"So" Preston began. James stood at the elevator by the mayor's office in Diamond City. "This is it?" Preston asked.
"This is it." James responded. "Are all the delegates here?" Preston shook his head.
"Still waiting on a few." Preston responded.
"Let me know when it's time alright?" James requested he started walking towards Geneva's desk. "Hello there."
"The Mayor is currently busy, preparing for his upcoming speech." She looked up. "Oh… I… I'm so sorry. The mayor will see you now." Geneva blushed as she reached for the button to the door. She wore a grey sequin dress for the special occasion arranged by Katherine. She began to fix her hair as the doors opened. "He's ready for you now."
"Thanks." James smiled. "I love your dress." He said as he walked into the office. Inside was Piper already pestering Mayor McDonaugh with questions. The short man was fixing his bowtie in front of a wall mirror as Piper unleashed her flurry of questions.
"So what is your motivation for this event, McDonaugh? Why host the meeting for the new CPG at Diamond City? Don't you know what happened last time? Are you afraid that the people now think you're a synth? Is that it? You want to disassociate yourself from that reputation? So what is it, McDonaugh?" Piper said quickly, stopping only to breathe.
"One question at a time, Piper. I grow tired of your absolutely relentless questioning." McDonaugh sighed. "You know you're on a short leash."
"That a threat, McDonaugh? Can I quote you on that?" Piper asked as she jotted down notes onto her notepad.
"I wouldn't press too hard, Piper." James said as he stepped into the room. "After all, this is supposed to be a calm, casual event."
"James!" McDonaugh exclaimed, turning around and holding out his palm. James shook the Mayor's hand.
"Mayor McDonaugh. So nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you and your work for the Green Jewel of the Commonwealth." James said with a smile.
"Ah, well. I do try. It can be quite difficult at times with so many pests scurrying around at your feet." He looked at Piper and back James quickly.
"Well, progress isn't for everybody." James smiled and shot a wink at Piper. "Your security detail is waiting for you." James gestured at Preston by the elevator.
"Ah, of course. I'm flattered." McDonaugh said and began to walk out. He placed a formal hat on top of his head and turned suddenly. "By the way, how do I look?"
"You clean up nice, Mayor McDonaugh." James said. The Mayor chuckled and strode out of his office. James turned to Piper. "You get anything?"
"And why would I tell you that?" she responded. "I'm just a pest aren't I?"
"One that has on a beautiful dress, yes." James responded in kind. "Are you going to be busy after?"
"Maybe, lots of people to interview." Piper responded as she tucked her notepad and pen into her hat and made for the door.
"You know, I don't think that that hat really works with that dress." James said as Piper exited the office.
"I only take fashion advice from people who have a good sense for it." She said as she exited the office and got onto the elevator with McDonaugh. "Coming?"
"Not yet. Enjoy the party." James said. He turned to Preston as the elevator lowered itself. They were alone now, Geneva had left with McDonough and Piper. "Anything out of the ordinary?"
"Still waiting on the delegates from Goodneighbor. Valentine is here to help make sure the Institute doesn't stick their noses into the meeting this time. Guest of honor has just arrived with her bodyguard. We have troops patrolling the perimeter of Diamond City with our P-80s on standby for any Brotherhood threat. I think we've covered just about everything."
"I'd like to think so, but you know how plans work."
"No plan really ever works out the way you really want it to right?"
"Precisely." James said as the elevator came back up, with Nick Valentine himself riding it. He was dressed in a clean black suit, but still kept his detective's hat. It was clean and a dark shade of faded black. He lit a cigarette as the elevator slowed to a stop.
"James." He grumbled.
"Valentine." James responded in kind. The two didn't like each other very much. James had no idea why but it was as if Valentine suspected James of something.
"How's the party?" Preston asked.
"You know me, I'm not really one for these black tie events." Valentine puffed. "Market's full, people are starting to take their seats. I don't think I've ever seen the green jewel so filled with people." Valentine commented. He looked at James. "Nice tux, by the way." James nodded.
"Anything out of the ordinary?" Preston asked.
"You tell me." Valentine responded with a puff of smoke. "The synths the Institute pumps out these days can even fool their mother. I try to do what I can from the folk that live here, but with all these strangers comin' in for the CPG meeting." He paused. "I'm just not sure."
"Either way, we have plenty Minutemen plants in the crowd and assisting the local guards." James added.
"Sure that's enough?" Valentine asked.
"It'll have to be." James responded. "Shall we?" The three took the elevator down and James could see it. A huge festivity with people running around, talking, and having fun. The vendors were definitely having a great time. In the crowd, he could a spot a couple TSC officers making their way around. They always did stick out in a crowd. James fixed his collar as the elevator slowed once more. A Diamond City guard opened the gate for the three men and said
"Enjoy the party, folks."
James made his way to the market. The vendors were out selling their wares. Only difference as compared to a normal day was that they were all cleaned up and dressed nicely. Katherine insisted that this event be made formal and suits required. To her, presentation was everything since this event was meant to reflect the Old World. James smiled at all of the people who had bothered to show up with actual clean suits and tuxes. James was lucky, he brought his own tux from the capital. Katherine had to go searching around for a "good" dress. But she wouldn't tell James what kind or even what color it was.
"Hey, everybody the party's here!" a ghoul's voice broke through the crowd. Hancock and his posse of ghouls began walking down the catwalk.
"What is this?!" McDonaugh exclaimed, outraged. He began to stride towards Hancock. James caught him by the arm. "James?! What in the world do you think you're doing?"
"Mayor McDonaugh, I recognize that Diamond City has a special policy on ghouls. But since this is a private event for invitees only, I'd say it be much more beneficial for you to allow the members invited to enter your city which has graciously decided to host my event."
"James, I don't want to offend you, but what about my constituents?"
"Remember what I said? Invitees only to my event. I paid for everything after all. Even paid off those upper stands people to seal their lips."
"You…" McDonaugh stammered. "You did what?"
"Well I made them an offer they couldn't refuse."
"And what was that?"
"Ah, sorry, Mr. McDonaugh. Consumer confidentiality. But I do implore you to allow the members of the new CPG to enter so long as they have an invitation."
"Fine. But if I hear any complaints-"
"You can just talk to me and we'll smooth things over together."
"I have your word?"
"Of course." Mayor McDonaugh stared at James and looked at Hancock, back at James and then stormed off in a hurry.
"Whoa." Hancock said from behind James. James turned to face him and a few more of his friends. "Do my eyes and ears deceive me? Did you talk the Mayor McDonaugh into letting some ghouls into his city?" James simply smiled. Hancock threw an arm around James and led him towards the makeshift barstand that Vadim Bobrov had set up. "I think I owe you a drink!"
"No, it was all I could do, really."
"No seriously, man. This is a huge honor. Nobody's ever taken Goodneighbor serious before. And this CPG you're setting up is actually considering letting us have a say?!" Hancock made an explosion noise with mouth with his hand making an explosion gesture by his head. "I really don't know what to say. I just wish I was, y'know, in on the deal from the beginning. You know what I mean?"
"Not really, no."
"Well, let's just say I want an... administrative position in the CPG." Hancock suggested.
"I'm afraid it's out of my hands." James responded.
"What do you mean?"
"I only faciliatated this event with Diamond City's help. I only paid for it. This initiative is someone else's idea completely."
"huh. Go figure." Hancock responded. "So let's say Goodneighbor joins up. We have an alliance between major settlements going on. Then what?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean what's the next step? I wanna know if the CPG really is gonna end up being for the people instead of McDonough's dictatorship. You feel me?"
"I guess."
"Mister James, sir." Codsworth said as he approached with an aluminum tray full of alcoholic beverages. "Here is a whiskey. Compliments of the man standing over there." James looked over and saw him. X6-88 leaning against one of the columns that help hold up power noodles.
"I'm very sorry, Hancock. It was nice meeting you, but I need to attend to something real quick."
"No hard feelings man." He responded. James fixed his coat and strode over to X6, who wore a sunglasses despite it being nighttime, a blazer over a white collar shirt and slacks.
"Mr. James." X6 said with a smirk as if amused.
"X6-88." James responded. "Or is it just X6? I can't really tell difference. It's not exactly a good name."
"No, I admit that it is not." X6 said crossing his arms. "Nice… party you have going on here."
"To what do I owe pleasure?" James asked.
"I am not here to cause violence. Just to observe."
"What exactly?"
"A particular person of interest to the Institute."
"And who is that?" X6 handed James a holotape. "What is this?"
"Play it." James loaded the holotape into his Pip-Boy.
"Hey, is this thing on?" Marie's voice sparked over the pip-boy's speakers. James felt relieved, but consigned himself to show no emotion on his face in front of X6.
"I don't know." A boy's voice came next. "Is it, Father?"
"Of course, Shaun." Shaun? Don't tell me that's?
"Okay then. Good morning, sir. I am Shaun. Nice to meet you."
"Hi Uncle James!"
"I have befriended your niece and wished to let you know that she is safe here at the Institute."
"It's so clean here!"
"She has told us much about your exploits in the waste, your experience with technology. We at the Institute wanted to welcome you into our scientific family. You will always be welcome here at a place for forward thinking like-minded visionaries like yourself. Your intelligence will no longer be consigned to be wasted on the low intelligence population of the Wastes. You can live here. Safe. With your niece. Knowing that she will always be safe. Should you wish to join us. Simply play the second holotape and a courser will find you and take you to the Institute." X6 handed James a second holotape, blue in color. There was a long pause.
"Is that all, Father?"
"Yes, that is all." Then the holotpe cut off.
"Why the kids?" James asked abruptly. "Why not someone else? Why didn't you tell me this yourself?" X6 shrugged.
"It is not my place to question Father's decision." He responded simply.
"Father?"
"Ta-ta." X6 walked around the corner. A blue flash later and he was gone.