Chapter 40: Baby Bomb
I yelped in pain as the effects of the simulation surged through my veins. I felt cold and dark in the pod. My back arched and my jaw clenched as the burning sensation ran up my body. Fingers clawed at the armrests ripped the fabric of the seat. The shackles unlatched and I jumped up from the seat. The glass dome shattered above me, the screen from before flaring static images. I grabbed the edges of the screen and pulled. The wiring sparked and ripped as I yanked the screen out of the foundation and tossed it aside on the ground.
"Charon, calm down! You're safe!" Eleanor's voice broke through my unbridled rage.
I stopped moving and slumped back in the chair, staring at the ceiling. Eleanor's dainty fingers wrapped around the rim of the pod and she pulled herself up. She crawled into my lap and clung to my body tightly.
"I was so worried," she cried. "All the pods started rumbling and the people were seizing up. I didn't know what was wrong... You couldn't hear anything I said and the terminals weren't displaying any vitals."
I ran a shaky hand through her hair. "I'm fine now. That was the worst thing I have had to go through in a while."
We were interrupted by another pod opening and loud coughing. Eleanor perked up and smiled. I helped her down to the ground and she practically skipped to the graying, middle-aged man who seemed delirious.
"Daddy!" Eleanor hopped over the pod and lightly shook him.
"Baby, is that you?" The man whispered. "What are you doing here?"
Eleanor straightened up with a glare. "We run around the wasteland, Charon risks his life to save you from the simulation, and that's how you thank us?" Her voice was low and shaky.
He shook his head. "You could have had a life in there... Why did you leave?"
She growled and jumped back over to the ground. "Because they tried to fucking kill me! That's why I left and now I'm here and you have yet to say anything positive!" She stomped and kicked his pod.
"Sweetie, I am very grateful. Had it not been for you, I never would have gotten out of there." He swung his legs over the pod and fell to the ground in a mess. "I see you've gotten a new hairdo... It suits you well."
Eleanor blushed and pushed her hair back, but returned to her angry glares.
"Muscular dystrophy is expected in cases of subjects remaining motionless for extended periods of time." I said matter-of-factly.
He stared up in surprise. "Were you the little boy?"
"Were you the mutt?" I crossed my arms.
Eleanor's eyes shifted between the two of us quickly. "Am I missing something?"
"Yes." He and I said at once without looking away from each other.
"O...kay." Eleanor was definitely confused.
The situation would be almost humorous if it wasn't for her asshole dad still not saying anything positive, like Eleanor had pointed out. The man jumped when my hand shot out and lifted him by the arm.
"I suppose you are Charon. I saw you take the woman's cookies." His hand shot out to me.
I shook it and nodded. "They tasted like nothing."
He nodded back. "I can imagine. I'm James Whick, Eleanor's father."
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I have heard much about you." I let his hand drop to his side limply.
Dogmeat sniffed at his boots and Eleanor couldn't stop him before he hiked his leg. Eleanor yelped and yanked the dog away. James barked at the whining dog involuntarily. Eleanor's eyes widened at her father's behavior and I couldn't hide the deep chuckle that escaped me.
James coughed as his face reddened. "Please excuse my embarrassing behavior. Force of habit."
Eleanor's smile faded again. "What the hell happened in those pods?"
James sighed. "A lot of shit, excuse my language. Braun ruled with an iron fist in that world. He was disguised as a small girl named Betty. It was very unsettling, his infatuation with her was terribly unhealthy and borderline pedophilia. Anyway, he programmed me as a dog and Charon a boy. He had some nice light up sneakers."
She looked at me with a poorly hidden grin. "Is that true?"
I nodded. "Everything was in black and white and it looked like an old television show. People there looked too perfect and every time they were upset, their faces flashed to static and reset to a painful looking smile. Although, I will miss those shoes."
"Jesus, that sounds like a nightmare."
James glared at her and she apologized. I set him back down on the ground instead of leaving him hanging in the air.
"Enough of Braun, I need to get back to the Jefferson Memorial."
Eleanor gave him her "are you serious" looks I had gotten on several occasions. "Dad, you can't even move and I just got you back. What am I supposed to do? Say goodbye and go home to Megaton?"
He shook his head slowly. "I was hoping you could help with the Project."
She scoffed. "And what, live happily ever after as a scientist and forget about my own life? Do you know how much it hurt knowing that you chose this project over me?"
"Eleanor, you need to understand that I stopped the project entirely so I could find a safe place for you to live. When I left the vault, you were old enough to be on your own. These people need me out here, you don't need me. Don't you want your children to have fresh water?"
Eleanor's eyes widened again as she looked down at her belly. It wasn't obvious she was pregnant. "How did you know?"
James stared. "How did I know... what?"
Her mouth thinned in a straight thin line.
"Eleanor, how did I know what? Please don't tell me you're-"
I stepped in between them. "Eleanor, it is okay." I glared down at James. "She has gone through a lot since she has been out here."
His eyes softened at that and he nodded to me. "I see."
I looked back to see Eleanor's face in her hands and her shoulders shaking. She was crying again. "I'm so sorry, Daddy. I didn't mean to get pregnant."
"Come see, baby." He opened his arms and she rushed into his embrace.
"I'm sorry." She cried into his chest.
"Don't be, baby. I see you have started your life out here and who am I to judge when you weren't exactly planned either?" He chuckled.
She smiled and wiped her face with a small laugh. "You aren't mad?"
He smiled back. "Why would I be mad that I'm going to be a grandfather?"
"I didn't know if you would be mad since I'm still only 19."
He wiped her cheeks with his sleeve. "I just thought you would be happy with Butch. It is Butch's, right?"
I could sense Eleanor's discomfort and stepped in to save her the stress and embarrassment. "It's mine, Mr. Whick," I muttered.
His eyes shifted to me. He knew that was a lie. "So you two are... involved?"
I nodded and lifted him back off the ground. If we were leaving for the memorial, we might as well do it soon. I threw his arm over my shoulders and led us up the stairs. Eleanor stayed behind to pick up her things. James leaned in close so only I could hear him.
"You and I both know that child is not yours. I would really appreciate if you didn't lie to me. Now, tell me. Who is the father?"
I thought about ignoring him, but thought better of it. "Burke."
He shook his head solemnly. "I really thought better of her."
I dropped him to the ground and it was my turn to lean in. "Like I said, she has been through a lot since she has been out here. I'm the reason she's even still alive. I'm not telling you all her business, but I put a stop to her self-destructive behavior."
His eyes were hard as they bore through mine. He was silent for a moment. "Thank you, Charon. And not just for Braun. I mean for keeping her safe. It was all I have ever wanted for her."
I was taken back by his words. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying 'welcome to the family." He smiled.