Work Text:
When Nick Valentine awoke on the trash heap, surrounded by bits of junk, rusting car doors, tin cans and a goddamn smell that needed a whole carton of cigarettes to remove, the last place he thought he'd end up was Diamond City. But, here he was, a big name around town, his agency-- the place people came to when trouble hit. Missing wives and husbands, errant daughters and sons, troublesome employees or bosses, or maybe people simply concerned for a friend. Nick Valentine's Detective Agency was the place to go, have your fears allayed or if worse came to worse, confirmed.
He sauntered into the agency to find Ellie bent over a filing cabinet. "Ellie, you still here? You should go home, it's late."
"Not yet, Nick. I still got--"
Nick grabbed the pile of folders in her hand. "It can wait."
Ellie gave an exasperated laugh. "Well, if you can stand this disorganized mess for a day, I guess it is rather late." She picked up her coat and bag. "Before I go Nick, your friend the vault dweller was here. Says she's in the final push, wanted to let you know, that when she returns, the promise she made, it will be time."
"So it's really gonna happen then? She's about to bring down the Institute." It was more a statement than a question, he knew in the short time he'd known her, and from the moment they'd bought Kellogg down, the Institute was doomed to be a pile of rubbish and ash.
"It seems that way."
"Who'd she have with her?"
Her brow rose as she spoke. "That nice Minuteman, Preston."
"I thought as much." He knew of all the companions the vault dweller from vault 111 would pick him of all people. Since she'd sent MacCready away – back to the Capital Wasteland to see his son, she'd been singular in her dedication to the Minutemen and to the settlements, in particular the one at Sanctuary Hill.
When she returned, it would be time to chase a ghost from his past - to finally find Eddie Winter.
Cuba has sunsets just like those multi-colour overpriced drinks in Boston's most popular bars, but it's midday here in Havana, the sunset would have to wait a few more hours. When the three of them walked into the bar, they removed their hats and wiped the sweat from their brows and a waft of stale cigarettes hit them.
"What are we doing here? The case is done and dusted," Nick asked.
"Awww Nicky, you always on the case." Greg Duffield adjusted his pants around his expansive waistline as he spoke. "Last night here, lets engage in some Cuban magic."
"It's only midday," Nick replied.
"All the more reason to be here, only a few more hours we'll be on that flight back to Boston," Duffield said.
"Yeah c'mon Nicky." Robbie deFranco the third man in their small group slapped him on the back. "The girls here are nice, and so are boys too." He gave a loud chortle as he slapped Nick on the back for a second time.
Nick stopped and shook his head. "I'm going back to the hotel, finish off that paperwork then. You two knuckleheads can do what you want."
Duffield's brow furrowed. "You not gonna tattle to Widmark, are ya Nicky?"
Nick shook his head. "About what? We finished the job we got the information of Charlie and Emma Lang. We followed the trail. If this is all down time-- then what you do is no business of mine."
Robbie laughed. "You go then, Nicky, maybe the walk back will loosen the stick from your ass."
Greg's belly wobbled as he let out a loud guffaw and the two older men turned away and headed to the bar.
Nick scowled and walked out into the bright Cuban sunlight and stood on the pavement of the Malecón. If he'd known what they were coming here for he would have just stayed at the hotel before following these two jackasses. He lit a cigarette and then removed his jacket swinging it over his shoulder. A walk would be nice, the sun was well up in the sky and the two mile walk back to the hotel along the esplanade would be interesting given it was a Saturday the streets were already beginning to pile with people looking for entertainment for their afternoon. He rolled up his sleeves and began to stroll.
He hadn't known what to expect when Captain Widmark had called him into his office. They knew the trail to the Lang's led to them Cuba, and relations between Cuba and the USA were less than stellar, but it appeared some agreement was reached that allowed three Boston PD detectives into the country to find the wayward gangsters. Widmark wanted Nick there, because he knew, despite Duffield and deFranco being both senior to Nick, he was the only other officer in the precinct who could keep them in check. For the most part, he had done exactly that, constantly pushing and prodding them forward, but it was their last day, and they had all the information they needed. The Langs had not hid their trail and had returned stateside and back to Boston via New York. There was not much else to do but fill in some paper work and maybe put his feet up and enjoy the view offered to him on a warm Havana day.
Nick stopped at a café, grabbed a coffee and sat down to enjoy the fresh sea breeze. The smell of salt hung thick in the humid air. Tourists came and went, mostly loud Americans, a few Europeans, Italians , from what he could gather for what little he knew of the language. As he swished the thick brown liquid into his mouth a young woman walked in and sidled up to the café counter close to where he'd seated himself.
She was wearing a pale blue dress, had long dark hair neatly coiffed and with a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses she appeared the epitome of high holiday fashion. Nick noticed he wasn't the only person who's attention she'd grabbed. She removed her hat and smiled at the waiter behind the counter.
"Ahh - Un café negro, por favor," she said, her accent gave her away as American.
"Por supuesto. Por favor, tome un asiento," the waiter replied a huge smile graced his face and he gestured for her to take a seat.
"They speak English here, you know," Nick said and drained his cup before put his hand up to request another.
She tilted her head. "Oh, I know. But it's polite to at least try."
"I guess that makes me pretty impolite then." He'd have liked to have seen her eyes, but her sunglasses remained.
She sat down a seat over. "Should have hired a translator then." The waiter laid a coffee cup in front of her and she took a small sip.
"If I'm not mistaken but I hear Boston in your accent." Nick's eyebrows rose as he addressed her.
A surprised laugh escaped her and she looked around. "What, are you a detective or something?"
Nick rubbed his chin. "I am actually."
Her mouth opened into a gape. "Oh you are not."
His finger tipped the brow of his hat and gave her a broad smile. "Detective Nick Valentine of the Boston Police Department, at your service."
She tilted her head. "Well, you'll excuse me if I don't believe a word you say."
"Your prerogative. But you are from Boston right?" he asked.
"Yes I am," she nodded as she took off her glasses.
Her eyes were sky blue, and contrasted with the dark of her hair and the pink of her lips. Nick liked what he saw.
"That's a good-- guess," she said and drained her cup before placing her sunglasses back on and handing a few dollars over the counter. She slipped off the seat and stood. "Well, Detective Valentine, if that is really your name, enjoy the rest of your time here in Havana then."
Nick turned on his seat to watch her walk out of the café. Before she left she turned, placed her hat onto her head and threw a smile his way.
He looked at his watch. It was now after one pm. He motioned for the waiter and ordered another drink, one with alcohol this time.
Nick walked the short distance from his detective agency to Molly's door at Homeplate and the two of them made their way to the first police station on their list. It wasn't long before they were standing on the pavement outside Police Precinct 8. He stubbed out his cigarette and blew the remnant smoke into the air.
"Why are we doing this again, Nick? If I'm not mistaken from the files, Winter's a ghoul and hasn't been seen in forever."
Nick avoided her gaze. "It's unfinished business I guess. Anyway you never told me what was happening with you." He'd kept her company at the Dugout Inn the previous night chewing listlessly on a squirrel on a stick and drinking only water. He's not sure why she wanted him there, but maybe with MacCready gone she'd just needed a body to sit next to hers, whether it would be warm or not was no ones business really.
"Are you not telling me something? Because I kind of get that feeling I'm missing something here," she said. "I mean this holotape you gave." She held the holotape up in her hand and gave him a questioning look. "It talks about some asshole Winter got for some job, and that he screwed it up completely, then he goes on to threaten the guy and his family."
Nick turned away at the mention of family. He'd wanted to tell her the reasons, but he wasn't sure what it was that wouldn't make it sound like some petty act of revenge. Something he couldn't do anything about. "There are things, maybe, but we have to keep some things to ourselves, right, General? I mean I could well say the same about you, you're not telling me something. And the Institute still stands."
Molly gave a burst of a laugh. "Maybe, but there's not much to tell really. I'm not ready to deal with the Institute yet. Business for now is done, I'll go back soon. I promised to help you and here I am." She dug her heel into the crack in the curb. "Well, lets get these holotapes and find where this Eddie Winter is then."
He knew as soon as she showed up at Taffington Boathouse several months ago that something was wrong. She looked drawn and tired and MacCready mopey as he trailed behind her in a plume of cigarette smoke. The next few days spelled it out to him too. MacCready sat on his bony ass while Molly worked with the settlers trying to keep herself busy and planning their trip to the glowing sea. It was hardly a secret they'd become intimate. There were no public displays of affection, just a glance here, a smile there, MacCready always becoming animated when she returned after a trip where she didn't take him and morose when she left without him. He drank the settlements whiskey, smoked enough cigarettes to to burn the house down and when Nick finally had a gut full of his morose attitude and said something to him, MacCready deflected it with a smart ass quip.
He was didn't know what happened at Sunshine Tidings that made Molly and MacCready part ways but he knew that look of a lost opportunity, he'd seen her face and his and it was as though he was looking into the past, a reflection in a mirror of his own grief and loss. Albeit that mirror was over two hundred years ago, and it wasn't him but the real Nick Valentine. He still wasn't ready to spill his guts to her, anymore than she had said to him in the Glowing Sea when they had gone to see Virgil. Maybe it would help, to talk about Jenny, but they needed more evidence before he was ready to unload, and for the most part, after all thats happening at the Institute, with her son, he didn't want to burden her with his-- feelings. Even now that Molly and MacCready were reconciled and she appeared relatively happy despite sending MacCready back to the Capital to finally bring back his son.
They needed to focus-- he needed to focus-- there'd been trouble here, the city burdened buy groups of idiotic, yet well armed mutants over the past few months. Groups of them had taken up positions just outside of the city, but for the most part there was nothing here but green corpses and bloat flies ready to colonize the corpses.
They moved inside and Molly scoured the place for supplies, there was no doubt in his mind that she'd be looking to retrieve whatever valuable thing that she could from each place they visited, and he'd be left to carry most of it back to Sanctuary.
Nick's notes#1:
Holotape retrieved - Eddie Winter - Message to Rodrigo Palomar. -It appears that Winter was involved with that Fallon job and that Mackie after he was pinched had been quiet on who had exactly been involved. Someone had Mackies loyalty after all that happened. After Mackie left prison I remember they discovered a great deal of money in his account, that was after the man died on a binge of drugs and too easy living. I always knew Winter had to be involved.
The storm rolled in off the bay with a suddenness that not even the locals were prepared. The moment Nick left the cafe the wind picked up and grew stronger with every footstep. All the cafes began to bring in their outdoor settings and close the shutters on their windows and doors. By the time he reached the hotel at four o'clock the clouds were ominous in the sky above. The humid air had turned to a light pattering of rain that slowly became heavier.
Inside the hotel, Nick shook off the water from his hat and a porter approached him.
"Discúlpeme Señor , the eh-- concierge would like to speak with all the guests that are staying in the hotel, are you a guest?"
Nick's brow furrowed. "Yes I am."
The young man gestured towards the concierge who was busy trying to placate an older couple. Nick overheard them the mans voice laced with concern.
"But is it safe, Senor Anaya? Is it really?" he said.
"Señor y Señora Maxwell, I assure you the hotel is quite safe. We have weathered many storms before this and god willing--" He made the sign of the cross on his chest. "We will endure many more after this. Please -- relax, the hotel's bar, Porta Habana is opening up early. It is very safe, please go have a drink on the hotel management."
The woman sighed loudly but they departed for the bar seemingly happy enough with an offer of free drinks.
Nick approached Senor Anaya who greeted him with a large smile. "Ah Senor Valentine, you, your friends." He looked around.
"They're still out, Senor, is there a problem?"
Senor Anaya pinched the skin at his throat as he spoke. "Oh that is no good, I hope they can make it back safely."
"So this is going to be a big storm then?" Nick asked.
"I'm afraid so. We have asked all the guest to remain, and I know you and your colleagues were meant to depart tomorrow," Senor Anaya said
"Yes that's right. Is-- that an issue?"
"The airline had sent word there would be no flights from the airport until the storm is to pass, that means possibly spending tomorrow night here, at least. However, do not trouble yourself, we will make sure that you are very comfortable."
Nick grunted in frustration. "I guess I have no choice then."
"I'm afraid not, we ask all the guest to remain inside, going elsewhere is risky with this rain and the winds will pick up soon too." He gestured towards the bar. "Please--" he removed a box from under his lectern and opened it up to reveal some prime Cuban cigars. "Please, take and make yourself comfortable. On the house."
Nick ran his hand through his slightly damp brown hair took the cigars on offer and tucked them into his shirt pocket. "Oh well, a glass half full and a nice cigar, why not. Thank you Senor Anaya."
The concierge nodded as Nick headed to the bar.
Malden center was tougher than expected. A large group of Raiders had staked the place out and the end of the railway was blocked by junk fences and makeshift tin shacks rusted and with many holes.
"This looks bad Nick," Molly said.
He looked around I think from there we might have the best vantage point without. "Look I reckon we just need to take a few of the Raiders and we can sneak into the Police Station. Most of them gotta be underground."
Molly looked through her scope. "Okay I'll take out the two turrets as quietly as I can-- but I can't promise anything. Certainly can't promise it will be quiet."
He could hear her take a deep breath, then still as she aimed her sniper rifle. A loud bang and the turret exploded sending a nearby Raider flying and hitting the ground with a loud thud that could be heard from their current hideout.
Molly primed the gun and took out the other turret just as easily. She looked up at Nick and smiled.
"Well, General. It appears MacCready's been teaching you some new skills and you've taken to them like a duck to water. Color me impressed."
Molly stood and swapped her rifle out for her shotgun. "I think we got their attention, Nick. Maybe you can praise my skills over a whiskey chaser later?"
Nick scratched his chin with the butt of his gun. "I thought you were sticking to water?"
"After today? You have to be kidding." Molly raised her hand and he could see that it was shaking.
He chuckled. "Consider it on the house then, General."
They kept low as they entered taking out as many Raiders as quietly as they could, hard when the Nick could see the General was a little trigger happy. He wondered if she got that from the mercenary jack-ass as well. He thought back to Jenny, the influence she had on him was profound, no doubt it made him a calmer person, less uptight for lack of a better description, it made him less cautious, something that a police officer often has trouble escaping. Especially when all around you the people are villains and criminals and you see nothing but the evil in the world.
He should have remained cautious, he should have remained vigilant. For himself and for her. He felt his jaw tighten at that thought.
They managed to avoid further disturbance at the center than was necessary and were in and out with a whir and click of Nick's mechanical hand.
Nick's notes#2:
Holotape retrieved - Eddie Winter - Message to Robert Cooper. Well damn it was Winter that organized for Palomar to get whacked. At least he left the wife and kid alone. That's more than I can say for his other dealings. And If we only held Bobby Cooper longer we might have gotten something. I could kick that jackass deFranco for that. Likely he had family connections and they got tipped off. If Johnny senior had got wind of it there would have been an all out war.
The bar was crowded with hotel guests, all there to drink the free booze on offer. The band started playing as soon as he walked in and he couldn't help laughing. It was as though they were waiting for him. He headed straight to the bar and found a seat in the corner. The cop in him wanted a location where he could see everyone and with his back to a wall meant no one behind him.
He ordered a rum and Nuka-cola and brought out a cigar from his pocket. The bartender, a slender man with a large black mustache who he knew as Lluis, offered him a cutter. Nick cut the cap at the head of the cigar, placed it carefully in his mouth and leaned over towards Lluis who held out a light for him. He puffed several times before nodding and sitting back on his stool.
People were dancing and it wasn't even five o'clock. Nick shook his head and laughed as he took a sip of his drink and another puff on his cigar. He turned his attention to the window. Outside the rain was getting heavier, pelting against the panes and making a background beat to the bands music. Not that people were noticing the trees waving wildly in the wind or the waves rollicking on the other side of the Malecon's concrete sea break. He began to tap a foot in time with the beat, something he never did back in Boston. His idea of good night out was a quiet corner bar, liquor and cigarettes, maybe watching a game on the tv above the bar and talking with his locals. He had few friends outside the force but he was on good terms with Mal and June the owners of his local bar. The neighbour Mrs Rossi and her elderly father Bruno, but with the long hours of work he didn't have time for much else.
He had nursed his drink to finishing and wondered where Duffield and deFranco were. Probably still at that sleaze of that bar down the street. Looks like they might have to stay the night at this rate. "Jackasses," he muttered and chuckled to himself.
"That's not very nice, Detective Valentine. Hardly decorum for a police officer don't you think?"
Nick looked up to see the face of the woman he had met earlier from the cafe. She reached over and took one of the cigars from his pocket and the gestured for Lluis who looked as though he would clamour over the bar for her. After lighting the cigar she stood back. She had changed clothing from earlier, and was wearing a tight, very tight, green evening dress and her dark hair styled in a brushed under bob, not that Nick really knew what that meant, he only recognized it because Mrs Rossi was a hairdresser and often spoke to Nick about her work.
"Nice do you got there," he said. "Never caught your name though."
She blew a puff of smoke in his direction. "No, you didn't." She stuck a hand in his direction. "Jenny Lands."
He took it with his, feeling the soft palm and small finger beneath his own larger course ones. "Nice to meet you, Miss Lands. Would you like a drink?"
She tilted her head back and smiled. "I buy my own drinks, Detective Valentine. But, thankyou."
Nick chuckled. "You buy your own drinks, but not your own cigars?"
She laughed, it was loud for a crowded bar but her mouth opened to reveal perfect teeth and her tongue came out and dragged across her painted pink lips. "Very good Detective. Perhaps you can buy me a drink then. And maybe we can find somewhere else to sit." Jenny pointed to a table freshly vacated near the back of the room and Nick nodded ordered two more drinks before he followed her across the room.
He placed the drinks on the table and pulled the chair out for her before sitting himself down.
Jenny raised her glass, "Salud."
"Salud," Nick replied as glasses met and clinked in a pleasant tone.
"What brings you here Detective? All the way to Havana?"
"Work I'm afraid. Call me Nick, and you, Miss Lands?"
"Pleasure, sand, sun, music and dancing. And please, call me Jenny. Speaking of dancing, do you?"
Nick chortled. "Dance? Haa no."
Jenny slammed her glass on the table. "Well let's change that up shall we?" She stood and placed her hand out. "You don't come to Havana and not dance. That's the law. And you don't look like the type of man to break the law, Detective Valentine."
A curl of a smile hit the corners of Nick's mouth. No he wasn't a dancer, he was many things, but that wasn't one of them. But this was Cuba, his colleagues Duffield and deFranco nowhere to be seen. Maybe he could be a dancer. Just for one night.
Quincy was once a familiar location to him -- to the real Nick that was. He remembered coming here to watch a Basketball game or two and he always made room in his calender to come to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Quincy. There was light and laughter and the smells of celebratory Chinese style BBQ's. Before the war, before the bad times that made such celebrations taboo. In 2288 Quincy is a ruin, once a Minutemen stronghold then a Gunner stronghold, now just littered with corpses and feral ghouls who you never are sure are quite as dead as they look. They'd been here less than ten minutes and he'd already kicked five ferals to make sure they were dead.
Molly sighed and looked around.
"Problem, General?"
She shook her head and made a clicking noise with her tongue. "The last time I came here-- was with Preston. This place, this wasteland, what it drives people to do."
He gave a heavy nod. "It drives even good men bad." Nick heard about what happened with the Minutemen in Quincy, that the betrayal was a more personal incident for Preston, he could relate to that.
"It shouldn't be this way, Nick. If only-- if only people could work together. If the Institute--"
He was uncertain about prying more, but he asked anyway, a burden shared and all that. "Does that still play on your mind, Molly. Having to-- destroy The Institute?"
"Yes it does. But they would never have compromised, even if I was the director, the Railroad either. And the Brotherhood? I know so little about them-- I think they have the best interests of the Commonwealth at heart, but I just don't know," she replied before grinding her heel into the ground. "Do you have a cigarette, Nick?"
Nick let out a chortle. "You don't smoke-- what?"
She snorted a laugh. "I'm not gonna smoke it, I'm just gonna pretend to smoke it."
"Well, I guess that's one way not to get addicted." He handed her the packet of cigarettes and a spare lighter. "Just in case."
She tucked the cigarette and lighter in her pocket. "Thanks, Nick."
The outside of the police station in Quincy had a large Gunner symbol painted on the outside. Underneath it, lay the body of one of the mercenaries, putrefying in the sun.
"Some days I wish I didn't have a perfectly working olfactory system," Nick said.
Molly pulled a scarf around her mouth. "I think I'm gonna throw up. Let's get away from this, quick."
The layout inside the station was simple, a few desks and a disabled protectron unit. Upstairs the roof was collapsed and set up to lead to other buildings in Quincy for the Gunners occupying the town. Downstairs in the cells was where the working terminal lay. And the holotape, was inside one of the cells.
Nick's notes#3:
Holotape retrieved - Eddie Winter - Message to Robert Cooper. Hu had been wrong about those bodies in the sand trap at Arlington Greens. If we'd managed to chat to little Cherry Cooper before her step brother dumped her, we might have been on to something sooner. The more of these tapes that come to light the more I can't believe Winter was given free reign just for being a fed stool pigeon.
Jenny's laugh was intoxicating. More than the cuban cigar they had smoked, more than the whiskey now hitting his gut hard. The feel of her beneath his hands, the slow rise and fall of her chest as they moved around the dance floor. He was clumsy for sure, but every time he stepped on her foot she didn't become angry or impatient, she just laughed.
"Why don't I lead?" she said and this time her laugh didn't stop.
Nick let go of her and stood back with a look of mock indignation but still with a smile on his face. "Take the lead, Miss Lands."
He felt one of her hands slip around and up to flatten on his upper back her other hand clasped his free hand and pulled it high and square to his body. "This way, Mr Valentine. Try to keep up, this is a rhumba after all."
He placed a hand on her shoulder and listened as the tempo of the music varied. "This is faster than I ever remembered this dance being."
"Likely you did the ballroom rhumba. An Americanized verison. Here in Cuba, everything dance is faster, everything original is more potent and intoxicating. Just take my instruction and you'll do fine."
He nodded and looked into her eyes. They were sparkling mischievously.
They stepped toward the middle of the dance floor. "Back, side, together, forward, side, together. Back side together forward side together," she repeated.
"Back side together forward side together," he uttered on the next turn.
"Good, good. Now slow quick quick slow quick quick. Slow quick quick slow quick quick," she said in a playful tone.
They did three turns of the dance floor and not once did Nick step on her toes.
He laughed with a huge smile dressing his face. "This is easy now!"
"See what a good instructor will be able to do. Even for the worst dancers."
They continued their moves around the dance floor. "Hey, are you an instructor?"
"No, I'm a publicity consultant for the public defender's office."
"Grimes?" Nick knew the public defender as fair minded but tough. He'd liked his policies, now he was thinking maybe it was more that he liked his publicity.
"The very one."
"Well I'll be damned."
The music for the dance finished and the band stood to take a break. Jenny's hands dropped to her side. "Another drink?" she asked.
Nick nodded and took a deep breath. Beyond the smell of the cigar and the whiskey, he could smell fragrant spice and floral. He couldn't recall exactly what spice or which flower, the only thing he knew was that he liked it, and that he wanted to kiss her.
From the outside you could tell that Natick police department was a mess, the small office at the entrance would have said otherwise but you didn't have to go far to see that the building had half fallen halfway down the cliff side and into the lake below - making it dangerous and almost untenable to enter.
"Let me go first, Molly," Nick said as he watched Molly attempt to step onto a ledge inside the first room off the entrance.
"Nick, I'm fine I can jump from there--" She pointed to the next destination across and down and leapt before Nick could stop her.
"Mol--" he shouted.
Molly's foot slipped down the side but she grabbed onto a metal hook at the side. He heard her let out a small cry as she regained her footing. "Ow. Oh shit," she cried.
Nick leapt after her until both of them her on the small ledge. He moved around the door and pulled her in with him. She was cradling her hand underneath her jacket. "What have you done?"
She bought out her hand and showed him. A cut about an inch long graced her palm and was oozing fresh blood.
Nick dragged out a handkerchief from his pocket. "Let me," he said as he wrapped it around her palm and tied it off in a neat knot.
Molly started to laugh and Nick shot her a quizzical look.
"Sorry Nick. I didn't think you were the type to carry around a handkerchief of all things."
"I always have one. Nick-- the real Nick Valentine always had one spare. To wipe the sweat from his brow, to--" He stopped for a minute and looked off to the side.
"To what?" Molly asked.
"It's nothing. Just an old habit, and one that's gonna stop your bleeding for the time being." He could tell her about the time Jenny cut her foot on glass on the beach, and he wrapped it up, just as he wrapped Molly's hand up now. Nick never took his shoes off, he wasn't the type to run along the water side letting the sand slip through his toes. Not like Jenny, he'd told her that the .
Molly looked around the room and pointed to several cabinets. "Let's start there."
They moved methodically from room to room, careful with their steps on the sloping floor. Nick could here the the walls creek and groan like an old man getting out of bed. "We better find this tape otherwise we'll end up in the lake and this weather isn't getting warmer."
"I thought you didn't feel the cold?" Molly asked as she pulled at one of the locker doors in front of her.
"I don't, but the memory of it-- still resonates." Nick shivered involuntarily. "If we fell into that lake though, I'd be fine and you-- you wouldn't."
Molly opened the last of the lockers. "Found it, Nick," she said and passed him the tape. Let's find this terminal and our next location."
Nick took the holotape from her and tucked it in an inner pocket. He pointed to a light coming from upstairs. "That could be it there. Let me you just--" he held out his hand for her to take to guide her back to the front room of the police station. "Stay here."
She nodded and waited for him to return to her.
Nick's notes#4:
Holotape retrieved - Eddie Winter - Message to Claire Pozinski. That incident at the Cornerstone Grille, the owner had called the police but claimed that the waiter had simply 'fallen' on a knife in the kitchen - I only knew about it because I'd lunched with Markus Grey the following day and he mentioned it to me. There was no mention of Eddie Winter at all. Another case swept under the damn carpet. How many crimes did this guy commit?
There was a Ballroom on the third floor of the hotel and this is where Nick found himself-- in the midst of a hurricane. The winds made the balcony doors, the ones that led to a large balcony that looked onto the beach front, shudder and the glass rattle. On the other side of the ballroom there was another balcony, this one though led on to a balcony that overlooked the sheltered hotel garden. Nick could see the tops of large palm trees and was momentarily mesmerised as he watched the fronds swaying violently, despite being sheltered from the onslaught of weather coming in from the beach.
The whiskey had hit his belly now, he wasn't drunk but the warmth of the liquor had him tingling in places no decent Detective on the job should tingle. "Miss-- Jenny what are we doing here?"
He watched as she kicked off her shoes and sidled up to him. She ran a finger along the collar of his shirt. "Detective Nick, I've come to dance. You can sit this one out if you like."
Nick's brow rose and he looked around. "There's no music?"
She gave a soft laugh, bit her lip, and pointed to a chaise near one of the Ballroom pillars. "Sit," she commanded before disappearing behind a dark red velvet curtain on one of the wall sides.
Nick could hear a door squeak from the curtain and then music started to play. He looked up and around seeing the large speakers hung from the four corners of the ballroom. The beat was soft and slow and she slinked out from behind the curtain and moved over to him.
"You're not going to make me dance are you I--"
"No you can just watch." She leaned down and squeezed his knee.
Jenny begun to dance, her body swaying with the slow rhythm of the music. Nick couldn't take his eyes off her hips. It drifted to her face occasionally but her hips held most of his attention, covered in green satin he wanted to glide his hands over them. If he had any more whiskey in them he just might. It was slow salsa, her hands moved with her body her feet drifting back and forth in rhythmical motion. She ran her hands down her body and back up and closed her eyes. Nick swallowed hard and looked at his watch.
She waved a finger at him and continued to dance. "Not going to abandon me Detective? It's still stormy out."
Pretty stormy in here too," he replied.
Jenny laughed and sauntered over to him. "Detective, If I give you my number back in Boston will you call me?"
Nick looked at her hips then up to her face. "Sure, why not."
Jenny ran a hand down his shirt to to top of his pants and back up.
There was a loud boom of thunder and the lights and the music went out.
In the darkness he could see her silhouette against the flashes of lightning from outside. He could still smell her perfume and as she slipped closer again she sat on his lap her hands folded gently around his neck, his ended up exactly where they wanted to be.
There was no way in hell he wasn't going to kiss her.
"I am so done with this assholes.," Molly said as she laid a final sniper bullet into the raider stationed as lookout for Nahant Sheriff's office.
"I can sympathize. I've been dealing with them from the moment I woke up on a trash heap."
"I guess you're indestructible though, Nick. These people are the worst of humanity. Even if they justify it as 'survival'
Nick sighed. "Yeah I've come across some terrible people in my days wandering the Wasteland. But my memories tell me that not a lot has changed. People were assholes before the war as much as they are now."
Molly gave Nick a pointed look. "Ha, true. We wouldn't be here otherwise I'm guessing."
"I can't help but feel that eveything that happened with Eddie Winter before the war was either bad Karma on my part, or truly the world is just a collection of random events that occasionally culminate in terrible things more than good things."
"Nick, I know you haven't talked about her much, but Jenny-- she must have been--"
Nick put his hand up. "This is more than that. But yes she was something else, something special to Nick Valentine. I have the memories, I have the embers of what they had together. I have the embers of anger."
"You're talking about yourself in the third person, Nick."
"These aren't my memories. They're someone elses from a bygone age. I'm--"
She laid a hand on his shoulder. "You feel them. They're yours." Molly put her gun on the ground. "Look I don't think there is anything I can say that will change how what you think about all this. But it will change."
Nick nodded. "I know. Just-- maybe when this is over I'll have a different perspective on it all."
Molly picked up her gun and reloaded. "We'll come on then, we got some Raider butt to kick."
He laughed loudly. "That's not something I hear from you much, General."
She smiled and checked the site of her gun. "Let's just say that I've learned a lot in my first year in this Commonwealth. It's taken a while but I think trust my instincts. More than I ever have before."
He gave a sad smile, the tone in his voice not as convincing as it could be. "Yeah, it's a learning process."
Nick's notes#5:
Holotape retrieved - Eddie Winter - Message to Sal Barsconi. So Davis was right - they were trying to make a joint venture of their crimes. They killed innocents in their attempts at that too. So Eddie was horrified? That's hard to believe. Eddie would have been the last person to sit down quietly -- well maybe he would have, but he'd have a gun on you the entire time and likely an associate with a garrote standing behind you.
Revere Beach in the fall is cold. In winter there's ice and snow instead of sand and few people aside maybe from the diehards who live on the houses overlooking the beach who come down with their dogs. Why Jenny wanted to come here of all places he wasn't sure. He parked the car and he glanced at her perplexed. She had a smile on her face from ear to ear. She undid her seat belt and leaned in to kiss him, soft and warm. He breathed in her scent, cherry blossoms and spring is what she smelt like and she tasted of chocolate and kindness and he was falling harder than he had for anyone ever before.
"Why are we here, Jenny? It's kinda cold." He looked her up and down. "You're not really dressed for this weather."
She kissed him again then sat back and and shuffled in her seat, her hands crawled up under her long skirt.
"If you wanted to make out, both of us have perfectly suitable apartments-- with heating and every--"
"Oh shush. I haven't bought you here to make out." She pulled her stockings off and threw them in Nick's face before opening the car door and racing down the wooden steps to the sands below.
Nick jumped out after her and shook his head as he watched her race down to the waters edge. He cupped his hands together so he could be heard above the wind and the waves. "Jenny!"
She turned to wave when she reached the edge and then back to the ocean. He could hear her squeal from where he stood as she placed a toe in the frigid water. He stepped down to the sandy beach with no intention of removing his shoes. He watched as she twirled and jumped and for the first time in a long time he felt the joy of watching someone who had utter abandon.
This wasn't Cuba, where the humid winds and rains made the water warm and the sunsets glow as the clouds receded from the eye of the storm. She had told him that she wanted to dance in the rain but instead they had kissed in a ballroom where the wind howled against the window panes.
He stepped down to the beach still wearing his newly polished shoes and despite the heavy coat he wore he shivered. "Jenny," he said, softer this time barely above the roar of the wind. "Whatcha doing."
She twirled. "As much as I love the Cuban sunsets, Nick, this is where I belong. On a cold beach in Boston. And now--" She stepped closer to him her hands catching the lapels of his jacket. "There might be something else to keep me here."
He smirked. "Miss Lands, you're getting sand on my shoes."
She reached up to kiss him and he pulled a strand of dark hair from the side of her face. "I know."
Nick shook his head and cupped her face, his eyes danced on hers and it was like looking at that green satin all over again.
He kissed her and he no longer felt cold.
It was nightfall by the time they reached East Boston Police station and Molly's head was bent and throwing up in the gutter. Nick stood back and watched quietly wincing every time she retched.
"Aren't you getting tired of this, Molly?"
She chuckled. "What gave you that impression, Nick?" she said and heaved one more time. "It's the vomiting isn't it? I knew it!" She started laughing again.
Nick put her hand on her back as she stood straight. "I know you're joking but that's the third time you've thrown up today. Maybe we--"
Molly wiped her hand across her mouth and then into cutting motion. "I've made a commitment to you, I'm not backing out now. My guts just a little overwrought is all."
"You're 'overwrought' -- ha that's a new one. Molly you're sick--"
She cut him off again. "I'd probably feel that way if I were stay in Sanctuary too." She stopped as the light from her pip boy reflected on the water. There were no Raiders around, no mutants, no ghouls, nothing, but there was more water. "Great, its wet just what we need to be doing in the dark roaming around in water."
"Perhaps you should go see a doctor?"
She started wading through the water. "Maybe I should. I'm sure its just the radiation. Something I ate. Not helped by a little melancholia."
"I gathered that. But you know misery loves company."
"It certainly does, Nick. It certainly does." She pointed to the entrance. "Looks pretty damn miserable in there that's for sure. Let's get in and out before I barf again."
The waded through the water and into the offices of the East Boston police station. The tape was on the second floor and Molly squeezed some of the water from her pants.
"Not much in the terminals, but we have another one," he said and held up the tape. "Let's get you somewhere dry and damn it all for now a doctor somewhere."
Molly held up her finger, walked to the edge of the building and threw up again.
Nick's notes#6:
Holotape retrieved - Eddie Winter - Message to Charlotte Wen. I can't believe what these tapes are revealing. No one was wise to this? If only I'd been allowed to continue. Forget the directive to drop the cases. They certainly outplayed the Boston PD. They outplayed me. Check and mate Eddie.
Nick walked into the shop and around. There were stands of roses, carnations Casablanca lilies, chrysanthemums, snap dragons daises and gerberas and tulips too. He didn't know what half of them were - he did know the Jenny liked pink gerberas, but how many do you get?
He settled on a medium sized arrangement - one that could be delivered to her work with a note, that he'd pick her up at seven that night and he'd take her to dinner. This was going to be formulated and executed like a well organized sting. Except this wasn't a sting, it was a proposal, and he hoped she'd say yes.
Later that night when he drove to her apartment she was waiting outside. She wore green and Nick couldn't imagine a more fitting color for such a night. He drove up to the curb and got out of the car.
"Nick where are we going?" Jenny said as she leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek.
"Somewhere nice. I know you've been working especially hard trying to make the public defenders office look good."
She smiled and got into the car and Nick closed the door softly behind her.
As the car pulled away from the curb he looked to her to see the large smile plastered on her face. "If you ask me, Adrian Jackson is lucky to have you make his sorry ass look like he's doing his job--"
"Niiiick-- let's not--"
"Uh, sorry, I don't want this to be about work," he said and scratched his cheek. "Maybe I should blindfold you or something."
"Detective Valentine you are already driving, and the fact we're headed down Wattle and Seventh street tells me we're going to Guiliano's. Is that right."
He started laughing. "Yes. We are."
"Good choice Detective," she said as her hand slid over his arm.
There was a park nearby and Nick opened the car door and offered Jenny his arm.
She stopped and looked him over. "You're--"
"I'm what?" He straightened his tie and pulled his jacket down.
Jenny bit her lip. "You are perfect, and handsome, and a good man-- and--" Her gloved hands brushed over his shoulders.
Nick mouth tilted in a smile. "Do go on, Miss Lands."
"And I love you."
He proffered his arm again and they walked into the restaurant.
Inside there was no one -- just as Nick had planned, and Marius the owner and waiter came over to greet them. "Welcome, welcome."
Jenny looked around. "A quiet night Marius?"
Marius looked towards Nick who gave the slightest nod of his head.
"Yes, yes Miss Lands." He offered to take her coat then gestured to a table in the middle of the restaurant and pulled out a seat for Jenny. Before disappearing and coming back with two glasses of champagne.
Nick clinked his glass against hers. "To you, one of the wisest and smartest advisors the Boston Public Defenders office has ever had."
"And to you, Detective Valentine, one of Boston Blues finest." Jenny took a mouthful before spluttering. She could see the ring at the bottom of the glass, the one Nick had made especially.
Damn if it wasn't getting cold now. It was well past midnight when they reached South Boston. The police station itself was small enough that he and Molly swept through the building quickly, with only a couple of wild dogs to deal with.
Molly sat down on one of the stools near the office and took out a flask of water .
"Feeling better?" Nick asked.
She thumped her chest and gave a small burp. "A little, but I think you're right. I'll head over to Old North Church once this is done and speak with Carrington."
Nick scratched his face with this metal hand. "You could go back to the Institute."
She took another sip of water. "Yeah I could do that."
"You avoiding it?"
She wiped her mouth and placed the water can back in her pack. "Thought that was obvious, Nick."
"Don't leave it too long, you don't want it to eat away at you."
Molly rubbed her arms, indicating to Nick that it was colder than he thought. "Is that-- is that what you're going through? Like right now?"
He gave a low laugh. "I don't know anymore, Molly. The more I remember, the less it feels like me. These tapes, they tell me stuff. Stuff I remember, but at the same time there's a disconnect and I can't put a finger on it."
"It'll come to you I'm sure."
"Yeah maybe." He looked around the room and saw a cot in one of the cells. "It's getting a little cold outside. Maybe we should stay here tonight. I'll keep watch. What do you say?"
"I guess this is as good a place as any to be. Yeah okay. Maybe it will be warmer tomorrow."
Nick laughed. "I highly doubt it."
Molly nodded in agreement and dragged out a can of beans from her pack scowling at it then searching through the pack again only to come up empty handed. "I think I've lost my appetite for anything anyway."
"Get some sleep then, it might return in the morning."
"Mmmhm." She yawned. "Okay, goodnight, Nick."
"Goodnight Molly." He watched her head to the cot in the corner of the room and stood to dim what light there was in the place before turning himself off for some calibrations."
Nick's notes#7:
Holotape retrieved - Eddie Winter -Message to Buster Connolly. I remember that article in the Boston Bugle, the one that linked organized crime to the monorail construction project. And Alice Lansky, another person killed just for doing her damn job. I remembered Dirk Wilson tryin' to do a follow up with Buster after - he shut up like a clam, never wrote another piece on the monorail -- or anything else from memory-- after that.
The busy foyer of the Boston's main hospital went silent when Nick entered the room. The dozen or so street cops and plain clothes detectives, muted into silence at his presence. He didn't notice, too focused on making his way to the stairs down to the basement.
One man stepped forward and in front of him, Detective Ryan Jones, a big burly man a good head taller than Nick. "Nicky, you don't wanna go down there," he said and laid his hand on Nick's chest.
Nick put his hand over his mouth before replying. "How bad was it?"
"A bloodbath. Five dead, we bought her--" He faltered on uttering her name.
The room returned to a quiet murmur as Nick paced back and forth in front of him. "I know who the hell you bought here. I know. Just--just let me in Jones."
At that moment Superintendent Tobias Mayweather came up the stair case. He stopped and gave Nick a nervous glance. He was flanked by two federal police officers that Nick knew all too well. "Detective Valentine, I--"
Nick stood face to face with the superintendent, knowing that it was him that put a stop to the investigation. A scowl set deep across Nick's face. "You let this happen. Eddie Winter--"
"Now Detective we don't know--" Mayweather said.
The room once more dropped into silence as the two men faced each other.
"The hell we do. Martin Grimes and his whole department wiped out and you say you don't know who it is? Why the hell are these two goons here." He pointed angrily to the men standing either side of Mayweather. "You know--and they know, exactly who did this. Eddie Winter, Federal Police informant, organized crime boss and all round bad guy. You remember what those are, Superintendent?"
"I think Detective you need to calm down. There's the greater good to think of here."
Nicks brow furrowed in anger. "The greater good? Was it the greater good that got an innocent waiter killed? Was it the greater good we still don't know where Alice Lansky is? Is it the greater good that someone can come in and massacre the very people trying to stop crime? Follow each of them and put a bullet in their back? Is it? What about justice?"
"This is a complicated-- and collateral damage is to be expected. Justice will be served in due course."
Nick gritted his teeth. "So that's what they were, collateral damage? I suspect the Grimes family might have something to say about that."
Martin Grimes led the Public Defender's office. He was a man who came from one of the wealthier families in Boston, he'd risen to fame as go getter lawyer and then to office. He'd lost some of his effectiveness in compromise, some said even corruption, but he was here, and had paid whatever price for his role, along with his staff, gunned down in offices, homes and like Jenny - a damn street outside a diner.
"I know Jenny was--" Mayweather said.
Nick shook his head and looked around the room. "You know jack shit about Jenny. How much collateral damage do we have to take, how many citizens gotta die before those in charge make a stand and do anything about it? To serve and protect my ass. Can't even protect those who are doing their job why would any good citizen of Boston trust the Boston Police Department now?" Nick snorted loudly. "Or the damn Feds."
Mayweather ran his hand across his top lip. Nick could see he was beginning to sweat heavily and a grimace came to his face. "You're in shock Detective, we'll catch who did it, mark my word this but as of this moment consider yourself on bereavement leave. Go home, Detective Valentine. Go mourn your Jenny as the Grimes will mourn Martin. That isn't a request."
"Let me see her," Nick said one more time. "Just let me--"
Ryan placed a firm grip on Nick's shoulder. "We'll come get you, Nicky, when the times right. The boys will do right by her don't you worry. You don't wanna see her like this. Okay?"
Nick brushed Ryan's hand off his shoulder and turned to leave pushing through the rest of the police that were still lingering in the foyer. He turned back towards Mayweather and the crowd. He sniffed loudly. "If you think I will ever drop this, if you think that I'll ever let Eddie Winter get away with one more death on my watch. You don't know me."
He didn't wait for a response, simply walked out of the building. He took out a a cigarette, lit it and walked the several blocks back to his car.
If it took a lifetime, his lifetime, he'd make Eddie Winter pay.
They were close to the Coast Guard Pier when they realized that this time it wasn't going to be easy. Both Molly and Nick had legged it back up the road when they heard the distinct beeping sound of the super mutant suicider. Nick had tried to warn her not to get too close to Super Mutant encampments unless she had the fire power to bring them down. But her means of dealing with them – and executed in a way that had made Nick laugh--was to lure them out one by one, climb up a tree or some other elevated location and shoot them with a sniper rifle.
It wasn't really the safest way to handle a super mutant. That would be to avoid them completely, but he'd noted that Molly's relationship with MacCready had influenced her decisions in that regard. Her gun skills had improved, she had a veneer of wariness about her that had taken a year to develop, but she finally had managed to outsmart the greenskins. Not that it was hard. For supposedly a group that called themselves superior to humans they were for the most part exceedingly stupid. They had the brawn, but the brain power was decidedly absent.
Currently both of them sat high in a tree. "General, what would happen if you could run or your stumbled or you couldn't scarper up a a tree fast enough? Huh?"
"I wouldn't know, Nick, what would happen?" she laughed breathlessly.
"We'd be dead. Did that jackass teach you this?"
Molly continued to laugh. "Not quite. It was a game I remember playing when I was younger-- a good friend taught me. I just extrapolated the idea to this." She heaved the rifle up resting the barrel on a branch. "Plus, this is a good view."
A shot rang out and the strangled cry of an angry mutant could be heard from across the field. Eight more shots rang out whilst Nick balanced awkwardly against the trees trunk. This had to be the most ridiculous position he'd found himself in. Of late.
"That's all the mutants I can see," Molly said. "Let's go check it out."
They walked towards the pier, only stopping so Molly could raid the carcasses of the dead mutants for caps, ammo and other goods. She in turn handed the goods on to him to play packhorse.
He gave a low chuckle. "Do you miss the complaining?"
"Surprisingly, I think I do."
"I doubt I could whine as much as he does, but I could try. It's the least I can do to repay you for all you've done so far."
"Nick, you owe me nothing. I keep thinking, if I hadn't met you, or Piper, Preston or MacCready, I'd definitely be dead. I mean I've learned different things from all of you."
The reached the pier and readied their weapons. Inside there were only more dead mutants.
They retrieved and headed down to the waters edge. Nick watched as Molly put her eyes on the horizon. "Nate bought me down here one time. There's a small cafe just up the road, does fresh mud -- ha-- did fresh mud crabs."
Nick sighed. "I think I know the place, I bought-- Nick, the old Nick bought Jenny their once." He pointed to a path along the river. "That's a nice walk along that path."
Molly looked up at him. Her eyes sparkled with tears. "That is a nice walk, yes I remember. Come on, let's go."
Nick took another glance along the river before turning to follow her. "Yeah," he murmured.
Nick's notes#8:
Holotape retrieved - Eddie Winter - Message to Claire Pozinski. Out of the country out of the mind. I still don't understand why the Feds let this go. Why they let Eddie Winter get away with this. At least they charged his asshole cousin. I'm still surprised Eddie Winter could love anyone. What the hell would he know about that?
"It's not gonna happen Nick. Not now, not with the Feds." Captain Widmark's face was a mask of apology as Nick paced the room in front of his desk. "You've had a fortnight off, its not enough. Go speak with a shrink. Take a vacation. Go back to Cuba or something."
Nick laughed and stood with his hands folded across his chest. "You know I met Jenny there, Captain."
Widmark's face dropped. "Oh shit. Sorry Nick I didn't realize."
Nick rubbed his brow and gave a sad smile. "It's okay, Captain, most people didn't."
"I'm really sorry Nick, honestly there is little I can do to change what is happening. Mayweather says he'll work something out. He has to otherwise the full force of the Grimes family gonna come into play."
He shook his head. "For the Grimes. For old Boston money. For some perceived greater good. But not for Jenny, or the other poor bastards mown down who were in Eddie Winter's way."
"We've been over this, Nick. My hands are tied. I can't let you do any investigating. Operation Winter's End is over. It's up to the Feds now. Look, Nick, you got my note about those eggheads down at the Commonwealth Institute of Technology want someone from law enforcement to-- to help with trauma -- I don't know-- maybe you could go down there, talk to them find out what they want and help 'em out they in turn might be able to turn things around for you. It would be better than being here."
Nick sat down. "Turn things around for me?" He put his head in his hands then laughed. "I guess. A distraction for you, Captain?"
Widmark laughed. "Get you out of my hair at least." He stood and went around the other side of the desk and laid a hand on Nick's shoulder. "I can't promise anything Nicky. You know the boys here have your back, they're a bunch of assholes a lot of the time, but you know they'll try."
Nick gave Widmark an unconvincing smile. "Maybe they do, I just--" he huffed.
"I've lost people-- good people-- to Eddie Winter. You think you're the only one wanting this bastard dealt with?"
Nick stood to leave, adjusted his holster and gun and draped his jacket over his shoulder. "No I don't think I'm the only one."
"Justice for all, Nicky. And this is an order, not a request." Widmark said as Nick walked to the door.
Nick turned his head as he exited. "Yeah, justice for all."
Nick stood in front of the Bureau of Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco, Firearms and Lasers regional office a dead Raider at his feet. "This is it. The last one maybe, I don't know--"
"Let's deal with these asshole raiders then and get a move on," Molly replied.
"Yes let's."
Inside the reception area of the station there were a few raiders and a turret. Nick and Molly acted in stealth, Molly's pistol packed with a silencer bringing down the turret that stood in front of the evidence room.
A raider came around the corner as the last nut and bolt fell from the machine but he had barely time to say 'what' before Nick swung an arm at him and laid him out cold.
The rest of the raiders were pinned down by another turret - obviously not theres - Molly and Nick found them easy pickings.
"This is it," Nick said as the last raider toppled from a down a small stairwell.
He picked up the holotape and turned it over in his hands.
"Nick, if you don't mind. Now we have this, can we step back to Sanctuary for a bit?"
"You want to know if any letters have come?"
She tilted her head. "Yeah, I do. And I'm still feeling queasy. Maybe a few days of rest before we get Eddie?"
Nick smiled and placed the holotape in his pocket. "Let's get going before it gets dark then." They stepped out of the BATFL office and into the quiet street before heading in the direction of Sanctuary Hills.
Nick's notes#9:
Holotape retrieved - Eddie Winter - Message to Aleksandr Strelnikov. And finally the last pieces in the puzzle, the death of Ron Trevio and that combined with the first holotape to Johnny Montrano and all the bullshit politics of the crime families of Boston laid to rest. I think I can say without a doubt where Eddie Winter is. I'm coming for you Eddie, all your damn pigeons are coming home to roost. Nick Valentine, signing off.
Two men wearing white coats greeted Nick as he was ushered from the hall into something akin to hospital room. "Please sit Detective," one said as he showed him to a seat in the corner of the room.
The room was stark white with some sort of electrical panel on one side. Two robotic arms hung from lowered beams that were a yard from the ceiling. The arms hovered over a chair that was definitely something Nick had seen in a dentists office before.
"I'm Doctor Kasper, this is Doctor Leibowitz." His head tilted to the side and the glaring light from the room reflected in the man's glasses.
"So you've been briefed as to the procedure, Detective?" Leibowitz asked.
"I have. I don't really understand what it involves though. Doctor Jeroth mentioned showing me something on a screen and maybe that you'd have to sedate me for the procedure.
The two men looked to each other then Nick. "Doctor Jeroth was half right. She didn't mention that you'd have to be awake for the procedure?"
Nick shook his head. "If you're gonna probe my brain don't I--"
Kasper put his hand up. "Actually, because it's the brain you need to be awake. It won't hurt we'll numb the skin on the outside of the temple, you won't have any pain just the odd sensation in a limb, or four."
Nick looked uneasy as he stared towards the chair in the centre of the room. "It won't hurt you say?"
Leibowitz shook his head. "We need you alert, to tell us what parts of your body our probes might affect."
Nick wasn't the type to get nervous over a doctors appointment-- but this was something different. The atmosphere of the place was sterile, and given recent events he had to admit to himself that a lot things that might have never bothered him before suddenly came to the fore and initiated his flight/fight response. But he remembered he was under orders and under obligation to follow them. So he did the good cop and followed the instructions of the Doctors to go behind the screen and change into a gown.
The cool breeze hit his legs and arms as he removed his shirt and pants. The hairs on his legs stood on end as he stepped from behind the screen.
Kasper pointed to the chair in the centre of the room. He sat and laid back as one of the Doctors pressed a lever to release the chair to a tilted back position.
"Just relax, Detective. We'll just be a moment."
Nick blinked as a bright light from over head hit him and a small screen was moved into place. The picture in front of him a serene image of a beach.
When Kasper and Leibowitz returned both wore scrubs and face masks. There was cold dab on each temple and he could feel something being placed over his head.
He didn't feel the needle enter.
They were less than a mile away from there destination and they'd made good time from Sanctuary despite a sudden squall and rad storm. Nick gave an involuntary shiver as they headed towards Andrew station. He stopped and froze in place.
"Nick?" Molly laid her hand on his shoulder. "Are you, okay?"
He nodded the feeling that came over him burned at his temples and made him set his jaw tight. "I just felt--" he shook his head. "It's nothing."
Molly gave him a skeptical look before they proceeded. When they came closer to the subway station they close they could see that it was raider central, similar to Malden center set up. There appeared to be only two raiders on watch. Easy pickings for a good sniper.
"Molly, do you think you can--"
She snorted. "Apparently I learnt from the best. So yes, Nick I can."
He gave a quiet chuckle. "Better watch it, I might be calling you Jackass sooner rather than later."
Molly set up the shot and the bullets that hit the raiders were silent and deadly, both of them falling with barely a grunt.
They moved quickly and inside the station, Nick liberated a protectron and as the whir and clank of the ancient robot came to life Nick gave Molly a satisfied smile. They followed the bot down the stairs to the platform. A second group of two raiders were roaming and were alerted to their presence immediately. Along with the bot another two fell like flies. A turret greeted them on another platform but was easily dealt with. The second turret down a long corridor off the platform was not so easy, but Nick took the brunt of the bullet that felt like it came out of nowhere. Molly's modded weapons brought the turret down in two shots.
In a neighboring tunnel they came across yet another three raiders. One armed with only a lead pipe Nick shot through the neck, the other two dispatched with a Molotov cocktail. They came across an exit across one of the old lines.
"It's gotta be this way," Nick said.
"You sure?"
"No. But do you see any other way out of here?"
"Lead on then, Detective."
The tunnel wound down and around, across a metal bridge and past what appeared to be a look out or guard post, with no guard. Nick watched as Molly scavenge what was there.
"You got enough stuff?" he said with mocking tone.
She broke into a smile "Never."
The tunnels led to a steel door and Nick stood outside and took a deep breath. "We're here."
The code from the holotapes opened the door and both stepped inside.
Before them stood the ghoul, Eddie Winter. He looked less formidable than Nick thought and as they spoke it became clear to him that life post war had not been been kind to the one of Boston's most infamous criminals. There was no crew or disciples, no loved ones or significant others. No one. He was alone.
Nick thought that this would be easy, to put a bullet in the brain of someone he thought deserved it more than anyone. But for the first time since going on this mission, he wasn't sure.
What happened next was a blur to him, Eddie spoke and words that rang true but hollow hit the centre of Nick's chest-- you ain't Nick Valentine, pretty girl, shame what happened to her, not even alive, you ain't taking me down.
It was only after Eddie drew his gun that Nick acted. Eddie lay dead on the floor of this bunker. What kind of life was it? Was it any better for him than for his own incarnation of Nick Valentine?
They had traveled all over Boston to find each clue, traipsing through knocked down building and fighting ghoul and mutant. The confrontation with Eddie had taken less than ten minutes.
He turned to Molly, he swore his chest ached and his vision blurred. He spoke in a low voice. "I've got one more thing to do, if you can, I wouldn't mind the company."
Nick's notes#10:
The deed is done. Eddie Winter is dead, and I, I don't know how the hell I feel.
Nick's legs felt heavy as he stepped out from the diner and on to the street. He wished for days when they danced, like the memory that was never his, of green silky dresses, Cuban cigars and kisses when thunderstorms flashed lightning into the dark. He wished for rainy weather on beaches and romantic dinners, of laughter and music. But they weren't his memories to wish for.
"This is it. This is the spot where they gunned her down. Where one of Eddie's goons put a bullet in Jenny Land's back. All because of where she worked, who she knew." He stopped and dug a heel into the ground. "If it weren't for you, Eddie would still be at large."
"I did what I could, Nick. I made a promise and now it's done. This meant a lot to you and I wanted to-- I wanted to help you anyway I could." Molly looked over to the diner and back to him. "She meant a lot-- to you. You must be relieved."
"I don't know where to begin. But its th last thing I needed to deal with. The last memory of an old synth -- and one that isn't mine. I'm just a carbon copy of a cop from a bygone era. I'm not sure what I feel."
"Nick, you're free. From whatever responsibility you felt towards who Nick Valentine was."
"Molly, was it easy to let go of your past, your husband? I have all the real Nick Valentine's memories and hopes and dreams for the future."
She bowed her head. "No it wasn't easy, Nick. But you deal, and you don't necessarily move on, you take that, you keep it and it reminds you that it shaped you. Even if those memories aren't yours, they made you. You are Nick Valentine."
"I think realizing these memories weren't mine, that they were a product of some Institute mechanics that belong to someone else that being here, its not about you or me or Nick and Jenny, but justice and doing what the hell is right in this shitty ass world."
"That sounds exactly like the Nick Valentine I know, the only one I've ever known." Molly moved forward and laid a hand on his arm. "What next?"
Nick looked over her, "First, you, get to a Doctor. Second, we deal with your son. Finally, there's been a broadcast from the Detective Agency, something about a missing girl. If you got time, perhaps you can join me?"
They began walking together up the road back to Sanctuary Hills. "You know, Nick, there was this old movie. At the end after all that was said and done, after trial and tribulation and lost love--"
Nick snorted a laugh. "You think I never went to the flicks? I know this one. Molly, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."