FFF - Ch74

Shell is in bad shape. Bones are broken and there’s internal bleeding.

“There are Stimpaks,” Annette says over the PA as Jane and Curio rush Shell to the infirmary. “I have the doors closed. No more movement. We should be OK for now.”

They place Shell on the table. Annette speaks up even as Curio’s starting to cut away Shell’s clothing.

“Don’t bother,” Annette says. “Use the Stimpak.” As she says it, a light clicks green, and a cabinet unlocks.

“She’s dying,” Curio replies tersely. “I don’t know that I can stabilize her.”

Frowning, Jane goes to the cabinet and removes the item inside. It doesn’t look like a Stim pack. It’s a thick, plastic injector.

“Should we try it?” She holds it up so that Curio can see.

Curio hesitates. “I think she’s gone either way. Go on.”

Jane injects Shell’s arm. Shell immediately convulses and they hold her down. That goes on for several minutes before she settles. Her color is better, although she’s still in bad shape.

“What was in that?” Curio demands, shining a light at Shell’s eye, then taking her pulse.

“Regenerative compounds,” Annette replies mysteriously. Jane has no reaction to that, but she sees the look in Curio’s eyes.

“What was that thing?” Jane asks.

“Deathclaw,” Curio replies, getting back to cutting away Shell’s clothes. She begins to disinfect and bandage her exposed wounds.

“You said something about a hat?” Annette prompted.

“A device. I wonder if it wasn’t what was interfering with the radios,” Curio murmurs as she works. The lights flicker, then dim. Jane looks up with a scowl.

“There was damage,” Annette says.

“Obviously.”

“We need to weld that door, repair the damaged pipes, and then look at the generators,” Curio says briskly.

“I think you should start with…” Annette begins, only to be cut off.

“I’m not interested in what you think,” Curio replies firmly. “Unless you think you’d like to tell us what that thing was doing here.”

“Enclave. Enclave must have sent it.”

“Why? Who are these people?” Jane demands.

“The enemy,” Curio replies bitterly.

“They don’t approve of my mission. I only want perfection for the women of this world. To Enclave, that’s genetic non-compliance.” Annette sounds just as bitter as Curio.

“Shell was here chasing Enclave spies. And now this. They’ve found you,” Jane says, turning to the nearest camera. “You’ll never hold this place.”

“That’s a concern, but not an immediate concern,” Curio says, placing her hand on Jane’s shoulder. “We need power and water. We’ll go from there.”

“I can patch pipes,” Jane volunteers, casting a sour look at the camera.

“Good. Let’s get to work.”

“How’s Shell?”

Curio hesitates, looking grudgingly impressed. She picks up the empty injector from the table.

“She seems stable,” she says, as though she can’t quite believe it.