FALLOUT: Sievert - Vol.2: Threshold

Chapter 14 - Doubt

A nap, the feeling of being awake all night, seeing the dawn, and then meeting the brass to explain my decisions with the backing of the Power armor squad, the 2 medium infantry squad leads, and the Major. All concluded with the most stress induced nap I wish iv ever had.

I wasn't punished much, but it was still a failure. I received a grounding strike; Meaning I'm pretty much under base arrest for failing the mission. The major said I only get 3 of these strikes. I've been put into reserve till the Major says otherwise.

I finally got to return to my room but noticing I accidentally left my combat helmet in the briefing room... 'uuuhg'. I pulled off my combat armor, letting it drop to the floor with a *clump* of what sounded like fabric-covered hardened plastic. I noticed my blue underlining vault suit was sticking to my body, it felt weird. I unzipped the front, and pealed it from my body like a banana; I let it drop to the floor with a soft flop of wet fabric and the cushion sound of leather. 

I walked over to the shower naked, turning it on and stepping in. Pressing my back to the shower wall and sliding down it, closing my eyes after watching the heat fog up the glass of the clear plastic curtains. I relaxed in the warm water, letting my stresses wash away; listening to the sound of the water hitting the side of the shower, myself, and the shower floor. 

I've never been in a situation that stressful, unprepared, and feeling like I'd die before, to then feel so defeated in the end. I heard the sink turn on and water jostle. ...

"Claire. What are you doing? I'm in the shower." I say out, taking a guess.

"Hey Lyn, I came to sleepover. I'm sure you want someone to hold you in your sleep to make -you- feel comfortable" she teased and pushed her decision, but she didn't laugh or giggle. 

I blurted out 'Uhhhhg' before replying back softly, "No I don't need comforting. Get out, I'm  gonna get out."

Claire replied with a normal conversational tone after spitting into the sink then turning it off. "Why? we've showered together before, we've been naked in the same room before as well."

"No, we haven't, showering in the locker rooms back at the vault isn't showering together. We always had our own stalls." I explained in a raised frustrated tone as I stuck my head out from the shower curtain, seeing Claire brush her teeth with a large oversized ARMY shirt on, and most likely nothing else.

"Heh, not denying that we've seen each other naked though, huh." I just stared at her with an annoyed face for a few moments. Claire turned her eyes away and her smile turned off as she said, "Meh, whatever then. Goodnight." in a calm tone as I hear her walk out. Continuing to listen, I hear my room door slide open then closed a few seconds later.

I sighed in slight stress as I got back into the shower fully, closing the curtain and relaxing again. Thinking to myself about what happened last night. How things didn't make sense. We were on a hostage rescue mission; the mission claimed there was just the farming area, low-grade hunting weapons.

But it was a large community? And trained military personnel being taken hostage by just farmers was something I couldn't believe from the beginning, but a community like that? Maybe. But there was no mention of an active town right next to the trailer park of houses in size that attacked us. 

I need to confirm what we are doing in some way. Killing innocents isn't something I really signed up for. I thought this force I joined was an Army remnants force like the Enclave from the tech and organization they have. I have to check.

Stepping out of the shower, I covered up and dried myself off with a towel. I walked into my room wearing my towel incase Claire was still here. She wasn't, so I walked over to my bed and plopped on it hard, exhausted once again, and pulling pressure off my back that ached. I closed my eyes and yawned hard. I rolled around a bit before finding a comfortable position, throwing the towel to the floor, and falling asleep.