by M. P. Pubs
Marcus sighed and stared at the ground. His father was always one step ahead of him, it seemed. "I left the Vault to look for him."
Madison gave him a curious look. "Did you? I was under the impression that's exactly the opposite of what he wanted for you."
Marcus was growing anxious. "Do you have any idea where he went?"
"The last I knew, he was headed back to the lab at Project Purity, in the old Jefferson Memorial building."
The Jefferson Memorial; they had pasted it on their way to Rivet City. Despite the urge to run over to find his father, Marcus decided that he wanted answers first. "Tell me about this project you worked on with my father."
"Project Purity, we called it. What do you want to know?"
"What was the point of it?"
"It was simple, really. "Fresh, clean water for everyone." Such a simple idea, and yet so impossible to realize. We built a facility large enough at the base of the Tidal Basin to clean all of the water in the Capital. Unfortunately we could never get it to work."
The realization hit Marcus like a lightning bolt. So this was why his father left the Vault? He was trying to purify the water in the entire capital wasteland! He suddenly remembered the bible passage his father always spoke off: "the waters of life." He continued to press. "Why did you stop working on it? What happened?"
Madison paused for a moment before answering. "You happened. It wasn't just you; we had more problems than we could handle already, but your birth is what finally pushed it over the edge. Your father decided that you were more important than everything we'd been working for, and he left. He left all of us. Once he was gone, the Brotherhood decided we weren't worth their time anymore. Without their protection, we had to abandon the purifier."
Marcus' heart broke when he heard this. His father had given up everything, his dream to help everyone in the wasteland - for him. He suddenly felt a sense of guilt that shook him to his soul. He felt guilty about being born, about being so angry with his father for leaving him in the Vault. He felt like he'd acted like a spoiled kid. "Why is my father so determined to work on this project again?"
"Project Purity was everything to us. It was the first thing we thought about when we woke up, the last thing we talked about before sleep. Some of us changed over the years, but apparently James hasn't."
Marcus decided to dig a little deeper. "What was my father like back then?"
Madison seemed surprised at this line of questioning. "James? He was very driven. Determined to change the world. Well, we all were back then, I suppose. He was focused on two things, really. Making Project Purity work, and your mother. When she died, I think... I think he gave up. I know he wanted to keep you safe, but I think part of what he did was run away."
That last part struck a cord with Marcus. "My dad doesn't run!"
Madison was taken off guard by the outburst. "I'm sorry, I wasn't implying that your father was a coward."
Marcus calmed down and lowered his head. "I never knew my mother. What can you tell me about her?"
Sympathy filled Madison's eyes. "Yes... Your mother was, well she was a good woman. A very dedicated scientist. Your father loved her very much. It was a shame that she died. She had been excited to meet you."
It took all of Marcus' strength to fight back the tears. "Why did my mother die? What happened?"
Madison took a deep breath. "Complications from childbirth. None of us were expecting it; we weren't as prepared as we could have been. You have to understand, we were struggling with scavenged, derelict equipment. We did everything we could."
Marcus clenched his fists, and he stood there staring at the doctor. Part of him wanted to scream at her; to blame her for letting her mother die, and if this was a month ago he would have. But he couldn't afford to be that spoiled kid any longer. It was time to be a man. "I understand. I'm sure you did everything you could."
Madison touched his arm. "Yes, well... I'm sorry it wasn't enough."
As Marcus turned to leave, Chief Harkness placed his left hand on the young man's chest. "Hold on there, son. Before you go running toward the memorial, I think there's something you need to see."
* * *
Marcus, Clover and Charon stood on the bridge wing of Rivet City with Harkness and Commander Hill. Just off in the distance they could see the domed shaped structure in the middle of the Tidal Basin, but what Marcus couldn't see until Harkness handed him a pair of binoculars was the Super Mutant standing guard in front of it. "Oh God!" he sighed as panic began to set in. Did he come this far only for his father to fall victim to these monsters?
"Your father left here a week ago and we only started seeing those ugly bastards the day before yesterday." Harkness said.
Marcus nodded and pushed down the panic. 'There was still a chance he was still alive', he thought. Still, he had to know for sure. "Thank you Chief, but Super Mutants or not I have to get in there."
"I know, that's why I'm going with you."
"No Chief, I can't ask you to do that."
Harkness raised his hand. "I owe you a debt and I intend to repay it. I'll lead you to the memorial while Commander Hill has over watch."
Marcus looked the young Commander over. Hill was an attractive, but formidable looking woman with brown hair and hazel green eyes. The Barrett sniper rifle she was holding looked like it could take out any enemy, even the Hunters they had just fought. "Don't worry Chief, I've go your backs."
Harkness placed a hand on Hill's shoulder. "She's the best sniper in the whole wasteland. She'll clear the way for us."
From the tone of the android's voice, and the way he was looking at Hill, Marcus suspected that it was more then just professional admiration Harkness had for the young woman. He must not have been the only one who noticed, because as they followed Harkness down the ladder well, Marcus noticed Clover smile. "What's so funny?"
"Oh nothing...I'm just wondering if he was any special attachments for that."
Marcus let out a chuckle and shook his head. Charon rolled his eyes. "Nymph." he mumbled under his breath.
* * *
As Harkness lead Marcus and his companions to the bridge which led to the memorial, he explained to them that he was an advanced model of android created for espionage and spying. The idea was to create androids so life like they could infiltrate and blend into any human army. The unexpected result, much to the dismay of the Common Wealth, was that Harkness and many others had become self-aware, and refused to be slaves. The Chief told them an organization called "The Rail Road" helped him and others to escape.
Once they had reached the bridge, the four companions took cover. With his advanced optics, Harkness could see two Super Mutants standing at the main entrance. He keyed his internal communicator and radioed Hill. "Alright Hill you're up. I got two uglies at the front door, do you have a shot?"
"Affirmative."
"Light'em up."
The sound of the Barrett was loud even at this distance, and the first Super Mutant's head exploded. Hill fired a second .50 caliber explosive round which blew out the chest of the second mutant. "All targets neutralized, Chief. You're clear."
Harkness smiled. "Roger, all targets neutralized."
Marcus was still in awe at the display of the sniper rifles power. "Neutralized? You mean vaporized!"
Harkness stood up. "Come on, let's move."
They quickly made their way across the bridge and over to the main door. Marcus was about to go inside when Harkness stopped him. "Stay here; I'll be back."
Before anyone could protest, the Chief entered the memorial and closed the door behind him.
"Is he crazy?" Clover asked.
Before Marcus could respond he heard the muffled sound of gun, laser fire and explosions. He readied his tri-beam and grabbed the door. "I'm going in..."
Charon grabbed Marcus' arm. "He said to wait here."
"But..."
"Do you remember what happened in the Market?"
Marcus paused. The memo
ry of their battle with the androids was still very fresh on his mind, as well as the memory of what Harkness did to one of them. He also remembered Charon warning him not to rush into the situation, and Marcus not heeding the warning nearly got them killed. He decided to listen this time and let go of the door. After a few minutes the gunfire went from sustained to sporadic. While the sound of the battle unnerved Marcus, it also gave him small comfort. If there was gunfire, it meant the Chief was still alive. Finally the sounds of battle stopped, and Marcus strained to hear something. He was about to throw caution to the wind and go inside, when he heard foot steps approaching the door. "Get back!" He said as he raised his rifle. He didn't know who or what was coming, and he wanted to be ready for anything. The door opened and Harkness stepped outside.
"All clear." He stated.
The three companions looked Harkness over. A chunk of flesh was missing from his right cheek where a .38 round struck him. The metal underneath was exposed but was not damaged. His body armor was riddled with bullets. and more then a few had penetrated. The skin covering his left elbow was completely gone, and the joint appeared to be damaged.
"Are you...okay?" Marcus asked.
Harkness shrugged. "Just a few scratches." He looked down at his elbow and moved his arm. "One of them got a lucky hit with a super sledge, but it's nothing Doctor Li can't fix. There were no human's down there, alive or dead. Looks like they just missed him."
Marcus was relieved; at least his father hadn't met his end here. "Alright, let's see this Project Purity."
* * *
Marcus had to admit, Project Purity was very impressive. The facility was located in the center of the memorial rotunda, and it contained equipment that Marcus didn't dare pretend to understand. It didn't take him long to find a stack of holotapes on top of a large computer and he quickly plugged the first one into his PIPBOY:
"Well, here we are again. Project Purity and me. It's been close to twenty years since my last entry. Since I left all of this behind to make a life for my son. We've spent that time in Vault 101, tucked away from the rest of the world. It wasn't perfect, but it was safe, and that's all I could have hoped for. Now, my son is a grown man. Handsome, intelligent, confident. Just like his old man. Hmph. And as hard as it was to admit it, he doesn't need his daddy anymore. [long pause] God, we wanted to change the world. We really thought the waters of life could be a reality. And that's why this is a momentous occasion. Because even after nineteen years, I still believe it. Project Purity can and will be operational. This is just the beginning."
Marcus felt a sense of pride as he heard his father talk about him like that. Quickly he played the next tape:
"I spoke with Doctor Li, Madison, at Rivet City. It went about as well as I expected. That is to say she thinks I'm completely mad. How can I blame her? She's got her own life, her own team, and is making real tangible scientific progress. Here I come again, the very paragon of failure and false promises. But the reality is, I need Madison and whatever scientific team she may have assembled. I can't do this myself. Project Purity is bigger than me, it always was. And without Catherine... God, I can't let this die. Not again, not like this."
This entry, and the tone of his father's voice, troubled Marcus. His father's determination was borderline obsession. It was a side of the man he had never seen.
"To be honest, the GECK sounded like pure fantasy, even for someone of Braun's capabilities. It was nothing short of a miracle. A terra-forming module, capable of producing life from complete lifelessness. But not only was this thing a reality, it was actually distributed to several vaults to be used after an atomic war. Vault 101 was, sadly, not on that list. I did some digging and discovered Braun's name on the reservation list for a Vault 112. I'm no slouch, but this man, he could have easily succeeded where I failed. Does his collected knowledge remain within the halls of Vault 112? Journals, holotapes, computer records, maybe even experiments? If I could gain access to just a fraction of Braun's genius, Project Purity would become a reality."
GECK? What the hell was that, Marcus thought. He felt his own excitement rise along with his father's. Could he have found the answer to getting this project working?
"I'm off to Vault 112 to search for anything of Braun's that might help me get this purifier up and running. All I know is that it's West of some place called "Evergreen Mills," and it's well hidden in some sort of garage. But I'll find it, I have to. It's so close, but that's the story of Project Purity, isn't it? An eternity of "almost there's". Let's see if Braun has the missing puzzle piece."
Vault 112, that was it! His father was heading there, and that's where he would follow. There was one last tape he hadn't played, but this one was marked "Better Days."
"That batch of tests was inconclusive, but Madison and I are convinced it's a problem with the secondary filtration system. We're going to recalibrate the equipment and try again tomorrow so that... James, please, I'm trying to work. Now's not the time!"
As Marcus heard the woman's voice tears began to form in his eyes. Clover stepped over to him. "Who is that?"
"...So that's the next step. Assuming we get the results we need, we'll move on to.. James!"
Marcus could bearly answer. "I think...it's my mother!"
Clover listened as the woman on the tape began to laugh.
"Stop, I need to finish these notes! [laughing] ...We'll move on to diagnosing the issues with the radiation dampeners, that should..."
Marcus could no longer hold back the tears. "I never...I've never heard her voice before."
Clover gently rubbed Marcus' back. "She sounds nice."
"Owww! James! [laughing] Now? We really shouldn't! [laughing]"
The tape ended a few moments later and Marcus stood there with tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Are you alright, kid?" Harkness asked.
Marcus cleared his throat and wiped his face. "Yeah...I'll be alright. Do you know where this Evergreen Mills is?"
"Yeah - that place is a raider's haven. If this Vault is west of it, I'd give the place a wide berth. I'll mark the location on your PIPBOY."
"Thanks Chief." Marcus took another look around. "Let's get out of here."
* * *
After emerging from the memorial the four companions headed out back towards Rivet City. Just before reaching the bridge they were confronted by six armed Talon Company mercenaries. "Well, well look at what we have hear." the leader said. "We've been looking for you."
Marcus gripped the handle of his rifle and stared at the six men. The leader and two others were armed with 10mm submachine guns. Two were armed with AK-47's, and one was armed with a laser rifle. "I don't want any trouble."
The mercs laughed. "No trouble, he says. What? You think you could go around doing the things your doing and no one would notice. Pity, I heard you could've been - something."
While the merc rambled on, Harkness was secretly sending a coded message to Hill.
"Any last words?" the leader asked.
"I do." Harkness said, and the mercs looked at him. The Chief smiled. "Wait for it."
The lead merc laughed. "Wait for it? What the hell..."
His head exploded in a cloud of pink mist, covering the two Talon Company mercs nearby with blood and brains. Before any of the remaining mercs could react, Hill targeted a second and fired. The round hit one of the mercs square in the chest, blowing the top of his torso off. Harkness moved with lightning speed and knocked the merc with the laser rifle down with one punch; fracturing his skull. Marcus fired his tri-beam and reduced the merc with the AK ash. Charon blasted one of them into the next life with his Terrible shotgun, and Clover shot the last merc in the head with her submachine gun.
The battle was over in seconds, and all of the Talon Company mercs lay dead. Marcus was relieved, but he found no joy in this victory. He knew it was inevitable that he would run into these mercenaries, and he knew these were the first of many to hunt for him. Clover was already searching the body of t
he leader, and she removed a handful of documents from his pocket and handed them to Marcus.
"Well here's the contract on my head; it's up to 4,000 caps."
Harkness let out a whistle. "Damn, kid! You really pissed somebody off!"
Marcus didn't respond, and read the other contract. "Look's like yours is up to 1,000 caps, Clover."
The former slave girl let out a cheer. "I told you I'd get it up to a thousand!"
Marcus just shook his head. There was one more document that got his attention. "It says here Talon Company's been hired to attack a runaway slave haven named "The Temple of the Union". There's a map here showing where it is."
Everyone gathered around and studied the map. "That's north of the downtown area," Harkness said, "quite a hike from here."
Marcus nodded. "Yes, but we have a truck stashed north of Underworld that will get us there in no time."
Chief Harkness was shocked. "But what about your father and Vault 112?"
"According to this they plan on attacking those slaves soon, so someone has to warn them."
"Another detour?" Charon asked.
Marcus looked at the ghoul. "Another detour." He turned to Harkness. "I don't suppose you could come with us, Chief?"
Harkness shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't go that far away from Rivet City, especially now that the Common Wealth is sending Hunters after me. If I'm not their to protect the city, those androids might destroy it."
Marcus nodded and shook his hand. "I understand. Thank you again for everything."
"You'll always have a place in Rivet City. I hope you find your father."
"Thank you Harkness, and good luck to you."
Harkness headed off across the bridge back to Rivet City. After they had scavenged what they could from the mercs (including two pairs of black combat armor for Clover and Charon), the three companions headed north to the Temple of the Union.
Chapter 14: The Lincoln Legacy
"Dashwood: You're listening to the adventures of me, Herbert "Daring" Dashwood, and my stalwart ghoul manservant Argyle. Today's episode: In the Black Widow's Web.
