Heading down into the bowls of the mechanical access of the purifier, TenTen was sifting through the toolbox. "Alright… wrench, screwdriver, hammer… nails, bolts, screws… wires, and fuses. Alright then, now where-"

"On your right and down more steps." She looked back to see her blonde friend come with her, helmet off. "It's a bit of a walk, but I'll show you." As he walked in front of her, he led her down the next flight of steps.

"So, you've been down here before? I thought you said you were part of the squad leading them away from here?" She remembered one of the first things they talked about back when she was still very new to the wasteland.

"My first patrol was as a mechanic keeping some falling off parts from doing that on some of the Knights and Paladins who were going back and forth the river route, including the team that got James out of here. What, 19 years and I only ever seen this place when you were born? Nah, the Brotherhood kept uptake of the place for a good while before the entire scientific crew abandoned it to rivet city, some getting far north or west in some cases." He opened the doors to the bunk room. "I was one of the mechanics in this room who had to make some repairs to Power Armor. I know the place a bit, but not everywhere. Pump control is through here."

It made sense after he said it, 19 years was a very long time for someone in this area NOT to return to a previous location. They made it into the pump control and so far it was easy enough to just flip the main switches. James came on the intercom shortly after. "The board is looking good, but some circuits have shorted. You'll need to replace some old fuses or add-in on any missing ones from the main breaker. It's in the eastern level."

"This way." Naruto led her out. "Once we get this through we can access the mainframe for the purifier, locked behind some doors that the fuses are needed to open."

"Got it." As they made it to the other side of the lower level, the brunette started feeling anxious. "Are we sure the Enclave is going to attack today?"

Turning to her, the blonde was sure. "No doubt. The Brotherhood has been keeping tabs on transmissions from those eyebots, our scribes are trained to decode anything. seems their main base here in Washington is eager to be let loose, been trying to get support from the radio to make it easier to be accepted into communities to then divide and conquer until they have complete control."

"Why? Why try and trick everyone like that?"

"Because they want something. A secluded remnant of old-world families that have twisted historic values into their children to become purists. The Enclave is nothing but Nazi's. Nuclear energy taught us a valuable lesson, one they seem to have ignored in favor of seeming themselves superior."

That took her aback, but seeing Naruto look steady on his evaluation, she had to ask. "And what makes you believe they are purists seeking to make things their way?"

"Because they did it before." Seeing her confusion, he told her what he knew. "The Brotherhood has recorded tapes by someone who was down the line of a Vault Dweller, THE Vault Dweller from Vault 13, out west. The Vault dweller from 13? saved the world from a Mutant army that was trying to destroy humanity, and either kill us or change us into being them. this individual started a tribe away from their Vault, had kids, and someone down their line, naming themselves the Chosen One, fought the Enclave out west when they first emerged as a major party to contend with. they were attempting to kill off everyone who was irradiated even slightly by the wasteland with a virus, and they took Vaults by storm for prime normals that were apparently great for testing out the FEV to make even more mutants in order to find a way to both make themselves better without being turned into big dumb creatures, and a way to kill off any Mutant that remained after the army from the old days disbanded. You tell me, does that make them heroes or purist pigs?"

Knowing she didn't have the full story, she nodded. Until they had time, this could wait. And from what he told her, she had to agree with him, the Enclave was very evil if they were still going this route. "Alright, let's get to the fuse box."

It didn't take long to get there past the water pumps, making sure they replaced the right ones and got the power in the right places, they restarted power to the lower areas, which got the attention of James. "Almost done and ready for testing. You'll need to head to the mainframe, it's back up a few levels and through an emergency door. Be careful."

"Got it, dad, heading back up there." Turning and gathering the toolbox again, she was walking out with her partner. "So, you know where the Enclave is?"

"Not really. We have had several false locations found here and there, groups of two to four patrols up north sometimes, but nothing definitive. We can't prove it, but the most likely location is Raven Rock, a military base. The place is shown as a small resource base, but the power grid doesn't reach it, no way to reach it in any way shape or form." Sighing, the blond tried remembering the details clearly. "If I remember right, one Scribe said that the evidence is akin to a heavily fortified off the grid black site, one that apparently had a Vault near or in the vicinity of the base. Meaning, it's the highest place to look."

"And you guys don't have the force to just run in and find out, right?" She knew they were spread thin from earlier talks.

"Exactly. We have the force to challenge them if we pulled every resource we have, maybe not win but still. The problem is, the Brotherhood's codex is clear that we do not recklessly attack anyone. If we send a few patrols and they die, it's the commanding officer's fault for ordering the patrol in enemy territory. We need to be sure before we try attacking it."

Humming as they reached the mainframe, TenTen opened the door and replied. "And you need to gather forces. And finish off the Mutant threat, and help with the purifier."

Seeing the young brunette work on the Mainframe, he nodded. "Yeah, however, they don't know the Purifier is back up and running. If they did we might have the manpower to defend against the Enclave. Right now, we just have to hurry, do the tests, and confirm before we shut things down and run out of here."

"Agreed." Turning the thing on, she went to the intercom she saw on the wall. "Computer's back up and running, everything looking green?"

"Excellent work, though the connection will take time. As the computer starts up and I start putting in the calculations, there are a few things still needing to be repaired, so how about- yes?" a minute went by before he spoke again. "Janice is gonna help with the repairs in here, but she says there's a blockage in an intake pipe. You'll need to head back into the museum and find… Pipe R-678, you'll need to get there from the long hallway outside the rotunda, Naruto will know the T hallway you need to go to. Get to the hall, turn right. Get on the intercom when you find it."

"WIll do dad."

"And hunny, be careful. Who knows what might still be lurking in these pipes after so long."

A small smile crested her lips. "Thanks, I will."

"I know which pipe he's talking about. Practically one of the only few that are big enough to be entered and are accessible in the area." He turned and started walking out with her.

The two were quiet, TenTen in contemplation. "If I had to guess, then the records are either from someone who knew the Vault Dweller, or was from said Vault Dweller… I wonder which it is, but I will have to trust Naruto on this one. At least for now/"

It didn't take long to get back up, where a lot of the Scientists were working on the first samples to use in the test. One of which had a chip on their shoulder, scowling at her. "Punk kid…"

Turning to him, she was frowning at the statement. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." He stopped working and crossed his arms. "You and your dad are nothing but trouble."

"Really? Then why are you here?"

"Because I've been with Doctor Li since the beginning, and I never left her side on a project, unlike your father, and your mother." He scowled and almost growled at her.

Naruto turned, listening to that. TenTen huffed. "Yeah, and? Why does that give you disdain for me?"

"Because now you show up out of the blue, and suddenly the project is back on, your father returning with news of a miracle to bring the project together, and yet he wasn't here when we were especially struggling. He pulled everyone back in out of the blue, especially me and Li when we were on another breakthrough with Rivet City trying to make clean vegetables grow without radiation. Twice now, twice that makes your father a prick for ruining a project by leaving or dragging us around."

TenTen stood fast, and Naruto watched in amazement as she took care of it. "I wasn't around for that, and trust me I feel your pain about how my father recklessly does things on his own without thinking how his actions might tip things in a rotten direction, I was almost murdered when he left the Vault because he left. But that gives you no right to spit at me for my father's actions."

The man scowled harder. "It's your damn father, so you have every guilty action on you as well, since he left because you were born in the first place!"

"And if I could decide how to help back when I was two minutes old, I'd have stayed to help you and told my dad off! Just because I had no choice in the matter I should be tossed into my father's debt!? Screw you for throwing around your insecurity and anger at someone innocent of the charges you lay on them! My dad's actions are to blame, not mine! If you want to go you can, if you want to help then do so, but don't spit in my direction, or the next thing you get is a knee to the nuts! I am not your punching bag, I am not my father!" She turned and passed Naruto, who was surprised by her outburst but smiled seeing her take charge.

He caught up and showed her the pipe to go into. "This way in. Just follow till you find the controls to flush the pipes, and I'll be waiting right here waiting for you."

"You aren't coming?" That worried her. He saw him turn his head to the hall, and after a moment understood. She nodded. "Right. Just in case. Meet you back here." With that, she delved in and started walking through the pipe with purpose.

It took a moment to round around the outside pipe-line and get to a control mechanism, after reading it she understood it to be the pipe controls. Turning the valve, she heard something, but deemed it like the flushing they needed, only the wind picked up from the broken part of the pipe, making it weirdly suspicious. Not a minute later, she saw them and heard them. Large choppers, rotor blades on vehicles spinning as they landed in the area around the monument, one landed on the large section of open railing. And out started pouring heavily armored men in black armor that looked bug0like. "Enclave…"

She hid for a moment, letting them pass by before turning to go back, only to find the pipe was sealed, a remote door latched and short-circuited, basically trapping her. "No!" She tried opening it and kicking at it, but to no avail, and she knew any loud bullets firing would draw attention. She turned to the other side of the pipe and saw another door, and with enough force she managed to run and kick it down, granting her exit of the pipe. Running through she found it round down. She stopped before falling, looking down to see several grates. Something in her head reminded her of Moira, and how she got down from the second floor of her store. Climbing down the edge of the pipe she jumped to the ledges of rails below, and used it to jump to the next, and then rolled to fall to the next until she finally reached the bottom and ran down the end of the piping, where it fell down to the lower levels.

As she got to the exit of the pipe, she noticed some Enclave start walking down the steps, talking and not noticing her yet. Quickly, she jumped down and to the lower levels where the fuze boxes and bedding were. She quickly started back up but grabbed her new gun, the armor-piercing mechanical revolver. She made sure it was loaded as she slowly went up the steps. It wasn't long till she heard the mechanical whirring of the Power Armor, and waited behind the wall. The moment she saw the person round the corner, she jammed the gun into his neck and fired upward, killing him with a single shot and grabbing his energy rifle, aiming down the corridor he came from. The loud ringing of gunfire drew the attention of the second Enclave member, who came rounding the way, only to be fired upon by the energy rifle.

Keeping sights on the head, TenTen fired multiple blasts that, whilst not fully penetrating the helmet's visors, was blinding the Enclave member, though she started to feel her body shake, her perception drop and her vision blurring as her lungs begged for air that she couldn't force in her body.

Ducking quickly behind the wall, she closed her eyes and just tried relaxing her body, though she heard the ringing from her ears and not the foot stomps of the enemy. She had to wing it and opened an eye to the wall in front of her. To her luck, it shadowed the Enclave member as they came her way, thanks to the lighting of the area. She growled and forced her body up and ran, planting her legs on the wall and jumped off it with all her might as she tackled the Enclave member to the ground, who fired and hit her armor but didn't get through the green Ranger armor, giving TenTen the leverage to fire into the soldier's neck.

Thanking her lucky stars, as she aimed down the corridor to see nothing coming her way, TenTen relaxed and caught her breath. "What the hell… Is wrong… With me?... Fuck!"

Getting to her shaking feet, the brunette walked slowly and took deep breaths to calm herself down. It was slow, and she used the railing on the walls to guide her, but she managed to get to the stairs up and around to get back to the main area. She could only hope Naruto and her Father were fine.

Passing through the door, she found three Enclave whose backs were turned to her, but thanks to her opening the loud rusty door they turned to see her. Quickly, she grabbed her shotgun and pistol in hand and fired into two, the armor-piercing pistol sinking into the throat of one soldier, as she blasted both barrels at the chest of a second.

The first gurgled and slapped against the unscathed one, making them fight to stay standing for a moment, the other backing off from the force of the shotgun. Her vision was starting to wobble and blur again, her finger both twitching and unable to move as if paralyzed, but she forced her body to fire into the soldier that threw his dead friend to the side to run at her, popping him in the head through his visor.

As if in slow motion, TenTen saw her body just freeze, and the last soldier come up and plant his rifle to her head, she saw his finger go for the trigger. She closed her eyes and tried to move, but her lungs stopped taking in air and her body was rigid. IN her mind, all she could do was pray.

Her prayers, it seemed, were answered by a devotee of the faith, as the soldier's gun was thrown up and a hand clenched into the guy's neck before lifting him up and tossing him to the ground. TenTen watched as Naruto had come to save her, his whiskers flared and eyes red as he jumped full strength up into the air and then slammed harshly down on top of the last Enclave soldier's chest, crushing him in his suit.

He looked at her after killing the last Enclave soldier and grabbed her, shaking her. "Hey, it's alright, you are ok now. Come on, relax, you got to loosen up!"

It took a moment before she could, but finally, she just collapsed, her body feeling more like thick sludge rather than fluid muscle movements, Gasping for air, she felt her lungs fill and push out the bad air, her mind numb and her ears ringing loudly, her body in panic mode.

As if seeing this before, Naruto grabbed something from his pack and put it to her nose right as she inhaled, and the smell caught her off guard making her scowl and cough and sneeze so hard she thought her eyes would pop out. "Oh god, fuck, what was that!?"

"Hey, hey, breathe! Breathe and relax and I'll tell you." Nodding, the brunette did just that, taking more controlled breathes and calming down. "That was some Broc flower, it has neurological properties, it will help with your freezing issue. Eat it."

Not questioning him, she did, but it tasted so bitter she almost spat it out. Getting her some water she drank it down and managed to get it down. "Thanks… Is everyone ok?"

"No… That was just the end party, the first pushers got into the rotunda. We have to get inside and save your dad, you think you can stand?"

"Yeah… Help me up, I can walk." He did just that, and she hung on him as they walked to the Rotunda, As they entered, they saw the Enclave enter the main control center, kicking Li out. Getting up, they were unfortunately locked out as the door closed. "No!"

Turning to Li, who was just standing there watching in horror, Naruto was worried. "He isn't… is he?"

"He is…" She looked away.

TenTen was wondering what they were talking about when the man in the trench coat spoke. "By order of the president, this facility is now under United States Government control. Whoever is in charge here, is to step forward and present everything detailing this project."

Seeing his daughter behind the man, James frowned. He didn't want her to see this, but if it led to it he had no other choice. He already had someone inside with him, so he had to try negotiating a peace. "I'm sorry, that's quite impossible. The Enclave has no authority on private projects like this one, I have to ask you to leave."

"Am I to assume you, sir, are the one in charge?"

"Yes, I am."

The man scowled and changed his tone to threatening. "Then I repeat sir, you are instructed to immediately hand over everything related to this purifier!"

"I'm sorry but-" James was interrupted by the man who raised his voice.

"Furthermore! You are to assist our Enclave scientists in assuming control of the administration and operation of this facility at once!"

"Colonel, is it Colonel? This facility is NOT operational. It never has been, you're wasting your time." James was hoping this little setback and what he said wouldn't discourage everyone here, but after everything they just did to get it ready, he wasn't about to hand it over.

It was almost menacing how the Colonel spoke, glaring at James as he stood straight with his hands behind his back. "This is the last time I repeat myself. Stand down at once, and turn over control of this facility!"

James knew he was playing with fire, but he had to keep trying. "Colonel, I assure you, this facility will not function. We have never been able to successfully replicate test results."

It wasn't two seconds before the Colonel grabbed his pistol and shot the one other scientist in the head, leaving James alone but also shocking everyone but Naruto, Li herself gasping in shock and TenTen hitting the glass. "Bastards!"

Ignoring that, the military leader growled at James. "I suggest you comply immediately, sir! In order to prevent.." Looking behind him with almost a grin, he looked at the three behind the glass. "And more incidents." Turning back to James, who looked at him with horror and fear, not for him but for his daughter, he grinned more. "Are we clear?"

Seeing James' eyes go from wide to narrow as he looked back to the colonel, Li and Naruto both knew what he was going to do now, "Shit… James, please… Not like this."

"Dad… what is he gonna do now?" She looked to Naruto for it.

James turned to the console. "Yes, Colonel… I'll do whatever you want, there's no need for more violence." Bowing his head, he silently prayed for his daughter.

Smirking, the Colonel sheathed his pistol. "Good, then you will immediately hand over all materials of this facility to us, and assist in handing over total control of this facility, and help make it operational."

"Very well… Give me a minute to bring the systems back online." He started the sequence he feared he wouldn't need to use but was forced to.

It was taking a bit longer for the Colonel's liking, however, as he put his hand on his pistol. "My patience wears thin, doctor."

"One more minute... " He set the device and took a deep breath. "Goodbye, TenTen… I leave the rest to you. Even if you choose not to finish your mother and I's dream, don't let them pervert it."

He pushed the button, and the vents blew open and exhausted heavy radiation into the area, enough of it was rushing in so fast that it was killing James, the Colonel, and even the rad resistant suit-wearing soldiers. As he gasped and limped to the door, TenTen gasped and started banging on the window, knowing what this was. "NO! NO DAD! Dad no you didn't! Please tell me this is just pollution and not radiation! Please tell me you didn't just kill yourself over this!"

James put his hand to the window, his skin already growing pale as the Colonel did something Naruto noticed behind the father. James smiled weakly. "My girl… My beautiful baby girl, all grown up… I'm sorry, but I can't let them use this project for ill. I can't let them pervert the purity of this mission for their own gain. I won't let them rip your mother's dream apart. I'm sorry… Just know… I love you… Now run… Run! Please, just… Run…" He slipped down the glass and fainted dead at the door. TenTen screamed in anguish, Li starting to cry as the body fell completely limp and unmoving.

Picking her up, the blonde turned TenTen to him. "Hey!... Look, I'm sorry… I wish I could have stopped him, but there's no time to mourn for him… The Enclave are here in force, so the longer we stay the longer they have to kill us. We need to go. When we get out of here, we can mourn him, ok?"

TenTen looked down at her father, the small smile on his face. He told her to run and died to protect her from the Enclave trying to use her as leverage. She nodded. "Ok… Ok, let's go, we can't stay…"

"I agree… Let's move, I know a tunnel to evacuate us. It'll come out near the river in several spots. Everyone knows where it is, let's move!"

Naruto helped TenTen down and they followed Li as she got the other scientists hiding under the stairs and they ran out of the Rotunda. They managed to get there before more soldiers came in, Li getting the tunnel open with Naruto before everyone spilled in. Naruto jumped in last covering the hole. "Alright, we're down here… Shit." he rubbed his head and sighed heavily.

"What's wrong?"

Turning to them, the blonde looked at Li. "Tell her where this goes."

Li and TenTen looked at each other and the good doctor nodded. "This tunnel gives us an escape shaft near the Brotherhood's Citadel. It's our safest bet, the Enclave won't dare attack the fortifications the brotherhood has."

The bun haired Vault Dweller looked to Naruto, understanding now his disapproval. "But if we get there with Naruto…"

"I used my one shot to pass by Brotherhood patrols, meaning its shoot on sight. Meaning, I'll be covering your escape, and finding a way out of here another way." Naruto stepped up. "I take the point, follow me and fast, the Enclave isn't stupid. They would have figured we're using sewer tunnels and the like. We need to get out and fast. Keep a few feet behind me and let me call the stops and follows and we get out of here alive. Keep pace!" He started walking fast even in his heavy armor, though his call to follow rang through when they heard stomping above them from the troops who had finally come to find out what happened.

They heard music not long going down the tunnels. Naruto scoffed. "Eyebots, everyone move into corners!" As everyone spread to hit the corners, they were looking around as the music got louder, and soon his suspicion was right, an eyebot passed by with the patriotic music of the Enclave.

When it fully passed, Naruto came out and had his rifle out, keeping eye on all corners. "Alright, let's go, but keep it quiet, fast but quiet." TenTen had her guns, and Naruto noticed she was covering their back. He was impressed when she was taking initiative on that, but he also knew she was having some sort of trouble with her body.

As they went into the maintenance hallway they filled in, hearing the music get louder. Naruto got to the corner and without hesitation drew around it and with quick deduction fired upon the eyebot, taking it out with two rapid blasts, aimed right for its core through the vents. Holding position they heard nothing for a moment, which gave Naruto the clear as he pat the wall and started forward. "Follow in."

Getting into the next area, they found themselves in the underbelly of the main sewer system, but before they could get into the next tunnel, another eyebot, silently this time, was flying past. Naruto quickly hid them but he didn't know it detected them just yet. Moving forward they finally made it to a large security door. Li saw it. "That's a maintenance hatch, I can get it open but it'll take some time."

"And I don't think we have it… That eyebot was silent, that's not usual… Alright, follow me. Li, you hit that terminal, and I get the door, everyone else stays on the other side of the door, and TenTen… cover the rear." He started up quickly, and everyone followed suit.

As Naruto turned and sneakily eyed around inside the doorway to the side area, he wanted to curse very badly. "Silently doc, or else."

Li quietly got to the terminal and started getting into it. Everyone stayed behind Naruto at a slight distance. Turning around from the door, Naruto looked to everyone. "The moment that door opens, we dash. I have a feeling they know we're here, 'cause there's a scouting party on the upper levels. Keep quiet and let's not make any mistakes."

Thankfully they managed to get the door open without being caught… till the door opened, then the eyebot on the other side was watching them, and that got Naruto instantly on alert as he fired and destroyed it. "MOVE IT! NOW!" It didn't take long before the fire came from the door, Naruto's fears of the energy weapons firing at them from the upper-level balconies in the other room came true, but he took them all, blocking them with his armor. As everyone ran past he came with them.

They were met with Ghouls in the lower area of this section of tunnel, but TenTen didn't let herself get caught up in any kind of freezing of muscles, just let her body react and fired into the four heads, though her pistol had finally clicked. She stopped to reload quickly, letting the others and Naruto pass, who was running very fast to get them through it all. Letting the motorized cylinder whir and snap closed she gave chase, keeping her mind on running with the others.

They managed to get into the next maintenance shaft, though this time Naruto closed it and broke the door in the locked position. "That'll give us some time, not much. Keep going!"

Though as they got into the next tunnel, one of them collapsed heaving and shaking. Li got beside him. "Stop! We need to stop!'

"Are you crazy!? They are coming after us right now!" Daniel screamed.

Li glared at him. "Garza, he has a heart condition remember? He's going into shock from all the stress!"

Naruto grabbed a stimpak of his and injected it into Garza's back, in the meat of the shoulderblade. "Give him a few seconds, he gets up and we move on, we can't waste time with proper procedures. When you get to the Citadel he can get proper attention, until then we're not going to waste time waiting."

Li stood up. She was conflicted but she had to make her point. "You can't just leave him here! You're not going to do to us what you did to those civilians way back when!"

Naruto glared at her back. "I never said we were leaving anyone! I said we don't have time to wait so if need be I will carry him and YOU can shoot the rifle, but right now you have thirty seconds. I'm keeping an eye on our rear."

Their brunette Vault Dweller was having a hard time comprehending what was said. "Like he did to others long ago? What does she mean…" It was clear this had to do with some of the bad talk about him, but she didn't know everything yet. After all, maybe it was a mistake? Maybe he changed since then, maybe it's just one big black spot on his life no one cares to console him about. "All I know… He's done nothing but help me so far. I won't doubt him again."

Garza managed to get up and about thankfully, but just in time for Naruto to come running back. "Their cutting through, we got to move!"

That got them running, hoping not to see any more as they ran for the exit. Passing into a bigger area with stairs heading up, Naruto went in first, telling them to stay put. He heard heavy steps above and grabbed his high caliber sidearm. He got up the steps and aimed upwards, finding the Enclave and firing in on them, only a couple scouts but he managed to find a highly flammable tank and blow it up with his rifle, causing them to be blown down to his level and giving him the chance to use his big revolver to blow both their brains out before they could recover. Aiming back up he called out. "Behind me, hurry! Get through the next area!"

Li led them out, TenTen coming up behind to help lead them past Naruto. As the team made it through the next tunnels, they were met with screeches of Ghouls, and sounds of laser fire ahead. Two Ghouls came upon them but TenTen took a deep breath and aimed her pistol, firing every shot, though only two counted as the Ghouls fell, one bullet cleaving a head clean off the next two popping into the chest of the other before a fourth hit the head, the other two missing altogether.

Heading up further they were met with louder laser fire. Naruto came up from behind. "Left into the room!"

The team went in, and Naruto closed the door. As soon as he did he used his laser rifle to weld the door shut so hard it would take a good amount of time before it opened it. Li saw this and pulled on his shoulder. "You just trapped us in here!" She saw there was no exit.

Everyone saw this and he turned and put his hands up. "Quiet down!"

No one was, so TenTen came up and kicked the table down, shocking everyone. "Let him talk! And be quiet, they are still after us!"

As they did, Naruto huffed. "Look, I didn't trap us in here. This was the safest place to be."

"And how do you figure that? We're in a small room, no cover, with only this door they will find that is welded shut and they will find a way to break it down and kill us!" Li was not happy.

Naruto took a deep breath but gave a soft smile. "Have faith, Doctor. I know Science and Faith are two different and opposing ideas but even a good Scientist can have Faith. Now, let's let the Ghouls and the Enclave have their battle, give it a minute, let's calm down and think. Besides, it's a medical bay, help Gara out as best you can."

That got Li's attention. He was right. She didn't hesitate to go help Garza.

As the tensions died down, Daniel came up to TenTen, and Naruto was looking nervous. "I better not find out you and your father had something to do with this."

Like lightning, TenTen grabbed Daniel by the neckline of his shirt and slammed him up against the wall with angry eyes. "My father is dead, asshole." She was seething but quiet. "You hate us so badly, but he died killing those pricks so we could get out of their clutches, so take your hatred of us and shove it, because if you want to spit in my face after I just lost my father for good, then I'll rip you limb from limb… got it?"

He was scared but also shocked to hear that. She let him go and went to the other side of the room. He came to Li to ask and got the confirmation of it all.

Naruto looked at the team, then to TenTen. He looked at his Pip-boy. Taking a deep breath, he walked to his partner. "Hey… You'll be alright. The Brotherhood know you, Elder Lyons will surely do everything in his power to make you feel right at home, and give you anything you need to get through the grief in your own way. He's an amazing man."

Tears streaming down her eyes since she let Daniel go, she wiped them and looked to the blonde. "I won't know until I see him… But I feel you're here telling me you're going to go away too."

"Yeah. You know I can't go to the Citadel."

"And you can't stay here either! The Enclave will kill you!"

Smiling, Naruto took his bible and gave it to her. "No… I'll stay alive. Just keep praying for me to come back in one piece, and I promise, I will."

Seeing the gesture as it was, the bun-haired woman took the bible this time and looked at it. Then she looked at him and nodded. "You better…"

"I will… Do me a favor, read 2 corinthians, page 4, verses 8 and 9." He smiled and turned to the wall beside her.

She was confused but turned the book to that particular verse, and softly she read it. "We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down…. But not destroyed."

"Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free… Psalms 118:5" He smiled and without warning, everyone heard a sound, and it was the wall coming free and opening a path. He turned to them all. "Everyone, take this out to the end, and Li will know the way out. I'll stay and keep them busy."

The team started up and out again, but Naruto held TenTen back. As she looked to him he gave her something else. "Give this to Lyons. When he receives it, tell him this; Code Omega Order 337675. He'll understand. The thing is encrypted to only respond to Brotherhood Pip-Boy protocols, so only he and the Scribes can read it." He pushed her gently out and had the door close. "See you soon, TenTen. I promise."

As the door closed, she looked in her hand, and it was a holotape. She put the bible and the tape in her bag and started off with Li. "You better…" With that, they made it through to another entrance, and after she came through, she turned to see the red light flash and then the door close.

The team finally made it, coming to the final huge barrier door, where a Brotherhood Knight stood with a minigun. "Halt!"

They stopped, but Li spoke. "It's Doctor Li and my team! We had to escape the memorial and Project Purity, the Enclave are chasing us!"

"We got reports of them there… Alright, head on up." He let them pass. The team got out and into the open air, blinding some of them, but thankfully it was short-lived. Once they came up to the gate, Li was harshly speaking to the one by the big steel door.

TenTen heard her yelling but nothing came from it till she hit the intercom and yelled out. "Lyons! I know you are in there, I know your listening to me damn it! Open the door right now!"

It didn't take long, but the door did indeed open, giving the doorman in power armor to be shocked but let them in. Li turned to them and took a steadying breath. "Let's head in everyone." She turned and walked, everyone else following briskly. TenTen looked at the place as she entered the gate, and found the wreckage of the Pentagon up close to be cleared up well, though still a mess of rubble.

As the team came into the courtyard, TenTen felt like her body was ready to collapse, and her head was woozy. But she powered through, hoping to finally see the Brotherhood's leader, the man who Naruto respected so immensely. What little she knew, was how much her life would change when meeting this man.

As everyone filed through finally, they were met with an entourage of Knights, and they let through one man in a robed uniform, a blad old man who stood straight and with stature. "Madison, this is a surprise, what can I do to accommodate you?"

It would seem the welcome, warm and inviting as it was, did not feel right to Li, who went on the attack. "Don't talk down to me, Lyons! We had nowhere else to turn, Project Purity had been overrun by those enclave bastards! You have to help us!"

Lyons was no stranger to such forceful words. He took it in stride, which didn't surprise the bun haired woman in combat armor. "Reports started coming in this morning of Enclave movement, and just recently received reports of the incident at the memorial. We do not have eyes enough to tell us what happened, mind giving us some details, Madison?"

"They attacked, there's possibly a whole squadron with how much noise those vertibirds gave off… James is dead, and they're trying to take it over for themselves! You've got to do something!"

As her desperate cries for help were heard, even TenTen had to cringe from her demanding nature. "For someone who hates the Brotherhood, she's not making any headway to build bridges with that attitude."

"I see, then it is as we feared… Madison, I am sorry this happened, and I wish we could have done something to prevent this…"

"Then do something now! Lyons, they can not be permitted to use it! It's not right!" Li was obviously trying to make the case for the Brotherhood to start attacking instantly.

Even TenTen knew better after hearing from Naruto what kind of strength the organization had. Lyons sighed. "Madison, you know as well as I do that it doesn't work. They cannot get it working much like you could not, it's useless to them. Maybe it's time to walk away."

Li shook her head, huffing out a breath. "That isn't true! James found the missing piece, a way to get it started up and working, and we know how to use it!"

Lyons' eyes turned serious. "Is this true? Does the Enclave know about this?"

"No, I don't… I don't know, I just…" She sighed and sighed heavily, her breath just so as well. "I don't know what's going on anymore…"

Lyons softened and put a hand on her shoulder softly. "Madison, it's alright. Just calm down. It will be alright, we'll figure out what to do about the purifier." Seeing her nod and try to catch her breath, he turned to see a new face, but one that looked familiar too. "Ah, and would I assume this to be James' daughter?"

Coming up, TenTen nodded. "I am, my name is TenTen."

"I see the resemblance, your cheeks and hair you take from him." He smiled at her.

Madison stood and finally caught her breath enough to talk normally. "Yes, and she knows what we need. Vault tech computer, something to locate equipment. Please, help her. She's got her father's drive too."

Nodding and brushing his beard, Lyons agreed. "Yes, I see… Do not worry, we will figure this out and get it done."

"Thank you… I need to lie down now, I just… Somewhere to rest… It's just too much…" TenTen could see her tears as she tried to wipe them away. Coming up and hugging TenTen, Li sighed. "I'm sorry I couldn't save James… But we have to focus. Rothchild, the head scribe, might be able to help you. But don't forget, he's Brotherhood. I never trusted them, and I don't think you should. Be careful with what you tell them." With that, she let go and TenTen just nodded, knowing Li was not in a very good place to argue about who to trust or not.

As the other scientists were being led off by the Knights, she went to Lyons. "Lyons, sir?"

"Yes, child, what is it?"

TenTen wanted to ask everything on her mind. What is the Brotherhood here for, why didn't they help more, what happened with Naruto, everything she could think of and more, even if they can be trusted at all. But she trusted Naruto enough to do as she was asked. "I have something for you from Naruto."

Eyes lit up hearing that name, Lyons turned to her straight. "You do, have you? Unless it's something very important, I cannot accept it."

Thankfully she was overcoming her withdrawal symptoms, mostly, and remembered what he told her. "Code Omega, Order 337675."

That got his attention the moment she showed the holotape. He grabbed it and put it in his robes. "Follow me."

That took her by surprise as he led her into the vastness of the Pentagon, their Citadel. Going into an empty room with chairs, a meeting room of some kind, he closed the doors and ordered the Knights they were not to be disturbed. As he came up to her on the other side of the room, he showed the holotape. "You were entrusted by him to give me something very special. For this, I cannot thank you enough. I have heard the broadcasts from Three Dog, and know he was helping you in your journey. If he trusted you enough to give you this tape and the code, he trusted you enough… that you should know the truth. Something he was ordered NEVER to speak of."

That got her attention. And as the old man of an Elder put the tape in his Pip-Boy, the voice that came on was Naruto's, and his secrets began to come to life. "This is Naruto of the Brotherhood of Steel. As my clock is still busted on my Pip-Boy, and I have been extra busy with Deathclaw and Enclave movement, I will date this by saying I am making this tape the night before me and TenTen, James' daughter, are to move out to Rivet City. This will potentially be my last tape, as I have concluded every single mission laid before me. Elder, I request extraction. First, Table 3989776. FEV, the Strains we've seen, and my own. File password, Orange."

The line stopped and Lyons looked at a surprised and confused bun haired vault dweller. "Before we begin… Any questions?"

After a few moments, TenTen gathered her thoughts and straightened herself up. "Yeah. What happened with Naruto that you cast him out, only for him to still be doing missions for you…"

"That, I'm afraid is no simple task. But seeing as he has asked to be extracted, and I know from my daughter that he used his single opportunity to do just that to get you to GNR, I suppose I can tell you now." Walking up closer, he talked low and slow. "He was cast out for failing to save certain local populace that was being taken from their homes up north. His mission was simply to aid them and save them. Instead, they all perish, and he comes back with technology. If it was an order from our original base out west, he would be fully pardoned for his technological find, but a severe failure in following orders, to divert attention to another objective without cause, is criminal."

Seeing the shock on her face, he continued. "That's the story given to everyone here… However, the truth is, even if he rushed to find the civilians, they would have still been dead on arrival, so the twenty minutes he used to search a secret enclave storage facility was moot."

"Wait, but… he failed his mission, and he is being punished for it… even if his mission would never have succeeded? That makes-"

"Hush!" He gave her a glare. Lyons put a finger to his lips before talking again, still low only for her to hear. "The technology he obtained was so advanced, it needed testing, but we would not dare test such a dangerous device here in our home, and we could not tell if it would be so simple. So, he made a proposition with me. He needed punishment, his words not mine, and we needed to test a potential weapon. He chose to become an exile in an attempt to punish himself for his inability to save those locals and to do his duty for the Brotherhood. Only two others know of this besides you. Everyone else believes he was cast out for such failure of following orders."

It took no time at all before TenTen lit up, connecting the dots. Seeing Lyons put a finger up again, she nodded and talked low as well. "The weapon, that special gun? He was charged with testing it. And he has, so his mission was finished." That made her question what she just heard from the tape though. "Why didn't he come in? Why did he mention FEV as a mission?"

"Because, he had several other missions given to him, low grade compared to threats on our borders mostly, but one mission he was tasked with was his primary objective. Be our frontline eyes and ears on 101, and any northern activity. Usually, traders would find ways to transfer information quick enough that Three Dog would hear and give us intelligence that he passed on."

"I see…"

"Now you know; his primary mission was eyes and ears to the north and towards 101, secondary objective testing out the prototype handheld device, and several base missions he was tasked with low priority in his free time. And he said he completed every mission, and we are about to find out the result. Are you up to hearing everything?"

Digesting the information, TenTen didn't know what to think. Naruto was always there, ready to help anyone from 101. He was to keep a keen eye on her, and anything coming from the north. Now, she was about to find out everything, all his secrets he withheld, for they were direct orders and sworn to secrecy. Nodding firmly, she stood in wait. "I'm ready to know more."