"You alright, Codsworth?"
"Just the Commonwealth these days, Mum. Never in my existence did I imagine we'd find ourselves in such a state. Nuclear war, the hubby gone, the fate of young Shaun... How many lives were lost due to the war? It's tragic, Mum. It truly is."
Hearing Codsworth's thoughts like this made me despondent. It was apparent to me early on that he wasn't without emotion, even for a robot. When Shaun wasn't feeling well, Codsworth showed concern. When Nate and I came home from a dinner date, he showed happiness. When I found him after emerging from the Vault, he showed both relief and grief. I didn't realize just how invaluable he was to our little family.
We were outside the house, watching the sunrise together. I was ready to leave for Diamond City; I just had to gather some things first.
"Miss Nora," he said with seriousness. "I'm gad you're here. I realize that the last two hundred years were just moments for you, Mum, but I'd like to think that we've maintained quite the rapport despite everything."
"Me, too, Codsworth." I smiled. "I'm glad you're here, too. It's comforting to know someone from... before." And I hated to leave him behind again. Then a thought crossed my mind. "Hey, how would you like to go to Diamond City with me? Maybe we'll find Shaun there."
"Are you certain I'm the man for the job, Mum? Although I live to serve, there may be someone better suited for the job."
"I'd like you to be there. You're part of the family, and this is a family affair."
"Well, it's an honor to be chosen to accompany you, Mum! I'll help you pack right away!"
He helped me gather a few supplies and put them in the duffle bag. I slung it over my shoulder and left in a hurry. I didn't give anyone so much as a goodbye. I had a feeling I'd be back with Shaun or I wouldn't be back at all.
____________________
Codsworth took his buzz saw to another Bloatfly, then ficked the juices from his blade. "The insects have gotten quite large the last few hundred years. By, Jove! Can you imagine the size of the swatter you'd need for them?"
I tried to give him a grin, but the Bloatfly had me too disgusted.
As Preston suggested, I stayed to the roads as much as possible. Codsworth would crack jokes every now and then to keep up our spirits.
I took in the sights of the Wasteland. The roads were cracked and uneven, abandoned cars littered the area with loose old tires and hubcaps, trees had fallen down and nothing green had grown in a while. The sun was still high in the sky with not a cloud in sight, so everything as far as the eye could see was perfectly illuminated, hiding no detail of the destruction left behind by the Bomb.
Everything almost felt unreal, like I was fully immersed in a movie where I was the main character and unable to change the channel. It felt as though I was helplessly watching this protagonist struggle to get her life together in an alien world. Every now and then, something would pull me back to reality and remind me that this was happening to me.
We crossed an old bridge that wasn't fully drawn down over the river. Someone had made stairs to walk over it. A small ship sat in the water underneath. The name on the side read "USS Riptide. A Raider started shooting at us from below. The old boat was full of them and barrels of burning trash and makeshift ramps to cross the water.
I ducked for cover.
"Now, this is my cup of tea!" Codsworth jeered.
What did he just say?
Codsworth made quick work of the Raiders' attack dog, but he was taking some damage from the other two below. I started shooting with my pistol and caught one in the leg. While he was down, Codsworth took his saw to his throat.
"Having fun yet?" he jeered again, rushing after the last Raider left standing.
The Raider started to run, but Codsworth mowed him down.
Once we were alone again, we continued across the bridge and made it to the other side of the river, entering the city of Lexington. Distant gunshots echoed through the quiet, eerie ruins of the city. Eventually, we came across signs that read "traders welcome ahead" and "Diamond City this way," with arrows pointing to the right. We followed the signs until we reached the old baseball stadium.
By this time, the gunshots weren't so distant now. Up ahead, to the right of the stadium, was what looked like three armed umpires fighting big, green, monstrous men.
"We should help them, Mum!"
One of the umpires fell to his knees, bleeding out on the asphalt. The big, green men were shooting from the second floor of a crumbling building and had the advantage.
I unholstered my pistol and fired a few shots at the brutes, forcing my hands to stay steady as I aimed. Whatever these things were, they looked terrifying.
After the umpires and I finished off the green monstrosities, one of them patted my shoulder. "Good of you to help out. Not afraid of Super Mutants, huh?"
"Super Mutants? That's what those were?"
"Yeah. Big, dumb, ugly, and hates anything that moves. Even each other."
"Why are you dressed like that?"
"I work under the mayor as a city guard for Diamond City. This here's my armor." He patted his chest, then winced. "One of those damn 'muties got me. I'll have to see the doc soon. Still, I'm one of the lucky ones. Lost a few good guys today."
"Are those Super Mutants around here often?"
"Hell yeah. The whole city ruins are full of 'em. That's why Diamond City's walls are such a blessing. Everything outside the Wall aint' safe. That's just how it is."
I glanced back at the big, green walls surrounding the stadium. There's a city in there?
"Anyway, if you're lookin' to rest up, head into the city. There's an inn, a bar, anything you can think of. You're lookin' pretty rough yourself."
I was slightly offended at his take on my appearance, but I could imagine how dirty I was. "Thanks for the info."
"Tally-ho, Mum> We need to get you fixed up." Codsworth was already ahead of me.
When we reached the entrance, though, someone else was already fighting to get into the city. It didn't look like it was going to be an easy walk-in.
She had short black hair, wore a press cap and a red coat, and was flushed with anger.
"What do you mean you can't open the gate?" she seethed. "Stop playing around, Danny! I'm standing out in the open here for crying out loud!"
A young man's voice came through the intercom to the left of the large metal gate. "I got orders not to let you in, Ms. Piper. I'm sorry, I'm just doing my job."
"Ooh, 'just doing your job?' Protecting Diamond City means keeping me out, is that it? Oh, look, it's the scary reporter! Boo!"
"I'm sorry, but Mayor McDonough's really steamed, Piper. Sayin' that article you wrote was all lies. The whole city's in a tizzy."
"Agh!" She clenched her fist and shook it at the intercom. "You open this gate right now, Danny Sullivan! I live here! You can't just... lock me out!"
He didn't answer.
"I know you're listening, Danny. Open the gate."
It seemed as though it was just this woman that wasn't allowed inside the stadium. So I approached the intercom with the intention of asking if I could come in or if there was a fee to be paid. Then, Piper motioned for me to come over. She had this spark of mischief in her eye.
Piper had a rosy complexion, wide hazel eyes, and a thin smile. She carried herself confidently and seemed an extrovert.
"You," she whispered on my approach. "You want into Diamond City, right?"
"Uh, I just got here, but yeah."
"Shh. Play along." She moved a little closer to the intercom. "What's that? You said you're a trader up from Quincey? You have enough supplies to keep the general store stocked for a whole month? Huh." She grinned. "You hear that, Danny? Are you gonna open the gate and let us in, or are you gonna be the one talking to Crazy Merna about losing out on all this supply?"
"Geez, all right. No need to make it personal, Piper. Give me a minute..."
Piper giggled, clearly satisfied with herself. "Better get inside before ol' Danny catches onto the bluff."
The gate began to rise, a low screech coming from the hinges.
"This place, Diamond City," I started as the three of us walked into the entrance of the stadium, "what can you tell me about it?"
"Oh, the Green Jewel?" She sighed with a smitten grin. "She's a sight. Everyone who's anyone in the Common' is from here, settled here, or got kicked outta here." She pointed her thumbs at herself. "A big wall, some power, working plumbing, schools, and some security goons are what makes Diamond City the big monster it is. Heh. Love it or hate it. You'll see for yourself soon enough."
We continued further in. The ticket booths had been repurposed as a security office and an information kiosk. The sun was just starting to set, casting dark shadows throughout the interior, emphasising the dim lights in the ceiling overhead.
"Piper!" yelled an angry voice. A mustached man in a three piece suit and hat emerged from the top of the stairs just inside the entrance. "Who let you inside? I told Sullivan to keep that gate shut." He made his way down the stairs to meet her, his face growing redder with every step. "You devious, rabble-rousing slanderer! Th-The level of dishonesty in that paper of yours! I'll have that printer scrapped for parts!"
"Ooh, si that a statement, Mr. McDonough? 'Tyrant Mayor Shuts Down the Press!'" Piper's gaze shifted to me. "Why don't we ask the newcomer? Do you support the news? Because the mayor is threatening to throw free speech in the dumpster!"
Considering we would have never made it to the Vault in time without the news, I fully supported it. "I always believed in freedom of the press."
"Rightly so," added Codsworth. "A true medium for the people."
"Oh!" The mayor threw his hands up in defense. "I didn't mean to bring you into this argument, miss. No, no, no... You look like Diamond City material. Welcome to the Great Green Jewel of the Commonwealth. Safe. Happy. A fine place to come, spend your money, settle down. Don't let this muckraker here tell you otherwise, all right?" He pointed a finger at Piper.
This was starting to get uncomfortable. "What are you two arguing about, anyway?"
"What d'you think? Print lies and everybody's happy, but if you print the truth..."
The mayor cleared his throat to interrupt her. "Now, was there anything in particular you came to our city for?"
"I'm trying to find someone," I said without hesitation.
"Trying to find someone? Who?"
"My son, an infant boy. He's been kidnapped."
Piper's attention flared. "Did you say your son was kidnapped? Well, McDonough? Is Diamond City security going to investigate this? And how about all the other kidnapping reports you've been ignoring?"
"Dont' listen to her. While I am afraid our security team can't follow every single case that comes through, I'm confident that you can find help here."
Piper rolled her eyes.
"Diamond City," he continued, "has every conceivable service known to man. One of our great citizens can surely find time to help you."
"Who would be able to help me? A mayor of a great city must know everybody."
"Well, there is one private citizen. Nick Valentine. A detective of sorts, who specializes in tracking people down. Usually for debts and whatnot. Now, I have to get going. I'm sorry Diamond City security doesn't have time to help, but I'm sure Mister Valentine charges a reasonable fee."
"This is ridiculous!" Piper fumed. "Diamond City security can't spare one officer to help? I want the truth, McDonough. What's the real reason security never investigates any kidnappings?"
"I've had enough of this, Piper! From now on, consider you and that little sister of yours on notice!"
"Yeah, keep talkin', McDonough. That's all you're good for."
"Hmph!" Without another word, McDonough walked away. He disappeared through the hall leading to the inside of the stadium.
"I'm impressed," she said to me with a grin. "Not everyone can claw information out of McDonough's tight-fisted hands. Hmm, why don't you come to my office? I think I just found my next story."
_____________________
Stepping inside the baseball stadium was mind-boggling. There were string lights and lanterns hung up everywhere. Makeshift huts, houses, market stands, and decorations were thrown together and built in the center of the stadium and lined the stands up the walls. People were bustling through the area on dirt paths around the marketplace in the center of town. Men and women advertising their wares and services could be heard mixed with the voices of laughing children playing in the streets and between the huts.
From what I could tell, was a school building, a hairstylist, a church, a doctor, an inn, and Piper's newspaper service. I found myself continually impressed by the ingenuity of people. Not so impressed, however, that the whole city was made out of scrap, trash, and spare parts.
Codsworth must have been thinking the same thing. "So this is the famous Diamond City. I suppose I expected to find more of a gem than a dusty home base. Civilization 'in the rough,' if you will!"
"Diamond City's the biggest, safest, and most successful settlement you'll find anywhere in the Commonwealth," Piper disagreed. "She's a beauty."
We walked with Piper toward her office, a building with the words "Publick Occurrences" situated on the roof. A young girl on a soapbox stood yelling at passersby, advertising the paper. She stopped midsentence when she saw Piper.
"Piper, you're back!" said the girl. She hopped off her soapbox excitedly.
"Hey, kiddo. How are the paper sales?"
"Well, the presses are getting overloaded. That motor is going to go soon if we don't replace it."
"Ah, you've been saying that for weeks and the old girl still keeps crankin'. Stop worrying so much." She rubbed the girl's head. "I gotta head to the office for an interview. You start whistling if you see any angry politicians coming our way."
"Why? Is something wrong?"
Piper didn't answer. She walked toward her house and opened the door.
With a frown, the little girl turned away. Then she stopped me. "Hey, lady. Free papers to newcomers. If the Institute grabs you in the night, at least we warned you."
I took the paper from her. "Thanks. Er, the Institute? What's that?"
"You ain't heard of the Institute, lady?" She gasped. "They snatch people up in the night, and no one hears from them again. It's all in the paper! Better read up before they grab you, too."
"Who's gone missing?"
"Drifters, residents, stadium seat snobs. Seems every year or so, someone's gone, and we all know why." She pointed a little finger at me. "So you better be careful, newcomer. Institute is out there, and they'll grab you, too. Like I said, it's all in the paper."
"I believe you. Thanks."
She chuckled. "You're a real lost lamb in the wolf's den, lady."
I raised an eyebrow at the unusually foreboding child as she jumped back on her soapbox. For a little girl, she was oddly intimidating.
Codsworth and I made it inside Piper's house and walked into a living room comprised of a small, yellow couch, a washing machine that served as a side table, a coffee table, a lantern, some candles, lots of newspapers stacked high, and the paper printer in the corner. A set of stairs led to what I assumed was a bedroom on the far side of the room.
"You holdin' up, Blue?" Piper asked suddenly from her couch.
"Blue? Why are you calling me that?"
"Because of the blue jumpsuit you're wearing. You're a Vault Dweller."
"My name's Gwen."
"Well, you already know me. I'm Piper. The little girl outside is my sister, Natalie. She goes by Nat."
"This is Codsworth, my robot."
"Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Miss Piper."
Piper looked amused, the corners of her mouth slowly curling upward. "You steal him from your Vault? It's not every day people walk around with their own personal butlers."
"No, he's been with me a long time. It's a long story."
"Which brings me to why I asked you to stop by my office. So, here's the deal. I want an interview." She picked up a pencil and notepad off her coffee table. "Your life story in print. I think it's time Diamond City had a little outside perspective on the Commonwealth."
"What kind of interview is this gonna be?"
"I ask you who you are, get your opinion on life out there, and maybe load up a few tough questions and keep it interesting. What do you say?"
"All right, Piper. I'm in." I took a seat on the couch beside her.
"Good. Let's get down to business. First question. I know you're from a Vault. So how would you describe your time on the inside?"
"My family and I were frozen. I didn't spend much time in the Vault. At least, not consciously."
"Wait. They boxed you up in a fridge? The whole time? Are you saying you were alive before the War?"
"Yes. I'm over two hundred years old."
"Oh, my God," she said with a laugh. "Amazing. 'The Woman Out of Time.' So, you've seen the Commonwealth. Diamond City. How does it compare to your old life?"
"Can you even compare the two?" I frowned. "The world out here? It's not even close to the one I left. That green grass, those vivid flowers, and pristine buildings... I even remember when this stadium used to have baseball games."
"Feelin' a little homesick, are we? Can't say I blame you." She jotted a few more things down. "Now, the big question. You came all this way looking for someone. Your son, right?"
"His name is Shaun. He was kidnapped. He's not even a year old."
"The parent after the missing child." She sighed. "As heartbreaking today as it ever was. Tell me... Do you suspect that the Institute is involved?"
"Sure sounds like they could be."
"Not even a baby is safe from them. And people wonder why I can't just look the other way... For the last part of our interview, I'd like to do something different. I want you to make a statement to Diamond City directly. The threat of kidnapping is all but ignored in the Commonwealth. Everyone wants to pretend it doesn't happen. What would you say to someone out there who's lost a loved one but might be too scared or too numb to the world to look for them?"
"Wait. People just ignore kidnappings out here?" I was appalled. But back in my day, we had police forces to take care of such things. Not to mention working telephones. Communication and investigation was probably easier before the War.
"Yeah, Blue, you haven't noticed?" She made a wide gesture, implying the whole of the city. "You grow up the Commonwealth, and eventually, someone is gonna get taken. Maybe not someone you know, but someone. And people just say, 'well, it could have been worse. Could've been killed by Raider attacks or Super Mutants or feral ghouls.' They just give up. So I want my readers to hear what keeps you going. Maybe they'll find a little inspiration. What would you like to say to them?"
I bit my lip, thinking long and hard about her question. What kept me going felt a little different than most cases. For one, I saw my baby taken from my husband's arms. I saw my husband's murder. I went from a perfect world to Hell in what felt like mere moments without warning. I have no family left. What keeps me going is the hope that Shaun was still out there somewhere. I had to find him...
"No matter how much you wanna give up, don't. You have to have hope. That you'll see them again. Or at least, that you'll know the truth."
"Truer wods were never spoken, Mum."
"Ended on a strong note. Thanks, Blue. That's everything. It's gonna take some time to put all of this together. But I think your story is gonna give people in Diamond City plenty to talk about."
____________________
On the way to the inn, I heard the hairstylist and his mother arguing in his stall.
"If anyone is one of those things, it's her. Her and her perfect hair."
"The mayor's secretary? Come on, Ma. I cut her hair myself, and I know human hair."
"That's just it, Johnny. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference. If you'd nick McDonough with your razor, he'd bleed. Don't mean nothin'."
I didn't know what they were discussing, but it sounded like some conspiracy theory. The short time that I had spent in Diamond City showed that the paranoia around here was truly a marvel.
I made my way to the inn for the night in the old dugout — literally called the Dugout Inn. The owners of the bar had heavy Russian accents. The one behind the bar was telling some of the bar patrons a riveting story and his brother kept interrupting him to ask business-related questions. I walked up to the bar to ask if I could rent a room for the night.
"See this bar?" said the man behind the counter. "I killed man for it." He laughed himself nearly to tears. "No, no. I kid, I kid. He is dead though."
"Charming sense of humor," Codsworth remarked with sarcasm.
"If you need to order something, let me know. My name is Vadim Bobrov. My brother, Yefim, is in charge of room service. You rent room, talk to him."
I turned my attention to the other man who sat in a chair by the rooms reading Piper's newspaper.
"Could I rent a room please?"
"Oh, a customer. Yes, that will be ten caps please."
I took some bottlecaps out of the small bag Preston gave me and handed them to Yefim. He showed me to room number two which had a white 2 crudely spray painted onto the door.
Codsworth and I made ourselves at home for the night. The room had all the essentials — a bed, a dresser, a bedside table, a chair, and a coffee table.
"Not too shabby, eh, Mum?"
"It's better than what I've been sleeping on."
I kicked off my shoes for the first time. They were the shoes I'd left the vault in. I didn't notice until they were off, but my feet were red and chafed. I had blisters on my pinky toes. I started feeling sorry for myself; what a pathetic mess I was.
I shook the feeling away before I wound up falling into a spiral of self-pity. I laid down on the bed, ready to rest after such a long journey. It was nice to sleep on a mattress again, even one as old and flat as this. It didn't take long for me to drift off to sleep.