Land of Sun & Blood : Book 1 The Dark Sound Of Steel

by Sly Red Panda

Charlie Winchester, a legendary gunslinger left his mark on the United states wasteland with blood. Actions that shaped the future of Texas and its apocalyptic remains. Until his true victory on the "Febris War" left half the state wanting him and his family dead. In order to save his loved ones, he had to hide from the world, to be sealed in vault 55. Genre:Horror/Drama/Action

1. Chapter 1

FALLOUT FANFICTION TITLED

"Land of sun & blood"

Written by:

Rasheed D&L Laaksonen

Book 1

"The dark sound of steel"

BEFORE BOOK NOTE:

The land of sun and blood is a fallout fan fiction novel series with a dark story to tell. This is an Action/drama-based fic with a slight attempt at being a more gritty and less comical version of the fallout universe. The characters of the universe are all anthro, but I assure you that the fic will definitely be enjoyable despite this factor to non-furries as well, that is a promise. The focus of this story is the death-filled, series of conflicts that burned the Texas wasteland after the great war. The fic can have a lot of harsh language and adult themes to an extent. It's also very horror/violent-filled the more it goes on.

The fic is also very "Background music" oriented story, which means that each chapter contains official soundtracks for many scenes throughout the novel to create perfect immersion or mood in the situation. Youtube is highly recommended, obviously. I will create the full ost on youtube from the consisting tracks, once the whole book is uploaded.

The story is pretty much fully connected to the original fallout game series lore, with tiny adjustments.

The story also has a lot of videogame, pop culture, and movie references.

The chapters are starting to become very long after the intro, with the approx word count being 17k and there being 16 chapters in book 1. So expect a lot of reading.

...

That's pretty much all I can say. Thank you for giving my story a chance. Any review helps me to grow and be better as a writer. Love yall :)

-Rasheed Laaksonen

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...

...

NARRATION

...

I've always loved stories. They shaped the world into what they are, wherever they are true or false... Illusions or distractions... But mine... My story is real as the air we breathe and the rain that touches our face from the grey sky.

For you to live it and see it... As I have relived this tale, over and over... Just like I'm sure that everyone around in my life has. I know it. And I am here to live through it again for one more final time... Just for you... Whoever you are, reading this.

I left my mark on this world in a way that many others have. Others called it things like Conquest... Liberation... Artist of war... Or simply the deeds of a legend. But to me... It's always been about a man of his own choices. My friend thought me that a long time ago.

I have made choices that changed the future of this state forever. Bad choices... And Good ones... In between. Its been so many choices that I have even forgotten some of them.

The only thing is sure... That as long as I've been here, doing what I do... The sand kept changing to red by blood endlessly beneath my feet the more I carried on with my choices. It's always been that way for others as well. Even long before my time.

And like any choice a man does... There will always be consequences.

And bigger the decisions... Actions... My judgments were... So are the consequences that followed.

That is all I can give you for now... Just for this moment. But if you sit here with me... Read my words... See the whole world and life through my eyes the way I have lived it.

So you can witness my reasons... My judgments... And my most important... My legacy.

And whoever you are listening to this...

I promise you.

That whatever you hate me... Or love me for who I was... By the time I've finished the story that was my life...

Know, that I always did what I thought was right. Right for the people around me... And right when it came to this god-forsaken land.

And starting from this day... 22nd of May...

The fate of this place is no longer in my hands... I did my part. It's as much as I can say. Whether I deserve these consequences or not... I know deep down that my time on this planet is heading to its end. When?... I can't tell. Yet, I feel it coming.

But my name... My care and love for my children... My breathing legacy...

Shall be a promise of the new rays of light. Just like our sun. Two living souls destined to bring hope to the land of sun and blood.

I believe in them from the bottom of my heart.

I have to. Because they are Winchesters.

And what I truly want to believe even more...

Is that that no matter their choices. Wins... Failures... And struggles...

That they still keep on trying. Even if...

Even if it would cost them their life.

I trust them to do what is right... And live with courage, bravery, and compassion.

Being righteous...

And dedicated their life to leading the others out of the darkness and into the light as long as they breathe.

So that one day... Just maybe one day.

The sand beneath their feet doesn't have to be red any longer.

Just like I wanted since the day I was born... And still do... Even at the end of my road.

- Charlie Winchester

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PROLOGUE

"Through the Storm"

...

(Music: Book of Eli - Panoramic)

The year 2276 22nd of May

...

It was that feeling.

In the skies, the sun cut thru the air like a ray beam. And orange, warming light.

Its embrace withstood over the land and brought this place into life.

The sun of Texas... Burning and painting the shades of red and yellow battling against each other stunningly, creating a theme of ironic beauty... To be awakening the land that was far from calm the sunlight.

Its beauty was unmatched, even fits meaning and glory didn't want hand in hand with the true nature of this apocalyptic wasteland was known for. Just like most of the states after the Great war.

It's violence... It's heroic tales and legendary carriers... And the history of endless bloodshed. All happening under the burning heat that was the state of red sand, as the common people here called. Or rather with its iconic phrase, used by the mammals of the old Texas, all the way to its days of origin.

The Land of Sun and Blood.

...

And what we are here to witness, during this day... The 22nd of May... Is the group of passengers on a flying vehicle, high up in the skies...

Traveling on a glorious and battle-hardened machine, Its wings cutting off the air, and the red lights of the sun reflecting from its conflict scarred surface.

A Vertibird that carried the insignia of the brotherhood of steel.

It was flying at high speed, the task being urgent and risky.

But in the traveler's luck, they had unexpected camouflage of nature protecting this endeavor.

A huge, roaring sandstorm had started to make its way to ravage the air as it always would around this time of the month.

It was clear that they had somewhat expected this mother nature's occurrence on purpose, to use this situation to their advantage.

This flying vehicle was not to be seen, let alone the passengers in it. By any possible people staring from the ground level, reporting or informing forward of what they had spotted.

That was how dangerous the situation was.

The sand reaped and kept impacting against the front windshields of the aircraft, the vision becoming harder and harder to hold onto.

Now... You might wonder, why was this the way it was? Why was this vehicle taking such a risk in a dangerous environment like this and why now?

How important could these passengers be?

And who were they?

...

...

The warm, sharp sand flowing around them each minute of it all. A ride through the sky that had felt like an eternity. The shaking emotions that roared inside each individual, soul-bound together as a family. The sounds. The echoing hum of the metal cutting the air, keeping them safe from whatever was under them right now. Not that it mattered. The storm made it impossible for anyone to witness anything down on the ground. It had to be the most blinding sandstorm that year. There were many. But this one was exceptional. It had this... This unexplainable beauty in it. Calming. Yet they all knew that this decision to fly right now, today... Under this danger... It was a forced decision. All of this was feeling like it was not meant to happen... And yet same time... It felt like destiny was just guiding their way for unknown mysterious reasons...

Like it was just meant to be.

There was no telling would they find the shelter, the peace from the danger, even if they would find what they were looking for. One of them was more than sure, that it was... That's why she wasn't scared.

"... Mom... Y-you are coming with us, r-right?"

The shaking voice breaking the long silence cut the tension of sorrow of these souls aboard. The question that had been spoken, was by a young, brown husky, looking at the blue eyes of his mother with fear in his voice. The fear held already the answer in it, the young boy of nine years already knowing the answer, even if she would try to convince him otherwise.

The young husky was tugging into his mother's side, still wanting to hear it from her. She never lied. That was her quality. But as the elderly, beautiful-looking female fox was looking at her son, she couldn't get the words out. That look, begging for her to go with them. As if it wasn't already hard for her, life had to do this to her. She then raised her gaze to look at in front of her slowly.

There she met that look right away. The gentle dark green eyes of her husband, the brown, roguish old husky looking at her fox wife right back. She expected to see a smile on him... Charlie always had that reassuring smile, telling her everything would be okay. This time... It wasn't there. No trace of it. It was just him, trying to be strong as he always was, looking at her right back as the small child of theirs was still waiting for the mother to answer. The pain of knowing. Knowing that he might never see her again. The small ones didn't know... But Charlie did. This was it. End of the line. From light to dark. After everything, he had done... This was his reward. Sickening, twisted fate.

"Dad... I don't want to go... I want to go back home... I'm scared!" The small fox kit of the age of eight next to his father said, looking at his own mother in tears just like his big brother, his father tightening the grip around his other son as he felt the young one shaking from fear, not able to see anything but the roaring sandstorm around them. Charlie could see how his amazing soul mate, his wife, was losing her cool every single second, trying not to break. She took this harder than anyone aboard in this flying machine, the machine that was scaring the kits each second. They had seen this machine many times, conquering the sky... But they had never been on it. Charlie side hugged his crying son harder, trying to calm the crying child down with the fatherly, strong tone that he always used when his kids would feel frightened.

"... Ryan... One day you will understand... You will... We love you so much... She..."

Suddenly, the voice of so far unheard mammal aboard spoke, cutting Charlie off.

"Scribe Emily... Three minutes left until our destination. Eye's alert and get ready to land. Paladin Willis, lower the altitude. Scanners ready."

The formal info given by the male badger that was sitting next to the vertibird driver, cut the tension and sorrow-filled moment, breaking Emily's focus from her son's and her husband for a moment, making her gather her breathing as she answered back with a calm voice, trying to act professionally.

"... Y- yes... Understood, Paladin Rex," Emily answered, cutting her gaze back to her husband who was still looking at her, his gaze proud that Emily wasn't breaking down, still holding it together. Suddenly the small brown husky boy spoke again next to his fox mother, asking with a shaking voice again while holding her paw like he never wanted to let go.

"W-where are we going? M-mom? Why can't you come with us? A-are you coming later?"

Those crying eyes looking at her right now, begging for an answer was driving Emily back to the edge of losing herself in sorrow again, answering back with a forced smile, brushing the ears of her son.

"Somewhere safe... Dion... Your father and brother will take care of you... I'm so sorry... I know that you can be strong... You both are-"

"I don't want you to be sorry, I want you to come with us!" The small fox kit next to his father yelled to her, not able to hold himself to totally breaking down and crying again, feeling his dad take his shaking and broken son into a hug as he was starting to soothingly calm him down.

"Shhhh, Ryan... We are doing this for HER... She can't come with us."

"But I don't understand! What did we do wrong? We haven't done anything bad!" The kit yelled and cried into his father's chest, soaking the leather gear of his into tears.

"Ryan, please look at me," Emily spoke out with a trembling voice, feeling her eyes starting to water as she tried to say anything. She needed to comfort Ryan somehow. She had done it as a mother more times than she could count as a loving mother... But this time... Even Charlie, her strong husband, couldn't change this situation with words. To help in any way. Not this time.

All he felt were regrets. Rage. Sorrow. Feeling of betrayal.

It felt like everything had become chaos too quickly, even some part of him wanted to believe that this would have not been the outcome, despite the actions he had done within the past one month.

Like said, choices... And their consequences.

And those conseq-

...

"Scribe Emily... We are landing. Everyone hold on carefully..." Paladin Willis said, the lynx starting to flip switches of the machine.

The time had vertibird was slowing its altitude every second, the feeling of twist in the stomach taking them all as the huge metallic machine was doing it's usual, dramatic entrance on the surface.

Suddenly the middle-aged brown husky, still looking at his wife while holding Ryan against his side and brushing the fur between his ears, felt himself woken up to the living moment.

Rex had laid his paw carefully on his shoulder, having stood up from his seat.

"Charlie... Cover the kits from the sand, the doors are opening. It's time... I'm sorry." Rex said with an official, strong voice. But Charlie could see the emotion that is held in, which was rare from a brave, battle-hardened soldier like Rex himself. But it was there. Offering nothing but sympathy. The hurt looks in the badger's eyes, apologizing silently that there was no time for hugs anymore. He needed to be alert.

They were in the red zone now. And here not being alert...

Gets you killed.

"... Thank you, Rex." Charlie nodded with a determined nod, feeling gathered for what was coming next.

Rex gave a quick one back and walked back to the pilot.

"Altitude?"

" Twenty feet, Paladin."

"Copy that," Rex said, clicking the switch on top of him, the light next to it turning green.

"Emily," Charlie noted carefully, taking out the small rag of cloth from next to him, covering Ryan with it.

The female fox, holding in her tears had to get herself together, quickly hassling with the cloth that was next to her as well, covering Dion with it.

"Mom, what is happening?!" Dion asked in a scared tone, the sound of question muffled as his mouth was partly covered by the cloth.

FHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

The roaring sound of wind started to come in, the sand attacking them from all sides. It got everywhere in the passenger area, both adults having closed their eyes to protect their sight and feeling some of the sand entering their ears as well.

Despite holding their breath some, it was making Emily cough a bit as it was impossible not to breathe it in as they were landing.

"Twelve feet!" The lynx announced loudly.

"Hold on tight everyone. We are almost done here." Rex said quickly over his shoulder.

"The scanners are jammed because of the sand storm... Goddamnit. Paladin, I suggest immediate area securing. The heartbeat sensors don't signify about any people around, but you know the equipment isn't at its sharpest in this weather. Ten seconds till landing," The pilot lynx warned.

Charlie stood up, having listened over his shoulder while still not able to take his eyes off his wife, Emily looking at him as well and clearly uneasy, Dion full-on crying against her.

Ryan was so quiet. Charlie had to make sure everything was alright with his son, peeking under the cloth a bit. His son had his eyes closed, his paws dug into Charlie's side and clinging onto him, knowing he had to move.

"Ryan... You have to let go for a moment." Charlie apologized.

"No. Don't go!" Ryan whimpered quickly.

"Son... I'll be right back. I promise it to you."

"..." Ryan didn't answer.

"Fifteen seconds!" The pilot yelled.

"Charlie," Rex warned, having already geared up, armed to the teeth, and the sounds of heavy weaponry being locked and loaded echoing.

"Hey... Ryan. My brave little soldier." Charlie said with a fatherly tone, peeking a small smile, comforting Ryan right at that second.

"You have to be strong for me... Okay? Can you do that? I know you can. Hmh?" Charlie asked, his eyes watering just a bit from seeing how afraid his son truly was.

Ryan hesitantly nodded, despite not having let go of him.

"Go and hug your mother. I'll be right back."

"Promise?"

"That's a promise," Charlie said with a strong and fatherly tone, trying to ease his son's scare.

Ryan let go slowly of him, not taking his eyes off as he quickly stormed to the opposite side, his mother scooping him into an embrace as quickly as she could.

"Charlie," Rex said quickly.

The brown-furred husky reacted instantly, standing up and reaching for what he already knew to be offered.

Rex was professionally handing out a shining Sig Sauer handgun by its barrel to his comrade, Charlie quickly taking it and pulling the slider back swiftly.

"Three seconds!" The pilot informed.

"... Ready?" Rex asked carefully before putting on his huge, intimidating metallic helmet.

Charlie just nodded, taking grip from the nearby handle as the machine was about to land.

Small shake and rumble were felt for a mere two seconds, Charlie aiming his handgun to the right side of them, into the sandstorm.

"One... Two... Three." Rex said, raising his glaring, red light glowing weapon, aiming through a scope as they started to advance forward, jumping out of the no more moving vertibird.

"Fucking sandstorm." Paladin Rex muttered quietly to himself, slowly starting to advance forward with Charlie. He briefly spoke to the helmet radio.

"Willis, close the doors while we secure the area. Copy? If anything surprises us, it won't get to the scribe and the kids through that metal."

"Yeah, I got it, Paladin. I'll keep them safe till the sweep. Anything moving this way goes down without hesitation. Count on that." The lynx pilot said confidently in the vertibird as he was taking out a huge, electric rifle and starting to spin some sort of handle on the gun's side with his arm.

"Copy that. We gotta do this extraction mission quick and clean. The sandstorm is still going to go on for a while but not forever. We can't risk people seeing any of us here." Rex said with slight pressure in his tone, as if this was easily one of the most uncomfortable missions he had been aboard on.

For a good reason.

Willis hopped out of the vertibird with his huge gun drawn out, giving a slight nod at Emily from the outside as he pulled some lever near him.

Emily gave one last concerned look at the distant shade of her husband's back, the husky's frame disappearing into the sandstorm slowly and out of reach of eye.

The metallic doors slowly closed with a flick of a switch... And the silence took over the whole interior of the vertibird, leaving Emily alone with her kits.

For a moment to each three...

The world had disappeared. The only thing in sight was the sand roaring outside, the windows barely revealing anything but brown, cutting nature's wild tricks.

...

...

It took a few seconds of silence between the two before either started to think about saying something. So far, securing the area was impossible. The radar was telling next to nothing, the storm was roaring so loud that they could barely hear anything else. If something would engage in this mess, it would have all the advantages it needed. All they could do was hope that luck was on their side.

For two minutes they walked in the sandstorm, feeling like they were just waiting for the inevitable at this point. At least one of them was.

The badger leading Charlie's way by looking at his scanner stopped for a moment, securing the area with his magnificent laser weapon, looking through the scope.

Shortly after, as the husky was covering the other area behind him, the badger finally felt like saying something.

"... I can't believe you let him go."

Charlie had heard very clearly what the badger said, as he was as alert as he could, but he still had to ask just to hear it again.

"... What did you just say?" The serious undertone questioned.

The badger kept on walking, feeling nervous. He now already regretted opening his mouth.

"... I just... I'm trying to understand your choice. And I still... I still can't believe what you chose in the end. All this could have been avoided if..." The badger drifted off, shaking his head in disapproval and confusion. He felt like that was already saying enough. Even if he had more than that still to be said.

The husky behind him slowly lowered down his weapon and looked at the ground for a moment. He could barely see his feet because of the sandstorm. He closed his eyes, going through the words in his head and answering to the paladin.

"Stop walking," Charlie said, sounding commanding rather than asking.

The tone took the badger's attention, as he slowly stopped scanning the area and turned to look over his shoulder.

"Did you spot something?" Rex asked, slightly worried.

"... No... That is not why I'm stopping you," Charlie stated with an impatient tone, just staring at his friend intensively.

As the badger was looking right back at him, he realized what the dog had actually intended.

He wanted to have the conversation that had been held in for a while now between them.

But the surroundings didn't favor it. AS they were all out in the open, despite the rocks and small cliffs around them giving somewhat shelter from the ravaging sand around them, making it easier for Charlie to talk without effort with his turban on.

"... Charlie we can't, not here. This area is dangerous-" The badger began like it should be obvious, but Charlie shook his head from side to side slowly and commanded his friend again, this time more sternly.

"Stop... Making excuses. I want to hear what is on your mind. We are having this conversation. Now, I want you to take the helmet off and look me in the eye as you say it again."

"... Charlie, we-"

Charlie walked one foot closer to his friend to show that he meant this command and sounded even somewhat emotionally wounded, would the badger try to skip this change of words any longer with his excuses.

"Take off the fucking helmet, please."

The badger just observed Charlie for five intense seconds as the husky's gaze was drilling into him before he slowly started to move his arms.

TTZZHHHHH

The mechanism of air release hissed somewhat loudly, as the badger pressed the buttons under his jawline to release the lock mechanism.

He proceeded to slowly lift up the metallic and intimidating-looking protection over his head, his sweaty and stressed-looking face revealing from under.

The badger winced at the incoming sand against his cheek slightly, letting his arm hand now in order to hold the heavy helmet, as he was trying to adjust to his bare face getting all this sand and wind against it.

But slowly, he started to make out his surroundings, looking at Charlie now, as the serious dog gave him a thankful nod for doing as was asked.

The dog gave a paw move as a gesture for Rex to start speaking to him, laying it all out for him.

"... You really want to hear it again?" Rex asked with just as serious tone.

Charlie looked at his side for a moment, contemplating what he was about to say next. And slowly but surely, he started to answer with an honest and humble tone.

"No... But... You know why I did it. I had to answer for it to everyone around me. Even Emily... But you. You out of all the people in the world... Should have known that I couldn't do it. You knew for many years that it would go this way." Charlie explained like he wanted to believe in it.

The badger just kept looking at the husky with disappointment, yet the glimpse in his eye showing the reflection of the truth that he indeed doubted it would have all ended this way.

"... You would have ended his misery. Instead... We never found his body. We needed to see it. We needed to know for sure that he was dead... You walked into that base with the gun in your hand, to end it once and for all... And yet, you returned alone after setting him free. You gave him such a headstart that we could not find him. Why? Charlie, I just ask why?" The badger kept asking with the voice of frustration and genuine hurt over the fact that even he himself clearly had wanted the mentioned person dead.'

Charlie's eyes watered as closed them for a moment, taking a deep breath and knowing that he had really done something drastic. And yet even at this moment... He felt like he made the right choice, still. A choice that gave him peace and comfort.

"... I ended his misery. If only you knew... But I didn't do it the way that other people wanted." The dog said sternly like it was a stance he was willing to stay behind for.

The badger just shook his head even more frustrated and spat out.

"... No! You think that you did the right thing when you didn't! Besides you, he is still the most dangerous man in Texas, and he could be halfway to Capital wasteland or Mohjave wasteland by now! We needed his head on a spike! The brotherhood, the common people, even the fucking merc groups! We needed him dead!" The badger yelled as his friend had never in his life disappointed him to this amount.

"He will never return. He won't. I... I made sure of it. You have to believe me, Rex." Charlie spoke emotionally, sounding defensive.

"But what if he does?!" The badger yelled back without letting it go.

Charlie's voice broke a bit as he spoke with emotion, having never believed in something as much as he did now.

"Even if by some twisted reason he would come back after what I said to him... EVEN IF THERE WAS THAT CHANCE WHEN THERE IS NOT-!"

"CHARLIE-"

"One man on the run can't make a difference to the future of this place! He doesn't have people behind him anymore!" Charlie yelled, making it seem that anyone else was insane to think otherwise.

"You are ONE MAN and you made all the difference to this place ever since you set foot in here from wherever the hell you came from!" The badger spat out, calling out Charlie's reasoning on the matter.

"..." Charlie did indeed shut up now because he knew that the badger had cornered him on the matter.

But it didn't take away the fact that he knew... That even if the discussed person was still alive... He would simply never return. He didn't have a reason to anymore.

As the badger and the husky stared at each other intensively for a while, Charlie wanting to say something... Nothing came out. The longer he waited, the more frustrated the badger visibly got and just spoke quietly.

"... We should keep going. It's not safe to talk here, even if these rocks give cover from the storm," Rex said with small anxiety in his tone.

"We are not walking another fucking step until this conversation ends, you owe me that." Charlie insisted, pulling back into the aggressive behavior as he was feeling wounded over the badger's way of looking and talking at him right now.

"..." The badger turned to look at Charlie again after scanning the area nervously a bit with his laser rifle, waiting for Charlie to then keep going since he insisted so much.

"I just... I simply just... I ended his pain. I gave him a new change. A new start. I had to give him that." Charlie desperately pressed again, trying to soften his voice in intent for the badger to be less judgemental.

"Because you felt like you owed him something, even after thousands of people are laying on the ground, dead and buried." The badger let out without hesitation like Charlie had no point in trying to dig sympathy from him over his dumbly made choice.

"... His army was the threat... Not him. He will not be a threat to anyone anymore. None of you just understand." Charlie spat in frustration, feeling the anger build up.

"As long as he lives... We will never be safe." The badger reminded like Charlie had to be a fool to trust in the mentioned person this much.

"We will. I might have done some mistakes. But-"

"SOME MISTAKES?!-" The badger was about to flip, having enough of this apologizing attitude that Charlie kept clinging on because his mistakes had costed so many lives dear to even the badger himself that it was rather disgusting to hear reason being "shit happens".

"HE WON'T COME BACK, THE PLACE WHERE I SENT HIM IS SOMETHING HE CANNOT EVEN RETURN FROM-" Charlie now raged, like it was a fact that no one else could be able to see.

This time the badger actually lost his temper overhearing the same explanation over and over again and laid his gun arm down as he walked in front of Charlie.

He placed his paw to grasp the dog from his chest belt, now sounding like he had come to a small realization underneath, that he wished he was wrong about.

"HOW CAN YOU KNOW?! ARE YOU MEANING TO TELL ME RIGHT FUCKING NOW THAT YOU DIDN'T ONLY TELL HIM TO RUN, BUT YOU ACTUALLY KNOW WHERE HE IS?!" The badger yelled, making Charlie's energy change completely.

The dog gave a threatening look at the badger for speaking to him in this way and touching him so harshly. Even if they were very close to each other, not many men could speak and behave to him in this manner without dying within the next few seconds.

"... Take your fucking hand off me, Rex." The husky spoke with a low growl.

The small glimpse of fear besides feeling betrayed flashed on the badger's expression, as he let go of the dog instantly.

He took few steps back, shaking his head furiously in complete disappointment, starting to ramble as he could not even look at the dog anymore.

"You fucking know, don't you... You... Charlie, if you had JUST TOLD THE COUNCIL AT THE TRIAL OF YOUR CRIMES ABOUT KNOWING WHERE HE IS! THEY HAVE LIKE THIRTY VERTIBIRDS ACROSS TEXAS ON A HUNT, AND YOU FUCKING KNOW WHERE HE IS?!-" The badger began yelling and pointing his finger at Charlie accusingly, the dog starting to furiously defend his case.

"I CAN'T TELL THEM! I MADE A PROMISE TO HIM AND TO... IT'S NOT ANY OF YALL BUSINESS. MY WORD IS MY BOND. I CAN'T TELL YOU, TO MY WIFE, TO-..." The dog cut off, feeling as the tears were close to coming, the words getting stuck in his throat.

The moment the badger saw that which was not something he would see every day happening in front of him, the great Charlie Winchester close to crying... He had to ease up a bit. Because the dog is in this state made him unstable and unpredictable. And he didn't want to feel bad for him. He wanted to hate him and even hit him for all the stupid things he had done all the way to this point. But still as his dear friend... It was hard not to feel sorry. The dog clearly was broken from the inside over his choices, and sparing this one life had been more important to him than anything else for him in years. It was more than clear.

Rex looked at the sand for a moment awkwardly, nodding few times and asking quietly with a humble and way less aggressive tone, just trying to understand and get even some remote kind of answer that would make sense.

"... Why? Why did you have to go through this hell just to protect him? For you to be separated from your wife and forced to take care of your children alone? Do you really think his life was worthy enough to be spared, for you to mess up your future in this way? You had a future with the brotherhood, they would have forgiven everything you did wrong. All you had to do... Was to kill him. And instead, you chose this. Why? I'm just... I'm just trying to understand why you think he deserved mercy?"

The dog swallowed a bit, feeling that he was about to stumble on his words as he felt a bit uncomfortable over showing this much emotion in front of Rex. Even if it was not the first time it had happened, this was very different due to the subject. When it came to this mentioned person, he was so vulnerable as one could.

The dog finally turned to look at his friend, few tears rolling down his cheeks as he just stated things as simple and genuine as he felt them.

"...He is my brother. From the first month that I set foot in here. We would have died without each other. He was all I had before Emily. It could not be me. It could not be me who would take his life, after everything I made HIM go through... All the feeling of being betrayed and backstabbed and put up against the wall... I couldn't betray him one last time. I set him free because he deserved a chance to start a new life far from here so he could forget all of this. All of the pain... Like a nightmare that lasted too long because of my actions. In his own way... He is in heaven now. A different kind. I... I owed him that." Charlie let out heavily like it was all he could say on the matter anymore. He was done explaining his actions. He truly made it sound like he made the right decision in the end, which just kept the badger on steady confusion.

The badger ran his paw over his face, stressed and taking a moment to think. Seeing Charlie cry and wait for some kind of answer was numbing, as he felt like there was no arguing about this point further. Charlie was always stubborn when it came to making choices, and he stood behind this one, even now.

"He didn't deserve your brotherly love, Charlie. And he had more part in that nightmare than you did, your loyalty to him even after he went mad and started executing his own people.. And now your actions have led you into this punishment. Do you really think you made the right choice even at this moment?" The badger asked honestly.

Charlie didn't answer. His expressions remained tired, looking at the sandy storm rather dreamy as he was collecting his emotions.

The badger sighed and spoke quietly with frustration.

"... Whatever you believe he deserved or didn't deserve, it doesn't matter anymore. You made your choice. And everyone, including me... Even your wife... Know that you chose wrong... This is the only way this can go. And I have to see it through." The badger said, sounding truly apologizing at this moment.

"..." Charlie still didn't say anything, moving a bit restlessly as he wiped his face with the back of his hand, biting his fangs together out of stress as he was tightening the grip around his gun. He was having a moment of desperation hitting him hard.

"... Come on, Charlie. Let's move. We have wasted enough time. The place should be within hundred meters away approximately, and the storm could seize any m-"

"I will not allow this to happen." Charlie suddenly said with a determined tone, yet sounding unsure if he should have said it out loud.

The badger felt uneasy over the tone clearly, as he turned to look at his friend cautiously and spoke.

"What?"

"... This cannot go this way. I will not be sealed into some fucking pre-war tomb for ages till I go insane. I won't do it." Charlie muttered, feel like he was already going slowly insane over rewinding through everything he had done for this order as their dirty work, only to end up like this. He couldn't handle the thought.

Rex started to feel his nervousness rise as Charlie started to mutter by himself and walk around, his fingers gripping his handgun tighter from time to time.

The badger started to cautiously talk with a calm tone, trying to make his friend see reason.

"... Charlie. We have been over this with the council, she agreed to it just as much as the oth-"

The dog scuffed the answer off mid-sentence with a wave of a paw-like this was ridiculous.

Charlie was feeling way too restless. He was weighing his options, walking in front of the badger, looking pleading as he did aggressively. But it was clear he wanted to take the peaceful route of persuasion before anger. He spoke emotionally to his friend, placing his paw on his shoulder of steel plate.

"... If you let me and my wife go... And my children... We can vanish too. We can vanish far away from Texas and never come back. Just like I told him... We can... If you just give us the chance."

The badger knew that the dog was serious about what he asked but it only made him more nervous as he spoke back with seriousness.

"You know I cannot allow that to happen."

"... After everything I have done for you?" Charlie asked, trying to make the badger feel bad. And it did indeed wound him that he was so firm on saying "No" to him, after their long journey. Especially without hesitation.

The badger bit his underlip a bit, looking around paranoidly and giving the apologizing shake from side to side as he spoke.

"It doesn't matter how many favors we have done for each other how much trust there is between us. You already let one person escape from justice, you can't expect yourself to get the same at this point, let alone kidnap Emily and your sons and just walk out of the consequences. No. I have my orders-"

"REX, YOU HAVE TO LET US GO-"

"CHARLIE, STOP. I can't defy-"

At this point, Charlie snapped. After knowing that this was really going to be something he could no longer talk himself out of, the desperation reaped him from the inside one final time, making him lose it.

Like a speed of lighting, his gun was quickly aimed up, pointing Rex right between his eyes.

The move was so fast, that Rex could barely react as he was now staring at the barrel of a Sig Sauer P226 before he could blink.

The fear washed over his expression as well as shock, not having imagined their bond of friendship ever having something like this happen. Charlie was not playing around. He was not going to follow through, and this could well be Rex's last seconds on this earth. Coming to terms with it was not easy. Especially when it was this dog holding the gun.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO STOP IT, HUH?! WHAT?! YOU EITHER WILLINGLY LET ME GO AND LET ME GO TALK TO MY WIFE AND MY KIDS, OR MAYBE I WILL SHOOT YOU RIGHT HERE AND NOW, GO BACK AND KILL WILLIS TOO! IT'S EITHER OF THE TWO!" Charlie yelled in rage and feeling like he was about to lose everything, his finger itching on the trigger as he kept aiming his gun.

"..." Rex felt completely frozen, looking as the panting dog was slowly losing it. The rage and desperation over his face made Rex realize that having been the main volunteer on this mission due to their friendship might have just costed his life.

The gun was still, if not counted the slight shaking due to the dog being emotional. Rex knew that the dog was not hateful of him at this moment. Not truly. But he had to unleash what he felt on someone, and it went without saying that Rex was scared shitless.

"Charlie... I... Put down the gun." The badger pleaded, nearly not getting the words out due to being so scared.

"..." Charlie didn't do as was told, but it could be seen that the guilt over doing this was already hitting him slowly.

The badger barely moved, his rifle hanging from his arm freely and pointing at the ground. There was no way in any reality that he would be able to raise his gun up and turn the situation around. Even if there was, he wouldn't. He wanted to trust with all his heart that Charlie would not take his life like this. No matter how unstable he was. He had to believe in that.

"Put down the gun, please... I know you are angry right now-" The badger began carefully until Charlie kept on raging with the gun still pointed at his friend's face.

"ANGRY?! I AM BEING PUNISHED EVEN AFTER WINNING THE WAR FOR YOU STEEL SUITED FUCKS, AND I AM JUST SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT THIS OUTCOME?!"

"... If you take her and run... The peace treaty is dishonored and then you are totally screwed-"

Charlie now stepped even closer, the gun shaking again as the dog kept getting more emotional, yet visibly in pain for having to go this route.

"Fuck your treaty. A piece of paper and a shake of hands doesn't stop me from starting a new life MY WAY. WITH MY TERMS." Charlie said with a demanding tone, trying to force Rex to see this as the best option. But it wasn't.

"... Don't do this... Char-" The badger begged again, sound more and more afraid as the barrel of the handgun started into his soul.

"YOU CHOSE THIS WHEN YOU DECIDED TO STAND BEHIND TAKING MY FAMILY FROM ME!-" Charlie yelled, feeling like he was about to pull the trigger any second now out of hesitation. His eyes were watering as he yelled at the badger in the middle of the sandstorm, feeling like he was about to do something there was no coming back from. Once again.

He was truly losing it.

And now the badger knew that he had to talk sense into Charlie as best as he could with the last possible attempt before he could actually get killed.

"I AM NOT TAKING ANYONE FROM YOU! I KNOW THAT YOU HATE MY ORDER, AND YOU HATE WHAT IS BEING DONE TO YOU, AND I KNOW NONE OF THIS IS FAIR IN YOUR MIND. BUT YOU KNOW THAT I'M JUST SAYING THINGS HOW THEY ARE, YOU HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT! THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE RESPECTED ME AND TRUSTED ME, AND RIGHT NOW, I AM THE ONLY FRIEND THAT YOU GOT LEFT IN THIS WORLD! ONLY ONE! AND YOU ARE POINTING A GUN AT ME AND THINK ABOUT PULLING THE TRIGGER, AFTER I'M TRYING TO SECURE AT LEAST SOME KIND OF FUTURE FOR YOU AND YOUR SONS?! ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO SHOOT ME IN THE HEAD, HERE AND NOW?! AM I THE ONE IN YOUR MIND TO DESERVE THE BULLET THAT HE DIDN'T?! IF YOU DO THIS, CAN YOU REALLY LIVE WITH THAT?!"

The badger was so riled up out of sorrow and scare that he was now panting harder than the dog, out of breath and feeling like his voice might have carried all the way till the vertibird even through the storm.

But he had succeeded in having an effect on Charlie. Because all that misguided anger and hate was slowly fading, the expression breaking up as Charlie knew and slowly started to cry again. His paw started to shake as he bit his fangs together, for a moment looking like he was about to shoot anyway.

"Charlie!-" The badger let out in terror because he couldn't know what Charlie was about to do, despite crying hard.

He was waiting for the gun to go off and enter eternal darkness the next second...

But nothing was heard... But the sudden raspy sound of Charlie breaking up in tears again.

And to the badgers total relief...

The dog quickly felt his arm relax, as he had made his decision to not ruin his life any further with an act of desperation in the heat of the moment.

The badger had legit closed his eyes, slowly squinting them open and realizing that he was not being aimed at anymore.

Charlie felt woozy, walking a bit to the side and leaning with a stumbling reach against a nearby rock, feeling defeated. He was gasping for air and sobbing hard still, feeling like he needed a break to handle his thoughts for a moment.

"..." The badger said nothing, feeling like he could shit himself after the intense shouting match and almost getting a bullet through his skull.

The dog was burying his face into his open palm, trying to get a hold of himself.

"... Jesus christ, Charlie... Fuck," The badger muttered still in scare, wondering if Carlie even heard him in the middle of being such a mess.

The dog could barely give an actual reply of any kind for a while as he was letting it all out right in front of him. And it was not something that Rex had expected to see in his lifetime. The most deadly person he and this whole place knew, breaking down in such emotion. But it only reminded him that no matter how legendary your name was or could be... IN the end, we are all people.

Rex could see that Charlie was still obviously considering kidnapping his wife and his children with him, the thought had not left. But he didn't want to do it. Especially not at the expense of taking the life of two of his friends, even if he had so threatened in the heat of the moment.

He approached the crying dog carefully, speaking with a voice of reason once more as he wanted Charlie to wipe out any ideas of escape for good, for his sake.

"Even if... Even if you managed to persuade Emily to leave... And if I managed to persuade Willis not to involve... Once we would go back without her... You know what would happen. They would execute me for betrayal right where I stand. Then Willis. And then the rest of our aircraft battalions would swoop over every mile across this location... And then kill not only you and your children... But Emily too, since she had betrayed the order too by escaping. You love her more than anything. And you know that no matter how many of us you would take down... You would all die." The badger ended somberly, truly wanting that not to happen. He needed Charlie to know this despite his stubbornness. He was not stupid. But it was still very much troubling how unpredictable he could be in this state.

"..." Charlie was rubbing his chin, avoiding eye contact as he was still crying, his gun restlessly scratching against the surface of the rock.

The badger was now comfortable enough despite his remaining uneasy feels to approach a bit more, standing next to Charlie now.

The dog slowly looked up at his friend, looking like a complete mess as his fur was stained with tears and sand all over. Rex kept talking.

"You have to see the light even in this dark decision. You are lucky they didn't execute you already. You can start a new life. You and your sons. That is already so beautiful in itself. Your fight here is over... And Emily... She needs us and we need her." Rex admitted humbly.

Charlie's voice cracked a bit as he looked in the direction where they had come from, knowing he would see the aircraft if it wasn't for the sandstorm raving hard still.

"I can't... Do this without her."

Rex felt how horrible it truly was for Charlie as he had never witnessed anyone loving another person as much as Charlie did Emily. But he had to comfort him but still bringing hope to the broken dog as best as he could. He laid the steel hand on Charlie's shoulder carefully for a moment and spoke.

"... You can. You have to. Because you know her. All her life she has dedicated herself to solve problems. This... This is one of them. She won't just forget you."

Charlie turned to look at Rex with a skeptical expression despite wanting to believe in all of it too.

"... You really see Simmons ever forgiving me?"

"... He already forgave you once... In time... Emily might persuade him to forgive you again." Rex reminded, truly making it sound like it was possible. There was a chance.

"... And you think Owen wouldn't do anything in his power to stop it, so she could finally have what he has always wanted. Her." The dog said in disgust and hate, his blood building even over the idea of someone else touching his wife. And the man that had held a high vote on his punishment to be put in action, was the man who had wanted to be with Charlie's wife for a long time.

"... I won't let him. And you would have to be crazy to think she would want to be with Owen after all this," Rex spoke like it was just not going to happen. Charlie knew it too. His wife always held distaste against Owen, and especially now after the trial, there was no way that she would let Owen anywhere near her.

There was a moment of silence between them, as Charlie didn't know what to say anymore. Neither did Rex. The dog was just looking at the sand beneath his feet tiredly, rubbing his face with his paw and feeling as the fur was getting messy because of the salty water of the tears and sand mixing with it, making him look roughed up. The sandstorm was not still going down anytime soon, for their luck. But it was an irritating environment to be in. It was so windy and noisy that they could barely hear their own thoughts time to time. Rex was getting a bit restless, as he didn't want to push Charlie on the move by force, but they were running out of time at this rate.

"... How do you expect my sons to hear that they might never see their mother again? How do I make Dion and Ryan understand?" Charlie suddenly asked emotionally, like this question had bothered him for a good while now.

"... I don't know. I'm sorry." Rex apologized, feeling truly bad for even picturing how it would go. He had protected and cared about Charlie's sons ever since they were born, and knew that they out of all the mammals in the world didn't deserve this. Even seeing them being on the verge of panic because of this journey past the sky was uneasy to observe.

"... You keep apologizing as if it was making difference... You are my only friend left... The only one I can trust... And it just..." Charlie drifted off, feeling shaky again.

The tone had made Rex feel sunken into sorrow, as he knew that he was not only losing his wife... But also his last remaining friend.

Rex now actually kneeled down a bit, the massive power armor making it now look like they were on the same head level almost. He spoke now with an honest and warm tone, wanting Charlie to take each word for truth.

"Charlie... We have been through a lot together. And not even you waving a gun in my face is going to break my loyalty to you. I will fight for your freedom every day by changing the minds of my brothers and sisters in arms about you... I promise. And I want you to know... To know that If I had to throw my life away for you and your family's life, If I had absolute certainty that you would all be safe for good?... I would. Because without you I wouldn't even be here anymore."

"..." Charlie's expression did for a moment go a bit emotional again, looking even thankful that Rex said that with genuine intent. He wasn't sure if such thing went without saying, but hearing that he really cared this much even at this moment, after all his mistakes, not even counting the biggest and most recent one... It still meant a lot.

Rex continued.

"You chose to spare the life of someone you considered a brother in exchange for the consequences of your actions. All your life you preached to me about choices. As I have done to you... You made yours... And... Sometimes you only have little time to reflect when it's too late. This is one of those moments." Rex spoke wisely.

Charlie just listened, having full attention and feeling like his mental storm was slowly fading down and his last aggressions burst dying, as Rex had intended. His grip was not holding his gun as tight and shaky anymore, and his ideas of killing anyone today were gone.

The badger then spoke the final words he had to say, his eyes getting watery as well as Charlie's at this most genuine moment they had ever had, after all the years of war and adventuring together.

"If we had the time... If you and me... Had the time. I'd wait here with you. For a day. A month, A YEAR... Until you would have the heart to accept this outcome... So we can walk together, one last time... As friends... And find what we came here for."

Rex then finished, handing over his open paw covered in metal armor, as a gesture of brothership to the dog in front of him, still shedding slow tears on the rock.

Charlie looked at the gesture emotionally, sniffing a bit and giving a rough gasp as some of the sand got into his muzzle. He slowly gave few nods, going along with this for now, as the badger had managed to make his case that this could necessarily not be the end that Charlie thought it was. But the badger had no reason to lie. He was many things but not a liar. And he made it clear that he would not be forgotten.

He had to trust that.

The dog didn't know what to say to all the emotional words that had been just poured on him, but in the end, he didn't have to. Rex knew how much it had meant to him. So instead, he just spoke with a calm, slightly more collected tone, as he took grasp of Rex's palm of metal for a moment, lifting himself from top of the rock.

"... Lead the way... And... You should probably give a situation update to Willis, so my wife isn't... Getting worried."

Rex nodded at the command. He slowly started to put his helmet back on, giving one last sympathetic look at his friend and let go of his paw, as Charlie was getting back on his needed mindset.

The dog started to scan the area with his handgun, Rex locking the mechanism of his big steel helmet, setting up his visors, and bringing the static back to life.

BZZZZZZ

The static opened up, Willis speaking on the line immediately.

"Report! Paladin Rex, you have been without a situation update for at least six minutes now. What is your location? Over." The worried voice of paladin Willis spoke on the line, clearly having been nervous over the communications been off for so long.

Rex spoke back patiently as he was watching Charlie scan the area from the side, looking sharp and focused again.

"Me and Winchester just made sure that the area is safe. No hostile life signs for now. We will give you another situation update in five minutes. Over and out."

"Copy that. Thank god for you two being safe. Over and out." Willis said with a relieved tone, cutting off the frequency.

BZZZZZ

"Okay... We better get a move on then." Rex spoke and got mentally ready for the search.

Charlie didn't answer, having taken some fair distance as he felt like needed a breather and time for his own thoughts for a moment. Rex was going to force by talking to him anymore more than necessary. It felt like most had been already said.

And slowly, the two started to disappear into the sandstorm, trying to locate what they were looking for.

...

FIVE MINUTES LATER

...

Two braver soldiers were still walking in blind almost, as the sand was not easing up around them. the rocks and cliffs were surrounding everywhere, but the small minimap on the visor screen inside Rex's helmet was guiding them in the assumedly right direction the whole time.

As the two were arriving to somewhat oddly more linear areas, the cliffs getting a bit higher around them, till the point that they had to start walking up an actual hill, Charlie couldn't help but break the silence finally between them. He sounded more and more skeptical as they walked up, watching their steps from hitting sharp rocks.

"... Rex... What if we don't find it?"

Rex laid his down just for a moment to take a small breather as the hill was rather harsh to walk on despite the steel suit. He then answered between his breath.

"... We will. We have to," Rex said like he didn't want to think what was going to happen next, would they not find the place.

"But what if we don't?" Charlie pressed, feeling like part of him didn't want to find it, and part didn't believe that this place even existed.

"... I have no idea what would happen if we don't. But you really should hope for your family's sake that we do," Rex said, not sugar-coating his thoughts that should be obvious nevertheless. If they couldn't find what they were looking for and went back... Charlie's execution would more likely come back on the table as an option.

"Should I?" Charlie asked, the tone making Rex have that slight hint of uneasiness again as he truly hoped that their earlier conversation and how it ended had been enough to change the dog's mind about any foolish escape plans.

"... It's a new start," Rex said, stopping for a moment and wanting Charlie to understand that there was still hope in this plan. Hope Charlie didn't see.

"... But not the kind I deserve," Charlie said quietly, Rex barely hearing it.

Rex was getting paranoid slightly, steering the conversation elsewhere.

"... The energy signals stated that it has an ongoing power supply, which means it's functional. We wouldn't have otherwise noticed it by the scanners. It HAS to work. It's a miracle in itself that your wife found it this fast and in this amount of time. We both know how horrible things could have turned out if she wasn't so resourceful." Rex said, sounding truly impressed at Charlie's wife.

"... But that doesn't mean that it's a good place to raise kids," Charlie stated after a moment with a somber tone.

"... It can't be any worse than in this hell," Rex admitted with a humble and honest tone.

"..." Even Charlie had nothing to say to that, but a small whisper.

"They would have been safe in the fort..."

Rex said nothing to that, feeling awkward and knowing that Charlie had a point. But that opportunity was no longer on the table.

Once again, few minutes passed, the censors beeping radically as Rex's visor started to show that they were indeed getting close to something.

The badger started to curse, as the cliffs were starting to go wide again, but the sandstorm felt like it was not about to stop anytime soon but to just get more aggressive. It was like an unknown sign from nature.

"This fucking sandstorm... Jesus Christ... I've never seen it being this bad." Rex cursed, half in awe. This was rare indeed even for Texas, where these storms were frequent.

"... What if someone lives in there?" Charlie asked as a half paranoid thought, wondering if such could be even possible.

Rex was a bit surprised by the suddenly suggested possibility, talking with a voice that sounded rather doubting.

"... After two hundred years since the bombs fell?... It's... Very unlikely."

"... That is once again really reassuring that this place is even in the shape of any kind to live," Charlie spoke like this plan was slowly starting to sound like madness.

"If there is indeed someone alive in there, I doubt that they would be hostile. From what we hear of dwellers, they-"

"Rex..."

Rex couldn't even finish his sentence when Charlie spoke with a voice that sounded almost shocked and dreamy at the same time.

The dog had stopped walking completely, giving a paw signal for his friend to stop walking behind him as well.

They had both arrived into an open area, looking more so as a top of the hill, located in front of a sizeable red rock mountain. The area looked like it had been an area of scuffles from time to time. People or monsters had fought here in the past, as there were bullet holes and marks around the cliffs, with empty casings of bullets around in the sand, mixed with the small rocks. It was hard to see what kind of sights there would be from this sizeable hill to where they had walked from, as the storm blocked a lot of visibility. But this hill gave enough platform for many people to stand around it. So this place was definitely unknown.

But none of these details were attention-grabbing at this moment. IT was what Charlie was witnessing with his own eyes right now, getting shivers.

Like witnessing something right out of the stories of the old... Brought to life... And as real as them standing right here, their feet in the sand.

Rex felt his heart skip a beat as well, as he let his guard down and let his weapon arm relax, staring at what charlie was staring at as well.

"... My god." Was all that the badger could say so faintly in awe that Charlie almost didn't hear it either.

The door.

The gigantic, round steel door.

The door of a pre-war vault, from ages before their time. A true part of their history.

Vault 55.

The numbers on the door were "55" representing the number of the vault, as there were about three hundred of them around the United States, scattered around each state.

The two were so speechless, that the badger jumped a bit almost from scare that woke him up back to the moment from marveling this sturdy piece of machinery in front of them.

BBZZZZZZ

"Situation status? Rex? You on the line?" Willis questioned, sounding a bit worried again as it had been a moment since Rex contacted them. So it was clear that Emily had pressured Willis to be the one to contact them now.

"... Yeah... I'm..." Rex stated quietly, still in awe.

"... What? Paladin Rex, do you copy?" Willis asked in confusion.

"Paladin Willis... Head scribe Emily." The badger announced, sounding more than pleased and relieved now.

"What is the situation? Over. " Paladin Willis questioned.

Rex observed as the dog in front of him was approaching the door, having laid his gun paw down as well, slowly reaching for the metal in fascination.

Charlie felt as his paw made contact with the cold steel, letting his fur slide against it, his eye gazing all around the metal.

It was clear that some idiots or most likely raiders... Even deathclaws had tried to get in through the structure, obviously without result. The steel was so probably full of three meters in length. There was no way that even a tank could shoot through it. The scars and the bullet scratches around the steel were true signs of it being impenetrable. Even some had painted things on the door with white paint, the sandstorms having made most of the letters unreadable. along with a few dried-up blood spatters by some poor souls.

Rex finally spoke clearly on the line after sharpening his mind back into the situation.

"... We found it... It's... Wow." Was all that Rex could say, sounding truly hopeful at this moment for Charlie. All this hadn't been for nothing after all.

"You found it?! We are extracting out of the vetibird, asap. Over and out." Willis spoke with also a truly relieved tone, as he had feared just as much as Rex for the possibility of the vault not being there, and Charlie's possible reaction.

"Copy that. Travel towards my signals for about ten minutes and you will arrive here. We didn't counter hostiles but still, keep your eye sharp and gun up. Over and out. See you shortly, paladin. Over and out." Rex said with a pleased tone, cutting off the frequency.

"Charlie... Did you ever expect to see something like this with your own eyes?" Rex asked like he had been waiting to ask this question from Charlie, the dog still touching all around the steel, looking at the panel next to the door. The slot and machinery had been somewhat tinkered and damaged as well, but not to totality.

"... No," Charlie answered faintly, giving a slight smile even in this horrible and somber situation... That his wife had been right after all. This was really true. The stories of the pre-war vaults were real.

As the badger gave a faint smile as well under this helmet, knowing how mesmerizing Charlie found this situation as well...

His visors started to beep, as they were doing their regular scan of the area for any hostilities.

"Wait... What... WHAT ON EARTH?" Rex spoke, freezing up before he could take another step towards the door to touch it just like Charlie.

"... What now?" Charli asked, not looking at Rex as he assumed that his friend was just referring to something maybe scribbled on the door.

But that was not what the badger had meant.

"Charlie... My... My scanners..." The badger spoke suddenly with eyes wide and his heart thumping out of total confusion. The scanners could be broken for all he knew, but it was very unlikely... But so were the readings it was giving to him now.

"Something wrong?" Charlie asked suddenly, sharpening up and taking off the safety from his handgun. He had expected that Rex had suddenly noticed approaching possible hostile life signs on his scanner.

"... That... That's not possible," Rex spoke, shaking his head in total disbelief and his mouth opening up as he kept staring at the door.

"What is not possible? What are your scanners doing? Are we under a threat, Rex?!" Charlie asked now in total confusion, not understanding the badger's behavior, as he kept scanning the area with his gun now somewhat nervously.

And slowly and unexpectedly... Rex moved his gun down and brought both hands once again under his jaw area to click on the mechanism.

With a hiss of air, he removed his helmet... Making Charlie all the more alerted and confused over the reaction...

Especially when he saw the badgers expression the moment he took off the steel helmet dramatically...

Still staring at the door.

The dog gave a totally questioning look at his friend impatiently, wondering why on earth would he do that.

And then... Rex spoke, his jaw still hanging as he kept looking at Charlie intensively.

"... Charlie... They show... They show multiple life signs by heartbeat sensor... But not around us... But thirty meters... Behind this... This vault door." The badged revealed as it felt even insane to say out loud.

And now... Charlie felt his expression slowly become the same as the badgers... As he knew that there was no point for Rex to joke about something as this serious.

And just like that... When he thought he had witnessed enough miracles for a lifetime...

He was about to run into the most unknown situation of his life.

Because this door... This vault.

It was the only future he had left.

... And it seemed like he wasn't going to be alone in it with just two of his sons.

...

...

THE END OF THE PROLOGUE

...