Those!

Quest giver: Bryan Wilks
Where: Grayditch

On your random wanderings around Grayditch, you encounter a lone boy whose eyes tell you he's seen and experienced more than most people have in their entire lifetime. This crestfallen boy is Bryan Wilks, and he needs your help. His town of Grayditch has been overtaken by mutant giant ants; he himself barely made it out with his life, but requests that you go check up on his dad. With the proper Speech skill or the Child at Heart perk, Wilks provides additional help in the form of a Grayditch Dumpster Key, which unlocks a stash behind the dumpster of neat goods, the availability of which is variably dependent upon your current level.

While you brave the treacherous Fire Ants, Bryan runs off to seek shelter and protection in the Pulowski Preservation Shelter. You will undoubtedly run into these ferocious Fire Ants as you snoop around, but tackle the insect threat from a distance; this way you avoid their close-ranged fire breath attack. The Worker ants are the weakest of the ant variants, with the Soldiers and Warriors claiming the title of strong "F-kin' Ants." The types you run into should be dependent upon your level of experience. A little searching in the ruined town should yield a good amount of items. Bryan's house is located closest to the diner, so begin your search there.

Unfortunately, we have arrived too late to be of any help to Bryan's father; say a prayer for the hapless innocent and search his body for the Shack Key. The key opens up the door to the shack near the Wilk's residence. Inside you find Doctor Lesko's Password Recording among other useful items, but enter your Pip-boy and listen to the recording.

You can access Doctor Lesko's terminal and learn about Marigold Metro Station, but first return to Bryan in his hiding place. Saddened by the loss of his father, he asks you to nullify the Fire Ants roving about his town and eradicate the source of these creepy crawlies. Head to the Marigold Metro Station in the southern part of town and rattle open the gate to enter.

There are two ways to get to your destination which ultimately lies to the east. Both are relatively short, but the parallel tunnel to the south scoots you along a path that allows you to pick up some extra stuff, including a key to some valuables. Just before seeing the Doctor, loot the corpse of William Brandice for his key-hang onto it for a nice prize found in his house later on! Once you have located the mad scientist Doctor Lesko in his chamber, chat him up to discover the extent of his reckless experimentation with the F.E.V. He wants to undo what he has created...with your help! Sounds gravy, but the problem is the queen's got a quintet of super guardians standing in between her continual breeding of fire-breathing ants and Lesko's scientific redemption.

Time to take care of those Nest Guardians in the Ant Hatchery. You may want to switch on your Pip-boy's flashlight if the darkness and creepiness perturb you. The Hatchery has only one path, and it's fairly linear, so you shouldn't get lost edging down the tunnel. On the way you will run into the fearsome Guardians, all of whom are loyal to and fierce protectors of the Queen. They put up a good fight, so pull out your best Ant-ravaging weapons. Frag Grenades work pretty well against them. Once the issue with the Guardians has been taken cared of, return to the Doctor unless you plan on killing the Queen yourself (which we don't recommend).

When you return, the Doctor looks hopeful and expects good results. If you've followed his directions, he gladly rewards you with a Ant Might Perk or Ant Slight Perk, along with Lesko's Lab Coat if you were able to talk him into it. If you deviated from his instructions, you will most likely receive nothing for your efforts.

With the ant problem dealt with, the only other pressing matter is the boy Bryan-we need to find him a proper home. There are two possible caretakers for Bryan: Vera Weatherly in Rivet City, or Mayor MacCready in Little Lamplight. If you are extremely heartless and vile, you can pawn the boy off on Eulogy Jones in Paradise Falls, provided you have already nurtured a healthy relationship with the wretched Slavers. Wherever you decided to dump Bryan, you need to return to him and let him know. Depending on where you sent him, he will gleefully depart for his new home or turn toward a new life of abject misery.