Chapter 45: Infiltration Begins

November 7th, 2274

It had been three days since Alpha Team set out on their mission to infiltrate Megaton. During that time, Victor had kept a low profile in the Vault, continuing his medical work with Jonas and interacting with his friends in the usual, carefree manner. He knew that raising any suspicion would jeopardize everything he had worked toward. His public life remained as routine as ever, but the real progress was happening outside the Vault.

That evening, after a long day in the medical department, Victor headed back to his quarters. He sat down at his terminal and activated the live feed from Alpha Team. The four raiders, now acting as mercenaries, had seamlessly integrated into Megaton. They had already scouted the area and begun planting surveillance devices, all under the guise of simple wastelanders seeking work.

Alpha Team Leader (via encrypted transmission): "We've made contact with key figures in Megaton. Lucas Simms remains vigilant but is not suspicious of our presence. Moriarty, on the other hand, has already made an offer to use our services in exchange for intel on the local traders."

Victor (typing): "Proceed with caution. Keep planting the surveillance equipment, but do not draw unnecessary attention."

Alpha Team Leader: "Understood. We've also managed to plant a device in the Church of Atom. The cultists were too busy with their rituals to notice anything."

Victor smiled at the efficiency of his raiders. Everything was progressing smoothly. He checked the map of Megaton on his screen, which showed the location of every surveillance device Alpha Team had planted so far. The town was now under his constant watch, with audio and visual feeds being transmitted directly toNIM's mainframe.

As the night deepened, Victor leaned back in his chair and issued new instructions to Alpha Team.

Victor (speaking into his Pip-Boy): "Next, make contact with Moira Brown. We need to establish a connection with Craterside Supply. Her knowledge of the wasteland and her experiments could prove useful."

Alpha Team Leader: "Copy that. We'll approach her tomorrow."

With everything set in motion, Victor turned his attention back to the Vault. Inside his hidden lab, the experiments were moving forward at a steady pace:

- The First Batch of Raiders: They were nearly fully recovered from their memory modifications. Victor had begun group combat training with them in the VR world, preparing them for future assignments. Their loyalty was unquestionable, thanks to the neural implants.

- The Second Batch of Raiders: This group was more difficult to handle, but progress was being made. Those who were still resistant were placed back in biopods for further memory overriding. The few new recruits, including two female raiders, were showing promising signs of rehabilitation.

- Silver: The former Megaton resident was slowly recovering from her addiction and trauma. Victor had placed her in a separate VR world where she could begin to rebuild her mental strength. He still wasn't sure what role she would play in his plans, but her knowledge of Megaton could be useful.

In the biolab, NIM was hard at work running simulations. One of the key projects involved extracting the giant genes from the ants and experimenting with implanting them into other creatures. One of the dogs had successfully adapted to the gene modification, showing increased strength and intelligence.

NIM: "Subject Hound-07, the modified dog, is responding well to commands. Its cognitive abilities have improved by 30%, and it shows enhanced physical resilience."

Victor reviewed the reports. The potential for these enhanced creatures was enormous. If the modifications continued to prove successful, they could be deployed as part of his covert operations in the wasteland.

The next few days passed quietly. Victor maintained his routine in the Vault, balancing his medical studies with secret updates from Alpha Team. By now, the entire town of Megaton was under surveillance. The raiders had gained the trust of several key figures, and even Sheriff Lucas Simms had grown used to their presence.

One evening, Victor received a particularly interesting report from Alpha Team.

Alpha Team Leader: "We've made contact with a man named Mister Burke. He approached us with a proposition. He's looking for someone to assist him in detonating the atomic bomb in the center of Megaton. He claims to work for a group with interests in reshaping the Capital Wasteland."

Victor's eyes narrowed as he read the message. Burke was not someone he had expected to encounter so soon, but the man's bold plan intrigued him.

Victor (typing): "Do not agree to anything just yet. Gather more intel on Burke and his affiliations. We need to know who he's working for before we make any moves."

Alpha Team Leader: "Understood. We'll keep him talking."

Later that night, Victor sat in his hidden lab, watching the live feed from Megaton. His mind raced with possibilities. The town was now a hub of information, and with Alpha Team in place, he could gather everything he needed without ever leaving the Vault.

Victor (thinking): "If Burke is serious about blowing up Megaton, that could shift the balance of power in the entire region. But I need to know who's pulling his strings…"

For now, though, patience was key. He would let Alpha Team continue their mission, gathering every bit of intel they could. Soon, he would have enough information to decide how best to use this new development.

With a satisfied smile, Victor shut down the terminal and headed to bed.