Runaway
October 12^th 2279
A small girl barely over six years old ran through the wastes tears streaming out of her brown eyes, her auburn hair blowing in the wind. She was desperately trying to outrun her pursuers. She thought back to how she ended up in this predicament. In hindsight leaving home was probably a really stupid idea but she couldn’t stay either. Her family had been fighting for month’s nightly screaming matches between her parents then when she listened in she learned she was the topic. The night before last after an especially intense screaming match her father stormed out. That was when she decided to leave before her family tossed her out. They’d be better off without me she concluded.

She'd heard stories from passing traders of a place called Little Lamplight a home for orphaned and abandoned children. The settlement her family lived in was built into the ruins of an old high school it didn’t take her long to dig up a map that could show her the way to Lamplight Caverns. From the map she found they were some fifty miles away from the Baltimore suburb she lived in. The girl figured she could hitch hike or shadow a couple caravans and make it in three or four days. She shoved what food and water she could carry into a bag and snuck out of the settlement before midday. But not before grabbing her favorite book a battered but still readable copy of Black Beauty.

She spent her first day sneaking along the highway Route 29 following a slow moving caravan up ahead. She couldn’t risk being seen if they recognized her they might turn around and send her home. It was easy so far the old rusted cars gave her plenty of cover to hide in and around should anything happen along. She knew the merchants passing through town talked about the trading post Canterbury Commons to the south just off Route 92 right at the edge of DC. It was the trading hub so from there she could find a Caravan heading most anywhere in DC including Little Lamplight.

Come sunset the caravan made camp outside an old gas station, the girl quietly slipped inside and spent the night sleeping in the bathroom. She thought it a safer location then outside. The only reason the caravan members slept outside was because the Pack Brahmin wouldn’t fit inside. As she drifted off she guessed they’d reach the trading post by early tomorrow. While she slept the folks back home figured out she wasn’t anywhere in the settlement built into the old high school and began fanning out looking for the lost girl.

When she stepped out of the gas station she gasped in horror the caravan was long gone and in its place five scary armed men. The slavers pounced and with in moments they bound her wrists and tethered her to one of their own. Once they felt she was secure they started picking through her belonging taking the food and the water everything. The leader an older man in his fifties pulled out her book. “You can read this?” he grunted sizing her up trying to asset her value. When she failed to answer he gave the rope a hard yank sending her tumbling down. “Answer me!” He bellowed.

“Yes sir.” She figured he’d appreciate the sir.

“No way.” Scoffed one of the slavers. “She can read that already?”

“Just because it took you twenty years to learn to read doesn’t mean it takes everyone twenty years.” The boss smirked causing a roar of laughter from the others. The slavers were quite pleased with the their catch, her age and health meant an easy five hundred caps. To the right buyer her literacy could be worth an extra two hundred but only to the right buyer. The slavers packed up and started dragging her south along the same road she was already on.

While walking towards there camp the slaver holding the rope felt it go tight. “Keep up you stupid….” His words died in his throat when he realized the leash trailing behind him had snagged on a bush. “Oh [censored] me.” The slaver just hoped the boss wouldn’t kill him over this.

As they’d been walking the girl at slowly managed to slip her bonds once free and sure the slavers were concentrating on the road ahead she dropped the rope and ran like hell back towards the road hoping to reach it and a place to hide before the slavers took notice but it was not to be.

“After her!” The leader barked watching the girl disappear over the hill heading back towards the road. The girl didn’t look back when she heard the slaver screaming in the distance she just kept running.

She’d been running down the road for a couple minutes before she finally summoned the courage to look back and was relieved she’d managed to but considerable distance between them but unbeknownst to her the five slavers had no trouble keeping up. They figured after she collapsed from exhaustion they could carry her off without a struggle. Up ahead the road dipped down and she hoped once she disappeared down the slope she could hide unseen and wait for them to give up the search or double back as they plowed on a head. When she reached the edge her heart sank the road apparently ended swallowed by the wastes there was nowhere to hide she could only run. She tripped running down the slope and went tumbling down landing with a thud. Her map flew from her jacket pocket and landed several feet away. She groaned in pain opening her eyes she saw a pair of black boots belonging to a tall imposing figure.

"You alright kid?" She looked up to see the stranger kneeling down to give her a hand. She just stared at him blankly like her he had auburn colored but green eyes not brown. She could make out a white four-leaf clover on his green combat armor over which he wore a brown duster coat. His combat helmet had been painted brown to match the duster. She could see a .44 magnum at his side; the assault rifle slung over the man’s shoulder was similar to the raiders but stockless with an attached scope and what she guessed was a silencer. Then he had grenades at least half a dozen grenades at his belt the man was a walking arsenal with more firepower then that entire slaver gang put together or so she hoped. Next to him was dog with a brown right eye and left blue the dog wore some kind of K-9 Kevlar vest and doggy backpack which the girl guessed was probably had more weapons to. The dog leaned down and licked her face, which brought her back to reality. Remembering why she’d been running she scrambled to her feet and tried to flee but her attempt was cut short when the stranger grabbed her collar.

"Whoa there kid, no one is going to hurt you." She didn’t know why but she believed him.

"Its not you I'm Fraid of…" She whispered wanting to keep running but before she could explain why the gang caught up.

"Ah there you are." The slaver boss cackled with his four cronies from the top of the slope. The stranger moved himself between the slavers and the girl who then buried her face in his back and prayed.

"I see you've found our little lost calf." the slaver boss smirked. The stranger just snorted at them referring to the girl as cattle. "Now why don't you, hand her over." The slaver boss demanded. The gang raised there weapons menacingly, a collection of hunting rifles and P90 Assault Rifles.

"I think she prefers to stay lost." The stranger was clearly unimpressed with their threat and the girl wondered if he was crazy, or crazy dangerous, she prayed for the later over the former. The slavers just laughed at the stranger’s defiance. She shut her eyes and held the stranger tighter.

The old slaver boss regarded the stranger standing defiantly below him. He was in his early to mid twenties well armed and in high-grade body armor. Everything about this stranger told him this was a man who made his living by the gun.

"I'm not an unreasonable man, you can have her for five hundred caps." The price was open to negotiation. Sure they could just kill the guy it was five on one but they’d probably lose one or two men in the process which wasn’t good business sense over a single slave not if they could get at least some money out of the deal.
This way they’d get some money and the stranger could walk away the hero or sell her himself for a net gain everybody wins. “Or maybe you’d like to join us, I’m looking to build up a larger gang to strike at a settlement back in Baltimore, I could use a man like you for my number two.” The slaver boss raised one son… he probably had others but only really kept track of the one. But the slaver’s son turned his back on the family business and refused to take part in it. In retaliation he would enslave his son’s home and bring him into the fold by force.

"How about you pay me kill you all five hundred caps… each." The stranger answered coldly. The girl peered out from behind the stranger to see the boss and three of his underlings laughing, a fifth one however was trembling so much he dropped his assault rifle.

"Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with?" The slaver boss bellowed. "I'm Mad Dog, the baddest mother [censored] slaver in Baltimore!"

"Do you?" The stranger returned the question, hand flexed and ready to draw his revolver.

"Its him!" the trembling slaver from before muttered. "Its the devil, The Lone Wanderer he'll kill us all!" The slaver fled screeching in terror. The girl watched as a second one lost his nerve and fled with the other.

"Come back here you cowards!" The boss shouted after them, in that moment the stranger drew his gun and fired three times the three remaining slavers dropped dead. For a moment the stranger considered following after the others but instead turned to the little girl he just rescued. She looked up at him his duster blowing in the wind and stumbled back a few steps.

“I’m Jack.” he reached out his hand, which the girl grasped tightly. “And this is Dogmeat.” The dog in question gave an affirmative bark and nuzzled her face.

"Daria.” She answered meekly accepting the handshake while pushing the dog away.

"Well Daria lets get you home can you tell me where you live?" Daria shook her head no. A part of her wanted to go home but she couldn't in her mind they were better off without her.

"I don't have a home." She sniffed back a tear and looked down digging her feet into the ground. "They didn't want me." His heart sank at hearing those words and he idly wondered if her own family had sold her to the slavers. It wouldn’t be the first time.

"You headed to Little Lamplight?" He asked picking up the map she dropped; the caverns had been clearly circled by an old red marker.

"Yes Sir." she answered hesitantly. She'd thought the Lone Wanderer was just a story something made up like the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny. It was a little intimidating standing before him, but also comforting.

"Well I suppose I'll just have to take you there.” He said tussling her hair.

"You know the way?" she smiled weakly.

The Lone Wanderer knelt down beside her and held out his pip boy wrist computer. He adjusted a few of the dials bringing up a map. "We are here," he explained, "and Little Lamplight is there." The device memorized Daria it was a technological marvel. She reached out and gently touched the controls. She looked to him questioningly to make sure it was all right the last thing she wanted to do was upset him.

"It’s alright poke around a bit.” Needing no further encouragement she was quick to play with the features. She could tell why this thing was locked on his wrist. It had a map, radio, notes it could even monitor his health and local radiation levels. Jack gave her a few minutes to play around before announcing they had to get going.

“It’s still a long way to Lamplight, but if we hurry we can make it to my home in Megaton before dark.” He offered his left hand to hold, which she accepted. Dogmeat took up a flanking position on the other side kept bumping up against her in a vein attempt to get her attention from the sad little girl.

They walked through the wastes for a couple more hours before arriving at Canterbury Commons. Where they stopped at Joe Porter’s diner for a bite to eat. “Can you tell me anything about Little Lamplight?” Daria asked chewing on some crispy squirrel bits.

Jack explained the history first how on the day of the Great War a group of school children from an elementary school had gone to the caverns on a field trip. After the bombs fell one by one the advlts left looking for help, food supplies but they never returned. The children feeling abandoned felt they didn’t need advlts anymore and began the tradition of exiling their own when they turned sixteen. Over the years they’d take in orphans and runways, which was how the community still survived after two centuries.

“But if they didn’t half to leave until they turned sixteen couldn’t some of them have had kids before leaving.” Daria’s question made Jack stop dead in his tracks.

“I don’t think about that.” He turned to look at the bright young girl. “And neither should you.” Daria snickered she had always had away of making advlts uncomfortable. Lamplight got by day-to-day much like any other community scavenging and trading for supplies and growing what little food they could. Mostly they ate this cave fungus, which grew on the cavern walls and aside from a source of food it also acted as a natural treatment for radiation.

“Does it taste good?” Daria winced at the thought of eating fungus it didn’t sound appetizing. Jack confirmed it did in fact taste awful but better then radroach. The more Jack talked about the settlement the more reservations Daria had. The food didn’t sound appealing, the lighting was dim, and it was cold and damp like a cavern big surprise. The one highlight Jack stressed was the community was safe, which was far more then most settlements could claim and they took care of there own.

They were a couple hours out from Canterbury Commons when Daria found she just couldn’t walk anymore. Her legs felt like jelly and she struggled to keep up quick on the uptake Jack swooped her up onto his shoulders. “I can still walk, I just need a rest.” she pouted her pride a little hurt. The Lone Wanderer just shook his head at how children hated to be treated like children. “Here” Jack said holding up a pair of binoculars. “You can keep an eye out for trouble.” She felt better as a lookout then as baggage and accepted the offer with a little Mona Lisa smile. In the distance she could see the green growing along the river.

When they arrived at Megaton Daria wasn't sure what to make out of it. It was protected by large metal walls of scrap dotted with watchtowers, a lone robotic guard stood outside. Around the town she could see people working clearing boulders and smooth out the landscape. “What are they doing?” she asked.

“Making fields for farming.” Jack answered as they passed below the gangplank overlooking the entrance.

"Hello Jack welcome home." the man shouted from his perch above him.

"Thanks Stockholm, poker on Friday?"

"I'll bring the beer!" Stockholm shouted back. The mechanical gate slowly opened and Jack set her down. They walked inside and Daria didn’t quite know what to make of it. A whole town of metal shacks built around a crater what Daria presumed to be a model of an atomic bomb. She just hoped the whole place didn’t suddenly collapse. He led her to the first house on the left where a Mr. Handy Robot was patrolling the outside of the scrap metal house. "Greetings sir welcome home." the robot spoke in a synthesized British accent

“Good day Wadsworth.” Jack answered. He opened the front door and led Daria inside. The interior was decorated with various pre-war artifacts. Quickly looking around she could see a nuka-cola machine on the second floor and a collection of bubbleheads on a stand. The house seemed rather homey for one made from scrap metal.

“Honey I’m home.” Jack called out.

“Catch anything good on your hunting trip?” A raven-haired Asian woman descended the stairs in a pink dress and glomped onto Jack. “Lover, who’s this?” she asked noticing Daria who was hiding behind him while looking away from the display of affection.

“I’m Daria.” She tentatively reached out her hand.

“Clover” she answered accepting the handshake.

“I found her being chased by some slavers north of Canterbury on Route 29” Jack explained. Daria nodded looking downcast at the floor. Dogmeat gave a sympathetic whimper.

“Aw you poor thing, how bout you sit down while I make us something to eat would you like that.” Her stomach growled and Daria sheepishly nodded and sat down in the nearby chair. Dogmeat followed and rested his head on her leg looking up her with sad doe eyes.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He likes you.” Clover answered.

“He’s been trying to get your attention all day to cheer you up and you’ve just ignored him.” Jack added. Feeling guilty Daria down and scratched the dog behind the ears and admittedly it did make her feel a little better. Dogmeat wagged his tail pleased to have cheered her up if only a little. She thought back to her family and hoped they were happy now that the source of their problems was gone.

“So how’d you end up in slaver hands?” Clover asked cutting up some vegetables for the stew.

“I was going to Little Lamplight, I heard it was a home for unwanted kids like me.” Daria said sorrow in her voice. “Jack said he’d take me there.” She added a little more hopeful.

“Well that’s Jack.” She smiled. “I used to be a brainwashed slave until he helped me become independent.” She felt for the child. Clover's own parents

“Now we have a normal healthy relationship, she’s in charge.” Jack joked putting sn arm around her. In response Clover ‘accidently’ elbowed him in the gut and glared menacingly. “See the abuse I put up with that’s what I get for teaching her free will” he laughed.. Daria just rolled her eyes and promised never to put on such dopy displays of affection when she grew up.

Soon the stew was ready which Daria ate with gusto. The only thing she’d eaten all day was the crispy squirrel bits the slavers having taken brought with her. She’d completely forgot about her bag in the aftermath of her rescue. The real treat was the ice cold drink, to her delight the soda machine wasn’t just for decoration. After dinner Jack switched on the radio and the tunes of Galaxy News Radio played, starting with “I don’t want to set the world on fire.” They listened to the radio for a couple hours, the music the news and an episode Daring Dashwood. Through out this Jack and Clover made several subtle and not so subtle attempts to get Daria to divulge more of her past to no success. Daria was resolved in not speaking of her parents, which just cemented Jack’s theory they’d sold her to the slavers. In the end they gave up deciding she’d tell them if or when she was ready.

“Is all the music on this station depressingly fitting to the wasteland?” Daria questioned.

“Mostly.” Jack shrugged. He looked over to see the sleepy looking girl rubbing her eyes.

“Some ones ready for bed” Cover smiled.

“I’m not sleepy” Daria yawned. “Alright I’m sleepy.” Clover bit back a laugh and led Daria up stairs to the room adjacent to the bedroom. She gave her an oversized T-shirt to sleep in. She laidback on the couch and let Clover tuck her in. Jack sat down next to the couch and spun a tail about being recruited by the manifestations of the Holidays of Cupid and Saint Patrick’s Day in order to rescue Christmas, New Years and Bonfire Night from atomic communists. Aided by Fawkes the friendly super-mutant.

The following morning Daria woke up and found beside her bed was a fresh set of clothing. The orange shirt was all right but the blue jumper dress made her frown. Daria hated dresses her grandmother always tried to force her into this horrible pink monstrosities claiming proper little girls wore dresses. Still she put it on without complaint musing that they must have bought this for her while she was sleeping. Descending the stairs she found Jack and Clover waiting for her which in her experience had never been a good sign she remembered at five when her parents informed her they were leaving their house to move into the nearby larger settlement build into the ruins of the old high school so she and her sister could socialize more with other children.

“Daria we wanted to ask you something.” The warm inflection in Clover’s voice was a relief maybe it wasn’t something bad or that the other shoe was going to be crushing.

“I know we just met, but last night Clover and I got to talking and.” Jacks voice trailed off for a moment. “Would you like to stay?”

“You mean for a few more days?” After all she’d been through she felt like she could use a little rest.

“No” Jack shook his head smirking.

“We’re thinking something more permanent.” Clover finished. Daria was taken back they wanted to adopt her? But if she stayed what if she ruined their lives like she did her parents what if they ended up hating her too?

“I don’t want to be a burden.” She muttered sadly.

“Its no burden.” Jack assured her.

“You just wind-up hating me like my parents did.” Her tears flowed freely now. They didn’t deserve her they deserved better and they’d learn that if she stayed. She’d rather leave now and have them remember her fondly.

Jack and Clover looked to one another, not sure how to respond or to assure her it would be all right. Finally Jack had an idea. “Tell you what squirt, how about you stay a few weeks on a trial basis if it doesn’t work out I’ll take you to Little Lamplight.” Jack thought maybe the request was too sudden this way they’d have a more time to convince her to stay. Clover glared at him menacingly for acting so businesslike about it you didn’t have return policy’s on children.

“Ok, a few weeks.” Daria agreed. Jack’s smiled smugly at Clover his eyes saying told you so. She looked back her eyes saying shut up.

Turning her attention back to the girl Clover announced. “We’ll start with a tour of Megaton.”
End of Part I.
*I originally wrote this story for another forum the paper-pusher, which has far fewer people familiar with fallout. In the end I decided to start posting it here too. I’m also in the early stages of writing about Jack’s attempts to undo Clover’s brainwashing.