Jacob Burns and the Order of the Algorithm #Wattys2017

Chapter 5: The Last Will & Testament of Dr. Isaac Astor

"It became clear that we were no longer safe from their greed or lust for power. It was then that I began planning for this day, when I dedicated myself to understanding and fighting these men, this Order of the Algorithm, at every turn. I betrayed my friends and colleagues, became a spy in my own company. I sacrificed everything, my very life, to make sure you survived to hear this message."

"The Conduit, Ilya. The Omega Vault cannot operate without it. I stole it that night, hid it away, but I knew it wasn't safe. I knew they would come looking for it one way or another, so I entrusted it to a friend, someone who will be able to help you on your way no matter how much time has passed. The vault is capable of great things, but in the wrong hands it is a power more devastating than all the atomic bombs combined. But I've already stayed too long... they are coming for me. For now, all I can offer you is this..." And the man's voice lowered to a deadly whisper, but each word was spoken with a deliberate and urgent purpose.

"Follow the light, for it alone can illuminate the truth from the darkness, and lay your path bare for you to see. But beware my child, for the light you shine may reveal more than you are prepared to know."

"My daughter, I'm sorry, but I must leave this to you. You must get to the vault before they do. There is no other choice. Once you wake, I fear they will come for you, and not even time can stand in their way. Whether it has been ten years, a hundred, or a thousand... they will come for you."

"Please, just remember that everything I've done, everything I've sacrificed, that I did it for you. I love you."

"Goodbye, butterfly."

The recording ended and suddenly switched back to the "Please Stand By" screen. We sat there, in complete silence, for what felt like an eternity.

I looked over at the girl. She sat frozen, tears streaming down her face as she stared unblinkingly at the screen. It was a hell of a lot to take in, I could hardly believe it myself. I'd always thought Vault-Tec was nothing more than a bunch of sadistic assholes who enjoyed fooling innocent people into walking unwittingly to their deaths. After all this time, I never once thought that there might be an actual purpose to all of their mad experiments and mutant monstrosities.

I reached over to turn off the television, but the girl smacked my hand away and looked at me as if I had just spat on her father's grave.

"What do you think you're doing?" She said, "There might be more, s-something we missed. That... that can't be it, it can't be! Who is this friend supposed to be? What did he mean "the light" would show me the way? Oh, what am I supposed to do, father, tell me what to do!" She banged on the television until something broke inside it. The screen sparked and it blinked into oblivion before a thick black smoke began pouring out the back.

The girl paced around the room, mumbling madly to herself as she repeated the mysterious phrase over and over. Just as I was beginning to think she had finally cracked under the pressure, I caught sight of that pearly grin and a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"This... this is just so incredible, I can hardly believe it! I mean, where do we even begin?" She said as she wiped away the tears. "All I keep thinking is that there has to be more, something he's not telling me. He was standing in his study, that much I could tell, so that's where we should look first, right? We should investigate the scene and see what we can find out about this Order of the Algorithm. Do you know how to get to uptown?" She turned to me, and I suddenly realized what she was saying.