Fallout: YAS ch1) Interrogation

Fallout: The Yelissa Adams Story, Chapter 1, Interrogation
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Taffington Boathouse, Boston, United States, March 28, 2287
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“2287. An individual, a vault dweller, emerged in the wastelands of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and in the months that followed, she altered the landscape of Boston and the fates of hundreds, if not thousands. Through the course of her journey—a desperate quest to find her missing son—she made enemies and fought epic battles. Some called her decision to destroy the Institute and reduce the brightest minds of the Commonwealth to a smoldering crater a mistake. Others hailed it as a godsend. As irradiated ash drifted across central Cambridge, she retreated to a small boathouse northeast of the devastated town, where she raised her ‘son’ alongside her companion and lover. The communities she had built grew stronger under her Minutemen leadership. It seemed society would finally return to the wasteland: raiders were expelled, and the Gunners were driven west and south. Boston became not just a symbol of a society rebuilding, but of independence reborn. She was a soldier, a woman of war. Even as her hair turned gray and her senses dulled, she knew that war was just a whisper away. And that war… war never changes. This is Piper Wright… signing off.”

Yelissa Adams wiped a tear from her watering eye as she listened to the audio recording on her Pip-Boy. Though her arms throbbed and ached, the discomfort paled in comparison to the ache in her heart.

“A survivor. That’s what they called her, right?”

She nearly jumped at the male voice from the other side of the room. The man gritted his teeth, struggling against the frail cotton ropes binding his wrists.

“The Lone Survivor?”

Yelissa shook her head and paused the recording before speaking. “Most people did, but to me… she was Granny Gail.”

“Well, that granny of yours really wronged a whole lot of people when she became the ‘hero’ of the Commonwealth. It was only a matter of time before someone came to make a statement out of her.”

Her verdant eyes scanned the greasy, wart-ridden face of the squirming man. His sunken eyes and bleeding gums told a tale of chem use and radiation exposure. “Yeah. What a statement. Kill an eighty-year-old woman.”

With a heavy sigh, she clasped both hands over her face, then slowly slid them down, wiping away the sweat that had formed. “She’d been out of the game for four decades. Was killing her really necessary?”

The man shrugged, his indifference palpable. “Who knows, kid? I’m just a squatter. I don't usually see or hear much.”

Yelissa sighed loudly, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. She began to examine the room until something caught her eye. A large gap in the floorboards revealed a hint of armor below.

Without hesitation, she knelt down, gripping the edge of one of the boards, and pulled. The board creaked and gave way.

“The hell are you doing? Didn't the raiders mess up the place enough?” The squatter yelled, jerking against his tightly knotted restraints, his face turning ghostly pale as he realized his slip.

She turned her head slowly toward him, glaring from the corner of her eye. The anger in her gaze was palpable, sending a chill through the squatter. “So, it was raiders?”

“D-did I say that? Sure, y-yeah, it was raiders.” The man forced a weak smile, praying she would believe him.

Staring intently at him, Yelissa felt, deep in her gut, that he was lying. Her eyes traced the walls, nearly covered in scorch marks. “Raiders typically don’t have energy weapons, so I'm not buying it.”

He sighed, slumping back in his chair, his bravado diminished. As Yelissa resumed prying up the floorboards, she rubbed the dampness from her forehead in thought. Once she had cleared away some debris, she leaned down and activated the light on her Pip-Boy. In its faint pink glow, a gleaming suit of metal and violence lay inert, submerged up to its ankles in murky water.

“I can’t believe her old T-51 is still here. Granny’s luck must have passed onto me,” she thought.

Standing at the edge of the large opening, she took a deep breath and lowered herself into the shallow water below. She gasped as the slime enveloped her ankles—not cold, but the radiation permeating it sent a shiver up her spine.

Even though the radiation wasn’t life-threatening, she hurried to the back of the power armor. When she reached the fusion core receptacle, her heart sank upon discovering it was empty, long abandoned.

“Goddammit!” she cursed under her breath, slamming her fist against the armor. Taking a moment, she inhaled deeply, held the breath, then exhaled with frustration before climbing back out.

The squatter chuckled, his smirk returning. “Find anything useful down there, sweetheart? Or did the old granny forget to include you in her will?”

Yelissa stood quietly, fixing her cold, unyielding gaze on the man.

His smile flickered, nervous energy radiating as he shifted in his chair.

Fuming, Yelissa stormed close to him, pulling a small pistol from her side holster and pressing it against his forehead.

“Last chance to tell the truth before I blow your head off and leave you to the radroaches,” she growled through gritted teeth.

“You saw something; I know you did. You better start talking, or I swear to God I will end you right here and now!”

The man sighed heavily, slouching forward, his eyes casting down toward the floorboards. “Fine… I’ll tell you, but only if you untie me aft—”

Yelissa cocked the gun, pressing the barrel harder against his skull. “You’re in no position to make demands, but if I like the next words out of that stupid mouth of yours, I may consider cutting you loose, understood?”

He groaned but nodded in agreement. “I suppose they’re long gone by now… they came at night. I didn't actually see them. Just saw the red flashes of laser fire and heard shouts and screams from across the river. By morning, I made my way over here. Whoever they were, they must have really hated your granny.”

She pondered for a moment, the gears in her mind turning. “You had to have witnessed more. Tell me. Tell me everything!”

“Alright, alright. Before they left, they took someone. Someone who didn’t speak English. Or didn’t speak it like you or I.”

Yelissa pulled the gun away and lowered it, confusion etched across her face. “What language did it sound like?”

“How the heck should I know? I’m not multilingual!” he snapped.

“What language?” she pressed, her voice low and dangerous.

“Jesus Christ, lady, I don't know! Maybe French? Russian? All I know is it sounded European or something. You happy now, huh?! You’ve got your answer; now untie me already, for crying out loud!"

For a moment, Yelissa stepped back, her eyes fixed on the floor, processing what he said. “European... Alessia! Those bastards took Alessia!”

Chaos erupted in her mind, her thoughts racing, her stomach churning as if a dozen Mirelurks were clawing their way out.

Pacing back and forth, she mumbled incoherently, gripping her pistol tightly until her knuckles turned white.

“Which way did they go?” she demanded, her gaze snapping back to the squatter.

“Wait! I did see them. Not clearly, but I did.” He was more animated now, eyes darting around the room as if seeking refuge.

“Just answer the goddamn question!” Yelissa snapped, her patience wearing thin.

The squatter flinched, lips trembling as he opened his mouth to respond. “W-West, I swear to God they headed west.”

“West? Why the hell would they head west? Unless… they were probably heading for the Starlight Drive-In," Yelissa muttered, her eyes narrowing as she strategized.

“Look, lady, I know this is upsetting and all, but would you mind untying me now? I've answered all your questions, right? We’re square now.”

Yelissa glanced at him, exhaling loudly. She holstered her pistol, approached the back of his chair, and cut the ropes binding him with her hunting knife.

The man winced and rubbed his wrists. “Thanks.”

“You're welcome. Now get the heck out of here before I change my mind!” Yelissa demanded.

He nodded and quickly dashed out of the room, nearly tripping over the broken floorboards.

Once he was gone, Yelissa tilted her head back and sighed, the weight of her resolve pressing down on her. She held up her arm, fiddling with the dials on her Pip-Boy until the map appeared on the screen. She marked the location of the Starlight Drive-In.

“That squatter better be right. I’ll find you, Alessia, I promise.”
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This was originally a Unfinished WIP made by the extremely talented and wonderful friend of mine.

I was given permission to finish the chapter and upload it, story and characters belong to them.