Justin was a alive. Nick and Judy were happy to see that Justin was not seriously hurt. They began to head to vault 21, it was the only vault that works and is safe. There are two ways to get in to the vault. The first way was to try and hack the console. The second way was to try re-route the electrical system to the console. When the group arrived at vault 21 Judy began to hack into the console. Judy had to remove the front panel to the console and rearrange the wiring scheme to open the door. Judy was able to over ride the door lock and get it open. Judy and Nick carry Justin through the door. Two security guards were standing at the entrance to vault 21, pointing their 10 mm hand guns at Judy and Nick. Judy and Nick were escorted to a security cell, Justin was taken to the medical clinic.
Judy and Nick are grilled by the security officers, they want to know how they made it into vault 21. Nick explains that he is a Desert Ranger of Nevada (DRN), Judy attempts to tell her captures that she is a courier. The security officials do not believe what their prisoners are telling them, Nick tells the security to check Justin's bag; it will prove their claims because there are official documents and ID badges in it. The security returns a short while later with the proof they need, Nick and Judy are who they claim to be. Unfortunately Justin did not have his ID, it was lost in the attack before their capture. Nick and Judy were let out of their cell, but Justin was kept under watch, as he could not verify who he was. Nick and Judy are taken to see the Overseer. The Overseer agrees to let Nick and Judy stay until Justin recovers. Nick and Justin are unaware that the DRN and NCR Rangers have joined together to protect California and Nevada.
Judy was worried that she could not complete her courier assignment to Jack in Nevada. Jack was waiting for the delivery of two snow globes. Jack is a General in the NCR and a very important person to Judy. Jack has acquired many caps, which are used as currency in the Nevada territory. Jack's rangers had reported to him that they had shot at 3 unknown people, wounding one and driving all three away. Jack is unaware that his rangers had shot at Judy, Nick and Justin.
In the vault 21 medical centre Justin wakes up from his medically induced slumber. Justin realises that he is in a hospital bed without his body armour, modified pre- war helmet and guns. Justin is a bit nervous until the doctor comes into the room to talk to him. The doctor tells Justin that he has a 44 calibre bullet lodged in his torso, but unfortunately they were unable to remove the bullet in surgery. The doctor reassures Justin that he will be alright and should recover from his injuries. Just then the security officers enter the room and ask Justin for his ID and authorisation. Justin tells them that he does not know where his ID is and that he is a DRN. After several more questions the security officers let Justin out of the medical room to see his friends Judy and Nick. After reuniting with his comrades and sharing new information, the trio is ready to leave vault 21 for Jack's area in Nevada. Jack's out post is located near the old Las Vegas airport.
Once on their journey Nick, Justin and Judy come across NCR rangers battling some Great Khans around camp Guardian. The Great Khans pose a threat to Las Vegas itself and must be driven back into the hinterlands. The Great Khans are driven back to Bonnie Springs. Nick, Judy and Justin join with the NCR rangers because they are unsure where Jack's out post is and they need extra protection from the rangers. Intelligence officers in the NCR tell Nick and Justin that there is a prototype plasma rifle located in vault 22. The plasma rifle is capable of firing a high energy plasma pulse which would be effective in any battles to come. The only problem with vault 22 is that there are spouts located there. Spouts are creatures that are half human and half plant like mutants. Nick, Justin and Judy have to decide if the plasma rifle is worth the risk of battling spouts.
At sunrise Nick, Justin and Judy put on their armour, grabbed their weapons, water and food supplies and walked out into the Mojave Wastelands. The group had decided that they were going to vault 22 to get the prize weapon. They would have to walk across a hot and inhospitable wasteland to reach their target. Judy was worried about encountering mole rats and mantis creatures. Nick and Justin were more wary of the Death Claw creatures that ventured into the Mojave. They hoped that the Death Claws would not search them out on their journey. The group estimates that it will take a day to reach vault 22. Luckily for them they make it to their destination without any creature encounters.
Outside vault 22 there were 5 giant mantis guarding the entrance. There was no option for the trio of travellers, they would have to eliminate the mantis. Justin grabs his M1 rifle and sets his gun sight on the first mantis. The first shot hits the mantis in the head and kills it. Two more mantis are felled quickly by Justin's skill. The other remaining mantis charge at Justin's position in a rage. Justin calmly dispatches the remaining mantis with icy cold efficiency. The entrance to vault 22 is jammed half shut. The trio are able to squeeze inside the vault. Unfortunately for the trio they have entered into an area where Spore carriers live. Spore carriers are humans who have been exposed to the entomatopathogenic fungus. This fungus was developed in Vault 22 as part of a behavioural project and unfortunately for the hosts, there was no treatment once infected. Justin , Nick and Judy enter the vault slowly, as they are wary of what lurks inside. Nick knows that they must find a key card to access the partition room where the pulse rifle is located two floors below. Nick takes the lead walking slowly amongst the over grown vegetation in the vault. Once the group had taken 30 steps into the vault the first spore attacked. Justin was able to shoot the spore on the top of it's head, which was the only way to neutralize them. Justin and Judy soon realize that the head shot is the only safe option to stop spores. After avoiding attack by 5 spores Nick reaches the console where the key card is located. The group makes it's way down two more floors to the partition room. Once inside Justin locates the plasma rifle. The rifle has an energy cell cartridge. Each time you fire the weapon the energy level drops by 2, you have a total of 12 pulse shots before replenishing.
