Author's Note:
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN FALLOUT OR THE FALLOUT UNIVERSE! THIS IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!
Summary:Alice Catherine Vann has lived in Vault 101 all her life. It isn't until that fateful day she is torn from everything she knows and is thrown into the real world. She will encounter friends, enemies, and will come to realize what love truly is. Told from the perspectives of those she crosses paths with. WARNING: Contains graphic violence, abuse, and f/f relationships. Don't like, don't read.
Rating: Rated M for depictions of graphic violence, physical and sexual abuse, and female/female relationships which may or may not also contain sexual scenes. I will do my best to clearly mark if the chapter contains allusions to such content, or clearly mark where graphic content starts and ends. EXCEPTION: Fallout is a very violent world. As such, I will not mark or explicitly indicate chapters containing graphic violence if they do not contain sexual abuse. I am assuming those of you who have played the game are the ones reading, so you know what to expect in the universe, and brains being splattered all over the walls is no surprise to you via Wasteland Justice. You've been warned. By proceeding, you agree that you are of 18 years or older and do not have an issue with this.
Pairings: Lone Wanderer and Amata Almodovar, Lone Wanderer and Sarah Lyons
Cover Image: I own the image. I took it in-game and modified it to suit my purposes.
As a head's up, I'm taking the liberty with a few things, most notably, I am giving Sarah more face-time: she will be more involved in the Lone Wanderer's quest (how else are they supposed to fall in love?), but I will try my best to keep her, and everyone else, in character.
I am taking a different approach to the traditional Fallout 3 storyline.
For starters, this will not be written in the perspective of the Lone Wanderer, instead, it's from the perspective of the people she meets. Secondly, I am altering certain characters' time with the Lone Wanderer: e.g. since Sarah Lyons is supposed to be reminiscent of the romantic interest, she will play more of a part in the story. Thirdly, there will be graphic depictions of violence, sexual assault, and female/female relationships (with possible femslash). These scenes will be clearly marked and labeled for those who do not wish to read.
I will also be posting mods I will be referencing within the story at the end of each chapter.
I hope you enjoy it!
WARNING: CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, SECTION IS CLEARLY MARKED!
Chapter One
White light emanated from the fluorescent tubes embedded in the ceiling. The air was stale, almost as if it had been circulated and recycled through the room for over two centuries. The air was cold, kept at a temperature of 67 degrees Fahrenheit in an attempt to keep any and all who entered the room awake. A large, circular desk sat in the center of the room.
Seated at the desk, a man in his late forties meticulously read each sheet of paper before him. His gray hair was cut short while he sported a goatee on his dark face. A white, cushioned seat sat across from the man. To the seat's left, back against the wall, a young woman sat at her own desk in the Northeastern corner of the room.
Tucking a strand of raven black hair behind her ear, the girl sighed, tired yet restless simultaneously. The black, ballpoint pen tapped rhythmically on the desk, bouncing up and down between the two fingers holding it.
"Amata…" the chiding voice of the Overseer silenced the sound immediately.
"Sorry, Daddy." she murmured, staring down at the heap of paperwork in front of her. Twirling circles between her index finger and thumb, the pen's end continued to move, keeping the Overseer's assistant awake after working for several hours during the wee hours of the morning.
At the sound of her father's throat clearing, Amata stopped and looked up from her work. His expression was a firm and unyielding scowl. "You know I don't like it when you make unnecessary sounds, especially with your pen."
"Yes, Daddy."
"Your mother never made such sounds."
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, the raven-haired girl replied, "Yes, Daddy."
You'd think I'd be used to comments like that when he's been comparing me to her all my life.
To her relief, instead of continuing on a rant about her mother from when she was alive, her father returned his attention to his work.
She straightened the pile of Vault Loyalty Inspection reports and, after glancing over Officer Mack's report on Jonas, signed the bottom of the form upon the Overseer's signature line and turned it face down beside her much shorter stack of reviewed reports.
Her eyes rested on the name at the top of the next form: Inspector Vann, her best friend… and secret girlfriend. Raising her cup of coffee to her lips, Amata did her best to hide her smile: reading Alice's reports was always the highlight of her work. She leaned forward to read the memorandum, peering over the rim of her mug as she sipped at her drink. Brown eyes followed each messy line of her lover's handwriting, as she smiled in admiration.
It was simple, both the report and her pleasure, but each report she read from Alice was just like spending time with her, a luxury they could not afford as much anymore since her father kept his eyes on Amata and Chief Hannon Sr. kept his eyes on Alice, both men watching their staff members.
Butch DeLoria. Sex: Male. Age: 19. Occupation: Hairdresser.
Amata recalled the way Alice had complained to her concerning the layout of the report. "It's not like there's a ton of us either! And besides, they have all of our information on record anyway, why do I need to regurgitate it onto this stupid report!?"
As stated in previous reports, upon searching the subject's quarters, a switchblade and several bottles of vodka were found. The bottles in question were of various degrees of use, ranging from full to empty.
A suggestive note from a "C", most likely Christine Kendall, was also located in the subject's quarters: tucked between sets of unkempt and unfolded Vault 101 jumpsuits. The note is attached to this form.
The Overseer's assistant lifted the report and noticed the note in question was paperclipped to the back of the top left corner of the form. She continued to read the report.
In conclusion, the inspector suggests action be taken to avoid unauthorized breeding as well as a follow-up on the actions demonstrated for unauthorized possession of a bladed weapon and over-consumption of alcohol within the residency.
Signed, Inspector Alice Catherine Vann, August 15, 2277
Redirecting her attention to the attached note, Amata mentally prepared herself for what suggestions Christine had made to the hairstylist.
B,
Meet me on the reactor level after curfew. Bring blankets. Come alone, if you like, just make sure he's willing to share.
I'll be waiting.
C
From the way the i's were dotted with hearts and the fact that only one individual in the entire vault had a first name beginning with the letter "C", Amata confirmed Alice's identification of the writer.
"Daddy," Amata started, meeting her father's gaze. "From these reports, I believe it is safe to assume unauthorized breeding may be a factor of concern."
The Overseer leaned forward, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Who are the subjects in question?"
"Butch DeLoria and Christine Kendall."
"Who is the inspector responsible for the investigation?"
Amata swallowed, knowing full well her father would doubt her lover's credibility. "Inspector Vann, Daddy."
As the man lifted his chin and leaned back in his leather chair, the seat squeaked from age. He held out his hand and Amata handed him the report. The man's eyes ran over the form, coming to rest with a grimace at the name signed at the bottom. "What evidence is there?"
"A note, Daddy." Amata procured the small piece of paper in question and presented it to her father.
The man took the note and ran his eyes over it. After an instant, he snorted. "This is hardly 'evidence', Amata."
"But Daddy -"
"Yes, they are breaking curfew, whoever 'B' and 'C' are, but we don't know unauthorized breeding is occurring."
"Why don't we send someone down there to investigate?" Amata suggested.
"A waste of resources," the Overseer waved his hand dismissively. "And a waste of time."
The nineteen year old was persistent. "And what if it's true?"
A hard expression crossed the man's face and Amata thought she would be reprimanded. To her surprise, he inquired, "And whom would you suggest conduct this investigation?"
"The inspector responsible for the report, Inspector Vann."
The Overseer did not seem too keen on the suggested individual. "Wouldn't you want someone more senior or experienced to lead the investigation?"
"Wouldn't you want a more senior or experienced officer working on more important issues? Besides, Inspector Vann conducted the original investigation, wouldn't it be best for her to lead the follow-up?" The young woman quickly added the second sentence when she saw the rage in her father's eyes.
Facial expression unwavering, the Overseer relented, "Very well, Inspector Vann may conduct the follow-up investigation. But if she is wrong, I will ensure Officer Mack will be there to correct her."
Amata's own expression turned dark. She did not appreciate threats to her lover, and as her lover had defended her over the years, Amata was set on defending her in return. "Alice has done nothing wrong! She is simply doing her job! It's not as if she volunteered herself for the investigation! That was my choice!"
"And how do I know that to be true," her father kept his voice steady. "You two have been close ever since you were children, how do I know she hasn't manipulated you to make such a suggestion to further her own career?"
"Alice would never -" Amata cut herself off and took in a breath, attempting to calm herself down. When she refocused, she spoke calmly, "Father, she is my best friend. I trust her. When I become Overseer, I will need to trust someone my age and appoint them as my chief of security."
"Amata, you cannot -"
"And why not? You chose Chief Hannon."
"Perhaps Officer Mack -"
"No, father, when I become Overseer, it will be my choice."
"That will not be for many more years, Amata."
"That gives you plenty of time to grow to trust Alice."
The Overseer stared at his daughter, astonished. He finally managed to say, "I will hear nothing more on the matter. Your 'friend' can perform the investigation but one mistake, and she'll be -"
"If you hurt her, I will never speak to you again." Amata threatened.
"Do not be so brash, Amata. Some individuals must have their behavior corrected."
"And shouldn't the Overseer ensure his people are kept safe? Away from harm?"
"If one must suffer for the good of the Vault -"
"Then I want nothing to do with being the Overseer!"
The man's features softened for a moment. Just a moment. He glanced at his Pip-Boy and sighed. "I have had you working for several hours. Perhaps it is best if you take a break, give you time to cool down and refocus." Amata opened her mouth to object, but her father cut her off with a raise of his hand. "You can tell your friend she has the investigation."
Before Amata could reply, a terminal on the Overseer's surveillance wall began to blink and emit a high-pitched beep at a rate of two, quick tones per second. Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, the man turned and examined the terminal, pressing a button to halt the blinking screen.
Amata remained in the room, curious, despite the dread filling her chest.
"What… is…" the Overseer stared at the screen for several moments, a single line of text highlighted and in all caps; though from her position from across the desk, Amata could not read the line. Suddenly, the Overseer darted to the PA microphone and almost growled, "Chief Hannon to the Overseer's office."
In an instant, the Chief of Vault Security marched into the room. He nodded to the Overseer, ignoring Amata and stated, "Sir! We are working on containing the problem. The radroaches are -"
"How long has this been happening!?" the Overseer hissed.
"Not two minutes, sir. Doctor James opened the door to the Vault and left."
Amata's breath hitched in her throat. Opened the door… and left!?
The Overseer immediately smashed his fist into his desk. "How did he escape!?"
"Sir, we believe Jonas may have been an accomplice in Doctor James' escape."
"Bring him to me." Amata saw something flash through her father's eyes, something she could not name but was almost… animalistic, wild.
Chief Hannon spoke into his shoulder radio. "Change of plans, bring Jonas to the Overseer's office." He turned back to the Overseer. "The doctor's exit allowed hundreds of radroaches into the Vault. We've managed to seal the door again but the pests are already moving through the air ducts."
"I'll issue an announcement ordering all residents to remain in their quarters while your men deal with the problem."
As her father bent over the PA system and began recording his message to play onto the Emergency Broadcast Station, Amata's mind began to race. How was he able to leave? The Vault has been closed for over two hundred years! It can't be opened… can it?
She recalled the words her father had said to her, about the secret tunnel running from beneath the Overseer's office to the Vault entrance.
Her thoughts were thrown asunder when other security officers stormed in. Officers Mack, O'Brian, Wolfe, Richards, Park, and Kendall entered the office. Officer Mack threw a man in a white lab coat onto the ground before the Overseer's desk.
It was Jonas.
The man trembled in fear at the feet of the officers. He looked up at Amata, silently pleading to her. His glasses had been smashed in and blood pooled out from his mouth.
"Where are Officers Armstrong, Wilkins, Gomez, and Taylor!?" the Overseer snarled.
"Dealing with the radroach infestation, sir." Chief Hannon explained.
Giving a slightly satisfied "hmph", the Overseer walked to the man kneeling on the floor. The gray-haired man bent down and spoke quietly, yet calmly. "Jonas, you've caused quite a commotion, young man. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Jonas stared up at the older man, "Sir, I… I…"
The Overseer was not impressed. "Gentlemen, jog his memory."
Officer Mack was the first to strike. Amata didn't even see him raise his police baton. The melee weapon cracked over the man's back, sending him crashing into the concrete. The other officers converged on Jonas and swarmed him, beating him over and over again with their police batons.
"STOP!" he begged, but the officers continued their onslaught, his pleas falling on deaf ears.
Amata stood frozen in place, mortified. She stared between the officer's bodies, unable to do anything but watch the horror unfolding before her eyes. Blood splattered everywhere, bones cracked, glass smashed into Jonas' eyes and cut into his face. His pleas for mercy were reduced to blood-curdling screams.
The girl tried tearing her eyes away, but found she could not. She watched as the man crawled out the door and into the hallway, he struggled to stay up on his knees, and he began to slump to the floor.
The men did not stop.
Not until Jonas was lying motionless on the ground.
Amata didn't know what was happening. The next thing she knew, the Overseer and the security forces had exited the office, searching for Alice. She managed to get a hold of her father's pistol and before she knew it, she was sprinting through the Vault, evading security and jumping over radroaches.
She charged through the door of the Vann's family complex and entered Alice's room, breathless, though not for the usual reasons.
The raven-haired girl sighed in relief when she saw the other girl's sleeping form. Alice was fully dressed in her Vault 101 jumpsuit, she had most likely fallen asleep after her shift.
"Wake up! C'mon, wake up!" she shook the brunette's shoulders, jostling her until the other's eyes opened, eyes still full of sleep. She whirled her head around, hoping the security team hadn't been as fast as she had been.
Hearing Alice groan in protest, Amata turned her head back to her lover. "C'mon, you've got to wake up!" Before she had time to fully turn around, she felt two arms wrap around her waist.
A voice whispered in a low, suggestive tone, sending chills up and down her spine and for a moment, Amata forgot why she was in Alice's room in the first place. "But it's so comfy, why don't you join me?" The brunette pressed her lips to Amata's neck.
"D-don't be a smart-mouth! This is serious," Amata continued when she saw her lover's expression turn to that of concern. "My father's men are looking for you, they-they've already killed Jonas! You-you've got to get out of here!"
"What," Alice jumped out of her bed. She still had her red lipstick on and her long hair was bound up in a messy ponytail. Amata concluded her shift must have been extremely draining if she didn't change or cleanup before sleeping. "Jonas is dead? What the hell is going on?"
"My father's men think Jonas helped your dad escape. They caught him and brought him into my dad's office and they… Oh my God…" she began to quake in fear, remembering the bloody scene in her father's office. She collapsed onto the bed and held her head in her hands, beginning to sob.
Arms wrapped around her shoulders and Alice's soothing voice reached her ears. "Amata…"
"I'm sorry… he's dead. They beat him… They just wouldn't stop… And my father ordered them to do it!"
Alice rubbed Amata's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "Everything'll be okay, Amata."
The girl shook her head and gave Alice a slight push. "No it won't! We've got to go, now. My father's men will be here any minute!"
"But why," Confusion flooded Alice's hazel eyes. "What do you mean Dad escaped?"
"He's left the Vault! And my father thinks you've helped him like Jonas and he's sent his men to find you! You can't let him catch you. I think he'd kill you. I really do." She threw her arms around Alice, afraid of losing the one person she cared for.
The brunette shook her head, "My dad can't have left, the door is sealed shut!"
"Not anymore, apparently…" Amata sniffed. "But… are you honestly telling me you had no idea your dad was leaving? He really didn't tell you?"
Alice squeezed her even tighter. "No, I had no idea he was planning to leave."
Why wouldn't he tell her?
Holding her at half-arms length, Amata continued. "Oh. I'm sorry. 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!" Amata tried to sound more optimistic than she felt.
"Not another one of your 'plans', Amata…" Somehow, Alice found the will to chuckle.
"No! I mean I do have a plan, and it'll work better than that time we tried to steal Mr. Brotch's…" the Overseer's daughter shook her head. "Come on, be serious. This will work. It has to. Listen. My father sealed the door to the exit to prevent anyone else from escaping. There's another way through. There's a secret tunnel that runs from the Overseer's office to the Vault door! Security doesn't even know about it. Nobody except my father and me. 'One of the Overseer's secrets,' he says."
Alice's eyes began to dart around staring at the floor, the way they always did when she was thinking. After a moment, she finally stood up once again and began stuffing items into her gym bag, the dark blue one she used to carry her baseball gear when they played in their teens. Jumpsuits, her baseball bat, the first issue of Grognak the Barbarian, everything that had meaning to her in their sheltered lives.
"Use these to get into his office," the Hispanic girl pressed a box of bobby pin into Alice's hand. "That's how I always get us in there." She blushed a little at the memory of their escapades when both their fathers had not been working late. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Amata continued. "Once you're in, use his computer to open the door to the tunnel. I don't have a password to his computer so you'll have to hack it. But that shouldn't give you any trouble."
She can do it. I know she can.
"I'll find my father and make sure he doesn't go back to his office. But you'd better hurry." Amata made her way to the door. She suddenly remembered the weight at her hip. "Oh, and one more thing. I stole my father's pistol. I hope you won't need it, but you'd better take it just in case."
The brunette took the firearm and checked its sights as well as the clip. She nodded, satisfied, and strapped it to her own hip. "Thanks, Amata. I'll only use it as a last resort, I promise."
"Okay. I'll try to meet you at the exit. Watch out for security," she saw the fear in her best friend's eyes: the doubt that her former co-workers would try to kill her present. Amata knew what they would do. She had seen it. She threw her arms around the other girl's neck and whispered, "Good luck."
Alice returned the embrace and Amata stopped trembling. "You too."
After stealing a quick kiss, the Overseer's daughter dashed out of the room and charged towards the Overseer's office, searching for her father with a renewed energy. She passed by several rooms, hearing the inhabitants of the Vault screaming at something.
As she took the steps two at a time, a radroach the size of her torso squealed in aggression. It stood at the top of the stairs, coming face to face with her as she rounded the corner.
Amata screamed and fell back onto the landing. It jumped at her, she scrabbled backwards, retreating to the top of the flight of stairs she had just bounded up. The antennae wiggled and it raised its front legs to attack.
"Ha!" a man's voice shouted. The Vault security officer bashed his police baton into the insect, splattering its entrails over the walls of the stairwell and into Amata's face.
After countless swings, the man finally took notice of the girl shaking on the other side of the landing. Amata finally recognized the man's face.
It was Officer Mack.
Blood draining from her face, Amata tried to jump to her feet and run back down the stairs. But the man was faster than her.
"Not so fast!" His hand darted out and snatched her wrist as he snarled.
"Let me go!" she demanded.
The pressure around her wrist increased and the girl winced in pain, freezing her movements. "What were you doing down there!?"
"N-nothing!" She stammered.
Mack pulled her in closer, she could smell the bite of his breath as he spoke. "Sure doesn't look like 'nothing'." He pointed to something on her neck.
The girl began to struggle against his grip once again. She couldn't see what he was pointing to, but it couldn't be good. "Let me go!" she repeated.
A wicked smile crossed his face. "Let's go see what your daddy has to say about this!"
Yanking her up the rest of the stairs, Mack dragged Amata towards the Overseer's office.
Amata was not sure if she should be relieved or terrified, she was about to fulfill her end of the plan yet Mack seemed too cheerful about what he had found.
Before she could decide, Mack threw her into the security office. She threw her arms out in front of her to stop herself from licking the boots of someone already standing in the office.
Her eyes met another's, her father's.
"What is the meaning of this!?" her father barked as Amata adjusted herself to sit, her legs tucked underneath her.
"I found her on the stairwell from the Atrium." Mack grinned.
The Overseer glared down at his daughter. "What were you doing, Amata?"
She opened her mouth to speak but Mack's voice sounded before hers. "Oh, I can tell you what she was doing." A sharp pain resonated from the back of her head and her neck pinched when the man turned her head to the side, exposing her neck.
Silence filled the room.
"Amata…"
The young woman glanced up at her father.
Walking to the desk in the office, the Overseer pulled open a drawer and asked, "Are you aware of what Officer Mack has found?" He reached in and grasped something.
Amata paled in fear.
My father wouldn't kill me. My father wouldn't kill me.
He lifted a small, rectangular mirror from the drawer and stooped down. "What is that?" he asked as he turned the mirror on her.
A pair of red lips had been imprinted on her skin.
Alice's lipstick.
Amata gulped, trying to swallow her fear.
Be strong. Be strong for Alice.
"I do recall Vann wearing red lipstick during her shift." Mack smirked in victory.
At the mention of Alice's last name, the Overseer's expression turned into one of fury. "Officer Mack, get my daughter a chair."
START GRAPHIC CONTENT
Amata felt a hand close over the back of her collar and she was thrown into a chair. She balled her hands into fists and rested them on her knees, trying to contain her fear.
"Amata, where were you for the past fifteen minutes?"
The girl clenched her jaw, promising to herself she would not speak.
"Where were you," Her father's voice began to raise in volume. When she refused to speak, the man sighed. "I do not wish for Officer Mack to hurt you," Amata glanced at the man wielding the police baton. "But if you do not speak, I will have to find some way to make you."
He wouldn't hurt me. My father wouldn't hurt me. Amata stared at the locker across the room.
She felt the air woosh against her face before she felt the pain. The baton connected to her shoulder and she cried out in pain as her shoulder exploded with red hot heat.
"Where were you?" her father repeated the question.
Amata hummed against the pain, clutching her knees to steady herself. She sucked in several breaths and continued to stare at the locker.
Locker 8.
Pain erupted from her other shoulder and the girl bit back a scream. Her breaths became shaky, both from her terror and pain.
"Were you with Alice?"
Mack hit hurt left hand next. Blood seeped over her knuckles where the baton hit her and she was sure some of her fingers were broken.
She wanted the pain to stop.
Just one question. That's all he's asking. Just one question.
Amata nodded, tears of shame running down her face.
"What did she do to you?" Rage burned in the Overseer's eyes.
"Nothing!"
"Then what is that!?" He pointed to the incriminating mark of affection on her neck.
The raven-haired girl wasn't sure how to say it. But when Mack raised his weapon, she flinched and confessed. "She kissed me!"
"She what!?"
Realizing her mistake at incriminating Alice in their affair, Amata quickly added, "And I kissed her!"
The Overseer froze. Stunned. Finally, he questioned, "Why?"
"She - I…" Amata tried to form words. "We… I… I like her."
"You can't," he began screaming. "It isn't right! Two girls!? And right after her father escaped!?"
The girl tried to dig herself out of the hole before her father realized their true relationship. "She's my best friend. I wanted to make sure she was safe."
"I always knew there was something wrong with her. Always knew she had some hold on you. And here it is."
Amata didn't say anything, afraid to tell her father the truth.
"Where is she now?"
"I don't know."
He nodded to Mack, "Go ahead, officer."
Grinning wolfishly, the officer pulled off his glove and introduced the back of his hand to her face. His dirty fingernails scratched against her skin, cutting her and sending a sharp, stinging pain up her face.
"Now then, are you ready to tell me where your friend has gone?"
"I told you, I don't know anything!"
The Overseer sucked in a breath to calm himself. He spoke up after a moment, "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 her."
Warm tears began to flow once again. "She's my friend. I was worried about her. What does she have to do with this anyway?"
"Probably nothing. Which is why you need to tell me where she is, so I can talk to her."
"I'm not telling you anything! And don't pretend you aren't enjoying this, Daddy. You're sick!"
"Amata, please," the Overseer implored his daughter. "Don't be stubborn. I only want to talk to your friend. Surely you understand what's at stake here."
Mack simply grinned, clearly revelling in the rush of torturing another human being.
She shuddered at the thought of what her father would do to Alice if he managed to get a hold of her. Thankfully, she had his full attention. Alice would be able to escape.
"What are you going to do, Daddy? Beat me to death, like you did poor Jonas?"
The Overseer sighed, dejected. "Very well. There's no hurry. Your friend isn't going anywhere, after all."
Her thoughts raced, trying to figure out what else her father would let Mack do to her. She narrowed her eyes, glaring at her father, challenging him. "If you think I'll betray her, you don't know me very well."
"Amata, darling. Why must you be so stubborn? The last thing I want is to see you hurt, but my duty to the Vault comes first."
"Duty to the Vault." His words filled her mouth with bitter salt.
"Go to hell!" she spat.
The Overseer grimaced at his daughter. "I've always indulged you, Amata. And now you've taken advantage of my lenience." He nodded to Mack.
The officer swung at her face. Pain ran up her jaw. She spat out a mouthful of blood.
Amata began to beg. "Daddy, please stop! Don't you understand, I can't tell you. Why are you doing this to me?"
"Again." her father ordered.
The officer's fist smashed into her cheekbone, banging Amata's head back against the chair from the force.
Stars filled her vision, and she struggled to keep her head up. "Please stop. Please don't have him hit me again. Don't you care that I'm your own daughter?"
"One more time. Use the baton, that will get her to talk."
Mack brandished his weapon once again and raised it over his head.
END GRAPHIC CONTENT
"No," Amata pleaded, knowing her words would go unheard. "Please don't!" She turned her head to the side, anticipating the pain. As she was about to shut her eyes, she stared. Through the glass window, she saw someone, someone in security armor. They stood by the door, slightly bent over, as if they were hurrying to open it.
Suddenly, the door to the security office sprang open and a security officer armed with a baseball bat charged in. They immediately rushed to Mack and began to attack. Amata recognized Alice's face behind the security helmet.
Confused, relieved, and positive their plan had just failed, Amata used the adrenaline pumping through her veins to sprint out the door and run to her dining room.
She slumped in a chair and held her head in her trembling hands. She began to sob. She had failed Alice.
A hand at her shoulder coaxed a scream out of her and Amata jerked back, sending herself falling towards the ground.
"Easy there," a familiar voice murmured, steadying Amata's chair and setting her upright. "I'm here. You're safe now." Alice had taken off her helmet and stared at her lover.
Amata pulled her in close and buried her face in Alice's chest. "Thank you," she managed to whisper through a sob. "Thank you." She began to cover her face in kisses. "Thank you! I told you my father wasn't himself. I don't know what he might have done if you hadn't come along."
The brunette didn't say anything, she just continued looking at her lover, shame and regret and guilt reflecting in her hazel eyes. She began to pull gauze over Amata's hands.
Pushing her away, the Hispanic girl shook her head. "You'd better get out of here. I'll try to meet you at the Vault door."
Alice froze, unsure of what to do.
Amata offered her a strong smile and squeezed her hand reassuringly, despite the stabbing pain searing through her fingers. "If I don't make it... good luck." She pressed her lips to the other girl's and darted into her room, beginning to gather more gear for her lover's journey.
With a start, she realized she wouldn't be going with her. She began stuffing more jumpsuits into her own red gym bag and as many boxes of bobby pins as she could find. She ran to the kitchen and emptied all of the cabinets and the refrigerator.
A thought hit her like Mack had. Amata ran to her room and pulled out a blank holotape. As she ran to her father's office, she began to record.
"Alice, I'm sorry I can't come with you. I want to, so badly, but I can't. Things'll be crazy when you leave and someone has to keep things civil. That's up to me. It's clear my father can't be trusted to do that."
She followed the stairs leading down from beneath her father's desk and continued, "So that leaves me. I will try to calm things down so that when you return, you will be welcomed back with open arms. This was all a big misunderstanding. Once you come back with your dad, everything will be fine. We can be together again. And you'll be safe at home."
A blaring alarm sounded, reverberating through her chest as she navigated through the depths of the Vault. "I love you. Remember that when you're out there. I love you."
She stopped recording and saw a figure standing alone at the Vault entrance. Using the last of her energy, she slid the holotape into the bag and raced forward, staring breathless. The huge door rolled to the side and opened the Vault to the outside world: a tunnel led from the entrance and Amata caught glimpse of a wooden door at the end.
"Oh my God... you actually opened it…"
Alice smiled at her and reached out to hold Amata's hand. "I couldn't have done it without your help."
She shook her head. "No, you didn't need me. If anyone can survive out there, it's you."
The brunette rubbed her thumb reassuringly over her lover's fingers. "Why don't you come with me?"
Sucking in a breath, Amata tried to tell her gently. "It's tempting, but... my place is here. The Vault needs me more than you do. I'm the only one who has a chance to talk some sense into my father."
Amata swore in that moment, she saw Alice's heart break. But the brunette didn't say anything. She simply nodded and forced a smile.
Wrapping her arms around her, Amata mustered the courage to say, "Listen, if you do catch up with your dad, tell him I'm sorry. For... you know, Jonas, and my father, and everything."
"I will," she choked and nodded. Alice pulled back and smiled. "I'll be back before you know it."
The raven-haired girl returned the smile, knowing she would return, but was unsure just how long it would be. Would it be days? Months? Years?
Shouting reached Amata's ears and she quickly shoved her gym bag into Alice's hands. "You have to go! Now!"
She saw Alice hesitate, grabbing her blood-stained baseball bat as she looked behind Amata towards the voices.
"Alice!" Amata insisted, pushing the bag further into her lover's arms.
Giving one last tortured look at Amata, the brunette stole a kiss from the Overseer's daughter and fled. She slung the bag onto her back, joining her own gym bag.
Amata rested her hands on the Vault door controls. As soon as Alice was clear, she pressed a button and pulled the lever back. The alarm began to blare once again as the door started to roll back into place.
As the men burst through the door behind her, Amata saw Alice turn back to look at her once more. The Overseer's daughter did not even register the words her father's men were shouting at her. All she could do was stare.
The white light creeping from the cracks of a door at the end of the tunnel leading to the outside world framed the brunette's thin, yet strong figure. Their eyes met for a moment, and before the door shut, Alice tore her hazel eyes away from her best friend's.
The last thing Amata saw was the yellow "101" emblazoned on the back of a blue jumpsuit before the door screeched and sealed itself, just as it had done 200 years ago.
I hope you guys liked the first chapter! I will be bouncing from this story and my other story, Children Among Saints, for updates. I am on winter break and I hope to get a lot more written than I did during the semester.
For those of you who have not read CAS, please know that I am a full-time student working two jobs and I am also in AFROTC so I barely had enough time to breathe during the semester. When school starts back up, which I will notify you guys of, please don't give up hope, but don't expect as frequent updates as there will be right now.
Reviews are always welcome!