Garry ran inside the tent, where the EMP was retrieved, he immediately saw its source. Inside the tent lay a body in Brotherhood Recon Armour, a skin tight suit, intended as under-armour for the T-45d power armour. He was obviously some sort of Brotherhood Scout...

Garry wandered over to the body and gave it a quick look over before turning to his left, seeing the most unlikely site of them all. On the opposite end of the tent was an African American man, on his knees, with his wrists bound, he was clearly some sort of hostage.

The Wastelander drew his knife and approached him as he began to cut through his bonds and remove his gag, whilst Heather turned her back on the group and kept a look-out for any other passers-by.

Morgan rolled Rook onto his front and sat on top of him. She began tinkering in his head, the cigarette still smoking in her mouth.

"C'mon you lump of junk! Reboot already! I refuse to carry your ass around Central Park!"

It was about five more minutes until Rook began to emit a modem noise. Then he made a whirring noise as the servo-motors powered up in his joints. Then his eyes shot open and he seized Morgan by the shoulders.

"Morgan." He stated, wide-eyed. "Status report?"

"W-we killed em all." Morgan said in a rush. "It was a bit tough, b-but we got em! We're all fine. I...I am fine."

"Roger wilco." Said Rook, sitting up, so that he was level with Morgan. "Did we find the necessary equipment?"

"You will have to ask Garry that." Morgan shrugged, standing up now that he was awake.

"Affirmative." He rolled his shoulders, tested his arms, and flexed his fingers. "Then we will proceed in central park." Said Rook, suddenly looking conflicted.

Garry stepped out, with the hostage, glancing over to the others before holding up a Brotherhood dogtag.

"I think I found where that spark grenade came from... There's a guy in, sort of power armour, in there. Some sort of scout for the brotherhood."

Rook looked over to Garry.

"Show me."

"He's in the tent, lay down... Found this guy in there as well." He gestured to the hostage, allowing him to speak.

"Yeah, he was dead, the moment they brought him in..." The Hostage explained, rubbing his neck.

"I'm not even sure they killed him, I think they found him outside and brought him back here."

"That is recon armour. It serves as the under-armour of the T-45d Power Armor. Recon armour is a vacuum-sealed asbestos jumpsuit covering the entire body. See there? Attached to it are the interface and mounts for the T-45d power armour. Its purpose is twofold - it allows the user to actually operate the armour and protect soft tissue from moving parts inside the suit and heat. Unlike the under-armour for the T-51b power armour models, recon armour is designed to offer limited protection from anti-personnel weapons." Explained Rook.

"So... It's armour basically..." Garry uttered, scratching his head as he looked around.

"We should probably give it to Morgan, since she ain't wearing any armour and it ain't my style."

"Well I don't think we're in the clear just yet... I've got this nagging feeling the PRCT will strike like a radscorpion." Maxwell said, seemingly unconvinced by Merka's appeasement.

"I'm wondering though... What will you do now?"

"Affirmative." Said Rook, before crouching down to strip the dead man of his armour.

"No, It's just... Do you still want to be my reporter? After all this?" Maxwell questioned.

"It's good that you people came here, when you did." The Hostage began, scratching his head whilst Garry wandered around the tent, pulling up any stray supplies that he came across.

"Those bastards were going to feed me to their hounds."

Rook didn't say anything to that. When the armour was stripped, Rook bundled it up and rose to his feet.

"I will deliver this to Morgan." He glanced over at the hostage. "Is there a protocol for how we shall handle this one?"

"I... Hope that your protocol involves letting me go." The Hostage replied, folding his arms and frowning, he was clearly too exhausted to fight.

"Yeah, what else'll we do with him...?" Garry asked, looking over to the man and giving him a nod.

"You can get out of here..."

"I would recommend providing this unit assistance. He is clearly unarmed and lacking any kind of protective armour. Nor does he have any medical equipment."

Garry nodded, that thought had crossed his mind but he hadn't gotten around to it. He knelt down and picked up a Chinese pistol, unloading it to make sure that it had ammo. The gun was nearly empty, so he began to load it up for the man.

"Thank you..." The Hostage uttered, feeling a little awkward as he folded his arms and waited for Garry to tend to the gun.

"Where are you people headed?"

"We are proceeding towards Central Park. We attacked this camp to secure cutting tools for getting through the thicker parts of the jungle. Our ultimate destination is the ferry on the north-eastern bank."

"Oh... So, you're going south then, trust me, that's the best place to go right now, there's nothing good up north." He explained, scratching his head as he glanced away.

"Me and my family were heading to Sanford, across the bridge? We heard that they sometimes take people in."

"How did you end up on the premises?"

"We came down from Jersey, to get away from the Jersey Devil. Since my wife and I are travelling with two kids, with no idea of what to expect, I always scout ahead and clear a path before we move from place to place, so that we can find the safest route." The Hostage explained, whilst Garry moved to another body and began to loot it for more ammo.

"I was in a shop, looking for... Well, whatever I could find and then these assholes role up. When they gave me the option of surrendering, I took it, figured I'd be able to escape later on." He then shrugged and turned back to Rook.

"Guess I was right."

"What is a Jersey Devil?" Asked Rook, curious.

"Heh, seriously? They don't mention him in these parts?" The man asked, glancing back to Garry who didn't know either.

"God... You people have no idea, do you?" He then paused, to think about it, glancing down to the floor before looking Rook in the face again.

"Well, he basically owns New Jersey, everything and everyone. If you want something? You get it from him and once you take anything from that... 'man?' You're expected to give something back..."

"How does he sustain his powerbase without lines of communication?"

"He doesn't need to communicate with anyone, they aren't going anywhere and he has their names on a list. Anyone who doesn't pay up or anyone who tries to escape and he sends his people to hunt them down." The Man explained, sounding a little haunted by it.

"That is an impressive intelligence network." Rook noted. Then he asked on a different note, "You are separated from your family?"

"Yeah, it's always safer if I go out alone first, test the waters and find the safest route. I'm faster on my own and it doesn't risk the kids, so it's good. Progress is slow but we're getting there." He explained as Garry approached him and placed the Chinese Pistol in his hand.

"Here, take this one, it's not the best pistol but it should get the job done. I wouldn't go lookin' for trouble with it though." Garry explained before passing the man a hunting rifle.

"Now this? This'll do a lot more damage, has better range to but slow fire rate, it's a great sniper rifle but not that great at close range."

"Yeah, I know... I had one like it before." The Hostage explained as he took it as well as a rotted box of ammo.

"Thanks."

Rook fell silent, and watched the hostage go.

"Stay safe..." He uttered as he pocketed the ammo and slung the rifle over his shoulder, walking away from the encampment as Garry approached the Android, holding Romulus' axe.

"Here... This should work on the vines." The Wastelander explained, tossing it over to the synthetic man.

Rook caught the, and tested it's weight, balancing it in his hand.

"It should." He agreed.

"Might wanna get the extra blades off, it'll make cuttin' through people easier but it'll be a bitch against plants." Garry pointed out, as Heather returned to them, carrying all of the loot from the upper level in a small bag.

Morgan was quiet and glanced over, simply thankful that Rook seemed to be alright.

"Morgan, will you redress into this?" Asked Rook, having just pulled the spare blades off of the axe and let them clatter to the ground. He extended her the Recon Armor.

"It is vacuum sealed. Once it is on your body it will fit to your physique."

"Sure, when I get some privacy." Morgan shrugged. "I assume it offers more protection?"

"Yes. It will deflect small arms fire, stabbing weapons, and spikes."

"Even better, if friends ever decide to shoot me in the gut again..." Morgan muttered bitterly.

Rook had no reply for that.

"May I have my pistol back?"

"Ya sure, here you go." Morgan mumbled, holding it out for Rook to take.

"Morgan?" Garry asked, holding out two magazines in his hand.

"Here, two magazines full of 10mm bullets, figured you could use 'em."

"Thank you." Said Rook, taking the pistol, and checking the clip. It was empty, and he'd have to reload it. He shoved it into its holster and looked up at Morgan.

"Are you alright?"

"Thanks a lot Garry." Morgan smiled, nodding slowly. "I'm fine, Rook. H-honest."

"May I look at your wound?" Rook asked, reaching for her side.

By now the sun was in its final stages of the day, painting the sky faded orange. The question was now if Garry, Heather, Morgan and Rook would go through Central Park and its surroundings at night or wait until tomorrow morning.

"S-sure..." Morgan whispered, stepping over to Rooks waiting hand.

Rook lifted Morgan's shirt up to peek at the cauterized skin. He brushed his fingers over the scar and actually winced.

"I am sorry I did this. It looks... painful."

"It's..." Morgan sighed. "It's okay..." She whispered. "I'm only a l-little sore, honest."

"It's not like we had any other choice either, you did what you had to, when you had to. Don't apologise for that..." Garry added, looking over to the sunset and looking a little crestfallen.

"I am not apologizing for that. I am apologizing for this." He touched the scar again, before letting his shirt drop and standing up straight. "Let's depart. The earth's rotation will soon turn away from the sun and we will be without sunlight. I do not advise going through the jungle at dark. For you three, visibility will be impossible."

"The bugs come out at night time anyway..." Morgan noted with a small shudder. "Well...more of em."

"Yeah and it's going to be me and you cutting through the plants... I say we sleep until 5AM, get up early and get there for 7, we don't wanna be doin' this at high noon, it'll be exhaustin' enough without the sun bein' at its worst." Garry suggested, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.

"That sounds agreeable. Shall we return to the apartment building?"

Garry looked around before shrugging.

"Why? We got a camp right here; we can set up a lookout in that tower and we had a tent to sleep in. Plus, we've got to organise the loot we found."

Rook nodded. He stuck the axe in his belt and went about piling the bodies of raiders.

Heather began to pick up weapons before bringing them to the tent, she took them into the tent. She'd eject the clips and sort the magazines out, whilst they were preparing the camp.

Morgan wandered to the tower, electing to keep watch.

Rook, once the bodies were piled, joined Morgan in the tower.

"Go sleep, Morgan. I will keep watch for tonight."

Morgan slid down the wall to sit on the tower floor. "I'll...sleep here, if that's okay?"

Rook furrowed his brow. "Of course." He set the shotgun on the ground and sat down next to her.

"Are you sure you are alright, Morgan? You have been acting... strange."

"Have I?" Morgan asked, tilting her head.

"Whatdo you mean? How so?"

Rook shrugged.

"You seem shaken up."

"Well I got shot, had to fight off about ten stupid fucking Raiders, and I was worried you'd never reboot." Morgan grunted, shoving a cigarette in her mouth and lighting it.

"I'm pretty shaken."

Rook reached over and flicked the switch on the lighter, helping Morgan's shaky hands along.

"I am fine, Morgan."

"I see that now." Morgan muttered, blowing smoke into the sky. "It's...been a tough few day is all."

"I understand. I will try to protect you better."

She sighed.

"Ain't your fault. How were we to know they'd have a frigging EMP?"

"That is not it. I have allowed you to be injured repeatedly under my watch, when I have made it my duty to protect you. And... there is something else."

"Rook..." Morgan began. "I know it's tough to see, but people get hurt all the time in this world. You can't protect me all the time, you know?" She paused, resting a hand on his thigh.

"What 'something else'?"

"When I was unconscious, my link activity spiked. I picked up the presence of another android in the area. He will try to capture me."

"Shit really?" Morgan sighed. "How tough is he? Do you know?"

"He is a T2-30. An adept infiltrator and killer. He has a bio-gel sheath and a titanium alloy skeleton."

"So... Pretty tough then?" Morgan paused to think. "He won't try to use me or anything, will he?"

Rook shrugged.

"I would."

"May as well just shoot myself in the head at this rate..." Morgan sighed.

"Negative. That would be counterintuitive."

"I was joking Rook..." Morgan mumbled. She looked down and hung her head. "I feel like shit."

Rook gently set an arm around Morgan's shoulders.

"Can you explain?"

Morgan let herself rest in Rooks embrace. "I dunno..." She admitted. "I just...killing all those Raiders and worrying over so much. It's really stressed me out..."

"You need to 'chill out' more then." Recommended Rook.

Is he being serious?

Morgan shook her head and stood up to look out the tower.

"I don't have time to chill out. We're going to Governor Island. I... I shoulda warned that guy about Sanford, but I just shut up and probably sent his family to their death."

"Tch." Morgan muttered.

"Too much to worry about, that even on my off time, I still worry."

"Morgan..." Rook rose to his feet, stepping up behind her. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't much of a talker to begin with. It was easier with Morgan, but that didn't really mean much in the end. He settled for stepping up behind her and putting his arms around her.

Morgan sighed wearily and heavily.

"I still have to plan for my project too, and you keep getting injured or I do and...and..." Morgan stammered, feeling her eyes well up for the first time in, well, ever.

"There's just so much pressure for s-so little reward. Is what we're doing, r-really worth it?"

"We do not have a choice Morgan. If we fail or do not complete our mission, nothing else matters."

"Ya I know. Stopping the Chinese is a... thankless task." Morgan sighed. "heck, I might not even survive."

Sometimes I just wish I could leave...

"Then I will handle it." Rook said simply. "Your survival is a priority."

Maxwell smiled.

"Alright... Your call. But I'm glad, never the less..."

"There's work to be done. How does a bit of investigative reporting sound to you?" The DJ asked the ghoul in his typical nonchalant tone.

"sounds interesting, what am I investigating?" Crutis replied, trying to sound somewhat enthusiastic.

"Well, obviously Chinatown and especially Broadway & Time Square are kind of 'off-limits' at the moment. But Governor's Island, which is also mentioned in these documents..." Maxwell waved them up just to reiterate what he meant.

"That looks like a place to look into... This doctor fellow. Perhaps there is something there that might help with this 'crisis'."

"You game?"

"Yeah, I'll check it out." Curtis gave a thumbs up and took another vial of Jet.

"Hey, as long as you tidy up after yourself, I don't mind you using so many Jet." Maxwell made clear.

"Just don't make it so that you're dependent on them."

"Mmm..." Morgan sighed, turning around so that she was facing Rook in his embrace. "I still feel horrid for overwriting you…"

"It is okay, Morgan. You made the right decision. I was too focused on your well-being to see that at the time. But now I understand while you did it. But initiating a command code like that is very... violating. It gives you absolute power over me. I felt differently about it then, but I understand now. I trust you with this. I trust that, if you ever have to us the codes again, or if you do, it will be for the right reason."

"I hope to never have to do it again." Morgan admitted. "I shouldn't have done it in the first place, but you would never have listened otherwise..."

"Do not fret about it, Morgan. That is one less thing you need to fret about."

"Heh." Morgan scoffed. "I will try..."

She sighed heavily and looked up into the Androids eyes. "How are you feeling? Do you...require more repairs?"

"Negative." Said Rook, meeting her gaze. "I am operating at full capacity." He reached up and touched her face.

"I am fine, Morgan. You will require rest now. It has been an exhausting day."

Morgan felt herself shiver at Rooks, steely yet comforting touch. "I should take watch, at least once on this adventure." She began, making excuses.

"I do not require rest, Morgan. You do. There is nothing to keep you awake. I will protect us. You can sleep."

"I am aware you dont need rest." Morgan tutted. "But I dunno...I don't feel tired. When you're around I... don't wanna sleep."

"Does this mean you intend to stay awake for the remaining eight hours until 0500?" Asked Rook, not quite grasping exactly what Morgan meant.

"I will probably pass out from exhaustion an hour in." Morgan chuckled. She tilted her head before resting it on Rooks chest.

"I just...wish to spend all the time I can, with you."

Rook nodded slowly, understanding.

"So do I, Morgan." A sensation struck Rook, like someone had hooked a jumper cable up to him and flicked the on-switch. Before he even knew what, he was doing, he'd leaned down and his mouth had found hers.

Morgan smiled and wrapped her arms around Rook before pulling back after a couple of minutes. "Heh..." She chuckled, red-faced.

Rook did not say anything. He just met her eyes, his usually stoic expression uncharistically soft.

Morgan smiled sheepishly before she shuffled as the awkwardness grew.

Ach...s-say something woman!

"Something..."

Good one.

"I er...well..thanks Rook."

Rook raised a brow.

"You do not need to thank me. I do that because I want to. It is not a favour."

Morgan smiled. "Acting on instinct. How very human..."

"I am trying to appear more human." Rook agreed.

"You are getting so much better at it." Morgan encouraged, giving a small smile.

"Thank you. Morgan... you have been very patient and understanding. I appreciate it. Even when it... takes me a quantity of time to discern what you desire."

"Well, I understand how stressful it can get, trying to communicate when no one seems to be listening." Morgan smiled, rubbing Rooks elbow casually.

Rook fell silent for a moment, before speaking again.

"I am out of words, Morgan."

"Ran out of things to talk about?" Morgan giggled. "Or am I just too alluring?"

Rook assumed this question had a right answer. Regardless of the fact that he would never find any woman physically alluring, he assumed he was attracted to Morgan in some sense of the word.

"Both."

"Tactful as ever..." Morgan whispered in a soft voice. "Could I just sleep here? By you?"

"Yes." Said Rook without hesitation. "Let's sit down?"

Morgan practically collapsed on command and sat down against the wall of the tower with her legs crossed.

"Sitting assumed!" She chuckled.

Rook sat down next to her, wrapped one hand around the shotgun, and was silent, looking off into the distance.

Morgan lay her head gently on Rooks shoulder. "So, how far out can you see?"

"Slightly further than your average human. My targeting sight, much likes V.A.T.S, allows me to locate targets. Thus, as I am looking out, if motion trips up mu targeting sight, I can confirm if it is hostile, and then terminate it."

"That is rather efficient." Morgan noted. She glanced up to Rooks face before looking back out. "I'm...tired."

Rook put his arms around her protectively.

"Sleep then. I am here."

Morgan yawned and closed her eyes, comfy in Rooks arms.

"But what if I want to...sta-staaay and chat?"

"If you find a suitable topic, let me know."

"Hrmmmr...I cannot think of much." She admitted, yawning widely.

"That is alright. Then there is nothing to keep you awake, and I would prefer you rest."