Fallout 4: AR

75. Captives

"You took out the last two slavers, too? MacCready, you are amazing!" I announced, flanked with nods from both Deacon and Glory- reluctant and impressed respectively. "How did you get inside?"

"Easy. I saw where that one guy came out on the roof and just snuck in that way. The remaining slavers were distracted by your efforts to open the door and didn't even hear me until it was too late." MacCready preened under the praise, and breezily played off his role as "no big deal." But the satisfied gleam in his crystal eyes and the shadow of that little-kid grin playing across his lips gave away his real feelings. He was proud of himself, and rightly so.

"Were you hit anywhere?"

"Nothing to speak of." He shrugged one shoulder, eyes darting around the hallway. "Lucky blow... or three, is all."

Ignoring his pride, I carefully examined him. "C'mon, Mac, let me at least bandage it for you." He gave in at this point, holding out his arm. A new gash in the fabric of his unarmored left arm framed the bleeding wound in his bicep. I took a quick moment to clean and wrap the injury, grinning at his expression of amused tolerance. "Want me to kiss it and make it better?" I teased.

He matched my grin with a leer. "Only if you keep going. I have scrapes and bruises all over... and this weird swelling," he gestured downwards, chuckling pruriently.

"Uh-huh." This time it was my turn to boop the tip of his nose. "Maybe later. Let's go free the captives."

The short hallway leading into the depths of the building held several doors, but only three appeared intact. A hasty camp of sorts occupied the end of the stretch, blocked by debris from the collapsed remains of the structure. Glory remained on watch at the front door, and the rest of us spread out to inspect the area. MacCready and I focused on the first of the rooms while Deacon searched for the slave collar remote.

The first room held three captives. A young, bewildered-looking woman crouched protectively in front of two children. All three showed signs of their ordeal in the haunted look on their faces, the shabby rags barely covering them, and the involuntary cringe when we entered the room. The children stared at us with wide eyes, grubby cheeks tracked with the stark lines of endless tears. They matched the description of the headman's kids from Hangman's Alley, and I breathed a grateful sigh of relief that we had found them.

I had never been the maternal type, and wasn't quite sure where to begin. MacCready on the other hand swung into action the moment he set eyes on the children, allowing me to reassure the woman that we were there to rescue them. He crouched down to address the kids, speaking soothingly to them, showing the never-seen-in-public tender side of his character. By the time Deacon reappeared with a triumphant smile and a small device clutched in his hand, MacCready was sitting on the floor with one child tucked protectively under each arm, hugging him for all they were worth. His eyes were hidden by the brim of his eight-point cap, but a gentle smile peeked through. Deacon took in the tableau in silence, then met my gaze with a chagrined expression. See? There's more to RJ than a hired killer, I thought at him vindictively.

The woman, Rachel insisted on staying with the children with whom she had formed a bond, and returning with them to Hangman's Alley. Deacon quietly explained to me as she collected the kids to have their collars removed that she was the Synth they were here to rescue. "So long as she's free to live her life on her own terms, we're satisfied. We can kill two crows with one round," he breezed, "helping get these three back home. Desdemona focuses on Synth rescue to the exclusion of everything else, so it's nice to be able to help some humans this time."

"Sounds good, Deacon. I think Mac and I can handle the others." MacCready took the collar remote while I helped Deacon escort his charges towards the entrance. Glory took point. Deacon and Rachel each carried one child on their shoulders, and the small group soon disappeared into the Wasteland. I scanned the area after I could no longer see or hear them and, satisfied the coast was clear, went to find MacCready.