"Wake up, come on wake up, Stephen!" Stephenson McClintock woke up to the site of his childhood best friend and secret girlfriend, Amata Almodovar.
Amata was a young hispanic woman with fair skin, black hair tied in a bun with hazel eyes. For clothing she wore the Vault 101 jumpsuit, like all Vault Dwellers.
"Uhhh... Amata, what's going on?" Stephen groen out, wiping sleep out of his eyes before standing up. Stephenson or Stephen as his friends call him is a tall caucasian young man standing approximately at 6 '3 and possesses the build of an Olympic swimmer and runner due to regular exercises in the Vault gym. He also had lean, compacted muscular arms and a somewhat broad chest. His brown hair is usually in a clean cut and cerulean eyes.
"You've got to get out of here, Stephen. Your father is gone and my fathers men are looking for you!" Amata said in a hysterical tone.
That made Stephen wide awake. "Gone? What do you mean dad's gone?"
"He's left the Vault! I don't know how but he's gone and my father he's... he's kinda gone crazy." Amata replied but Stephen can tell that she's hesitant to say anything else.
"Amata, what's wrong?" Amata didn't reply immediately but Stephen placed his hands on Amatas' shoulders, causing her to look at him in the eyes before crying, buiring her face into his chest, sobbing.
"It's Jonas, Stephen. They killed him!" Amata cried out in distraught and sadness. "My father's men... they brought him into his office and beated him to death! Security Chief Hannon tried to stop them but was locked out of the office! He told me to find and warn you!"
Stephen was shocked by the revelation, Jonas was like a big brother to him, and the news of his death came crashing down on him like a wave. He fell back on his bed, trying very hard not to cry.
Seeing this Amata sat down next to him and pulled him into a comforting hug as Stephen wept on her shoulder. "I am sorry for telling you, Stephen." Amata said with sadness in her voice as she and Stephen separated. "But right now is not the time to cry, we need to get you out of this Vault."
Stephen wiped away his tears and regained his composure. "Ok, so what's the plan, Amata?"
"There's a secret tunnel in the Overseers office. It leads directly to the Vault door." Amata then handed Stephen a Colt 10mm 6520 auto loading revolver modified with a muzzle break and comfort grip. "Take this too, it's my father's."
(AN: Classic 10mm pistol by Creation Club, I've decided to make the CC version and the version done by Mod Author Scail two completely different weapons)
"Thanks Amata." Stephen said, taking the revolver.
"I'll meet you at the Vault door but don't wait for me." Amata left before running out of the McClintock Residence. Meanwhile, Stephen was in deep thought, thinking why his father left the Vault and for what reason before quickly shaking his head for is not the time to think.
Walking over to his locker, Stephenson opened it revealing his Vault 101 jumpsuit and Pip-Boy. The Vault suit is very form fitting with all of the latest high-tech materials and technological solutions available to the Vault-Tec Corporation. It's a single-piece suit designed to hug the user's body shape. Various biometric sensors are integrated into the suit to interface with the Vault's systems, while the iconic yellow strip on the front is made of gold foil, to act as a heat-dissipation strip and antenna for the biometric sensors integrated in the suit.
The Pip-Boy was the Pip-Boy 3000 Mk IV. Manufactured by RobCo Industries, the Pip-Boy 3000 Mk IV is a multi-functional device that features a built-in Geiger counter and has been programmed to display the wearer's stats, and area maps. Its screen also acts as a flashlight in low visibility areas and it has a dial for tuning into radio frequencies. It is a more ergonomically designed and up-to-date version of the Pip-Boy 3000.
Stephenson got it as a gift on his 10th birthday from Stanley. According to Stanley, it was shipped to Vault 101 by mistake and has since been in storage.
Quickly putting on his Vault 101 jumpsuit, attaching his Pip-Boy on left arm, boots and collecting the pistol, Stephen quickly exited his residence and quickly made his way down the hall.
"There he is, hold it right there!" Yelled Officer Sampson, one of the Overseers thugs. Suddenly, a swarm of five Radroaches appeared and attacked Sampson.
"Christ, more roaches!" Sampson pulled out his police baton and tried to defend himself but was overwhelmed by the Radroaches and died from their bites. Stephen was horrified by the officer's death but didn't have time to dwell on it as the Radroaches set their sights on him.
Quickly taking out his revolver, Stephen aimed and pulled the trigger, managing to nail a headshot on one Radroach before killing two more. Just as he was about to kill the two...
BANG
BANG
The last two Radroaches were shot down. Turning to the direction of the shooter, standing by the other end of the corridor was another Vault dweller. He was a tall African American man in his early sixties with crew cut hair and dark brown eyes. In his hand was a smoking M1911 Pistol.
This was Cardarion Packard or Old Man Packard as Stephen and his friends call him.
"Old man Packard, boy am I glad to see you sir." Stephen said with a smile.
"Glad to see you too, son." Packard replied with a serious looking smile before becoming serious. "I've heard your father left the Vault and Alphonse has finally lost it. Can't say I'm surprised this was going to happen."
"What do you mean, Packard?" Asked Stephenson.
Packard let out a tired sigh. "When your father left, Hannon leaked sensitive information to all the residents in the Vault. Thirty six years ago, Alphonse processor was strongly in favor of outside contact so a small survey was assembled led by Anne Palmer. I was a part of that team. Up there, we discovered a thriving settlement as well as the town of Springvale that could be settled if the Vault door was opened."
"So what happened then, why haven't we made contact with this settlement?" Stephenson asked.
"What do you think, son? Alphonse wanted to continue the isolation policy and forbid the adults from ever speaking it. But that was not the worst of it." Packard said grimly before continuing. "While they were up there, the survey team learned from the locals that Vault 101 as well as other Vaults in the Columbian Commonwealth were in fact social experiments. Vault 101s experiment was to have the Vault door be closed indefinitely and to study how the Overseer would run the Vault if it's never open by giving the Overseer complete control and absolute power."
"What?!" Stephen exclaimed. "Why would Vault-Tec do this then! For what purpose!?"
"I don't know, son. Since then Hannon and all loyal to him planned to overthrow Alphonse, and when your father left, Hannon saw the chance while dealing with the Radroach infestation." Packard said.
"This day just keeps getting better and better." Stephen said to himself.
"I'm correct to assume that you're leaving the Vault to look for your father?" Stephenson nodded. "Well, you're going to need a better weapon than just that pistol." Packard went into his home before coming back out.
In his hands was a K40 Auto Assault Rifle, made by the Pre-War company WarMaster Arms. The K40 series was known for being rugged, cheap and reliable while possessing a great deal of stomping power and accuracy. "Wow, where did you get that?" Stephen asked as Packard handed him the rifle and a few magazines, loaded with 5.56A-45mm NATO rounds. The rifle looked very well maintained and clean, it also weighted perfectly.
(AN: the rifle looks exactly like the Ancient Autogun from the Warhammer 40k series but with Fallout design and without the Imperium motifs)
"I got off a wastelander who I befriended but he was killed by giant ants." Packard replied.
"Thanks for this Packard, take care of yourself." Stephenson said to Packard before heading down the corridor with his new rifle in hand. On the way, Butch DeLoria, his bully, came running before stopping upon seeing Stephenson.
"McClintock, you've gotta help me, my Moms trapped in there with the radroaches!" Butch begged his victim in desperation.
"You're asking me for help, Butch?" Stephenson could help but snark at the bully and leader of the Tunnel Snakes.
"Well... yeah so what? Look... I'm sorry for the way I always treated you, McClintock." Bitch said with regret in his tone. "But it's my mom! Please, you've got to help me!"
Stephenson sighed, even though Butch treated him like dirt, he could not in good conscience leave Ms DeLoria to die by Radroaches. So without thinking, Stephenson rushed into the DeLoria residence with his new rifle in hand, intending to save Ms. DeLoria.
"Butchie, help me!" Screamed Ellen DeLoria as Stephenson charged into the room and fired on the Radroaches. The K40 rifle was slightly heavy but thankfully Stephenson was strong enough to handle the weight and the recoil was very light.
Stephenson managed to kill two of the Radroaches, reducing them to green messes but the third was too close to Ms DeLoria so Stephenson quickly pulled out the Colt 6520 revolver and killed the last Radroach.
"Are you alright Ms DeLoria?" Stephenson asked Ms DeLoria as she got up and sat down on a chair in the kitchen area.
"Yes I'm fine, thanks to you, Stephenson. Thank you so much." Ms DeLoria said with a grateful smile.
Stephenson smiled in return as Butch ran back in and embraced his mother. "Thanks McClintock, you're the best friend ever man." Butch said to Stephenson with sincerity in his voice, making Stephenson smile.
Before he could say anything, another of the Overseer's thugs burst through the door with a baton in his hand but Butch tackled the man to the ground and stabbed him with his switchblade through the throat. Both Stephenson and Ms DeLoira were surprised at what Butch just did.
"I uhh, guess we're even?" Butch said with a nervous smile, making Stephenson smile in gratitude and Ms DeLoria shake her head.
"Well, I better get going before more of the Overseers thugs arrive." Stephenson said but Butch stopped him. "Let me come with you, McClintock."
Before Stephenson could say anything, Butch spoke. "When we were young, I knew that I was a bully and an asshole to everyone, but it's because I hid my fear and sense of inadequacy regarding my mom and lack of a dad, so..."
"You became boorish and overbearing." Stephenson said in an understanding tone while Ms DeLoria looked down in shame. "All you wanted was friends but because of your personality, you became a bully." Butch nodded with a remorseful look on his face.
Taking a deep breath, Stephenson decided to let Butch come along. "Ok, you can come along with me out of the Vault."
"Thanks McClintock, you won't regret this." Butch said with a smile.
"Wait, before you go, you're going to need something better than that switchblade of yours, Butch." Ms DeLoria went into her room and after a few minutes, returned with a pistol in her hand.
It was a Colt Anaconda with a 8 inch barrel and was engraved with snake designs on the barrel and handle. "This was your fathers revolver, he would want you to have it." Ms DeLoria said, handing the revolver over to Butch.
"Wow, thanks mom." Butch said with a smile as he gave his mother a hug, which she returned. Ms DeLoria had tears going down her face. "Take care of yourself up there. Both of you."
Getting out of the embrace, Stephenson and Butch left the DeLoria residence and headed up the stairs, going right by Dr James office. But a couple of Radroaches blocked their path.
"Off with you now!" Yelled a robotic voice as Andy, the Vault's Mr Handy, burst from the office, torching the radroaches with his flamethrower, reducing them to charred corpses.
"That's enough excitement for one day." Andy said before turning to see Stephenson and Butch. "Ahh young Stephenson and Butch, how very good to see you two."
"Yeah, great to see you two Andy." Stephenson said.
"I do believe you two are looking for Doctor McClintock, I believe he's gone topside for some fresh air I would say." Andy said to them as he headed into the Mclintock medical clinic.
Inside the medical room was Freddie Gomez, Paul Hannon Jr, Susie Mack, Stanley Armstrong, Christian Kendall, her younger sister Monica Kendall and Officers Kendall, and Gomez.
Tending to the wounded was Dr Alfred Worthington, an old man in his 60s with gray balding hair and a thick mustache. With were the other doctors and nurses from the Medical/Science floor or Doctors that James had trained and worked for him in the clinic.
Everyone took notice of Butch and Stephenson. "Well, look who it is. Glad to see you two are ok." Officer Kendall said with a smile.
"It's great you're all doing ok, Officer Kendall." Stephenson replied.
"You're lucky it's us you've come across, the others loyal to the Overseer won't be so forgiving." Officer Gomez said with a sad frown. "I can't believe it's come to thisâ I can't believe what they did to Jonas, Officer Mack was out of control."
"Steve Mack?" Stephenson inquired.
Kendall nodded. "Yeah, it was him that killed Jonas. Knew that man was an animal."
Looking around the room, he noticed his fathers office. "Has my dad left anything behind that might give me a clue of why he left?"
One of the nurses handed him a holotape. Opening the slot at the top of his Pipboy, Stephenson inserted the holotape into his Pip-Boy and played the massage. "Hold on Jonas, I need to record this first."
"I don't really know how to tell you this. I hope you'll understand, but I know you might be angry. I thought about it for a long time, but in the end I decided it was best for you not to know. So many things could have gone wrong, and there's really no telling how the Overseer will react when he finds out. It's best if he can blame everything on me. Obviously, you already know that I'm gone. It was something I needed to do. You're an adult now. You're ready to be on your own. Maybe someday, things will change and we can see each other again. I can't tell you why I left or where I'm going. I don't want you to follow me. God knows life in the Vault isn't perfect, but at least you'll be safe. Just knowing that will be enough to keep me going."
"Don't mean to rush you, Doc, but I'd feel better if we got this over with."
"Okay. Go ahead. Goodbye. I love you."
Everyone was silent as the tape ended. "You have a lot of explaining to do when I find you, dad." Stephenson said, brushing away a few tears.
Just then, two more of the Overseers' thugs burst through the door but before they or anyone could do anything, two hands grabbed them by their heads and smashed them together, knocking them out cold.
Standing over them was a tall man at 6'5 with a broad body builder build and was in his late 20s. He had strawberry blond hair cut in a military fashion with blue eyes. He appeared to be Polish-Jewish and was wearing the 101 security uniform.
This is William Joseph Blaskowiz III, one of Stephensons friends.
"Everyone alright?" Everyone nodded.
William spotted Stephenson. "Stephenson, am I glad to see you're alright."
"Glad to see you too, BJ. I take it that things are bad with the whole Radroach infestation and Chief Hannon staging a coup to overthrow the Overseer." Stephenson asked his friend.
"It gets worse, Stephenson." BJ said grimly. "The Radroach infestation has been dealt with but the Overseer has Amata."
Stephenson's eyes widened in horror. "Then what are we waiting for!?" The three quickly made their way towards the Atrium, up the second floor but quickly dived behind cover when Allan Mack came down with an T THUNDER A1 assault rifle.
(AN: Looks like the name suggests, the T Assault Rifle in The Outer Worlds.)
"Where are you, McClintock!? This is your fault! You and your stupid father! He had to go and leave and mess things up for everybody!" Allan ranted.
"This wasn't my fathers fault, Mack! I'm not the one who keeps secrets from everyone in the Vault or runs the Vault like a dictator!" Stephenson stated.
"Shut up! We should've never let you or your father in the Vault!" Allen yelled out.
"What are you talking about?" Stephenson demanded.
Allan smirked cruelly. "You and your dad weren't born in the Vault. You both come from the wastes!"
Before he could say anything else, his son Wally, tackled him into the ground and wrestled the rifle out of his fathers hands. Wally quickly got up while pointing the rifle at his father. "Wally, what are you doing!?" Allen demanded, while he slowly got up.
"Something I should've done a long time ago." Wally turned to Stephenson and his two companions. "Go, now!" Not needed to be told twice, the three ran past the Macks and headed to the Overseers office.
"You useless, ungrateful brat! Give me that gun!" Allan charged at Wally, intended to yank the gun out of his son's hands and kill Stephenson and his friends. Reacting quickly, Wally fired the rifle at point black range, nailing Allan in the stomach.
Stumbling onto the floor holding his bleeding stomach and chest, he looked up at his son who had a stone cold look on his face. "You were an asshole, father." Wally said very coldly before shooting his father in the head.
Wally felt like a weight was lifted from his shoulders. For a long time, he onced admired his father but that changed during an infestation when his father got drunk from a party from his friends.
Wally would have died if it weren't from Stephenson, even though he was a bully to him. And a few days later, he started hanging out with Stephenson and his friends and felt real happiness for once in his life and Stephenson forgave Wally for his hand in bullying him.
Of course when Allan found out he wasn't happy but Wally could care less about it. His respect for his father was long gone. Now, he decided that he was going to leave the Vault and help Stephenson find his father as a way of paying him back.
Meanwhile, the trio quickly entered the Overseers quarters, finding Hannon and his men at the door. On the floor was Officer Steve Mack, with a bullet in his head. "Alphonse, open this door and come out with your hands up!"
"Never! You're all traitors!" Alphonse exclaimed from the other door.
"Daddy, please stop this!" Amata begged her father from the other side of the door.
"Be silent Amata!" Alphonse yelled at his daughter, striking her across the cheek, making her fall onto the ground, clutching her cheek.
"Overseer, it's me, Stephenson. Listen, you need to stand down. It doesn't have to end in violence. Just come out of the office and turn yourself over to Hannon." Stephenson said calmly, trying to talk down the Overseer.
"All of this is your fault, McClintock! I never should've let you and your father in here in the first place!" Alphonse exclaimed. "I know what Hannon and his followers wish to do, they wish to open the Vault, letting in the dangers of the outside world into the Vault and I refuse to let that happen!"
"Alphonse, Vault 101 wasn't meant to save us! Vault-Tec used us all like guinea pigs for some sick experimentation and I for one refuse to be used like a guinea pig, the same can be said for everyone!" Hannon exclaimed, trying to get through Alphonse.
Before anyone could say anything, Amata quickly tackled her father to the ground, giving Hannon and his men a chance to get inside the office. Hannon quickly flipped Alphonse over and handcuffed him.
"Amata!" Stephenson ran over to her and quickly pulled her into a hug as she sobbed in his shoulder. One thing for curtain, things are going to change in Vault 101 andâ for the better.
Four Weeks Later
"Are you ready for this?" Amata asked Stephenson as they stood at the Vault door with Butch, Wally and BJ. It has been four weeks since the coup ended. During those four weeks, Andrea Bruemount, a compassionate and very good hearted woman, was elected Vault Overseer.
Her first order was getting things back into working order while dealing with the Radroach infestation. The second announcement was the formation of a small council, representing every department in the Vault. Every 4 years, new members are elected much like old world America would elect a new president and presidential office. Once that was done, she made an announcement that Vault 101 will be making contact with the outside world and hopefully, open trade.
It was here that Stephenson, Amata, BJ, Wally and Butch volunteered for the excursion to the surface and make contact with a nearby settlement called Megaton.
"Yes I am Amata." Giving the man at the Vault door control a nod, the guard pulled the lever down, the alarms blared to life as the the drill like mechanism inserted itself in the Vault door, the one ton door grind open and moved to the side, revealing a cave with a makeshift wooden door at the other side.
The group held their breath as they made their way to the open Vault entrance, just then the door to the Vault entrance opened up. "Guys, wait up!"
Turning around, the group saw Paul Jr, Christine and Freddie coming toward them. "Guys, what are you doing here?"
"Well, we've talked to our parents and we've decided that friends should go together." Paul said with a smile. "Plus, I really need to make up for how I've treated you Stephenson."
That did make Stephenson smile. During those four weeks, Stephenson helped treat Paul with Radroach bites and thankfully, Paul made a full recovery. During this time, Paul apologized for his treatment of Stephenson and the two became friends.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go see what's out there." Stephenson said to everyone as they stepped out of the Vault and made their way towards the other side of the cave, the Vault door closed behind them.
On the floor were signs that said 'Let us in!' or 'We're dying!'. "My god.." Amata whispered grimly. They couldn't imagine the poor souls who were denied entry into the Vault before the bombs fell.
Reaching the wooden door, Stephenson reached for the handle, everyone held their breath as Stephenson slowly opened the door and all stepped outside.