The Not So Lonely Lone Wanderer Book 1

Chapter 5 - Scenes from the Vault

The meeting in the Overseer's office was brief and to the point. The purifier needed another part and Stanley was incapable of jury rigging something else to fit in its place. Departure set for the next morning and with a nod to Almodovar the pair left, tense discussion between them impossible to overhear till they reached Hunter's quarters.

Tossing aside a pair of boxers draped over the arm of the sofa onto the coffee table with a grunt of disapproval, Chris sprawled on two out of three cushions, irritation in the lines of his face. "You're a pig Hunter. You might spend a few moments picking up, impresses the ladies to no end. And I still think we need to tell Rain and Doc we're gonna be too busy to train. I'm sure they have things to do."

Hunter blew god knows what out of one of the cups over the sink and settled in the chair opposite his partner, filling both half way with scotch and making sure to push the less clean one at his friend before taking a long swallow out of his own. "Like you know any ladies." A shake of his head at the second comment. "And no I don't agree. Doc knows we'll be gone and I'm sure his girl isn't supposed to have a clue."

Peering over the rim, Hunter's blue eyes fixed on Chris, unblinking and unmerciful in the scan of his buddy's face. "Dry spell you're in the middle of accidental or you still got the hots for our underage instructor? That scene in the atrium is gonna spell the end for you if you don't back off. You better hope it's the overseer who gets hold of your ass cause the Doc'll clean the floor with you."

Tossing back the contents, Chris kept silent, running an impatient hand thru his hair and setting the empty mug back on the table with a jerk of his chin as indication of need of a refill. Hunter obliged while he formulated a reply. "Don't start on that again. I'm doing what I can....." Lifting the now full cup, he drank in silence before speaking again, unable to meet his best friend's gaze as he worked up the courage for the next admission. "It'd be easier if she'd resist it."

The mug rising to Hunter's mouth stopped and lowered as his startled stare scoped out the other man's expression. "Shit....just....shit." Rubbing his face, Hunter poured another measure into both cups and shook his head. "We're fucked."

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By sunrise, the two vault guards had disappeared to be replaced by scruffy wastelanders, packs at the ready and waiting silent after sneaking to the vault entrance thru the Overseer's stealth passage. Didn't take long for boots to clang on steel grating as Almodovar and Officer Mack appeared from the same hidey hole, faces stern and devoid of anything save resolve.

"You know the drill, a minute past seventy-two hours and we stop listening 24/7 and go to twelve hour intervals. Don't come back without the sleeve couplings and the gear linkage." Overseer Almodovar's tone lacked anything but cool resolve as with a wave of the hand he signaled Stevie to open the door.

Much like the detritus James had seen sixteen years ago, the pair moved with surety towards the dim light from above, carefully keeping to obscure areas to hide their passage till reaching the decrepit entrance. A push revealed watery sunlight and dusty air, making both yank up face shields to filter particulates stirring like intranquil spirits with each bootfall.

Hunter scanned with the naked eye while Chris studied farther down range thru the scope of his rifle. "Don't see jack. You wanna scav a bit before we head to Megaton?"

Chris lowered the weapon, stowing it with a practiced ease. "Probably should. Hate to head into town with nothing to bargain with."

"True, true. We got the dregs old Iron Ass passed on but I don't think they'll fetch enough to cover the parts." Impatient fingers tugged a pair of goggles down, shading his baby blues from the brutal rays of the sun. "Besides, when was the last time you got to shoot anything?"