the story in which Alex Seattle Geer is right for hating enclosed spaces,

[doubletap]

and Neil Park is blamed for his knowledge of vaults.

---

Terminal Entries:

1st Floor, Vault Entry-Room Computer:
- Data Entry 1: Year 20XX, Month XX; There's no escape.
- Holotape Entry 1: Y#4@ SDhig^8705 H98 [data corrupted]; This is hell and I want out of it.

1st Floor, Cafeteria Luncheon:
- Holotape Entry 2: Private Recording; I've had better?

1st Floor, Cafeteria Supply Room:
- Inventory List: Inventory List; A list of food....
- Data Entry 2: Shift Notes; Maybe I should tear the walls down.

1st Floor, Broken Cave:
- Data Entry 3: Preparations; Everything's fine.
- Data Entry 4: Near the End; I'll tell you the truth, but I won't give up my soul.
- Data Entry 5: Finally, the End is at Hand.; This is far enough.

1st Floor, Office:
- Data Entry 6: Vault-Wide Public Service Announcement; Get back to work everyone.
- Data Entry 7: Locked Administrative Reply; You're reaching for straws.

1st Floor, Administrative Secretary's Office:
- Data Entry 8: Drama Hoes; It is sort of funny that people aren't able to lie, though.
- Holotape Entry 3: Bill Self-Log; Byron's access still works everywhere.

Comments

[doubletap]

[ Alex smiles against Neil and makes no move to release him. ]

Maybe we will be. But it's something irresistible-- You reacting honestly.

[goodfight]

Well...

[As wonderful as the Courier might see in a more blatantly honest Neil, the Lone Wanderer suddenly does not feel the same. He knows himself (or knew himself).]

Once I regain the semblance of pride I had going into this vault, I am going to dig a hole and live in it. Or murder you. Whatever is more convenient.

[doubletap]

Why don't you just marry me instead?

[goodfight]

[There is a moment of pause. Then a deadpan:]

Men can't marry each other in the wasteland.

[doubletap]

[ Alex kisses Neil's neck. ]

A marriage of devotion. Mutual understanding and love. A ceremony of commitment.

[goodfight]

[Oh, god. Neil withholds a shudder (for good or for bad).]

...This is sounding more and more like those sappy romance comics Amata likes to read.

[doubletap]

[ Alex snorts, then pulls at Neil to turn around. ]

Well, at least you should understand how much I care for you now.

[goodfight]

[It's another foot-in-the-mouth moment, but Neil doesn't really seem to care. At the prompting, he turns back, eyes searching Alex's face.]

How much, maybe. I'm still lost on the why.

[A pause.]

Unless young and reckless vagrants with father issues are your type.

[doubletap]

[ ...Hmm. How interesting that this is where Neil chooses to tread. Alex smiles slowly. ]

Is that what you want to ask me? Why I like you?

[goodfight]

[He pauses for thought.]

Fuck, probably? It just came to mind.

[A finger points to the terminal before them.]

But answering the question would be taking away time spent getting out of here.

[doubletap]

[ Alex smirks, for a moment looking like he normally does.

He reaches around Neil and pulls up the next file. ]

[simpleagain]

... Loading Shift Notes

"Uh, inventory has been steady. A couple of things missing here or there, but it's to be expected with this many hungry mouths in one place. There's been a lot of swipe and grab lately, like people can't even control themselves.

You know, I don't even care to be honest. Take it all. Just stop that fucking scratching sound. I'm starting to hear it all the time now. It sounds like it's behind the walls.

Maybe I should tear the walls down."

[goodfight]

[A familiar expression allows Neil to successfully shift to the newfound information. It isn't much. The entry indicates a lax in morals, at least the one centered on the theft of food.

The more interesting aspect is the scratching sound. More interesting in that it reminds Neil of Vault 92 and its subliminal suggestions. If their strangeness has an external cause, the sound might be a clue. Therefore, he focuses all attention on their surroundings, on sound and sight.

It is quiet, aside from the hum of the terminal and their breaths. The fact is almost disappointing after that entry.

His eyes, however, catch a trail of color--red against the side wall, the one adjacent to the terminal. If his observations are correct, the trail continues behind the shelves.

Without a word to Alex, Neil steps away to pull the shelving unit away from the wall.]

[doubletap]

[ The entry just adds to the irregularities... But it's Neil's actions that prompt Alex's attention. His gaze notes the red Neil went to, and for a moment, wonders at cliches-- But it's far too bright for blood, either paint or some kind of sauce, maybe, dried and old.

Neil pulls at the shelving, the metal giving with a creak, and Alex moves to brace the other side. ]

Your inhuman strength.

[ Is the mutter as the shelving is moved away. The red trail was the end of a sentence, the words placed above a bright arrow pointing down. ]

[simpleagain]

"There was a hole."

[goodfight]

[Neil frowns at the offhanded comment, a part of him wondering if he indeed had abnormal strength. Or if Alex Seattle Geer simply fails in that department.

Nevertheless, a red sentence stares back at them, its color reminiscent of paint or the dye found in certain sauces. Neil reads the words silently, mulling on the possibilities, before glancing at the other.]

So is it customary to write in red on the wall when you go insane?

[doubletap]

[ That shuffling starts again.

It's closer now, but far too faint--even Alex has a hard time hearing it. He crouches down suddenly, passing a hand below the paint. ]

I don't doubt anything when it comes to these vaults.

[ Including, it seems, an invisible hole. The wall is solid; if there was a hole there, it's been sealed over. But--

His eyes drop to the dirty linoleum. To the one tile cleaner than the rest. Leaning his rifle against the wall, he works his fingers into the edges of the tile, eventually lifting it up.

Revealing a switch. ]

Like I said. I don't doubt a thing.

[goodfight]

[The old man becomes occupied with the wall, following an invisible trail. They are rewarded with a switch for his efforts.

Neil whistles.]

Nice.

[doubletap]

[ Alex doesn't respond, just looks back at Neil before reaching back for his rifle. A switch, in Alex's experience, either means nothing or a horde of enemies.

He flips it.

Below the red letters, the bottom part of the grimy wall shudders and begins to slide away. ]

[goodfight]

[Neil understands the gesture and grudgingly readies his rifle.

Instead of outright death, however, part of the wall slides away to reveal potential death. A tunnel, from the looks of it, one that will require two grown men to crawl through.

Sighing, Neil shoulders his weapon and reaches for his 10mm. He then ducks down to get a better vantage. The tunnel is obscured by darkness, but that is easily fixed with a simple matter.

Dr. Lesko was a horrible human being, but his horribleness did bring about one particularly useful trait. Neil concentrates on his surroundings, on the minute vibrations around and beyond his current position. It isn't long before he speaks.]

Something's moving in there.

[doubletap]

[ Where Alex is accented by technology, Neil holds claim to biological modifications. The Lone Wanderer concentrates, and Alex guesses he's picking up the vibrations from ahead.

Alex, however, has an easier way of dealing with things. He's kept something on him since the Divide, something he never uses except in dark places (just in case...). A hand slips back to a lower pocket of his pack and the flaregun comes out, always loaded and ready (just in case...).

Without explanation, he fires once, a blinding streak moving through the dark until it explodes to worser and brighter light. Something in the darkness squeals, a sound in-between surprise and pain, and all Alex knows is that's not a sound made by the things he fears. ]

Good enough.

[ Is the mutter, and he slips through the hole to move through the tunnel. ]

[goodfight]

[The Courier appears to have a flare gun in his possession, a device Neil has never seen the other use in all of their time spent. Before he could process this update, however, the weapon is fired into the tunnel, effectively blinding Neil to what is ahead.

Not entirely, of course. The distressed sound rings familiar to one who has whacked molerats with enough enthusiasm to call concern.]

Pretty intense for a molerat.

[He says as creeps forward toward the tunnel.]

I've never seen that before. The flare gun.