Chapter 3 Prelude

P.O.V Dustin

I walked out of the Citadel, leaving behind the Brotherhood. It seems hard to believe that they used to help people. That they used to give out free water. That they helped him stop the Enclave, but that was before the realized what that water was. Before they stopped just hoarding pre war tech and started to use the power my father had given them. A near unlimited supply of water. A nearly unlimited supply of caps, caps that once more lined the pockets of fewer and fewer.

They carved a bloody path through the Capital Waste. Hiring mercenaries to do the dangerous jobs, and using any desperate enough for anything else. I did more than my fair share of killing in their name and lost too many friends to count. I dug through forgotten terminals and dredged through radioactive waste. Where ever I went the Brotherhood influence followed. I left no stone unturned and no box left untouched. With ever step I took towards making the Capitol safer, they took one into isolation. Soon all the threats were gone, and they turned their weapons on undesirables.

This wasn't what I left the vault for, they aren't who I left the vault for. I helped them because I thought they wanted what Dad wanted. Now I see that we were wrong, and it's time to move on. I only hope that others will see what the Brotherhood has become and turn away. The time of tyrants have passed, the age of men has just started. Soon the winds will blow over these decaying remnants of a dead world. Giving room for civilization to grow once more, and just maybe this time we'll get it right.

P.O.V James

Boone figure disappeared into the distance. Cassidy placed her hand on my shoulder, rubbing it softly. I started to call asleep my eyes weighed down by the drink. Drink that I was far too unfamiliar with, drink that made the events of today a little easier. Today I won the second battle for Hoover Dam. Today the concrete turned crimson has the class of the Bear meat the horns of the Bull.

I took another long drink, the liquor burning my throat and numbing my senses. Now I can see what only a dead man can see. I've see the Grim reaper wonder the Dam with his dreadful bell. I try to get up but the sea of brass I'm resting on and the liquor undermine my footing. Cassidy helps me up with, and we walk away from this graveyard. Down a long and winding road, pass God knows how many corpses and broken bones. Pass the cost of this victory and the downfall of tyrants.

The one nagging question I have, one that leaves me worried. The kind of question that keeps a man up at night. One that never seems to be asked. What did I just do? Did I just stop one tyrant, only for him to be replaced. Will threats ever cease or will we always need to fight. Have the men who died today achieved a lasting victory or is it temporary. If so how long, weeks, months, or years? Will we be called to fight in some other place, doomed to fight eternally threats from all sides. What is the price of this fair land and how often must we pay it?

My internal monologue was disrupted by me tripping and almost falling down. But I had.Cassidy there to pick me up. Soon we had reached where I'd hidden my bike. The open road leading far, far, away, has never been so appealing before. The engine roared into life, and Cassidy slid onto the back seat. We took off down the road, and I didn't look back.

P.O.V Thomas

The scream of the sirens echoed in my head. The airship plummeted to the ground in a spectacular fire ball. The majority of the Brotherhood of Steel had escaped on the Vertibirds. Retreating back to where they came from. I had given them the chance to escape this time, but I won't a second. There is no room in the Commonwealth for men like Maxison. The Institute and Minute Men will rebuild it.

The strength of free men who stand can never be overcome. With ever day that passes I solidify our position and root out all of the evil in the Commonwealth. The people will have peace and with the guiding principles of our founding fathers democracy has well.

For our Nation built on a common man's alliance, forged by war, the spirit of revolution, and with guiding hand of the best minds the world has to offer. Will be a shining light of hope to pierce the thick fog of the waste. For we shall shelter the weak, poor, and huddled masses from the terror of the wasteland. For has long has we change each other to stand with we can never fall.

One of my Commandos walked up to me from behind. His name was Hank Or Frank Horrigan. He handed me my rifle and walked back into the shadows. Watching me from a safe distance, he wasn't much of a talker anymore. Had a run in with some vault dweller out west. Got pretty banged up.

Nick and Preston took off from the castle to rummage through the wreckage and find any survivors. There Vertibird passing several Brotherhood ones. Though a handful of well place missile launchers took care of the Brotherhood ones.

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Author's Note

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!