Fallout 4: AR

42. Unexpected Rescue

H3-27 was my first introduction to a runaway Gen 3 Institute Synth. He had escaped the Institute with nothing more than the jumpsuit on his body and a message to go to Bunker Hill. How he had escaped had been wiped from his memory in order to keep the secret from being discovered by the Institute. I instantly felt a surge of compassion and affinity for this poor person, lost and alone in the Commonwealth. He had the added difficulty of being hunted by a superior organization, a problem I fortunately had yet to have. Figuring this was probably the best stroke of luck we could have encountered, next to dispatching the Courser of course, I sent an intentionally cryptic message, Deacon will love this, through the RRoad channel letting them know we were headed their way with our charge.

Convincing MacCready to help get a babe-in-the-woods Synth wearing an outfit guaranteed to draw attention all the way to Bunker Hill was a different story. He showed me where it was on my map, pointing out that we'd have to traverse some of the most dangerous areas in Boston to get there. "You've got to be fuc- err, freaking kidding me, right?" he moaned dramatically, gesturing in real anger when I proposed escorting H3-27 ourselves. The subject of our discussion was sitting a short ways away, out of earshot, staring up at the ruined buildings in awed wonder.

"He needs help, MacCready, just like I did when you agreed to be my bodyguard. He'll never make it alone." I could tell my appeal was going to be less than successful when the emotional shield snapped up, hooding his expression.

"I was paid to guard you, and paid pretty damn well for the initial contract. You were wearing reasonable clothing to blend in, I was able to get you a weapon that you could use, and we weren't stuck in the middle of a hostile area when I took the job!" His voice was quiet, but snarlingly intense, crisply snapping off every word. We glared at each other, our base natures at complete odds for the first time since we met. "Your crazy altruistic drive to save every last pitiful sap in the Wasteland is going to get us both killed!"

"He's not just any 'sap,' you know," I hissed, furious. "He's an escaped Synth from the Institute. You know, the guys we've been trying to track down for information? Information that is my best chance of getting home?"

Cold blue eyes bored into mine. "Information you need from a Courser, not a mind-blanked escapee. Information that's worse than useless if you're dead. You thought the hospital Rhys sent us to was bad? Boston proper is practically a suicide trek if you're not completely at the top of your game and on constant guard. Trying to save this one Synth is not worth getting us killed!" He gritted his teeth. "Look, Boss, I'm here to protect you. I'm telling you right now that it's too dangerous for us to get to Bunker Hill from here with him tagging along."

"So we go carefully. You're the best gun in the Commonwealth. With our help, I'm sure H3 will be..."

"No, Boss."

"Fine," I snapped, reluctantly giving in. If he's that certain, I need to trust him. "But I hope you realize he's probably going to follow us anyway. And since the Institute is already hunting him down, we'll have to deal with that too. Whatever we do, we have to get him out of here. We can't just leave him, it would be tantamount to murder." I turned to face him, standing a few feet away. "Of course, you could make it quick and kill him in cold blood right now, just for being here, for wanting to live his own life." I didn't have to elucidate how such an action would ruin our partnership, our relationship, forever. God, I need to get home.

MacCready groaned, slumping his shoulders and lowering himself into a defeated crouch, his sniper rifle clutched in front of him. "Damn it." A sharp whack echoed from the stone walls around us as he pounded the butt of the gun against the ground in an excess of emotion. "How do you do it, Boss?" he asked, voice cracking, suddenly sounding very young and unsure. "How do you make me see things from that point of view? I- I never would have bothered before."