A Rose Among Thorns

14 | A Long Time Coming

They left Dogmeat with Ellie again before they re-entered the Glowing Sea and went to Virgil's Cave. He was delighted—and surprised—to see that they had survived. While they were gone, he compiled a list of instructions and materials needed to build a transporter to get into the Institute. He apologized for the child-like writings and drawings because his enlarged hands had diminished his fine motor skills. Virgil reminded them about the serum and wished them luck as they left again.

Nick hadn't really spoken much since they killed the Courser and every time she glanced at him, his eyebrows were scrunched, like he deliberated on something. Once the Geiger counter on her Pip-Boy stopped clicking, meaning they were now safe from the radiation, Briar Rose stopped and turned to him.

"Alright, Nick, what's wrong?"

Nick looked at her, confused. "Wrong?"

"Something's bothering you; you haven't said a full two sentences since four days ago. Now what is it? You can talk to me."

"I know I can, Flower; it's just, you already have so much on your shoulders with finding your son and I... don't want you to feel obligated to help me, because I know you will." He paused to think something over; coming to some decision, he shook his head as he resumed walking. "We can discuss it later, after you get Shaun back."

Briar Rose grabbed his arm to stop him from walking away. "No, we're going to discuss it now. I know where Shaun is and how to get to him, but after everything to get here... I think I need a breather."

"My situation won't give you the rest you're hoping for."

"I don't think anything in this new world will, but your problem might provide me with something else to focus on."

Nick remained silent as he thought; finally, he sighed in resignation. "There's this chunk of Nick Valentine history I've been hoping to put a bow on for a while now. I could use a hand, if you're willing to take a crack at it. Once upon a time in the land of Boston, there lived a king of organized crime: Eddie Winter."

"Eddie Winter... I know that name; he was from my time," Briar Rose said.

He nodded. "He was a wicked man who did a lot of bad things. Hurt a lot of innocent people, but he knew the end was coming. So he sealed himself inside a personal shelter, located underneath the sub shop he used as headquarters. The arrogant bastard wanted to cheat death; live forever... so he could come out of that shelter someday, into this brave new world. Sound familiar? Only Eddie didn't want to be a frozen banana—no cryo sleep for him." She scowled at him. "No, he invested his money in some sick, crazy radiation experiment. He went and turned himself into a ghoul. Two hundred years before it was fashionable. Hell, he was probably the first one. I'm convinced that he's still locked inside that shelter. Safe and sound—ready to come out and begin his evil reign all over again."

Briar Rose listened, but something bothered her. This seemed like him seeking an-eye-for-an-eye. "I don't get it, Nick. Why kill Eddie Winter, even if he is still alive? This sounds like some kind of vendetta."

Nick hesitated. "I have memories of a girl... my girl. They're not really my memories, I know that; they're Nick's. But the girl... she was real. She was beautiful and innocent, and Eddie Winter killed her. The 'old Nick' became obsessed with getting him after killing Jennifer Lands; I feel like I should finish what he started—honor his and Jenny's memory."

He wanted to do this to avenge the 'old Nick's' fiancée; Briar Rose wanted to help him do it for him, not for her. Maybe doing this would help him move on...

Nick continued. "Now, I know where Winter's vault is. But the door is sealed with a complex numerical code. Lucky for us, Winter's arrogance knew no bounds. Back in the day, he recorded ten holotapes, incriminating different criminal associates. On each one, he hid a single number. We find all those holotapes, we get the numbers; we get all the numbers, we get the code. Then we get Winter."