There's an easy way to get out of this, he thinks, and maybe if he was back in the west, Alex would take it. Here, for some reason, he can't swallow the lies.

He takes a hand off the LAER+ to rub at his chest. "...I'm going to be straight with you. It's not just that. Back west, I decimated a Brotherhood Chapter. Xavier took offense. I don't--"

Alex winces, wishes he had brought his stimpacks upstairs with him. Pretends that's the reason he pauses. "...Don't blame him, to be honest."

Behind Cooper and Larry, Washington drops his head into his hands.