A/N: Top of the morning! This chapter isn't much of a surprise, it's one that's been a long time coming. We're back with Damon. I didn't push this chapter back two weeks because I wanted to make it more… rewarding, I really did do it because the story felt like it needed time to develop. That being said, it was actually a little odd to go back to writing from Damon's perspective. That's all behind us though, these next few chapters I wrote with a very different intent in mind, but that will make itself clear as you read. Anyway, that's enough talking, leave a review if you're so inclined and, as always, enjoy!

Chapter 42: Disruptions, The Good Kind

Looking Nate in the eyes again was harder than I thought it would be. Looking Nate in the eyes and not gouging them out was even more difficult. Refraining from putting a round through his head the first time his little band of Synths passed by the alcove I'd been using as cover nigh on painful.

But I've got a plan, and I'll be damned if I've spent the last month sneaking around this bombed-out corpse of a city to waste it because of that bastard.

"I was killing people."

The smaller man's face was already pale, but even in the dim light of the collapsing hall, I could see him tense again.

"Believe me, I got that", he said after clearing his throat, voice trembling, "but that doesn't answer the question. Why did you attack us? Why did you attack the Brotherhood?"

I blinked. Maybe Nate was in shock, but the answer to those questions seemed pretty goddamn obvious.

Even so. "Just because I haven't killed you yet doesn't mean I'm discussing my plans."

"Fair", he replied, nodding slowly, "but you haven't been…" The ex-soldier frowned as if a thought just occurred to him. "You haven't attacked the Institute to this point. Were you waiting until I was out here?"

Well… he was half right on that one. His presence wasn't essential to what I intended to do here, but it did make my plans a little easier. Nate didn't need to know that though. The only things he needs to know right now is I'm alive, and his life is in my hands.

And I'd be lying if I said those hands weren't very close to finishing what they started a month ago.

"What did I just say?"

A hint of his more usual frustration peeked through the wide-eyed fear on his face as he grunted. "Well- why are you here then? Why are you talking to me? Why am I alive?"

You're alive because lucky for you, you're the best person to do what I need. If-

Motion behind the ex-soldier caught my attention. It was his last squadmate slowly backing down the hall. My legs coiled, ready to drive themselves into the ground. She wasn't necessary to keep alive. The only reason I had to this point was… I don't know. She wasn't a threat, but other than that, I didn't have a reason. If she tried to run, that would disappear very quickly.

"Stop!", Nate shouted just before I sprung forward, panic tinging the edge of his voice. At the very least he knew her chances of survival were marginal at best.

The young woman froze mid-step, massive eyes fixed on me, terror pulling every muscle in her body taut. I could almost smell the sickly sweet stench of adrenaline-ladened sweat pouring from her. She wasn't someone I recognized from my brief stay with the Institute, which means this is most likely the first time she's seen me. She was probably wondering if it was the last thing she'd see too.

That was still up for debate.

"I don't know what your game plan is", Nate said, trying his best to keep his tone measured and calm. The hoarse, almost trembling voice said he was failing. "And you're right, you don't have any reason to tell me, but what are you doing right now?" He cleared his throat. "Are you going to let us leave?"

Same shit different day. Not only was he trying to take my attention off his squadmate, but he was also tying her survival to his. Even now the mfer was trying to regain control of the situation.

"I haven't decided yet."

I watched the ex-soldier's Adam's Apple bob as he swallowed, hard. He was still wondering if he'd live past the next few minutes. Good.

"You don't have any reason to believe me, but if you want the Institute to change, I need to get back there." Nate was on the verge of pleading. Change the Institute? Right, like that's going to happen. I haven't seen anything to suggest he's trying to do that.

Despite that though, I cocked my head at him, interested in hearing a little more. He was probably lying, saying anything he could to survive, but how far would he take it?

"Li is the one who has been helping Synths escape. Before… before the ambush, she was trying to recruit you. After… I realized what I did, I decided to figure out why Shaun wanted you dead, which led me to her. Now I'm working with her and her people." He motioned to his teammate. "Jess is one of them."

That- that made sense. She'd come to me about Brian, but she wanted more than that. If someone was helping the Synths escape, and there would have to be, it would stand to reason that person would be someone higher up in the food chain. Li was an outsider, looking for an outsider's help. On top of that, considering her history with Project Purity, she fit the bill.

Letting the ex-soldier know I was considering what he said wouldn't do him any good. He should be afraid right now. Even though he needs to tell the Institute I'm still alive, he doesn't need all of his limbs intact or attached, to do that. Hell, he doesn't need to survive more than the time it takes to let them know. The only thing keeping him from more severe injuries than whatever damage lay beneath his broken armor was the small voice in the back of my head, telling me it wasn't the right thing to do.

It was always an easy enough voice to ignore.

I pointed at Jess. "Personalizing her doesn't change anything. Leaving you two alive-"

"Is a risk", Nate interrupted. "I did spend almost two months straight with you. That hasn't changed."

My jaw clenched and my hands balled themselves into fists. Yeah. You spent two months with me. You spent almost that much time with the kids and you still put them in danger and tried to kill me. I had to stop myself from stepping forward. I don't know what would happen if I did.

I didn't think anything he could say would change my mind about what I had to do, but the fucker sure was trying.

"And you still tried to kill me."

Nate winced as if I'd hit him. That was odd. Throughout this… conversation, he's seemed surprised I'm still alive, but… even with the obvious tension in his shoulders and the fear in his eyes, he almost seemed relieved. If I didn't know better I'd think he hadn't known the Institute was going to ambush me. Hell, I'd been half dazed at the time and, after it happened, the attack didn't surprise me.

He cleared his throat again. "You're right I tried to rationalize it at first as Shaun taking advantage of me, using me to take you out of the picture, but that's a lie. I let myself fall for it."

What? He's trying to tell me he didn't know? I'm better at shooting people than reading them, but that seemed like bullshit to me.

"You didn't know? That doesn't make you innocent, it just makes you stupid."

The ex-soldier shrugged. "Again, I can't disagree."

… Dammit. It's times like these I wish I was as adept at reading people as the smaller man. He looked like he was about to shit himself, but even so, he was maintaining some control over the situation just because of that

"Damon, I'd like to talk with you for a few minutes, you can keep me as your hostage until you're satisfied", the ex-soldier motioned at Jess, "but please let her go."

Let her go? I couldn't tell what his play was. Maybe he did just want to keep her alive, I'd killed that other man who, only wearing a chest plate, didn't seem to be a Synth. Was he afraid of losing his entire squad? That would make sense.

I couldn't put a backstab past him though. Even now, when he was a split second from death, the guy's smart. I don't need to offer him another opening.

"Reinforcements would do about as well as your last forces."

"Believe me, I know." Nate shook his head. "I just- you deserve the truth, but I won't put someone under my command at risk."

A little late for that. I scoffed. "You think anything you say can change whether I kill you or not?"

"I…" Nate trailed off, a tremble at the edge of his voice again. "No- I guess but…" He smirked as he broke eye contact and dropped his gaze to the concrete floor. "Maybe I don't know how to learn."

At least he was smart enough to figure that one out.

There was a part of me that still wanted to take revenge for what the ex-soldier did, but I knew that part of me was wrong. What he said did open an interesting possibility; if he was telling the truth, and they were cooperating with Li, leaving them alive could give me leverage.

Yeah. Leverage.

"Against my better judgment, I'm not going to kill you."

Nate met my gaze again, eyebrow cocked. "Better judgment?"

"You're the only ones who still know I'm alive."

Something crossed his face, but I couldn't tell what it was. Maybe confusion?

"I… appreciate that- Damon, I won't say 'I'm sorry', you don't need to hear that from me, but things haven't changed. I lost it after finding Shaun, after finding out what was happening. That isn't an excuse though. If you're interested, I still want to help you get back to your universe. The Institute needs to change for that to happen though."

"The Institute needs to change for that to happen though." That was an… interesting way of phrasing that. If he and Li were already working on it, and he already told me that, there was only one reason he'd put it that way.

"Help", I said. "You want my help."

"Of course I want your help. That doesn't mean you should give it to me, or I have the right to ask for it, but I think you know I'd want it." Nate shrugged.

Despite myself, I felt a small smile slip across my face. He's standing here, just learning I'm going to let him live, and he has the audacity to ask for my help.

I huffed. "You have a lot of balls."

The smaller man shook his head. "No, just not many options. Not many people I trust."

Not many people you trust? Isn't that rich?

"Your trust isn't the issue."

Nate's brow furrowed and he nodded. "And I wouldn't ask for yours, I'm not that stupid. All I want is to do the right thing."

"All I want is to do the right thing." Was that another attempt at manipulation? Did he mean that? How could I trust it; the last time he was in a position to make the 'right' decision, he stabbed me in the back. How am I supposed to know if trying to change the Institute, a place that kidnaps innocent people to perform gruesome experiments purely for the fact they view others as 'lesser than', is the right thing?

If I take that stance for the Institute, what does that mean for ONI?

I almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation. For as much shit as the Office of Naval Intelligence got up to, that is one of the few things they aren't guilty of.

The ex-soldier was still staring up at me, expectantly.

"If you're asking for my help, you're asking me to trust you're going to do the right thing. That almost got me killed", I replied, cocking my head.

Nate winced. "I- it isn't my plan."

The way he said that, the palpable relief in his voice, it almost sounded like he was glad it wasn't.

"Li."

He nodded.

"She isn't the one asking for my help."

"No, but she would. I don't know anyone who wouldn't", the smaller man said, shrugging.

I do. "Your son."

Nate winced again. "Fair."

He wants my help to change the Institute. He's asking for my help the first time we meet again after he almost gets me killed. The argument shortly after the Brotherhood attack came to mind.

"You want my help to change the Institute." Nate nodded. "Do you remember what I told you?"

The infantryman nodded again. "It isn't going to change. So, what, you're just going to blow it up? Destroy everything they've made that, in the right hands, could save people?"

Yeah, and in the right hands, the Covenant's technology could have helped Humanity. "And whose hands would those be? Most people think they're the right ones to handle dangerous technology, but look at what happens."

"I don't know yet, but we both know the hands it's currently in are the wrong ones."

My eyes narrowed. He wants to oust his son? After everything that's happened?

"You're telling me you want to remove Shaun."

The ex-soldier nodded sharply. "Yes. This is a chance to fix things, to make a real difference. I spent 20 years in the military without changing a goddamn thing."

Make a difference huh? Again, I couldn't tell if that was him trying to lead the conversation, or if he was being sincere. The question wasn't whether he was telling the truth about wanting to make a difference or not, it's about what difference he wants to make.

I glanced at 'Jess' who was still cowering behind the ex-soldier. He was trying to save her, but that didn't mean anything. Either way, he's more useful to me alive than another corpse; there are already plenty of those around.

And on the off chance, he's telling the truth…

"Your opsec still sucks, and tracking you is easy. If you were fighting any real army, you'd have lost by now. The Brotherhood has figured out how to intercept your comms, encrypt them. I assume you already know they can trace Relay signals which is why you've begun moving in smaller groups. You'll need to do more." My eyes locked back onto Nate. "I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, but don't mistake my intent; the only reason I am is because I've got other plans in place."

Stepping forward, I placed myself directly in front of the smaller man. "If I find you attacked anyone but the Brotherhood", I said, lowering my voice, "I will burn your goddamn world down. Don't test who's better at fighting dirty. And if I see you again, you die first." He looked at Jess. "Either of you."

I didn't wait for a response. I'd said what I needed to say, now it's up to them whether they want to play by the rules I've set or not.

If I'm being honest with myself, I sort of hope they don't.

As I turned to leave, I could almost hear their hearts pounding from their chests. This 'plan' is… certainly strange. Purposely leaving people alive with the intent of giving away an advantage I'd normally dream of. After a few dozen operations, my exploits started making the rounds. People started preparing for me. For the last month, I've been able to operate with near impunity, and I'm giving that up.

It's for a reason.

Keeping other people in the immediate area safe isn't something I'm used to doing. Not on these sorts of operations. Giving up leverage to do so felt… wrong.

The journey back to the fourth floor was short, but it took long enough I reconsidered my decision to leave Nate and his teammate alive a dozen times.

No… the Institute needs to get the message the Railroad and Sanctuary are off-limits. Especially now they know I'm alive.

I can fix that.

The two of them could be gone by now. Stick to the plan, don't let emotions get in the way.

Emotions. Right. That isn't what's stopping me from killing them.

Swinging the door to the fourth-floor open, I slipped into the hall and toward the southeast corner of the building. The Synth, Andrew apparently, was still hidden, bound and gagged, behind a small mound of rubble I'd piled in front of a supply closet. His eyes were wide as dinner plates, staring at me once I cleared the collection of plaster, sheetrock, and concrete away.

The Synth's brown hair was matted to his head with sweat and his chest was heaving up and down so rapidly I had to wonder if he was hyperventilating. I'd tied the gag tight enough it was difficult for him to do anything besides let out a strangled groan. That was good, because just like when I found him wandering the destroyed streets, I didn't have time, or the desire, to get his cooperation.

I lifted him off the ground and slung him over my left shoulder. The man struggled to free himself but ended up bouncing his knee off my chest plate. From the subdued whimper, I'd guess that didn't feel great.

There was no time to worry about my passenger's comfort though, with the jammer's battery running low, and the two survivors teleporting back to the Institute, I'm on the clock. That Vertibird will probably get curious soon enough too, and I don't need the Brotherhood on my ass while I'm getting to the hideout.

With Andrew still writhing on my shoulder, I picked my way out of the alcove and headed for the service stairs. 30 seconds later I made it back to the roof, soaking in the late morning sun. The west side of the building was my target. With the tower there mostly collapsed, the uppermost floor was about a meter below the hospital's roof.

Clock ticking away in my head, I sprinted for the building's edge. It's possible I should have been a little more careful, I felt Andrew's head bounce off my back, but that's something I could worry about another time.

After one last stride, I lunged forward, launching myself across the five-meter gap toward the ruined structure. As I landed, I absorbed the shock the best I could without rolling, hoping to keep the jostling to a minimum, and continued pounding through the destroyed building. Now the game was space. I need to put as much space between me and that killing field as possible before anyone else gets brave enough to investigate it.

40 seconds of scrambling over and around piles of collapsed concrete, and destroyed furniture, a few leaps across large holes in the floor and staircase later, I was on the street. Most of the buildings in the area, like the one I'd just used as a jungle gym, were destroyed. Very few of them stood more than 8 stories, and the streets were piled high with debris. Hell, a couple of the structures had collapsed across it, colliding with other towers. It would make large troop movements difficult, which was perfect for me.

I slipped out of the building and headed west down what was left of the sidewalk. I was as careful as I could be to avoid rubble, gravel, loose concrete, and broken glass, but it was damn near impossible with how much of it was on the walkway. The Synth on my shoulder seemed to have lost his fight or was possibly concussed because he wasn't struggling anymore which was nice.

Inevitably, my thoughts drifted back to the ambush. Normally, it would be how I could perform better: how I could have taken more of them out during the initial volley of gunfire, how I should have prioritized the Coursers, and how I could have wounded Nate to keep them from running. Those ideas did make themselves known, but my mind was much more occupied by the conversation with the ex-soldier, the possibility that something had changed in the month since the ambush.

Could he have had a change of heart that quickly? Would he depose his son? Those were hard things to believe, especially considering how good the guy is at acting. My mind drew me back to the Railroad ambush, how he interacted with the people there so casually, knowing we were there to kill them. If he can do that, there's no way I can trust him now.

What about Li?

What about her?

Gunfire sounded in the distance to the south of me, somewhere. It didn't matter how many times that happened, or how many times I told myself I wasn't involved, that was always disconcerting.

As I reached an especially open four-way intersection with little by way of debris to cover a cross, I paused to scan the surrounding buildings. There were plenty of vantage points an ambushing force could engage from. Too many to clear.

This was the path I'd used on my way to the hospital, but I didn't have a vulnerable tag along with me then. I backtracked half a block and circumvented the intersection using a few alleys that involved climbing over mounds of rubble and squeezing through gaps that were probably too narrow for my passenger.

How do I trust Li either? She's Institute, hell, she was Brotherhood before that.

She chose to trust me, to a degree. What's the harm in seeing if she has an executable plan to change things?

They try to kill me again.

That's true, but the alternative is to go after and kill them.

Which is what I'm planning to do, so wouldn't making contact with Li and whoever she's working with be the alternative?

Depends on what I'm trying to do.

Hmmm.

My internal conversation fell silent as I continued through the broken city. Within 10 minutes, the largely destroyed towers blended into apartment blocks and townhouses before finally giving way to the suburbs. Beyond was the relatively sparsely populated wilderness.

Just before I began through the houses, something- a quiet skittering- caught my attention. Except, experience told me, that wasn't skittering.

I paused next to a corner store, or what had been a corner store a few hundred years ago, and listened. It wasn't skittering. The sound was footsteps, all overlapping one another, maybe two dozen meters away on the opposite side of the row of houses to my north. That meant whoever was making them was closely grouped. It wasn't the metallic thuds made by the Brotherhood's clunky power armor. The only other groups who might be walking down a street out here are Raiders and Supermutants.

Both possibilities were enticing, but the second one- I almost hoped it was the second one. To hell with that, I did hope it was the second one. This would be my fourth group this week, and the more of those mutated, green-skinned bastards I took out the better.

Besides, that was the direction I needed to go.

While it may not have been the tactically sound decision, I stole from the shadow of the storefront and crossed to the north side of the street. The shuffling footsteps were growing louder. There were enough of them, I couldn't tell how many I was facing. The more I listened though, the more certain I became they were Supermutants. The sound of the footsteps, heavy, but not as sharp, was wrong for combat boots worn by Raiders.

If I'm going to do this, I can't have Andrew riding on my shoulder.

The group was heading my way, so I need to make this quick. I scanned the houses on the north side of the street. Most of them were more rubble than houses at this point, but the house two lots west of me was relatively intact.

Slipping over to my chosen destination, I crept inside, careful to avoid-

"RAAAAAAH", I heard one of the Supermutants roar before a cascade of reports filled the air.

Even though they were still probably a dozen meters and at least one house away from me, I pulled the Synth off my shoulder and shielded him from the potential threat.

Nothing came through the walls.

The gunfire roared in the early afternoon air with shouts interspersed between booming reports. There was no return fire though.

What the hell is going on?

A minute after it started, the barrage faded away, leaving the suburbs eerily quiet.

"Stupid ghouls", a Supermutant growled. "Think they can beat Supermutants. Supermutants strong!"

"Supermutants strong!" a discordant chorus of nasally voices echoed.

It took another moment before the footsteps started up again, but once they did, I realized how dumb this idea was. While the Supermutants, with more frequency, roaming the city posed a new threat, I couldn't forget about the Feral Ghouls still hanging around. I've had to deal with my fair share while moving through the city over the past few weeks. They aren't a major problem, but leaving Andrew alone, bound and gagged while I went off to fight some Supermutants I didn't need to was childish animosity.

Their footsteps drew adjacent to the house and then continued past it.

Even if I knew it was a dumb idea, my body still wanted to do it, to butcher those cannibalistic motherfuckers, to make them pay for what they did to the kids' family. To make sure they couldn't do it to anyone else.

That isn't the mission. I'll have plenty of opportunities to do that later, for now, I need to focus on what I'm doing.

I looked down at Andrew who I was still crouched over. He looked a little dazed, but alert enough. If anything, he seemed confused about what just happened. When he returned my gaze, his eyes narrowed. He wasn't happy with me, but that sounded like his problem. The Synth hadn't had anything to eat or drink since I captured him early this morning, but we were only 15 minutes or so from the hideout. He could wait.

Picking him back up, I set the escapee back on my left shoulder. After doing a thorough inspection of the exit, I left the house and headed north.

The site of the small battle was… well it wasn't unexpected. There were dozens of bloody patches pooling on the broken asphalt, but maybe half as many bodies to accompany them. Those Supermutants had probably taken the rest.

… If I can say anything, maybe that means they won't have a reason to prey on a settlement around here somewhere for a few days.

Wishful thinking.

As much as I knew what I needed to do, the thought of the West Everett Estates almost saw me turning on my heels and going back to deal with the motley group. The dozens of bodies piled up, waiting to be eaten or discarded like trash was- it brought back memories that were still too painful to think about at times.

Stay on track. Do the right thing.

Wouldn't the right thing be to kill those bastards?

I didn't have an answer, but standing around in the middle of the street like a dumbass wasn't going to provide me one. I need to keep moving.

After one more examination of the impromptu slaughter to make sure the ghouls had been properly dealt with, I continued north. This area of the suburbs tends to be relatively sparsely populated, which is why I chose it. That was the only group I ran into before getting to the hideout.

The temporary haven wasn't my best work, not much more than a resupply location, but it didn't need to be.

While scouting the area, I figured out most of the houses here have basements. That on its own wouldn't make for a secure hideout. All that means is it's easier for someone to trap you. No, there needs to be an alternate exit as well. Lucky for me, I found one. The house itself, like many others, was mostly collapsed, but the basement underneath was mostly intact and appeared to have been a storage cellar of some sort. There was regular access through the house itself along with two small doors with staircases that came up alongside the house. Or what used to be the house.

I found a pair of concrete slabs large enough to cover the exterior entrances and piled dirt on top of them. That would be too heavy for anyone outside of the Brotherhood's power armor to move.

After making sure it was reasonably secure, I stored a week's worth of provisions, a spare HK-33, and ammo. Again, not a safe house, but good enough for what I needed.

As I crept through the remains of the house toward the interior entrance, the sagging wooden floors groaned worryingly but held. That was another reason I chose this location; with the two exterior staircases blocked, anyone trying to sneak through the ruins of the house would be immediately obvious.

"MMMM", Andrew half moaned, half screamed from my shoulder. He began flailing again, enough he might slam his head into something in the building's remains.

What now? I pulled him from my shoulder and set him down.

"What?" I hissed.

The only response I got was an irritated glare.

Gag.

Oh. Right.

"I'm going to cut the gag out of your mouth." I pulled my knife from its sheath. "Anything louder than a whisper, I tear your throat out. Nod if you understand."

The Synth blinked, eyes widening a fraction before nodding. He flinched as I slipped the cold steel knife between his cheek and the gag and sliced it away.

"Holy shit", he gasped. His breath was coming in gulps. It took him a moment but, eventually, he calmed enough to shoot another annoyed glare my way. "I can walk, you know. Your shoulder isn't a comfortable ride."

"I have no guarantee you wouldn't run."

"Right", Andrew responded, mouth a thin line, "because I'm going to run off in the middle of Boston with no supplies, no weapon, and nowhere to go. Besides", he nodded at my rifle, "I don't think I can outrun bullets."

There were a dozen other things I could say, but it didn't matter. We were here now, and we weren't going anywhere for at least eight hours. The less I had to hear him complain, the better.

"Fine." I cut the bindings from his arms and legs before resheathing my knife. Pointing down the stairs I said, "go."

After taking the time to shoot me another glare, he went to turn toward the hideout's entrance-

And promptly tumbled to the ruined wooden floor with a thud.

"Son of a bitch", he groaned.

The smirk that slipped across my face wasn't completely involuntary. I hadn't thought about how his muscles would respond to being immobile for 12 hours.

As entertaining as it would be to watch the Synth struggle, and most likely fall, down the stairs, I didn't have the patience for it. I pulled him to his feet and helped him into the basement. Once inside, it was almost pitch black, save what sunlight light trickled down through the staircase. That wasn't a problem for me, but Andrew was damn near blind.

"You didn't think to install any lights down here, I'm guessing."

I reached into a pouch and pulled out a chem light I'd taken from one of the caravans I ambushed. Once I cracked it, the dull green glow illuminated the concrete basement. It was largely bare besides a few shelves that had rusted into a pile in the far corner, along with whatever had been on them, and some sort of appliance that had likewise fallen to time. The two alternate entrances were on opposite sides of the basement with narrow concrete stairs leading to the surface. It wasn't pleasant squeezing through those.

Tossing the light into the middle of the room, I strode to the corner beside the collapsed shelves and sat against the wall.

The Synth didn't move. He remained standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring at me. Now that he realized we were staying for a while, the irritated glares stopped. The wide eyes and worried frown said his uncertainty and fear were running the show once again.

"So… do you mind telling me what's going on?"

"We're staying here until nightfall."

He blinked. It was impossible to tell in the sickly green glow, but he looked pale. "That isn't what I meant."

There are a lot of things you could have meant. "Be more specific."

"I mean- who are you? I saw you around the Institute once, but- well I have no clue who you are or what you want."

"I'm the guy who just saved you from the Brotherhood."

The Synth's frown deepened. "The Brotherhood…? N- no, I was supposed to meet with the Railroad."

So whoever sent him up to be captured was playing him. I cocked my head at the increasingly nervous man. "No." I pulled another object from my belt, a small radio that I, again, took from one of the caravans. "There was chatter about a Synth with vital information being delivered to the Brotherhood from a group within the Institute. That's why there were heavy Brotherhood forces in the area."

"Wait", Andrew said, legs trembling ever so slightly. "You're saying someone in Li's group is working with the Brotherhood?"

Li's group, huh. Slipping the radio back into its pouch I nodded. "Multiple people, most likely." I pointed at the corner beside one of the alternate entrances, somewhere he'd be out of the line of fire if anyone came calling. "Sit down, I'm not peeling you off the floor again."

He glanced at the prescribed corner for a moment before shuffling over to it and slumping against the wall. This was an… interesting position. Andrew was someone who could provide a lot of information and wasn't trained to resist interrogation. But interrogating him would subvert my reason for doing this.

Maybe I try asking first.

Novel idea.

"Where were you supposed to meet the Railroad?"

Andrew swallowed hard before shaking his head. "I uh- well it was supposed to be in a small storefront a few blocks north of the hospital."

That would explain why the Brotherhood forces were so quick to react once Nate and his people got there.

"Did you have anyone, in particular, you were supposed to contact?"

"No… No, they just told me to meet my escorts there."

Okay, so whoever set this up was trying to go quick and easy while revealing as little as possible. That wasn't extremely useful information, but it let me know whoever did it doesn't have much support. So now there were two questions: how valuable is the information I'm transporting, and 'Li's group'.

"What was your job with the Institute?"

The Synth's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Why would the Brotherhood want you? Getting a Synth out of the Institute is already a massive risk, so whoever did it took on even more if they're working behind both the Institute and Li's backs."

"I…" the man trailed off. He looked like he was about to puke.

While I was in no hurry considering we'd be here for hours, I have no interest in dealing with a mumbling, half coherent… 'interviewee'. "Andrew", I barked quietly, just enough edge on my voice to snap him back to attention. "Why would someone take that risk?"

"I… uh… I worked in the Advanced Research Division."

I waited for more, but he fell silent, staring at me wide-eyed.

So we're playing this game.

"And?"

"If people are after me because of what I know, I don't think I should tell you."

That was probably the right answer, but it wasn't the one I wanted. "The Railroad doesn't know you're out here, and almost everyone who came looking for you is dead."

Andrew swallowed. "How do I know you won't use the information to hurt the Institute." He shook his head. "No, I won't tell you." The Synth's voice was still trembling, but there was a modicum of resolve beneath the fear."

Hurt the Institute? I cocked my head at the cowering man. "You care about what happens to the Institute?"

He gaped at me. "Of course-"

"Lower your voice", I growled.

A few seconds of silence followed, Andrew's mouth hanging open, his eyes wide. Once he did collect himself again, he nodded.

"Sorry." He cleared his throat. "Of course I care about the Institute. Just because some of the people there are bad doesn't mean the whole place is. There are a lot of good people trying to do the best they can."

Li.

"Li's group." Andrew nodded again. "They're the ones who help Synths escape?"

"Yes. I- I was working with them when one, his name is Booker, told me the Railroad wanted to help me get out. I didn't know why, but if they had plans, I didn't want to jeopardize them." He swallowed. "They're working against a system that's designed to keep what they do from happening, so what they do is very delicate."

Well, it sounds like Booker might have blown that to hell.

"So Li is leading a splinter cell in the Institute to help Synths escape. Why?"

"Because they treat us like… animals." There was an edge on his voice now, an anger that hadn't been there a moment ago. "We're there to do their menial day-to-day tasks, undergo experimentation, work endlessly until we're used up. Then they just throw us away and go to the new batch and start it all over again."

My mind flashed back to Jenny, the Synth I inadvertently rescued from both the Gunners and the Institute. Had Li's group helped her too? Probably, but that wasn't the question at hand.

This was going somewhere entirely different than I anticipated; now the questions aren't as much about why the Brotherhood wanted Andrew, but what Li is up to and why she wanted my help? If they were going to continue sneaking Synths out of the Institute, they wouldn't need firepower, they'd need subtlety.

Unless they were planning on using me to escort their escapees? Huh.

"But you, and this splinter cell, think of Synths as more than disposable resources."

Andrew nodded. "We're people. I can't tell you how many times I've heard them brag about how third-generation Synths are almost indistinguishable from regular humans." He scoffed. "Well if that's the case, why don't you treat us like we are? Just because we're easy to manufacture?"

They treat people like that too.

"What's the long-term goal?"

"What do you mean?"

"Smuggling Synths out of the Institute will only work for so long", I replied. "You're going to get caught. So what are they planning to do?"

He frowned again. "I- I mean there's been some talk about how we can change things for the better but, well it hasn't gone anywhere."

"The Institute needs to change for that to happen…" My eyes narrowed. What the hell is Nate playing at?

"How does Nate fit into this group?"

The Synth paused, staring at me, his frown turning to one of confusion. "What does Nate have to do with Li's group? Well- uh, as far as I know, he came to her about a month ago. I don't know what they talked about, but I know he's been working with us." Andrew's eyes widened. "Why? What happened?"

I shook my head. "Nothing." Yet. So the mfer might have been telling the truth… what changed?

Was he playing Li? Trying to dig into her splinter cell to help Shaun dismantle it? Did he go there to fight after the ambush? If he is helping her, what changed his mind? There were so many questions he had, none of which Andrew could answer. How could he get in contact with someone who did know? Li would be best, but-

Railroad.

I had already intended to hand Andrew over to them, but now I'll need something else from them.

How the hell could I ask that? How could I go back to them, asking for their help after what I did?

They need my help too. Whether Nate's really on their side or not, Shaun is a cunning bastard. Even if Nate isn't helping him directly, there's no way Shaun doesn't know he's working with Li. That means they can find the Railroad through the splinter group if they slip up.

The image of Cass's face, hurt and angry, flashed through my mind. Tommy's cry as I pulled my hand away. How can I face them again?

By sucking it up and making good on a mistake. Whether they like me or not doesn't matter, this is a threat to them, and I need to help.

I grunted. This wouldn't be any significant modification to my plans, just another variable thrown into the mix. I'll have to ignore Nate for now, there's nothing I can do about him in either case.

"Andrew, I need to know what you did for the Institute."

"I already told you-" he began, voice too loud again.

"If I have to tell you to keep your voice down again, I'm hog-tying you." The Synth blinked but nodded. "I need to find out what's going on. Li asked me for my help, and if that's the case, she needs support."

He eyed me incredulously. "And how does knowing what I did help?"

"They've probably worked out I have you. I need to know how hard the Institute is going to come after you. If I don't I'm putting the Railroad, and by proxy, the splinter cell at risk."

"Wait…" the Synth frowned, confused. "You're taking me to the Railroad?" I nodded. "So you- aren't going to kill me?"

If I'm taking you to the Railroad I'm not going to kill you.

"If you keep asking stupid questions."

Andrew's mouth formed a small 'o' before it snapped shut. "Why should I trust you?"

"Because you don't have a choice, and I don't need you to find the Railroad. You don't even know who you were supposed to meet."

The Synth's brow furrowed. "How do you know where they are?"

"Magic." This was getting old. "If you don't want to spend the next two days tied up over my shoulder, tell me what you did at the Institute." As far as threats go, that may have been the most benign I've ever made.

It still seemed to have the intended effect.

"Fine, I was in the ARD working on their fusion reactor project before moving to weapons production."

I almost laughed. The Institute almost gave the entire game up with one goddamn mistake. They have someone like Andrew, and presumably more, with vital information about a central piece of their infrastructure and warfighting effort up for grabs? This was on Li's team too; there's no way Shaun, Li, or anyone else there should even allow a risk of someone like Andrew falling into the Brotherhood's possession.

"Wow", I mused as I shook my head. They'd be coming after him. I need to do this carefully. It's possible this was Nate's doing too, but that's an implication for another day. For now, the objective is to get to the Railroad and contact Li. Allying myself with them… I'm not sure I want to, but at the very least I need questions answered.

"Get some sleep", I said. "It's going to be a long night."

The Synth cocked an eyebrow at me. "What do you mean?"

"We're moving once the sun goes down. You won't be sleeping then."

He grimaced but nodded. I doubt he'd be able to sleep with how much adrenaline is probably pumping through his body, but that just meant when he did crash, he'd crash hard. That can't be in the middle of the journey between here and Sanctuary.

X

The night sky was clear and, even though I couldn't feel or taste the air, I imagined it was crisp. Somehow, Andrew was making me miss trudging across this goddamn wasteland with Nate. The ex-soldier may have been infuriating at times, but he'd been in the military for the better part of two decades and it showed. Sneaking through the forest of wilted underbrush, rocky outcroppings, and dead trees, he moved like a seasoned veteran. He watched his step, careful to avoid unnecessary noise, and his head was always on a swivel.

Dragging Andrew with me felt like I was bringing along a very large, and very loud, toddler. Every opportunity he got to brush against a bush, or find a root to trip on, he'd do it. More than a few times, the noise he made attracted the attention of some animal roaming the forest and I'd have to put it down. For the most part, it was wild dogs, or the giant, hairless rats, but a few times feral ghouls came after us.

They weren't a threat but, eventually, we would attract something that would be. Or he would attract something that would be. I was more than a little tempted to tie him back up and carry the obnoxiously loud Synth the rest of the way, his complaining be damned.

The only thing that kept me from doing so was the path I'd chosen. Most of the Brotherhood patrols focused on their caravan routes. That had redoubled since I began my attacks on them, and then again when the Institute began theirs. That meant there were very few units to scout the surrounding areas, and Maxson wasn't stupid enough to send isolated groups out alone. That's a great way to have forces begin disappearing into the night.

We were about five klicks east of Cambridge, traveling directly north. The nearest caravan route used a small two-lane road another few kilometers to the east of us, which meant the closest patrols would be at least four klicks away.

I winced as I heard Andrew bump against a sickly brown shrub I'd just skirted.

Hopefully that was far enough.

It was impossible to know, unfortunately. My captured Brotherhood radio had gone quiet since the attack. They weren't stupid enough to think I hadn't taken it, or any of the others that had gone missing from my ambush sights, at least I hope. Maybe they thought having access to their comms traffic wouldn't be a major issue. If they'd gone radio silent, they probably re-evaluated that decision, which was unfortunate, but not unexpected.

When I turned back to my charge, he glanced up at me sheepishly. "Sorry", he whispered. "This is the first time I've ever been out of the Institute."

That doesn't explain your lack of awareness.

Shaking my head, I turned back to the large rock cluster ahead of us. I couldn't be too hard on the Synth, he didn't have NVS and wasn't used to moving in low light conditions.

That's what I told myself at least. Hopefully I could keep up with the optimism. Otherwise, he'd end up slung over my shoulder again before long.

We continued our march through the darkened forest, making relatively good progress considering I was towing an anchor. By the time we'd covered half of the 20 klicks to Sanctuary, it was almost 0200. The further north we got, the easier things would be.

But the sun would be rising in a few hours

"You mind if we stop for a minute", Andrew whispered, barely loud enough to be audible. At least he did that right.

Ahead of us was a large thicket of trees. We hadn't been attacked by anything in the better part of an hour, which didn't mean anything.

I pointed to the thicket. "In there, five minutes."

The Synth nodded as he took a deep breath. He tried to hide it but the relief on his face was obvious.

As much as I wanted to say this reminded me of the first time I had to drag Nate down to Diamond city, it didn't. I didn't know which was more infuriating, but at the very least I know what I'm doing this time around. Sort of.

While Andrew sat in the thicket and ate, I skirted its perimeter, looking for any signs we were being followed. Unlike when I normally move through environments like this, I couldn't employ the same tactics that generally worked so well to avoid undetected tails. My charge moved too slow, and because I was trying to get to Sanctuary before the sun came up, I couldn't take the time to backtrack.

And we still probably wouldn't make it before then.

What the hell was Nate playing at? From what I knew, it seemed like the ex-soldier was working with the splinter cell. It seemed like what he told me in the hospital was true.

How could it be though? He'd let Shaun fool him into doing what he wanted once, and he was damn convincing about it.

I stopped at the south edge of the thicket. Besides our footprints and the mess of random animal tracks, there was nothing in the dry, shifting dirt that would suggest anyone else was near.

Maybe I'm overestimating how much he trusted me, but the fact he was able to betray me, someone who had not only stuck with him, trudging across this nuclear wasteland but saved his life a dozen times, it didn't give me confidence he wouldn't do the same to Li. He'd said Shaun played him, but if that's true, how much of it was the ex-soldier allowing his son to play him. What's to say the same thing doesn't happen again.

Nate's smart and attentive, but Shaun has been playing that game for 60 years.

Rustling came from within the thicket and, a few seconds later, Andrew emerged again, offering me a nod.

We continued north, slowly picking our way through the dead forest. To his credit, the Synth was getting better as we went. By the time we were 15 kilometers in, it was rare he'd rustle a bush, or lose his footing. He was nervous, that was obvious in his shallow breathing and tight movements, but for someone who'd never been out of the Institute, he had it under control.

Unfortunately, the stars began fading from the night sky as it went from black to a deep blue still an hour or so from Sanctuary. We needed to take a few minutes and move out of sight. If anyone was following us, now would be a decent time to catch them.

The Synth needed to take a break anyway. His breath had gone from shallow to ragged over the last klick.

"Stop here", I said as we reached what looked like a half-collapsed shack. No footprints, no disturbed wreckage, no obvious signs of entry. It looked safe enough. I slipped inside the dark, cluttered interior to find the remains of a truck rusted into the ground, and a multitude of toolboxes and tools to go along with it.

"Clear."

Andrew crept inside and dropped to the ground. "Thanks."

This journey had been a lot longer, and a lot more aggravating than I thought. Maybe I should have planned better so I didn't have to suffer through this. Don't mention it.

"We move in five."

He nodded. "Got it", he heaved.

As the Synth pulled out a bottle of water, I moved back out into the slowly brightening early morning. Once the sun was up, following us through this part of the forest undetected would be difficult. If anyone had the skill to tail me this far without being spotted, they'd know that.

This time, I scouted 50 meters in every direction from the small garage. Still nothing. It wasn't disappointing, but the idea I was taking such a high-value asset, and neither the Brotherhood nor the Institute, both of which had resources invested here, were following was disconcerting. How long would that last? How long until they figured out what I was playing at?

It doesn't matter. We'll be at Sanctuary in an hour, and I'll hopefully have him to the Railroad by tomorrow. Once that happens, he's in the wind, and I go back to my regularly scheduled program.

Well… albeit with some modifications.

Five minutes up, I snuck back to the shack and, with the sky now thoroughly deep blue, I collected Andrew and we continued north.

The last leg of the journey was, like the rest, uneventful. As we neared the settlement, I considered leaving the Synth somewhere discrete. Bringing him to Sanctuary would put a target on their back for anyone who knew we'd been there. I discarded that idea. If anyone had managed to tail us across 20 klicks of rocky forest without my spotting them, they'd, one, capture him as soon as I was gone, and two, know there was a connection between Andrew and Sanctuary regardless.

Aside from that though, my trepidation about returning to the settlement began gnawing at the back of my mind. Maybe it's an overstatement to say 'began' since it had been for days now. Operating on my own, self-sufficient, no connections to anyone else had more benefits than just flexibility. Even if the Institute and the Brotherhood knew I had connections to this place (which at least the Institute does at this point), unless I give them a reason to think otherwise, they may just consider them bystanders. By coming here now, once the fighting has started, and bringing an HVT along for the ride, I'm potentially putting them at risk.

This is something I decided on weeks ago. I can't keep putting it off; the longer I take to do this, the more risk they'll be at regardless. Especially with how Preston's been expanding.

That thought didn't make things any easier.

By the time we reached the road that would take us to Sanctuary's entrance, the sky was shot through with pink and orange streaks. As always, the cracked and cratered road was littered with rusted-out hulks that, a few hundred years ago, had been cars. The sun would be up in another 15 minutes. That was good.

I motioned for the Synth to halt a dozen meters inside the treeline. "Stay here, keep your head down."

His eyes widened. "Why?"

"Because I told you to." Now was a good time to perform one last sweep.

"If you get in trouble, yell", I said as I slipped into the shadows cast by the trees in the slowly brightening dawn.

"But-"

"Quiet."

This time, I was much more meticulous with my search. I swept out a 100-meter half circle looking for anything that could be someone following. Any further than that, and there's no way they would have been able to keep track of us through the forest. No disturbed underbrush, no distinctly non-animal trails besides ours… Nothing.

Alarm bells were ringing in my head. Why the hell had they both given up here? Sure they each lost a few dozen people, but the Institute wouldn't want someone like Andrew falling into anyone's hands as much as the Brotherhood wanted him. That want had been enough to have them risk a very delicate operation in the Institute to get him out. Were they cutting their losses?

I paused as I studied our tracks. Was this something Shaun or Nate cooked up? They didn't need to know where Andrew was to find Sanctuary. Hell, the ex-soldier lived there before the war. And the Brotherhood… I picked the Synth up almost as soon as he dropped out of teleport. There was no time for him to rendezvous with anyone to get a transponder. Am I just being paranoid? Am I giving these people too much credit? They both have limited resources, especially the Brotherhood (mostly people) so they couldn't afford to fight a war the same way I'm used to but still… This doesn't make sense.

I'm probably just being paranoid.

Being paranoid is what's kept me alive.

Following our tracks back to Andrew's hiding spot, I didn't see any signs someone was trying to use our trail to follow us either. That was my last guess. Unless someone is inhumanly good at covering their presence, no one was after us.

"Andrew", I whispered as I neared the spot I'd left him. "Let's move."

The Synth jumped from behind a tree, eyes wide.

"Don't do that, okay? I'm already scared enough with you sneaking up on me."

"Uh-huh."

Red sky at our backs, we made our way the last 15 meters out of the forest and onto the street.

"Stay directly behind me until we reach that bridge", I said, pointing toward the bridge spanning the sickly-looking river a few hundred meters. Just because no one was following us didn't mean the Institute or the Brotherhood hadn't guessed where I would go. It isn't like there are many options.

The Synth nodded. "Got it."

It wasn't the first time I'd seen Sanctuary since their most recent round of fortifications. The short wall was still there, with shooting posts arranged behind it and firing slots in convenient spots. Now though, they were sporting what looked like watch posts peeking over the barrier. It still impressed me how far Preston and his group had come. Especially since it appeared they were well into restarting whatever settlement network they'd had before. During my scouting of the area, I saw a few dozen parties and caravans shuttling people and goods between other settlements in the area. Overall it wasn't huge, maybe a few hundred people across a dozen settlements, but it was a damn sight better than the eight people they started with.

I stopped as I reached the south end of the small bridge and waited. Even though they were well hidden, I made five different positions watching me, either from the muzzle of a rifle or because they could use a bit more concealment. Enough people in Sanctuary knew me that someone would get Preston.

As… relieved as I was to see they were still doing well, this wasn't going to be a long visit. I needed to be in and out and get Andrew to the Railroad. The longer I stay, the more dangerous it is for them.

Soon enough, the small door set in the wall on the opposite side of the bridge swung open, and the still ridiculously dressed former minuteman strode out with a half dozen others. The same ones who greeted me last time.

Motioning for the Synth to walk beside me, I began across the bridge to meet them.

"Hey Damon!" Preston called. "How are things? Back for your monthly visit?"

Julian seemed eager as ever to greet me and Alexandra looked disappointed while the other three, who were still cradling their rifles, were as suspicious as the last time.

"No." I pointed at Andrew. "I need Sturges' help with something and then I'm gone."

The dark-skinned man cocked an eyebrow under his ridiculously oversized hat as he and his group came to a stop in front of us. "Oh yeah? You bringin trouble our way."

I blinked. It was a sarcastic jab, I knew well enough, but it was still a reminder I didn't need.

"I hope not."

"Uh oh", Alexandra said from next to him. She was only half-mocking though. "I'll get with Owen. MacCready, you wanna send word out?"

The man in question nodded. His eyes were, as always, glued to me.

"We'll handle it, whatever it is", Preston said. "Things have gotten a lot better around here."

I nodded. "Good. Now", I glanced back over my shoulder toward the forest, "we shouldn't be standing out here."

Preston cocked an eyebrow. "You think you've been followed? And who is this?"

"Unknown."

"I'm Andrew", the Synth said, sticking out a hand.

"Nice to meet you, Andrew. I'm Preston." The Minuteman looked at me. "Let's get inside then."

With that, the small escort led us back to the settlement. I still couldn't shake the feeling someone should be trailing us. Everything I've seen says we weren't followed, and I haven't felt like I've been watched… That's what bothers me.

Once the door swung shut, Preston turned back to me. "So you came up this way to talk with Sturges huh? Does it have something to do with the Institute?"

That's a good guess. I cocked my head at the man.

He laughed. "Don't get all defensive, we know about Sturges."

They know the man's a Synth? "Aren't you supposed to be scared of Synths?"

Alexandra shrugged as she exchanged glances with the other three men. "The Institute, yeah, but we've never had any problems with Synths. I mean we've all heard the stories, but Sturges has been with us since the beginning." She eyed my charge. "I'm guessing you're one too."

Andrew hesitated, eyes darting around the assembled settlers nervously.

"Yes", I answered for him. "I need to get him to the Railroad."

"Hey, this isn't-"

I ignored his protest. "And it needs to happen now. He's high value for the Brotherhood and the Institute. The longer we stay here, the more danger you're in."

"Okay." Preston nodded, his expression growing serious. "Follow me."

The former Minuteman turned and marched back toward the main common area where people were bustling around beginning their day. As always, I couldn't help the glance I cast at Charlie, who still seemed to be hanging on to life. The teenager looked more gaunt than the last time I was here, but he was still tending to his planters. Alone. It probably wasn't necessary considering the crops the Finches had helped grow, but I doubt it was for food, at least not completely.

As with the last time, people stole glances at our group, and more specifically me, as we made our way toward the faded yellow house that served as their gathering area. Sturges was there, sitting in some sort of folding chair, eating a piece of fruit.

"Well look who-" he froze mid-sentence as the engineer's eyes fell on Andrew. He didn't speak or move for the next five seconds as the two Synths stared each other down.

"What the hell?" Sturges asked, sounding confused. "Andrew, what are you doing here?"

The other Synth looked just as shocked. "I, uh, well that seems like it applies to you too doesn't it? You disappeared years ago, and now here you are, hanging out in the Commonwealth eating breakfast."

They know each other…? I guess it shouldn't have been a huge surprise but…

When I glanced at the others in the group, Alexandra and Preston's faces were masks of confusion as well.

Sturges noticed it too.

"Andrew and I used to work in the same division in the Institute." He paused, looking at his former… coworker?

That explains his technical knowledge.

Preston cleared his throat. "Okay, well we need to get him to the Railroad." The dark-skinned man met my gaze. "Damon says he's an important target for the Institute and the Brotherhood."

"Yeah", the engineer chuckled, "I'm not surprised." He stood and walked up to Andrew, clapping his hand on the other Synth's shoulder. "It's good to see you're doing alright. Looks like you ended up in a big damn mess. Again."

A small smile twitched across Andrew's face. "Had to make up for all the time spent following the rules."

"Well if you broke out of the Institute, you ain't following the rules all that well." With a glance at me, Sturges stepped back. "Give me a few minutes."

"Don't mention me", I said before he had a chance to leave.

The engineer cocked an eyebrow. "This a surprise party or something?"

I shook my head. "I…" I trailed off. How am I supposed to say "I almost killed them"? "We had a falling out. No one got hurt", I added quickly as Sturge's brow furrowed. None of them anyway. "Just… please-" please trust me?

Yeah, I have to ask. What else am I going to do?

"Please trust me."

A moment of uncomfortable silence (even for me) passed as Sturges locked eyes with me. He had questions, that was evident in the frown on his face, but after a few seconds, he nodded. "I'll let 'em know to get the ball rolling, but you're gonna have to tell me what happened if you want my full cooperation."

I swallowed. It was a conversation I knew would happen eventually, but that doesn't mean I want to have it.

"Understood."

He held my gaze for a heartbeat longer before nodding and heading for another house on the north side of the street.

"Hey, Andy- you mind if I call you Andy?" Alexandra asked in a voice that suggested it wasn't really a question. "I know this big metal bastard has been dragging you around, you want something to eat? Drink?"

The Synth sagged ever so slightly and shuddered. "Oh yes, would I. All I've had the past day is stale preserved food and dirty tasting water." He nodded. "Andy is fine."

You're welcome for keeping you alive. Asshole.

With a warm smile that turned a little mischievous as she shot it my way, Alexandra grabbed his arm. "Good. Come on then, let's get a bit of fresh fruit for you." She looked at her son. "Julian-"

"Yeah, yeah, you always do this", the tall, lanky teenager interrupted. "Just give me a few minutes, okay?"

She looked at me again, then back to her son. "If I come out here in five minutes, and you aren't on guard duty, I'm gonna make sure you pull a double tomorrow. Blaine isn't on your time."

Julian smiled. "Yes ma'am."

Seemingly satisfied, the woman led Andrew inside to find some 'real' food.

"You guys too", Preston said to MacCready and the other two guards that were hovering behind me. "I think our friend has proven he doesn't need an armed escort everywhere he goes." He glanced at me. "MacCready, take a team and sweep the perimeter, I'm sure Damon was careful, but let's check our regular spots."

The ex-mercenary hesitated a moment before nodding. "Got it, boss."

He and the other two guards departed to scout the surrounding forest. As odd as it seemed, they wouldn't find anything, but I can understand wanting to know that for yourself.

"So things seem a little different since the last time you were here", the Minuteman continued. "You're… well you seem a lot more talkative. And you're dragging a Synth around."

I shrugged. "A lot has happened."

"Care to share, or is this another one of those things you don't want to talk about."

No, I don't want to talk about it. I huffed. "That falling out with the Railroad included a falling out with Nate and the Institute. As far as I know, I'm stuck here now."

Preston cocked an eyebrow. "Stuck here?" He looked confused for a moment before it clicked into place. "Oh, right, you were relying on the Institute to get you back to your universe." He frowned. "Or whatever you needed. So does that mean you're trying to be a bit more friendly since you'll be sticking around?"

Is that what was going on? Shit, I don't know. All I'm doing right now is what I was trained to do, the only difference is I'm the one giving myself a target. Right now that's the Brotherhood. Tomorrow it's the Institute.

"Don't know. I can go back to ignoring you."

He smiled. "Do you want help or not?"

"Fair point."

After a few seconds Preston grunted. "Well, I guess we owe you another one anyway so consider it a wash."

"Yeah", Julian said a little too excitedly, "I'm guessing you're the one who wiped out that group of Gunners to the east."

I nodded.

That was a week or so after I dragged my ass out of the pile of steel and wood that had been the church. I was still in rough shape and needed something I could use to stay sharp while I healed. There weren't many of them, but their primary threat to Sanctuary wasn't their numbers, it was their ability to alert the forces in Quincy. I found radios on each of the eight-man team. It was impossible to know whether they'd reported the settlement's position, so I hung around for a week afterward to be sure.

"Man…" the teenager mused, "that would be amazing."

"Amazing?" I asked.

"Being able to go in and kick ass like that." He smiled. "I'm glad you're staying around."

Go in and kick ass. What was amazing about that? I have the advantage of training, equipment, and augmentations. Doesn't seem that impressive.

I shrugged. "It's useful."

Preston snorted. "Understatements aside, thanks for doing that. We're well equipped here, but the whole of the Gunners coming down on top of us… that would have been rough."

"It's what I'm here for." Or at least it's what I've always been used for.

"Uh-huh." The Minuteman turned to Julian. "I think it's about time you get going unless you want an eight-hour shift tomorrow."

"Pfft, no", the kid said, beginning toward the west side of the town. "Don't leave without saying goodbye."

"Right", I replied.

He frowned. "That sounded sincere." With that, he turned and jogged toward the front entrance, carrying his rifle like he lived with it every day. Which I guess he did. These people have come a long way.

"You know it seems like you always come to us when you need something important", Alexandra said as she emerged from the house, carrying two plates of food. Behind her, Andrew, or Andy now, had one of his own.

That was good timing. I smiled. Or maybe she was waiting for Julian to leave before coming out.

"You're the only people I have left to go to."

She nodded. "I heard. How long ago was that?"

"A month."

"So not long after you came to get Nora's body then", the woman said, shoving one of the plates into my hands before offering Preston the other. Again, she gave me no choice but to take it.

"Correct."

"How… did Nate take that?"

Take what, me bringing her body back? Or betraying me? I'd say he came out with the better deal after he tried to kill me.

"Nora's body?" She nodded again. "Not well."

Alexandra sighed. "I understand that. It's been four months for me and-" For the first time since I rescued her from the Raiders in Concord, I watched Alexandra's eyes turn glassy with a film of tears. "-and it's still hard." She cleared her throat. "I can't imagine what that must have been like for him."

Part of me empathized with the emotion.

A bigger part of me didn't.

"I doubt he was thinking about that when he stabbed me in the back."

Preston, Alexandra, and Andrew all stared at me.

"Stabbed you in the back?" the Synth asked. "What do you mean?"

I shouldn't have said anything.

"It's a long story."

Preston looked around dramatically. "I don't got anywhere I need to be."

Of course.

"The Institute wanted me to wipe out the Railroad. I didn't. They tried to kill me for it." I felt my body shift my left shoulder where one of the rounds punched through. "Almost did."

Relative silence spread over the four of us for a few more seconds as they processed the story.

Eventually, Alexandra cleared her throat. "That didn't seem very long."

I cocked my head at her. "Most people say that when they don't want to explain something."

"So you're saying you lied."

"Yes."

She exchanged a glance with Preston before a small smile slipped across her face. "Fair enough." The woman pointed at Nate's old house, its blue paint still as faded as the day we got here a little over three months ago. "I know you don't like people barging in while you're eating. Backroom over there across from the armory is yours."

While I hadn't eaten in almost a day and could feel my stomach begging for the fresh fruits and vegetables on the plate Alexandra had given me, I have my own food, and food isn't why I'm here. "When Sturges has word-"

"We'll come get you", the woman finished waving me away. "Now go."

They know me well. I smiled again. "Thanks."

A/N: I've thought a lot about writing what Damon was doing the month we spent with Nate. I won't say what decision I made, but I didn't want to backtrack in the story in this chapter. If it hasn't become clear yet, I like consistent story progression (even if my pacing can be lacking at times). There are some fun things planned for the future, and we'll get there soon enough! I'll see everyone next time!

Next chapter: 6/24, Little White Lies