Chapter 15

Addie had finished wrapping the gauze around me an hour ago after our "experience". She had waited for me to finish resting before we set off again towards the exit of the Northern Passage and to freedom. She cast quick glances and smiles over her shoulder every few minutes or so. It was almost midnight before we stopped for the rest of the night.

"We have about eight more miles to go after today," Addie sighed looking up from her Pipboy.

I nodded slowly as I began drifting off to sleep. She settled in beside me on my bed roll and snuggled up closely. I rubbed her arm up and down slowly as she nodded off.

The next few days were a blurry haze. We woke up, walked a few miles, slept, and repeat. It was repetitive, but never boring. Addie made sure it wasn't boring. Either silly children's games or our "fun stuff", as she liked to call it, was more than enough to keep a man entertained.

It wasn't until the fifth day in the caves that we saw daylight from the end of the tunnel. Addie had practically sprinted towards the exit when she saw the light. I'd struggled to keep up but only managing to meet half her speed. Her footsteps thumped loudly against the cave floor as she ran to her desert wasteland, me barely keeping up.

"I can't believe we made it, Joshua! The safe house is only about two miles away!" Addie cheered.

It was already noon so we could be there within the next two hours. There was no doubt in my mind that Addie could rid the infection if given the proper equipment, but this was merely a safe house that wasn't guaranteed everything needed. It would most likely just be a few doses of med-x and stimpaks.

As I was jogging to keep up with Addie's energetic sprint, my vision was fading quickly. My legs felt increasingly heavy as each footstep barely passed the other. Addie had been too caught up in getting to the safe house that she didn't see me hit the ground.

My eyes fluttered open and the chipped ceiling of a house greeted me upon my consciousness. My body ached from exertion over the past few days in the tunnels and this was the first time I could actually just lay back and take a moment to recuperate. Small fingers wrapped around my hand and I looked over. It was Addie, smiling and rubbing my arm.

"Hey, you've been out for a few hours." She looked down at our hands. "You scared the shit out of me."

On her shoulder was someone else's hand. My eyes followed up the arm and to the face of whoever had their hands on her. It was a very unfamiliar man. A man with their hand on Addie's shoulder.

The man glared back at me, as if to kill me with only his gaze. The silence was defeating as we stared each other down for what seemed like an hour. The man was definitely of the New California Republic, as he wore a red beret and held himself as a veteran does. His sunglasses couldn't hide his murderous look. Addie must've sensed the tension in the room and coughed to get our attention.

"Joshua, this is... uh, Boone. He was my spotter for a very long time. He saved my ass more times than I can count." She looked up at the angry man. "Boone, this is-"

"I know who he is," his brow twitched at Addie's lighthearted take on the situation.

Addie flinched as his hand tightened around her shoulder. There had been something between them before she came to Zion, that much was clear.

I cleared my throat and offered Boone my hand. "Whatever there was in the past between the NCR and I is long gone. I have not been affiliated with the Legion in quite some time. I am a man of God."

He looked down at my hand as if it was a bear trap. He looked up over his sunglasses back at me. "It would be wise to put your hand down. I dragged your carcass here only because Addie wanted me to. There will be no further interactions between us from here on out."

Boone stormed out of the room and the door to the safe house slammed shut. Addie glanced back at me with a worried demeanor. "I'll be right back Joshua."

She stood up quickly, causing the chair underneath her to fall. She paid no attention to it as she chased after the angry veteran. I was alone in silence for the first time in weeks. Addie had been by my side for the majority of our relationship.

I rested my head back on the pillow behind me and closed my eyes for a moment. We were finally out and I have a chance at survival once more. I sat in my silence and wondered how many chances would God give me.