Revised on the 30th of November 2017
AN: Throughout my story, I've included a B-Plot surrounding the adventures of the Courier's companions back in the Wasteland, in their journey to figure out what happened to their mutual friend. Also throughout the story, people have said they found the B-Plot somewhat boring and that it detracts from the main story. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, there is a reason I'm putting the story revolving around Nathan Brin's friends along with the other half in the Overwatch-verse. So, I hope what happens in this chapter changes that.
Another thing I want to address is that – after some Reviews, Guest Reviews, and personal messages I've received over the writing of this story – I want to make it clear that I am NOT including anything from the East Coast Fallouts into this FanFic, lore-wise. The main reason is that I do not see any reason for including anything from those games into my story, and I feel any inclusion will just undermine the characters and events of New Vegas, both canon and fanon.
Also, I'm changing the Fallout world year to 2285. It makes more sense, given the things that are happening and at the rate at which they're proceeding. 2281-2283 just seems like too short of a period for all the things that are happening, and a gap of 4-5 years seems much more reasonable. Don't worry, nothing else will be affected by this retcon. Hopefully the last time-related revision I'll have to do…
Finally, on the day I've posted this, Blizzard decides to release a new cinematic and announce a new Hero… At least I have more lore-discrepancies to worry about ._.
Responses...
Guest: What do you mean more emotion? I thought I already put a lot of emotion into my Courier, more than he usually expresses. If it didn't seem like it… Well, that's just how he is. He's not the most expressive of characters in some situations.
Finally, with that all out of the way, I hope you enjoy this chapter. PoeticPillock out.
Veronica laid on her side, her head resting on the puffy cloud of one of the cleanest pillows she ever brushed her face against. Some of the best and most fulfilling sleep she's received in years. It felt like she could just lay on it for hours- No, for days on end and be in a world of unbridled sleeping comfort. Except she still stirred in her sleep, grimacing as her body curled up and shook the bed as she tossed. Her fingers twitching wildly, clutching fabric in her hands. Letting out little whimpers in her sleep that echoed through the room.
Then, a gentle hand plants itself on her shoulder, gently shaking her to wake up. The tremors aren't enough to wake her, but she begins to mutter. Grimacing more as she begins to mouth out words.
"N-nngh…" she first lets out, only a small noise.
The hand begins to be more assertive, increasing the force with which it shook but still taking care to be gentle and not quake the sleeping Scribe. Still, it wasn't enough to stir her up from the bed.
"Ugh…" she murmured again, pouting as if she was in pain. "N-natthhhnn…"
"For Tandi's sake, wake up."
All the fatigue and sleep Veronica disappeared as her eyes snapped open the moment she heard that voice.
Jumping from the bed and throwing the clean covers off herself, she looks up wide-eyed to the scarred, bearded man she hasn't seen for a long time. Too long of a time.
"Nathan," she said, her eyes gleaming in the blue light.
She jumped up from the bed and wrapped her arms around the man. He jerks back in surprise but doesn't stop the hug from happening. He feels her wrap around him in a very tight embrace, almost feeling the air in his lungs get squeezed out, burying her face in his chest. He felt as warm as the Mojave sand.
"Uh, Veronica, what are you-?"
"Don't ruin this, Nathan," she cut him off, savoring the moment, and burying her face deeper in his chest.
After several long moments of silence, she felt the man ease under her grip. Then, she felt two large arms wrap around her as well. The sensation even getting warmer, comfier than the bed could ever be. Her lips stretch into a smile, her eyes fully shut in near bliss. However, even that sense of overwhelming joy couldn't last as her smile faded and her lips began to sulk. Yet, she tightened her grip around her friend even harder, and soon, small dribbles of tears began to run down her cheek as she let out a series of quiet sobs.
"Nathan," she said, in between the bouts of crying and grief. "Please don't leave me…"
The Courier didn't say anything as he kept still and let her cry into his chest.
Veronica Santangelo jerked herself awake, opening her eyes to see she was on one of the cleanest beds in California, located in a room in the center of the Big Mountain's dome. However, she saw no tall man with a beard and a mural of scars standing over her, no Pip-Boy to shine an amber light across her face. She stared at the cold, metal walls, seeing a ray of bright blue shining off them. The ex-Scribe fluttered her eyes as she let out a disappointed moan.
"Damn it…"
The right side of the bed shakes, and she turns over to see it was occupied by the two dogs. Rex by the foot of the bed and curled up into his tail, and Cooper on his back and showing his belly to the ceiling. Veronica groans before she sits up and rises from bed. The cold metal floor giving her a little shock before she found proper footwear.
The Sink, Big Mountain Research Facility
2285
Veronica walks out into the room immediately outside of the bedroom, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She sees Parmley, at a table that had an assortment of food items, looking at a toaster.
"Morning," she greeted, about to walk past until the smell of charred food made her stop. "Umm, is something burning?"
Parmley just looked at her with an unamused expression before he held up a plate with what looked like a lump of freshly-smelted coal. Veronica could only perk an eyebrow.
"Bastard burned my toast," he spat out.
"Ahahahahahahahahah!" echoed a metallic voice from behind Parmley, Veronica looking to see it was the Toaster. "First, your toast! And then, the world!"
The Ranger promptly threw his plate at the Toaster, causing the kitchen appliance to scream as it tipped over on its side, then becoming stuck like a bug on its back. The jukebox behind them burst into a fit of laughter, his body lighting up with every guffaw.
"Dig it, son," he said, in a rhythmic, tenor of a voice that sounded like it went through too many cigarettes. "Best put that bread burner in his place!"
"It's too early in the morning for this," Veronica exclaimed, briskly walking out of the room.
She walked into the central room where the Sink Central Intelligence Unit was, leaving a room full of characters to be among other characters.
"An exceptionally excellent morning, sir," the CIU greeted her, still using the male honorific. "May I provide sir a refreshment and/or repast for the morning fatigue?"
"Um…What?" her sleepy state not helping her decipher.
"May I interest sir in breakfast?"
"Oh! Uh… Yes, please."
"Splendid, sir."
A second later, the large central computer began making noises, as if there was a small kitchen inside its body. Then, after it seemed like an entire entrée was being prepared, an unseen lunch bell rang and a panel on the side of its body popped open with steam rising from it. Veronica cautiously knelt to peer inside and saw a clean plate with what looked like an omelet and a glass of milk. The ex-Scribe was more than skeptical to know where they came from but wasn't sure if she wanted to know the full answer. Reaching inside and getting her breakfast, the panel shut itself and hid its inner workings from the world. With the fork provided to her, she stabbed the yellow egg-wrap and watched as a piece broke off to reveal strands of melted cheese. Veronica's eyes lit up and wasted no time bringing it to her mouth, emitting moans of pleasure as she tasted the gooey cheese mixed with cooked meats and egg yolk. Bringing up her glass of milk to wash it down, the drink also wasn't half-bad. The breakfast almost enough to make her forget her woes.
It had been a few weeks since the search party ended up in Big Mountain, waiting for the Think Tank to figure out where their friend was and a way to get to them – if it was possible. And it was a big if, even when they were in a top Pre-War research facility. However, the answer wasn't coming as fast as they had hoped, so everyone had more free time than they asked for. The Sink wasn't too bad, providing more than enough amenities so they wouldn't starve, but being cramped up in the same space with other people for long periods was getting maddening. Even more so with all the talking light switches and sinks to add on to the ruckus. A sense of pointlessness overcame Veronica at times, pressured further into wanting to get out there and find the Courier. The rest of Big Mountain was open to them, however, and while some didn't really want to see the crater for themselves – what old secrets it held – others didn't mind going around the scientific sandbox.
A door to the Sink opened, Veronica looking up to see Boone walking in with his rifle slung over one shoulder and a big burlap sack over the other.
"Hey, you're back. Where've you been?" Veronica asks.
"Southeast," he answers, walking past the CIU and placing the burlap sack on the workbench. "I found some warehouse with a small, Pre-War town in it. Place had already been picked clean, though. Did find some stuff on the way."
Grabbing it and tipping it over, an assortment of provisions and high-tech gear poured out onto the workbench. Veronica let out an impressed hum as she ate more omelet, but the excitement was a bit dampened as this type of haul wasn't as exciting as before. Looking over to the ammo bench on the other side of the room and seeing it was already stacked with enough ammo and weapons to make a Gun Runner merchant faint. It wasn't a bad idea to be stocked up, but space was getting scarce with every haul. Soon, they'd have to start throwing stuff off the balcony.
"At least we're getting something out of this," Veronica said, picking up a Laser Pistol he brought back and examined it, noticing a speck of blood on the receiver. "Nathan would approve of our hoarding habits."
"Yeah…" Boone agrees, unslinging his rifle and resting against the wall. "How're you holding up?"
"Okay, I guess. I spent most of last night talking to one of the light switches, so what was an illuminating experience… I just told a pun, didn't I?"
"Yup."
Veronica groaned in disappointment while Boone just lowly chuckled, amused as he went back to his haul and began to sort through it. However, a high-pitched, ear-grating scream echoed from the bedroom as a tiny Securitron came barreling to them before abruptly stopping at their feet. The two humans looking at him.
"Hey, buddy, you're back!" Muggy exclaimed, looking up at Boone and somehow sounding out of breath. Despite having a static coffee cup expression on his screen, they could tell the little robot was getting jittery, more hopped up than having a bowl of Sugar Bombs with Nuka-Cola as the milk. "Did you… Did you get…?"
"Yeah…" Craig slowly said, producing a single coffee mug from the pack, somewhat reluctantly. "Just one though-"
"Yes!"
Somehow, Muggy jumped up and snatched the cup from his hand, holding it close to his chassis. The tiny Securitron began cackling wildly as he rolled around the room at high speeds, then rolling back to the bedroom. Veronica and Boone watching him go.
"I don't know how Nathan was able to deal with him," the 1st Recon sharpshooter said, still staring at the doorway.
"Who says he did?" the Scribe retorted.
A bit amused by the comment, Boone's eyes latch to the other door in the living room, besides the bedroom door.
"Hey, have you gotten through that door, yet?"
"Nope," she said, shaking her head. "It's locked tight. Haven't been able to open it at all."
"So, no idea what's behind?"
"Muggy said it's where Nathan 'kept his brain', but I don't know what that's supposed to mean."
Suddenly, the Central Intelligence Unit came to life and alerted the two in front of it.
"Forgive me, sirs, but it is with great compunction that I must notify that sirs' attendance is demanded inside the Think Tank. It is detailed that they desire to speak with sirs."
"For what?" Parmley spoke up, appearing from the doorway eating a crunchy black ball.
"I am uncertain. But, please, do attend this impromptu visitation with haste. It appears considerably imperative sirs do so."
The three all exchanged unsure glances at each other, wondering if this meant they finally knew where Nathan was. Already convinced, Veronica scarfed down the rest of her breakfast before rushing off towards the door.
"Come on!" she yelled over her shoulder exuberantly.
The other two ended up running after her.
Inside the Think Tank's laboratory in mere seconds, the three humans find all the Big Mt. Scientists lined up next to each other, forming a "V" towards the group with Dr. Klein at the front. Dr. Mobius was there too, but just hovering awkwardly next to Klein.
"FRIENDS!" Dr. Klein announced as he spotted them. "WE HAVE-!"
"Umm, I think I should speak this time, Klein," Dr. Mobius interrupted, pivoting a dirty monitor. "Save our audience the time."
"WHA… FINE."
With that out of the way, Mobius floated in front of Klein and began to speak.
"Good news, everyone!" he announced at a bearable volume. "I am happy to announce that we are closer to finding your friend and sending you his way!"
Instantly, the search party began to celebrate, Veronica smiling as she hugged both Boone and Parmley. Weeks of trudging through the Mojave and weeks of waiting in a metal cage finally paying off. One step closer to finally repaying a debt to an old friend they've held for so long, even if it was a debt they incurred to themselves. It felt like a great amount of weight was lifted off their shoulders, more weight than all the chips in New Vegas.
"So, you've found him?!" Veronica asked, looking up at Mobius' dirty monitor-eyes.
"Umm… No, I didn't say that."
Her smile faded away after his correction. That weight coming back as soon as it left.
"While, yes, we have made great strides in locating your friend and hopefully sending you his way, we've unfortunately come across a little hiccup during our research. Well, to be honest, it's not even related to our current project in rescuing Nathan but is something that requires our utmost attention and repair."
"What? What could be more important than finding Nathan?!"
"Oh, it is very important."
"How?! Why?!"
"Because it was your friend who ordered us to work on this little 'side-project'."
"…R-really?"
"Yes. While we can't spare the details now due to the constraints of time, I will tell you that there has been a containment breach in one of our facilities to the East of here. Where we house our specimens for research. It will be a simple mission: Kill anything that is out of its cage. Failure to do so could very much put the entire facility in jeopardy. However, given the nature of these specimens, we do have some equipment for all of you to work with and make it less of a perilous journey. Fittingly, these were also side-projects Mr. Brin had commissioned of us. Follow me."
Breaking off from the other Think Tanks, Mobius led the companions to the far-right side of the room. At the end was a huge cloth sheet that covered something equally huge. Tall enough to tower over them, and wide enough to fill up a small room. Stopping in front of them, Mobius, somehow with his monitors, grabbed the cloth and pulled it off to reveal what was underneath. Surprising the group with not one, but two imposing sets of Power Armor. One of them instantly caught the attention of the ex-Scribe, and her eyes became wide in shock and surprise as she recognized the design.
"W-Wait is that…" she said, pointing at the set of Power Armor on the right. "Is that a set of X-01?!"
Indeed, a relic from an old Wasteland power was standing right in front of her. A boulder of an armor staring down at her with an insect-like mask. Her old Brotherhood skills almost kicking in and wanting to fight the machine even if it was unoccupied.
"Mark II," Dr. Dala added on, the mineralogist joining their conversation as she floated in. "A very state of the art system of Power Armor, but we've improved it by creating the armor plating entirely out of Saturnite."
"'Saturnite'?"
"A metal-ceramic alloy we've developed. You will find that it has a very, very high resistance to damage, making the armor near impregnable. Definitely would've been useful for my high school prom."
Ignoring that last statement, Veronica got closer to the set of Advanced Power Armor and marveled at how brand-new it looked. The X-01 Mk. II APA was already regarded as being the "perfect" Power Armor suit to be created and couple that with an experimental alloy from one of the most advanced Pre-War facilities in the world, she could easily see why Nathan would've wanted this to be made.
However, to her left, she noticed the second set of Power Armor was just a set of old T-51b. Upon closer inspection, she saw there were weapons attached to it at certain parts of its body. On the back, it had a huge jetpack system and on the gauntlets, appeared to be a series of compact weapon systems mounted on top of the wrists. One looked like a nozzle, while the other looked like the end of a Laser Rifle. That wasn't it, as there were two other weapon systems on either shoulder: a set of minigun barrels on the left and a rocket launcher on the right. Though, those systems looked even more advanced than anything back in the Mojave. Finally, she saw what appeared to be a collection of Tesla coils along its pauldrons, arms, and some on its legs. The old Pre-War suit clearly got a serious upgrade.
"And this is my work," Dr. 0 joined in too, pride laded in his speakers. "A set of T-51b I've modified with an array of weapon systems Nathan provided: Gatling laser and flamethrower for the wrists, a jetpack for going up, 5.56mm minigun with an AI targeting system on the left shoulder complimented by a modified Red Glare rocket system on the right, and trusty Tesla coils! A lot of Tesla coils now that I think about it…"
"This is some serious hardware…" the ex-Scribe observed, going up to the right side of the armor and reaching up to the large metal tube pointing upwards, particularly noting the painting of the Pre-War American flag being on the body. "But why 51? You clearly have a set of better armor right next to it."
"Well, Nathan wanted to use this older model of Power Armor to be a prototype for all the weapons systems he smacked onto this thing. Seeing it's West-Tek hardware, I personally can't blame him for wanting to be thorough. Not as bad as RobCo, but still."
The ex-Brotherhood Scribe shook her head in a sense of awe, marveling at the two pieces of hardware. Unable to think of equipment better suited for trudging through the Wastes than these. They couldn't keep gawking, though.
"Okay, who wants to suit up?"
Around half-an-hour passes, Veronica decided to climb into the set of Enclave suit and familiarize herself with the feeling of Power Armor encasing her body, something she hasn't felt for the longest time. She instantly rose up to seven-plus feet in height and could feel the strength and power surging through her bulky metal limbs as she thumped around. Moving around in the suit was second nature for her, and it wasn't long until she felt like she could take on the world in this personal tank. She held the insectoid helmet in her giant metal hands, staring into its yellow eyes. Obviously, she thought about all the history behind that mask, what it meant not just to the ex-Brotherhood member, but all the Wasteland. Knowing how close the world came to end for the second time.
She shook those thoughts away, spinning the helmet's face away from hers and planting it on her head. The rest of the suit connected to the helmet with a hermetic hiss, and she could see all the onboard computer systems and heads-up display come online. The bodysuit she had to wear to properly link up with the armor was a drawback to this already smooth ride, but those complaints subsided as soon as the internal air-conditioning unit turned on. Through the helmet, she heard another series of stomps to see the T-51b armor walking around, a bit awkwardly. Boone watched from the sidelines, more than content with not being in a metal box.
"You okay, Parmley?" Veronica called out.
"Yup… I think," he answered, doing a few more laps around the space. "I feel like I can take on the entire Legion, though!"
"It'll do that to you."
Smirking under the mask, Veronica turned around and walked over to a corner before bending down to pick up something in her hands. She produced a large, bulky green device that required both hands to hold, the right hand on a grip on top and the left hand on a black handle protruding to the side. It had a long, silver-colored barrel with a muzzle and three bayonet-like fins jutting forward. Under the base of the barrel were a series of glowing green tubes, and on top its frame were three tanks with wires running through them. On its left side were a series of switches and dials, a fresh Microfusion cell sitting snug in a socket.
The woman in Saturnite armor spun around and brandished the Winchester P94 Plasma Caster – freshly cleaned and freshly refurbished – lucky that they chanced upon the weapon in the surrounding crater. While Veronica preferred using her fists, she would be a fool to not be using heavy weapons in a suit of Power Armor. The advantages clearly outweigh her preferences.
"VERONICA."
She winced under the suit hearing her name be called at very high volumes, turning around to face Dr. Klein, who had come up to her.
"Yes?" she asked, a bit scared to have a conversation with him for the sake of her ears.
"I… UH… HEARD WHAT TRANSPIRED AT THE SATELLITE ARRAY WITH THAT LANKY ROBOT. I WAS TOLD YOU LOST SOMETHING VERY VALUABLE TO YOU," Klein said, his monitors twitching. "SO, I HAVE SOMETHING TO REPLACE IT."
Then, one of the Think Tank's monitors produced a Power Fist. Veronica's eyes lit up, but she saw that it was different from the standard models. It was blue and had the words "Saturnite" painted onto its side and the hydraulic jack. Picking it up, noting how much lighter it felt than her ordinary Power Fist. She fixed it upon her right hand, feeling how comfortably snug it fits.
"I REALIZE IT WOULD GIVE YOU A SIGNIFICANT TACTICAL ADVANTAGE IF YOU WERE TO BE GIVEN ONE OF THOSE FOR COMBAT. GREATLY INCREASING YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESS ON THIS MISSION," Dr. Klein explained. "ALSO, IT MATCHES YOUR OUTFIT. COMPOUND-WISE."
"Thanks, Klein!" Veronica graciously said. "I'll make sure to put it to good use."
She tightened her fingers in the glove, watching the solid-metal jack pump up and down as she operated the hydraulics. Very positive and responsive.
"Bark!"
That sudden noise made the two turn around to see Dr. Borous hovering over Rex. Wondering what he was doing to the cyberdog, the brain talked to Rex as he carried on.
"Don't worry, boy! If there is anyone who knows how man's best friend works, base model or modified, it is most assuredly me-!"
"BARK!"
Their side of the room thundered as a wave of concentrated noise-energy rocketed from Rex's snout and sent Borous across the floor, flying. Everyone froze and looked at the fallen think tank as he remained motionless for several long moments. Rex walking up to the crumpled tank and giving him a few curious sniffs.
"By gosh, by golly, it WORKS!" Dr. Borous exclaimed, rocketing up and with his monitors a tinge brighter. "Well done, Rex! Well done, indeed!"
"I guess that's it, then," Veronica said, flipping a switch, and making her Plasma Caster thrum to life. "Let's go."
Caught up in the fervor, the party of companions rushed out of the Think Tank and began running East, towards the site of the containment breach. With two sets of highly advanced Power Armor kicking up dust and gravel with every heavy stomp, a lot of technological bits glowing even in the sun, they truly were a remarkable sight. Santangelo feeling a bit nostalgic as she maneuvered through the canyons and valleys, thinking she was back wandering in the Mojave. However, it felt strange looking straight at a horizon and not the back of a tall man in a duster.
They had already crossed half the distance and were silent the entire run, but Parmley had a nagging feeling in his mind ever since they were briefed about this breach. One that he forgot to ask when they were swept up in the technological zeal.
"Hey, did they ever say what was in that place?" he asked.
"What?" Veronica looked back but kept running alongside him.
"Did they ever say what exactly were the specimens they were holdin'?"
Veronica narrowed her eyes before turning the gaze of her visor back to the horizon, already seeing the facility they were to infiltrate and clear out getting close.
"…I don't think they did," she shakes her head. "But it was important enough for Nathan, so be ready."
They spent the remainder of the run silent and soon reached the front door of the facility. It was a rectangular, dark concrete building, a series of rusty pipes wrapping around it. As they got closer, they saw a faded spray-painting of a letter and a number, "X-8". They were right on the doorstep.
"I'll stay outside and provide watch for you guys," Boone stated, taking up position near the entrance. "I don't want to take any chances given what's out here, and besides, you guys are already well-suited for the job."
"Be careful, then, Boone. I wouldn't want you to pull a muscle waiting for us while you lounge out here," Veronica responded, before looking at Parmley across from her and nodding. Everyone ready as they can be, she palmed the door and it opened, two armored humans and two dogs walking in.
The first room they walked into was an interior covered in metal walls, and a few lights so they weren't completely blind in the new environment. The facility had obviously seen better days, but the interior didn't look any much better than any Pre-War site back in the Mojave, looked a bit cleaner in fact. They paid no more mind towards the cleanliness of the building as immediately in front of them were a series of windows that served as observation posts with something inside. Curiously, Veronica slowly stomped over to one of the windows and looked inside to see a small room with a medical table surrounded by multiple automated medical instruments, including a few spinning saws.
"What the…?"
Veronica spots what appeared to be a mass of green-colored flesh and bone splayed out over the table, vivisected to the point where it wasn't clear what it was before mutilation. At first, she thought it was some type of mutated creature from the Wastes, but it wasn't distinguishable as a pile of flesh and organs. So much for research with a buzz saw.
"Holy shit, is this a brain?!"
She heard Parmley exclaim and turned around to see him hunched over a glowing blue tank of liquid. Indeed, there was a brain floating in a vat of transparent goo in the tank. However, it did not look human and clearly belonged to some mutated creature if its sickly green pigmentation was any indication. Where its owner was, they didn't know. Veronica narrowed her eyes more under her helmet before looking to see there were two doors that would lead them to two separate sections of the research facility. Their group consisting of two humans and two dogs; The math was easy for her.
"Okay, I know I really shouldn't say this from all the Pre-War horror movies I've watched, but let's split-up," Veronica dismally said. "I'll take the right, you take left. Sound good?"
"I guess," Parmley replied, shrugging under his armor. "You should take Rex, though. I'm clearly more armed to the teeth than you are."
"I have the better defense," she shot back, pounding her chest with a metal fist, the sound echoing throughout the room.
So, with Parmley and Cooper going one direction and Veronica and Rex taking another, the latter group went through the hydraulic door and slowly walked through a metal hallway with stairs leading them a few feet down but deeper into the facility. They take a right turn into a hallway leading them to another examination room, and upon entry, see boards and blueprints of cyberdogs. There was another medical bench in the middle of the room, surrounded by automated medical arms, also with an unrecognizable mess of flesh. Best to say it wasn't a dog, either.
"Ugh!" Veronica let out in disgust, glad the mask could also filter out smells. "I've seen butchers do better jobs at cutting meat. Just what is this thing supposed to be?"
"Bark!"
She saw Rex was at a large hydraulic door with the words "Testing Area" above it, facing it with his ears pinned back and his body crouching low to the ground. Possibly hearing and smelling something. Even as she walked up beside him, the old police dog wouldn't stop growling.
"What is it, Rex?"
"Bark! Bark! Bark!"
"Huh…"
The ex-Scribe in Power Armor looked at the door, reaffirming her grip on her Plasma Caster, before taking a big deep breath and operating the door's mechanisms. It opened, and Veronica held up the bladed muzzle of the Plasma Caster up to an entrance area with a hallway that had a series of trophy cases flanking either side of the entrance hall. It was obviously Pre-War in architecture, but this section of the building was vastly different from the areas they were just in. Cautiously with Rex, they walked in and eventually went through doors and entered another hallway labeled "Hall G" that had patterned tile flooring and lockers lined up against the walls. Veronica barely recognized this place as being a school and was wondering what it was even doing here. There was also a severe lack of light as well as if the power had been cut to this section of the facility. However, electrical crackling to her left distracted her and she saw the destroyed hull of a machine a few feet from her. The light on her helmet's eyes turning on and showered the hallway in a bright circular cone, she saw it was the destroyed hull of one of Mobius' Robo-Scorpions. When she took a closer look, however, she noticed the armored, metal carapace looked like it was ripped to shreds by knives. The first thing it reminded her of was Deathclaws, but the claw marks looked too small to match.
"Hey, Veronica? You there?" Parmley's voice rang out in her helmet. "I found nothing on my end except for some weird platform and what looks like a big death ray on the ceiling. You?"
"I think I'm in a high school…" Veronica responded, looking around the dark space. "I found a dead Robo-Scorpion, though. How 'bout you get over here so we can explore the rest of this place together? I'm getting creeped out."
"Headin' there now."
Veronica got up and turned around to walk over to the entrance to wait for backup.
"Come on, Rex. Let's wait for the other to show-"
Suddenly, her eyes peered into the other end of the hallway and saw a pair of luminescent eyes with a series of eight little "horns" surrounding those eyes. Rex growled at the figure in the dark, Veronica's eyes widened, and she brought up her Plasma Caster to bear, but the glowing eyes skittered away before she could shine her light on it. Before being able to question what that was, a shrill scream echoed from behind her and down the other end of the hall, where her light couldn't reach. Staring off into the dark expanse of the hall blind, but hearing creatures hiding in that darkness.
"Rex," Veronica said, backing away slowly from the hall. "Get out of here-"
Without warning, the ground before her erupted and a creature sprung out from a concrete mound to pounce at her. Not expecting something to come from below, Veronica panicked and fired off a bolt of super-heated green plasma at the creature. Luckily, she got it in the chest and threw it back against the wall, dead. Shaking in her armor, her helmet shined the light on the creature and saw it was a humanoid, quadrupedal creature with thick, brown-orange scales for skin. It had eyes and spikes that glowed like lamps, and a set of long, sharp claws on its hands and feet, complemented by a mouth filled with razor teeth. The ex-Scribe has never seen anything like this creature in her life, even when she traveled with the Courier all those years ago.
"Veronica!" Parmley yelled out as he and Cooper ran over to where they heard the shot and saw her standing in the dark. "Veronica, what happened-?!"
He stopped as soon as he saw the creature she had just killed still on the floor, a big flesh wound of glowing, green plasma in its chest.
"What the hell is that?!"
Another roar echoed throughout the hallway but sounded like they were surrounded on both exits. Then, they could hear something rushing through the halls and towards them. They didn't have enough time to prepare as they could see a collection of glowing eyes quickly gaining towards them, the sound of their claws scraping against the tile floor.
"I think we found their specimens."
Without hesitation, Veronica began firing green balls of plasma towards the oncoming pack of creatures. Parmley did the same, raising his right wrist and letting loose a flurry of red laser bolts towards the glowing white eyes, then, the turret on his shoulder coming to life as it began targeting the creatures. The dark hallway lighting up with a combination of bright green and red.
The creatures were fast, and their hunched over forms proved hard to hit as they closed the distance between themselves and their prey. It was as if the group had kicked a Cazador nest and had an entire hive rushing them from both sides. Veronica rapidly fired green bolts towards the hallway, aiming low to the ground in hopes that it will hit something. The Plasma Caster's projectiles sometimes going through multiple targets. However, the weapon's low ammo capacity proved to be detrimental, as with every reload the creatures got a little bit closer to them. Parmley fared no better, as he already dropped a good chunk of them, the creatures just crawling over the bodies of their fallen with ease. Rushing them with almost no reprieve.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Parmley yelled over the gunfire, feeling the heat of the Gatling Laser start to seep through his arm. "Cooper stay behind me!"
Suddenly, the wall next to them burst open and a set of long, scaly fingers stretched out and grabbed Cooper by the leg. The dog yelped as he was jerked off the floor and began to be pulled towards the hole and the maw of a hungry mutant.
"Noooo!" Parmley yelled, grabbing Cooper, and being forced into a tug of war with the scaly abomination.
Veronica fired toward the hallway until she noticed what was happening behind her, seeing one of the creatures try to get Cooper and bringing the Plasma Caster's muzzle up to its head. However, the weapon only clicked, the Microfusion cell drained of power, so she dropped the big weapon and balled her a fist with her new pneumatic gauntlet. She delivered a lightning fast punch down on top of its head, but while the force was usually strong enough to cave in a human skull, the skin felt like she punched a boulder and only disoriented the creature enough to let go of Cooper. She kept retaliating, delivering a fast flurry of punches down onto the creature as its cranium helplessly bounced against the hard floor until its head lay in a pool of its green blood. Its stone skin now fractured.
With that done, she turned back to face the hallway but saw one of them was already in the middle of pouncing at her. Then, hearing a bark, a wave of sound-energy collided with the creature and sent it reeling to the floor. It let out an awful high-pitched screeching noise as it flailed on the ground, a liquid pouring out of it pointy ears. Veronica instantly knew what to do.
"Rex, speak!" she commanded, pointing towards the hallway. "Down there! Now!"
With a ruff of acknowledgment, the cyberdog began sending concentrated barks of energy down the hallway, making the ground and walls shake with every reverb in the enclosed space. It seemed to be working, however, as some of the creatures began collapsing onto the ground screaming in pain or running away from the noise. Parmley glanced back to watch what was happening, but in his negligence, one of the creatures got past his line of fire and jumped at him. A large hand swiped the front of his armor and carved three long claw marks into the hardened piece of ceramic-metal armor, almost effortlessly.
"Goddamn!"
However, before the creature could attack again, the Tesla coils along his right leg activated and started sending bolts of electricity towards the mutant, making it spasm uncontrollably and shriek in pain as it was electrocuted. That pleasantly surprised him, but having enough of this, Parmley activated the weapon on his other wrist and a large spurt of hot, blue flame rocketed out from the nozzle and set the creature on fire. It let out a terrible scream and the ones that were approaching stopped in their tracks and looked away from the burning hot blaze that lit up the entire hallway in a brilliant shade of blue. He wasn't going to let them get away, though, guiding his arm and spitting fire towards the rest of the pack and setting them ablaze. Feeling the heat of the flame through his helmet, he watched as the rest of them scrambled in agony and tried to get away. Some of them burrowing through the ground or walls but it was already in vain from the significantly hotter fire.
"Burn, you fucking muties! Burn!"
Veronica's Plasma Caster ran empty as soon as one of the creatures got uncomfortably close, so she dropped the energy weapon and punched it in its face as soon as it dropped. The force of the Power Armor making the Saturnite Fist stronger and deadlier. As she rotated her body to get ready to punch another, her fist accidentally crossed paths with Parmley's flame and she immediately retracted her hand from it. However, rather than expecting damage, she saw the fist still maintained its shape but now glowed as hot as magma. Another creature was about to attack, so she wasted no time in striking it with her fist and watched as it was set aflame as it was knocked back a few feet.
"If it works…"
With one last shrill, the creatures began to die off and collapse to the ground like flies set on fire. Then, as Rex kept hammering the hall with his voice, the structure gave out and the ceiling collapsed in front of them, crushing the ones under the rubble and blocking the rest. Everything becoming quiet on their side, they looked back to see Parmley finishing his side and saw nothing but dark, scaly, charred hides across their side of the hall, either from the red lasers or the blue fire. The T-51b's wrists going silent and falling to the side, seeing the heat radiate off the metal arms. For what felt like the longest time, the group stood there in the middle of the hallway, their weapons still smoking but still readied in case there were more of the bug-eyed bastards. There just was only silence and the sounds of their ragged breathing.
However, the rubble on Veronica's side began to shake and tremble before a hole popped open and one of those creatures poked their ugly mug through it. Veronica got her Power Fist up again, but she heard a large clanking noise behind her.
"Okay, fuck this…" Parmley tiredly said, grabbing the rocket system, and tilting it over his shoulder, the weapon now parallel to the ground. "Guys, stand back."
Without protest, Veronica grabbed the dogs and ran out from the school. Seeing the scaly bugger try to get through the space it created, Parmley watched as a small rocket flew from the weapon on his shoulder and detonated on impact, leaving a green mess. However, he could still see other glowing eyes in the small tunnel they made and began sending rockets through it. The rapid-fire rocket launcher rocking the school even more and obliterating everything in its way. Finally, the tunnel collapsed once again and buried anything with it in more rubble. The hole finally falling silent. With that done, he propped the rocket system up and walked outside to the others. Seeing Veronica kneeling next to the dogs and trying to comfort Cooper, who whimpered as he licked his bleeding hind leg.
He was about to speak but, suddenly, there was another shrill scream from an unseen abomination. Sounding like it came from the hallway next to them, outside of the Testing Area. More than hesitant, the two in Power Armor exchanged looks with each other, unable to see their eyes under the helmets, but they silently agreed with each other and Veronica was the first to walk over there – the others soon in tow.
They took a right onto a small hallway that was perpendicular to the entrance of the Testing Area and came across a hydraulic door at the end where they heard the noises coming from. It wasn't just screaming; there were sounds of scraping, scratching, and clattering happening behind the door. It sounded like they were, even more, packs behind the door, doing God knows what. The face of the X-01 looked at the T-51b, the set of three diagonal gashes in the metal armor very prominent. Without another word, Veronica plugged a fresh MF cell into her Plasma Caster and opened the door. As soon as it slid into the ground, the two in Power Armor were the first to burst through and had the muzzles of their weapons up. However, their eyes widened in surprise under their helmets as they froze and couldn't believe what they ended up seeing.
They were in what appeared to be a kennel, with cages that housed the very creatures they just fought in the other room. Kept in there like lab rats.
"What the hell…" was all Veronica could say as she dropped the Plasma Caster and took her helmet off, seeing the site with her own eyes.
As she looked around, she saw the creatures in cells or cages that weren't made of rusty, old bars, but of a clean forcefield with a blue tint. The cell interiors still had scratches and damage done to all of them, most likely from their captives gnawing and clawing at them for a long time. There were a group of Robobrains patrolling around the cages and either doing maintenance or tending to the occupants – who clearly weren't happy about being locked up. She heard something crash against the cell to her left, jumping and turning to see one of the scaly mutants try to burst through the forcefield and towards her. Banging against the barrier clearly inflicted pain on the prisoner, but it kept trying to charge at her. Clawing at the energy-field to get to her with five long bony fingers tipped with knife-like nails. The ex-Scribe could only stare at the abomination, as it screamed at her and swiped against the field voraciously. She looked around to see all the cells occupied by the same creature, how restless and hungry they all were. Filling the kennel with a terrible collective of screaming, running and spinning in their cages like feral animals. However, she noticed some of the cages were empty, except for the holes in the concrete that was big enough to fit a full-grown man. One of them even had the remains of a dead Robobrain, its mangled body reminding her of the Robo-Scorpion from earlier. She looked back at the closest to her, again, still trying to lunge at her through the metal barrier. Staring at its glowing bug-eyes… Glowing eyes? Where has she heard that, before?
"Wait…" Veronica said, shaking her head in disbelief and pointing at the monster in the cell. "This… Th-this is the monster Sunny was talking about in Goodsprings?! These are the things that have the NCR and the Brotherhood all shook up?! What are these things?! Why the hell does Nathan have them in cages?!"
Parmley was unable to answer any of the questions Veronica just posed, in the same state of confusion and disbelief as her. He looked to see Cooper hiding behind his armored legs, not wanting to venture out further into the kennel with the rest of them. Then, hearing meat being ripped and torn, looking at one of the cells to see it being occupied by three of the creatures, two of them cannibalizing the corpse of their third cellmate.
"Jesus…"
"We need to get out of here and find Boone," Veronica said, stomping out of the kennel as fast she could. Parmley and the others followed her without debate, shutting the kennel behind them and leaving the shrieking screams of the specimens.
It didn't take long for them to reach the outside of the facility, but they found it was already nightfall, the glowing blue light of the Think Tank shining in the distance. However, they didn't find Boone but just a series of mounds that were burrowed into the ground and the corpses of their creators lying next to them, their heads bearing gunshot wounds. Veronica began to panic as she saw the 1st Recon sniper's red beret on the ground with him nowhere in sight.
"Oh no…" she whimpered, almost feeling herself begin to tear up. "Boone!"
"I'm up here!" a voice called to them from behind.
They turned around to face the building, but they looked up to see their Sniper literally on the roof of the building with his rifle. His bald head glistening in the moonlight without his usual headwear.
"Oh God," Veronica said, relieved. "I thought we lost you…"
"Not yet," Craig replied, still looking down to the ground. "I was providing watch for you guys like I said when those things just sprang out from the ground. Been up here, since. What the hell are they?"
"I don't know but that's why we're going back to the Think Tank. They have some explaining to do…"
With their little quest done and making the trek back to the dome, careful of where they were stepping, they eventually made it back to the central facility and were now in front of the Think Tank demanding an explanation for what they saw in the school and in the kennels, and uncover just what those things are and why the man they were searching for had them in cages in the first place. The scientists were more than happy to answer their questions. However, the more explanations the search party was given by the floating brains in jars, the more they wished they hadn't even asked.
"Tunnelers," Veronica repeated after them, now out of the Enclave armor and standing before the Think Tank with her hair looking like a rat's nest. Her eyes exhausted from earlier, but keeping herself up for the answers she wanted. "So, that's what they're called…"
"Precisely," Dr. Mobius said, simply floating a few feet from the woman, the rest of the Think Tank behind him. "A rather innocuous name for such a savage abomination."
"But… Are they as dangerous as you say they are? Enough for Nathan to have entire packs cooped up in cages for experimentation and research?"
"Indubitably so, unfortunately. And it wasn't us who deduced the threat these creatures would prove to the surrounding Wasteland, but Nathan. He was the one who informed us of them."
"Yes, but… Where did they come from?"
"There are theories and speculation about their origins posed to us from Nathan and other sources, but their home is ultimately in the remains of the town of Hopeville. What you Wastelanders today call 'The Divide'."
Upon hearing the name of that dreaded place, Veronica looked back to see Parmley and Boone standing behind her, their faces frozen like stone with all the news they were being told. Not liking any of the answers being given to them, not because they were wrong, but because Nathan was in the Divide. The entire shit show they've been through now making sense.
"Why are these creatures such a threat?" Veronica pressed on, wanting to know everything they should know.
"Have you not seen?" Dr. Borous asked, his voice booming as he began to explain what they are capable of. "The Tunnelers are fast, agile, and strong. They have thick, scaly hides perfectly acclimated to their subterranean environments and require the strongest of weapons to even leave a dent. They travel in packs and use ambush tactics, capable of taking down even the strongest predators in the Wastelands. And most crucially, they reproduce at a rate to make even ants envious. Their aversion to light is the only thing hampering their expansion beyond their homes. Even with all of that, they very well could be considered the Post-Nuclear world's near-perfect killing machine. There is a reason we gave you the equipment we did, the equipment specifically designed for taking on the subterranean creatures - designed by Nathan, himself! However, I speculate the reason the escaped subjects outright charged you was because of hunger and desperation."
"And when you say expand… We're already beginning to see it, are we?"
"Yes, but what is troubling is not the fact they're expanding, but the rate at which they are," Mobius explained, sounding somewhat dismayed in his tone. "From the simulations I've run upon the first time Nathan informed us of the Tunnelers, I incorrectly concluded that it would take much longer for them to even make an appearance in the Mojave."
"How long was it supposed to take for them to reach the Mojave?"
"From my calculations, it was supposed to be ten-plus years. From what you've told me, they've already reached the Mojave in less than half that time."
The three Wastelanders collectively shuddered for what that meant for them. What that could mean for their home. What that could mean for the Mojave. All the progress made in the Wasteland up to this point being wiped out by an unknown threat from the ground. From where people would least expect it: below.
"We have to find Nathan," Veronica stated, their rescue now being given another purpose. One very important for the Mojave. "He's the one that knows these things best."
"Agreed," Boone said, getting close to comfort her. "This is really starting to get out of hand."
Parmley stood to the side, unsure what to even think as he held the brim of his hat in between his fingers and watched the two. Fidgeting with the leathery material as he silently thought about all the events that had transpired; From what was supposed to be a simple rescue mission devolving into a saving the world scenario. The very last thing the Ranger wanted it to turn into. He then felt a wet snout push up against his thigh and gazed down to see Cooper looking up at him, whimpering and with a bandage wrapped around his hindleg. All he could do was pet the dog atop his head.
"We'll find him, Coop," the Ranger said, not forgetting the promises he made. The debt he had to repay to Courier 6 on behalf of the Rangers. "We've made it this far. Not gonna let a bunch of lizard people in the ground fuck all this up."
"I APOLOGIZE IF THIS NEWS IS A BIT… DISTRESSING TO HEAR," Dr. Klein, his loud voice trying its best to be comforting. "BUT I ASSURE YOU, WE'LL FIND BRIN. AND THIS ENTIRE SITUATION SHOULD, HOPEFULLY, GET BETTER THAN IT CURRENTLY IS."
"We can't thank you guys enough," Veronica expressed, at least knowing there's some light shining in the darkness.
"DON'T MENTION IT. WHEN NATHAN'S BACK, HE'LL HELP DEAL WITH YOUR SCALY RELATIVES."
That made everyone freeze in their boots and stare at him, their eyes as wide as a Tunneler's. Possibly learning something they never wanted to know. Something more surprising than learning what Ghouls or Super Mutants originally were.
"WHAT?!"
