Disclaimer: I do not own Fallout. Fallout belongs to Bethesda, who purchased the rights from Black Isle.
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Rating: M
Genre: Adventure, Action, Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance
Summary: They say that the bond between a brother and sister is stronger than any chain. When Oliver, James Carpenter's son, left Vault 101... he took his older sister Amanda with him.
Novelization: Mods "Ties That Bind," "FOOK2," and "Phalanx."
Inspiration: Official AU of Nave Ninja's fanfic "The Legend of the Wandering Pair from Vault 101," used with his permission and blessing.
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Fallout 3
Ties That Bind
By Cyberweasel89
Prologue: Knock Knock
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War... War never changes.
Since the dawn of human kind, when our ancestors first discovered the killing power of rock and bone, blood has been spilled in the name of everything. From God, to justice, to simple psychotic rage.
In the year 2077, after millennia of armed conflict, the destructive nature of man could sustain itself no longer. The world was plunged into an abyss of nuclear fire and radiation.
But it was not, as some had predicted, the end of the world. Instead, the apocalypse was simply the prologue to another bloody chapter of human history. For man had succeeded in destroying the world... But war... War never changes.
In the early days, thousands were spared the horrors of the holocaust by taking refuge in enormous underground shelters... known as vaults. But when they emerged, they had only the hell of the wastes to greet them.
All except those in Vault 101. For on that fateful day, when fire rained from the sky, the giant steel door of Vault 101 slid closed, and never reopened.
It is here you were born. It is here you will die. Because in Vault 101... no one ever enters... and no one... ever leaves.
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"And so, that concludes the yearly viewing of the Vault 101 Introduction Movie. Any questions?"
Butch raised his hand. "Yes, Mr. DeLoria? What is your most enlightening question?" Mr. Brotch said with a sigh.
"Yeah. Do you really think we'd have any questions after seein' that movie for the past nineteen years of our lives?"
Laughter throughout the class. Except Amata and Oliver, his favorite students... except... that was because Oliver was sleeping. "Mr. Carpenter? Sleeping in class again, are you?"
Even after slamming his hand on the boy's desk, Mr. Brotch couldn't wake him up. The teacher resorted to tipping over his chair. That worked. The boy scrambled to his feet, stretching his arms and yawning, then pausing to adjust his Vault jumpsuit. He didn't seem to notice where he was...
"Mr. Carpenter..." that got his attention. The young man turned to look at his teacher, hands in his pockets as he gave him a blank stare. "If I wasn't fully aware of your reasons for sleeping in class, I'd give you detention for doing it so much. Just be grateful your father and I are such good friends."
"Sorry..."
The voice that spoke was so quiet, so soft, and so mellow in tone. In fact, Brotch was surprised the boy had spoken at all. He rarely did... Usually, his sister spoke for him.
"Okay, class dismissed."
"Finally!" Butch shouted.
As everyone filed out of their seats, Amata ran up to the boy. "Hey, Ollie!" She slowed down to walk next to him. "Want to stop by the diner for some Nuka-Cola?"
Mmmm... Nuka-Cola. His only vice. The boy nodded.
As he walked, Amata was telling him a story of running into Christine Kendall in the hall earlier. Oliver only half listened. His thoughts were turning to days past... Important events in his life that stood out, for some reason...
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Nineteen years ago...
They say that when you're born, you're crying and everyone around you is smiling. They also say that when you die, you should be smiling, and everyone around you should be crying.
Well, like everyone, a healthy baby was born crying, covered in his mother's inner care. The first thing he saw was an Asian woman, probably in her later twenties, wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a white lab coat. The woman reached forward with both arms, pulling him from the warmth of his mother's womb and cradling him in her to her chest like an aunt would her newborn niece or nephew. A man stepped forward next, Caucasian and possibly in his early thirties, a medical mask over his face and also wearing a white lab coat.
"Let's see... Are you a boy or a girl?" he wondered aloud. A brief examination of the obvious areas brought an answer to this question.
"It's a boy? A boy! We've got a son, Catherine! A beautiful, healthy baby boy!" the man exclaimed, overjoyed.
"Oh... Oh James..." a woman's voice spoke up, but it wasn't the woman currently holding him. It was the woman he'd just emerged from, the one who brought him to planet Earth. It was an African-American woman with short, messy hair snow white in color, dressed in a patient gown and gazing upon her new child with adoring hazel eyes. "We did it... A son... Our beautiful son..."
"You've got a bright future ahead of you, kiddo. I'm sure of it..." the man, his father James, said to the newborn. You could hardly tell the newborn was of mixed race, he was so pale, though he seemed to have his mother's hazel eyes and white hair.
The man leaned in close to the baby in the bespectacled woman's arms, reaching his hand forward so the boy could suck on his finger.
"Looks at you! Look at you... Hi, there! I'm your daddy, little guy. Daddy." The baby let go of his father's finger and cooed in delight at the sight of him, a lifelong bond forming almost immediately. "You're going to need a name, aren't you?" his father continued. "Your mother and I have been talking. What do you think about... Oliver? That's a good name. Don't you think? Fits your perfectly." The newly-christened Oliver cooed in delight once again, happy with his new name.
"You're going to look a lot like your dad." James said, smiling at his new son from beneath his medical mask. He reached into the Asian woman's arms and gently took the newborn from her, cradling him in his own arms. He turned to show Catherine their new miracle. "See that, Catherine?"
"Ohhh... Very strapping... Ha ha ha..." Cathering chuckled tiredly, James handing the bundle of joy to his wife.
"It's a big world out there, kiddo, full of all sorts of people. What about you? What kind of person are you going to be?" James wondered aloud. "You're just-"
"James?" Catherine interrupted.
"Catherine?" The new father turned to his wife in alarm.
"James..." The medical instruments around her began to beep.
"Catherine?!" James cried in alarm.
"Something's..." The beeping got faster.
"She's in cardiac arrest! Start compressions!"
"Something's..."
"Get the baby out of here! Move. Move!"
The bespectacled woman hurriedly took the happy baby from his mother's arms, the newborn wailing at the sudden change.
"One, one thousand. Two, one thousand... Come on!" James counted, pushing down on his wife's chest with both hands as the woman with the glasses hurried Oliver out of the room.
"Hang on, Catherine! Hang on..." he heard his father say.
The last thing he remembered before crying himself to sleep in the woman's arms was a loud, long beep that seemed to go on forever from the other room.
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One year later...
"Don't look straight into the light, son. You'll hurt your eyes. It's just something you get used to down here."
One year old, and Oliver found himself standing in a room he knew very well, as he had explored it on his hands and knees many times. Only now would he explore it on his own two feet for the first time, standing across the room from his playpen, where his father stood, gesturing him over.
"Come on over here, son. Come on! Walk to Daddy!" James called to him, bending over and waving.
To his left was a girl only three years older, roughly four years old, in a child's blue jumpsuit. It was Oliver's older sister, Amanda. She sat on a nearby mat, playing with her teddy bear, Mr. Patches.
Uneasily bringing himself onto two bare feet, baby Oliver teetered and stumbled his way across the room and into the playpen. He almost fell several times, but finally made the gauntlet before plopping down in front of his father on his diapered rear.
"There you go!" his father exclaimed, stooping lower and smiling at his son. "My goodness! Just a year old, and already walking like a pro. Your mother would have been so proud."
Oliver giggled with a toothless mouth and clapped his tiny hands in joy.
James turned and walked past his son, out of the play pen and turning to close the gate.
"Listen, kiddo. I know you don't like it when Daddy leaves you alone, but I need you to take care of yourself for a minute. You just stay here while Daddy runs to his office. You'll be okay, son. I'll be back in a bit."
Watching his father leave out the big metal door across from the pen, and his older sister leave with him, Oliver looked about the room, wondering with his infant mind what trouble he could get into.
Standing up, he pattered over to the playpen gate, long having figured out how to open it, and stepped outside and into the room. Granted, he still couldn't open the door, but it was a much bigger playing area than his pen.
Having idolized his father, Oliver often imitated him in any way he could. That included picking up books and holding them in his lap, turning the pages. He couldn't read yet, but his father did it all the time, and at his age he hadn't grasped the meaning of leafing through a book yet. But he walked over to his toy chest, where his favorite book lie sitting on the ground.
Titled 'You're SPECIAL,' the one-year old plopped down on the carpet and opened the book to the first page.
'S is for Strength, and that means I am strong! I can carry more toys and swing stuff all day long!'
Hmm... That muscled Vault Boy on the other page was looking pretty boring. Standing up, Oliver reached into his toy trunk and removed a page of star-shaped stickers. Giggling to himself, he placed three of them just under the muscled Vault Boy, then turned the page.
'P is for Perception, a long funny word! It means what I tasted, smelled, saw, and heard!'
Oliver promptly placed eight of the stickers under this image of Vault Boy surrounded by pictures representing the five senses.
"E is for Endurance, and that's how long I can play! I'm always really healthy, and have energy all day!"
Removing three stickers, Oliver placed them under the jump-roping Vault Boy before turning the page.
'C is for Charisma, it's why people think I'm great! I make my friends all laugh and smile, and never want to hate!"
Oliver sucked on his thumb for a moment, then grabbed five stickers. His saliva-covered hand, however, picked up an additional five, accidentally depositing a total of ten under the image of Vault Boy pointing at the reader and winking. He turned the page after wiping his hand on his diaper.
'I is for Intelligence, it means I'm really smart! I use my brain for lots of stuff, like science, math, and art!"
For once, he actually found this image of Vault Boy rather amusing. He was sitting on a stack of giant books, and reading another giant book in his hands. Feeling this page deserved more stickers as a reward, Oliver placed a total of ten under Vault Boy, then turned the page again.
'A is for Agility, that's how I get around! I move real fast and easy, and I never make a sound!"
Grabbing a handful of stickers, Oliver placed a total of six under the image of Vault Boy balancing on a bottle, smiling to himself as he turned the page once more.
"L is for luck, and it's simple, you see! It means that good things always happen to me!"
Oliver grabbed a handful of stickers, but only managed to get three on the space under Vault Boy walking by a black cat before the door to the room slid open, the baby dropping the book and handful of stickers to turn and see his caretaker return to the room.
"Ha ha ha!" his father chuckled. "You're quite the little explorer, aren't you? Serves me right for trying to pen you in!"
The baby gazed up at his father with big, hazel eyes, a toothless smile on his face at the sight of him again. He stood up and pattered over to stand in front of James, hugging his leg and cooing at him.
James bent down and picked his baby son up, holding him upright in his arm. "Come on over here. I want to show you something."
He brought Oliver to a small table between the door and his toy trunk, a framed piece of paper with words he couldn't read yet on it.
"See that? It was your mother's favorite passage. It's from the Bible. Revelation Twenty-One Six."
Oliver gazed at the fancy lettering with awe, looking up at his father as he began to recite the passage.
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely."
Even at only a year old, Oliver felt a shiver run up his spine from hearing his father recite it.
James turned away from the framed quote and back to the baby in his arms. "She always loved that."
Oliver cooed in amazement, reaching over to touch his father's nose.
"All right. Come on." James began, standing and turning to carry Oliver out of the room. "Let's go see if your little friend Amata wants to play..."
Oliver squealed in delight, right in his father's ear. He loved playing with Amata, even if the girl's father was pretty scary. Sighing, he rested his head on his father's shoulder and closed his eyes, just to shield his vision from the bright lights of the hallways.
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Nine years later...
He wasn't sure why he was led out of his room and down the hall with his eyes closed. His father just said that it was a surprise. Trusting his father, Oliver complied, feeling his father's hand on his shoulder as he led him down the halls of Vault 101 with his hazel eyes closed. Conveniently, he had also forgotten what day it was to day. He had been right in the middle of a particularly engrossing issue of Today's Physician when his father popped in and told him to hurry along with him.
"Okay, pal! Open your eyes!"
He did, to find the room dark. A blinding white filled his eyes as the lights were flipped on. Horns went off, people were clapping, and multiple people were shouting "Happy birthday!" all at once. Oh, right! It was his birthday today! The tenth one!
"Stanley, ya turned the lights on too fast! Ya blinded the poor kid!" he heard Officer Gomez chastise as he attempted to rub his eyes to clear his vision. When he could see again, it seemed the diner had been set up for his tenth birthday party, with 'Happy Birthday!' banners, streamers, balloons, and people wearing party hats. Directly in front of him was his best friend Amata, Officer Gomez, and Sparky. His father was just behind him, and placed a party hat on his head with the stealth of a ninja.
"Can you believe it? He's growing up so fast." he heard Mrs. Palmer say.
"Happy birthday, pal! I can't believe you're already ten. I'm so proud of you. If only your mother-"
His father was interrupted as Alphonse Almodovar, the Overseer, walked up with something held behind his back. Oliver held his ground, looking up at the tall man with a blank expression.
"Congratulations, young man! I don't have to tell you how special this day is, do I?" the Overseer greeted. Not at all with the warmth one usually should use when speaking to a ten-year-old boy. "Down here in Vault 101, when you turn ten, well, you're ready to take on your first vault responsibilities. So here you are!" His hand emerged from behind his back, revealing the object he had been hiding to be a Pip-Boy 3000. "As Overseer, I present to you your very own Pip-Boy 3000. Get used to it." He added the last part a bit bitterly.
The Overseer held the personal information processor out for him to take, but Oliver just eyed the device before him. Sighing, as if he really didn't want to put up with this, he tossed the device to his father, who helped affix it to his rather small wrist. Oliver looked down at the screen, seeing a readout of his vitals. Three buttons switched to other modes of viewing, like data storage. Two dials on the side allowed scrolling horizontally to other sections in each particular button's category, and vertically, for scrolling through lists of data on each page.
"You'll be getting your first work assignment tomorrow." The Overseer explained. He started chuckling heartily, but stopped when he saw the boy was giving him a smile instead of showing signs of dread. He was already studying his father's medical and science texts. Maybe now he could actually assist Stanley with any computer problems and help his father in the clinic. Why wouldn't he be looking forward to it? He was getting bored with reading comic books.
"Enjoy you're party. You're only ten once, so have fun." His father urged him. He walked off to sit at the diner counter with Stanley, Sparky close on his heel, leaving him standing alone. Amata, his best friend, was the first to approach him.
"Happy birthday! We really surprised you, didn't we?" She giggled. "Your dad was afraid you were onto us. But I told him not to worry. You're so easy to fool. You like it, right?"
Oliver just smiled, giving Amata a nod. Oliver was a quiet boy, rarely one to waste words or speak unnecessarily. Luckily, Amata could just tell that her best friend was truly was thankful for the time and effort she went through to set everything up.
"You're welcome, then. But really, your dad did most of it. I just helped with the decorations and stuff. Hey, I betcha can't guess what I got ya for your birthday! Go on, guess!"
The boy just shrugged.
"Ha! I knew I'd surprise you. Who's your favorite barbarian? That's right, Grognak! Issue fourteen, and with no missing pages." She pulled the comic book out from behind her back. A small smile came to Oliver's face, reaching forward and accepting the comic book from his best friend's hands, giving Amata a thumbs up as thanks. "I found this in a box of my father's old things, believe it or not. Imagine him reading comic books! I guess everybody was ten once." The boy released a silent chuckle at that, nodding. "Well, I'd better let you get back to mingling with your guests. We'll talk later, okay? Happy birthday."
The girl didn't wait for Oliver's response. That was the thing with Amata. Oliver wasn't one to talk much, but he didn't really need to with his best friend. The girl tended to know what he wanted to say without saying it. Maybe that's why they became such good friends. They were both social outcasts. The quiet, bookworm boy and the Overseer's daughter. Both picked on, both shunned. But together, they had a friend in each other.
Oliver turned around and opened the comic book he received, leafing through the first few pages, but felt a tap on his shoulder that made him jump.
"Happy birthday, little brother!"
Oliver whirled around to see his sister standing there, something held behind her back and a smile on her face. Three years older than Oliver, Amanda was thirteen, and already was filling out her Vault 101 jumpsuit a little too much due to an early puberty, the zipper straining to contain her chest. Unlike her little brother, Amanda took a bit more after their father, with black hair and brown eyes, though she also was rather pale for being biracial, just not as pale as her little brother. Her hair was cut short in a pixie style, though she had told Oliver she was intending to grow it out. Unlike Oliver's keen interest in scientific and medicinal pursuits, Amanda had developed an early interest in mechanics and engineering, and after spending most of her childhood fixing and hanging with the Vault's resident maintenance Mr. Handy, had developed a bit of Andy's accent, though Andy said hers was more Australian than British.
Like Amata, Amanda tended to be able to tell what Oliver wanted to say without actually saying it, so his quirked eyebrow was all she needed in response.
"Yes, I know I'm grounded. But I wouldn't miss your tenth birthday party, silly!"
Oliver shrugged at that, then lifted his arm to show his sister the Pip-Boy he just received.
"Yep, you finally got your Pip-Boy, little brother. Next up, weekly chores, double classes, and keeping your Vault-Tec Daily up-to-date."
The boy pouted at that.
"Oh, there are good things, of course. But I'll let you discover those on your own."
Oliver smiled at that, a small smile, but all of his smiles were small.
"Here, I got you a present." She pulled it out from behind her back to show her little brother. "It's my old teddy bear, Mr. Patches. He's... He's all yours now."
She added the last part with an emotional softness in her voice, handing the patchwork teddy bear to her brother, he held it the opposite hand as his comic book.
Oliver looked at the teddy bear's little button eyes, long having been used to replace his original eyes, and could tell that this present was very hard for his sister to give up. Looking at Amanda, her gaze at the ground, Oliver reached forward and placed his hand on her shoulder, making her look up. He smiled at her, a small that seemed to affect his eyes as well.
"Thank you..."
Wow... He actually spoke! That was a huge accomplishment for Amanda, to actually get her brother to speak, and it let her know that he truly knew what this gift meant. The girl reached up and wiped a tear from her eye.
"That bear saw me through some tough times... Take care of him, okay?"
Oliver just nodded at that.
"Happy birthday, kiddo."
Amanda stood and moved to lean against the wall, gazing around the room. Oliver took this as his cue to head deeper into the room.
"Happy birthday, sonny!" Officer Gomez greeted before sipping from his bottle of Nuka-Cola. He gave a wave back as he calmly shuffled around the booths to make his way to the diner counter. Stanley was there, and he wanted to ask him about his new Pip-Boy. But the Overseer stopped him as he passed, seated at the nearest booth.
"I hope you appreciate the effort Amata put into this party. She really seems to like you... for some reason."
Oliver looked about at the decorations of the room before turning back to the Overseer, quirking an eyebrow. "Couldn't you have helped?"
"I do not allow the fact that Amata is my daughter to compromise my position as Overseer. I gave her all the appropriate paternal encouragement, of course, but I could not contribute extra vault resources. That is simply what my position requires. No more, no less. I know Amata understands that perfectly well."
He sighed, walking past him, and was stopped by Mrs. Palmer sitting on the other side of the booth.
"Are you having a nice party? Ten years old, my, my, my. Seems like only yesterday that your daddy came." At ten years old, most wouldn't think Oliver would pick up on that choice of words. But he was both a perceptive and precocious child. Of course, trusting his father implicitly, he just figured Mrs. Palmer was using a metaphor he hadn't heard before. "Goodness, listen to me ramble! You're waiting for your present, aren't you?"
"Yes, please." Came Oliver's reply in a soft, quiet voice.
"Such a nice, polite young man you are. But you really should speak up more. I was ten once, believe it or not. My goodness, the vault was practically crowded back then. Not like today. So few young people now... Of course, we had a real Overseer back then. Worthy of respect. Not like that one over there, with his rules and his secrets." She subtly gestured to the Overseer, who Amata was scolding for giving his vault responsibility speech instead of relaxing and having fun. "Why, I have half a mind to just up and tell you..." She sighed. "Listen to me ramble. My point is... You have a brilliant mind, child. I just wish you had the voice to use it. "
The boy frowned.
"Now, now. No moping. It's your birthday. So... Here you go. A nice sweetroll that I baked for you just this morning. And it's all for you. You're the birthday boy. No sharing required today."
Mrs. Palmer handed him a sweetroll. It wasn't warm, but it was fresh and smelled really good. He said a thank you to Mrs. Palmer before continuing on down the tables, but was stopped by Paul Hannon, one of Butch's friends, sitting with him and Wally.
"Hey, uh, thanks for inviting me. Really cool party and everything. I know that, uh, Butch and I give you a hard time, but you don't take that seriously, right? Anyway, uh, happy birthday and everything. I better get back to, ya know." He said.
"What, are you two best friends now? Hey, Wally, I think Paul's gone soft on us!" Butch teased.
"Yeah, Paul. Why don't you introduce us to your new best friend?"
"Who do you mean, dork-face over here? Happy birthday, dork-face!"
The sadistic laughter that followed, though clearly forced, was telling of the boy's future. Paul was actually a good kid, but he fell in with Wally and Butch. He had just turned around and began to walk to the diner counter, when Wally grabbed him by the arm, bringing him screeching to a halt. He whirled around the face him, a frown on his face.
"This party's pretty good, I guess. For a little kid. Balloons, party hats." He mocked. "Not as cool as my party, though. Remember how my dad got Andy to do magic tricks? And we all played Hunt the Mutant in the Atrium? Oh, right! You weren't invited to my party! Too bad, man. It was really fun."
Sighing, Oliver turned around, ignoring Butch's henchman.
"Attention everyone! It is time to cut the cake!" Andy, the vault's resident Mr. Handy robot announced. He was situated behind the counter, facing the cake, but he wasn't facing it with his pincer arm, nor did said arm hold a knife. Instead the side with the buzz saw was... oh no...
"Andy! Wait!" Amata cried.
Within moments, the cake was desecrated with Andy's buzz saw arm, splattering all over the counter.
"Oh no..." Amata sighed.
Andy turned to face Oliver. "Allow me to wish you a happy birthday." He greeted in his British butler voice. "I would offer you a piece of cake, but..."
Oliver chuckled, a small smile on his face.
"Rest assured, I am mortified about the cake mishap. Simply mortified." The robot continued.
His light laughing settling down, Oliver only gave Andy a thumbs up.
At least Stanley didn't mind salvaging some of the splatter onto his plate. He pressed forward on his gauntlet through the social setting of his tenth birthday party, finally rounding the counter to talk to Stanley. But he found Sparky standing in the corner, right by the maintenance worker.
"Happy birthday, young master!" the cyberdog greeted, his voice like a lighthearted child's. Even while speaking, his tongue and mouth continued to pant. The speech program was built-in. He didn't have to use his jaws to make it work.
"Sparky... Glad you could make it to the party..." Oliver knelt down to rub the cyberdog's neck and scratch his ears. The German shepherd may have had sub-dermal armor, but he could still feel touch, and most of it was covered with fur and flesh. It was just the large patch on his back, the area around his right eye, his left front leg, and his right hind leg that showed the metal underneath. The left eye was still a brown doggie eye, but his right was just a glowing red bionic eye. Butch one time told him that if he had a dog, he'd want it to at least have two eyes. Sparky would defend by saying he does have two eyes, and they work great.
"You know how it is. Where your dad goes, I go. Woo hoo!" the cyberdog cheered, barking along with it. Yes, he could even bark and talk at the same time if he wanted.
"Right. Um... just... try not to throw up on the floor, okay, boy?"
The cyberdog's tongue slipped back into his mouth as he closed it and tilted his head to the side. "That doesn't happen very often!" he defended.
He chuckled, finding the spot right on his side that made his leg thump on the floor. "Maybe they should have let you cut the cake, Sparky..."
"Oh, yes! I would have loved to cut the cake!" It was funny how he could talk even while enthralled in a good petting session. "But, you know, I would have eaten it, too. All of it."
Oliver smiled. He stood up, leaving Sparky to shake his body a bit as he sat down on his hind legs and looked up at him, yawning. "Well, thanks for the happy birthday wishes."
"Yes, indeed! And in ten more years, you'll be older than me!" He chuckled. The cyberdog tilted his head to the side once more. "No, wait... that's not how it works, is it?"
"I don't think so, you big goof."
"Oh well. Have fun at your party, young master! I'll be right here, seeing if I can mooch some of your birthday cake off Stanley."
"Actually, want my sweetroll instead?"
The cyberdog's eyes lit up, his tail immediately wagging a mile a minute. "Really?!"
Oliver nodded. "Sure." He held the baked good out for the dog, who gently took it between his teeth.
"Thanks! Sweetroll!" the Cyberdog cheered, still speaking clearly despite the object in his mouth. He went off to the corner to eat it. Sparky knew not to scarf down any really good 'human food' he got, and had learned to hold objects between his front legs and take bites out of them, which he likely was going to do with the sweetroll. Smiling at the animal that brought quite a lot of life to this vault, Oliver turned to talk to the maintenance worker Stanley, hopping onto the stool next to him.
"How do ya like that there Pip-Boy, son? Fit all right and everything?"
Oliver smiled and nodded. Stanley was one of his favorite adults in the vault. He really enjoyed talking about programming with him, and Amanda was usually around him talking about mechanics. "Kinda looks like you did some work on it... You fix it up?"
"As a matter of fact, I did. I'm glad you like it. Some may think the A series, uhhh... a bit basic. Heavier than some of the fancier models, too. But I've always preferred them for their reliability."
"Yeah, think you mentioned that when you showed me your own Pip-Boy. Didn't you say you can drop a bomb on these things and they'll still work?"
"Wow, so you are paying attention to my tangents, huh? Just be warned, you can't get it off once it's on. Biometric seals and all that. I could tell you some stories of trying to take 'em off the old folks." He started to chuckle, but stopped as Oliver's eyes widened in horror. "Ah, well, that's hardly a fit subject for a kid's birthday party. Besides, not like you'd want to get it off. Your Pip-Boy's the best friend you'll ever have. You'll get used to it. Soon, you'll wonder how you ever got by without it. But here I am goin' on about your Pip-Boy so I clean forgot to give you your present. Close your eyes, now." He did. "Happy birthday!" He felt the party hat removed from his head and replaced with something soft. Oliver opened his eyes and felt the top of his head to feel a baseball cap atop it, and judging from the color of the bill, a red one.
"Thanks, Stanley..."
"Hey, don't mention it. So, see you tomorrow in the main frame room? We've got some terminals in there that seem to be locked up. First vault responsibilities, remember?"
"Course, Stanley. Wouldn't miss it for anything."
Hopping off the stool, he stepped out from the counter to talk to Amata some more, but Butch got his attention.
"I'm hungry, and that stupid robot destroyed the cake! Gimme that sweetroll you got from Old Lady Palmer!"
Oliver shrugged. "Already gave it to Sparky, Butch..."
"What? You gave it to the dog? Ugh! You'll be sorry!"
Before Oliver could react, Butch leapt from his seat at the diner booth, his fast nailing Oliver right in the nose. As blood began to seep from his nostrils, Butch landed a punch into the boy's stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
"Say uncle!"
Officer Gomez ran forward and yanked Butch away from Oliver by the neck of his jumpsuit.
"Butch! What do you think you're doing? Leave him alone!"
Butch went to sit down, Officer Gomez kneeling before Oliver and pulling out a Stimpak from his pocket. Every Vault officer carried a supply of two for these emergencies, and Gomez promptly stuck one in Oliver's arm, his nose healing right up.
"I hope Butch didn't hurt you. Do you want to tell me what that was all about?"
"Nothing... My fault..." Oliver told him, sniffling. But Office Gomez could see through it. Oliver never tried to get anyone else in trouble...
"Why that little... I figured it was him that started it. He's been nothing but trouble since the day he was born. You let me handle this. And try to stay out of the way."
Oliver bit his lip, watching as his favorite security officer turned to where Butch sat.
"All right, Butch."
"Heeeeey, Officer Gomez! Nice party, huh?" the boy replied nervously.
"Can it. I've had it with you, Butch. Your mother is going to hear about this little incident."
"What did he tell you, it was my fault? You didn't hear what he said to me!"
"I'm not going to tolerate any more of your bullying."
"Fine, tell my mom. Big deal!"
"For now, just remember, I'm keeping my eye on you!"
Officer Gomez turned to Oliver and gave him a wink, making the boy smile.
A beeping sounded from the intercom in the corner, Oliver's father getting up to answer it, but stopping at his son's side.
"Are you all right? Is Butch giving you a hard time again?"
Oliver nodded, knowing he could trust his father.
"I wish we didn't have to invite him, but there just aren't that many children your age in the vault. You shouldn't let Butch walk all over you. Once you start getting bullied, you'll never hear the end of it, and there are bullies out there far worse than Butch. But don't go looking for fights, either."
Oliver nodded again, this time with a small smile on his face. James Carpenter continued to the intercom, Amata approaching the boy next.
"What's Butch's problem, anyway? I can't believe he tried to start a fight at your own birthday party. What a jerk!"
Oliver kicked at the ground, placing his hands in his pockets. "My fault..."
"Wow, you really think that? God, Butch is such a butthead! Oh well. You can always count on him to make an ass of himself. Get it? Ha ha!"
Oliver managed a smile, nodding. It was Amanda who tapped him on the shoulder next, the boy turning to look at his older sister.
"What was that about? Are you okay?"
Oliver merely smiled, giving Amanda a thumbs up.
"Well, good to know you can look after yourself. Why don't you go see Dad? I think him and Jonas have something special planned for you."
Sure enough, Oliver turned around to see his father walking up.
"Hey, that was Jonas on the intercom. He and I have been cooking up a little surprise present. Jonas is waiting for you downstairs on the reactor level. Go ahead, I don't think anyone will mind if you slip out for a few minutes."
Nodding, Oliver turned and ran from the room, but immediately had a run-in with Beatrice, one of the adults of the vault. "Happy birthday, dearie! My goodness, I hope I didn't miss the party."
Most people would take offense to being spoken to like a child. But Beatrice spoke that way to everyone. Oliver merely shook his head in response to her.
"My, my. Ten years old already. Why, I can remember helping your dad change your diapers..." Oliver grimaced at that. "And now look at you! A great big grown-up ten-year-old, with your very own Pip-Boy. Since this was such a special occasion, do you know what I did? I wrote you a poem! Just for you! I hope you like it."
She handed Oliver a sheet of paper, and insisted she show the boy how to scan it into his Pip-Boy's databank.
"Thanks..." Oliver told her, his voice soft and quiet.
"You're welcome!" she chirped. "Run along now, dearie! And have yourself a wonderful birthday!"
Oliver nodded, turning and walking down the hall. As he turned the corner and was about to turn the next one down into the reactor, he noticed the Overseer heading up the stairs ahead of him. Crouching down low, he stuck to the shadows of the wall and followed him up. He didn't seem to notice him. He always was good at moving about silently and remaining undetected. Must've been from sneaking out of his room so much to go have secret sleepovers with Amata. As the Overseer turned the corner to go further up the stairs, he stopped, listening closely.
"Enjoy the party, sir?" That was Officer Kendall, one of the vault's security officers.
"Bah, I only showed up because Amata's friends with the brat." He frowned at those bitter words. "Give them a few more minutes then I want that place cleaned up and everybody back to work."
"Sure thing, sir." Officer Kendall replied, oddly cheerful. He heard footsteps, and quickly retreated back down the stairs and down into the reactor before the security guard came down and saw him.
XXXXXXXXXX
He walked down the stairs while looking down at the poem in his Pip-Boy. It was... strange, to say the least. Despite his youth, he could tell there was something... different... about Beatrice. Maybe it was the tarot card readings she offered in the Atrium. But this poem didn't seem like the kind of thing anyone would give a ten-year-old.
"What are you doing down here, young man? I thought kids weren't allowed on the Reactor Level."
He froze in his tracks, looking up from his Pip-Boy to find himself already at the bottom of the stairs, with Jonas standing across from him, looking him over mischievously from behind his iconic glasses.
"Oh... Dad told me it was okay to come down here..."
"Hey, relax! I was just teasing. Listen, now that you're ten, you don't have to take guff like that from grown-ups anymore. Got it?" He smiled. "Hold on one more minute. I think your dad will want to give you the surprise himself."
He turned around to see his father walk in, Sparky just behind him. "Are you ready for your surprise?"
Oliver nodded.
"The Overseer gave you your Pip-Boy, and you're old enough to do some work, so... I think you're old enough for this."
He stepped over to the corner, grabbing something from the shadows, and returned to hold it out for him. "Your own BB gun! It's... a little old, but it should work perfectly!"
Oliver smiled, gently taking the toy rifle.
"Jonas found it down here. It was in pretty rough shape. Took us a good three months to find the parts to get it working again. You know how tough it is to find a spring that small? Good thing Butch 'misplaced' that switchblade of his, ha ha! So, what do you think? Want to give it a try?"
Oliver looked around at the metal walls around them. "Can't shoot here..." he said.
"We sure can't, unless we want the Overseer beating down our door. Jonas and I have found a place, though. C'mon!"
He followed his father deeper into the Reactor Level, through a steel door, to where a nook had been set up with three targets cobbled together from various junk parts.
"Well, what do you think? You can come down here and shoot any time you want."
Oliver reached up and lifted the bill of his baseball cap, a smile on his face as he gave his father a thumbs up.
"Thanks..."
"Couldn't have done it without Jonas's help. You make sure to thank him."
"Happy birthday, buddy. I hope you have fun with it." Jonas added, waving.
"Thanks, Jonas..."
"Hey, you don't turn ten every day. Now go on and let me see you shoot something." He teased.
Oliver nodded, going to kneel before the upturned locker, resting his arms atop it as he aimed his toy rifle at first target. A single shot, and it went spinning. Wow, looked like he was pretty good at this. This was proven wrong when his next shot missed, however. But after that it was smooth sailing, and each target was hit. Then a very large cockroach emerged from behind the nearby lockers.
"Careful, it's a radroach. Think you can take care of that with your BB gun? Just aim and shoot, you'll be fine."
Oliver nodded, looking down the barrel of his BB gun. Taking a deep breathing, he exhaled, pulling the trigger. A BB went straight through the giant cockroach, killing it. Sighing in relief, Oliver stood, turning to see his father walking toward him.
"Good work! That's one less Radroach to deal with. Let's get a picture together. Capture the moment. Hey, Jonas, get a picture of me with the big game hunter!"
His father wrapped his arm over his shoulder, and he turned to face forward, his new BB gun still in his hands. Jonas was facing them with a big flashbulb camera held up.
"Smile!"
The flash was blinding.
XXXXXXXXXX
Six years later...
"As far as I can tell, you're a perfectly healthy sixteen-year-old boy. So, yes, you have to go to class to take your G.O.A.T. exam."
James set the medical instrument down, turning to see Oliver bring his hand up to cough into it.
"No, you're not sick, Oliver. When I started studying medicine one of the first things I learned was how to spot a kid playing sick to get out of taking a test. You'll do fine. It's not so bad. Everyone has to take it when they're sixteen. I had to, you have to, and so does everyone else. And most everyone makes it through without a scratch."
Oliver sighed.
"Hey, it's not my call. Those are the rules. You're sixteen now, so this year you take the G.O.A.T. C'mon, it's not so bad. Everyone has to take it. You'll do just fine."
"Anything I need to know about the G.O.A.T.?" the teenaged boy asked.
"The Generalized Occupational Aptitude Test. G.O.A.T. Everyone has to take it when they turn sixteen. I had to, and you do too. Helps to figure out what kind of job you'll have in Vault 101 when you get a bit older. So, pay attention, and try not to fall asleep. You know what the Overseer says. We're born in the vault, we die in the vault. Each is tested to determine their abilities, that they may work for the betterment of all vault residents. Hm. Sound familiar?"
That left a question on his mind. Eager to stall going to class, he pressed it. "Is it true, dad? Was everyone born in the vault?"
His father sighed again. It seemed like he was conflicted... He could tell. "That's what the Overseer says, isn't it? He's not about to let anyone else in, so I guess that's how it'll have to be. You're here now, and it's a hell of a lot better than being up there. All your mother and I ever wanted was for you to be safe, and you're safe here."
"Do we have to die in the vault? Can't we ever leave?"
Yes, it certainly seemed like these questions bothered him... He had several guesses as to why, but none were even close to the real truth. "That's not the way it works. And it won't do to go around asking questions like that. Especially not around the Overseer. I want to tell you something now. It's important, so listen closely... This place, this vault... It's not perfect, but it is your home. You're safe here. Stay on the Overseer's good side and you always will be. You understand? You need to appreciate all you have. Because what's up there, on the outside... that's not the life I want for you. And it's not what your mother wanted for you, either."
His mother... His eyes glanced to the photo on his father's desk. He knew he'd regret asking his next question. It always made his father sad, and that made him sad. "Can we talk about... mom? What was she like?"
"Your mother, she... She was beautiful. But... beyond the beauty you've seen. There's just so much those old photos can never show." his dad explained. He could tell from his words... he loved her. And he missed her. "And she was passionate. About life, about love. But most of all... most of all she was passionate about you. When she became pregnant, it was the happiest I had ever seen her." He sighed. A long, pleasant sight. Oliver felt himself smiling just from the sound of it. "She had big things in mind for you... And so! Time for you to stop stalling and get to class. Please, son, please... Take these achievement tests seriously. The last thing I need is your mother's ghost haunting me because her only son became a... a garbage burner."
He smiled. "Bye, Dad."
"Take care son. Now get out of here. And good luck."
Sparky, who had been sitting just in the corner of the room behind the desk, walked up next.
"Good luck with your test, young master!" the cyberdog told him. Oliver knelt down to rub him behind the ears.
"Wish I had taken you up on that offer to help me study, boy." Oliver joked, smiling.
The cyberdog tilted his head to the side a little, sticking his tongue out and panting. "Oh, I bet I would've been a great tutor! Master says I can read at a third grade level, and I can even count to ten!"
Oliver chuckled. He loved Sparky. He was like a little brother to him, especially since his father was technically his registered owner, so he wasn't technically Oliver's. As he walked out of his father's office, he passed Jonas. "Good morning! Stopped in to see the old man before class, eh?"
He nodded. "Morning, Jonas."
Amanda was sitting at a nearby table, reading an issue of Fixin' Things. He walked over, staring at her.
Amanda had really grown in the past six years. But then again, so had he. While Oliver was sixteen now, Amanda was nineteen. She had, indeed, grown her black hair out, currently reaching to the middle of her back, holding it back with a blue hairband. She needed glasses now, much like the ones Jonas wore, and she had certainly filled out her jumpsuit even more, which was now impossible to zip at all past her expansive chest. They were almost equal in height now, despite the three year age difference.
"Didn't Dad tell you to stop stalling?"
Oliver gave a start, not having realized that his sister knew he was watching her. She hadn't even looked up from her magazine.
"You had to take the G.O.A.T. too?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Of course! Everyone does. How do you think I wound up in Vault engineer training?"
Yes, much to Amanda's joy, she had wound up with the perfect job to match her childhood passion, and ended up getting to take apart and fix machines all day.
"My job gets decided by this, then?" Oliver asked.
"That's the idea, but how they get from one to the other is anyone's guess." Amanda told him, still not looking up from her magazine, though she did push her glasses back up her nose with her index and middle fingers.
"Any tips?"
This time, she paused, turning in her chair to look at him.
"Well, you didn't hear it from me, but Mary-Beth told me she just whined to Mr. Brotch and he helped her fill it out to get the job she wanted."
"Hmm... Guess I'd better get it over with, then."
"Don't sweat it. You'll do fine." Amanda assured him.
As he passed his older sister, he found Stanley in the corner, sitting in the chair reserved for waiting patients. He waved to him, giving a cough, and he waved back. Outside, Andy was fixing the wiring behind an open panel in the wall, wishing him good morning and urging him to be careful while he worked.
"Get out of my way, you stupid Tunnel Snakes!"
"I could show you a real tunnel snake, A-ma-ta."
Oh, great. His best friend was getting accosted by the resident vault bully and his two flunkies. He had to help her.
Walking up to where the three of them surrounded his friend, Oliver tapped Butch on the shoulder. The Tunnel Snake jumped, turning around to face the young man.
"Yeah? What do you want?"
"Problem here?"
"None a your business, kid. Get outta here before ya get hurt. If you mess with the Tunnel Snakes, you're asking for it. Got me?"
Oliver stood his ground, placing his hands on his hips.
"Keep messing with her... Answer to the Overseer..."
Butch's eyes faltered. He could see the wisdom in that, even from his mortal enemy.
"Maybe you're right. We can deal with her later. C'mon, Tunnel Snakes. This little bitch isn't worth our time."
"Whatever you say, Butch. You're the boss. Tunnel Snakes rule!" Paul Hannon cheered. He used to be such a nice boy... Butch and Wally had really tainted him...
"Fine. Let's go." Wally Mack shoved Oliver roughly as he passed, but Amata steadied him before he fell over.
"Thanks for getting rid of them. Assholes. You've always been a good friend."
Oliver smiled at her. "Just repaying you for all the times you've helped me."
The two made their way into the room, taking their seats at their respective desks. Butch and Wally were glaring at him, but he just gave them a small smile. Mr. Brotch began addressing the class. "Well, now that everyone has managed to find the classroom, we can finally get started. No talking, and keep your eyes to yourselves."
Butch snickered.
"Yes, I'm talking to you, Mr. DeLoria."
"Sure thing, Mr. Brotch."
"Unless anyone else has an insightful comment, let's get started."
The slide on the projection flipped over several images to depict the scenario of each question, which asked what the test taker would do in each hypothetical situation. The questions didn't seem to relate much to occupations in the vault. Each one had four options to choose from, but few of them were things Oliver would actually do. The tenth question was the strangest. Mr. Brotch read it as if he was bored with saying it.
"Question ten. Who is, indisputably, the most important person in Vault 101? He who shelters us from the harshness of the atomic wasteland, and to whom we owe everything we have, including our lives?"
There were four options like the previous nine questions. But they were all the same. 'The Overseer'.
"Pencils down! That's it, people. The infamous G.O.A.T." The lights turned back on. Mr. Brotch began walking over to his desk to receive the tests. "I'm sure most of you didn't find it so bad. For the rest of you, well... there's always openings in the maintenance department. Don't forget to hand in your test before you leave. You don't want to know what happens to people who fail the G.O.A.T. You can have the rest of the day off to celebrate, or to pray, as the situation warrants." He chuckled.
He wasn't sure what to put for a lot of the questions. Most of the students got up to line up at the desk. Amata was first.
"Here you are, Mr. Brotch. I hope I did okay."
"Nothing for you to worry about, Ms. Almodovar. Let's see... very well done!" he sounded impressed. "Looks like it's the supervisory track for you."
"Thanks. See you tomorrow."
Butch was next in line. "Yo, teach. I'm done."
"Ah, Butch. Can I say that I've been looking forward to this day for a long, long time? Allow me to savor the moment." Mr. Brotch began. "Now then, let's see... Really?... Interesting..." Oliver knew Mr. Brotch was drawing it out because he was loving every moment of it, and enjoyed tormenting those who deserved it. "You've surprised me, Butch. I didn't think you had it in you. Hairdresser! Who would have thunk it?" Oliver smiled.
"You're so full of it!" Butch asserted. "That isn't true!"
Mr. Brotch offered no further words, so Butch walked off grumbling to himself while Paul Hannon stepped up to the desk. "I'm all done, Mr. Brotch. I guess. Uh... Wait a second. Can I have it back? I think I need to change one of my answers..."
"Just calm down a minute, Paul. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. Let's see... Mmm hmmm... Yep. Just as I thought. You're slated for the engineering track. Congratulations, Mr. Hannon. You've passed the G.O.A.T."
"Oh, gee. That's not so bad. Engineering. All right!" Paul sounded pleased with his result. He could only hope he'd like what he got...
Christine Kendall was next. "Mother can't wait to find out if I'll be going into science or home economics." She told Mr. Brotch as she handed in her test.
"Science. Ah, well... Perhaps. Let's see what the G.O.A.T. says." Mr. Brotch said with a bit of unease. "Well, well! Maintenance department! I... hope your mother will be pleased. I'm sure Stanley will."
"What? That's impossible! I'm telling father! He won't let you get away with this!" She ran off out of the room. She always was a bit of a snob...
Susie Mack, Wally's sister, was next. "Here. What's this stupid test say I'm going to be doing for the rest of my life?"
"Now, now, Susie. Is that anyway to talk about the infallible G.O.A.T.?" Mr. Brotch chided. "You will be..." He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "You'll be going into teaching. No doubt due to your gift for communication. Not to worry, it isn't as bad as it sounds."
"About what I figured. I guess I'll see ya around, Edwin." Ugh. How could anyone talk to Mr. Brotch like that?
Her brother Wally Mack was next. "I'm finished. Here."
"Don't you want to find out what you got?"
"Nah, I already know what it says. Hardly takes a rocket scientist to crack that joke of a test." He walked off. He overheard Mr. Brotch mumble to himself.
"Well I'll be damned, that little so and so. Wish I'd thought of that when I was sixteen..."
Freddie Gomez was the last one to head up, and seemed very distraught over his test. However, it seemed he was the, errr... new vault masseuse. Wow...
When everyone had left, though Amata was waiting outside, Oliver was the last to head up to the front of the room to hand in his test. Mr. Brotch looked it over, his eyes widening.
"Looks like you'll be working with your dear old dad in the clinic, Mr. Carptenter. You're the new vault doctor, it looks like. Something you should excel at."
Oliver smiled. Yes! He got what he wanted.
"Nice to know the G.O.A.T. occasionally gets it right. You know what they say about monkeys and typewriters."
Smiling to himself, Oliver left the classroom, where Amata was waiting for him.
"Hey, wanna head to the diner for some lunch?" she asked.
Oliver nodded. He was craving a Nuka-Cola and some Cheezy Poofs.
XXXXXXXXXX
Three years later...
August 17th, 2277, 9:04 AM
"Wake up! C'mon, wake up!"
Oliver Carpenter peeled his eyes open to see his best friend, Amata Almodovar, standing over him. He sat up, pausing to stretch his arms and yawn, before arranging the covers over his nude body so he could speak with his friend properly.
"C'mon, you've got to wake up!"
"Hmmm?" he asked, still not fully awake.
"You've got to get out of here! Your dad is gone, and my father's men are looking for you!"
"What?" He rolled over and nestled back into the mattress.
Amata responded by pulling the covers off of him, sending him tumbling to the floor. "He's left the vault! I don't know how, but he's gone, and my father... he's kind of gone crazy."
Now he was fully awake. He stood up, walking over to his dresser to retrieve one of his vaultsuits.
"Gone? Impossible... Can't be all, either. Sound too scared, Amata..."
"It's Jonas! They killed him!" Oliver's rifling through his dresser stopped, turning to stare at his friend with wide eyes. "My father's men... they took him, and... Oh my God, you have to leave, now!"
Amata seemed close to crying. Oliver walked over and wrapped his arms around the girl in a hug. Something most wouldn't do until dressed, but there were no secrets between him and his best friend. "You going to be okay, Ammy?"
"Yeah. Don't worry about me. I'm just sorry you had to find out like this. I know Jonas was your friend." Her voice sounded feeble. If Oliver hadn't hugged her, she'd be crying right now. "But we've got to go now! My father's men will be here any minute!" Now the urgency was back in her voice.
Oliver returned to going through his dresser, tugging out one of the blue jumpsuits everyone wore in Vault 101. "Door was sealed. How?"
"I have no idea. But... you're really telling me you had no idea your father was planning to do this?"
He paused in putting his feet through the legs of his jumpsuit, turning to gaze down at the floor.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Ollie..." Amata soothed. "I'm sure he had his reasons. Maybe Jonas was supposed to explain everything to you? But it doesn't matter. I can help you escape! I have my own plan!"
Oliver nodded, slipping his arms into the sleeves and zipping up the jumpsuit.
"There's a secret tunnel that leads directly from my father's office to the exit. You'll have to hack the computer in his office to open it."
"No problem." Oliver was an expert computer hacker, after all. "Let's go find Amanda and get out of here." The look on Amata's face spoke volumes. "Amata? Something happen to sis?"
"She... I got to her first. We were on our way to see you when my father's men found us. Amanda... she turned herself in so that I could run and wake you up. My father's probably keeping her locked up somewhere until he can find you..."
"Sis sacrificed herself?"
"She said as the older sibling, it was up to her to let you escape..."
"Need to hurry! Maybe I can save her!"
"Wait! I stole my father's pistol. I hope you won't need it, but you'd better take it just in case." She showed him a 10mm pistol standard of all Vault 101 security officers.
Oliver shook his head. "No. Have my baseball bat. More humane than a gun in case I run into trouble. Might need that gun more than I do."
"Well... okay. I guess it may come in handy if I run into any radroaches. I'll try to meet you at the exit. Rescue Amanda if you can. Good luck!"
Turning, Amata ran off. That's when the situation began to hit Oliver. He'd have to make his way out of here alone... and he only had a short time to prepare.
He took a look at himself in the mirror. Over his nineteen years of life, Oliver had grown into a very boyishly attractive young man. Butch was often quick to call him a prettyboy. He had grown his white hair to his neck, shaggy atop his head with bangs hanging down to frame his face, a lock between his hazel eyes so they peeked out from between strands of his snowy locks. He was only five feet, six inches tall, a bit on the short side, with a lean, almost slender body with very little muscle on it. His skin was oddly pale for someone who was biracial, but he inherited his African-American mother's white hair and hazel eyes.
Okay, he had to pack. He grabbed his dark green backpack from the corner and looked for anything he could put in it. First, a spare vaultsuit. He didn't want to be stuck with only one outfit. He was a designated hitter for the little league games they played in the atrium. Chosen for his speed at running the bases, he was told. His baseball and mitt from the game would make good memories. So would the Grognak the Barbarian issue he received from Amata on his tenth birthday. He packed all three. The first aid kit on the wall by his desk held a dose of Med-X and a few stimpaks, which he packed in the side pockets of his backpack for easy access. The baseball cap he also got on his tenth birthday would also be useful, so he grabbed it and slipped it onto his head. His BB gun... Or Black Bart's Bane as he named it. It was less lethal than a handgun, and a firearm, even a toy, might come in handy. He grabbed the canister of BBs as well. Finally, Mr. Patches. The teddy bear given to him by his sister still sat on the shelf above his desk, and he grabbed it, stuffing it in his backpack. Okay, that should be everything. Now he had to make his escape.
XXXXXXXXXX
The moment he stepped out of his apartment, he saw Officer Kendall just down the hall.
"There he is! Hold it right there!"
He froze, but the officer was set upon by three radroaches. "Criminy! More roaches!" He started hitting them with his police baton. "Take that, ya little buggers!"
Immediately, Oliver ran forward and whacked one of the radroaches with his baseball bat, squishing it, then dashed for the second and slammed it into a wall just as Officer Kendall finished with the first radroach.
"Officer Kendall, you ok-" He was silenced with a police baton to the face. Oliver recoiled back, clutching his bleeding nose. "Officer Kendall! What's gotten into you?" He ducked as he swung his baton at him again. It was obvious he intended to either kill or maim him. Gripping ol' Excalibat tightly, he lunged in and jabbed him in the stomach with the back of the handle. As he leaned forward in pain, he used the tip to flip his helmet off, then whacked him on the side of the head. He fell to the ground. It took him a few moments to register what he'd just done. He... he attacked another human being. One he actually knew. Was he dead? He looked down at his form to find he was still breathing. Good. Just unconscious. He'd have to do something similar with any other vault security officers he ran into. Shaking his limbs to steady his nerves and rid himself of the trembles wracking his body, he ran ahead to make his way out of the vault, but was stopped when Butch turned the other corner and ran up to him.
"You gotta help me! My mom's trapped in there with the radroaches!"
He quirked an eyebrow at his lifelong bully.
"Yeah, I'm askin' you for help. So what?" was his indignant reply. "Look, I'm sorry for the way I've always treated you. You know I never meant any of it, right? But it's my Mom. You can't leave her in there with the radroaches, alright?"
He was surprised. He sounded genuinely sincere for once. The sorry for how he'd treated him all her life was a bit half-hearted, but he actually seemed concerned for his mother's safety. "Take me to her..."
"No, I can't go back in there. It's dark, and... and there's radroaches." the Tunnel Snake explained, albeit with unease.
Okay, it really wasn't all that dark in this part of the vault, not with all the back-up lights on. So that means... "You afraid of radroaches?"
"Yeah, I hate radroaches. I can't stand them! They seriously creep me out. I admit it! You just gotta help my mom! Can't you hear her in there screamin'? She's not gonna last much longer!" he pleaded.
Hmm... He knew he should probably go and do this for Butch... but if he didn't face his fear right now to save his mom, he'd regret it. It's what was best for him.
"Butch... You have to go in there. She's your mom. You have to face your fear and be a hero."
"Yeah, what do you know?"
"Lucky, Butch... I've... never had a mother..."
That did it. He was sincere, but he really didn't expect, or plan for, his show of emotional weakness to actually faze his lifelong tormenter. The look on his face... he'd never seen him look at him with anything else than contempt. Was that... sympathy in his eyes?
"Okay, okay... But all I got on me is my toothpick. I need somethin' better."
He was going to regret this... but he reached for the strap on his backpack and handed him his BB gun. "Take this, Butch."
"Whoa, where'd ya get this?" the Tunnel Snake exclaimed with renewed confidence. "Let's get in there and save my mom!"
Butch turned and ran back around the corner, with Oliver in fast pursuit. He led him right into his apartment, where his mother was being nipped and ravaged by three radroaches. Her distraught cries for her 'Butchy' were particularly unsettling. When the two entered the room, it was clear Butch's confidence was wavering now that he was actually faced with his greatest fear. Oliver reached up and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Butch didn't turn to look at him, but his face tightened in determination, as did the grip on his BB gun. Charging in, he kicked one of the radroaches off his mother, firing a BB right into it as it sailed through the air. Two more dead-center shots into the other two radroaches and the toy rifle fell from his hands, the Tunnel Snake dropping to his knees to soothe his traumatized mother. Oliver stood at the doorway, watching the touching scene while fighting back the urge to cry. It... must be nice... to have a mother...
He was brought out of his thoughts when Butch lunged at him and held him in a tight hug."We did it!" he cheered. "My mom's gonna be okay! You're the best friend I've ever had, Ol!"
"Um... Ol?" Not 'nosebleed'?
"That's your name, isn't it? Hey, I know it isn't much, but I want you to have my Tunnel Snakes jacket. Go ahead, take it." And he slipped the garment off his shoulders and tossed it to him, which he caught. It smelled a bit... but he could tell giving him this meant a lot to him, so... he slipped it on over his vaultsuit, just so he wouldn't feel bad. Actually... it was kind of comfortable.
"Thanks, Butch. Now... need to get going. Dad left the vault. Need to escape, too."
"Good luck, Ol! Lemme know if there's anythin' I can do to help!" Butch exclaimed. He turned to help his mother into a chair, handing her a bottle of vodka. Oliver turned and quietly slipped out the door to continue his trek out of the vault.
As much as he envied Butch for having a mother... he also felt bad for him. Ellen DeLoria was an alcoholic, vodka her drink of choice. She always used up all the ration coupons on as much of the vile stuff as she could, often leaving Butch hungry or neglected. It probably explained his bad behavior and serious attitude... he didn't think he'd ever see Butch again, but maybe the Tunnel Snake's new opinion of him would stick.
He passed the diner, the same one he had his tenth birthday party in, and saw someone lying on the ground, surrounded by another trio of radroaches. Fearing for their safety, he dashed in and gave each radroach a solid whack with ol' Excalibat. He checked, and it was grandma Taylor. She had no pulse... she was dead. He wished he could've gotten there sooner... maybe he could've saved her. But no use regretting it. He had to get out of here. It looked like the door leading straight from the diner to the Atrium was disabled for some reason. He'd have to take the long way around, past the clinic and classroom.
He ran past the hall to the Reactor Level and climbed up the stairs to the next level of the vault. He saw Officer Gomez ahead, and was prepared to subdue him. The Officer saw him, but he turned right around and started beating a radroach that emerged from the clinic. Three more accompanied it, but they were soon burned to a crisp by Andy's blowtorch. Oliver had to wonder why Mr. Handy robots were equipped with blow torches and buzz saws... it seemed so impractical for a robot designed for household chores. Though... Andy himself was a maintenance work type of Mr. Handy, not a household butler type. So that may explain it. Regardless, Andy ventured into the clinic right when the radroaches were burned. Officer Gomez turned and ran up to him.
"Oh, you're lucky it was me who found you. The others won't be so forgiving. I don't know what you're up to and I don't wanna know. Just clear out of here and I'll pretend I never saw you."
Oliver smiled. "Thanks, Officer Gomez... Always liked you…"
Though he was nervous a moment before, he noticeable relaxed at the young man's charming, subtle smile. "Don't worry. I've always had your back, right from the start. I'm just sorry it had to come to this. I can't believe what they did to Jonas... Officer Mack was just out of control... But you're a good kid. Always have been. You never did anything to deserve this. Go... Go find your dad. I just wish I could offer more... oh, hang on." He stepped closer, reaching into his pocket and pulling out two stimpaks. He injected both into his arm, one after the other, and his bloody nose healed right back up. "Hate to see your handsome face like that, Oliver..."
The young man smiled his charming smile. That was all the thanks Officer Gomez needed to let him know that his care touched him. "Hey... Officer Gomez... Ellen DeLoria and Butch were attacked by radroaches. Could use someone to guard them for a while in case more come or an officer other than you shows up."
Gomez merely smiled and gave a slow nod. Giving him a thumbs up, Oliver parted for the clinic. Maybe there was a clue in his father's office.
Andy had indeed headed into the clinic. Stanley, the maintenance worker who gave him his baseball cap and fixed up his Pip-Boy, was in there as well.
"Looking for your dad, huh? Well, he always took good care of us, so it's none of my business. I won't tell anyone I saw you." Stanley explained, grabbing his tool box and opening up a compartment on Andy's chassis.
"Ah, the young master is looking for his father, is he? I believe he went topside for a spot of fresh air. Should be back any moment." the Mr. Handy explained. Oliver could only roll his eyes at the robot's lack of common sense.
"Thanks, Stanley... Thanks, Andy... Means a lot to me..."
"Don't worry, kid. Everything'll be okay. Now... I need to get to work on Andy. His circuits got all frazzled after that. Good thing he loves toasting roaches so much, huh?"
A small smile graced his features. "Mind if I look around my dad's office for a sec?"
"I sure don't mind. He might've left a note for you, or something."
"Thanks..."
"Don't mention it."
He turned and made his way to his father's office. Stanley paused in his work on Andy, who was complaining all the while, and closed the door.
Inside, it looked like the place had been ransacked. The desk was overturned and the computer was on its side. He lied down on the floor to see if there were any files his father kept that might be of help.
XXXXXXXXXX
Remember: Medical files are confidential!
(He just knew that message was for him... he probably knew he was reading medical files. He really only wanted to learn more about medicine. Honest!)
Patient Files: Freddie Gomez
Freddie's VDS is getting worse. Most days, he can't even get out of bed. When he does manage to function, Freddie hides his insecurities and low self-esteem behind a bully's mask.
Vault-Tec medical protocols dictate the prescription of an anti-anxiety medication when Vault Depressive Syndrome is involved. but do I really want to string the kid out on Chlorpromazine for the rest of his life?
Patient Files: Stanley Armstrong
Stanley continues to suffer from severe and chronic head pain. I've been feeding him aspirin like it's candy, but I'm reticent to give him anything stronger. He blames the lighting in his quarters, and though eyestrain is certainly compounding the problem, the headaches are actually a symptom of overwork and lack of sleep. Knowing Stanley, and the schedule the overseer has him on, the problem isn't likely to get better anytime soon. So it's aspirin, indefinitely.
Patient Files: Amata Almodovar
Once again, the Overseer has insisted on being in the room for Amata's examination, throwing any inkling of doctor-patient confidentiality out the window. I know he doesn't trust me. He never has. But I honestly believe the reason he attends his daughter's medical appointments is that he doesn't trust her. That's as ridiculous as it is sad. Amata's a great girl, and the chance of her doing something stupid, like pregnancy, syphilis, whatever, is so unlikely it's not even worth mentioning.
Experiments: Experiment 27CE
The cells are still replicating normally. No mutation. Thank God. If whatever's out there could penetrate this vault, I can't even begin to imagine what the Overseer would do.
Experiments: Experiment PP216
After "borrowing" a few more water chips and rerouting some of the power here in the clinic, I've finally been able to affect the latest sample. It's not much, but considering what I have to work with it, a definite step in the right direction. But this new experiment was also monumental for another reason. It's the first time Jonas has assisted me. He's suspected forever, I know, so I guess it was inevitable. And his help has been invaluable. I just hope he knows what he's gotten himself into.
(He wasn't sure what to make of that one... the first experiment was obviously a test on the water purity in the vault, but... what was the second one? Could it have something to do with why he left?)
(He really knew he shouldn't... he'd never looked at it before... but this might be his last time looking at these files. He just hoped he wouldn't be disturbed by what he found...)
Patient Files: Amanda Carpenter
My daughter... my only daughter... it surprises me every day how much she reminds me of her mother. She takes after me, yes... but there's so much of her mother in every fiber of her being as well.
Well, enough sentimental ramblings. From her last check up, I can honestly say I'm a bit worried. It's not that she's in poor health. Far from it, in fact. But at twenty-two years old, she's grown at an alarming rate, her height clocking in at six feet for the past year. Catherine and I were both of average height, so I'm not sure how to explain it... but her development in other areas... I'm quite aware of where that comes from. Catherine herself was quite "blessed". As was my own mother. She's stopped growing I think, but DDDs are quite a lot to handle. She seems to have a slight sensitivity to estrogen levels during puberty. I doubt it's virginal breast hypertrophy... If it is, it's a very minor case. She doesn't exhibit tingling in her fingers or anything. Some very minor back pains considering their size, but nothing serious.
Blood tests seem to indicate she has a natural tolerance and slight natural resistance to radiation. Other tests seem to indicate she absorbs less radiation from food and drinks than most people. Isolated tests using Med-X seem to show she has a resistance to the addictive effects of chems, as well. Her metabolism is quite miraculous, which may explain why she's so slender.
Anyway, she's in perfect health, oddities aside. I fear she's spent too much time reading instead of sleeping, though. Her eyesight is terrible without those eyeglasses. From the vision tests, it seems anything more than a foot in front of her is a total blur. I must wonder exactly how much she reads and for how long each day. I've always noticed her to be an overachiever. At least she knows to stick to mechanics, but I have to wonder about her keen interest in locksmithing.
Patient Files: Oliver Carpenter
And then there's my son. Second born, he's grown into quite a handsome young man, though I suppose others would call him a 'prettyboy.' Shorter than his sister by half a foot, his frame is quite small, making him easier to injure. Aside from that, he shows all the health strengths of his sister, like her metabolism and resistance to addiction and radiation.
Like his old man, he's taken a keen interest in medicine and science. He doesn't need glasses, though, and I know the full reason for this... but that's not a subject to discuss here.
He takes after me so much, it's almost alarming to see... I once heard that it's scary to see yourself in your child... And I see so much of myself in Oliver...
XXXXXXXXXX
Standing up, Oliver took a look around the room for anything else that could offer a clue. On the wall was the framed quote from the Bible his mother loved. Revelation Twenty-One Six. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He had it memorized, considering how often his father told it to him. But he noticed something else for the first time... a keyhole on the side of the display case. He tried to pry the case open, but... it seemed to be a very advanced lock. His skills were focused on medicine and science, not lockpicking. If only Amanda were here...
"Yo, Ol. What's up?"
He turned to see, to his surprise, Butch standing in the doorway! He quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Gomez stopped by our place to keep an eye on us. Said you sent him. Thought I'd repay the favor by givin' back your BB gun." He tossed the toy rifle to him, which he caught. "Now it looks like I can repay you another way... Havin' some trouble with a lock, huh?"
Oliver nodded.
"Not to worry. Leave this to the Butch-man."
Striding forward, Oliver sidestepped out of the way so Butch could take a look at the lock.
"Have some bobby pins?" the boy asked.
Butch just scoffed. "Please, Ol. Bobby pins are for amateurs."
The Tunnel Snake reached into the pocket of his jacket... the one Oliver was wearing, and exited with a cherry-shaped object. He wedged it into the lock, then stepped back.
"Might wanna stand back and cover your ears, Ol."
Oliver did so, and to his mild surprise, the lock exploded. Evidently, it was a cherry bomb.
Butch stepped aside so Oliver could take a look inside the frame. He was surprised to find a hidden compartment behind the quote. Inside he found a holotape and a bag that jingled as he picked it up.
"What's in the bag?" Butch asked.
"Bottecaps..." Oliver answered, peeking into it. There seemed to be about three hundred of them, although that was only a rough estimate. Granted, he was really good at math.
"What, your dad collect 'em, or somethin'?"
"Not sure..." He decided to load the holotape into his Pip-Boy and give it a listen.
"Well, here we are. Nestled all safe and snug inside Vault 101. It's so cold down here. Colder still with Catherine gone... Oh, Catherine... I so wish you were here with me. How the hell am I supposed to do this by myself? Live down in this hole. Take care of our children... But this is our life now, so I guess I'd better get used to it. The Overseer who runs the place is an overbearing bully, but I've dealt with worse."
He wasn't sure what to make of it. Nor was he sure why he pocketed the bag of bottlecaps in his backpack. If dad collected them, he might want them back, he figured.
"Some message your dad recorded?" Butch wondered.
"Guess so... Have to ask him about it... Thanks for your help, Butch... Need to get going..."
"Hold on a sec, Ol. I'm comin' with you."
He paused, turning to look at the Tunnel Snake and quirk his eyebrow at him.
"You're gonna need my help to reach the entrance, Ol. Let Butch be your bodyguard."
Oliver quirked his other eyebrow.
"Ol... you saved my mom's life. That's all the reason I need."
The young man sighed. "Okay, but... need something to defend yourself with."
"Got it covered." He showed him a scoped .44 magnum revolver. His eyes widened.
"Butch? Where'd you get that? The only firearms kept in Vault 101 are 10mm pistols..."
"Just a memento of my pa. This thing was snuck into the vault by one of my ancestors right before the War. Every generation has kept it safe, tinkerin' with it a little bit over the years. My pa was the last to own it, and he kept it in a locked box until I was old enough to have it myself. Of course, I'd blown the lock on that box ages ago, but only now did I take it out. Pa said it was called the Callahan's Magnum, after the first DeLoria back before the War. Got more kick than a usual .44, but nothin' I can't handle."
"And you have ammo for it?"
"You bet. Ol' Callahan DeLoria snuck in a whole box of the stuff along with this thing."
Oliver sighed. "Okay... But no killing anyone... Only use that gun if you have to... Otherwise, use your knife or your fists... Okay? And try not to cause any serious injuries... Just incapacitate them..."
"Shit, that goody-two-shoes crap is crampin' my style." He gave him an icy look. He sighed. "Fine. Your escape, your rules, Ol."
"Thanks, Butch..."
XXXXXXXXXX
The second Oliver and Butch exited into the Atrium, they found Tom and Mary Holden standing there.
"We should go back to our rooms..."
"It's our only chance, don't you see. We're getting out of here just like the doctor. I'm not gonna let anyone stop us!"
Tom took off running, despite Mary's cries to be careful. Oliver knew he had to stop him. Dashing forward, surprised at his own speed, he tackled Tom Holden out of the way just as the bullets flew at him from down the entrance hall. Brandishing his baseball bat, he charged down after the assailants. Both security officers, Richards and O'Brian, had 10mm pistols, and fired upon him the second they saw him. As he ran, he jumped side to side, preventing any chances of them hitting him. Still, a bullet grazed his shoulder. When he was nearing them, he ducked low and slid under Richards's legs, flipping his helmet off and whacking him on the back of the head. Oliver jumped to his feet and gave O'Brian a swing to the head with the side of his baseball bat. The helmet flew off, so he took the chance to jab him right in the face with the handle. He toppled. The pistols would actually come in handy, so Oliver took both of them and their ammo, putting them in his backpack. Mary was tending to Tom on the ground. Oliver ordered them both to run for the apartments and stay in their rooms. They obeyed wordlessly.
"Ol, that was amazin'!" Butch exclaimed. "I didn't know you could move that fast! It was wild!"
A small smile graced Oliver's face. "Thanks, Butch..." He clutched his shoulder, wincing.
"Hey! Over here!"
Wait... Oliver knew that voice! Running to the corner, sure enough, he found his sister Amanda locked in a storage room, banging on the window.
"They're saying Dad left the vault. Is it true?"
Oliver nodded. He walked over to the door, finding it locked.
"Damn door! Can't you break the glass or something?"
Oliver nodded, gripping his baseball bat. Rearing his arms back, he landed a solid blow to the window, but it only dented and slightly cracked the shatter-proof glass.
"Hang on, I've got an idea." Amanda told him. She walked over to behind the door. "I think if I just... come on... there!" The door slid open, Amanda walking out and pulling her younger brother into a big hug.
"Ollie! I was so worried about you!" she exclaimed, hugging Oliver's face to her ample bosom.
Oliver looked up at his sister's face, wrapping his arms around her to hug her back.
"Hey, you two! C'mon! We need to head to the second level!" Butch called.
Oliver pulled away from Amanda, turning to Butch and nodding.
"Whoa, not yet. There's radroaches on the stairs. You take care of 'em first. Then I'll follow you up."
Oliver sighed. Butch faced his fear for his mother, but... old habits die hard. So, giving Amanda one of the 10mm pistols from the two security guards, the two stormed upstairs, shooting and beating down three radroaches as they ran. They found Security Chief Hannon on the way up, and quickly subdued him, but made sure he was just knocked out, not dead. The stairs deposited them on the balcony of the Atrium, where they found two more radroaches scurrying about. Oliver beat them down as he passed. Butch was hot on their tails, but as they passed by the window to an apartment, they saw Allen Mack pounding on the window, his wife at the table behind him, telling herself to get a grip.
"You! This is your fault! You and your stupid father! He had to go and leave, didn't he? He had to mess things up for everybody! Guards! Guards! They're over here! The doc's stupid kids are over here! They're trying to leave the vault! Don't let 'em get away!"
Amanda was frightened that he would call more guards to their location, but Oliver grabbed her hand and continued on into the utilities room, though Butch paused to make a face at Mr. Mack through the window. Inside, they found four more radroaches, which Oliver beat down and Amanda shot while Butch waited outside the room. They found one of the Vault's engineers, Floyd Lewis, lying dead on the floor next to his tool box. He was probably killed by the radroaches. Oliver didn't know Mr. Lewis very well, but he still felt bad that now three people had died because of all this. They continued on down the hall, and soon passed the security office. Oliver paused and ducked down at the window to the room, peering in to see the Overseer interrogating Amata with Officer Mack. The same Officer Mack who killed Jonas!
"I told you, I don't know anything!" Amata cried. Butch and Amanda ducked down low to watch with him.
"Be reasonable, Amata. Officer Mack may enjoy this, but I don't. Just... tell us where to find your friend, so we can... talk to him." He gave Butch and Amanda a look. When the time was right, they'd rush in and save Amata. The Tunnel Snake and engineer nodded in understanding.
"He's my friend! I was worried about him! What does he have to do with any of this anyway?"
"Probably nothing. Which is why you need to tell me where he is so I can talk to her." Oliver didn't like the Overseer's tone of voice. It was like a sneaky weasel...
"Watch out, sir! She's got a gun!" That was Officer Mack's voice. Sure enough, Amata pulled out the 10mm pistol she had intended to give to him. Amanda gasped, while Butch's eyes went wide.
"Amata! Where did you get that gun?"
"Just get away from me! I don't want to shoot you, but I will. I swear I will!" His best friend warned, getting up from her seat and backing away slowly, the pistol aimed at her father.
"How dare you threaten me! And with my own gun!" the Overseer growled. "I'm your father, damn you, and you'll show me some respect! Officer Mack, don't just stand there!"
"Don't make me take that gun away from you, girlie. Just hand it over nice and easy, now." The officer warned. He slowly walked towards Amata.
"No! Get away from me!"
She fired. It hit Officer Mack right in the knee. He fell to the ground, clutching his leg. "Oh my God! Amata, what have you done?" She took this chance to run out of the room. Oliver stormed in right after she left, but gave Butch a look that silently told him to go after Amata and see if she was okay. He complied. Officer Mack looked like he passed out from the pain. Good. Now he could face the Overseer alone.
"I hope you're here to turn yourself in, young man." The Overseer told him, perfectly calm and condescending. "You're already in enough trouble as it is. Don't make it worse for yourself."
Oliver stared the Overseer down with a cold, icy glare, seeming to cast a chill over the room. It actually made the Overseer waver in his resolution. "If you ever lay a hand on Amata again, I'll make you regret it..." He stated, oddly calm, though his words carried the weight of a harsh winter.
"I place the good of the vault above everything, even my own paternal feelings. We must not allow sentiment to cloud our judgment! But I admire your protective instincts." He crossed his arms. "Very well. I give you my word that Amata will not suffer further because of your actions." His fists clenched in anger, possibly the first anger he'd ever felt in a lifetime of being so calm and mellow, but forced himself to be calm. If he hurt the Overseer, it'd hurt Amata more. "Now, then. If you really care about Amata, you will see how dangerous your father's actions were. Hand over your weapons, and put an end to this dangerous situation. There's no need to join your father as a traitor to the vault."
Oliver was about to retort, but then a hand slugged the Overseer right in the face. He turned to see it was his sister, Amanda, tears streaming down her cheeks, face contorted in rage. "Is that what you said to Jonas before you murdered him? Jonas was my friend! My father's no traitor, and you're nothing but a murderer and a thug!"
The Overseer was on the ground, pulling himself into a sitting position. Amanda was about to lunge at him for a full beat down, but a firm, yet gentle hand grasped her wrist, making her rage instantly melt away. She turned to see Oliver staring her down with a calm, cool look, shaking his head. He turned to the Overseer.
"Just give us your password and the key to your office... We'll be on our way and never bother you again..." Wow… That might've been the most Amanda heard her brother say at one time.
"Oh, is that all? Is there anything else I can get you while you're here?" the Overseer mocked. "You'll get nothing from me. I'll die before I see the safety of the vault compromised again."
"We'll escape without your help, then. I'm not the one who started killing people." Oliver stated calmly. That put things in an entirely new light for Amanda... If she hurt the Overseer, it'd make her no better than him.
"Save your sanctimony. The world is a dangerous place and I make no apologies for doing whatever it takes to keep the vault safe. Guards! Help me!"
He should probably knock him out... but he shouldn't hurt him. That'd hurt Amata. So he grabbed Amanda's wrist and led her out into the hall.
"Wait!"
Oliver stopped, watching as his older sister pulled something out of her pocket, some sort of electronic device. She attached it to the card key reader for the door to the security office, and in a moment, the door shut and locked. Ah, of course. Her master locksmith skills. But she just closed and locked it, not unlocked it. Oliver quirked an eyebrow at Amanda.
"My Electronic Lock Pick Mark Two works in reverse, too, locking doors I don't have the card key for, too, silly. By the time someone brings the card key, the Overseer will probably have cooled down by then."
Nodding, Oliver gestured with his thumb that they should continue down the hall.
XXXXXXXXXX
Just in front of the Overseer's office, Oliver and Amanda found a shocking sight. Jonas. Dead. On the floor, clearly beaten with a police baton. Amanda promptly released the contents of her stomach, Oliver holding her hair for her. She was reminded of the fact that she hadn't eaten breakfast today... But no way could she eat now. Oliver walked over to Jonas's body and removed his glasses, closing his eyes before returning the spectacles to their rightful place. He reached next to Jonas where a holotape sat, handing it to Amanda. She nodded, loading it into her Pip-Boy.
"Hold on Jonas, I need to record this first. I... I don't really know how to tell you this. I hope you'll understand, but I know you might be upset. I thought about it for a long time, but in the end I decided it was best for you both not to know. So many things could have gone wrong and there's really no telling how the Overseer will react when he finds out. It's best if he can blame everything on me. Obviously you already know that I'm gone. It was something I needed to do. You're adults now. You're ready to be on your own. Maybe someday things will change and we can see each other again. I can't tell you why I left or where I'm going. I don't want you to follow me. God knows life in the vault isn't perfect, but at least you'll be safe. Just knowing that will be enough to keep me going."
"Don't mean to rush you, Doc, but I'd feel better if we got this over with." That was Jonas's voice.
"Okay. Go ahead. Goodbye. I love you."
Amanda was completely silent and still after listening to the recording, a last message from her father before he left. She might've stood there, lost in her own emotions, for years had her little brother not walked up and wrapped her in a hug. The door to the Overseer's and Amata's rooms opened, and out came Amata, who joined the group hug. Butch was just behind her, but he didn't take part. It was understandable. His idea of friendship was different from theirs. But then again... he had said Oliver was the best friend he'd ever had. So, uneasily, Butch walked up and joined in hugging Amanda. She could bet it felt weird for him... but it probably also felt warm. A warmth he wasn't used to. They pulled apart, leaving Amanda to sniffle and wipe her glasses clean. Amata spoke first.
"Amanda, can you pick the lock to my father's office?"
"Of course I can. Just watch me go to work." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her Wattz Electronics Electronic Lock Pick Mark Two. She attached it to the card key reader and set to work.
After a few minutes, the door slid open, Amanda ushering the three of them inside. Once they all passed the threshold, she shut the door, locking it once more. Amata went to look out the window onto the Atrium, while Butch went to rummage through the nearby lockers. Amanda and Oliver went straight for the computer. "Can you hack it, Ollie?" she asked. He took a seat at the desk and set to typing, nodding.
A few more pushes on the keyboard, and they were in. "Wow. What was the password, Ollie?"
"Amata." Both Amata and Butch turned to look, surprised. Amanda smiled at the Overseer's daughter. "The Overseer may have a weird way of showing it, but he really does love you, Amata."
"I know." was the girl's only reply. She ran over to look over Oliver and Amanda's shoulders at the screen. It seemed several files were there. The door was locked, so they had plenty of time to read them.
XXXXXXXXXX
Welcome, Overseer.
View Security Dossiers: Jonas Palmer
I never should have assigned Jonas as James' assistant. He was always too idealistic for his own good. Now he spends every waking minute with the good doctor, who gleefully fills his ears with even more idealistic nonsense. I've considered re-assigning him, but the truth is Jonas is a fine medic in his own right, and hiding him down in maintenance would be a terrible waste of resources.
View Security Dossiers: Beatrice Armstrong
Just what Vault 101 needs. An absent-minded, sexually repressed sycophant. Beatrice has served Vault 101 admirably for years, but her mind is growing feeble. I'll have to speak with our good doctor about some kind of long-term pharmaceutical solution. We may at least be able to keep her comfortable, and quiet, until she passes on.
(Amanda gasped at the implication.)
View Security Dossiers: Amata Almodovar
Every time I try to get Amata to open up, she just pushes me further and further away. Since she was a child, I've tried to instill in her those virtues that have made this Vault what it is today. Loyalty, honesty, commitment, hard work. She does try, and with a lot of guidance has grown into a fine young woman. That makes it all the sadder that she continues to alienate me. She looks at me and sees the Overseer, not the father that has cared for her alone (alone!) since she was an infant.
View Security Dossiers: "Tunnel Snakes"
If Butch and his leather-clad delinquents accost Amata one more time, they'll have more to deal with than their acerbic teacher. Their "services" have come in handy upon occasion, I must admit, but they're starting to become... unruly. If dogs become feral, they must be put down. I'll have to remind Butch of that upon our next meeting.
(What? Oliver looked to Butch, who, to his surprise, looked ashamed. He decided he wouldn't question him about it.)
View Security Dossiers: Oliver and Amanda Carpenter
As far as I can tell, they're very well-behaved children. They don't start trouble, never complain, never talk back, and always does what they're told. The fact that Oliver has been such a good friend to my Amata is both a blessing and a curse. When I look at them, Oliver in particular, I see an untapped, hidden potential. He might actually make a good candidate for next Overseer should something happen to Amata. He has a natural presence of leadership that even I lack. He rarely takes charge himself, but every time he led an activity or helped plan an event, the other children all seemed inclined to follow his every word. I can tell. Deep inside, he has that fire that makes anyone willing to follow him into the depths of hell itself. It remains untapped, but again, should anything happen to Amata, I may be able to cultivate this seed into a ferocious venus fly trap. At the least, he would make a wonderful security chief, provided he ate a damn sandwich, the runt. I'll be keeping a close eye on both him and his sister.
(Amanda felt a little uncomfortable about that, but even she knew her brother had natural leadership capabilities. He didn't seem to show any reaction to reading that, though.)
View Scouting Reports: Report 2241-02-10
As our tests suggested, the immediate vicinity of the vault is no longer dangerously irradiated, although the background radiation is still well above safe levels. Pockets of more intense radiation appear to still be common, and all surface water seems to be undrinkable. We will need to carry ample supplies of Rad-X with us on all future surveys. But hazard suits do not seem to be necessary for general exploration.
Our old maps are largely useless. The town of Springvale is an abandoned ruin, and all pre-War roads have disappeared or are no longer passable.
We encountered a group of monstrous ants which appeared to confirm Mackay's theories of mutation due to extended exposure to radiation. We drove off the ants with gunfire and collected several specimens for study upon return to the vault (see Exhibit A).
The good news is that human civilization still survives, despite everything! We discovered a settlement known as "Megaton" (see Exhibit B), who's inhabitants, although somewhat wary at first, soon welcomed us into their town.
We spent a good deal of time in Megaton, and learned a great deal about the "Capital Wasteland" (as the area around Washington D.C. is now called) from them. Megaton is a fortified outpost of "civilization" (of sorts), but it seems that giant ants are the least of the dangers of this new world. We agreed that it was prudent to return to the Vault immediately to revise our survey plans in light of what we have learned. Lewis and Agnes remained in Megaton to serve as "ambassadors" and continue to collect information until we return.
Anne Palmer, Survey Team Leader
February 10, 2241
(What? A scouting report? From thirty-six years ago? But... the Vault's been sealed since the Great War! Amanda looked to Amata and Butch to see their reactions, and they were just as shocked as she was.)
View Scouting Reports: 2241-02-10 Exhibit A
It seemed to be a picture of giant ant. A dead one, but a giant ant. Amanda was quite disturbed by it.
View Scouting Reports: 2241-02-10 Exhibit B
It looked like a picture of some sort of towering structure of scrap metal.
Vault-Tec Instructions: Letter from Doctor Stanislaus Braun
A Letter to the Overseer from Dr. Stanislaus Braun:
If you are reading this, emergency Vault internment procedures have been initiated and you and your control group have been sealed into your Vault. Congratulations! You are now a vital part of the most ambitious program ever undertaken by Vault-Tec.
If you have not yet read your sealed orders, do so now. They will outline the experimental protocols assigned to your control group. Please remember that deviation from these protocols in any way will jeopardize the success of the program, and may be considered grounds for termination by Vault-Tec Corporation (as outlined in your Employment Agreement).
Your Vault may or may not have been selected to receive a G.E.C.K. module. Please see Attachment A for details.
Doctor Stanislaus Braun
Director, Societal Preservation Program
Vault-Tec Corporation
Vault-Tec Instructions: Attachment A
Vault 101 will not receive a G.E.C.K. module, and should operate under the guidelines laid forth in the Overseer's sealed orders.
Vault-Tec Instructions: Vault-Tec Scientific Entry: The G.E.C.K.
The G.E.C.K. is, quite simply, the most advanced piece of technology ever developed by Vault-Tec. A terraforming module capable of creating life from complete lifelessness. After riding out the storm of nuclear Armageddon in a Vault-Tec patented vault, residents can then activate the G.E.C.K., and create a new Earthen paradise. Craters and dust will give way to rolling grasslands and sparkling clear water. Of course, due to time and monetary constraints, not every vault will be equipped with a G.E.C.K. module.
(Amanda had to wonder why they included an article on what the G.E.C.K. is even though Vault 101 wasn't given one.)
Open Overseer's Tunnel
Opening...
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To the four's surprise, the desk raised up on extending pistons, while the floor just in front of the desk slid open, revealing a set of stairs leading down. The three looked to Amata, unsure at first, but she gave them a simple nod, assuring them it'd be alright. They headed down and found a steel hatch, along with an electrical switch. They flipped it, putting the desk back in place and hiding the entryway, before continuing onward.
The door led to a dark room lined with steel. It almost looked like a sewer passage. All four turned on their Pip-Boy lights and ventured deeper, turning the corner to find a radroach. Oliver promptly whacked it with ol' Excalibat.
They passed through one more hatch, emerging in an empty room with grated floors and metal plating on the walls. Nothing was in the room aside from some white pipes leading from the floor to the ceiling in a few places, but ahead was an odd-looking indentation in the wall paneling, next to another electrical switch. Oliver stepped forward and flipped it, and the wall slid down to reveal the main entrance room! He hurried out, followed by his best friend, mortal enemy, and sister just on his tail, the hidden door closing behind them. The door to the rest of the vault was locked, so Butch and Amata stood guard on either side while Amanda worked the control panel for the vault door. Butch had his switchblade and pistol, the latter Oliver hoped he wouldn't use in the conventional way, and Amata still had her father's 10mm. Amanda readied her own 10mm pistol from one of the knocked-out guards, just in case more than two came out and one went for her. With a few button presses and a pull of a lever, an alarm sounded in alert, a large piston swinging down from the ceiling to lock into the gear-shaped door and turn it aside. The entire process was accompanied by a mighty screeching of metal against metal, with them only able to stare in awe, to the point they almost didn't notice the two guards enter from the previously locked door. Amata was quick to bash the one on her side on the head with her 10mm, while Butch whacked his on the back of the head with his .44 magnum. It looked like that was all who was coming.
"You did it! You opened the door! My God, I almost didn't think it was possible!" Amata cheered as the four rejoined in front of the control panel.
"No, we did it... Thanks Amanda, thanks Butch, thanks Amata..." Oliver said to them. Butch apparently wasn't used to being thanked. He turned to face away, shifting uncomfortably.
Amanda just smiled, but Amata shook her head.
"No, you didn't need us, Ollie. If anyone can survive out there, it's you and Amanda. The Overseer is right. You're a person who can get things done and done right, even if you don't believe it yourself. I'm sure you won't be alone out there. You'll find people who'll be willing to follow while you lead."
"You're really not coming with us, Amata?" Amanda asked.
Amata shook her head. "No. It's tempting, but I need to stay here. Damage control while you're gone. Butch, too. We may need his muscle."
Amanda giggled, despite Butch turning around to stick his chest out proudly.
"If you catch up with your dad, tell him... I'm sorry. For Jonas, and my father, and everything..." Amata began. She stopped when Oliver hugged her. Amanda did, too. Butch actually joined in, surprisingly.
"Ugh. I'm not used to this lovey-dovey stuff." The Tunnel Snake complained. All three laughed.
Just before they left, Amata and Butch each presented them with some gifts to see them off. From Amata, she gave them some bottles of water and a good wad of money to buy anything out there, while Butch handed Oliver a Nuka-Cola, a bag of Cheezy Poofs, and a tin of Mentats, the latter from the locker in the Overseer's office. The young man became acutely aware that he hadn't eaten all day. He'd have to ration these Cheezy Poofs with Amanda until they got to that town, Megaton. The scouting report said it was nearby, right?
With a final hug and a wave goodbye, Oliver and his older sister Amanda set off out of the vault, the giant steel door closing shut behind them. Up ahead through the cave was a wooden door, decorated with a few skeletons holding protest signs, begging the Vault 101 dwellers to let them in. Oliver was saddened at how privileged his ancestors had been... but for now, he had to think about the future. Find his dad. Get the answers he needed. And, if possible, return to Vault 101 with him. Hopefully the Overseer would've cooled down by then, right? Right?
XXXXXXXXXX
Oliver and Amanda Carpenter would soon be thrust into a new world they would have to quickly adapt to. They would make a great many enemies and friends. But they would not be alone in their travels.
A dog that's lost his master. An ex-Raider, retired but not enjoying it. A slave who knows nothing else. A rebel barber with freedom on his mind. A Brotherhood of Steel soldier who's more machine than woman. A ghoul bodyguard who hates his employer. A super mutant with more mind than most. A robot looking for a cause to fight for. A cyberdog they've known all their life. A lawbringer with wisdom to pass on. A motherly woman stuck at a dead end. A child that hasn't been born yet.
It is these people who Oliver and Amanda Carpenter would come to call allies and friends in their travels. Together, they would surpass insurmountable odds in the name of what is right. They would laugh. They would cry. Maybe... just maybe... they might even love. But most importantly... they would press forward into the annals of history. For the names of Oliver and Amanda Carpenter would be known across the Capital Wasteland in just the coming year. Great change would be brought on by true hearts. But war... War never changes.
XXXXXXXXXX
The sun outside was blinding. At first it seemed like nothing more than an ungodly bright light, but once Oliver's eyes adjusted, he found himself standing on a ledge overlooking a wasteland, a nearby sign saying "scenic overlook." Below him was rubble and the ruins of a dilapidated town down the street, but his gaze wasn't on what was below. It was drawn to that huge blue thing up above. What was that thing? The sky? Wow, it was huge... And the sun was so bright. He couldn't help but wonder if living in the cramped halls of the vault all his life had given him agoraphobia, or something... He was pulled out of his reverie by the voice of his sister.
"Knock knock!" she said to him, smiling.
Oliver quirked an eyebrow. "Knock knock?"
"I thought you could use a joke."
Okay, he'd bite. "Who's there?"
"Botany!"
"Botany who?"
"Botany good digs lately? I'm getting sick of these clothes..." Amanda tugged at her ill-fitting jumpsuit, completely impossible to zip up past her overdeveloped chest.
"Guess we can pick you up something new to wear in Megaton... Amata gave us plenty of money..."
"Oh, good! I hate these bloody jumpsuits, really I do!" Amanda cheered.
Amanda ran ahead, Oliver right on her tail, but he felt something hit him over the head, and heard the sound of his older sister screaming before everything went black...
He came to a moment later, but everything was blurry...
"Easy there, girl. Don't make us waste any bullets now." a male voice said.
"Wat one ya wanna take? We only got the one collar left." a different male voice spoke.
"Seriously? Shit, that went fast..."
"This one looks a bit younger, and a prettyboy. Could be worth more."
"Nah, fuck that. Peach sells better than sausage any day of the week. May even get myself a little taste before we hand 'er over to Eulogy."
"Yeah, 'cause that's what the big man wants; yer sloppy seconds."
"Shut up and get the collar on 'er. We're not that far from Paradise Falls. If ya pick up yer god damn feet we may just make it in time for dinner."
Oliver passed out again a moment after that...
XXXXXXXXXX
Notes
1: Sparky belongs to the FO3Phalanx team (though he's called K-9 in the Phalanx mod).
2: Amanda belongs to Thefourwings.
3: If you take control of the camera using cheat codes during the birth scene, you'll see that Catherine is, in fact, African-American, regardless of selected player race, and even has white hair. James is Caucasian by default.
4: "Cheezy Poofs" are an item in Fallout 2. It's very possible Eric Cartman from South Park's favorite snack was named after them. They can be re-added to Fallout 3 using FOOK2 or the "Cheezy Poofs and Rations" mod.
5: The "Electronic Lock Pick MK II" is an item from Fallout 2. The improved version of the standard Electronic Lock Pick, it is instead used on electronic locks and card readers, whereas the Lock Pick Set and Expanded Lock Pick Set are used on pin and tumbler locks. They were both replaced with bobby pins in Fallout 3, rather nonsensically so for the electronic locks.
