“Doesn’t matter. Expressions are a weakness, and weakness isn’t tolerated. I thought you knew that, sir.” After all, it would’ve been hard to miss the fact that Abner hadn’t smiled or frowned once during the entire investigation. It was like he’d forgotten how.

Maybe he shouldn’t have been surprised, though. Anderson didn’t seem to know nearly as much about America as someone of his rank should.

“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, sir, but you should be more careful. Communists are everywhere. They can look like anyone. You won’t know until they take a sickle to your throat. I’ve seen it happen, sir.” In holotapes, but he knew they used real commies for those.

They were approaching the basement stairs when Anderson spoke up again. Abner glanced at him, confused.

“Wait. Nobody told—?”

No, of course they hadn’t told him. Probably hadn’t told him anything about Abner except that he wasn’t responsible for whatever horrific crimes he committed. He’d just been assuming Anderson knew. That he could tell.

“Yeah, I was from the wasteland. The Enclave recruited me I think...ten years ago? I was...a person then. Different name. A mercenary, like Miller. Can you believe I thought I was human?” He folded his arms tightly over his chest, falling silent. Yet another thing he shouldn’t be talking about.

“That’s why you’ve been so nice to me, isn’t it,” he said after a long moment. “You thought I was human, too.”