Sorry for the absence, its been a good amount of events so far.

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Boston Bugle 2077: Our courageous Men and Women of the national guard have been struck at the training grounds. A suspected crew of coordinated accomplices have ransacked the national guard armory. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of these missing arms, contact your local police station, and remember, you can remain anonymous. Boston's best and brightest lead detective is on the case.

"Nick Valentine?" The National Guard officer called over to the detective. "This is Lieutenant Nate, U.S. Army, he's here to assist on your investigation. Where you go, he goes."

"Lieutenant Nate." Nick offered a hand to shake. Which Nate happily returned with his firm grip.

"Detective Valentine." Nate greeted, "Follow me to the crime scene."

Walking from the side of the training fields the two watch over the national guard recruits to train. Nate turned his attention towards the armory of interest with Nick by his side.

"So you're the war hero of Anchorage." Nick broke the silence.

"So I've been told. You transferred from Chicago, if I recall." Nate responded still head front toward the crime scene.

"Can you give me a list of what's been stolen?" Nick pulled out a notepad from his pockets.

"Several dozen handguns, and rifles. Plus nine crates of ammo and a truck for their getaway." Nate explained.

"Any explosives?" Nick asked.

"We're still running the logistics on that, we'll have a confirmed account on that by tonight. Maybe you can find something we couldn't. I'll be outside the room while you investigate." Nate opened the door for Nick to begin his work.

"Thank you, lieutenant." Nick accepted Nate's entrance and began his work. "This might take some time, you may wanna get comfortable."

An hour passed with Nick looking around the armory. Nate looked behind him with a smoke pursed between his lips. Right on cue, Nick exited the armory with a thorough investigation to explain the Lieutenant.

"Still have a light?" Nick asked with a cigarette of his own.

Nate pulled out his lighter and gave it to Nick to use.

"So what do we have?" Nate asked.

"Well from what I've seen this was a basic run and grab heist, but the time they needed to extract all that ordinance would take more time than usual. These crooks definitely had a man on the inside. Plus I found these tags by the tool chest." Nick showed him the tags.

"Curtis O'Connor?" Nate read aloud.

"That's a pretty damning lead. Especially since the tags are fake."

"I'm sorry what?"

"Curtis O'Connor has been dead for the past six years. I saw the same name in another crime scene weeks ago. I may not know where your stolen arms are, sir, but I may know who's behind this."

"Who would that be?"

"Not yet, first we need to find your stolen truck. Can you show me where they drove off?" Nick flung away his cigarette.

"Of course." Nate obliged.

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Unlucky Valentine Pt.2

November 2nd, 2287

Vault 114, Park Street Station

Nathan "Nate" Shaw

Recon Squad Gladius

Brotherhood of Steel

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Nick stood still for several seconds in front of Nate. His aesthetic appearance is an absolute shock to Nate.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" The Synthetic Nick asked.

"Nick Valentine, detective? What happened to you?"

"Yeah, I'm sure the skin and metal parts are a shock, but that doesn't matter, what matters is why you went through all this trouble to cut me loose?"

"Umm… Right, my son. Shaun, he's been kidnapped. Piper here recommended me to you. You're assistant, Ellie told me where to find you."

"Ellie told you? Hell, she deserves a raise in that case. And a missing kid? Well, you came to the right man, just not the right place. I've been cooped up in here for weeks. Turns out the runaway daughter I came here to find wasn't kidnapped. She's Skinny Malone's new flame, and she's got a mean streak. Anyway, you got troubles, and I'm glad to help. But now ain't the time. Let's blow this joint. Then we'll talk." Nick threw out his cigarette even though it's likely he likely didn't inhale any of it.

"Let's get you back home, Nick." Piper commented.

"Alright, stay close, and stay down. There's gonna be more of them on our way out." Nate explained. Rifle at the helm, Nate took point on their way back to the surface.

The halls were silent, but Nate knew Skinny's gang was nearing.

"Dino, what the Hell are you doing? Stop messing with that detective!" Yelled by one of Skinny Malone's crewman.

"So how're we doing this? Quietly or up front?" Nick whispered.

"We'll follow your lead, Blue." Piper said.

"C'mon, I don't like this, see anything odd, shoot it. This is just perfect, our coup was to start today and now half of our men are dead. Fuck." the same crewman ordered.

The information the triggerman spilled was definitely a juicy gem to remember.

Nate's military training started to kick in. The R.A.M.P. methods started to kick into his thoughts. "Return Fire with Aimed Fire. Anticipate Attack. Measure the amount of Force. Protect with deadly force only human life." As he kept repeating the acronym, the voice from an old brother in arms came back to mind, "Captain Maxson." Nate whispered.

"The only mantra that keeps soldiers like us stable and alive is to focus on the objective." One of the last words of wisdom his friend said to him.

Right now, the only objective is to fight out of this vault, and the only way is to go loud. Nate bit his lips as the rules coursed through his mind. Sweat began to drip down his neck. Flight or flight is nearing, but he's still in control of his actions for the moment. Relaxing the pressure from his teeth, Nate jumped out of cover and opened fire at Skinny's gangsters. The plasma fire from his brotherhood rifle made quick work of the hostiles. Piper pulled out her 10mm at the incoming men from the hallway.

"So hard and loud, it's quick but I pity whoever has to clean up afterward." Nick commented when the room was cleared.

"C'mon." Nate resumed point.

"Seriously, who designed this place, a fitness instructor?" Nick commented while making their way up the next floor.

"Seriously Blue, I don't know how you could live in these vaults. I think I'll stay on the surface." Piper added.

The hallways were quiet again, and no signs of Skinny Malone's men in range. Reaching the end of the halls, the three of them arrived at the rad screening room. It's similar to the front entrance in Vault 111. The door was locked and shooting this lock wouldn't help, "Never thought he'd manage to scrape together a big enough crew to take over a Vault. Guess life's full of surprises." Nick noticed.

"Here let me." Nick offered to pick the lock. "Skinny Malone and his crew are waiting for us. I can hear his heavy footsteps. Don't let the name fool ya, It's ironic yeah, but he's dangerous. Alright, I got the door, don't fire just yet, let's try and make this less messy."

"Sure." Nate agreed.

"This'll be interesting." Piper added as she was holstering her weapon.

"Nicky? What're you doin'? You come into my house. Shoot up my guys. You have any idea how much this is gonna set me back?"

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for your two-timing dame, Skinny. You ought to tell her to write home more often."

"Awww... poor little, Valentine. Ashamed you got beat up by a girl? I'll just run back home to daddy, shall I?"

"Should've left it alone, Nicky. This ain't the old neighborhood. In this Vault, I'm king of the castle, you hear me?"

"I told you we should've just killed him, but then you had to get all sentimental! All that stupid crap about the 'old times'."

"Darla, I'm handling this! Skinny Malone's always got things under control!"

"Then what are you doin', Skinny? Kill 'em!"

Nate has had enough of this bantering of this king of the gangsters leashed by some rich dame. A miracle some of his late wife's career as a lawyer taught him a few things. "Darla, you don't want to get roped in with these thugs, you have a better life out there."

"I... I... You're right! What am I doing? I've gotten all mixed up!" Darla weeped.

"Darla? Wh-where are you goin'?" Skinny wailed.

"Home, Skinny! Where I should have been all this time. This is goodbye for us." Darla finally fled the vault and to the nearest exit.

"Oh, come on, Nicky! You cost me my men, now you and your friend cost me my girl?"

"My friend here just did you a favor, Skinny. You always did have bad taste in women."

"Now that she's not around to feed that temper of yours, maybe you'll see sense and let us walk? You still owe me for two weeks in the hole."

"All right, you get to the count of ten! I still see your face after that, I'm gunning all of you do-" A sudden gunshot blew the front of his brains in front of Nick, Nate, Piper, and the rest of Skinny's crew.

Behind Skinny's tumbling corpse falling to the ground was none other than Butch Deloria.

"What the Hell was that?" Nick upped his tone with a mix of anger.

"You're welcome." Butch sarcastically replied.

Skinny's crew didn't move an inch, not even aiming their guns to the man. Instead, they lowered their Tommy guns and nodded.

"Took you long enough Butch." One of the Prewar Triggerman finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry what?" Nate finally added in on the conversation.

"Name's Butch. These bozos paid me a hefty cap to have their boss swim with the fishes. Speaking of which, I believe that rich slut ran off which if I recall was is a bonus."

"Right… Here's your pay, and the information on that raider gang." The new leader of Skinny's crew handed the Greaser.

"Pleasure doing business." Butch complimented, "Now as for you guys. There's an exit not far from here. Let's go."

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"Alright, glad we're out of there." Nick said as he stepped out in the alleyway.

"Yeah, didn't go as I expected, but the job is done." Nate responded.

"Alright boys, hey… You're that guy who couldn't help Vadim with their DJ friend." Butch figured out.

"Yeah, that's where I recognize you. Were you able to help out Vadim?"

"Yeah, Diamond City's radio station will have a much better outlook from now on."

"You serious? Could we talk about that story back in town?" Piper asked being the nosy reporter she is.

"Sure thing, sweet-cheeks. Let's get back to town and I'll give you all the details."

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"This is Initiate Nate of the Brotherhood of Steel. Entry log number seven, current time is November second, 22:39 hours. We found Nick Valentine, he's agreed to help me find my son. The Storyteller has returned to the Cambridge police station with my report. Piper has allowed me to stay on her couch. Right now, I'm just having some noodles from a malfunctioning Protectron. (Nani shimasu ka) No Takahashi I'm okay (Nani shimasu ka.) Note to self, I need to ask Codsworth if he can find some spare parts. Anyway, tomorrow we're going to resume the search for my son. After explaining the details to Nick we found a lead on the merc who took my son. His name is Kellog, tomorrow morning we're gonna start picking up his trail with Dogmeat. Found some clues in his home. I'm almost there, buddy. Just a little longer. On a side note, I met this rugged greaser named Butch Deloria. He says he's from a vault from Washington DC, Vault 101. He was hired to kill a gang leader Skinny Malone, in exchange for caps and information on

a group called the "Tunnel Snakes". Even our DJ Travis has gotten much suaver in his broadcast. I knew he could find his confidence. End recording."

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After his meal at the food stand, Nate arrived with a couple of Nuka Cola's from Percy.

"Always on good behavior, aren't ya?" Piper asked as she received her soda from Nate.

"Not as much as you'd think." Nate dropped on her couch. Completely exhausted.

"I appreciate it. Too few folks can be bothered. Course, in my experience, if you want to do real good, playing nice only gets ya so far. I mean, look at Diamond City, a place I've been trying to warn of real danger. But every issue I publish, all I hear is: Oh, Piper, why don't you ever publish anything happy? Piper, why can't you write something nice for a change? It's enough to make me wanna to hang up my hat some days."

"I know the feeling. It's never easy doing what's right."

"Heh, no kidding. But people, they deserve to know the truth. Because people need to know the truth. Even when it's bad. Especially when it's bad. Sure, it can be scary, knowing what's really out there. I've seen firsthand what the truth can do. My sister and I, we grew up way out in the Commonwealth. Tiny little settlement. "Keeping the Raiders off our backs and the Mirelurks out of our latrines," as he'd describe it. Well one day, our Dad turns up dead. His captain, asshole named Mayburn, claims Raiders must've gotten him on watch. Well, I didn't buy it. I start making inquiries. Turns out, the captain, he'd sold out. Thought he wasn't getting paid enough to babysit the town. He was going to leave the gates open one night, let a group of Raiders sack the place, and take a cut of the profits. My dad found out and was going to turn Mayburn in, but Mayburn got to him first. And I wasn't about to let that bastard get away with murder. I tried talking to the Mayor but he wouldn't listen. So I papered the entire town in posters, "Wanted for Gross Dereliction of Duty. Captain Mayburn. The Mayor sure wanted to talk after that. The town threw Mayburn out on his ass and were dug-in when a very surprised group of Raiders finally showed."

"Those people are saved thanks to you."

"No, those people saved themselves. Because they knew the truth. But, hey, I-I'm sorry if I've been rambling. I just get fired up sometimes."

"It's okay. I'm just glad we have some time to rest."

"Hey Piper, tell me something, The Brotherhood of Steel. What do you know about them?" Nate asked.

"Not a lot. Only what I've heard, they take whatever they want. Especially if it's high-tech. They just might have the muscle to give the Institute a run for their money, but they're... let's just say they have their own agenda."

"Yeah, groups like them usually do." Nate said as he took a seat on the couch.

"Still, they're my best chance to finding my son. And… Well like I said I was a soldier before the war. I found out the founder of the Brotherhood was a friend of mine."

"Seriously? Their leader from what I've picked up is a dangerous man. He has a take no prisoners mindset, and he'll go to great lengths to reach his goal." Piper said. Her information is limited, yes, but Nate can't take her word for sure. At least not for the bigger picture.

"Yeah, that's definitely a member of the Maxson family. If I remember Roger Maxon, he had the mind of a hard ass military man, but the heart of a hero." Nate reminded himself as Piper listened.

"Yeah, no kidding. Well g'night Blue." Piper left for her room upstairs, leaving Nate to sleep.

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Dawn approached slowly, but Nate and Piper were ready. Dogmeat had Kellog's scent ready to follow.