Fallout: Fury Blood

Chapter 139: Hangover Heart

The Binet quarters were on the third level of the health clinic apartment tower. They shared the floor with the Filmore's, according to the door signage.

Kelly approached with a casual curiosity, the soft heels of her combat suit's boots making more sound than she would have liked. So much for reconnaissance design. She kept eyes peeled for any overhead surveillance cameras. Despite the flavors of communism lording over lives here, the Institute didn't appear to employ cameras in citizen zones. She supposed the patrolling synths compensated for the lapse in security there.

The sliding doors were touch activated, so Kelly was careful as she leaned in for a listen on the activities inside. Her ears picked up no sounds other than the soft whirring of air conditioning. If this Eve, the surrogate wife, was acting as domestic goddess, there was nothing to suggest she was in.

Should she wait and see if there was any comings and goings? A stake-out in the stairway wasn't exactly inconspicuous, and the patrolling synths would pose an issue.

No. She was here now. If she could break into the Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel's quarters and live to tell the tale, she could break into a timid old scientist's quarters.

Kelly touched the door activation panel. With the virtually non-existent crime rates, nobody bothered locking their doors. It swiped open with a faint hiss. Inside was an open-plan living space, like all other Institute apartments. What was most unlike other apartments, however, was the two open single bedrooms, sectioned off only by parallel wall panels. There was no frontal privacy from the living area.

"So fucking weird," Kelly mused as she stepped through the doorway, sealing it behind her. Twin conical hedges positioned either side of her gave her a minor start. But it appeared the quarters were empty. She recalled that Binet had a son, Liam. So if Eve was living here, where did she sleep? On the couch? Was she a more rudimentary Gen 3 than Danse, not needing sleep? Did they just plug her in at a wall socket to charge overnight?

Feeling guilty for thinking such, Kelly frowned and put the issue from her mind. Her eyes trailed over the scavenged pre-war painting above the single beds. They injected some color into the pale interiors, and for some odd reason, reminded her of home.

If she was forced to stay here longer than desired, maybe she would take X6 up on his suggestion and commission a salvage team to bring some paintings and decor down from the surface to furnish her quarters.

Last resort. She was here to wriggle her way out of that fate.

In the centre of the living space was a coffee table just like the one in Shaun's quarters, with a red two-seater sofa, and an accompanying single seater. She moved fluidly between these areas, noting the bathroom facilities snuggled back behind the 'bedrooms'. Quickly, she strode down the length of the room to flit her eyes over the bathroom, making sure Eve wasn't stowed away in there, waiting for an opportune moment to strike. Again, the facilities were identical to her own quarters, and that of Shaun's.

"All work, no play, huh." Kelly muttered. The desktop and terminal at the far side of the room beckoned, her main target. She picked her way toward it. A panoramic window gazed past the private balcony outside and out on the Institute grounds, the glass snake of the elevator rotating sedately, her own apartment block balcony visible below it.

The Binets had unobstructed view of her if she chose to sit out and enjoy the view. In fact, with a wide sweep of the surrounding balconies on the upper story apartments, they all had a view of her shared balcony.

It was now very clear why she had been allotted those very quarters.

Recognizing her current distraction, she forced her mind back on her task. Above the terminal, a colorful, abstract painting of blues, greens and tawny tones momentarily took her attention for the final time before she leaned in at the terminal.