Walking into Littlehorn & Associates, I'm shocked. Because when I open the unlocked door, there's people sitting at desks, doing random things. Of course it takes me by surprise, because really, I expected something more than this. I guess, I thought it was some sort of mercenary group. Or something like Cain and dad came from. Not a bunch of people typing randomly and doing other seemingly useless tasks. Nobody even looks up at me, as I stand in the dimly-lit shack. In front of me, on the far wall, there's a picture of something. I don't know what it is, but it intrigues me. I stare at it for a while, because nobody even bothers to glance up at me. Enough time is wasted, though, and I remember dad dying in Rivet City. Clearing my throat, I try to get someone's attention. But nobody even cares.
"Excuse me…?"
I say, and only one person looks up a me. A man at his desk to my front left. He looks tired and annoyed. I fold my arms in front of my chest.
"Do you need something?"
He asks, and for a minute I wonder if I've gotten the right place.
"Is this Littehorn?"
I ask him stupidly, and he nods in annoyance.
"What do you need?"
There seems to be no sign of mom. There's a door near the painting, but that's about it. Do I tell this person why I came here? I guess so. I mean, I don't know what else to do.
"My mom. My mom is supposed to be here. Where's my mom?"
The man looks at me like I have six heads at first, but then something clicks in his mind. He stands up, and by instinct I place my hand near my gun. Nobody else bothers to look up from their jobs.
"Let me go get Daniel."
"Daniel? Who's Daniel?"
The man raises an eyebrow at me, a bit unsure if I'm serious.
"Daniel Littlehorn. The man that runs the place. He'd know."
I nod my head, acting like I knew all along what I came here for. But the man isn't convinced. Still it makes me feel a bit better. He goes off, disappearing in the back room near the painting. While he's gone, nobody talks to me. They don't care to, I guess. So I stand there, twiddling my thumbs like an idiot and trying to find something to look at that isn't dust. Eventually, though, the man who spoke to me returns. At first, I'm shocked. I expected Daniel Littlehorn to be some big, badass mercenary or something. Maybe even a bit like dad. But he's not. Just like this place isn't at all what I expected. Did Gob maybe get the wrong information? I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask.
"Hello, I am Daniel Littlehorn. Can I help you with something?"
Daniel says. He's an old man, very old. He walks a bit hunched over, and his face has wrinkles I've never seen before. Usually anyone this old is a ghoul or like mom, and don't show signs of age. He, does though. To live to be his age out here is a miracle. Or, he's highly guarded. Something clicks about that, as I talk to him.
"My name is Dizzy. I was told my mother is here."
"And who might your mother be, child?"
He seems so harmless. Dad told me before I left, though, not to be trusting of anyone. That looks can be very deceiving. On this, I decide to listen to him.
"Dezbe. Dezbe Fossum. I need to know where she is."
His eyes light up. At first with worry, but then slowly, it seems, an idea creeps into his mind. Who is this strange, little man?
"I had no idea, that the lady had a child…"
What? With all of mom and dad's fame, you'd think everyone would know. I mean, how often does a Hero of the Wastes come along and save everyone and have babies? Or, rather, baby.
"She does. I'm her daughter. I need to know where she is."
"Clam yourself, she is here. She is safe. At least, she is out of harms way, I mean. Come into my office, Dizzy. We can discuss the matters at hand."
With no other choice presented to me, I remain calm and follow Daniel. As he leads the way into the back room, he motions towards the painting that hangs.
"Dante and Virgil in hell. A representation of the times, don't you think? Ah, it's from a pre-war book. You wouldn't know of it."
That may be true, but I wonder how he himself knows about it. Only dad or Gob know anything about pre-war. Maybe, dad knows about the book, too? Regardless, I follow him into the room. It's small, an nothing short of an office. Behind me, Daniel closes the door. I watch him as he humbly walks around to his desk, and takes a seat behind it. The desk, like him, has seen better days.
"So you claim to be the daughter of Dezbe?"
"I am her daughter. I need to know where she is, and why you took her."
I want to tell him my father is dying in Rivet City. But if he knows mom, then he knows dad. If he's an enemy, knowing that dad is dying probably isn't the best thing in the world.
"Don't worry, don't worry. As I said, your mother is out of harm's way. But before I tell you anything, you must tell me something."
"What?"
"How did you know she was here?"
I sigh, and look around. There's nothing interesting here. I just want to find mom.
"Citizens in my hometown told me it was you who burned it to the ground, and took my mom, leaving my father for dead."
"Oh, did they? And how did your father come out?"
"He's fine. Waiting for me."
Which is a lie but he knows about dad. If you know about dad, you know he's worse to cross than mom sometimes. Not all the time. But sometimes.
"Hm. So. You came here in search of your mother, while your father waits idly by? That isn't the reputation your parents have, Dizzy. In fact, history shows that your father often chased your mother."
"Not this time."
He nods his head, and twiddles his fingers.
"So it seems."
"Why did you take my mom? Whatever price you have, I'll pay it. I have to get her back."
"Relax, relax, we will get to that. First I must ask if you know anything of the Talon Mercenaries?"
Talons? I think vaguely, mom and dad mentioned them in their story to me.
"They were a group of renegade mercenaries."
Daniel scoffs, and shakes his head. A small smirk creeps across his wrinkled face. I want to kill him, but I know if I do, the hopes of finding where mom is exactly will be against me.
"They were hardly renegades, Dizzy. You see out here in the Wastes, there is an unspoken order. The Regulators, as you must be familiar with, kill the bad. Whilst the Talons, killed the good. Now, without one, the other prevails. With no Talons in the area, the good run free. Too much of one thing can be bad."
"You're not telling me what that has to do with my mom."
"Patience, patience. As you can see I am an old man. I have seen much in my time here, and I had hoped to pass this business down to my son. As you can see, I have not."
"Why?"
I play along, because it's the only way he'll tell me about mom.
"Because you see, Dizzy, my son was murdered. He was the leader of the Talons, your mother once knew him as Commander Jabsco. God, did she hate him. Hate him enough, to kill him. I was too old then, and sterile due to the radiation, to do much of anything. Lucky for me, my son didn't die in vain. He left a babe. A young baby boy to pass his genes onto. For years, I have waited until he was ready. Now that he is, it was not me, who took on kidnapping your mother, but my grandson. An eye for an eye, a parent, for a parent. Oh Eric is such a joy. He'll be taking on the business, soon. But your mother is not who we wanted, no. She was just easier to apprehend. It's your father, we sought after. In hopes of keeping her here, we wanted him to come. It seems, however, he sends you, instead."
This man, this creepy, old, decrepit man, is responsible for my dad being hurt. He's responsible for my mom being missing. And his stupid and idiotic plan is just beginning. A part of me thinks everything is complete bullshit, because we're not the right family to really mess with. While, another part of me, is terrified. Obviously, mom and dad, will do anything for me and Cain. I think, Daniel knows that, because he's staring at me as if he's plotting something. His long fingers stroke his old and pointed chin as he leans in his large chair.
Thinking of Cain's name brings shocks through my body. I hadn't thought of him until just now, and since getting here, my main objective has been finding mom. It still needs to be, but I can't help but worry about him in the back of my mind. Daniel remains silent, dressed in a creepy pre-war black suit. It's old, worn, and definitely seen better days. I know time is running out, and I have to think, and think fast.
"You seem like a business man."
I say, holstering my gun. Daniel looks at me, his eyebrows raising.
"Yes, that I am."
"Then how about we make a deal. A business deal."
"Do, go on."
He intertwines his fingers, and I swallow hard, hoping I'm brave enough to do this.
"You take me. Take me, instead of my mom or dad."
"And why would Eric and I do that?"
"Because you were once a parent. Why kill a person, when you can keep their child? Hit them where it hurts, right? My mom and dad would be destroyed if anything happened to me. It would ruin their lives. If you take me, you'll do a lot more damage to my mom, than you ever would if you took my father."
Daniel thinks of my half-assed plan. He strokes his chin again, and stares off into space. My heart pounds in my chest, and nervous drops of sweat start to form on my forehead. Lifting my arm, I wipe it away, and Daniel looks over at me.
"You arise a strong and interesting point. Let me speak with Eric about this. Oh, and if you leave, my associates will make old news of you, young child."
Daniel gets up and walks past me, out of the small office. I feel trapped. I wonder if mom's ever felt this way. I wonder if there's any other solution. I know I'm not as smart as mom, and not as quick-witted as dad, but I have to have something. Mom and dad are meant to be together. They can't be without one another, and I understand that completely. But…but what about Cain? If he's alive, then…what'll become of him? Mom and dad are strong but…to lose the both of us? For what? At what cost?
No. No I cannot think of that now. Right now, the short-term goal is to get mom out of here. No matter what. From there, I'm going to have to play it by ear, and hope someone gets some sort of happy ending out of it. I can't make myself a nervous wreck and worry in the meantime. The more nervous I get, the more they'll see I'm scared, and then they'll see they can do what they want. But if I pretend to be brave, if I act like I'm strong, then they'll think I'm impossible to break. Even if they do break me, I can't let them know. I have to pretend that all they possibly do has no effect on me. Until now, I never really knew what mom must have felt in the past. What I'm feeling now, must have always been ten times worse for her. I just hope, if both Cain and I lose our lives over this, mom and dad can forgive me.
It feels like hours before I hear two pairs of feet heading towards Daniel's office. Holding my breath, I try to count his paces, and the paces of who I suspect to be Eric. The longer I count, the slower they'll get here. At least, that's what I believe. It just brings me comfort. Daniel arrives eventually. Only, it isn't Eric with him. It's mom. It's my mom, and she looks tired, and is covered in soot.
"Mom!"
I yell, not holding back, and throwing my arms around her. She hugs me back, and I notice, she's unarmed.
"Dizzy…I was so worried about you."
She holds on to me tight, and I feel like a baby again. I feel like I'm clinging to my mother, for the protection mother's are supposed to give to their children.
"I would feel bad, if you two never got to say goodbye."
Daniel says mockingly, and I feel mom pull away from me. My mind screams at her not to, but she does. She gives me a look, as if to ask where Cain is, before turning to Daniel.
"You're in big trouble, old man. This isn't the family to pick feuds with."
Mom has a dangerous undertone to her voice, and Daniel reaches over and takes my weapon.
"I'm the only one armed now, Dezbe. I suggest you take your leave quietly. Your threats will go unheard. Come back with an army, if you wish, but your daughter won't be found. Amazing, how the choices you make in your past, can so drastically affect your future."
To my utter shock and dismay, mom says nothing, and leaves. She leaves, and I call for her. I try to chase her out of the office, but the people who once didn't pay me any mind, are now blocking my way. They wrap their hands around my arms, as I call to my mom, like a pitiful child.
"Mom! Mom! Mom come back!"
But she doesn't listen. She just keeps walking, and slams the door behind her. For the first time in my life, I feel the deepest sense of hopelessness I've ever felt.