Chapter 19: Bring our Remorse
My tears relented almost as quickly as they came. I'm glad to have my solace in this situation, as I rarely let such feelings be seen by anyone. Maybe it would be better and help 'humanize,' me even. Or it will not help my case at all. Either way, once I was done living the pain, I sorted myself out. I have been gone for nearly a week and my writing has been lacking. It's time to get this journal caught up. I gently laid myself down on Myles's bed. It was pretty large by bed standards, probably to accommodate his... needs. The prospect of what happened in this bed did not bother me. It was beyond comfortable after all and I am almost positive I slept in more foul conditions before.
I took this time to think; it was silent aside from the occasional creak and shift of metal. I feel like I should be dead. I just cheated the arbitrator of life, defied the laws of nature, and came out alive. Yet I don't feel great about it. I took whatever nasty torture Myles would have had, but he still got sick hanging above that irradiated waste. I have little to no effect from such things, as for F.E.V I have not been in contact with any directly, aside from what flows through me, if we can even count that.
I will find this experimental cure. I will save him and everything will be okay and I then will go after Glavin, but would I be able to? I couldn't even handle him alone. It's that armor that made him into a hulking mass of metal and muscle. If I was going to beat him, I would need to improve myself. I'm far from ready to avenge my people. I know he's here in the Capital Wasteland; I know I will be the one to kill him.
I wanted to catch up on my writing but decided against it, with so much agony to deal with these past couple of days I wanted to reminisce about happier better times, the first thing that came to mind was the old Vault I grew up in, 522 was the number and it was a cover-up of some original Vault long ago. I never learned the first name of it, it changed to avoid being discovered... I don't know why, but there was probably some history they didn't want us to know or look into. I lay down remembering my vault, sure it wasn't perfect, but it's much, much better than this life... if it even is life.
My mind drifted off…
1 Year before the Massacre, Year: 2276
The adolescent albino walked through the creaky metal halls of the Vault. He just finished working on a brand new experimental brand of chemicals. After spending ages mixing and matching various high-quality compounds and glasses, he finally did it! If this works, he could have come up with a new and easy way to fix any injury, major or minor. Stimpacks and other resources of the sort are in short supply and residents are not allowed to exit the Vault, he wanted to put his talents to the test, all he needs to do now is an experiment, well not experiment more like a simple test.
He passed through two residents, and the look was mixed. Some looked at him with disdain and hate, and others with compassion and care. Many of those who hatched around the same time he did were very judgemental. Especially the main group of three that always seem to pick on him at any instance they get.
John was different. His white hide and scales made him an obvious outcast, he was considered a curse among many of the "normal," residents, yet most of them can't speak fluent sentences, even as adults. John was exceptionally adept at learning and grasping complex concepts. No one would ever admit it, but his experience with technology and processing the Vault's air system would be obsolete, among other things.
He left a set of stairs and entered the main hall right below the Overseer's office; the Alpha watched over his people from above, not as a harsh leader nor was he equal to them, and enforcement of the rules and regulations of this pack. John saw he was up there and gained some sort of solace from that. He doesn't have anyone to go to for comfort around here. The Alpha had been fond of the little albino, not always though. Rather than seeing him as a failure of the species, he's tried to convince them he is special, not just special but a positive step toward furthering the species of Intelligent Deathclaws as a whole.
John clutched the compound as he went through the crowd. They were gathering around just to socialize, and they were the only thing that stood between him and his living quarters. His parents would most likely be there. He was so excited to show them what he had made, but he was also nervous and downright terrified, many of the adults and younger ones were much, much bigger than he was and would often purposely push him around, or throw him back and forth. He slipped through the crowd after being called various things such as "Freak," and "Abomination," and "Waste of an Egg," Most of his people downright hated him because he was different. After all, he was smarter than most of these brutes.
He tried to ignore them but these words cut deep, such constant hate when he has given so much, helped so much. Yet no one ever changed, all because he was smaller and a different color. The only thing that stood between his room and solitude was, of course... the group of three of his clutch mates, the ones who were horrible to him since they all hatched.
John saw them from above the steps to the living quarters before going to turn around and got stopped by another one adult and guided to the ground of three before they pushed him forward and closed the door behind them, leaving him in front of them all, vulnerable and alone
"Well, well, it's the little runt you lost? Shouldn't you know this is our territory? No one crosses here without us knowing!"
John backed up and held his jar of the mixture before scoffing back at them. "This is the only way back to my room. You can't own the hallway that others go through to sleep and-"
They "playfully," swiped at him before giving a sick grin, their leader was Lester, who was always mean, rude, and inconsiderate throughout John's whole life, they are the same age and his parents don't care what their son does, especially not to the runt of the last egg batch, as he would live anyway.
The other one, Hunter, swiftly went and rushed behind John. They got him stuck from the front and back now. The third one, Kimberly, was the worst. She was a wicked, cruel thing. Too many times they held John while they scratched and cut into him while he couldn't do anything. It very well could happen again.
Hunter grabbed him from behind and held John's arms up and Kimberly grabbed the jar, "Going somewhere, whitey? We just got started and looked around you. We are all alone! We are going to have so much fun!"
Kimberly tossed the jar back and forth before faking, almost dropping it, and then held it up above John. He couldn't even hope to grab it. "Yes, you got us into some serious trouble last time. How about we return the favor!" Grabbing the jar forcefully, "What the hell is even in this?"
John then had an idea. "I was making a drink for my mother. It's a very special gift, and I wanted to surprise her." He knew very well that it was a lie, but he was trying hard to smile at this ploy.
Kimberly looked at Lester and then Hunter, before she gave a shrug and opened the jar with her poorly kept claws, an absolute shit-eating grin was on her face before she took a quick gulp of the "drink," She instantly recoiled in disgust before falling to the ground and writhing in pain and trying to say something but couldn't with all the gagging and choking that was going on.
The other two were so shocked and frozen, John took this time to free himself from the grip of Hunter and used all his strength to throw him forward into Lester. "Thanks for testing that for me. Guess I need to adjust some amount on it." he went to pick up the jar before Lester slashed him back.
"You ungrateful RUNT! What the hell did you give her? I'll tear you up for this!" Lester then charged at John and knocked him to the ground and gave a long wipe across his chest, tearing his weaker hide and making him cry out in sharp pain.
John attempted to fend him off but the larger deathclaw had more strength and fury than him, he was going to get seriously hurt if he didn't get this brute off of him, and then a booming voice was heard above the steps and it was enough to stop everyone completely.
"That is enough!" It was the Alpha. Ocrum was his name. He was a massive grey and black deathclaw, absolutely huge and tries to have his pack refer to him as Overseer but traditional terminology and all. He carries that title with pride and his horns and scars show that.
The three bullies panicked and tried babbling nonsense, blaming John, saying he started it and Ocrum was having none of it. "You three insubordinate youngins are going to be in serious trouble, picking on and attacking John AGAIN?! I'll deal with you three later now, BEGONE!"
They quickly rushed by him and had John's dirty looks as they did. John looked up at Ocrum with weary and pained eyes before he offered to help him up."I'm sorry, John. I saw you go through the crowd and tried to get here to help you, but the crowd caught me before I could reach you. Forgive me "
He helped him up before John gave a tiny and faint, "Why?" He then spoke up, "Why me? I did nothing for them. I did nothing to them. Why the hell are they so mean to me?"
Ocrum leaned down, rubbing the sides of his head before reaching John's height. "I don't know, child. Many of my people are against you. Many see you as a curse and a fault in our genetics. They wanted to kill you when you hatched, saying you are some 'bad omen.' Obviously, I spoke out against that. I tried to tell them you are the perfect example of what we, as a species, should strive to be."
John sniffed and tried to hold back his hurt. It wasn't emotions, no, this was from his chest wound. He went to collect the rest of his mixture and explain it to Ocurm. "I tried to make something to help with wounds and injury. I spent days down in the labs and came up with this concoction!" John held the nearly empty jar proudly. "Fortunately, I know how to remake it. If it works, I am going to try it on the cut they made on my chest."
Ocrum gave John's head a gentle rub in between his still-growing horns before turning away and returning to the atrium. "I'm going to give those three a worthy punishment. Maybe someday they will stop. You have a goodnight, John."
"Good night, Ocrum, thanks for the help. I know you didn't have to, but I appreciate it, and I hope everything goes well with you."
He smiled at him before leaving through the door and leaving John in the hallway, alone again, but at least he could return to his room.
John quickly paced through the halls and made it back to his and his parents' room, quickly closing the door behind him and taking a deep, relaxed breath. He was finally in the only place he was truly safe. The only place he could truly be at peace.
His parents were both asleep on their couch. They looked too peaceful to disturb and wake up. He can tell them about what happened later.
He made his way back to his room and moved the sheet over which was in the doorway. His door got jammed and had to be removed. Fortunately, he didn't mind. This was his work and experiment station, and was always happy to show his parents what he was doing next.
He sat down on his bed and placed a hand upon his bleeding chest, grabbing a cloth from his table he poured the rest of the mixture into it and hesitated before giving his wounds a rub, he eventually gave in and did it, all in one significant steady motion, he felt the sting and burning immediately and growled out in pain before slamming a hand into desk out of the pure stinging of the mixture. "Oh fucking hell, okay, okay, that hurt a lot."
Gritting his fangs and waiting for it to stop, he held his breath and tried to keep the noise down. Alas, it was pointless as his mother woke up. Martha quickly scurried to John's room, a worried look on her face before she saw him wrapping himself up.
"John, dear, is everything alright? What happened? Did you blow something up again?"
He finished the treatment before saying, "No, mom. I had another run-in. With the three of them, they hurt me... again. Luckily I made a new mixture that will," he paused and looked up at her with doubt, "It should help.." finishing his sentence with a somber silence.
She went and sat down by him before pulling him closer and resting his head against her neck. "You know they will never change, John. You don't need to keep trying to make stuff to impress them or prove your usefulness. You don't owe them a damn thing."
"I know, mother but you don't get it. I'm not trying to impress them, I'm trying to better myself and our species. If I can use this new mixture, I can make it into a cream and our Stimpacks will only be used for dire situations!"
She gave that same encouraging smile to him as she always does. "I know my son, I know, you are trying to better yourself while they are stuck in their useless, brute attitude, you keep up your experiments and ideas, don't ever lose your curiosity and testing because you have already developed plenty of things to help us. You fixed our ventilation system and I want you to know that I and your father couldn't be more proud of you. You are our little miracle and always will be. No one will ever change that."
"Thank you, Mom. I know and I have done so much for this Vault, yet they still treat me with disgust." He lifted the bandage he applied and showed her he was bleeding before placing it back and making sure it was in place. "We bleed the same! What makes me so different?"
She let him go before standing up. "Your color is off. I mean, it's not off, just it's different, but they know nothing. Our ancestor was an albino, just like you. They should see you as a sign of luck rather than an abomination. I know that you have been lucky for us all. I'm going to get your father and we are heading to sleep. You should do the same. We will see if your mixture works, right?"
John gave a nod before standing up and readjusting his bed before lying down, she had already left and now he had his thoughts to keep him company, he quickly fell asleep and was woken up by the usual Vault message, he checked his chest wound and saw that it had closed up and left only a little scratch in the place of the rather reasonable gash.
"Holy shit, it worked!"
Prydwen Present Day, Year: 2307
I fell asleep in my many, many thoughts. I thought of the Vault and one might debate that my life wasn't the best there and that is beyond true, but what I wouldn't trade to go back to that life, not needing to survive a day in and day out constantly. Free to do what I wanted with the occasional hiccup and braiding of myself, they always said I wouldn't survive. They wouldn't be able to thrive in this world, but now I'm the only one who is alive. I would laugh at how wrong they were, but that is my entire species dead.
I quickly fell asleep after that. Myles' bed was beyond comfortable enough and I was out like a baby. I awoke after a much-needed and rather decent rest. I also woke up in an incredible amount of pain. My injuries finally caught up with me and my head was pounding and my entire body ached. I must have slept through it all.
I groaned as I rose from the bed. I felt broken and wasted, but I had to go to Med-Tek. I can sleep when I'm dead and if I don't, Myles will die himself. I can't let that happen no matter how much I hurt, no matter how drained I am. I walked over to the sink and splashed some water onto my face and looked at myself in the mirror for a long while. I was bruised and beaten, with many purple spots on my head and I was swollen in multiple locations. To put it lightly, I looked like absolute shit.
I looked through Myles' fridge; he had various pre-war foods and packaged goods, non-perishable, long-lasting, and awful tasting but they did the job and if you found any out in the Wasteland, you had nothing to worry about well... aside from the high counts of radiation that got absorbed into nearly every single ounce of packaged food but that is an issue that everyone deals with, anyway.
I'm sure that he wouldn't mind if I stole some of his BlamCo Mac & Cheese, along with some regular Nuka Cola. I saw a Quantum, but I had to resist the urge to take that and I tried hard to do that. I had cooked the Mac and cheese and attempted to forget about the Quantum I saw. It boiled nicely in the steel pan and I had just realized how well kept Myles' room was; I knew where nothing was and could find it all that I was looking for.
I made a 180° turn and placed my Cola onto the table just a short distance away from the stove. I gently sat down on the chair and adjusted it back to make enough space between me and the table to accommodate my size so that it wouldn't be uncomfortable for me. The seat itself was made out of old cast iron and could sustain my weight. After testing the chair, I got back up and strolled over to the cabinet and retrieved my journal, safe and sound.
I adjusted the chair where it faced the doorway and I leaned back in it gently and stretched my legs out, grasping my book in one hand and my Cola in another I saw where my writing has left off, it was quiet around here aside from the creaking and shifting of the Prydwen and the boiling of my food; it was peaceful, almost makes me wonder if this is some semblance of how the old world was. Basic tasks of cooking and general living were peaceful like this, easily and without fear and worry about survival was minimal if completely non-existent.
My food was nearly done, and I wrote some before I heard a knock at the door. "John? Are you awake? Myles is currently coherent and wants to see you. Grey is there too." It was Mia. I don't even know what time it is, but I put my journal down and told her to come in. She wore a different outfit this time. It was simple brown pants with a white shirt, she of course, still had her gun holstered on her side.
"Good morning, Mia. How's the situation looking?"
"Well, Myles is awake and knows who we all are, so that's good. He's looking pretty bad. You should come to see him." She quickly stepped out, and I got up and followed her to the doctor's room once more.
Once we entered the office, Mia sat down by Grey in a row of chairs. Doctor Baker was standing over Myles who was hooked up to multiple bits of machinery.
"My God, you look awful, doc. How are things looking?"
He handed me a clipboard with a scrabbling of notes and various tests. "Your theory was right. He's tested for doses of F.E.V as well as impressive levels of radiation. He will not turn into a Mutant or Ghoul but it's slowly killing him and Radaway can't flush it out... I don't know what to do."
I looked over the notes while going over to Myles, who was faintly awake and just looked terrible. I placed a hand on his head and he was boiling, sweat running down his head excessively. He looked up at me and attempted to speak, but couldn't get anything out.
"Hush, Myles, don't speak. I wanted to tell you I'm okay and I'm going to that Med-Tek building to find you that experimental cure. It's only a rumor, but I'm going to try."
He quickly grabbed my arm and took a moment to gather himself to speak. "John, you, you can't go there. We lost so many brothers and sisters in that fight and all for medicine. We don't even know if it exists... there has to be another way."
"I have to try! I'm the reason you are here and I must make it right!" I shook my head and went away from him, back to Mia and Grey. "You just stay alive long enough for me to get it back to you. Now rest."
Baker went to tend back to him and I just stood there in silence for a moment before finally speaking up. "I think I'm going to leave for Med-Tek now. The sooner it gets done, the better, right? It was good seeing you, Grey. I am glad you are okay. One less thing to worry about."
"I'm glad you are okay too, John. I want to hear how you and Myles got out when you get back, and you better come back, you hear me?
I smiled at her, "Don't you worry, I'll be back, I promise."
I had no intention of dying at some medical facility. Of course, anything can always happen, but I'll be fine if I'm careful, right? Mia followed me back to Myles' room and sat herself down on one of the extra chairs by the table before running down the side of her head.
"John, you know I should go with you. No one knows what will be there and I just don't want to lose you and Myles, not after I just met the both of you recently, alright?" She stopped and admitted, "There I said it!"
I had my back to her as I got a bowl of my now overdone Mac & Cheese. I held the bowl and turned back around before sitting down at the table with her and setting it down. "I know you are worried and have your doubts, but I need to make this right myself. It was my idea and now he's in that situation, and believe me when I tell you, I will not let some greedy mercs put me down. Not after all this. I have a Vault to avenge, still, after all."
I quickly finished my bowl and chugged down the Cola before standing back up and going over to the cabinet. I unfolded my robe and looked over at Mia, who was still sitting at the table. She looked like she was lost in thought." I guess I'll get going now. It will be quite a trek there and I plan on just going in and getting out, alerting no one. Probably won't happen. I can dream," I said with a tiny chuckle.
She did a double check on me before standing up and leaving at the door. "Oh, sorry, do you want me to leave while you get ready?"
"What? No, why would you leave?"
Well… you are getting dressed right now and-"
I then stopped her mid-sentence "Mia, please, if I had the slightest care about that I wouldn't have been walking around with nothing, to begin with, you see the process of how I put on my attire to hide my identity shouldn't be something I should send you out for, right?"
She leaned against the door and sighed. "I suppose you are right. I just feel you are more human than most people around here yet aren't..at all, I keep forgetting I'm talking to a towering lizard."
I finished getting myself situated with my hood still down; I gestured for us to leave and she followed behind me as we left to enter the hallway; we continued past the medical office and found ourselves at the scaffolding; we talked about a few things mainly how Grey was telling her how I took down that Behemoth and saved her ass from another Mutant, Mia then questioned me on how we ended up getting captured and I gave her small bits and told her about the guy with the Holotape. How we lost to the soldiers and how I learned that Coronal Glavin was the same man who helped wipe my Vault.
"If you want the rest, you are going to have to wait until I get back. Not enough time now, after all."
She reluctantly agreed to those terms, and we made it out to the elevator. We ran into some soldiers, but they ignored us and went along their way; I saw Glenn working on one of the Vertibirds as we took the elevator down, but I decided against even talking to him. Last time wasn't very nice even after I fixed their water sprinkler.
I didn't see Maxson, and that's because he was on the ground below the Prydwen. I didn't think he would even bother walking down himself, but here he was gathered around some scribes and recruits.
He stood proudly with his hands behind his back as usual and addressed Mia before addressing me. "Mia, John, where do you think you are going? Don't you know that I have forbidden anyone from leaving because of recent events and one of my best soldiers being deathly sick?"
Mia quickly stepped in and explained, "Well, I'm not going anywhere, but John is going to find a cure for Myles, that old Med-Tek faculty you all tried to take before heading off to the Commonwealth?"
His posture didn't change before giving a simple. "I see, well I won't be sparing any of my Brotherhood for this cause, but if you Mia think this is what can help him, I will allow it."
She gave him a simple yes, and he gave me the okay to leave, not before dismissing his group and taking me aside while Mia went back up and wished me farewell."
"What do you want, Maxson? Time is wasting. I-"
He held a hand up before giving me a long pause. He was trying to compose himself and almost seemed to rethink this entire plan. "I may have been wrong about you, in more ways than one, more ways than I care to admit, I had been hearing stories of how you saved Paladin Grey, how you took down that Behemoth, now I didn't see myself but others swear up and down it was you. And now you are taking a solo mission to a place that my strongest men couldn't take. Why?"
"It's my fault Myles is under such poor condition, it was my idea to look into the Munition Factory and then we got captured by the Enclave, Maxson I took any pain and torment meant for him, I delayed them enough to where they wouldn't dip him in the F.E.V, I had nearly died getting him back here and you..you dare to say that I was the one who hurt him?"
"You were the only one there and my scribes said nothing was suspicious there. How was I supposed to know it wasn't you?"
I scoffed as I walked away from him to leave. "You know, Maxson, this is some real half-assed apology. I hope for your sake you will one day judge me based on my actions, not the monster my appearance has led you to believe."
I didn't even wait for his reply, trotting through the opening gates of the Prydwen's ground level which was guarded by two Brotherhood paladins, the usual. Adorning my hood as I passed by them, not waiting for their pleasantries, quickly making it through the old bridge and along the edge of the water, The Jefferson Memorial was off in the distance, I would need to work my way around some old ruins and cross the upper bridge that leads across the Potomac River.
Under the assumption the Brotherhood that patrolled the Memorial wouldn't be expecting me I had taken the long way around, North directly from the Memorial, that directly lead to an open and empty field as far as the eye can see, the clouds were darker around here; the air was heavier, as if some kind of history had gone unknown around here. Nothing, nothing, there aren't any bones, rocks, or even buildings, just a bare field.
Racing along at a steady and quick pace, there was a large group of wild, irradiated dogs. They watched me and gave a slow, distanced circling me. It was a pack of about six. I kept a slight eye on them but, mostly, ignored them. Fortunately for me, I made enough distance to get away from the pack of dogs, then I saw it off in the distance. It was a massive tower, a cyan and silver building, that was it! A massive, dilapidated and flickering sign "Med-Tek"
Except it said more like 'Ed-TK' because all the other sign letters have fallen off. As I drew closer and closer to the Med-Tek tower I saw bodies littering the outside and many more hung up and strung up legs and arms dripping blood throughout the place, this wasn't super Mutants or Raider... decor, what could it possibly be?
The entrance of the facility was looking like they welded it shut from the outside. What was someone trying to keep in? I had no luck opening the door with brute force alone. It was silent, save for the sound of dripping blood and the buzzing of flies.
I circled lding, many more hung up bodies and festering, rotting parts strewn about the locked-down windows and railings, I could see on the opposite side of the building that this was the actual entrance, a broken, cracked road can just be made out under all the dirt and dust. The parking lot contained many rusted and crumbling vehicles, military tanks, and various other old army cars. Whatever happened to this place before the war seems to be a mystery, a mystery I plan on uncovering.
I scoured through the cars and found absolutely nothing in any of them, just some old crumbling papers, toys that were broken beyond recognition, and a bunch of briefcases with nothing but years of dirt and grime. One of the military vehicles was knocked down, a skeleton was on the driver's side, hoisted out the window and their skull was cracked and I could see a faint sign of a struggle, the side of the window was plastered with a much darker color and the skeleton had a crack in its skull, I could only assume that they were bashed against their vehicle until they died and was simply left here.
That also means that this was a pre-war incident. Whatever happened here was long forgotten.. but so was this vehicle.
I attempted to push the vehicle upright but had no luck, so I backed up and charged at it and almost pushed it back into its four wheels. I rammed myself again and tipped it over. That last charge hurt my side, something fierce, but it only lasted a moment.
This vehicle looked untouched, makes me wonder if an angry mob tipped it over and had to be left because of radiation, or the military.. or both. I opened the left side door and that skeleton I saw earlier fell out and hit the ground with a boney *thud* against the concrete. That was great, just what I wanted... a skeleton scare.
I ignored that and searched the vehicle. It was an absolute mess, papers, and bullets around the place. There were some old rifles and army fatigues, and an array of helmets, pretty uneventful for a vehicle I thought wasn't picked at all. I checked most papers, and they were all too faded and wrinkled to read anything at all. Whatever the military was doing here will go unknown for now.
Deciding that I had experimented with the cars enough and took my leave of the vehicle, I looked at this massive building; it contained up vertically much like that of a skyscraper; it ended in a penthouse with a sloped angled roof on each side of the massive windows; the room was so dark, along with being so high up I couldn't possibly make anything out. Facing the music, I opened the front doorway. They were all metal and bent forward from the inside as if something broke out, not in. Cracking it sideways I entered upon a pitch-black front desk and reception room, my eyes adjusted slightly to the darkening abyss I was wandering myself into.
This place was an absolute pigstegin, the sitting area on the side near the entrance had tables and chairs flipped over as if to make some sort of barricade, bullet holes littered the sides, and a pile of skeletons, there was a battle here and I don't think this was the same one the Brotherhood had, this was before they ever showed up.
Everything here was just trashed beyond recognition and salvage, because of the state of emergency I imagined waved through this building. The windows were all sealed shut and any holes that would be made from the ever-aging building seemed to have been fixed. Something IS or WAS here.
There was a body at the front desk, leaning over it with a knife clear through their skull, sticking it to the table. This was someone who worked here. What the hell happened to this place?
There were two hallways to the East and West, and nowhere else to go, but looking up I could see all the floors leading upwards, different floors and railings. I could see some bodies hoisted over the sides and hanging over the edge. I took the West hallway first. Many of the rooms seem to have been blocked off and years of wear and weather caved them in. I felt nothing or anyone in this entire place, but something was very off about this entire building.
I passed plenty of caves in rooms till I reached the end of the hall, no steps, and only a bathroom, men and women, of course. A large splat of dried blood was outside of the women's room and a faint flickering of light from the corner of the entrance.
I slowly crept up into the women's bathroom, I grabbed the side of the wall as I peered around the corner, the flickering of the light illuminated the three-stall room, it showed me such a grisly scene, each stall had a different body strung up almost as if for a show, and these were all fresh, new and killed incredibly recently, all wearing the Talon Company issued combat armor. Deciding that I would gain little more than nightmares from this scene, I left. In my infinite knowledge, I checked the men's bathroom as well. Except for this time, I did it quickly, turning the corner and I ended up in an even worse room. The stench of viscera and fluids was overwhelming. I gagged and nearly fell over once it whiffed by my nostrils. It was just a pile of body parts and gore spread all around like someone was having a damn art show with it all!
Stumbling myself out of that room holding my face to lessen the blow of that awful smelling torture hall I quickly darted back to the opening room and leaned myself against the reception desk, I feel just uneasy about this place, something is going on here and that's why no one comes here, that's why no one has the experimental cure, it's a fucking horror show! I must continue. Guts and body parts have killed no one before, right? But as I collected myself again and shook off any sort of shock value that the original sighting endorsed in me. Not only is that incredibly unsanitary, but it also must be a way to keep intruders out. Whatever or whoever is there must not be like people at all. Fortunately for me, I'm not a person so I'll be fine... right?
Deciding to take the knife out of the skull of the long-dead receptionist, not as a weapon but to unjam a door, or jam one for my safety. The East hallway was much more accessible. It had plenty of side rooms to check out and I could just barely make out the steps at the end. I felt like I was being watched as I ducked myself into the first room, my horns nearly clanging against the top of the doorway as I ducked inside. The room itself was pretty empty aside from a desk and a long broken terminal with pictures broken all over the floor. The chair was tipped over and it had a few chairs thrown about the place, which must have been a meeting room.
Searching the desk led to nothing except a note, a legible one too.
October 23, 2077
This is Doc Shen, those commie bastards did it, the bombs fell the and end of days is upon us and I'm stuck in this blasted experiment facility; They dosed me with the Experimental F.E.V virus a few months before the bombs fell. My fellow workers and survivors do not know this. I was supposed to find myself a cure before I take over. Now with the bombs... I don't think I'm going to make it."
Experimental cure, that's what I'm looking for! I wonder if this Doc Shen had more notes and letters to assist me in finding out what had happened here. Doc Shen is just another tragic story from The Great War. I'm here for a reason.
The other rooms were uneventful, just dusty tables and ruined office equipment and technology. I ascended the first set of stairs and saw a few more skeletons along with the way up, this second floor was just one big room with a back hallway, wide stretches of tables, chairs, and bodies along the sides of the tables, it was adorned with old cups and plates, must have been a dining hall for all the workers, nothing else to see here as I made my way up to the third floor. The steps ended right on the edge of the railing. I could look down and see the entrance from up here. The air felt heavy on this floor, with bad energy all around. I left from the open office space to another row of hallways. I searched for any papers or small hints, if anything, that could help my journey upward.
This place was a mess of bones and fresh gore, a room littered with remnants of the old world and such. Nothing was untouched. I then heard something from above me, a bone-chilling, blood-curdling screeching sound, the faint sound of fleshy footsteps padding in my direction. I panicked and quickly darted into the nearest room. Scanning the room, I found a tiny maintenance closet and squeezed myself into it. I nearly knocked over an old mop and bucket, but just barely grazed it.
"Oh, what did you do? Oh, what did you do? I want you to know that I'm going to find you, string you up, and make you into a stew, oh what did you do..."
The gargling and gasping got closer and closer as I was frozen stiff, the scratching of metal as it walked through the halls, it was holding something metal and dragging it across the floor, searching for me…
This thing was pacing around, saying gibberish. I reached forward and held the door closed with my claws. It was incredibly cramped and rather unpleasant. I reached for that old Combat Shotgun. I got back on the bridge outside of Megaton and pulled it out of my bag, bumping nothing. I held it at the door and if this moved an inch; I was going to blast whatever was on the other side.
I waited and listened. It was quiet, but I still felt whatever the hell it was nearby. It was waiting for me to move; it had all the time in the world; I don't have the time to wait! I gave it a few more moments before I charged out of the room, one arm up ready to swipe with my claws and the other ready to shoot, but the room was empty. That doesn't mean that Hellspawn is gone. I have to hurry.
I went through the room quickly, and tried to be quiet, but this damn darkness made that pretty difficult. I didn't particularly stumble on anything. I reached the doorway and quickly looked left and right, clear for the moment. I kept the shotgun at my side and continued through the building. I skipped the next few rooms because they looked just like meeting rooms and offices, nothing I was interested in.
I reached another staircase, and this was the same one that... thing came down from. I can finally see how many floors are actually in this building and this was the fourth out of ten. I guess the rest of these directional plaques got weathered away. I wouldn't know if it was behind me or in front, but I had to keep going. This was to save Myles. Nothing would stop me, and certainly not some creep that wanted to make me a stew.
I quickly raced through this floor, my talons grazing against the metal floor ever so slightly as I went through. It would already know where I was, anyway. I passed a few more rooms till one caught my attention; it was one with an open window and I only saw it out of the corner of my eye as I passed. I wanted to keep going, but something told me to check that room out, so I did.
Quickly entering the room, I turned around and shut the door behind me, and stuck that knife right in the lock. No one was getting into this for a few moments at least. I set the gun gently on the desk and looked across the room. It was a quaint little office and looked much cleaner here. There were no signs of a struggle and no bodies. I searched through the filing cabinets, the desk, and then a couple of boxes in the corner. Nothing to use here, just office supplies and pencils. I took a few of those along with some Unclassified documents I didn't have time to look at right now. The terminal on the table was smashed, and that was about it for this room. I was going to leave but decided this is probably the only "safe" spot I'm going to find, so I sat down in front of the desk and looked at some of these Unclassified documents. Many of them were worker reports and general usefulness. I found a few scribbling notes and saw the same Doc wrote them: Shen.
October 30, 2077
Our orders were to not let anyone in if this ever happened. The military showed up a few days ago and got overwhelmed by a group of civilians. From the looks and sounds of things, no one survived. Our supplies are dwindling and the experimental F.E.V. is changing me. I feel different and my muscles are gradually getting widened. I am terrified now that I can't fix what will happen to me.
November 17, 2077
I couldn't write for a while. Survival has become difficult for us all in all that have left the building and haven't come back. There are seven of us left, and it's going to be six soon.
January 5, 2078
While I still have a partial part of my sanity, I want to confess my sins; I killed Beth too now and ate her, which leaves me a Charles now... I'll keep him alive long enough until I'm hungry again. Beth tasted so incredible as her blood flowed down my gullet. I want more, but I'm so itchy... too itchy.
April 31, 2134
It's so itchy! Make it stop!
Well, that was probably the most distributing thing I read in a while. I put the cursed notes into my satchel and got back up. I removed the knife from the lock and burst out of the room like last time. All clear, once again. I was a little shaken by what I had just read in those notes. Surely they must have been real if it dated them so far back, right? I kept along the way and found the next flight of stairs, which connected to another flight of stairs that led in a spiral upward. That makes floor six, almost at the top, which I would assume is where the experimental cure would be.
Here I thought the floors were getting better. Oh, how wrong I was. This one has been painted with blood and body parts once again, like the last one. Piles of corpses littered the halls as I passed. It was such a disturbing scene. There were Raiders, settlers, and even soldiers in combat armor all just thrown about like nothing and many of them had chunks missing from their flesh. They were being eaten.
I quickly found the next floor up and upon reaching the last step I saw it.. the creature, it must be. It was a hulking mass that looked humanoid, had a hunched-over appearance, and was larger than that of a man, but smaller than a Super Mutant. Its arms were an uneven proportion and its legs were thin and muscular. It leaned over in a painful-looking stance and had a massively infected boil on its back. Neck enlarged and the face of something out of a nightmare. The best I can describe it is one of those failed F.E.V experiments that you hear about that are failed Super Mutants.
I turned around and hissed, my entire body froze. This thing was charging at me like a feral beast. It had torn old clothing adorned over it entirely. I gave in and ran at the creature, too. We collided just inches from the edge of the railing; I grabbed it by the shoulders as it attempted to smack me with the massive bloody pole it dragged across the ground.
Twisting this foul abomination around and pushing it over the railing, it twisted over the edge and fell to the ground with a wet *splat* I peered over the edge a moment later to see it down there; I took a moment to catch my breath before continuing onwards; I peeked over the edge again before following up the next set of steps; it was gone.. meaning it was still alive and was coming for me.
Rushing up and up I reached the ninth floor, this floor was crumbling and falling apart as if someone had just picked sections of the floor. I leaped from section to section till I reached the hallway with the steps, the final flight of stairs to the top. Unfortunately for me, the entire hallway itself was crumbling. I wouldn't be able to go this way, my weight would add enough to collapse the whole thing, and then I would be stuck. I'm already stuck. Unless I went outside and climbed up. I did just that, retracing my steps. I went backward into the open lounging area, broke through one of the long windows, and looked around. Luckily for me, this floor and the top-floor windows were connected. All I had to do was step outside enough and pull myself up to the top floor.
I stepped past the broken glass and used the table to get some extra height. I pulled myself out the window and held on to the rusting edges of this about a thousand feet into the sky, shimmied my way over a bit till I got upped. I was terrified. The cars looked like little dots in the parking lot. With one precise leap, I caught the bottom of the window on the final floor, pulled myself up, and laid down on the floor, safe and sound. My heart was racing. A fall like that would kill me. If not, it would leave me there with broken limbs just to bleed out in a dusty parking lot.
Alas, I was correct. There was a massive lab up here and it was lit up because of the sunlight. Finally! The room was clean. No one had been here for hundreds of years. An incredible amount of lab equipment was laid out on many tables and I did not know where to start, but I had to hurry.
Going around the room twice and getting a feel for it, I found a terminal that was still working. This was the most well-kept room and almost nothing was sabotaged, no bodies and aside from the dust and debris, it was clean for a few hundred years old rooms.
As I clicked and typed on the Terminal, I heard that same screeching and yell of that creature once more. It was going up the steps! I stopped my investigation of the terminal and quickly got up, leaned against the wall just outside of the doorway to the steps, and waited.
The creature wailed and hissed as it approached, closer and closer, until it hit a full stop right before the doorway. I was going to kill this monster anyway, but it spoke before maybe, just maybe, I can reason with it.
"I know, you know that I'm here, and I mean you no harm if you mean me none. I want to talk that way. We both can walk out of here alive. Does that sound fair?"
"You wish to speak to meeeee?! NO! I must feed you and you are fresh meat. None has made it high to the lab. I will sate my hunger!"
The creature cackled and grunted as it turned the corner and quickly swiped me right across my abdomen with its sharp pole. Fortunately for me, I was ready for it and it only grazed me.
That was it, time to end this creature's march of torment. In one fast motion, I ripped my robe off and roared before charging into the creature, ramming it into the wall. It didn't even get a moment to react or say anything if it was going to before I held it up against the wall by its neck and simultaneously ripped its throat with my hand I held it with and gutted it across the stomach with my other. I dropped its malformed body to the ground and backed up slowly. It was over. No one else could stew for this freak.
I gathered my robe and just folded it against my satchel and got back to the terminal. I used some rags to wipe my claws as clean as I could for the creature I cut up. Everything was fine now. The body leaning against the wall by the door was rather unsettling. I tried to ignore its deformed silhouette.
The terminal wasn't much help aside from telling me I needed to mix the chemical with a pure dose of F.E.V to make the cure. Time to find some chemicals and a vial of F.E.V, I scoured the cabinets and various medical equipment, and I found a box of something labeled "Chemical V.U.F," God I hope this was it, looked like it was held in a super-secure box of Abraxo Cleaner. There were various fluids and liquids still within the equipment on a table. Just the bunch of equipment looked operational.
There was an old weathered note stuck on the lab equipment, in short, it summarized how to make the experimental cure; it required a specific chemical mixture and a pure dose of F.E.V. A pure dose of EXPERIMENTAL F.E.V, that was made before the war. How the hell am I going to find an experimental dose?
It then hit me that scientist Doc Shen was shot up with some Experimental F.E. V, damn government testing on citizens. I bet they knew the bombs were dropping too and told no one. I went looking for any type of Vial, Syringe, or Jar of anything suspicious.
I quickly yanked up the chemical and wanted to see if there was a way to make it. This container was specifically made for this and was still heavy enough with the content to work with. I fucking hope this is the same chemical the note says…
A hunch hit me and I walked by the corpse of the monster I had slain. Something in the back of my head told me to search for the body. I tried not to get any of the blood and various burst infected sores on myself, but that failed, so I just went all in. Its torn-up outfit looked like that of a lab coat. I found absolutely nothing except for an old name tag. I moved its head over to get a better view as I crouched down to pull it off.
Broc Shen- Lead Scientist.
My heart sank. There was no way THIS was the same Shen I have been reading about. He mutated and wandered this building for hundreds of years? Feeding off inspecting looters and adventurers, longer life due to F.E.V and mutation, he never made the cure; it's been sitting here waiting to be made all along.
I found a key in one of the ripped pockets and took it with me and got back up; it was covered in fluids I don't even want to name. I felt sick realizing this revelation, but I had a cure to make, okay, so I had the chemical mixture but no pure dose of F.E.V, all the equipment was here to mix the damn thing but where was the F.E.V?! Everything leads back to this fucking virus, Me, the creation of mutants, and now Myles being sick. A vicious cycle.
I frantically searched the room for something, anything, but there was nothing! Empty, everything was empty or broken. I looked in every desk, cabinet, and box. This place had nothing. Then I saw two empty syringes. Okay, what if Shen was the Experimental F.E.V this whole time?
I took a deep breath and cursed myself to the skies. I would have to defile this already defiled body to even try. I took another look at the note and to know I'd done it right the silver powder of the Chemical V.U.F will turn from a thick, clumpy powder to a thin green liquid within a minute, it was the cure-all, the reverse to any F.E.V exposure, it would save him.
I stood in front of the corpse of Shen for a good few seconds before I gathered myself enough to stick this needle in his arm. It was covered in infected pus-filled pores. I had to pop to reach a vein. It was probably one of the most disgusting things I have done to this day. I carefully drew a needle in and got a syringe full of... whatever the hell his blood was, it was probably contaminated and beyond use, but I had to try.
I placed the exact amount of chemical into the boiling cylinder and then drained his blood into the vial next to it and turned it into a cooking valve. Once it is heated up, it should automatically be mixed and made into a dispersible shot. The wait felt like an entirety as I watched the bubbles boil the water below, the old equipment creaking and sputtering as it desperately tried to run after centuries of no function.
The resulting mixture was a..red, a deep red, and bubbling. The vial was hot to the touch even though my scales. This wasn't right at all.
A wave of regret, rage, and sadness overwhelmed me. I nearly swiped across the entire science table in a fit of rage.
Okay, okay, resisting the urge to destroy everything. I collected my feelings and had to think, there is always another solution... What about me? F.E.V flows through my veins. I took the time to thoroughly clean out the science equipment, along with replacing the actual syringe that held the cure. Rebalancing the chemical and taking a claw along my wrist and cutting it open to draw some blood in the syringe, the needle wouldn't go through the scales, so through the flesh, it is. I winced as I stuck it in, but I got the dose I needed. Turning the machine back on and adding my blood this time to the mixture and boiling it. As it cooked, I put the rest of the chemical in my satchel, rather take it back with one than have someone else get it like the Enclave, for example.
I watched the mixture with dread; it mixed into the vial of the syringe and it was green! My blood was the missing link. I was technically made with an experimental F.E.V. It would all make sense and I would celebrate more if the situation wasn't so damn desperate.
I clutched the vial in both my hands. I did it. I can save him now and all I need to do now is go back. But first... I took the time to trash the laboratory. I broke and devastated every bit of equipment, broke every glass, and bent every pipe. I know this seems stupid or even selfish but if the Enclave got a hold of this cure they would rule everything, and use it against people I would rather it be destroyed than be in the hands of them, and besides I know how to make it, mostly.
I carefully placed it into my satchel and put my robe back on as I went through the doorway to leave. I slowly leaned down the steps. There was still a massive hole in the hallway, and I peered down to see two Enclave soldiers. Oh, come the fuck on, not now!
I went back into the room as I heard them grappling upstairs, no power armor on these two, but I saw they were heavily armed, Gauss Pistols and heated Super Sledges on their backs. Why are they always able to show up at the worst times?
They charged into the room and saw me, guns aimed and ready, or heard a Vertibird outside. How did I miss that before? "Stop right there, lizard! We know what you are up to here, hand over the cure and we let you walk, easy?"
How the hell did they even know? Without saying a word, I quickly trotted over to the window and leaned over the edge, holding the cure in one hand and using the other to hold myself over the edge. They panicked and drew closer.
"You move from that and give us the cure! It was ours. We just didn't have the F.E.V. Are you willing to die for this? Lose it if we shoot you?"
I snapped back at him. "That's a risk I'm willing to take! We both know if you shoot me I won't die, and I'll drop it. I swear I will, don't test me!"
They looked at each other and lowered their weapons. "You're right, okay? We just need the cure for our people. We are to take it back or not come back at all. It's our only option, please. Glavin has our families and will kill them if we don't succeed."
I held myself there out the window. The Vertibird pilot watched me with great intent and I didn't even consider the option. "I'm truly sorry, both of you. Glavin is a horrible man and I promise I will avenge your family, but I need this for my friend. I can't risk your organization getting it and doing evil with such a cure. Do you have any idea what this means? Something to fight the effects of F.E.V, no matter how much exposure. "
I didn't let them respond before I let go. Below me was the sloped roof, and I almost tripped on landing on it but I gained traction and slid down it, balancing myself and steadying my nerves as the air breezed by me, placing the cure back into my satchel I looked to the skies, the Vertibird was my way out, one chance to catch this and if I missed well, I would be a splat upon the ground.
Reaching the edge, I gave a long, wide leap and caught myself right on the edge of the Vertibird. I pulled myself up quickly and pulled my shotgun out right on the back of the pilot's head, and just said, "Fucking land!" still shaken up from the absolute suicidal jump I just made.
He gave a very shaken agreement and landed. "You're still going to kill me, anyway?"
"No, no, I'm not. You should go pick your two friends up there. I'll be leaving. If you follow me, I'll kill you all. I am allowing you to walk away with your sorry existence. Tell Glavin the lab equipment was sabotaged when you got here and he can come to look for himself if he doesn't believe you. Best you never mentioned I was here, after all." I paused as I walked away from his dumbfounded expression, spinning the shotgun trigger within my talons as I did. "But if you are mentally inept and decide to tell him you saw me, you tell him this. I'm coming for him, and his entire Enclave!"
I took off as quickly as I could. I made so much distance so fast and hid close to a large rock to take a breather. They didn't follow me or if they did; they didn't find me. I leaned against this boulder and took out the cure again, safe and sound. All I had to do was get it back to Myles and everything will be fine.
I might save him after all
End Chapter: 19