Get to the Overseer's office, I tell myself, climbing the stairs two at a time. I feel sick to my stomach, having just seen the Holdens murdered in front of me. I don't know what's happening, but it feels a lot like hell. If I can just make it to the office, Amata can help me get the tunnel she told me about open and we can wait it out, hidden from view.

I've just made it out of the stairwell and am heading toward the little sign marking the Overseer's office when I hear a noise that almost makes my heart stop.

Amata's screaming, begging, and sounds like she's in agony.

Everything else is forgotten and I turn on the spot, trying to figure out where she is so I can get to her and protect her. I'm running down the hall toward her father's office when movement in the jail makes me stop.

The Overseer is standing inside, along with one of his security guards. His arms are crossed and he taps his foot impatiently, frowning down at Amata, who's strapped to a chair and cringing away from them. The guard still has his club raised, waiting for something.

I'm desperately hoping I'm finding things out of context, but then Amata shakes her head, the Overseer waves his hand, and the guard brings the club down toward Amata. She cries out as it makes impact, twisting away from the blow.

"Daddy, please!" Amata begs, her voice choked with tears as she turns to look at her father. "Why are you doing this?"

I don't give him time to respond, all but breaking the door down in my hurry to get inside. There's a moment of confusion, and the Overseer yelps in surprise, which the guard takes as the okay to attack Amata again.

I grab the guard's arm, holding him back. "Get away from her!" Somehow I wrestle him to the ground and wrench his club out of his hands, crashing it against his skull until he passes out. My attention goes to Amata immediately after the guard goes limp, and I fumble for something to free her.

Apparently Butch left one of his knives in the pocket of the jacket he'd gifted me, so I pull it out and cut the ropes holding Amata into the chair. She nearly collapses out of it, giving her father a fearful look.

I climb to my feet and step between her and the Overseer, motioning for her to escape. She whimpers out a "thank you" and staggers away, out of the room.

I glare at the Overseer venomously, my hatred of the man having grown to a new level.

"Well, well, well," he says with a smirk. "You're just the person I wanted to see. You see, your father left the Vault a few hours ago, and I need to know why. So why don't you just sit down right over there and we can have a nice little chat?"

"You just beat your own daughter," I snarl, unable to contain myself. "You just had Amata clubbed, and for what?!"

His eyes are cold when he responds. "Who else would know where you were?"

He was hurting her to get to me. The thought makes something deep inside me ache with guilt and fury, and I'm amazed I don't put the pistol Amata gave me to good use. "You're a monster."

"Don't cross me, young lady," he warns, stepping toward me threateningly, but I pull the pistol off my belt and level it at him. He pauses, looking alarmed that I'm even armed. "Where did you get that?"

I don't answer, worried about the repercussions the truth would have for Amata. "Don't move," I warn him, keeping the gun trained on him as I move for the door. I get a sick rush of power when he stays rooted to the spot, studying my gun uncertainly.

The moment I'm out of the room he starts yelling for more guards, and I shut the door quickly, putting a bullet in the control pad. It sparks and fizzles and I hope it's enough to keep him locked in. I'm not sure I want to risk more guards coming, so I head for the Overseer's office, hoping Amata's there.

The door to the family apartment is open and I can hear sniffling from inside, and I go searching for Amata. I find her curled up on her bed, holding herself gingerly.

"Hey, it's okay," I soothe, moving to kneel at her bedside. I tuck some of her hair behind her ear, hating that she's crying so uncontrollably and that there's nothing I can do about it. "Amata, it's... I'm right here." I rub her arm, backing off when she flinches away.

The beginnings of bruises are forming on her face and hands and everything in me wants to go beat the Overseer past unconsciousness a hundred times over.

She gasps for breath, managing to calm herself down enough to speak, albeit haltingly. "Thank you. I don't... I don't know what's wrong with him. He just-just snapped."

"Are you okay?"

She hesitates, taking a shaky breath before nodding once. "I'm okay. I'm fine." She swallows, gazing at me for a few moments before grabbing my hand and squeezing it tightly. "You need to go."

I know she's right; the Vault is a death trap for me. Crossing the Overseer is treason, and he's already after me because of my dad. If his guards catch me, I'm dead. Still, not being able to comfort her kills me, and I wonder which would be a worse fate. Staying here and making sure Amata's okay only to be caught myself, or leaving and forcing her to fend for herself. As much as my instincts tell me to run, I can't look down at the girl I care about so much and find the strength to leave.

Amata sees the hesitation on my face and nearly starts crying again. "Just go! Please! I'll try to meet you at the Vault door."

I pull my hand from her grasp, backing away and rising to my feet. I'm moving mechanically; there's no way I'd be able to leave her on my own. "How are you going to get past the guards?"

Amata moves to sit up, wincing before standing. "I'll be fine. Go, before they find you." She looks at me again, her eyes flashing with terror and uncertainty. "His password's in the second locker on your right," she says softly, looking like she's going to cry again before hurrying out of the room.

I'm left with nothing to do but head for the Overseer's office. A sickening sight greets me just outside the door; Jonas' bloodied corpse is laying there, staring into nothingness. The man was practically an uncle to me, and seeing him dead nearly makes me sick.

The sight has reminded me of how urgent the situation is, and I step around the body on the floor, moving toward the the Overseer's office.

The door is locked, but it doesn't take long to jimmy it and break inside. I head straight for the locker Amata told me to go to, opening it up and searching around. A little holotape catches my eye and I plug it into my Pipboy.

Amata's name flashes on the screen and I'm completely confused. Still, I turn to his computer and type in my best friend's name. The computer grants me access and I'm furious all over again. The man ordered his guards to attack his own daughter, yet he still seems to care enough to use her name as his password. It doesn't make any sense to me, but I know I don't have time.

Shouting is coming from far off down the hall and I quickly dig through the menus and open the Overseer's tunnel. His desk starts sliding out of the way and I jump back, hurrying around it and down a hidden staircase. There's a switch on the wall at the bottom of the stairs and I hit it, glad to see the desk returning to its original place. If no one sees the desk moving, I'll be perfectly hidden.

I'm engulfed in darkness the moment the tunnel is sealed and I fight off a burst of panic, feeling for the switch on my Pipboy. I click it on and the area around me is bathed in a soft, green glow.

Get to the entrance, I order myself, moving through the tunnel cautiously. A few radroaches have made their way in and I knock them aside with my baseball bat, walking through the darkness as quickly as I dare.

I end up in a small, square room with no door obvious in front of me. Something in me panics and I wonder if Amata was wrong and sent me down into a death trap. I search the walls for any sort of door, nearly giving up when a nearly hidden switch catches my attention.

I activate it gratefully, startled when an entire panel of the wall groans and starts sliding out of my way. I find myself directly at the Vault entrance, gawking at the giant door as I step out of the tunnel and over toward the entrance.

I can hear shouting behind me now, and I know I have to do something and escape somehow. The door panel is right next to me, and I find the switch for the door, hesitating for only a moment before pulling it toward me.

There's a terrible screeching noise and lights and alarms start going off. I stare in wonder as the door is pulled back and rolls out of the way.

Footsteps come up behind me and I turn, ready to defend myself, but it's just Amata and I can't help but sag with relief.

"Oh my God, you actually did it." She's gazing out into the darkness beyond the Vault, amazement clear on her face.

I notice immediately that she's still holding herself gingerly, and thoughts of me escaping alone are pushed aside. "Come with me," I beg, offering her the pistol. "Let's get out of here so he can't hurt you. Please."

Amata's gaze goes to the gun in my hand and she bites her lip. I can see her considering it before her attention is caught by confused shouting from deeper inside the Vault. "I... I can't. I want to, it's tempting, but... This is my place. Someone has to try to get my dad under control."

I imagine all the different ways that could play out and none of them are very appealing. Images of a bloody Amata laying next to Jonas haunt me and I nearly choke. "But, 'Mata... What if... Jonas..."

She looks afraid for a moment, too, but I see her resolve strengthening and know this is a fight I can't win. I'm not going to be able to convince her to leave with me.

"I'll stay," I croak. "I-"

"No!" Amata's eyes are filling with tears again and she shakes her head violently. "If you do, they'll hunt you down. You'll end up like Jonas." She bites her lip before flinging her arms around me and hugging me tight. "They'll kill you, too, and I can't let them. I can't watch them kill you."

Her tears soak through the shoulder of my jumpsuit and she shakes in my arms. I wrap her up in a desperate embrace, my mind spinning.

"Please go," she whispers, kissing my cheek gently before releasing me.

I'm struck dumb by the fleeting feeling of her lips on my cheek, and she gives me a little nudge toward the door. My hidden feelings for her are about to come spilling out of me; I want so badly to tell her how much I care about her before I leave. I don't want to miss what could be my last opportunity to tell her how I feel.

The door opens behind her and a squad of security guards comes into view. They see me and crow in delight, rushing at me with batons raised. Anything I was about to say is cut off and Amata screams at me to run and find my dad.

I turn and sprint to the opening, throwing myself out of the Vault.

"Is she crazy?"

"I don't care what the Overseer says, I'm not going out there!"

I pick myself up off the ground, surprised to see the guards hesitating just inside the Vault. Behind them, I can just make out Amata's form moving for the door controls. She gives the switch a yank and looks up at me, making eye contact for just a few seconds before she turns away in tears.

The door screeches shut between us with a terrible finality, and I'm left alone in the dark tunnel.

I feel sick to my stomach, but I'm powerless to do anything. I'm out of the Vault, and I have no one to turn to. Surely my dad can explain everything and get us back inside, but I just have to find him first.

The sooner I can find him, the sooner I can get back inside and back to Amata, and that's the driving force that leads me through the tunnel and toward a rickety wooden door. I hesitate, hand on the handle, and remember Amata's kiss on my cheek before opening the door and stepping out into the wasteland.