Of The Past We Use To Advance Chapter 4 – May's Magical Moves.
It was midnight and the enclosure was so cold and muddy because of the heavy rain falling all over him as he lay there. The mud was deep and he was in so much pain. His only friend was a Radroach that was contently sitting in the corner under a wooden box just waiting for Falcon to die so it could get its long awaited meal.
He was just begging for death as an escape as he was thinking back as to how he got there, back before the slavers captured him and beat him every single day.
He remembered planting a few mines as a trap for a Deathclaw that was attacking wastelander's every time they were in the area. But when he planted the final one, of all things, a Molerat, the ugliest and stupidest of the mutated animals that scoured the wasteland, decided to run through the minefield. It set off a chain of explosions that sent Falcon flying across the ground knocking him unconscious.
Slavers were attracted to the explosions and had found him minutes later. They decided to put a slave collar on him and beat him all the time as punishment for his 'crimes' against Paradise Falls.
The gates to the enclosure opened and two rough looking men walked in and pulled Falcon up by his arms, his tattered shirt ripping further in the process. The two men were holding him in place as he was kneeling in the mud when a tall muscular man walked in with a board of wood. Falcon knew his name was Jotun. The dumbest of all the slavers but was surprisingly proficient when it came to capturing slaves.
Con winced in fright and pain as the slaver raised the piece of wood and spoke with Sarah's voice, "Falcon! Falcon! CON! WAKE UP!C'mon wake up already!"
Con woke up and lunged forward, falling off the side of the bed. He noticed his eyes were full of tears and his heart was beating rapidly.
"A nightmare again," Sarah asked quietly.
She had gotten off the bed and sat next to him as he leaned against the bed, trying to steady his heartbeat.
"Are you okay?" she asked in a soothing voice as she ran her hand through his long brown hair.
He closed his eyes and said softly, "I'll be fine, just... Just give me a minute."
This wasn't the first time he had nightmares because of his past. If it wasn't from the time the slavers captured him, it was when he was almost eaten by a nest of Mirelurks, or the cannibals of Andale. Or reliving his father's death over and over again.
Sarah took his hand and pulled him towards the bed where they lay for a few more minutes. If there was one thing Falcon hated, it was appearing weak, especially to someone he cared so much for, but he knew Sarah had been through her own horrors of the Wasteland and understood why he had such nightmares.
It had been four days since they attacked the Enclave camp at the remains of Raven Rock so Elder Lyons called a meeting for an update on the situation with what the Brotherhood gained from the attack and the status of the prisoners.
Falcon and Sarah walked in the Great Hall to find Rothchild and half of the Pride sitting down at the circular shaped table.
Sarah went and spoke to Vargas so Falcon sat next to Rothchild.
"Good morning my boy," Con smiled at him and returned the greeting so Rothchild began a conversation.
Over the course of the next few minutes, the rest of the Pride and as a surprise to Con, Star Paladin Cross followed by Elder Lyons walked in the room.
Everyone began to settle themselves and cease their talking when Lyons sat down with Cross standing behind him.
"This will be the last meeting for a while between all of us here as I have assignments for all of you. First, I would like to note that as you all know, repairs to the Citadel have been extensive since we've had the time and resources to rebuild our home. Last night the jail cells were completed in the north-western wing of the sub-basement and all Enclave prisoners have been placed there under heavy guard."
"Personally I prefer my Enclave dead on the ground. Though I guess having them rot behind bars is good enough," Knight Captain Dusk said aloud, getting a few laughs or "hear-hears" from almost everyone one in the room.
Con just remained silent. His hatred for the Enclave was strong, but over the year since their defeat at Adams Air Force Base that hatred had died down. Especially after he became sick of Talon Company constantly trying to kill him so he took his anger out on them, wiping almost all of them out at Fort Bannister.
"Yes well unfortunately they are bred and raised to follow the orders of their idiotic superiors but they are nonetheless, human."
"Anyway, continuing on. When Falcon returned home four nights ago he gave an Enclave device to Rothchild for study. If you will please explain what it is my friend?"
Everyone looked at Rothchild as he began one of his long winded speeches.
"Essentially it is a long range communications device for the Enclave, using only a set amount of radio frequencies to talk on. Since activation of the device, we have been able to gather strategic information such as the whereabouts of several Enclave camps in and outside of the D.C. area. At the moment our scribes are sifting through the data and maintaining records of it all."
Rothchild took a breath and continued in a more serious and concerned tone.
"However, we've become aware that they have set up camp in one of the old SatCom Arrays which could be troublesome."
Before Rothchild could continue, Falcon interrupted him, "Actually, you don't have to worry much about the array."
Rothchild looked at him curiously as he asked, "What do you mean? Do you have information on this array that we do not?" Con laughed silently to himself before speaking up.
"Yes actually. After I caused Raven Rocks destruction and started heading back to the Citadel, I stopped there to rest. Downside was that the place was crawling with Talon Company Mercs and a ghoul scientist who was trying to get the array working."
Rothchild's brow furrowed as he usually did when he started to think.
"After I dealt with all of them I found out that it's the only array in the area that can call down a nuclear payload from a satellite in orbit. The array's rotors are also damaged so it can't change its pre-existing target location which is about a kilometre east of the array.
"That is still a reason to worry though," Rothchild replied to which Falcon just shook his head and continued saying, "Not really. For one thing the Enclave doesn't, and will never have the launch codes."
"How exactly can you be certain of that?" Owyn asked.
"Well because I'm the only one with the launch codes. And before I left the array, I fiddled around with the operating system it was using so that the only way you can use the system is if my Pip-Boy is connected to it."
"Why have you not told us about the array before? We could have secured it and attempted to repair the array should we ever need the use of it!" Owyn demanded in an annoyed voice.
"Honestly. It slipped my mind. Especially with the fact that the only threat we've had for a year is the remaining mutants and feral ghouls."
Owyn relaxed slightly before he continued talking.
"Very well then. I suppose you do have a point. But here is what is happening now though. Paladin Cross is going to be leading the Pride in an attempt to secure the array why the three of you," Owyn pointed to Falcon, Sarah and Paladin Vargas, "Are heading off to Evergreen Mills."
A look of confusion took over the faces of the three of them until Owyn continued.
"Last night a Wastelander was paid by someone to deliver a message to you Falcon. The message was a request for you to travel to Evergreen Mills and meet with someone who is willing to give us tactical information on the Enclave but, naturally, for a price."
"Ahh, yeah, sure. If I wanna be captured, raped, pulled apart and strung up on a wall as a trophy by a shitload of drug-fucked raiders. The Mill is raider territory. Hell it's the capital city for those fuckers!" Falcon ranted, crossing his arms as if he had a choice in the matter.
"Yes I know but that is why Sarah and Vargas are going with you for backup. The Pride can handle taking the array while you can meet this person. It's unlikely but for all we know this contact actually has information on the Enclave. We have to take the chance."
Con sighed, rubbing his forehead to try and get rid of the headache he felt coming on.
He looked next to him at Sarah who smiled lightly. It's not like he could actually tell the leader of the Brotherhood no.
"Alright then, fine, you win. I'll go."
"Excellent! You can leave when you're ready."
A smile washed over Owyn's face as he stood up, dismissed everyone and walked out of the room.
"Don't you love it how he asks you to do something but you know you can't exactly say no to him," Falcon said to Sarah who just laughed, patted him on the shoulder and walked out of the room with Vargas.
Con started to walk out when Rothchild stopped him.
"My boy, I have a somewhat unusual request for you but would you accompany me to the medical lab? We have a very young Enclave soldier who we have administered a mind altering drug to and I'm hoping that you could maybe help us into making him realise we are actually the 'good guys' here."
"Umm, you're drugging Enclave soldiers to convince them we're the good guys? Which I'm not disputing is the truth but isn't that a little... brainwashy?"
"Yes well it wasn't exactly my idea. You know what Scribe May is like, coming up with new drugs to test out. Unfortunately she went straight over my head to ask for permission to test the drug out. As per usual..." Reginald stated in a quiet and annoyed tone of voice which Falcon couldn't help but snigger at.
"Alright then, lead the way."
The two of them exited the Great Hall and began walking to the infirmary, once inside Falcon saw a shirtless young man who couldn't be more than eighteen years old. The few white scars decorated over his thin and athletic body was brightened by the light tan he had.
Strapped down to a medical gurney he was struggling to break free as Scribe May approached him, a Stimpack in her hand, its cartridge full of a fluorescent blue liquid.
"Let me out, please for godsake let me the fuck out of here!" he yelled struggling against the straps.
"Sawbones can you hold his arm still for me please," May asked as the faded green, hovering, sphere shaped robot extended one of his mechanical arms, gripping the young man's arm with its pincer like hand and holding it steady as May injected the drug into the shallow vein on his left arm.
"Argh! Let me out please! I haven't done anything wrong! Let me go... Le... m-mm... ee... g-g-go..," he began to fade out of consciousness, tears falling down the side of his face. Falcon couldn't help but feel unsettled by it all. Sure he was Enclave but, he was a young man, a human who was being used as a guinea pig to another one of May's experiments.
Hopefully though, this one will end better as opposed to the last test subject she was working on; a raider who had developed a cold that she tried to treat. Instead, her 'serum' caused his blood to boil and organs to liquefy. It left quite a mess and a very unhappy Elder. But Rothchild did suggest it could be applied to the Mutant problem, if only as a last resort.
"Bones can you please take note of his vitals and tell me if they change significantly." May asked.
"Sir, yes, sir!" Sawbones replied as his pincer hand arm swung upwards to one of his eyepieces before turning to face a monitor in the corner of the room.
"So tell me May. What's his name, how old is he and is he dead or what?" Falcon asked in a polite manner. He had learned to always be nice to May as she had a tendency to yell. Very loudly. Some people have often said they would rather go up against a horde of Super Mutants then be in the room when she yells.
"According to his holotags he is Recruit Tyler Daniels, eighteen years old. Too young to be involved with the Enclave," May shook her head before continuing, "And no he is not dead. I mixed in a strong anaesthetic with the serumso he is only unconscious. Hopefully though the serum will only take several hours to alter his brain chemistry so he will lose the anger his brain was designed to function with since birth."
Con looking slightly confused took a gamble at the fear of her yelling and asked, "What exactly do you mean when you say 'designed to function with since birth'?"
"You may as well take a seat 'cause it's a long story. But I s'pose I can give you the shortened version. We've learnt through medical records recovered from Raven Rock that all children born in the Enclave essentially have their brain chemistry altered so they thrive off a small amount of anger. It's the Enclave's way of controlling them and making them view their leaders words as the gospel truth."
"In which case it would be us being the 'bad guys' of the Wasteland right?"
"That is correct. Hopefully this serum will alter his neural pathways to what the normal human brain should be, removing that control and letting him think clearly. To let him see and hear the facts in front of him, without clouding his mind full of Enclave propaganda."
Falcon looked at Rothchild who had a concerned look on his face.
'How could the Enclave brainwash them like this. It's so wrong!' Falcon thought as he looked at Tyler who was still laying there in his unconscious state.