Allen Marks was singing, and Piper and Nick had mixed feeling about it.
"Row me bully boys/ were in a hurry boys/ we've got a long way to go." Honestly he didn't have that bad of a voice "And we'll sing and we'll dance/ and bid farewell to France," It was really just that his timing could be better. "And It's row me bully boys row" Allen finished drawing out the last few notes.
From his co-pilot's seat in the vertibird cockpit, Paladin Danse turned and called back, "Why are you singing?"
"Force of habit," Allen answered with a shout, "My troop from the war would sing these shanties all the time."
"Welcome back to a cause that matters," Danse congratulated.
"It's feels like home!" Allen responded, the grin evident in his voice. Piper and Nick exchanged nervous glances.
It had been a month since the "Shroud Incident," and in that time Allen had been very busy.
He had spent a great deal of time with the Minutemen, their resurgence was making waves in the Commonwealth, and right at the center had been "General Allen Marks." Even Nick had been impressed. Then, the Brotherhood had arrived.
Piper, Nick, and Preston had all been with Allen when they saw the airship arrive over the horizon. Nobody knew exactly what Allen was going to do next, but they certainly hadn't thought he'd send Preston away and make a mad dash for a Brotherhood outpost. Neither Piper nor Nick had known what Allen would do next. As it turned out, that next step had been to greet the paladin in charge by name and accept an invitation up to the Prydwen.
All things considered, it didn't look good.
"We're docking now," Danse reported shortly thereafter, "Hold onto something"
Not good at all.
"Beneath the Commonwealth, there is a cancer, a malignant growth known as the Institute," Arthur Maxon proclaimed, "It needs to be cut before it can spread to the surface."
Nick wasn't impressed; Maxon was twenty two, maybe three if he was being generous.
"The Institute has created a weapon that transcends the power of the atom bomb. They call it a 'synth,'" Maxon almost retched the word. "An abomination of technology that masquerades as human and pretends to be capable of free will."
Nick kept looking to Piper, just to make sure that this was actually happening. Nick definitely wasn't impressed, but he was scared. He saw how excited the room was getting, how much those present agreed with Maxon. Even Allen, someone he thought he could trust, was getting fired up.
"I am not prepared to let this line of experimentation continue. Therefore, the Institute and their synths, should be dealt with swiftly and harshly – The Brotherhood way. Ad Victorium!" Maxson called.
The room responded, "Ad Victorium!"
Allen was quick to approach Maxon.
"I care about them you know," Maxon assured, softer now, turning to gaze out the window of the command deck, "The people of the Commonwealth."
"I understand that." Allen answered, taking his place by Maxon's side.
"They're playing with fire. They can't be left to their own devices."
"I know."
Maxon declared, "I refuse to allow the mistakes of the past to be repeated."
Allen frowned, bemused. "Out of curiosity, how do you know the Institute is repeating the mistakes of the past?"
"Progress for the sake of progress is abhorrent. The Institute has no goal, no truth, no care in the world save the conversation of their own interests."
Allen nodded thoughtfully.
"What are your orders?" Allen asked, "Sir."
"Get acclimated, when you've caught your baring, meet me at the vertibird deck."
"Yes sir."
"Don't tell me you're buying his bullshit," Nick begged. They had a minute now, still not much time, while Danse was getting his power armor tuned and nobody of note was within earshot.
"Now's not the time, Nick." Allen whispered back.
"Dammit, Blue," Piper hissed, "You're scaring us. This doesn't seem like you."
"We can talk after the job's done."
"Yeah, well what if the job involves a bullet in my head?" Nick demanded "I'm an 'abomination,' remember?"
"I wouldn't let that happen, Nick" Allen assured.
Nick wasn't having it. He scowled, his words sharp. "Why should I believe you?"
Too soon, Danse arrived before Allen could answer the detective. Unhappily, Nick looked away.
"Maxon has summoned us," the Paladin said curtly "Follow me."
"Take a look over there," Maxon ordered, handing Allen a pair of binoculars. Allen stood up a little straighter, his movements a little more robotic, his eyes a little less emotive.
"Fort Strong," Agent Marks observed, "It was a stronghold before the war, specialized in radioactive weapons."
"Heard of it?" Maxon asked.
"Been there," Agent Marks replied with a shrug, "Not a fan. Mini nukes are too brutish and gamma weapons aren't exactly reliable."
"Regardless, Super mutants have set up there," Maxon said. "The thought of such abominations so close to the Prydwen makes me sick. And while we're on the subject, how should I feel about the abomination following you around?"
"If he steps out of line, I'll shoot him." Agent Marks answered, before changing the subject, ignoring Nick's ensuing 'don't talk about me like I'm not here.'
Returning to the matter at hand, Agent Marks offered, "You want me to clear the fort out?"
"Yes."
"What's my budget?"
"What do you need?" Maxon asked.
"Ideally, realistically, or stringently?"
"All three."
"Is this a test?"
"Yes."
Agent Marks thought it over.
"Ideally, I'd need three teams, two in two vertibirds and a ground assault team. I spy a behemoth down there. The vertibirds would keep the ground team clear of the little ones, while the other team approached the behemoth with Nuke Launchers. After we clear the outside, the fort is as simple as remaining cautious and aiming for the Muties with nukes first."
"Stringently?"
"Send me in alone and alert my next of kin."
"You think you could solo the entire fort?" Maxon asked, expertly masking his disbelief.
"It'd be a very long day." Agent Marks shrugged.
"I can give you the two vertibirds, but no ground team, we can't spare that many."
"We might lose a vertibird," Agent Marks warned.
"I trust you."
"Once more into the fray," Agent Marks recited with a sigh.
"So, where's this goddamn line you hold so dear?" Nick sneered.
Nick wasn't overly fond of vertibirds, but just this once he'd thank god that they were in one. It gave him a chance to talk with Allen.
"Seriously, Blue, what's gotten into you?" Piper demanded. They were safe to talk with Danse in the second Vertibird.
"Guys," Allen assured them, "I just told Maxon what he wanted to hear."
Neither of the pair seemed convinced. "Why the Brotherhood, though? Weren't the Minutemen enough?"
"To take down the Institute?" Allen asked incredulously. "A bunch of volunteers with laser muskets aren't going to take down something like the Institute."
"So you're willing to make a deal with a demon to kill the devil?" Nick asked, disbelieving.
"The Brotherhood is worth investigating," Allen defended his earlier point.
"I've done all the investigating I'd care to," Piper declared, "I say we jump ship after Fort Strong."
"We'll regroup with Preston after Strong, I promise." Allen told them.
"I'm going to hold you to that." Nick warned.
"Look at this place," Danse exclaimed, clearly impressed, as he should have been. One fort cleared, zero Brotherhood casualties. "You must hate these mutants as much as I do."
"More," Agent Marks answered. "This was my pleasure."
"Killing takes its toll." Nick finally piped up, unable to hold it back, "I get doing what must be done, but this sounds like genocide."
"If I ever wanted the opinion of an abomination, I'd want my Brothers to kill me before asking for it," Danse snapped with gritted teeth.
"Drop it, both of you." Agent Marks ordered.
"You're taking his side?" Both Nick and Danse asked simultaneously.
"Danse, Nick has earned his place among us." Marks explained. "Nick, with all the lives the super mutants have taken, it's justifiable to be a little excited about thinning the herd."
The two only grumbled.
"Danse," Agent Marks started.
"Yes, Knight?"
"Could you make the report for me, I have a few obligations to take care of."
"Of course, depending on what those obligations are," Danse managed to make a demand without posing the question itself.
"A few jobs, a few friends, a lead or two on my son." Allen explained. Both Piper and Nick were surprised that Danse didn't need further clarification.
"Of course, soldier, and good luck," the paladin said before offering, "Would you like a vertibird escort?"
"No thanks," Allen said, shaking his head, "The walk will be good for me."
"Ad Victorium, Knight.
"Ad Victorium."
"So where are we going, Knight?" Nick asked, sneering at the title.
"The Castle" Allen replied.
"Why? So you can 'take care' of it the Brotherhood way?" Nick said, reaching into his coat to hide his twitching hands.
"No," Allen growled, turning back to face the Prydwen. "I'm going to talk to Preston and figure out the best way to burn the entire goddamn Brotherhood to the ground!" It was a shout, shocking both Piper and Nick.
"I told you to have more faith in him," Piper scolded Nick.
"No, you didn't" Nick argued.
"It's true," Allen joked, "You didn't"
"Well, I thought it." Piper muttered with a frown.
Allen, however, was moving on.
"Thinking is for tacticians and telepaths," he said over his shoulder, "We've got work to do."