Kapitel 77: 73. Paul Pembroke & Henry Cooke

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The Colonial Taphouse, once an elegant haven, now bore witness to the aftermath of a tumultuous confrontation.

Sico and Piper, recognizing the gravity of the situation, followed Paul Pembroke as he left the Colonial Taphouse. The night air was cool and quiet, contrasting with the tension that lingered from the recent confrontation.

Approaching Paul, who was visibly shaken, Sico initiated a conversation.

Sico: "Hey, Paul. We saw what happened back there. Are you alright?"

Paul, nursing his wounds and still caught in the whirlwind of emotions, looked at Sico and Piper.

Paul: "Yeah, just… just trying to make sense of it all. Henry and Darcy… I never thought…"

Sico and Piper, recognizing Paul's emotional turmoil, offered words of comfort and understanding.

Piper: "Life can be messy, Paul. If you ever need to talk or want someone to have your back, we're here for you."

Sico, showing empathy, added,

Sico: "And if you decide you want to confront Henry again or need any help, just let us know. We've got your back."

Paul: "You know what, maybe I will confront Henry again. With your help, I'll make sure he knows he can't steal my wife, otherwise he doesnt take me seriously. I dont want to hurt him, i just want him to leave Darcy alone."

With a sense of resolution, Paul headed back towards the Colonial Taphouse Sico and Piper followed, ready to stand by his side. When Paul with Sico and Piper reached the establishment later, he found Darcy outside.

Darcy: "Where are you going, Paul?"

Paul, looking determined, responded,

Paul: "Nowhere you need to worry about."

Darcy, then replied,

Darcy: "Whatever. I see you at home."

Paul, his determination evident, walked into the Colonial Taphouse with Sico and Piper following closely.

As they entered, the atmosphere in the upscale establishment was still charged from the previous altercation. Henry Cooke, the owner, noticed their return. The patrons and staff observed with heightened curiosity as Paul approached Henry.

The tension in the Colonial Taphouse peaked as Paul confronted Henry. The patrons and staff watched in silence, awaiting the unfolding conversation.

Paul, with a firm yet composed tone, said to Henry, "We need to talk."

Henry, exasperated, replied, "Jesus, Paul. What now?"

The air in the establishment hung heavy, the weight of unresolved issues palpable.

Paul, determined to address the issues, instructed Henry, "It's time for you to shut up and listen to me, Cooke. But before we talk, let your staff and customers leave."

Henry, understanding the gravity of the situation, asked his staff to leave and politely ushered out the remaining patrons. The Colonial Taphouse, once vibrant with conversations and laughter, now stood silent, awaiting the resolution of the conflict.

With the establishment cleared, Henry turned his attention back to Paul, Henry, with a defensive tone, responded,

Henry: "What the hell is this? And what are you two doing here? Don't tell me he hired you to help lean on me?"

Sico, with a calm demeanor, replied,

Sico: "What difference does it make?"

Henry, still on edge, retorted,

Henry: "I just like to know who to shoot at when the guns come out."

Addressing Paul, Henry said,

Henry: "Well, I'm listening, Paul. What do you have to say this time?"

The atmosphere in the Colonial Taphouse remained tense as the conversation unfolded. The tension escalated as Paul pointed his gun at Henry, issuing a stern warning.

Paul: "Just this. You leave Darcy alone, or else."

Henry, unyielding, responded,

Henry: "Now, that's a very bad idea. You don't want to pull a gun on me unless you intend to use it."

Paul, with frustration in his voice, retorted,

Paul: "You think I won't use it? Do I just need to kill you, is that what you're saying?!"

Sico, sensing the escalating tension, intervened with a calm demeanor.

Sico: "Why don't you see if Henry is going to listen, Paul?"

Henry, attempting to defuse the situation, acknowledged Paul's anger.

Henry: "I get it, Paul. You've got every right to be pissed off at me. But we can work this out."

Paul, after a moment of contemplation, lowered his gun, signaling a willingness to hear Henry out.

Paul: "Keep talking."

Henry, recognizing the gravity of the situation, spoke with an earnest tone.

Henry: "Look, I, uh, I'll stay away from Darcy from now on. It's over. You have my word on that."

Paul, still skeptical, replied with a mix of frustration and distrust.

Paul: "Your word? What's your word worth, huh?!"

Henry, acknowledging the need for more than words, added with a hint of desperation:

Henry: "I'll make it up to you! I know a way to get a lot of money. Right now. If you were flush again, everything would be different. Besides, I owe you. For what I've done."

Sico, skeptical but intrigued, interrupted,

Sico: "How are you going to make us all rich, Henry?"

Henry, maintaining a desperate resolve, replied,

Henry: "Gather around, and I'll tell you. Here's the deal. I have some other... businesses on the side. One of them is helping Nelson Latimer spend his dad's money to make himself feel like a gangster."

Paul, taken aback, interjected,

Paul; "Holy shit, Cooke. Does Malcolm know about this?"

Henry, with a sense of urgency, continued,

Henry: "What do you think? No, of course not. Anyway, that's between him and Nelson. Me and Nelson are supposed to be meeting with some gentlemen from Goodneighbor to exchange Nelson's cash for their chems. My plan is simple - we take the money and the chems."

Sico, curious, interjected,

Sico: "Why do you want to screw these guys over all of a sudden?"

Henry, revealing more of his motives, explained,

Henry: "Oh, it isn't all of a sudden. Nelson's been complaining about my cut for a while now. He may be thinking about trying to strike out on his own. I've been waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. And here it is."

Sico, seeking further clarification, asked,

Sico: "Why smuggle chems into Diamond City? Chems aren't illegal here."

Henry replied,

Henry: "Sure, but Mayor McDonough takes a big cut of all the chems brought into town. Not everybody thinks that's a good business."

Henry, hopeful for their collaboration, continue explained,

Henry: "That's where me and Nelson come in. He fronts the cash, I make the arrangement. Cheap chems for Diamond City. Everybody wins."

Sico, expressing readiness, stated,

Sico: "Well, Piper and I are in."

Henry turned to Paul, awaiting his decision,

Henry: "What do you say, Paul? Are we good?"

Paul, with a reluctant acceptance, replied,

Paul: "Good? Hardly. But I don't mind you helping me get rich."

Henry, satisfied with Paul's agreement, said,

Henry: "Good, meet me outside the gate of Diamond City, gather your gear."

As the trio prepared to embark on this unexpected venture, leaveing the Colonial Taphouse charged with a mix of tension and anticipation.

Sico, with determination, headed back to his home with Piper to gear up and then suit up in his power armor. The familiar metallic clinks echoed as he equipped himself for the upcoming venture. Prepared for the challenges ahead, he and Piper made Their way to meet Henry outside the gate of Diamond City.

As they approached the designated meeting point, the anticipation of the night's events weighed heavily on the air.

Outside the gate of Diamond City, Sico, Piper, and Paul gathered, each carrying the weight of their motivations and the uncertain path that lay ahead. The distant glow of the city lights framed the silhouette of Henry Cooke, awaiting their arrival.

Henry, acknowledging their presence, spoke with a sense of urgency,

Henry: "Alright, listen up. We need to move quickly and stick to the plan. Once we're in the location, we meet with Nelson with the chem dealers. So follow me to the location, while your job is to watch our backs."

The night unfolded with an air of tension and anticipation as the group prepared to venture into the meeting spot.

Henry led the group to the meeting location, the tension in the air growing as they approached. After a while, he halted and whispered, "Here we are. The meet is just ahead. There's always four of Marowski's goons: Trish, who's in charge, and three other guys to unload the boat and wave their guns around. I'll wait for the shooting to start, then join in from here. Remember, we can't afford to let anybody get away."

The group prepared for the imminent confrontation, their senses heightened in the anticipation of the risky exchange.

The group, prepared for the confrontation, approached the meeting point. As they neared, Sico took the lead in the attack, unleashing a swift ambush on Nelson and Marowski's goons. The night echoed with the sounds of gunfire, concluding with the demise of Nelson and the three Marowski guys.

In the aftermath, Trish, the surviving leader, found herself outnumbered and surrounded. The tension lingered as the group cautiously approached her.

Trish, realizing the dire situation, pleaded for her life, "You don't have to kill me. I won't talk, I swear!"

Sico, skeptical, asked her to provide a reason not to end her life. Henry, however, interjected,

Henry: "I don't need a better reason than to shut her up."

Trish, desperate to save herself, quickly spilled information,

Trish: "I let Marowski think it was Gunners, okay? You can trust me! And, and... I'll give up Marowski's chem lab! This here, this is nothing compared to what he's got stashed there!"

Sico, considering the potential value of Trish's information, asked,

Sico: "What's at this chem lab?"

Trish responded,

Trish: "More chems than you can imagine. Marowski's entire stash! But you'll never find it without my help."

Sico, intrigued but cautious, questioned,

Sico: "Why do we need your help to find this lab?"

Trish explained,

Trish: "First, you don't know where it is. Second, even if you did know where it is, it's heavily protected. Third, even if you can get past the security, you won't be able to get into the lab without my password. But I'll tell you everything you need to know if you promise to let me go."

As the group deliberated, Sico, Piper, and Paul exchanged glances, weighing the risks and potential gains of trusting Trish. Henry, however, seemed impatient, ready to conclude the situation one way or another.

Sico: "What guarantee do we have that you won't go running to Marowski the moment we let you go?"

Trish: "You don't. But if I wanted to betray you, I could've done it already."

The decision rested on a knife's edge. Trish, having struck a deal with the group, shared more details.

Trish: "Okay, I guess I have to trust you. The lab is in the old Four Leaf Fishpacking Plant, on the waterfront in South Boston."

Sico pressed for more information: "Let's hear all about the security."

Trish explained, "The place is overrun with feral ghouls. They don't even look twice at my crew because they're all ghouls like me. My idea, by the way."

Sico, still wary, continued probing, "Pretty slick. But I assume that's not the end of it."

Trish, with a sense of urgency, continued sharing crucial details.

Trish: "You assume right. The real security is a system of tripwires that have to be triggered in exactly the right order to open the door to the lab. You never even know the lab was there when the door is closed. There's a terminal that will bypass the tripwires and open the door to the lab. And I have the password. So... I have your promise, right? If I give you the password, you let me walk?"

The group faced a critical decision, their fate intertwined with the information Trish held. Sico, looking at Trish, asked with a stern expression,

Sico: "And you promised not to tell Marowski that we had anything to do with this?"

Trish, desperate to secure her freedom, replied,

Trish: "Yeah, yeah, of course! I already told you, after I leave here, I never heard of you in my life. The password is 'Applejack.' There, now you got everything. And I'm completely screwed forever. I hope you can live with that."

As Sico let Trish go, there was a sudden, shocking turn. Henry, pulling out his gun, shot at Trish, saying,

Henry: "Sorry, but I can't let you leave alive from here."

The unexpected act left the group in shock and uncertainty. The gunshot echoed through the night, leaving a stunned silence in its wake. Sico, Piper, and Paul stared in shock at Henry, who had just betrayed the agreement with Trish.

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• Name: Sico

• Stats :

S: 7,44

P: 6,44

E: 7,44

C: 7,44

I: 9,44

A: 5,45

L: 6

• Skills: intermediate Mechanic, Science, and Shooting skills, Beginner Medical, Hand to Hand Combat, Lockpicking, and Hacking Skills

• Inventory: 17.280 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, and Furious Power Fist

• Active Quest: None.