As night fell, James was adamant about taking the first watch and sat near the door of their shelter as Valeria slept. Valeria hadn't spoken to him since she had killed the mercenaries and James respected her wish for silence. Upon searching the bodies he found a holodisk that revealed the bounty on his daughter's head. He surmised that their encounter was accidental, or they both would have been killed outright.
Valeria's even breathing told him she was finally asleep, and he looked out at the overcast darkness fighting his own fatigue. James was appalled at how badly his attempts to shield her from the world had failed. Valeria had clearly been through a terrible ordeal, made worse by her perception that she was an inhuman monster. He desperately wished there was something he could do to fix all his mistakes that had caused his daughter so much pain, but the damage had been done.
James awoke to the sound of Valeria groaning. Cursing his exhaustion, he activated his Pipboy light and looked at Valeria. Her head was thrashing back and forth as she whimpered in the grip of a nightmare.
"Shh honey, it's all right." James whispered as he gently shook her shoulder. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and one of her hands clamped around his neck. He gasped as he felt the bone crushing power of her fingers, but just as suddenly she snatched her hand back.
"Dad! I'm so…" Valeria exclaimed covering her mouth in horror. James interrupted her apology by embracing her, silently conveying his support and love as she stiffened with surprise. After a moment, he felt her relax as once again she began to sob. James simply held her until she finally pushed away from him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"You haven't asked me where I was in Braun's simulation." James said with a smile. Startled by the question, Valeria stared at him, her misery momentarily forgotten.
"Where were you?" She finally asked.
"Quite close." James replied. "I was the dog."
"You were…Butch?" Valeria asked in astonishment. Her father nodded, and Valeria began to giggle. Soon she was laughing out loud for the first time in months. James chuckled as well, delighted that he had managed to momentarily break his daughter out of her cycle of misery and self-loathing.
Valeria stood guard the rest of the night, and they both set out as the sun began rise into the overcast day. They arrived at the outskirts of DC ruins and followed the crumbling roads to the remains of the Pentagon on the bank of the Potomac River. The ancient installation was again serving as a fortress as the heavily armored knights of the Brotherhood of Steel patrolled around its outer wall. Valeria and her father were challenged, but after suspicious glances at Valeria were allowed to go on their way. As they walked in the shadow of the grim fortress, Valeria looked up and wondered if she and Sarah Lyons would cross paths again.
The Brotherhood patrols had apparently done their work as James and Valeria met no raiders or supermutants as they approached the Jefferson Memorial. Even after two decades, the scope of Project Purity was impressive. The ancient stones of the Memorial were covered in a network of pipes and valves, all surrounded by a steel catwalk. Valeria looked about at her father's work, and then saw him smiling at her.
"You built all this?" Valeria asked, again sweeping the memorial with her gaze. Her father nodded and replied, "Your mother and I built most of it, with the help of some other dedicated scientists, especially Madison Li." He his smile faded at the mention of her name. "I don't blame her for being bitter. Perhaps…" He shook his head and turned toward the monument.
James led Valeria around the building toward a door with "Monument Gift Shop" inscribed on it.
"After nineteen years I don't have any idea what's in there. We'd better be careful honey."
Valeria nodded, unslung her hammer and turned on her Pipboy light. Leading the way, she opened the door and entered Project Purity.
The interior was silent and dark. Not seeing any movement, Valeria carefully advanced down a sloping corridor, crouching at the corner of a passage to her right. She could hear the warning beep of an auto-turret, and then her father touched her arm gestured for her to stay still. Crouching, James went around the corner and carefully accessed a monitor on the wall. After a moment the turret went silent and her father gestured her forward. Inside they found old sandbag emplacements under the turret. James looked at the turret, his face grim. He gestured to a door marked "Memorial Rotunda" and Valeria led the way through the unlocked door.
Inside, Valeria looked upon the heart of Project Purity. The chamber was lit by the dim glow of twilight though the water in the central tank. The control room circled the main tank, accessible only from a steel staircase. Valeria reached the top and looked around at the silent computers and pumps.
"It's in pretty good shape Dad." Valeria said, her voice loud in the silence.
"Yes, isn't it…" Her father replied, looking tired. He walked up to a control panel and began to type commands on a panel. To Valeria's astonishment, she heard several bangs reverberate through the chamber, followed by a whooshing sound. Banks of lights flickered, and then burned steadily as the continuing rumble of distant pumps began to fill the air. Above her, Valeria began to see stagnant green water flow through the pipes.
"It works?" Valeria asked looking around in wonder.
"Yes…it does…" Her father said, not turning around. He leaned on the control panel, his head bowed as if under a great weight. Valeria put her hand on his shoulder.
"Dad?"
"I'm sorry," He replied, turning around. "It's just that it's been so long…" James looked around then said brusquely, "We have a lot of work to do and we'd better get started."
Further inspection found the installation to be in astonishingly good condition after years of neglect. Valeria noticed that every new revelation seemed to make her father more thoughtful and grim. With his direction, Valeria began to help enter number sequences into the mainframe using data from his Pipboy. It was late when James set the auto-turret and told Valeria to get some rest. He assured her he would join her soon, then re-entered the control room.
Valeria sat among the sandbags under the turret, watching where her father had gone. She had expected him to be excited to continue his life's work, but she couldn't read his mood. With pragmatism born of survival in the wastes, Valeria leaned against the sandbags and fell asleep.
Her eyes snapped open at her father's light step. Realizing she was awake, he stopped as she scowled at him.
"You didn't sleep at all, did you?" She accused.
"I'm sorry honey, I'll rest later. I managed to use some of Braun's data to recalibrate the purifier. It's possible we could do a working trial tonight, but I need your help. There is a blockage in one of the intake pipes preventing the valve from closing. If you could clear it we can keep going."
Valeria got to her feet and looked sternly at her father. "I'll get it." She said, "But you had better be sleeping when I get back."
"Just go to the end of the entry hall and you'll find the access hatch. Be careful honey."
"I love you Valeria." Her father said as she turned to leave.
"I love you to Dad." Valeria replied with a puzzled smile. "I'll be back soon."
The intake pipe was dry and large enough that she could walk crouched over. It descended through the darkness, until it leveled off at a rusted floodgate with a large wheel imbedded in the wall. An exploratory turn showed it was corroded closed. Bracing herself in the cramped pipe, Valeria strained until the wheel suddenly turned with a screech. The gate in front of her clanged open and one behind her closed with a boom. Advancing forward she found another steep decent. As she made her way down, her foot slipped on a patch of slime, sending her skidding down the pipe.
Valeria flailed about for anything to stop her fall but continued to slide helplessly until she smashed through a gate and plunged into a pool below. Her Pipboy began to crackle as its radiation meter went off, and she stood up in the waist-high water. Wiping hair from her eyes, she looked up and found herself staring at a gray-haired man in a trench coat standing at the pools edge. Flanking him were two soldiers in night black power armor, their optics glowing a sinister yellow. They were also armed with laser rifles that were leveled at her.
"Well, Well…" The man in the coat said, "You must be James' 'daughter' Valeria. Please don't reach for your weapon or things will get…unpleasant."
Valeria considered attacking, but standing in waist high water guaranteed she would be shot before she got to the edge. Glaring she held her hands away from her body.
"A very wise decision. I'm sure that water is uncomfortable, but I must insist that you remove your weapons before I allow you to get out." Valeria removed her hammer and knife, dropping them into the pool. The man nodded and stepped back to allow Valeria to climb out under the watchful eyes of his guards.
Clasping his arms behind his back, her captor looked up into her face appraisingly as the two soldiers moved to flank her.
"Hmm, I do see a resemblance to Catherine."
"You knew my mother?" Valeria asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
"I did. A gifted scientist, although blinded by idealism."
"You're Lieutenant Autumn, aren't you?"
"Your father must have mentioned me." Autumn replied. "It's Colonel now, and I think we've wasted enough time with pleasantries. It's time we informed James he has guests." He turned and led the way to a staircase out of the sub-basement. Valeria followed with the soldiers keeping pace just behind her. The door at the top of the stairs opened into the memorial gift area, and Valeria saw more armored troopers in defensive positions, silently watching as they walked to the rotunda. Colonel Autumn led them through the door and up the stairs, while Valeria desperately watched for any opportunity to escape or attack.
James was waiting in the control room, his face calm as they entered the antechamber.
"Hello James. It's been a long time hasn't it?"
"Lieutenant Autumn, although I see it's colonel now, Congratulations." Although their exchange was polite, Valeria could feel the tension in the air as the two men faced each other.
"I hope you've found my maintenance of this facility adequate." Autumn said. "Thanks to you I couldn't get it on-line, but I didn't see the harm in some repairs."
"I'm sorry you wasted your time." James replied. "This facility doesn't work, it never has."
"Oh come now. You sabotage key data, vanish for nineteen years then return, for what? The memories? I've never considered you stupid, naïve perhaps but never stupid. Please return the courtesy and stop insulting my intelligence."
"What do you want then?"
"What I've always wanted," Autumn snapped, "Full control of this facility for the good of humanity."
"You mean the good of the Enclave, don't you?" James replied, an edge creeping into his voice.
"They are one and the same, now stop wasting my time and give me the access codes."
Autumn began to stride forward when James turned and hit a button on the panel behind him. An emergency bulkhead door slammed down, almost catching Autumn as he leaped back to avoid it. One of the soldiers stepped forward to catch Autumn's arm to help him up. Valeria tensed, ready to leap, when she heard the distorted voice of the soldier on her right warn, "Move and I blow your head off."
Getting back to his feet, Colonel Autumn angrily jerked his arm from the trooper's grasp and straightened his coat.
"That was foolish James. All you've done is delay the inevitable, especially since I have a hostage." He turned to look at Valeria and added with a sneer, "Although why you care escapes me." James took a step forward, rage flashing on his face before he caught himself and shook his head chuckling. "Really Autumn, is that the best you can do?"
"Oh I can do better." Autumn snarled, pulling out his pistol and pointing it at Valeria's face. "You will relinquish control immediately or you will watch your daughter die!"
"Kill her and I swear you will never have it." James said, quiet fury in his voice.
"You are missing the point James, as always. The only value she has to me is her usefulness in coercing you to stand down. If you seek to deny me that advantage, then I will at least have the satisfaction of watching you suffer as she dies!"
"Very well…Colonel." James said through gritted teeth. He began to turn to the panel when Valeria shouted, "Dad, no!" Turning, Autumn smashed his gun across her cheek, staggering her. Valeria straightened, her eyes blazing with fury as blood ran down her face. Before anyone could move James shouted, "That's enough! You've won Autumn!"
"Get on with it then!" Autumn replied, turning to the door. "Open this bulkhead now and we will avoid any more incidents." James began to type on the console and press buttons as Autumn waited.
"You were mistaken about one thing 'Colonel'." James said conversationally, his back still turned, "My daughter has value to you as more than a hostage. Only two people know the access codes to the purifier, myself and Valeria."
"What?" shouted Autumn as Valeria's eyes went wide with shock. James turned, looked at his daughter and said, "Go home honey, the answers are there." Then he pressed a button behind him. The entire purifier shook as an explosion boomed through the complex and warning alarms began to blare. Smoke billowed through the control room as Valeria's Pipboy began to warn of increasing radiation. Her father staggered to the door, his eyes never leaving his daughter's horrified face. He gave a weak smile, opened his mouth as if to say something, and then crumpled to the floor.
"No!" Valeria shrieked, hurling herself at the door. The thick glass was warm on her palms as she looked down at his still body of her father, then with tears running down her face she began to smash her fists into the glass. Suddenly the world vanished in a blue flash and she found herself looking up at Colonel Autumn from the floor. Her body refused to respond as she fought to stay conscious.
"Well done." Autumn said to one of the soldiers. "If she had managed to crack the seal the entire complex would have been flooded with radiation." He looked back into the chamber, his face grim.
"Well played James, you stubborn bastard. Secure the facility and get this freak to my Vertibird. We'll interrogate her properly at Raven Rock."
Valeria didn't hear the trooper's reply as the world faded into blackness.