Wasteland Odyssey: Volume 1

by Gazelly Ramasama

When vault 123 descends into chaos, Nathan and Sarah are forced to flee the only home they've ever known for the harsh wasteland. They'll go on a continent spanning journey, experiencing all that life in a post-nuclear world has to offer. In this volume, Nathan and Sarah flee the vault, and quickly discover life in the Empire wasteland is harder than they ever imagined.

6. Chapter 6

"AMBUSH!"

"Vincent's down!"

"In the tower! Sixth floor!"

"Open fire!"

A barrage of gunfire let loose along the line. Rifles cracked and automatics rang out. Shu's machine gun thundered, spitting a pile of spent shells across the roof of the car he rested it on. Lisa's rifle let out a loud ping beside me before she ducked back down to reload. Bullets pummeled the side of the building where the shot came from until it was obscured by dust. Unable to see what we were shooting at and needing to reload, there was a momentary pause in our assault. With that pause, flashes bloomed in the thick cloud of dust that obscured our attackers. Bullets smacked off the cars, ricocheting away in a trail of sparks. We clung tight to the side of our cover as projectiles smashed into the ground in front of us, sending chips of concrete and other debris up with each impact.

At the front of the line, Lorenzo called out, "Vincent, how is he!? Somebody check him!"

"He's gone, Lorenzo!" Lisa shouted back. As she said that I looked back down at the still face of our fallen teammate. He was getting paler and a small stream of blood flowed out the hole in his forehead. While a large pool spread from the back of his skull.

"Fuck!" Lorenzo cried out. "Fuck…" The rest of the team's eyes traveled mournfully down the line to rest on the body.

Cherry was quick to refocus us. "Let's give it back to them." By then, everyone had reloaded. Lorenzo and Mikey set their shotguns down in favor of their sidearms. "Everyone fire!" We threw our guns over top of our cover and fired back at the building across the way. "Nate, grab Vincent," Cherry ordered.

"Go Nate, I got you covered," Lisa assured me. As she let loose a few rounds I reached out to grab Vincent by the leg, pulling him closer to the cars. Once I did, Lisa ducked back down, just as a shot passed over her head. "Son of a bitch! We gotta take that guy out." She looked past me towards Sarah. "Get a bead on him, Sarah!" I turned around to see that Sarah was sitting low against the car, her rifle gripped tightly in her hands but completely idle. She was frozen with fear. "Fire your weapon, Sarah! Put that scope on target!" But Sarah remained motionless, staring back at us absently, the shock evident in her eyes. I shifted closer to her, trying to snap her out of it.

"Where's the sniper support," Felix griped.

"I'm on it," Darius responded. He was lying prone on the ground calling in on the radio. "Recon. Recon. We need fire laid down ASAP. They've got a sniper bearing down on us. Tower across the way on our right. Corner, sixth floor."

I turned away from Sarah for a moment, looking up at the tower through the windows of the car next to me. The sniper popped out, firing a quick shot towards the front of the line with no damage dealt. They popped back down behind cover. But just as they did, a heavy projectile exploded through the brick cover. An explosion of red came up from behind the bricks, coating the ceiling above it. "They got him!" I shouted.

"That's for Vincent you piece of shit!" Cherry shouted. "We're in business now. Return fire!" Gunfire erupted along the line once again. Cherry, Darius, and Felix laid down fire with their automatics. Shu's LMG thundered again, suppressing sections of the building and punching holes in their cover. While the rest placed their shots and I tended to Sarah.

"I'm with you, Sarah. I got you. It's okay." She blinked at me. I put my rifle down and placed my hands on both sides of her head. "Get it together, Sarah! I need you to fire your rifle!" Just then, a stray shot bounced off the roof of our cover, twirling through the air above us with a loud pwing. The sound of the bullet twirling away stirred her from her trance. "Come on Sarah! I can't do this without you." She finally moved. Nodding her head at me, her grip on the rifle relaxed. I pushed her to act once again. Finally, she raised her rifle towards our attacker's position, and fired a pot shot. I encouraged her to keep going. She pulled the bolt back and fired another pot shot. I pushed her to repeat this until she needed to reload. Finally, she was back in action and so was I. Together we both popped up from cover and let loose with everyone else.

The attackers' position was weakening and they were struggling to return fire. As some moved out of cover to change position, they were met with our barrage. Two emerged from behind a rapidly crumbling wall, only to be peppered by our gunfire. One stumbled backward and fell against the back wall painted with their blood. While the other tripped over the edge of the building. But just as we thought they were about to give up, Lorenzo called something out. "Raiders in the Red Rocket!" Our sights shifted back down to the ground where a squad of men were taking up positions in the gas station store and the awning over the pumps across the road from us. They let loose a barrage that forced us back down into cover. Just as we did, a cry of pain came out from somewhere at the front of the line.

"I'm hit!" Mikey shouted. We looked over; he was sitting against his cover, gripping his forearm. A trail of blood seeped out from under his hand. "I'm okay. I'm okay."

"They're pushing us!" Cherry exclaimed. "Keep up the fire." We came out of cover just as some of the raiders were moving closer to us. With a brief bout of fire, we managed to halt their advance. One careless raider was out in the open and got completely peppered. While another took a direct shot to the head as he tried to move out from behind a parked car. Most of the advancing squad then retreated into the gas station. But their distraction gave their allies in the tower time to regroup and relocate to other parts of the structure. They fired down on us, forcing us to duck behind cover again.

"We shouldn't stay here," Lorenzo told Cherry. We're sitting ducks.

"Where do we go?"

"I say we retreat down this street here," he said pointing to the one nearest to us at the corner of the church.

"They'll have a bead on us from the tower if we do that."

"Well we gotta make a move fast."

"They're flanking on the right!" Felix called out. Sure enough, another squad was moving into the café on our right. In response, we on the right side of the line fired a barrage into the building. The advancing squad dropped down into the shadows. Then another wave of gunfire rained down on us from the tower and gas station. We took cover. But this time when we did there was a peculiar popping sound. Shu peeked over his car to find a stream of smoke coming up from the hood. He cursed in Chinese.

Cherry's decision making went into overdrive. "Felix, pop smoke now! Nate and Sarah, grab Vincent and his rifle! We're moving to the Red Rocket." Felix pulled another smoke grenade from his pack and tossed it out into the street. As smoke spewed from the grenade, so too did it spew from the hood of the car. Soon the street was covered between us and the gas station. Under this cover, Cherry and Lorenzo led the team across the street. Gunfire still echoed throughout the area as our enemies laid down fire on our old position. I struggled to keep up with Vincent's heavy body hanging on my back. For a moment I lost my footing in the middle of the street. Fortunately, Shu and Sarah were quick to help me recover and carry the body the rest of the way towards an open door. As we approached, a silhouette popped up from the open window next to the door. Lorenzo fired a blast from his shotgun and the silhouette exploded in the front, dropping back down from sight. Cherry ordered Felix to throw a flash bang into the store, which he did immediately. We held by the entrance until we heard the bang. Then Cherry, Lorenzo and Darius breached through the door. I could hear shotgun blasts and automatic fire erupt from inside before I entered.

Once inside, I saw that we had made quick work of these raiders. Three bodies were spaced out between the door we entered and the other end of the narrow store front. At the other end of the store, Cherry was entering the garage after a quick burst of rounds into the room. Behind the counter on my left, Vincent fired a blast into the chest of a dying raider. Near him, Darius was blind firing into a back office. A cry of pain came out from that back room after he did. Hearing this, he pivoted around the corner and fired a burst to finish off the raider in there. As everyone spread out to take up positions at the doors and windows, Lorenzo called me over behind the counter. "Put his body down over here." I brought Vincent and laid his stiffening body against the wall. His glossy eyes looked up at me as I did. I turned my head away in discomfort, only to land on the corpse of the raider Lorenzo had just killed. Their already dirty and tattered tank top was torn apart into a bloody mess where the 12 gauge hit their chest. Their repurposed cloth pants were soiled. A look of terror was permanently fixed to their grimy face. I looked back to Vincent, where Lorenzo now knelt beside him. He took his helmet off and bowed his head mournfully. Giving his friend a pat on the shoulder, he whispered, "I'm sorry, Vincent." He reached up and closed Vincent's eyes. A stifled sigh escaped him as he did. After a few more seconds of mourning, Lorenzo put his helmet back on, slapping it as if to reset himself. He turned around. Our eyes locked for an intense moment.

But suddenly a loud pop from our previous position stole our attention. Just as we turned to look out the window, an explosion erupted from the smoking car. Then a daisy chain of explosions from the vehicles next to it completely rocked the area. I dove forward, tackling Lorenzo to the ground as the shockwave ripped through the building. The Red Rocket rumbled and bits of dust and debris fell from the ceiling. Many others on the team lost their footing from the shock and fell to the ground. For a moment we feared that the whole building would come down on top of us. But it didn't. Instead, we heard the crumbling and toppling over of stone as the church buckled from the close impact of the explosion. I looked out through the window to see that the front of the church was collapsing at the entrance, pulling the sides in on itself. As the building imploded, the tall bell tower began to shift. I realized it was about to fall forward towards our position. Quickly I rallied everyone around me: Lorenzo, Sarah and Darius to make for the other side of the store. As realization set in for the rest of the team, they scrambled to join Cherry in the garage. Soon the tower leaned forward until it reached a tipping point. The last of us made it into the garage before it came falling down. Fortunately the tower twisted off to its right, missing a direct fall on top of the store. Instead the tower came crashing down on the gas station's awning outside. A loud sound of crashing and stone scrapping against steel pierced through the walls of our shelter. A cloud of dust rolled through the doors and windows, enveloping the entire store.

Dust choked coughing escaped many of us on the team as we emerged from the garage to survey the damage. The tower had landed on the center of the awning, bending it completely to the ground. One half of the awning which connected with the store was ripped down, leaving a pile of metal debris in front of the door and windows but allowed us to see the remnants of the tower splayed out over the now grounded roof. The other half of the awning stuck out and upwards, obscuring our vision of the café on the other side of it. Moments passed as we struggled through the dust to retake our positions at the windows. The enemy, however, must have known that we'd be discombobulated. As I exited the garage, I looked out the window and saw the squad from the café climbing the new pile of wreckage to attack our position. But as soon as the first attacker appeared over the pile, they launched forward onto a stone as an explosion of red blasted out from their back. One of their squad mates who had just crested over the pile realized in shock horror what just happened, but it was too late for them to react. Suddenly their head exploded. The force of the impact sent their limp body falling forward, tumbling down this side of the pile. Fortunately the old man in the recon outpost was still watching over us.

We took up positions again at the windows and exits. Soon after we could hear the continued fire from the raiders up in the towers bouncing off the sides of the store and digging into the brick. Felix and Lisa attempted to open the door facing those towers for an angle to fire but had to close it immediately as a barrage of gunfire immediately filled the space. At the same time, the squad from the café were making their way around the wreckage, now using it as cover from our own sniper fire. Shu waiting at the window locked and loaded, firing a burst as soon as they came into view. The Raiders retreated back behind their cover, blind firing in our direction. A stalemate was beginning to form with neither group able to get a clear angle of attack on each other but also no opportunity to relocate. Gunfire was being exchanged back and forth in vain. Until something caused everyone to halt.

A great roar echoed through the street, coming from somewhere behind the raiders' position. Everyone froze in terror. Sarah looked around the room anxiously at everyone's fear stricken face: Wide eyes, cold sweat, and hairs raised. "What is that? What's going on?"

I pulled up my Pip-Boy to check our position. Looking at the map, I realized something. I pointed in the direction of the roar past the raiders. "The park… Cherry said something was nesting there. Its not far that way…"

Lisa began to back away from her position at the door facing that direction. "Oh fuck."

Cherry then spoke in a low arrested tone. "We need to go."

"What is it?" Sarah asked again.

Nobody responded. Cherry ushered people back towards the door we had entered from. "We'll go back that way. Down the street Lorenzo suggested."

"You said it would be too dangerous," Lorenzo protested.

"Well now its better than staying here."

"And what about Vincent? I'm not leaving him here."

"Then you'll die here too!" Cherry snapped at him. "We can't carry him. We won't make it. Get your ass in gear, Lorenzo." Anger and frustration consumed Lorenzo's expression. But ultimately all he could do was pound his fist on the cashier's counter as moisture built up in his eyes. He looked back at the resting body of Vincent and muttered an apology. As the rest of us formed up at the door, each took a moment to pay their respects. Then we were off.

Cherry took point, hurrying out the door, she pivoted back around to check the raiders up in the tower but it appeared they were preoccupied as they shouted down warnings to their comrades on the ground. She motioned for us to come out quickly. Lorenzo led us out and immediately broke into a run for the nearest cover. We followed behind, running until we passed the now burnt out cars. My Geiger counter clicked as we went by. Then as we retreated down the street, we must have recaptured the attention of those in the tower. Shots were fired at us, forcing many of us to turn around and return fire to cover our retreat. But just as we did so, another roar reverberated through the street, this time much closer. In the tower and on the other side of the gas station wreckage, we could hear the panicked shouting of our enemies as something drew closer to them. Then more gunfire broke out. But this time it was not at us. On the other side of the wreckage out of our sight, another battle had begun. The raiders in the tower had turned their attention to something more dangerous than us. Soon the gunfire was punctuated by screams of terror and gruesome cries of pain cut short by slicing, tearing, and snapping.

Once again, Sarah asked in a hushed tone, "what is that?"

A crackling response came from the radio on Darius' back. "Cherry get your people out of there! It's coming your way! *Crackle Deathclaw *crackle" The radio signal dropped. Just then, a raider came stumbling desperately over the rubble of the gas station, but just as he came into our view, he jolted in place, his body stiffening as if a pole had been run through his spine. His bulging eyes stared up into the sky as blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth. Then his body began to ascend straight up. Lifting him high into the air was a demonic creature whose height became exponentially menacing as it appeared from behind the wreckage. Tall, with muscular scaly skin. Its powerful legs and arms were taut. Sharp spines grew from its rigid back down to its thick tail. Its large head was full of dagger-like teeth. A pronged tongue slipped out between them, flicking out to taste its prey, which it also studied amusingly with its milky white eyes. Pointing up at its prey as well were two sharply pointed horns that curled out and in to face forward like a devil's. Stepping up onto the top of the pile it held its prey above its head, at least 12 feet off the ground, with only one of its five sword-like fingers. The single claw that held up the raider began to pierce through his chest. His thrashing in vain to escape only made the damage worse. Finally the creature took mercy on him, lowering the raider down before removing his head with a quick snap of its jaw. It flung the rest of the carcass to the side and let out a triumphant roar. Then its eyes turned towards us.

Cherry grabbed us by the shoulders. "Run." We took off in a sprint down the street. I turned around briefly to see that some time had been bought for us as a shot from our sniper collided with the monster's cheek. Its head jerked to the side but the round that had previously torn into human targets left only a gash in its thick leathery skin. This only angered the beast more. It dropped down to be on all fours and galloped forward. Pure terror took all of us. Screams escaped our mouths and adrenaline propelled our legs so that we ran faster than we ever could before. Darius ran ahead of Cherry, Sarah, and I. But the rest of the team smartly never stopped fleeing. They were farther up ahead racing towards shelter. After three blocks the street came to an end at the wide front entrance to some building. The rest of the team crashed through the many doors that made up the entrance. Upon entering the shelter though they turned around to provide suppressing fire. The monster was much faster and quickly gained ground on us. But the fire from our team slowed it enough to keep it away. We sped through the last block of the street, emerging out into the open, then bounding up the short stairs to the front pavilion of the building. The team fired past us at the monster who was forced to move in a serpentine pattern to avoid the pesky bullets.

We reached the doors which were now just the steel frames that once held in panels of glass. As soon as we did, the rest of the team retreated into the building. After passing through a mess of steel frame doors, wires and air ducts that hung from the ceiling, we made it into the front lobby where Lorenzo led everyone deeper into the building in a frantic search for a secure room to hide in. Behind us we could here the monster struggling to pass through the veritable net of building guts from the ceiling. This fortunately bought us more time and we managed to escape from its view around a hallway.

After we turned into that wide passage Lorenzo quickly found that in a smaller staff hallway to the left was an unlocked room. He pushed his way in and we followed close behind. At first crashing into the room then into each other, before quickly spreading out to find another way to go. In our frenzy we spread through the whole room. It was spacious enough for all of us and to our right when entering was a short staircase to another part of the room. Across from the entrance was another door which was locked. Darius was the first one up the stairs and immediately found that the space ended there. Cherry urged us all to make ourselves quiet. Then directed us to spread out around the room and train our guns on the door we came in from. Lorenzo locked it too. It was difficult, but out of necessity we managed to calm our nerves to quiet ourselves. My breath was heavy and the adrenaline left me shaking uncontrollably. Sarah set up beside me fairing no better, even closing her eyes and not wanting to open them though she kept her gun pointed at the door.

Seconds passed like minutes while we waited. Eventually, we did hear the horrible sounds of that demon. It stomped through the wide hall. A deep rhythmic grumble bellowed from its throat and bounced off the chipped tiled walls of the building. The sound drove us crazy. People got jumpy in anticipation of it breaking through that door. I myself battled mentally to keep away the pervasive thought that this thing had no doubt much sharper senses than ours. It would flick its tongue out into the air and taste our fear. Or cast its milky eyes out and see the trail of heat our bodies left behind. Most likely to me was that it would smell us. Follow our scent like it would a trail right to that door. Break it down like its steel was rotten wood. Then paint the room with us one by one.

But the grumble faded, as did the stomping. Dreadful silence cut across the room. But eventually the terror began to subside. We thawed from being frozen by fear and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Some even collapsed to their knees or onto their rear with physical and mental exhaustion.

After a short reprieve from the action, we gathered ourselves and went to work getting our bearings. Everyone was spread throughout the room studying our surroundings. I pulled up my Pip-Boy to learn that we were in a large public swimming complex. This room, which was lit by a skylight in the center, appeared to be some kind of office for the staff here. There were lockers against the back wall and desks spread around. Upstairs were terminals and televisions screens, presumably a security room. Darius and Felix messed with the terminals trying to get something online. Ideally a security camera feed but where having no such luck. Meanwhile the rest of us scavenged the room for valuables. Lorenzo worked on picking the locked door.

"Mikey, let me take a look at your wound," Sarah said.

Mikey sat on a bench in front of the lockers looking concerningly into his wound. "Huh? ah nah I'm okay."

"Come on, your arm is covered in blood."

"Really I'm okay."

Sarah wasn't having it though. She sat down next to Mikey with supplies from a first aid kit given to her by Dr. Day. Mikey tried to slide away from her but his politeness kept him from going far. She pulled out a bottle of water from her pack and poured it on the wound, using bandages to clean off the arm. She wiped away the dried blood, exposing the size of the wound clearly. It looked like a bullet had grazed along the arm, opening up a long deep gash on the forearm. Sarah then grabbed a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. After giving him a warning that this would sting, she poured along the length of the wound. Mikey sucked in through his teeth and his face scrunched with pain. The disinfectant filled the space of the gash, rinsing out more blood. This exposed something peculiar in the flesh, fiber cables and a flash of metal that must have run the length of the arm. Sarah and I were surprised by this and didn't know what to make of it.

"What is all this?" Sarah asked.

"It's nothing," Mikey rattled quickly trying to pull the arm away.

"Are those implants of some kind?"

"Yeah sure," he said bashfully, his eyes looking away from us.

"Where'd you get tech like that?" I asked.

"Look its none of your business okay," he grumbled quietly at us. Suddenly he was conscious of everyone else in the room and didn't want them to hear us. Fortunately for him it seemed nobody had noticed.

Sarah let up. "Sorry. If it's too personal we won't ask. Just let me see if I can stitch up the wound." Mikey was wary to let her go further but after a moment's hesitation he relented. Sarah took out two shots. One med-x and one stimpak. First to numb the wound, then to encourage quicker regeneration. She went to work stitching up the gash.

More time passed while we continued to gather ourselves. The room was searched up and down for valuables. Felix and Darius tried to get the security system up and running but failed to do so. However, Lorenzo was able to pick the lock on the other door, which opened up to a shower room. Lorenzo poked his head through the dark room but chose not to go further yet. The team then gathered around Cherry to plan our next move.

"That deathclaw might still be out there," Cherry said. "If we can't tell where exactly it is, I don't think we should try to leave the way we came."

"Best to go through that room and see where it takes us," Lorenzo added, pointing at the door he had just opened."

"What's the word from recon, Darius?" Cherry asked.

"Nothing. Signal is messed up again. I can't raise them."

"Great…" Cherry grumbled.

"And after we get out of here," Mikey chimed in, "Where do we go then?"

Contemplation spread throughout the group and with it a feeling of tension. "We can circle back to the recon outpost easily from here," Lorenzo suggested.

Cherry shot this down immediately. "No way. We go forward with the mission."

"The mission is off the rails," He retorted sternly. "We made it halfway and got smacked by raiders and a deathclaw. Who knows what else is waiting for us. That pigeon too perhaps?"

"We can still fight."

"Vincent can't!"

This raised Cherry's temper. "Vincent knew the risks just like the rest of us!" She pulled back physically from her outburst. A mournful look took her.

"How many more people are going to die or be maimed before we reach our destination?" He asked with intensity. The question weighed heavily on the whole room.

"As many as we're willing to tolerate," Lisa finally responded. "And we've learned to tolerate a lot." She sat on one of the desks cradling her rifle in her arms. "When does anything every go smoothly out here anyway? As if we were really going to walk straight from point A to point B. We lost Vincent and Mikey's hurt, but how many did those thugs lose?"

"There's also a deathclaw on the ground and a pigeon somewhere in the air," Mikey responded to her. "How are we supposed to manage both of em'?"

"We can't" Lorenzo answered his question. "It's too dangerous."

"It's not a walk in the park," Darius agreed. "But Lisa is right. When have we ever had a walk in the park? Sure we thought things would go smoother. But they haven't, so now we need to adjust."

"For what?" Lorenzo argued. "If there's this much resistance already, we know we won't be able to set up an outpost at the college. So what are we going there for then? On the hope that there will be something of value in those ruins?"

"That's what it is to be a scav," Lisa said annoyed.

"Enough talking," Cherry spoke up. "Let's just put it to a vote. Who here thinks we should continue and who thinks we should leave. I say we continue." Lisa and Darius agreed. Lorenzo and Mikey were quick to say go back. I thought about it seriously too. Honestly unsure of where I stood; this was completely unknown territory to me. Not just in the sense that I had never been to this place before, but because I had no idea of what to expect should we continue. Though some still had the confidence to face it, I myself wondered if Sarah and I were ourselves equipped to go on. Especially after she froze up when the bullets started flying. Shooting at targets, ghouls and animals was one thing. But when the target isn't feral and can shoot back, that was apparently something Sarah was not prepared for. Also, no animal we had encountered before was as menacing and powerful as the deathclaw. Aversion to the unknown and the desire to return to what was familiar swayed me. Also, I was ultimately more concerned about Sarah's well-being should we go on. I voted to go back and Sarah followed.

So the vote came down to Felix and Shu. The two of them looked at each other considering through facial expressions. Finally Shu tried to voice his opinion. Stopping and starting in English, he eventually gave up and spoke to Felix in Chinese so he could translate. "I am a warrior. A warrior must follow his commander onto the field of battle. Regardless of how the field appears. Cherry is my commander." Felix looked at Shu for confirmation that he translated accurately. Shu nodded his head. Now the vote was tied and came down to Felix. He put his hand to his chin as he thought hard about it. He began to think aloud. "Honestly, I'm just kind of going with the flow. I don't know what the right move is here. On the one hand, it would be nice to go back to the outpost and relax. But on the other, there's no gain without pain, you know. Who knows what might be at the college, maybe something really cool… yeah, I think I just really like the confidence on Cherry's side. I'm going with her."

"Un-fucking believable," Lorenzo muttered. I too questioned Felix's line of thought. But the result of the vote was the result. As a team, we committed to respecting such decisions when we first planned to undertake this mission. That could not change now. Even though he made his displeasure known, after a moment to accept the result of the vote, Lorenzo asked a follow up question. "So what's the plan then?"

I spoke up first. "When I checked my Pip-Boy I noticed something not far from here. A police station. What if there's weapons there? We could load up so we're better prepared for a fire fight. Maybe even gather a decent enough haul to go back with?"

"Place has to be picked clean by now, right?" Mikey asked.

"Not necessarily," Lorenzo answered. If their security system was tight enough, the armory and evidence room might still be locked."

"Where is this place?" Cherry asked.

I pulled up my Pip-Boy again. "At the end of the park that way," I said pointing South. "Looks like from there its a straight shot to the college."

"Not a bad option then. At least a decent checkpoint for us on our way to the college. We ought to know if that deathclaw is still around if we can make it over there."

"First thing's first though," Mikey said. "How are we gettin' outta here?" Everyone looked at the door to the showers. We'd have to find the exit through there.

"Nate, turn on that light." Lorenzo ordered it and I obliged. My Pip-Boy flicked on, bathing the shower room in green light. Only four stalls made for a small space. Most likely this room was only meant for staff. On the other end of the room were two more doors. One directly in front of us and one to the right. Lorenzo and Darius went in front of me to take up positions in the corner between them. Lorenzo pushed on the one in front and found that it was locked. So we shifted to Darius'. He pushed on it and it started to swing forward. So while Lorenzo worked on picking another lock, Darius and I set up on both sides of the door to breach. We looked at each other and counted down silently. Then Darius pushed open the door.

After he pushed forward, I followed right behind. Swinging my rifle around the corner. We were immediately hit with a horrible sight. My Pip-Boy cast green light across a huge indoor pool big enough for the light to not travel even close to the length and width of it. But we could see enough of the emptied pool in front of us. A large pit that took up most of the space, ramping downward into the floor where my light could not pierce the shadows. Dispersed within that pit was a horde of ghouls. All types of them shambled aimlessly through the dark or slept on the ground. Their skin loose and wrinkly from wading in shallow pulls of mucky water. Or dry and leathery from being burned and scabbed many times over. Among them were also hulking ones ballooned by pustules, boils and tumors that leaked out grotesquely. Then in the darkest recesses of the pit were especially odd ones whose skin glowed a bright green as though they themselves emitted radioactive light. Their figures could be made out clearly from where we stood but even more disturbing was how their glow illuminated the many others who crowded into the darkness around them. Darius and I immediately retreated back behind the door. But before I could withdraw fully, I heard a raspy scream coming at me from the right. A ghoul outside the pool had spotted me and was running madly through the darkness in my direction. On impulse, I lifted my gun and shot three rounds at it. Two in the chest and one in the head sent the ghoul falling backwards onto the tile floor. Immediately I realized what I had just done. My head snapped back to the pool where many eyes were now staring at us.

A roar erupted through the whole room. Darius and I withdrew completely and prepared to brace the door. We now could hear the patter of many feet descending on the barrier. The rest of the team flew into action. Cherry put pressure on Lorenzo to get the other door open while as many that could fit in the space braced for the inevitable onslaught. Soon the door shook as many bodies slammed into it. Fortunately it did not swing our way and was braced by the frame. But still with enough force the hinges could give way, and all it took was for one ghoul to figure out how to pull the handle on the other side for them to pour in. As more bodies piled up against the door, I could see it beginning to stress from the pressure. My Geiger counter started clicking as a green glow emanated from underneath it.

Everyone trained their guns on the door in anticipation of them getting through. But hoping that in their frenzy they would not figure out how. But that hope was soon crushed. Somehow, they let up pushing against the door long enough for one to pull back on it. Just enough that they could fit their fingers through the crack in it. Like water they began to seep into the crack though their packmates continued to slam against the barrier, smashing many fingers and even cutting some off. But still they continued to flow into the space until it started to get bigger. Darius acted first, reaching out to pull the door back in. But when he did, they pulled sharply from their side unexpectedly. Darius stumbled forward. Limbs reached through the door. One ghoul grabbed him by the shirt collar, pulling him in. That ghoul breached its head through the space and sunk its teeth into his shoulder. Darius cried out in pain as the ghoul gnashed into his shoulder. Blood spilled out and soaked that entire side of his white shirt. I acted quickly. Pulling out my 10mm I shot point blank into the ghoul's forehead. The thing launched back into the crowd of limbs reaching through the space. Those limbs started grabbing at Darius but our team snatched him first, pulling him away from the door to safety.

While Darius receded to the back of the group, Mikey and Felix stepped up. Together we let loose a barrage into the widening space. Cutting through limbs and popping heads as they emerged from the door. The splatter was intense and the ringing of the gunfire bounced off the wall of the shower room painfully. But the horde did let up. However too many limbs had crowded the door so that we could no longer pull it in. Fortunately the ghouls continued to push on it, keeping the others from flowing in from the crack, for now.

"Ow! Ahh, it hurts!" Darius lamented in the corner while Sarah worked to stop the bleeding. "God, it fucking burns. Ahh that filthy mouth gave me something for sure."

Felix fired a round into a head that popped up in the open space. "What if he turns?"

"They're not zombies you idiot," Lisa lambasted him.

"Lorenzo, how's that door coming!?" Cherry pressured again.

"Almost got it."

I kept my pistol trained on the crack letting off rounds at anything that got too far in. When suddenly my Geiger counter started clicking intensely. Just then, a unique figure appeared in the space. A blob of a ghoul that glowed brightly. I couldn't get a clear shot on it but I could see its glowing body enmeshed with the others that piled up in front of the barrier. As soon as it appeared, the ghoul let out a roar. Its Pustules and tumors exploded, releasing radioactive goo everywhere. Some of which splashed through the crack, sending my Geiger counter into a frenzy. Fortunately the substance had not touched us in front of the door, because it appeared to leave burns on the flesh of other ghouls around it. But the spike in rads was enough for us to panic. Felix and I started coughing from the emission.

Cherry demanded that Lorenzo get that door open now as radiation spread far enough into the room that even Sarah's counter went off on the other end. Lorenzo did just that. As soon as the door was open, everyone pushed their way into the next room. Cherry was the last one in and just as she passed through the threshold, she turned around to see that the ghouls had managed to open the gap enough that they were pouring into the previous room. "Keep going! They're still on us." This room must have been the shower and locker room for the public as it appeared to be much larger. Lorenzo led us inward. He checked right at another space for showers. At the other end of the showers was another door to the pool. The ghouls had already managed to breach it. As they came swarming in, Lorenzo fired at them. Some tumbled to the floor while others jumped over and charged us. Mikey and Felix took care of them, sending the ghouls sprawling out across the white tile, their blood running into the shower drains.

Lorenzo chose another route directly in front of us which led to the lockers. As he moved into this section of the room, ghoulish roars could be heard from that direction as well. One ran out from the darkness and Lorenzo floored it with a slug to the chest. He pushed forward with us stacking up behind him. Cherry and the rest in the back kept up the fire on ghouls flowing in from the other pool entrance. But at the same time they were crashing through the door of our previous room. As we moved forward into the locker room, two groups of ghouls flowed into the shower room, taking it over. Cherry and Shu fired at them to keep them back. The gunfire echoed throughout the room to the point of being absolutely deafening. But through it all, Felix managed to hear Cherry when she ordered him to throw a grenade back the way we came. He pulled a pin and threw it into the showers. The whole group lurched forward to get away from the blast, trying our best to preserve our hearing before the explosion completely destroyed it. The grenade went off, rocking the entire room and causing parts of the ceiling to fall down. In the showers it sounded like water was running and dripping again. But it wasn't. The ghouls were completely disoriented. Those that had survived were struggling to move with missing limbs or because they were entangled in the remains of their packmates. The floor was also slippery with gore. But we didn't spend much time admiring the carnage. We took the opportunity to push our way through the rest of the locker room. We finally reached an exit.

The whole team poured out into a wide hallway with windows looking at the park outside. We were out of close quarters but our fight was far from over. Already we could hear them gathering strength to continue their pursuit. Enraged roars and screams echoed from the locker room. But suddenly those were blocked out by the sound of something much more monstrous. The roar of the deathclaw thundered through the building and came from just around the corner at the near end of the hallway from us. Without hesitation we began to run the opposite way. The deathclaw soon appeared around the corner. Once it spotted us it got on all fours and galloped down the hallway. As it did so however, the horde of ghouls had flooded in as well. Crashing through the locker room door and straight into the oncoming path of the deathclaw. This tripped up the beast for a few moments but it mostly ignored the obstacle. By then we were halfway down the hallway. Then we passed a set of double doors to the pool that flung open as we went by. The rest of the horde which had gathered at the choke points of the two shower room had converged on these doors now where they could flow in more freely. The horde filled the hallway like rushing water and raced after us. Fortunately this put them fully in the way of the deathclaw. The monster swiped indiscriminately into the horde to clear a path. Gore flew every which way, splattering all over the walls and windows with each swipe of the claws. But the amount of bodies was too much to simply cut through. As the deathclaw cut into their numbers the horde turned their attention towards it. A struggle ensued behind us as we found an exit at the end of the hallway.

We found ourselves on a concrete patio overlooking the thicket of trees along the backside of the facility and a hill that descended sharply. Turning right led us down a walkway that opened up to an outdoor pool area. This pool was larger than the one inside and much less populated. The entire pit of the pool was overcome by collected water, muck, and vegetation, turning it into an artificial pond. Large mosquitos floated above the pool. Some took notice and began to fly in our direction. But a burst of fire from everyone made quick work of them and scared off the rest. However the gunfire was enough to stir creatures who laid in the muck of the pool, more ghouls. They rose lethargically from the muck and mud, their figures caked with the stuff. Some raised their heads and groaned at us, only for the mud to flop into their open mouths. These ones we were not so worried about. We ignored them and ran the length of the pool to the other side. Through gaps in the fencing there we were able to see ourselves out of the complex. Free to race across a stretch of open green grass towards our nearest checkpoint, the police station.

The front of the police station was barren save for a single patrol car parked in the front. Patches of its black and white persisted through the years and its defunct blue-red lights still sat atop the car. Despite the apparent emptiness however, we were extremely cautious. Approaching the front doors, we were determined to avoid further surprises. The team spread out with their guns facing the round cornered entrance. Using the patrol car and cylindrical pillars that held up the front awning of the station for cover. Cherry and Felix took point at the door, hoping to check inside the building through the windows before we entered. But the windows had been tinted and miraculously had not been broken after all these years. So they pushed through the door. We followed in close behind, fanning out in the lobby. Nothing stirred yet but we were not about to let down our guard. Cherry motioned for half the team to move past the reception desk deeper into the building. While she led the other half: Me, Sarah, Darius, and Mikey, into the back offices behind the desk.

A security door there had been forced open at some point, allowing us easy access in. We found ourselves in a spacious room filled with the desks of former officers. Instinctively, Darius and Mikey began checking the desk drawers but Cherry gestured for them to hold off until the whole building was clear. Sunlight filtered in from the tinted windows, reflecting off dust that floated in the air. The dust accumulated heavily on each of the desks and clogged the many terminals atop them. Papers and other office supplies were strewn everywhere. On the right end of the room was a collection of separate offices presumably for the commanding officers. Checking those offices we found nothing of particular interest save for more disarray. But in one office we found a skeleton. Its remains piled under a police uniform on the chair it once sat whole in. Its skull had rolled off the back of the chair and now laid in the corner. The top of it had been blown out by a projectile that came up from under its jaw. The name card on the skeleton's desk served as a sort of morbid tombstone for the long dead officer. Sarah and I lingered here pensively while the other three moved on.

In the far corner next to those offices was a hallway. We caught up with the rest and checked it together. This too was lit by tinted light from windows on the left. More rooms lined the hallway on the right. We made our way down the hall, checking each room we came to and finding nothing of concern. About halfway down though there was another passage that must have connected with the other side of the building. Felix appeared at the other end through another forced open security door, waving at us as he came through. Next to that was an interrogation room. The one way mirror was still intact so we could watch Lisa enter from an opposite door. Next to that was another room like it where we saw Shu. Finally at the end of the hall was yet another security door that had been forced open. However this one must have been much harder to crack because unlike the others it was made of steel. Someone must have put a lot of work into getting it open. Deep scratches and burn marks covered the part where the door must have latched.

Upon seeing this we feared that whatever weapons might still be here were already looted. Entering the room, we found a desk to our right with a terminal where presumably it was someone's post to watch over this area. Behind this desk were two doors side by side. These were heavily secured unlike any other we encountered. Thick steel doors that had to slide open. It was apparent that many attempts had been made to open them based on the scratches, kinks and burns. Next to them were control panels whose wiring hung out haphazardly. Someone must have tried getting in through those but it still didn't appear like they were successful.

Seeing that we had cleared the whole building, everyone began to relax. Soon after, the other half of the team joined us. Darius sat down at the desk, wincing in pain from his shoulder. "Let me take a loot at that again," Sarah said. Darius obliged. "How does it feel?"

"Hurts like hell."

"Don't be such a baby," Lisa teased abruptly as she entered the room.

"Shut up," he retorted.

"Oh right, before I forget…" Sarah stopped working to reach into her pack, producing smaller plastic packs of an amber substance. "We all took a decent dose of rads back there. Everyone ought to take some radaway." People lined up to collect and went to work distributing amongst each other. Sarah then took note of who all was receiving a dose but realized someone was missing. "Where's Lorenzo?"

"He's still checking out the cells," Lisa answered.

"Why?" Cherry asked.

"I don't know. Kind of gnarly in there if you ask me…"

"I'll go check on him."

Cherry left the room while everyone spread out to administer the radaway. Sarah kept working on Darius in much the same way she had with Mikey. At that she asked, "How are you holding up, Mikey?"

"I'm alright."

"Let me know if you need another stimpak or something for the pain."

"Thanks." With that, he grabbed Shu as a partner and they both went back down the hall to loot the desks and offices.

While Sarah continued patching up Darius' shoulder, he began to take interest in the terminal on the desk in front of him. Using his free hand he worked to get it turned on. To my surprise it actually did whir to life though it was slow to boot up. A message from Robco populated the screen briefly before it went to blank green screen. Darius entered some kind of input into the computer and suddenly the screen became populated with random characters and words. Darius combed over what was to me completely undiscernible. Gears shifted in his head as he looked at the screen then at the two locked doors. Someone likely tried in vain to get those doors open manually, but he figured it would be through the terminal that those doors could be opened. So once Sarah was finished treating him, he went to work hacking into the terminal. I didn't understand what this entailed but I could tell from his concentration that it was a tough nut to crack. Especially as the med-x and the pain in his shoulder fought for control over his mental focus.

At least this gave us all real time to relax after the harrowing events that had just unfolded. Satisfied with her work on Darius, Sarah stretched her arms and took a deep breath. Our eyes met as she did so and we exchanged comforting smiles. After the events that just transpired it felt like we had no time to process any of it together. In the moment to moment action I could not be as attentive to her as I would have liked. But now with a moment to breath, I wanted desperately to check in with her. Wordlessly, she communicated the same to me, so we both excused ourselves from the rest of the group. We walked halfway down the hall where we could get the most space away form everyone. "Seems like your time working with the doctors has come in handy, huh," I said looking out the window.

"Yeah… I wish it wasn't though."

I turned away from the window to look at her. Now she was staring outside wistfully. "You holding up okay? I was really worried about you back at the ambush."

An expression of shame spread across her face. "I'm sorry I froze."

"Don't be sorry. It's a normal response."

"Not when you know what you're signing up for." She ran her hand nervously through her hair. "I guess I thought I knew. But when the bullets started flying… I don't know. It was more than I realized. I was naïve to think it would be no different when something is shooting back. Naïve to think that there wouldn't be other humans out here. But there are, and they won't hesitate to kill us… if we don't kill them first." A pained regretful look consumed her. She closed her eyes. "It's my fault Nate."

"What do you mean?"

"I could have saved Vincent." My instinct was to dismiss this immediately but I paused as I did not fully understand. Then she explained. "I had my sights on the spot where the sniper came out. If I had just pulled the trigger. If I didn't hesitate when I saw them…" Her body began to shake.

I reached out and put my arm around her shoulder. "You have to put that behind you."

"How? A man is dead because of me."

"A man is dead because someone else shot him." My hand squeezed on her shoulder. "This is a dangerous place, Sarah. There are a million reasons why today could be the last for any of us. You can't put it all on you." She didn't respond. "Who else here would take care of Mikey and Darius the way you have? They're better off with you here."

"That doesn't change what I could have done."

"…Maybe not. But if you're going to beat yourself up about it, at least recognize that you still have contributed a lot. We can't change what's happened. All we can do is live better because of it." My own words surprised me. Resonating with me in a way I didn't quite understand.

More importantly though was that they seemed to reach Sarah. She retreated into herself for a moment to consider this and came out noticeably less tense. "Thank you, Nate." She reached over and hugged me. Then releasing from the embrace, she heaved a deep sigh to gather herself. "I think I'm going to go back to the group and try to relax for a bit. Are you coming?"

I thought about it. "You go ahead, think I'll have a look around." She left me then to rejoin the others. After she walked away, I stared out the window. All the emotions and swirling thoughts around what had unfolded since we woke up that morning buzzed around in my head. The truth was, despite everything that I had just said to Sarah, I had felt the same dread. Perhaps if I was more alert, maybe quicker on the draw, I could have caught the sniper in time. But I wasn't. Or if I had just not called it out. Had I just not grabbed his attention, I wouldn't have then directed Vincent to peak up from behind cover, so that he could stare directly into his own demise…

No, that's not fair. How could I have known? How could I have been perfect? Ultimately this is all a game of chance. My own words that I had spoken to Sarah came back to me. Why did I say them if I didn't really feel that way inside? Because it was what she wanted to hear or needed to hear? Maybe, I wondered, if it was the same for myself.

Eventually my mind and feet began to wander. I turned away from the window and wandered aimlessly through the hallway. Finding myself entering one of the interrogation rooms. I walked in a circle around the table there until my eyes were drawn to the mirror. I approached it, fascinated by my own reflection. Dirt and grime clung to my face and stubbles of facial hair sprouted from above my lips, cheeks, jaw, and neck. My hair was a mess, made course from lack of washing and all the dirt that had settled into it. My own eyes were what struck me the most. They seemed heavy, weighed down by what they'd seen. Shrewd and apathetic, like the world they've come to witness. A tap on the other side of the glass startled me. Briefly, Shu and Mikey passed by the open door grinning at me as they made their way back to the group. I broke from my reflection and continued wandering. I went towards the door opposite the one I entered through. Beyond that there was another hallway but much wider. I could hear Cherry and Lorenzo's voices traveling through the passage. I stopped in the doorway, compelled to eavesdrop.

"It's my fault," Lorenzo's voice said in a low tone.

"Don't be that way. You know better." Cherry admonished him.

"Maybe, but this time feels different. I just can't shake the feeling…"

"…I'm sorry I blew up back there. But what I said wasn't untrue. Vincent knew the dangers. We all do. We accept that when we join this team."

"But still… I encouraged him. If it weren't for me he wouldn't have joined. Why this mission? Why did he have to join for this? I should never have said anything to him. Should have never planted the idea in his head."

"He looked up to you, Lorenzo. Don't you understand that he would have joined up eventually anyway. And then what? Even if he didn't join up for this, would that really change the fact that he was destined to put his life on the line?"

"…"

"Vincent was a good man. I'm sorry you lost him, but he died doing what he wanted to do."

Did Cherry truly see it that way, or internally was her mind buzzing like mine, agonizing like Sarah's, or regretful like Lorenzo's? A man dies, and everyone around him feels the shock personally. Hit with their own pain in the form of wondering if this could have been prevented? could I have done something? Or was it pre-determined? The destined end to one's story or the final end of a branching path shaped by the consequential decisions in their life. Or maybe the pain and the guilt spread because in some form or another we are all responsible. Or maybe we're overthinking it, and the only person or reason whose fault it really is, is the person who put the bullet through his head in the first place.

Darius' raised voice carried through the building. "Hey! I think I got these doors open!"

I then heard Cherry and Lorenzo's footsteps approaching. But they entered the other interrogation room before mine. I stood at the doorway thinking about returning to the others as well. But I was curious to see this other part of the station, so I stepped out into the hall for a quick look. To my right was another opened security door just before the narrow hallway that connected the two sides. This must have been the checkpoint before entering the holding cells. I looked to my left and saw that those cells took up most of the remainder of the hall. Leisurely I walked down the corridor, my eyes scanning the contents of the different cells I passed. My ears tuned to the steady echoes of my steps as I made my way down. Then I stopped in front of a particular cell. The one Cherry and Lorenzo presumably stood in front of while they talked. A large holding cell meant to fit many people. Scattered around the cell and laid out on the floor in the middle, were skeletons. For some, their pre-war clothing draped over their remains in tatters. Below the piles of bones, the concrete floor was stained black from the rot that had accumulated there long ago. The poor bastards I thought. They left them here to die.

After witnessing such a sight, I went back to join the group immediately. Just in time to see the doors get opened. Darius had unlocked them using the terminal. But while one door on the left slid opened smoothly, the other did not open easily. Shu was working on sliding the heavy door to the side to make way. While he worked on that, some entered the other open room. Apparently, it was the station's evidence room. Boxes and zipped plastic bags filled the shelves with various items. We perused the shelves for anything of value or interest. A small revolver with its serial number scraped off. A suitcase full of pre-war money—to bad that was worthless now. Some oddities either created or stolen by criminals that perhaps could have made us some caps. But nothing of too much significance. However, in the back corner inside a box, was a huge supply of drugs. Chems of various kinds that still could have medical use: buffout, mentats, med-x, calmex. And others with less use: psycho, day tripper, daddy-o. We took all of them.

On the other side, Shu managed to force the door open. We were quick to join him as this must have been the armory. But when we entered, we were disappointed to see that although it was still stocked, much of its contents were gone. A few spare rifles, shotguns and pistols remained. Plenty of batons though. In the cabinets there were still a few boxes left of ammo but those too were mostly cleared out. "What the hell?" Lisa bemoaned. "I thought this thing was locked."

"Maybe somebody did get in," Felix said.

Darius combed through the logs on the terminal for answers. "Far as I can tell that room hasn't been opened since the war."

"So what happened to all the guns?" Lorenzo asked.

"Hmm… looks like the room was opened last on… 9:03pm, October 23rd, 2077. They took… Everything." He leaned back in his chair astonished.

"They must have mobilized everything to keep the peace after the bombs fell," I theorized.

"No," Lorenzo refuted. "They took all the weapons they could carry, left the inmates for dead and took off in their patrol cars…what peace was left for them to keep?"

What little ammo was left still came in handy for us. Though the weapons that remained were not much better than what we already had, we took as many as we could fit into our packs and over our shoulders. Regardless of what we would or would not find at the college, between the guns and the chems, at least we wouldn't be going home empty handed.

We finally made it. After Only ten blocks, two men injured and one man dead, we finally reached the college. The street was shadowed by the buildings on our left, which we clung to closely. Cautiously everyone's eyes scanned every inch in front of us. The street was completely still. The other campus building across from us was quiet. We inched forward until we came to a stop in front of our destination: the research center of Columbia University. A retro style building in stark contrast to the older architecture of the main building up ahead and across a wide intersection from us. On this side the chrome wall's paint, though faded and rusted away in parts, had withstood the elements well over the years. Green paneling divided by thick red lines painted across the width of the building. The integrity of the six story structure appeared intact as well. We gathered at its wide entrance. Before entering however, we took time to scan the area once again. I looked further down the street towards the main building. Sunlight cut through the wide space between it and us, raising up grass and trees through the concrete and asphalt. Directly in front of us on the corner of the sidewalk was an entrance to an underground metro. Perhaps if anything or anyone was nearby, they could be down in those tunnels. But for now nothing stirred from the darkness.

It was time to enter. The wide sliding doors were pushed open, and we beheld the large lobby at the center of the building. An open space atrium that ascended up all six floors. Walkways with office entrances flanked the left and right sides of the atrium. Directly to our left and right were two sets of elevators and stairwells for us to reach those higher floors. Sunlight came in from the large circular window that took up the top three, bathing the area in sunlight. Debris and water had evidently fallen from the ceiling directly above the center of the atrium. Piles of stuff were strewn around and water stains dotted the floor. Some sections of the walkways on the flanks had given way, collapsing partially or completely onto the level below them. But fortunately the inside of the building had survived as well as the outside. Cherry directed everyone to spread out and search the building, except Shu who was ordered to watch the entrance.

First, Lisa went over to the elevator on our left. She pressed a button and to her surprise, it glowed when she did. A light flashed above the entrance and the doors parted with a ding. "Ooh, I'm going up." She stepped into the box. Then Mikey and Felix joined her. So I went to the elevator across from theirs to test it. Unfortunately this one had not faired as well as the other. It was unresponsive and the doors would not open. So I went to the stairwell next to it. Opening the door slowly, I peaked in. The well was dark, which made me feel uneasy. Before entering I made sure that someone was with me. Sarah and Darius joined me at the door, leaving Cherry and Lorenzo to explore the bottom floor. I switched on my Pip-Boy light as we entered. The first thing we noticed was that the stairs didn't just go up, but apparently there was a basement in this building. I approached the railing of the well, looking up the spiral of stairs to the top floor, then down to the single level below us. I suggested we go that way.

Darius and Sarah followed closely behind me as we cautiously made our way down. At the bottom was a door, which we passed through. Entering a wide hallway that extended on our right all the way to the opposite end of the building. The elevator that did not work apparently descended down here as well. Along the right side of the hall after it were rows of labs, each with a thick glass window to see inside. Sarah turned on her Pip-Boy light too as we spread out to walk the length of the hall. As we made our way down, Sarah looked into each of the windows, holding her Pip-Boy up to try and see into the room. When we got to the first lab entrance, she pressed a button and the door slid open just fine. Her and Darius then made a sweep of that room while I watched the hall. We did this with each lab we passed until we were about halfway down the hall. Here, something stood out on the left side. A wide door in the center, the only one on this side. Next to it was a keycard slot, presumably the only way for one to get access. Sarah and Darius joined me to study this.

"This looks like an important door," Darius said.

"Looks like it won't open without a keycard," I added.

"Do you think you could bypass the door without one," Sarah asked Darius.

"Possibly, if I could get behind that card slot. But I don't know if I would risk it. Place like this, I'm willing to bet that would set off an alarm or some other kind of security system."

"Looks like we have to find a card then," I concluded. "I'll go up top and tell Cherry what we've found. You two should keep looking around down here." They both agreed.

I walked to the other end of the hallway where I found another stairwell in the left corner. I ascended these stairs back to the atrium where I quickly found Cherry and Lorenzo. I informed them of what we found. Cherry went to go see for herself and Lorenzo continued to explore the bottom floor. I stood idly in the atrium for a moment until one of the three above me called down. "You find something?" Mikey asked.

"Yeah, big door. Probably a laboratory. How about you?"

"Not much yet."

"Well keep your eyes peeled for a keycard. We'll need it for that door."

"Gotcha." Then he disappeared from the edge.

I stood idle for a moment once again. Spun around slowly as my yes took in the different levels above me. Coming to rest on the big window where light streamed in. I felt attracted to it like a moth to a lightbulb. So my feet carried me back to the stairs and all the way up to the sixth floor. I came out right beside the window. Then walked out to the center of it. I looked down at the spot on the bottom floor where I previously stood. The sunrays emanating from behind me casted a long shadow over it. I glanced at anyone I could see. Lisa was on the first floor leisurely browsing the rooms along the walkway. Above her, Mikey had disappeared into a hallway. And on the opposite side of the atrium, Felix was climbing up a ramp formed by a section of the third floor collapsing onto the second. At the entrance Shu had his back turned to me while he watched the door vigilantly. I turned around to look out the window. The building next door was half the height of this one, so I got a clear view. Skyscrapers rose up in the distance, dwarfing the mess of ruins from here to there. In the Southeast the evening sun was beginning its descent into the horizon. A melancholic feeling spread through me as I stared out into the distance.

But eventually I returned to the task at hand: finding the keycard. First, I went to the corner office at the other end of the walkway. My alertness subsided so I slung my rifle over the shoulder as I passed out of the sunlight and towards the office. Stopping at the door, I read the tag next to it. James Clark. Director of Research. I pressed a button and the door slid open. It was a spacious office, warm and comfy with light filtering in from the windows. Quality wood furniture and two fine rugs filled the room. In the corner to my right was a lounging space with two chairs, a sofa, a coffee table between them and one of the rugs underneath. Along the wall were wood shelves and cabinets; their contents opened up, taken, and spread around the floor. This room had likely been ransacked at some point. I browsed the contents, wondering why whoever had come here didn't take some of these things like the furniture or the many intact prewar books that now littered the floor. I then turned my attention to the oak wood desk resting on the second fine rug. A terminal sat on one end of the desk while random papers and knick-knacks were strewn around the other. I circled around the desk before taking a seat at the office chair behind hit. The chair smelled of dust but was still comfy. I leaned back in it and swiveled around, taking in the sight of the room. Then I rolled it closer to the windows, which looked out over a square between this building and the main one. Vegetation was overgrown down there, creating a thicket of brush and trees where there once must have been manicured grass. Grass and brush also sprouted up around the square, breaking apart the streets and sidewalks as they grew from the cracks. The main building was an imposing sight, much taller and wider than this one. Its brick faces stared back at me with hundreds of eyes.

I turned away from the window and back to the desk to look over what had covered its surface. There was nothing of interest, so I examined the terminal. To my delight, when I pressed the power button it actually turned on. The screen populated its typical start up screens but then to my surprise it was not locked. Rows of files and messages appeared for me to select. I checked the messages first thinking they might divulge some interesting information. But they were mostly about administrative matters. A few messages did however appear to be in regard to research between the director and his staff. But even these did not give away much; apparently, they had a policy of being secretive with some of their research. So then I checked the files. To my dismay, I couldn't gather much. Many of the files had become corrupted. For those that survived, the contents were hard for me to parse. Some of the text was corrupted. Other parts were rife with jargon and data I didn't understand. Giving up on the terminal, I started going through the drawers, hoping to find a keycard in one of them. At first, I didn't find anything, but while looking down at them I realized there was a small safe under the desk. I got down on my knees to examine it and found that the safe required a four digit number code to open.

I sat in the chair again while I thought about how I could solve this puzzle. First, I returned to the terminal but found nothing that stood out as the possible code. So I continued to rifle through the drawers. There I still found nothing. Frustrated, I sat back in the chair, staring into the last drawer I had checked and left open. But in staring into the drawer something stood out to me. I leaned forward and reached in again. A stack of papers and vanilla folders rested inside, but something seemed odd about the panel below them. I grabbed the papers and threw them onto the floor. Then looking back into the drawer I found that my suspicion was correct. The bottom panel was a false one. But I had to find a way to open it. I felt around in the drawer but found no way to lift the panel. So I then felt underneath it. That's when I figured it out. I pressed up on a tiny plank sticking out of the bottom. This lifted the panel up enough for me to get my fingers under it and pull the thing out entirely. Excitedly I looked inside. But there wasn't a keycard in there. Rather, a collection of holotapes. I stared at the collection of tapes filed into two neat rows with disappointment, about ready to give up on this puzzle. But instead something compelled me to grab the first one in line. I inserted it into my Pip-Boy:

August 15th, 2076. This is Doctor James Clark…hwoo, so this is it, huh. First day in the new office. Can't believe this is finally happening. Director of research… I've been working towards this for years. To be honest I was surprised the board even picked me. But here I am. I guess they really were impressed by my work in the field of Oncology…You really did it James! All that time working alone in the corner and it finally paid off. Now you have an entire research facility to further your work. I'm excited to hit the ground running…The salary is pretty nice too I must say. Finally I get to take Mary to that fancy restaurant in Midtown.

I found myself intrigued by this artifact of history. It reminded me of the many prewar holotapes I listened to growing up in the vault. I put in the next one; I couldn't help but keep listening until I heard all of them.

August 25th, 2076. We're putting the finishing touches on setting up the lab for the new research. I'm pleased with the transition so far, and now that we have the grad students coming in, we'll be ready to roll very soon…I'm excited to have this many resources to test my theory…Radiation; it's everywhere. A natural consequence of relying so heavily on nuclear technology. I hoped that the near meltdown ten years ago would have gotten people thinking about this. Had that actually happened, how many New Yorkers would have suffered from the effects? But even now I'm looking out my window at all the cars going by. Each and every one of them has a miniature version of that same reactor. Vehicles, Appliances, household products, our entire energy system, everything runs on radioactive materials. Hell, even my nephew was playing with a board game the other day that had actual nuclear materials in it. Yet somehow, nobody ever stops to look at all these things and connect the dots: Cancer rates are skyrocketing across the country. But if we can't roll back our reliance on nuclear materials, we'll just have to learn how to treat the consequences. A lot's been done to develop products like Radaway and Rad-X, but what about a remedy for those who are exposed to small amounts of radiation over time? The ones who develop cancer and don't find out until it's too late. Sure there's treatments, but they cost patients a lot of money without a guarantee of survival. What if we could create a cure? Something mass producible, cheap but effective. Perhaps even inoculate people from radiation born cancer. If we can find a way, we'll save so many lives. And make people's lives better too. I think about Mary and her Ovarian cancer. She turned out okay thanks to the treatment, but she was robbed of the one thing she wanted most.

September 27th, 2076. Initial data sets look promising. I think we're on the right track. I really appreciate the work of the grad students. Especially the work of Miss Lee. She's a talented and brilliant young woman. We're fortunate that she came onto the team when she did because this is actually her last semester at Columbia. I'll be sure to offer her a position after she graduates in December…In other news, I just got word that the board is in talks with the military for some kind of research grant. Wonder what will come of that.

October 6th, 2076. The board and the military came to an agreement yesterday. Looks like our department is receiving a substantial grant to study and develop…'combat enhancement stimulants' as they call it. For Uncle Sam's finest on the front line with China. Chairman of the board fancies himself quite the patriot. Anything to beat the commies I suppose. I don't understand it personally. News says we're really giving it to them over on their home turf. But apparently the army's current stims have…issues. Cancer causing so they say. Convenient for us then that the head of research is an oncologist…

November 3rd, 2076. Grant money is flowing in now. I know I shouldn't complain because it's money, but it equals the budget we commit to the cancer research. What do they expect me to do with all this? I guess its true what they say: military sure loves to throw money around.

December 23rd, 2076. Getting ready to leave here soon. But there's such a beautiful snowfall coming down. Been sitting here with a nice bourbon just taking it all in. Such a nice view from this office. That new lamp I bought makes this place feel pretty cozy too. Hmmm…Have I ever mentioned that I love this office? Think I'm really getting into the Christmas spirit this year. Even got the radio playing the music. I usually don't even like Christmas music…Getting so dark outside already…Better down this glass and get going here. Mary and I are going to Rockefeller Plaza tonight. Boy, does she love the tree there.

January 9th, 2076. The board is not happy with the budget I proposed. Not happy with the manpower I've committed to the stim research neither. They told me with how much money we've been given, we need to devote more of our efforts to the stims…We could hire more researchers for that project I suppose. But I'm promoting someone else to head it. I need to focus on my own research. I'm happy I could offer Miss Lee a position. She would probably do well on that project, but I feel her talents are best utilized with the cancer research.

February 17th, 2077. I keep getting pulled into the research on the stims. We're not making much progress there. I've spent more time than I'd like with the project lead peer reviewing the studies that came before. Not too happy about the late nights at the office working on this. Neither is Mary. But no matter how much we pour over the data or redo the experiments with different variables, we keep getting the same results. The army's current stims can't be remade. No matter what, they test high for carcinogens. Some are even DNA altering…At least things are going well on my project. For now we're only producing an improved form of Radaway, but we're going in the right direction.

March 21st, 2077. Pressure's coming down on me right now. Military was not pleased with the report we gave about their current stims. So the board is not pleased either… I said that perhaps we could start over. Produce a totally new line of stimulants that won't slowly kill the troops. Military felt better hearing that. *Sigh. What have I done…

March 24th, 2077…I had to move Miss Lee to the stim project today…Not happy about it, but we have strict deadlines now and have to come back with positive results. Military insists that the project is vital to the war effort, and who are we to say otherwise? I don't know…I think I need a stiff drink.

May 18th, 2077. Our first deadline is approaching faster than we realized and we're behind schedule. We've had no choice but to work longer in the lab and pull more people from the cancer research…We actually made a breakthrough on that front. Too bad I wasn't there for it. I fell asleep in my office after another all-nighter…Mary was cross with me about that…I must have forgotten to tell her I wasn't coming home.

June 16th, 2077. We just barely made our deadline. Some general and a few members of the board even came over to tour the lab. They were impressed with our work. Especially impressed with Miss Lee. I'm glad she was there to present because I wasn't feeling well…Perhaps they were a little too impressed. Apparently the general made a request that we expand our development. Board was happy to oblige of course. And of course nobody consulted me about this…I'm sure Mary won't appreciate that no one consulted her too. She's already been on me about how much time I spend at the office…and my drinking. I'm afraid that won't be improving any time soon.

July 7th, 2077. The board rejected my proposed budget, and came back with a counter proposal, or should I say directive…They want to transfer some of the cancer research funding to the stims…Why…what good is it? Just throwing more money at it isn't going to yield better results. We're stalled at this point because we can't meet the military's demands without compromising the safety of the chems. Every formula we come up with poses some kind of health defect…hm. I just realized something. I think today's my birthday.

August 8th, 2077…Miss Lee is leaving the team…She was approached by the military. They offered her a promising position at one of their own facilities down in D.C. I can't blame her for seizing the opportunity but…I don't know what else to do now. We're falling behind schedule again and now we're losing the project lead for the stims. I guess…I guess I…I guess I will have to take charge of the project. Leave the cancer research to someone else. It will be okay though, right? We're still on the right track. Last test from the research hospital is showing that our formula is slowing the rate of production for cancerous cells in some of the patients. That's real progress. I'm sure we'll keep moving in that direction regardless of who the project lead is. Besides, I can't continue to have my feet in both. The stims aren't my passion but sometimes you have to do the job you've been given. When this grant is over, I can always go back to the other research. Also, I need to free up some of my time. I miss my wife and she misses me. I should spend more time with her…Hm, just realized it's almost been a year since I took this position. Feels like a lot has changed since then.

Septemberrrr. 13th? No 15th…2077. *Hiccup…Thosh fucking bastards. Thosh motherfuckers. We bust our asses to do the impossible for them and for what? So we mished the deadline—so what! We put the work in *gulp *gulp *gulp. You know thish ish good team right here. Good people. Maybe we do'n wanna meek chems any fucking hood on the street would take. Maybe we do'n wanna turn the men and women on the front lines into ragin' psychopaths hmm. Becush what they won us to meek is basically metham… methamph…methamphetamines! You know what that ish? Nazis yooshed ta pump soldiers with it—are we fucking Nazis? Are we fucking Nazis!? They…the board wants ush to move people from the cancer project to the stims…All of 'em…I…I think I finally understand…They didn't hire me for my research…They never cared about that.

September 29th, 2077. It's Mary's birthday today. I remember the first time I met her was on her birthday. She was out with her friends celebrating. I'll never forget how our eyes locked from across the bar…We won't be celebrating together this year…There was an accident in the lab this morning. Now we have to scramble to make up for the lost progress. Another all-nighter *sniff. I called her. Told her I'm so sorry…*sniff. I'm so sorry…She said it was fine but I know its not. I could hear it in her voice…She's given up on me…

October 23rd, 2077. Um…Recent tests have shown some improvement. I was afraid the accident in the lab would set us back too much, but it looks like we've caught up and might actually make the deadline…I have to check on some things this morning, but I think for the first time in a long time, I can actually go home earleeaaaahhhh—what the hell was that!? What? Wha…No…Oh my God…No. They did it. They actually did it…Why God…Why? Ahhhhhh—ahhhhahaha whyyy!? Have mercy on us! Mary! I'm so sorry Mary! I'm so sorry…I'm coming home my love…I'm going home to be with you…

I sat drained in my chair. Slowly I swiveled towards the window facing Midtown. He must have seen it from here clear as can be. I stared out the window imagining what he saw, letting the feelings he must have felt run through me. After some time lounging in an exhausted daze of contemplation, I realized that I should probably get to work. I rolled back the chair to kneel in front of the safe that was at my feet. I stared at the four digit pin pad for a moment thinking. Then I pressed this code: 0815. Nothing happened. I sat there a moment longer before trying again. 0707. Nothing again. I sat back and thought hard about this for a few minutes. Until I realized that maybe I was on the right track with the last guess. So I reached for the pin pad and pressed: 0929.

Bolts shifted within the safe and I could hear it unlock. The door loosened. Eagerly I flung it open to see what was inside. There wasn't much though. A bundled stack of papers mostly, but above them were two things: a gold necklace, and a red keycard. Gingerly I reached out and grabbed the necklace. The ornate design was striking. A round purple gem took up the center and was surrounded by much smaller rose pink stones along the edge. I hung the necklace in front of my face, admiring the beauty of it. As it spun slightly in mid-air, I noticed that on the back of the ornament was an inscription: Mary, My Love. My eyes rested on this inscription for a moment, and I was struck by a feeling of sadness. He forgot this. But I hope they found each other. I put the necklace into my pocket.

Then I returned to the rest of the safe's contents. I snatched the keycard and was about to put that in my pocket too but something gave me pause. I continued to hold it in my hand, but my attention turned to the stack of papers under it. I pulled them out and set them on the floor before perusing through their content. It didn't take long for me to realize what they were: Collected papers detailing the director's research on radiation born cancer. Working theories and hypotheses. Experiment procedures and test results. Formulas of the chemical make-up for the cure they were trying to develop. But if these were here then what about the other research? I went back to the terminal to investigate further. Not much could be gleaned from any of the messages so I looked through the files again. This time they made a little more sense to me and eventually I figured out that these were digital versions of some of the papers in that bundle. So where then was the other research information stored? The answer suddenly hit me: inside the big lab.

In that moment I felt a weight pressing down on me. The weight of a decision. I looked down at the papers and the keycard I had set on the floor. I picked up the keycard laboriously with both hands as though it had suddenly become much heavier. I gripped each end tightly as a question, and therefore tension rose inside of me. For a difficult minute, I stared intensely at that keycard, the weight growing heavier on my mind. Then I decided. I snapped the card in half. Flung its two pieces across the room and put the documents into my pack. I stood up to leave but stopped myself. My eyes returned to the collection of holotapes I had listened to. They wouldn't be of much value if any in caps. But I couldn't allow myself to leave them. I scooped them all up and put them in my pack too, then promptly left the room.

"You got something, Nate?" Cherry asked as I approached. The team which had gathered in front of the locked door to the big lab made way for me.

"Yeah, I do." I produced the documents from my pack and handed them to her.

Cherry skimmed through the contents. "Hmm…I'm not good with reading. What is this?"

"It's a potential cure for radiation born cancer." The group was stunned.

"That's huge!" Darius exclaimed.

"Where did you find that?" Sarah asked.

"It was upstairs. Found it in a safe."

"Nice job Nate!" Cherry praised. "But wait, if you found this, did you find a keycard?"

"…I did."

"Do you have it?"

"No…I broke it." Once again, everyone was stunned.

"What!?" Lorenzo reacted angrily. "What do you mean you broke it?"

I felt like someone was going to hit me so I stepped away nervously. I was now standing directly in the center of the lab door, and for a moment I found myself tuning everyone out as I looked at it contemplatively. Then, resolutely I said "trust me, its for the best…There's nothing of value in there. Only dangerous chemicals."