POV Rio
After our break at the Federal Ration Stockpile, we moved a bit North to Walden Pond. The Raiders there only numbered 5, so they were easy to deal with. The only noteworthy loot was a Pipe Wrench called Big Jim, which had a 20% chance to cripple an enemy's legs. We also found a Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor Perk Magazine, Issue #7, Why I Sold Mother. As I picked it up, Cait saw the title and asked me to borrow it when I was done.
"Not for anythin' shady, just you know, I uh... Haven't read that one yet," Cait said while avoiding my eyes.
"Uh, sure. I guess. You can read it whenever," I respond.
From there, we stopped at Carhenge. Before heading towards Lexington. On the way, we found a set of Power Armor on a crashed train. It was a set of Winterized T-45 Power Armor. It was an interesting find, and since it was so close to a Mintuemen patrol, I just had one of them take the suit back to Sanctuary. I was tempted to use it, but I need stealth for my next plans, not a clunky suit of death.
The first barrier in Lexington would be the Feral Ghouls currently camping over The Switchboard. But I had an idea on how to deal with them. The Switchboard had a back entrance that could only be opened from the outside. So all I needed to do was to lead the horde through the back entrance and let them go wild. I would have to open the doors ahead of the horde, but with my Sneak, that would be easy.
I only had to open 3 doors and keep them locked in the open position. Then I turned into a Wendigo and led the horde into the back entrance while also making sure to cut off the power to the elevator, so Kellogg couldn't run away. The horde was 196 strong, and while Kellogg had set up some defenses, I only counted 48 Synths and 5 turrets. With the advantage of the defender, it was possible that they could fend off the ferals, but I wasn't sure.
POV Kellogg
I was eating my daily rations when I started to hear a distant explosion and the sound of laser fire. I quickly finished my food before picking up my pistols. The sounds were odd, as they sounded like they were coming from the rear entrance. As I got closer, I started to hear the unmistakable screams of Feral Ghouls.
(AN: For the exact scream Kellogg is hearing, listen to Call of Duty Zombie Scream - Sound Effect | ProSounds on YouTube. For the full list of screams you can listen to, Call of Duty Zombies Sound Effects on YouTube. )
When investigating, I found that several of the doors got jammed and couldn't close anymore. I get the Synths into position and get ready for the horde. After waiting for a while, we hear the screams get louder and louder before we start hearing footsteps. After all the sounds that come out of the pipe, all that comes out is a single Feral. I raise an eyebrow, but the Synths don't hesitate and open fire. It dies quickly, but then comes the second and third, and they keep coming, but this time they are sprinting at us. I don't wait and open fire.
POV Rio
I watch from above, The Switchboard as Kellogg and the Synths fight desperately to fight off the horde of ferals. They manage decently well, but there were simply too many, and the Institute Lasers are far inferior to the normal model of Laser Guns. They are not only heavier, but they fire slower, do less damage, and have to reload more often. The downsides become apparent as more and more Synths have to reload. Kellogg, on the other hand, is still using his revolvers, but they're overkill and have only six shots before having to reload. But it seemed like Kellogg didn't have any other choices. The only other weapon he had was a Bowie Knife.
It seemed like Kellogg was running out of ammo as he holstered his pistols and ran away. Mind you, it was what I would do in that situation. It did sacrifice the Synths as they didn't last much longer without Kellogg assisting them. But Kellogg could eliminate the ferals one by one. And by the time Synths had all been destroyed, only 9 ferals were remaining.
The surviving ferals followed Kellogg and ended up triggering the last trap remaining, killing 4 and injuring 3. Kellogg then rushed them and killed the two good-condition ferals and then moved to kill the three injured ones. He barely got a scratch. He didn't even wait and walked over to the dead Synths and collected any ammo he could find. It wasn't much, maybe 50 shots or so. But it was as good as he was going to get. Then Kellogg moved to head towards the back entrance. I had already locked it again. When he saw that, he cursed before kicking the door.
Kellogg then went to the elevator and tried to get it to work. That obviously didn't work. I cut off the lower-level connection, making the terminal basically useless. But that didn't stop Kellogg. He pried open the doors, and I could see what his plan was. He would climb the elevator shaft. Unfortunately, I predicted that as well and locked the elevator at the top. So even if he climbed the shaft, he would be stuck below the elevator. If he had some explosives, then perhaps he could break the elevator, but he didn't. But I decided I had messed with him long enough. It was time to end this.
We entered from the back entrance and walked towards the area where Kellogg was holed up. It was the area where the safe was located. He heard us coming and got ready for another fight. But when we got closer, I heard him talk to us over the intercom.
"It's not too late. Stop. Turn around and leave. You have that option. Not a lot of people can say that," Kellogg warns us.
I ignore it and keep going.
"Okay, you made it. I'm just up ahead. I'm putting my guns away. Let's talk," Kellogg said.
We enter, and I can sense something odd from him. Fear. That wouldn't be weird in this situation for most people. But Kellogg was different; he was known to be fearless and able to do any mission. But regardless, it was time to talk.
"And there he is. The most famous mutant in the Commonwealth. Funny, I thought you would be dead by now. Or at least too distracted to keep coming after me," Kellogg says.
"You knew we were coming?" I ask.
"Heh, I am quite... resourceful. When I get word that someone is looking for me, I make sure to learn who it is. But what I can't figure out is why. Why are you so set on finding me?" Kellogg asks.
"You've done quite some awful things. Why can't I be here to bring justice to a scumbag?" I ask.
"Hah, yeah, I admit I'm scum. But no, nobody goes through all you have just to bring a stranger to justice. No, this is personal. So... Who did I kill? You friend? You Parent? Your Lover? Or maybe your child? Couldn't be anything like you, as I would remember that. You are a bit too unique to be forgotten," Kellogg says with fake confidence.
"You killed a good woman and ruined the father's life," I reply.
"You have any idea how little that narrows it down. I've killed a lot of families. Heck, I've killed kids, pets, cripples, and everything else you can imagine," Kellogg replies.
"Hmm, well, this job happened 60 years ago. It was unique because your employers came with you for once. And you took a living specimen," I reply.
His eyes widen, and I can feel the proverbial puzzle pieces clicking into place.
"Vault 111. The frozen TV dinner. Last time we met, he was cozying up to the peas and apple cobbler. The woman... she was a regrettable accident. I never liked killing mothers. But the mission comes first. You're here for Shaun. Hehe, sorry to say, but the kids not here," Kellogg responds.
"Hmm, well, I already know where Shaun is. So I have no interest in saving him. No, I came here for you and you alone," I respond.
Kellogg seems surprised by my answer.
"If you know where he is, then why bother with me? And why is Nate not coming for me himself? In fact, I only recall hearing he left the Vault and nothing after that," Kellogg starts to question.
"He's dead. Has been dead for likely a few decades. It seems that when you guys left the Vault and made it so all those people would suffocate, it caused an error in the Vault computers, causing it to kill everyone. Not just the one you intended," I reply.
"Wait... But then... You... You did it... Of course. Your ability to transform," Kellogg says mostly to himself.
"Hmm, interesting, you should mention that. I don't think many people know about that ability. In fact, I can only think of one time in particular. It was a trap I fell into. Which was caused by following your trail," I say.
"Heh, well, it seems my old age is getting to me. But I think we've been talking long enough. We both know how this has to end. So... you ready?" Kellogg asks.
"Hmm, yes, I suppose we should get this over with," I say while I raise my gun, and so does everyone else.
We look at each other before he draws his pistols at shoots, but I have already avoided it, and in response, several stun rounds are shot at him. He dodges a few, but with four people, he can't avoid them all, and he is slowed down massively from the first hit, causing him to get hit more and more often. Before he can't take any more and goes down. As for the bullets he sends at us, I am behind cover, and the shots at the Power Armor are basically pointless.
"Still not sure why we are taking him alive?" Nick asks.
"You know, there are ancient tribes, deep in the Amazon, who have perfected the art of torture over hundreds of years. They keep people in a hole for months, feeding them food mixed with the poisons of exotic plants. As theyl tribe broke down their body, they went to work on their mind. When their mind broke, they went to work on their soul. They rebuilt what was left, twisting them to their purposes. The process was excruciating and exacting. It said it can break any man," I say.
"Uh... Is that what we plan on doing to him?" Nick asks.
"No, it would work, but it is too risky. The Institute left many failsafes in him. But they left one glaring weakness. His brain has a chip in it that preserves the brain. It was designed to prevent anyone from reading his mind. Like those of psychics, and to some extent, the Memory Loungers. It encrypts his thoughts. It was also designed to be a failsafe in case he was killed. It would delete all his memories. Or at least that was theoretically what it should do," I comment.
"But what can we get from him that we don't already have?" Piper asks.
"Plenty. Kellogg has been alive for over 100 years. The amount of knowledge in his mind is massive. He wasn't always an agent for the Institute. The Institute didn't record everything; some was lost over time, but Kellogg has remembered it all. The number of murders he has been responsible for is substantial. As for the chip, it is interesting as it can only do so much. Its level of encryption is impressive, but my decryption skills are much greater. And thanks to the chip, I can directly download Kellogg's entire mind while stripping away his ego. Then I will discard his body. So we should take him alive," I reply.
"Okay, but what was all that stuff about the Amazon?" Cait asks.
"Oh, well, I have the means to do that, so if I wanted, I could break Kellogg. I am tempted to do that, but I think it's better to let him die and deal with the afterlife. I have it on good authority that those who are horribly cruel to puppies get their just desserts," I reply.
"Okay, but does such a tribe exist?" Piper asks.
"Hmm, maybe. Can't say for certain, but I can say I learned that info from somewhere. It's unlikely they survived until now, but you never know," I say with a shrug of my shoulders.
Everyone looks at each other and decides not to question it.