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Chapter 6

"Just another day of Fallout"

(Fallout 3 Soundtrack - Dear Hearts and Gentle People)

Ah. Wednesday. Just another day in vault fifty-five. Everything goes smooth like water of a hoover dam, as the saying goes around the wastelands to another. Even if it was just a cynic humor in a very broken world. Dark humor as one would say.

Here, the darkness wasn't part of its melody. It was a safe haven of dear hearts and gentle people.

Calvin Marston kept looking out of the window of overseer's quarters in tired annoyance as the younglings were dining casually. A sight he had seen year after year till it was numbing. Yet, it always created the same casual calmness that he was somewhat happy to be accustomed to. It seemed so odd to look at the main hall and everyone bond together in such harmony, laughing, yelling, and some even throwing food until some guard would come to tell them to knock it off. During his time, the youth had been way more restless. There had been some groups that tried to form "gangs" or constant tricks were in play. Along with no respect for authority in some cases. When he had come in charge of this vault, he had put all stop to it. The rules were much stricter after he stepped into the office and made sure that the younglings of the vault should be behaving properly. His own father simply wasn't as good overseer as Calvin turned out to be, function-wise.

His gaze wandered down on the level of looking at Ryan, who was dining in his familiar table with his usual group of friends. At this moment, he was ruffling the fur of Niles's head, making the lynx shoo him away while laughing. All he could do was to stare at Tio, the quiet Mexican wolf picking on his food again with distasteful expression all over him. He was always picky with food. Calvin took a deep inhale and exhale, feeling stressed about having to deal with the quiet nerd type of a boy. His new future overseer. A fact that he had not yet come in terms with.

Tio's personality didn't really bother him. For all the rumors that were going around, he and Dion were the smartest kids to some degree in the whole vault. Along with Jill, the Siamese cat girl.

Being wise was an excellent perk for the future overseer without a doubt, but he didn't like the fact that Tio was Mexican by origin. His stumbling accent was irritating somewhat, along with the fact that Calvin didn't like Santino Tampico, Tio's father. He was a good friend of Charlie's, and as you could think, they shared their disliking towards Calvin mutually.

Calvin didn't in most cases even try to hide his spiciest nature. He didn't trust people of foreign blood. Wherever they were from Mexico like Tio, or Amir's family tree, from the far land of Iraq. A guard called Xavier, weasel-like himself was an Italian by his origin. Which made Calvin always think he would try to start a mob of some sort. Reading lots of books during his time had made one's imagination rather wild.

There was no Dion in the table, not that it interested the weasel to any degree. He always thought the boy as an awkward weirdo. It was sometimes hard to imagine that it was Charlie's child. Ryan was just like his father when Dion was just something else.

The failure to make Niles his next overseer was still like a wound that kept bleeding, agitating the weasel all the time. But there was nothing he could really do. There was no forcing the young lynx on the table to become something he didn't want to. He hadn't personally even told Randal yet personally about Niles's refusal of the status. He knew that it would end up with him getting really angry and yelling at Niles till he would most likely cry. In his eyes, the lynx totally deserved such treatment. But it wouldn't most likely affect anything. He had to just admit that Charlie won.

ACT 1

(Darondo - "Didn't I")

Meanwhile, Dion was in the middle of his living room floor, sweating visibly on the carpet as he was doing push-ups next to his father, the older husky encouraging his son during the workout.

"There we go! Another ten! You got it." Charlie chuckled as he was keeping up with the push-ups, but not sweating as much as his son.

"T-ten? Eeesh... Maybe five?" Dion smiled, his tone sounding tired.

"Winchester can always squeeze ten more. Your brother does a hundred about every morning."

"Yeah but Ryan has no fat under his fur," Dion said back, trying to hold a laugh as he did two more push-ups and stopped to huff air more.

"Everyone has fat under their fur to some extent, silly boy. You are only two years away from getting to the same shape as him. You already have a six-pack. That's called dedication, Dionski." Charlie smirked.

"Dad, you promised not to call me that, stop trying to make me laugh," Dion said, going down and taking another push up barely.

"To get good results, you need always a bit of pain. Your body is the temple and the mind is the roof-"

"Dad, this is like fiftieth thousand times you say that..." Dion snorted out, smiling and squeezing another push up. Only six to go.

"I like to repeat myself for son's that I care for. Now, six more. Come oooon..." Charlie encouraged as he himself quickly did three more without effort.

"I'd rather be like Sam. It's not like I need to run a marathon in the vault." Dion argued, huffing and squeezing one more push up with shaky paws, almost falling down.

"Winchester can always give up... Oof, dad... I've already done like seventy push-ups." Dion huffed out, shaking his head as his arms were trembling a bit.

Charlie looked at Dion with a smile and thought of something through. Would Dion be ready? Would this be the day?

"Tell you what... You get the remaining five done like a champion you are and I will teach you something very cool."

"... As iiiin....?" Dion asked with instant interest, his tail starting to wag.

"Now that would be ruining a surprise, wouldn't it?" Charlie teased.

"I... Fine... I'll try."

"Thatta boy." Charlie nodded.

Dion did another one. And another one. Within the third, he started to get the look of agony on his face, knowing that the last two would be torture.

"You got it. Champion of a Winchester."

The husky huffed rapidly a few times, sweat drops falling down from his forehead and down on the carpet. He mentally prepared himself once more.

"One... Last one, you got it." Charlie chanted proudly.

"... UUUuff.." Dion went down onto the ground with his hands feeling like they were burning slightly, the husky pulling his body up just and just. And after achieving that, Charlie chuckled as the young husky relaxed his body and comically fell down on the floor, panting with a smile.

"Who's the king?" Charlie asked.

"... Are you going to bow before me like a servant if I say yes?" Dion asked with smirk in the middle of his huffing.

"Oohoho, sassy. Don't bully your old man now." Charlie chuckled.

"Forty-six is not old... For the millionth time." Dion added, starting to crawl up from the ground.

"Well, I feel old. It counts in the end." Charlie laughed, handing out his paw.

"... So, if I feel like I'm a child, does that make it so?" Dion argued back with a smirk, taking the offer of a paw as his father pulled him up.

"Dad's Smarty Dionski." Charlie agreed to the valid point.

"Stop!" Dion said, letting go of Charlie and playfully trying to shove his father away, only to be pulled into a hug that he tried to squirm out of, as Charlie ruffled him up and let go after a quick peck on his forehead.

"Great now I'm covered in sweat, thanks, dad," Dion whined.

"You were already rather stinky. You better get to the shower before you join others on breakfast. They are going to be holding their noses all over if you go over there like that." Charlie snickered, turning around and taking a water bottle from the top of the table, starting to uncork it.

"That's mean." Dion huffed, but couldn't stop smiling.

"Naaah, I'm never mean." Charlie smiled, downing his water from the bottle and Dion looking at his father in anticipation.

"... Hmmh?" Charlie raised his eyebrow in question, knowing damn well why Dion was looking at him with that face.

"Where was the reward for the push-ups you promised? You said it was something cool?" Dion asked.

"... Maybe I came to a different conclusion." Charlie said with a shrug, looking away.

"... Dad, are you kidding me?" Dion asked, feeling betrayed right away.

"I think I need to bargain here. You know the stuff I usually show is pretty cool. Maybe ten push-ups weren't enough after all." Charlie said, smirking and closing his eyes.

"... I almost died doing those dumb push-ups." Dion huffed, his smiling going away as he looked sad now.

"Hahahah, oooh boy. You look very healthy at the moment to be dying. Maybe I'll show the cool stuff later."

"Unfair!" Dion puffed, crossing his arms and looking rather cranky now.

"Dion... ppfff, I'm kidding, you silly pup." Charlie smiled, opening his eyes and shaking his head as he put his water bottle back on the table.

"I had a feeling. You know that I just don't like being lied to." Dion said, smiling again.

"I know, I know. Sorry for teasing. I'll tell you what, I will show you the cool stuff once I've asked permission from Calvin himself." Charlie said.

"Wh... Why would you need the overseer's blessing to show something cool? That hardly makes any sense." Dion said, looking confused now but more intrigued.

"Well, that's because it's SUPER cool and secretive. But Calvin needs to say that it's okay before I can pass off the idea. Just a formality." Charlie said.

"... Okay... So... Do I even get a hint?" Dion asked.

"Nope. That's why it's even cooler. Secrets always make everything better."

"... Fine. Be like that then, dad." Dion said with a smile, shaking his head.

There was brief silence as Dion was stretching, his father sitting down on the couch slowly and scratching his ear as he began with a smirk.

"Dion... I ummm might have heard a rumor."

"... Huh?" Dion asked, turning to look at his dad after he was done with his lower back stretching.

"Your dad can do a lot of detective work, you know?" The old husky said sneakily.

"... Considering what investigation?" Dion asked innocently with a smile.

"It involves you and certain cat girl," Charlie said, waiting for the reaction with a warm smile.

There it was. Dion's eyes widened. He got bothered right away, starting to squirm and look away.

"Uhh... Jill?" Dion asked to be sure.

"Mh. I might have found out through various clues and might have used my sharp old man's eyes to realize that its... Could it be a date?"

Right now, Dion looked a bit amazed but also speechless, wondering what to really say. How on earth was his father so good at finding everything out? At least for in most cases.

Charlie started to brag as he gave a finger gunpoint at his son, talking.

"Maybe I was a secret agent once."

"Dad, not funny. You were a merchant." Dion said.

"Oh... Well, if I wasn't a secret agent, then how did I notice obvious signs that you were about to have a date, hm? Try to solve that one, youngling." Charlie said with a sly smile.

"... You... What signs gave it away?" Dion asked in total interest, wanting to learn this detective's secrets.

Charlie kept a sly smile for a while without answer, until he couldn't hold the character anymore and laughed a bit.

"What?" Dion asked in confusion.

"Dion... Jill's mother told me yesterday briefly." Charlie admitted.

".... Really?" Dion now asked with his face falling down to unimpressed., feeling cheated.

"Yeah. She might have mentioned about such a thing. Jill had obviously told her rather excitedly that the boy she has a crush on finally is going out on a date with her." Charlie said with a smirk.

"So...?" Dion asked innocently.

"... Is it true then?" Charlie asked.

"... Maybe? That's why it's even cooler. Secrets always make everything better." Dion said back with a smirk.

"Ohooo, well played! Look at you being all smooth. You really following your father's steps day after day." Charlie pointed out proudly with a chuckle.

Dion didn't answer anything, looking just happy and smiling at that briefly from the proud remark.

"I've always been smart, you know?"

"Mmm, perhaps you have, Dionski." Charlie winked.

"Ugh," Dion added in an annoyance.

"Anyway, you should get to that shower. I'm quite hungry already." Charlie added, rubbing his bare stomach.

"... Hey, umm... Dad." Dion said, his smile fading away, the husky now looking a bit bothered by something.

"What is it?" Charlie asked casually with a smile.

"... What was all that about yesterday in the classroom?" Dion asked.

"... What was what about?" Charlie asked, not understanding.

"The whole show that you put on. I mean... You said everything was alright and... Calvin looked really angry at you. I'm pretty sure everyone could see it."

"Calvin is always angry, Dion. Being grumpy is in his nature. Hell, if he would go on dates with girls like my lucky son, then maybe he would be way less grumpy." Charlie added with sneaky smile, having a whole own meaning to that sentence.

"Dad... You said he was okay with you picking the next overseer." Dion said, rubbing his hand and sounding confused.

"Exactly. That is what happened." Charlie said with a shrug, taking the water bottle from the table again.

"... He didn't look very happy when you did it though. It looked like he wanted Niles to be the overseer." Dion said with honesty.

"... That may be so, Dion. But Niles refused to be one. So, I got to pick us a new one on Calvin's behalf." Charlie explained like it was obvious.

"... Yeah, but... I don't know. It all just felt really... Uncomfortable? Are you...? Are you sure everything is okay between Calvin and you?" Dion asked carefully.

"Why wouldn't it be? Dion, you are overthinking it. I've always gotten along with Calvin in most cases." Charlie said, waving it off.

"That's not what everyone else says," Dion muttered.

Charlie smiled at that and sighed, knowing that his son sometimes saw the life through a bit too happy lens, feeling slightly guilty himself that he wanted to keep it that way. He thought his son's innocent on things was a precious thing in this cruel world. He wanted Dion to have a good life and not have these troubling thoughts in his head. Dion was going to spend his whole life in this underground heaven after all. He didn't need to know about the hateful relationship between him and the overseer.

"Well, rumors are rumors. Trust me. Me and Calvin, we have had our arguments, but we solve them always in the end. People like to make things bigger than they are."

"... By the looks he gave you at the class he looked like he wanted to hit you, dad. I mean... You must have realized that too, right?" Dion asked like it was something he couldn't forget.

"Dion," Charlie said, raising up from the couch and walking to the young husky with a warm smile.

He laid his paws on his shoulders and spoke.

"Calvin and I are cool. He can be short-tempered and he can come off as angry on the outside... But in reality, he is just a very strict man. Clearly, despite his permission to let me choose his follower to come, he was emotionally a bit hurt that Niles didn't take the place. But fact remains that Tio is way better leader material. He is a really smart kid and he will make his father, and Calvin proud. All of us. And doesn't it sound cool to have your reading buddy as the overseer of this vault?" Charlie said, trying to steer Dion smoothly away from the troubling thoughts.

Dion smiled at that, swiping his stressful ideas under the rug and nodding.

"Yeah... I just feel a bit bad that soon he won't be spending that much time with us anymore."

"... People have to grow up sometimes and make their choices when they are needed. Besides, I'm sure that Calvin and Tio will get along just fine."

"... Really? Tio is kind of sensitive." Dion said with worry.

"... Look who is talking." Charlie said, not able to resist and poking his tongue out as he poked Dion on the nose.

"HEY! I'm not sensitive!" Dion huffed, annoyed as he tried to put his defense on.

"Yyyyeahhhh, whatever you say, sport." Charlie agreed with a nod and smirked.

"How am I sensitive?" Dion asked, sounding attacked.

Charlie tried everything he could as he held his laugh, almost falling as he spoke.

"Your old man is just fooling around again."

"... Whatever. I'm taking that shower now." Dion said, shaking his head.

"Hey, son."

Dion turned around to look at his smiling father.

"I'll make sure that Calvin is treating Tio accordingly, okay? I'll talk to him since I'm going to need to talk to him anyway about our secret request. I'll see you at the class today. Okay?"

"... Okay." Dion said, breaking to smile from his annoyed gaze and he answered.

"Yeah. See you in class, dad."

"... I love you, son."

"... Love you too, dad." Dion said happily, turning to walk away towards his room.

Charlie sat down on the couch, taking his water bottle, ready to drink again as he chuckled by himself.

"Ah... Damn. Emily... Maybe you were right after all of these years. I managed to raise our sons right..."

The silence came after he realized whose name he had blurted out, the dreamy smile dying and turning into a small glimpse of sadness. Sigh... If you only knew how much I want you to be here.

ACT 2

(Donny Hathaway - Little Ghetto Boy)

"So... Tio. How does it feel like to be a new overseer in training soon?" Sam asked from the wolf who had just finished eating his food.

Everyone now looked at the wolf in anticipation, the conversations of smaller importance dying down.

"Yeh, how it feels?" Ryan asked with a smirk.

The wolf looked at his friends, feeling a bit uncomfortable with so many eyes staring down at him at once. Except the moment he looked at Jacob, sitting opposite of him, the dog didn't look that interested in the answer.

"... Nervous. Stressed." Tio said, proceeding to do something with his pip-boy in silence.

He knew damn well his friends had not stopped staring. Jacob suddenly asked a question.

"Regretting it at all?"

Now the wolf gave a hesitant look at the dog's way and spoke.

"... No."

"... Not even a little bit?" Jacob pressed.

"... Why?" The wolf asked, not even looking at Jacob this time as he was tinkering with his pip-boy.

"Why are you marking dates on your pip-boy?" Sam asked, reaching to give a look at the screen.

"... Time schedule for Calvin's lessons."

"He gave them to you already?" Niles asked with a raise of an eyebrow.

"No. Elliot did when I tried to visit the overseer's office later yesterday. I have to memorize all this." Tio noted.

"... He didn't give you such things himself?" Ryan asked.

"... I assumed he was busy. He usually is. Respectable and understandable." Tio said like it meant nothing.

"Rude fuckery I say. You are a future overseer. He should make all the time for you no matter what." Ryan said with an honest tone, continuing to eat.

Tio didn't answer nor react. Jacob was still looking at Tio, leaning in a bit on the table and speaking again after clearing his throat to get more attention from the wolf.

"So, you... Really don't regret it at all?"

Now Niles, Sam, and Ryan all raised an eyebrow at such a pressing attitude, the wolf finally taking his full focus on the dog and shook his head in frustration.

"Why do you keep asking me that? Stop annoying me even for one morning." The wolf said.

"Naah, dude. I didn't mean it like... I'm just... Like, being overseer means u spend less time with your crew and all that... And it sounds boring and full of work. Like... I wouldn't ever volunteer for such." Jacob said with his hands up in defense, smiling.

"... A crew." Tio said like it sounded stupid.

"... Yeah. That's what we are, dude." Jacob said, slightly somewhat annoyed that his one word was the only thing picked out by the wolf.

Jacob was still just staring at Tio and he was staring right back, rolling his eyes.

"... I like BORING and WORK." Tio said after the equal pause.

"So, you wouldn't rather keep hanging out with us like always? Like... Now you have a total of... Zero free time?"

"I still have lessons privately from Charlie like he promised, so that is at least an hour of extra time free time for me. Not that free time is that important. I might be very tired after Mr. Calvin's lessons, assuming they last from five to eight hours around. But assuming I'd still after all that have free time, I'd rather keep most of my focus on where it is needed. Studying. So, you guys might not see me in a while following Ryan's and Niles's daily spar. Apologies. But I need to do this right." The wolf explained, feeling it was comparable to work to talk this much during breakfast.

The silence came again, Niles shrugging and smiling.

"Fair enough. I wish good luck to you, Tio. I already feel like I owe you one anyway, so no complaints from me. Do what you see as the best."

"Yeah, I'm with Niles here. I'm sure we still find time to see around time to time." Ryan said like it was no big deal, giving a friendly finger gun at Tio's way and continuing to eat. Tio calmly nodded and kept eating as well.

But the German shepherd showed visibly that he didn't like the answer at all, fighting frustration.

"... Tio... What the fuck? I knew you were boring, but..." Jacob began, like he couldn't believe his ears, fake snoring.

Niles lowered his eyelids to somehow measure Jacob's attitude at the moment like something was unusual about the dog.

"... Whatever. I'm just doing my duty." Tio said, shaking Jacob's odd talk off and tried to focus back on his pip-boy.

"So Tio. What will he be teaching you as first thing?" The chubby hyena asked with interest, finally getting most of his focus out of food, having finished his plate earlier than others.

"... Don't know." Tio said quietly.

"... He doesn't even know. Look, he just wants to spend more time away from us to hang out with Calvin. Calvin. Out of all the people, he wants to hang out with that angry, boring weasel. Like what is going on anymore?" The German shepherd chuckled, trying to make Tio seem crazy.

"... Jacob, it's not that deep. He just wants to step up." Sam said.

"Step up to do what? Being double the boring he is now?" Jacob asked in frustration.

Niles kept looking at Jacob without the dog noticing, not saying anything in between and just observing.

"... I have spent by timescale roughly nine years with all of you. That is quite a lot of time by average life cycle estimate. I don't really understand why you keep saying that it's boring like it means something. I already said. I like stuff that is boring to you. As in using your brain and acquiring knowledge as best as I can from the world and books around me. TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE YOU. Now... Shut up." Tio said, being tired of this conversation already and just wanting to tinker with his pip-boy to add up his dates.

"Fine, captain nerd... Fine... You know you look pretty cute when you get in your aggressive nerd mode, wolffo." Jacob said, showing tongue to the wolf.

" Deja de llamarme lindo y confunde mis emociones. ¿Por qué tienes que ser así?" Tio muttered in annoyance as he forced himself to look away from the dog.

"What does that even mean?" Jacob sighed. Normally he liked it when Tio spoke Spanish, but not this time.

"Ey, leave Tio alone already, J. When he gets to be the overseer, he revenges all your shit right back." Ryan pointed out with a smirk.

"... By the way, Tio... Some here are looking for you. I bet most of them are also amazed that you are going to lead us one day." Sam pointed out with a smile.

"... Then I wish they would stop looking. It's weird."

"You are weird," Jacob added as an aggressive side note while eating his food.

The wolf thought about mouthing right back in annoyance but ignored it, now Sam giving a warning look to the dog to go easy on the wolf, as it was clear that Tio was under a lot of stress.

"I personally am very proud of you, Tio," Sam said, tapping the wolf's shoulder.

"Mh." Tio just hummed, not really caring.

"Where on earth is husker? I want to hear his take on this." Jacob said, looking around, scoping for his best friend. There was no sign of him yet to be seen.

Tio suddenly sighed loudly and rubbed his other eye in agitation.

"Can we not have taken on it at all? I'd like to change the subject. Or rather not talk at all. Wouldn't that be a relaxing change?"

Everyone looked at the grumpy wolf, Niles slowly taking his lingering gaze off Jacob and turned to speak at Tio.

"We get it. Let's change subject to something else. What do you all think Charlie is going to teach today?" Niles asked.

"Oh, great. Now the lynx wants to steer this. Like... Yo, aren't any of you at least a bit bothered by the fact that Tio won't be hanging out with us anymore? He is like... part of this group and he leaves like it never meant anything. Just look at him. He cares about that pip-boy even more than about these questions or encouraging people around him. Didn't you see how he just stepped up for the job? Like, hey, now I don't have to socialize with these guys anymore. I bet that is why you took the job huh? Because we never meant that much in the first place." Jacob suddenly let out in frustration.

Even Ryan was now raising an eyebrow at the attitude.

It was so weird seeing Jacob being bothered to this extent about anything at all. Usually, he was loud, joyful and teasing Tio all the time. But right now, he was genuinely pressing Tio full-on aggressively rather hard. Like he was actually wounded about Tio's behavior.

"... Dude. I'm sure Tio doesn't think like that... Right?" Sam asked, now sounding actually a bit thoughtful as well.

Tio was a bit speechless, looking at Jacob right in the eye with confusion, Niles slowly leaning in between while looking at Jacob with very weirded out expression.

Ryan was just observing the situation in amusement, but in a sense, he was intrigued. He had always thought Tio as a bit of a quiet grumpy weirdo, but he always still thought of him as a friend, even if they didn't spend a lot of together time due to different natures and interests. But it was actually interesting to see if Tio considered them as very good friends after all these years of keeping him around all the time.

"I..." Tio couldn't really speak, looking at the German shepherd in uncomfortable silence and not really knowing what to say or to feel. In a sense, only people he connected with truly from the group were Niles and Dion. Niles was always kind but still didn't talk much with him, just like Ryan. And Jacob was... Well, always just bullying him nonstop. It was odd to see that he cared about this as much as he did.

Niles began in Tio's defense slowly.

"... Jacob, what are you even talking about? Tio's always been quiet and kept his feelings inside, not everyone deals with things the same way. I'm sure he feels-"

"Why are you speaking for him, I was asking him? Not you." Jacob said in between, shooing the lynx off. Ryan looked a bit surprised at such a snappy reaction, Niles taking the attitude right back since he always liked giving Jacob a reality check.

"Because I have an understanding for him? And because he is clearly uncomfortable about you pressing him? Or maybe because he literally saved me and stood up to take the job that I never wanted to take in the first place. I owe him, and I am his friend. And you are acting like an idiot right now."

Jacob shook his head, ignoring the lynx-like he had no interest to turn the argument to him. He just spoke at the wolf again.

"Keeping feelings inside you say? Last night we were hanging out and talking about books and stuff, and he acted way more genuine than he ever has in this table or around us in a group. He was talking all the emotional stuff like a kid about wanting to see the ocean and stuff. Like, why don't we see that Tio more? I mean, it did sound pretty gay when you were getting all mushy and stuff but-"

"Huuuh?" Ryan asked almost rhetorically in between, this whole information sounding weird to everyone in the table. Jacob and Tio privately hanging out. It made no sense.

"W-what the fuck your problem? You can't just say stuff like that out loud! I should have never let you stay in my room!." Tio said rather loudly in his rising adrenaline, feeling genuinely hurt now for Jacob making fun about him in front of everyone about such a moment where the wolf had found himself even slightly more happy around Jacob.

"Here we were having such a great morning," Sam said with a frustrated tone as the table's energy was now far from laughs and smiles at the moment.

Ryan was now starting to wake up in the realization of the discussion getting too personal, stepping up with his natural leader role and spoke as Jacob and Tio stared at each other in anger.

"Enough with this shit. Jacob, leave Tio alone. Like damn, yall ruining the breakfast mood here. He wants to be the overseer, so just roll with it, man.I'm sure he cares about us in his own way, but just ain't going to give a full-on speech about it. Jacob, I don't know if your meds are a bit off, but lay it easy, okay?" Ryan said in between with a calming voice of authority.

Sam also awkwardly asked in his question.

"Since when did you two hang out together? It's kind of hard to believe."

Tio said nothing, actually feeling somewhat sad now as Jacob kept looking at him with such anger, which was so unusual and weird. There was no sign of smirk or anything. This wasn't mischievous bullying anymore. This was a callout.

"I just care about my friends, that's all," Jacob said, calming down a bit as he still kept looking at the wolf who avoided eye contact now.

"So, would have you reacted the same way if it was me taking that job. Would you be asking the same questions from me?" Niles asked now with interest.

Now Jacob looked a bit cornered, the questions getting him off guard.

"... No, but like... This is different!" Jacob muttered awkwardly in defense.

"How? How is it any different? What on earth do you want Tio to say? You want him to apologize for taking a job and dedicating himself to it instead of following us around and spending his time getting bullied by you?" Niles asked.

"I DON'T BULLY HIM! ... You know what? Fuck this. Whatever. I have places to be. I don't care what Tio feels. Let him be the boring overseer then." Jacob said, getting enough of the turn of tables as he was now being bombed by the questions.

The german shepherd raised from his seat, about to leave, and for a moment Tio looked like he wanted to say something to him. Sam cut in between.

"Awww, come on, J. Leaving all dramatic ain't in your style, just sit back down and let's talk this through? You too cool to act like that, man." Sam suggested with a smirk, trying to get Jacob to stay but the dog shook his head and spoke.

"I'll see you all in class," Jacob said, taking his leave.

There was nothing really to be said after the dog anymore, Jacob most likely going on his way to find Dion.

The silence was left on the table as everyone stared at each other in confusion, Ryan spoke.

"Damn. That was the most un-Jacob thing I had ever heard. He was all over-emotional. You sure you didn't finally punch him in the gut or something, Tio?" Ryan threw in as a light joke, turning back to focus on the food. Niles rolled his eyes as Tio was still looking after the door Jacob had just passed through.

"You know what? I'll talk to him."

"What?" Ryan asked.

"I'll see you guys in class. I'll... I'll have a word with Jacob." Niles stated, rising up from his seat. Ryan looked at his boyfriend in confusion, speaking.

"Aren't you at least going to finish your food?"

"I'm not hungry. I'll catch yall later." Niles said, going after Jacob with a light jog.

Tio once again looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't. They all saw as the lynx opened the door. The moment Niles was gone, Sam spoke right away.

"Well... This turned out to be a weird morning." The hyena shrugged.

"... A bit? Jacob has never acted that weird." Ryan said, clearly bothered to not be dining with his boyfriend present. But he knew that Niles was a good talker, so he assumedly just tried to get to know what was going on with Jacob. Even if the lynx and german Shepard had slight arguments from time to time.

"I guess every morning is weird in its own way..." Ryan said, munching his food.

"Not really." Sam chuckled.

"Why's that?"

"I don't know... Like... From day to day everything is pretty much the same. Nothing really interesting happens here. I mean, I prefer it but just... I don't know? Sometimes it's cool if something really big happened."

"... Tio was just announced to be the next overseer. That's a pretty big deal alright." Ryan mumbled.

"Yeah but like... Besides that. I mean besides that; only weird thing lately is Dion acting more... Dreamy than usual? Like quieter and like he is thinking something through all the time. He used to talk so much. I think it was some kind of malfunction error that just went into Jacob as well, making him loose few screws?" Sam guessed with a shrug and a smile.

"Funny. Odd that my brother isn't here at this point. What on earth is he doing?"

"I dunno, I guess he just reading comics or most likely already bumped to Jacob. Tio... You been even more quiet than usual. What do you think that Jacob's hassle was all about?"

"..." Tio didn't first realize he was being talked to, looking confused as his stream of thinking was bothered.

"Huh?"

Sam rolled his eyes and spoke again.

"What do you think that Jacob's rant was all about? Talking about you not caring about us and acting all weird?"

"... I don't know." Tio said, but clearly, it bothered him more than he ever expected. It was just the look Jacob was giving him that made him feel like shit. Like almost as if Jacob may have been right to some extent and it made him feel like a shitty friend to everyone. But it wasn't his fault that his future job was going to need so much dedication and distance from everyday social life to learn things.

"Hey... Guys?" Someone suddenly asked.

Ryan, Tio, and Sam turned to look next to their table, seeing the Siamese cat standing there and speaking.

"... Ummm... Hi." Jill said awkwardly, hoping she wasn't clearly interrupting anything.

"... Hi." Everyone said, Ryan, leering in with smirk and talking quieter.

"Looking for my brother?"

"... Maybe. I didn't see him around here this morning." Jill said, smiling excitedly.

"Yeah... Jacob might have slipped to us about the upcoming date between yall." Sam said with a smirk.

"Oh... Well... So... Do any of you guys have any idea where he might have gone?" Jill asked in anticipation, feeling awkward now because if these guys knew about the date, then it would be only a matter of time before everyone knew.

"... Actually, no. The last time I saw him this morning was when I was leaving to eat. He was doing push up's with dad. So, I guess he ended up talking with Jacob or something since he just left the table." Ryan said with a shrug.

"Thanks. I'll get going. Hey, umm... Guys... How many people exactly... Know that I'm having a date with Dion?" The cat asked nervously.

"... I don't know. I haven't told anyone myself. YET." Ryan said with smirk.

"Me neither," Sam added and kept eating.

"Overseer?" Jill asked nervously, looking at Dion.

The suddenly official addressing of a title woke Tio up as he was clearly still wondering other things, not paying attention to the world around him.

"... Come again?" Tio asked.

"Sorry, was the overseer thing a bit too much? I mean, I don't want to... Like... Isn't that what we should call you now on? You are going to be the leader of this place and all and... I just-"

"Tio. My name is Tio. Not... Overseer." Tio said, not clearly liking the title calling.

"..... Oookaayy? Sorry, Tio. So... You haven't told about me and Dion's date to anyone, have you?" the cat asked awkwardly, Ryan and Sam internally facepalming to Tio's reaction.

"... No." Tio said bluntly, turning back to his food like this subject was the least interesting in the world.

".... Okay then. Thanks. Umm, guys, could you... keep it like-"

"Jill, Jill. We got it. No gossip. You good. We aight." Ryan said, nodding and chuckled.

"... Thanks, Ryan. You are the best." Jill smiled in relief, the fox always showing how good he was with talking.

The Siamese girl showed a nod of appreciating, leaving the situation and going back to her table to talk with her friends that already bombed her with questions, gazing over at Ryan's table.

After the situation was over, Sam spoke to the wolf.

"You really need to work on your manners when it comes to talking with girls."

"... What? Why?" Tio asked in confusion.

"... Dude." Ryan said, rubbing his face and holding a smile.

"... Why should I treat them any differently based on their gender? Nobody deserves different treatment unless they are higher up in the status compared to yours-"

"Tio. Bruh... Come on. She was being friendly." Ryan snorted out, so amused of Tio's bluntness.

Sam chuckled and spoke in as well with his hand on Tio's shoulder.

"... When it comes to talking with girls, always put your best effort. Talking nicely to them and complimenting them is the way of getting a girlfriend someday. Even if you are the overseer, you can have a wife some-"

"Well, maybe I don't want a fucking girlfriend. I'm tired of this discussion. Can I eat in peace? Or am I going to be disturbed for the rest of the morning constantly about every word or decision I make?" Tio asked, having enough of all the hassle around him.

Sam took his paw off Tio's shoulder and threw is arms up in surrender.

"Yikes. Got it. We stop. Sorry, Tio."

"... "Ryan didn't say anything, just looking at Tio with a raised eyebrow and continued to eat, wondering what was truly going on this morning.

It felt like everyone was unnecessarily tense.

ACT 3

(Buffalo Springfield - Stop Children What's That Sound)

"Whooooa, easy there now," Charlie warned with a mischievous tone, making the people around him even more excited about the conversation.

Charlie Winchester was sitting in his own table among with few of the guards on their morning break. The guards always preferred to sit down with Charlie, since he always had that interesting aura around him. From time to time, they squeezed out the information about the life experiences from the great unknown he came from. He truly had fascinating stories to tell, otherwise twisting all the negatives out and creating something less... disturbing or harsh.

Right now, the conversation had steered into somewhat of a personal nature as a rumor had started to spread around the vault among the adults.

And that rumor was finally getting out in the open as Charlie tried to eat without coughing up as the men around him kept the questions going.

Rob, Jacob's father; was placing his arm on Charlie's shoulder as he spoke.

"You have to tell every nasty detail."

"I'll pass. I don't know what yall are talking about." Charlie said with a sneaky smile, knowing damn well that he wasn't going to shrug off this rumor easily.

There were two guards sitting on the opposite side of Charlie both leaning in like they were going through interrogation. One of the guards was a black-furred wolf named Eli and the other was a brown-furred otter named Mel. Eli and Mel were brothers, which is why Eli had grown closer to Charlie too afterward during the years.

Mel and Robert were his closest friends out of the guards, having to know him for the longest of time and were his biggest supporters from day one since inhabiting this vault.

Robert Evergreen was a raccoon, being Jacob's dad.

The vault's guards were small in number but dedicated to their roles.

Besides Eli, Robert and Mel, there were six remaining guards.

A large tiger named Sax, being the most aggressive one. He was ripped as one could.

A pure white furred husky named Tony, who was the joker of the group.

A mouse named Richard, the quiet and civil one.

An older otter named Tamir, respectful and feeble. He was the oldest guards they had, being about sixty soon.

Then there was Xavier and Elliot. A weasel and a cat. These two were the most loyal supporters of Calvin and had somewhat of a dislike towards Charlie. Mostly because they had to listen to Calvin yelling time to time in frustration about something bad Charlie was doing again in his mind. Xavier also was the same species as Calvin, so the respectful connection was there. Among Xavier being pretty much the only person, Calvin treated as his equal.

Charlie was looking at Sax explaining something excitedly to Richard, until his mind was occupied by the question presented in front of him, the black-furred wolf whispering with the excited otter next to him.

"So, you are really fucking Sandy behind Calvin's back?"

"Look at him, he totally is!" Mel nodded rapidly.

"How did you fellas even come to this conclusion?" Charlie asked with a smirk and shook his head.

Jacob's father tapped Charlie's shoulder.

"People talk."

"They talk a lot, don't they?" Charlie chuckled, eating his soup.

"Fuck yes they do. Now... Spill it out." Robert encouraged.

"Yeah, just light us in a bit. How is she?"

"you guys have no honor." Charlie snorted with a smirk and tried to pretend he wasn't taking part in this conversation.

But in truth, he quickly gazed over at the other side of the dining hall, seeing Sandy look right into his soul with rather annoyed gaze. Clearly still angry about the earlier situation they had. Charlie did feel slightly bad but not enough to truly care.

"Ohooho, imagine if Calvin knew." Eli reminded with a smirk.

"Yeah, well, don't yell too loud or he knows for sure," Charlie said bluntly, making all three wince but laugh at the same time.

"Aiaiaiai, Charlie!" Mel hissed.

"You are ruthless, man. You really doing it." Eli said, tapping the table in hype.

"That's my dog!" Robert said, the raccoon shaking Charlie up proudly as the dog held a self-satisfied smile.

"What are we talking about here?" Santino suddenly asked.

The older black wolf sat right on his usual place, right on the left side of Charlie, the husky chuckling as he was getting surrounded.

Robert started to speak excitedly to Santino before Charlie or the other two guards could even lean in.

"Charlie is fucking Sandy."

"... Bullshit." The wolf said in disbelief.

Charlie didn't even talk in between, just smiling so mischievously that now everyone knew that this rumor was absolutely not gossip anymore. Charlie's face told it all.

Come on, Charlie. Just give us something here, man." Eli kept saying.

The brown-furred husky chuckled and spoke.

"Don't you all have wives? Why is it such a big deal to hear about me banging someone-"?

"Dude. That is like the riskiest person to have sex in the vault right there. She is hot as fuck. The overseer's ex-wife. And you know damn well he is still possessive as fuck about her. You have to have nerves of steel to poke your dick near that. He could really do something bad if he found out." Eli explained, everyone nodding agreement.

"So... that is why we need the details here. She is hot as hell. And you know her standards are high. So, tell us everything about it." Robert said.

"Wait, are you guys really telling me that Winchester here is having sex with Sandy?" Santino still asked, not believing his ears.

"I'm telling, Charlie's face says it all. Give up man and tell us all about it." Mel whispered in anticipation.

Charlie took a last sip of his soup, stretching his arms and leaning back on his chair, looking at his best friends and muttering as he finally laid his hands up.

"Fine... Fine. I MIGHT be guilty of doing so for a couple of years now-" Charlie began with smirk.

"I FUCKING KNEW IT." Robert hissed in victory.

"Oh damn, this the juiciest stuff ever." Mel and Eli started, drumming the table.

"Te vas a matar si Calvin se entera..." Santino chuckled, shaking his head like this was too much revelation for one day.

"I'm good, Santino. It's not like they are married anymore, what can he do in the end?" Charlie asked with a shrug without worry in the world.

Mel suddenly leaned in, looking around and whispering the question that got the conversation rolling, the perverted excitement rising up.

"How good is that pussy?"

Charlie tried to keep a poker face but ended up laughing a bit and rubbing his face and muttering.

"This going to be one long morning."

Everyone got more excited and Eli leaned in.

"How wet does she get?"

"You are all nasty old fucks, eh?" Charlie said as he bit his tongue, giving a quick side look at Sandy's way, knowing damn well that she was still looking.

Santino kept shaking his head and holding his laugh, not denying he wasn't interested as well.

Robert gave a friendly tap of fist at Charlie's shoulder, speaking.

"Does she like it fast or slow?"

...

Charlie sighed with a given up tone and smirked as he answered quietly.

"Hard. Really fast and rough." He let out casually.

"God damn." Robert sighed, everyone at the table looking like a couple of perverts now with million questions trying to come out all at once.

"So, no dimmed lights and Frank Sinatra on the back?" Mel asked with a smirk.

"As far from that as one goes. More like only music is moaning while I pull her tail." Charlie snorted out.

"Damn, I wish my wife was ever in such a wild mood. She doesn't even suck my dick these days." Santino muttered in slight annoyance, yet smiling at Charlie's fortune.

Now the otter talked right away, adding to Santino's comment.

"That's the worst. And like... My wife is so loud that we can't even really do it since my kid sleeps right next door. I've been asking Calvin to give him his own new room from another end of the vault just mostly because of that. And he twenty-two anyway. It's about time he grows up a bit and takes distance." Mel added.

Everyone nodded in small agrees over the statement, Eli switching topic back to Charlie.

"What's her favorite position?"

"... Standing, pinned against the wall and taking it from behind." Charlie said, noticing Sandy look right at him from the other side of the hall, making him slightly nervous as he knew damn well, he should be civil and most likely had said too much. But in the end, Sandy most likely wouldn't have guts to ask anybody about Charlie possibly having told their intimate business. Because it would mean bad news for her as well when it came to Calvin.

"Hooh, I love that one when I'm with Ellie," Robert said with smirk.

"Is she loud?" Mel asked.

"... Very." Charlie said quietly with a smile.

"... You think anyone ever heard you two?" Eli asked.

"... Eli, how on earth you think we would have ever entered in this discussion the first place?" Charlie asked with a facepalm and smiled.

"... Oh, right." Eli muttered, getting a smack in the back of head from Mel.

"Idiot." The otter chuckled.

"Whatever. You think anyone ever saw you two?" Eli asked while shooing the otter away.

"Doubt it. We always at her place. Never at mine." Charlie said.

"Yeah, understandable. So, Charlie. Does she suck dick?" Robert asked with a smirk.

"You are all going full-on out with these questions, perverted creatures." Charlie snickered.

"You are enjoying giving the answers just as much, come on. This is just a dude talk. Finally, something really interesting to talk about. I mean no offense but we have heard all your stories so many times I remember them all. But talking about banging is like... Best entertainment u can have in here."

"There are few untold stories still. But I guess that could be true to some degree. Besides, I'm not the only one that is banging Sandy in here." Charlie pointed out with a secretive tone.

Everyone now raised an eyebrow to the sudden comment and Santino was first to ask the question.

"Who else? Are you saying that Sandy is just spreading her legs around here to everyone despite Calvin?"

"... You sound oddly interested in a man who has a wife." Charlie smirked.

"Hey now. I am loyal to my wife. But I mean... You don't hear any other woman in the vault doing that kind of stuff. Everyone is pretty much married around here for family continuity. It's a fact." Santino said calmly with a smile.

Charlie felt a small spike of guilt as he knew damn well Sandy wanted to become somewhat of a family and dreamed of having a child.

"Doesn't that make her a slut?" Mel asked with a kind of judging tone.

Charlie had a bored face on him as he saw everyone thinking the same. He took his spoon from his soup after tapping the rest of the food out of it and took attention but tapping the metal against the table in rhythm.

"Wake up," Charlie said with one tap.

"Eat and talk shit." He said and tapped another time.

"Sleep. Repeat." Charlie finished like it made the most sense in the world.

No one looked like they understood what Charlie was on about until the old husky sighed, raising the spoon and continuing to tap the table.

"Every day is pretty much the same. We wake up. We go to eat. We spend days talking about the same things, same rumors, and the same shit routine. We eat a few times. And then we go to sleep. And we repeat. Day after day after day. Can you really blame someone for wanting to do something else? What other shit is there to do in our lives? Lighten me up. You see, there are some things that give you a taste of something better. Something special to you. And you hold on to it to stay sane. For me, it's teaching your kids about things of life. To others, it might be reading. To Tony over there it's being best in Chess. To Randal, it's getting drunk as fuck and preaching. -"

Everyone chuckled at that, Charlie stopping momentarily and smiling as everyone was clearly listening intensively.

"- And in Sandy's case, it's taking the dick. So, we come back to the question I present. Why do we judge her based on that action? Out of jealousy? Disgust? Frustration? For no absolute reason? She is trying to do something that is special and enjoyable to HER to pass her TIME day after day after the day; to feel little something more than what she is stuck on, like most here. She does what she feels as pleasurable, and if you feel like hating on her because she doing something that makes her feel a little more, it summarizes your mentality and outcome into two possible options. Option one. YOU DON'T have that one special thing that breaks you from the routine and keeps you a little happier during the day like she does have, or option two...-"

Charlie smiled sneakily and finished as everyone was focused.

"You happen to be Calvin, watching while everyone is taking a turn with her like a bottle spin-"

"OHHHhh come ooon we thought this was going to be deep, man! -" Robert said, bursting out laughing with everyone. Santino shook his head and tapped Charlie's shoulder.

"You had us in the first half, not gonna lie," Eli said.

"You are petty." Robert chuckled.

"Naaaah." Charlie denied, still smirking as the others were collecting their breath.

"Calvin going to kill you one day." Mel pointed out with a smirk.

"But most that talk made sense to me though. I mean, let her do her I guess." Robert said with a shrug and smiled.

"Mh." Charlie agreed with a nod and smiled as he started to scoop up his soup again.

Robert then asked a question.

"So, who do you say she is banging beside you?"

Charlie kept eating for a moment and looked around and spoke.

"Once I had seen one of the guard shirts left in there, meaning someone had left in a hurry. So, obviously someone from this table. My highest bet is Sax because of the clothing size. And once I caught a whiff of vodka in his room. The only one who has that same vodka is Bob. I remember drinking it on his last birthday. And then that leaves Jon as third. Guess how I know?"

Everyone was blown away by Charlie's attention to details as Santino asked the question.

"How?"

"Because Jon is in charge of the rations and food at youngling's cafeteria, Being the head chef. Man is dedicated to tasting the food as much as making it. So of course, every single morning Jon visits the bathroom in the back of the kitchen side. One day as Dion had a trainee day to see if cooking could be his passion, assisting Jon with his food... he has to use the very same bathroom that day."

"Oh, maan I have a hunch where this is going for and it's something nasty-" Robert smirked.

"Come on, what happened? Don't leave it there." Mel kept nodding as everyone kept listening.

"So, my son goes in and there are only two stalls to use. He tries both, but they are locked. And pay in mind, this is men's bathroom only. So, he is automatically puzzled, because Jon is the only man in the whole kitchen, running it with Sandy only. My son asks what is going on. Jon stutters back that the other door has malfunction error and he will come out soon. Tells Dion to wait outside. Dion goes and wait's in the kitchen side, holding it in. Until he sees that both Sandy and Jon come out of the bathroom, that fat son of a bitch covered in sweat and chuckling like nothing happened. He ended up having the most awkward day in his life under my son's innocent questions, after feeling he was being lied to about the other stall not working and preaching about rules that should apply to Sandy, meaning she should use women's bathroom like everyone else... I remember him being grumpy the rest of the day as all I could do was laugh because he had no idea what had just went down which only made it funnier."

"Talking about reckless," Santino said with a rather judging tone.

"That shit is priceless," Mel muttered.

Charlie then continues.

"But the best complaint that made me laugh like a maniac, was Dion's persistent complaints about the state of the bathroom, telling it needs to be fixed and renovated, wanting to go to complain to Calvin about it in person. Which I seriously denied and told that I would tell to Calvin myself. Which I didn't do, so it wouldn't get Jon in the worst trouble of his life."

"... Fixed and renovated?" Eli asked in confusion, anyone not understanding even as they smiled while listening.

Charlie tried his best to not laugh as he took a couple of breaths and continued to finish the story.

"I went to see what the issue was in the evening after the kitchen was closed. I walked in and saw the same thing with my own eyes that Dion had. His complaint made sense now but sometimes I value my son's innocence. Dion thought that someone had purposefully been a mean person and just made a prankful destruction for whatever reason... There was nothing but a fist-sized hole drilled in the wall that separated the stalls. And it's still there till this day unfixed. Now you wonder why Sandy is never tired at work." Charlie snickered.

"... Jon... You nasty motherfucker!" Robert howled, tapping the table and their group now turning into laughing idiots that took all the attention in the table, all the other guards starting to squeeze in to see what was going on.

"I'm so going to bring this up with him later, what a sneaky fuck," Eli muttered.

"You shouldn't. For all our sakes we should keep this conversation in this table and not spread it. You know it's not a game with Calvin, he can make your life hard in here." Santino pointed out wisely, trying to make everyone tone it down.

Charlie took a deep breath and agreed on that, waving his paw to tell the other simmer down from the perverse conversation.

"But I have so many questions left." Robert began with still a perverse attitude. Charlie chuckled.

"Cut that. We ain't talking about this no more in here. you all already had enough. I can tell the rest in the evening at the usual hangout. Poker night?" Charlie suggested.

"From nine to twelve? The usual?" Mel asked excitedly.

"Been damn near a month since last game." Santino pointed out.

"Yeah, ever since you though that game to us years ago it's been the best way to spend time with the buds." Mel agreed, already feeling awesome with others that they now had something to wait for in the evening.

"Charlie... You think you could get us some cigars this time? I can get us the drinks." Robert asked with a hopeful tone.

"... I'll see what I can do, Rob." Charlie said with a hum and smiled, giving effortless knuckle bump for the raccoon.

"We just better hope that Calvin doesn't get a hunch." Santino pointed out as the voice of a reason again.

"He only caught us one time, don't stress. Hey, by the way, Santino... You must be proud." Charlie said with a smile.

"... Hmm?" Santino raised an eyebrow in question.

"Your son is now the overseer. All those warnings of Calvin fade away, as we soon have the best possible overseer in the making. I'm just saying, you must be proud of Tio." Charlie explained.

The wolf turned to smile and spoke with a serious tone.

"I haven't thanked you for that yet. Charlie, you did a great honor for my family by choosing Tio. Thank you for what you did." Santino said with a genuine tone, Charlie nodding and shaking the wolf's paw in between.

After the moment, Charlie spoke happily.

"How is he taking it? I didn't have time to catch up and ask him myself yesterday. He seemed very determined."

"He is. And very excited. He doesn't really show it by words but he is clearly more active and joyful now. Wants to make me and his ma proud. I hope Calvin will give him a good chance with all this. You know... Being patient with him. You know, one step at the time." Santino pointed out.

Charlie nodded at that and spoke as he turned to eat his soup again.

"He will. My son had the same thought this morning when I talked with him. He said that Calvin has to treat Tio right. He clearly cares a lot for your son."

"Dion is a good kid." Santino hummed with a smile.

"That he is. And don't worry, I'll talk with Calvin today about the hold thing. I have other business with him anyway to discuss."

Suddenly Eli spoke.

"I think the ceremony thing to bring guns in was a bit too much yesterday."

Charlie raised an eyebrow in question. The wolf continued.

"Yesterday. Calvin was all angry and riled up and told us that we have to gear up with guns. Wouldn't tell us why. He was just out of his mind. Said that we are going to Winchesters class to negotiate. The whole thing didn't make any sense. I mean, we were all relieved that in the end it was Calvin's idea of creating a vision of us being Tio's new protectors but I think it was unnecessary. I don't like handling an object that can kill just to look more impressive for future generations."

"Yeah, Calvin was a weirdo for that one. We didn't need guns. And what was he so pissed off about anyway, if they had agreed with Charlie already that he would choose the new overseer?" Robert asked.

"And looking at Charlie like he was about to explode in the class right there." Eli pointed out.

"The whole thing was just full-on weird," Robert said.

Charlie was clearly seeing that they expected Charlie to have some insight into all this because he had set the whole thing in motion. But he wasn't going to blurt out that he had full-on rebelled against Calvin on his own and was about to be in worst case executed in his classroom in front of everyone. Not that anyone would have prepared to shoot him but Xavier, being the loyal one. But all it takes is one gun in the end.

Charlie wondered how the get out of the conversation but then figured it out.

"We had a disagreement concerning guns. I thought of an idea that parents should have the privilege to teach their sons and daughters how to use a handgun in case of emergency."

...

The table got quiet, Santino asking.

"... Can you... Elaborate, Charlie?"

The old husky spread his arms and spoke genuinely.

His order to have you all carry guns was going to be a demonstration to show me that the kids get nervous and scared when there are guns around, meaning they are not ready or should not experience anything gun-related. Nevertheless, he was right on the matter to some extent as clearly, some in that class were nervous. Thus, the staredown between us and his temper management. But as you could clearly see he was a bit thrown off about me not caring about his show as much as I cared about the main thing, we he agreed on. Picking the overseer. So, there you have it."

"... Huh. Makes sense to me." Robert said with a shrug.

"He could have told us." Eli pointed out in an annoyance.

Mel spoke in with interest.

"You want to teach your kid to shoot with a gun?"

Charlie now looked at Mel with a serious gaze as everyone else did as well. The old husky just shrugged and spoke.

"I see it as something for a father to do. You never know when something really bad might happen to the extreme end, and your son might have to save someone's life by using lethal measures. I teach him out of necessity. Might not make sense to any of you, because nothing bad ever happens here. But what I'm doing is procession only. Because at the end of the day... Anything can happen. So, I'm going to ask Calvin's permission today once more about it... Because I promised my son, I had something exciting to show him in the evening. I'm going to loan one of the vault pistols and have little father and son moment with him. I will join the poker night after, of course."

Charlie kept eating his food, after finishing his explanation, his friends staring each other and shrugging shoulders at this odd attitude, that in its own way made sense but was maybe a bit too much.

But Charlie had clearly made up his mind firmly on the matter.

The old husky suddenly ended up following Sandy with his gaze as the female raccoon looked at her judgingly, clearly having a hunch that Charlie might have said something about them. But the small peek in the corner of her eyes told Charlie that she invited her to join her once again this night.

Life can be good.

ACT 4

YEAR 2237

(ZZ Top - La Grange)

Two years later after Febris army first stood outside of that vault base... Things truly did change for the Texas wasteland.

Ethan Winchester and General Allen along with the febris army became two of the most respected and known men in the whole Texas.

With the amount of firepower, ammo, vehicles, and resources... Half of the state was under their army's control now.

The whole northern area was now safe. It took one year to sweep Dallas of its feet. This was the first true operation of challenge for Allen and his company.

Nearly over a thousand raiders were butchered in the process along with tons of other, mutated and hostile life forms. The victory didn't come without a cost, obviously.

Two hundred and seventy soldiers lost their lives during the conflict.

But the victory was worth every life. Because it created a leading example. A true monument.

That Allen's army was a true force to acknowledge.

The ruins of Dallas were turned into the biggest military outpost they had out in the wasteland ground, garrisoning thousand soldiers.

It worked now as a public hospital for anyone who needed medical attention, the broadcast starting to send the message over every possible radio station.

Within months, Dallas that was first known as dangerous ruin of a city was now a beacon of hope.

Hundreds of waste landers traveled rather long distances even to seek help from this place, thinking the whole febris army was just a story.

Only to realize that it was more than real. These people were lifesavers.

They could have not taken the city without help and courage to see them through. Before meeting Allen, he wasn't a fighter. Now he hell as sure was.

After the year lasting war in the city of Dallas was won, it was officially named "Chester City" as a shortage from Ethan's last name.

A token of honor and appreciation for the leading sergeant of the army. This young and ambitious soldier was moving up in the ranks like a wind.

Allen had taken care of Ethan's personal training, helping his best friend all the way, fighting right alongside him on the battlefields. There was no better tutor and booster of morale than a man who lead and fought alongside his brothers instead of sitting in the mountain base and giving orders.

Before long, the word spread even outside of the Texas state, causing a lot of mass confusion, rumors, and tales.

The cause was driven more and more, Texas wasteland coming more and more safe.

By Allen's command, the recruitment plan came to action after a month of planning within the inner council of the febris army. General Allen, Sergeant Ethan Winchester, and Major's Wyatt and lieutenant Rebecca were known as the four most important people to make decisions for their army's future.

The plan was simple. Dallas would serve as a mass recruit center as well as a medical one.

Farmers, traders, prostitutes, bodyguards, bounty hunters, no matter who you were...

You were to be considered as a recruitable soldier and fight for the greater cause.

The plan was a success. The training fields were set up in Chester city and new soldiers signed a contract on the paper daily.

Within the end of the year 2237, the number of stationed soldiers in Chester city had increased by six hundred.

Fast forward to the end of 2238, the febris army expands its control. The whole north area of Texas, along with former Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, Midland and Odessa are now conquered.

Every village has been restored, armed and taken care of.

Every raider on sight has been killed, and their outposts were taken down. Military camps are set up and safe zones are set. Every mutation is killed from the lands. Nearly every hostile fought back.

Three hundred soldiers die from the ranks of the febris army for the greater cause.

Despite the loss, another six hundred have joined the army by the end of the year.

There was no stopping febris.

Allen and his troops would find somber moments as the mass funerals happened in Chester. They knew that when they would finally tremble the texas ground after hearing Ethan's stories, that they were going to get a fight... But they didn't still expect so many men and women to die.

Despite their vehicles and firepower and advanced tactics, the hostiles still outnumbered them in many fights. They would always pull through in the end after the smoke would settle and gunpowder would smell, yet it always came with small costs.

They made too many mistakes underestimating the raiders. They had poor weaponry, lack of combat tactics and pathetic excuses for armor... Yet they had way too many advantages on their side.

They knew the land like their own pockets. They knew how to station themselves, were to ambush and where to hide.

Also, the scavenging, robbing, and killing during the years had made some of them wealthy enough to have ammunition for days.

But the third and the last thing was what made them relentless enemy to face, along with super mutants, ghouls and every other freaking hostile in this god's forsaken land.

It felt like everyone they faced had no fear of death.

Raiders fought like madmen, some injecting drugs and dying with laughter. There was an option first of taking some of these people prisoner, but that idea was ruled out later on the more they faced them.

These mammals were never going to break or become civilians. This raider thing wasn't movement or a faction. It was a lifestyle for these animals. They loved fighting. Even if cost them their life.

Sure, some of them surrendered when driven into certain defeat, only to be executed anyway. These men were nothing but rapists, robbers, killers, torturers, alcoholics, and junkies. Sometimes extreme justice had to be served. And it was easier. At least they made it quick and painless for them. Some soldiers that were captured by raiders would go through nothing close to quick death.

Dark men deserve dark fates.

What fighting was for the febris army, an unfortunate duty to follow was a sport to raiders.

There was such a rare number of raiders that had ever taken a change of heart, that even the civilians had no objections of slaughtering these fellow mammals without mercy, even if some of their once kin or friends were among them.

The arrogance of the raiders started to slowly settle down as more of them died by hundreds every day. Texas finally had hope.

(Fallout: Miami OST - Enclave Combat Theme)

Time passes. Things remain normal.

Until February 16th. 2239

That was the day when everything changed.

The rumors had traveled far away around the US slowly about febris army... And they got a reaction they never imagined possible.

Council meeting is held within the walls of Chester city after the whole year since the last one.

Allen had never been so all over the place after they heard live broadcast, aimed at febris army and the General himself.

The very people who had been behind the creation of their army from the start... The very people who had put "operation control" into motion, had contacted them. The last remnants of the United States government and the following successor of past great war president was very much alive.

These people were called with a name that General Allen nor anyone else had ever heard.

The Enclave.

This meant something table-turning for everyone.

They had not been forgotten. Somehow the most important people of the old world had continued living on. They had a living president. This army belonged to him.

Allen was not in charge no longer after this revelation came to light. He had zero objections to step down from the chain of command and take orders from wise grand leaders after hearing the best news of his life since stepping out of that cryobod years ago.

Their whole country actually had a president and people protecting him. And they informed that they were coming to Texas with vertibirds right now. There must have been ton of ways how the word got around to president of their existence, yet the very man himself spoke on radio frequency and telling that him and his men would reach Chester city within six days, coming to assume his rightful place as the leader of the febris army, along with anything they had conquered.

The man informed himself as President Dick Richardson.

He and his Enclave soldiers were arriving from a place called "The Poseidon energy oil rig", located 175 miles off the coast of California.

Six days would mean that these men meant business and we're in a hurry to come.

The proudness in presidents' tone for Allen and work his men had done was noticeable in his speech. It was clear that Allen was to be rewarded and he would remain in his position, leading war.

Everything felt like it was about to come into full circle.

Except for one thing... One man... And one opinion.

Ethan.

The young brown husky was far from being as enthusiastic as others about this. He made it very well known. How could have they known that this man indeed was who he claimed? Nor the people around him? And why on earth would they have to hand all the work they had done over to him, just because his role was important once in an old world?

Allen was the best leader that Ethan had ever seen. He should take orders from no one. It didn't feel right. They were on the right path already. What did they need some politician for? A man who had never most likely even held a gun? A man who spoke like he owned the world, yet no one had never heard of him?

It didn't make any sense for Ethan at all and for the first-time during Ethan's and Allen's friendship, they had an argument. An argument that would continue on for a day, Allen explaining that "operation control" was all about this moment. This purpose. They had finally made it.

All they had to do was to welcome the president of the united states and everything would be fine. A starting of a new time.

Ethan didn't like it nor trust it. Something didn't just... Feel right.

Yet, he would stand by Allen's side and his decision. He just had to accept things as they were.

The day arrived. That day would be marked in Texas and febris's history by name.

"Red line day". February 24th.

President and his and his enclave battalion can be seen, flying from the horizon towards the city. Live frequency is established with the satellite rays and radio stations, carrying all the way to DC Washington. Everyone was to be an ear to listen to what the president of the United States was about to say. The podium at the gates of Chester city was built and ready within six days. Everything was lined up, in order as clean as possible. Allen, along with Ethan, Wyatt, and Rebecca, were standing and salute ready to welcome the man personally.

Thousand men and women were formed up as an audience.

The world was watching... And listening.

Forty vertibirds accompanied the president, along with 200 soldiers in deadly and scary looking black armors landing on the ground of Texan sand. They were armed with weaponry and technology Allen and his men had never seen before. These men looked like war machines.

President Richardson walked on the stage, saluting and shaking the paw of General Allen, his enclave warriors lining up in front of the podium and facing thousand soldiers of the febris army.

Ethan had never seen Allen so proud as he was at that moment, shaking the president's hand.

The man walked in front of the microphone, saluting the army before him.

Radiofrequency was on.

The states were holding their breath.

That speech was to be remembered for years to come.

"My name is President Richardson. And today... Today is the day of history. This once the greatest nation of the whole world and what is left of it is in our hands now. Anyone listening to me shall mark my words. America will rise again. The people... The mammals of countless species before me, the brave men and women serving under our flag right before me... You all made this possible. Each one of you. Frozen all this time, waiting to open your eyes and shape the new world to our image. The time has come. It took me years to hear the rumors of the greatest army of my countrymen to be still alive today. Not by hundreds... No... By thousands. It brings me more joy than anything has during my year of serving, to see something this magnificent. We are a force. We are one. We are the united states army. The last hope for the wastelands of here and beyond. Washington, California, Boston, Atlanta... Everyone... You shall be retaken and shaped in form. My enclave soldiers are here today, to take their rightful place as commanders of this army, as well as I, the President of the United States. Hear this now. THIS... IS the time of change... This... IS the time of power!... This... IS TIME, FOR AMERICA!"

The army went absolutely out of their minds, saluting and throwing their hats in the air from the pure joy of finally having their true commander.

Allen was just as enthusiastic, looking at Ethan at that very moment. The young husky could do nothing but look back with a bit surprised yet still nervous expression. He had to admit... The speech had its charm as well as the reaction. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he worried for nothing... And this man truly was capable and destined to lead them. Yet... Something didn't feel right. Ethan always trusted his hunches. All of this felt just unnerving.

The president gave a final salute for the troops, turning his back for the cheering soldiers and approaching Allen.

He congratulated the General before him for the fine job that he and his commanding officers next to him had done for the country.

As he went by the four, the only one that didn't shake paws back with him, was Ethan.

He did after a while with slight hesitation, clearly picking up Richardson's interest.

The president then asked for General Allen to guide him into his future office, where they would hold the first official council meeting to discuss further plans for the future.

The president was escorted by Allen and his army men as well as the enclave soldiers into the heart of Chester city, to the Dallas city hall. The vertibirds took them to the roof of the building, the place now swarmed around with people, gathering to protect the building. It held a balcony, and there was a good chance for another speech to be presented. The president was finally here. And what they had heard at the gates, was sure to be heard more today. It was a historical day after all.

The men and women arrived in the large office, the president sitting down at the high table and telling everyone to sit down.

President Richardson wasted no time to get down to business.

Allen was questioned immediately before he would get to say a word.

He was asked about the status of the mountain base of theirs that was located far west from Chester city. General Allen gave a full update and told that it was highly functional and held half of their forces inside, ready to serve their country.

Richardson told that he needed to fly there the first thing tomorrow. The reason he did not tell. He only told that something important to them and their cause was deep inside that vault. Only he would have access to it. Even General Allen and his commanders had no idea what it was since some areas of the vault were locked by key code that they did not possess.

Allen told us that the flight can be arranged whenever the President wanted.

The next order was for him to explain what areas were already secure. How much weaponry they had on hold. The results clearly were more than pleasing for the man to hear.

The third item was the question of people still alive after assumed casualties on the field of battle...

And this... Is where the things went south.

Allen told that they had lost around six hundred mammals in the war that had lasted around three years.

Richardson then asked if the number of people waking up from cryo was five thousand.

The information and the plan had clearly been passed around enclave for over a hundred years. They knew about the existence of the base and the army. Yet one thing the hadn't known by reading the data logs left behind after the great war, was the exact location.

They knew that it was somewhere on Texas ground... But nothing else. Which made their job to search it too big of an operation and having too much ground to cover.

So, as the most important part of the information to locate the army or the vault was not known, the whole plan had been forgotten ages ago.

So, after they had heard this army was very much alive and operating on Texas land, President Richardson clearly had taken as his job to keep himself updated by the dogged-up logs to know a lot about the febris army.

Allen told that the number of people waking up was around three thousand during the time, not five thousand.

President Richardson was clearly disappointed somewhat after hearing such a tragedy had happened... And he then asked for something that confused every person in the room, except for Allen.

The president questioned about a code number. Something that could have been found from the secret files in the base, only for head General in charge to read. In this case, Allen. Allen slowly nodded, saying that he had used this code number to investigate further into the mountain base. Whatever Allen had found in there, was clearly in the strong interest of the president for some reason. Allen felt somewhat hollow talking about what he witnessed deep inside. The president could sense it. He gave a blunt answer about having the right to the information from Allen. He needed the code.

Allen looked hesitant at first but had to place his trust in his future president with this secret. Ethan, as well as the others, were confused.

The husky next to Allen gave a questioning look at him, the tiger general somewhat uncomfortable. What could have he found in the mountain? What was he keeping from his best friend? So far, Ethan thought Allen had already shared everything with him. Whatever this was, it felt important.

The president slowly steered the conversation away from the secretive subject of some random door code, into questioning the state of the febris army and its resources at hand.

Allen told that the current amount of the febris army soldiers had risen to be five thousand, six hundred and thirty. He told proudly that the number was rising steadily each day.

"... Rising?" The president said coldly like he must have heard wrong.

For the first time, the energy in the room changed.

(Metro 2033 Soundtrack: Judgement)

Richardson was outraged as the obvious was now out. Allen had recruited waste landers to his cause. Some of these men and women in his army were not soldiers. They were radiation infected civilians.

The rules of the enclave orders were strict. No outsiders to the cause. Not even one.

Allen was now on full defense mode, trying to justify his case for his president. He told that these people were more than an asset to this army. These men and women had every right to be part of shaping the wasteland into something new.

The president wasn't hearing it. Almost like none of these people were worth anything.

Allen had gone strictly against the order of code that he should have followed ever since waking up from those cryo pods. He had defied the orders that were left for him.

Things were getting heated. President Richardson was threatening Allen with resignation from his duty as well as the other officers for following this defiance through.

Ethan raged at the President till the point that enclave soldiers had to restrain him down on his knees to calm down. He wasn't having any of this.

General Allen was losing his cool as well as Richardson. Allen told that he could fix the situation.

As blunt as it sounded, he was ready to resign the outsiders from the army. Possible riots would be sure to happen. But it could be done. This was their president after all, and order was an order.

Suddenly Richardson suggested the alternative. These civilians could be used in a different way for their use.

Richardson told about FEV and how these "wasteland scum" would serve useful as testing subjects for the mutation virus. These effects would be studied and used for the scientific good.

Allen did not understand... And the explanation President gave for him and Ethan was something they would never get out of their memory.

FEV, also known as "The Forced Evolutionary Virus", was the source of most mutations on earth. Ghouls, super mutants, every horror they had come to meet out there was a result of FEV.

They had, by presidents' words, studied for this virus for ages, trying to infect a high number of mammals with the virus, trying to see it's effects on waste landers. They had used slaves and construction workers for test subjects for the virus while trying to regain control of something called "Mariposa military base".

President said that something had gone wrong, and now the mammals that had turned into super mutants fought back, them having to abandon the base. They needed more test subjects for their oil rig base to further continue the cause to study FEV and it's effects even more.

Allen along with Ethan, Wyatt, and Rebecca was horrified out of their minds listening to this.

Ethan was first to step up when no one else did, calling the president a monster, telling that he will never follow a man like him.

This resulted in one of the enclave soldiers giving Ethan a black eye, knocking the husky down on the floor and getting aimed with plasma rifles.

Allen was about to step up, knowing this was going too far.

Then, before any of them knew, all of them were held on gunpoint by the seven enclave soldiers in the office.

The situation had taken a complete turn. Ethan was forced on his knees by the enclave officers.

The president stood up, looking at the raging young husky in silence for a moment and asked the question.

"Where are you from?"

The room got quiet, as the president had clearly read the situation and behavior of this man. He turned to Allen to ask the question again.

The tiger took a moment of breath, telling the truth under the scary situation.

He told Ethan wasn't originally from the vault-like them, but recruited as their guide within a few weeks. He then had risen up in his rank to be where he is now.

President Richardson had enough after hearing that. To him, this was a betrayal.

He told Allen that this was his last chance of redemption to keep his rightful place in the frontlines of the army.

He had to execute Ethan right here and now. The boy knew too much, and what had been said in this room was not going to reach an ear of anyone outside. This needed to be dealt with.

Richardson clearly saw that the news devastated him, the tiger looking horrified and panicking.

The president frowned upon the reaction, telling he was a weak and pitiful excuse of a leader to have emotional react over killing a wasteland. One of the enclave officers walked over to Allen, handing out a gun.

The berretta was waiting for him, and they wanted Allen to put a bullet in Ethan's head right now.

Allen took the gun slowly, looking at president Richardson like his eyes were begging for him to reconsider. He did not want to do this.

Ethan tried to stay strong but it was clear that he was in fear as the tiger looked at him, the president telling that this was the only way. He wanted to get it over with.

The tiger approached Ethan, the gun trembling in his paw.

Ethan didn't beg for his life... He tried to face his death with courage.

But there was more at stake here than Ethan's life. Hundreds of mammals would become test subjects to a dangerous virus and locked away from their families.

And this president was ruthless. He had no sympathy or respect for anyone from the wasteland.

Was that the kind of leader Allen was ready to follow?

(Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 OST - Of Their Own Accord Crow's Nest)

"I forgive you, Allen... You do what you have to do." Ethan said with sorrow in his tone, closing his eyes and one tear falling down on the floor.

Allen was hesitating. His paw was shaking. The gun was aimed right at Ethan's head.

"Do it," Richardson ordered.

"President Richardson..." Allen said quietly.

He clicked the hammer of the gun, taking the safety off.

"... I resign."

The tiger quickly swiped with his hand, blasting the brains out of the two officers aiming guns at Ethan.

Wyatt tried to reach for his gun by the door to shoot the president, but the nearby enclave officers reacted faster. Wyatt was gunned down after managing to shoot a single bullet, scratching Richardson's shoulder and breaking the vase behind him.

Wyatt fell down dead on the floor, Rebecca screaming and starting to shoot the enclave officers in rage. Unarmed Ethan jumped under the desk, bullets flying as the husky was screaming in panic.

"PROTECT THE PRESIDENT!" One of the enclave officers ordered as Richardson screamed in pain from the bullet wound in his shoulder.

The side doors were kicked in during the shooting, two men running to escort wounded Richardson out.

Rebecca was turned into ash after shooting one of the officers in the head, her remains falling on the ground and Allen yelling and shooting his magazine empty.

The two remaining enclave soldiers in black armor were barely scratched by the bullets, Allen jumping down behind the chairs as well as the green particle shots were melting holes into the wall.

Then... The true chaos began.

The soldiers outside had been too busy partying, having drinks and celebrating the new president, that they had not noticed the ongoing light show in the main office. Almost two hundred enclave soldiers, officers, and men in black armor, were sober and on standby. They had way more discipline.

The radiofrequency opened on all fronts, everyone around the city hearing the incoming voice loud and clear.

It started with echoes of distant gunshots, then the enclave officer yelling right after.

"PRESIDENT RICHARDSON HAS BEEN ATTACKED! ENCLAVE SOLDIERS, WE ARE IN HOSTILE TERRITORY! KILL THEM ALL! NOW!"

Within a few seconds before the army soldiers could barely process what they just heard, two hundred guns were aimed at the crowd, full of soldiers, civilians, merchants and mammals of kind.

"OPEN FIRE!"

The red line was drawn on the ground that day.

Screams of terror and fear echoed in the city as it became a total battle zone.

Hundreds of mammals were slaughtered in cold blood, blood flying in the city like mist. The army soldiers outnumbered the enclave tremendously, but the element of surprise was a huge advantage. Smoke grenades were flying, RPG's were shot, tanks were blasting everywhere.

Civilians had to run and hide for their lives.

All the while the situation was still ongoing in the city hall.

(MW3 Soundtrack: Special Forces)

Ethan and Allen were trying their best to stay alive, the two enclave soldiers shooting holes into the huge wooden desk. Allen was out of ammo and Ethan didn't have a gun. They were going to die soon if they didn't figure out what to do.

Ethan grabbed Rebecca's revolver from the ground next to the pile of ash, starting to shoot at the legs of the enclave soldiers.

Due to high caliber, the armor was pierced, leading to the enclave soldier falling on the ground and screaming in pain as his leg was blown off.

With bloody hands, the soldier ripped his helmet off to scream, trying to desperately fix the situation, knowing he would die to blood loss within seconds.

The last enclave soldier who was armed with power fist, smashed the whole table from the middle, forcing both mammals out of their cover.

In the midst of the fight, Ethan had kicked the revolver out with his feet into a corner.

The tiger was the first target of the standing and deadly enclave soldier.

Allen jumped in the corner to reach for Wyatt's pistol, only to be punched against the wall and his ribs breaking from the lethal punch. Allen fell down, barely able to breathe.

Ethan jumped on the soldiers back in rage, trying to rip off his helmet.

The soldier yelled, trying to shoot everywhere with his blaster in frenzy. He couldn't get the husky off him, Ethan ripping off the helmet like a savage.

Finally, he succeeded. The helmet was off, the old coyote grunting and now smashing everywhere.

Ethan started to bite his ear, ripping it off and making the enclave soldier scream in horror.

The coyote suddenly smashed his whole back against the wall, smashing Ethan with his armor and making the dog fall down against the cabinet, glass falling down on him.

Just as the coyote turned around to crush Ethan's head with his power fist, his brains blew up on the wall. With grunts of pain, Allen had managed to take a fatal shot right at the back of coyote's head.

Both severely wounded, Ethan started to crawl out of the ground with wheezing breaths, coughing up blood as his rib cage had been crushed by the impact earlier.

Allen was panting on the ground, smiling as he had just saved Ethan's life.

Until the shot came.

The bleeding enclave soldier had taken the revolver from the ground, aiming it at Allen.

The tiger had just out of desperate reaction covered himself with his paw.

The 44-magnum bullet blew his paw into bits.

Allen went into total shock, his arm shooting blood like the waterfall.

Ethan screamed, tears running down his face as he turned to look at the enclave soldier.

"Your turn, bastard... See you in hell..." The badger said with evil in his tone, him clearly bleeding out by the seconds.

CLICK.

He had no bullets.

And at that moment the fire that burned in Ethan's eyes made the badger soldier tremble from fear.

The bloodlust driven husky crawled in pain towards the helpless warrior with long glass shard in his paw.

"NONOnonno- Don't do this! GET AWAY FROM ME-!" The badger whined, begging for his life as the kill hungry husky crawled for his revenge.

The badger tried to desperately punch Ethan, only to scream in terror as Ethan smashed the glass shard into his eye.

The badger begged for mercy, losing his other eye. But Ethan was far gone from mercy.

He started stabbing the badger in his mouth, nose, eyes, and cheeks like a madman, the screams of fear and pain continuing for twenty seconds... Until there was nothing but distant whines and odd noises coming out the badger's throat, his body giving dead twitches from the face wounds and brain damage.

Ethan let go of the glass shard that was stuck in the badger's eye, slowly crawling towards his partner in the corner.

The tiger was pale, his tired eyes barely making out the crawling husky as his hand was making a pool in his lap. He was dying.

Within seconds of adrenaline-filled crawling, Ethan reached the tiger and started to rip his shirt off to make a bandage for Allen's paw to stop the bleeding. With shaking and blood-stained paws, Ethan tried the best he could, crying and begging for God to spare Allen's life. The tiger was giving distorted and low chuckles, asking if it was Ethan. He was hallucinating due to blood loss.

The husky took the bleeding tiger in his arms, hugging him and crying his eyes out.

The emotional back and forth conversation went on, Allen's last request being that Ethan would stay by his side. The tiger couldn't move and was sure to leave this world any second now.

Instead of desperately crawling to the halls of the building looking for help, Ethan staid.

He wanted to go out... But Allen begged him to be there for him and hold him, knowing that his time was soon up and he would die in this room within a few breaths.

Allen pulled Ethan slowly close, whispering something in his ear.

The tigers groaning and painful voice told Ethan something he didn't make sense of. It was a six parted series of numbers... And Allen whispered that Ethan was the only one worthy of knowing those numbers.

Only thing Ethan could assume... Was that they were about the door inside the mountain.

The tiger kept crying about the numbers, Ethan comforting Allen and telling him that everything was going to be okay.

Allen had made a choice that he deemed right. No matter what he would have chosen, mammals would have died by the hundreds. He thought president Richardson was their salvation... When in reality he was nothing but a selfish, scheming and cruel man.

Ethan was right all along... And had to go this far for Allen to realize that they made a terrible mistake when they opened their gates for the enclave as token of patriotism and hope.

As the gunfight and screams outside ringed their ears, building trembling and windows shattering... An Only thing that Allen could compose with his last living memory at this moment before dying, was his crying comrade, sharing intimate affection as lovers before his eyes would close forever and he would leave this world.

Darkness.

Meanwhile, president Richardson had made his escape to the roof of the city hall and was grunting, cursing how he had been betrayed by his own countrymen like spineless vermin. He wanted everyone dead. And he made sure to remind the officers next to him to pass on that order nonstop.

As the medic came to his aid from the vertibird, Richardson told that they would not leave the city until every one of the "rebels" army was dead and as many civilians possible taken hostage.

(Geoff Zanelli - I Need You to Die)

For the whole hour, they waited on the roof with steady status reports on the city control... And the rough realization kept hitting them slowly as the officers started to one by one quit answering on the frequencies.

They had underestimated the febris army. They had thought that two hundred highly skilled enclave soldiers were enough to take these mammals down with their advanced weaponry and power armors... But they had forgotten that these men and women had been fighting actively for the past 3 years, unlike enclave, who had been rusty due to the lack of actual fighting.

Especially against an enemy this fierce. Even as drunk or distracted some had been and gotten in the middle of bullet storm out of nowhere, they reformed into action quickly.

Once the weapons were on each possible soldier as well as some civilians and even the wounded patients in the hospital, the chess game was on... And Enclave was losing.

Each key point and high ground of the city was maintained and stationed fast, 50 Cal station guns and RPG's blasting the enclave warriors to pieces from advantage points.

Within an hour, already half the enclave forces were dead.

Situation had taken a drastic turn for Richardson, and he had no option but to fall back and escape, leaving these soldiers in their own fate and die for their president in the field of battle.

As they were finally preparing to take off, the got a whole new situation on their hands.

As the pilot was starting to turn on the machine, the six areas securing enclave officers realized something happening at the double doors of the roof. The metallic doors were suddenly starting to form bullet holes with rapid speed, clearly, a huge gunfight happening behind them.

The president who was sitting and holding his shoulder wound on the vertibird, along with his six officers got silent and nervous. Even more so as the firing stopped, two officers were approaching the doors steadily with guns in the paw, trying to contact their people behind those doors with their com.

"Squad four, status report... Squad four... We need a situation update now! Did you clear out the hostiles?!"

No answer. They kept nervously approaching the locked doors.

Even the president yelled on the line. "Squad four, answer your president!"

The moment the two soldiers looked though the bullet holes to see inside...-

BOOM

The metallic doors blew upon their faces with a huge explosion matchable by C4, blowing them to bits instantly.

Within five seconds, someone came through the smoke.

It was blood-covered and wounded Ethan, the husky having nothing but blind rage in his eyes as he started to gun down the enclave officers with his M60 like a madman.

"GET ME OUT OF HERE, NOW!" The president screamed in fear, running to the cockpit of the vertibird.

Ethan's aim was on point as he unloaded his remaining rounds on the four enclave warriors. Only one had power armor, and it certainly didn't save his life as twenty bullets shred his helmet and his head off clean.

Unfortunately for Ethan, his furious fight through the Enclave soldiers in the city hall all the way to the roof was for nothing, since the vertibird was already getting in the air. His light machine gun was out of ammo. All Ethan could do was shoot after the machine on the sky with his pistol, managing to only crack the cockpit windows. The last thing president Richardson saw was the man looking at him from the roof with a gaze that spoke nothing but one thing. Revenge.

Eyes that Richardson could not forget. He had a long six-day journey back to coasts of California.

Ethan's wounds started to take their toll finally as he held his rib, having been shot twice on his way up... And finally, his unconscious body collapsed down.

Within the next hour of still ongoing conflict... Enclave soldiers were dead.

The sun raised on the horizon... And the red line day was over.

END