The communicator rang a few tis when all of a sudden I heard a click followed by a familiar male voice. "What's going on, son? You can't possibly be here already, can you? I an, I just talked to you a short ti ago."
"Actually, in fact, I am, so could you tell the guys at the vault door to open up."
"Oh, you don't say... Well, I'll let them know."
Cutting the call there, I stood in front of the massive, sturdy gear-shaped vault door and waited for the security officers on the other side to hit the big red button to get it going. Thankfully, my father-in-law didn't waste any ti and imdiately contacted the guy the second he hung up with , so re monts later the big, hulking piece of tal began to move. The door first ground against its steel threshold as it was pulled back, but once it had been dragged into the interior just enough, it started rolling away to the side.
I waited for it to do its thing before strolling up and through the Vault's entrance. "How's it going, Uncle Goz? Are you glad to see back so soon?"
"Always glad to see you returning in one piece, kid, so what's on the agenda today?"
"Nothing much. I just thought I'd stop by and say hello." I joked.
"Uh-huh... I don't know about that; you're not really one to do such things when you're always on the go."
"Haha, you know so well."
"Well, I would hope so after all the years of having to pull your hide from the fire."
"I suppose so... Thanks for all that. I guess I really owe ya, huh?"
"A big one, but don't worry about it, kid. Just don't go giving any more headaches like you used to in your younger years and I'll be happy..." The middle-aged officer chided as his fellows began adding that he could kiss that dream goodbye now that I had escaped the vault.
"I'll try, I'll try, but yeah, I didn't really co today for that, even though it is nice to see so familiar faces." I replied, happy to see the rest of the security uncles I had grown close to over the years were doing just dandy. "The real reason for today's visit is that it's ti to pick up the boys and have them join out in the wasteland." I dispensed as the convoy I brought along began unloading supplies for the vault and bringing out the spare Black Devil Power Armor I had prepared specifically for Butch and the gang.
Following my brief conversation with Uncle Goz and the rest of the security team manning the door, I didn't waste another second and headed off to the usual spot the three young guys hung out and trained at. Unsurprisingly, I knew this place like the back of my hand due to the number of years I spent growing up here, that bordered on nearly two decades, so my trip through the vault's expansive maze-like interior was short-lived to say the least.
When I eventually arrived at the right place, I headed on in past the open double-wide hertic door and gave the place a once-over. My perception field helped greatly in this aspect, so I quickly located Butch beginning his training together with the rest of the gang on a bench press over in a corner of the gym normally only used by the vault's security.
That be them.
With my targets found, I wandered over to them whilst being sure to turn off all of my stealth abilities, so I wouldn't startle them whilst Butch was busy pushing the 225 pounds they were training with. "So how goes the sesh?"
The trio was surprised to see show up out of nowhere, but not so much in their leader's case.
"Not bad, not bad. What about on your end? "Butch answered my casual question in kind whilst re-racking the barbell.
"Ehh, not terrible. It's about what you'd expect for going around stirring up chaos in the wasteland. You know what I'm saying."
"I an, I do, but I don't, seeing how I've never left the vault before. But since it's you we're talking about, I can imagine the sort of ti the poor bastards are having out there."
"Mmm, that's so true. I really can't imagine them taking kindly to a tough S.O.B. like big bro." Wally agreed readily.
"I kind of feel bad for them." Paul added.
"Well, I only go after the bad guys and those too stupid to back off if that makes you feel any better, Pauly."
"Ehh, sowhat."
I shot the shit with the group of young guys that weren't that far off from truly coming into adulthood, and before long Butch decided to find out why I was really back. "Seeing you back in one piece is great and all and though I would love to continue our shit talk, bro, I know you're not one to drop by out of the blue, especially when you got your whole wasteland business going on out there. So why are you really here, Harold?"
Knowing it was ti to get down to the at and potatoes of my sudden visit, I didn't hold back any longer. "I'm glad you know so well." Once I had cut the tension that had suddenly taken hold thanks to Butch, I began revealing the details. "So my real reason for stopping by today is that I've finally secured the suits of power armor I needed to ensure you guys would survive your first encounters out in the wasteland. In other words, it's finally ti for you guys to kiss the vault goodbye and kick it with out in the wastes before my power base starts developing anymore than it already has... That is, if none of you have changed whilst I was away."
Once I had revealed the real reason for my return, Butch and the gang started cheering and getting hyped up for what was to co. "Hell yeah, I was wondering when it would finally be our turn to leave the vault."
"Yeah, you can say that again. I was going nuts with anticipation." Wally added, eager to get out there and kick ass and take nas.
"When do we set off?" Paul, our dark-skinned friend, asked, ready to leave this claustrophobic underground city behind the very next instant if that was the plan.
Looks like my last words were wholly unnecessary because they're still just as eager to leave the vault as the day I left them.
"As soon as you guys say your goodbyes and I show you how to operate the suits, waiting for the three of ya topside."
"I guess that ans we should go talk to our families, huh?" Paul replied.
"I would say so, unless you plan on just high-tailing it out of here without saying a single word to any of your loved ones." I told the three pre-adult teens who were practically brimming with excitent and the vigor that youngsters like them were known for.
Having t up with my bros, I told them to link up with at the vault entrance up top and started making my way there as they took off for their respective hos to gather the things they believed they would need for this great but dangerous adventure and say their farewells. I knew things were going to take a while, so I took my ti strolling through the seemingly endless network of intersecting halls that this massive alternate vault was made up of.
However, when I reached the vault's way out, I chatted it up with my unrelated uncles on the force since that was really the only thing to do to pass the ti, minus the usual real-ti strategy ga I found myself playing, called managing my chanical forces back at base.
Ti quickly passed by as I waited for my dear ole pals, and before long they began showing up one after the next along with their respective families, who I learned were let off from work by the overseer's word. "Are you sure you're prepared to head out? I an, surely you can stay until you've reached the true age of adulthood." Butch's mother said, trying to keep her son from venturing into the dangerous wasteland lying just outside the cave Vault 101 was in.
"Yea, Miss DeLoria is right, can't you boys just stay put till then? It'd really put our minds at ease if you would." Another mother agreed before the rest of the family mbers started piling on their grievances one by one.
It was nice that my father-in-law gave them the day off but now I got to reassure them and resolve any final concerns they may have regarding their sons' departure from the vault... Haa, I better get to it otherwise we'll be standing here all day if it's up to them.
Conscious of their reservations and sowhat understanding of them, I did my best to assuage any worries and concerns they had. Thankfully, I had a small army of robots in tow, many of which were of the combat variety, so that did placate them to a certain degree. However, it wasn't enough to guarantee their sons' personal survival.
I was hoping this would've been enough, but it doesn't look like they're satisfied just yet... Hmm, you know what, I could try out that idea.
Knowing just what to do, I retrieved my AER 29 LMG from my item box-like space and began my spiel. "I can see everyone still has so concerns with regards to my ability to keep them from sustaining severe damage and life-threatening injuries, so let display a fraction of the durability of the protective armor I've gone and risked my life to acquire for them."
The group of civis looked at wide-eyed due to my weapon's sudden appearance, but that didn't last for long because their eyes quickly transitioned from the gun itself, that had magically appeared from out of nowhere, to the standing suits of Enclave power armor, I begun unloading into. Intent on getting my boys their release forms, I kept laying into the suits at vanilla level damage ratios to prevent any real damage from occurring to the suits and once those five seconds were all that was left behind from my fully automatic spray of blinding red laser fire were three pristine sets of Black Devil Power Armor... And a crowd who had gone stiff from the sudden show of lethal firepower.
I waited for a few seconds as the families stood there stunned before I started my push once more. "How's that? Do you think Butch, Paul, and Wally will be safe, or are my preparations still insufficient?"
A few more seconds went by as they all stood there practically gobsmacked, but eventually one of the dads stepped forth. "Can you really guarantee nothing will happen to them?"
I returned the concerned look Pauly's father was giving and replied honestly. "I can't, since nothing can truly be guaranteed in this world."
He was about to say sothing following my initial words, but I beat him to it and dispensed with the rest that I had to say. "But I will give you my word that I would sooner put myself in harm's way than let anything happen to them. Nevertheless, I don't expect to encounter too many difficulties we can't handle out there since I've already established a sizable foothold out in the capital wasteland and have 100 trained n that are all equipped with comparable armor to what I've shown you all here. On top of an army of robots, many, many tis the number you can see here."
"Though, if shit really did go south out there, I will try my damndest to bring them back alive." I reiterated.
The parents eyed as if they were trying to discern sothing from a combination of my words and my body language, whilst their boys looked at them with pleading eyes that said please, please let go. This went on for half a minute, but before long they faltered under the combined attack of my bros and I and released a collective sigh.
"Alright, fine, son, you can go." Butch's mom surrendered first before quickly being followed by the rest of the trio's parents.
Looks like we got past this hurdle now it's ti to finish up the goodbyes and take care of the remaining preparations.
Butch, Wally, and Paul enjoyed one final emotional farewell with their respective family mbers and when the three of them had wiped away the quote unquote sweat that had collected in their eyes, I taught them how to use the suits of advanced Enclave power armor, and the instant they had the hang of it we were full steam ahead.
"Alright, we're leaving. We'll catch you guys later, don't miss us too much." I said as I turned towards my bots, who had gathered outside the entrance.
"Good luck out there, boys."
"Don't get into too much trouble." Another person called out before being followed by those surrounding them.
With the group of guys that would've beco the Tunnel Snakes without my interference acquired, I headed out the vault's entryway with them and had each of the boys grab whatever weapons they preferred from the small armory I had brought along specifically for them.
They had been training with a whole assortnt of weapons back in the vault but they had a tendency for weapons with a higher magazine capacity because of my influence, so once they had their pick, which ended up being gauss machine guns for Butch and Wally and surprisingly a grenade machine gun for Paul, plus a Plasma Defender pistol for each of them, I and the boys waved their families and the guards who had co to see us off goodbye one final ti before the massive gear shaped door began to close.
I let them have their mont as the door slowly began to close, but once the door ground and screeched into place, I opened my mouth. "This is it, brothers, let's head it out."
The three of them were silent, but I could tell they were amped for their very first venture into the Capital Wasteland. So with my squad of buddies in tow, the convoy set off on the usual route and began the not so short journey ho through the ruthless, untad wasteland. Thankfully, the sky was cloudless, and the sun was shining brightly, so it wasn't too bad of a beginning for them.
It's been a hot minute since I've last written a chapter for this, but we're finally back with the real chapter 73. I don't know if it's the best stuff since it's been a while, but I'm sure you guys will let know if there are any issues with this and the next couple I plan on putting out.
Other than that, if you're looking for anything else to read go check out my other stuff, I got Borderlands fic, a multiverse zombie fic starting off in Left 4 Dead, and an original work that's set in a similar setting to this and takes inspiration from a lot of the greats.
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