Escape From Vault 101
"Boys and girls, they both have… different parts and, well, you see, they both-" Dad's voice fades from concentration, Jonas' taking its place. "You're gonna do great things, kid. I'm very proud of you. Now let's get back to your math homework! Hypotenuses are very easy, all you have to do is-" His voice soon fades as well, the Overseer's nasally voice entering her mind's eye. "You're just as defiant and insubordinate as your father! You will learn in due time that I don't tolerate such beha-" His voice fades into Amata's voice. "We can't… it's wrong. What will the other people here think? What will our fathers think?! Don't you think I've wanted to be wit-" Her voice follows the rest into nothingness until all Artemisia can see is a bright white light from the overhead lights. Uggh I thought I turned those off. She thought to herself in a still somewhat drowsy state until Amata's face came into view. What the…
"Wake up! Come on, wake up!" Amata's voice rings in her ears along with an alarm going off in the background. Oh shit. "Amata what's going on?" She asked, her voice scratchy from slumber. "Your dad's gone and just.. You've got to get out of here, my father's men are looking for you!" She yelled at Arty, her voice full of nerve and worry. Wait, what..? Atremis tried to wrap her head around the concept she'd been told and taught was impossible. "What do you mean, my Dad is 'gone'?" The raven haired eighteen year old asked. "He's left the vault!" Artemis' face contorted in confusion and something akin to betrayal. There's just no way. He couldn't have! He wouldnt leave me like that, would he? "I don't know how, but he's gone and my father… he's kind of gone crazy." Amata finished.
"I've never seen you so scared, Amata. What's happened to you?" Artemisia asked, letting concern about her best friend overtake her own feelings. It was the only way to shut out the fear, hurt and utter confusion lacing her thoughts at that moment. "It's Jonas… they killed him! My father's men. They took him and… Oh my god, you have to leave, now!" Amata was practically shaking with the statement. Artemis shook her head in understanding. "Are you gonna be okay?" She asked and started to pack her things.
"Yeah, don't worry about me. I'm just sorry you had to find out like this. I know Jonas was your friend." Amata's voice had shrunk on itself and looking back at her over her shoulder, Artemisia could tell the other brunette felt guilty for her father's actions. "But we've got to go now. My father's men will be here any minute!" She warned. Finally packed with the few belongings she had, Artemisia nodded before asking something that still didn't make sense. "But wait. My dad can't have left. The door is sealed shut."
"Not anymore, apparently. But are you honestly telling me you had no idea your dad was leaving? He really didn't tell you?"
"No, I had no idea he was planning to leave." Artemisia said, feeling a little put on the spot by the question until Amata got the same awkward look she'd gotten when Artemisia had asked her to dance at their Vault School Dance, only this had a mix of remorse mixed in with the embarrassment. "Oh. I'm sorry. I'm sure he had his reasons. Maybe Jonas was supposed to explain everything to you? But it doesn't matter. I can help you escape! I have my own plan!"
"Escape the vault? How? Is that even possible now that Dad's gone out there?"
Amata pressed on. "Listen, There's a secret tunnel that leads directly from my father's office to the exit." Artemisia nodded with the information, following along. "You'll have to hack the terminal in his office to open it. Use these to get in there." Amata outstretched her hand with bobby pins within. "That's how I always get in.
"Listen. There's a secret tunnel that leads directly from my father's office to the exit. You'll have to hack the terminal in his office to open it. Use these to get into his office. That's how I always get in." Artemisia nodded once more, taking the offering and stuffed them into her chest pocket for easy access later. "Sounds like a good plan. Let's get out of here!"
"Oh, one more thing." Artemisia stopped almost halfway through her living room. "I stole my father's pistol. I hope you wont need it but you'd better take it just in case."
Shaking her head, Artemisia pushed the weapon back into Amata's chest, her hand on top of it. "You keep it. You may need it more than I do." She said. God knows he's insane enough to hurt her. And there's no telling what he's ordered his guards to do to her. She thought in anger. He'll get what's coming to him. Soon.
"Well, okay… I guess it may come in handy if I run into any radroaches. Alright, I'll try to meet you at the exit. Watch out for security, good luck!" The two girls ran out of Artemisia and her father's home and out into the halls taking two seperate directions. After making a single turn around the corner, she was met with her first obstacle. Officer Kendall stood menacingly in the hall blocking her way. He'd been an officer for as long as she could remember and was always nice to her but now.. The Overseer's words have probably brainwashed him and turned him against me. Just as the thought passed, he took a step toward her and his voice boomed. "Hold it right there, young lady! By order of the overseer-" He pulled and expanded a baton. "You are under arre-AH!" He yelped and turned, the back of his calf bleeding where a radroach had taken a small bite out of him. "Criminey more roaches!" His arm swang, bringing the metal rod down on the creature and while he faced it and three other friends that joined the fray, Artemisia took the chance to head through the bathrooms to where she needed to go.
"You gotta help me! My mom's trapped by the roaches!" Butch had ran up to her just as she exited the female bathroom with the most fearful look Atemis had seen him have in the years she'd known him other than when Officer Gomez gave him a few days in the Security cell.
"Okay, come on. Let's go see if we can help her!" Artemisia moved past the big brawn and stepped towards his home where his mother was yelling out for help.
"No, I can't go back in there. It's… It's dark. And there's Radroaches." Oh you've got to be kidding me… Arty spun on her heel and walked backwards. "Don't worry, Butch, I'll get your mom out of there."
"Oh my god, thank you! I didn't know what to do! You're the best." Pressing through the living room, the dark brunette opened Ellen's door with her baseball bat at the ready and when the doors slid open to reveal three of the roaches, she didn't hold back on her swings. The bugs were crushed one by one with their guts smashing onto the floor beneath their cracked and falling apart exoskeletons. The woman, who seemed somewhat intoxicated rose up and took a breath, leaning against a wall and after a moment, walked into their living room to sit on their couch. Artemisia followed close behind, wanting to ensure the older woman's wellbeing. In a slur of words, Ellen looked up at Artemisia and spoke. "Come and sit with me, dearie. Have a drink."
Shaking her head in disappointment, Artemisia moved for the door where she saw Butch smiling in elation. "We did it! My moms gonna be okay! You're the best friend I ever had, man! Hey, I know it isn't much but I want you to have my Tunnel Snakes jacket. Go ahead, take it!" She did so and slid it into the pack on her back, nodding with a small fake smile as he passed into his home to likely check on his mother. Poor bastard can't even defend himself, much less his mother, from bugs.
She'd soon approach the stairs to reach the atrium and find Officer Gomez waiting for her. He'd always been nice to her and even protective of her well being. Even now, when he was probably under orders to detain her, he showed kindness and concern. "Oh you're lucky it was me who found ya, the others won't be as forgiving! I don't know what you're up to and I-I don't want to know. Just-just clear out of here and I'll pretend I never saw ya." He said, moving aside for her to pass.
"Thanks, Officer Gomez. I always liked you." She said, showing appreciation for not just the gesture but also everything that had come before.
"It's a real shame it's come to this. I cant believe what they did to Jonas… Officer Mack was just out of control! But you're a good kid. You didn't do anything to deserve this. Go find your dad, if you can." Artemisia nodded and pressed onward passed him. He looked back at her once and sighed, his eyes going to the floor before turning back to continue his rounds.
Artemisia soon would reach the Atrium only to hear the Holden twins talking about leaving the vault. As soon as she crossed the door's threshold, the sight of Tom Holden running towards the entrance hallway greets her. Her aqua blue eyes watch in horror as five shots ring out through the concrete and steel corridor. Oh God. At the gunfire and a single yelp of pain, Mary Holden gasped in horror and started to run for the doorway into the hall where Tom had gone but Artemisia stopped her, grabbing her wrist and then across her waist, pulling her back away from the Overseer's thugs that had likely taken Mary's brother's life. "NO-!" Mary screamed as Artemisia pulled her into a supply room and shut the door. Cupping her hand over Mary's mouth, Artemisia pulled her down below the window's edge that looked into the room and held her there, both breathing heavily. "Shh-shh." She didn't know what to tell the poor girl. She'd never felt this close of a loss before but she empathized the best she could. Mary's breathing became labored as she gave up the fight to break out of Artemis' hold and go to her brother, her sobbing taking over. Noticing this, Artemisia's hand that wasn't keeping the girl quiet wrapped around her shoulders and held her in a soft embrace while the shadow of a guard passed by the light coming through the window. A couple minutes passed and Mary had calmed down a little since the incident; enough to where she wouldn't get herself killed, at least. "Stay here." Arty whispered and slowly let go of Mary who barely gave a nod in response.
She rose off the floor and Mary curled up against the wall where they had been. The former rolled her sleeves up just under her elbows and readied the bat she'd used prior and then opened the door, expecting to see someone walking around looking for them.
Instead, she found the atrium was quiet and no guards stood present. "Lock the door behind me." She whispered over her shoulder to Mary. She didn't know if the traumatized girl had heard her until she had stepped a few paces away and heard the door hiss shut with the clock of a locking mechanism sounding soon after. Slowly, she made her way to the door Tom had gone through and into the hall, sliding along the wall to the doorframe to peek over it's edge. What she saw infuriated her to no end. Officer O'brian and Officer Richards, two boys that had graduated a year before her, stood over Tom, O'brian, holding onto the deceased teenager's head and moving it back and forth while Richards just watched, shaking his head back and forth with a grin. Just another kind of evil. Artemis stepped back from the doorway and raised her bat over her head. Alright, you pieces of shit… She brought the wood down hard, striking the metal wall's surface making a loud BOONNNNNNGG. Come find me.
"What the fuck was that?" She heard one of the two men say and soon after, footsteps approached. Staying against the wall to her side of the door, Artemisia held her bat up, ready to swing and as soon as O'brian reared his ugly, unshaven face around the corner, she let him have it. The swing angled upwards and struck him under his jaw with a loud crack resounding from it. She'd definitely broken something. He fell back against Richards, the ten millimeter pistol falling from his grasp. Seizing the opportunity, Arty picked up the weapon and trained it on Richards just as he recovered and looked up at her with his weapon at his side. His gaze went from her to O'brian who had fallen unconscious onto the floor and then back to her with some kind of glint in his eye. "Don't do it." She said, not wanting to have to kill another person. But things rarely happen the way we want them to. He grinned and shrugged, waiting a moment before slinging his arm that held the pistol up at her in an attempt to quickly dispatch her but she'd seen the movement already and took action. With the sites set on his chest armor, she pulled the trigger three times and watched him jerk at all three rounds. Two struck him in the chest and as he lurched backwards, a final round flew through the air and connected with his forehead, sending him backwards onto the floor. His pistol clanked against the concrete a foot or two away. Artemisia's lips tightened into a thin line as she held the still smoking gun in her hand. It was the first time she had ever killed someone. She couldn't explain the feeling other than a sinking feeling in her gut. It was justice. She argued in her subconscious and lowered the weapon to her side.
It would only take a few minutes to strip the two of their gear and weapons and pack them away into her bag. The bodies lay there, one slowly going cold and one barely breathing. Artemis gave them one last glance and moved onwards to where she needed to be; where Amata needed her to be.
Turning back, Artemisia faced four radroaches that had been alerted by the gunfire and honed in on the noise. Need to conserve my bullets. She thought and stowed the pistol, switching it out for the bat she had used previously to crack O'brian's mandible. The first was simple; an overhead swing down onto the target crashed through the roaches exoskeleton and splattered the floor beneath it. The second and third roaches approached at the same time, one creeping up to her legs while the other's wings came out and flapped to go at her from head level. Holding the blunt weapon like she had practiced on the Vault baseball team in her middle school and junior high years, Arty hit a homerun, sending the body of the flyer far off into the atrium and on the end of the swing, raised her boot to stomp on the creature that was still active. It's head crushed like brittle beneath her treads. The body still moved beneath her headless and spurting out clearish green body fluid onto the floor, bumping into benches and seats while Artemis dealt with the fourth just as easily as the first.
The path was clear for the time being. Time to get out of here. The brunette huffed with the exsertion and caught what little breath she had lost during the engagement. The door she was going through was stopped from closing by a locker that seemed to have been shoved under it, preventing the sliding door from sealing closed. Thank you whoever did that. Up the stairs, the sight of Chief Officer Hannon in pieces greeted her. Four dead roaches lay next to his limbs and torso, all with gunshots or boot prints in them. A look down the hall revealed more dead bugs in what looked like a line to where he now rested. You put up a good fight, Chief. Artemisia had respected this man since he had become chief some years ago and aspired to be like him in a few ways; his discipline and sense of duty were what got him elected in the first place. Rest in peace.
Out another door lead her onto the catwalks above the atrium and into the server room that preceded the Overseers office. She made a beeline for it, stopping when she saw a man in the window next to the doorway. "You! This is your fault! You and your stupid father! He had to go and leave, didn't he? He had to mess things up for everybody!" He yelled at her with his wife sitting at their table with her back to the glass. His fists banged on the window when Artemis gave him a momentary glare. It was wrong to stop but this man; he knew nothing about what was going on and still, still, blamed her and her father with hatred in his eyes. She shook her head side to side in disdain.
She continued, leaving him there shouting for guards and banging on the glass as if it'd make a difference.
A young engineer or technician lay on the floor of the server room bathed in red light from the blinking machines surrounding them. A quick touch of his pulse revealed he had passed a short time ago, his skin still warm to the touch. Floyd Lewis. She remembered his name, a memory of her late high school years came to mind of him tutoring her in math; her most hated subject. He'd graduated two or three years prior to her but was nice enough to offer to teach her. She took his glasses, their tinted lenses surely being of use outside with what she imagined to be a blinding white sun in the sky.
She rushed through the next door at the sound of Amata in distress. "I told you, I don't know anything!" Her voice said as Artemisia reached the barred window that viewed into the security office. The next voice made her blood practically boil. "Be reasonable, Amata. Officer Mack may enjoy this but I don't. The Overseer said in a tone that didn't sit right with Arty. "Just tell us where to find your friend so we can talk to her."
"She's my friend, I was worried about her! What does she have to do with any of this, anyways?" She retorted to her father. A feeling of warmth rushed over Artemisia's features at the words of her best friend.
"Probably nothing. Which is why you need to tell me where she is so I can talk to her!" The Overseer seemed to be getting more and more impatient with his own daughter. How he was capable of watching, much less ordering, his daughter being put in pain was beyond anything Arty could understand. She could never.
Amata seemed to have enough as well because in that moment, she stood defiantly from the chair they had her sat in and pulled the pistol on the Overseer and Officer Mack. "Watch out, sir, she's got a gun!" Mack yelled out the obvious.
"Amata, where did you get that gun!?" Her father practically demanded an answer.
"Just get away from me! I don't want to shoot you but I will! I swear I will." She said, promising to do so if either of the two got too close.
"How dare you threaten me! And with my own gun! I'm your father, damn you, and you;ll show me some respect! Officer Mack! Dont just stand there!" The Overseer exclaimed, his daughter backing into a corner with the weapon alternating between him and Mack, finally settling on the officer. You pitiful disgrace of a human being. Having others do the dirty work for you.. And to your own daughter! Artemisia had enough of the shit show and seeing Mack approach Amata, she didn't want her best friend to have to make the choice to take someone's life.
"Don't make me take that gun away fro-" Officer Mack didn't even finish the sentence before Arty slammed the 'open' button down and entered with her own ten mill up at the ready in one hand and a bloody bat in the other. Mack stopped in his tracks and both him and the Overseer looked at her in surprise while Amata choked out a sob and ran towards Artemis. Arty looked down at the shorter girl with a sympathetic look, receiving one of thanks in return. As soon as Amata was out of the equation, Artemisia returned her focus on the two within the room.
Mack would barely turn her direction before two bullets were let loose, both passing through his skull in milliseconds. She lowered the gun, knowing the Overseer wouldn't fight. He wasn't the type, she'd deduced.
"You.. I hope you're here to turn yourself in, young lady. You're already in enough trouble as it is. Don't make it worse for yourself." He said, moving into the same corner Amata had been forced into.
You pathetic piece of shit, you have the audacity… "If you ever lay a hand on Amata again, I'll make sure you regret it." She said, her hand on the pistol gripping it tighter.
"I place the good of the vault above everything, even my own paternal feelings. We must not allow sentiment to cloud our judgment! But I admire your protective instincts. Very well, I give you my word that Amata will not suffer further because of your actions." She made a low rumbling noise in her throat, her hatred for the man in front of her growing by the minute. Should put a bullet in your head. "Now then. If you really care about Amata, you will see how dangerous your father's actions were. Hand over your weapons, and put an end to this dangerous situation. There is no need to join your father as a traitor to the vault!"
"My father's no traitor. But you're a murderer and a thug!" Artemisia's anger seeped out in her words. He was a politician, probably well versed in psychology and sociology, she figured. If she showed any cracks, he'd more than likely try to exploit them so she tried to hide her emotions as best she could, however little that was at this moment. One of her closest friends had been killed, men were actively trying to kill her, people were in danger and Amata had been tortured. It was safe to say that it took all she had not to pull the trigger on him there and then.
The Overseer's voice gained a higher pitch, sounding creepy and edging on pure evil as it had when Amata pulled the gun on him. "Let's let history be the judge of that. If you had paid attention to Mr. Brotch, you'd understand that history is invariably written by the victor! Guards! She's here!"
No guards came, however, and after a moment of nothing happening, Artemisia opened up the security lockers and piled a few weapons and ammunition into her pack along with Mentats and three stimpacks. Some armor padding made its way into the bag as well before she slung the single strap over her chest.
The Overseer watched, making no attempts to stop her and as she passed, glared. It didn't go unnoticed and as Arty passed, she gave him the bird and pressed on all the way to the waiting room for the Overseer's office. There, at one of the support desks, sat Jonas' body.
She could tell as she approached that he had more than likely died due to trauma to the brain. His eyes had swollen black, blood trails running down to his neck and onto his white lab coat. There he was. Dead and gone. Someone she called friend, family, sometimes uncle, since before she was ten years old. Is this what Mary felt? She thought as the cold, desolate feeling of loss enveloped her. Her feet edged forward, and her eyes lost their edge, sorrow dominating her features as she dropped to her knees next to him on the floor. "I'm sorry I wasn't here with you." Arty spoke softly to him. Two tears trailed down her pale white cheeks, one dripping down onto his coat. There was nothing she could do. He was gone. But then his voice came into her head. 'Cheer up, kiddo. I might be gone but I'm always with you. Just like your dear old mom. Now dry up them tears.' He said. She sniffed and did as she was told, running her forearm over her eyes. 'Get out there and make a difference. I'll be right here with you.'
In his hand, he held onto a holodisk that had her name on it. I guess that's meant for me. She thought to herself and took it, slipping it into a pocket. She also pulled the picture of Jonas, her and her dad out of his coat pocket and glanced over it a moment before pocketing it as well. Artemisia saw a brief flash of motion in the room next to the Overseer's Office entrance and upon focusing, she could see it was Amata sitting within her own living quarters. There was almost nothing she could do for Jonas now. But maybe Amata could at least ensure his body was taken care of.
Arty took a few steps past Amata's door's threshold, causing the younger woman to glance in her direction with her head resting on her hand. "Thank god you came when you did. I don't know what I might've done… Here. Take the gun. I don't want to find out what I'd do if I still had the gun and my father came looking for me. You'd better get out of here. I'll try to meet you at the vault door. If I don't make it… good luck."
Artemisia nodded and leaned down, kissing the top of Amata's head and turned to the two rooms within the quarters. One the Overseer's and the other, his daughters. It took little deducing as to which was which given Amata's had a flowery mat with small paintings on it and the other was bland, steel grey. Arty searched the room and found the key to his office in his dresser. Too easy, old man. She'd use it to unlock the door and proceed to the terminal. Almost there.. Don't stop now. Artemisia thought and opened up the computer. It was locked until she typed in a code she found in the only locker in the room along with some ten mill rounds. Way too easy. The computer buzzed with life after bypassing the security portion. Several files popped into view, some of which were surely classified just based on the titles.
Regardless of what they were, Artemisia linked her Pipboy 3000A to it and started a download, copying the files onto the portable computer. While she waited, she opened up each and skimmed over their contents. From them, several revelations came at once. One of which entailed the Overseer using the Tunnel Snakes, Butch's gang, as hired muscle. Another showed that he had eyes on Jonas and was more than likely planning out ousting him for quite some time. Looking at a file titled 'Amata', Artemis shook her head in disgust as he had written about how he was puzzled over Amata pushing him away and her only seeing the Overseer and not her father. The fact he didn't see the reason, which was plainly obvious, only added to her worry. He never was the best for Amata. One day… Artemisia thought. One day I'll get you out of this place.
Her attention soon shifted to files titled "Scouting Reports". These files detailed a scouting teams trip out into the wastes, their encounter with giant mutated ants and an interaction with a community of people in a walled town called "Megaton". They brought a sense of relief to Arty, proving that life was not only possible out there but that it was sustainable; people were living topside. There was hope.
A couple other files detailed a Vault Tec device known as the G.E.C.K. and its purpose and something about her vault, Vault 101, being a control group. A control group? The possibilities and different stemming thoughts that came to her mind were difficult to contain at the words. There was no time, however, as the device on her forearm dinged signalling the files were copied.
The entrance opened with a click on the screen, the Overseer's desk rising above a staircase leading beneath the floor to a tunnel with a switch. Pressing the button on the yellow switch box, a concrete slab opened and Artemisia followed it out.
Following the concrete and steel tunnel further, she found another switch box and pressed it's button, another concrete slab moving from out of her way and into the vault door she had only ever seen when sneaking around with Amata as kids. With slow steps, her eyes stayed on the giant gear shaped door while her legs brought her towards it's control panel, a red light blinking at her approach.
Her hand rose and grasped the lever and pulled down with a rather satisfying mechanical sound followed by an alarm and a yellow light spinning on the ceiling. A large metal arm swung forward and connected with the giant gear, pulling it free from it's seal and rolled it aside, the entrance tunnel now visible. It was the first time Artemisia had seen anything other than the inside of the vault. Something primal about wanting the sunlight drew her on until a voice from behind her stopped her in her tracks.
"Oh my god… you actually opened it…" Amata's voice reached Arty just as she thought of the younger girl and how she was nowhere to be found prior. "You did it! You opened the door! My god, I almost didn't believe it was possible!" Artemis had thought the door impenetrable as well but looking back over her shoulder passed her long back hair to the tunnel that stared back proved how wrong they were. Facing Amata now, Artemisia smiled at her best friend in a kind of relief that she was there before Arty left.
"I couldn't have done it without your help, Amata." Artemisia gave a silent thanks.
"No, you didn't need me. If anyone can survive out there, it's you." Amata said, planting a sinking anxious feeling in Artemis at the words. Surely she'll come with me.
"Why don't you come with me?" Arty poked at the idea. Maybe, just maybe…
"It's tempting, but… My place is here. The vault needs me more than you do." It felt almost like a punch to the gut with the words but at the same time, Artemis understood where Amata was coming from. "I'm the only one who has a chance to talk some sense into my father. Listen. If you do catch up with your dad, tell him I'm sorry for… y-you know, Jonas, and-and my father and everything."
Artemisia nodded. "I will. I'll tell him everything." She smiled and started backstepping to and out the vault entrance with the sound of security finally getting through the door behind Amata.
"Goodbye, Artemisia." Amata's voice rang out to her.
She gave a small wave. "Until we meet again." Three security personnel got through to the entrance but didn't go past the entrance threshold, Amata escaping back into the innards of the vault while the guards flipped the switch to the door.
Artemisia had gotten halfway down the tunnel, walking over skeletons holding signs begging and demanding entrance into the vault. She didn't want to think of how terrible their deaths might have been. There was no telling and it was overwhelming to think about in a time like this. She needed to go.
The giant door screeched shut down the tunnel with the yellow numbers of '101' now facing her. No turning back now. She thought to herself and turned to the wood and steel grate door that lead to the outside. A mix of fear and determination drove her as she gripped the handle and peeked out through the cracks. I know you're out there. I'm coming to find you, Dad. Be safe until then. A hefty tug on the metal and a blinding light bathed Artemisia in it's glow, warmth dominating her features in a way she'd never felt before.
A/N: First attempt at writing a Fallout 3 story. Just the beginning for now, if there's any reviews showing they want this to continue, I'll absolutely update in the near future. I'm also working on both re-writing my other stories to make them better quality reads and updating them with new content. Stay tuned and thanks for sticking around if you've been to my stories before. Open to critiques. As I said previously, please review with thoughts, questions and concerns. DMs are always open and accepted. (Italics are thoughts, Italic Bold are sounds/noises) I don't own the franchise.