[color=00a651][u][b]Doctor Arthur West - Salem [/b][/u][/color]

[i]"Listen, I was up all night standing watch at the town road, and that vertibird really threw me for a loop.  I need something to help keep me alert for another few hours, until I have found Barney to take over for Waylon at the town road, and I've figured out what the deal is with the, ahem, Brotherhood...presence.I have no reason to believe they would recognize or shoot me on sight, and I won't do same unless they give me reason to.  They delivered some equipment, seems to me they aren't here for any other reason.  But, just to be sure..."
[/i]

Frieda tilted her head.  "You all right?  You think you have something for me?"

"I lied to you Frieda," Arthur blurted out suddenly, unable to stop himself. 

After he said that, he began looking around nervously both behind and in front of them, before adding in a much lower voice, "You're not the only one they could be after...we need to talk, but not here. Follow me back to my office."

With that, Arthur walked back to the clinic and up the stairs to his little second floor abode. Summer was still fast asleep on the bottom floor, and would probably not wake up with all the medication she was under even if they shouted to one another. Arthur motioned for Frieda to take a seat in one of the cushioned chairs,

"Wait here." He said simply, and disappeared back behind the doorway leading to the mezzanine before reappearing a few moments later with a small pristine white box. He hesitated for a few moments, but brought it forward with a renewed expression of determination and sat it down on the desk next to her and made no attempt to hide the vitruvian man seal stamped on it along with the words "Institute", "Assigned Nutrition," and "2110". He opened the box and pulled out a small light brown pill and offered it to Frieda.  

"Its safe, I promise you," He added, "Its an energy supplement. Potent, but not dangerous. It should keep you awake and alert for the rest of the day. No caffeine crash either, and as a bonus, it takes like caramel coffee. [i]Real[/i] coffee." Arthur gave a slight chuckle as he sat down, "We always popped these things like candy during final examinations, used to call them Dr. Volkert's study-buddies."

Arthur then gave a heavy sigh before continuing, "I owe you an explanation Frieda. I'm not...I'm not actually from a Vault. I'm not a Vault Dweller and I never was. I'm an Institute scientist. A head researcher with the Bioscience Division, " As he talked, he began slowly tracing his finger over the symbol on the box, "You've heard of us I suppose even if you haven't heard all the stories. The people here call us the boogeyman. They hate us and fear us in equal measure. And, to be honest, they are right to. The Commonwealth used to be our playground and we were..well..in some sense, gods. Materialize and de-materialize wherever we chose to, send our Synths to kill or crush whoever we wished, and puppet the people of The Commonwealth like marionettes on strings. That's what we did: and why we were cast down. The Commonwealth thinks The Institute and everyone in it was all wiped out..but that's not true. I'm here, and I'm not the only one." 

He paused for a moment, and then got up and looked out the window of the church, towards where the Brotherhood were still helping Ace work up the generator, "If The Brotherhood were to learn who I was, they would have me pressed up to a wall and shot without question. In fact, I daresay that if anyone else in this town were to find out then they'd likely do the same. The Brotherhood coming in suddenly today made me realize something. Yesterday....you offered to help guard this clinic, but you need to understand just who and what you're really protecting here. You deserve that much at least, and if you want to reconsider your offer now then I'll accept that too."

Arthur let out another sigh and turned away from the window. Looking back at Frieda,

"I apologize for not telling you before, even after you told me who [i]you[/i] were I still lied. You have to understand though that I know very little about the surface. And even though I was deep in the confidence of The Director of The Institute himself, I have no way of knowing what Father did or didn't keep from me. I know very well he kept terrible secrets from others: I was shamefully apart of those secrets, but for all I know, The Institute and The Enclave were at war and the mere mention of the name would have led you to shoot me."

A thought crossed his mind then. He stood silent for a few moments, contemplating it, before adding,

"I suppose that's still a possibility...in which case...I guess I just ask that you kill me quickly."