The sliding metal panels lifted. They revealed the same staff member with curly hair from earlier.
‘I will install a lock on that door. One that even the Overseer cannot open.’ Animus thought with narrowed eyes.
“Since your Pip-Boy isn’t working, I have come in person to take you to the Atrium for the induction meeting,” She said with a professional smile.
“Sure.” Animus said curtly. He didn’t like his privacy interrupted. Moreover, he hated the casual lingo she used. It was as if nobody cared about the end of the world in Vault-Tec.
The two walked outside Unit 01 and headed deeper inside the cold metal corridors once Animus closed the gates. The contrast between a homely unit and the metal corridors was jarring.
While walking, he made small talk.
“I saw a basket with a lot of goodies on the dining table, including Sugar Bombs. Is that part of my welcome package?” He asked. He was surprised to notice boxes of junk food, cereal, and the infamously tasty yet unhealthy Sugar Bombs sweets on the table.
The staff member glanced at him. “Yes. Due to superior preservation methods, we have a lot of canned and packaged food that is meant to last centuries. We are equipped to weather the end of the world. We also have hydroponic farms to make more food.”
A glint emerged in Animus’ eyes for a moment. ‘Now, it is time to begin. Let’s sow chaos in this vault.’
“That is amazing. Vault-Tec is truly protecting the world.” He praised.
The woman’s chest puffed a little and she smiled. Animus noted that she was deeply indoctrinated to Vault-Tec’s propaganda. She had also shown signs of being gullible and shy.
“I imagine your family is somewhere safe in the vaults. I bet they got discounted tickets, too?” He asked.
The woman’s smile wavered, but she held on. “Yes. I asked them to join the researchers of Vault 4 last month. They should be living safely underground and working as research assistants and farmers.”
Animus’s eyes hardened with rage and pity.
‘So, she doesn’t know. Vault 4 is one of the absolute worst vaults to be inside. I remember it from the TV show. What a tragedy.’ He thought.
Restoring his expression, he said, “Ah, I know that vault. It showed up on television advertisements a lot. It must be nice. But I wonder if everything is as safe as it looks?”
The woman stiffened.
“What do you mean?” She asked, slowing down and turning to him. They were at an intersection.
“Well, I noticed that so far I am the only man here. If Vault-Tec made such a mistake, then maybe they have made more mistakes too.” Animus shrugged.
“No! Vault-Tec is the hope of America! Sure, we have logistical issues, but thi-” She stopped suddenly and started walking.
“Let’s go.” She said curtly.
Animus walked behind her.
‘Ah, she almost said something she shouldn’t have. Like the truth of Vault 69.’ Animus smile behind her.
“I wonder what may be wrong with Vault 4. Hopefully nothing.” Animus said, shaking his head.
The woman’s shoulders trembled slightly.
**
The two soon reached a large, multi-story room. It served as the central hub of the vault, and had multiple corridors connecting it to various sections of the floor. Metal scaffolding and staircases in Vault-Tec’s blue and yellow branding dominated the space. Artificial lighting made it look like it was daytime. A carefully constructed scenery of rolling grass and a clear sky at the walls further attempted to reinforce the idea of a peaceful world, tricking viewers into finding comfort while making them temporarily forget they were underground.
Animus silently scoffed in disgust.
‘The world has ended, and they think that fake light and cheap scenery will fix that?’ He thought, his voice cold inside.
“This is where future meetings and events with vault citizens are held,” The woman said without emotion.
“Thanks for bringing me here. What’s your name?” Animus asked.
“Beatrice. What’s yours?” She asked.
“Pri- Animus. Animus Spero.” He answered.
“Nice meeting you. I suggest you stop wondering things and quit asking questions.” Beatrice said before she turned and left to join the Overseer at the podium, who was already standing there.
Animus chuckled and descended the steps to join the massive crowd.
“No can do.” He said to himself.
He looked at his Pip-Boy and clicked on the Comms feature. It opened up to reveal a list of all contacts in the vault, which included all its new citizens. It had a convenient search bar along with the option to add new contacts and favourite them by clicking on the star option to find them easier. He typed in Zoe’s name and quickly found her.
[Zoe Spero]
[Occupation: None]
[Call?]
[Yes/No]
He clicked the star option next to her. He clicked yes. The screen shifted to a pixelated profile icon of Zoe along with her name. A scrolling bar moved to indicate that the call was being rung.
It picked with a click.
“Whoa, how does this work? Bro? Is that you, o sibling of mine?” Zoe asked.
Animus couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yes, it is I, your compatriot of chaos. Wherefore art thou, sibling of blood?” He said, matching her rhythm.
“Look for me in the back of the crowd of blue worms, blood-bound brother. Thou shalt find me where the light scarce reaches.” She intoned.
Animus turned and looked at the corner of the Atrium. At the very back, Zoe stood with her arms crossed.
“I see you. I’m coming over,” He said.
A random thought struck Animus.
‘Zoe and Robert will get along like a house on fire.’ He thought, an image of the genial god and his peppy sister exchanging banter in the space of the universe beyond universes emerging in his mind.
He chuckled a little.
‘Apparently, the dormant version of me did this banter with her often.’ He smiled while walking to her.
He soon reached her and stood next to her. Zoe wrapped an arm around him. He reciprocated. The two held each other in their arms.
“What do you think the Overseer is going to say now?” She asked.
“We’ll find out. Did someone tell you about who she is and her role?” He asked.
She nodded. “Yeah, I spoke to one of the residents on my way here. I’ll introduce her to you. I’m honestly shocked that someone like her-”
“Greetings, everyone. I am glad to see that you are all settled in. Let us begin the induction ceremony.” Rachel announced with a microphone in her hands. It was connected to a stand on the podium’s dais. She looked like a politician to Animus.
Nine staff members flanked her, just like before in the entrance of the vault.
The two stopped talking to focus on the speech.
“Firstly, congratulations on arriving in the vault. Every citizen has been accounted for. We are glad to announce that Vault 69 reached operational efficiency before 86% of the other vaults in America.” Rachel announced with a vacuous smile.
Behind her, the other staff members started clapping.
No one clapped in the audience.
Without missing a beat, she continued, “Vault 69 is special. We are well-equipped, possess the latest Pip-Boys, and are ready to weather the end of the world. We have water purifiers, power generators, canned food for centuries, hydroponic bays, and medical facilities. You may all rest assured here.”
People murmured in relief. Animus observed. Rachel’s assurances were beginning to have an impact.
‘If only all of you knew the truth behind Vault-Tec. Looks like nobody has fully realized it yet. The vault is closed to the outside world. There are almost a thousand women in here and only a single man. There is zero genetic diversity in the male gene pool.’ Animus frowned.
‘The vault will die in a single generation.’ He thought grimly.
Rachel’s smile grew wider.
“Let me introduce myself again. I am Rachel Greaves, senior people management specialist and a mid-level executive of Vault-Tec. I will be the Overseer of this vault. I will administer daily operations, food distribution, and help everyone find a purpose here. My office is on the corner of this floor. You can come to me or my staff members behind me for any issues.” She said with a smile.
People nodded to her words.
‘Greaves? What a grim name.’ Animus thought with a tense look.
Rachel continued to speak for 45 minutes. She explained the rules of living in the vault, the day-to-day activities one can perform, and the roles everyone will be assigned. The laws weren’t too difficult to understand as they were the same as the outside world with just extra precautions surrounding the water purifiers, power generators, and the farms.
“Everyone will be assigned roles based on their compatibility, which is assessed using the profiles we have of you based on the forms filled while buying vault tickets. Some of you may become chefs, others would maintain the water purifiers, and a few could even become computer technicians. You may choose to switch roles if you don’t feel comfortable in your current role. Remember, all roles are equally important!” She said cheerfully, but it sounded fake to Animus’s ears.
“Does she need to talk in that high pitch?” Zoe asked with a grimace.
“I was wondering the same,” Animus replied.
“My ears are close to bleeding.” Zoe grumbled and held her ears.
“I will now send you your role assignments to your Pip-Boys.” Rachel said and tapped a few times on her Pip-Boy.
Immediately, nearly a thousand pings reverberated in the area, including right next to Animus. He turned to look at Zoe, who turned her left hand lower and looked at her Pip-Boy.
“It says ‘Schooling’,” She groaned.
“Well, who said you can escape school?” Animus said in mock-anger.
“Blegh.” Zoe stuck her tongue out.
Animus looked at his Pip-Boy. The screen was blank right now.
“Your Pip-Boy’s still not working?” Zoe asked with concern.
“Nope,” Animus answered coolly.
“I was going to come pick you up, but I kind of lost the way.” Zoe said with an awkward look.
“That’s alright.” Animus said, ruffling her hair.
She immediately pawed his hands away.
“Thank you all for coming here. You may return to your quarters and begin assignments from tomorrow. Have a good day!” Rachel smiled, her expression lacking the feeling associated with a smile.
Animus ignored her and stared at his Pip-Boy. He tapped on the screen. It showed his vitals. He swiped the screen. It revealed his System. He looked for any notification regarding his role. He didn’t find anything. But he realized something else.
‘I don’t have a Hit Points bar. I guess it wouldn’t make sense, because this is the real world.’ He thought.
“Oh! Over here!” Zoe called out.
Animus looked at Zoe.
Zoe was waving to someone in the crowd. He turned to look where. His breath caught in his throat.
“My. Is that your brother, Zoe?” A mellifluous voice asked.
‘Impossible...’ He thought.
A breathtaking young woman in a simple pair of black pants and blue shirt approached him. The simplicity of her clothes only seemed to enhance her apparent beauty. She wore a headband crowned with a sapphire in her jet-black hair. Her hourglass figure swayed as she walked toward them. Her olive brown skin perfectly complemented her clothes, glowing under the lights. Her lustrous, chestnut brown eyes looked at him intently. She greeted him with a smile.
“Hi there. My name is Jasmine. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled.
“Hi... My name is Animus. Likewise.” Animus said a beat later, extending his hand for a handshake while remaining rooted to the spot.
‘No way. Jasmine...from Aladdin?’ He thought, his inner voice struggling to function correctly. ‘No. That can’t be. But she looks exactly like her! It’s too much of a coincidence.’
Animus looked at her, desperately hiding his look of recognition and sense of wonder.
She looked surprised with the gesture for a moment, but shook hands with a brighter smile. Around the same time, another woman looking almost the same as Jasmine, except for her red shirt and red headband with a ruby, walked behind her to stare at Animus.
“Who are these people, sister? Why are you with them?” She asked in a hostile tone. She glared at Animus and Zoe.
“Daph, they are people I met just today. Could you introduce yourself to them, please?” Jasmine asked in a placating tone while Animus took his hand back.
“I’m Daphne. Jasmine’s sister.” She said without missing a beat, her voice curt.
“Nice to meet you.” Animus nodded.
“I’m Zoe. Animus’ sister.” Zoe said, her arms akimbo and voice flat.
She stared at the woman, matching her hostility.
‘Gotta admit, I like my new sister. My memories of 18 years do not compare to seeing her nature in action.’ He smiled.
“Daphne’s my twin sister. She isn’t good with people. I’m sorry.” Jasmine apologized.
“It’s alright. While I appreciate meeting you both, circumstances demand we leave. I apologize. See you later. Let’s go, Zo.” Animus waved and held Zoe’s hand.
“See you soon, Animus.” Jasmine smiled.
Animus smiled back. He turned and left with Zoe.
‘She is sweet. She said, ‘See you soon.’ Does that mean she likes me?’ Animus thought and quickly mentally slapped himself.
‘Calm down! Ugh. Jasmine was my childhood crush. This should be impossible. How does she look exactly like her?’ Animus groaned inwardly before frowning in thought.
As the two walked away, Animus could feel the hostile twin’s glare on his back. As the sibling duo turned a corner, Zoe exploded into chatter.
“Can you imagine the nerve of that girl?! She stared at us like we were trying to hurt Jasmine! We were just talking! Just because she and her sister own Agrabah Enterprises, she thinks she can be rude to everyone she meets!” Zoe said, gritting her teeth.
“What’s Agrabah Enterprises?” Animus frowned.
Zoe stilled for a moment. “Bro, are you serious? Agrabah is one of the biggest corporations of the Middle East that was almost destroyed during the Resource Wars. Jasmine and Daphne are the twin heiresses of Agrabah. They escaped to America with their father right before the European Commonwealth nuked the Middle East. It was all over the news!” She said in a single breath.
“Wait, wait, wait. This is too much to take in. I remember reading about the Resource Wars in school, but why am I hearing about Agrabah Enterprises for the first time?” He asked.
“It’s no surprise. They are a low-key bunch, unlike the crazy billionaires of Vault-Tec, West Tek, and Robco. That reminds me, I think I saw a striking girl with platinum blonde hair who looked a lot like the new CEO of Ice Corp.” Zoe said, tapping her chin.
“What are the chances they would all be in the same vault with us?” She shrugged.
Animus’s frown grew deeper.
‘I loved the lore of Fallout to the point of studying about it for long hours. There was no mention of Agrabah Enterprises or Ice Corp. What are these companies? Isn’t Agrabah an Arabian city in the movie Aladdin? What is happening?’ He thought.
“There is no point dwelling on this. Their money, power, and influence matters not here. We need to focus on making a life while being safe here.” Animus said to both himself and his sister.
“What could happen to us in the vault, brother? Technically, we should be safe for our whole life.” Zoe asked with a confused look.
“Do not be so quick to dismiss danger. I am suspicious of the vault staff. I feel like they are up to something,” Animus said.
“Oh, yeah. That Rachel lady is creepy as hell. She almost made me think that the taste of a bullet in motion would be better than the taste I get in my mouth whenever I look at her smiling face.” Zoe said with a decisive nod.
‘What the hell, little sister? You are savage.’ Animus thought.
“...Yeah. And I don’t plan on staying here forever. I want to find Dad and Mom. We know where Dad is right now, but not about Mom. I am also concerned about Dad’s last message.” Animus said while looking forward. They were nearing Unit 01 – Animus’s new home.
Zoe didn’t reply. As they reached the unit’s door, Animus looked at her in worry.
She lifted her face to look at him. Her face was full of tears. She asked, “Are they even safe? Even if they are, for how long? Mom disappeared a month ago on another one of her expeditions in South Africa. Vault-Tec has no bunkers there! She could be- She could be-...”
Animus hugged her. She sobbed into his chest for several long minutes. He gently rubbed her back, letting her cry.
“I know. I know it hurts. But we must be strong. We must find them. I will not live a life in hiding while thinking what if I headed outside the vault and found them, waiting for me to save them.” He said.
‘And the only way I can defeat my enemies and prevent this universe from collapsing is by taking the fight to them.’ He added in his mind, his gaze serious.
Zoe continued crying for a while. People passed them and gave them sad looks, sharing their pain in silence. Everyone was suffering. The world they knew was no more.
“Okay... If you say so.” She whispered.
He rubbed her back.
“That’s more like the Zo I know. Don’t worry as long as I am here. I will be getting a little busy in the days to come, however. Don’t begrudge me for it.” He said gently.
After a moment, she looked up at him to ask, “Bro, have you changed?”
Taken aback, he questioned, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I get that what just happened to all of us changes people, but you were never this decisive or forward-thinking. You were always... passive? I dunno. You rarely did anything, if you get what I mean.” She said with a tilt of her head.
‘How precocious. But this lines up with my memories. The version of me with my soul dormant was literally a sleep-walking human, going through the motions of existence. That is also why all my skills were low levelled. Until I integrated my last life’s experiences and Tagged 3 skills, that is.’ Animus thought for a second.
“Perhaps, only now have I awakened. Don’t worry, it’s not like I have forgotten myself.” He smiled genuinely.
That smile reassured Zoe on a deeply subconscious level. Her shoulders sagged in relief.
“So, is this your Unit? Can I come in? I want to be with you,” She asked.
Animus chuckled. “Of course. Let’s go in.”
Animus tapped the button and led Zoe to a tour of his unit.
“Wait, why is this place so big?! My unit is a quarter of the size of this one!” She exclaimed.
‘That confirms one of my suspicions.’ Animus thought.
She explored the place like a little child, which she was. Soon, the sibling duo settled in front of the CRT TV and watched recorded movies the whole day.
“Look at Indiana Jones! Wow! Do you think we have to do all that and some tomb raiding when we go back up while looking for Mom and Dad?” Zoe asked in joy.
“Maybe. I am sure there would be a lot to do.”
“Yippee~”
The siblings cuddled, hit each other for space, and ate food the whole day. Only when the clock struck 10 PM did the two decide to go to sleep. Zoe’s eyes were heavy with exhaustion. Animus, too, was tired. They had a long day. They had seen the end of the world today.
“I’m taking the bed. Good night, Bro,” She said.
Animus shook his head upon seeing Zoe sprawled on the king-sized bed. The munch-kin barely occupied a third of the bed.
“Wow... This is so cozy.” She whispered before promptly falling asleep.
Animus tucked her in and took the other side of the bed.
Before long, his eyelids, too, grew heavy.
Countless questions swirled inside his mind.
‘How do I circumvent the Overseer’s authority? How do I make the people of the vault take my side? How do I prevent the tragedy of Vault 69?’
‘How is there someone who looks exactly like Jasmine from Aladdin here?’
‘What do I do next?’
They found no answers.
Until sleep took him and a dream unfolded.
**