Chapter 36: Neural Chip Implant.

October 22nd, 2274 – Vault 101

Victor paced the cold floor of his lab, his thoughts focused on the final simulations that had been completed just a few days earlier. The neural interface chip implant simulations had shown more than optimal results. The moment he had been preparing for was finally here. He took a deep breath and called out, "AZ, NIM, I need you both on standby. It's time."

Without hesitation, Victor entered the autodoc. The machine hummed to life as his consciousness slowly faded into darkness. The last thing he saw before everything went black was the ceiling of his hidden lab.

The autodoc began its work, its mechanical arms moving with precision. "Running diagnosis," the machine announced in a neutral tone. "Subject in healthy condition, no ailments found. Checking for implant integrity… optimal. Proceeding with surgery."

The procedure was swift and meticulous. After what felt like an eternity, the autodoc's voice broke the silence. "Surgery success. Checking for patient's vitals… vitals active. Waking up patiently."

Victor's eyes fluttered open to the bright light of the lab. He blinked a few times, refocusing his vision. As he sat up, a virtual screen appeared before his eyes, displaying a stream of data.

"System initializing… connection established… calibration done… system fully functional," echoed NIM's voice, not through the speakers, but directly in Victor's mind.

Victor couldn't help but laugh at his success. "Hello, NIM," he responded, testing the new interface. The connection felt seamless, as if NIM's voice was just another thought in his head.

He took a moment to familiarize himself with the neural interface, exploring its capabilities. The virtual screen displayed various options and commands, all controlled by his thoughts. The efficiency and speed were beyond anything he had experienced before.

After getting dressed, Victor left the lab and returned to his room. The day's events had been exhausting, and he needed rest. But as he lay in bed, his mind raced with possibilities. The neural interface was a success, and now, with the enhanced capabilities of his Pip-Boy, he had taken another significant step forward.

Over the last few days, Victor had undergone extensive warfare training in various wasteland scenarios, perfecting his combat skills. Despite the intense training, he continued to make appearances in public, ensuring that no one in the Vault suspected anything unusual.

Victor had also upgraded his Pip-Boy, integrating a small quantum chip module along with the previous chipset, a transmitter, and a reduced version of the sensors. Pip-boy which was previously bulky now has full use of its space. The device was now connected to his neural interface, allowing all data to be displayed directly on his virtual screen and synchronized with his brain. 

As Victor lay in bed, reviewing the day's events, a notification appeared on his virtual screen. 

"Tunnel to outside completed," NIM reported.

"Good," Victor thought, acknowledging the update. The tunnel had been meticulously planned, with deliberate twists and turns to prevent any potential enemy infiltration. The entrance was camouflaged from the outside, making it nearly impossible to detect.

Victor watched as reconnaissance bots, or "Recon(R-bots)," began their journey through the tunnel. The visual feed started coming in, showing the outside world for the first time in years. The wasteland was as desolate as he remembered, but seeing it through the eyes of his R-bots felt surreal.