ch 6: Story of the Century
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Heavy hearted and tired, Ellie sifted through the contents of Nick's filing cabinet, unsure of what to do with herself since his disappearance- for weeks now, he had been gone, and all she could do was sit around and wait, wondering where he was or if he was even alive...
Masochistically, she busied herself by perusing the contents of his filing cabinet, intending to organize the contents for storage, while knowing deep down that she wouldn't really achieve anything- for some reason, a part of her was still stubbornly holding onto hope, that one day she would look up and nick would walk back through the door.
She might never let him leave again.
"Oh- the photo's...He never did photograph well." She mumbled nostalgically, coming across a thin folder of old Polaroid pictures, faded from years kept in darkness- one was of them together, alongside one of his late partners- Marty Bullfinch.
He looks so happy. She reflected dismally, remembering how close Nick and the Ghoul had been- They had had their differences, but together, somehow they had made a nearly unbeatable team...He was never the same after his death.
"Uhg- his ties...oh nick- I told you not to go alone." She despaired, squeezing the worn material as she struggled to hold back tears. "And the bills? Oh- forget the bills. I'll never find another job..."
Drowning in her own self pity, Ellie didn't hear the sound of the door open behind her as she threw the moisture stained envelopes back into the metal cabinet, slamming it closed harshly before letting her head fall into her hands, heaving a heavy sob.
"Something wrong?" An unfamiliar voiced asked her, cutting through the silence. Startled, Ellie whirled around, looking toward the doorway with wide, frightened brown eyes- only to meet a pair of equally wary, startled grey ones.
The blue suited woman studied the room systematically, her eyes swiveling quickly from the Police issue magazine on the desk beside Ellies cold cup of coffee, to the lit cigarette burning in the ashtray, to her, standing idly in the center of the office space beside the filing cabinet, wallowing in self loathing.
"Great." The secretary exclaimed, letting out her pent breath in a huff as she took in the vault dwellers disheveled appearance. " Another stray coming in from the rain. Afraid your too late- office is closed." There were deep shadows beneath her grey eyes, as if she hadn't slept well in days, and her long, thick auburn hair was tangled, pulled back from her pretty dirt smudged face by a loose ponytail. that hung loosely down her back.
"Please." Nora pleaded, needing the woman to hear her out. "I know your busy- but I wont take up much of your time- its important..." She had already wasted too much time as it was.
"No, you don't get it!" Ellie interrupted, almost snapping in her frustration. "The detective has gone missing- He disappeared working a case."
Nice. Nora thought dryly, reflecting on her continued bad luck as she felt her hope deflate all at once. The guy who built a career out of finding people, goes missing... If she hadn't been so disappointed, she might have laughed at the irony of the situation.
"Like...Picture on a milk carton time, missing?" She asked for clarification, fervently hoping the detective was not out somewhere pushing up daisies. Ellie sighed deeply, looking away from Nora as she crossed her arms over her chest- and for a moment, Nora thought she might cry. Immediately, she regretted her careless choice of words.
" If only it were that simple...Look- Skinny Malone's gang kidnapped a young girl, and went into hiding beneath the Boston station... There's an old vault down there he uses as a base- I told nick not to go. I told him it was a trap...but he just smiled and walked out the door like he always does. "
Nora listened to the woman carefully, hoping to get some more insight into the man mama murphy's vision had lead her to- and she had to smile, despite the sullen atmosphere. Men. She thought ironically, remembering another lifetime, when Nate had acted in a similar fashion- how many times had she begged him not to go to war, pleading with him to stay with her where it was safe and comfortable? How many times had he kissed her, giving her that same, sad smile as he walked out the door, garbed in his battle worn military fatigues, and determined to save the world?
Too many times.
"Sounds like...Quite a guy." She empathized, carefully picking her words so as not to upset her again- Despite the other womans attitude, Nora could see the hurt inside her soft, round brown eyes- They must have been very close. "Whose this Skinny malone character?" She asked, hoping to get a rough idea of where she had to go next in her search for the brightheart- mamma murphy had told her he would be the one to lead her to Shaun, so, he had to be alive somewhere no matter what he was involved in...
"I dont know much about him." Ellie admitted regretfully, looking almost ashamed. "but I know he's from Goodneighbor- which means he's into fine pressed suits and machine gun school thuggery..." She offered lamely, knowing there was too little information in the tip to be helpful. The description conjured memories of old Italian mafia movies, where the made men always dressed nicely in freshly pressed, expensive business suits and crisp, clean Fedora's over their thick, greased back pompedor's that were all the rage back then...
"Goodneighbor?" Nora echoed, unfamiliar with the name of what was obviously another settlement- humorously, she wondered where this one had been built- she was sure their werent any more giant walled off portions of land capable of sustaining high functioning settlements like diamond city in the commonwealth.
"Yeah, its a... tough neighborhood- on the north east side of the Fens- People with power there only care about two things- style and body count..." Nora groaned internally at the description, wondering why nothing could ever come easy- But, She was sure that this detective Nick Valentine was her Brightheart, So, her next move was obvious- She had to find him, so that he could help her find her baby. Even if she died trying, she owed it to her husband to find Shaun- or at least, to know she had done all she could to get him back...
"I'll find him- you have my word." Nora promised the secretary, determination rekindled- she had a name, and directions now- and that was more than she had yesterday...Park street station was in Bostons oldest, once most crowded portion- the commons. It used to be a subway station, before Vault Tec bought it out, using it to construct one of their underground facilities- She had seen it often during her trips to the Massachusetts state house, during her short lived, albeit highly successful career as a lawyer after graduating from the university of Massachusetts.
"Thank you!" Ellie exclaimed, looking visibly relieved, as if Nora had just taken the world off of her shoulders. " Nick should be easy to spot- hes always wearing this old fedora and trench coat getup." absently, images of an old holotape show she and Nate used to watch together popped up inside her minds eye, of a suave detective called the Silver Shroud- He would track down criminals, and deliver righteous justice to those who caused others harm, while keeping his identity a secret from the public wearing a black trench coat, silver silk scarf, and fedora getup straight from the 1800's- only, the Silver Shroud usually rescued the woman, not the other way around...
"Dont thank me yet." Nora warned the hopeful woman seriously, knowing full well that the odds werent in her favor-They were never in her favor, it seemed.
"I have to- I would have gone myself to find him, but i...I just cant. I would only get myself killed." She admitted shamefully, looking down at her worn out tennis shoes with a hard expression as she nervously smoothed out the wrinkles on the thin, moth eaten pink skirts of her once highly fashionable dress- the form fitting button down top was sleeveless, and made of a durable dark blue denim material that hugged her waste line before the soft pink cotton woven skirts fanned out, falling loosely around her long, shapely legs, cutting off in tatters just above her kneecaps- Nora admired the well put together outfit absently as Ellie continued to express her gratitude. "So, you see, you offering to help...Not many people would risk themselves like that, for someone they dont know- So thank you."
Sadly, Nora wondered what kind of world she had stepped into, where basic human decency had become so unexpected- Ever since she had escaped the vault, everyone she had met was scraping by to survive, and living in fear- The strong preyed on the weak, and kidnappings went uninvestigated...Someone needed to step up, and do something about it. Suddenly, she remembered Preston Garvey, and her most recently acquired acquaintance, Piper Wright- two people who had expressed a real desire to do just that.
"Whats your name?" Nora asked the other woman curiously, appreciating her tall, slender form and pretty, even features and olive toned skin as she waited for the answer.
"Ellie...Im Nicks secretary." She informed, a blush tinging her high, wide cheekbones as she looked back up at Nora as she prepared to take her leave. The vault dweller gave her a warm smile, grey eyes sparkling beneath her long, thick dark lashes as she reached for the door handle.
"Well Ellie- I'll make sure Nick knows who to thank for sending me his way, when i find him." She promised, pushing open the brightly painted red wood door. Outside, Dogmeat waited patiently for her, sitting quietly in the alleyway waiting with calm, expectant black eyes.
Feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time in weeks, Ellie smiled- and then, just like the detective had before her, the mysterious blue suited woman walked out the door, shutting it quietly behind her as she stepped outside into the glowing pink alleyway.
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"Kyle- im your brother!" Nora heard a man yell up ahead as she returned to the market square. "Put the gun down!"
Near the center of the crowded area, where the remaining diamond city residents had gathered around the centrally located noodle bar as the evening Christmas lights lit the closed market stalls, Diamond city security leapt into action, surrounding two men in the square as one held the other at gunpoint- There was a collective gasp before the gathering quieted, watching in silent horror as the victim raised his hands, begging his brother not to take his life- From within, Nora watched with wide, helpless eyes, pushing her way slowly toward the front of the small gathering to watch the scene unfold.
"Dont move, Synth!" The aggressor ordered angrily, tearing up as he glared balefully at the other man. " What have you done with the real Riley!? Where's my brother!?" Beside her, Dogmeat growled, hackles raising as he tasted the hostility in the atmosphere. Protectively, he hugged her left flank, jowls pulling up menacingly over his sharp, gleaming white teeth.
"I swear, I'm not a Synth!" His brother- Riley- appealed desperately, looking nervously between his brother and the armed security officers closing in around them. "Dont shoot- for God sakes we're Family!"
"Put the gun down, Now!" One of the black padded officers demanded from the sidelines, aiming his own weapon directly at Kyle's head- it was a large caliber revolver pistol, equipped with a custom made silencer for use inside the city, so as not to startle the locals with loud, random gunfire in situations like- well, like this.
"Im telling you- He's a Synth! He'll kill us all!" He insisted hysterically, never taking his eyes off his target as he kept it trained defiantly on his older sibling- The tension in the atmosphere was palpable, and for the span of a few seconds, nobody dared to even breathe- until a single shot pierced the cool night air, penetrating Kyle's skull by the temple and blowing out the side of his face as it exited in a spray of gore that spattered Riley's face as he watched in shocked horror.
"Kyle- No!" He choked, instantly dropping to his knee's in the dirt to catch his brothers now lifeless corpse before it could hit the ground- All at once, the crowd broke out into a buzz of panicked whispers.
"Alright everybody- Shows over!" The officer called out strictly over the rising cacophony. "There are no Synth's in Diamond city, hear me? Just you folks and your damn paranoia!"
At Securities behest, the gathering began to slowly disperse around Nora, until it was just her and Riley remaining in the square as security prepared to clean up the mess and the rest of Diamond cities night life retreated for the safety of their homes, or the comfort of the local bar...
"He...He pulled a gun on me." She heard the grieving man reflect, still in shock. "My own brother..."
"Its okay, your safe now." Another security officer tried to comfort him, while two others bent at either side of Kyle's body to lift him carefully from Riley's arms. "Thats all that matters."
"Im...Im not a synth-I told him. I kept telling him...Why didnt he listen to me?" He asked grievously, watching with a strange expression as they carried his brothers body out of sight- all that was left of the man now was the stained, worn out black Sox hat he had been wearing, laying upside down in the blood soaked dirt surrounding the noodle bar, where the Japanese robot behind the counter continued to polish noodle bowls as if nothing had happened.
Forcing her legs to move, Riley's words seemed to echo in Nora's mind as she made her way robotically back toward Public Occurrences, where she had agreed to meet Piper earlier that evening- when she had first stepped through the rusted front gate of the old ballpark, all she had been able to smell was compost, dirt, and body odor- Now, as she stepped up to the wood pallet porch leading up to the reporters front door, all she could smell was fear.
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"Glad you could drop by- how you holdin' up, Blue?" Piper asked in a friendly manor, inviting Nora inside. As a journalist, she liked to think she was pretty good at reading peoples facial expressions and body language- and to her trained eye, the vault dweller appeared a little worse for wear; her wide, pretty grey eyes held the shadow of fear, and her muscles were tense as she entered the shack, glancing warily back over her shoulder as Piper closed the door behind her.
"Blue?" Nora echoed, still distracted by the scene she had witnessed outside as she allowed Piper to direct her toward a stained, yet comfy sofa placed in the center of the living space, shoved against the thin, layered sheet metal wall.
"Yeah, Cos' of the blue suit your wearing? Your a vault dweller." She exclaimed, causing Nora to look down at her soft, snug blue suit critically- she hadnt realized the suits were so conspicuous- Everyone seemed to recognize them. She made a mental note to find an outfit that was darker, and less recognizable when she could afford it.
" So heres the deal- i want an interview." The journalist demanded, getting straight to the point as Nora relaxed into the sofa, feeling exhaustion set in as she melted against the soft, cotton stuffed cushions. "Your life story in print- i think its time that diamond city had some outside perspective on the commonwealth." She explained, appreciating the unique opportunity Nora presented. "You do that and ill uh, come with you- watch your back while you adjust to the world above ground."
Nora deliberated, eyes narrowing as she studied the other womans expression- Piper was clever, and like other reporters she had known in her life, she had proven herself to be highly capable of manipulating situations to her favor- Was it wise to indulge her? She seemed like a good person to have on her side, but she presented a high risk... people like her, always had an agenda, and more often than not they were willing to use anyone, and say whatever they needed to get the information they desired...
"What kind of interview is this going to be about exactly?" She asked cautiously. Piper looked at her innocently, a blush tinging her cheeks at the suspicion in the newcomers tone- having witnessed her antics in action, she knew Nora was aware of the methods she used to get her way.
"I just wanna ask you who you are, get your opinions on life out there, and maybe load up a few tough questions to keep it interesting- what do ya say?" Nora thought about it for a minute, appreciating the way Piper had diverted her question, giving her an answer without truly revealing anything.
"Alright, im in..." She decided, agreeing if only for the chance to remain on her couch for a little while longer- Besides, who could say no when she was looking at her like that? despite the reporters persistent, standoffish nature, Piper was actually quite attractive, with strong, even bone structure and high, prominent cheekbones that worked with her full, shapely lips and bright green eyes perfectly, making her appear traditionally beautiful- like one of the angel faced pin up girls in the vintage posters Nate used to collect, before they got married...She waited for her answer eagerly, hopeful eyes lighting triumphantly when the vault dweller finally agreed to the interview.
"Great!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together excitedly. " Lets get down to business-So, I know your from a vault... How would you describe your time on the inside?" She asked, grabbing her heavily used leather bound notebook and ink pen off the coffee table between them as she took a seat in the mismatched chair placed diagonally from the couch, sectioning off the living room from Pipers small efficiency kitchenette at the far side of the hut. She read over her notes quickly, before deciding which questions she would ask, formatting them in her head for when she wrote the article later.
"My family and I were frozen- I didnt actually spend much time in the vault..." Nora revealed, deciding to hold nothing back- if she was going to do this, she might as well do it right...She watched the reporters delicately arched brows furrow as she registered the implications- briefly Nora recalled her reluctance to reveal the truth of her situation when speaking with Preston Garvey- most people wouldnt be able to comprehend what she had been through, and would be inclined to doubt her story...Either way, she decided it didnt matter- all she cared about was avenging her Nate's death, and finding Shaun. Beyond that, she didnt care- it was all just details.
"Wait- they boxed you in a fridge? the whole time?" Piper exclaimed incredulously, expressing the doubt Nora had anticipated. "Are you saying you were alive before the war?"
"The war?" Nora asked dryly, raising a full, delicately arched eyebrow. " Which one? humanity has been fighting a war as long as we've existed." She remembered Nate telling her the stories of his families extensive military history- his father, grandfather, and even his great grandfather before him had all enlisted into the military, participating in multiple tours of duty in their lifetimes before eventually retiring as honored veterans of war- generation after generation growing up to fight a never ending war with Asia and the middle east over resources like oil, and opium, and land used to fuel America's expanding need for power, medicine and territory as civilization advanced toward its own inevitable collapse.
While Piper had to agree, she couldnt help but to roll her eyes, gesturing with both hands to the crudely built shack they both currently occupied- it was small and cluttered, with mismatched furniture placed strategically just so, to separate the home into rooms based on function- a wooden step ladder led up to a small loft above them, to allow for space to sleep in the densely compacted space.
"The one that brought us this lovely landscape of demolished buildings and nuclear radiation." She stated, returning Nora's sarcasm easily. "So your telling me you actually saw everything before they blasted it into pieces?"
"Yeah..." Nora stated blandly, chest aching as she thought about her beautiful house, and her perfectly manicured lawn and garden that used to be the envy of the neighborhood. "I'm...I'm over 200 years old." The way she said it, it sounded to Piper as if she couldnt quite believe what she was saying herself- which somehow only made her believe the vault dweller more.
"Oh my god..." She breathed, seeing the headline for her article clear as day inside her minds eye. "The woman out of time...So, you've seen the commonwealth and Diamond city- how does it compare to your old life?" She asked, trying to keep her enthusiasm in check as she sat on the edge of her seat with her notebook at the ready, anticipating her answers with a level of excitement that was borderline inappropriate, considering the current topic of conversation.
"Your all living in rusty shacks and killing each other- and my god, the smell...its really no comparison." Nora admitted honestly, not quite realizing until after the words were already out, how rude they sounded- reflecting briefly on her current state of mind, she felt her attitude could probably benefit greatly from a long, hard nap in a warm, safe, clean bed...
"Okay... well, thats gonna be a tough one to quote..." Piper commented wryly, jotting down her response to the question quickly before moving on to the next line of questioning. "Now, i already know your looking for your son, Shaun- do you suspect the institute could be involved in his kidnapping?"
Nora thought about her answer carefully before she gave it, remembering the ordeal inside vault 111 in startling detail- a little over a week had passed now, since she had crawled out of that Godforsaken hell hole, and since she had arrived in diamond city, all she had heard about was the Institute, and its Synths, and all the strange disappearances surrounding the mysterious organization- and honestly, it was the only solid lead she had...
"I dont know..." Nora admitted, trying not to jump to conclusions and feed into the fear surrounding the illusive Institute, after witnessing how it was affecting the residents of Diamond city.
"No one ever does- thats what makes them so scary..." The reporter reflected thoughtfully, brows furrowing before she heaved a heavy sigh. "-for the last part of our interview I want to do something different- I want you to make a statement to diamond city directly. The threat of kidnapping is all but ignored in the commonwealth. Everyone wants to pretend that it doesnt happen...what would you say to anyone out there who has lost a loved one, but is maybe too scared, or too numb to the world to do anything about it?"
Nora thought about it for a few moments, pondering her own motivation behind her search for Shaun before articulating her honest answer as carefully as possible, hoping her answers had been satisfactory, providing the ambitious reporter with enough material to finish her latest article.
"No matter how much you want to give up, dont. You have to have hope that youll see them again- or at least that youll know the truth." And to be honest, that was all Nora had- All that was keeping her going, when everything she had known and loved had been ripped away from her after it had barely just come together...
Piper regarded the other woman with muted admiration as she considered her words, hearing the passion burning behind them as she jotted them down word for word to quote directly in the paper.
"A strong note to end on, Blue...Thanks." She told the young vault dweller fervently, knowing it must be hard for her to talk about with the limited time she had been allowed to cope with her losses before being forced into the cruel, unforgiving wasteland to learn how to adapt and survive on her own, while stumbling through a world so different from the one she had known before- empathetically, Piper tried to imagine what it would be like to witness the destruction of her home, and to have the only person she cared about stolen from her after somehow managing to survive something so traumatic...
She thought about it long into the night, as she laid comfortably in her warm bed beside Nat, who slept soundly in her cocoon of soft, fuzzy blankets- and as she finally drifted off to sleep, she once again counted herself lucky for all she had been allowed to hold onto in her twenty seven years of life. If there was one thing meeting Nora Stryder had taught her, it was that she should appreciate what she had now- because at any time, it could all be ripped away without a single warning.
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