FFF - Return to Free Gurl HQ

It’s tense when you reach Old Gurlberg, but Boss Murphy is cautious in deploying her men to scout ahead and ensure that you aren’t walking into a trap. An ambush isn’t the only possible problem. Boss Murphy tried to take out the Free Gurls with a bomb, so she’s understandably wary of them baiting her into the building before setting off a charge of her own.

But you find nothing like that. No traps.

There’s evidence that some things have been destroyed, and that tracks with the narrative of the Free Gurls leaving on their own. If there was something that they couldn’t take with them, they would rather destroy it than leave it for Boss Murphy. There’s still enough loot and laboratory equipment left to save this from being a wasted trip.

Boss Murphy relaxed, just a little, after the building has been scouted and she’s walked through it herself. She keeps you close.

As her men pack up what they can to carry, Boss Murphy sets her massive gun aside and sits with a groan on the sofa in the gym that served as Labrat’s workshop. She looks at you neutrally.

“Looks like you were telling the truth,” she says, and there’s still wariness.

“I’m not your enemy,” you tell her bluntly.

She nods. She knows that, but she also knows that you are not her friend. You watch her rub her big, green hands together and look around at the large, dim space.

“Help us mule this stuff back,” she says finally. “I’ll pay you half of the fee.”

It’s better than nothing, given that you didn’t accomplish the mission that she sent you on. You don’t need to be rich, you just don’t want to be broke.

You can’t ask Boss Murphy for more work right now. You’re lucky she’s being this nice. Before, at least she knew where the Free Gurls were. Now she doesn’t even know that, and she doesn’t like it.

“Sounds good,” you say. Complaining is not an option. Gear is packed up, bundled into tarps, and loaded into old, battered duffel bags. You accept what’s given to you and follow Boss Murphy outside.

Your approach to this place was extremely slow and careful. It’s starting to get dark.

Something whistles out of the dark: a spear constructed of wood strapped to a bayonet. It strikes Boss Murphy in the neck without warning.

You duck and a spear sails over your head. Boss Murphy falls to her knees, clutching at her bleeding neck. Her huge gun crashed to the ground. You dump your equipment, ready to dart back through the door for cover, but another guy is coming out, looking confused.

A silent figure appears around the side of the building, wielding a machete.

“Look out!” you shout, but it’s too late. The startled man from New Gurlberg is stabbed in the back, and the dark, hooded figure who killed him vanishes into the building. You lunge to his body and grab his rifle. Your weapons training is sufficient for you to identify and use the weapon, a Mosin Nagant rifle held together with straps and tape.

Another attacker appears, coming straight at you with a spear. You shoot him in the chest. The powerful rifle rocks in your arms and slams painfully against your shoulder, but the large bullet does its job and sends the man crashing to the ground. You work the bolt and fire another shot at movement in the swamp. Another spear narrowly misses you. You work the bolt again, taking cover behind the only thing there is right here: Boss Murphy. She’s on her side, bleeding out with her hands clutching at her wounded neck.

Something sharp stings you: chips of brick from the building. You’re being shot at with a suppressed weapon. You see movement and fire a third shot from the huge rifle.

Gunshots ring out inside the building, but that’s behind you. You are badly exposed. You don’t know how many of these guys there are. This isn’t the Free Gurls, it’s someone else.

Your accuracy and the raw power of the rifle in your hands have momentarily stalled the ****, but you are one woman essentially in the open against an unknown ****. The status of Boss Murphy’s men is unknown. Number of attackers unknown. You activate your Pip-Girl and use VATS, spotting one that thinks he’s hidden in the swamp. Your rifle booms and he goes down, but in the moment that VATS was active, you saw that he wasn’t alone.

You duck behind Boss Murphy and work the bolt. Another spear thuds into her leg.

Commit to the fight?

Or get the hell out?