Goodneighbour
March the 23rd, 2288
18:11

"This is madness, but sit down, the both of you, in the memory loungers."

Glory swallowed hard, and looked to Deacon, who gave her a reassuring wink before sitting down in one of the two memory loungers Amari kept in her personal office. She glanced between the two of them, trepidation rising through her chest. The memory loungers work because we translate memories and brain waves from the brain to computers and back. With Glory's synth brain being between robotic programming and a normal organic brain, it should, theoretically, be easier to manipulate and identify where she is unable to consciously recall things. If Deacon can enter her mind, he should be able to bypass whatever failsafe the Institute puts into their synths to prevent them from recalling certain information. Synths have cybernetic enhancements that interface directly with their brains, so, if this is successful, Deacon should be able to bypass the Institute's blockages in her mind…but if something goes wrong, it could leave her brain dead, living but with no cognition. If that happens…I suspect Desdemona will never forgive me. Deny it as she will, she is in love with Glory, and likely Glory with her. With a frown, Amari lowered the screens of the memory loungers on Deacon and Glory, attaching the nodules to their heads. Then, she returned to her computer, and began the process of linking the memory loungers. Glory's words still worried her, something about her desire to access the entirety of her memories feeling wrong.

I was never mind wiped! Amari, I have inside knowledge of the Institute I can't access any other way, and they're the biggest scientific secret of the Commonwealth! You need this just as much as we do!

"I'm linking you to each other's brainwaves now," Amari warned them. "Glory, I'm going to need you to keep talking to me. Any slight changes to your cognitive functions could be dire."

"Don't worry," She said, closing her eyes. "I will."

"Deacon," Amari sent him a sharp look. "As I already told the both of you, the encryption is too strong for a single mind, but, if we use two, it may be possible to bypass that encryption. I'll be running your cognitive functions in parallel, and Glory will serve as the host for your consciousness to drive through whatever memories we can find. Are the both of you ready? I won't do this without your explicit, verbal consent."

"More than ready," Glory told her. "I've been ready for years."

"Just what she said," Deacon said. "Well, just not for nearly as long as she has."

Amari sighed. "Alright. Wait just a moment. Glory…" She looked between her computer and the woman in the lounger. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes," She said though it was Deacon's voice that came through. "Woah, this is weird as fuck."

"The simulation is working," She assured him. "Remember, you are experiencing these memories as Glory, which may prove disorienting. I'm linking you through the earliest memories I can find. What are you seeing?"

"Something weird," Deacon's voice said, a bit static. "I was in a room. Grey. White. Silver. Lots of metal…and machines."

"Matches what I'm seeing on my computer," Amari mused, typing quickly. "Keeping talking. I need to ensure neither of you lose consciousness."

"There's…"

Unable to see himself, Deacon meandered in circles in the room he was caught in within Glory's mind. A bit dizzy, he started towards the other end of the room where a door was, and swore when he couldn't open it. Unable to force it open, he took another look around. All around him, everything was clean. Things were organised, and the computer terminals seemed to be just about brand new. There was a quiet hum of machinery, and two couches with a coffee table in between them. The doors to the room suddenly opened, and a sign could briefly be seen. Robotics Division. A tall man in a hazmat suit came in, the hood down and his face visible. He looked somewhere between forty five and fifty five, had greying dirty blonde hair and thick eyebrows. He seemed to be in quite the good mood, and it was then he saw Glory was following closely behind him. She didn't look quite the same. She was dressed in a strange, heavy looking uniform, and her hair was dark brown and tied up in a neat bun at the top of her head. She seemed almost emotionless, exhausted. The doors slid shut behind them, but no more than a few seconds after they closed, they slid open again. A short woman in a blue and white lab coat came into the room, though, Deacon was sure, stormed would have been a more apt description. Her mostly grey black hair was styled in a neat and sophisticated bun, and something in her eyes implied a sense of authority and irritability. When Glory was sat down on one of the couches and the man on the other across from her, the woman stood near them, arms crossed.

"Dr. Binet, have you analysed what G7-81 recovered from its last mission?" The woman said sharply. "I am tired of constantly having to remind you of the importance of those samples of pre-War, military technology for my Division."

"Advanced Systems will receive the information by the end of the day tomorrow," The man called Dr. Binet said. "I'm sorry for the delay, Dr. Li, but I got rather distracted."

"Distracted?" The woman called Dr. Li frowned. "Sounds more like you're wasting my time. You do understand the need for that information for Phase Three, don't you? Or do you need to be reminded of your job?"

"G7-81 required extra debriefing because her mission was not only recovery of the technology but synth retention," Dr. Binet irritably said. "She's a Courser, first and foremost. I think I speak for both of us when I say neither of us want to get yelled at by Dr. Ayo for interfering in a Courser's objective."

Dr. Li sighed. "G7-81 is also crucial to synth development. If we want to improve our Coursers, we need to be able to find ways to enhance them, and pre-War technology, but especially military technology, is the strongest source of information and technique. Speaking of which, has G7-81 received its new Courser chip? It should improve its ability to use the Molecular Relay."

"She has," Dr. Binet said proudly. "We implemented the new type of Courser chip in a few other Coursers, and they've vastly improved contact for the retrieval and resetting of escaped units."

"Good," Dr. Li said coldly. "Now, unless you have something for me, I'll return to my laboratory. I have a great deal to work on for Phase Three, and I'm tired of being set back because of everyone else's 'distractions.' I'm sure Dr. Filmore and Dr. Holdren would agree. You and Dr. Ayo are the bane of our existences, at the moment, and the three of us have the majority opinion as members of the Directorate. It's –"

Suddenly, everything dissipated.

Deacon began gasping for air, his limbs feeling numb.

Something was injected into him.

The room came back into focus, followed by the face of Dr. Amari.

He blinked, and then keeled over to the side, and threw up.

"Just as I feared," Amari shook her head. "The side effects are nasty. Deacon? Can you hear me? I injected you with a very large stimpak, so you should hopefully –"

"I can hear you," He got through, still retching. "God damn it, Amari, I feel like shit…is Glory –"

"Right here," A shaky voice said, sounding as though sobs were imminent. "I…"

"I cut the running of the memory loungers and your cognitive functions in parallel the second you stopped speaking," Amari looked between the two of them, and sat them down on two of the small, plush chairs in her office, near the doors. "You both are likely to feel sick and disoriented for a while, but shouldn't suffer long term damage. Rest. I mean that. If you both don't rest, you'll be significantly worse off. Make that clear to Desdemona."

Deacon nodded. "Got it," He said, rubbing his head. "Fuck though. That was…"

"I hurt them…" Glory whispered, blinking back tears. "I hurt other synths…and I…I probably helped the Institute kill them."

Diamond City
March the 26th, 2288
11:43

Cait had not been joking.

With most of the city already alive and going out and about below, it wasn't too hard for her, Nick, and Nora to sneak up to the home formerly belonging to Conrad Kellogg. Even better, Cait was almost scarily nimble with a bobby pin, and cracked the lock in no more than a minute. The three of them took one last look around to ensure they weren't being followed, and then went inside, locking the door behind them. Nick flicked on the light switch, and, after a few seconds of struggle, the lights in the home came on. For a fellow like Kellogg, this place seems awfully small. Goes double what with him having a kid with him. A little cold from the draft in the house, Nick slid his hands into the pockets of his trench coat. In a sweater and jeans, Nora seemed unbothered or at the very least unfazed by the cold, more so preoccupied with inspecting the various items left behind. There were far more than any of them had anticipated, strewn messily about, several of them covered in dust or grime. The most relaxed of all of them was, unsurprisingly, Cait, who didn't seem to notice the cold at all, having wrapped her jacket over her shoulders with only her favourite corset and comfortable pants and boots on beneath it. Cold aside, there was something odd about some of what was left behind. When she picked up a box of Fancy Lads Snack Cakes, Cait raised an eyebrow and held it up, poking at it a bit suspiciously.

"This looks like it's never been exposed to anything, no rads, nothing," Cait grinned when Nora came over to take a look at it and nodded in agreement. "Think they're still good?"

"I won't be the first one to try them, but maybe," Nora said, managing a faint laugh. "If they're still good, I won't object to having one."

"Me either," Nick said, picking up and sniffing the bottle on the desk. "This is expensive, at least out here. Where do you reckon Kellogg got his hands on any Sunset Sarsaparilla?"

"Not sure, not sure I want to know," Cait shuddered. "I haven't ever been out west, but from what me friends have said, it ain't a place you want to be. Anyone who brings that out here probably makes a fucking good fortune."

"It isn't a secret Kellogg has money," Nick set down the bottle. "But I still don't know who he could possibly get to sell him this."

"Or these," Nora said darkly, handing him a pack of cigars. "San Fransisco Sunlights? Even before the War, not many people out here smoked these."

"I tried 'em, once, a few years back," Cait said with a wink. "Stole 'em off one of Tommy's friends at the Combat Zone. They're alright, but real heavy."

Nora eyed her strangely for a moment. "Have you tried every drug ever made?"

"That I can get me hands on," Cait replied, wrapping an arm around her waist, briefly startling Nora though she leaned into her a little once she was steady again. "Don't worry, beautiful, I won't ask you to try any with me. I like to experiment on my own."

"I…I'm sure," Nora said, flinching when a familiar yet distant feeling of warmth began to come over her being. Why am I…am I feeling – "Thanks, Cait," She finally said, pushing aside the want to lean into her again when Cait released her. "I…"

"Don't you worry," Cait said with a smile. "I won't go off and do anything too stupid. I want to be around to see you happy and back to enjoying life."

"I hope I'll be there soon," Nora sighed, glancing around the house. "At least, consistently, anyways. Feeling…well, anything…it never seems to last long enough."

"After everything you've been through, makes sense," Cait said, dropping the box of snack cakes to set her hands on Nora's shoulders, gently massaging them. "I know it ain't necessarily the point, but just remember – your shoulders ain't earrings, they aren't supposed to be all the way up at your ears."

Nora weakly smiled. "I'll try to remember that. Seems I've always held tension there."

"Lot of us do," Cait grazed the woman's cheek with the back of her hand. "I know this all must be difficult for you. I…I'm here if you need to talk."

"I…I might need to take you up on that at some point," Nora hesitated. "I don't know. Everything seems blurry, some days, almost dizzying, really. Seems, half the time I try to stand up in the morning, I get painfully dizzy."

"Take it easy, slow," Nick turned to her worriedly. "I know you want to find them, but you won't be able to do any of that if you make yourself sick. Whatever time you need to rest up, take it. Especially if we're going to be tracking down a son of a bitch like Kellogg."

Nora nodded. "I know. God…if he's done something to them, if he…"

"If you need him dead, I'll happily do the job," Cait said, letting her go before starting towards the stairs up to the loft. "Sounds like he's more than earnt a death warrant."

"Don't be careless," Nick cautioned her. "Kellogg could have serious information if the kid isn't with him, especially. If either of them aren't with him, I'm sure he'll have at least some intel, but I don't see a way in hell he doesn't have a ton of information about the kid."

Nora winced. "If he's hurt Shaun, I don't care what he knows. As soon as he tells me where he is, if he hurt my baby, I will send him to hell."

"Certainly would deserve it," Nick paused, fighting with a file cabinet before managing to pry it open. Files fell to the floor, all seemingly old, finished contracts. "Well, I'm starting to get the sense Kellogg has killed even more people than we already thought."

"Question is why," Cait frowned, hopping down from the loft to take a look at the papers. "Wait…Nicky, take a look at the dates on these. How old is Kellogg again?"

"No more than fifty, from the looks of it," Nick glanced to Nora. "Where would you put him at?"

"Between forty seven and sixty at the most," Nora said, surprised when her voice slipped into the same tone she had used in the courtroom. "But I sincerely doubt he's sixty. If he is, then he looks a hell of a lot younger than he is."

"Ain't a chance he's in his forties," Cait said darkly, handing Nora a couple of files when she came over and knelt down to examine them too. "Check this shit out. Jobs as far south as the former Capital, and from 2219. The fuck's going on with this shite head?"

Nora began flipping furiously through the files. Years passed by, with more and more gaps between jobs after 2225. 2219. 2220. 2221. 2222. 2223. 2224. 2225. 2227. 2230. 2232. 2233 –

"This is impossible!" Nora dropped the files in disbelief. "How could he…"

"We know he ain't a synth," Nick said, taking off his hat for a moment and using it to fan his face. "I've been up close and personal with him before. As one myself, I'm pretty damn good at spotting synths, even the ones that are basically human. Not to mention I managed to take an X-Ray of his chest and brain once by…questionable means when he went to see Dr. Sun about something. There were some unconformities in there, but he's human. And he also ain't a ghoul…which leaves us with only a couple of options."

Cait frowned. "A couple of options? Seems pretty damn clear he ain't either of the two things that'd mean he could be as old as it seems he is."

"Is it possible he's simply lucky?" Nora glanced to Nick. "Could he have been exposed to the same kind of radiation as a ghoul but still not take on their appearance?"

Nick considered that. "Possibly," He said. "But I think the more likely situation is he's had some kind of treatment, something to significantly slow ageing, or even cybernetic enhancements. Which would mean another thing – in either of those cases, he has to be working for the Institute. They're the only group of people in the Commonwealth who could pull off keeping a human in their prime for decades."

"Fuck…" Nora stood up, running her hands through her hair. "Damn it. Is this a dead end?"

"We'll keep looking around here as long as it takes," Cait reassured her. "We'll figure it out…and where the bastard went. He deserves to get sent right to hell."

Nora smiled a little. "I…Cait, you're too sweet. I really appreciate you, and everything you've done for me. Honestly…I didn't expect any of this."

"That's what makes life worth living," Cait said, looping her arms around Nora's neck. "You're a good lass, and deserve more than you've gotten. Much more."

Nora nodded, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

Why don't I want her to let me go?

Goodneighbour
March the 30th, 2288
21:00

"There you are. Almost thought you forgot about me."

MacCready smiled when Annette laughed, followed by surprise when she helped him up from where he had been sitting at the bar and brought him over to a couch, hiding something behind her back. When the two of them were sat down, she handed him the box she had been hiding behind her back with a wink. After a few seconds of hesitation, he tugged the top off the box and reached inside, nearly dropping it in surprise. A new .44 pistol and ammunition bag. He pulled open the bag only to look up at her, stunned, when he saw it was filled all the way up, and organised. Turning back to the box, he then pulled out a blanket with something wrapped inside it, and his eyebrows raised when he saw it was concealing a full medical kit, including some he barely recognised from when they had occasionally passed through Little Lamplight. When he looked back to Annette, she was smiling and had brushed her long hair over her left shoulder. For a moment, he could only stare at her, taking everything in. Her light brown hair was almost auburn in the low light of the Third Rail, her pale skin almost sparkling, and her grey eyes soft and delicate, just like every other part of her body. He startled when she reached over and rested a warm hand over his, only to sigh when he saw the concern on her face when she gently squeezed his hand.

"Are you alright?" Annette said gently. "You seem a little…caught off guard."

"I just didn't expect…" MacCready shook his head. "You didn't have to get me anything. It's only –"

"First night or not, I've done my research," Annette said with a small smile. "Happy twenty third birthday, Bobby."

"Did you…" He laughed, though his mind began to wander. Why do I…why did I want to kiss her the second she called me Bobby? "Daisy told you, didn't she?"

"Actually," Annette slightly tilted her head towards where Magnolia was on stage singing. "I may have talked to Magnolia about you a bit. Daisy, too…but I think we both know who I spend a lot of time with. At least since I've been here, that is."

"I take it you don't like being alone?" MacCready sighed when she nodded. "I…well. I get it. I really do. I don't know what anyone around here has told you but…for as much as I know I may tend to be a pain the a…I mean, I know I could come off as…arrogant and like I want to be left alone but…nothing could be further from the truth. Being alone scares the heck out of me."

"Sounds to me that the two of us are pretty similar," Annette hesitated. "I've been told the same thing. But...just because some people may think so doesn't mean it's true. And, if it helps…after what you told me about your son, I…I wasn't sure what to do. I really hope any of the medications in that box can help."

MacCready glanced between her and the blanket and sealed up medications.

"I don't think anyone's ever…well, other than my…" He swallowed hard. "You know something? You're one of the first people who has seemed to care about me for more than just themselves in a long time. I can probably name the people who do on one hand. I…I don't know what to say."

"Sometimes we don't," She shrugged. "But the important thing is you know. And, besides," She winked. "I wouldn't have left someone so sweet alone on their birthday, all other things be damned."

"You're really something else," He said, putting everything back in the box before setting it aside to wrap an arm around her. "I…hope I'm not being too…well –"

"You have full consent to hug me," Annette said, curling up against him, her legs rising to rest on the couch. "Can I be honest? It's…it's been a very long time since anyone has been…even slightly romantic towards me."

"Honestly? I'm in the same place," MacCready paused, resting a hand over hers when it grazed against his thigh. "I…as I think I already told you, my wife…she died a few years back, and –"

Annette suddenly pulled away. "Oh, God, I –" She raised a hand to her mouth, a little shaky. "I'm so sorry…" She whispered. "I should have…I'm being too –"

"Annette, you're fine, please, don't…" MacCready fell silent before reaching over to slowly lower her hand. "What I was trying to say is, yes, it's true, I miss Lucy to death, but…at some point, we have to move on. Look, I…I've gone from casual thing this to casual thing that for a little while now, but I haven't felt…truly interested in anyone since you first came into this damn…sorry, I mean, this place. I want to see if things can pan out. You're not hurting me. If you were, I promise, I'd tell you."

"Alright," Annette said hesitantly, surprised when he wrapped an arm around her, resting one hand on her shoulder and brushing her hair away from her eyes with the other. "The last thing I want is to hurt you."

"And you're not," MacCready shook his head. "I haven't wanted to be around someone in this way for a while, let alone…you want in on a secret?"

Annette glanced up at him. "If you want to tell me, then of course."

"I wasn't sure you would come tonight, especially because of…the way people see me around here," He said, giving her a gentle squeeze. "You being here at all is more than enough, for now. We don't have to go too fast into anything. We can go as slow as either of us need."

"I'd like that…" Annette briefly closed her eyes when she rested her head on his shoulder. "I've spent a lot of my life…at least, since I was nineteen, running away. There aren't many people who I've not wanted to run from and you're one of them."

MacCready smiled and, impulsively, pressed a light kiss to her forehead.

"Like I said, I think we're both just kids who grew up way too fast," He said gently. "And having you this close to me, right now, is making me happier than I've been in a long time."

If I could, if I knew for sure it won't scare her, I'd cup her cheek and kiss her right now. Why…why am I so happy to have her by my side, even if it's just for tonight? She –

"I…hope you mean that," Annette said, a hint of dejection in her voice. "After…you know I killed someone I shouldn't have a few weeks ago. How does it not bother you?"

"Because you didn't have a choice," MacCready sighed. "She would have killed you if you hadn't killed her. Annette…" He went silent, for a minute. "If it's not too much to ask, what are you running from? For me, it's always been loss. I never knew my parents, didn't know what to do after I was on my own at fifteen, lost my wife, could lose my son…and I keep running away because, honestly? I don't think I even know how to properly cope, at this point."

Annette briefly startled when he took both of her hands in his, her heart rate suddenly spiking.

"If I'm being completely honest," She finally said. "I've been running from feeling like an inconvenience and a disruption in the lives of everyone I care about, and that's the last thing I've ever wanted."

"I get that," He said, his mind wandering again. "There are more days than not where I feel like I'm that to my son. Some days…it's hard to face him."

"From everything I've heard, he adores you. Honestly, I…" Annette looked up at him, sounding almost embarrassed. "I'd love to meet him, and…if there's anything I can do to help him, to help you heal him up, let me know."

MacCready stared at her, stunned. "You'd really do that for me?"

"Of course," Annette said softly. "After my father was…after his murder, I promised someone I'd spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help anyone who needs it. And…I really hope I'll be able to talk to her again, one day. Her name is Dr. Madison Li. She was the one who...after everything, she was the one who brought me back home to the Vault after two years away. I owe her a great deal...including having helped me escape the Brotherhood. But, I suppose what I...I mean to say..." She shifted to take off his hat and lightly tread her hands through his hair. Then, she kissed him, feeling warm when he kissed her back. "I never break a promise."

The Institute
April the 3rd, 2288
19:28

"I'm glad I convinced you to wait a year, before we let your mother out," Nate said, passing his son a glass of wine before sitting down across from him. "According to M7-62, she's already asking about Kellogg, and specifically his former home there."

Shaun raised an eyebrow. "That's certainly wonderful news. I hope it's a good sign. The sooner mother finds us, the better."

"I agree," Nate said happily. "Your mother is nothing if not resilient and persistent. It's one of the things I've always loved about her. Even in the worst of times, she has been able to prove people wrong. I…I don't think I would have found my reason to live after everything I…saw while in Alaska without her. She, and, later, you are the reason I've kept living. My life isn't meant to be lived for only myself, none of ours are. It's meant to be lived alongside others and find love beyond just your periphery."

"The more you tell me about here, the more I can't wait to meet her," Shaun said, almost absentmindedly swirling the wine glass. "She sounds like a wonderful woman. I'm proud either way of her, and being able to call her my mother."

"And, when she finds us, I know she'll be incredibly proud to call you her son," Nate said, leaning back against the soft chair he was sat in. "Not only are our surroundings a reminder of what science and willpower can accomplish, but of what people can do when given the chance to explore what truly interests them. Just look at Dr. Li. After years of struggling to get away from the Brotherhood Of Steel, she found us, here, in the Institute."

"Dr. Li, and the thousands of others like her, people we've brought into the Institute from above, is a brilliant mind," Shaun said, slowly beginning to sip at his wine. "Every year, we bring in at least a few new minds, and every time they surprise me. It's a tradition of all of my predecessors as Director which I am more than happy to continue. It's what has sustained us."

"It is," Nate agreed. "And the Institute bringing people in is how we have been able to have such a good life. For as much as I resent the methods Conrad used to ensure we made it safely here, and for as much as I lament the separation of our family, I am sure our being able to live our lives here has allowed us to have the fullest and best life possible. Your mother, I'm sure, will agree, and, I hope, will return to us. Return to us and refuse our family."

"That would be wonderful," Shaun paused. "But I do wonder…will she reject us, when she learns we aren't in the way she imagines we are? When she learns it hasn't been no more than a few years, but, rather, sixty? Nearly sixty one, now. Strange to think about, isn't it?"

"It is," Nate said, taking a sip of his own wine. "But I know your mother's heart. She loves through the entirety of her being. No matter what happens, no matter what she's been through, she's never lost her compassion, and I know she never will."

Shaun nodded. "Another reason to be proud to call her my mother. I do wonder…should we make a direct contact with her before we…"

"Perhaps," Nate mused. "Though, if we were to do something like that, I don't know who we would send. She certainly won't react well if we have Conrad hunt her down. More likely, she'll kill him."

"Kellogg is out there, not because of true concern about Dr. Virgil, but because I want mother to kill him," Shaun said, a hint of anger to his voice. "Kellogg has been a loose end for a long time. Dr. Filmore was right when she said so, as were Dr. Li and Dr. Holdren. As you know, neither of us learnt of all the things Kellogg had done until I became Director. Learning what kind of man he is sparked an anger in me I never even thought I could feel. I will never truly forgive him for what he's done to our family."

Nate considered that. "His cruelty has only grown over the years. I hadn't thought quite as much about him being out there, being a lead for your mother to follow, that way. It's quite fitting. I certainly am happy to know we will have some amount of revenge."

"I am as well," Shaun said sombrely. "Not only that, but, knowing all of the atrocities Kellogg has committed, I cannot stand to let him continue to terrorise the Commonwealth, let alone members of the Institute. I believe that to be especially true, considering there are more than likely many, many more atrocities handed down by Kellogg we'll never know of. Dr. Ayo was not entirely wrong to say we should continue to take advantage of Kellogg's vicious nature, but the time has come to pull the plug."

"Dr. Ayo has been increasingly harsh in his decision making, these last two years," Nate said with a frown. "I've heard the rest of the Directorate remark, every so often, that they miss Dr. Zimmer actively leading the SRB. Dr. Filmore and I spoke yesterday, and I agree with her that, when Dr. Zimmer returns, he should go back to his work as head of the SRB, and Dr. Secord should remain second in seniority with Dr. Ayo dropping to third."

"I concur," Shaun shook his head. "Dr. Ayo has been causing significant problems with Advanced Systems and Facilities, particularly where it comes to their necessary power consumption. His constant demands for more priority is exhausting. Dr. Filmore and Dr. Li have the patience of saints."

"Dr. Filmore does," Nate said. "But Dr. Li does not. She is a brilliant scientist, and I am constantly pleased to see how effective her leadership of Advanced Systems is. That said, she does have a temper, at times. Not to mention her shocking persistence in probing the subject of Dr. Virgil's…well, of course, to everyone else, death but, as we know, sabotage."

"I'm surprised she doesn't accept the explanation we've given the Directorate," Shaun said, taking another sip of his wine. "It is true his old laboratory is contaminated. We had no choice but to seal it up, for everyone's safety. We had to decontaminate all the synths we had do the job, and we keep having to send more in and decontaminate those after to work on completely cleaning the laboratory. It'll be at least another year or two before it's decontaminated entirely. Dr. Li is rational and immensely intelligent, which is why I don't understand how or why she's been unsupportive of the explanation we've provided."

"I'll admit, I do understand, to an extent, considering Dr. Virgil was one of her closest friends, why Dr. Li has been upset by what transpired," Nate said. "At the same time, she has moved on in every part of her life, and is working better than ever individually and with her staff. I also don't understand why she can't let this go. It certainly can't be healthy for her. The amount of emotional stress it must cause her alone makes me wonder why she can't let it go when that would be the healthiest and most rational thing to do."

"It's strange," Shaun frowned. "I'm well aware Dr. Li has lost a great deal over the years. From people she loved, to family, to friends, I can barely even imagine what she must go through when faced with loss. She has truly been through hell."

"Precisely," Nate said, setting down his wine. "Why would we put her through more? Giving her the information of everything that transpired with Dr. Virgil would only horrify and haunt her. She, more than most, doesn't deserve to suffer anything else."

"It's why I have mixed feelings about her travelling to the surface with Miss Spencer when the girl visits her family," Shaun said with a heavy sigh. "The surface has caused her much pain. However, considering she agreed to be the one to bring Miss Spencer into the Institute, and has continued to be a tremendously good advisor to her, I won't stop her unless she asks. Dr. Li would never turn her back on the Institute, yet another reason why I believe her learning what happened with Dr. Virgil would upset her. His betrayal is…significant, and I can only imagine how it would torment her."

"Absolutely," Nate agreed. "I quite admire Dr. Li. She's been through so much, yet she has persisted and done amazingly well despite being faced with setback after setback over the years, before she found the Institute. In some ways…she reminds me of your mother."

University Point
April the 5th, 2288
15:51

A sudden spike in their energy readings had, they thought, been proof of the potential for Institute technology – synth or not – to be nearby.

When they walked through the gates of a town with its name messily spray painted on a large slab of metal, they had expected it to be quite difficult to find any traces of the Institute.

They were wrong.

Knight Rhys, in his full power armour, went silent in shock. Scribe Haylen took a last few notes and then put away all of the equipment they had in their hands. Once her Scribe's backpack was closed and the equipment secure, she took in a sharp breath upon realising just how close she and Rhys were to not one but at least five Institute synths. They were, clearly, inhuman. Two of them were nothing but metal skeletons with unsettling, permanent facial expressions and, as they well knew, incredibly simplistic interfaces for manufactured intelligence. The few replicated human organs, however, were the most unsettling, a human heart sending out electrical impulses being one of the most visible and disturbing pieces in the otherwise metal construction. The other three were closer to appearing human. Their faces occasionally showed expression, but their manufactured intelligence was barely above the level of the metal skeletons. There was a mixture between metal and skin, the entire skeleton covered to have something of a body, and something about its almost human movements were distinctly disturbing. Rhys and Haylen looked between each other for a moment, caught off guard.

When they saw a few of the synths approach some of the town's people, they drew their weapons.

"Step back, we'll take care of this," Rhys said, authority rising in his voice. "Take cover, civilians. As members of the Brotherhood Of Steel, we will take care of this for you."

"Please, don't worry," Haylen added. "Everything will be alright."

Not taking a minute more to hesitate, the Scribe and the Knight split off in separate directions; her to the left, him to the right. The synths began to say things in their awful, grating voices. By order of the Institute, you must be eliminated. My sensors detect unauthorised intrusion and weapons activity. One of the three metal and skin synths ran towards Haylen, who swiftly snatched it by the arm, swung it around, and then fired off several shots to its head. Once it stopped moving, she switched targets to the two skeletal synths while Rhys handled the other two metal and skin synths. It was all over in no more than ten minutes. When he finished off the synths, Rhys stepped out of his power armour to investigate the remains. He frowned when he saw the mix of human, biological material – albeit small – with the metal parts and began to deconstruct them to fit in a second, large Scribe's backpack. I typically resent having to do the work Scribes do. This, however…I can only imagine how much this will help advance my career. Perhaps Elder Maxson will consider promoting me to Paladin within the next few years. He looked over to Haylen, who was already doing the same, pausing every so often to take notes.

When they finished, they were surprised to see the town's people coming out now the shooting was done, not looking relieved but horrified.

"I apologise for the disruption," Haylen zipped up her bag, and then swung it over her shoulders before approaching the crowd. "Have you had problems with these…synths before?"

"Talk to…" A woman shook her head. "Follow me. I'd normally ask you to speak with Mayor Strickland, but this…you need to speak with Mister Spencer."

Haylen raised an eyebrow, motioning for Rhys to follow after her, which he did after stepping back into his power armour.

"Who's this Mister Spencer?" Haylen said, taking the second Scribe's backpack from Rhys. "If he's not the mayor, that is."

"Is he an assistant to the mayor?" Rhys asked, taking off his helmet to carry it under his arms, keeping his face visible. "Or is he some other…important figure in your town?"

The woman turned around and shook her head before the three of them began up a tall flight of stairs.

"Mister Spencer is the father of sixteen year old Jacqueline Spencer, who no longer…lives here," She said, a bit wary. "I am not the one who is at liberty to divulge why to you, hence why I am bringing you to speak to Mister Spencer. And, please, steer clear of Perry Owens and Martha Cole. They'll be quite obvious, the only ones cheering you two on."

"That's insulting," Rhys bristled. "Do you not understand we just saved your lives?"

The woman sighed, saying nothing more until after they reached the top of the stairs and, then, the end of a long hallway. She knocked on the door, and it was quickly opened by a man no older than forty five who looked terribly anxious.

"I'll leave the three of you to have a discussion," The woman said. "Good luck, Gerald."

Haylen and Rhys startled, taking a small step back once the door was slammed shut behind them the moment they were inside the man's apartment. He began to pace, tugging at his hair. The Scribe and the Knight nervously glanced between each other before, irritated, Rhys spoke.

"I understand being terrified by the Institute being in your town," He said irritably. "But we've taken care of the threat. Why are you –"

"Do the two of you know a goddamn thing about the Institute?" Gerald Spencer exclaimed, shaking when he turned to them. "You may very well have just turned our town into a target! I was lucky my daughter wasn't lynched by this fucking town after she discovered some pre-War science shit a few years ago, but I don't think luck is going to hold out in this godforsaken town now you've gone and done this!"

Haylen eyed him strangely. "I'm so sorry you've been through that, but what does any of that have to do with the Institute?"

Gerald took in a deep breath, and a moment passed before he calmed himself down.

"Three years ago, this August," Gerald finally began. "My daughter, Jacqueline, had already accomplished more in her first fourteen years of life than many thrice her age do. She reactivated the town's mail relay, and restored access to what people before the War called 'the Internet,' essentially, a database for just about everything known to man. The…biggest thing she did, however, was decrypt information on a piece of pre-War technology. If I remember correctly, it was on nuclear reactor efficiency. She wanted to sell the information, but unknowingly tipped off the Institute."

Rhys, for as much as he tried, couldn't hide the horror and fury that crossed his countenance.

"The Institute murdered a teenage girl? Over information?"

"No," Gerald sat down, probing his forehead. "I thought they would, at first. I thought they would kill all of us. But she…this man the Institute sent…he was a monster. And she looked him in the eye and told him she wouldn't do anything without meeting an Institute scientist first. It caught him off guard. So much so the Institute granted her request. A few weeks later, two women, one of whom never took off a…quite advanced hazard suit arrived in our town with a few synths, the synths who look like us."

Haylen frowned. "I don't understand. What happened?"

Gerald sighed. "I stayed in the room while she talked to these women. I didn't want them to take her away, but…after they talked about God knows what – truthfully, I don't understand much of anything when it comes to science – Jacqueline agreed to go with them, to the Institute. She's been there ever since."

"They kidnapped her?" Rhys said, his voice darkening. "And she's been gone for nearly three years?"

"I…I certainly felt it was kidnapping for a good long while. Part of me still feels that way," Gerald said, his voice unsteady. "But I see her at least every three months, often more. Only one of the women accompanies her, now, but lets me talk to her alone. I didn't think she would be happy there…but she is. I can't give up everything I've ever known, so, I remain here as a liaison, of sorts, for the Institute. I like to think I'm growing into the role."

Haylen and Rhys turned to each other, still horrified.

"Do you…" Haylen began, considering her words carefully. "Do you know who this woman is?"

Gerald nodded. "Her name is Dr. Madison Li. But, enough of this," He stood up and pointed towards the door. "Tell whomever it was who sent you not to come back. We don't need anymore of your 'help.' We just want to be left alone."