by M. P. Pubs
"Who cares!" Dr. Li punched up the stasis pod's master control. "Wake them up!"
Garza punched in the command. "Rise and shine, sleepy heads!"
* * *
"Marcus!"
The Wanderer turned and saw his father, not a dog, but his father, limping over to him. "Son, he's losing his grip on this world. We have to get out of here now!"
Marcus jumped out of the way of a falling beam. "Where are we suppose to go?"
James opened the house's front door, and they could see Tranquility Lane being engulfed in a white light. "I guess we go towards the light."
Marcus hesitated. "Isn't that usually a bad thing?"
Another beam landed next to them, and James grabbed his son's arm. "Come on!"
As they ran toward the blinding light, they could still hear Braun screaming and fighting with the virus inside the collapsing house. "NOOOOOOOOO! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! NOOOOOOOOO!"
* * *
One by one, the stasis pods began to open. Charon ran over to Marcus' pod, while Dr. Li turned her attention to James. As soon as he was able, Charon reached inside and ripped the visor off of Marcus' face. "Marcus! Marcus wake up! Wake up!"
Marcus groaned. "Stop...yelling in my ear, Charon."
Charon let out a sigh of relief. "You are the craziest sonofabitch in the Wasteland, do you know that?"
Marcus slowly crawled out of the pod. "How long was I in there?"
"Almost six days." Anna Holt said. "You're lucky Dr. Li and Garza were able to get you out of there."
Marcus got his bearings and looked around. The rest of the Vault residence were slowly waking up and climbing out of their pods. They could barely hold their bodies up, which was no surprise since they had been lying in the same position for two centuries. Marcus began to look for a familiar face in the crowd, and it didn't take him long to find him. "Dad! Dad!"
His father turned around. "Marcus! Thank God it's really you!"
Everyone stood back as father and son embraced. James was the first to speak. "I'm glad to see you son, but...what are you doing here? I told you to stay in the Vault."
Marcus looked at his father. He knew he would have to answer this question, and he had gone over this scenario a thousand times in his head. Now that it was here, he had forgot all of that. "I...had to find you. Dad, they killed Jonas."
James nearly fell over, but was caught by Madison. "I...can't believe it. Jonas! I knew the Overseer would be upset but...I never thought they would murder him!"
Marcus' heart broke as he saw the hurt in his father's eyes. Jonas was not only his assistant, but his best friend. "It wasn't your fault, Dad."
Tears filled James' eyes. "Yes it is, son. It is all my fault. If I hadn't left..."
Marcus placed his hand on his shoulder. "No Dad, it was the Overseer's Vault, not yours. I had to escape, and I'd gladly do it again."
James looked into his son's eyes, and in addition to the tears, they were filled with pride. "Thank you, son."
"I hate to break this up," Dr. Li said, "but we should get these people back to Rivet City as soon as possible. They need medical attention after being in stasis for so long."
Marcus' jaw hardened. "Where is Braun?"
"He's over here." Garza yelled.
Everyone ran over to a lone stasis pod that was still closed. Inside, still in suspended animation, was Professor Braun.
"Why is he still in there?" Charon asked.
Garza tapped on the pod's glass. "The brainiac here installed a fail safe that prevented him from ever coming out; even if the other pods were opened."
Marcus stared down at his tormentor. "You mean there's no way to get him out of there?"
Garza shook his head. "Not without killing him."
Dr. Li turned to Marcus and James. "What should we do?"
It didn't take Marcus long to make a decision. "He created that hell; let him stay in it."
Dr. Li was visibly surprised by his remark. The humane thing would be to kill the professor, and she looked over at James. "Is that what you want, James?"
James looked over at his son. "Normally I wouldn't subject anyone to torment like that...but that bastard turned me into a dog! Fuck'em!"
It was the first time in his life Marcus had ever heard his father curse, and he busted out laughing. He embraced his father again, and held him tight. This was real, he thought. His father was here, he was alive, and this was real!
* * *
Somewhere inside the deepest part of the Vault 112 computer, a little girl was sitting in the dark, with her head buried in her knees. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and cries of anguish and dispair echoed in her ears. Cries that would go unheard by anyone else, for all time.
Chapter 19: Shattered Dreams
The journey back to Rivet City was a slow and arduous one for the small band of survivors from Vault 112. Not only did they have to trek more than fifty miles through the wasteland, but the ten Vault residents who had been in stasis for over two-hundred years had difficulty walking, so they crammed into the back and cabin of Marcus' truck. This left no room for him, his father, or Dr. Li and her team, so Charon was forced to drive a mere five miles as hour, while the others walked beside it. Despite all of this, Marcus didn't care. He and his father were walking ahead of the small caravan, and they had not stopped talking since leaving the Vault. Marcus told James everything he had done since his escape from Vault 101, and his father listened with a mixture of wonder and horror. Ultimately, James was proud of his son. Proud of everything he had accomplished, and proud of all the people he had helped. But when Marcus told him about his return to Vault 101, James' heart began to break. Marcus told him everything; even confided in him that it was his idea to be exiled so that Amata could lead the Vault.
"I'm sorry that you had to go through that, son." James said. "I know how much Amata meant to you."
Marcus tensed up. "How long did you know?"
James grinned. "For a while. I figured it out before the Overseer did."
Marcus stopped dead in his tracks and stared at his father.
"You look surprised." James observed.
Marcus nodded. "Yeah. I'm surprised I'm still here."
James chuckled as they continued walking. "Alphonse called me into his office one night and confronted me about it. I believe his exact words were: give me one reason why I shouldn't throw your son into the brig!"
Marcus couldn't help but smile. "And what did you say?"
"I calmly told him that if he did that, he would not only lose a doctor, but he would almost certainly lose a daughter as well."
Marcus couldn't believe that had worked. "That's it?"
James nodded. "For all of his faults, there was no doubting Alphonse's love for Amata."
Marcus scoffed at that statement. "Yeah...that's why the last thing he did was put a gun to Amata's head and force her to kill him."
James could hear the hatred in his voice and decided to change the subject. "Well, anyway...it was a tremendous sacrifice you made." He let out a tired sigh. "I wished things had worked out differently." He gestured to the wasteland before them. "I didn't want this life for you."
Marcus decided to ask the question that had been on his mind for weeks. "Is that because it was once your life?"
Now James tensed up, but he kept walking. "How did you find out?"
"A scumbag named Collin Moriarty."
James cursed under his breath. "I never should've trusted him. You know he was just a two-bit hoodlum when I first met him? When I took you into the Vault I gave it a year before someone would put a bullet in his head. Imagine my surprise when I found that he was not only still alive, but controled Megaton with an iron fist."
Marcus grinned. "Well, he doesn't have that kind of control over the city anymore."
"I heard." He put his arm on Marcus' shoulder. "I'm very proud of you, son."
Marcus quickly swallowed the lump forming in his throat. "Thank you, Dad."
They co
ntinued to walk for a while in silence, carefully keeping on eye out for anything dangerous. "So Dad, what do you plan on doing now?"
"Well, after we get these people medical attention at Rivet City, I'm going to try to convince Madison and her team to help me with Project Purity." James looked at his son. "It would mean a lot to me if you could help me, Marcus."
Marcus stared out into the wasteland and took a deep breath. "I don't know, Dad. I made a promise to Amata that I would do everything I could to make this Wasteland a safe place to live. There are a lot of very bad people out there; people who need to be stopped. I don't see how I can do that at Project Purity."
James was silent for a few moments as he contemplated what Marcus had said. He reached down and picked up a handful of dirt, and showed it to his son. "You see this soil? It's dead. Lifeless. Useless. This is what the people out here have to wake up to every morning. No hope of growing crops. No hope of raising animals. No hope period." He let the lifeless dirt fall between his fingers. "You can kill a hundred Super Mutants and a thousand Raiders, but as long as this," he stretched his arm out towards the horizon, "is all there is, things will never change." He tapped his finger on Marcus' tri-beam rifle. "You can't change that with the barrel of a gun, but you can change it at Project Purity." James stopped walking and stood face to face with his son, and his words almost failed him. "You're a grown man now; I can't tell you what to do, and you've accomplished more in the last few weeks then I have in a lifetime. But this...this was my dream. It was your mother's dream. And I would be honored to have my son by my side."
As strong as he was, Marcus could no longer hold back his tears. Everything his father said made sense, but it also sounded too good to be true. Could he actually put down this rifle and still fulfill his promise to Amata? Standing there, with his father, Marcus made his decision. "Okay, Dad. We'll do it together."
James placed his hand on the back of Marcus' neck. "That's my boy."
The group of travelers watched as father and son embraced.
* * *
After bringing the former residents of Vault 112 to Rivet City, James succeeded in convincing Madison to help him with Project Purity. He explained that while they did not have a GECK, he believed they were closer than they had ever been to a breakthrough. Dr. Li gathered the rest of her team, which included Garza, Anna Holt, Janice Kaplinski, and Dr. Alex Dargon. While he didn't like the idea of the entire science team being off the ship, Chief Harkness agreed to send two of Rivet City's guards to accompany them. When they arrived at the Jefferson Memorial, to everyone's dismay, James went right to work. The team, including Marcus, had hoped for a break after the long journey across the Wasteland, but there was no stopping his father. He had never seen the man so excited and full of energy. At one point he over heard Madison tell one of her assistants that James was quote: "As giddy as a school boy." Still, Marcus was happy to help, and he and Garza spent the rest of the day fixing the flood control pumps in the memorial's sub-basement. It was hard, dirty work, but Marcus found it both rewarding and relaxing. 'Better than dodging bullets and laser fire', he thought.
When the day was finally over, Marcus made his way up to the memorial's basement where cots and bunks had been set up for the science team. Most of them were already snoring by the time Marcus slumped down on a bunk inside a small room that was next to his father's. He was just beginning to doze off when a knock on the wall caused him to sit up.
"I'm sorry," his father said, "I didn't know you were in bed."
Marcus swung his legs over the side and rubbed his eyes. "It's okay." he yawned. "Long day."
James entered the room. "I know; but a productive one." He sat down at a small table, and that's when Marcus noticed the bottle and glasses he was carrying.
"I've been saving this for a very long time." James began as he looked at the bottle. "It's 200 year old scotch from the old country. Your mother and I planned on opening it the day Project Purity was completed, but..." He removed the bottle's cork. "...I think you joining me on this is just as special an occation." He began to pour the contents in the glasses, and he handed one to Marcus. "I trust you've had a drink before?"
Marcus reached for the glass. "Yeah. As a matter of fact I had my first hangover a few days ago."
James raised his eyebrows. "How was that for ya?"
Marcus sighed and rolled his eyes. "Bad."
James laughed. "Well, this will seem like heaven compared to that post-war swill you've been drinking." He raised his glass. "Cheers."
Marcus raised his. "Cheers."
They both drank it down at the same time. James closed his eyes and savored the taste, while Marcus was pleasantly surprised at how smooth it went down. "Dad I ah...found a tape with mom's voice on it."
James poured another shot into his glass and started to blush. Yeah, I ah...left in such a hurry that I left it behind. I should've let you hear her voice sooner."
Marcus held out his glass and his father filled it. "It's okay. It sounded like it was a...private moment between the two of you."
James grinned. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure that was the night you were conceived."
Now Marcus began to blush. "Okay Dad, that's a little more then I needed to know."
James laughed. "Okay, okay. Since leaving the Vault has there been anyone else?"
"Well, there was this girl named Clover. She and I escaped from Paradise Falls together. We had a fling for a little while, and I care about her a lot, but..."
"Nothing like what you felt for Amata?"
Marcus nodded and stared at the ground. "Yeah. What about you, Dad? Was there anyone after Mom?"
James stared at the contents of his glass and sighed. "No. After your mother...I just never thought about it."
Marcus could hear the pain in his father's voice. He couldn't imagine being lonely for that long. "Well, what about Dr. Li? I caught her looking at you a few times."
James' eyes widened. "Madison? Well...she's a very loyal college and a brilliant scientist."
Marcus smiled. "And she's not bad looking either."
James shifted in his seat. "Hey, I'm the one who's suppose to be giving you advise."
Marcus let out a laugh and lifted his glass. "Here's to the women in our lives...where ever they are."
They clinked their glasses together and drank.
* * *
Marcus spent most of the next morning in the basement of Project Purity replacing fuses and trying to get the computer mainframe back on line. Even though Charon and the two Rivet City security guards were patrolling the memorial, Marcus still wore his Ranger Armor and sidearms as he worked. After two months of fighting for his life, Marcus found it impossible to completely let his guard down. He quietly hoped that someday that would change. "Okay Dad, I think I got it." He said into the intercom.
"Yes, that's it. Everything looks good on this end. Good job. There's still one thing left I need you to do. Madison told me there's a blockage in one of the main drain pipes. It's probably a closed valve. I need you to head down to the storm drain maintenance tunnel and open it. The entrance is in a small room across from the memorial's entrance."
"Ok Dad, I'm on my way."
The storm drain was less cramped then Marcus had expect (though not by much), and it didn't take long for him to find the valve. It was located just below a large access grate, and Marcus could feel the breeze coming off the ocean. He had just opened the valve when a strange sound from outside caught his attention. The sound was getting louder and louder, until it seemed like whatever causing it was right on top of him. A guts of wind suddenly shot through the grate, and Marcus shielded his eyes from the dust and debris. As he squinted, he could see two large, green flying machines that he had never seen before, hovering over the memorial. Based on old-world pictures he had seen in his class, these looked like a cross between a jet airplane and a helicopter. On the side of one of the aircraft he could make out a large E with white stars around it. The aircraft landed, an
d several heavily armed men in power armor quickly filed out. Marcus quickly began to make his way back down the storm drain, and he pulled out a radio that Chief Harkness had given him at Rivet City.
"Charon! Charon, are you there?"
"I'm here, kid."
"Who the hell are these people?"
"I don't know, but they don't look friendly. They're at the door now..."
Marcus heard the sound of gunfire over the radio before it went dead. "Charon! CHARON! Rivet City security, anybody!"
Silence. Marcus picked up the pace and he quickly climbed out of the storm drain. He could see the door of the memorial open up, and he ducked back into the maintenance room. As he peeked around the corner, Marcus could see six men wearing power armor and carrying strange energy weapons, being led by a tall man with grey hair wearing a tan trench coat. "Alpha team will secure the outer perimeter." He ordered into his head set. "Delta team, you're with me." The seven men rounded the corner and headed into the memorial's gift shop area.
Marcus looked down at his pistol and sawed-off, the only weapons he had, and cursed. He knew these men were headed to the Rotunda, where his father and the rest of the scientist were. He had to do something. Quietly he drew his desert eagle and made his way down the hallway. He quickly peeked around the corner, and spotted two of the power armored men standing guard behind a pile of sandbags at the gift shop entrance. Marcus took a couple of deep breath, took aim, and activated his VATS. He aimed for the first one's head, and looked in two shots. The second guard he aimed for the torso, locked in the third shot, and fired. The first 50 caliber round struck the helmet with a load clang, and while it had absorbed the shot, the second round smashed through the now damaged armor with ease. The man's head exploded inside the helmet, and he was dead before he hit the ground. The third shot Macus fired found it's mark, and though it knocked the guard back, he quickly recovered and opened fire. Marcus ducked back behind the wall as beams of strange, green light flew past him. The beams struck a stack of filing cabinets in the corner of the hall, and Marcus watched in horror as the beams melted the steel cabinets as if they were nothing.