Chapter 38: Full Frontal Assault

Chapter 38: Full Frontal Assault

We made it back to the gas station without any difficulty. Our combined pace was such that the day hadnt even ended by the time wed arrived. Leah hadnt yet returned, but Mercy was still hard at work, a pile of death and destruction slowly being assembled at her work table.

She looked up as we arrived and turned her attention to Graves. Did it work like I wanted? Lots of fire?

Graves nodded.

In the future, Id like to know when a scouting mission doubles as an assault with explosives, I said.

Mercy gave a confused smile. I thought thats what all scouting missions were?

I sighed, and found a place to sit and wait for Leah. Our part in the prep was done, and it looked like Mercy was just about as ready with her bombs as she could be.

A few hours later, Leah returned. I didnt hear her enter the gas station, it was as if she simply manifested inside before anyone could react to her. She looked over at Graves. Mission go well?

He nodded.

She gestured to me. He do alright?

He nodded again, and threw a thumbs up on top of it.

I figured youd have it covered. She went to stand at the table in the center of the room next to Mercy. Ive met with the STAR forces. Theyre planning an assault on each of the settlements simultaneously. Itll occur at 1100 on the dot. Id like our assault on the facility to coincide with theirs on the settlements.

Leah stood from her corner, and we packed up to leave. I was ready for the job. Excited even. Id changed since Id become a Marshall. I was stronger, more capable, and with that I was starting to allow myself to do and say what I wanted more. The risks of doing what I believed needed to be done got lesser and lesser as I gained strength. Sure, I wouldnt be able to change the wastes anytime soon, but a settlement here and there? A group of raiders every once in a while? That was something I could handle.

The trek to the facility was long and made longer by the groups slow pace and my own excitement. We didnt encounter any trouble on the way, though we did need to dodge a few areas where the geiger counters spiked. Those kinds of random spots popped up more and more this close to The Cut.

About a half hour before the STAR raids on the settlements were to begin, the facility came into sight. I pulled out the binoculars I hadnt yet returned to Graves and had a look. As far as I could tell, it was just a big gray square. From what the blueprints Id seen had told me, I knew that that facility typically rested underground, with massive ramps that led to the surface so that items could be automatically carted out and moved to their target destinations. When the facilities were being operated manually, they were meant to rise out of the ground so that people could more easily enter and leave them, and parts of the facility that would be otherwise inaccessible could be accessed.

Aside from the facility itself I could see more than a dozen guards at the main entrance, along with turrets, and some kind of box. I adjusted the binoculars a little to get a closer look at it. I realized that it was moving. It had treads, and on each of its four corners were guns that were moving slowly back and forth, just as the ones on the turrets did.

I handed the binoculars back to Graves, who had his hand out expectantly as I brought them down from my face. He himself gave a look through them, grunted, and then handed them down the line. Eventually, they reached Leah.

Ah. I see he got another drone. Thats unfortunate, Id thought the only one was at the center settlement. She handed the binoculars back to Graves. Mercy. Got anything that could dent that thing?

Mercy smiled. I do. She pulled out what looked like a brick and handed it to Leah. Leah tested the weight of it in her hand and then handed it to Graves. You know what to do. He nodded and tucked the explosive away somewhere in his armor.

Leah looked over everyone again. Okay. We all know the plan. Give it fifteen minutes and then head in. Mercy, you and I will break off now and start getting in position. Dont start moving until you hear shooting over here.

Mercy nodded, then Leah nodded at Graves and me. After that, she and Mercy broke off and started heading for the other side of the facility. Graves and I did some readjustment of our own, finding a small ruin of an old building to hide behind. I aligned myself just a little behind him, and he cracked his neck armor and started to ready his hammer in his grip

I looked across each of our targets, prepping to activate all of my abilities and start firing as soon as they began to focus fire on Graves. Id leave the drone to him and the bomb, and focus on getting through the front and finding cover as quickly as possible.

I heard a kind of beeping coming from Graves helmet. He turned back to give me a nod, and started sprinting straight for the front gate. When he was about halfway there, I started hearing yells, as the guards reacted to his approach. I started activating my abilities, marking targets, and froze one.

The drone turned around, and I could hear the guns on it begin to rev up to fire. Thats when Graves suddenly disappeared. I heard a crashing sound and strained myself to see where hed gone. Theyd created a trap, just for him. A pit, covered by a massive tarp, and disguised by sand. Hed fallen down, and now I was alone, with a small armys worth of advanced weaponry turning its attention in my direction.