Crawled Out Through The Fallout

Chapter 4

Dogmeat led me to a lab. I was crouched with my pistol out and loaded. I needed to be ready for whatever happened. I walked past rows of file cabinets and other broken furniture until I reached a room. It was full of computers, and I stopped when I saw movement. I ducked behind a cabinet and watched carefully.

There was a tall, muscular man with a cybernetic arm, and a bald head. Kellogg. I debated whether to talk to him or not. Then I decided, he killed my husband, and took my baby. This man deserved whatever hell I could put him through. I aimed my pistol at him, and shot many times. He swung around to face me as I reloaded. He stalked towards me and began to shoot at me with a small revolver. He grazed my left arm with a bullet, and I winced. I unloaded another clip into his body, killing him.

"That was revenge for the shit you caused for me, asshole."

I shot his face for good measure, and took everything useful from his body.

Dogmeat whined at me from the exit. I stood up and ran out of the building, putting pressure on my arm. I fast travelled back to Diamond City, and walked through the alleyway to Nick's agency.

I fell against the doorway as it opened, exhausted from the blood loss. Nick and Ellie rushed to me, holding me steady and leading me to a chair. I sat down, and Ellie picked up some stimpacks, thread, alcohol, and a needle.

"I'm going to clean this up and sew it. It'll hurt, but it needs stitches. It is fairly deep, and wide."

I nodded and braced myself for the pain.

Nick asked what I found out from Kellogg. I told him I killed him and took his stuff, including the strange metal pieces on his body.

"Did you get any of his brain?"

I grimaced, disgusted.

"That's gross. Why would I want his brain?"

Nick sighed.

"I know someone who can access a dead person's memories through a piece of their brain."

I nodded, understanding.

"Nope, no brain. But I got some pieces off his body, one from his head. There might be some brain attached. OW!"

I gasped in pain as Ellie sewed up my gash.

She looked apologetic, and pushed a stimpak into my arm.

"I'm really sorry, but it'll heal much better if it's sewn."

I nodded.

Nick picked up my bag and rifled through it for the metal pieces I mentioned. He held the smaller one up, and looked at the cords dangling from it.

"There is a bit of brain on here. Take it to Doctor Amari in the memory den to see if it's enough."

I nodded to him, squinting from the shooting pain that ran through my arm.

Ellie wiped my arm one last time, then stood up.

"There, you're sewn up. Try not to move it too much, or you'll break the stitches."

I laughed weakly.

"You know me, going off on adventures. I'll try to be careful. Thank you."

I stood up groggily and walked towards the door, stumbling slightly. Nick got up and blocked my path.

"You are in no condition to go anywhere on your own. I'm going with you."

I shook my head and waved him off.

"No, I'm fine."

"Really? Where were you going?"

"To see Doctor Amari in the memory den."

"Without this?"

He held up the metal piece with brains on it.

I frowned, and reached for it.

He held it out of my reach, and then put it in his pocket. He said in a matter-of-fact voice,

"I'm going with you."

I sighed, and nodded.

"Alright. Let's go, Nick."

He lead me through the makeshift streets of Diamond City, and through the Commonwealth to Goodneighbor, to the memory den.