The Danse Dilemma

23. Blind Betrayal

I walked in a dreamlike haze back to my room where I grabbed none of my armor, just my rifle. Righteous Authority, the rifle Danse had given me, the rifle I was supposed to kill him with. How could I have been so blind? How could I've been so incredibly stupid? I thought that I should be furious but I was broken and afraid, but mostly I felt alone. It felt like I had lost Nate all over again... but worse somehow. "Y/N! Stop!" Haylen was screaming as she chased me down the hall. I whirled around. "I know what happened. I know what Maxson told you. I warned Danse. I did."

"How did you hear about it?"

"There are no secrets in the Brotherhood. Maxson's made it clear that we're to locate Paladin Danse and if we find him, report his location to you. That can only mean you've been sent to hunt him down. Y/N think about it, really think about. He deserves to tell his side doesn't he? Maybe it's a mistake. Even if it's not though... did he know and does he deserve to die for something that he didn't do to himself?" Haylen said frantically.

I raised my eyebrows at her. "Haylen, has the Brotherhood taught you nothing?" I asked with a wavering voice. Her facade of coolness failing. "Orders are orders."

"Orders are orders?" That's all you have to say? I can't believe that after everything Paladin Danse did for you, you're just going to turn your back on him like this. There's obviously been a mistake and we need to get to the bottom of it. Y/N, I have been your friend this entire time, but I have known Danse longer. He trained me, showed me the ropes... and when I screwed up, he taught me to dust myself off and move on. He's earned my admiration, my respect and my friendship. I don't care what Quinlan's report says. I don't care if he's a machine or not... he's still Danse."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because someone has to before you rush off and carry out Maxson's orders without thinking about what you're doing. Y/N you can't kill him! He never even got the chance... you're important to him, Y/N don't do this to him..." Haylen went on frantically. I looked around nervously, no one else was around. "Danse is the most selfless person I've ever met. I've watched him risk his own life based on nothing more than principle alone. That's why I'm asking you... not just as a member of the Brotherhood, but as a human being... give him a chance. Let him tell his side of the story. If you're not convinced by what he says, or somehow he's become truly lost to us, then you do what you have to do."

"All right, I'll hear him out but Haylen, I don't even know where he is, I don't know what the fuck is going on." I told her. It was the truth, I was at a complete loss. With a nod I pass the Scribe, but was stopped once again.

"That's all that I ask. I'll just have to trust that when the time comes... you'll do the right thing. Before the Prydwen showed up, Danse had me identify a fallback point if we ever lost the police station. It was Listening Post Bravo, an old pre-war U.S. Military outpost on the Northern frontier of the Commonwealth. It's isolated, and we're the only ones that knew about it, so there's a good chance that's where he's headed. Just be careful. There's no telling what state of mind he's in right now, or if he trust any of us at all. Make the right decision."

I hadn't been out in the open wasteland by myself since the first few days since I had escaped Vault 111. Paladin Danse had always been with me, someone had always been with me. Once on the ground I moved as fast and as low as I could. I traveled through the night, clutching my rifle so tightly that my hands had begun to ache. I was stopped dead in my tracks when I approached the bunker. It had been rigged with two automatic turrets that sat atop the building. With two well aimed shots, I disarmed them. Danse was prepared, he had armed the building with some serious defense systems, he knew what was coming and why. The efforts he had gone through didn't convince me in his favor, in fact, it made the pit in my stomach growth.