Ch: 3 [Vault 169]

I gradually regain consciousness, my senses slowly coming back to life. The darkness that enveloped me begins to fade, replaced by dim lights and the sterile smell of a medical facility. As I open my eyes, I realize that I am not in the wreckage of the car anymore. Instead, I find myself enclosed within a strange, transparent pod.

Confusion and panic surge through me as I struggle against the restraints that hold me in place. The memories of the crash, Adam's sacrifice, and the impending explosion flood my mind. But as I look around, I realize that I am no longer in immediate danger.

With a surge of adrenaline, I manage to free myself from the restraints and stumble out of the pod. My legs wobble beneath me, weakened from the injuries sustained in the crash. I glance down and notice the metal rods that had impaled me are no longer there. It's like I wasn't injured at all.

As I take in my surroundings, a sense of bewilderment washes over me. The room is filled with rows of similar pods, all of them occupied by other people in various states of unconsciousness. The realization hits me—I am in some kind of cryogenic facility. I have seen this kind of thing at that secret site in Nevada.

Questions race through my mind. How did I end up here? What happened after the crash? And most importantly, why am I being preserved in cryo sleep?

I stumble through the rows of pods, my legs growing stronger with each step. As I pass by the other occupants, I notice that some of them are long dead and have nothing but bones. Must be due to cryo pods failure.

Poor bastards. Died in sleep.

I continue my exploration of the facility, searching for answers. It becomes clear that this cryogenic facility was intended to preserve humanity or a select group of individuals. But for what purpose? Was it meant to survive the impending chaos of the world outside?

As I reach a control room, I find a series of monitors and consoles that provide access to the facility's systems. Luckily, it wasn't locked. But, why the hell are these techs so old like those from the 80s and 90s. I manage to navigate the interface and gather information.

"Year 2287! Fuck!" I slowly sat on the chair and slumped back, closing my eyes, "210 years. It's been 210 years... And a nuclear holocaust. So, this is the reason they were experimenting on humans back then... All to perfect the cryo pods."

The realization hits me like a punch to the gut. The world I once knew is gone, replaced by a post-apocalyptic wasteland devastated by nuclear war. The experiments at that secret government facility were part of a desperate attempt to preserve humanity in cryogenic sleep, shielding them from the devastation.

I open my eyes, determined to understand the full extent of the situation. The monitors display data on the state of the world, the fallout, and the vaults are only the safest place on Earth. There are supposed to be many vaults on Earth, and the vault I am in is Vault- 169, one of the many military vaults. Its purpose is to maintain peace after the radiation level decreases and the surface world becomes habitable again.

Dang! It feels like that Fallout game...

It's a harsh reality to confront, knowing that I have been asleep for over two centuries. The question remains: Why was I preserved? What purpose do I serve in this new era?

Well, whatever the case, let's take a look around and see if anyone is up yet.

I leave the control room and cautiously explore the vault, hoping to find other survivors who have awakened from cryo sleep. The halls are dimly lit, with flickering lights casting eerie shadows on the walls. The air is stale and filled with a musty scent, a reminder of the long years spent in suspended animation.

As I make my way through the corridors, I come across a common area where I found a couple of skeletons lying on the floor. They must have woken up before me and either killed themselves due to isolation or died of old age. There isn't a way to know that.

I continue my exploration, my footsteps echoing in the empty halls. The vault seems eerily quiet, devoid of any signs of recent activity.

There I saw a sign. Sleeping Quarters.

I follow the sign and make my way to the sleeping quarters, hoping to find signs of life or any clues that might shed light on the current state of affairs. The door creaks open as I enter the dimly lit room.

Inside, rows of bunk beds line the walls, most of them empty and covered in a thick layer of dust. It's clear that the vault's inhabitants have either perished or moved on. But amidst the abandoned beds, I noticed a handgun and three clips of ammo.

"Nice," Now I have a means of self-defense in this unknown world seems prudent.

With the gun securely tucked into my waistband, I continue my exploration of the vault. Every room I enter seems frozen in time, untouched for centuries. It's a haunting sight, a reminder of the fragility and transience of human existence.

As I venture deeper into the vault, I come across a room that appears to be a makeshift command center. Dusty computer terminals line the walls, their screens long gone blank. I sift through the files and documents scattered across the room, hoping to find any information that might shed light on the fate of the vault's inhabitants.

Among the papers, I find an old journal, its pages yellowed with age. It belongs to a former overseer of the vault, detailing the struggles and challenges they faced in the aftermath of the nuclear war. It seems that the vault's supplies were limited, and tensions among the residents ran high.

After a few years, the cryo chamber malfunctioned, resulting in countless deaths and some people even woke up before the set timer. Then there was a big fight over the resources. Many died and only a group of twenty people survived.

Eventually, they decided to venture out into the wasteland in search of a better life, leaving the vault behind. Since there weren't any more resources left.

So, that's what happened. I guess, I won't find any food in here. But luckily, the survivors weren't able to open a couple of chambers that they thought contained food and resources due to the death of the overseer and the security code.

Well, let's pay these chambers a visit. Hacking old techs like these is a piece of cake for me.

With my expertise in hacking and knowledge of old technology, I quickly navigate through the outdated systems and bypass the security protocols guarding the sealed chambers. The doors creak open, revealing a hidden cache of supplies and resources.

Inside, I found crates filled with non-perishable food, clean water bottles, medical supplies, and tons of weapons.

"Nice. Things will go smoothly for the time being," I said to myself.

[Clank!] [Clatter!] The sudden noise of glass shattering gave me a jump scare.

I quickly turn toward the source of the sound, my hand instinctively reaching for the gun at my side. The room is dimly lit, making it difficult to see clearly. As I cautiously move closer, pointing my gun forward.

On the floor, there was a broken old radio, completely destroyed as if someone heavy has stepped on it.

Someone or something has entered the vault.

My heart races as I consider the possibilities. Could it be other survivors who have stumbled upon this hidden oasis? Or could it be something more dangerous, a threat from the wasteland beyond?