The Human Condition - Fallout 4 | OC x Danse |

13 - how you like my personality~

└── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──┘

The Memory Den

- - - 

"Unfortunately, I can't help you."

I frowned. Danse and I had returned to the Memory Den the next day to speak to Dr. Amari, holding out the Courser chip for her to look at. She looked somber as she delivered the news, one of the only capable brain scientists being unable to assist us.

"...I've worked on a lot of synths, but never a Courser. I don't know what the chip does, let alone how to decode it," she explained. "But there are people who might. I work with a group that, well, they're the only ones I know that even have a chance at cracking Institute security."

"Who are they?" Danse inquired.

"They're called the Railroad."

"How do we find them?" I asked.

"I can't contact them directly. They usually come to me, when they have a synth that's escaped the Institute and wants new memories."

"They... capture synths?" I repeated slowly. "And erase their memories?"

"Yes. They help synths get out of the Institute and restart their lives. Erasing any trace of their memories of that place, and starting anew."

Danse clenched his jaw while I sighed. Great. More synth dilemmas getting in the way.

"...But I do have a code phrase," Dr. Amari went on, ignoring our reactions. "Some kind of clue if I ever needed to find them on my own: 'Follow the Freedom Trail'."

I nodded, narrowing my eyes. It had to be the real Freedom Trail, right? That red road that stretched around Boston, marking all the historical points... I had walked it for a field trip when I was in middle school, and another time in high school. Would that be too obvious?

"...And you're sure they're the only ones who would be able to decode it?" I pushed, glancing back at Danse. 

"Yes. They're the only ones who have been involved in such a process with synths and Coursers."

"...Alright." I straightened up, accepting yet another weighty premise. "I'll find them."

"Good luck — I'm sorry what I have is so cryptic, but hopefully you can figure out as you go."

"We will... thanks, Dr. Amari."

Danse and I left the building, quiet as our minds milled over the news we were given. He was the first to speak. "...We will do what we have to."

I looked over at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Dealing with this Railroad is clearly a secretive operation — even their own allies don't know where they are. As you've showed me, sometimes playing along... is the better strategy. And proves to be the most effective. If we need to meet them peacefully, to blend in... then we will."

I nodded, pleasantly surprised. It wasn't exactly exciting to run into the place guns a-blazing  because the people believed in rescuing synths. I was just glad Danse agreed; the Paladin I met a few weeks ago would find their headquarters with a Fat Man equipped and readied. Funny how a few weeks in the Commonwealth together could change us like this. 

"...This is a delicate operation," he continued. "If we put any of this intel at risk, we may just end up losing the only concrete way into the Institute that we've ever had. So... I'm willing to do what we need to."