"Scalpel..."
A dull aching, and a strange, painless tearing around his forehead and temple was the only sensation Nate was aware of as he floated somewhere on the edge of life and death. In his state of unconsciousness, he could hear things- unintelligible words and strange noises- but they sounded far off to him, jumbling together into a meaningless stream of babble in the background of his mind as he hung in his own personal state of limbo.
"...Precision laser." A voice barked, nearer than before- but the memory of it passed into nonexistence as quick as it had come, sinking quickly into the vast, icy depths of his fragmented subconscious. Everything inside him felt cold, reducing his inner monologue to naught but errant echoes and fleeting lights and colors behind heavy closed lids...
hovering over the dying soldiers limp mass, Shaun Stryder operated diligently and precisely over his rapidly thawing form. Around him, his most trusted colleagues had assembled, seeking to achieve a goal that most within their institution believed to be impossible- Reviving the long-deceased body of prewar survivor, and war veteran Nathanial Stryder.
It had been over 50 years since the 35-year-old survivor of Armageddon had been fatally shot, trying to prevent the kidnapping of his only son from Vault 111- Luckily, the field technician involved in the botched operation had possessed the foresight to immediately refreeze his body, hoping to preserve whatever biological material he could for future use. Because of this- with the help of cybernetic implants developed by his predecessor- it was now possible to repair the damage done to the victim's frontal lobe...
Taking great care, the seasoned director burned away the corrupted flesh around the entry wound where they had already removed the bullet- it had been a miracle in itself that the projectile hadn't fully penetrated the skull, leaving the hippocampus and amygdala graciously intact- for without them, memory recovery, and independent chemical distribution throughout his nervous system would be impossible. Should the operation prove successful, he would need to remind himself to compliment his father on the extraordinary thickness of his skull...
"Cortical stimulator- Hold this." Shaun ordered sternly, passing the laser off to Doctor Li on his left as Doctor Volkert handed him the first implant, allowing him to gently tuck it into place amongst the healthy grey matter. Watching closely, nobody dared even to breath as he connected the tiny prongs on the device to the deep tissue- and once in place, a collective breath was released.
The most important part of the procedure was done.
"Here's the limb Actuator." Doctor Fillmore offered helpfully from across the gurney, beside a very fascinated looking Doctor Binette- Being one of the leading scientists working the generation three synth project, the middle-aged neurobiological engineer was eager to witness the results of Shaun's latest project and looked forward to studying the patient's rehabilitation process in the future- unlike many of their colleagues, who seemed a bit reluctant to say the least...
For most in the institute, creating synthetic, biological robots possessing something approaching free will had been pushing the envelope of scientific morality as it was- This, however, was entirely different...To many, this operation was seen as laughing in the face of God himself.
"Alright, once the pain inhibitor is in place, we're clear to defibrillate- after that you've got 2 minutes to adjust it, cap the wound and administer the stimulation compound- if we're not fast enough, the pain could send him into shock, and we'll risk cardiac arrest or stroke." Volkert informed him seriously, all business.
Nodding an absent affirmation, Shaun braced himself for the moment of truth as he finished installing the final implant, before taking a step back. While the rest of the team double checked all life support systems to make sure they were properly prepared and in place, Doctor volkert readied the defibulator, shooting the director a look of reassurance before taking his place at the subject's side.
"Here goes nothing..." The physician mumbled hopefully, before shouting. "Clear!"
As the paddles touched Nates chest, his body arched off the table. Beeping aggressively, the heart monitors lit up as he was jolted to life- All at once, his chilled blood began to quick thaw, rushing through his dehydrated veins and causing him to break out in an rapid cold sweat as his new implants electrified his synapses, and jump started his nervous system.
"Again!"
"...Heart rate and brain activity increasing- you need to be quick with those calibrations, he'll wake soon." Doctor Li warned urgently, reaching out to hold Nate's upper body down so Shaun could adjust the node on the exposed external plating at his temple with a pair of fine tipped tweezers- They could see Nate's eyelids begin to flutter, and his facial muscles tense as the cybernetics did their job, pulling him back toward consciousness even as his heart began to beat on its own, causing fresh blood to ooze from the open forehead wound...
The first thing he became aware of, was the smell of burnt rubber- the second, was pain.
Groaning, he struggled weakly against the hands holding him down as the pain in his head built to an explosive height, before graciously receding as the node was adjusted, leaving him inexplicably exhausted, and confused.
"Shaun..." He grumbled unintelligibly, struggling to open his eyes as he groped to make sense of what had happened- It was hard to breath, and his chest ached where his heart pounded against his sternum. His limbs were cold and heavy, and he could scarcely move at all...
"Nathanial Stryder, can you hear me?" He heard a man ask somewhere beyond the roaring in his ears. " Do you understand what im saying?"
"They took him...They took my son- where's Shaun?" The befuddled man demanded deliriously in response, ignoring the directors question.
"Stay calm- Shaun is unharmed." Shaun informed his patient strangely, feeling an unexpected rush of warmth for the subject on the table as he attempted to calm his growing hysteria. " I need you to focus on me right now- You've been shot."
"...There were t-these people." Nate continued to ramble, gritting his teeth against the throbbing behind his eyes as he began to tremble violently. "They w-were wearing s-s-strange outfits. They c-came into the vault..."
"Cognitive function seems to be stable." One of his colleagues noted appreciatively, before Shaun continued his line of questioning.
"On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?" He asked calmly- Beside him, Doctor Volkert began to towel off some of the sweat and condensation clinging to Nates body, while doctor Filmore got him a thick, heavy blanket to bring him up to temperature.
Smacking dry lips, Nate struggled to open his eyes again, hoping to find the source of the voice, but the lights above him were too bright.
"Mmmm...Eight." He answered through clenched jaws, before relaxing as the node was adjusted once more, bringing the pounding down to a dull ache.
"...And now?"
"Ahh...Feels like a morning after the Superbowl at Freddy's- I give it a four." He joked, sighing with audible relief as he relaxed on the gurney and his heart rate began to stabilize. Shaun found himself smiling at the lighthearted jest, shaking his head as he chuckled incredulously to himself.
"Good... Doctor Volkert, administer a mild anesthetic, please- and get him on an IV drip. Closely monitor his vitals- i want him watched 'round the clock." He ordered firmly, both pleased, and satisfied with his work- if Nate lived through the night, Shaun was confident that he would live, and with a few more adjustments to the implants, perhaps even make a full recovery in the near future.
I've done it again- the weary director thought almost disbelievingly, watching the steady rise and fall of his father's chest as he continued to breath deep, and even... Alone, he had clawed his way to the top of his field, and gained the trust and respect of the organization that reared him, only to somehow manage to overthrow his predecessor, allowing him to father a sophisticated, synthetic humanoid species derived from his own incorrupt DNA...He had thought that would be his greatest achievement- his legacy...But now, listening to the steady beep of the heart monitors, he realized that this was it- At last, He had set things right after all those years; His mother was free, and Their vengeance on the man that stole them from each other so long ago had been achieved- and finally, he had used all the knowledge and influence gained through his years to restore life to the man who gave everything trying to protect him...
"What do you want me to tell him when he wakes up?" Doctor Volkert inquired quickly when he saw Shaun move toward the exit.
"Nothing." The director answered simply . "Send for me- I would like to talk to him myself..."
. . .
. . .
A week and some days later, Nate woke from what felt like the longest nap of his life, alone in the medical bay, both ravenous and parched. Remembering only bits and pieces of what had happened, he was alarmed to find himself strapped to a bed, connected to all manor of wires, tubes and machines.
hearing the heart monitors pick up, Doctor Volkert moved quickly to assess his patient, crossing the room from his desk to pull back the clean white privacy curtain that obscured him from view, surprised to find the younger man fully conscious at last- if the machines hadn't been recording ample brain activity, they would have thought something was wrong in the days following the operation, as Nate had slept almost constantly since, waking only briefly during routine care to shout or mumble based complaints before nodding back off to sleep...
"Ahh- Mr. Stryder, i see you've finally decided to return to the world of the living." The doctor joked humorously, giving him a bright white smile while he pushed himself upright against the pillows, blinking rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room.
"How long have i been out?" Nate asked groggily, reaching up to gingerly finger the spot on his head where the pain had been, only to find it completely healed over- with the exception of a puckered, circular scar just above his temple where the bullet had entered and his implant now existed, there was no trace of the injury he had sustained. He was startled to also find new hair growth beginning to cover the marred flesh- A miracle considering the severity of his wound.
"Its been a week and three days since your operation." The doctor answered carefully, before tactfully switching the subject. "Father will be pleased to hear you've woken."
"Father?" He echoed strangely, not recognizing his sons given title.
"My apologies- it's what we call our director, here at the institute." He explained simply, before turning to address a young woman entering the room- she was dressed practically, in a white jumpsuit with a red cross stitched to the front breast pocket.
"Maize, would you send for the Director please? Tell him the patient is awake."
"Yes sir!" The girl affirmed quickly, shooting Nate a look of burning curiosity before turning on her heel and hurrying back the way she had come without question.
"Institute?" Nate repeated again, confused. "We arnt in the vault anymore? How? What happened? Where's my wife- and our son?"
"Don't worry- everything is okay now; the director will answer all your questions as soon as he gets here. In the meantime, I'd like to check on some things now that you're awake, to make sure everything's working properly..." reaching toward a tray of medical tools placed on a nearby stainless-steel cart, Volkert grabbed a small flashlight. "Look into the light please...good. pupils appear to be dilating properly...how's your sense of smell?"
"Fine, I think?" Nate answered lamely, impatient to have his own questions answered. " It smells like abraxo cleaner and air conditioning in here...My mouth tastes weird though- can I have some water?"
nodding, the man quickly jotted down some notes on his clip board, before meandering toward a cabinet to retrieve a bottle of purified drinking water.
"here- catch!" he called unexpectedly, tossing the bottle toward the bed to test Nate's reflexes. Gasping, Nates eyes zeroed in on the airborne object, and suddenly it seemed to move in slow motion. Without thinking, his hand moved up to catch the bottle instinctively before it could hit him in the face- again, the doctor nodded in response, humming to himself absently as he took another note.
"VATS systems seem to have integrated well..."
"VATS?"
"Sargant Stryder- it's good to see you finally awake." Another voice spoke out from the doorway before the doctor could answer. An older man dressed in a similar white overcoat and black pants joined them then, striding confidently toward Nates bedside and offering him a welcoming smile as he approached. "How are you feeling? Hungry perhaps? I can send for some food if you need."
Studying the man's face, Nate gave pause as he realized he recognized him somehow- though he couldn't say from where. There was something about his eyes that was unsettlingly familiar...
"I feel fine- i want to see my wife and son." He demanded firmly; jaw set as he regarded the older man.
"Yes, well you see...Things are much more complicated than you may have realized- it will be difficult for me to explain, but I'll do my best to make you understand." purposefully, the director grabbed one of the office chairs positioned in front of the doctor's desk, pulling it toward his bedside before sitting with a thoughtful expression.
"Your wife isn't here." he began calmly, being as transparent as possible. "You are in a place known as the Institute- an underground facility that was founded a long time ago, by the surviving members of what was then known as the CIT...After your initial entry into vault 111, you and your family were put into stasis, and cryogenically frozen by the scientists of Vault tech- it was their hope that you would awaken in the future, after the threat of radiation had passed..."
His father starred back at him with a blank, uncomprehending expression as he absorbed the jarring information.
"...What? I don't...I don't understand what your saying- you're telling me that vault tech..." He stammered, shaking his head in denial as he struggled to wrap his mind around what he was being told. "That's impossible."
"To you im sure it certainly seems that way, but I assure you, I am telling the truth- You and your family were down there, tucked away for over two hundred years before my predecessor stumbled upon records of vault 111. At the time, it was imperative to the scientists working here to find an uncorrupted source of DNA to work with- so, he ordered an expedition to the surface, and hired a commonwealth mercenary to make sure the sample was successfully retrieved. Unfortunately, it seems he botched the operation, and you were shot trying to prevent them from taking your boy...Luckily, they reactivated your pod immediately, before brain activity ceased and you could bleed out in your pod. With the help of cybernetic technology, we were able to revive you and repair the damage done during that...altercation."
Head spinning, Nate felt his stomach drop, and nausea rise as he remembered the scarred face, and shrewd black eyes of his attacker- he was confident the man hadn't been among them when they had entered the vault, so he must have been from the surface after all...Deflating, he sat back against the pillows of his bed, slowly coming to grips with the awful truth.
"And...Audrey?" He asked, voice breaking a little as he spoke her name, picturing her as he had last seen her, through the window of his pod...
"She was put back into stasis after the ordeal- the scientists kept her frozen, intending to use her as a back up should something happen to the child...I released her only recently, as it was no longer necessary to keep her there."
"You...released her? What do you mean? Why? Why wasn't she brought here with me? And if Shaun was brought here, then where is he? He needs his parents!"
"Yes, im inclined to agree with that statement- in a perfect world a child should grow up with both parents, but you see...They believed it would be better for everyone- safer, to integrate the child into the fold alone...Even today, outsiders can't be trusted- That is why Audrey was not brought here upon reanimation."
"But I was?"
"You...you were brought here because if i had released you, you would have certainly perished. I wanted to make things right- after all these years..."
Eyes narrowing, Nate silently repeated the phrases. "to make things right" and "after all these years" feeling sick at the prospect of being separated from his wife and struggling to process the meaning behind the directors words.
"How...how long has it been, since he was taken from us?" He forced himself to ask, feeling his dry eyes prickle as they strained to form tears. Shamed, Nate turned away from the older man as he struggled to swallow his grief, and push the overwhelming emotions down before they could overwhelm him.
"Fifty years." Shaun murmured solemnly, words heavy with his own sense of loss. "Its been fifty years since I was taken from the vault, and brought here to live as one of them. Fifty years..."
As he spoke, Nate looked back toward Shaun sharply, feeling as if the wind had been knocked clean out of him- and as comprehension set in, he suddenly recognized the ghost of his own reflection starring back at him in the old mans brooding expression, realizing then why he had looked so familiar to him at first.
"Its...Its you." He managed to croak past the lump in his throat, as the revelation rocked him to his core- Chest tightening, Shaun swallowed heavily before nodding a stiff confirmation, trying to remain calm in the face of the moment he had been anticipating since the night of the surgery.
"Yes...I am your son. I'm Shaun."
. . .
. . .