Kaori was on edge, I could tell even from behind. She was rigid as she stood in front of the door to the purifier.
"The person in charge is to step forward immediately, and turn over all materials related to this project." The man talking to Kaori and Mike's father was not particularly large or intimidating, but he held a certain air about him that told me he felt he was the strongest and most important person in the room.
James spoke now, after not even a moment of thought. "That's quite impossible. This is a private project; the Enclave has no authority here. I'm going to have to ask you to leave at once."
The Enclave... I knew very little about them, despite my age. I knew they had an outpost up north, and had more advanced technology than even the Brotherhood, but that was the extent of my knowledge. I'd been under contract for far too long to have collected much more than that.
I looked at Kaori again. Standing a few feet behind her, I couldn't see her expression, but she was fiddling with the door, trying to get it open. Mike stood close to her, as if trying to calm her down. He bore a rigid pose similar to her own, though, and his hands were just as ready to yank the door open as hers were.
"Am I to assume, sir, that you are in charge?" That voice... I wanted to paint the wall with his brains just from hearing it. He was getting in the way of James' work, and by extension, in the way of my employer. I bit down on the side of my cheek and crossed my arms, wishing this glass door was thin enough to shatter with a bullet.
"Yes, I'm responsible for this project." James looked serious and unhindered by the fact that he had plasma rifles pointed right at him.
The man still stood with hands behind his back, pompously spewing out every word with careful, enunciated precision that screamed for appraisal from some unpresent higher-up. "Then I repeat, sir, that you are hereby instructed to immediately hand over all materials related to the purifier."
"I'm sorry, but that's-"
"Furthermore, you are to assist Enclave scientists in assuming control of the administration and operation of this facility at once."
"Is this guy nuts?!" Kaori yelled, her temper flaring. She turned to me, and then looked at Mike from the corner of her eye, "Why would he just give up everything he and our mom worked for? I'd kill him if his boyfriends over there weren't covering his ass." Seeming to be forgetting that she would probably end up unable to shoot in the end, she kicked at the glass door before her and continued, "And let's not forget this door being in the way."
"Keep your anger in check," Mike said, shaking his head.
Dr. Li nodded, as if to agree, her brow furrowed, but kept her eyes focused on James. I firmly believed that this woman held a grudge against the two of them for keeping James from being here years ago.
James began to speak once again, "Colonel... Is it Colonel? I'm sorry, but the facility is not operational. It never has been. I'm afraid you're wasting your time here."
"Sir, this is the last time I am going to repeat myself. Stand down at once, and turn over control of this facility."
"Colonel, I assure you that this facility will not function. We have never been able to successfully replicate test results..."
The Colonel drew his gun and shot the assistant who'd accompanied James into the purifier in one swift motion. She screamed as she fell, her blood beginning to pool around her quickly. It was a fatal shot.
Everyone, including myself, let out a gasp as things took a turn for the violent.
At this point, I began to play out what would happen if I'd gotten inside and shoved the barrel of my shotgun in the Colonel's mouth. In the end, my lack of power armor would be my downfall, and I'd likely just put Kaori in danger. What I wouldn't do right now to stop this hindrance from being in her way, though...
I pulled her away from the door and held her tightly against my waist. She viciously strugged in my grip, but couldn't break it. Mike nodded his head in approval at me and turned his attention back to the scene before us.
"I suggest you comply immediately, sir, in order to prevent any more incidents. Are we clear?"
There was an edge of irritation in James' voice as he cast a look toward his children, then replied to the Colonel. "Yes, Colonel. I'll do whatever you want; there's no need for more violence."
"Then you will immediately hand over all materials related to this project, and aid us in making it operational at once." An automatic response. He was used to saying it by now.
"Very well. Give me a few moments to bring the system online." James turned to the control panel behind him and began to press buttons and turn dials.
"Enough of these delays." The Colonel was irritated now. I gripped Kaori tighter as she fought me more fiercely.
"It'll only be a few more moments." James sounded quite sure of himself now, his back turned to the Colonel.
An explosion sounded, and I heard the Geiger Counters on two Pip-Boys begin to tick. That was no ordinary explosion. The Colonel and his soldiers fell began twitching and squirming, groaning in pain as they fell to the ground, dying.
James struggled to stumble over to the door, clearly in pain as his feet dragged along the floor. He made eye contact with his children for one last time, pressing his palms against the glass weakly. "Run... Run!"
My arms limply fell to my sides.
Kaori ran to the glass and began pounding on it with both her fists. She screamed louder than I could imagine she was capable of, then shrieked, "I won't leave without you!" She pounded at the glass for several seconds before the tears began to pour down her cheeks.
James fell to the ground, his body limp and lifeless.
Mike tried to pull Kaori from the glass, and she bit his arm, screaming, "NO!" He flinched at the bite and freed her, and she clawed at the glass, ripping her fingernails in the process and leaving bloody trails behind. I leaned over and pulled her to her feet as she fought me with all her might. Using all the strength I had, I hauled her over my shoulder and gripped her by the waist and legs.
Mike had accepted the fact that his father wanted them out of there rather quickly and knew the time to mourn was later, but it seemed Kaori would need to be carried out of here.
She suddenly stopped fighting and hung there over my shoulders like a ragdoll. I wouldn't take the risk of putting her down now, for fear that she wouldn't leave, so I held her even tighter.
Dr. Li turned to us. "James... He's gone... We have to get out of here. They'll be coming for us next. We've got to evacuate now!"
Mike talked to Dr. Li... I barely paid attention. I was much more focused on Kaori's state of mind right now. It seemed like she was in shock. I followed Mike and Dr. Li as they lead the way out of here.
-
Mike had handled every Enclave soldier in our path beautifully. In fact I felt I couldn't have done a better job myself. That Morgan had taught him well. I hadn't even had to fire a single shot; not that I could have with Kaori hanging over my shoulders. Keeping her safe was the main priority, and I'd managed to take every bullet that she'd have taken otherwise.
When we got here, I sat her down in the first chair I could find. I'd been trying for hours now to get her to respond, and all I'd gotten out of her was a blank stare.
"Kaori," I said her name for the millionth time, trying to get her attention.
Her eyes rolled upward toward mine, the once-brilliant green now looking muddy and haunted, "That's not my name."
I tilted my head to the side and held in a grin, as she'd finally replied, even if it was with something so confusing. "What do you mean?"
"My name is Catie." She pulled out my contract out of her leather top and looked me right in the eyes. "I don't want this anymore."
She opened up the folded paper and crushed my existence beneath her foot as she tore it in half.