In The Shadow of Steel (Paladin Danse)

Part Seventeen

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about, Ingram?"
The over-worked redhead released a large sigh, the robotics of her power armour frame cranking beneath the shifting of her weight. Stress had began eating at her face, the lines forming above her eyebrows, around her eyes and the corners of her mouth. It looked as if she hadn't slept for three days, but knowing Ingram, she probably hadn't.
"It's about Knight Winters."
"What about her?" I was growing impatient, Maxson had ordered me to keep watch over her, and right now she could be snooping where she shouldn't. My hunch was that this conversation was about exactly that.

"One of the sentries close to my area of our secret project on Prime informed me that she'd been nose deep in my terminal. Now we both know that she's not stupid. She's smart, perhaps too much for her own good. So if she hasn't already figured out what Prime is, it sure as hell won't take her long to find out. And when she does, she's going to be pissed that she's been kept in the dark about it. If it were up to me, I'd have her out there with you looking for the damned parts I need to get him up and running. But of course I too take orders from Maxson, and he doesn't want to lose her."
"She's going to want back out there, isn't she." It was a statement more so than a question. If anyone had the vendetta to take down the Institute it was Evelyn, perhaps even more so than the Brotherhood itself.
"Yep, and I'm rooting for her. She may not have been a part of the Brotherhood for long, but I'll be damned if I didn't admit she's got more drive than any other field agent to get this job done. I'm going to travel up to the Prydwen and talk to Elder Maxson. Hopefully he'll swallow the pill and allow her to get back out there. If we're going to win this war, I'm going to need a high-powered magnet. And if my scribes have done their research properly, there should be one still kickin' at the Mass Bay Medical Centre. You and her should be power enough to obtain it for me, so leave this to me. I'll make sure she's cleared and you two can head out there first thing in the morning."
"I want Prime finished just as much as you, and I'll admit, being boots on the ground is better than sitting around here all day. Thanks Ingram. Once we're back out there, you'll have that magnet in no time." She raised a hand to pat my arm, her smile small and secure.
"Ad Victoriam, Paladin."

With a firm nod, I turned back to my current duty. My mind processed the thoughts of Evelyn and her state of suspiciousness from before. She'd known about Liberty Prime then, and she'd been aware that I'd kept it from her. But she's not blind to the fact it's my duty as a Paladin to have kept a top secret mission private. How would she really react to it, how should I have acted as her friend? And why can't I stop thinking about her damned lips?

The old Boston Airport ruins opened up before me, the sun hiding behind a thick white cloud in the late afternoon sky. It will be dark soon.
Shaun and Shane sat in the same spaces as before, the Initiate's stupid impression resulting in a giggle from the child. But Evelyn had moved. I scanned the area looking for her, but she wasn't in my sights. I rushed around the side of the plane to see if she was hiding closer to the water; of course she wasn't.

"Initiate!" I shouted upon reappearing beside him. He rose to his feet, head held high to show his subordination. "Where is Knight Winters?"
He almost looked embarrassed as he fumbled for his words. "Uh, she asked me to stay here with the child."
"Where did she go?"
"I-I don't know. She uh, went that way." He raised a worried finger, I followed its line of direction towards the entrance of the airport. My head spun with the words Ingram had shared with me, spiralling towards the knowledge she'd gained, falling to the way she'd acted off with me.
"Dammit! Take Shaun back to the Prydwen, now! If anyone asks where she is, you say she's with me, got it?"
"Y-yes sir, c'mon Shaun." He packed away the comic book, taking Shaun's smaller hand.
"What's wrong? Where's my mom gone?"
"Don't worry, I know where she's going. I'll look after her, I promised you didn't I?" I crouched down to his level, worry in his eyes.
"Yeah, I know you will." The young child hugged me for the second time today, an emotion I struggled to reciprocate. My mind was focused on his mother's stupidity and arrogance. She's reckless, she'll end up getting herself killed. No, my memory reminded me of our conversation outside of Diamond City. "We live, for each other."
I took off, running the route I was positive she'd taken.