find help. Listen, I know I have no right to ask this, but I need your help. The word is you can handle yourself in a fight."
Marcus took a moment to consider everything he had heard. Getting into another major battle with those damn Super Mutants was the last thing he wanted. However, he'd spent the day asking around Underworld and it seemed that what Doc Barrows had said was true: Reilly and her Rangers were people worth saving. Besides, with every bounty hunter and merc hunting him, Marcus figured having the Rangers as friends would increase his chance for survival. "Alright, I'll do" He turned to Clover, who was standing in the corner with Charon. "I can't ask you to put yourself in harms way..."
Clover placed her finger on his lips. "I know, you can't help yourself. I said I would follow you anywhere, suga and I meant it."
Marcus let out a small sigh of relieve. He turned to Charon. "What do you say, Charon? Feel like killing some Super Mutants?"
"Whatever you say, boss."
"Call me Marcus."
Charon looked puzzled. "Boss?"
"You heard me. Call me Marcus."
Charon hesitated for a moment. Finally he said: "Yes boss...I mean - Marcus."
Marcus turned and headed towards his room. 'Well, it's a start.' he thought.
* * *
Against the wishes of Doc Barrows, Reilly left the clinic and joined up with Marcus and his companions. While she was recovering, Marcus had Winthrope repair her armor, and Clover helped the merc suit up. It was clear to everyone that Reilly was still weak from her ordeal, but the fiery redhead was determined to rescue her men. With her armor in place, Reilly locked and loaded her tri-beam laser rifle, hooked four incendiary grenades to her belt, and finally holstered her laser pistol. Marcus and Clover still had the same weapons they used at the GNR gun battle, and Charon carried his combat shotgun. Marcus had asked Quinn to hold onto the Fat Man launcher that Sarah Lyons had given him, and Quinn agreed.
The group walked out of the Museum of History and into the dark wasteland.
"So Reilly, " Marcus began, "do you have a plan to rescue your guys?"
Reilly grinned. "If there's one thing I've learned is that no matter how random things seem, there's always a plan."
Marcus didn't know quite how to respond to that. He looked over at Clover and she only shrugged.
"You seem pretty confident in yourself." he said.
"Stick with me kid and you'll learn a few things. We'll head to Our Lady of Hope Hospital first. From there we'll cross over to the Statesman Hotel and relieve the Rangers."
"Do you really think they're still alive up on that roof?" Clover asked.
Reilly didn't answer at first, and Marcus was not happy about Clover asking such an insensitive question. Finally after a long pause Reilly said: "If anybody could hold off those mutants for this long, it's my guys."
Their walk to the hospital was just like any other in downtown DC: long and treacherous. After killing their share of ghouls and Super Mutants in the metro tunnels, the group finally found themselves across the street from the hospital's main entrance. Reilly used her night vision to check the area for movement and found none. She turned to the others. "Okay, I'm going to haul ass to the entrance and I want all of you to cover me. When I get to the other side and verify that it's clear, one of you run to me while we provide cover. Then so on and so forth until we're all across. Got it?"
Everyone nodded. Reilly took a deep breath and sprinted across the street. She made it without incident and quickly signaled for the next person. Marcus turned to his companions. "I'll go next. Cover me."
Clover gave him a smile. "Always, suga."
Marcus headed out and like Reilly he made it unscathed. Reilly patted him on the shoulder. "Good work." She signaled again and Clover come over next, and finally Charon joined them. All four of them were crouched in front of the main doors. "Okay," Reilly began, "I'll take point. Marcus, Clover, you two watch the left and right sides. Charon, you watch the rear." She opened the door and the group quietly stepped inside. The large waiting room was like ever other structure in the wasteland: blasted and burned. Aside from a few dead Super Mutants there were no signs of anyone inside; at least not at first.
"Hold it!" Reilly whispered as she held up her left fist. Everyone else stopped. At the other end of the waiting area, behind a huge counter to the left, Reilly spotted movement. "Take cover."
The group spread out. Reilly and Marcus took cover behind a pillar, Clover and Charon went behind a pile of rubble. Reilly pulled out an incendiary grenade, pulled the pin and threw it across the room. A moment later Marcus shielded his eyes from the fireball that erupted on the spot where the three mutants were standing. One was killed by the sheer force of the explosion, the other two were set ablaze and screaming in agony.
"Open Fire!" Reilly yelled.
All four companions stood up and unleashed a hail of lead and laser fire, putting the screaming mutants out of their misery. The room was once again silent, save for the sound of smoldering bodies. "Come on." Reilly said.
They climbed the stairs to the second floor and walked through a pair of double doors. They were in a long hallway with triage room to the right, and the cafeteria and kitchen to the left. Reilly signaled for everyone to stop. She could hear more Super Mutants inside the cafeteria. In the same moment, Marcus noticed a foul odor and that his eyes were starting to burn. "You smell that?" he whispered.
Reilly nodded. "Yeah, gas leak. The main line in the kitchen must've broken - and that gives me an idea." She reached for another incendiary grenade, and Marcus realized what she was doing and turned back in the other direction. "Move, move!" he whispered to Clover and Charon.
Reilly pulled the pin and rolled the grenade into the cafeteria. Quickly she ran back through the double doors, and everyone hit the deck. The explosion and fireball blew the doors off their hinges. Marcus could feel the hot wind blow over them, and then he could hear the screams of the Super Mutants who were caught in the inferno. After what seemed like an eternity the screaming stopped and the team stood up. They made their way through the scorched second floor and made it to the third. Marcus discovered a locked first aid kit on one of the nurse's stations, and after picking the lock, he found six stimpaks and med-x. Finally the team reached the roof and the point where they would cross over to the Statesman Hotel. The remains of the hospital's radio tower were lying across the gap between the two buildings. Marcus, Clover and Charon stared at the make-shift bridge.
"That's how we're getting across?" Clover asked.
Reilly stepped onto the tower. "Relax, me and my gu
ys made it across with a bunch of Frankenstein's on our ass. It will hold you just fine."
Marcus peeked over the edge and saw how high up they were, and his throat went dry. "W...well, the sooner we get across the better."
Reilly smiled. "That's the spirit! Come on." She turned and began to make her way across.
Marcus looked over at his companions. "Will you be able to make it?"
Without saying a word, Charon walked out onto the tower.
"Okay. You ready, Clover?"
Clover stepped onto the tower. "I was born ready, suga."
Marcus could tell from the strain in her voice that Clover was trying to hide her fear. Carefully she began walking across, and Marcus was a few feet behind her. By the time Clover was halfway across, Reilly and Charon were waiting on the other side. Marcus looked down to check his footing, and that's when a gun shot ran out, followed by a scream. Marcus looked up just as Clover tumbled over the side.
"CLOVER!" Marcus screamed as he dropped his AK-47 and ran towards her.
Clover held onto the bars of the tower, her feet dangling a hundred feet in the air. "MARCUS I'M SLIPPING!"
Marcus dove, his hands stretched out in front of him. Clover tried desperately to hold on, but she was too weighed down by her gear. Her hands slipped.
Marcus landed on his stomach and grabbed hold of both her wrist. The sudden jerk of dead weight pulled his right shoulder out of the socket. Marcus screamed in agony, but he fought against the pain with everything he had.
"MARCUS! DON'T LET ME FALL, PLEASE!"
Marcus gritted his teeth. "I won't let you go!" he managed to say.
More gunfire erupted from the street below, and two of the rounds landed inches from Marcus. Reilly took aim with her tri-beam rifle and returned fire, while Charon ran out onto the bridge. Charon reached down and grabbed Clover's right hand, giving much needed relief to Marcus. Reilly peppered the mutant with laser fire until he finally screamed and died. Charon and Marcus managed to pull the terrified Clover onto the bridge, and the three of them walked over to where Reilly was waiting. "Damn you got guts, kid. No brains, but guts."