Jacob Burns and the Order of the Algorithm #Wattys2017

Chapter 17: A Eulogy for Jacob Burns

"Prove it, huh? And how exactly do you plan to do that?" Hancock asked as he rested the tip of the knife beneath my chin. I swallowed hard.

"It's something we, er... I, found. Down in the mine, I mean library! It s-sort of looks like an old spyglass, but it's called an 'oculus device', some kind of trick lens that reveals secret messages. I used it on the map and it worked, told me where to find the next marker. Just... just check my pockets, it's got to be there somewhere!" I added breathlessly, praying to whatever god was up there that it would be enough. I watched with bated breath as Hancock withdrew the knife and seemed to think it over, weighing all the pros and cons in his mind before he did what he always did in these situations. He looked down, let out a deep sigh, and shook his head. Every muscle in my body tensed.

"You're breaking my heart here, Burnsie..."

And just like that, my fate was sealed. All the blood began to drain from my face as the crowd erupted into a roar of applause. There wasn't a man alive that didn't know what those words meant. They cheered their leader on as he walked around the room, his hands raised above his head as he whipped the audience up into a frenzy.

"So whaddya say, boys?" He called out with glee, "Is he a synth or ain't he? Guess we gotta crack him open to find out! Better place your bets now, it's gonna be your last chance..." He added darkly as the crowd cheered wildly again.

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. My vision began to blur as the adrenaline drowned all my senses. The cheers around me grew louder and louder as they called for my head until the sound thundered in my ears. I didn't know what to do. I watched helplessly as Hancock began to approach me once again, the steel of the blade grinning in the sunlight as he walked. He grabbed me by my collar and lifted me up, staring me dead in the eyes with a look of steely resolve.

"Let's find out what you're made of, eh Jacob?" The man whispered in my ear as he raised the knife above his head. I stood paralyzed as I held my breath and closed my eyes, waiting for the final blow to strike.

But it never came.

At that very moment, the door slammed open behind me and I could hear the sound of several people entering the room. My breath hitched in my throat, the blade mere inches from my flesh, as Hancock looked up with a scowl on his face. Everything seemed to stand perfectly still as heavy footsteps made their way up the aisle, and I started to wonder what fresh hell this could possibly bring.

As soon as Hancock's men made it onto the stage, however, I had gotten my answer... in the form of that unforgettable shade of Vault-Tec blue.

My heart sank into the floor.

Even with a bag over her head and her hands tied behind her back, that figure was impossible to mistake. Ilya had been captured.

"Well, well, well... What do we have here?" Hancock said smoothly as he eyed the girl's voluptuous figure, suddenly very much intrigued, "Burnsie, baby... A vault dweller? What else have you been holding out on me?"

"We found her snooping around outside, boss," one of the henchmen offered, "Looking for a way inside. Figured she had to be with Burnsie here since there ain't no one else dumb enough to try... So, what you want us to do with her?" He asked, but Hancock didn't seem to be listening, an idea or two already forming in his depraved little mind as dark-hooded eyes roved up and down the girl's body. The man made sure to straighten his jacket and adjust his hat before yanking the hood off her head and giving her his most charming smile.

Ilya let out a terrified gasp, her eyes wide as she backed away in horror, but Hancock didn't seem to mind, in fact, he seemed downright amused as he advanced closer and closer until the girl found herself backed up against a wall with nowhere to run. The man leaned in, a devious smile on his face, as he placed both his hands on either side of her head and whispered so close in her ear that she could no doubt smell the stale booze on his breath.

"Hey there, sweetheart, what's the matter? Ain't you never met a ghoul before?" He asked as a rotting hand moved in to brush away a lock of her hair. Ilya recoiled.

"Get away from me! Don't bite me!" She cried out as the room erupted into a round of laughter.

"Whoo boy! This one's straight out of the box, ain't she?" Hancock laughed as he reeled back, wiping a tear from his eye, "Listen girlie, I know I may look like something out of cheap horror flick, but I ain't no monster. And as for biting, I only do that on request," he added with a wink as the girl's face flushed a deep red.

"Leave her alone Hancock!" I demanded as I struggled against my bonds, "This is between you and me, she's got nothing to do with this!"

"Nothing? Sure don't look like nothing to me... In fact, I'm starting to think this little trinket here just might be worth something after all," he added as he pulled a glint of gold out from his pocket and my mouth dropped. The Oculus... Hancock... He had had it the whole time... and still he was gonna do me in! I thrashed against the men holding me back, but it was useless. Before I knew what was happening, Hancock was leering over the girl once again, knife in hand and Ilya's eyes wide in terror. But with one quick flick of his wrist, her bindings fell away to the floor, leaving Ilya to stand there looking very confused.

"You'll have to excuse the rather rude welcome, my dear," Hancock said as he placed the spyglass carefully into her hands, "But what can I say? We people of Goodneighbor just have our ways about these things, although you certainly have my apologies. But Burnsie and I... Well, we got some history, see? Unfinished business and all that... Can't say I didn't warn the bastard either, but this? This changes everything... I mean, if he was right about the vault, then what else might be hiding out there? I think I just might like to find out..."

"Now then!" He said with an excited clap of his hands, "Of course, I'm going to need all the details I can get, Burnsie's word don't hold much water round here if you hadn't noticed, so if you'd like, we can adjourn to the back room and discuss everything in private, perhaps over a nice bottle of wine...?"

"Ah, w-well... I'm not sure if that's such a... er, good idea..." Ilya said uncertainly, her eyes quickly darting back and forth between Hancock and myself.

"Oh, but where are my manners? By all means, allow me..." Hancock exclaimed, and with a snap of his fingers, his goons dropped me to the floor like a ton of bricks. I scrambled to my feet as fast as I could, glaring daggers at my would-be killer as he took off his hat and offered Ilya a low bow.

"The name's John Hancock... Mayor of Goodneighbor and scavver extraordinaire, at your service. And, you are...?"

"I-Ilya, Ilya Astor," she replied, completely taken aback. Hancock smiled warmly as he took her hand gently in his and gave it a tender kiss.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman... It's an absolute pleasure, my dear," the man said, laying on the charm so thick that I thought I just might throw up.

"Oh yeah, well it's been a real blast for me, let me tell ya... An absolute thrill!" I yelled as I pushed myself in between the two of them, "Listen, as much as I've enjoyed the near-death experience, you ain't the only one interested in this vault. We've had the Institute on our tails ever since Diamond City and barely escaped that library with our lives. All we're doing now is losing precious time, so if you are taking me up on my offer, then just hurry up and pick your goon squad and let's get this over with already..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, there Burnsie! What's your hurry, now? Why, I ain't even dressed yet!"

I stopped dead in my tracks, not sure if I had heard that correctly.

"I'm sorry, what was that again?" I asked, my voice cracking ever so slightly as I did.

"Why Jacob, you didn't think I was about to send you off with just anybody, now did you? After the little stunt you pulled last time? No, I don't think so... I'm gonna keep you nice and close this time around... After all, I've got an investment to protect, now don't I? And besides, someone here's got to look out for Miss Astor," He said as he eyed the girl out the corner of his eye. I could feel my face fall.

"Aw, don't look so glum Jacob," he added as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, "Something tells me this is the start of a beautiful relationship... dontcha think?"

And something told me I'd just bitten off more than I could chew.