Anita laughed, tossing her head back. "I take it you've heard of them!"

"Are you kidding me? Those assholes made my life hell back in Rivet City. Every time I'd find something special they'd be right there to take it from me. 'You can't handle this technology! It belongs to the Brotherhood!' and all that bullshit. And of course I couldn't just steal it back or attack them for it because they ran around with laser guns and power armor. Bunch of fucking dicks, if you ask me. I nearly got evicted multiple times because of them." Renee snorted and leaned forward to rest one elbow on her knee.

"What did you do zhat you were finding technology zhe Brotherhood wanted?" Curie blinked, her eyebrows raised.

Renee huffed. "I made money by scavenging in the ruins, mostly down in the Metro. Ugh, if I never have to go underground again it'll be too soon. Every once in a while I'd come across something really valuable and the Brotherhood would always take it from me at their stupid checkpoints. So instead of being able to sell an intact circuit board for a couple hundred caps, I had to look for little fuses and vacuum tubes and even then sometimes the Brotherhood would take those too." She scowled and screwed up her face. "One time I found a fusion core and when I refused to hand it over, they threatened to kill me, saying I wasn't being cooperative."

The taller, quiet woman nodded. "Sounds like them." She put a knuckle to her chin. "Hm."

"So yeah. I know all about the Brotherhood. I hoped I wouldn't have to deal with them again but once again, my luck's run out."

Anita put her hands on her hips again and gave a resolute nod. "Well, unfortunately the Brotherhood hasn't gotten any better from the sounds of it. Recently we had a scout bring back what looked like a beacon of some kind but it was too damaged to get any information out of it. We think the Brotherhood is using these beacons as a method of recruitment, and the General wanted to ask you to help us find one." She glanced over at Curie. "Apparently someone put in a good word that you're good at tracking things down."

Curie squeaked and her cheeks turned pink. "Ah, I was just…being thorough in my report…"

"Not to mention that Nate doesn't want the Brotherhood to catch on that the Minutemen know what they're up to. Hence why he wants you to lead this mission. And sent me here with her. No one knows you two, and even if they do recognize me, I can just say I'm ex-Minuteman." Anita jerked her thumb to the other woman. "One of our brand-new recruits."

The woman nodded.

Anita cleared her throat. "Private."

"Lily Cromwell." Lily glanced away.

Anita rolled her eyes but didn't comment. "She's still learning the ropes. But yes, the General wants you to help us find a recruitment beacon."

Renee sat back against the couch, crossing her legs. "Any idea where I can find one?"

"We could always search Salem." Lily stepped forward, her expression neutral.

"Salem?"

"I remember seeing some Brotherhood around there before I left." She looked away. "Just a thought."

Anita nodded once and looked at Renee. "All right. The three of us will head to Salem in the morning, bright and early." She arched an eyebrow at Curie, who looked like she had a lot to say in the matter. "Unless you have some kind of protest."

Curie cleared her throat. "I want to make sure Renee's recovered from her injury—"

"I am." Renee stood.

"—and I'm not sure if I don't need her services for somezhing more important." She gazed at the redhead.

"Do you?" Anita cocked her head, smiling.

"Well…" Curie sighed. She reached to hold her elbow with the opposite hand. "I do not, admittedly."

Renee placed a hand on her shoulder. She squeezed gently, feeling Curie stiffen under her touch. "I know you're worried about me. But I'll be okay. Especially if I've got Anita and Lily with me. They'll keep me safe."

"Salem is just…much farther zhan I was ever going to send you." She took a breath.

"I'm an adult, I can take care of myself." Renee let her hand drop to her side. She glanced between Anita and Lily, finally nodding. "Where am I meeting you two tomorrow morning?"

Anita grinned. "Just outside the gate is fine. And if anyone asks, we're not from the Minutemen."

"Right. And this conversation never happened."

"Now you've got it." Anita gave her a thumbs up before turning on her heel. "Come on, let's get our rooms at the Dugout. Can't say I'm looking forward to the booze, but the food's not bad."

Lily said nothing, but she did cock an eyebrow at Renee and Curie before following Anita out.

Once the door was shut, Renee let out all her breath in a rush. She collapsed back on the couch. "Damn it." She ran a hand through her hair.

"Is somezhing wrong?" Curie sat next to her. Dinner was long forgotten, and she would have to restart it by this point.

"I really didn't want to get caught up with the Brotherhood again. I wasn't kidding when I said they threatened to kill me. Once I even tried to run straight past a checkpoint and they actually started shooting." She clenched her jaw at the memory. "Lasers hurt."

Curie gazed at her hands and pressed her fingertips together. She took a deep breath. "You don't 'ave to do zhis, you know. Monsieur Howard could 'ave someone else find zhe beacon."

"I know. But he did ask for me specifically, and I've never had anyone do that before." Renee gave a bitter chuckle. "Usually people ask that I specifically don't do things."

"Zhis is my fault. I wrote in my report zhat you're an expert tracker without realizing quite what zhat meant." Curie shook her head and put a hand to her forehead. "Foolish…"

"Expert tracker, huh?" Renee smiled.

A blush painted Curie's cheeks pink and she held up her hands defensively. "I-I read it once and thought it was applicable!"

Renee's smiled widened. The woman was absolutely adorable when she was flustered. She fought the urge to reach out to touch her again and instead laughed. "It's all right. Besides, it's just one mission, and then I'll be back here to you."

"Hrm." Curie pouted. "Please be careful."

"I will. I'll be the most careful I've ever been in my life." She slid her palm over to place her hand on Curie's knee.

Curie looked down before resting her hand on top of Renee's. "I trust you."

It wouldn't have been hard to shift her hand just so and entwine their fingers. Renee pulled her hand back before she did something she didn't have the right to do. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, glancing at the floor. "So, is it okay if I stay here again tonight?"

"Of course! You're welcome anytime."

"Careful. If you say that, you might not ever get rid of me."

"Oh, I am not so sure zhat would be a bad thing." Curie grinned, oblivious as always.

Renee knew she was blushing, but she didn't care. Her heart skipped and she could only smile in return. She flicked her gaze over Curie's face and wished she could always see her smiling. She could die happy that way, she thought.

"God damn you're tall!" Renee had to nearly put her head all the way back just to look up at Lily.

Lily dark blue eyes narrowed. "You've said." Her lips twitched into a frown and she let out a hissed breath.

"Sorry, I just… Damn. You're like a foot taller than me." Renee nearly tripped as they walked along and turned her attention back to the road. "I've never met a woman as tall as you."

"Aw, but you've met someone as tall as me?" Anita puffed her cheeks out in a pout.

"Yeah, she owns a clothing store in Diamond City."

"Oh, her! Yeah, I know Gene. Sold her Z0E." Anita looked off to the side, where they were now walking along the coast. "I'm surprised we haven't found more Mirelurks. That weird to anyone else?"

Lily snorted. "Barney keeps them away."

"Barney?" Anita arched an eyebrow.

"Back when everyone left Salem the first time, crazy old Barney stuck around. Said he's the Salem Volunteer Militia or something." Lily shrugged. "I never paid much attention to him. But he's got a vendetta against 'Lurks, so he keeps them away."

Renee gripped her rifle harder. "Why did everyone leave?"

"Oh, town's cursed."

"Cursed?" Anita stopped and shared a glance with Renee.

Lily continued to walk ahead of them. "Yep. You know they burned all those witches here centuries ago? Town's cursed."

A nearby seagull screamed and Renee shrieked, leaping at Anita. If she didn't keep the strap of her rifle across her shoulders she would've dropped it. "Why did you bring us here if the town's fucking cursed?!"

Here Lily stopped and looked back at them. She blinked. "Are you two planning on doing something to anger some spirits? Just because the town's cursed doesn't mean you're going to die." She rolled her eyes. "Jesus."

"Let's just find that beacon and get the hell out of here…" Anita peeled Renee off her arm and kept walking.

Renee jogged to catch up. "Know what the beacon looks like?"

"It's not like one of their distress beacons. It's smaller. The one the scout brought back honestly just looked like a small holotape player, but the holotape was missing. Had an antenna and the Brotherhood emblem painted right on top." Anita swept her gaze around. "We really just need the holotape."

"Why would the Brotherhood be recruiting like this? Don't they usually just walk into places and force people to join up?" Renee relaxed her grip on her rifle but didn't let go.

Anita snorted. "That's what we're trying to figure out. They've been causing more trouble recently and keep ignoring Minutemen authority."

Lily suddenly stopped and turned her head to see Anita and Renee. "We're here."

The town of Salem looked mostly abandoned. Old, blown-out houses littered the town, but there was the sound of people; soft chattering, the dented bell of a brahmin as it shook its heads. A child shouting as they played. Lily squared her shoulders. "Come on."

Further in, they saw the town proper. There weren't many people at all, but those that were there stared at them as they entered. Lily paid the settlers no mind and headed straight for the church, one of the only buildings left relatively unscathed. Renee felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. "I'm starting to think this was a bad idea."

"I'm starting to agree with you." Anita narrowed her eyes and a man turned away quickly.

In the church, Lily seemed to relax and even took her hand off the pistol in the holster on her hip. "Mrs. Patterson?" She called.

"Oh my, is that Lilith?" An older woman came down the church steps behind the pulpit. "It is!"

"Come on, you know I prefer Lily…" She rubbed the back of her neck.

"I thought you went off to join the Minutemen, what are you doing here? Come to help rebuild? We could really use your help!" Mrs. Patterson approached the three women, smiling. "Oh, and you've brought some friends!"

Lily sighed. "Actually, I did join the Minutemen. That's why I'm here."

Anita spluttered out a curse. "Cromwell! What was the first rule of this whole damn operation?!"

"It's okay. We can trust her." Lily put a hand on her hip and glanced back at Anita. She looked down at Mrs. Patterson. "We need your help."

"Well, I'll try to help if I can…" Mrs. Patterson looked the three of them over.

"We're looking for some Brotherhood technology. I know there were some squads poking around when I left. Do you know anything about that?"

Mrs. Patterson tapped her foot and put a knuckle to her chin. "I do seem to remember something about the Brotherhood, yes. They were poking around in the old Museum on the edge of town. I told them to stay out, that it's dangerous, but they wouldn't listen. They left after that."

"Then that's where we're headed." Lily nodded and turned around. "To the old Salem Witch Museum."

Renee swallowed hard. "Do we have to?"

"Yes." Anita crossed her arms and scowled. "Yes, we do."

As they three began to leave, Mrs. Patterson cleared her throat. "You there, with the red hair."

Both Anita and Rene turned at the same time.

"No no, with the short red hair."

Anita turned completely. "Yes ma'am?"

Mrs. Patterson shook her head. "Be careful, dear."

"I always am, ma'am. Thanks for the concern." Anita tipped the hat on her head with a smile.

"You." Mrs. Patterson looked to Renee. "Keep an eye on her."

Renee chuckled. "I think you're getting us confused. I'm the one who usually gets into trouble, not Anita."

"Mrs. Patterson is rarely wrong." Lily waited for them by the church entrance. "Come on."

Anita and Renee glanced at each other before turning to follow Lily back outside. "What do you mean she's rarely wrong?" Anita asked, brow furrowed.

"Mrs. Patterson's always been able to… Hm." Lily thought a moment. "Not tell the future, exactly. Predict things? I don't know. Just listen to whatever she says."

Anita laughed and shook her head. "Well, I'm sure she meant Renee."

Lily said nothing. She looked toward the Museum.

Renee swallowed hard. She didn't fancy herself a superstitious person, nor a coward, but even she knew not to mess with spirits and demons and ghosts and the like. And it all had her nerves on edge. "Just have to get the beacon," she whimpered. "Just have to get the beacon."

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