Chapter 20 - 20

Words : 1559 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Adam ducked back down as quickly as he had popped out, so as not to be spotted. For the moment the man seemed oblivious to Adam's hiding spot, but that could change at any moment. Adam was left there, hiding, wondering what he should do. He looked down at his pistol that he still gripped in his hands. There was really only one option: He had to handle this guy before he found him. Adam peeked again and saw the guy seeming to be looking around the corridor where Adam hid, there were not many hiding spots, it was only through sheer luck the raider seemed to be looking in all the wrong spots so far. So, with a steeled resolve on what he had to do, Adam leveled his gun, taking aim. To increase his chances of making the shot count he hit VATS on his pip-boy to give him a little aim assist. It didn't do too much for him, but at this moment, any advantage was worth taking. As the target on his head read 90% he slipped his finger into the trigger guard, lined up the shot and… "Hey, fuckwitz!" A female voice with an angry edge said as it drew closer, out of Adam's view. "You find the fucker yet?" She asked as she slowly walked past Adam's hiding spot, him having just enough time to withdraw his gun and hide himself at the floor level again. The woman was dressed similar to the man but with her own style. She wore what can only be described as an armored crop top. It was as if she gutted the bottom of a bullet proof vest and then carved the top to her liking. It didn't protect her stomach at all which was showing pretty clearly. It was full of incredibly nasty scars and one stitch wound. Her pants were long cargo shorts dyed black but with obvious signs of wear and tear and she too wore boots similar to the man thought without the metal, making them quieter. Her hair was dyed blue and cut very short. But, like the man, she too had a disturbing addition to her apparel. This time, bones. Specifically teeth. She had tooth piercings all over her face,human teeth. Two tooth earrings, one tooth on her lower lip, two on her nose and one under her chin. Adam didn't especially study her mouth to see if she had all her teeth, but he very much doubted the teeth she wore like jewelry were hers. "No, can't seem to find him." The guy admits as he looked at her, shouldering his rifle as he did. "Well did you think to FUCKING LOOK UPSTAIRS!?" She yelled at him like he was stupid. The man seemed to slump a bit and then get an angry look on his face. "No I fucking didn't get the fuck off my back woman." He said as he started to march past her and, once again, Adam's hiding place. "Talk to me like that one more goddamn time." She said as she placed her hand on her holstered… gun? Honestly, Adam didn't know what it was, it looked like a thin piece of wood with a pipe and more metal strapped on it like a child's art school project. It was in the vague shape of a gun, it even had a nail where the trigger would be, but it couldn't possibly work… right? Hopefully he didn't need to find out. "Fuck you." The man said as he passed her. "FUCK YOU!" She screamed back at him as he walked out of view. "Fucking woman. Good for a fuck but they get a little blood down below and they get so snippy." The man says with a careless callousness as the woman watched him go, seeming to be fuming. "YOU DON'T FIND HIM I'M GOING TO HAVE YOUR BALLS!" She yelled at him again. "Heh heh, sounds hot." He said as he seemed to finally be ascending the stairs, judging on the sound of his footsteps and voice. Though Adam could only truly guess now. "Fucking bastard." The woman seemed to grumble as she stood there, looking at the direction of the stairway, away from Adam. Adam had to rethink his plans quickly, after all now there were two of them. He needed to figure out a way to escape or… He looked at the woman who seemed to just be standing there, though she was clearly pulling out a cigarette from a box. Adam had one shot, he needed to subdue the woman quietly and then sneak out before the man came back down the stairs. It was the only way he could find a way out in the quick moment that passed. Putting his helmet back on, he quietly slipped out of the elevator shaft back onto the second floor, crouching as he walked closer to the woman who was only a few feet away. He would have preferred to have a knife or something, but he was confident that, with the element of surprise, he could get the drop on her and take her down before she could alert the other guy. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. And this plan was full of holes from the very start. Adam was only a foot away from her when she, suddenly and without warning, turned around and locked eyes with Adam, lit cigarette in her mouth. Honestly, despite the fact that she was on the hunt for Adam, she looked as surprised to see him as he was to see her turn around. Though this might have something to do with the fact he was crouch-walking over to her and was about a foot away when she noticed. The moment didn't last long though as she was quick to reach for the thing on her hip, planning to fire at Adam with reckless abandon. Adam was faster however. He had unholstered his pistol, aimed, and fired before she could even get her gun aimed. It was over in a single second. The bullet ripped through her unarmored abdomen and clearly hit her in somewhere vital as she hit the ground like a rock, incapacitated immediately. "THE FUCK HAPPENED?!" The other raider yelled from upstairs as he started to run back down. Adam had no time to make a move to the stairway. He could only turn and run the other way to the end of the short corridor where it turned to a T junction right after the elevators. He didn't make it to the turn before he heard the loud sound of the gunshot coupled with the sound of a bullet whizzing by his head. He must have had a guardian angel since he had enough time to make it around the corner and take cover against the concrete wall before another round rang out. Though this one was not nearly as close to hitting him now that he had cover. Though he did get to see it impact with the back wall, throwing up some small dust of concrete as it hit the wall. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! YOU GODDAMN MOTHERFUCKER!" He yelled at the top of his lungs again before firing for a third time, once more not hitting Adam as he remained in cover behind the wall. However Adam took advantage of the brief window in between each shot where the raider had to charge his rifle again to pop out and take his own shot at him. Small bits of concrete were kicked up into the air as his bullet hit right below the foot of the raider as he stood on top of the steps. Adam was quick to dive back again behind cover as another shot from the hunting rifle rang out past him. Adam moved again, firing another time at the man. Once again he missed as the bullet seemed to shoot 6 inches to the right of the raider. Adam dove behind cover again as another bullet was fired at him. "Shit! Fuck! Shit!" The raider cried out into the air after he fired. There was no second round a moment later as he had been doing up until that moment. Adam could only assume he was reloading. He did not waste the chance. Adam came out of his cover, arm outstretched, holding his pistol still as he walked forward, firing once, twice, thrice, into the man. Each shot landed right into the man's chest. By the time the third shot landed the rifle in his hands was already falling. A moment later the man followed his gun as he fell face first over onto the ground from the third stair up. He landed with a hard thud. Adam observed this for a moment, just about to sigh in relief and collect his thoughts as another round was fired from nearby. He looked over to notice the woman who he had shot in the abdomen laying on the ground, profusely bleeding out but with her weird wood and pipe gun still in her outstretched arm, having just fired a bullet at Adam. Hitting him right in the chest.

Chapter 20 - 20

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