30. Grounded- Shaun and Nora fight

"I really shouldn't be helping you do this," Drummer Boy whined between his teeth. He glanced behind him as Nora fiddled with the lock installed on the back entrance.

"I can't stay cooped up here, Drummer Boy. My people need me. What do you think will happen—shit—" Nora reached into her pockets for a second bobby-pin "if they discover a synth version of me walking around?"

"Okay fair, but," he grabbed her shoulders and made her turn away from the lock, "we really should let Deacon and the others finish their sweep of the Commonwealth."

"I can't sit around here and wait for that." Nora glowered at him. "Now, I thank you for tipping me off about this, but," she stood up and held his hands on her shoulders, "I have to get back out there." she pushed his hands towards his chest gently. "Go. You can feign ignorance," she waved him off.

Drummer Boy still didn't look convinced, but he ran off silently, his light footfalls never making a sound. Nora turned back to the lock, kneeling down on the dirty floor she jimmied with it until—click—-

"Bingo." Nora whispered.

She tested the door, lightly nudging it open with the balls of her finger tips. It didn't make a sound, she dared to push a little harder, still nothing. Satisfied, Nora stood up and held onto the door frame as she slipped outside.

Nora took in a deep breath of Commonwealth air. She had been trapped under the Old North Church for nearly a week. Who knew what Hancock had gotten into in that amount of time. And Preston was sure to be a mess by now. Nora decided getting a message to Preston was a higher priority, so she turned to head towards Bunker Hill. They had just installed a radio tower, and Old Man Stockton probably had the supplies for her to send a message out to Preston. Nora just hoped the signal would be strong enough to reach him.

"Halt."

Nora froze at the sound of a robotic voice. She could see two gen one synths approach from the shadows of the alleyway, and could hear even more approaching from other angles.

"Miss," She turned and spotted X6-88, the synth ordered to watch her while she was in The Institute, walking up to her. She couldn't make out his expression behind his sunglasses, but knew regardless of the situation how unemotional and univested his eyes would be, as all synth coursers were designed to be as impassive as possible. "Father has asked to see you." Nora glanced around her. She was way out matched here, and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt X6. She took a deep breath and nodded to him.

They walked side by side with a perimeter of gen ones surrounding them. "I am grateful you came along so willingly." Nora looked at X6 curiously, he hadn't lowered his Institute rifle to his side. He turned his head away when her eyes glanced between him and the gun. "Father gave orders to use force if necessary."

"Huh." Was all Nora could manage. None of this was making sense. First the synth copies, now this? What was Shaun doing? Nora's stomach did flips. Was he trying to discredit her to the people? He was doing a damn good job of it. But why were the copy synths destroyed? Had Shaun destroyed them? Or had someone outside The Institute destroyed them? If so, who had seen a copy of her and decided to unload a lifetime's worth of ammo and explosions into them?

X6-88 led her to the base of an old M.I.T. building and stood beside a makeshift scaffolding staircase. "Ma'am." He nodded curtly.

Nora said nothing. She walked up the makeshift stairs, hands shaking with every creak, feet feeling heavier with every step, and her breath becoming more and more erratic as she climbed. Before she could see the rooftop, Nora stopped. She tried to calm herself down. "This is Shaun, for Christ's sake. My son." She told herself. "No matter what he thinks, I am still his mother. I am still in charge out here." She ascended and spotted Shaun staring off into the heart of Boston. She crept over as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb the peaceful scene.

"Mother," Shaun greeted evenly as she stood beside him.

"Shaun." Nora squinted into the sunrise.

"I think we need to have a conversation about the company you keep." He turned to her, hands behind his back.

"The company I keep?" Nora turned to him, one hand came to her hip. "No 'hello, how've you been?' Or literally any other subtle way to bring up a topic?"

"Let's not beat around the bush, mother." Shaun seemed to resist rolling his eyes, but he didn't resist shifting his weight from one leg to the other and mimic her stance—minus the hand on his hip. "You are well known and easily spotted throughout the Commonwealth because of the company you keep." Nora's insides burned, and she clenched her jaw tightly. "Defective synths, chem-addicted hooligans, reporters with noses too big for their business, Railroad agents with poor disguises, super mutants, mercenaries with medicals interests, disgraced lieutenants, two robotic helps, and of course that ghoul mayor." Shaun listed off nearly all of Nora's trusted friends.

"And why do you care?" Nora demanded, now both hands were on her hips and she leaned forward to glare up at him from under the brim of her hat.

"Mother, these people do not believe in what we do! These people do not share our vision for the future—these people wish to hold you back from truly bringing the world back from the fallout. For years I have tried to change the minds of the people of the Commonwealth, and for years I have failed."

"So, what, you make a bunch of synths that look like me?" Nora raised her voice.

"You are the future face of The Institute." Nora's heart skipped a beat, she could feel her face getting hot, "I needed to make a contingency plan in case something were to happen to you up here," Shaun said 'up here' with disgust, and he didn't bother hiding that, "But now that I see you parading around with that—that thing! That ghoul! Stealing escaped synths! So, yes, I destroyed those synths. Clearly, I thought, we just needed to talk. Clearly, I thought, my mother wouldn't be so blind. Running around with ghouls, stealing my creations."

"What about him? Huh?" Nora challenged her son, she was growing frustrated with his hatred for Hancock, "In case you have forgotten, Shaun, I am still your mother. I brought you into this world and I can sure as hell take you out." She could not believe what was happening.

Shaun visibly flinched backwards, his eyes squinted down at her. "Are you threatening me, mother?" He demanded. Nora narrowed her eyes at him. "Then you leave me no choice. X6-88." He nodded to the synth behind her.

"I'm truly sorry, ma'am." X6 grabbed her arm.

"What are you-?" Nora tried to fight out of his grasp, but she felt something prick her neck and the world went dark.