Edited as of 29/08/15.

Fallout 3: The Wayward Soldier

"Don't cry my love don't cry no more
A crashing sky a rolling screen
A city drowning Gods black tears
I cannot bear to see"
- Sun Kil Moon "Heron Blue"

Chapter Four: Hand of God

Reality hazed back into focus, and Alex felt enveloped in a cocoon of warmth and softness. She shifted in her bed and realised was that she was missing her shoes. And socks. Relief washed over her. She must have fallen asleep in her work clothes again. Yes, that was it. She had fallen asleep and her father's taken her boots off her for like he always did.

Alex opened her eyes properly and flinched in response to the bright light. The world blurred for a moment before reality shifted back into focus. She wasn't in the Vault, but instead a broadcasting room. Radio equipment was mounted on every surface and buzzed with a static white noise that was both strange but familiar.

But she wasn't in the Vault.

Not at all

"Dad?"

"Ah, you're awake. Good."

That wasn't the voice of her father.

Not at all.

Startled, Alex managed to rouse her body enough to sit up. A man sat at a desk near the bed, watching her intently through his glasses. He was adorned in a heavy duster coat, white shirt and weathered denim jeans with a bandana secured around his head.

"What's going on? Who are you?" Alex questioned, feeling sick and confused. She couldn't remember much of anything.

Three Dog raised a gloved palm to silence her then offered her a glass of dull green liquid.

"Here kid, drink this. It will help with the pain." Too tired to refuse, Alex accepted the glass and downed it all at once. The taste was bitter and hard, but it took the pain away from her throbbing muscles and aching joints.

"So how are you feeling?"

She felt rested, and warm despite the aches. When you lived with nothing between you and the weather, you were indeed a savage, so it took savagery to stay alive. But a roof! And Walls! You could breathe again. Sleep without terror.

Alex ran her dry tongue over her teeth. How long had she been out for? "What…What happened?"

The man smiled, eyes twinkling behind his glasses and she found herself liking him immediately. "You don't remember kid? Well, you did it kid. Took down the Behemoth."

Her memories shifted back into place and she felt the heat of the blast and the weight of the fat man all over again. "We got it? It's dead?"

"Yeah. Not bad for a little Vault Dweller." A look of disbelief splattered the young woman's face.

"How did you know?-"

"Met your dad already. Real stand up guy. You look just like him."

Alex would have jumped from the bed if she had the energy to do so.

"My dad? Is he here? I can I talk to him?" she exclaimed. She looked around the cramped room, almost expecting him to just appear through the door all Three Dog held his hands up in a motion of peace.

"Whoa whoa slow down kid. Introductions first. You're wondering who on earth I am and why you should care, well prepare to be enlightened. I am Three Dog, jockey of discs and telling of truths. I know who you are, also know your dad, met him already. He's already moved on though kid," Three Dog remarked, lacing his fingers together and resting them upon his lap. "You want to know where you Dad has gone? His location is known to yours truly. I only have one request. You must contribute to the Good Fight," Three Dog reasoned.

Alex stared. Was this man mad? "Good fight? I've just killed a Behemoth after being out of the vault four days!" Alex snapped.

"What a sharp little one you are." Teeth clenched in response and Alex spun up for a royal bitch out.

"Okay okay, settle down. Smoke a peace pipe, count to ten or take deep breaths. Whatever it is you need to calm down," the man reasoned.

Alex was seized by a moment of wild and uncontrollable anger. "Calm?! Calm?! How can I possibly be calm?! I've been abandoned by my dad, chased out of my home, tossed out into this wasteland and fought super mutants five times my size! You try being calm after all that!"

There was a pregnant silence after her outburst, audible even over the humming of the radio equipment. She sincerely hoped they weren't airing live.

Three Dog, to his credit, remained perfectly calm and composed as if he had been expecting her outburst. She had to wonder what her father had told him. "Feeling better."

She nodded. She did feel better. It was good to air out her frustrations. "A little."

"Good, then listen Alex, You want to know where your father is right? Well I need your help first."

"With what? What could I possibly do that those Brotherhood of Iron-"

"Steel."

"Brotherhood of Steel couldn't?"

"Because they have enough on their plates keeping up the good fight. I need you to replace the Galaxy News Radio broadcasting dish."

Alex raised a sceptical brow. "That all? Sounds too easy."

"You haven't heard the rest of it. The only place that you could possibly find another one is in the Museum of Techlonogy."

She stared blankly at him. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

"Right, keep forgetting. It's a Mutant Stronghold. Find the dish, replace it and dad's location is yours."

Alex rubbed her tired eyes, considering her options. She didn't have the firepower to tackle the super mutants. She had barely survived an encounter with just one, and had relied on the help of the Brotherhood of Steel. "Three Dog, maybe if you could tell me where my father has gone, me and him could come back and help, because I can't do something like that on my own."

Three Dog looked sceptical. Alex kept her face as passive as she could. "I don't know kid, would he really help us?"

"You've met my dad. He's a good man. If I find him then we can come back and help you. I would have a better chance succeeding then," Alex reasoned.

"Hmm." For a moment, Alex didn't think he would relent and her heartrate quickened in response. "Alright Alex, he has gone to Rivet City. Something about needing to speak to a Doctor Li about some mumbo jumbo regarding some sort of project. Project Purity he called it. Mean anything to you?"

"No, he's never mentioned it before." She paused a moment. There was a lot that her father hadn't mentioned. "Where is Rivet city?"

"You've never heard of Rivet City? Wow, just wow."

"I didn't even know Megaton existed until three days ago."

"Head straight out of here and head Southeast. You can't miss it. Really."

"Thanks Three Dog. I'll be back to help you soon."

"Don't mention it kid. Find your dad. Oh, and by the way, the Brotherhood Of Steel guys down there have some equipment for you from us. Consider it a gift for taking down that testosterone high Super Mutant."

"Thank you."

The D.J smiled again. "I should be thanking you. I'd be a toothpick to a Mutant right about now if you hadn't shown up and pulled that crazy plan out of your ass."

Alex smiled, ego fully inflated as she collected up her gear and replaced her boots. It felt good to finally get something right in the Wasteland for once.

She hiked her back up onto her shoulder. "Thanks again for the help Three Dog. I'll be back soon."

Three Dog waved her off as he put his microphone back on, ready to begin the next live show. "Good luck kid!"

True to their word, the Brotherhood soldiers provided Alex with some more ammo and medicals supplies before the young woman headed off towards Rivet City; following the river Southeast. Surprisingly, Dogmeat was still with her despite becoming an instant celebrity with the Brotherhood of Steel. They had offered her caps for him, claiming he would make a fantastic tracker. Alex had refused, unwilling to be alone in this strange place. So still Dogmeat plodded along next to her happily, an old Brahmin bone gripped between his teeth – a parting gift from the Brotherhood.

The journey to Rivet City was mildly uneventful, and she was grateful for it. Alex just wanted to find her father and go home – but the word home spilt into several different pieces. She couldn't fathom what home really meant anymore. Vault 101? Megaton? That cave in the Wasteland? She wasn't sure, and she hated herself for the weakness of uncertainty She prided herself on being independent and sharp. In the Vault, she had possessed a clever mind and tongue. In the Wasteland, she felt out of place, unsure and and wrong. She was a mechanic, accustomed to fixing various equipment. She wasn't a soldier. She wasn't built for combat. Her arms ached, her kneecaps hurt. The straps of her bag had cut raw, sore blisters into her shoulders.

Around the young woman, the ruins got worse and worse; great spires of shattered rock and cement stretched towards the sun like a kind of twisted, metal forest. Her breath left her. She had never seen such a wonderful but horrific sight; a violent testament to the horrors of war. She had to wonder what it all looked like long ago, before people lived underground and nuclear war was just a distant worry.

She had been so caught up in sight seeing she didn't noticed the Centaur creeping up on her until Dogmeat suddenly revved up like a motor engine. She heard the squelching sound and sidesteps just in time to miss a bullet of Centaur goo, pivoting on her heel into a defensive position. Alex swung the rifle from her shoulder and unloaded a good few rounds into the face of the Centaur, her heart in her ear the entire time. She still wasn't cut out to be a soldier. The creature was downed but not out. Somehow, he managed to heave his shuddering pink form off the ground to fire at her once more. A mixture of acid and pain exploded against Alex's knee. She yelped in pain and Dogmeat launched himself at the creature, embedding his teeth into his teeth Powerful jaws, strong from years of fighting for every day, ruptured the windpipe and put the Centaur down for good.

Alex bent down onto the ground and rubbed her padded knee against the ground, trying to get as much

They continued to travel Southeast, up a few several sets of staircases and past three large tree husks. The ruins around them seemed to become deadly quiet, even free from the ever persistent Eyebots. So thick and tense was the atmosphere that when Dogmeat cuffed a stone, Alex let out a scream.

"Oi! I'm tryin' to work!" the Pip-Boy huffed from his place on her wrist before returning to his disk defragmentation.

"Tell me a joke,"

His screen flashed in irritation. "No, I'm busy. Got all this new data to sort out."

Alex tapped him again, leaving sweaty smudges on his screen. "Just one for the road. All this silence is getting to me."

Her Pip-boy buzzed then relented. "Okay, so a man is draggin' a box behind him. He walks up to a front door, panting and knocks on it. A woman comes to the door. She says: 'How can I help you?' The man says: 'Are you Mrs Jones, the widow?' The woman replies: 'I am Mrs Jones, but I'm not a widow.' The man says: 'Ah, you haven't seen what I've got in the box!"

Alex couldn't help but laugh. "That's terrible."

"You asked for a joke pet. You didn't specify what kind."

They continued following the compass marker on her Combat Hub due Southeast, following the murky brown river. Around twelve in the afternoon, and when Alex and Dogmeat had determined it was safe, they sat down for lunch after missing breakfast. Still unable to swallow her pride to eat the Mirelurk meat, Alex settled for halving a slice of Brahmin with her furry companion. She fished around in her pack again, only to find her water supply dry. She could have cried.

Dogmeat's lolled out, panting in an effort to keep himself cool in the hot Wasteland weather. When she withdrew the empty bottle, he whined and gave her what Alex assumed with a look of dismay.

"Don't give me that look. It's not my fault," she insisted, knowing full well it was. Why had she not thought to take that collection of bottles Wadsworth had purified. She foolishly thought that four litres would be all she needed.

Swallowing in her dry throat, Alex had no choice but to do without. The air was sizzling and thick, and when she breathed in she felt as if she had swallowed a mouth full of hot air. A gloved hand raised to wipe away sticky sweat from a pale brow and she looked to the sun in loathing, patches of white speckling her vision. She wondered briefly if it ever rained in the Wasteland. Heavy and fractious clouds hung over the city from dawn to dusk but Alex had yet to see those clouds break open.

Alex saddled up once again, checked the ammo in her rifle before setting off, Dogmeat in her wake. After years of very little physical exercise, Alex found the thirty mile hike a day to be exhausting and wondered briefly if her father felt the same way. No. Such a silly thought it was. Her father never got tired the way she did. It was nothing for him to work ten hours at the clinic and come home to make dinner before harassing Alex into doing homework then finishing up the evening with paperwork. James Halsey could accomplish anything.

Alex looked onto the horizon and if on cue, the faint outline of a breached aircraft carrier blinked into view; hazy in the Wasteland air. Alex trembled in her relief, glad to almost be at her destination. She was hungry and thirsty. The closer Alex and Dogmeat got to the city, the louder her stomach complained and whined. She had not had a decent meal since leaving the Vault and that part of her life was as distant as the horizon in morning fog.

Rivet City was beast as opposed to the bucket of Megaton and Alex could not help but be quite flabbergasted, her jaw practically touching the ground. The beached air craft carrier spanned at least eight hundred feet from bow to stern and appeared to be an Essex Class. Her gaze – bright with wonder - trailed across the beached craft, noting the glaring crack straight down the middle; separating the two halves. She was a beautiful carrier but ravished by decades of ignorance and the radioactive elements. Alex stared, her breath in her throat. She couldn't help it. Such manpower it would have taken to construct such a craft; such dedication and willpower from those who built her. She was a testament to the once proud and mighty American race that proved that, in a fight, size did matter.

As the gate bridge extended in front of her, Alex wondered briefly if the rudders were still intact or perhaps engineering was still useable. Imagine if it was. How she would love to get a look at it, see how the machinery worked. She made a mental note to visit the engineering section as she crossed over the swaying bridge to reach the other side.

A Rivet City Security guard stopped her with the threatening wave of his Chinese Assault Rifle; a model vastly superior to her own regular assault rifle. She fingered her rifle nervously as she approached him. If things turned nasty, at the very least she could hit him with the butt of her rifle and run for it.

"Chief Harkness of Rivet City, sonny. State your business here." His tone was curt and to the point with an edge as sharp as steel.

Sonny.

Unbelievable.

She may have well just started walking around naked. "I'm not sonny. I'm a girl," she ground out.

Chief Harkness looked at her properly and cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed.

Good. Let him be embarrassed. He had only himself to blame.

"Oh, sorry about that."

She ignored his apology. "I'm looking for my father. I heard he passed through here," Alex replied icily.

"Your father? Who is his? If he was here, I would know." The brunette fought the urge to grind her teeth together. What was it with the people of the Wasteland feeling it completely necessary to question her motives?

"He's not from Rivet City, he's from a Vault, like me. He came here to see Doctor Li, whoever that is." Alex answered, proud of herself for keeping her temper in check. The security guard shot the young woman a sideways glance before he eventually waved her through.

"Doctor Li huh? Well you'd best go see her. She's in the science lab. No funny business now," the man warned. Alex snorted and strutted past him; Dogmeat trotting along next to her, bone and all.

Alex decided that she liked Rivet City much than Megaton. The whole ship seemed to breathe and groan with life around the Vault Dweller and after hours hiking through silence, it was indeed a welcome change. Alex stood in the Marketplace where various vendors and stalls set their wares from eight in the morning until eight at night. Brahmin meat sizzled and spat upon a grill, filling the air with wonderful sounds and smells. Dogmeat sniffed the air and wagged his tail eagerly. Alex's stomach growled in agreement. She checked her pockets and the jiggling pleased her. She had enough for dinner, bed and Li – and her father if he were there – could wait a moment or two.

She approached "Gary's Galley" with a rumbling stomach that did not go unnoticed by the proprietor of the diner. She slid down onto one of the empty chairs, Dogmeat immediately resting his muzzle on her lap expectedly. A moment later and the owner of the Galley was at her, golden hair slick and clipboard ready.

"Welcome to Gary's Galley stranger, finest cuisine this side of the city. My specialty is Mirelurk Cakes," he stated cheerfully, flashing the girl a dazzling smile

"Mirelurk leaves a bad taste in my mouth. What else have you got?" The man handed the girl a menu in response. Alex skimmed down the page then raised an eyebrow. Nothing but Mirelurk. It really was his speciality. Either that or he couldn't make anything else.

"Have you got anything here that isn't made from Mirelurk?" Alex asked.

"The squirrel is very good – "

She pulled a face. She was hungry but not that hungry. "Absolutely not"

Gary tapped his clipboard in irritation. "Mirelurk not good enough for you Vaultie?"

"I've seen where they breed. It's off-putting," she remarked before scanning the menu again. "I don't want squirrel or Mirelurk. What else do you have?"

"Well, we do have some boxed stuff but it's obviously more expensive."

"I'll take it. Oh, and get me some Brahmin steak as well."

"Hang on a sec."

Ten minutes later, Gary placed a bowl of steaming macaroni and cheese in front of the Vault Dweller and two fresh steaks of Brahmin meat. Her hunger was so consuming that she almost forgot to put the steaks down for Dogmeat until he pawed patiently at her leg.

Alex ate until her stomach ached then she leaned back and savoured the blessedly peaceful moment. For the first time in days, she felt truly safe. The bustling of Rivet City was deeply comforting, and familiar. Her eyes slid shut and she pretended for just a moment that she were back in the Vault; safe and warm and loved.

The peace didn't last long.

"Well well well. Fancy seeing you here," came the smooth, rich voice of a man she'd rather hoped to avoid forever.

Her eyes opened in alarm and there he was. Mister Burke sat in the chair opposite, one arm propped lazily upon the table and looking like a million dollars.

Alex stilled in fear and something else she couldn't place. Her heart was steady, rapid thump in her ear, beating just loudly enough to drown out the rest of Rivet City. Oh God. Did he know about the bomb in Megaton? "Burke." His name left her more breathlessly than she would have liked. What are you doing here?"

Burke smiled at her leisurely, and Alex's seemed to tighten in response. "It's a free country, beloved. But if you must know I had business here I had to see to."

"What sort of business?" she asked. She sincerely hoped it didn't mean her. She didn't want to be his business. She didn't want to be anyone's business.

"Trade," he said simply. Alex doubted there was anything simple about his business. "But the better question is what you're doing here? I distinctly remember telling you to stay in Megaton." His tone was polite, yet there was an edge of frustration to it. Clearly he wasn't used to women not obeying his orders.

Under the table, her dog growled a low warning. Alex let her hand slipped onto the crown of Dogmeat's head, hoping that Burke understood that the dog was hers. She was not quite as defenceless as she was when she was in Megaton. She felt a little more sure.

"It's a free country Mister Burke," Alex said, her voice not as strong as she would have like. She couldn't help it. Burke just had that effect on her. It was hard to keep herself together in his presence. He made her feel all out of sorts.

Burke's eyes flashed behind his dark glasses. "You're the only reason that I spared that pathetic scab of a town," he said with obvious distaste, as if Megaton was a disgusting swear word. "And then I find you here in this rust bucket. To think I wasted caps sending you a letter."

"Yeah, Sorry."

She wasn't the least bit sorry.

Burke caught the insolence in her tone. "Careful my dear, be very careful." His voice dropped an octave; soft, menacing and send a thrill through her of what she assumed was panic. She hoped it was.

But he couldn't scare her into obedience here. She was in Rivet city, which had security guards. And she had a gun, and a dog – who had chewed open the throat of a Centaur to defend her. "Look, I'm only here temporarily," she said, trying her confidence again. "I'm trying to find my dad. He's gone missing. Once I find him, we'll go back there. Megaton makes me feel…safe." He needn't have known she never planned on going back, but God he had to believe that she would and that Megaton meant something to her. She didn't think she could live with the guilt knowing if Burke pulled something with Megaton because of her.

The answer seemed to satisfy him. "Good, because I will keep my promise. I'll send for you once I've settled business out here."

She smiled genuinely. "My dad won't like that," she remarked. It was true though. Mister Burke was everything her father hated. He'd rather cut his own head off that let Burke near her. Even nice boys in the Vault got the evil eye from her father. He was so shamefully protective.

At least he used to be.

He didn't do much protecting these days.

Burke's smile didn't falter for a second. "Then I'll ask his permission to court you then."

A giggle slipped from between her lips and Burke's eyebrow hitched up his forehead. She just couldn't help it. The thought was ludicrous really. She imagined Burke trying to charm around her father with his clever tongue and clever words. But her father wouldn't be taken with it. Her father was too smart for that. "He'd run you off with a shotgun."

"I'm sure I could change his mind," Burke said, sounding very confident and certain with himself. He probably could.

"You couldn't," she said with a half smile. Why was she even entertaining him at all? She knew she shouldn't have been, yet she couldn't help herself.

"I could."

"You'd put money on that?"

Again, Burke gave her a wolfish smile. "I most certainly would my dear. I'm something of a betting man."

"Clearly you haven't met my dad."

"I will, once you find him. We should have dinner," he said pleasantly. "Though if you prefer I could look into it for you..." He left the question hanging in the air.

Alex stilled again. She didn't want to become anymore involved with Burke that she needed to be. She was too deep already, judging from the way her pulse raced.

Instead she smiled breezily, as if her father was just a senile old man who had gotten himself lost in the Vault again and needed help finding his way back to his room. "Thank you, but I need to do this myself. It's why I left the Vault," she stated. "I want to find him myself. Only I should be allowed to wring his neck," she added.

"Ah, determination. I admire that in a woman."

Her cheeks – pale from lack of sunlight – reddened. "Flattery won't work with me Burke."

"I'm sure it won't." Burke cleared his throat. "Well, I must be off my dear. I still have to see to Tenpenny and tell him about Megaton."

"What will you tell him?"

Burke didn't look the least bit concerned. "That the bomb is defective, that it will never go off."

She smiled at the irony of his statement. Yes. The bomb would never go off now.

"I hope he's not too upset," Alex said, not caring in the slightest if he was. "But I'm just very fond of Megaton. I like it there."

"You're too good for that place," Burke said, his eyes growing dark behind his sunglasses. "You deserve better, more. I promise you, you'll have nothing but the best once I have concluded my business."

"Don't keep me waiting," she said, propping her chin onto her hand, playing the part of the seductress. She wished she could tell Amata how easily it truly was.

Burke looked as if he wanted to say something else but thought against it. Instead he simply tipped his hat at her again then stood from the table, playing the part of the perfect gentleman. "I'll see you soon my dear. Take care."

Just as quickly as he had come, Burke was off again. She watched him weave through the crowd, go up the stairs and disappear out of Rivet City as if he were invisible. Alex finally relaxed in the chair and ran a palm across her face. God it was intense, he was intense and she wasn't sure she liked it. Her heartbeat was a hum in her eardrum

It was drowned out only by her Pip-Boy phasing back in. "What a scoundrel. Did you see the way he was lookin' at you? Your father would have had his guts for garters."

Alex still felt breathless from the encounter. He certainly kept her on her toes. 'Well, he does think we're an item. I can't believe how easy men are out here. A nice smile and a sweet word and they think you're theirs.'

'You should have told him otherwise.'

'And risk him doing something fucking crazy? No thanks.'

The device on her wrist let out what she assumed was a snort. So you're just going to lead him on for a while? When he's clearly off his trolley?'

Alex reached down and scratched behind the ear of Dogmeat. 'Yes, until I find Dad and then Dad can run him off with a shotgun.

Does your Papa even have a shotgun?

He might.

Apparently, there was a lot she didn't' know about her father.

As she packed up her belongings, she couldn't help but feel a smug sense of pride. Everyone in Megaton seemed suspicious of Burke, fearful even. She hardly blamed them. He was a man that had an air of mystery and possessed effortless charm, yet seemed deeply nefarious.

And yet he seemed completely taken with her, and she couldn't quite understand exactly why but it made her feel deeply powerful. It was both exciting and frightening. She had never felt like that in the Vault. In the Vault, the Overseer had ultimate authority. No one questioned him and that was the end of it. In the Vault, she was a mechanic and was therefore last in the pecking order.

But out the Wasteland, she could control men like sinister men like Mister Burke. How long could she manage him?

Putting Burke to the back of her mind Alex up her sack and handful of caps on the table for the bill.. She left the Marketplace in favour of heading towards the Science Lab, Dogmeat plodding along next to her.

Unlike Vault 101, Rivet City was dark, noisy and almost unbearably warm. Wires hung down from the ceiling like jungle vines and copper pipes lined the wall and, surprisingly enough, in good condition. Floor lights were dotted down every pathway and flat panel monitors were placed in strategic positions at the end of corridor; displaying temperatures, new bulletins and a map of the city every four minutes. The place was pressed with people, and what might have irritated her in the past she now took comfort in.

She stopped for a second to glance at the map, indicating the next left turn would take her to the lab of Doctor Li. She pushed the heavy compression doors open and entered a large, make-shift laboratory. Various machines and equipment had been packed in, some new, some old. Several tables had been arranged on the floor below, brimming with notes and beaker containing chemicals of every colour.

Beneath the upper level of the lab, a furious debate was taking place between a dark haired woman, an older man with a pronounced limp and a smaller man looking rather uncomfortable.

They continued to argue even when Alex approached them gingerly, feeling quite out of place among the starched lab coats.

"Doctor Anchorage, we've been through this. The system has been put in place to make it fair on all of us," said the woman. She was a short woman, only maybe an inch taller than Alex herself, with thick black hair fixed into a tight, no-nonsense bun and appeared to be in her late forties.

Doctor Anchorage – Alex inwardly snorted at his name – was no older than thirty yet had a hair of silvered hair that stuck up in every direction. "What's wrong with the way we have been doing things?"

"Because Doctor Preston is exhausted. And so am I. The council reconvened and we've decided that people with medical training need to start contributing to Clinic hours. So that includes you."

"Doctor Li, I was assured that I wouldn't need to do clinic hours. I'm only a tenant of Rivet City, not an employee."

Alex's stomach jumped. Was that the woman she was looking for? It had to be. The urge to intervene was almost unbearable.

"Everyone has to do their share."

"I'm busy with my project."

"As am I. And Doctor, your project quite literally never going to get off the ground."

"Says the woman who can't even make a glass of water clean again," the man promised before signalling to what Alex assumed what his assistant. The woman known as Doctor Li tapped one foot irritably.

"Just get out before I have thrown you out."

"Alright alright. God you're such a drama queen Madison. Snoops! Let's go," Doctor Anchorage eventually relented and summoned for his assistant – a young man a few years older than Alex herself. The older man stalked past Alex without so much as a glance at her, hobbling away with his walking stick and helper in tow.

Alex couldn't help but pull a face at his back. What a pushy man. She was so glad he wasn't Doctor Li

The woman suddenly rounded onto her, as if she had only just realised she was there. There was a look of deep irritation on her face and Alex immediately felt her features adopt a similar expression. "Look, I'm tired of telling you people, this is a restricted -"

Doctor Li cut herself abruptly and studied her properly. Her hostility suddenly bled away and the older woman suddenly let out a breathless sound of surprise. "My heavens, it's you. You look so much like him...You're James's daughter Alex aren't you?"

Everyone seemed to know exactly who she was, yet she did not know any of them. It was unsettling.

"Where is my father? Have you seen him?" She could feel herself beginning to panic, but it was impossible not to. Her father was so close now, she could almost smell his comforting blend of Vault-Tec issued soap and warm toast.

Doctor Li reached for a moment, but seemed to hesitate then recoiled her hand back. "Alex, Calm down. Now, what are you doing here? James said he left you in the Vault? This is all terribly irrational."

"I'm trying to find my dad. Do you know him? Is he here?"

Doctor Li's expression went tight. "James came back here as if nothing had changed. Your father walked out on us. Project Purity was our life and he abandoned us."

Alex prickled in response. "From what I understand of it, he just wanted to keep me safe," Alex insisted, feeling the need to defend her father even now.

Her expression softened slightly. "I know he did. But Project purity was bigger than all of us."

"Look, do you know where he went?" Doctor Li shot Alex a sceptical look, one brow arched.

"James? I had assumed he had sent you. Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be in a Vault? James said he left you there."

The Vault seemed so far away now, like a distant memory. "After dad left, the Overseer went crazy and tried to kill me," she said. "I just managed to get out alive."

"I'm sorry to hear that, and I know James will be as well. He honestly thought you'd be safer there."

"Do you know where he went?"

"The old lab," said Doctor Li vaguely.

"Where is that?"

"The old Jefferson Memorial, just outside of Rivet City." Doctor Li paused a moment. "It's dangerous there so please, don't go. It was foolish enough for your father to go alone."

"Dad's there, I have to."

I need to. The unspoken words hung in the air.

Doctor Li managed to smile weakly at her. "Well, you're certainly determined. And since you're James's daughter there's no point in trying to convince you not to go."

"Thanks. Anything else you can tell me about Project Purity?" Doctor Li gestured to an a console furthest away from them.

"If you have a Pip-Boy, just connect it straight up to the mainframe. You can download everything from there. I'll give you my access code to everything related to Project Purity. It hasn't been touched in years."

Alex supposed there was nothing else much to ask except…

"Doctor? Can I ask you something?"

"Yes but please be brief" Already the older woman seemed distant, and almost willing to look at her any longer than necessary.

Alex swallowed the lump in her throat. "I never knew my mother. What was she like? Li" Doctor Li suddenly dropped her eyes to the floor beneath them, lips pursed together.

"Your mother...Well, she was a good woman. A very dedicated scientist. Your father loved her very much," Li explained, quite unable to look her in the eye. Her tone seemed distant and sad, as if she were remembering something difficult. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to be done."

Alex shuffled awkwardly, suddenly wanting to be as far from Doctor Li and her father's past as she could. "Well thanks, I'll plug this in then I'd be off."

"Good luck and please be safe."

"Thanks," the girl said before turning away and approaching the console to plug in her Pip-Boy. When Alex pulled out the connection cord, her device stirred and opened the private channel with her again.

'What have you got me for me?' Alex grunted and slotted him into the computer in response. The device let out a beep of delight as he skimmed through the data. 'You wanting this all copied aye?'

'Can you manage that?'

'Aye nay bother.'

'Good. Put your backhacker up.'

'Done already. Something off about it?' Alex looked over at Doctor Li with narrowed jade eyes.

'Yeah…Doctor Li doesn't seem to like me very much.' His screen flared up a bright emerald green and data flowed freely into his hard drive.

'Aye but no one likes you very much. I don't even like you.'

'Yeah but this is different though. She struggles to look me in the eye.'

'I wouldn't want to look you in the eye either. You're batty pet."

The device suddenly pinged in completion. Alex disconnected her Pip-Boy and fed the cables back into the appliance. He whirled in response and brought up several documents for the young woman to read over as she left the lab, ignoring the curious stare of Doctor Li.

Project Purity wasn't too far away from Rivet City, so much that Alex was surprised she had even missed it to begin with. It was a large dome structure, damaged but still standing even after two hundred years of nuclear warfare with various sets of pipelines running straight into the irradiated river. Scaffoldings and various other bridges spanned around the circumference of the dome like a protective shell. Beneath her feet, the grass and ground was scorched with black marks, crunching loudly under her s. Alex stopped and glanced around cautiously. It was quiet, too quiet for the mechanics liking. Dogmeat growled softly next to her, his tailed bristled like an old toilet brush.

A roar behind her and the flashing of red on her Hud signalled that she was not alone. She spun on her back heel and instinctively jumped backwards; unhooking her assault rifle from her shoulder. A super mutant charged her with a sledge hammer, his footsteps loud against the scorched grass. Alex aimed and squeezed the trigger. Two out of her four shots missed while the two made directed contact. Rivets of blood exploded from his body, causing him to stumble. Dogmeat sunk his teeth into the meaty ankle of the super mutant and he feel to the ground. Alex darted forward and flicked into V.A.T. Green shimmered down over her vision and time creased. She clenched her rifle between sweaty hands and before she could reason with herself or before the mutant could react, Alex brought the butt of her rifle down onto the thick skull of the creature.

If the mutant screamed, she didn't hear it. All she heard was of bone splitting beneath her weapon. Alex spun around and surveyed the rest of the area. Right on cue, three blimps of red winked onto her compass; all moving around but thankfully, not towards her. They must not have heard the gunshots. She mounted her assault rifle back onto her shoulder before continuing onwards, Dogmeat guarding her wing.

She could only hope that her luck would hold out a while.

Inside the Memorial building, Alex fought and struggled and sustained many wounds to battle her way into towards the Rotunda. Blood flowed freely down her forehead, more splattered across her jumpsuit and Alex was sure that a rib or two had broken. It was hard to forget the thud against her chest or the snapping of bones when a Super Mutant grabbed her from behind and kicked her into the stone wall. Not even Med-X had helped cushion the blow. Dogmeat had faired not much better than her and was huddled in beside her in the gift box as they hid from the Mutants outside – who apparently were too large to get through the tiny door.

Breathing hard, Alex peeked out from her hiding place in the gift shop, a stolen hunting rifle in her bloodied hands. Her trusty assault rifle had since long been depleted of ammo and was strapped to the back of the Vault Dweller. Alex winced in pain and gripped the rifle tight, trying to feed another shell into the gun with trembling fingers. The hud was displaying at least two more mutants in the immediate area, not counting the mutants within the Rotunda. Her Pip-Boy was frantically trying to offer advice and point out weaknesses as well as keeping an eye on the girl's health.

'Alex! The Stealth Boy!'

She could barely hear him over the hail of bullets churning the air overhead.

'What about it?'

'Use it to sneak up and around the bastards' The Stealth Boy! Alex released a sore groan and immediately regretted it as pain spiked up her side. How could she have forgotten? She put the rifle down andand rummaged in her pockets for the small, wrist watch type device. Alex pulled it out and withdrew the connection cable curiously. She had never used a Stealth Boy before. They were few and far between

'What I do now?'

'Just plug it in me pet and I'll do the rest.'

Alex followed the order of her Pip-Boy and slotted the small, cylinder like connection cable into her Pip-Boy. It was like she experienced the sensation of V.A.T.S several times over. Instead of the impression of ice simply drilling into the base of her skull, the feeling increased tenfold and covered her entire body with what felt like a cool, damp blanket. It even provided some relief for the broken ribs and all the bruises she had sustained.

Alex blinked once, looked down at her body. Her entire body was gone, replaced with a silvery double; a ghost even. She glanced at her hands, only to find them a simmering transplant colour. She was practically invisible.

Dogmeat sniffed around her with his bloodied snout, confused by the changed of events. He could smell her but couldn't see her. He let out a whine, but it seemed so muted.

A voice that didn't sound like her voice answered. "Stay boy. Stay."

The dog's ear perked up and he lay flat on the ground. He seemed to understand.

Alex crawled out from behind the desk and out of the line of fire of the mutants. The Super Mutants hadn't seemed to notice her at all and continued firing at the upturned sturdy metal desk she had been crouched behind. She crept between them, keeping her strained breathing as quiet as she knew how. It was hard to suppress the sound of disgust as the smell of toxic sludge filtered into her nose.

'You've got 30 minutes tops until the wears off pet. Be swift.' Her Pip-Boy was nothing but an echoed in her ear. Alex guessed that the integration of the Stealth Boy was suppressing their communications.

Unbelievably and miraculously, Alex somehow managed to sneak right past the furious mutants to escape into right into the Rotunda.

The heart of Project Purity was a slight disappointment. The room gurgled and whined and had a very damp, musty kind of smell to it. Other than some piping, a column of water between the rotunda and some consoles, it seemed rather unremarkable. This was what her dad left the vault for? She might have snorted had there not been two Super Mutants nearby.

Attempting to keep her steps light but agile, Alex approached what she figured was the control room. On top of a panel lay four holotapes, labelled with her father's messy, doctor's scrawl. She shoved them into her pockets as quietly as she could, her heart beating in her throat. She kept waiting to feel a heavy on her shoulder, or fingers around her skull. But nothing seemed to happen, and the Super Mutants were still none the wiser of her presence. She headed straight down the stairs, biting the inside of her mouth to stop herself from groaning with pain. The burning ache in her ribs was worsening with each passing. If they weren't broken, they were most certainly fractured.

She crept down the stairs, retracing her footsteps against the dust. She slipped through the Rotunda door and negotiated past two Super Mutants; clearly pissed that their fast food had managed to slip out from under their noses. They were stomping out, growling and grunting at each other in what she assumed with their form of communication.

Alex slipped back behind to the desk in the gift shop and there was Dogmeat, still lying on the ground, perfectly still as if he were dead. The only indication that he was still alive was the flicker of his ear and the twitch of his nose when she crouched down next to him.

"Let's go boy. We need to run," she whispered, her own voice a ghostly whisper.

Dogmeat readied himself, despite his wounds. He understood more than he seemed to let on.

She waited a long, tense minute. Alex released the breath of oxygen she had not realised she had been holding until a Mutant had safely rounded another corner and disappeared out of her sight.

Then she ran, Dogmeat behind on her trail. She heard the roar of a Super mutant behind her somewhere, but pumping adrenaline kept her legs moving. She grasped the door handle with her sweaty fingers then forced it open with as much strength as she had left. Dogmeat darted between her legs, throwing himself onto the grass. Light spilled into the memorial, and she heard a dull roar of the super mutants. She stumbled through the door after Dogmeat and as she turned to shut it behind her, she saw two super mutants round the corner at the bottom of the ramp.

She slammed the door shut with a resounding wham. The Mutants would not follow her now. They could not use the small, backdoor entrance. If they were to try and catch her, they would have to go around the long way and use the front gate entrance and she would be gone before then.

And Somehow, she doubted that a "puny human girl" was worth so much extra effort. She looked to the beached craft and felt all her wounds ache at once. Rivet city seemed so far away now.

As she started to hobble back towards Rivet City, she swore she would give her father a good, swift kick.