The palpitation was real, as was the uneasy standoff. No one had spoken since the power armored soldiers had first introduced themselves.

How they hadn’t heard them thumping around, Drew wasn’t sure, but the moment they had stepped out onto the catwalk high above them, the metal walkway had clanked so loudly even the deaf would have been able to hear.

His only guess was that they had heard them arrive and had decided to lay low. Since they had come from a room attached to the catwalk it was logical to assume they had been hiding in there, waiting for the right moment to show themselves.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the one Drew assumed was the leader spoke. “I must say,” he said, his voice slightly distorted through his helmet, “I didn’t expect to see the deathclaws with a human thrall. Are you their prisoner, or a traitor to your own kind?”

“Neither,” Drew answered. “I’m a friend.”

“A traitor, then.”

“That’s a bit of a leap,” Drew argued. “I am not a traitor to anyone.”

“Don’t you see the company you keep? I wonder how many they’ve killed and eaten? How many dead children have stained their claws red with their blood.”

“How many children have stained your armor with their blood in your frenzy to control everything?” Drew asked right back. “All because they had the audacity to use a toaster.”

“You think you’re being clever,” the man said. “But you’re a traitor. You don’t see the problem with those monsters? Wouldn’t you rather be with your own kind?”

“I didn’t realize it was an either/or type deal,” Drew said. “Who are you, anyway? Brotherhood?”

“It’s a complicated answer. Let us just say that we’re here to do what our leaders no longer have the heart to do. We’re here to destroy the cancer that is spreading across this world. We are here to ensure that there is a future for humanity. That future doesn’t involve plagues such as these mutant deathclaws.”

“You want to destroy them, but you don’t even know who or what they are,” Drew said.

“Mutant deathclaws. That’s all we need to know.”

“My point exactly. They’re not deathclaws. They’re humans who have been altered by FEV.”

“Enough! We’re here to ensure that nothing like the Great War ever happens again. We are here to ensure the survival of humanity and that means removing all the abominations from this world. It also extends to those that ally themselves with them! You are putting our future at risk and for what? For these things?”

“You’re fighting a battle here that doesn’t need to be fought,” Drew tried to point out. “We’re here to destroy the vats, nothing more. We work together, then part ways. If you force a fight then some of you will die and for absolutely no reason.”

“We can deal with the vats. First, though, we need to take care of your friends.”

“They aren’t a threat!” Drew shouted. “They are victims. They need compassion, not to be wiped out.”

“Look at them,” the power-armored man said, pointing. “I mean really look at them. They’re monsters. Abominations. They are dangerous.”

“I have really looked at them, unlike you,” Drew rebuked. “I can see past their exterior and to the hearts inside.”

“All you see is a pair of tits,” the man accused. “You fucking them? Is that why you’re so protective? Can’t get with a human woman so you have to get your rocks off with some wasteland abomination?”

Drew felt himself starting to grow angry. Their accusations, while close to the truth, weren’t the reason why he was defending them. He was defending them because they deserved a chance at life, but he could see that there was no way he was going to convince the man or his comrades. They were going to attack, the question was why they hadn’t already.

Drew gestured at the Sentry bot, one of the reasons he assumed they hadn’t attacked. “We are willing and able to defend ourselves.”

“One Sentry bot isn’t going to save you. Judgment will come.”

“If that’s the case, then why hasn’t it yet?”

The man raised a hand and then pointed at the Sentry bot. One of the soldiers rose a strange weapon Drew didn’t recognize and pointed it then fired. A bolt of energy shot out and struck the robot. It juddered for a moment before it returned fire with a blazing barrage of lasers.

“Get to cover,” Drew shouted as he ducked behind a pillar while Gemma and Glower took refuge behind one of the vats.

As he peeked around, rifle in hand, Drew watched as the power-armored troopers tried to flee back into one of the upper rooms, only for the Sentry bot fired a missile at the catwalk they were standing on. It struck with a loud boom, followed by the screeching of twisting, bending metal.

From the ferocity of the explosion he thought he was going to see some bodies fly, but their suits offered enough protection to keep their feet firmly on the floor. Well, that was until the catwalk fell from under them.

Only two of them managed to make it back to the room, while the rest found themselves falling. Three landed on their feet, the vibrations rattling the floor, while the rest smashed into the ground, either on their sides, backs or in one case, directly into one of the vats.

“Disable that fucking Sentry!” the one in charge yelled.

Drew took that as his signal. He raised his rifle and fired at the one that was armed with what he assumed was a pulse gun, only for another to fire a bolt of crackling energy, striking the Sentry bot a second time. Like the last time, it shuddered for a moment before it fired another missile. It not only went wide but struck near one of the explosives he had planted earlier.

They were having a battle in the worst possible place. Not only were there explosives all over, explosives that he himself had planted, but the place was already on the verge of coming down on top of their heads.

The next thing he knew, there was a loud deafening explosion and the pillar he was standing behind began to crack. Realizing that he might be crushed under debris, he began to flee from his cover only to have his feet washed out from under him. Then, he found himself momentarily underwater before big strong arms gripped him and pulled him out.

It was Gemma

“Glower, run!” she yelled loudly.

With Drew firmly in her arms, the two Greenclaws bolted out of the room and down the long hallway toward the entrance. More explosions shook the building, causing both Glower and Gemma to stumble, the latter almost dropping Drew.

The charges had gone off, albeit unintentionally and it appeared as though the Brotherhood types would be buried along with the Sentry bot.

“What’s going on!?” Kiki asked as they bolted out of the collapsing building.

“They came back!” Gemma shouted as she put Drew back down on the ground. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay,” he answered quickly. “Just a little shaken.

“Why is he wet?” Kiki asked, concerned.

“He got covered in that mutagen stuff.”

“Is he going to be okay?”

“I’m fine,” he repeated, looking back at the facility as it started to collapse in on itself.

“The rain might have made it inert,” Gemma said, though she didn’t sound too certain.

Drew nodded before he tried to wipe some of the liquid off with his soaked sleeve. “Let’s just get out of here. We don’t know if they survived and we sure as hell don’t know if more of them are on the way.”

“You sure you’re okay?” Gemma asked as she squatted in front of him to get a better look at his face.

“I lost my rifle and my Sentry bot. But apart from that, yeah, I’m fine.”

“You don’t feel any tingling do you?” Gemma asked, continuing her line of questioning.

Drew answered, shaking his head. “All I feel right now is cold, wet, and miserable.”

“We should find a river and wash it off,” Kiki suggested.

“There’s one a mile to the north,” Gemma answered as she scooped Drew back up into her arms. “You can strip off and wash yourself down.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I’m not taking the chance,” Gemma said.

“It’s probably irradiated,” he pointed out.

“Well, your Pipboy will tell you if it is,” she said as she started running with Kiki, Glower and the two Gutsy’s following behind.

Despite his dour mood, being cradled by Gemma did perk him up a little. It was nice to know she cared so much and he felt protected and safe in her large strong arms.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the river and despite Drew’s protestations that he would be fine bathing clothed, Gemma was insistent that he should strip off and wash his clothes separately.

While the river was in fact irradiated, as far as water sources went, it wasn’t that bad. He figured a few Radaway when he got back to the plant would be enough to repel whatever rads he gained there, not that he thought it was a good idea to mess around with radiation.

Drew stripped off, thankful that Glower had the good sense to not look. Instead, she stared out back the way they had come as though she was watching out for unwanted visitors. Gemma and Kiki on the other hand seemed more than a little interested in watching him take his clothes off. He climbed into the water and washed himself down as quickly as he could while Gemma washed his clothes. Well, washing was not the right descriptor. More splash water around a bit until she was satisfied they were somewhat clean.

The moment Drew got out of the water he held his hand out toward Gemma.

“Can I have my clothes back now?”

Gemma held his clothes to her chest. “They’re wet. They’ll need to dry.”

“That will take hours,” he pointed out.

“Well, I can hold them up while we run. That will dry them quicker.”

“And what will I do while you’re running with my clothes?” he asked.

“What we did before. You ride on my shoulders.”

“Naked?”

“Well, yeah.”

He was going to argue, but he was honestly too tired. Well, that and because he found the thought of riding naked on her shoulders kinda hot. Even so, he knew now was not the time or the place to be having thoughts of a sexual nature.

“Fine,” he relented. “Let’s just get out of here.”

Gemma squatted down and Drew grabbed his backpack and put it on before he climbed up onto her shoulders. He held onto her horns as she stood back up, his clothes in hand.

“Glower,” Gemma called out. “We’re heading off, let’s go.”

With Gemma taking the lead, they began their journey back eastwards. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long until Drew started to feel the bite of the cold.

“Gem,” he said loudly.

“What is it?”

“You’re gonna have to stop.”

“Why? Need the bathroom?”

“No, I’m freezing.”

“It’s not that cold,” Gemma argued. “It’ll only be a few more hours.”

“Not sure I can last a few more minutes. My fingers are starting to grow numb.”

Kiki chimed in. “Maybe we should have waited until he had dried off and warmed up a bit.”

“Are you really that cold?”

“Yeah, I’m really that cold.”

Gemma slowed to a stop then squatted down. “Climb off, then.”

He carefully climbed down her back, only to stumble and fall on his ass.

“Careful,” Gemma said as she turned around.

He got back to his feet. “I’m gonna gather some wood and try to start a fire. I need to warm up.”

Gemma handed him back his clothes. “I’ll gather some wood. You rest.” She turned to Glower. “You wanna help?”

Glower nodded and the two headed off while Drew put his still-damp clothes back on, hearing a few crackles of his Pipboy rad counter as he did so. He wasn’t particularly worried. One or two rads wouldn’t kill him and he’d be able to deal with whatever he gained once he was back at the plant.

He then sat down and waited.

It didn’t take long for the two to gather enough wood to start a fire. Starting it on the other hand was a lot more difficult. The wood was slightly damp, but eventually, he got a fire going and wasted no time sitting next to it to get warm.

Gemma sat opposite and Glower sat nearby while Kiki kept her eyes on the horizon.

“How are you feeling?” Gemma asked. “No itching or anything?”

“Cold is how I’m feeling,” he answered. “And no sign of the FEV. effecting me.”

“That’s good.”

“It’s likely that the radiation mixed with the rainwater made it inert.”

“I hope so. It could be that being cold is a sign of a change?”

“I doubt it,” Drew dismissed. “You might not get cold anymore, but I do.”

“I suppose you’re right,” she accepted. “Just worried. That stuff flowed right over you.”

“If I was going to change, I think it would have started by now.”

Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“I am. I appreciate your concern, though. It means a lot.”

She smiled. “Your acceptance of me and the others means a lot, as well. My worst nightmare is that you would have rejected me, but you haven’t.”

“I’d never reject you. You’re my Gem.”

“Awww,” Kiki uttered. “You two are so adorable.”

Drew smiled warmly as he stared at the fire. It brought back memories from when he, Jack, Amy, and Izzy had left Paulson after the attacks. Jarik had been there with them for a little bit before he had gone off on his own, finding his own way to Colville.

Now, another group was threatening their future and unlike last time he had every intention of putting a stop to it. As to who they were exactly, from what they had said, he believed they were a splinter faction of the Brotherhood of Steel. That potentially made them far more dangerous.

“I have to step things up,” he said out loud. “We need to stop them. They won’t stop until they’ve hunted down and killed all of you.”

“We know,” Gemma said.

“I promise that I won’t let that happen. We will destroy them, first.”

“I heard you in there,” Gemma said. “You tried to reason with them. Tried to make them see the truth, but they didn’t want to know. All they see when they look at us is monsters to be slain.”

“They won’t be slaying anyone,” Drew said. “Not if I have anything to do with it. I have the means to stop them and I’m gonna stop fucking around and wasting time. I need to build an army of robots and stop them.”

“So glad you’re on our side,” Kiki said. “If you weren’t, I think we’d be fucked.”

“I’ll always be on your side, Kiki. Unlike them, I know your hearts. But we do have a problem.”

“Charlotte,” Gemma said.

Drew nodded. “Whether I like it or not, I might have to eventually deal with her.”

“We know,” Kiki said.

“And that would make you the Matriarch,” Drew pointed out.

Kiki shook her head. “No thanks. Someone else can have the job. I just wanna have fun.”

“There is a very old saying,” Drew said, looking up at her. “That the best leaders are the ones that had no aspirations to lead. Or something similar to that.”

“You can be the leader,” Kiki suggested. “I’d follow you.”

“Same,” Gemma said.

Drew looked at Glower and she nodded, meaning she understood what had been said.

“Thanks for having my back,” he said.

“Always,” Gemma replied.

“Still, I think Kiki would make a fine leader if she wanted to be. The world needs more leaders with big kind hearts. We certainly need less that only want to destroy things they can’t understand or control.”

“What about me?” Gemma asked. “Do you think I would make a good leader?”

“Sure,” he answered noncommittally. “Anyone can under the right circumstances.”

Gemma frowned. “That sounds like a ‘no’ to me.”

“You know I can’t lie to you,” Drew defended.

“It’s fine, I guess. I wouldn’t want to lead anyway. Too much pressure.”

“A lot of pressure,” Drew agreed as he stared back at the fire. “We’ll wait until this has gone out then we’ll get moving.”

“Feeling better?” Gemma asked.

“Much. Feeling warmer as well as dryer.”

“We could leave now?” Kiki suggested.

“I’d love to, but I don’t like leaving fires unattended.”

Kiki moved closer and with a powerful slap of her hand and a lot of displaced air, she put it out.

“Done,” she said.

Drew stood up. “Then let’s go.”

Gemma squatted down. “Climb on.”

He did so, resting his legs over her shoulders and grabbing onto her horns as she stood back up.

Not a minute later they were once more running through the wilderness.

* * *

Even though they didn’t take any breaks on the journey back to the Robco plant, it was still well after dark by the time they got back. Drew had to admit that he was both in awe and a little intimidated by their stamina.

They made their way around back to the large shutter that led into the dispatch warehouse. With a press of a button, the shutter slid open revealing the Greenclaws sat inside, including an irritated-looking Charlotte.

She turned to them. “Is it done!?” she demanded to know.

“In a way, yeah,” Drew answered as they all stepped inside before he closed the shutter behind them.

“What does that mean?” the matriarch asked. “Is it done or not?”

It was Kiki that answered. “Those guys that attacked us were waiting for us. We blew the place up, but Drew, Gemma, and Glower were still inside when it started. They bolted out as the place went up in flames.”

“What of the attackers? Did they follow you here?”

“I doubt they’re in a position to do anything much,” Drew answered. “Best guess is they were buried. They certainly didn’t follow us. We moved quickly.”

“Too quickly to follow,” Gemma added. “But I doubt we’ll be safe here forever. They’ll know about this place and they’ll come sniffing around sooner or later.”

“My thought exactly,” Drew said. “Which is why we need to be ready. I lost a Sentry bot today, but I’m gonna replace it with a dozen more. I’m gonna have Assaultrons waiting to melt the chassis of their armor. I’m going to make them wish they had stayed down south.”

Charlotte no longer looked irritated. Instead she appeared to be smiling.

Drew rubbed his eyes. “That can wait until tomorrow, though. I’m exhausted and need to go to bed.”

“Goodnight,” Charlotte said. “And thank you for dealing with it.”

Drew nodded, somewhat surprised that she had thanked him. “Goodnight to all of you as well.”

“Night,” Kiki said.

“Night,” a few of the other claws added.

As Drew made his way to the double doors that led into the corridor, Gemma caught up and walked with him.

“How are you feeling?” she asked once they were out of the warehouse.

“Tired,” he answered. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m asking because of the bath you took in that green goo. My advice is to go see Sarah in the morning.”

“I’m fine.”

“It couldn’t hurt, Drew. Unless you’re worried about what she’ll find?”

“I’ll think about it, Gem.”

“Do more than think about it. Do it.”

Drew shrugged. “I think I would have noticed something by now if it had affected me.”

Gemma sighed in exasperation. “Just get checked out. It won’t do any harm.”

“Sure.”

“Goodnight,” she said.

Drew stopped walking as did Gemma. She looked at him expectantly.

“Tonight can we…” he began but trailed off.

“Can we what?” Gemma asked.

“Well since Kiki arrived we haven’t… you know.”

“Slept together?”

“It was really comfy,” he said. “Sleeping on your chest. I could hear your heartbeat.”

“Yeah, been sleeping atop of Kiki. You wanna join us?”

He shook his head. He wanted to, but he didn’t want to do it in front of everyone else. “Not tonight. And not where others can see us.”

“Sure. Maybe when things have calmed down a little.”

“Yeah.”

“Goodnight, Drew.”

“Goodnight, Gem.”

With a goodnight kiss on her cheek, Drew headed up to the office and grabbed a Radaway before he headed into the side room and flopped down onto the mattress. Not five minutes later he was fast asleep.