Parting Gift

Piper

           A month has passed since Mayor McDonough was discovered
           to be a synth working with the Institute -- much to the shock
           of all the residents of Diamond City but one intelligent reporter.

Piper picked up her half empty Nukacola bottle and pounded back the rest of the old world drink. Wiping sticky liquid off her lips with the back of her hand, she deleted the 'but' and everything after. Saying 'I told you so' while fun, could only get more doors slammed in her face, and she already had so many.

          Despite the more than ample time, the council has yet to move
          on selecting an interim mayor or even calling for the beginning
         of an election. Why are they trying to impede the will of the city?
         Could more of the council be in league with the now defunct Institute?

Defunct -- that was a fancy way of saying blown to smithereens. Everyone heard the explosion, billowing smoke visible from the crater throughout the Commonwealth. Piper wished she'd been there next to her when she pushed the button. She was less than forthcoming about what all happened in the Institute, refusing to give an official statement. Then she went and threw herself over the Railroad, burying them behind even more secrets. Sure, sure, escaped synths were in danger but what about the truth? Why didn't anyone care about that anymore?

A fist pounded at the door, and Piper scooted her chair away. "Nat!" she shouted through the tiny office.

"What?!" her sister screamed back.

"There's someone at the door. Go answer it."

Nat threw down a stack of old papers, the pile smashing against the broken floorboards, and folded her arms. "Sorry, didn't realize you busted both your legs and couldn't move. Of course, I'll be the one answering the door seeing as how you're laying there on your death bed."

"Don't be such a smart ass," Piper chided, turning back to her article. She needed to get it out the door before the morning, but her muse wouldn't take. Even staring at the blank black screen wasn't helping, the flashing green bar digging deeper into her eyes. Her fingers ran under the desk, searching for a new distraction when they bumped into something crossing underneath the wood. It stuck up off the drawer hinge, pointing towards the wall. Piper mused to herself, "What's the angle here?"

"Hey!" Nat shouted from the door, her voice echoing even above the pounding rain. "It's some guy. And he's here for you!"

"Well, not here for her exactly, I..."

"Are you gonna get your butt up or do I have to do everything around here?" Nat continued.

Piper clicked out of her article, barely past a paragraph, and rose from her desk. "Yeah, you're so abused," she rolled her eyes as Nat scampered away from the door. But her sister didn't vanish up the stairs, she clung around the corner to watch grubby fingers grubbing up the already grubby walls. Piper needed a break, but the truth waited for no one.

The visitor stood stock still in the doorway despite more rain drenching his already waterlogged skin. "You can come in, you know. Get out of the rain, anyway," Piper said, waving him in deeper.

He bobbed his head, dripping water across the stoop, and entered. "After the day I've had I...presuming seemed unwise."

"So, you were looking for me? Is the council finally gonna see me? Or are you with the Railroad? That faction of Brotherhood sniffing around the edge of the Commonwealth? Oh, did you get my request to interview a member of the Gunners for my 'Death in the Commons' series?"