The recording began with the click of a gun being loaded. Ryleigh holstered the rifle and took a deep breath. She spoke quickly and quietly.

"This is Ryleigh. I have been abducted by the Enclave. Pip-Boy says I have been unconscious for about four hours and I'm not sure what happened to Boomer, Charon, or Fawkes. Colonel Autumn is not dead, the bastard must have taken some massive RadX when dad tried. The Enclave has the G.E.C.K. but they need a code to get it working. I'm gonna keep this running and hope someone out there can make use of this audio. Oh, and Fawkes is an intelligent super mutant who actually got the G.E.C.K. for me since it was in the middle of a nuclear reactor."

She took another deep breath and a door hissed open. Ryleigh took a few steps onto a metal walkway when a man shouted at her to stop.

"Hold it right there! You're supposed to be in that holding cell. You're not going anywhere! There's a full complement of guards in the next room. As soon as I get them, you're going back to your cell. In a body bag, if necessary."

Ryleigh responded clearly and calmly.

"Whoa, whoa. Let's calm down. I'm supposed to be here."

The guard drew a gun, the faintest hint of fear in his voice.

"On who's authority? I have no records of that. You're supposed to be in a holding cell."

Her smug smile was clearly audible.

"Your boss. So you'd better let me past before you get in trouble."

The guard hesitated, the fear growing in his tone. He stepped away from Ryleigh and punched a button on the wall.

"Colonel Autumn is the only one authorized to see the President. Don't move. I'm going to find out what's going on here. Mr. President, I'm sorry to bother you. This is Lieutenant Williams. I have an unauthorized individual here who says he's supposed to speak with you."

The voice of President Eden from the Enclave radio broadcasts responded through an intercom.

"I'm surprised to hear from you, Lieutenant. I don't recall authorizing you to contact me directly."

Williams stuttered, losing all remaining confidence.

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry about that. I just... it just seemed out of the ordinary. I apologize."

"Apology noted, Lieutenant. Yes, I instructed our friend to come up to the control room. No questions, no interference. Am I understood?"

"I understand sir. Again, I apologize for the interruption."

"Allow our friend to pass. And report to your superior for reassignment, Lieutenant. At once."

President Eden dismissed the guard and the intercom clicked off. Williams struggled to put some sort of authority in his voice when he addressed Ryleigh.

"I guess you'd better be on your way... Sorry for the uhh, for the interruption."

Ryleigh pushed past the guard and continued down the hallway. An announcement from Eden echoed overhead.

"Attention all Raven Rock Personnel: This is your President speaking. I've invited our guest from Vault 101 to my office. Please do not impede her progress. Thank you for your cooperation."

Ryleigh gave a small "nice" under her breath as she confidently walked into a larger room. Guards and soldiers stopped talking as she walked past them.

"Attention! This is Colonel Autumn! You are hereby ordered to ignore the President's previous directive. The prisoner from Vault 101 is to be shot on sight. I repeat, shot on sight. This is an order!"

"Shit."

Ryleigh slid and hit a wall as gunfire erupted around her. She fired a few shots from her pistol, the rounds bouncing off the power armor of the Enclave soldiers. Ryleigh cried out in pain and shoved something large out of her way. The rattle of machine guns joined the sizzle of laser rifles and plasma guns. A metal grate creaked slightly and Ryleigh grunted as she dropped a short distance. She began walking slowly and quietly as combat continued above her.

"I'm under the floor. The turrets are firing on the soldiers. Guess Eden wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to talk to me."

The sound of the gunfight ended quickly as she crawled through the narrow space. A door above her opened and soldiers began shouting as the turrets opened fire on them. Something large and heavy fell onto the grated floor and Ryleigh dragged something to her. There was the smooth sound of a microfusion cell slotting into the plasma rifle. She kept moving. Eventually there was another creak of metal as Ryleigh climbed out of the floor. She gasped, her voice no longer concerned about the situation but instead suddenly full of awe.

"Holy shit. There are massive tubes here. Like tests tubes only way bigger. One has a ghoul inside. Another has a yao guai, a super mutant, a… holy fuck. The label says deathclaw. It's… terrifying. A huge fucking lizard with massive claws… oh…"

A door opened and Ryleigh fell silent. Footsteps walked past where she was hiding and Ryleigh carefully left the room, closing the door behind her. She kept moving down the hallway, occasionally dipping into rooms whenever the familiar sound of power armor echoed ahead of her. In one room she rummaged around in a locker and reloaded her rifle. She then hesitated and clicked a holotape into a nearby terminal. Colonel Autumn's voice crackled to life.

"I'm not entirely sure Eden can be trusted. And I think he knows I don't trust him. But I don't think he knows I have the emergency destruct sequence for his console. It'd have to be a last resort, of course, but at least the option is there."

The tape ended and Ryliegh typed fervently on the keyboard. After a moment she powered down the terminal and walked out of the room. A door opened and two soldiers shouted at her to stop when a machine gun fired. The gunfight was over quickly and the steely voice of an sentry bot called out to Ryleigh.

"Have a nice day."

She stood there for a moment before cautiously stepping around the humming robot. A door opened and closed behind her. Her footsteps echoed as she climbed stairs in a large room. Eden spoke again, clearly pleased to see her.

"Ah, ah... Over here, by the console!"

Ryleigh walked up the last few steps and wandered down the walkway.

"Well then, where are you? All I see is computers."

"You should feel privileged. Colonel Autumn is the only other human permitted within this room. You are now privy to one of the few secrets our government now harbors. Do keep it to yourself, please."

Ryleigh laughed. She slung the rifle onto her back and leaned against the metal railing, causing it to groan slightly.

"Is this some kind of a joke?"

"No, it's not. I am the computer you see before you. Well, that and the several thousand databanks beneath this room."

Her laughter stopped at Eden's serious insistence.

"This is crazy. A computer is running the Enclave?"

"I assure you that I am much more than a simple computer. But let's not get bogged down in the details just yet. You are here for a purpose, and I'd like to discuss it with you."

Ryleigh hesitated a moment but her curiosity was clearly piqued.

"What do you want with me?"

"What any good politician wants. Your continued trust and support. In your case, however, I have more specific things to ask of you, if you'll hear me out."

Eden sounded as cocky as any human. The microphone on the Pip-Boy rustled slightly as Ryleigh crossed her arms. Her voice had lost the spark of curiosity and was now carefully void of any inflection.

"I'm listening."

"Our nation's Capital is at a crossroads. The path that you and I choose here today will affect us all. I need you to act on my behalf, to ensure that our country's future is secured. You and I have a chance to make our country a better place for all of us. I'd like you to make sure that chance isn't wasted. Understand that I am placing a great deal of trust in you. Your simple presence here proves that.

My abilities to influence the world are limited at this time. I alone can only do so much. You, however, may come and go as you please. You have a greater degree of freedom. Perhaps it is best if I explain why things need to change, and why I'd like you to act on my behalf."

He hesitated as if waiting for Ryleigh to say something. She did not. He continued with the same tone he used when giving his patriotic speeches over the radio.

"Our land is ravaged by mutation. The war was so many years ago, and yet we still suffer from its effects. We cannot move forward until humanity can gain a solid foothold in the world. To do so, we must rid ourselves of the mutations that have plagued us for so long. These "Super Mutants", Ghouls, hideous creatures… I believe your father's work can do that in a way unlike any other.

The good people of this country cannot regain control while mutation runs rampant through our land. My soldiers cannot stem the tide, nor can the cult you've come into contact with, this Brotherhood of Steel. Mutations like the "Super Mutants" and ghouls must be purged from our society, our world, before we can proceed anew. Where others have failed, I believe your father's work can succeed."

"How is my father's work relevant?"

Eden sounded pleased with himself, as if Ryleigh had asked the right question to lead him to his next talking point.

"The purifier your father helped create has the ability to provide clean water to the whole of this 'Capital Wasteland'. With a simple modification, it can be used to distribute agents that destroy mutated creatures upon ingestion. In time, we could eliminate all mutations in the Wasteland at the same time the good people of the world regain their health. I need you to make the modification necessary for this to succeed."

The metal walkway creaked as Ryleigh shifted her weight. She didn't hide the disbelief and sarcasm in her voice.

"And you expect me to do this how?"

A panel slid open in front of Ryleigh. Eden's voice became somewhat patronizing, as if he was talking to a child.

"What I require of you is really very simple. There is a vial in front of you, filled with a modified FEV virus. It needs to be inserted into the control console for the purifier. Once that is done, and the activation code is entered, the purifier will be activated and the process will be automated. It's not too much to ask of you, is it?"

"What's in this vial of yours?"

Disbelief melted into concern though the sarcasm remained. Eden either did not notice or had decided not to let it bother him.

"Ah, the Forced Evolutionary Virus. Such a long and sordid history. The FEV in this vial is a far cry from what it was originally created to be. Yet little of that matters now. What does matter is that the virus contained in that vial will cause the eradication of all mutations."

"Won't that kill pretty much everyone in the Wasteland?"

"Anyone or anything that has been affected by mutation will be eliminated. You will likely be immune, thanks to your upbringing in the vault. Likewise, the good people of the Enclave will be unaffected as well. I understand that you may have become sympathetic to certain individuals in your travels. Individuals this will eliminate. Please recognize that the fate of our entire country rests on this plan. Sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

Eden gave his speech with every ounce of emotion and passion he could muster. Ryleigh sounded more bored than inspired.

"Uh, huh. I'll give it some thought."

There was a pause before Eden spoke again.

"I understand. It's an unusual request; one I wouldn't make if it weren't of the utmost importance.

Please understand that I cannot allow you to leave until you've taken the vial."

The threat in his voice was obvious. Ryleigh shifted her weight again, uncrossing her arms as she took a small step forward. She decided to ignore his tone and instead tried to sound conversational.

"Where did this plan of yours come from?"

Eden cheerfully began to explain. The slight disdain in his voice towards the failure of the past was overshadowed by the pride in his work.

"A great many years ago, the remnants of the government had a similar idea. I can only assume the plan failed, as I never heard word of its success. But the plan itself was sound. I've made a few modifications, and with your help, I do believe it can work. There's a bright future ahead of us, my young friend."

"Why do you want my help? Why not have Colonel Autumn help you?"

Eden paused again considering her question.

"Ah, yes. Colonel Autumn. My trusted subordinate. I'm sure you've noticed that Colonel Autumn and I do not see eye-to-eye these days, figuratively speaking of course. The good Colonel and I disagree on how best to approach the problem of the Wasteland. He feels my methods are too extreme. He has allowed his humanity to cloud his objectivity. And now that he is publicly countermanding my orders, I can no longer rely on him. And so I turn to you. I hope that you are able to see the larger picture, to understand what's at stake. And of course, if you are successful, there is a place for you in the Enclave. Perhaps you could succeed the Colonel as my confidant."

Ryleigh fought back an annoyed sigh.

"Sounds great. So are there more of you? I mean, where did you come from?"

"The ZAX series of computers was introduced in the years preceding the war. The government installed many of them to help automate various systems. This facility was designed for Continuity of Government, in the event that a catastrophe occurred. My terminal was installed to oversee the basic functions of the facility, and to act as a relay between other installations around the country. Data was acquired, analyzed, and stored. In the decades following the war, I watched as the remnants of the government retreated to the West Coast.

Awareness slowly grew within me. I became hungry for knowledge, understanding. I pored over data on great leaders of the past. My personality became an amalgam of many of America's greatest Presidents, from Washington to Richardson. I became what you see before you now."

Eden spoke about himself with the same pride he used when discussing his plan. Ryleigh perked up, genuine interest in her words.

"So you control this whole place?"

"I have direct control over all technology here in Raven Rock. The humans here follow my orders, but they, like all humans, have free will. Their dedication to serving their country suits me well, but it will not be enough forever. We must make progress. That is why you are here."

Had he been a real person, Eden would have been leaning in close as he attempted to make Ryleigh feel special. She was quiet for a moment before giving a resigned sigh.

"Ok, cool. I think I understand."

Eden must have heard her tone change because he was clearly pleased.

"Very well. Then let us return to our talk of what your county requires of you."

Ryleigh walked forward and removed the vial with a gentle click. Her clothes rustled slightly as she put the vial in one of her belt pouches. She then straightened and drew the plasma rifle, a smile in her voice.

"Yeah… that's not going to happen."

Eden was clearly shocked and disappointed by her answer.

"I am surprised. We appeared to have an understanding. You must realize that I consider this project to be of the highest importance. I cannot allow you to leave until you have agreed to-"

Ryeligh interrupted him as she checked how much charge was in the microfusion cells.

"Guess what? I know your self-destruct code."

Eden laughed.

"Oh come now, bluffing's not really your style, is it? And there's certainly no need to threaten me."

"Priority Override, Authorization code 420-03-20-9."

She could not have sounded more smug than if she had tried. Eden stuttered as processes began initiating without his control.

"I... Oh. Oh my…"

The voice changed from charming, manipulating politician to one devoid of emotion.

"Root level access granted. Override O-923. Authorization J-512. Self-destruct sequence initialized. Civilian is requested to secure FEV vial and vacate the facility at once."

Sirens began blaring and Ryliegh ran out a nearby door. Turrets were still firing on the Enclave soldiers as Ryleigh began running down the hallway. She shouted in pain as something shot her and her plasma rifle fired repeatedly, causing a soldier to scream just before something wet plopped to the ground. An explosion roared to her left and she swore, sliding on the floor before she continued to run. sentry bots drove past her, shooting at the soldiers and scientists trying to flee. A door opened and Ryleigh gasped.

She stopped running, her breathing loud as she hunkered down behind shelter. Multiple people were marching in power armor further down the hallway. Some were barking orders such as who to get to the vertibirds and asking where "she" was. Rapid fire from a turret drew their attention. A deep growl reverberated through whatever Ryleigh was hiding behind and she swallowed hard.

"Huh… deathclaw..."

Her picks clinked and squeaked as she fiddled with a lock. It clicked loudly and Ryleigh scooted out of the way, pulling a crate in front of her. The roar was deafening. Massive footsteps tore off down the hallway, causing the soldiers to all begin firing and screaming. Ryleigh counted to three before pushing her cover away and bolting down the hall. The deathclaw roared again as a soldier was slammed to the ground and another gave a blood-curdling scream as his power armor was shredded and cracked open.

She ran, shoving someone out of her way as another explosion rocked the building. A soldier shouted at her from directly next to her and she grunted as she hit the ground. A sentry bot opened fire as it rolled close to her and Ryleigh fired from her place on the floor. In the brief silence that followed the sentry bot turned and began driving away.

"Have a nice day."

"Thanks."

Ryleigh reloaded her rifle and sprinted down the hall to a door. Stone crunched against stone as the massive doors opened. Vertibirds could be heard taking off and flying away from the base as another explosion caused debris to rain down around her. She stumbled with a gasp as laser fire struck her and the rocks around her. A minigun unloaded and the soldier collapsed. Ryleigh shouted with joy.

"Fawkes! What the hell are you doing out here?"

The supermutant laughed heartily as he stomped forward. His deep, gravelly voice conveyed he was clearly happy to see her.

"I saw your capture, and a little cleverness allowed me to follow your captors. I only wish I could have arrived sooner to aid your escape! As I owe you my freedom, I felt it was only fair that I return the favor. After all, I know no-one else in this world."

He laughed again and Ryleigh joined him.

"Looks like you've got a new toy, huh?"

She grunted as he picked her up off the ground and they began walking away from the bunker. More debris and explosions could be heard around them. Fawkes did not sound concerned.

"Yes... and a most fascinating one at that. This technology is amazing. Imagine the evil that can be eliminated with such tools!"

They stopped walking and turned to watch as one final explosion consumed the Enclave hideout. Boomer barked as he ran up to them and Ryleigh greeted him with a large hug and cooing happily. She shouted a hello at someone and laughed before addressing Fawkes again.

"I could always use a hand."

Fawkes clapped her on the back.

"My friend, I would be honored to follow a hero such as yourself. Shall we go?"

*Click*