The bullets fired from Ash's gun. Time seemed to slow as Ash watched the gun recoil, the shell exit the chamber, while pockmarks on the floor exploded onto the floor around X6's feet. This whole time, X6 charged forward, seemingly avoiding every single shot. Nimbly weaving his way past them, Ash watched the cold, blue eyes meet his own when Dusk slammed her power armored arm against X6's neck. The synth fell back, somehow as if he had not seen the move coming. As if he were only focused on Ash from the beginning. X6 fell back but threw his arm to the ground to stop his fall. As quickly as he fell, he pushed himself up form the awkward position of extending one arm backwards while falling. He rose to his feet as Dusk fired her laser rifle one handed as she drew a pulse grenade.

"Get back, rook!" She shouted as she tossed the grenade. X6 caught the grenade and made a move to return it to its owner but a red flash smashed into X6's face, preventing him from doing so. Ash froze, his feet planted to the ground. He couldn't move. Dusk grumbled and tackled him just as the blue pulse flooded the room. Ash shut his eyes close and silently wished himself home.

"You alright, rookie?" Dusk asked, offering a hand to Ash. Ash grabbed and was lifted to his feet.

"Yeah." He mumbled. "I think so."

"Good cause we got to go." Dusk responded. She picked up the combat rifle from off the floor and handed it to Ash. "You know how to use this?"

"Yeah."

"Then shoot something for once." Dusk responded. She quickly loaded a fresh cell into her laser rifle before looking back at Ash. "Ready?"

"Ready." He responded. She moved through the open space. Ash looked back and saw that the doorframe had collapsed. There were numerous holes into the walls and some slabs of concrete, indicating that it was intentional. Most likely Dusk had done it, but when? Ash wondered.

"Rookie, you coming?" Dusk's voice called. Ash elected to remain silent and stepped through the hole that led to the unknown within Fort Hagen.

Ash landed in a puddle of water. Dusk looked up allowing her headlight on her helmet illuminate the crusty ceiling consisting of rusty pipes and concrete.

"Guess two centuries and a couple big fights and this place starts to come down." She commented. "Come on, let's go this way." Dusk said as she led Ash down the long service corridor that ran along the walls of the facility. Ash looked around and noticed the flow of water becoming more and more forceful as they walked down the path.

"How big is this place?" Ash asked.

"No idea. Kinda why we came out here. To find out what the Institute let Kellogg stay here." Dusk said.

"Why is that important?" Ash asked.

"In life, nothing's a coincidence. If Kellogg was staying here there had to be a reason."

"Maybe because it was fort and could be defended easily."

"If that were the case, why didn't they defend it well?"

"What do you mean?"

"The General and the Sole Survivor came through and wrecked this place. No power armor or heavy weapons." Dusk said. She crouched behind a wall and held out her arm to stop Ash. She looked left and right to the new hallway that appeared before Dusk and Ash. She motioned left before moving in that direction. "Synths can be dangerous in large enough numbers. Institute had tactical and technological superiority. How could two wastelanders take everything out. Espcially a merc as dangerous as Kellogg?"

"Maybe the Institute thought Kellogg was good enough not to require too many bodyguards?"

"Or maybe he had more. But the Institute left him to die."

"Why would they do that?"

"Beats me. That's why we're here. To try to find answers."

Thoughts ran around through Ash's head. The actions of the Institute make no sense. Why would the Institute let Kellogg die. And if the stories are true about Kellogg how could he be taken out by two wastelanders especially if he was supposedly backed by the Institute. Things don't add up. Ash concluded.

"Stop." Dusk said suddenly. There was a white light emanating from a wall. There was rectangle in the wall that resembled a door. It was slightly bent out of shape, which allowed light to exit the concealed room.

"No maintenance must've led to this." Dusk commented. She pried the door off its hinges and threw it to the side. "Rookie, take point." Ash raised his rifle and entered the white room.