"You're back already? I take it things didn't go well?" Lynette asked as I entered the gate.
"It's not that things didn't go well. We just ran into a snag is all." I strugged as I fell into step with her as we walked the path towards her home.
"Oh. So is there something I can help with?" She asked while looking at me expectantly.
"Yeah actually. We had to come back because we needed info on a guy that died in Demeter. Name was Charles McRoy. Did you know him? I need to find where he was buried."
Lynette arched her eyebrow at the request but answered anyway. "I wasn't close with Charlie personally but Mac was. When the water in Demeter was flushed after the Overseer flooded them out, we went and buried the bodies. Some people who were close to those there took the liberty to bury their friends themselves. Mac buried Charles."
"I see... and where is Mac?" I asked.
Lynette pointed down a path toward a two story building that had a sign with a red cross. "He's been bedridden for a year now. He's gotten on in years and is the only person left from before the war. Most of the older folks either got chosen for the lottery or died from natural causes. If you want to talk to Mac you can, just please don't get him worked up, or he might up and pass away."
I nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be nice to the old timer. I'm a bit in a hurry so I'll go now. Thanks Lyn."
She smiled and replied. "No. Thank you... for trying for us."
I made my way to the medical building Lynette had pointed out. I was still getting curious looks from these people as I moved.
I left Lady and Jonny at the gate since I didn't plan on staying long.
Before entering the building I hoped out of the power armor so I dont spook the old man and then I opened the door and entered.
I stepped inside and looked around before seeing a woman idling at a terminal.
"Excuse me. Where can I find Mac? I'm here for a visit." I asked, causing the woman to jump since she didn't notice me entering.
"Ah... Oh? You're one of the people that arrived from the surface, right?" She was startled but then asked after seeing it was me.
"Yeah... that's me. So which room is Mac in?" I didn't want this woman to start making small talk with me so I asked again.
"Mac is in the last room on the left down the hall. He's just woken from a nap so you're in luck."
"Thanks." I said curtly and then made my way to the room.
I could feel the woman's eyes following me perhaps in curiosity, or maybe evaluating me. Either way I didn't care and just wanted to get the info I came for.
I rapped lightly on the door before opening it carefully. "Hello? Mac?" I asked as I made eye contact with room's resident.
"That's me. Who might you be?" Mac sat upright on the bed, his face wrinkled and worn with age. His eyes seemed to carry the weight of his life's up and downs, and his body was frail and light like a stiff breeze could carry him away.
"Name's Frankie. Lynette said you could help me with something. Would you mind answering a few questions?"
The old man's gaze didn't change. I wasn't entirely sure he was all there...
"Some questions? That's fine, I rarely get visitors."
'Or maybe he was ok? He's coherent at least.'
"Great! My questions are about Charles McRoy. Lynette said you were friends with him..."
The old man seemed to light up, like there was something finally worth talking about. "Oh! Charlie! Charlie was my best friend, practically my brother."
"That's good. So whe-..."
Before I could ask where his grave was the old man continued talking not even registering I was trying to respond.
"Back in the day, after entering the vault with my mother, I met Charles..."
<><><><>One Hour Later<><><><><>
'By the Nine! That took fucking forever!'
Basically told me his entire life story before getting to the part I cared about...
But I didn't have the heart to stop his incessant rambling and ask him to get to the point. I mean... I can't be rude to an old frail man on his deathbed. But damn, that ate up so much valuable time.
The long story short, Charles had been dating Maryl in an illicit affair that was prohibited between them. As a scientist, she wasn't supposed to have relations with people outside Poseidon for security reasons or something.
But Maryl and Charles met in secret anyway and their love grew.
However that changed a few years after the war when the first riots happened.
Charles wanted Maryl to help the people remove the Overseer and Maryl didn't want to risk losing her position or access to her life's work. So the two had a falling out and Charles never saw her again.
Years later Charles remained single and was one of the first ones to stand up and rebel when the mermen started appearing and Hephestus was slaughtered.
Demeter was flooded, leaving Hestia the remaining area with vault residents.
When the flood waters were pumped out and the bulkheads were unlocked, the people of Hestia saw first hand how far the Overseer was willing to go to keep the rest of them in line.
With no thoughts or care whether they could survive long without 75 percent of the vault's population that were responsible for the basic maintenance and food production.
Mac was one of the people that helped bury the dead and after finding his dead friend, decided to bury him where they spent the most time together.
At the base of a tree on the outskirts of the dome. The words 'Broz4Lyfe' carved into the tree that acted as a headstone.
Seeing an old man cry talking about his lost bromance was uncomfortable but a small price to pay to finally have the answer I needed.
I practically ran out of Hestia towards Demeter, making up for lost time, with Lady keeping pace with me.
Jonny struggled but managed not to lag too far behind.
We passed the maintenance tunnel and eventually made it the bulkhead leading into Demeter.
The bulkhead opened with no issues and we entered.
The first dome we had seen upon entering the vault was Hermes, a multilayered dome dedicated to recreation.
The second was Hestia, a dome dedicated to residential buildings, homes and children's playgrounds.
The third now, Demeter, had it's own style. Like Hestia, the entire dome was open. However in Demeter, the entire dome was styled like a botanical garden with farmland in the middle.
The outer area of the dome comprised of trees and vegetation like shrubs and berry bushes.
But to my dismay, much of it was dead or dying without the proper care from the residents that used to live here.
Further in Demeter was a large circular field surrounding a cluster of farmhouses.
The fields lay barren, and the houses were worn and falling apart.
I took the whole sight in as I paced down a dirt path leading around the fields. My objective was a grove of trees on the north side.
I could only lament the wasted potential of this dome and plan to get some people from Hestia to migrate to Demeter once I'm in control...
It didnt take long to find what I was looking for. An old willow tree with Broz4Lyfe carved into it and a grave mound in front of it.
'Ah I forgot a shovel... oh well.'
Still in my power armor, I began throwing dirt behind like a dog digging up a bone.
A few feet down, I found a cloth with a corpse wrapped up inside it.
I ripped the cloth exposing the area where the neck should be and saw the locket. I ignored the bits of old flesh still below it and pulled it off.
"Got it. Let's go back... what's wrong with you?"
"Beargh!" Jonny was hunched over and vomiting.
I just shook my head. "You better get used to dead bodies man. The world is covered in them..."
'He only got pale after seeing mermen guts. Why such a reaction to this?'
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[AN: I'm leaving that last poll up for a little while. It looks like Cerberus might come out on top. Guess we will know for sure in a few chapters. Enjoy!]