Danny moved his triangle hat further away from his eyes, so as not to let the piece of clothing obscure his vision. So far the trip through the entirety of Boston was a tale of boredom and general uneventfulness. Phantom was no fool, he knew all too well that his newest companions and captives all in one were going to do if he lets his attention wander elsewhere. Namely, they wanted to use the only well-dressed person in the entire Commonwealth as a shooting dummy. Not only that, they would ruin his magnificent outfit, which would be a double jeopardy both against humanity and the undead.

That's why Danny was going behind the brothers in arms. Phantom could live through a bullet in his back, but better be cautious still. It annoyed the captives, because they did have weapons. But shall they do a little thing like putting their hands on a pistol, immediately a laser would go through their skull. Of course Phantom couldn't kill all of them that swiftly, but to the bold one - the first shot. Here went their courage. They wondered why Danny let them have weapons at all, but it was probably because he didn't want them to die by the hand of some rodent beast roaming this god forsaken city. His concerns were proven justified.

Several times they were attacked by the Supermutants. For the giant green ogres they were smart enough to use ambushes. The question of how they were able to do that with their size remained opened. What was clear is how stunned the Brotherhood members were at the prowess of their captor. He was so quick and precise that no bullet could hit him, they barely made a couple of shots from their cover. Phantom also had a pistol with him, in case like this when he needed speed. Musket was for long distances. It had own drawbacks, the pistol could barely make it through the thick skin of their, and they were quite resistant. But a bullet to the brain could kill everyone, even those who apparently lacked them.

Once they were done with, Phantom smirked at the job well done. His old muscles were getting better and better. However, as he turned around, Danny immediately noticed several guns pointed at him. Of course they would try to escape.

"I really don't recommend you to do this. You might harm yourself with these toys," he advised.

"Oh, yeah? How will you run away now, creep?"

"I'm not running anywhere," Danny said calmly.

He sat on the nearby piece of debris with calm expression. Not expecting such reaction, the others were hesitant to fire.

"The hell are you doing?"

Danny took a flask from his belt. "A dying wish?" He suggested weakly, before starting to drink its unknown contents.

"This guy is nuts," someone mumbled.

"If I am nuts then you are a pretzel," Responded Phantom dryly and then laughed at his own joke. He put his hands behind his back, lying on a load of concrete like it was a soft sofa.

"Enough," one of them snapped. "Just kill this brat already!"

They fired simultaneously, but only hit a green barrier between them. Phantom yawned theatrically.

"C'mon, surely you can do better with your farters for guns."

"What the heck is that thing?!" One of the attackers asked.

"A shield," Danny explained. "Protects me from literally everything."

"What kind of technology is this?!"

"The kind that will die with me," Phantom grinned innocently at their predicament. He knew he had just torn them from inside as they were engaged in the inner debates on how to handle him. Their Brotherhood valued techs above everything, and they couldn't risk losing a single piece. And they also had to make up for losing a squad and two vertibirds. Finally Phantom stood up.

"It's either your petty revenge or something truly valuable. You decide."

"Petty?! You've killed our brothers!"

"And you've killed several good people who just want to make Commonwealth better for everyone. Your fault that you have come here guns blazing."

"We don't even know what you are."

"Your problems. This world will never get back to what it used to be if every idiot will shoot the passerby. Why do I even bother telling this to you, post-war savages?!" Phantom's eyes flashed green for a moment, but it was but a mere game of light, of course. "Apologies. My philosophical conundrums formed after more than two millennia long history of humankind are complicated sometimes."

"D-don't try to distract us!"

Danny was suddenly really close to them. And they just noticed that.

"Oh, I do not," Phantom smiled slightly. "But I thought it has already been decided that I shall stay alive."

God, everyone thought, if only they had this guy's confidence. He was just shrugging off the fact that they were about to rip him a new one. One day it would end badly for him, though. Phantom smiled and went forward, now sure that his companions were now put down for a while.

"Are you coming?" He asked.

Grumbling something, they followed the raven haired man. Phantom could feel multiple glares on his back, but he couldn't care less. He would probably have to dispose or forget about this irrelevant cannon fodder. He only needed their leader. To get acquainted, probably, the Minutemen were still insufficient to challenge their power. If only Danny could have his ghostly army. But his subjects' safety was more important than this little campaign of his. But he could still get techs and utilize industrial potential. The nonexistent lack of weapons was just an excuse to get funding for his projects. People nowadays were more eager to pay for arms, not roads or other means of infrastructure.

The travel was long, and Danny started to regret having companions. He could have got there in less than an hour. They forced him to extend the trip for the whole extra day, and that was solely because Phantom was ruthless and efficient in dealing with everything on their path. It sped up the process significantly.

Soon the group got to the North-Eastern suburbs of Boston, up to the airport. From a large distance the zeppelin of the Brotherhood — Prydwen, could be seen. Phantom was impressed, although he had seen better. Especially before the war there was a reborn trend in using these things. Just a cruise up in the skies. Danny really enjoyed one of those, when his friend House invited him on it. The trip ended with Phantom taking a flight from several miles' length. Don't ask why. But all in all, the zeppelin made after the war was amazing. If it was, that is.

The way was barren and showed the signs of the recent bombing. Apparently someone had tried to get closer than they had allowed. The airport itself now looked like a fortress, as much as it could. All ways out were protected by the wooden or metal barricades, except the one which outlooked the Atlantic ocean. They weren't afraid of the mutants lurking within its dark waters. But they should.

Stopping near the metal gates, the group stopped. The place was guarded by two men in the power armor, along with a couple of sentry guns that fumed with black smoke, rattling like a lawnmower. The soldiers in the armor also had impressive gatling lasers. The message to all savages was clear enough: Stay away or be vaporized. The guards' faces were hidden, but they were obviously surprised at the scene before them.

"What the hell?" One of them asked. "Winston, where are vertibirds? And your team?"

"Gone, reduced to atoms," Danny burst into laughter. Even after a few hundred years it was still funny. His laughter was, however, taken as an insult.

"That little punk has blown them up!" Phantom felt something nudge his back. It was a gun, probably.

"With two laser shots, may I add," Danny beamed.

"Aren't you the hawk eye."

"Nah, that guy was useless. Not as much as that chick, though."

No one could understand his humor. And they were missing a lot.

"Why did you bring him here?"

"He has some strange techs he is refusing to share."

"Share? Sharing is caring, but you want to snatch my tech from me. This will not do, you haven't done a thing, but I spent years making them!"

"Shut up, would you?!"

"So much for being buddies. As the leader of a large enough alliance of settlements I demand an audience with the guy in charge."

Everyone laughed. Like they would heed to this dressed up wimp's demands.

"Nice joke, whelp."

"I let only one person call me that," Phantom snorted. "Seriously, however. I will not give anything unless I speak to your boss."

The guards looked at Danny's convoy.

"We'll get him to Ingram. She will make him talk, and understand what he is babbling about."

Phantom burst laughing. "I'd like to see her try. Okay, then. Lead on, leadbrains."

He was pushed forward through the gates. The airport was comprised of a central terminal building, which was mostly destroyed, a parking garage and a small garage. There was also a tarmacked surface which bear the remains of several Horizon Airlines jet airliners. The airliners were completely destroyed, with the wings having separated and the fuselages being torn into three parts. The aircraft interiors had been completely stripped out. The tarmac was also littered with an abundance of junk. It was mostly cleaned up by the Brotherhood. The people were going back and forward, as it was a base of their military operations. They gave Danny occasional glances. He just grinned and saluted at them.

Phantom was led to the place, as his weapons had been confiscated. He was calm about the entire ordeal. After all, he was still a King of the Undead, he could snap their necks with a move of his eyebrow. Danny stopped in what looked like a workshop. One of his 'captors' went to some woman who was directing repairs, obviously not suitable to repair it for herself. Because she was dressed in a power armor and its fingers were too huge for precise work.

It was more of a naked skeleton of an armor, because all armor plates had been strapped from the main body. It did make the costume lighter, but granted little protection all in all. The redheaded lady approached him and sized the half ghost up and down.

"You don't look like much," she mumbled.

Danny snorted. "That's what I hear from a lady in a power armor made of trash."

"Unlike someone I do have a power armor," obviously Ingram retorted. "I've been told you possess advanced techs. The conditions are simple. You either give them to us or we take them from your corpse."

"And I once again have to break it to you that such technologies are beyond your understanding."

"Coming from some savage from the wasteland it is even more insulting."

"Oh, really? This savage has lived in a highly organized society where rights and order are being upheld. And technologically ahead of this entire world."

Ingram now narrowed her eyes. "Only the Institute is ahead of us. I doubt you are from there."

Danny barked a laugh. "Oh, you mean the constructors of that androids. Your obliviousness is adorable."

"You are ARMED with a primitive MUSKET."

"It is for entourage," Danny whined. "And with this thing I shot down two of your transports. So don't you teach me that my toys are flawed."

"Do we really have to torture him to get the results?" Ingram restrained herself from rubbing her temples. She didn't want to smash her head with that sausages made of the hard alloy.

"Yes, ma'am, he also has some shield technology! All our shots have been absorbed by it!"

Danny grinned. "Be aware that you are getting nooone," he said in a singsong voice.

"Show it now."

"Nope."

Someone brandished a pistol and pointed the laser weapon at him.

"Do it, you little bastard or I'll make a hole in your head!" The guy exclaimed. No one seemed to object to this drastic measure.

Danny huffed. "For the note, lasers don't make holes in the heads on the power level you've just set. And also, I'd like to see you try and hit me. I just came to talk with your boss, for Clockwork's sake. Can we move to that matter or do I have to kill you all for that? I doubt that it is a proper beginning of a proper cooperation."

Someone made a move to bash his head, but in but a single split second Phantom grabbed his hands, twisted them, grabbed the same pistol and got behind the attacker, now pointing the gun at his head. No one even had a chance to react to this, they were stunned at his reaction.

"I told you," Phantom grinned. "Trying to shoot me is pointless. I either get an audience and MAYBE show you my shield or I simply kill you all and leave. The choice is yours."

There should have been a sign somewhere above that everyone hated him. Because it was that obvious. Now it was an open threat and it shall be punished accordingly. Everyone took the guns they possessed, but were reluctant in their further actions, seeing as their comrade was still in his cold, strong arms.

"What a way to start," Ingram grumbled.

"Hey, don't you tell me this!" Exclaimed Phantom. "I have been brought here after you attacked my men. Having unreasonably and moronically mistaken us for a bunch of douchebags who call themselves raiders for some reason known only to their minds hellbent on jerko or whatever that junk is."

"And you killed ours. We are even," Ingram continued. "So if you don't mind. Leave him alone."

"Oh, no, not so fast!" Phantom grabbed the collar of his captive. "I am in a hurry. Have to be home by dinner infested with radiation and made of mystery meat. Last time it was a mirelurk, if I am to guess. So. Your boss. Or do I have to take a vertibird and get up myself? I can drive the thing, I am a goddamn veteran!"

"Fine! We will take you there, but if Elder Maxon orders to kill you, we shall do it."

Danny grinned. "Splendid!" And then released his captive.

"Kill him."

Phantom blinked, before a torrent of bullets and laser rays flew towards him. Bullets he could avoid, lasers reacted with his very atoms, which were present even during intangibility. He instantly vanished out of sight, and the missed shots became the sole reason of the collateral damage.

"Hold your fire!" Ingram commanded.

"Where the hell did he go?!"

Suddenly the armored lady felt something tapping on her back. Turning around, she saw Phantom's grinning self. He then showed her a yellow cylinder, and it became clear what he had done.

"You little..."

The power armor got stuck without its power source - the nuclear fusion core, which was currently residing in Danny's cold and firm grasp. Ingram was totally immobile, unable to move an extremely heavy suit. No one could do that without the help of the complicated machinery. Phantom laughed soundingly and made a step back, flipping the core in his palm. Each flip was accompanied by a jump of everyone's heart. The one caused by fear of the possible explosion. The core required tender care and was the weakest spot of any power armor.

"I don't recommend to shoot. I am holding a mini nuclear bomb. A simple overload will make it explode," Danny warned. "I see that it is pointless trying to talk this out. I'm less and less eager for the conversation with your boss. If he lets you, insufferable jackals, run around and attack everyone at sight, then he isn't the most sympathetic fellow. I think I've changed my mind. When he wants to talk, then he'd better come by himself."

"Don't you have an overinflated ego," Ingram mumbled.

"Aw, don't be like that. I was going to call my diamond pony after you. Buttstalion seemed like such an appropriate name. Listen up, The Commonwealth is on the path to healing. And you are the salt on its many wounds. Do not interfere with our efforts, or the Enclave is going to seem like harmless bunnies compared to me."

Phantom's eyes glowed, "I saw how humanity almost killed itself. And I shall not tolerate the brainless primates who thwart my efforts of repairing what the likes of you have ruined. I was not obligated to do that, yet I am here. If you cannot appreciate this, then just leave us alone."

He tossed the fusion core into the air, before blasting it with ecto energy. It blew up like a mini nuclear bomb. The distraction it caused made it simple of him to evade the fire. He wasn't willing to kill them if he had the opportunity. The fools simply didn't know what they were doing. Then an idea occurred to him, before Phantom grinned widely to himself.

Later that evening, the Brotherhood of Steel found out about one horrific development. They were robbed, some weapons were gone, pieces of battle armor, fusion cores and other techs of value from their storage houses, it all was stolen. The Brotherhood was shocked and pissed off, knowing exactly whom to blame. They sent the vertibirds to pursue the thieves, but could not find anyone. The base of the Minutemen was in the other part of the Commonwealth, it would take some preparation to go for a retaliation mission. However, Phantom knew what he was doing. He knew how the wastelanders behaved and thought. On one hand there were the minutemen, who had done some mistakes, but under new general were doing a lot for the Commonwealth. They were going to be attacked by the Brotherhood — a group of people that ignored the people around, hoarding the techs and paying no heed to their owners. If the Elder was to give the order to attack the Minutemen, he could toss his plans for pacifying the region out of the window of his giant zeppelin.

So yes, Phantom knew what card to use. After all, he had been in charge of the entire dimension for decades. He knew what to do.

Even more, with how disliked the newcomers were, people actually sympathised with the Minutemen, they made jokes at the expense of the knights in shining power armours. Phantom found a rival for dominance in Boston.