Five figures stood outside the entrance to Vault 34. Unlike the other vaults in the region, it had been decided that the radiation flooding the entire complex rendered it inhospitable, so to avoid it becoming a nest of ghouls the Vegas Government had sealed it off. The Queen had clearly removed the debris from the small rockslide that had been used to seal the entrance. Wolfe and ED-E had accompanied Chris, Arthur and Torch on the final leg of their mission. Raul had insisted on coming too, but Wolfe had convinced him to help hunt down the remaining Abominations in the Wasteland and liberate more communities. Wolfe had left most of his weapons back at the Lucky 38, aside from Blood-Nap, which was sheathed on his hip. In his hands was his Brush gun, Medicine Stick, loaded with .45-70 Gov't SWC rounds. Arthur had his Plasma pistol at the ready, while Torch was doing some last minute cleaning of her Shock Sword. Chris's Tesla rifle had proven to be a formidable weapon during the Battle, he just hoped it would keep holding up. Cottonwood Cove and Mojave Outpost had both been cleared of Abominations and were already flooded with refugees, waiting to see if the Queen would launch a counter-strike against Vegas.
"You know" said Wolfe, breaking the silence, "according to pre-war superstition, a medicine stick was used to banish evil spirits".
Chris turned to the Courier. Although he was called the 'Lone Wanderer" back in D.C, he had never been so glad to have someone by his side. Wolfe held up his gun, showing the Native American symbols on the stock.
"I don't know about the spirit part, but this baby is going to banish the fuck out of the Queen".
All four of them grinned, with ED-E's beeping almost sounding like laughter. The time for joking passed, and they set forward into the vault.
It was quiet just inside the vault, almost too quiet. It was a whole five minutes before they came across their first Abomination. Torch had taken the vanguard, her stealth suit activated, and cut down the creature from behind. They were on the second floor when it happened. The group entered a large open area, and Abominations began pouring in. Chris fired into the swarm, electricity arcing off the one he hit and momentarily stunning the ones around it. Wolfe's methodical shots reverberated around the room, each one a head-shot. All around Abominations were either disintegrating from ED-E's laser blasts, melting from Arthur's Plasma Pistol, or dropping to the ground with severed limbs, courtesy of Torch and her Shock Sword. At one point, an Abomination knocked Medicine Stick from Wolfe's hands, but before it could finish its attack, he pulled out Blood-Nap and drove it between the creature's eyes. He then ducked under another Abomination's swinging claws to retrieve his gun and blew the things brains out. Eventually, all the Abominations in the room were dead, but the sound of screeching from down a hallway indicated that there were more coming. Chris pulled out a strange device. It looked like a rusty tin can with a few wires and a radiation symbol painted on the side.
"Cooked this up at the Lucky 38 before we left, just in case" he explained.
Pulling the pin from the Nuka-grenade, he tossed it down the hallway that was the source of the screeching, just as they glimpsed the Abominations rounding a corner. A brilliant blue flash was accompanied by a huge bang and a chorus of death screams as the Abominations were engulfed in nuclear fire. At last, the vault had returned to silence. Wolfe popped a Rad-X and retrieved Blood-Nap. Before he could ask Chris what was in the grenade, the group heard a faint cry for help. Following the voices, they found themselves in the living quarters of the vault. Several doors were emitting a pounding sound, and a woman's voice spoke out from one.
"We heard gunshots! Is there someone there? Please, please help us!"
"We're here" shouted Chris, rushing over to the door "We'll get you out, I promise"
He turned to the others before saying
"How do we get them out?"
"You could try picking the locks with your finger?" suggested Arthur.
"That will take too long" said Wolfe "And if I remember correctly, this terminal here has an override for all the living quarters' doors. It's been reset, but if you give me a minute I might be able to hack it".
Chris walked over to the terminal, pushing Wolfe out of the way, and punched the computer screen. The EMP burst released from his fist fried the electronics, and suddenly all the doors began to slide open.
"That works too" shrugged Wolfe.
People began pouring out of the dorms they'd been locked in. Tears of joy were streaming down some of their faces, others still had expressions of fear. In total, there must have been at least thirty or forty wastelanders jammed into the rooms together.
"Head up to the surface, the path should be clear" Wolfe told them "when you get outside, head northwest until you reach the gates of Freeside. You'll be safe there with the Followers".
After all the prisoners were clear, the group continued their trek through the vault, dispatching any Abominations they encountered along the way. Eventually, they stood outside the overseer's office. Chris paused before he entered. This was it. The end of the road. Complete the mission or die trying. He looked at Arthur, then Torch, and finally Wolfe. All three of them nodded. The Paladin took a deep breath, readied his Tesla rifle, and barged through the door. To his surprise, there were no Abominations in the room. Only the Queen, sitting at the overseer's desk like she didn't have a care in the world. Chris was shocked for a moment. She still looked like the same Julie Carpenter that he'd seen strolling around the Citadel laboratory, with one exception. Her eyes were pitch black, like the aliens he'd fought 10 years ago. She looked at him and smiled. It was a cruel smile, full of malice. All at once Chris's nostalgia was forgotten. The holotape she'd left had been right. Julie Carpenter was dead. The woman he'd known was gone, and the Queen was all that remained.
He walked over and grabbed her, pinning her against the vault wall. She only laughed.
"You think you have me beat Wanderer? You think this is the end? Take me back to the Citadel then. Let me stand trial for my crimes in front of pretty little Sarah. After sending you all the way across America to capture me, I'm sure she'll want to gloat over your success. When I get out, she'll be the first I turn into one of my children. Then maybe all your little kiddies will follow her. Then the rest of the Brotherhood. After that, I'll hunt down everyone you ever cared about, and I'll kill them or I'll turn them. Even that Super Mutant, Fawkes. Do you know what happens when I try to turn a Super Mutant? They melt hahaha. Guess the strains of FEV don't mix well. I think I'll make you watch it. Then I'll turn you too. And after I'm done with the Capital Wasteland, I'll return to Vegas and make your friend over there pay"
She sounded gleeful. She truly thought she was invincible, that the entire universe would bend to her will. Chris knew that she had a point though. If the FEV in her system worked like the super mutants, it would stop her aging. She had all the time in the world to plan, to plot, and to dream of her revenge.
"There's one little problem with your plan though" he said.
The Queen stopped laughing and looked at him. Despite her blank black eyes he could see the flash of worry that crossed her face. She hadn't prepared for any variable to her plan.
"Sarah didn't send me to capture you" he continued "She sent me to eliminate you".
He saw her face drop, terror enter her eyes, and her mouth open to speak. Before she could utter a word, he rammed his right palm into her chin, his robotic stinger darting out. It went through the skin and flesh under her jaw, and continued up until it pierced her brain. The Queen made a gurgling noise as the stinger retracted, and Chris stepped away, letting her body fall to the ground. As she began to shake violently, he turned to his companions.
"Tough bitch, the stinger to the brain didn't kill her completely. Looks like the Tremble is going to finish the job though".
When the body finally stopped twitching, he borrowed Torch's laser pistol and used it to set the body on fire. It was only when the Queen had been burned to ash that he agreed to leave the vault.
Back at the Lucky 38, Chris, Arthur and Torch were sitting it the Penthouse with Wolfe, sharing a Bottle of scotch. The four laughed as Arthur attempted to smoke one of Wolfe's cigars and descended into a fit of coughing. When the Queen had died, the hive mind of the Abominations dies with her. All across the Mojave, the creatures suddenly dropped dead. Vegas was finally safe. Wolfe spoke up.
"Now that your mission has been completed, I'm assuming you'll be returning to D.C?"
The three brotherhood members nodded.
"We're still at war with the Outcasts" replied Chris "But I'm sure we can stay for one more night and enjoy your hospitality".
Wolfe smiled at that. He had grown to view the Paladin as a sort of brother. Both men had a burning fire in them, a flame of justice. He wished Chris could have met Joshua before he left. He had a feeling the Burned Man would get along with the Wanderer.
"Well just let me know in you need anything. All the Casinos on the Strip have been told that you three drink for free while you're here".
"Sounds like a plan" piped up Torch, the statement greeted with smiles form Arthur and Chris.
Later that night Wolfe brought them to see the Rad Pack play at the Tops Casino. He and Chris stayed at the bar for hours, swapping stories of their adventures. Arthur and Torch disappeared earlier. They said something about wanting to get a taste of all the Casinos on the Strip. Eventually, Chris decided to head back to the Lucky 38. Wolfe bid him goodnight, but also said he was staying among the many soldiers also enjoying themselves at the casino. A commander congratulating his troops on a battle well fought. When Chris got back to the Lucky 38, he took the elevator to his floor, and stepped out of the door just in time to see Torch drag Arthur into her room by the collar. He stifled a laugh and made his way to his own room. Sitting on his bed, he just stared at the photo of his family. It would be good to get home and see them. With his mind filled with images of Sarah and their children, his head hit the pillow and he feel fast asleep.
The next morning they began loading the Vertibird. Chris had to bit his tongue to stop himself giggling at the tense awkwardness between Arthur and Torch. Wolfe soon arrived to bid them farewell. His voice was groggy and he was wearing sunglasses to protect his hungover eyes from the bright Mojave sun. The two men shook hands.
"The D.C Brotherhood always has an ally in Vegas, Chris" said Wolfe.
"Likewise," returned Chris "and hopefully next time I'm over here it will be for a friendly visit rather than business".
They all laughed at the joke, and then the Paladin and his two knights took their places on the Vertibird. As it took off, Wolfe saluted them from the roof of the embassy and they returned the gesture. Each of them knew that a lasting alliance had been formed from this crisis. The Courier and the Wanderer, two heroes from opposite sides of a continent, now bound together by shared admiration and mutual respect. Chris sat back against his seat. Vegas was safe one again. Now it was time to return home. The next time he saw Wolfe Hunter, he wanted to be able to say that the Capital Wasteland was just as prosperous as the Mojave.
The End.