The pollen filled the atmosphere, like a thick dust cloud.
The only sound Garry could hear was his own breathing, cycling through the radiation suit.
The floor had become slippery, because of the spores.
Whilst everyone was either freaking out or exploring, Morgan sat up in her bed. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. The Scientist hugged her knees close to herself and rested her forehead on them.
Fucking hell, I feel hungover. I'm starving, exhausted and crabby. I was such a dick to Rook, but maybe it'll let me get some peace...
"Woah... Floor's slippy..." The Wastelander said aloud, in case Rook hadn't noticed, if he slipped it would be a pain in the ass to carry him.
"Yeah. Keep your feet close to the ground and take small steps to improve traction and balance." Explained Rook, having already made the corrections.
"Yeah... Was kinda already doin' that..." Garry informed him, looking around for any sign of an exit or any danger.
"Hold up." Said Rook and held his hand to halt Garry.
"Wait here. Do not move." He then made a 180* turn and was back down the hall. In a matter of seconds, the door to Morgan's room opened.
"I will be gone shortly." Rook said, trying not to look at her. "But I require more ammo." He went for the chair of the desk where his jacket had sat the other night.
Morgan sat, awkwardly curled up into a ball. She nodded wearily and sneezed. "S-s'ok. Take what you n-need."
Rook went for the shells he had stow in the desk, up until he heard Morgan sneeze. He practically froze before finally surrendering and turning to look at her.
"Are you ill?"
He hoped not, because then protocol would dictate, he takes care of her. And Garry needed his assistance.
"No..." Morgan mumbled, though she did sound stuffed up. "It's just a reaction from the s-spores earlier. D-don't worry about me."
Rook sat on the bed, and reached over to hold the back of his hand to her forehead, trying to gauge her temperature.
"You are sure? I can spare time, if you require assistance."
"I...do not deserve assistance." Morgan groaned, falling back into bed with a pained cough.
Now Rook wanted to stay to figure out what the problem was, which he decided was the wrong decision, but he couldn't do much about it.
Besides, given all that had happened, he may have caused it.
"Why?"
"Tch." Morgan scoffed. Because I am a dick. I deserve to just...be on my own, like I've made myself for the past...while."
"I will not leave you." Said Rook, obviously speaking beyond the present. "Despite your own personal feelings. I have chosen you as my partner, Morgan. That cannot be undone."
Morgan nodded, clearly holding back some tears.
"I... I know R-rook. I just, d-don't deserve it I think. I'm certainly not worthy in m-my own eyes."
"I do no concur. I think you are worthy." Rook said, quietly. His voice, quite oddly, fluctuated with emotion. "The fact you have accepted me as I have accepted you despite everything, I lack makes you more worthy than any other woman on Earth."
"I... Th-thank you Rook..." Morgan whispered, covering her eyes with her arm.
"I do not know how you put up with me."
"It is not easy." Rook agreed. "But I manage. It is worth it." He reached up and gently pushed her arm down so that he could look at her eyes. "For moments like this."
Her eyes were damp with tears and she gave Rook a weak smile. "It's something else, isn't it?" She murmured.
"It's definitely worth it, being with you. I... I love being with you, Rook, even if I am pretty shit at showing it."
"I love being with you, as well, Morgan. You are the most important aspect of my existence." He leaned forward, closer to her, and swung his legs onto the bed.
Morgan blinked and shrunk back a little, forgetting he wouldn't get whatever illness she had.
"I feel the same way about you."
He touched her arm, now laying alongside her.
"We never initiated what you suggested back in the apartment." He said quietly.
"I do not...need any of that, to reaffirm how I feel, Rook. You shouldn't worry over it." Morgan smiled, rolling over to face him proper.
"Sh-shouldn't you be looking for a way out anyways?"
Rook nodded. He supposed she did not need it. Neither did he, but he did want to be human.
"I should." He agreed. "But I am here with you right now, Morgan."
"Yes and think how annoyed Garry will be." Morgan pointed out. "Look, Heather needs out of here as soon as possible. W-we all do." She sighed and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
"When we get out of here, we can discuss more on...that."
"Understood." Said Rook, moving to his feet. "I will return soon." He moved for the door, before stopping.
"And, Morgan. I do not think we should live here. It is dangerous."
With that he returned to Garry.
Without his ammo, of course.
Garry sat alone, with his shotgun on his lap, he didn't seem to be paying any attention to his surroundings. It wasn't really possible to see what his expression was, under his visor but he seemed quite stiff and awkward.
The deeper they went into unexplored Vault territory, the more it looked like roots were creeping in, pushing the metal plates on the ceiling and wall apart.
"Let's move out." Said Rook, returning to Garry's location.
Garry shook as he heard Rook's voice, not expecting him to show up so soon, he was so startled in fact that he immediately snatched his shotgun but calmed down as soon as he did and stood up instead, looking down the corridor.
"Took you long enough... I had look, down there, whilst you were gone. Plants seem to be breakin' everythin' apart, so there's gotta be a breach down there."
The roots started to even obstruct the way forward now.
Forcing Garry to duck under and jump over loose branches.
Garry put his hand on the wooden barricade, prompting himself to hop over it as he did so. As he reached the other side, he stopped to look over his shoulder for Rook.
Rook followed soon after Garry, taking the same steps.
"The plants have been here a while." He noted. "For them to achieve this depth in the Vault attests to that."
"Yeah... Well, there's nothin' to stop 'em, so I guess they can do what they want down here." The Wastelander added, peering around for any signs of an opening that lead up to the surface.
"Wonder if the people in the vault had a problem with them..."
Rook remained silent, having nothing to say on the matter. It mattered little now, whether they had or not. They were dead, nothing would change that, and it would not affect Rook or his companions if they had.
"Alrigh'... Let's just keep movin', there's gotta be somethin' up ahead." Garry insisted, though in truth he didn't know, he hoped that there was.
Rook just followed, still looking around, but at this point he wasn't sure what to look for.
The long corridor ended at one of those vault doors that open upwards, though it didn't seem to open automatically. Manual 'override' was required.
"Huh..." Garry grumbled as he approached it, coming to a stop as he examined the control panel. He then turned back to Rook, something resembling determination shone in the Wastelanders eyes.
"Think Moody-Morgan can do somethin' with this?"
Rook did not answer Garry, and approached the door. He examined it for a moment before bending down, seizing the bar underhanded, and pulled upwards with all his strength, so that the door practically shot towards the ceiling.
Garry stood back, raising his shotgun up as the doorway opened, ready to blow anything that emerged from it away.
A gush of sticky water of sorts flooded into the corridor. the current wasn't strong enough to wash either of them away. But it did have some harrowing large giblets in it.
Rook glanced down, unfazed as the gore washed past him, and pressed forward through the door, with high, heavy steps.
The smell didn't take long to hit them. It was so potent, it got through Garry's radiation suit. somehow. A sour stench of rotting corpses.
Garry winced and pulled away, taking a deep breath.
"The... Fuck is that!?" He gasped, gagging at the scent.
Rook couldn't smell but he did see all the bodies.
"Corpses."
Hamilton wandered through his 'wife's' kitchen, stopping short of the front door, his injuries had healed and he felt strong enough to walk again. He stopped to turn back to the Ghoul as she followed him through, watching him as he got his things together.
10 MM pistol with 49 rounds, berretta with five rounds tucked into the back of his pants, a Chinese assault rifle with 5 shots left in it and a cobra derringer in his pocket. His crowbar hung by his side as well, the only silent means of self-defence he had, though he wasn't too reliant on it.
The Wastelander looked back, over his shoulder as his Ghoul approached, he quickly put his visor on so that she wouldn't kiss him again before backing up against the front door.
"The front-line calls again..." He informed her, glancing around for any signs of mirelurks, he was not going to get jumped again.
"Oh... My John, torn from me by the cold clutches of war again..." The Ghoul replied, wistfully, though her Slaver 'husband' failed to sympathise. She got to spend a day with her 'husband' that she wouldn't have had otherwise, in her deluded state though it probably won't be the last time she sees him.
"I fear so..." He uttered, nodding in agreement before turning his attention back to her as she began to fuss over him, his pockets were all tuckered out.
"Do you think you'll have the Reds beaten sometime soon?" She asked, fretting over it some more, the broadcasts played during the last days were said to be... well, overwhelming to survivors.
However, Hamilton had no answer, did they 'beat' the Chinese? It seems more accurate to say that everyone lost...
"I... Don't know, maybe? Though it would be easier if we let them run themselves into the ground." He uttered, figuring that that's what would have happened eventually anyway as he turned back to her and sighed heavily.
"Either way, I don't think the war will be over any time soon..."
With that he stepped outside, taking two steps out before rolling his head back and looking up to the ceiling, he turned his attention back to her and eyed the floor before turning his attention to her face, as ghastly as it was.
"If... I were you? I'd be a little more careful for who you answer the door for, from now on." He advised, returning his attention back to the sewer tunnels before he began to walk away.
"The war's come closer to home than you realise..."
"Smells like a fuckin' meat locker!" Garry growled, shaking his head before pressing on, wading through the water as he tried not to think about what was in it.
The most disgusting sound followed: like watery diarrhoea. Excrement was pressed down through a plant's tube. Bits of Brahmin and other organic things tumbled into the discarded mess below. Probably the roots from some carnivorous plant above that dumped out the things it couldn't fully dissolve into its acid lining.
"Jeez... This place is fuckin' gross!" Garry gagged, pulling his face away as he held his breath.
"You tellin' me you were gonna live here!?"
"I have withdrawn that decision." Agreed Rook. "Make sure your suit does not suffer a puncture. You will almost undoubtedly acquire an infection. I will require a powerful scrub before any of you touch me again."
"Yeah..." Garry winced, looking away as he resisted the urge to vomit.
"That's aaaallll Morgan..."
The tube-like plant bowels were large enough to swallow a whole Brahmin torso down. And like a sphincter it could clench and retract, when it opened up to let something down, faint shimmers of sunlight from above reflected all the way down. It wasn't very bright, but in the pitch-black environment they were in, noticeable enough.
Garry's upper body slouched as he saw the potential opening, frozen on the spot in disbelief.
"You gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me!" He blurted, trying to see if his eyes were decieving him.
"We gotta tunnel up that thing's ass?"
"That is an appropriate route. Let us recover bladed instruments from the diner, and we can tear cloth or leather straps from bedding and clothing. We can fashion climbing spikes."
"Sure... Guess Morgan's gonna be busy, cleanin' us." Garry uttered before looking down to his suit and sighing heavily before looking up to Rook, realising something.
"They're gonna need suits to, if they're goin' to get out of here... Like you said, they could get infections or whatever."
"Indeed. Let us return."
The Wastelander nodded in agreement, wanting to be away from this stinking shit hole as soon as possible, gesturing for Rook to lead the way.
Rook did so, pulling his gun's free to hold them above the sludge, and proceeded back to the Vault entrance.
Morgan crinkled her nose and rolled over in bed. There was a horrid smell interrupting her sleep...
"Morgan! Heather!" Rook called. "We have an exit!"
Heather rushed out and ran over to Garry, opening her arms wide as she got ready to embrace him. She then got a whiff of his odour and wrinkled her nose, thinking better of it, she stood back and gave him a hesitant nod.
"Yeah, that's... One word for it..."
Morgan awoke and poked her head out of the door. She looked pale and somewhat disgusted.
"Can you at least wash f-first?"
"Yes. Can one of you acquire me a new suit for when I am finished? And you and Heather will need radiation suits."
Morgan hung her head and sighed. "Radiation suits ain't exactly common." She muttered before nodding. "I can get you a new set of clothes ready at least."
"There was a locker, by the door which had mine in it... Maybe there are others?" Garry suggested, though he didn't know, truthfully.
"Either way, you two need to wash up first." Morgan demanded. "I can barely stand to be here right now."
"Yeah... Me neither..." Heather winced, wrinkling her nose before pointing to the living quarters.
"Shower, now!"
Garry retracted as her yelling made him jump a little, though it was impossible to see his face through the visor and the genuine fear that was etched on it.
"Yes ma'am..." He replied, walking around the former slave as he made his way to the back of the Vault, prompting Heather to turn to the Android.
"You to Rook."
Rook returned to his and Morgan's room. He wanted to keep his jacket, thus he dropped it in the chair, but he abandoned the Vault suit and hoped in the shower. He turned the water on cold, the heat didn't bother him, and tried to figure out how to bathe properly.
"Erm...are you okay in water?" Morgan called through the door. "It won't fry your circuits or anything?"
"No. I am waterproof. I have no exposed components. Do you have an outfit for me?"
"Ermm...yes!" Morgan chuckled, her voice muffled cause of the door. "It's just an old battered suit. The trousers should fit at least. Is that okay?"
"Yes." Said Rook. "I will be done shortly."
"O-okay!" Morgan said hurriedly. She could be heard fumbling around as she sat on the bed again.
After a few minutes Rook emerged from the restroom, as unabashedly as usual.
"Where is the clothing?"
Morgan peeked at Rook through her fingers, trying not to stare too much. "E-erm b-b-by your jacket!"
Rook went for the clothing, dressing and then pulling his jacket on, before turning back to Morgan.
"Ready to go?"
"Now...?" Morgan sighed. "I-I guess. Dunno bout the other two though."
"You will have to dress in a radiation suit." He sat down on the bed next to her. "I understand if you want to push that off. It is restricting."
"Mm I'll be stuck in my own germs. Peachy," Morgan mumbled, hanging her head. "I think I'm sick..."
"We will get you medical assistance once we get out of here." Said Rook. "Regardless, I cannot become afflicted with whatever you contain."
"Thanks for the sympathy..." Morgan groaned, shaking her head and lying back in bed. "How could you even get sick?"
"I cannot get sick." Said Rook, looking down at Morgan.
"Can we hold off on leaving a couple hours?"
"Of course." Said Rook. "What is it you require?"
You...
"Just...I dunno. It's nice we have some more time to...hang out, you know?"
"Yes." Rook said simply, laying down next to her. He brought his face closer to hers, brushing noses with her and tilted his head slightly.
"Do you...?" He propositioned.
"Do I... what?" Morgan queried, retracting her head to give Rook a genuinely confused look.
Rook stared blankly at Morgan, like it was obvious.
"I..." Morgan gasped, her eyes widening in realisation. "N-no I just wanted to t-talk a bit or something. I'm s-sick..."
"Apologies. It is just typical for human couples. It establishes bonds and is responsible for maintaining them." He pulled back. 'But I wish to talk. The runtimes are less complicated."
"I'm n-not a typical human though." Morgan pointed out. "I like...to feel close to you, Rook. L-like, I enjoy just lying here in your arms chatting about whatever. It..." Morgan sighed and smiled.
"It's great, y'know?"
Rook wrapped his arms around Morgan in response.
"What do you want to say?"
"I dunno. I just said quite a lot." Morgan chuckled, closing her eyes. "I g-guess...I want to apologise? I still feel bad for being an utter cock to you earlier."
"You do not have to apologise, Morgan." He said. "I do not require an apology. If you need to be alone, or I am bothering you, just alert me in advance from now on."
"I make no promises." Morgan giggled before turning a bit more serious. "I will...try. It's just...It is very hard to not get incredibly angry."
"Why? I make you angry?" He asked, adjusting himself so that he could look up at the ceiling, thus holding Morgan over his chest.
"No, it's not you..." She began, sounding incredibly drained. "It's more...the world as a whole. I mean, something fucking hates me. I've been damaged or puked or shat on the most and it stresses me out. Stress makes me angry."
"Are you fine now?"
"I'm with you ain't I?" She smiled. "I'm fine."
"That is good. Then... perhaps we can do this, whenever you are stressed?"
"I... yeah!" Morgan agreed, glancing into Rooks eyes. "I'd like that, Rook."
Rook smiled briefly.
"Good. I am glad you approve."
Morgan curled up and closed her eyes, a happy look on her face.
"Let's...not live here, Rook. It's shite."
"Agreed." He said. "It is 'shite'."
Heather pulled her radiation suit out of her locker, though she wasn't exactly delicate about it and caused a bunch of other items to fall out and crash to the floor, with an almighty clatter.
The Former Slave didn't care and held up her radiation suit somewhat triumphantly as Garry re-emerged in his. His visor was on, so it was impossible to tell what he was feeling...
"Is it as uncomfortable as it looks?" She asked, it looked like wrapping yourself up in clingfilm.
"Nah..." Garry replied, though in truth it was but not in the way that he'd expect, either way, they were wearing it so that they'd have something to get covered in shit in, so it wasn't like they were going to dinner or anything.
"You ready to get outta here?" He asked, getting a slight smirk from Heather, who cocked her shotgun shut as she put the visor on.
"I've been ready since we arrived..."