After Nick and I's adventure in Far Harbor, we decided to head back to the Commonwealth. I still needed to build that teleporter that Desdemona said would get me into the Institute.
It had been a year since I'd found my way out of Vault 111. My son, Shaun was still missing and the biggest lead we had was the Institute, which I had suspected all along. With Kellogg's death, it had only confirmed my suspicions. It had been a long battle trying to find my son, that was now a 10-year-old boy, and now I was so close. Now, I needed to find him.
"You alright over there?" Nick asked, whiling steering the boat.
"Yeah, just ready to get back to the Commonwealth." I replied.
"Me too, there are always more cases to solve."
"True that, Valentine."
Nick brought the boat into dock and we unloaded our things, it was about ten o'clock at night when we pulled in. The both of us were exhausted and needed to get to bed. So we headed back to the Red Rocket.
I woke up about around nine in the morning, and sat up. I was ready to head to the Old North Church, ready to find my son. It had been long enough since I'd seen him and I intended to let no more time pass in which my baby would not see his mother. I got up and began packing my supplies for the day, when I heard Nick rustling in the bed.
"Leaving me, are ya?" he said, with his eyes barely open.
"I'm going to use the teleporter today Nick, I'm ready to find Shaun. It's been too long for him to go without a mother."
"You want me to tag along with you? Make sure you get there alright?" he said, touching my hand.
"No, I'll be fine. Deacon is going to be coming with me. Thank you though." I said, planting a kiss on his forehead and heading out for my journey.
"Step onto the pad and we'll get you inside. Remember, to put that holotape into the nearest terminal. We need all the information we can on the Institute if we ever have a chance of blowing them off the map." Desdemona ordered.
"Got it, anything else?" I asked.
"Good luck, I hope you find your son."
"Thanks Dez."
And just like that a blue flash came over me, I closed my eyes just in case there was going to be any pain. When I opened them, I found myself unharmed and inside a clean room. Quickly, I looked around for a terminal to stick the holotape into. Upon finding one I put in the tape and allowed it to download most of the Institute's data they had on file. When the terminal released the tape a voice came over the intercom.
"You've come a long way to reach us; I'm surprised you even made it here. Please step into the elevator at the far end of the hallway."
I did as the voice said and stepped into the elevator.
"Welcome to the Institute. You may know little about us, but we know much of you. You've come here to find your son, and we have him here if you wish to see him."
The elevator moved further and further down into the complex. There I could see people and synths working. It was quite breath taking that this place had remained so clean and untouched by the outside world.
"We are not what the outside believes we are, we aren't monsters, just scientists looking to benefit the civilians of the outside realm. We just want someone to hear are side for once. Now, if you could please step off the elevator and meet me in the next room, I would be most appreciative."
Again I did what the voice said and headed in that direction. When entering the room I saw a little boy with red hair and blue eyes just like mine. It was him, it was really Shaun.
"Shaun, sweetie is that you?" I asked the boy.
He turned to face me, "Yes, I'm Shaun. Who are you?"
"I'm your mother, Shaun. I'm getting you out of there."
"Father help! I don't know you!"
Just then a figure walked into the room and replied "Shaun, S9-23 recall code cirus."
The older man turned to me and said, "Fascinating, isn't it? He's a prototype, I'm sure you've encountered them before in your journeys."
"How do you know of the 'journeys?'" I replied.
"I've watched and waited for you to come here, but first let us start off with introductions. I am Father, the leader of the Institute."
"Look I could two shits about who you are and what you do here. I want my son explain that to me." I scoffed.
"Right to it then? Well, you came here looking for your son who you believed was a young boy, but he is actually much older than you believe. You see that boy over there is one of our latest models of synth, he is not your actually son."
"Cut to the chase, if that isn't him then where is here?"
"I am your son, Shaun. It's good to finally meet you."
"That's bullshit! I have a young son, not some old ass man who's a cult leader claiming to be creating a 'better life' for the people of the Commonwealth."
"Is it so hard to believe that I could be your son? Do you even know how much time has passed since you were frozen?"
I remained silent, staring at the synth boy in the glass case.
"You were frozen for over 100 years, and in that time I was kidnapped and raised here for sixty years. So this makes this story one-hundred percent truthful."
"I still don't believe you old man."
"Why would I want to lie to you? At this point you've proven yourself a strong and dedicated woman, why would I want to take advantage of you?"
"Because you are a heartless son of a bitch, who runs a kidnapping organization. You replace people with synths, people who have families and lives of their own. You just get to take that all away for your fucking cause you claim you have. It's not right, what you or this entire organization does."
"If you would please just let me explain what we are trying to accomplish you might see it our way."
"No I wouldn't, you'll lie to me and I refuse to be lied to. I don't want any part of this or you, even if you are my son. You are a goddamn monster that threatens the Commonwealth, and if I have to eliminate you I will."
"Talk to our leaders and see what are cause is. You've early heard rumors from the radiated world out there. Let us try to explain."
"No I've heard enough and I don't need you or this fucking place. You're a monster and you'll pay for what you have caused the people of the Commonwealth. By the way, that 'world out there' you were talking about is more alive than any of you heartless bastards in here. I'm leaving, good luck with your cult." I said, heading towards the elevator and leaving the underground hell hole.
I headed back to the Red Rocket with my stomach in knots. Part of me wanted to lay down in bed and cry about what my so-called "son" had become, the other half wanted to rush into the Institute and nuke the whole fucking joint. When I returned, I found Nick sitting on a bench that I had placed outside the garage door. He smile and waved to me to come over and sit with him. I couldn't do it right now, I pushed forward, ignoring him. I just needed some time to myself, time away from everyone including him. So I headed back to my room that I'd built in my beginning months as the "Vault Dweller."
I laid there for what seemed like an eternity, crying. I cried because I wasn't here to save Shaun from the Institute , I cried because I couldn't do a damn thing about it, and I cried because I knew that the only way to fix this entire mess was to nuke the Institute. That meant killing the man that claimed to be my son, whether I believed it or not. My thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door.
"It's open," I said, wiping the tears from my eyes.
"Hey Doll. You alright?" Nick said, sitting down next to me and wrapping his arms around me.
"I'm fine, just a lot to take in."
"Your red eyes and soggy pillow say otherwise."
"I'm fine Nick, I really am," I lied.
I wanted to tell Nick, but I was ashamed to tell him what I had found out about my son. How could I tell him that my son was a murderer? That he made people like Nick to use as cannon fodder so they could protect the Institute's secrets. I couldn't tell him, he'd be hurt from seeing me hurt and knowing that the entire case was worthless.
"I've said this before, but I'll say it again. I can't help you unless you tell me what's going on. And you know that I want to help you in any way I can." he said, giving me a smile that made me feel all warm inside.
"This man, the one that runs the Institute is… is." I couldn't finish my sentence, the pain hurt so much. I collapsed into Nick's lap. Planting my face on his legs and just sobbed.
Nick stroked his fingers through my hair, "its okay. I'm here for you. Anything you need just say the word."
I looked up at Nick with my tear filled eyes and just sat there for a few moments, staring into his eyes. He stared back holding the gaze. We didn't need to speak; words filled the air without being spoken. He then brought his lips closer to mine and whispered, "I love you, Red. You know that right?"
My heart stopped as I turned to break his gaze. Love me? How could he love me? I was the roughest woman within the Commonwealth. I'd killed raiders, gunners, and giant mutants just to get a paycheck. How the hell could someone like him love someone like me? Nick sensed my doubt and walked over so he could be in front of me.
"Don't ever doubt it, doll. I've come to care for you more than I've cared for anyone else. You're special to me, always have been, always will be. I don't need you to believe it because I do."
I pushed Nick away from my face in a playful manner, "You just say these things."
"I wouldn't say em' if they weren't true. You know that."
"Yeah, I know." I said getting up and planting a kiss on his lips.
