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jedifarmerr · 2 years ago

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Wasteland Series (Fallout AU)

Chapter 8

Pairing: Frankie Morales x F!Reader/OFC (No y/n or physical descriptions)

Rating: E (18+ blog)

Word Count: 6.5k

Chapter Warnings: language, angst, revelations, mentions/discussions of death.

Series Masterlist

Boston was a nightmare.

The landscape was ever changing, more buildings crashed and collapsed and barricaded the streets. This time, it took four hours just to arrive at Ted Williams Tunnel. Midway across, they found it flooded. Some part of the road must’ve eroded and sank into the harbor, making it now impassable.

So much for a shortcut.

They had to backtrack and instead travel by the safe, drawn out caravan route that went through Everett and stunk of rancid Brahmin patties. After 36 hours, they finally reached Paul Revere Park. Just in time for lunch.

Frankie watched as she and Benny skipped rocks across Charles River. The flecks of gravel and rubble bounced across the calm water.

“My bets on her,” Santi said before plopping down on the ledge beside Frankie.

“Easy money. Ben doesn’t stand a chance.” He’d already lost the first round and easily suckered her into another rematch – best two out of three.

Will was trying to help him out, but his sound advice came in that big brother tone that Benny never listened to. Besides, Ben would never take the time to search for a perfect stone, instead picking one at random closest to his feet. While she, on the other hand, weighed a few different rocks in her palm before choosing.

She strutted over to Benny and then got into position. Ladies first. Her stone skipped three – four times before sinking. Benny puffed out his chest with confidence as he winded up his hand, then threw the stone.

Thunk.

Gray water splashed against Benny’s mud-brown boots.

Santi coughed out a laugh. “Goddamnit, he’s actually shocked.”

Lucky for Ben, the second round went better than the first.

“She let ‘em have it,” Frankie said and Santi snorted in agreement.

For a long moment, Frankie’s gaze followed her along the rocky bank as she searched through clutter and debris and scraps of the past for the winning stone. His eyes flickered to Benny, who was staring at her with a pained expression. When she turned around, he plastered on a smile.

Santi cleared his throat. “She asked about you last night.”

Frankie clenched his jaw, so tight that his teeth hurt.

“She’s…worried,” Santi started before taking a deep breath. “Wanted to check and make sure you were alright-”

“I’m fine,” he defended, but his voice lacked any real conviction. He certainly didn’t sound fine, he didn’t look too great either. The bags under his eyes only darkened and grayed after another sleepless night. He couldn’t find rest ever since Benny’s news.

For the life of him, he could not figure out what possessed him the other day in Arturo’s basement. He’d completely lost his mind when he touched her skin. Still, he could feel the ghost of it on his fingertips - soft and smooth and burning with betrayal. He curled his fingers into a fist until his knuckles went bloody white.

“Fish.” Santi’s voice was low and strained and swelling with some emotion that Frankie couldn’t quite identify, but he knew that he didn’t want to hear. Stiffly, he shook his head but Santi didn’t listen, but that was nothing new. “Just cause her parents work for them, doesn’t mean she’s the enemy-”

“Isn’t she?” His voice cracked. Frankie didn’t know. He hung his head, dragging his palm over his chin.

Frankie had expected it, after all. They all did. Even Benny in all his denial knew deep down that she had ties to Vault-Tec, somehow.

He’d thought it might be her dad, but more so her mom, who she didn’t say much about. She didn’t share much about either of them, but one night, in Diamond City, Benny had asked about her parents. What are they like? She described her father as a good, kind man who enjoyed crosswords and muscle cars and cared far too much about having a green lawn; whereas her mother was simply – beautiful. From that alone, he got the sense there was some rift in the relationship. At least, it would be an explanation if she didn’t know about Vault-Tec’s plans.

He’d hardly considered the possibility of it being both parents.

Nevertheless, she was a fucking prodigy. The very company that he swore to destroy coursed through her veins and he could not rationalize how she didn’t know. She had to know because how could her parents not give a sign or a warning or even a hint.

She giggled, her head tipping back with a sweet sound that stung him like a bee. A part of him believed her to be innocent. Or perhaps, he desperately wanted her to be. He wasn’t sure – the last few weeks had completely split him open. Above all, he didn’t want to get fucked over and be made a fool of.

He couldn’t live with himself.

Frankie stiffened as he cleared his throat. “Doesn’t really matter. She’ll probably end up hating us, anyway.”

Santi responded with a frown, and nothing else. They had fucked up waiting this long. They should’ve told her last night while in the video game store. He doubted she’d be too thrilled when she found out about them being sworn enemies of Vault-Tec.

She’d left the vault to save her family. Rifts or not, she loved them enough to risk her life. He didn’t know if she’d side against them.

He wasn’t getting his hopes up that she would.

—-

The library was a mess of hardcover shells and disintegrating pages, but there was something cozy about it. Even if it smelled like mildew and dust and damp fabric.

“Did your families come from the vaults?” She asked them that night, seemingly out of the blue. It was inevitable, also somewhat shocking that it hadn’t come up sooner.

Frankie kept to the corner, quiet as the others shared about their ancestors – the founders of an off-brand vault line: Treasury Inc.

It wasn’t a household name, more like a local Kroger grocery store compared to the likes of Target or Walmart. Still, she knew of it.

Massachusetts was the only state with Treasury vaults, which were congested mainly around Salem. They’d had plans to expand - to bring a cheaper, yet quality option to the people, but Vault-Tec wasn’t about to let that happen.

Vault-Tec filed a patent infringement lawsuit, which according to her had been a hot topic around water coolers. A real battle of ethics.

What would the courts deem more important: The pocketbook and pride of a big corpo or the safety and well-being of the American people?

Technically, the latter won out, but the stipulations ruined any chance of expansion. Treasury could build new vaults, yes, but not within a certain radius of Vault-Tec’s or their land.

So, Vault-Tec went out using their billions of dollars and bought up pockets of land, just to let them rot. A detail that many left out, even her parents it seemed since she said:

“I’m glad they were still around. I always wondered what happened to them. I don’t remember hearing much about them after that.”

Right then would’ve been the perfect opportunity to tell her the truth.

But none of them said a thing. They seemed unable to say it. Maybe because once they did, everything would change.

Minutes later, she bid them goodnight before closing the door to the janitor’s closet. They all agreed to tell her tomorrow. No exceptions.

Time was running out.

—-

There was a chill in the air, but you couldn’t tell if it was from the encroaching Autumn or Frankie’s vow of silence breathing down your neck. It’d been over two days since leaving Diamond City, and he was still acting strange. A little less willing to talk or joke or glance anywhere other than his feet.

You were back on the road and honestly, they all seemed a little off today. The conversation was practically non-existent. Not even with Benny. You wondered if it had anything to do with being at the halfway point between Diamond City and Sanctuary, where you were stopping for lunch.

The small settlement, Covenant, was secreted from U.S. Highway 1 by grassy hills, thick cypresses and white ash trees. Unlike Diamond City, the fence was unfinished, mostly short, temporary barbed wire with a few completed sections of cement. A sign hung above the gates: Est. 2245. Among the engraved names of founders: Connie and Blake Miller.

The town almost reminded you of a show you watched as a kid on Saturday’s. Little House on the Prairie. Dirt roads. Farm Animals. Stalks of corn. Wooden cabins intermixed with the few buildings that could be repurposed. Before the war, a large chunk of this area had been cleared out to make room for apartment complexes. You didn’t even think they’d broken ground, yet.

Everyone here seemed to know everyone – even the guys were on a first name basis. You wondered why they didn’t talk about it more on the way here? Where were the stories of a toothless Benny? Or Will as an awkward pre-teen, if that was even a thing.

You tried not to overthink it as you arrived at the oxidized mailbox with Miller written in sloppy white paint. A two-story cabin on the very edge of town where their Uncle Blake and Aunt Connie lived with their daughter Mary.

It was a heartwarming reunion, full of hugs and smiles and firm kisses on each cheek. It made your chest ache. You’d never been that close with your family. Your cousins were, at best, distant acquaintances and aunts and uncles, who never called or even left a birthday message.

Your mother’s side of the family was not a very warm bunch of people, just like her. Rotten with wealth, self-absorbed and only smiled when putting on a show. She was never an affectionate woman, not even with Alice or your dad. It just wasn’t in her makeup.

On your dad’s side, it was just him and his parents, who were already gone by the time you were born. He spoke of them highly, though, so that must’ve been where he got his attentive disposition. Despite frequently traveling for work, he never missed anything big. If you had a recital, he’d take a red-eye just to be in the front row. For him, nothing ever seemed too small.

“And this here is Blue,” Benny introduced you, gripping your shoulder to integrate you into the circle.

“She’s a friend of ours,” Will added in a flat tone – don’t ask. He gave Blake an inscrutable glance that didn’t sit right in your empty stomach.

Still, you didn’t let it show and instead followed them inside with a runner-up, beauty queen smile. It would’ve earned a standing ovation from your family.

In the dining room, everyone smushed around the long table – you at the very end, right beside Frankie. Mary was directly across from him. She appeared to be younger than her cousins with khaki, freckled skin and coppery hair similar to Benny’s. She stared at you, her piercing ocean eyes peering over a steamy cup of tea with rapt curiosity. Will nudged her in the shoulder and she smiled weakly.

Lunch was lukewarm crimson stew with freshly picked herbs from the small garden out back. Most of the conversation revolved around Covenant. Their seasonal hauls and upcoming socials and how they’d soon take stock for winter. They were praying this year wouldn’t be as brutal as the last few.

Covenant was facing a bit of a problem, though. A ghoul problem. Every night for the last week, a few would wander in from their hide-out, an elementary school close to Melrose, which was about a half-hour walk. Maybe 45 minutes. They’d tried to take care of it on their own, but got overrun. Someone named Donna almost died – Mike’s leg was broken in eight places.

“Don’t worry about it, we can help,” Will offered, “Five extra sets of hands will definitely help.”

Wait – 5?

You stared at the last drops of soup, stirring the wooden spoon around the bowl. You would’ve viewed this as good practice, if it was anything but ghouls. Even though they were past their expiration date and you knew they couldn’t be saved, they were still people – people who lived and breathed and moved alongside you. The idea of mowing them down bothered you. It disturbed you.

What if you knew them?

You supposed, in a matter of life or death like the surprise attack in Boston, it would be different. But if possible, you’d prefer to avoid them entirely.

Frankie must’ve sensed your anxiety as he pulled you aside as Blake scrambled out the door to gather the troops, the guys went to suit up. Frankie eyed Mary, and her prying gaze snapped to the ceiling.

He stepped in front of you, crowding you into a corner. He was like a shadow or a shield or a fucking massive wall. It was the first time you’d been alone with him since Diamond City.

“What’re you thinking?” Frankie’s voice was low, almost rusty.

“I don’t think I can do this, Frankie.” You stared at the center of his chest, unable to meet his eyes. “I think I should just stay here.”

“Stay here?” He pointed a finger at the floor, and you nodded. He frowned, rocking back on his heels and you thought he was going to say no.

“Connie and Mary are staying,” you reasoned. Mary didn’t want to go, and Connie couldn’t because of an old injury.

Again – he glanced at Mary. You wondered if she had dirt on him or something because why else would he care.

“If it was like - mole rats or cave crickets, sign me up, but I don’t…”

Frankie shook his head, not making you finish that sentence. He scraped a hand over his chin and sighed. Fine.

“If that’s what you want.”

Once you nod, he turned around and went over to Connie. She was happy to let you stay. He’d lied that you also had an old shoulder injury that flared up, depending on the day. She guided you outside and onto the front porch, detailing a tea recipe that did wonders for inflammation.

Soon, the front yard was filled with clusters of people. Blake, along with two other leaders, got to go on horseback. Lucky them.

Mary and Connie went to say goodbye to Blake, and Frankie took their place. He propped his hip against the railing of the front porch and clutched the shoulder straps of the green tac-vest that made him look impossibly thick.

He wet his lips, glanced over at the busy yard before meeting your eyes. “Sure you don’t wanna come?”

You smirked – tilted your head. “Don’t tell me you’re gonna miss me.”

He snorted. He looked more like the Frankie you’d seen in Diamond City. “Only in your dreams.”

“Bold of you to assume, I would ever dream about you, buddy boy.”

Frankie rolled his eyes, rubbing a thumb between the crease in his brows. “Behave yourself, alright?”

And you promised him – you would.

—-

You’d spent the first fifteen minutes listening to Connie reminisce on her days out in the field before she excused herself to clean up lunch. Mary offered to give you a tour of the garden, and you accepted.

The air smelled with the remnants of a storm, the linger of morning rain and wet mud. The sky was pale and gray as a platinum slate. Still, there was more color to the land here. It seemed like every step due north breathed new life into the earth.

“I’m the only one that’s not married out of my friends, and all of them have kids, but I don’t know. No one here really does it for me. I’d much rather live in Diamond City, like you.”

Mary had assumed you were from Diamond City, so you didn’t correct her. Technically, you were born in Boston, so close enough.

It was like your dad always said: Honey, it’s not really a lie if there’s some truth in it. You see, it’s more of a roundabout. No one gets hurt.”

Of course, he’d say that as he turned into Cow Spots Creamery after lying to your mom about going to the drugstore, conveniently located across the street. Still, you thought it could apply here, as well.

You would’ve been perfectly content to listen to Mary ramble about her life, but she switched gears.

“Does Frankie snore?”

“Uh. I don’t think so. No?”

“Interesting. I always thought he would. Don’t you think Santi smells so nice?”

“When he showers, yeah.”

Mary giggled at that. “You must like traveling with them.”

You shrugged – little did she know, you didn’t get much of a choice.

“You’re so fucking lucky.” Mary let out a wistful sigh. “Seriously, my friends might make a voodoo doll of you. They’re so jealous. They couldn’t stop staring at you when they saw you talking to Frankie on the porch.”

Your brows furrowed – head tilted. Suddenly, a lot of things made sense. Holy shit. No wonder everyone knew their name – no wonder everyone stared at you in Diamond City. You were traveling with the wasteland equivalent of a boy band.

Wait. Would that make you a groupie?

Oh god. “Well, they can rest assured - I’m not, it’s not like I’m with any of them. I’m not dating them-”

“Well, duh.” She barked out a laugh, then shot her hand over her mouth. “Oh shit, not that - I didn’t mean it like that.”

“No, it’s fine. Really.”

“It’s just they’re never actually with-with anyone. If only, am I right? But ya know, people in their line of work - they never settle down.”

You nodded along, even though you didn’t know what their line of work was, technically. You assumed it had something to do with exploring the wasteland. That made sense.

“I mean, personally I get it.” Mary continued. “I don’t know if I could marry someone who's gone all the time, and risking their lives? Out there’s bad enough, but with the Vaults? Forget it.”

You froze in place – ice coated your veins. Vaults?

Mary blinked at you, and she must’ve expected an answer. You swallowed and your throat felt blocked. “Oh, yeah. Totally. One hundred percent.”

“Do you know if they found any more vaults?” She whispered, leaning in closer as if sharing a secret. “My parents never tell me anything, it’s so annoying. They act like I’m still a kid, but anyway - I just thought since they’ve been gone so long, there has to be a reason.”

Your hands shook at your side. Your heart was shooting into your throat. It felt like you couldn’t breathe and she was staring at you again for an answer. It took you a few seconds for your brain to switch into survival mode. This was life and death. You needed to play this cool and get the fuck out of here.

“You know, I don’t think they did.” Your voice didn’t waver and you frowned, like it was a bummer.

“Damn. Well, they’ll get ‘em one day. I just know it.”

Digging your fingernails into your palm, you forced a smile and nod. You couldn’t believe you let this happen. You should’ve known they were up to something. Liars. You never should’ve gone with them. You felt truly stupid and shit.

You shook yourself – no time for that. You needed to leave before it was too late.

Luckily, your gun was strapped to your thigh. There was enough food and water inside your bag. You scanned the landscape and found an outhouse, just a few feet away.

Bingo.

It was now or never.

—-

Frankie wondered if he could find her in time. His hands coiled around the leather reins as he guided the horse along the caravan route. She had to have gone this way, she knew it was safe. He’d been an idiot, ignoring his gut to not leave her alone with Mary.

He’d known something was terribly wrong when he spotted Mary wailing outside the gates – her face red and blotchy as she sobbed uncontrollably.

She’s gone. She’s gone. She’s gone.

It was still ringing in his ears. They fucked up. They should’ve told her last night, but he didn’t have time to regret it. He didn’t even have time to ask Mary how long she was gone or what exactly was said that spooked her enough to flee from them.

He’d turned to Blake, grabbed the reins hard and pleaded for him to let go. I need to find her. A horse was his best bet to catch up with her. Frankie might have been fast, but not fast enough to catch up with a girl who had a solid head start and was scared out of her mind.

Quickly, Blake had dropped the reins and ordered the other two off their horses. Frankie didn’t even wait for them before bolting towards Boston.

The wind whipped his cheeks and stung his eyes as he frantically searched tree lines. He didn’t know how long it was before he stumbled across three dead bloatflies on the side of the road. Another two, just a few feet away. She’d been here, she’d been in danger all because they’d been selfish idiots who didn’t want things to change. She could’ve died.

An intrusive image of her lifeless and swarmed and cased in slime invaded his mind and he snapped it away with a flick of the reins. He couldn’t think like that. Focus.

He kicked his heels into the horse’s side and kept searching, searching until finally - he saw a smudge in the distance.

For a moment, the heavy weight in his chest lifted as he realized it was a silhouette. It was her, he knew it.

It appeared she spotted him too. Immediately, she picked up speed.

“Blue!”

She broke into a sprint. She bolted away from him as he shouted her name, guiding the horse over fallen stems and branches and knocked over signs.

The sun caught on her tear-wet cheeks as she glanced over her shoulder. She was too busy looking at him to notice a pothole in the street.

“Watch out!” He tried to warn her, but too late.

Her feet caught on the uneven pavement, and she yelped as her knees collided against the asphalt.

With a hard yank to the reins, the horse came to an abrupt halt. He was close enough that even if she decided to run, he could quickly catch up.

Dismounting, he heard the click of a gun before his feet hit the ground. The chase might’ve been over, but she wasn’t giving up that easy.

Frankie lifted up his hands in surrender and slowly turned to face her. No sudden movements. The barrel was leveled with the center of his chest.

The fear oozed from her like the blood spilling down her knees. He met her eyes, but saw no signs of a cold killer, just a frightened little girl coming face to face with the monster from under her bed.

“Don’t come any closer.” Her voice trembled, the gun shook in her unsteady grip. Even if she did shoot him, the bullet would stray to his bicep. Somewhere less lethal than his heart.

Nevertheless, he remained still, firmly rooted to his spot. Her gaze flickered over his shoulder where two more horses were fast-approaching. She was outmatched - outgunned. He watched the defeat wash over her, though she still didn’t drop the gun. She didn’t surrender.

Benny didn’t even wait for Will to come to a full stop before jumping from the back of the horse. He rushed towards her and she swung the gun in his direction.

“Stay back.”

Will and Santi slowly dismounted.

Benny frowned, “Blue-”

“Don’t you dare call me that. You - you fucking sicko. You’re all fucking sick!”

“Blue, please. It’s not what you think. Just let us explain-”

“I don’t gotta let you do anything.” She grimaced. “I…I trusted you. I trusted all of you and it was just, what? A game-”

“It wasn’t, I swear! We were gonna tell you!”

“Oh, really? When?”

“Tonight,” Benny croaked and she let out an ugly sound of discontent. She didn’t believe him, and why would she? “Blue I know. Okay, I know we fucked up. We really really fucked up here and we should’ve told you sooner. I’m sorry. We’re sorry. Just please.”

Frankie had never seen Benny like this, so desperate. He was half-expecting Benny to fall to his knees and kiss her feet as he pleaded for her to listen.

She seemed to notice his desperation as her face softened. Still, she continued to aim the gun at his head.

“Blue, just hear us out.” Santi stepped up with his hands level with his chest. “That’s all we ask.”

“Guns on the ground, then I’ll hear you out.”

Immediately, they complied. Santi handed Benny the reins to his horse before taking the lead. Santi would be the best at explaining this.

Her arms had to ache because she slightly lowered her gun; her finger hovered near the trigger.

“Now, I don’t know what Mary told you-”

“That you’re looking for vaults,” she interrupted, “That’s your job, isn’t it?”

Santi nodded.

“Why?”

Santi went silent as he thoughtfully scratched his stubbly jaw. “We help them.”

“You help them…what?” She scoffed.

Santi shuffled his feet, loose rocks scratching the soles of his shoes. “Look, this isn’t easy to explain but there are people trapped-”

“Are you fucking joking? This is your-” She barked out a laugh, a wild sound of disbelief. “In case you forgot my family-”

“No.” Santi winced, shaking his head. “It’s not.”

“-is still down there and last time I checked-”

“It’s not the same-”

“None of you did a damn thing to help-”

“They worked for Vault-Tec.” She drew back like he slapped her. “Your parents. Didn’t they?”

Her eyes darted around the semi-circle. “How do you-”

“You told me.” Benny stepped up. “You didn’t mean to, but you did - at the mayor's.”

She gulped.

“Your vault’s different from the others,” Santi explained. “The others, they didn’t get frozen. No, they’ve been living down there ever since and they’re stuck and they can’t get out-”

“Well, then it must not be safe enough, yet,” she reasoned.

“Come on, Blue.”

“No. No. Listen, the overseers will open the vaults as soon as it’s deemed safe enough.” She sounded rehearsed, as if reading off a script that she’d heard a thousand times. “Once the nuclear radiation reaches-”

“Then, how come we got out? How come we’re just fine? Diamond City. Covenant. Come on. You’ve been out here for a month, and you’re fine. We’re all fine, Blue. It’s been safe for a long time.”

Her brows furrowed as she surveyed the land. It was as if a lot of things were starting to become clear.

“Well, where did the workers go? I mean - their kids. Whatever. What happened?”

“They’re still down there running it.”

“So, why won’t they let them out?”

Santi glanced at Frankie with a pained expression. Frankie gave him an encouraging nod.

Santi took a deep breath. “Blue, they were never going to. This was always their plan.”

It seemed to take a second for the words to register. She flinched, her eyes hardened. “Are you - are you saying you think my family did this?”

Slowly, he nodded. “I’m sorry.”

She backed up, slanting her body away from them. No. That’s - no. My dad, you don’t know him. He would never, he’d never do that. They wouldn’t.”

“Blue.”

She insistently shook her head. “No, you - you’re liars. You’ve been lying this whole time.”

“This isn’t-”

“Stop it. Just admit it. Admit you’re lying. Say it! Come on. Say it. Say it…say it. Please.”

“I’m sorry,” Santi croaked. “I wish I could.”

Her eyes watered as she looked at them, the landscape, her own trembling hands and she lowered the gun. It dropped lifelessly at her side.

Frankie watched as the world crumbled around her.

—-

The back of Frankie’s shirt was wet with tears and snot and her subdued sobs. She was on the back of his horse, her arms wrapped around his torso, his fingers clutching his shirt.

He refused to take her back to Covenant. He would not parade her through the streets like a prized buck, bloody and broken, on his stead’s back.

Instead, he found an old golf course about a quarter mile from Covenant. He offered to stay with her as the other three returned the horses and gathered their supplies.

She’d stopped crying about ten minutes after they left. Now, she was staring at the algae-green pond. Catatonic. Still as a rock. He thought this might be worse than her wailing.

There was still so much to tell her, but he couldn’t right now. There was only so much she could handle.

At the crunch of boots on grass, she flinched, but didn’t turn around.

“How’s she been doin?” Will knew the answer, so Frankie just shrugged. She was doing as well as anyone could in this situation, he supposed.

Benny stared at her longingly. None of them knew what to do - where to go from here.

What now?

He would not drag her to Sanctuary. But they also couldn’t just wait out here, in the wide open, until she was ready. At least, they needed to find a place to bunk up that was safe.

“What do you want?”

For a second, Frankie thought he imagined her voice, until she repeated herself.

“You brought me all this way, so you must have some reason. So, what is it?”

“We just want your help,” Will answered. Simple and honest.

She glanced over her shoulder and her eyes were red and puffy, her lips nibbled down to bits.

“With what?”

“Finding the vaults,” Santi said, and she instantly turned back to the pond. “We’ve been looking for a long time and even though we’ve found some, we know there’s a lot more. So, that’s where we would want you to come in.”

She shook her head. “You say it like I got some choice.”

“You do.”

“Yeah?” She chuckled. “What is it? Help or be killed?”

Benny stepped forward.

“What? We would never-” he stopped himself, then cleared his throat. “Blue, that was never our plan.”

She hung her head and Frankie wished she would just turn around and look at them. Perhaps, she could see how much they meant it.

“Say I know where they are, what happens if I don’t tell you?” She seemed to be testing them, how far did this leniency go. And why not? He reasoned she didn’t have much to lose.

“Look, I won’t lie to you. I think we’d always hope that one day you’d come around, but if not, then we’d figure something out.” Santi shrugged.

At this point, she was their responsibility.

For a long moment, she went silent.

“How do I know you’re not gonna fuck me over?”

“You don’t,” Frankie said, “You’re just gonna have to take our word for it.”

He wanted to say they were the good guys, but he didn’t feel like much of a good guy, right now. This was all fucked.

“Can I think about it?”

“Of course. Take all the time you need.”

——

She insisted they keep going, keep traveling. She didn’t speak. Her pace was slow. Her feet dragged behind her like a sack of bricks, and it took nearly two days for them to reach Swampscott.

They settled in a rundown mansion with a sturdy roof, plenty of legroom, and a mile outside the Sanctuary’s patrol route. The last thing they needed was anyone finding them before she made a decision. They planned on staying here until she did.

That night, she was wrestling through yet another nightmare. Frankie hated waiting for her to wake up, being helpless. He wished he could go in there and stop it.

“Daddy! No!”

Frankie jolted. The sound of her short, panicked breaths were distressing. She couldn’t seem to get a full breath in. She was hyperventilating.

He could hear a zip, a pattering, and he jumped to his feet before the door swung open.

“Frankie,” she gasped - breath hitching.

“I’m here. It’s alright. Come on, let’s get some air.”

He grabbed the lantern, then guided her outside, to the balcony on the second floor. She sat on the ledge, her feet swaying and dangling in the chilly night air. He kept a safe distance until she patted the spot beside her.

He offered her a drink from his water canteen once her breathing evened out.

“Thanks.” She gulped it down, then wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

The songs of bugs filled the silence. Frankie wished he knew what to say. God - he sucked at this shit. If only she’d waited another hour to have a nightmare. She could’ve had Benny comfort her, instead.

Frankie looked at her. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

She sighed, then scrubbed a hand down her face. “I had this friend - my best friend. Her name was Nora and she was with me that day.”

Frankie blinked - his lips parted in realization. Nora.

“She was so fucking scared and Nora was never scared. So, I promised her - I told her I wouldn’t let go,” she continued. “I didn’t even think about her being a member or maybe I just didn’t think it would matter. I don’t know, and we made it all the way to the gates before-”

When she met his gaze, her eyes watered. Shiny. Even shinier than the moonlight pond in this overgrown backyard.

“I begged my dad to save her, but he - he didn’t.” She sagged with a shuddery breath. “The synths killed her right in front of me.”

Frankie grimaced, winced. For a second, he thought about grabbing her hand to comfort her, but instead gripped the ledge.

She looked away, out at the trees.

“The worst part is, I’m glad they did.” She scoffed and it sounded very resentful. “If I couldn’t save her, then at least I know she didn’t turn into a ghoul. Everyone else, I gotta live with that, but not with her. It sounds so fucked up-”

“No, it doesn’t. I’d feel the same way,” he said and she gave him a sad smile before staring up at the starry sky. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

She huffed, the heaviness flared her nostrils.

“You know, my mom and sister didn’t say a damn thing about it. They watched her die and acted like it didn’t happen. My dad, though, said sorry.” She licked her lips - pursed them thoughtfully. “He also said something I’ll never forget: you can’t save everyone.”

It was a fucked up thing to say. Especially knowing what her dad would do - what he’d done made Frankie’s bones rattle.

“He was right, you can’t save everyone. I couldn’t save those people that day. Hell, I could even save Nora,” she said - very bitter. “It’s too late for them.”

Again, she looked at him. There was a sharpness, a hardness in her eyes.

“But it’s not too late for the people in the vaults.”

Frankie’s lips parted - his breath caught in his throat.

“I’ll help you guys,” she said, soft yet assured. “But I have a few conditions.”

#pedro pascal fanfic #frankie morales x reader #francisco catfish morales #francisco morales x reader #francisco morales x f!reader #triple frontier fanfic

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someonelookingpraediti · 1 year ago

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Quarterly Roundup April - June 2023

April

The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie ★★★★½

The Murder on the Links - Agatha Christie ★★★★☆

The Whispering Skull - Jonathan Stroud ★★★★★

The Hollow Boy - Jonathan Stroud ★★★★★

The Steps up the Chimney - William Corlett (re-read)

A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara ★★★★★

Stories of Your Life and Others - Ted Chiang ★★☆☆☆

May

The Door in the Tree - William Corlett (re-read)

The Tunnel Behind the Waterfall - William Corlett (re-read)

The Bridge in the Clouds - William Corlett (re-read)

My Friend Anna - Rachel DeLoache Williams ★★★☆☆

Maurice - E.M. Forster ★★☆☆☆

This is How you Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone ★☆☆☆☆

The Foxhole Court - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

The Raven King - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

The King's Men - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

Captive Prince - C.S. Pacat ★★☆☆☆

Prince's Gambit - C.S. Pacat ★★★★☆

Julius Caesar - William Shakespeare ★★★★☆

The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller (re-read)

Kings Rising - C.S. Pacat ★★★★★

June

Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson ★★★★☆

Belladonna - Adalyn Grace ★★★★☆

Icebreaker - A.L. Graziadei ★★★☆☆

Bunny - Mona Awad ★★☆☆☆

I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy ★★★☆☆

Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones ★★★★☆

The Summer Palace and Other Stories - C.S. Pacat ★★★☆☆

Owain Glyndŵr - Terry Breverton ★★☆☆☆

view my rating system here

We're half way through the year, and I'm very close to catching up to my yearly goal. I fell way behind in the first quarter, but I got so much read in May I made up for it!

I had a fair few five-star books this quarter, but I also had a lot of really low rated books as well.

#quarterly roundup #roundup #reading #2023

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sunnydaleherald · 1 year ago

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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, July 2

Xander: You're in love with a vampire?! What, are you outta your mind?! Cordelia: What?! Xander: Not vampire... How could you love an umpire? Everyone hates 'em!

~~Angel~~

The Sunnydale Herald is looking for at least one new editor. Contributing to the Herald is a great way to get your Buffy on! Find out more here.

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Off the Clock (Giles, G) by sparrow2000

It Must Be Bunnies! (Xander/Anya, T) by Empire_of_the_Words

Shattered (Buffy/Spike, T) by Geliot99

The Crow Rhyme (Buffy/Angel, T) by Empire_of_the_Words

Conspiracy (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Joan963z

Hers (Buffy/Spike, PG) by bookishy

Want (Buffy/Spike, PG) by Joan963z

[Chaptered Fiction]

There Should Be Groveling, Chapter 8 (NC-17) by slaymesoftly

Keepsakes, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, G) by violettathepiratequeen

Triptych, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, T) by Geliot99

Red on Red, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Angel, T) by Empire_of_the_Words

Dawn the Vampire Slayer, Chapter 10 (Buffy/Spike, R) by LJ94

Keepsakes, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, G) by violettathepiratequeen

Exquisite Complications: Part 2, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by DarkVoid116

The Text Message Memories of Buffy & Spike, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, G) by Julikobold

Doing my best to get back to you (Ain't nothing I'd rather do), Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, R) by fortes775

The (bad) Poems of William S. Pratt, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, G) by Julikobold

Spiderwebs, Chapter 29 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Willow25

B&S 4ever: Drabbles, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by cawthraven

Fractured Pieces, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, R) by RavenLove12

Bits and Bobs, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Behind Blue Eyes

To Still Be Wanting You, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, R) by simmony

Oh The Sights You'll See, Chapter 10 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Melme1325

Aspectus, Chapter 33 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Kirinin

Dream, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Dusty

Tunnel of Love, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, PG) by Joan963z

Ties to the World, Chapter 22 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by The Danish Bird

In the Mourning, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, PG) by Amina

Jigsaw, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Dusty

Long Story Short, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, R) by scratchmeout

Excerpts, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Holly

Sometimes, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Electric Heart

Scenes from the FAA-Verse, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, G) by Willow25

Through the Years, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by DarkVoid116

Becoming Us, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, R) by BewitchedXx

Do We Really..., Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by DeathTheKat

100% pure fluff (ish), Chapter 9 (Buffy/Spike, PG) by Amina

Those 2 again, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, G) by Julikobold

Going Home (to a place we’ve never been before), Chapter 7 (Crossover with Lord of the Rings, FR15) by curiouslywombat

Broken Not Destroyed, Chapter 41 (Crossover with Arrow, FR13) by Buffyworldbuilder

Worthless, Chapter 11 (Multiple crossings, FR15) by GandalfTG

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork:Here’s a quick Buffy study I did a while ago! by sachaaaan

Artwork:Dribbles & Scribbles by DeathTheKat

Artwork:Ephemera (NSFW) by HappyWhenItRains

[Reviews & Recaps]

Angel S03E15&16 ''...Sleep Tight""♡First time Reaction&Review♡ by SoFieReacts

Angel S03E17 ''Forgiving""♡First time Reaction&Review♡ by SoFieReacts

BEST GUEST STARS!!! - Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reaction - 7x10 - Bring on the Night by TheLexiCrowd

ANGEL 1X06 REACTION I First Time Watching by EvilQK

I READ THE BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER COMICS - BUFFY S8! by Elie Moses

[Fandom Discussions]

[Jenny's history] by jenny-calendar

Xander is insufferable?? by multiple authors

You're Angel in "Forgiving" - What do you do? by multiple authors

Buffy the show v.s. Angel the series by multiple authors

What do you wish we were able to see more of? Or less, if you prefer. by multiple authors

Disussion: Ted (ep 11, s2) - next disussion will be the 9th of July. Watch ep 12, s2: Bad Eggs by multiple authors

What if Cordelia was brought back for season 5? by multiple authors

Buffy’s friendship with Willow and Xander in the later seasons by multiple authors

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

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sasquapossum · 2 years ago

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I’m having a bit of a “Karen” moment. Last night I had a bad experience with a Lyft driver, and today I had an equally bad experience with Lyft themselves. Here’s my story.

Background

My daughter and I had to endure a rather hellish trip to Madison, Wisconsin on Friday continuing into Saturday. Yes, the “continuing into” part of what made it hellish, but I already wrote about that. None of this had anything to do with Lyft, and I don’t even find fault with the United folks who were involved - the customer service folks were actually impressive as hell - but it left us a bit travel-weary even before we began the trip back yesterday. In addition, my daughter seems to have picked up a cold - perhaps flu, almost certainly not COVID - despite all of our precautions, so she was a pretty unhappy camper. Naturally, that put me a bit on edge too.

Real Life Events

So we get to Logan (Boston) terminal B pretty much on time, pick up our bags, and I set about getting us a ride. Seemed to take a bit longer than usual before I got details on a driver, but OK. Eventually I see that “Rita” - not her name but a bad character from iZombie - has accepted our ride request. She’s already at the airport, a mere three minutes away. Cool. Unfortunately, Massport - the agency that controls Logan - doesn’t allow curbside pickup. Off we go, following the confusing signage (it was better once BTW) to the designated ride-share pickup area. This is outside, on level 2, in what used to be a parking area between the two halves of terminal B.

But wait ... Rita’s not three minutes away after all. She’s 17 minutes away now. She’s “finishing a ride” which seems to be taking her all the way to the Seaport district on the other side of the Ted Williams tunnel. Weird. OTOH, I also see that she’s a “top driver” so I don’t suspect beyond a glitchy app yet. We’ll get back to these points later. Meanwhile, we wait.

OK, so Rita has come back from the Seaport district and ... is circling the terminal. At least twice, I think three times. I’m just beginning to get annoyed now. Twenty minutes in the cold with a sick daughter will do that to a guy. Then I get the “Rita is here” notification. No she fucking isn’t. There are about a half-dozen cars in the pickup area, and none of them come close to matching. Huh? At this point I hit the “contact driver” button, which starts a text chat.

me: Where are you?

her: United departures.

me: OK, coming down from the *ride share pickup* area.

As I said, Massport has rules about these things, so she was in the wrong place. Nonetheless, we start walking toward United departures. Dear daughter is getting visibly fatigued by all of this moving around, but she’s bearing it really well.

Lyft app: Your driver, Harold [again not his real name] will be here in five minutes.

Yep. After making us wait in the cold for twenty minutes and then showing up at the wrong place, she bailed on us. I was livid. Fortunately, Harold really was there in five minutes and was totally cool, so we got home without further incident.

Online Events

This morning I was still a bit mad, so I tried to report Rita’s behavior. First I try help within the app, but can’t find an option that lets me report what actually happened.

Most reporting options (e.g. “Unpleasant Experience”) require that you select a ride .. but we didn’t actually get a ride from Rita. That’s kind of the whole problem, innit?

The only reporting option that doesn’t seem to require a ride is “Safety Problem or Accident” but this was neither of those.

There’s no “none of the above” option, or phone/email, or text chat.

This kind of “make reporting difficult” chicanery is a common dark pattern nowadays, especially in the "gig economy” which is all about fee maximization and cost reduction for the company itself. So I decide to try email instead, and send them basically the same account you see above. Immediately there’s an auto-reply that [email protected] is no longer maintained. Grrr.

At this point I’m starting to get as annoyed at Lyft as I was with Rita. There’s one more option to try. Like many others, I discovered a while ago that getting a company’s attention on Twitter was often more effective than using “normal” channels. Might be the only thing that site’s still good for. Anyway, I decide to give it a try.

Unfortunately, all I’ve gotten from them so far is a runaround - suggesting things I had already tried (and said I’d tried) in the app, asking me to doxx Rita on a global site (nope), etc. There’s still a tiny glimmer of hope, but no more. UPDATE: as I was writing this, I got a long apology from them on Twitter, and a $5 coupon.

Analysis

First, yes, I know I probably shouldn’t have been using Lyft anyway. “At least we’re not Uber” was never a particularly strong identity, from either a rider or driver perspective, and now we see that it’s not even an accurate statement. Definitely planning to go back to using regular cabs, who mostly have apps providing an equivalent experience by now and also take driver misconduct seriously.

Second, I probably should have known to cancel and re-book the ride as soon as I saw “17 minutes” on my screen. It’s a bit rude, but sometimes it’s an appropriate action because of how Lyft works. Drivers are basically able to accept rides from anywhere. Some of them do so only when they are legitimately close. Some of them do so a bit over-eagerly, trying to get a jump on a good fare when they know (or should know) they won’t be able to provide the best total trip time. This is probably where my “Five-Star Rider” and “Top Tipper” badges (which I’m pretty sure they can see) come into play. On the positive side they probably reduce my average time to get a ride. On the negative side they also attract bad actors.

That brings us back to Rita. As far as I can tell, she’s exploiting two loopholes here.

As soon as a driver says they’re “finishing” a ride they can accept another one, but there’s nothing to stop them from hitting that button at any point in the ride including the start. It’s a great way for an unscrupulous driver to avoid ever having idle time.

If you don’t actually give the ride, you can’t get a bad rating and it becomes almost impossible for anyone to report you. Thus, if you already know you screwed up - and particularly if you can tell the rider is getting annoyed - the unscrupulous thing to do is cancel before they actually become your rider.

That “Top Driver” status is almost certainly the result of gaming the system, not of actually providing good service ... and that is Lyft’s fault. Rita is playing the game they set up (as I am by shaming them on Twitter BTW). It’s their responsibility to resist or defeat that in their app design, in their policies and their enforcement, etc. They have clearly chosen to let bad behavior persist on their platform, because they don’t care about either drivers or riders as much as they care about cost cutting. Which is basically the guiding principle of the entire gig economy, if not all of capitalism.

#lyft #long post #whining

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the-firebird69 · 2 months ago

Video

youtube

WAKEBOARDING WITH GATORS

This is 48 hours out and in seven to 10 days when this storm is over we'll be in a new Ice Age thank God I think it should yeah the cold will knock the storms out but they're up there up there and it's for launching and I think Tommy F has control over more ships than they think and they're horrified.

an xcerpt form geostorm coming up too and yes the macs use the cities take youir buildings. tommy f rejoices.

Donald Trump was out last and JC and Mary were holding him. As Ted Williams.

and he argument starts and over the uk and the tunnel and lady dianna

Thor Freya

we watch this in horror they are so stupid and to excess now have a good reason to use it the lak of sfear and reespect

#youtube

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sanntosroberto · 1 year ago

Video

youtube

A Guide to Driving Ted Williams Tunnel Boston Massachusetts#drivingaroun...

#youtube

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tatsports · 1 year ago

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15 Fascinating Facts About Ted Williams (Part 2)

When it comes to baseball legends, few are as iconic as Ted Williams. The “Splendid Splinter” was one of the greatest hitters in the history of the sport, and his career was full of amazing accomplishments. In this blog post, we will be exploring 15 fascinating facts about Ted Williams, a baseball legend. We will discuss his career highlights, his personal life, and some of the most interesting stories from his life. We will also provide some insight into why he was so successful and why his legacy still lives on today. By the end of this post, you will have a better understanding of why Ted Williams was one of the most beloved and respected baseball players of all time. Ted Williams, born Theodore Samuel Williams on August 30, 1918, was an American professional baseball player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest hitters in the history of the sport. So, if you’re a fan of baseball or just want to learn more about one of the greatest players ever, be sure to check out this blog post and discover 15 fascinating facts about Ted Williams.

6. He was a Fishing enthusiast

Apart from his passion for baseball, Williams was an avid fisherman. He often spent his leisure time fishing, and he even hosted a television show called “The American Sportsman” in the 1960s and 1970s, where he combined his love for fishing and hunting.

7. In Boston, there is a tunnel named after Ted Williams.

8. Williams served as a hitting instructor for several teams

After his playing career, Williams served as a hitting instructor for several teams, including the Washington Senators/Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox. Many players credit him for improving their hitting skills.

9. Williams became the focus of controversy after his death.

Williams became the focus of controversy after his death when his body was cryogenically preserved at the Alcor Life Extension Foundation in the hopes of future revival through advancements in medical technology.

10. Williams made a heartfelt plea for the inclusion of Negro League players in the Hall of Fame

#baseball #mlb #sports #boston red sox #ted williams

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mbta-unofficial · 6 months ago

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If we can build the Ted Williams Tunnel 25 feet below the waterline through downtown Milton can build a fucking low rise on gravel, ok?

Now you may be wondering, how do we fix my shitty little suburb, well, we start by running a rail line through the center of it and then upzoning the hell out of it, I'm talking removing height restrictions entirely and as well as that we allow the opening of businesses in residential lots, and start building bike lanes down the main thoroughfares to act as feeders for the rail station, if we do all of this, the suburb should start improving

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aboutoriginality · 2 years ago

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#ted williams tunnel #boston massachusetts

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vavuska · 3 years ago

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My childhood in some TV show:

1) Murder She Wrote (1984 - 1996)

Murder, She Wrote is an American crime drama television series starring Angela Lansbury (born October 16, 1925) as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. Moving into television in 1984, she achieved worldwide fame as fictional writer and sleuth Jessica Fletcher in the American whodunit series Murder, She Wrote, which ran for twelve seasons until 1996, becoming one of the longest-running and most popular detective drama series in television history.

The show revolves around the day-to-day life of Jessica Fletcher, (formerly MacGill), a widowed and retired English teacher, who becomes a successful mystery writer. Despite fame and fortune, Jessica remains a resident of Cabot Cove, a small coastal community in Maine, and maintains her links with all of her old friends, never letting her success go to her head.

Jessica invariably proves more perceptive than the official investigators of a case, who are almost always willing to arrest the most likely suspect. By carefully piecing the clues together and asking astute questions, she always manages to trap the real murderer.

Jessica's relationship with law enforcement officials varies from place to place. Both sheriffs of Cabot Cove resign themselves to having her meddle in their cases. However, most detectives and police officers do not want her anywhere near their crime scenes, until her accurate deductions convince them to listen to her. Some are happy to have her assistance from the start, often because they are fans of her books. With time, she makes friends in many police departments across the U.S., as well as with a British police officer attached to Scotland Yard. At the start of season eight, more of the stories were set in New York City with Jessica moving into an apartment there part-time in order to teach criminology.

2) Columbo (1968 - 2003)

Columbo is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. Columbo is a shrewd but inelegant blue-collar homicide detective whose trademarks include his rumpled beige raincoat, unassuming demeanor, cigar, old Peugeot 403 car, unseen wife (whom he mentions frequently), and often leaving a room only to return with the catchphrase "Just one more thing." Columbo and his wife own also a Basset Hound named Dog.

Peter Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011) was an American actor and comedian, known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the long-running television series Columbo (1968–2003), for which he won four Primetime Emmy Awards (1972, 1975, 1976, 1990) and a Golden Globe Award (1973).

The recurring plot's homicide suspects are often affluent members of high society; this has led some to see class conflict as an element of each story, however the show's creators have stated that setting the program in the world of the wealthy and powerful was to create a fish out of water feeling, not to make a social or political point. Suspects carefully cover their tracks and are initially dismissive of Columbo's circumstantial speech and apparent ineptitude. They become increasingly unsettled as his pestering behavior teases out incriminating evidence. His relentless approach often leads to self-incrimination or outright confession.

3) The Munsters (1964 - 1966)

The Munsters is an American sitcom depicting the home life of a family of benign monsters. The series starred Fred Gwynne as Frankenstein's monster and head-of-the-household Herman Munster; Yvonne De Carlo as his wife Lily Munster; Al Lewis as Lily's father, Grandpa, the somewhat over-the-hill vampire Count Dracula who longs for the "good old days" in Transylvania; Beverley Owen (later replaced by Pat Priest) as their teenage niece Marilyn Munster, who was attractive by conventional standards but the "ugly duckling" of the family; and Butch Patrick as their werewolfish son Eddie Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and the wholesome family fare of the era. It ran concurrently with the similarly macabre-themed The Addams Family (which aired on ABC).

4) Zorro (1957 - 1959)

Armando Joseph Catalano (January 14, 1924 – April 30, 1989), better known as Guy Williams, was an Italo-American actor and former fashion model. Among his most notable achievements were TV serie Zorro (1957), in which he played the title chatacter: the noble hildago Don Diego de la Vega, who became the masked vigilante Zorro.

Don Diego de la Vega is a young man who is the only son of Don Alejandro de la Vega (George J. Lewis), the richest landowner in California, while Diego's mother is dead. Diego learned his swordsmanship while at university in Madrid, and created his masked alter ego after he was unexpectedly summoned home by his father because California had fallen into the hands of the greedy and cruel local Comandante, Capitán Enrique Sánchez Monasterio (Britt Lomond).

Just before reaching California, Diego learns of the tyranny of Captain Monastario, and realizes that his father, Don Alejandro, summoned him to help fight this injustice. Although he won medals for his fencing back in Spain, Diego decides that his best course of action is to conceal his ability with a sword, and to affect the demeanor of a milquetoast intellectual rather than a decisive man of action. His alter ego, Zorro operates primarily at night, taking the direct action that Diego cannot. This deception does not always sit well with Diego, especially as it affects his relationship with his disappointed father. In reality, Diego relies heavily on his wits, both with and without the mask on. Later in the series, Diego emerges as a respected figure in his own right, a clever thinker and loyal friend who just happens to be hopeless at swordplay.

He is typically portrayed as a dashing masked vigilante who defends the commoners and indigenous peoples of California against corrupt and tyrannical officials and other villains, helped by his mute servant Bernardo, played by Gene Sheldon (born Eugene Hume, February 1, 1908 – May 1, 1982), an American actor, mime artist, and musician.

The character's visual motif is typically a black costume with a black flowing Spanish cape or cloak, a black flat-brimmed hat known as sombrero cordobés, and a black sackcloth mask that covers the top half of his head. In Disney's Zorro television series the horse gets the name Tornado, which has been kept in many later adaptations. In most versions, Zorro keeps Tornado in a secret cave, connected to his hacienda with a system of secret passages and tunnels.

5) Addams Family (1964 - 1966)

The Addams Family is a close-knit extended family with decidedly macabre interests and supernatural abilities, though no explanation for their powers is explicitly given in the series. The wealthy, endlessly enthusiastic Gomez Addams (John Astin) is madly in love with his refined wife, Morticia (Carolyn Jones). Along with their daughter Wednesday (Lisa Loring), their son Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax), Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan), and Grandmama (Blossom Rock), they reside at 0001 Cemetery Lane in an ornate, gloomy, Second Empire-style mansion, which is portrayed by the house at 21 Chester Place in Los Angeles.

The family is attended by their servants: towering butler Lurch (Ted Cassidy); and Thing (also Cassidy), a disembodied hand that appears from within wooden boxes and other places. Other relatives who made recurring appearances included Cousin Itt (Felix Silla), Morticia's older sister Ophelia (also portrayed by Jones), and Morticia's mother Grandma Frump (Margaret Hamilton).

Question: how old am I?

Little clue: my birth year is one of the dates above.

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