It was torture for Anastasia, to not be able to move around and go help Amata. She listened to the message about twenty times before Charon stood up.
"Sleep, and stop messing with that thing." He helped her up the stairs, because she refused to be carried, and he watched her close the door to her bedroom.
Later, lying on the couch in the extra bedroom, he heard a different voice from the Pip-Boy. It must've been her father.
Finally as noon came the next day, Anastasia came out of her room, armored up and walking.
They walked all the way there in silence, and when she pushed the wooden gate open, Charon stared. He probably passed this hill twice a month, and there had been a vault there? It was hard to believe.
"Get your weapon ready, just in case; this is going to be very loud. Oh, and Charon? Please don't kill anyone if you can help it."
Charon almost took a few steps back; the noise was amazingly fierce from the moving of the vault door. It shook the whole cave, but Anastasia just stood there, unaffected by everything around her. She stepped forward even as the massive door was rolling aside, her gun not even out. She motioned for Charon to follow, and they both stepped into the vault. Their eyes adjusted to the dimness and everything was red; only the red emergency lights were on; and the place liked horrible.
"My god, is that you, Ana?" An old security guard lowered his gun and stepped around the corner, and Anastasia immediately hugged him.
"Officer Braun, tell me what's happened here." She said, and he did.
"The overseer has gone mad with power, child. He'll kill you if he can; the younger people in vault are planning a rebellion. They want out, Ana, and the overseer wants us to stop them at any cost." Anastasia placed her hands on his shoulders.
"No harm will come to anyone else, if I can help it. Where can I find Amata?"
"She's taken up refuge with a few others in the infirmary. Go there fast, the sooner we can resolve this issue, the better. And be on the lookout for officer Mack, he's been authorized to use deadly force."
"I have some deadly force of my own, Braun." She said as Charon stepped forward. The man's eyes opened wide. "Go back to your home and wait; it will be safer there." He immediately ran off. Anastasia turned to Charon. "I'm sorry for anything people may say…they've never been out of here, remember." Charon nodded; it wasn't anything new.
"Let's move." He replied, and Anastasia moved through the hallways quickly. She knew exactly where she was going. Finally they reached an area guarded by a tired looking man holding a machine gun. He dropped it when he saw her, and she jumped into his arms.
"Ana, oh my god, I can't believe it."
"How are you doing?"
"Well, not so good; Andy had to take over the position of doctor since your father left, and my medicine's running out." Ana reached into her pack and handed him a box of chems.
"These will do for a while." She said, kissed him on the cheek, and pulled Charon past him while he was looking down at them, murmuring his thanks.
A young woman stood in the light just ahead of them now, talking to another young African American man. She looked over and saw Anastasia, and the two were frozen for a moment, but then embraced, holding one another for a long time.
"Ana, I'm so glad you came back."
"How could I not? Tell me what I can do to help." At this, Amata looked down.
"It's my father; he believes nobody else should leave the vault, but some of them really want to; you inspired them. He's coming down hard; several people have been killed." Anastasia shook her head.
"It is a shame. I will go talk to him; there must be a peaceful way to make him stop." Amata nodded.
"Please don't hurt him. I know what he's done is wrong, but he is only trying to do what he thinks is best for the vault. Oh god!" She spotted Charon behind Anastasia and stumbled backward, trying to find the pistol lying on the desk, but Anastasia grabbed her.
"Please, he's with me." Amata looked at him wide eyed, and Charon looked away. "This is Charon. Charon, my best friend, Amata."
"Nice to meet you." Charon said flatly, and Amata immediately blushed.
"I'm so sorry for my rudeness…I just…was startled by you." Charon nodded.
"Lets go." He said to Anastasia, and she nodded.
"I'll be back. Stay safe until I return." They made their way through endless corridors, and Charon found himself slightly lost until finally Anastasia whispered, "This is it."
He nodded and moved toward the door, but Anastasia grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "I need to do this alone. Just…stay hidden until I return." Charon was silent for a moment, and then he nodded.
"Be cautious." She smiled and moved past him.