Outstanding

Chapter 12

I had slept fairly late the day after the bonfire. After a full night of dancing and the events the night before, I had been drained. For the first night in days, I had slept deeply without a single dream. After a quick breakfast, I had started my packing of the essentials. Food, water, a change of clothes. Just the things I would need for a long trip. Once satisfied, I made my way to my workshop.

In the weeks before I had left to track down Kellogg, I had cleared out one of the garages in Sanctuary and had turned it into a workshop of sorts. I had two sets of power armor in there and while one was mine, I had salvaged another to be used here in Sanctuary in case of an emergency. The motorcycle Sturges and I were working on was kept there. I had opted to fix up a motorcycle mostly for the fact that it would be easier to salvage parts for that and not for a bigger motor like a car. Materials were already scarce for farming, vehicle parts were that much harder to come by.

Opening the door, a chaotic mess greeted me. Tools scattered about haphazardly. Parts on the floor rather than on the shelves. Oil puddles decorated the floor. So in all honesty, it was left exactly how I left it.

Even though I had already worked on my armor the day before yesterday, I wanted to install a cooling agent into it. Preston had mentioned how hot it got there-or so he imagined it would-in the Glowing Sea. And me not yet adjusted to the heat of the waste, wanted to make sure I wouldn't get overheated.

I had been elbowed deep in the armor when I heard the door to the workshop open and a familiar grizzled voice call out. "You in here kid?"

Popping out from behind the armor, I grinned. "Over here Nick!"

Nick tipped his hat back as he bent down to where I was squatting-his joints grinding as he did so. "Just wanted to check in on ya before you left." He said. "Guess you're fixin' that hunk of junk again."

I flashed him a smile before digging back into the cables and tubes. "It's like cars, when one thing goes another is sure to follow."

I heard the tool bench rustle when Nick leaned against it. "What's it this time, the gears in the torso?"

"No, I just wanted to install cooling tubes for the sea." I said, trying to reach the wire cutters. I felt them slip into my hand. "Thanks Nick, that's when I realized I didn't fix the wire and now there in the way of the gears... and you didn't come here to talk about power armor did you?" Pulling myself out of the armor, I looked up at him.

Nick gave a chuckle. "No, I never was one for power armor. Too many wires."

I eyed him. "That's rich coming from you."

He let out a laugh and held up his hands. "Got me there." He said shaking his head. "But in all seriousness, I wanted to see how you were feeling. You look good, but you and I both know how good of an actor you are."

Nick was probably the only one who knew what my pre-war profession was really like. The others sort of understood from hearing music on the radio, but many didn't even know what an actor was. Nick could always see past the mask I put on, for he knew I was acting half of the time. I played with a loose wire, twirling it in my fingers. "After a good night sleep, I feel a little better. Not on edge as much." I said vaguely, watching the wire twirl. "The party did help."

"Enough to go into the Glowing Sea?" He asked dubiously. "I won't sugar coat it kid, it ain't no walk in the park."

I pulled my attention out of my armor to look at him. The dark grimacing look on his face unsettled me. "I take it you've been there before?"