Before Another Fallout Tale

Chapter -3

I slipped into my armored jumpsuit and brushed my teeth. I slipped my glasses on and I put my boots on. The door opened and Vahl walked in.

"Are you ready," she asked calmly, though uncertainty leaked from her eyes.

"Yes," I said strongly. "I'm ready."

She smiled. "Good. Come and have breakfast with us."

She turned to leave but I grabbed her wrist. "Vahl, how long have I been kept in here?"

"Three days," the warrior replied. "You seem much stronger now."

I let her go. "I feel better."

Vahl bit her lip. "Sorry about this whole... lock up."

"Its fine. It proved to work, right?"

She smiled and left. I walked into the dining room and saw everyone gathered around the large table for breakfast. They looked at me with concern until they saw my confident smile.

"I'm back," I greeted.

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I looked out over the wasteland from Vault 101. I couldn't see much but it was just enough for me to wonder if the Guillotine bullet really did reset the world.

No. If it was real, then it just sent me to a world where Timebomb was an innocent man I befriended in Big Town.

Realizing this fact, I felt my heart warm up. I could trust him, again. I turned back to the Vault and walked to the control panel. I stopped.

"What troubles you, Cywren," Vahl asked.

"Just... In my dream..." I sighed and hacked the console. The door slid open. "Everyone was dead."

I took a step inside. Nothing different from when Amata called me. I walked into the vault's center. Amata sat all alone facing the other way, a teddy bear in her hands.

"Hey," I greeted cautiously.

Amata sat up and turned around. "Cywren?"

I ran up to her and gave her a hug. "I'm so glad to see you're okay."

She hugged back. "Me, too."

I pulled away and looked around. "I'm guessing everyone left?"

She hung her head. "Yeah. I'm the last one left. Even dad left."

"I'm sorry. If I had just surrendered when my dad left..."

"My dad would've had Officer Mark kill you. You did the right thing."

I flinched. "No. I could've done better. I could've helped you organize."

"I sent you away."

I nodded. "I came back looking for you, making sure you were okay."

"I am a little hungry."

I smiled and handed her a box of Sugar Bombs. She ate slowly. When she finished, she finally noticed my followers.

"You sort of know Timebomb," I said pointing at him. "Vahl joined me little after you sent me away."

"Nice to meet you," Vahl said bowing.

"Nice to meet you, too."

I turned back to Amata. "I wanted to know, would you like to join us?"

Amata smiled but it slowly faded. "I wish I could."

I stared at her. "What do you mean?"

She held the stuffed bear to me. "This is all that is left since the last raid. There are five raiders somewhere in here but I can't seem to find them."

I looked around. "Can we help?"

"You can-"

A gunshot from a 10mm pistol sounded above me. A hole appeared in Amata's chest. Timebomb and Vahl turned and fired at the shooter. I heard a grunt and a thump.

I laid Amata down on her back. "Don't worry, I have stimpacks."

"Cywren..."

I tore the front of her jumpsuit and stopped. Whip marks, cuts, dried blood, and a small bandage wrapped around a bullet wound. My hands shook and slowly covered her back up.

"You should've told me..."

Amata touched my hand. "I didn't want you to see me like this. I didn't think you'd come back since I told you to leave. So when the raiders got in, I fought on my- ngh- own. I lasted longer than I thought..."

"Amata, I can keep you going until we get to Megaton! There's a doctor there who can help you. We can work something-"

Amata squeezed my hand and my tears rolled off and hit her stomach. "Cywren..."

"Please!" I sobbed. "Please don't die!"

"I'm sorry... for driving you away..."

Her grip lightened up and her head fell on it's side. I pulled her head to my chest and cried. Vahl and Timebomb didn't move. I laid her head down and drew out my .44 magnum.

"You guys wait here," I said as I stood up and wiped my eyes. "I'm going to take care of business."

It didn't take long. Four men, shot, killed, in cold blood. I cornered the last one in my vault dwelling.

"Wait! Please! We just need a place to stay!" The raider crawled into a corner, blood dragging behind him from his hip.

I stood in front of him. Gun leveled at his face. "You kill my friend, raid my home, and expect to live?"

A quick trigger pull and he sat there, dead. Blood had splattered onto my armor and face. I put my gun away and walked back up.

Vahl didn't meet my gaze. Timebomb looked at me, his eyes covered by the red goggles but his feelings leaked through.

"Let's go home," I said. "I'll bury Amata."