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With his rifle in hand and his soldiers at his back, Sico marched toward the final confrontation.
Sico and his team arrived at the front of Mayor McDonough's office, the tension in the air so thick it felt like it could be cut with a knife. The building loomed before them, its once-pristine facade now marred by bullet holes and scorch marks from the ongoing battle. Smoke curled from the upper floors, and the distant sound of gunfire echoed through the streets, a grim reminder of the chaos unfolding across Diamond City.
Preston and Sarah stood at the entrance, their faces grim but resolute. They were flanked by a small group of soldiers, their weapons at the ready. Preston stepped forward as Sico approached, his voice low but steady.
"We've got eyes inside," Preston said, his tone urgent. "McDonough's holed up in his office. He's got Geneva—his secretary—as a hostage. And he's got ten security guards with him, all heavily armed. They're not going down without a fight."
Sico's jaw tightened, his grip on his rifle firm. "We don't have a choice. We breach now."
Preston nodded, his expression hardening. "On your word, General."
Sico glanced at Sarah, who gave him a small nod of affirmation. Her eyes were sharp, her focus unwavering. She was ready.
Sico turned back to the door, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Now!"
Preston barked an order, and the soldiers holding the breaching charge moved into position. The device was placed against the heavy metal door, and the team stepped back, taking cover.
"Fire in the hole!" one of the soldiers shouted.
The explosion was deafening, the force of the blast shaking the ground beneath their feet. The door was blown off its hinges, crashing inward in a cloud of dust and debris.
"Go, go, go!" Sico shouted, leading the charge as he, Preston, and Sarah stormed into the building, their weapons raised. The soldiers followed close behind, their boots pounding against the floor as they swept through the entrance.
The interior of the office was a stark contrast to the chaos outside. The walls were lined with expensive wood paneling, and the floor was covered in plush carpet. But the opulence was overshadowed by the tension in the room.
Mayor McDonough stood at the far end of the office, his face twisted in a mixture of rage and desperation. He had one arm wrapped tightly around Geneva's neck, a pistol pressed to her temple. His other hand held a detonator, his thumb hovering over the button.
"Stay back!" McDonough snarled, his voice trembling with barely-contained fury. "I'll blow this whole place sky-high if you take one more step!"
Sico froze, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. Geneva's face was pale, her eyes wide with fear, but she remained silent, her hands gripping McDonough's arm as if trying to loosen his hold.
The ten security guards surrounding McDonough were heavily armed, their weapons trained on Sico and his team. They were outnumbered, but they had the advantage of cover and a hostage.
"McDonough," Sico said, his voice calm but firm. "This is over. Let her go, and we can end this without any more bloodshed."
McDonough let out a bitter laugh, his grip tightening on Geneva. "You think I'm going to just surrender? After everything I've built? After everything I've done to keep this city safe?"
"Safe?" Sarah snapped, her voice sharp with anger. "You've been feeding information to the Institute! You've been lying to these people, using them as pawns in your sick game!"
McDonough's eyes flashed with fury, his disguise slipping for a moment as his synthetic features became more pronounced. "You don't understand! The Institute is the future! They're the only ones who can save this world from itself!"
"By enslaving it?" Preston shot back, his tone incredulous. "By turning people into puppets? That's not salvation—that's tyranny!"
McDonough's face twisted into a snarl, his grip on Geneva tightening until she let out a choked gasp. "You're all fools! You think you can stop them? You think you can stop *me*? I'll burn this city to the ground before I let you take it from me!"
Sico's mind raced as he assessed the situation. They couldn't risk a direct assault—not with Geneva's life on the line and McDonough threatening to detonate the building. But they couldn't afford to wait, either. Every second they hesitated gave McDonough more time to escalate the situation.
"McDonough," Sico said, his voice steady but firm. "You're out of options. Let her go, and we'll talk. You don't have to do this."
For a moment, McDonough hesitated, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. But then his expression hardened, his grip on the detonator tightening. "No. If I'm going down, I'm taking all of you with me!"
Before anyone could react, Geneva suddenly stomped on McDonough's foot, her elbow driving into his ribs. He let out a grunt of pain, his grip on her loosening just enough for her to twist free.
"Now!" Sico shouted, raising his rifle and firing a shot that struck one of the security guards in the shoulder.
The room erupted into chaos.
Preston and Sarah moved in unison, their weapons blazing as they took down the guards closest to them. The soldiers behind them followed suit, their training and discipline giving them the upper hand despite the close quarters.
McDonough stumbled back, his face twisted in rage as he raised the detonator. "You'll regret this!" he screamed, his thumb pressing down on the button.
But before he could activate it, a single shot rang out.
McDonough froze, his eyes wide with shock as a bullet struck the detonator, sending it flying from his hand. He looked down at the smoking device, then up at Sico, who stood with his rifle still raised, his expression cold and unyielding.
"It's over," Sico said, his voice firm.
McDonough let out a guttural scream, his synthetic features fully revealing themselves as he lunged at Sico. But before he could reach him, Preston and Sarah tackled him to the ground, their combined weight pinning him in place.
"Get him cuffed!" Sico ordered, his voice cutting through the chaos.
The soldiers moved quickly, securing McDonough's hands behind his back with heavy restraints. He struggled against them, his synthetic strength making it difficult, but the soldiers held firm.
Geneva, meanwhile, had collapsed to the floor, her hands trembling as she tried to catch her breath. Sico knelt beside her, his expression softening.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice gentle.
Geneva shook her head, her eyes filled with tears. "I… I'm okay. Thank you."
Sico gave her a small nod, helping her to her feet. "Get her out of here," he said to one of the soldiers, who quickly escorted Geneva to safety.
With McDonough secured and the guards either subdued or fleeing, the room fell into an uneasy silence. Sico turned to Preston and Sarah, his expression grim but resolute.
"We need to secure the building and make sure there are no more surprises," he said, his tone firm. "Preston, take a team and sweep the upper floors. Sarah, check the lower levels. I'll stay here and oversee the cleanup."
Preston and Sarah nodded, their expressions serious as they moved to carry out his orders.
As the soldiers began to clear the room, Sico turned his attention to McDonough, who was now sitting on the floor, his head bowed in defeat.
"You think you've won," McDonough muttered, his voice low and bitter. "But you've only delayed the inevitable. The Institute will come for you. They'll come for all of you."
Sico crouched down in front of him, his gaze steady. "Maybe. But we'll be ready. And we'll keep fighting—for Diamond City, for the Commonwealth, and for the future we believe in."
McDonough let out a bitter laugh, his synthetic eyes gleaming with malice. "You're a fool, Sico. But I suppose that's what makes you so dangerous."
Sico stood, his expression hardening. "Take him away," he said to the soldiers. "We'll deal with him later."
Sico's jaw clenched as he stared down at McDonough, who was grinning despite his restraints. There was something unnerving about that smirk, a glint of cruel satisfaction in his synthetic eyes that sent a chill down Sico's spine.
"You think this is over, don't you?" McDonough sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "You think you've won just because you have me in chains?" He chuckled, low and bitter. "You poor, naive fool."
Sico narrowed his eyes. "Spit it out, McDonough. What are you playing at?"
McDonough leaned forward slightly, his grin widening. "I already sent word to the Institute before you stormed in here. Reinforcements are on their way. A full strike force." His eyes gleamed with malice. "They'll burn this city to the ground if that's what it takes to reclaim it. You think this little revolution of yours matters? You think these people matter?" He let out a cruel laugh. "I don't care how many die. As long as Diamond City belongs to the Institute in the end, it'll all be worth it."
Sico's stomach dropped. He knew McDonough was despicable, but hearing him so blatantly disregard the lives of the very people he once governed made his blood boil. His hands curled into fists at his sides, and for a brief moment, he considered putting a bullet in McDonough's smug face right then and there. But that would be too easy.
Instead, he took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain composed.
"Preston! Sarah!" he barked. Both of them immediately turned their attention to him. "Double the security in every damn corner of this city. I want patrols on high alert. No one gets in or out without clearance."
Preston's eyes hardened as he nodded. "Got it. I'll spread the word."
Sico turned to Sarah. "Tell Robert and MacCready to lead the Commandos and lock down the perimeter. I don't want any surprises."
"On it." Sarah didn't hesitate, already moving toward her radio to relay the orders.
Sico turned back to McDonough, his expression dark and unyielding. "You really are a bastard," he said, his voice low with barely contained fury. "When this is over—when we've stopped the Institute forces—I'll deal with you myself."
McDonough's smirk didn't waver, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes. Uncertainty? Maybe even fear.
Sico stepped back, nodding to the soldiers. "Take him away. Lock him up tight. And don't let your guard down—synths have a habit of slipping through cracks."
The soldiers hauled McDonough to his feet, dragging him toward the exit. He didn't resist, but he kept that infuriating grin plastered on his face.
As soon as they were gone, Sico turned back to Preston and Sarah, who had just finished relaying their orders.
"We need to assume the Institute strike force could arrive at any time," Sico said, pacing as he ran through the possible scenarios in his head. "They're going to try and hit us hard, and they won't be looking to negotiate. We need to be ready for a full-scale assault."
Preston frowned. "If they're bringing in a strike force, they'll use the teleporters. They won't be marching an army through the front gate."
"Which means they could drop in anywhere," Sarah added, her tone grim. "We need to be ready for an ambush."
Sico nodded. "Exactly. We need to force them to teleport into areas where we have the advantage." He thought for a moment before continuing. "Set up kill zones at key locations—the marketplace, the upper stands, the alleyways. Make them regret every inch they try to take."
Preston grunted in agreement. "We'll also need snipers on the rooftops, covering as much ground as possible."
"I'll handle that," Sarah said. "I'll coordinate with Robert and MacCready and get our best shots into position."
Sico exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Good. Get it done fast. We don't have much time."
Sarah nodded and moved to carry out her orders, but Preston lingered for a moment, watching Sico carefully.
"You alright?" he asked, his voice quieter now.
Sico sighed, shaking his head. "No. But I don't have time to not be."
Preston gave him a knowing look before clapping him on the shoulder. "We've got your back, General."
Sico gave him a small nod of appreciation before turning his attention back to the task at hand.
—
The next few hours were a blur of preparation. Soldiers moved swiftly through the city, reinforcing barricades, setting up heavy machine gun nests, and ensuring that every possible entrance was covered. The people of Diamond City—civilians who had fought so hard to reclaim their home—didn't need to be told twice to arm themselves.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the city was a fortress.
Sico stood at the top of the mayor's balcony, overlooking the city. His radio crackled to life.
"Perimeter secured," MacCready's voice came through. "No movement so far, but I don't like how quiet it is."
"They're waiting," Sico replied. "They want us on edge. Stay sharp."
He switched channels. "Robert, how are the defenses?"
"Solid," Robert replied. "We've got kill zones at every major entry point, and our best snipers are in position. We're as ready as we can be."
Sico nodded, but the unease in his gut wouldn't go away.
And then it happened.
The air around the city shimmered with an eerie blue glow as the first wave of Institute forces teleported in. "All units, engage!" Sico shouted into his radio, raising his rifle as the battle for Diamond City began. The night erupted into chaos.
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• 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:-