Almost a milk run as these things go. And yet he's very on-edge now. It was a sharp reminder that someone, somewhere thought making super mutants as a good idea.

Back to the memorial, then.

"This is Jefferson Memorial to zeppelin, identify yourself," crackles the radio. It sounds like no-one Nick knows.

Well, shit. "Independent trader. Who am I speaking to, please?"

This is the Enclave on behalf of President Eden. What reason does a trader have to visit an Enclave facility?"

As Nick gets closer to the Memorial, he can see giant energy walls set up around the entire perimeter of the Memorial, and many, many Power Armoured soldiers around the perimeter. 

Yeah no he's already turned around.

"Well perhaps I thought it wasn't an Enclave facility. Don't worry, I'm leaving."

"Who had you heard was holding it?" The man's voice is deadly serious.

"I heard someone killed the super mutants and figured they could maybe use some ammo and had some caps."

"The Enclave takes care of itself. I can see you've turned away. Keep heading in that direction. Inform whoever you trade with that the Memorial is off-limits."

The radio cuts off.

...He goes to Rivet City. He can evince misdirection if he has to, and he sneakily seeks for anyone on the purification project who might still be here.

“Back already?” Harkin’s voice crackles through the radio. 

"Well, things come up, you know. Like the Enclave."

“You pissing people off? Should I be worried?” Harkin deadpans.

"My buddies found something really shiny, more like."

"Intriguing. You know the rules for landing, what time are you opening trade?"

"Now, I guess."

“Wonderful.”

The radio cuts off. 

He lands. He trades. The words and motions are all the same but his mind is on other things.

One person comes up and spends a long time touching a particular item. Once they leave, a piece of paper is noticeably sticking out from it. 

When he closes up he reads the note.

Nick, 

I hope this reaches you before you reach the Memorial. We were attacked the day after you left, and had to flee. James, myself and the other scientists are now hiding with the Brotherhood of Steel. Please, if you have the GECK, keep yourself safe until we take back the purifier. 

Madison Li

But not Amy?

She probably tried to fight them all alone, didn't she. Seems like the type.

He burns the note. He transmits static on the frequency the group was using, and a bunch of others for obfuscation, for a couple of minutes. At least this makes his next course of action clear: Fly off to Georgia or somewhere for a while, check back in a few weeks. He can keep turning a steady profit while he bides his time.

...He puts that synth back together, plus a few improvised structural parts (disconnected from the neck down right now), and tries to wake it up.

Chester's eyes blink a few times as he comes back online. He remembers...he remembers fleeing into the Vault-tec basement, super mutants on his tail, only to get the wrong end of a mine-

Wait.

He's not in a basement. And he can't feel his body. "Wha- ...what's going on?"

"Hello. You were alone in the basement of an office overrun by super mutants, badly damaged. I've mostly patched you up. Not entirely because - well - I've never actually seen an intact synth before. Fancier hardware than my 'bots. I don't know a lot about synths and I want to learn."

"Why...why can't I feel my body?" Chester looks incredibly distressed. "Are you from the Institute?"