And here we are on chapter 12.

But just to quickly say this to prevent misinformation on the previous chapter regarding the Outcast - I corrected a typo from Chuck's dialogue about the Outcast DC headquarters as Fort Independence, (Fort Defiance was of BoS West Virginia's Appalachia) -

Now that set aside, I do hope that this is the right timing to finally put this part on the story, since we've finally gotten our remnants out of the events of FO3. But anyways, here is chapter 12, and hopefully you all enjoy.

No, this isn't yet as dark as I intended it to be.


Song used

"Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" by Green Day


-Minute of Confrontation-

"So this is what you've been doing. Having Piper and Codsworth very worried, I had to see for myself as to why you've been acting so strange."

Amanda's green eyes stared at the yellow eyes on the plastic face of the Gen 2 synth detective. Her eyes narrowed in extreme bitter hate, her teeth gritting at the sight of Nick standing right in front of her with his arms folded, the plastic face of his obviously saying he wanted answers.

"Want the hell do you want, Nick? Why the hell did you followed me here?"

She bitterly questioned.

"Scanning: No threat anomaly detected. Is this humanoid robot a communist spy, Commander? Permission to terminate it?"

Raising a single hand at Patriot to stand down, Amanda focused her narrowed eyes at Nick.

"Follow me."

She bitterly said as she pushed passed the detective whom she heard letting out a small grumble.

"Commander, shall I tell our pilots to prepare for take off?"

"Yes, Patriot. We're leaving in a minute."

"Yes, ma'am!"

As she let her second in command leave her with Nick alone by the time they went a bit far from the bunker, Amanda folded her arms firmly on her chest, her glare was visibly showing just how hot her blood was boiling now.

"Amanda-"

"Piper sent you."

"What? No! I followed you here myself-"

"You can't fool me with that bullshit, Nick. I'm not stupid."

"Whoa, there. Listen, Amanda. I am being honest here with you. Yes, Piper did told me about your sudden change of attitude. Though, you're not a synth, I can tell its clearly you being the same short tempered woman who saved me, but Piper- And even Codsworth told me that you've been rather, suspicious about your actions. It had been ever since you brought home a power armor, is where they've been started noticing you acting, less socialized to them, avoidance, and even on the settlers at Sanctuary."

Amanda only inhaled deep before giving a cold reply.

"You done? I have a time running."

She earned a short glare before seeing Nick sighing.

"You're a smart woman, Amanda. I know and I can tell myself. But don't forget that I'm a synth based off a pre war cop named Nick Valentine. All of his memories are intact to mines and one of those is the ability to read people's faces and tell their tones when they speak."

"I'm about to leave, Nick. Better. Hurry."

"Ugh... Alright. I'll get right to the point. I saw your vertibird when I finally got to catch up to you. Don't know where you even went, though. But I saw that Enclave insignia on that vertibird of yours. Was that why you're being like this? You're, reviving the horror of the wasteland that was long gone? Just what would the people of the Commonwealth think about all this? That the Institute isn't the only thing they need to worry living in fear about. But now to add up the Enclave? That's too far, Amanda. You're taking this too far, all because of your-"

"That. Is where you stop. Nick."

Amanda reached for the hand grip of her plasma thrower, but intending not to pull it, she only watched as the detective took a step back, his face clearly showing disbelief of what he's seeing.

"Amanda... Just think about Shaun... What would Shaun think of this when he finds out that his only parent left is now a Commander of a cold heartless faction called the Enclave?"

"Don't you ever bring him up on this, Nick. I'm warning you."

"Or what? You're gonna shoot me dead? Not because I've found out what you've been keeping from the family you made in the Commonwealth, but because I'm a synth? Am I going to be your, 'First name on the hit list' to annihilate aside from everyone here that's been corrupted by the radiation? Don't tell me, that you're already planning on full storming in the Commonwealth to 'Rebuild America's Future' too-"

Amanda fired her plasma thrower up in the air, completely cutting off Nick from finishing his statement.

"I'm doing this, for a reason, Nick. If you only understand how I feel, but you don't..."

"Amanda, I'm trying to understand you. What I don't understand is, why the Enclave of all this you're doing? You don't know what horrible things these people have done over the past generations on this wasteland. Doing what's far beyond wrong than a committed crime just to blind themselves over that illusion of restoring a long gone country by killing everyone? You know, people might've at least appreciated it if the Enclave only tried to annihilate the real threats, like the mutated successors of the pre war insects, and harmful mutated successors of pre war animals. The raiders, The Gunners, even the Institute by using their advanced technology for greater good. Hell, if the Enclave had only been those people with the hearts of mind, they could've been the one that fought Caesar's Legion in the Mojave, not the NCR, but no. And by wanting to kill everyone else entirely? It's inhumane, Amanda. And you don't know what you're getting yourself into. And now, all I'm asking you is to turn back from this and let's go home so we can continue on trying to find Shaun, before you even get the chance to actually fulfill the Enclave's dream. Shaun is what's more important than any this. And you should know this more than any other like myself as you're his mother."

"I don't need your option, Nick. I'm doing this not just for Shaun. But mostly for Nate!"

Her furious response silenced the synth detective.

"I don't care if how many people have to die. Because it's not fair, Nick! Why are they still alive, when my family are gone? Why are these peoples' families are still living when my husband isn't!? Why are you trying to protect them when no one was there to protect me and my family!? I lost not only my husband, Nick! I lost my son! And I am going to find those people, from the Institute or not, and when I find them, I will make them pay by my own hands from what they did to my husband and to get my son back, even if it means killing anyone or everyone who gets in my way, you hear me!?"

She didn't got response. Amanda's stone cold glare stared at Nick on the other only remained in silence, clearly stunned from everything that she said. But for some reason, she saw a very sympathetic look on his face.

"Amanda... Look, I'm sorry if no one was there when you needed help... I really am. But I sorely feel terrible for you on what you're going in through."

She finally got slow, and silenced response.

"But if you really wanted this way? Then I'll let you be. Do what you want. Who am I to judge you anyway. After all, I'm just a synth with a dead man's name and memory."

After the final statement from Nick, Amanda only watched in silence mixed with bitter hate as the synth detective finally turned his back on her before walking away, but then shortly stopped before turning his head over to his shoulder, his face as she saw clearly showed the mix of empathy and disapproval on what she's turned herself into, and to what she's brought upon the Commonwealth. But then, she heard Nick speaking.

"No one really told me to follow you all the way out here. I did it myself. Because, one unfamiliar but nice fella with five stars on his hat happened to stumble upon Sanctuary yesterday, just an hour before you arrived home. Everyone met him with a warm welcome, the man even donated supplies to the settlers given out by his men, out of time. Coincidentally happened to stop by at your house, and kindly asked Codsworth and Piper if they happen to know a kind hearted woman living in the settlement and said that they owed her a huge debt for unfreezing them... Do you know who that woman is that they're kindly asking on about? The man's worried for her condition, and said he was hoping to talk to her in person on the settlement, but seeing she was an independent woman herself that couldn't be bothered, he just couldn't find the time to repay her at least even a little by checking up on her to see if she's doing fine, after all the short but hard work she's done to help their pre war cause to slowly get back up again. The man said they owe her alot. Piper and Codsworth told me everything when I arrived, so I thought I'd let you know as well. But you couldn't be bothered yesterday so I figured following you here in curiosity as to why you were being like this. Now I know why. I'd rather try to forget what I saw. Hope that clears up to you why you thought I was spying on you."

And after the long statement with an end of cleary disgraced tone in the end, Amanda watched as the synth detective finally left. But Amanda didn't cared. So long as no one steps in her way, she will fulfill her personal goal.

Arriving back to the vertibird, Amanda waited in silence of the rest of the flight. And after the arrival, she simply walked to the control room and simple ordered the operators to link their private communication to the bunker hill of the Outcast.

Simply walking on the other side of the control room, Amanda entered a a room in which she turned as her office.

Taking a seat in silence, she began pondering in thought. Piper and Codsworth didn't had anything to do with Nick following her all along. And not especially Piper. But as she began to further think of it, she was now feeling conflicted at the thought of General Ward, meeting the settlers at Sanctuary. Meeting Piper and Codsworth. His over too optimistic is starting to reveal itself as a possible issue that may compromise what she's doing. Amanda gritted her teeth. She shouldn't have unfrozen that man in the first place. Wait. What was the thinking? She wasn't that cruel. Was she? Or is she?

Amanda had to erase the thought in her mind. She needed some way to speak of this. But she wanted to say it, unvoiced. She just couldn't be too sure if she'll be able to accept what the General thinks. Because she had her own ideals, her own beliefs, as her own person. And, as a charismatic leader that she is now.

Amanda bitterly frowned before letting out a frustrated sigh. But with her eyes suddenly capturing the sight of the terminal on her desk, her own personal terminal, Amanda finally gave in as she sat straight in her chair and began making an entry on the terminal. As way, of speaking to herself about her own personal thoughts.


:::Welcome to Robco Industries [TM] Termlink:::

- WELCOME TO THE ENCLAVE -

:::Officer's Personal Log:::

:::LOG 1: Mental Health Being Tested:::

Name : AMANI, AMANDA

Rank : COMMANDER

Date : JULY 31

Year : 2287

I don't know what's much worse. To think that I've brought back a faction terrible enough to exist for these . . . Wastelanders ?

Or the thought of being distracted further away from achieving my goal ?

It's making me feel like I'm a bad person, like a little girl with no money to buy herself a little doll and so she brought her own, twisted way to get what she wanted . But I have no intention on being a good person anyway, because I'm not a perfect person, neither had I been a perfect wife *especially* for the mother material . All I wanted was to get what I simply wanted . Not justice as there is nothing left in existence . But I do want to make those people pay from what they did to my husband, and for stealing my son . The Enclave was the logical solution in oder to do so . That way, I would have control to make things easier .

But despite the odds turning in my favor, however, others begin to disapprove . I know I'm not a good person, but I have my rights to do what I want . And I say I will reform the Enclave under my vision ? I'm doing so without giving a single fuck from other people disapproving on me .

Then again, these remnants are here now, and I have brought them for a purpose . Are there's nothing people can do to remove them now that they're here and are all under my wing .

Somehow, I feel growing attach to this that I'm making . I just feel it, that I can't let go of this .

But then again, that 'Family' I've accidentally formed on Sanctuary, is on the far back of my mind, still reminding me .

I need to make up my mind . . .

But all I want is to get those people and to make them pay from what they did to my family . It's, what this is are all about for, yet people couldn't seem to understand why I'm doing this to achieve it .

Isn't that too much to ask for ?


After saving her entry, Amanda walked out of the office. Just in time to see the newly recruits arrived in vertibirds. It was a good thing she had already prepared the X01 MK IVs for issuing these Outcasts. Allowing the active personnel to handle the new recruits, Amanda decided to walk away but was emmidiately approached by Patriot.

"Commander, I have great news."

Raising a brow at the AI in curiosity, Amanda only waited.

"Our human personnel have given us valuable information about the suits of X02 power armor. Although there wasn't a mass production of it decade ago, but there are an abundant cache of X02 just for preserving purposes as ordered by the former Colonel Agustus Autumn a decade ago."

"Great. Where's the location?"

"It is hidden on the Poseidon Energy Oil Rig. A pre war deep sea drilling platform. Location: Pacific Ocean 175 miles off the coast of California. As for confidential information, based off the official Enclave reports through passed chapters, the Poseidon oil rig was built over the world's last accessible underwater oil field in the Pacific. Coordinates: 37° 17' North. 124° 23' 24 West."

Amanda was quiet for a moment. It was great news alright. That thought of having unlimited supply of oil for their vertibirds and some of their machines would exceedingly benefit the Enclave. But the catch was flying over California. Amanda figured they may for sure get the attention of the New California Republic there. But she needs those X02s right away emmidiately, and not to mention, now that she knows about the oil rig, it'll benefit the Enclave for their needs of oil to fuel their vertibirds and even some of their machines, though, it would still be futile if she would leave that oil rig unmanned. Anyone can possibly have the chance to reclaim it if she wouldn't dare make a move now.

Looking at Patriot, Amanda cleard her throat then began.

"We need those X02s asap. We just need to avoid the NCR for now once we send an extraction team to fly pass California and onto the Pacific Ocean. For now at least, we will stand down, as we need to gather more of the previous Enclave's property. All of it. And nothing must not fall into the wrong hands. Not especially for the Brotherhood."

"Commander, communists' resistance is futile. Our search parties have returned earlier with a cache of missiles as well as a cache of mini nukes from distant military checkpoints. We have the firepower required in case we are forced into war."

Giving a small nod, Amanda gave a reply.

"Not yet, Patriot. No war happens, unless I say so. But we will still have to risk sending two vertibirds with an extraction team to retrieve those X02s, then once we have it under our possession, we will have some troops stationed on the oil rig to secure it. We can only wage a war... Once I say so."

"Understood, Commander. Awaiting further orders."

And a gave a small satisfied nod before giving a reply.

"Gather two teams to fly to the Pacific, then retrieve those X02s right away. Once we have it on our hands, send another pair of teams to fully secure the oil rig. I want all of the Enclave's property secured under our name. Anyone who dares to claim what rightfully belongs to us, then I can say we will wage a war."

"Yes, Commander!"

After dismissing the AI, Amanda began to walk away to have a vertibird ready for take off. She figured taking a walk for a little bit.

Though she was still far to even care, she still felt a bit terrible which made her bitterly frown the whole time on the flight to Concord just to take a walk. She needed to clear her head for a bit, perhaps to think as well? But not that she had much to think of other than her usual steps, plots and her personal goal. Amanda couldn't find herself to think of any other thought but the one stuck on her head. What Nick told her of General Ward revealing himself to the people on Sanctuary? Amanda ended up gritting her teeth as she walked. She was not going to look forward to Piper's bombarding questions about the General, as Amanda had no doubt the optimistic man for sure mentioned her name. And Amanda hated that.

Walking down a street that led to a museum, Amanda suddenly heard gunfire, screams then came following were more gunfire for a bit of distance.

Cursing that she forgot her plasma thrower with her, Amanda pulled out her plasma pistol as she cautiously made her way to the source of the noise only to find raiders shooting at an old museum.

Amanda took cover behind a car and began firing at the raiders.

"KILL 'EM!"

"GOT YA NOW MOTHER FUCKER!"

Firing her plasma pistol and managing to kill two raiders, Amanda emmidiately ran out of her cover and began shooting at the raiders again and again managed to kill two by head shots, but as she neared the last and managed to lunged the raider's gun again, she emmidiately whipped the raider in the face with her little before shooting the raise in the face.

Now standing in front of the old museum, Amanda found a fresh crisps of a man wearing some kind of colonial outfit and even a hat from lime the civil war way back, along with an laser musket.

"Hey!"

Hearing a man's voice from inside, Amanda looked up and saw a black african man in dessert brown colonial outfit and hat and seeing the man and also held a similar musket, Amanda couldn't help but raise a brow.

"Ma'am, listen! There's a group of raiders here on Concord and those you took out aren't the only ones. There's six more raiders here inside down the first floor. And a few more there outside. So grab that laser musket and help us defend! PLEASE!"

Although she did grabbed the laser musket, Amanda just couldn't feel like she'd use a weapon like it. But keeping her plasma pistol instead, she kicked the doors open and came to emmidiately face to face with six raiders.

"FUCK! KILL HER!"

Amanda emmidiately began firing her pistol and managed to kill one before ducking down behind a flipped table but returned fire.

"AARGH!"

Second kill, she figured. Amanda then got put of her cover and fired at the first raider she saw and pulling the trigger six times, the third raider fell dead with bleeding holes on his torso.

But it wasn't all of them, yet as Amanda emmidiately rushed for the stairs and managed to close quarters another reader with a knife.

"FUCKING KILL YOU!"

Emmidiately doing the knife, she quickly caught the arm of the raider and pinned the raider in the wall before firing a single shot on the back of the raider's head.

"GET HER!"

Emmidiately crouching behind a wall, Amanda cursed as she reloaded her plasma pistol. She was in Concord to take a walk, not to help some stranded people. But she made emmidiately made her mind killing these raiders, so she knew she was turning back once she made her mind on something.

Emmidiately getting out of her cover, Amanda quickly got the advantage as she emmidiately came face to face with two raiders with melee weapons.

Kicking the first raider onto the wall, Amanda began firing her pistol there times on the second raider before grabbing him and showing him off the balcony and watched the raider fell down onto the first floor.

"IM GONNA SKIN YA ALIVE!"

As she was charged by the raider, Amanda emmidiately dodged the first three attacks and took her chance to counterattack the raider by punching him in the gut and elbowing his face.

Seeing the raider stumbling back, Amanda simply free her plasma pistol and pulled the trigger onto the raider's face.

With a perfectly planted hole on the raider's face and the raider dead, Amanda found a single door and kicked it open before entering with her pistol raised. Unfortunately for her, Amanda Amanda ended up cursing loud as she only met five people inside the room. A man in overalls, a pair of young man and woman, and an elderly woman, lastly was the same black African in colonial outfit with a laser musket.

Seeing the man approaching her with an obviously relieved expression on his face, Amanda frowned at the sight of the people. But trying her best to keep her temper in control, And allowed the man to speak.

"Man, I dunno who you are but your timing is impeccable."

"Let's get to the point. Who are you?"

Her aggressive questioning made the man flinch in surprise, but getting a small nod from the man afterwards, Amanda got a reply.

"Preston Garvey. Commonwealth Minutemen."

Amanda's eyes slightly narrowed, but raising a brow shortly, she replied.

"I've heard of your Minutemen. You're from Quincy, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am, but Quincy is no more. It's already been taken over by the Gunners."

"Know. The settlers I have on Sanctuary told me. They're survivors from the attack on Quincy."

She saw a very relieved look on the man's face as she heard him letting out a sigh.

"Oh thank god. It's been horrible for the past month since the fall of Quincy. We had to stay behind to buy the people some time to escape. There were many that escaped as well last I saw, but ever since I was forced to leave with the other survivors, we haven't heard for the settlers ever since. Even worse... A month ago there were 20 of us. Yesterday there were 8. Now, were only 5... Leaves me as the last Minuteman standing to protect these people..."

Amanda bitterly frowned at herself. She didn't wanted to care, however, she couldn't help but feel terrible in hearing this man's obviously defeated voice. It was almost as if he was on the edge of losing hope and seeing these defenseless people under his protection, she knew these people weren't going to last with only one Minuteman left, and she was mentally conflicted into feeling terrible for them and for this last Minuteman standing. Amanda hated that.

"I have a vertibird on standby just east from this street. I'll signal it through the flare grenade to call it in to have you all evacuated."

"Thank you, ma'am. We owe you a huge favor."

"Don't thank me. I didn't intended to help. Just happened to stumble upon those raiders outside."

And that's when she saw the man in overalls emmidiately step in to speak.

"Yeah about them, raiders. They're armed, and will for sure surround us easily. But since you got a vertibird on call, that's good news for us here. But we need something to help us hold ourselves while you get your bird on the way here to pick us up."

Cocking a brown with a firm look on her face, Amanda questioned.

"Who are you?"

"Oh, pardon me, ma'am. My name's Sturges. Now as I was saying, we need something to help us hold our ground against those raiders. And that's where the building next to the offices outside comes I'm. On the top of the roof, there's a crashed vertibird. Not just a vertibird. We're talking about what'sattatched on it, and that's a minigun mounted on that bird. But the best part of all, is a full suit of old school T-45 power. Pre war. But the catch is, it's run dried of juice. Gonna need a new fusion core to make it run again. But once you get that power armor running, you can easily rip that minigun off that vertibird."

Amanda noticed Preston giving an approving nod of it.

"With that power armor and especially that minigun on the way, those raiders won't stand a chance."

Amanda gave a simple nod before replying.

"I got some fusion cores here with me. I'll get that T-45 running and that minigun right away. The rest of you stays here until I say so. Or until the coast is clear."

"Well damn, looks like we got luck finally turning on our side, don't we Preston?"

"We owe her a lot for this, Sturges. Now, ma'am. I'll provide you covering fire from up here while you get that power armor. Good luck."

"She's the woman."

Amanda heard the elderly woman speak. Turning her head to the old woman, she raised a brow.

"I knew it. She's the woman I was telling you that will save us. I saw it in my vision."

Seeing Preston with a frown as he approached the old woman, Amanda watched shortly as the man began.

"I already told you to stop using the chems Mama Murphy. Look what it's doing to you."

"Ah, I only took a little."

"Mama Murphy, this is where you're chem addiction stops. You know it's bad for your health."

"Shh! Silence... I see another vision..."

"Mama Murphy-"

"SHH! I see it! It's... It's big... And it's angry... Very angry... And it's coming towards us in a hurry... You need to be careful."

Amanda raised a brow but the time the old woman pointed at her at the end of her sentence.

"You're talking to... Me?"

"Yes. Be careful... I can see it getting near..."

Amanda rolled her eyes before simply turning away and finally making her way outside to get the T-45 and the minigun. Although it was easy, she'll give it that. Seeing an old crashed vertibird was on the roof, with a minigun, and just next to another room was an old rusted T-45. Amanda inserted the fusion core then hopped inside before ripping the minigun off the vertibird.

As she simply dived down from the roof top on the ground with a shickwave, Amanda tossed a flare grenade to signal her vertibird. But on the sight on her front, she found raiders emmidiately emerging, weapons drawn.

"I got you covered!"

Hearing Preston from the second floor of the museum, Amanda emmidiately readied the minigun and gland a huge grin on her face before finally starting to mow down the raider's that began charging at her.

Hearing screams of pain as she mowed the raiders down with ake out even getting shot by Preston, Amanda saw a few more charging at her, wielding nothing but melee weapons. Idiots as Amanda thought to herself as she kept firing the minigun.

After finally finishing off the last the raider, Amanda took a good look from the gruesome sight of dismembered corpses, she finally saw the Enclave vertibird passing above and descending on the open road. Just in time as Preston led the unarmed people out of the museum.

"Holy... Shit..."

Amanda heard Sturges mumble, and seeing not only the man in overalls bit all of the five including Preston, all eyes stared on the insignia on her vertibird.

"The Enclave is still around, and in here in the Commonwealth?"

Amanda frowned before giving a reply bitter reply.

"You got a problem with that?"

Seeing all people just staring at her in rather grimace and silence, Amanda saw Preston seemingly remained as he was as she gotta response from the last Minuteman.

"Please excuse Sturges, ma'am. We just didn't expect you're a part of the Enclave."

"I lead the Enclave. Now get on the vertibird and I'll transport you to Sanctuary."

Despite the hesitancy of the people, they complied and earned a thanking nod from Preston.

"it's here... It's coming."

Amanda heard Mama Murphy speak again but before she could even question the old woman, Amanda heard a loud roar from behind.

Emmidiately turning around, she saw some kind of reptilian being with horns and a tail, hands sporting large claws.

Amanda figured this could be what Mama Murphy was trying to say. A Deathclaw.

"Get on the vertibird!"

Amanda emmidiately ordered as she began to fire the minigun at the Deathclaw that began to charge in.

As the deathclaw continually charged despite several rounds being continually fired, Amanda was tackled on the ground by the deathclaw but quickly threw a hard punch on its face before kicking it away.

Emmidiately getting back up on her feet, Amanda saw Preston firing his laser musket on the deathclaw, and as deathclaw was distracted, Amanda began firing the minigun again at it as she slowly charged in.

Seeing the deathclaw mow bleeding and roaring in pain, Amanda stopped firing and charged at the deathclaw before forcefully shoving it in the face with the minigun. Although she intended dropping it, Amanda was now focused on the kill.

"Watch out!"

Ignoring Preston's warning as the deathclaw got back up, Amanda made a first move by punching it in the face four times, then kicking it back forcing it onto a nearby building wall, Amanda lunged at the deathclaw and began punching it over and over until she grabbed both of it's horns and slamming it onto the ground.

Stomping her heart plated foot, Amanda only smirked before violently began stomping on it's head over and over, despite the sound of crushed bones, meat slushing and blood splatter, Amanda kept stomping until there was nothing left but a headless deathclaw corpse and a pair of broken horns.

"Holy shit..."

Amanda wasn't finished and continually ignored Preston as she firmly grabbed the deathclaw's tail and began dragging it onto the vertibird with a trail of fresh blood.

Slumping it's corpse inside, while ignoring the grimacing faces of the people oj board, Amanda turned her head to Preston before jerking it onto the vertibird.

"Commander, what shall we do with that thing?"

Hearing the pilot ask, Amanda simply replied.

"We bring it back to base. For study purposes. Now, let's get to Sanctuary Hills."

"Understood, ma'am!"

The flight was silent, only the rotors were the ones that clearly made a sound, but the rest was her cold presence surrounding the entire vertibird as it flew, which Amanda didn't cared. Although she got off the T-45, she figured an idea of bringing it back to the airbase for research to see how it compares to the only T-60 she had on the airbase.

As they arrive just outside of Sanctuary, Amanda began glaring at the sight of pre war military personnel patrolling the settlement, then told the pilot to be on standby and keep an eye on the vertibird before leading her rescued people on the settlement.

"This is a perfect settlement. It's perfectly organized and, are those... Pre war people?"

Amanda glared at Preston as she looked at the pre war personnel on patrol. But what displeased her even more was the sight of the settlers actually interacting well with the personnel. The worse sight was a white tent with a few of the science staff giving medical checkups on the settlers. And finally, her old house, door fully opened, Codsworth and Piper outside taking to the very man she hesitated to accept the offer of joining his optimistic cause.

Taking separate ways from the people she refused, minus Preston still following her, Amanda marched towards the from yard of the house. Her face clearly showing a murderous look.

"General Ward."

She bitterly called. Seeing the man turning to see her in surprise, Amanda gritted her teeth.

"Mum, your back! Our resident General Russel Ward had been looking to speak to you!"

"So... This is why you've been so strange, huh? Though, I didn't thought of you being replaced by a synth, but I told Nick of your, sudden attitude. Then he thought of following you, he got back here earlier and told me and Codsworth that he found you trying to locate military checkpoints to help the pre war USAF. I guess you're a kind hearted woman after all despite your temper issues."

Amanda glared both at the mister handy and the other woman, but her eyes narrowed focus on he General. And seeing the man with a confused look on his face, she watched as the man calmly began.

"Is there something wrong, Mrs. Amani? I apologize for bringing our troops uninvited to this settlement, but we figured lending the settlers a hand. And we were also working on getting our current established communications to reach out to any nearby settlements to help with."

"You're a General? It's a huge pleasure to meet you, sir."

Raising a brow nastily at Preston as he gladly shook the General's hand, Amanda firmly folded her arms with a sour expression. She hated seeing that.

"It's a long story to see a pre war General still around. But to introduce myself, I am General Russel Ward, of the United States Armed Forces of the Commonwealth Massachusetts Division of Boston."

"Preston Garvey, sir. The last standing of Commonwealth Minutemen."

"Oh, your faction has been recommended by Mrs. Amani here, and the settlers here say that the Minutemen are the former Commonwealth's militia helping and protecting people at minutes notice."

"Yes, sir. But unfortunately, our faction collapsed due to the take over of our town in Quincy by the Gunners."

"And so I was told by Mrs. Amani and the settlers here. My sincere condolences for the loss of your fellow Minutemen and your leaders. But, we here in the USAF are looking to help you regain your force back to its former glory as we seek to make an alliance with the Minutemen."

Amanda's face was clearly and visibly bitter at the sight, and on what she's hearing. Until she roughly cleared her throat and began.

"General Ward."

Gaining the attention of the man and even the others, Amanda noticed all faces were showing such worried expressions as her face reflected anger.

"What. The. Hell. Do you think you're DOING!?"

This sent the man flinching back from her aggressive questioning, but druggist calm and somewhat confused expression, Amanda gotta response.

"Mrs. Amani, is there something wrong? I've personally been here since yesterday to see how you were doing. Dr. Kane consulted me on her visuals about your well being, and I was a bit concerned that our asset and fellow dweller might be needing help. So I decided to bring some men here and down of our engineering and science staff to help improve this settlement further to help the people."

"Do you realize how much this is going to set me back!? You and your people are clearly deluded about getting the old country back! And you'll risk yourselves getting spread out to the public by Piper's publick occurrences!"

"Mum, what's happening to you? The General is only trying to help-"

"I am not talking to you Codsworth, so shut hell up!"

"Commander, I know we owe you big for saving us back on Concord but please. Show a little bit of respect to the General of the pre war army-"

"Shut the fuck up, Preston! And you!"

Amanda point an accusing finger at the General who was still calm but literally looking threatened as he slowly took a step back. Making it clear that the man was just as stunned as everyone from Amanda's cold and furious mood.

"You're going to die! Is that what you want!? What you think you're doing is not going to help you! Just stay hidden! Because what the wasteland needs is a faction to eradicate the wasteland threat! Not another bunch of grunts from the pre war Government!"

"Mrs. Amani... Why are you being like this? We're only trying to help and nothing more. Yes, we wish to revive the pre war army but we had already accepted the pre war US being no more. Our intentions are clearly to help. To redeem ourselves by helping, protecting and serving the people of the Commonwealth as this is the chance for us to actually serve as we made oath in service to the United States. We failed protecting the people we serve to keep safe 200 years ago, so now that we have a chance to make things right, why would we not take the opportunity? Mrs. Amani. Sergeant Nate Amani would be approving of this if he's only here. This is what he would want as well. To serve and to protect the people struggling on this struggling society."

Seeing the faces looking at her in grimace, confusion and even in concern, Amanda heard Piper speak.

"I have no intention to get the old US Army out to the public. I will respect their decision to stay neutral, but the choice to finally reveal themselves to the Commonwealth to serve as the once do 200 years back, it is completely up to them to make the decision. In fact, General Ward even asked for my help to spread inspiring news through the Publick Occurrences and not to fear of the pre war army, as they're here to ally with the Minutemen to keep the Commonwealth safe. That's the USAF's main and true intention, Amanda... There's nothing for you to be worried of about all this, so why are you being furious?"

Amanda turned to Piper. Her eyes clearly showing that bitter glare. So the old pre war USAF finally came out of the shadows. Amanda figured, that if this is how they want it to happen, then so be it.

"That's their intention? So what? So that they can make the Enclave get the bad image again!? So that we will be terminated because were nothing more but a bunch of patriotic crackheads who wanted nothing more but to kill off everyone as the last pure Americans untouched by radiation? Is that what you want General!?"

"What is... The Enclave?"

"Codsworth. The Enclave was a supposed secret remnant faction. Created by the corrupted pre war Government before the bombs dropped. I had never felt this disgraced myself to even discover recently that my leaders kept such horrible things during the Enclave's wake even before the Great War."

"So all this time... Those stories... They were true? The FEV, the secret base on California... Even the murders they've done and their 'mission' to eradicate everyone else here in the wasteland entirely?"

"Yes, Miss Wright. All of the commitment done by the passed generations of the Enclave were true. I've finally managed to get a hold on most of their backgrounds just recently. First classified information was their abduction on Vault dwellers somewhere in the desserts of the wasteland. Then their horrid experimenting that lured them to the creation of the Forced Evolutionary Virus, resulting the Super Mutants like our friendly neighbor Strong. And worse? Was most of their plots on the DC wasteland before they were finally destroyed by the Brotherhood of Steel. And I am god thankful that their horribly, corrupted computer President John Henry Eden is long dead. I can only imagine what horror the people of the wasteland on every region would live in if the Enclave succeeded on their corrupted deeds."

This threatened Amanda, even though the General spoke it calmly and civilized.

"After all I've done for you? You can say all that?"

"I apologize, Mrs. Amani. But we are nothing like the Enclave. We want to follow the true oath of what the pre war US Army should've been. Because not all US Government remnants are homicidal patriots. Yes. We do love our dear old America. But we had to accept that it's now gone. We need to accept reality, so that that we can move in further in life like everyone else. In fact, what would we even do with such advanced technology, such power, if we would just remain hiding, plotting and killing under the shadows like the Enclave did? We would be left behind. Everyone has adjusted and adapted, rebuilt a new age of society and civilization, while we are still holding on to the past as we get left behind."

Amanda clenched her hands. So this is how they want it.

"Mum. Please listen to General Ward. Even the Sir would agree to everything that he had said. In fact, we can still live like the happy suburban family like before. But, some things perhaps just has to change, if it means for the better of greater good."

Hearing Codsworth stating softly, Amanda only looked at the mister handy. Almost as if she was betrayed.

"You're going to leave me too, Codsworth? By siding with this optimism?"

Amanda slowly asked softly, she was really never expecting that very same mister handy of her family would even say that at all. Amanda felt betrayed.

"Oh, mum... I have no intention to leave you. I made a self promise and mostly to the Sir that I will remain serving you as live and breath while we find young Shaun..."

"Then why are you not taking my side on this? We're a family, Codsworth. You above anyone here should know and understand why I'm doing this. For Nate and Shaun. To go after those people who had wronged our family. We can't rely on being optimistic. And you know how independent I am, Codsworth. And I am willing to do whatever it takes to avenge our family and to get it back together with Shaun."

"I understand what you're doing, mum. But I think... You're kind of taking it too far now..."

Amanda stared at the mister handy for a long moment. But meeting the gazes of the others like Preston, Piper and especially General Ward, Amanda finally came to realize that there was nothing worth staying and talking about further.

"I see... I can and understand that. But all I would want now, is to respect my choice. Once I made my mind up on something... I never turn back."

Strong back away from the house, Amanda inhaled deep before looking at the General one last time.

"You're a good man, General. I respect you as much as you respect me and these people. But do understand and respect my decision, that I may have nothing against anyone else here in the Commonwealth. Non feral ghouls, human sympathizing super mutants, and the wastelanders here. My sole agenda is to go after those people who have wronged my family. Who have murdered my husband. Who have taken away my son. At any cost. So please... Don't. Get in the way of the Enclave. You don't want us as your enemy."

This earned her a shock of expression not only from General Ward. But even from the others.

"So that's why Nick didn't said anything at all, other than you trying to find military checkpoints to retrieve for the USAF... Amanda... How could you keep something like this? Is it really because you think I'll get you on the press right away just for doing that?"

"Yes, Piper! I can't fucking trust you because of it! But are you happy now? I revealed the truth for you?"

"Amanda, that's not what I intend to-"

"I have enough of this, Piper. I'm done."

Amanda turned her back and was about to walk away only, to hear Preston finally join the scene.

"Commander, I owe you big for saving me and the settlers. Hell, I even owe you much bigger just for taking in these settlers from Quincy. Please. Let me help you at least."

Amanda turned her head over to her shoulder and face a harshly bitter response.

"No, Preston. Just stay here. You'll be better off saving people than doing what my Enclave will do."

As she simply tossed a flare grenade, it began signaling her vertibird.

Seeing the dark grey vertibird descend to pick her up, it got most attention and all eyes watching at her, and mostly the insignia the people not only of the Commonwealth, but to the whole wasteland fear and hate. Amanda saw General Ward indeed had a disapproving look on his face as he only stared at the Enclave vertibird being piloted by an automated X01 power armor.

Taking one last look of her house, then to Codsworth, Amanda finally turned her back and got on board her vertibird. Despite everyone watching her speechless, Amanda only turned her head away form the sight of what nuclear family she had just made on Sanctuary as the vertibird further got above the surface and began flying her away and back to the Enclave airbase. Her new home.

Amanda bitterly frowned before releasing a heavy sigh.

"It's all about the Enclave now, Amanda..."


And that's the conclusion of bringing the last Minuteman to Sanctuary. Didn't ended well as expected, hm?

And Nick not even telling everyone Amanda was reforming the Enclave? That's another story... For the next chapter.

Now, I want to thank the positive reviews because it means lot to me knowing that this work is appreciated, despite being an experimental story to improve my writing. But this isn't the full work just yet. Hopefully you're all prepared for more twists I have for this story. We haven't reached our darkest destination, yet. Because this is all just an opening act before the real horror begins.

Now, I wanna thank you all for reading and hope you all stay tuned for the next chapter.

ripntear