Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Hello everyone I know that it has been a long time since I actually wrote anything so I hope my break has not dulled my writing skills. Hopefully I can continue my other stories. If I cannot than I'm afraid I'll have to delete them. What I want to do in this story is create a version of The Lone Wanderer that is unique. Something that we can all relate to, in some way shape or form, this is my attempt. Hopefully I'll succeed. No this isn't a Lone Wanderer dies and goes back to the past.

"Talking"

Thoughts

Beast

*****BEGINNING TRANSMISSION*****

Name: Abaddon Mal Goes by: Mal

Weapons: N/A

Apparel: Vault 101 Jumpsuit, Standard issue boots, Headphones, Hermonica, Black trench coat, Bible

Strength: 10

Intelligence: 10

Perception: 9

Agility: 9

Luck: 9

Endurance: 9

Charisma: 9

Perks: Almost Perfect, Commando, Daddy's Boy, Finesse, Lady Killer, Light Step, Silent Running, Jury Rigging and Strong Back.

(Note: I know that some of these perks are acquired later on in the game however, in this story he's being taught skills from his father who doesn't hide the past from him. Thus explaining the Commando perk which increases accuracy in V.A.T.S. Daddy's Boy self-explanatory, However, Almost perfect, Lady Killer, Light Step, Silent Running, and Strong Back are all skills that Abaddon has worked on for the first 18 years of his life with the help of Beast.)

Characteristics:

Gender: Male

Race: (Rare) American Indian/Filipino

Height: 5'1"

Age: 18

Blood Type: O+

Physical description: The first thing to notice about Abaddon is that he is shorter than average. Unfortunately it is unlikely that he will grow any taller seeing as he has reached the age of 18. Abaddon has black hair that is always shaved to a professional flat top. He has brown eyes slightly tan skin and has a strong jaw structure. He has three scars. A small one between his nose and upper lip where a falling pipe hit and spilt the skin down to the teeth, with stitches it healed up quickly leaving only a faded scar. A slightly jagged scar flows from his left cheek down to his chin. A product of a pip boy explosion, while working on a damaged pip-boy Abaddon's hand was hit by a boy named Butch (for details ask the overseer) which caused the small nuclear reactor in the pip-boy to go into critical mass, Abaddon managed to throw the damaged pip-boy into a containment unit, built for such purposes, before it could explode which would have brought the whole vault crashing down on us. The damaged pip-boy was safely contained but not before a shard from the containment unit broke off due to the explosive force and hit Abaddon resulting in the scar. With immediate surgery he was able to regain full function of his mouth, face and hearing. The last scar is located on his right hand where a kitchen knife was accidentally run through his hand. Further investigation revealed that Abaddon was thoroughly intoxicated before trying his new game called chicken fingers. No other attempts have been tried, at least none that are known about. Although weighing 200 pounds, only 8 percent is fat making him one of the fittest persons in the vault. He runs five miles on the treadmill with ease and it is suspected that if pushed he can run easily run 10 miles in 2 hours. He is also the strongest person in the vault. A prime candidate for security if it were not for his almost perfect scores, he ranks first in his class slightly beating Amata (The overseer's daughter) by a few points. He has shown great aptitude with fixing and repairing, vault systems and pip-boys with his nimble fingers. He wears the standard Vault 101 jumpsuit and is usually seen with a pair of makeshift headphones attached to his pip-boy. He is highly remarkable for his age.

Position: Officially Priest.

Unofficially: Head Technician, doctor/assistant, Repairman, musician, chef, and Psychologist.

Job Description(s): When Abaddon took the G.O.A.T, he was assigned the position Priest. The last time anyone was appointed to be a priest was a hundred and fifty years ago. Sadly the position has been vacant and no one has step in to fill the spot. Current census shows that a priest would be more detrimental than a benefit. Current population puts little faith in Christianity and thus would not benefit from sermons and other such services. Despite this Abaddon has taken to wearing a black trench coat and carries a bible. He has made no attempt to push Christianity onto the vault population, for which most are grateful for. Instead he was allowed to work in several different fields that need his skills. He is unofficially the Head Technician and under his direction made three improvements that allowed duct work to be done easier, made air filters more efficient as well as spotted a few glitches in the sprinkler system and fixed them so that they would actually work. Thank goodness no fires have happened in the second and third floor, who knows how many would have died. Abaddon also, is capable of becoming a doctor and has helped with a few cases of appendicitis and several cases that required reattachment as well as a few other unique situations. He is a capable repairman and has fixed numerous environmental functions in the vault, increased agriculture production, and as a chef and psychologist has increased the morale of the vault population in district 1. Suicides which have been increasing lately have suddenly dropped to zero. Abaddon has shown an interest in music. However, since the last "true" Musician in the vault died shortly after the vault was shut, he has been left with no one to teach him how to use the music equipment. Surprisingly Abaddon has nevertheless gained great skill in playing the harmonica, guitar, drums, bass, singing and the piano and has been holding a few talent nights in the dining room; this helps morale, and usually gives the junior members of the vault occupied.

Delinquency Report: Abaddon has had a few run in's with the local "Gang" The tunnel snakes. Usually this turns into fights that end with the members of the tunnel snakes going to the doctor's office for bruises, a rare broken bone and concussions. No grievances were ever charged. He has been suspected of rumors however, nothing can be linked. Other than the instance with the dangerous game of "Chicken fingers" nothing has been reported on Abaddon.

Signed by: James Mal

*****END TRANSMISSION*****

Since the beginning, from the time bacteria lived in heated vents on a frozen planet, our species has struggled to survive, from fighting off predators and diseases, to adapting to walking on land. This lead to opposable thumbs, and the ability to walk upright, and as survival instinct demanded, we evolved until we could eventually use tools in every way shape and form. To build, farm, and even to kill, combined with the will to survive, our ancestors pulled themselves from the muck of the primitive world, and slowly crawled into a world which worshiped technology as a God.

As our technology took a bigger role in our lives, making leaps and bounds in various fields and strengthening our nations, nobody wanted to see the festering wounds, the corruption growing in the governments, the growing hostilities of even the smallest nations, or even the most important that the world could not take on the demands of the world. The resources were drying up quickly and anyone who disillusioned to the false world view of never ending prosperity was hushed up, by either bribes, jail time, or sometimes, they just disappeared.

Eventually, no government could hide the secret anymore, and suddenly the truth that the world would run out of resources of all types, spilled into the civilian population. And then there was chaos and an arms race began. During the confusion a company called Vault-tec arose and gave the upper class hope. Vaults with all the modern day conveniences and the comforts of home were being constructed. Thousands funneled money into the small company in hopes of saving themselves and their families. Eventually when the end finally came and the nations of the world launched their nukes the rich found themselves in the protection of hundreds of vaults. However, none but a select few knew the twisted designs that most vaults contained, the horrors that would be faced. The few vaults that survived emerged from their sheltered homes to a land full of dangers ranging from radiation to raiders to Super mutants. In vault 101 when the inhabitants first closed the doors they remained shut. It is here you are born and it is here you will die…or so we are told.

This is the story of my life and like most stories it begins with a prelude. My first memory is of blinding lights, someone screaming and the last desperate gasp of someone fighting for their life. I was a killer the moment I came into this world, with my mother being my first victim. I never blamed myself for her death nor did I feel the hot brand of resentment from my father. In fact my father was a very sensible man. He understood that nothing could have been done with the 200 year old equipment that had been primarily used in a science lab in a rusted out boat. However, although my father was a rational and logical man, his heart was never the same after my mother, Katherine died and after a short time he left his team and his project to find somewhere safe to raise the last link to his wife.

Eventually my father reached Megaton, a small bastion of humanity that wasn't run by raiders, slavers or super mutants. From there he learned of an unopened vault tucked away in a hill side. Never opened and completely untouched from the wasteland of today. He was warned however, that nobody had found a way to get inside nor had there been any signs of the inhabitants ever leaving. Somehow my father was able to contact and convince the overseer, one Alphonse Almodovar, to let my father and I in on the merits of being a doctor, which was sorely needed since the last doctor recently passed away unexpectedly without passing on his knowledge to a successor.

A short notice before we continue with this story, do not take my father's lack of resolve for weakness, my father was raised as a product of rape, sold as a slave to the Pitt, and when he showed a knack for doctoring was given books, and hands on practice on slaves, and raiders alike. Eventually he escaped and made it back to the wasteland where he saved Katherine from a group of slavers with only a straight razor. Which under normal circumstances would be impossible, however our family has always done the impossible and in fact it brings me to an important part of not only mine and my father's story but the overall story of my ancestors.

My father…had something in him. Something deadly and fierce if not a little deranged and he could feel it taking control of his limbs whenever he was in danger and could not protect himself. We simply call it Beast, and it has not made any objections to the name. In fact it rather likes the moniker. From what we gather it passes down from father to son, while controllable it is rather dangerous when we allow it to take control of our bodies. However, the benefits of having Beast in us were quicker reflexes, stronger bodies and strong minds in fact it's what helped my father survive a life of beatings, radiation, and the Pitt. All it asked of us is some form of entertainment, which usually results in surprisingly music. It's excuse…

Hold on a second I can explain it. You see since the dawn of time you pathetic mortals.

Shut up and get on with it. If you're not going to be serious then I'm going to tell it.

Fine, geez don't have to be so sensitive. I like music. It calms me down. There happy?

Like you wouldn't believe, seriously I'm ecstatic.

Oh shut up and start the story.

Very well, as I've said before my father gained us access to vault 101 and that is where we lived and I grew up. My childhood was very interesting to say the least. With the help of Beast and my father I developed skills faster than normal for any child. I learned how to read medical textbooks when I was four. I learned how to play instruments from the memories of my ancestors that Beast shared with me. I was taught how to talk to a woman like a lover, how to dance, and how to say something and when to say it to either damage a reputation or build a friendship. I also learned practical skills as well, such as how to build a car from the ground up, fix a pip-boy, and hack into a computer.

These types of skills I practiced on my fellow vault members. I remember watching in amusement as they acted how I wanted them to act and do the things I wanted them to do. Understand that none of it was malicious, after all it would not do to have unneeded attention on me. It would interrupt my other studies. My father taught me how to act in public and although Beast would help, it knew that its specialty lied in the shadows and on the battlefield. My father was too busy to teach me the needed skills necessary for our plan. So with Beast's tutelage I developed my knowledge in more…unsavory practices.

Damn straight you did. One of my best students, I remember the first time you put the skills to the test. It was…delightful.

It was practical and needed to be done.

Yes, of course it was. Still doesn't mean I can't enjoy it.

As is your nature to enjoy it.

With practice on a makeshift dummy and Beast's instruction I learned how to disable a man with my hands, kill him and then bring him back to life. I learned where to place a knife to incapacitate, kill or inflict pain. I could list various torture methods in alphabetical order forwards and back. I knew how to apply pressure on a garrote. I also learned various skills and methods to blend in. With the BB gun I got from my dad on my tenth birthday I was taught how to shoot targets from various distances, judge and calculate various factors. Hand to hand skills I practiced with my dad, which kept us both sharp and limber. Those were good times. Eventually though, we all learn that good times can only last for so long...You can wake up now.

"WAKE UP!" A resounding smack echoed in the enclosed room. I reacted on instinct, I quickly pushed my attacker off and with a speed that no one had seen me move with pushed them up against the wall and held a thin, needle like shiv to their eye. Only when I saw who it was in my darken room did I release my grip and put the shiv down. She didn't even know how close she was to death.

"Amata, you could have been killed." We both take a sigh of relief, her for making it to my room, and me for her not realizing that I was a second from shoving a sharp piece of metal through her eye.

"I know, still I had to risk it. The vaults going insane, your father left, there's a fire in the lower levels. The sprinkler system is keeping it contained and is putting it out. It's a miracle that only a few people have died. Still the Radroaches have gotten in and are causing problems." She went to the window and looked out for guards.

"What the fuck? No…no…it's too early we needed another year at the least." I sat back on my bed and rubbed my temples.

"You knew this was going to happen?" Amata looked shocked as was her right, unfortunately the look in her eyes showed she was about to become hysterical. I got up and grabbed her by the shoulders

"There's no time Amata. Right now there is more at stake here then the vault, you need to trust me." She took a deep breath and nodded. Slowly I let her go. She took a deep breath and broke it down for me.

"My father ordered the guards to detain everyone that was suspected of helping your father. He said something about finding out what James had been working on. They…captured Jonas…I saw them beat him to death." She hiccupped and sobbed. I pulled her into a hug knowing that if I hadn't she wouldn't be able to keep herself together and tell me what I needed to know.

"Did he tell the overseer anything?" I could barely hide my anxiety.

"No, no he didn't. God Mal, there was so much blood…and the way his skull just caved in." Amata finally broke down and wept openly and I pushed the fury in my chest down, anger had no use here.

I sat her down on my bed before getting my jumpsuit, my boots and my trench coat on. Quickly I stored the bobby pins and the extra jumpsuits inside my pip-boy the sudden flash of light saved my life as I saw the reflection of a security guard's nightstick in the window. I immediately step back and feel the security guard's elbow hit my shoulder quickly I grabbed his joint and using his momentum flipped him over my back. I could tell by the sound of him landing that I had broken his arm and knocked him out.

Sloppy work Abaddon. I taught you better.

Shut up.

I turned around quickly and saw another security guard had Amata in a hostage position with his left hand over her mouth and the right hand holding a 10mm pistol pointed at my chest.

"Don't move Mal. The overseer said that he needs to see you and I wouldn't want to hurt Amata if you decided to try and take me out." He had a victorious smirk on his face.

"You haven't won yet." Without thinking I palmed the shiv I had almost used on Amata and before he could react sent it flying into his eye. He fell down without a word and slouched against my bed, blood immediately staining the sheets a dark red. I don't feel sick as I turn his head and pull the blade out of his eye.

I might need this later.

I hear a gunshot and immediately turn and see Amata pointing a gun at the guard that I had knocked out. A gun drops out of his hand as he lets out a gasp and I see Amata lean against the wall.

"Amata hand me the gun." I keep my eyes on her as I slowly take the smoking 10mm pistol from her. I absentmindedly put it in a holster that I had hidden away in my coat. Slowly I grabbed her shoulders and force her to look at me.

"It was him or me. You had a decision to make and you made it. Life's full of tough decisions Amata. Sometimes that includes who lives and who dies. If you ever had a hope of becoming overseer, now you know what kind of power your father has and what type of burden he carries. Don't blame him and don't blame me and my father. There is no black or white. Only grey." I saw that my words had helped her to keep her composure and I quickly look to gather everything that was left.

"Mal.." She sounded like she was about to faint. I turned and barely caught her as she collapsed on me.

Carefully I placed her on my bed and made sure that all the makeshift knives I had hidden would not accidently hurt her. I looked down at the two bodies and with a quick flash stored the excess mass on my pip-boy leaving the dead guards in their boxers and t-shirts, I can look over their gear later. I do not recognize them. Although the vault population is dwindling there were still enough people in the vault where you would not know everyone. There were five districts that contained around 200 or so each.

I grabbed each one under their arms and dragged them out of my room. Before I knew it I was sweating. Each guard weighed a hundred and ninety pounds. Along with the added mass of the stored equipment I had in my pip-boy it was a work out. After the last body was out of the room I checked on Amata. After a quick look over I could see all she needed was time to heal. I looked around the room for the last time before I flicked the light switch off. The red light from the emergency lights bathed the room in a vibrant pink. I rigged the door to only open from the inside before I closed the door to the small apartment. I walked down the hallway with a bat in my hand doing as I had been trained. I heard before I saw the guard running down the hall and watched as he stopped just three feet in front of me.

"STOP IN THE NAME OF THE OVERSEER!" His remark made me sneer.

Before I could make any remark a faint creaking sound came from the ceiling followed by a deafening crash as the air duct burst opened. Ten Radroaches fell down and attached them to the guards' body quickly biting down, the guard had no time to protect himself as one of the larger Radroaches clamped down on his jugular and tore out a chunk of flesh. He died in a few seconds taking only one of the bastards with him. I took the opportunity to use my baseball bat to smash the rest. This time I only took the guards pistol, baton, and whatever ammo he had on him.

Poor bastard didn't even have a chance. At least he had a quick death.

We should all be so lucky.

I harvested what I could from the dead Radroaches, after all where I'm going there won't be a food processor handy. Their rancid meat only weighing a few pounds barely slowed me down as I jogged along the corridors.
"HEY MAN STOP YOU GOTTA HELP ME!" I feel a hand grab my shoulder, I feel Beast take control, I grabbed his hand, turn and slam him face first into the wall. My other hand reaches for the shiv and I press it against the base of his neck.

"HEY MAN, I DON'T WANT TROUBLE I NEED YOUR HELP!"

"Butch? I thought you were a guard."

"Well I ain't. Let me go!"

I pull the blade away from his neck and place it in the folds of my coat. I watch as one hand holds his forehead while his other massages his wrist.

"I need your help my mom is stuck in the room with Radroaches." Butch looked almost on the verge of crying. I guess it is my fault he's afraid of them, I did lock him in a supply closet with a small cluster of Radroach eggs when he was younger.

I don't even wait for him to finish his sentence I press the key pad and walk into the domicile that he and his mother shared. I open his mother's room and quickly set to work dispatching the Radroaches. My bat is more than enough to break through their shells. I looked over at Butches mother and see her crying, she has numerous small wounds but nothing serious. I walk to the dresser and pour some vodka into a small shot glass. I hand it to her only for her to shake her head and pass it back.

"You can have it. I think this is God's way of telling me it's time to give up the sauce." I don't say anything as she slowly got up and opened the door only to get pulled into a hug by Butch.

She hugs him back which catches both Butch and I off guard. This had to be the first type of affection Butch had ever received from his mother. He cried. I silently push past them and make sure the door is locked for their safety before I continue my jog to the overseer's office. It was the only other way to get out.

I take the long way around the vault to avoid running into a mass of guards. I traveled quickly, passing through three other districts, taking time to stop by my father's doctor's office, to pick up doctor bags, med-x whatever of value I can find. I opened the safe behind the small portrait and take everything in there; I have no time to look. I don't look back as I close the door and continue on my way.

I salvage and helped whoever I could, three more guards die. It seems like a blur. My shiv breaks on the spine of the third guard. I use my hands so that I don't waste anymore of my precious weapons. I don't want to use pistols; I can't shoot a thing with them. The bb gun may as well be a club. The bb pellets won't do the damage I need. I kill two more. I do it quick and silently with my hands turning their heads with brute force and speed. I dislike the noise their necks make. I take what I can from their bodies. I open the door and see a guard before he sees me. I'm already disarming him, before he can get a word out. I have my hands in the perfect place around his head and neck

"WAIT!" And to my surprise I do. In my blood haze I had failed to I.D Gomez. I take my hands off his neck.

"Sorry Gomez. I…didn't recognize you." I look down at my hands. I see specks of blood lightly cover them. He doesn't notice.

"That's alright son. I understand. The overseer's been raising hell and everything in it. He keeps going on about bringing you in and making you pay. Look I don't understand why he's doing everything he's done, heck, I don't know what you and your father are up to and I don't want to know. Just get out of here and I'll pretend I didn't see you." We shake hands. No words are exchange just a quick nod.

He turns and walks away, and I continue my lonely trek through the halls. By now the fire is put out, the air filters work their best to clean the air. They work, and the barely noticeable dark tint in the air goes away. I saved a lot of lives with my modifications. I'm closing in on the overseer's office when I hear it. The sound of a familiar voice in pain and for some reason it pierces my soul and I can't stop myself from sprinting into the room. I ignore the shock faces and barely notice the 10mm go off twice. One bullet reaches its destination and rests in the head of Officer's Mack's the other hits the Overseer in the knee. He screams as he hits the floor clutching the wound. I see Amata crying tied to a chair. On the left side of her face blood pours out of a jagged wound, and I can see her teeth stained with blood, she spits out a mixture of blood and saliva.

"I...I didn't tell them anything." Tears run down her face and my heart beats painfully in my chest.

"I know…I know." I grabbed the small knife Officer Mack used on her face and cut the rope holding her hands. Her arms fall limply by her side and I quickly pull her back so she slumps against her chair instead of falling off. I kneel before her and check her wound. It was deep but would heal properly if a trained physician looked after it. I search my pip-boy and materialize a med-x. I lightly take her wrist and inject it into her vein.

"You little shit! I knew from day one that you would be trouble. I knew I would regret my mistake. You're nothing but trash!" The Overseer's veins stand up against his skin. A small pool of blood surrounds his leg, and blood slowly seeps out between his hands. He would survive, barely. I don't say anything as I grab his arm and pull him to the bed inside the cell. On the way I lift a pair of hand cuffs off of the cooling body of Officer Mack and cuff him to the leg of the bed.

"You ungrateful punk, I should have left you two to fend for yourself. But, no I was weak. My wife needed a doctor and all she gave birth to was a useless girl!" He snarled. I put all my strength into my right arm as it comes down and slap him across the face.

"Your daughter was the best thing that came out of you. You should be grateful." I take off the overseer's belt and wrap it around his leg in a tourniquet.

I left him in there screaming but not before I took the password from his pip-boy. I opened the lockers in the security room, for that is indeed where I noticed finally where we were at, and took spare ammo, clips, weapons, water bottles and some of the better armors. Amata stayed silent as she watched me. The med-x had temporarily dulled her pain. No guards were coming so I felt no need to rush. I walked over took out my doctor bag from my pip-boy and silently worked cleaning her face of dried blood with rubbing alcohol, she winces slightly. I grabbed a needle and thread and stich her up. The final stich ended with a final snip of the scissors and then carefully injected her with a stimpack. I handed her a mirror.

"There'll be a scar; stimpacks can only do so much. I'm sorry." I truthfully felt bad. She didn't deserve this. Not for my crimes and not for my father.

"It's not bad…" Her voice was hoarse and her eyes were blood shot.

"Can you walk?" I lightly grab her hand and pull her up when she nods in response.

I make her lean against me as we walk toward the Overseer's apartment. As I press the open button on the key pad I hear a gunshot and feel a small bit of wind barely touch the back of my head. I had no time for finesse as I pushed her into the apartment, closed the door behind us and used whatever remained in the 10mm on the key pad putting the door in lock down mode. The only way they could get to us now would be through the vents, or had a blow torch to melt the bullet proof glass. I would know I installed them.

"Amata get into your room and pack everything you have." I quickly pull her up from the floor.

"I'm coming with you?" She looked startled and frightened. Obviously she had not even thought about leaving the vault seriously. But there was no other option left besides dying.

"It wasn't in the original plan, but I can't let you stay here. Your father is on the verge of a nervous breakdown and who knows what he will do when he finds you. That scar will be the least of your worries and that's if it won't get infected. I'm the only one left who can properly treat you Amata. I won't have you die just because you won't go with me. Pack whatever extra clothes you can carry and the water to. Take your bobby pins, trust me we will need them." She only hesitates for a few seconds before she nods and runs into her room. She didn't notice that the overseer had brought Jonas body from the lab and left it on the ground in the living room.

I quickly drag him around the corner and hide his body behind a pillar. I search him once over to see if he had anything important. A holodisk from dad was all he had. He had deserved better than this, he was a friend and one of the few people who believed in the Bible and God down in the vault. A dozen memories flash through my eyes and I decide my course of action. I pull the small black leather book from the confines of my trench coat and run my fingers over its familiar face before opening it. No one knew why I always had it on me, I was an Agnostic, and I held very little if no love for the God of Christianity. I opened the book and inside a crevice was cut into the pages and in it laid one of the few things that my father had given me and brought into the vault. A black handle, nicked, but smooth rested in its nest. I grabbed the familiar handle and immediately feel Beast flick it open revealing a shining and perfect, gleaming straight razor.

My love how long it has been.

I gazed at it like the first time my father handed it to me…

Flash Back

"Now son what I am about to give you is something that has been with me since The Pitt. It's had a long, sad history but used for our purpose, maybe it can redeem itself." James pulled a box from under his bed before opening the lid. I could not contain a gasp as I saw it.

"This straight razor here…"He flicked it open in a casual sort of way before he flipped it closed.

"Has served me well and now it is time for you to learn how to use it. Its name is…"

Flash Back End

"Dark Blade." I whispered as I placed the book on Jonas chest and put his arms crossed over it.

"Mal I got everything. What are you doing?" Amata leaned around the corner but I was faster. I stored Dark Blade in my pocket and pushed her back gently.

"Nothing just checking if we had everything, come I need to get everything out of your father's computer." I rushed into her father's office and slide over the top of his desk and log into his computer files.

"Why do we need to do that?"

"Contrary to popular belief, the vault has been opened twice, once for an expeditionary mission and a second time for me and my dad." I hear her gasp and I swear I can hear the cogs in her head begin to turn.

"So everything was a lie? Why hasn't anyone told us? And why have we stayed here all this time instead of going out into the world?" I took a second to think about what I was going to say.

"Your father was right to keep this a secret and have everyone tell their kids that the door was never and never could be opened."

"WHAT? HOW COULD YOU AGREE WIT H HIM? LOOK WHAT HE DID TO ME?" She immediately covered her left side. Out of pain or grief I couldn't tell but I didn't turn away from my work.

"Don't do that, you'll tear your stitches. Tell me do you know how many vaults were made? Do you know how many of them were jury rigged with crazy experiments and how many people died? Do you know how many vaults are still operating? I do. Exactly 8 vaults, do you know how many there originally were, 122, each containing a thousand people, a thousand times a 122 and that comes out to 122,000, barely a single percent of the population at the time although still enough to repopulate America and the world. Out of all those people and all those vaults only a few vaults were able to make it safely through time and radiation, which brings us to about 17 vaults free of twisted experiments and one vault that survived with its social experiment, luckily Vault 101 only had to deal with the experimental question "What would happen if the inhabitants were told the door would never reopen?" You and the rest of this vault were lucky Amata. Like I said before only 8 of the 18 vaults are still running, the other ten vaults either killed its inhabitants from cave in's or whatever else, or the inhabitants were driven into the wasteland, who knows if they survived or not. After all the wasteland didn't exactly kill off the rest of the tattered shreds of humans, although humanity as the ideal is rarely seen due to short life expectances and what not, if it's not the raiders, slavers or dangers that kill you, then watch out for the death claw behind you. My point is that if this vault was opened anything could get in. The worst thing isn't getting stuck in a hole for the rest of your life Amata. Your father misguided as he is saved the inhabitants from many a painful death." As I said the last word I punched in the last key. All the files were immediately transferred into my pip-boy. I pressed the entrance button and turned around just to see Amatas shocked face as the U shaped desk lift up revealing a staircase.

"Now we need to go." I got up from the chair I was sitting on and walked down the stairs I stopped midway noticing Amata was not following me.

"If what you say is true, then why are you heading out there? Why are we leaving and risking our lives to get into this wasteland as you affectionately call it." She scowled the movement obviously caused her pain as she quickly moved her face into a more neutral position.

"Because I believe that the human race can be salvaged. That we can become better, better than the old world and better than this new one. I believe that it doesn't have to be like this. Things need to change Amata." I looked into her eyes.

"And who will bring these changes, you? Your father? God?" She was still skeptical as she should be. I'm asking a lot but I still can't help chuckle as she said God.

"You know that I never cared much for God Amata. I don't see him too much these days you know. But, if I have to make these changes by myself, I will, I don't care what's on the outside of this vault. I will gather the remnants of whatever's still alive there and forge them into what I need them to be. What our species needs them to be." And as I said it I believed it and she believed it to. I held out my hand.

"Don't fail Mal." She lightly placed her hand in mine.

"You know I won't." I lightly guided her down the stairs and pressed the button on the wall. The desk lowered and covered the staircase.

I opened the maintenance door and stomp down hard on a Radroach. I had forgotten my bat outside the door of the security office. I had only just noticed that but I didn't care I had Dark Blade and as I pulled it out the bright blade gleamed a low red glow due to emergency lights still being on. In that moment I never realized how incomplete my arm felt. The satisfied sensation that my body felt was almost addicting and its power gave me the strength I never knew I had. For the third time that day I let instinct guide me. My right arm blurred as I killed dozens of Radroaches jumping at us cutting them in half, my left hand still held Amata's and after two minutes we reached the final door to the vault's entrance. I opened it quickly and pulled her in before tightly shutting the door behind us. I put Dark Blade back into my pocket and walked to where the control box was Amata closely followed me.

"Are you ready for this?" She nodded and lightly grabbed my hand.

I pull the lever and she covers her ears as the alarm goes off. I watched as the two hundred year old arm latches itself into the gear before pulling it back causing an ear screeching noise that only metal on metal can create, then disconnecting allowing it to roll to the right revealing dust and a dimly lit tunnel.

"HURRY UP WE NEED TO GET INTO THE ENTRANCE BAY! WE CAN'T LET THEM ESCAPE!"

"Guards, Amata we have to go!"

I knew they weren't going to use batons, I knew they weren't going to say stop. I knew there was going to be no warning before they pulled out their 10mm pistols and killed us. I picked her up before she could respond and carried her the remaining twenty feet out of the vault. I could hear shots being fired even as I let her down and pulled the lever on the outside Control console. As if sensing my urgency the arm quickly pulled and pushed the vault gear back into place, shutting it once again from the harshness of the world.

"Well…That was heavy" Before I could say anything else I felt a hand smack my face right into the stone wall.

"What the hell!" I held my face and willed the pain to go down.

HAHAHAHA. Oh Mal, she got you good didn't she. I told you she was a feisty one.

Shut up!

"That's what you get!"

"For what? I just ran through the entire vault, saved and protected you. For a reward I'm slapped and into a wall no less." The pain dies down and I wipe my bloody nose.

"I slapped you because you said I was heavy." She crossed her arms and huffed in annoyance.

Women, they only hear what they want to hear.

Oh genius did you figure that out just right now. At this very moment in time?

You know she's…

Feisty I know.

I was going to say hot but feisty to.

Now is not the time.

"Listen we almost got killed, I'm wearing about three hundred pounds of gear, we are going into a hellish wasteland, we are surrounded by bones at the moment and the situation we are in is heavy. I wasn't even talking about you." I stomped on a rib to get my point across.

"Oh…well then this was just warning in case you call me heavy." I sigh, women.

"Okay, well before we go any further we need to get you into better clothing. This vault suit is going to get you killed." I quickly search through my pip-boy for the best pieces of security armor from the vault.

"Get me killed? What about you?" She questioned and pointed at me.

"Well the thing is I know enough not to get my head blown off, shot, and/or stabbed. Besides my trench coat has a thin layer of metal between the inner and outer layers. It'll protect me well enough. Ah, here." I materialize a security helmet with a tinted visor which blocked out anyone from seeing her face completely along with a baggy vault security suit and bullet proof vest.

"What trying to cover me up Mal. Jealous of other guys making moves on me? I don't think you have to worry with this scar on my face." I smile a bit at her little joke. She's slowly recovering mentally. But my smile turns into a frown quickly. She notices.

"What?" She grabs the stuff from my hands.

"You're right I am trying to cover you up. But, not because of what you think. Out there…well let's just say there are no rules Amata. You take what you want if you're strong enough."

I don't have to spell out my message. She understands. She dons on the security armor in a bright flash. The bagginess of the clothes hides her femininity and provides her a shield as long as she doesn't talk. I pull on a pair of sunglasses and a cowboy hat I scavenged from the chaos of the vault. I put on black gloves and squeeze my hands making sure they fit nicely.

"It's night out there, we will start in the morning. Why don't you look over your armor get used to it. When we are out there we can't be fumbling with where we put our ammo or grenades." She laughs I don't. She goes about discovering the functions and ways she can move in her gear.

"I'll see what we have and divide up the load on what we need and what's fair. I'll only give you what you can handle."

She nods. A bright flash lights up the room and the acquired weight we had both gained lifted off our bodies as the mass went back into their original forms. Immediately I divide up the food and water. I give her more than half. If we ever got separated she would need it more than me. I keep most of the apparel with me giving her a few pieces in case she needed to fix her own armor. For the miscellaneous items I held onto them to, if we ever ran into a merchant caravan or a settlement, she wouldn't know how to bargain or know if she was being robbed until later. I gave her pile a 20 stimpacks for quick emergencies; I kept the addictive substances with me along with the doctor bags and only 3 stimpacks. Lastly the weapons and ammo, I give her three of the 10mm pistols that are in the best shape and keep the fourth one I picked up on me. I gave her most of the 10mm bullets only leaving myself with 3 full clips to her 50. I keep my bb gun and pellets. They wouldn't do anything to someone with eye protection but for someone who didn't have any eye protection; it would go straight through their eye ball and rattle around inside their skulls. I gave her a proper combat knife in case someone wanted to get up close and personal and kept the rest of my homemade shiv's and Dark Blade on me.

"Is that all we have?" Amata leaned over my shoulder.

"Yeah, it's not much but it's something. Have you adjusted yourself to your armor?" I quickly store my pile into my pip-boy.

"I guess so. As much as I can at the moment, can I have another dose of med-x? The pain is starting to come back." She took off her helmet and sat with her back against the wall. I activate the light on my pip-boy as I kneel next to her and inspect the wound.

"I told you not to shout, you're lucky you didn't tear your stitches open. While I get everything ready why don't you store your pile into your pip-boy? Leave out a pistol and about 3 clips." I brought out my doctors bag and started to disinfect the needle and thread.

"Why?" She wasn't doing it on purpose but I could feel her warm breath against the side of my neck. I move a little bit away discreetly disguising it as moving into a better position.

"You need to practice conserving ammo and remaining armed at all times. What you got on you right now is all we have. I don't know if that guard in my room was an accident or not. But, the next time I want you to shoot, I want you to fire like you were been born with a .44 in your hand." She giggled a little despite the pain.

"Who's to say I wasn't?" We both laughed a little. It was silent after that except for the occasional hiss of pain as I fixed my patch job. As I injected her with another dose of med-x her eyes lazily began to close.

"Hey Mal?" I turned to my doctor's bag.

"What's up?" I gently put in the glass of rubbing alcohol, empty syringes, needle and thread.

"Will it be easier the next time I…kill someone." I clicked the bag closed before I turn to her with a sigh.

"It's a hell of a thing killing a man. You take away everything he has, and everything he will ever have. For some people it's easy, and for others it's hard. But, always remember that there is no black and white, line in the sand or a clear definite definition of right or wrong. In the end it's just you and that person on the other end of a barrel. No one else can decide what you do. But, if you want me to answer your original question then yes. It gets easier. Just don't let it eat at you. Innocents die, and so do bad guys. It's our duty to help people, but we have to decide carefully how to help them and who to help." I can hear her breathing steadily getting slower and her eyes are fully closed.

"Thanks Mal. I'm gonna…fall." I gently put a hand on her shoulder and lay her on her back. Her clothes should keep her warm.

Time to get to work Abaddon.

I groan slightly, my body was strong but today the only thing keeping me running was paranoia. I didn't want to be killed by some raider shit or punk. I didn't want anything to happen to Amata. I grabbed some surgical tubing and started booby trapping the entrance to the tunnel. If anyone wanted to kill us, they would lose something in return. I set the trap so that if someone were to push the wooden door open the surgical tube would launch three shivs into the unwary intruder's chest. I add a few more traps before finally allowing myself to sit down and relax. My muscles ache to the bone and I let out a pained hiss as I massage my legs.

You did well today pup. But, when you go out through that door, you can't be sloppy. The last thing I need is to spend eternity in pitch darkness because you couldn't do something properly.

I lean my head back and feel the cold stone against my scalp.

I know. I'll be more careful. There will be no mistakes. Nothing will distract me.

What about the girl? She's a distraction. A distraction you can't seem to ignore…

Something feral in my chest bares its fangs and I can feel rage. A low audible growl reverberates in my throat only stops when I see Amata's eyes flutter.

Amata will not be harmed. I'll put her somewhere safe and protected. Megaton would be perfect. She will be out of the way. But, you know the pain I can cause Beast. Do not make the mistake of fucking around with me.

I can hear him growling but not in anger which surprises me but in pride.

Good kid. Protect what's yours. That's what your father and I have taught you. She will insist that she come along you know. You might as well take her. She isn't one to be cooped up. Ha. You're growing into a man. Taking on the vault, and saving a helpless damsel in distress.

The way you're describing it, makes it sound as if I should be a comic book hero. Which you and I both know is the farthest from the truth. After all what kind of comic book hero would I be since I killed a few people already?

I don't know spider man?

I'm not a whiney bitch who complains about what to do with my powers, what's happening with a girl, and the moral issues of today. I know what I have to do with the skills I've been taught, I know how to get a woman and keep her, and I know how to deal with the moral issues of today, with one bullet at a time.

Ha ha ha! Good points. All true. But joking aside, I think you have what it takes to be a real hero not this comic book crap or fairy tales.

I have to hear this. What makes you think that I can be a hero?

I think the better question is "What is a hero?" A hero is someone who does what needs to be done. The action may be horrendous, but the positive outcome that happens years later makes the evils of today worth it. Not many people can carry this burden, not many people want to even try. And that's where you come in. You can make the hard choices Abaddon Mal. The choice to kill or to save, build or destroy, to save the city or save the few, think about these carefully Mal. The world is a crazy place. A lot of things can happen. If you don't make these choices will you let others make them for you?

No. The choices are mine and I will decide on what I see fit. You're right; a hero is someone that has to make the hard decisions. I can be a hero not because I want to be but because it seems no one else is willing. I'm not perfect Beast. I'm not the greatest man, nor the brightest, but I can fight, I can win, I can bring about a whole new set of change.

Ha! I just hope the wasteland is ready for the storm that's coming. Good or bad I believe that it will be marvelous to watch this adventure unfold, and damn if it isn't going to be an epic story told for generations and hopefully to the end of time, the story of Malicious Mal,

Malicious Mal…I kind of like the name, rolls off the tongue, and a very apt description when I am pushed to be…less than agreeable with.

I can feel the winds of change my friend. Now if you would, please some music.

I look at my pip-boy and search through the inventory section finally selecting the headphones which causes a small flash of light as it appears in my hands and plug it into the pip-boy uplink. I had made them out of spare parts for the intercoms. With a little tweaking and modification it became the perfect tool to listen to the recordings Amata and I made with a few other friends of ours. I had a vast collection of different songs that we created and I picked a playlist the most suitable for sleep and pressed play. Beast and I stayed silent as the music started up and it stayed that way for a long time as I continued my vigil over the door with my hand on the grip of the 10mm holstered in my coat, waiting for the sun to rise. I looked down at my pip-boy and see that it's 2:15. It's going to be a long night.

Well that's the beginning of this story. I'm hoping you, the readers, enjoyed this chapter. I look forward to writing the next. I'm hoping to get it out by next week. Well reviews are appreciated. Have a good one.

In fallout 3 where can you find the knife "Ant's sting"?