Chapter 28

Nick examines his reflection in the mirror. There is a man looking back at him, a man he does not recognize. In his mind, he recalls the face of a young boy. A boy with a round face and sad but innocent eyes. A boy with short well kept dirty blonde hair. A boy who could easily have passed through life in a normal un-interesting way. A boy who never could have killed anyone. Yet the man in the mirror lingers, glaring out at him. This man's eyes are haunted, sunk deep into his skull with dark circles around them. Icy blue eyes, cold, calculating, and cynical. This man's face is gaunt, all the fat melted away by the trials of the wasteland. His complexion is lined, his hair long and tangled, his beard thick and full, making him look older than he actually is. His body is that of a man's, hard, lean, and covered in more than a few wounds and scars.

The man looking out at him frightens Nick, it makes him wonder who he is, what happened to him to make him look that way. He knows that the boy he remembers would have been scared stiff by this man. He knows that this man has killed, will kill, and does kill, without thought. This man is dangerous. Nick knows that this man is responsible for many things, but above all, he is responsible for killing the boy. Nick knows that his man, this vision of death, is the reason the boy is all but forgotten now. This man killed the boy and left his body to rot somewhere in the wasteland. Nick should be sad at the boy's passing, but he isn't. All he can think about is the man who did the deed, how he feels no remorse. Nick may miss the boy on some level, but this man is something he can use. This man is the perfect person, the perfect killer, this man is who Nick has become, and he finds that he likes what he sees. The only part of the boy that is still present, is the part that feels for Amata and the vault.

Nick slowly walks up to the Overseer's office. His steps are measured and he his body language gives off a calm and collected feel. His weapons are gone, and he has removed his armor, leaving him in his simple clothes and the worn leather jacket that used to have a tunnel snakes patch on it. Days up on the surface have worn the path off now. He thinks back to Amata's lips pressed against his, her warm body hugged against him. An entire night where she was his and his alone. He never realized she cared for him in that way. Now he has to make sure that the two of them can continue to care for each other.

He is trying to find a solution. A way to make sure that the vault stays safe but is also given freedom. He wants Amata to stay down here, where she is protected, but he also wants her to be happy. He wants the vault dwellers to know the truth about the surface, and to know enough to remain hidden on their own, but he doesn't want to scare them into isolation again. It seems all of his thoughts are chasing themselves around and around in circles. He reaches down and Dogmeat lifts his head to be scratched. Originally he ordered the canine to stay up on the surface as he was unsure about how the vault inhabitants would react. This morning however he found himself in need of company as he arranged his thoughts, so he snuck back up to the vault door and let his friend in.

Dogmeat growls affectionately as Nick rubs his ears and it makes Nick smile. Dogmeat is one of the few good things to come out of the wasteland. The world above doesn't have many redeeming factors, but every now and then something comes along that is at least decent. He arrives at the Overseer's office and hesitates. The last time he and the Overseer saw one another, Nick was beating in the head of a vault security member who had been torturing Amata. He knew Amata had a gun, but also that she would never have been able to get over it if she had used it. That night Nick had already killed, so he sucked it up and killed again. there is no telling how the Overseer will react to him. The man surely knows he is here, but still.

Taking a steadying breath, he opens the door and steps through. The office is in disarray. Papers are scattered all over, covering nearly ever surface. Boxes of ammo sit on the desk, some open and spilling bullets out onto the floor. A few pistols and some batons lie discarded in the corner of the room. The light above the desk flickers and blinks, appearing to have been shot. The Overseer is standing at the large circular observation window that looks out over the vault atrium. The man's body is rigid and his hands are clasped behind his back. Nick steps into the room and crosses his arms, waiting for the Overseer to acknowledge him.

"Look at this." The Overseer motions to the atrium beyond the window. "Our peaceful existence has been shattered. We have sunk into chaos and anarchy. Are you aware that people have died? By now Amata will have told you that the vault was not always sealed, that we once were in contact with the surface. Having experienced the world above for yourself, tell me, do you honestly think it would be best for us to again resume our previous arrangement?" The Overseer turns to Nick and and glares at him hatefully. "It doesn't matter. I will not allow it! I sealed the vault for the safety of us all! I never should have opened it to allow your father and you, his bastard child, into my home!"

Nick doesn't become angry, that would only be giving the Overseer what he wan'ts, but beside him Dogmeat does let out a low warning growl.. Instead Nick approaches the atrium window. The Overseer retreats at Nick's approach, clearly expecting a fight. Nick just looks out the window at the atrium where the barricade is constructed. He can see some of the rebels in the halls leading to their base, he can see the vault security on the other side, all are ready for whatever the outcome of this conversation is. Nick lets out a heavy sigh and turns to the Overseer. "You are right."

"I knew you would never understand! You and your Father have always..." The Overseer trails off as he realizes that Nick is arguing with him. "What," he asks suspiciously, "do you mean by that?"

Nick points out the window. "This was my home. All this pain, this devastation, it tears me apart. I never wanted to be a burden, I never chose this life, yet here I am and here you are, both of us forced to play the same game, only we may no longer be on opposite sides." Nick turns away and looks out the window again. "I have seen the surface. I have changed who I am. If not for the reports of your officers, you would not have even recognized me. I was never meant for the vault, that much is clear to me now. I do not agree with your keeping secrets, but you must step down."

The Overseer walks towards his desk and Nick follows, watching the man's movements in case he tries to go for a weapon. "Why should I step down? I have only ever worked for the betterment of the vault and all its residents. Do you know that 101 was meant to preserve the past? We were supposed to make sure that if the world above ever did become livable again that it would have decent people to live in it. We are a control group, an entire vault, un-corrupted by outside forces. My predecessors changed that, but I put us down the right path again. We have survived this long because of me!"

Nick folds his arms across his chest. "Not any more. You have lost control." Nick reaches into his pocket and takes out a holotape. "I found this in the security offices. It details how your own men were going to disobey your orders not to attack the rebels. They intended to make an example out of them. Do you really think that after this one rebellion things will just go back to the way they were? No, after the people realize they have power they will never give it up. I have seen it more than once before. Things will never be the same, Overseer, but you can ensure that the future is at least a little brighter. Step down, let someone else become Overseer. You know who is best for the position."

The Overseer's face clouds over as he thinks. Perspiration appears on his forehead as he physically struggles to accept Nick's words. The man's arm lashes out and grabs a gun, planting it between Nick's eyes. Dogmeat barks angrily and makes to leap at the Overseer, but Nick grabs the dog by his collar and hods him down. Nick does not move, he holds the lashing dog, and his eyes are devoid of emotion. He doesn't even flinch. The seconds tick by, more and more the Overseer sweats and soon starts to shake. The hand holding the gun trembles. Finally his arm falls and his head lowers with a heavy sigh. "You are right. I have failed."

Nick reaches out and takes the gun from the Overseer, the man offers no resistance. Nick holds out the weapon and removes the magazine. "You never wanted to hurt anyone." He shows the empty weapon to the Overseer, he shows him how it was never loaded. Nick had made a gamble, and it paid off. "Jonas, the others, all that happened in the moment. You never intended for anyone to die, but they did. Now it is time to take that burden off your shoulders. Let someone else worry about it. Let someone else lead the vault into the future."

"I know who must lead us. Please, follow me." The Overseer walks out of the room, his head still hung, defeated. Nick follows the man down to the atrium where he orders all the security to stand down and accompany him. The rebels waiting beyond the barricade make way as he approaches, falling into line as the group moves to the rebels base. When they arrive, Amata is standing out in the hall with her supporters. Her face is set and Nick fells his chest fill with pride at how brave she is being. "Amata," the Overseer states, "It has come to my attention that I, I am no longer fit to lead this vault. As Overseer, I an renouncing all of my claims to power and transferring control to you, as of now, you are the Overseer. You will shape our future, and it will be a bright one." Without a word the man turns, and walks away.

for a moment there is silence, and then the rebels break out into cheers. Many of the security force joins in, but some slip away to sulk. Nick makes his way through the crowd, searching for Amata, who has somehow disappeared. Eventually he finds her at the back of the clinic. He grabs her and lifts her off the ground in joy. "You did it! You saved them!"

He puts her down and leans in to kiss her, but she pulls away, a strange expression in here eyes. She takes his hand. "I am sorry," she states, loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. "There are too many people here who still blame you for everything that happened. You are a hero, but you have to leave."

Here words cut through him easier than a deathclaw. He stares at her in silent shock. Inside every last remnant of the boy he once was finally passes away, leaving only the man from the mirror. He wants to speak, to yell, to demand an answer, but the truth is staring him right in the face. She didn't care. She used him. He was a tool in her rise to power. She called him back because he was the only one capable enough and dumb enough to follow through with it, and now she doesn't need him anymore and he is a threat. So she is casting him off. His face hardens into a solid line. Amata's eyes tear up as she watches him. "I'm sorry," she whimpers, "please believe that I don't want to do this." Her arms are still on his shoulders, and he finds he cannot stand the touch any more.

He moves away from her. His eyes bore into hers, conveying his anger, his hate, but above all, his hurt. Betrayal. It exists even here, in the place he once thought of as his home. No, this place was never his home. Amata was never his. He has nothing, belongs nowhere. He is an outcast in every possible way. He turns his back on her. He moves out of the room and through the celebrating crowd. Upon seeing him, most people move out of the way, those who done are pushed aside. Amata chases after him. "Please," she begs, "You have to understand. Say that you understand. I don't want to do this to you, but I have to. I believe that you would never cause any more harm, but others won't."

Nick stops, but does not turn around. The area has fallen silent as all stop to hear his words, to witness the Overseer and the man who lead the coup. "I understand. You have no more need of me. I am a threat. I am dangerous. I attack and kill people." Beside him Dogmeat growls at her and the fur on his spine lifts up. "I don't belong here, It was a dream Amata, I should have known better than to ever believe in the dream. You know what they say, the child is just like the parent. Seems it applies to both of us."Amata gasps at the harshness in his voice and recoils from him.

He turns and walks away, whistling sharply to make sure Dogmeat follows. He returns to the room the rebels set him up with and quickly pulls on his armor. He takes all the rations stored in the nearby fridge and pushes them into his pack. The room is well supplied and he decides to strip it of any and everything he can carry with him. He shoulders his weapons and looks around the room, nothing left but the mattress and some dirt. Good.

He makes his way up through the vault. Word of his spat with Amata must have spread quickly because everyone gets out of his way. Some people mutter apologies, others say good riddance. He barely notices any of them. He reaches the vault door and punches in the code to open it, only nothing happens. He growls and takes the jack out of his pipboy and plugs it in to the console for direct control. The pipboy codes the controls and starts the uploading process, he taps his foot impatiently as it works. "I changed the code."

He turns his head to see Amata standing there with her arms crossed. He face is downcast and she has obviously been crying. He wants to go to her, wipe the tears away and hold her in his arms, but he cannot get past the searing anger burning inside him. "What is it?" his voice is curt and Amata flinches at the sound of it.

Amata takes a tentative step forward and Dogmeat lets out a warning snarl. She freezes in her tracks and looks at the dog in fear. "I just, I wanted to make sure I could say goodbye to you." Nick turns away and looks back at his pipboy, the upload is almost done. "Last time we were hear," Amata continues, "you asked me to come to the surface with you. I wanted to, but I knew that I would be needed down here. You saved my life that night, I don't know what my Father would have done in his anger. When you left, I cried. I missed you so bad. Every night after I barely slept because I wast thinking about you, wondering if you were still alive, if you still cared."

The door starts to open and Nick disconnects his pipboy. He turns to Amata and glares at her, "Fuck you." His voice is low and barely sounds angry, but it strikes her like a whip. "I pray to whatever fucked up deity guides the wasteland that a group of raiders invade this hole the very first time you open these doors. Hell isn't beneath us, it is up there. I will take pleasure in the knowledge that you have willingly tossed your people into it." He turns away and walks out the vault door for the second time in his life. The last part of the boy he was finally curls up and accepts his fate. He makes not protest, no, he seems to almost welcome it. The man watches the boy die, and feels nothing. Nick feels nothing.

Behind him he hears Amata say something, "The code, I changed it to your name." Nick ignores her and pulls the switch from outside the door to make sure it closes behind him. As he makes his way past the dead in the cavern, he feels something shift and change inside of him. His heart. it is as if it has started to beat with a new tempo. He feels strange, older, more powerful. He pushes open the wooden cave door and steps out into the light of the surface. He reaches down and pets Dogmeat's head. In the distance he can make out the Washington Memorial. The vault is closed to him for good now. He can never, no, will never go back, even if they do somehow managed to survive with their door open.

He sets his jaw and sets off towards the Brotherhood's Citadel. His Father died trying to make his home a better place, Nick will be damned if he is going to let that sacrifice be ignored by the rest of the world. He will take back the Purifier, even if he has to tear off each and Every Enclave soldiers head one by one to do it.

Luther walks past Megaton and looks to the Washington Memorial. Behind him Fawkes readies the gatling laser he has taken to using. "Fawkes, my old friend," Luther speaks, "I hope you are ready for a war."

Tyler steps into his old suit of power armor and flexes his arms, making sure that everything moves correctly. He may not be able to get the entire Brotherhood to fight alongside him, but Sarah has promised the Pride if it does come to a fight. Tyler knows that it will come to that. No matter what Elder Lyons, his Father, may say. A fight is coming. He will be ready.

Here it comes. The finale. Can you feel it?