Fallout 4: Rebirth At Vault 81

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The next morning, the sun rose over Diamond City once more. The people were already awake, already working. The battle had taken its toll, but the city still stood.

Sico leaned back against the table, his fingers drumming idly against the surface as he thought through their next move. The past few days had been exhausting, and it seemed like the problems just kept piling up. He knew Diamond City couldn't afford to sit back and wait for trouble to come knocking again. If they wanted to keep this place standing, they had to get ahead of the threats.

He turned his gaze to Piper, who was watching him with that sharp, calculating look she always had when she knew something was coming.

"Piper," he started, his voice steady but firm. "You mentioned that old highway east of here—the one where raiders have been gathering."

Piper frowned, shifting in her chair. "Yeah. A couple of my contacts mentioned it. Something's been stirring over there. More and more raiders moving in, setting up camp, but no one knows why. I figured it was just another gang squabble, but if they're organizing, that's… bad news."

Sico nodded. "I need you to check it out. Take a scout team, see what's really going on over there. I want numbers, weapons, and if possible, their chain of command. If they're just a bunch of idiots with rusty pipe guns, we can deal with them easily. But if they're something more…"

Piper leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. "If they're something more, then we've got a real problem on our hands."

Sico sighed. "Exactly."

Preston, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "If Piper's heading out there, she's gonna need protection. Raiders don't take kindly to journalists poking around their business."

Sico looked at him and nodded. "That's why I need you to send some of our best soldiers with her. A full squad—no less."

Preston didn't hesitate. "I'll put together a team. We'll make sure she's safe."

Piper rolled her eyes. "I can take care of myself, you know."

Sico smirked. "I know you can. But I'd rather not have to storm a raider camp to rescue you."

Piper huffed but didn't argue. "Fine. But I'm in charge of this mission. I'll find out what we need to know, and I'll report back as soon as I have something."

Sico stood, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "I trust you. Just… be careful."

Piper gave him a lopsided grin. "Careful is my middle name."

Preston let out a small chuckle. "That's the biggest lie I've ever heard."

Piper laughed, shaking her head as she stood up. "Alright, alright. I'll get my gear and meet the squad at the gate. Give me a couple of hours, and we'll head out."

Sico nodded, watching as she left the room with purpose in her step. He turned back to Preston. "Make sure they have enough firepower. If things go south, I want them to be able to fight their way out."

Preston gave a firm nod. "I'll handle it."

Sico exhaled slowly as Preston left to organize the squad. He knew this mission was dangerous, but they couldn't afford to sit on their hands. If raiders were gathering in large numbers, it meant something big was coming. And whatever it was, Diamond City had to be ready.

A few hours later, Piper stood at the city gate, adjusting the strap on her rifle as she waited for the scout team to finish their preparations. The soldiers Preston had assigned to her were seasoned fighters—people who had survived countless skirmishes and knew how to handle themselves in the wasteland.

Preston himself was there, giving final instructions to the squad leader, a tough-looking Minuteman named Vargas. "Stick to the plan," Preston was saying. "We're not looking for a fight—just information. Keep Piper safe and get back here in one piece."

Vargas nodded. "Understood, sir."

Piper rolled her eyes. "I swear, you guys talk like I'm a damsel in distress."

Preston smirked. "No, we talk like people who know you're reckless."

Piper opened her mouth to argue but thought better of it. Instead, she let out a small huff and turned toward the open wasteland. "Alright, boys. Let's get this over with."

The team moved out, heading east toward the highway. The journey was uneventful at first, just the usual cracked roads, abandoned cars, and the occasional radroach scuttling away at their approach. But as they got closer to their destination, the signs of raider activity became more obvious—makeshift barricades, scattered shell casings, and old bloodstains on the asphalt.

Vargas raised a fist, signaling the group to halt. Piper crouched beside him as he pointed ahead. "There. That overpass. Look."

Piper followed his gaze and felt a chill run down her spine.

The highway was crawling with raiders. At least two dozen, maybe more. Some stood guard with rifles, while others worked on reinforcing their position with scavenged metal and wooden planks. A few makeshift towers had been set up, with snipers posted at the top.

But what caught Piper's attention the most was the group of raiders gathered around a central figure—a man dressed in combat armor, his face hidden behind a mask. He was giving orders, and the others were listening closely.

Piper took out her notepad and started writing. "They've got a leader," she whispered. "And these aren't just random scavengers. This looks organized."

Vargas frowned. "That's bad. Raiders don't usually work together like this."

Piper nodded. "Which means someone's uniting them. Someone smart."

They stayed hidden for a while longer, counting numbers, mapping out defenses, and noting any heavy weapons the raiders had.

Piper felt her heart pound in her chest as she scribbled down more notes in her journal. The sight of so many raiders working together wasn't just unsettling—it was outright terrifying. Raiders were usually disorganized, violent lunatics who couldn't work together for more than five minutes without stabbing each other in the back. But this? This was different.

She glanced over at Preston, who was watching the scene through a pair of binoculars, his jaw clenched tight. "This ain't normal," he muttered. "Raiders don't do strategy. Someone's calling the shots."

Piper nodded, still writing. "Yeah, and I wanna know who."

Preston lowered the binoculars and looked at her. "We can count all the guns and bodies we want, but it won't mean a damn thing if we don't know why they're here."

Vargas, crouched beside them, nodded in agreement. "We could stay hidden and keep watching, but I doubt we'll get much more from here. If we want answers, we need to get inside that camp."

Piper raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly do you suggest we do that? Walk in and ask nicely?"

Preston smirked. "Close. We disguise ourselves as raiders and infiltrate their ranks."

Piper blinked. "You serious?"

Preston nodded. "Look, we already know they're taking in new recruits. Raiders always need bodies for their schemes. We rough ourselves up, swap out our gear, and blend in. Get close to the ones in charge, listen in, and when we know what they're planning, we hightail it back to Diamond City."

Piper exhaled sharply, thinking it over. It was risky as hell, but it made sense. They needed solid intel, and this was the best way to get it. "Alright," she said. "But if we get caught, I'm blaming you."

Preston grinned. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

The squad wasted no time. They scavenged from the bodies of dead raiders they had come across earlier, swapping out their Minutemen armor for mismatched leather, metal scraps, and ragged clothing. Piper dirtied her face with dirt and grease, tearing a few holes in her clothes to look more like someone who had been wandering the wasteland.

Vargas took a knife and made a shallow cut on his arm, smearing the blood on his face to add to the effect. "Raiders don't trust people who look too clean," he muttered.

Once they were ready, the group made their way toward the highway camp, keeping their weapons slung low to avoid looking too threatening. As they approached, a pair of guards raised their rifles.

"Hold it right there," one of them barked.

Preston stepped forward, speaking with a rougher tone than usual. "Easy, man. We heard you're recruiting."

The guards exchanged looks before eyeing the group suspiciously. "Where the hell you come from?"

Piper stepped up, rolling her shoulders like she was just another wasteland scavenger. "Been running with a small crew up north, but that fell apart. Heard you guys were the real deal—figured we'd see if you had room for a few more."

The guards sized them up, then smirked. "Lucky you, we *are* looking for more. Follow me."

Once inside, the first thing that struck Piper was just how organized the raiders were. There were supply areas, weapon caches, and even a crude training ground where new recruits were being drilled.

"This is some real military shit," she whispered to Preston as they moved through the camp.

"Yeah," Preston muttered. "Whoever's running this knows what they're doing."

They were led toward a large shack near the center of the camp, where a group of higher-ups were gathered. One of them, a woman with a scar running down her cheek and a heavy rifle slung across her back, looked up as they entered.

"More recruits?" she asked.

"Yeah," one of the guards replied. "They wanna fight."

The woman studied them for a moment before nodding. "Fine. Just don't slow us down. We're moving soon."

Piper frowned. "Moving where?"

The woman smirked. "You'll see soon enough. But let's just say Diamond City ain't gonna be so pretty in a few days."

Piper forced herself to stay calm, exchanging a quick glance with Preston.

They were planning to attack Diamond City.

For the next few hours, Piper, Preston, and their team blended in as best they could, listening in on conversations and gathering as much intel as possible. What they learned was worse than they had feared.

The raiders weren't just attacking Diamond City on a whim—they had been watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And now, after the battle with the Institute, Diamond City was vulnerable.

"They know we're weak," Preston whispered as they sat around a small fire, pretending to rest. "They've been watching, counting our numbers. They're planning to hit us hard—within the next few days."

Piper clenched her fists. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Vargas nodded. "Agreed. We've got enough intel. Let's slip out before they get suspicious."

Leaving the camp unnoticed was easier said than done. The raiders were constantly patrolling, and any sudden movement would draw attention.

Piper led the way, walking casually toward the edge of the camp, trying to look like she was just stretching her legs. Preston and the others followed, acting natural.

Just as they reached the outer perimeter, a voice called out behind them.

"Hey! Where the hell are you going?"

A raider stood a few feet away, hand on his gun. Piper's mind raced. They could try to talk their way out… or they could run.

Vargas made the choice for them. "Scatter!"

The squad bolted.

Gunfire erupted behind them as raiders shouted and chased after them. Piper ducked behind a rusted car, firing off a few rounds before sprinting again.

Preston and Vargas took down two of their pursuers, but more raiders were coming. They needed to move fast.

A bullet whizzed past Piper's head, and she cursed under her breath. "This is why I hate undercover missions!"

The team pushed forward, weaving through the ruined highway until they finally lost their pursuers in the rubble.

Breathing heavily, Preston turned to the group. "Everyone okay?"

Vargas nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah, but we need to move. They'll be looking for us."

Piper took one last look toward the raider camp. They had their answer. Now, they needed to warn Diamond City before it was too late.

By the time they made it back to Diamond City, the sun was already setting. Sico was waiting at the gate, arms crossed, worry evident in his eyes.

As soon as he saw them, he strode forward. "What happened?"

Piper, still catching her breath, looked him in the eye. "They're coming."

Sico's expression darkened. "How many?"

"A lot," Preston answered grimly. "They've been planning this for weeks. They know we're weak after the Institute fight, and they're gonna hit us hard."

Sico exhaled slowly, then nodded. "Alright. Then we prepare. We're not letting Diamond City fall."

He turned to the nearest guards. "Get everyone to the command room. We've got a war to win."

As the city erupted into motion, preparing for battle, Piper felt the weight of what was coming settle on her shoulders. Diamond City had survived one war. Now, they had to survive another.

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• Name: Sico

• Stats :

S: 8,44

P: 7,44

E: 8,44

C: 8,44

I: 9,44

A: 7,45

L: 7

• Skills: advance Mechanic, Science, and Shooting skills, intermediate Medical, Hand to Hand Combat, Lockpicking, Hacking, Persuasion, and Drawing Skills

• Inventory: 53.280 caps, 10mm Pistol, 1500 10mm rounds, 22 mole rats meat, 17 mole rats teeth, 1 fragmentation grenade, 6 stimpak, 1 rad x, 6 fusion core, computer blueprint, modern TV blueprint, camera recorder blueprint, 1 set of combat armor, Automatic Assault Rifle, 1.500 5.56mm rounds, power armor T51 blueprint, Electric Motorcycle blueprint, T-45 power armor, Minigun, 1.000 5mm rounds, Cryolator, 200 cryo cell, Machine Gun Turret Mk1 blueprint, electric car blueprint, Kellogg gun, Righteous Authority, Ashmaker, Furious Power Fist, Full set combat armor blueprint, M240 7.62mm machine guns blueprint, Automatic Assault Rifle blueprint, and Humvee blueprint.

• Active Quest:-