3 Chapter 2: Escape from the Vault (Part 2)

Quickly walking down the corridor leading to the atrium, he turned a corner and could see two vault residents talking behind one of the atriums' pillars and close by to the open door he's looking out of. Mary and Tom Holden.

"Come on Tom, let's just go back to our quarters."

"This is our only chance though! We can get out of here just like the doctor!"

Knowing what was going to happen next, Jayson quickly rushed forward on light steps and grabbed the collar of Tom's jumpsuit right before he jumped out to run towards the door guarded by armed guards. Before Tom could raise his voice, Jayson covered his mouth and put a finger to his lips; trying to hear any footsteps from the guards.

After hearing nothing, he removed his mouth from Tom and quickly explained in a hush voice. "Are you crazy! The Overseer ordered his guards to shoot on sight! You could've been killed!"

Mary paled as Tom tried to rebuke, but Jayson wouldn't let him. "It doesn't matter if you know them, it was still a big risk."

Sighing, he then turned to both of them "I understand the feeling of wanting to leave, but the Overseer has the place locked down. It's too risky."

Tom looked at Jayson and then at Mary's pleading face. After a short internal fight with his desire to escape, he eventually resigned and sighed. "Yeah... your right. Come on Mary, let's head back."

Watching both of them head down the corridor he came from and back to the residences, Jayson breathed a sigh of relief. In the game, Tom and Mary Holden would've died from gunshots from trying to escape. There was no way to convince them, but here, with everything being real and with his speech skill and charisma, he was able to convince Tom to back down, saving their lives.

Knowing about the armed guards, he moved to the edge of the very large atrium and crouched low. Taking very light steps along the back, in the shadows of the catwalk above. He was very nervous since even though he has 10 in agility, he still only has a 42 in stealth. He managed to reach the open door on the other side unseen though. Ducking under the propped open door from a locker, he slowly walked up the steps.

Holstering his pistol, he willed the baseball bat that he got from his bedroom out of his inventory and crept up on a small group of radroaches that's located further up the stairs. With quiet steps, he got close to the almost blind roaches and slammed the bat into each of their heads, killing them. With a bit of roach goo dripping from the bat, Jayson stayed still and tried to hear if the guards below heard him. After awhile of nothing happening, Jason put the bat away and continued up to the atriums upper section.

Staying low to the ground and taking soft footsteps, they walk along the catwalk, underneath some windows of vault residences and towards the doorway leading to the Admin section of the vault. The area with the Overseers office, the guards office and other areas.

Going through the open door and into the darkly lit systems room, he walked along the edge and around the servers. In the middle they could see security Chief Hannon fighting a bunch of the roaches. Going up to the dead body of Floyd Lewis, he gently closed Floyd's eyes and then continued on, out through the exit and undetected by the pre-occupied Hannon.

As Jayson left, he turned around and fiddled with the key lock on a panel for the door. Using the bobby pins Amata gave him, he managed to close and lock the door, just in case.

Knowing what's going to happen next, he continued to stalk along the ground and down the hallway, until he crouched under the window of the Security office and hearing voices coming within.

"I told you, I don't know anything!"

"Be reasonable Amata. Officer Mac may enjoy this but I sure don't. Just tell us where to find your little friend and we'll leave you alone."

"I don't know anything!"

Before the situation could escalate further, Jayson opened up the door leading inside, stood up and entered with his his pistol raised.

"Leave her alone Alphonse."

Officer Mac and the Overseer, Alphonse Almodovar, turned around as they heard Jaysons voice.

"Looks like you finally came. Mac, get him."

Officer Mac extended his police baton and went towards Jayson. Even without having Unarmed combat being a tag skill, he still has 27 points in it. So when Mac came close with his baton swinging at him, Jayson blocked Mac's raised arm with his, easily ripped the baton out of his grasp with his left hand and then lightly pushed him away; causing Mac to almost stumble into the Overseer.

Jayson then raised the pistol in his right hand at the Overseer and the now disarmed Officer Mac.

"I don't want to shoot either of you, but it doesn't mean I won't." He then shifted the pistol to the Overseer. "Order the guards to pull back."

Alphonse stared at him with an infuriated and almost manic expression. Jayson then took a step forward and stared into Alphonses eyes, with the pistol completely still.

"NOW."

They continued to stare at each other for quite awhile, until eventually Alphonses shields started to crack and he reluctantly went over to a device on the wall and pressed a button.

"All officers are now ordered to stop the search for James son, Jayson. Repeat, all officers are ordered to stop their search for Jayson."

Jayson continued to point the pistol at him. "Overseer office key and password."

The Overseer kept staring right at him but he eventually, reluctantly, tossed a small key at him, with Jayson catching it. "Password."

Alphonse glanced at Amata and then back at Jayson. "Amata."

Amata's eyes grew wide as Jayson nodded. He already knew what the password was but he felt like Amata needed to hear that.

Before he walked out, he looked at Mac and the Overseer again. "No one will follow me. You know the consequences."

The Overseer and Mac glared at him as he walked out towards the Overseers office; hearing the footsteps of Amata behind him.

He wasn't very certain what he did would have worked, mainly because the Overseer is deranged and unhinged. It looks like Jaysons 10 Charisma, speech skill, calm appearance and direct eye contact was enough to break Alphonses mental shields. Jaysons heart is still racing though.

Jayson and Amata eventually came into the area in front of the Overseer office but before they went in, Jayson held Amata back and stood still, listening. He was checking to see if the Overseer had ordered Mac or other guards to follow them; he was doing this by listening for footsteps.

After awhile of hearing nothing other than the sounds of the pipes and vents, they went into the room and saw Jonas' dead body laying on the floor. Since he just arrived in this world, he never actually interacted with Jonas but he does have the memories of hanging out with him; he also knew Jonas was a good guy from the game. Crouching down and closing Jonas' eyes, he then bowed his head a bit in silence. After paying his respects, he took the holotape recording Jonas was supposed to give to him and then stood up; heading over to the Overseer offices door and opening it with the key.

He didn't stay in the Office much; with him only going up to the Overseers terminal, using the password, and opening up the entrance to the secret tunnel. He didn't spend any time reading all that's on the terminal since unlike the game, there's way more files in it than just a handful. There's also the fact that he wants to get out as fast as possible, since you can't really rely on the Overseer since he's not in his right mind right now.

The Overseers desk lifted up from some pistons and a piece of metal slid back to reveal steps leading to a tunnel. Amata looked at him silently as he made his way down, with her following from behind. The display he showed in the guard office was quite shocking for her, but it did make a bit of sense since he has always been quite persuasive and demanding when he wanted to. She remembered when he convinced Butch to back off from antagonizing her on the day of the GOAT exam.

They went through a door, Jayson shooting a lone radroach and then after a bit they got to another door and went through it to a fairly large empty square room, with a smooth wall in front of them and a button beside it. Jayson went up and pressed it, with the wall sliding down into the floor and both of them walking into the fairly dusty and huge Vault entrance. The massive Vault door completely dwarfing everything inside.

Without any hesitation, since he knew there was no way he could stay down here, he pulled the lever on main the control panel. As soon as he did, everything started to slightly rumbled and loud alarms started to play as a massive metal arm came out, locked itself in the middle of the gear shaped Vault door and pulled it out with a yank. Loud screeching of metal on metal could be heard as the door rolled to the side, revealing the inside of a dark rocky cave.

"Oh my god, it's actually open."

Jayson looked at Amata's shocked expression with a look of understanding. He understood that this must be a huge moment for her, since she has lived her entire life in the vault and has been brainwashed to believe the Vault door will never open. Actually seeing the door opening must be a massive moment. For him though, not so much. Still quite a sight though.

"Amata." She looked over to Jayson as he called out her name. "Do you want to come with me? Into the wastes after my dad."

He could see she bit her lower lip in a troubled expression, furiously debating the offer. Eventually, she sighed and looked at him with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, but my place is in the vault. I wouldn't want to hold you back anyways." She then quickly decided to add something. "Oh, and say sorry to your dad for me? About my dad and all that."

Looks like Jaysons 10 Charisma and 42 speech wasn't enough to convince her. It was close, but not enough. "Don't worry, I will." He then put on a small apologetic smile. "I guess this is goodbye then."

"Yeah... I guess it is..."

Amata looked very troubled as Jayson walked down the small steps and towards the exit. Turning around and looking at her as she has her hand on the controls, he walked through and could hear the large Vault door sliding shut as he walked away.