FFF - Jane's Choice

Waking up sandwiched between Chastity and QT isn’t exactly unpleasant. It wasn’t the most restful night, but you aren’t complaining. You wake up with an erection and Chastity looks devastated to see it go unused, but you quickly dress and head out. You’re a bit of a mess, but that’s not important. It’s early, but Dr. Fairfax sleeps in her clinic.

She looks bleary when she opens the metal door for you. She scowls at you, then at the dark clouds that make it clear that today is going to be especially overcast. The air is thick and heavy. The people of New Gurlberg seem a bit subdued after last night. They’re morning the loss of several men.

You don’t have to say anything. Dr. Fairfax can read your face. She takes you to Boss Murphy, who is pushing the weight limit for the rusted hospital bed in a dark room behind the main office. There’s a bandage on her neck, another one on her leg, and several more smaller ones all over her body.

“How bad is it?” you ask Dr. Fairfax.

“She won’t lose the leg. But the wound on the neck is close to the artery. I need to keep her still for a couple of days to make sure that she’s safe.”

“Bet she’ll love that,” you mutter.

“I can hear you,” Boss Murphy says.

Dr. Fairfax turns on the light, revealing Boss Murphy’s grumpy expression.

“Give us privacy,” Boss Murphy says, looking resigned. She knows you’re here to interrogate her, and she knows that she owes you answers.

You pull a metal chair to the bed and sit, folding your arms.

Boss Murphy sighs and looks at the ceiling.

“The Sisterhood sent a Paladin here to deliver a message. They want to form an alliance. But that just means they want us to do things their way.”

“They want to interfere with your chem business,” you correct her.

“That business is the main thing that stands between my people and those cannibals.”

“What did you do? Kill her?”

“No. I told the truth. I used the rumor that I’d heard to buy time. She went looking for Vault F Zero and the Green Forest. I figured that if Enclave was making moves on Vault F Zero, the Sisterhood wouldn’t be able to ignore it and I was right. It doesn’t hurt that the Paladin was gullible,” Boss Murphy adds with a snort, which turns into a wince.

“Shell is not gullible,” you warn.

“I know. She came looking for the Paladin, but she didn’t stop there. She was spying. I couldn’t let her run back to the Sisterhood to tell them what I was doing.”

“Because they’d see you as just another raider.”

“I’m no raider.”

You take a deep breath, tapping your foot and scowling. “What didn’t you tell her?”

“What?”

“What didn’t you tell her? You must be thinking that you can get rid of Shell too,” you say.

“I don’t know why you’re acting so high and mighty, Vault Girl. You think I believe for one second that you’ve been honest with me?” Boss Murphy growls.

“I won’t ask again.”

“I didn’t tell her about the infection. I don’t know about VF Zero, but the Green Forest is a real place. I’ve been there. Or I’ve gotten close. There’s something there. Something that makes people lose their minds. You come from Vault F. Don’t you know?”

You cock your head. “What’s Vault F got to do with it?”

“I was born this way,” she says, glancing down to indicate her groin. “But nature didn’t do this. Everyone knows. It’s those women-only vaults that are behind it. The gene modifications. It’s part of the gene pool now.”

“That’s not true.”

“Vault Girl, I don’t think you’d know the truth if it was biting your ass,” Boss Murphy groans.

You clench your jaw for a moment.

“Bite my ass,” you say.

Boss Murphy lets out a bark of laughter, then groans, a teardrop rolling down her cheek. “Fuck you, Vault Girl.”

“Some other time.” You stand up.

“Hey,” Boss Murphy says before you can turn away. “Make a choice already. Kill me now. Or leave. Or,” she says, but trails off, gazing up at you.

“Or what?”

“Or knock off the bullshit and be my right hand.”

“Ask if Dr. Fairfax’ll do it for you,” you reply, nonplussed, miming a jerk-off motion.

“Your jokes aren’t funny. And I’m not joking. Choose.” Boss Murphy grimaces at some unseen pain. “And do it before I’m on my feet again. Or I’ll do it for you.”

“I’m not going to kill you,” you tell her bluntly. “If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have brought you back.”

She doesn’t have a reply to that. You go to the door. “Want me to leave this on?” you ask.

“Yeah,” she grinds out.

You leave her there.

Outside, you can see Reggie’s Bar. Reggie’s there, seated at one of her tables, hunched over tiredly with a steaming cup of tea. It’s way too early for her to open. You join her. She might not love you or be thirsting for your body, but she can’t stay mad at you now that you brought Boss Murphy back.

Wordlessly, she hands her cup to you so you can have a drink. You hand it back and sit with her. The sky grows darker. There’s a faint rumble and the air smells like acid.

Boss Murphy is partly right. You have to make a choice, but maybe not the one that she thinks.

Shell isn’t your friend, but she’s not your enemy. Right now, she’s walking into what you can only assume is something like a trap. Boss Murphy’s words also bother you. Vault F Zero? Or VF Zero, as Boss Murphy put it? You never heard of that, and you feel as though you should have. Boss Murphy’s words about the truth bother you. You could go after Shell and try to help her and learn more, but that’s a serious and dangerous journey. Chastity and QT would certainly insist on coming with you and you would be well-equipped; some caps and gear are the least that Boss Murphy can do to repay you. But you might not see New Gurlberg again for a long time, if ever.

You could also stay and take Boss Murphy up on her offer. You can serve New Gurlberg while enjoying the privileges that come with authority and the stability of having a relatively safe home.

Attempt the journey to Vault F Zero?

Or stay in New Gurlberg as Boss Murphy’s right hand?