The cryopod opened within a poorly lit room, the lights having been dimmed long ago to save on power consumption. Within it a man awoke, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and boxer shorts, what they called a sleep suit, and a wrist computer. He climbed out of the horizontal pod groggily, struggling to get his sore muscles to work. The bombs must have fell. he realized, but why did they wait so long to thaw me out? They were going to thaw people out as they needed them, in order of importance, and I'm one of the head engineers. He looked around as he stood up, noticing the dimmed lights and low air quality, not to mention the general wear that covered everything. How long was I out? He checked the clock on his wristcomp, as it was tied into the base computer. 10:07 AM, May 17, 2523? Why would it take them so long? Unless I wasn't thawed out by a person. Which means the AI woke me and probably others to save power. He checked the airquality sensor on his wristcomp. The oxygen is too long for me to breath for long, and the CO level's in toxic range.

"Computer," he said, hoping to wake the base's sleeping AI. "This is Dr. Matthew McCollum, authorization code alpha-7-2-7-beta. Restore air quality immediately."

"I am unable to do that, Doctor." The AI said over the room's speakers. "Atmospheric processing has been offline for 57.283 years."

"Fine then," Matt said. "Auditory warning throughout the base. Tell those that were awakened how long they have to leave."

"Affirmative." the computer said, then activated all of the announcement speakers in the building. "Unconsciousness will occur in T-14:50."

"Thank you, computer." he said as he put on the jumpsuit and boots that were in his personal chest at the foot of his pod. He removed his backpack from the box (T-14:30) and checked the contents. Electrical and standard tool sets, check. Extra Standard Batteries, check.

Knowing that his survival would depend on what he could salvage, he headed to an emergency supply room just down the hall. Virtually everything of use had been taken, however. Too bad, I had hoped for a rebreather, or at least an emergency oxygen supply. Knowing that there were only two other places in the base to get oxygen, he headed to the one least likely to have been taken, a place he'd need to go anyways, the maintenance room. When he entered, however, he saw a skeleton on the floor with and empty tank of welding oxygen up against the nearby wall. He forgot to use a pressure regulator. It's under far too much pressure to breath without one. Probably killed himself trying to breath it. He checked the other tanks and saw that someone had emptied them as well, probably to try and refill emergency oxygen tanks. It would have been full of contaminants, but a slow leak of it could have bought you quite a bit of time in this atmosphere.

"T-7:30," the computer said. Medical it is then, he thought, as he placed a solar battery charger, a kit of assorted electrical components, and what batteries he could find into his bag. Before leaving, though, he grabbed the wristcomp off of the skeleton as well as the dead man's backpack.

A few minutes later, and two levels closer to the surface, he entered the main medical center and saw that it had been ransacked even more than the emergency supplies or the maintenance bay. He did manage to find several partial first aid kits and a few bottles of medicine. Ibuprofen, Amoxicilin, Benadril, and two bottles of anti-histamines. Apparently allergies were low on the list of problems for most of the people that came through here.,he thought, breathing heavily. The work wasn't hard or tiring, but in this thin air it was difficult to get enough oxygen into your blood to breath normally.

"T-3:00", the computer said, and he knew he had to leave then. He climbed the stairs to the entry room and pushed a few buttons on the console, opening the emergency door. Or rather, opening it enough to get through. The years of neglect has damaged it too much for it to open by more than a few feet.

Once he was done gasping for air, and was safely breathing the surface air, he looked around. There was a surprising amount of foliage, and even the sounds of birds. I guess if you let an area sit there for five hundred years, even an irradiated area, life will take it over. He looked in the dead man's bag and saw a 9mm pistol, some emergency rations, a few spare clips for the gun, and a few dozen extra bullets. He was probably in security or the military and swung by the cafeteria before going to get more air. Lucky for me he had this stuff on him. I'd have to make my own weapon and be a hunter/gatherer without it.

Just then something on a nearby tree caught his eye. He walked over and pushed back an evergreen limb to see a skull stuck to the tree with an arrow. It had went through an eye socket and out the back, into the tree. The rest of the skeleton was below it, partially covered in decaying leaves. Looks like someone survived the bombs. Either that or some of the people the AI released earlier aren't too kind. Either way he knew he'd need to defend himself if they attacked. He took the pistol and its holster from the backpack and strapped it to his leg.

Now, being reasonably certain he could protect himself if he needed to, he went over to a nearby sunny rock to set up the solar charging station. He stopped, however, when he saw someone else leaving the station. "Just breath," he said. Checking the air quality on his wrist comp. "The air is high-quality up here. I'll give you a second to catch your breath." When he thought they could answer the question, he introduced himself. "Dr. Matt McCollum," he said, "but you can call me Matt. I'm a physicist. And you?"

The door to her cryopod opened slowly with a hiss. Her eyes opened quickly, as they darted about her surroundings. She hadn't survived as long as she had without knowing what was around her. She didn't try and move at first, she knew being in cryostasis for so long had rendered her muscles weaker than she would have wanted. She took a deep breath and slowly moved her legs, getting her bearings. She stretched slowly, like a cat, getting her muscles used to moving again. She shivered as she looked around the room. Ah right, their sleep suit was nothing more than mere underwear she thought to herself.

She tried to take a deep breath, coughing slightly. Bad idea she said to herself. She looked for her chest. When she found it she dressed in the suit and boots they'd designed specifically for those who were to awake first. It had been years since she'd been awake, even though it had only felt like hours of sleep to her.

She glanced at the computer on her wrist, the screen a little foggy from the unfreezing. She took her hand and wiped the screen with a sigh. "Computer" she said, her tongue feeling thick and heavy. "Authorization Charlie-9-5-Zulu-Tango-7-7."

"Welcome back Special Agent Jordyn" it said back to her in greeting.

"Equalize atmospheric pressure please."

"The atmospheric pressure in this chamber has been offline for 57.283 years. I am unable to restore the systems. You have T-15 until you run out of oxygen and lose consciousness."

Great, time to get a move on. She reached back in her chest and pulled out her bag. One of the best things about her line of work, she'd had the backpack. She pulled everything from her chest into the bag, she'd packed the essentials. There was a fairly large medical pack, a few rations that would have lasted the years she was frozen, among other things. She organized it all carefully. Wynter looked around the room. Another cryopod had been opened.

"Computer."

"Yes Special Agent Jordyn?"

"Who else was released?"

"I am unaware of the other people cryopod Agent. I cannot locate the information for you. T-12 until you run out of oxygen."

Wynter rolled her eyes and rolled the backpack onto her shoulders. Whoever had been unfrozen in front of her had probably gotten everything they could from the storage facilities. She headed for the hallway, where she knew the emergency supplies would be. She could smell the death before she even walked in the room. The room was ransacked, of course it was. She looked at the empty oxygen tanks, not even bothering to check them.

Flares she said as she moved closer to the body. She picked them up and carefully arranged them in her bag. That might come in handy, she picked up the machete that was hidden underneath the skeleton. She smiled, who knew what was up on the surface, but she'd be ready for it. She picked up a few more odds and ends that you never knew if it might come in handy.

"T-8 until you run out of oxygen. Might I suggest you hurry Special Agent?"

"Noted computer thank you." Wynter headed up to the next floor to grab some medical supplies. Well this place looks terrible she thought maneuvering her way through the rubble. She picked up a few first aid kits. Never too many of these. She grabbed two bottles of each of the medicine that was left, she'd know what to do with it in case of an emergency. She grabbed some blankets and the backboard. She secured all the stuff inside and to her pack before standing back up.

This takes a lot of energy out of you. But anything will take a lot of energy out of you if you can't breathe. She couldn't think of anything else she needed at the moment other than more weapons but that would come. She looked around the room one last time, thankful she was about to get out of here.

"T-5 until you run out of oxygen."

Wynter smiled and started to run for the exit. As she got to the door she realized it was already open enough for her to walk out. Hmm. She grabbed the machete and dropped her pack by the door within arms reach. She rolled under the door and brought up the machete into a fighting stance. She looked around and saw a few dead bodies but nothing living yet. She reached down and picked up her backpack securing it to her body once more.

She took a deep breathe of the fresh air, thankful her lungs weren't burning so badly anymore. She walked over to the first dead guy she saw, realizing someone had already probably looted him she took his computer instead. Attaching it to her other wrist she walked a little further. She walked over as she saw a skeleton attached to a tree.

Poor guy, you didn't have a good time out here did you. She pulled the arrow from the skull checking it to make sure it was still viable. She dropped her pack to put it in when the hairs on her neck stood up. She glanced over and saw a man. She'd been a little slow to figure out he was there, she'd blame that on being tired and laggy from cryosleep.

"Just breath," he said. Checking the air quality on his wrist comp. "The air is high-quality up here. I'll give you a second to catch your breath." When he thought they could answer the question, he introduced himself. "Dr. Matt McCollum," he said, "but you can call me Matt. I'm a physicist. And you?"

She secured her backpack once more, moving the machete where he couldn't see it.

"Special Agent Wynter Jordyn. I worked with the FBI, I was also a trauma paramedic, among other things. How long have you been up here?" She started walking towards him, not entirely trusting him to not attack her. She noticed he had a solar charger that he'd set up. This wasn't a good spot, not out in the open. They needed to find some better cover just in case. She was highly skilled enough to know that the arrow she'd pulled could come from over fourty feet away.

"This isn't really a good spot to start doing things. We need to move, you never know what's about to walk up or come shooting out of the trees."

The door opened, slowly at first then it started to quicken the pace as it fully opened. Cerberus pretty much fell out of the cryopod, landing on all fours and giving a loud gasp for air. He stood up and started looking around, how long has it been? Cerberus was designated as one of the last people to be unfrozen but it felt unnaturally long. He opened the footlocker and proceeded to change out of the sleep suit, into a combat suit, and Jacks signature scout battalion hoodie.

Do we know how long it's been? The man named Rollo asked in their collective mind
No clue. Replied Kane
"Well no point standing around like a cabbage." Jack replied out loud. "Computer, Authorisation Juliet-5-5-Zulu-7-Charlie."

"Welcome Cerberus, did you enjoy your rest?"

"Much so... But how long has it been?" they say looking on the screen.
"500 YE..." he started before violently coughing.
Air quality must be low, let's see, ah my suspicions were right

"Air quality is low sir, you have at least T-14 before you are to collapse."
"Well then let's get a move on shall we?"

Cerberus walked down the hall briskly, using Jacks scouting skills, they managed to make their way to the emergency supplies, but it was too late for them, everything was either broken or gone. They continued on, and eventually they managed to find the armory, but like the room before it was empty.

"Sorry to disturb you sirs, but you have T-3 until you run out of oxygen."
Cerberus made one last scan of the armory, but just as they left they saw a small case. They grabbed it not bothering to look inside but instead making their way towards the exit of the base. They saw that the door was already opened and squezed themselves through. They took a massive gulp of air, the air was definitely a higher quality, they could taste it. Jack grabbed the case and opened it, inside was a colt 1911, and two mags. With a small grin they stood and looked around, vegetation had grown over the landscape.

I guess that's what happens when you've been in cryo for 500 years
True
"Let's look around shall we? But first, Computer please scan for life signs within a 500 metre radius."

"Two life forms, located west about 15 metres, there DNA code matches those found with Cryopod occupants."

They moved towards the two and found they were introducing themselves to each other, Cerberus stood there silently waiting for them to finish their interesting conversation.

Dr. McCollum listened to the woman that had just made it out of the facility, only to immediately start investigating the death of the nearby skeleton. She's got to be some sort of Police investigator. "Special Agent Wynter Jordyn. I worked with the FBI, I was also a trauma paramedic, among other things. How long have you been up here?" Close enough. "This isn't really a good spot to start doing things. We need to move, you never know what's about to walk up or come shooting out of the trees."

"I've only been up here a minute or two." he responded, answering her first question. "But yeah, I realize this is a bad spot to set up at, unless you want to let the last room air out a bit and move into it. I just wanted to try and recharge the wristcomp I found on a skeleton down there while I waited for anyone else that was woken up." He picked up the computer to show it to her, then looked at the screen. "Apparently it belonged to a Lieutenant John Sanders, Air Force. Did you know him?"

Before waiting for her to answer his question he saw a man walk up, wearing one of the combat suits that were given to the military specialists. "Hey, welcome to the surface." he said, then introduced himself. "We were just getting ready to leave."