If I'd been feeling a little calmer, the smart thing might not have been to go directly to McDonough's office. My armor had gotten fairly beaten up in the tussle with the would-be ambushers and I was low on ammo and stimpaks. If things went badly and I ended up getting thrown out of Diamond City on the spot, I wouldn't be well equipped for a march west to friendlier environs. But what had started as anxiety and self-doubt had been quickly converting to anger. The change started when Sullivan let it slip that the Piper Suite was occupied, and rapidly accelerated when I saw my wife-to-be locked up and cuffed like a common criminal.

 

"What the hell happened?" I asked Piper as I stomped across town towards the elevator.

 

"Fuck if I know," she started, before pausing to collect her thoughts. "It was right after I met with the new doctor, Faraday. Have you met him?"

 

I nodded. "Sure have."

 

"Then I'm sure you noticed his outfit. Remind you of someone?"

 

"Sure did."

 

"Well, I threatened to out him if he didn't help me, and he told me about a doctor up north who might be able to help me."

 

"Faraday told me that part. We were up there looking for you - and that's a whole other story - so how'd you end up in jail?"

 

"I was headed back home to help Nat finish getting ready for the move. I figured I could track down this doctor once we got her safely to Concord. But I never got there - right before I reached the market, a couple of DC Security goons grabbed me and hauled me off."

 

"Am I right to assume that your chat with Faraday wasn't coincidental to this encounter?"

 

"Who knows?" she conceded. "But it sure doesn't feel like a coincidence."

 

"And they had you there the whole time?"

 

"No. For a while they had me somewhere new - a shipping container I think. It was pitch black. But I think they only had me there for a day or so, then they tossed me in the jail. I've got a bad feeling that McDonough had a more permanent solution in mind. Maybe turn me over to the Institute, maybe just have me disappear. But either way, it never happened. Maybe his goons weren't willing to go that far for him. You'll have to ask him."

 

"Yeah, I will," I agreed. 

 

 

I should probably note at this point that we were making a bit of a scene with our progress. I'd gotten kind of distracted with freeing Piper and never did drop off the raider prisoners, so they were still following behind me on a leash. DC Security didn't seem very impressed with that... but I wasn't very impressed with them, and they didn't appear to be in the mood to question someone wearing power armor. 

 

McDonough's secretary Geneva didn't seem particularly intimidated, however. She didn't even put down her day planner as she looked up to examine me.

 

 

"Charley Ellison," she said, "I'd heard you were back in town. You... arrived with a bit of a splash."

 

"I suppose you could put it that way," I agreed.

 

"So what brings you to the Great Green Jewel? Looking to settle down, maybe? There's a house for sale just off the marketplace."

 

"I was hoping more to have a little heart to heart with the mayor. He... well, it seems we have a little disagreement that we need to sort out."

 

"Well, if you change your mind, the permit's waiting for you. You can do whatever you want with the interior."

 

"I'll think about it. But I need to sort things out with McDonough first. He in?"

 

"As far as I know," she said. "But, ah, he's not going to be happy to see Piper with you. Maybe she and I could do some girl talk while you...?"

 

"Uh uh," I said, "she's what we're having a disagreement over, and she deserves to be there."

 

"Sorry, Geneva," Piper added. "Some other time?"

 

"Sure, honey," the secretary said before looking back to me. "Alright, but play it cool. I'd hate to see you get into trouble with security."

 

"Yeah," I said, "I'd hate to see them get in trouble with me, too. Don't worry, I'll be on my best behavior."

 

I found the mayor in his office, and he seemed quick to brush me off like nothing had happened.

 

 

"I'd love to talk," he explained, "but I've got matters to attend to."

 

"Is that so?" I asked. "Would those matters involve why you put my wife in jail?"

 

"Your... wait, do you mean..."

 

"Yeah, McDonough," Piper said, entering behind me, "she means me. Imagine that, Charley was a little annoyed to learn you'd had me grabbed off the street and locked up."

 

"Get out! You get out!" he snarled at her, but I raised a hand to stop his outburst.

 

"I have a problem, Mayor McDonough. I control everything from Concord to Natick. While I don't control Bunker Hill, yet, I have the power to... regulate their trade routes. I have, let's call it a strong working relationship with Overseer MacNamara in Vault 81. These factors mean that, on one hand, I have a vested interest in Diamond City's success and safety. On the other hand, it means that I expect a degree of hospitality, even of diplomatic courtesy, when I visit. Is that reasonable?"

 

"I... I, I cannot deny that your have amassed a great deal of influence, young lady. But I believe any of your 'diplomacy' should be conducted through the Overseer. Wasn't that your agreement? So here in Diamond City you, and your friends, must abide the law. I cannot make special exceptions."

 

"That's good," I agreed. "So... explain to me what law Piper broke that caused you to whisk her away hours before she was set to leave for Concord."

 

"That's... that's a matter involving an ongoing investigation and you're not entitled to an answer."

 

"Is that so? And you'd prefer that I talk to MacNamara if I have issues?"

 

"That would be ideal, yes. Now if there's nothing else?"

 

I turned to Piper. "What do you think, sweetie? Shall we take a romantic evening walk to Vault 81 and have a chat with Gwen MacNamara about your false arrest... and about the maintenance issues with the city gate? Maybe see if Cedric Mansfield wants to send a permanent garrison to... reinforce the Diamond City security force?"

 

"Now hold on one minute," McDonald started to fulminate. "What's this about the gate?"

 

 

"I've witnessed, on several occasions, cases where either the city gate was left open on your instructions, or when it couldn't be closed due to mechanical failures. Witnessed this during attacks on the gate. Attacks I helped repel. As I said before, I have a vested interest in Diamond City surviving - and if raiders, or ferals, or super mutants break into the city center, that survival is very much in doubt. It's a serious deficiency that speaks to your lack of leadership."

 

"That's an entirely uncalled-for allegation," he spat. "And moreover, it's none of your business as an outsider."

 

"It'll be Cedric Mansfield's business if I brief MacNamara on the problem. I'm sure you're aware that her and I have already agreed that metropolitan Boston is inside her sphere of influence - everything on this side of the Charles, in fact. Under our agreement, I'd be in no position to protest if she decided you needed... closer supervision. Do you? Need closer supervision, that is? Maybe some technical assistance?"

 

"Now let's not get carried away," McDonough said, suddenly placating. "I'm sure we can come to an arrangement that's satisfactory to everyone. Look," he pointed at Piper, "your... wife, she's already been released. Surely that's acceptable to you?"

 

"That's not really on the table for negotiation," I countered. "She's not in your custody anymore - I've already dealt with that situation."

 

McDonough blanched, but managed to summon some spine to growl back, "I've you've harmed any of our security personnel..."

 

I cut him off with a hand gesture. "No one's got hurt. But no one's willing to talk about why you had Piper arrested, either. So let's start with that. Why did you have Piper arrested?"

 

His face reddened a little, but then he deflated and grumbled. "I received a report from a concerned citizen that Piper was accosting a very respectable member of our community."

 

"Doctor Faraday?" I asked.

 

"Exactly! Her muckraking has always been beyond the pale, but this was simply too much. Doctor Faraday does immeasurable good for our citizens and her... aspersions... were--"

 

"Entirely true, based on my own conversations with the Doctor," I interrupted. "So I'm sure you can imagine that it looks to me like you had her arrested because you were afraid she'd out Faraday for his ties to the Institute."

 

"Ties to... the Institute? I have no knowledge - no knowledge at all - about these allegations. And shame on your for casting them against such an esteemed citizen."

 

"Jesus Christ, McDonough," Piper said, "it's not like she's saying he's a synth. But he obviously worked for them before. And if you couldn't tell that, you're dumber than I thought."

 

"And he admitted it," I added.

 

"He... admitted... it?" McDonough seemed to chew over the words uncomfortably. "I never would have believed... in a million years..."

 

 

"Oh my God," Piper groaned, "you are dumber than I thought."

 

"Well that's just... that's just... inconceivable. To imagine such a gentle and polite young man could have something so abominable in his past. It beggars belief. What a menace... what a monster, to endanger us with his presence. I'll... I'll have him thrown out at once. This very night! Will that smooth things over between us?" He looked at me with hopeful eyes, seeming to shrink in the shadow of my armor.

 

"For fuck's sake," I muttered. "Don't throw him out. Faraday's harmless. Maybe a bit of a creep, but harmless." I looked over to Piper. "You agree?"

 

She shrugged. "Seemed that way to me."

 

"What I want from you," I explained, "is an apology from you to Piper, and your word that in the future, if you arrest any Concord citizen, you'll notify me immediately. I'm told you have a house for sale in town?"

 

McDonough nodded, opting not to interrupt me. "That house is going to be a... call it an embassy between Diamond City and Concord. I'll leave a representative there and make sure they have access to a radio. No more secret arrests. Before the war we called this consular access, and it's just what it sounds like. You can arrest Concord citizens if they break the law, but I need to be notified, and I - or my representatives - need to be able to access them to ensure they're being treated properly. Understood?"

 

"I... ah, that is to say," McDonough looked at first like he was going to reply angrily, to rebuke me, but then he shrank back again. "We'll say that this was our mutual idea, I assume? And no mention of this unfortunate incident with Ms. Wright? Or is it Mrs. Ellison?"

 

"We're still sorting out some of those little details," I admitted, "but that's not relevant to our discussion. Yes, you can spin it to make yourself look good, as long as you stick to the agreement. And... as long as you do one other thing for me. Tell me what you were planning when you tossed her in that shipping container."

 

McDonough looked shocked, then genuinely abashed. "I'm not very proud of that," he admitted. "I was so angry when I heard Piper was harassing citizens again with her conspiracy theories. Surely you understand I could have no way of knowing she happened to be right this time after all her previous wild allegations. But never mind that. I admit, I considered exiling her, even selling her to someone who would make sure she never came back to Diamond City every again."

 

"Surely you knew she's unlikely to return anyway, after she moves to Concord," I pointed out. "So why go through the extra trouble."

 

"I admit, I wasn't thinking clearly. After I slept on it, I realized just as you said: there was nothing to gain from... drastic, action. I hoped the night in the can scared her straight and then had her tossed in jail. I would have let her out eventually, I would have."

 

I wasn't sure I believed that, but my own anger was starting to boil down and I realized that I was probably already at the peak of the intimidation I could exert on McDonough without either resorting to violence or causing a breach in relations that would bite me in the future. So I decided to take my proverbial winnings for the moment.

 

"Piper," I said, "are you satisfied?"

 

 

She wrinkled her nose in a way that told me she absolutely not satisfied, but her words played along. "Yeah... I guess so."

 

"Alright," I said. "Mayor, I hope we won't have any more misunderstandings like this."

 

"Nor I," McDonough said with renewed vigor. "I'm looking forward to a bright new relationship with our friends in Concord."

 

"I think I'm going to puke," Piper whispered to me.

 

"Fine. And yes, Mayor, I'm looking forward to better relations but... try to not make me come bac to your office for a while, OK?"

 

"I think that can be arranged for," he concurred. 

 

With an affirmative word from McDonough, I picked up the key to the vacant house - called Home Plate - from Geneva on the way out, and we descended back to the city proper.

 

"Why don't you just use my place?" Piper asked. "Or Nick's?"

 

I shrugged. "Part of it was I wanted to push a concession on him, force him to submit. But the other part is that those places are your and Nick's properties. Home Plate is going to be my property. Concord's property. And from now on it'll be a reminder that I can walk into this office any time I want, and maybe that I won't be so reasonable next time."

 

"Oof," she said, "tough play. You never struck me as a bully? No, that's not the right word. Well, you never struck me as playing that kind of hardball."

 

"I usually don't," I admitted. "But when people put my family in danger, I don't take kindly to it."

 

Home Plate was... let's call it a blank canvas. I could imagine that with some effort it could become a nice place to live, but in its present state it looked more like an abandoned warehouse. To my delight, however, it contained a Workshop, and after spending some time (with some help and a lot of elbow grease from the two prisoners) we fed most of the piled up junk into its hopper and spat out some basic furnishings. 

 

Brandy, the settler I'd rescued from super mutants on the way here, volunteered to staff the new 'embassy' until we could staff it more permanently, though I left the door open for her to have a more permanent role there if she liked the work. Most of which would consist of her sending reports on Diamond City happenings to Concord by radio. The radio itself was one of the last things I fabricated, but it was in good working order and after we ran up an antenna mast on the top of the building (it conveniently had a trap door leading to the roof) we managed to make contact with Abernathy Farm. I think we theoretically had line of sight to Ridge as well, but Abernathy seemed to be at the very edge of our transmission range. Nevertheless, we had a clear enough connection for me to advise Connie of the new station and she promised to pass the word to the rest of the cabinet. 

 

With our initial, and very minimal setup complete, we locked up the two raiders - they'd be staying here until the Minutemen could collect them - and made sure everyone had a place to sleep. Once we'd accomplished that, Piper and I took a moment to inaugurate our new home.

 

 

When morning came around, the four of us - Winter, Piper, Heather, and me - checked in on Doctor Faraday. Much as I was ready to be gone from Diamond City, he owed me some answers. Inside, I found Doctor Wolfe observing while Faraday followed up with the same Breeder woman who'd been there when I first met him. Apparently, not only was her pregnancy going well, but her husband did indeed enjoy the unique characteristics of her gravid body.

 

 

I waited for him to finished and let her out before I said, "Doctor Faraday. Let's talk."

 

"You actually found her," he said, "this is actually pretty exciting. She has so much experience."

 

 

"I'm glad you're happy. But we also had a deal. How are you going to make this up to me?"

 

Faraday looked a little uncomfortable, and for a second I thought he was going to go back on our agreement. But then he took a deep breath, visibly calmed himself, and nodded in assent.

 

"I believe our agreement was that I would reveal to you the identity of another scientist who might be able to help you."

 

 

"You believe correctly," I agreed.

 

"So, let me tell you first, I can't guarantee this isn't a wild goose chase. When you find him, if you find him, if he's even still alive, he might know as much as me. When I left, I didn't have the clearance to know how to come and go from the Institute, so I was sedated and when I woke up I was in an abandoned building near Bunker Hill. It might be the same with this man. However, the rumors say he left on his own, and so if they're true, he knows the way out... and therefore, the way in."

 

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Piper groaned. "Just tell us who this guy is."

 

"His name," Faraday lowered his voice and almost comically glanced around, as if looking for someone hiding in the shadows, "is Brian Virgil. I don't know all the details. He was apparently involved in a very sensitive project before the new director took over, and there was some kind of drama over the funding. Officially, Virgil was killed in a lab accident, but it's an open secret that he actually fled the Institute. He's your best be to find a way in."

 

"Any ideas on where to find him?"

 

Faraday shrugged, "Not a clue. You have to understand that I don't associate with... dissident types. My departure from the Institute is purely temporary, and it is solely so I can conduct independent research. I will go back some day and continue my work. And so I do not question the decisions of the directorate and I certainly don't stick my nose into classified projects... or their fallout."

 

"Almost sounds like we want to talk to the Railroad," Piper mused.

 

"The who?"

 

Heather laughed, "hang on, Charley, you don't know about the Railroad?"

 

"Apparently I should," I conceded. "Who are they?"

 

Faraday answered first. "They're a criminal organization that steals synths and... never mind, I really shouldn't talk about this."

 

Piper finished, "the rumors are that sometimes synths run away from the Institute. The Railroad helps them escape and start a new life... but they're a really secretive bunch. They don't keep regular office hours, if you know what I mean."

 

Heather grumbled, "their catchphrase is 'follow the Freedom Trail,' whatever that means."

 

"The Freedom Trail was a tour route before the war. Tourists would follow it to see historic buildings around the city. Maybe their base is in one of those buildings?"

 

Heather shrugged. "Maybe. Who knows? I just don't understand why anyone would help fucking synths. They're killers."

 

"Still," I thought out loud, "Piper might have the right idea. I think first..." then I looked over to Faraday and stopped. "You know what, let's talk about this outside."

 

After we departed the clinic, I turned to my companions. "I want to check in with Curie back at the hospital first - if nothing else, I think it was a mistake to leave the implant with her. We missed one opportunity already for Wolfe to examine it. But after that, I think maybe its time to take a historic tour of downtown Boston. Thoughts?"

 

"I'm still not thrilled about seeking out the Railroad," Heather said, "those guys are trouble. But I trust you if you think that's the right idea."

 

Winter said, "this detective stuff isn't really my specialty, but it seems like the only lead we've got."

 

Piper concluded, "only... and best. Listen, I know you don't like what they're doing, Heather, and I respect that, but if they hide synths, maybe they hide scientists too. It's worth a try at least."

 

"Alright," I said, "then let's head back to the hospital. Assuming there's no curveballs waiting for us, I think we've got a Railroad to find."