I should've known better.

Me and Nora spent the entire day reading and listening to data, with Codsworth recounting his observations and experiences over all this time.

"The road here to Concord is 24.9km. At walking speed, it took me 5 hours and 37 minutes unhindered. On the path, I came across mainly raiders, passing next to only one caravan," Codsworth explains, detailing the distance and events along the road.

"To dodge raiders, I did go off-road, but that's where the greatest threat lies. Raiders, radroaches, bloatflies, radturtles, and radrabbits are common, but they are mainly in the outer wilds. Inside the forest, you'll find radboars, geckos, yao guai, cazadores, and even giant mutated wasps. All sorts of radiated and mutated species exist there," he continues.

"If you tell me, Codsworth, that spiders have mutated too…" Nora gasps, fear evident in her expression. "I will detonate myself with whatever nukes remain on this planet…"I glance at Nora, thinking, 'Does Frostbite Spider exist in this universe too? Hellooo? Akatosh? Can you give me, like… I don't know, the physique of the Dragonborn with, like, 2 million dragon souls? No? Do I take that as a 'Fuck you'? Ok… thanks…'

"Jokes aside, Cod,I wanted to ask-," "Duncan… I AM deadass serious."she cut me off but I continued, ignoring Nora's interruption, "do you know if there are other friendly people near here, like Lexington or Fort Hagen?"

"I didn't go to Lexington or Fort Hagen, as it's about 125km (76.6 miles) away. People in Concord are inhabited, but occasionally, travelers pass through. Some of them who doesn't trow me rocks talked to me and mentioned a massive fortified city called the Green Diamond of the Commonwealth, Diamond City. They said the city is literally fortified, with the wealthiest individuals occupying the Baseball Stadium as their stronghold. Initially, people only lived in the stadium, but over the years, the population expanded, leading them to reclaim the entire city. Now, only the wealthiest residents remain inside the stadium, while others live in the city. There are at least several hundred thousand people living there," Codsworth explained.

As evening approached, we ceased our conversation and began preparing for sleep. Suddenly, Codsworth's voice, now filled with more emotion and urgency, hastened toward us.

"Mister Duncan, Madam Nora…" His voice quivered as he continued, "Hundreds of people are walking toward here, and as they approach, they are surrounding the house.

"Horror washed over me. "Nora, take Shaun and go inside the bunker," I instructed urgently, my eyes fixed on her. With a nod of understanding, she moved swiftly, and I added in a whispered shout, "NOW!"

As I watched Nora and Shaun enter the safety of the bunker, I turned to Codsworth with a determined expression. "Follow them and protect them. I don't care what's outside, but do anything and everything to keep Shaun and Nora safe."

"With my life if needed, Mister... Be careful," Codsworth affirmed, his tone resolute as he hovered toward the bunker, ensuring to lock every door he passed through.

Alone, I couldn't help but voice my frustration. "What the hell is happening?" I muttered to myself, swiftly equipping myself with all available gear. Reloading all my weapons, I stepped outside and scanned the surroundings until... "Motherfucker."

??? POV

As I scoured through yet another town in search of food, the need pressing as the populated areas grew increasingly alerted and dangerous, I stumbled upon a place called Sanctuary. Despite covering more ground this time, most towns remained disappointingly empty, devoid of any Meat Treats I sought.

However, my luck seemed to change as the tantalizing aroma of fresh meat wafted toward me. Though initially distant, the scent drew nearer, tempting both myself and my minions. Impatience stirred among them, and they began to infiltrate the nearby houses from which the enticing smell emanated.

Suddenly, the air was filled with the clamor of bells ringing and the unmistakable crack of gunfire. My feral slaves, driven by primal instinct, charged toward the source of the commotion before I could intervene.

Before long, I discovered a delectable Meat Treat wrapped in aluminum foil some might call armor, an exquisite find that had my mouth watering in anticipation. "Haha, perfect for cooking," I thought to myself, already envisioning the savory feast to come.

Before my minions could pounce on him, I intervened, engaging him in conversation. The thought of gaining his trust only to betray it later, while feasting upon him, sent a shiver of excitement down my spine.

As I skillfully wove a web of lies to earn his trust, I couldn't contain my anticipation for the impending meal. Gathering information from him felt like savoring the appetizer before the main course.

When he mentioned being cryogenized alongside others the moment I was about to attack, made me stop and my excitement got through the roof and my interest peaked. 'Others? A whole family, perhaps? It's been too long since I've had such a feast,' I thought, my mouth watering at the prospect.

Discreetly, I implanted a simple radio wave tracker into his Pip-Boy, ensuring I could track his movements later. After extracting some random directions from him, I continued conversing, all the while plotting his demise.

As we parted ways, I sensed his gaze lingering on me, igniting a sinister thrill within me. I led my servants away, concealed within the swarm of filth, my mind already racing with plans for the next meal.

Making a calculated detour on our way home, I kept an eye out for more potential prey, eager to feed my insatiable hunger.

And there I see inside a mostly intact street a single pair of eyes looking at me through the gap of the blind. Making me want to rush the place and taste the one looking at me but… Time isn't running out. I can go take my slaves and then come back.

Duncan POV

As I peered outside, my heart sank at the sight of Danny the ghoul, accompanied by a horde of his feral kind, while my map displayed countless red dots indicating their presence. "Danny's here too, what the hell?" I muttered under my breath, feeling a surge of panic.

With his arms outstretched, Danny appeared a creepy smile on his face, his eyes filled with sick pleasure. "HEEERE, DANNY!" he bellowed, his demeanor resembling that of a madman. "I came to teach you! Why won't you come outside to talk or let me inside?"

'He knows I'm inside... What should I do?' I weighed my options, gripping my AR tightly as I aimed it at his head. 'Taking him out might disperse the others, or at last I'll draw them away from here.' The plan formed rapidly in my mind as I prepared to act.

Inhaling deeply, I steadied my aim and pulled the trigger. The shot rang out, hitting Danny square in the nose through the back of his head, but to my horror, he remained standing, his hand clasping his face, yelling in defiance. "MOTHERFUCKER SHOT ME! ATTACK—" Before he could finish, I fired again, this time hitting his brain, causing it to explode outward.

As Danny's lifeless body slumped to the ground, I braced myself for the inevitable onslaught from the rest of the ghouls.

As I witnessed the ghouls converging toward the house, their shrieks and screeches filling the air, I wasted no time in making my escape. Dodging through the chaos, I fired shots into the swarm, hoping to create a gap to slip through. As I burst out of the throng, I dashed forward, pushing my body to its limits despite the searing pain in my lungs and the strain on my legs.

For what felt like an eternity, I ran, each step propelling me farther away from the encroaching horde. Despite the surreal experience of sprinting for what seemed like an endless stretch of time and emptying my guns in them, the ghouls remained in relentless pursuit, their grotesque forms closing in with each passing moment.

Then, just as exhaustion threatened to overwhelm me, I heard the unmistakable sound of engines roaring ahead. Ahead on the road, a convoy of vehicles approached at full speed, bikes and cars weaving through the landscape chaotically. With renewed hope, I pushed myself onward, aiming to intersect with the approaching convoy and find refuge from the relentless pursuit behind me.

As the convoy of vehicles, reminiscent of something out of MAD MAX, approached closer, I could hear the shouts and laughter of their occupants. With a mix of apprehension and hope, I watched as they maneuvered around me, deftly ramming through the swarming ghouls.

Feeling a wave of relief wash over me, I slowed my pace, allowing myself a momentary respite. 

But my relief was short-lived as I suddenly found myself confronted by a towering wall hurtling toward me and sweeping me in.

THEY CAUGHT ME INSIDE A FUCKING NET !