Chapter 13: Setting Things Straight
The first thing I did upon entering the barracks was find a room where I could be alone. I found a small room which harbored a single bed, an old refrigerator, and a radio box sitting on a shelf. I made sure to lock the door behind me.
I threw open the fridge, grabbed a beer, and then headed over to the radio. I tuned it to GNR and turned the volume up until the music was blaring out of it. I downed the beer in nearly one gulp. The intoxicating liquid burned the whole way down, but it was a good burn. I grabbed another beer and downed it just as fast as the previous one.
Before I knew it I had downed about six and could feel myself slipping out of consciousness. I slammed down on to the bed face down and the music in the background faded in to one loud buzzing noise before finally going silent.
I suddenly jolted awake and fell out of bed. I let loose a soft grunt as I hit the floor. "Fucking hell, what time is it?" I wondered. I checked my Pip Boy.
Three o' clock am.
I placed a hand on my forehead, it was burning hot. I felt like utter shit, and the blaring music only added to my throbbing headache. I got to my feet and stumbled over to the radio and shut it off.
I opened the door to my room and stumbled out in to the hall. No one else was around, but I didn't mind so much. I used the wall for support as I made my way down the hall. I could feel a warm breeze coming from beneath one of the doors so I figured it led outside.
I exited outside and found myself looking down on a dark and empty courtyard. I was pretty high up, a good seventy feet I'd say.
"Dad…why did you have to die…" I whispered to myself as the wind blew across my face.
I stepped up to the edge and contemplated jumping. If the fall didn't kill me, the various chunks of concrete lined with steel rebar certainly would. What was the point now? My father was dead, the purifier was under Enclave control, and I could care less about what happened next.
I inched closer to the edge. It would be so easy to just let myself fall.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you kid." A familiar voice said at my back.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw the Mysterious Stranger puffing on a cigarette.
"Why not?" I said. My toes were hanging over the edge now.
"Because if you do than you'll be condemning the wasteland to a desolate future." he responded.
"I don't give a shit about the wasteland anymore…" I whispered.
Without warning, the stranger grabbed on to the back of my collar and threw me to the floor.
"So you'd throw your life away and condemn these people all because you lost your daddy? Boo fuckin' hoo!" he growled.
"You bastard!" I shouted and swung at him.
He caught my fist and twisted it behind my back.
"And to think, I was tryin' to protect a selfish little dickhead like you. Maybe I shoulda let those Raider's blow your brains out the first time we met."
He then slammed me in to the wall, "But you know why I saved you? It's because I sensed something in you. I sensed the potential within, buried deep, locked away and just begging to come out."
He kicked the back of my knee, "But maybe it's too late, maybe I should just kill you and rid this world of your selfishness."
I jerked my head back and got him square in the nose. I turned around and expected him to unload a few rounds from his Magnum, but instead he just stood there with a broad smirk on his face.
"Now there's the potential I was talking about."
A tiny drop of blood fell from his nose and he wiped his finger across it. "Hmm, can't remember the last time I saw my own blood." he said gruffly.
"Think it over kid. What would your father think if he saw you like this? He'd be ashamed that's what. He sacrificed himself so that you could live. He saw that same potential in you and knew what I have known all this time. You are humanity's last hope."
I didn't respond, I couldn't. All I could do was look at the ground in shame. The knob of the door behind me turned, and when I looked back up, the stranger was gone.
"Jason, is that you?" I heard Madison's voice ask.
"Yeah, it's me." I replied.
She gently closed the door behind her, and pulled her robe over her exposed silk night gown. "What are you doing out here? I thought I heard you talking to someone?"
I decided to tell her exactly what I had been doing, "I…I was contemplating whether or not I should jump off this balcony."
Madison simply stared blankly at me, and then slapped me across the cheek. She slapped me three more times before finally saying something.
"How dare you! Do you have any idea how ashamed your father would be of you right now! You think you have nothing to live for, well here's some news for you Jason." she trailed off and then turned away from me.
"I'm pregnant." she said softly.
Even though I was still a little drunk I caught what she said the first time around, "You're pregnant? Are you sure?" I asked a bit shocked.
"Yes I'm sure. I found some old pregnancy tests in our medical supplies and I used every single one of them, and they all read positive." she explained.
"When did you find out?" I asked.
"About a day before you returned to Rivet City with James. I tried to tell you back at the memorial but your father cut me off."
We stood there in awkward silence. So, I had gotten her pregnant, and I was going to be a father. Now I had no choice but to stay alive, I couldn't leave Madison to raise our child alone. Hell, I couldn't leave her alone.
I pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. Tears ran down my cheeks, "I'm sorry for being so selfish…can you ever forgive me?" I pleaded.
"I will if you promise to never let yourself become like this again." she whispered in to my chest.
"I promise." I whispered back. I felt a sudden feeling of peace come over me, and I knew right then and there what I had to do.
Don't worry dad, I won't let your sacrifice be in vain. I'll find that G.E.C.K., take down any Enclave soldier that gets in my way, and see yours and mom's dream fulfilled. I swear it!
Madison and I then headed back to my room where we fell asleep in each other's embrace.
Sunlight poured through cracks in the ceiling and landed on my face. I lifted my hand to cover the rays. I opened an eye and blinked a few times before finally sitting up in the bed. Madison was sitting at the table pouring two cups of coffee.
"Good morning." she greeted with a warm smile on her face.
"Morning." I replied.
I slumped out of bed and sat myself down at the table next to the beautiful woman. I gave her a good morning kiss and then took the cup of coffee in my hands.
I wanted to spit it out as soon as it touched my lips. I'm a drinking man, and coffee seems to be alcohol's polar opposite. I resisted the urge and let the bitter tasting liquid run down my throat. It would do me some good to restore much of the energy I had lost in my fit of rage the previous day.
Besides that, my body was still pretty bruised and battered and I had yet to seek the proper medical treatment.
After our drink Madison helped me down to the infirmary. On our way down I felt someone throw their arms around me. I grunted in pain as I realized that it was the woman I had helped at GNR, Sarah Lyons.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Jason, I didn't realize you were in such bad shape!" she said as she loosened her grip on me.
"It's alright." I grunted.
"How have you been since you helped us back at GNR?" she asked.
I shrugged in response, "Been helping out where I can." I replied.
"Did you ever find your father?" she asked, and I cringed a bit.
"He's….he's…d-d-d-." I couldn't say it, no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't say it.
"We lost him." Madison cut in.
"Oh….I'm so sorry Jason. If there's anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask, Remember, I still owe you for GNR." she said unaware of the fact that Madison and I were together.
"I'll keep it in mind." I replied not wanting to sound rude.
She gave me one last hug, "Well, I hope things pick up for you Jason. I've got to go meet my father for a debriefing on our last scouting mission. I'll talk to you later."
As she walked away from us Madison threw me a dirty look.
"What, it's not like she knows about us, and I didn't want to come off as a rude jerk." I said in my defense.
Madison just rolled her eyes and we continued towards the infirmary. It took the medics in the infirmary up until around noon before they completely treated all of my wounds.
A Brotherhood Knight walked in and approached me, "Elder Lyons wishes to speak with you." he said.
"Elder? I thought Sarah was a Sentinel?" I asked, a bit confused.
"What? No, she's Elder Lyons' daughter." he explained.
So Sarah is Owyn's daughter? I can't believe I didn't make the connection sooner.
"What does he want to talk to me about?" I asked.
"Wouldn't say. All he would say is that it's very important and that you come as soon as possible." he answered and then left.
I got out of my bed and grabbed a grey t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans from a nearby closet. I headed down to the A ring where Owyn said he'd be waiting.
As I entered in to the main room my jaw nearly dropped to the floor at what I was seeing. A robot the size of a small skyscraper stood at the center of the room. All sorts of men and women in lab coats and red robes scurried about. Some were working on the robot, others were stationed at data terminals, and some stood around shouting orders.
I spotted Owyn talking with Madison and Sarah in front of the giant robot.
"What the hell is this thing?" I asked in awe as I approached them.
A smile cracked across Owyn's wrinkled face, "Our pride and joy, Liberty Prime." he said proudly.
"How, where did you find this thing?" I asked, still unable to take my gaze off it.
"Liberty Prime was supposed to be used during the war against the Chinese before the bombs dropped. We excavated his parts not too far from here and have been working on him for the past ten years." he explained.
"Wow. Does it work?"
Lyons shook his head, "We've run a few diagnostic tests but he's still not ready for a live combat situation. Maybe a few more months of work and he'll be ready to go."
I cleared my throat and changed the subject, "Sir, one of the knights said you wanted to speak with me about something?"
"Yes. Madison has told me about what happened back at the purifier." He suddenly stopped and then placed a hand on my shoulder, "I'm sorry about your father son, he was a good man."
"Yes, he was. Now, could we continue." I didn't want to talk about my dead father.
"Ahem, yes, of course. Madison informed me that the Enclave has taken over the purifier, but they don't know what to do with it. She told me about this G.E.C.K. that is required for activating the purifier and cleansing the water in the Tidal Basin. I've had my men looking in to the Vault databases and we've narrowed the search down to two possible Vaults that might still hold one." he explained.
"Well, which ones are they?" I asked impatiently.
"Vaults 108 and 87." Lyon said in a serious tone.
"By the way you said them I'm guessing they're not places I want to go."
"I'll let you look at the data yourself. You'll find the terminal in the room behind you." he pointed out.
"Jason, I want you to know that you'll have the full support of the Brotherhood in this. We hate the Enclave just as much as you do." the old man started, but I cut him off.
"No, Lyons, you don't. The Enclave took from me what can never be replaced, and for that, I hate them from the depths of my soul." I said coldly.
"Fair enough, but I mean what I said. Anything you need, it's yours." he stated.
I looked at myself and noticed the lack of weapons and armor. "I could use a few new weapons and a new set of armor." I replied.
"Done. Go see the quartermaster in the B ring and she'll provide you with what you need." he told me.
As I turned to leave Lyons spoke up once again, "Jason, you bring us that G.E.C.K. and we'll make damn sure it gets to that purifier."
I cracked the slightest grin and nodded in response.