Vault Dweller's POV
The sound of blaring alarms slowly sharpened in my ears—"Warning…
I gasped as my lungs remembered how to breathe. My pod hissed and released me, cold mist clinging to my skin like death's last breath. My vision cleared just enough to see someone standing near an open pod.
Nora's pod.
It was empty.
That image hit harder than the cold—they killed her, took Shaun, left her to rot. And now someone in a military uniform was standing there, looking over it like he owned the place. A looter? Or worse… a Communist?
Adrenaline surged. I yelled and lunged at him, rage overriding reason—"Where's my wife and son, you COMMUNIST BASTARD!"
I grabbed at their weapon, but something felt… off. "He" wasn't a he. The figure was female—and stronger than her frame suggested. I tried to wrestle control, but she held firm.
With a sharp gesture, she barked, "Hold fire!"
I froze. My instincts caught up to my senses. Two more armed women—soldiers—had me in their sights, fingers on triggers.
Then the first one shouted, "ISAC! Echo display, now!"
An orange light flared into the air, forming a 3D holographic projection. It was like watching a ghost—Nora.Shaun.And him—the man with the gun."Let the boy go," he said coldly. "I'm only going to say it once."
The gunshot. Nora's cry. Shaun's scream.I staggered. My knees gave out, and I dropped.
The soldier took that chance to elbow me in the gut, pushing me to the floor. My chest heaved. Hyperventilating. Heart racing. The air wouldn't come fast enough.
"Stay calm, sir." Her voice cut through the fog. "You just woke up from cryo. You're in shock. I'm not your enemy."
She knelt and injected something into my arm. A Stimpak. Relief spread through my system like warmth in the cold.
"This will help, but you need to slow your breathing. Easy… in and out. That's it."
As I slowly stabilized, she stood and turned back toward the projection, muttering to herself,"A kidnapping in an isolated vault… and a baby, no less. What the hell were they doing here?"
I coughed. My voice rasped, still suspicious."Y-you're not with them? Not one of those commie snakes?"
She turned to me with an exhausted sigh. "Okay—first, yes, I have Asian features, but that doesn't mean I'm Red Chinese. Second, this is my first time even setting foot in this isolated vault. And third—"She straightened slightly, her tone more formal,"—I am Strategic Homeland Division Commander Sierra 0045. You may call me Sarah."
The Division? I blinked, stunned. "The SHD? I thought you were just a myth. Ghosts in the dark… saving what's left."
She extended a hand to help me up. Her grip was firm, despite the earlier scuffle. "Judging by how you tackled me, I'd say you're military. Name and rank, soldier?"
I chuckled, sheepish now. "More like a weak tackle, honestly. First Lieutenant Nate Parker, U.S. Army… former."
Her posture relaxed slightly. "Good to meet you, Lt. Parker. Let's get you warmed up. You've been frozen a long time."
She turned toward one of her teammates. "UMP9, I know you were hoarding that Pip-Boy after copying its firmware. Hand it over to Mr. Nate."
UMP9 looked unsure. "Boss, you sure that's a good idea?"
"I'm allowing it," Sarah said firmly. "He's the only survivor of this vault… and he's trying to find his family. He'll need every tool we can spare."