He shoved his shoulder into the icy metal of the heavy door. Behind him, the service tunnels gave way—metal shrieked, then everything went still. Grit floated around him like fog, thick on his tongue with a sharp metallic bite. His body shook from tiredness; only raw energy had held off collapse till this moment.
"HUD, status, Asha"
A thin chime responded in his ear. "Primary systems online. Vital signs: heart rate 104. Stamina thirty-seven percent. Injuries: superficial cuts on the left forearm. Armor integrity eighty-three percent."
He rubbed his hands across his face. "The map"
A thin green glow lit up inside the door, giving a bird's-eye look at the Vault. Where parts had caved in, red patches showed clearly. A tiny dot flickered - his location, still holding on.
"What's our route options."
