If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my P-Tang12!!!
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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
...
The soldiers moved immediately, grabbing weapons and heading toward the defensive stairs as the fog rolled closer, and something inside it was coming toward them.
The fog rolled thicker against the harbor wall.
It pressed forward like a living curtain, swallowing the dim light beyond the settlement and turning the world outside the defenses into a shifting gray void.
The wooden stairs up the wall creaked as boots pounded over them.
Freemason soldiers climbed quickly but with discipline, rifles already in their hands.
Far Harbor's defenders moved just as fast.
Men and women who had clearly done this many times before rushed to their positions along the ramparts.
Lanterns were kicked aside.
Crates of ammunition were dragged into place.
Someone shouted for more shotgun shells.
Another man hauled a heavy harpoon launcher toward the edge of the wall.
Nick climbed the final steps beside Sico and stepped onto the upper rampart.
From up there the harbor spread out behind them like a dim constellation of lanterns and generators.
But no one was looking back.
Every pair of eyes stared forward.
Into the fog.
The bell kept ringing.
CLANG.
CLANG.
CLANG.
A woman stood near the watchtower rope pulling it with steady urgency.
"There something incoming through the foggs!"
Her voice echoed across the settlement.
Allen Lee reached the wall a moment later and slammed a fresh magazine into his rifle.
He barely glanced at the newcomers now.
Right now they were simply more guns on the wall.
"Positions!" he barked.
Harbor guards spread out across the wooden platform.
Several stood behind crude barricades built from sandbags and scrap metal.
Others leaned rifles across the railing.
The massive floodlights mounted along the harbor defenses hummed loudly, blasting white beams outward into the fog.
But even those powerful lights struggled to pierce the thick mist.
The beams simply vanished a few dozen meters away.
Like shining flashlights into milk.
Nick rested his hands on the wall and peered forward.
"Well…" he muttered quietly.
"Definitely atmospheric."
Sico stood beside him, calm as ever.
His eyes scanned the fog with careful patience.
Behind them, several Freemason soldiers took positions along the wall.
Some crouched behind the barricades.
Others set up heavier rifles along the edge.
One of them lifted a pair of binoculars and tried to peer into the fog.
"Can't see a damn thing," he muttered.
Avery arrived a moment later, rifle slung over her shoulder.
Her breathing was steady.
Controlled.
Clearly someone used to these moments.
She moved beside Allen.
"Where?"
Allen pointed toward the fog bank rolling along the shoreline.
"Movement there."
Nick squinted.
At first he saw nothing.
Just fog.
Rolling fog.
Then something shifted inside it.
A shape.
Low to the ground.
Large.
Then another shape.
And another.
Nick slowly lowered his voice.
"Oh boy."
The fog rippled again.
And suddenly the first creature burst out of the mist.
It slammed against the outer barrier with a wet, heavy thud.
The thing looked like some horrible cross between a lizard and a frog, but grotesquely oversized.
Its skin glistened with slime.
Its body was thick and muscular.
Its long mouth opened wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
A Gulper.
Then more shapes followed.
One after another.
Some large.
Some smaller.
A whole group of them poured out of the fog.
Adult Gulpers and younger ones scrambling behind them.
Their bodies slapped heavily against the muddy shoreline as they rushed the harbor defenses.
Allen raised his rifle immediately.
"Gulpers!"
His voice roared across the wall.
"Open fire!"
Gunfire exploded across the ramparts.
The quiet harbor transformed instantly into chaos.
Rifles cracked.
Shotguns thundered.
Muzzle flashes burst like lightning across the wooden defenses.
Nick pulled his revolver and leaned over the wall.
"Showtime."
He fired.
BANG.
The first bullet struck one of the smaller gulpers square in the skull.
The creature collapsed instantly into the mud.
But the others kept coming.
More shapes burst from the fog.
The adult gulpers were massive.
One of them slammed directly against the harbor wall with enough force to shake the wooden structure.
Its long claws scraped across the planks as it tried to climb.
A harborman beside Nick fired a shotgun downward.
BOOM.
The blast tore through the creature's neck, spraying dark blood across the rocks below.
It fell backward with a heavy splash.
But the attack had only begun.
Another gulper lunged up from the shoreline and snapped its massive jaws against the wooden supports of the wall.
The sound of splintering wood echoed beneath them.
"Keep them off the posts!" Allen shouted.
Two harbor guards leaned over the edge and fired rapidly.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
The gulper's skull exploded under the gunfire and the creature collapsed into the surf.
But three more were already charging forward.
Behind them, smaller juvenile gulpers scrambled through the mud like vicious amphibious wolves.
Their shrieks echoed through the fog.
Sico raised his rifle calmly and fired three quick shots.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Each shot struck cleanly.
Three juvenile gulpers dropped instantly.
A Freemason soldier beside him swung a light machine gun into position and opened fire.
The weapon roared like thunder.
A stream of bullets tore through the fog, ripping apart two adult gulpers before they could reach the wall.
Chunks of slime-covered flesh splattered across the rocks.
Nick whistled.
"Remind me to stay on your good side."
The machine gunner grinned briefly but kept firing.
Another massive gulper burst out of the fog.
This one was larger than the others.
Its body was easily the size of a small brahmin.
Its long tongue lashed out toward the wooden barrier.
Avery raised her rifle and fired twice.
The bullets struck its shoulder but barely slowed it.
"Damn it!" she muttered.
The creature lunged forward and slammed into the wall again.
The impact shook the rampart hard enough that several people nearly lost their balance.
Nick grabbed the railing.
"That one's serious."
Allen moved forward beside Avery and fired rapidly.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
The gulper roared and snapped upward, its jaws snapping inches below the edge of the wall.
A harborman shoved a long metal spear downward and jammed it into the creature's eye.
The gulper shrieked.
Then Sico stepped forward calmly.
He lifted his rifle.
Took careful aim.
And fired one clean shot directly into the creature's open mouth.
CRACK.
The bullet punched straight through its skull.
The massive gulper collapsed backward into the surf with a thunderous splash.
Nick blinked.
"…Nice shot."
But the fog kept moving.
More shapes emerged.
A dozen gulpers now surged toward the harbor walls.
Adults charging forward like living battering rams.
Juveniles weaving through the rocks behind them.
The defenders kept firing.
Gunfire roared continuously across the ramparts.
Smoke drifted through the air.
Spent shell casings clattered across the wooden planks.
A Freemason soldier tossed a fragmentation grenade over the wall.
"Frag out!"
The grenade disappeared into the fog.
A moment later.
BOOM.
The explosion ripped through below.
Mud and pieces of gulper flesh blasted into the air.
Several creatures collapsed instantly.
But the rest kept coming.
Nick fired again.
BANG.
Another juvenile gulper dropped.
Then he reloaded quickly.
"Man," he muttered.
"They really don't take hints."
Allen fired another burst from his rifle.
"Welcome to Far Harbor!"
Below them, one particularly aggressive gulper managed to climb halfway up the outer barrier.
Its claws dug deep into the wooden beams.
Its massive head rose above the rocks.
A harborman swung a harpoon launcher into place.
"Move!"
He fired.
THUNK.
The harpoon slammed into the creature's chest.
Attached cable went taut instantly.
Two other defenders grabbed the line and pulled.
The gulper shrieked as they dragged it sideways.
Then a shotgun blast from Allen finished it.
BOOM.
The creature fell lifeless into the surf.
For several more minutes the battle continued like that.
Gunfire.
Roaring creatures.
Explosions.
The defenders fought with brutal efficiency.
Years of surviving on this island had made them experts at defending their walls.
Gradually, the gulper attack began to falter.
Several dead bodies now littered the rocks outside the harbor.
The remaining creatures hesitated.
One last adult gulper made a desperate charge toward the gate.
Three rifles fired simultaneously.
The creature dropped before it reached the wall.
Then silence slowly returned.
The fog still rolled beyond the harbor.
But no more shapes emerged.
The bell stopped ringing.
Only the sound of waves and distant generators remained.
Nick slowly lowered his revolver.
"…Well."
He looked down at the shoreline covered in dead gulpers.
"That was unpleasant."
Avery stood beside the wall, breathing steadily as she watched the fog.
Allen scanned the horizon with his rifle still ready.
After a moment he muttered,
"Looks like that was the last of them."
Several harbor guards began reloading their weapons.
Others dragged damaged barricades back into position.
One man wiped gulper slime off his coat with a disgusted expression.
Nick glanced at Sico.
"First five minutes in town."
He gestured toward the battlefield below.
"And we're already in a monster fight."
Sico looked calmly across the foggy shoreline.
"Yes."
Then he said quietly,
"Interesting place."
Nick chuckled tiredly.
"That's one way to describe it."
For a while after the shooting stopped, nobody moved very much.
The ramparts of Far Harbor remained tense with the aftershock of battle.
Smoke drifted lazily through the damp air where dozens of rifles had fired only moments earlier. The sharp smell of gunpowder mixed unpleasantly with the briny scent of the sea and the thick, sour stench coming from the gulper carcasses scattered along the rocks below.
The fog rolled quietly again beyond the harbor wall.
As if nothing had happened.
As if the violent struggle that had just taken place meant absolutely nothing to it.
Nick leaned both hands on the wooden railing and looked down at the shoreline.
The floodlights illuminated a gruesome sight.
Dead gulpers lay sprawled across the rocks and mud. Some were massive adults with thick, rubbery hides now riddled with bullet holes. Others were smaller juveniles, their twisted bodies half submerged in the dark water where waves slowly pushed them back and forth.
One particularly large one had been nearly torn in half by the machine gun burst earlier.
Nick made a face.
"Yup," he muttered quietly. "Definitely not the friendliest welcome committee."
A nearby harborman wiped slime off the barrel of his shotgun and chuckled tiredly.
"You get used to it."
Nick glanced sideways at him.
"Somehow I doubt that."
The man shrugged.
"Island life."
A few meters away, Allen Lee still stood near the wall with his rifle resting against his shoulder. His eyes remained fixed on the fog, scanning carefully for any sign that another wave might be coming.
His posture hadn't relaxed at all.
He looked like someone who had learned long ago that monsters rarely came alone.
Behind them, several Freemason soldiers were already moving into defensive positions across the rampart.
They worked with quiet efficiency.
Two of them dragged ammunition crates closer to the wall.
Another replaced a damaged sandbag that had been torn open by gulper claws.
The machine gunner who had shredded two of the creatures earlier checked the feed belt of his weapon before setting it back into a ready position.
Sico watched the activity calmly.
Then he spoke.
"Maintain defensive positions."
His voice wasn't loud.
But the Freemason soldiers immediately responded.
"Yes sir."
"Roger that."
They spread out along the rampart, keeping their rifles aimed toward the fog-covered shoreline.
The message was clear.
The battle might be over.
But the danger wasn't.
Satisfied, Sico turned slightly.
Nick was already straightening up beside him.
"Well," the detective said with a dry grin. "Looks like your boys made a good impression."
Sico nodded slightly.
"Yes."
Then he glanced toward the center of the rampart where Avery stood speaking quietly with two harbor guards.
"We should speak with her."
Nick tipped his fedora back slightly.
"After that little fireworks show, I'd say we earned a conversation."
They began walking across the rampart.
The wooden boards creaked beneath their boots.
Along the way they passed several defenders reloading their weapons or checking the wall for damage.
One woman dragged a dead juvenile gulper hook that had been stuck in the railing loose with a metal pry bar.
Another man dumped a bucket of seawater across the planks to wash away blood and slime.
Far Harbor's defenders clearly treated this kind of attack as routine maintenance.
Nick watched the cleanup with quiet fascination.
"Gotta admire their work ethic," he muttered.
Sico didn't reply.
His eyes remained focused ahead.
Avery stood near the watchtower ladder with her rifle resting against her shoulder. Her expression had returned to its calm, composed look, though her cheeks were still slightly flushed from the recent fight.
Allen stood nearby with crossed arms, his rifle slung over his back again.
As Sico and Nick approached, Avery noticed them immediately.
She stepped forward slightly.
"Well," she said.
Her tone carried a faint hint of relief.
"That was good timing."
Nick shrugged.
"Glad we could help."
Avery studied both of them for a moment.
Then she gave a small nod.
"You and your people handled yourselves well."
She reached into the pouch attached to her belt and pulled out a small leather bag.
The faint metallic clinking inside made its contents obvious.
Caps.
She held the pouch out toward Sico.
"Far Harbor pays its debts."
Nick raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Avery gave a small smile.
"You helped defend the town."
She shook the bag slightly.
"Seems only fair."
Sico accepted the pouch calmly.
He didn't even check the contents.
Instead he simply nodded once.
"Thank you."
Nick leaned slightly closer and whispered with a grin.
"Don't spend it all in one place."
Avery chuckled quietly.
Then she looked past them briefly at the Freemason soldiers standing guard along the wall.
"You run a disciplined group," she said.
Sico followed her gaze.
"Yes."
Avery folded her arms.
"Not many mainland groups would've jumped into that fight without hesitation."
Nick tipped his hat.
"Hey, when giant radioactive frog-lizards come knocking, it's usually a good idea to answer with bullets."
Avery laughed softly at that.
But Sico had already shifted the conversation.
"There is something I want to ask you."
Her expression became attentive again.
"Go ahead."
Sico turned slightly toward the fog-covered horizon beyond the harbor wall.
"What is that?"
Avery followed his gaze.
The fog continued rolling silently along the coastline.
Thick.
Heavy.
Endless.
She exhaled slowly.
"That," she said quietly, "is the fog."
Nick folded his arms.
"Seems like more than just bad weather."
Avery nodded.
"It is."
Her voice lowered slightly as she continued.
"The fog has been here for as long as anyone can remember."
She leaned one elbow on the railing and stared out at the gray mist.
"Even before the war."
Nick frowned slightly.
"Really?"
"Yes."
She gestured toward the distant cliffs hidden behind the fog.
"This island has always had strange weather."
"Strange tides."
"Strange wildlife."
Her eyes drifted briefly toward the dead gulpers on the shoreline.
"And after the bombs fell…"
She paused.
"…it got worse."
Nick scratched the side of his chin thoughtfully.
"How much worse?"
Avery gave him a thin smile.
"You just saw one example."
She turned back toward the fog.
"Out there…"
Her voice became quieter.
"…things change."
"Animals mutate."
"Creatures grow bigger."
"Meaner."
Nick glanced back at the shoreline again.
"Yeah, I noticed."
Avery continued.
"And the deeper you go into the island…"
Her eyes hardened slightly.
"…the more dangerous it becomes."
Sico listened carefully.
"The fog causes this?"
"Partly."
She nodded slowly.
"The fog carries radiation."
Nick let out a low whistle.
"Well that explains the wildlife."
"But it's not just radiation," Avery continued.
"There's something else about it."
"Something that twists things."
Nick looked mildly concerned.
"That sounds encouraging."
Avery shrugged slightly.
"Most of the island is unlivable because of it."
She gestured toward the settlement behind them.
"That's why Far Harbor stays behind the walls."
"We keep the fog out as much as we can."
Nick glanced at the massive floodlights lining the harbor defenses.
"Those things help?"
"They do."
"They push the fog back enough to give us breathing room."
Nick nodded slowly.
"Makes sense."
For a moment the three of them stood quietly watching the mist rolling across the dark shoreline.
Then a rough voice cut through the silence.
"I'm done with this."
Allen Lee stepped forward from where he had been standing nearby.
His expression was tense.
Angry.
The kind of anger that had been building for a long time.
Avery glanced at him.
"Allen…"
But he didn't stop.
"I'm serious."
He gestured sharply toward the fog.
"We sit here behind these damn walls every day waiting for the next attack."
His voice grew louder.
"Gulpers."
"Anglers."
"Fog crawlers."
"God knows what else."
Several nearby harbormen shifted uncomfortably.
Allen pointed toward the distant island beyond the fog.
"And meanwhile those lunatics just sit up there in their little radioactive church acting like none of it matters."
Nick raised an eyebrow.
"Radioactive church?"
Allen ignored him.
He looked directly at Avery.
"Give me some men."
His voice was firm.
"Just a handful."
"We march up there and wipe those Children of Atom out."
Avery's expression immediately hardened.
"No."
Allen frowned.
"No?"
"That's right."
Her voice remained calm but unyielding.
Allen gestured toward the fog again.
"You saw what just attacked us!"
"Yes."
"And you're still pretending those cultists aren't behind it?"
"They aren't."
Allen scoffed loudly.
"Oh come on."
Nick glanced back and forth between them.
"…I feel like I just walked into the middle of a long argument."
Avery ignored the comment.
She kept her eyes on Allen.
"The fog isn't caused by the Children of Atom."
Allen crossed his arms.
"I know that."
That answer seemed to surprise Nick slightly.
"You do?"
Allen nodded.
"Yeah."
Then he pointed angrily toward the fog.
"But it's getting worse."
Avery didn't reply immediately.
Allen continued.
"It's spreading further inland."
"It's getting thicker."
"More radioactive."
His voice grew more intense.
"And that started happening right around the time those fanatics showed up on the island."
Nick rubbed his chin again.
"So your theory is—"
"They're making it worse."
Allen finished.
Avery shook her head slowly.
"There's no proof of that."
Allen threw his hands up.
"Of course there isn't!"
"Those lunatics worship radiation!"
"You really think they'd admit it if they were poisoning the island?"
Avery's tone remained steady.
"Speculation isn't proof."
Allen stepped closer.
"People are dying out there!"
"Yes."
"And you want to just sit here waiting for the next attack?"
Avery's voice sharpened slightly now.
"I want to avoid starting a war we can't finish."
Allen glared at her.
"They're a bunch of irradiated cultists."
"And they live in a fortress."
That stopped him for a moment.
Nick raised an eyebrow again.
"Fortress?"
Avery nodded quietly.
"An old submarine base."
Allen grumbled under his breath.
"Which is exactly why we should hit them first."
Sico had remained silent through most of the argument.
But now he spoke.
"What are the Children of Atom?"
Both Avery and Allen looked at him.
Avery answered first.
"A religious group."
"They believe radiation is divine."
Nick chuckled.
"Well that's a new one."
Avery continued.
"They settled on the island years ago."
"Built their community in the old naval base."
Allen muttered.
"And they've been poisoning the place ever since."
Avery shot him a sharp look.
"You don't know that."
Allen crossed his arms again.
"I know the fog's getting worse."
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
The fog rolled quietly beyond the wall again.
Nick finally broke the silence.
"Well."
He looked between them.
"Sounds like this island has a few more problems than just gulpers."
Avery sighed softly.
"That's one way to put it."
Allen stared into the fog again.
His voice was quieter now.
"But we can't keep hiding forever."
The wind shifted slightly.
The wind shifted slightly across the harbor wall.
It carried the damp chill of the ocean with it, along with the faint metallic scent of radiation that seemed to cling to everything in the fog.
For a moment after Allen's last words, no one said anything.
The gray mist beyond the harbor continued its slow, restless movement, curling along the shoreline rocks like a living thing that had simply paused to observe the humans behind their fragile wooden walls.
Somewhere below, waves pushed gently against the bodies of the dead gulpers.
One of them rolled slightly in the surf with a wet scraping sound.
Nick watched it for a moment before grimacing.
"Yeah," he muttered. "Not exactly beach resort material."
Allen didn't laugh.
He remained staring into the fog, jaw tight.
Avery looked tired now.
Not physically exhausted as she stood straight and steady but the kind of tired that came from years of dealing with the same arguments, the same threats, the same impossible choices.
Sico studied the two of them quietly.
Then he spoke.
"I think we should return to the main reason we came here."
His voice wasn't loud, but it cut cleanly through the lingering tension between Avery and Allen.
Avery blinked slightly.
Then she nodded.
"You're right."
She exhaled slowly and rubbed the bridge of her nose as if mentally shifting gears.
"Sorry about that."
Nick tilted his head slightly.
"Island politics?"
Avery gave a small, weary smile.
"You have no idea."
She leaned lightly against the railing again and looked at Sico.
"You came here looking for someone."
Sico nodded once.
"Kasumi Nakano."
The name seemed to immediately bring recognition.
Avery's expression shifted.
"Oh."
She glanced briefly toward the harbor below, as if thinking through something.
"Right."
Nick watched her carefully.
"You've heard of her?"
Avery nodded slowly.
"Yes."
That immediately caught both of their attention.
Nick straightened slightly.
"Well that's encouraging."
Sico waited calmly.
Avery looked back at them.
"She came through Far Harbor a while ago."
Nick's eyes narrowed.
"Recently?"
"A few days."
Nick let out a low whistle.
"Well."
He tapped the railing lightly.
"Looks like we're not chasing ghosts after all."
Sico's voice remained steady.
"Where did she go?"
Avery hesitated for a second.
Then she answered.
"She headed inland."
Nick frowned.
"Inland?"
Avery nodded.
"To a place called Acadia."
Nick glanced sideways at Sico.
"…Acadia."
The name sounded familiar somehow.
Avery continued.
"It's a settlement further up the island."
Nick scratched his chin.
"Another town like this?"
Avery shook her head slowly.
"No."
Her tone carried something different now.
Something cautious.
"Acadia isn't exactly a normal settlement."
Nick's brow lifted slightly.
"That's mysterious."
Avery folded her arms.
"It's a refuge."
"For synths."
That word hung in the air.
Nick's expression shifted immediately.
"…Synths."
Sico remained calm.
But his eyes focused slightly sharper.
Nick looked back at Avery.
"So let me get this straight."
He gestured vaguely toward the fog.
"The girl we're looking for walked straight into a radioactive nightmare island…"
"…then decided to move in with a bunch of runaway synths."
Avery shrugged slightly.
"Seems that way."
Nick rubbed his temple lightly.
"Well that explains the detective work so far."
He looked at Sico.
"Kid's got adventurous taste in travel destinations."
Sico asked calmly,
"How far is this Acadia?"
Avery turned and pointed vaguely toward the northern mountains hidden beyond the fog.
"North."
"High up in the mountains."
Nick followed her gesture, though of course he couldn't actually see anything through the endless mist.
"And I'm guessing the trip isn't exactly a pleasant walk through the woods."
Avery gave a quiet snort.
"That's one way to put it."
She pushed off the railing and stood straighter.
"Getting to Acadia is dangerous."
Nick raised an eyebrow.
"Because of the fog?"
"That's part of it."
She gestured toward the dark shoreline where the gulper bodies still lay.
"You saw what lives near the coast."
Nick nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
"Now imagine going deeper into the island."
His expression shifted slightly.
"…Right."
Avery continued.
"The fog gets thicker the further inland you go."
"Radiation levels spike."
"And the wildlife…"
She paused.
"…gets worse."
Nick folded his arms.
"That's comforting."
Avery's voice remained calm but serious.
"Without someone who knows the island, you'd be lucky to make it halfway."
Sico listened carefully.
Then he asked,
"Is there someone who can guide us?"
Avery nodded almost immediately.
"Yes."
Nick tilted his head.
"Well that was fast."
Avery gave a small smile.
"There's one man who knows this island better than anyone."
She glanced briefly toward the center of town.
"Old Longfellow."
Nick chuckled softly.
"That's a name."
Avery nodded.
"He's been living on this island longer than most of us."
"Knows the fog."
"Knows the trails."
"Knows what creatures to avoid and which ones to shoot first."
Nick looked impressed.
"Sounds useful."
Avery shrugged slightly.
"He is."
Then her expression turned slightly amused.
"But…"
Nick sighed.
"There's a 'but.'"
"There's always a 'but.'"
Avery nodded.
"Longfellow can be…"
She searched for the right words.
"…an acquired taste."
Nick grinned.
"Oh I like him already."
Avery shook her head slightly with a small laugh.
"He drinks."
Nick nodded approvingly.
"Now I definitely like him."
"And he's stubborn."
Nick grinned wider.
"Perfect."
"But he knows the island better than anyone."
She looked directly at Sico now.
"If you want to reach Acadia safely, he's your best chance."
Sico nodded slowly.
"Where can we find him?"
Avery gestured toward the heart of the settlement.
"There's a bar in town."
Nick perked up immediately.
"Now we're talking."
Avery smirked slightly.
"It's called the Last Plank."
Nick chuckled.
"That name doesn't inspire confidence."
"It's where most people go after a long day fighting the fog."
She shrugged.
"Which means Longfellow is usually there."
Nick tipped his hat slightly.
"Well."
He looked at Sico.
"Sounds like our next stop."
Sico nodded.
"Yes."
Then he looked back at Avery.
"Thank you for the information."
Avery gave a small nod in return.
"No problem."
She glanced again toward the Freemason soldiers standing guard along the ramparts.
The disciplined group still maintained their watch over the fog-covered shoreline, rifles ready, scanning carefully for any sign of movement.
Her expression softened slightly.
"You and your people handled that gulper attack well."
Nick smirked.
"We try."
Avery crossed her arms thoughtfully.
"You know…"
She hesitated briefly.
"If you're going to be around Far Harbor for a bit…"
Nick tilted his head.
"…Yeah?"
Avery gestured toward the town behind them.
"We could use the help."
Nick raised an eyebrow.
"With what?"
Avery laughed quietly.
"Take your pick."
She pointed toward the fog again.
"Creatures."
"Supply runs."
"Repairs."
"Scouting."
Her voice carried a practical tone.
"Living on this island means there's always something that needs doing."
Nick nodded thoughtfully.
"Makes sense."
Avery looked directly at Sico now.
"If you and your team are willing to lend a hand around town while you're here…"
She shrugged.
"…Far Harbor would appreciate it."
Nick glanced sideways at Sico with a faint grin.
"Sounds like we're popular already."
The wind shifted again.
Somewhere behind them, the generators hummed louder as the floodlights continued pushing their beams out into the endless fog.
Beyond the harbor wall, the island waited.
Dark.
Radioactive.
Full of creatures and secrets hidden inside the mist.
Nick adjusted his fedora and looked toward the center of town where dim lantern light marked the streets of Far Harbor.
"Well," he said casually.
"Guess we better go meet this charming fellow named Old Longfellow."
Then he grinned slightly.
"And check out this Last Plank place."
He looked back at Sico.
"After tonight…"
"…I could use a drink."
The fog rolled slowly along the harbor wall again.
______________________________________________
• 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:-