Afton continues investigating the room, going over the files in the terminals and looking overall physical files that were stored or hidden away. There was a bunch of machinery present as well, but Afton was wary of touching anything without knowing exactly what it did... He might just accidentally fill the room with the Cloud if he presses the wrong button...

Fortunately, he'd found quite a lot of information about what the Cloud actually is... The Cloud is a self-replicating toxin that can corrode and poison almost anything it comes across. The scientists hadn't actually discovered it's ability to transform lifeforms into mindless immortal zombies, but that's probably because they refused to observe the destruction of the town and subsequently killed themselves. ​​

Strangely, it's actually possible to manipulate the Cloud. To control it to some extent. The machine used to do this was a mixture of technologies that still somewhat baffled Afton. It had magnetic components as well as light and sound waves. Apparently, it took an incredibly delicate mixture of the three to manipulate the Cloud.

The machinery in the room would control what areas the Cloud could access, where it moved, and how much it would replicate. Fortunately for the world, the replication rate had been set quite low, the Cloud had been active for two hundred years after all, if it wasn't limited it would've enveloped most of North America and most likely South America too.

To be frank, the Cloud was a weapon of mass destruction, he thought that the Spores were bad... But the Cloud is ephemeral and cannot be stopped if fully unleashed. It would just keep replicating, spreading and devouring. At least with the Spores you could fight against them, burn the plants and kill the carriers... But this? It was an apocalypse waiting to happen.

Still, now that Afton had gained access to the Cloud control systems, it was possible for the group to leave this place... But... If he did that, he'd be leaving this weapon in Elijah's hands... He needed to completely cleanse this place, and once it was secure, move his own forces in so they could map out the machinery enough so there could build their own Cloud Manipulator.

Plus, he couldn't let Elijah know he'd found the lab yet, the last thing he needed was for that old bastard to sneak in and flood the place while he was busy elsewhere.

Strangely, the Cloud Manipulator isn't the only advanced technology he found information about here... The place also held detailed information about the Holograms, and some kind of Matter Recombinator?

Afton's eyes widen as he reads through the file... How had he not noticed this before? He'd spotted the weird vending machines scattered around the place but ignored them for the most part, this is probably why he'd never noticed that they were some of the most valuable technology in the wasteland...

"These things alone could solve world hunger" he mutters in disbelief.

The Matter Recombinators do exactly what it sounds like... They recombine matter, using energy to alter the fundamental composition of materials. As long as you had enough energy you could literally create anything so long as you know the composition of what it is.

Obviously, mapping out the entirety of an object would be rather difficult and time-consuming, but, once done you could infinitely create more. From chems, to bullets, to food, to guns... The only problem most people would have would be actually producing enough energy to power it... Which wouldn't be a problem for Afton since he basically has infinite energy with his Glowing Ghoul reactor...

As Afton is thinking about all the potential possibilities these technologies could present, he's interrupted by a buzzing from his Pipboy...

"*Bzzzzztchzzzz!* Hello again, Afton. I'm sure you are overjoyed to hear my voice, you have spent days searching for me after all." Elijah states over the radio.

Afton scowls, "What do you want?"

"What do I want?... Well, that's quite a loaded question, so I'll shorten it and just say... Everything." the older man says, confusing Afton further.

"You're gonna have to elaborate, I don't speak in riddles." Afton spits, not wanting to waste any time dealing with this soon-to-be-dead ass hole.

Elijah's sigh carries through the radio as he begins to speak, "Well, I've been watching you venture through my Casino, and I've found that you are quite the loyal person... But I wonder how far this extends? Would you abandon your friends for revenge? How valuable are your friends compared to your family?"

"Just spit it out you piece of shit." Afton growls out.

Elijah pulls away from the radio and seemingly drags someone in front of it... A familiar gravelly voice speaks into it.

"Urgh, you won't get me to talk you crazy lunatic." Deans voice states in a weak tone, obviously talking to Elijah.

"Dean? How the fuck did Elijah grab you?" Afton asks while rubbing his forehead, was Dean really so weak to allow that old fool to nab him? Or had he been tricked?

"Plant-Boy? Huh, guess he wants to give you one final show before he offs me." the Ghoul chuckles before he's pulled away from the radio again, Elijah taking his place.

"If you want to see the Ghoul alive, you will bring your friends to the VIP rooms in an hour. Take a minute over that and I'll paint the room with the Ghoul's brain matter... And after that, I'll take another of your friends.*Bzztch!*" Elijah threatens before leaving.

...

Afton palms his face, anger towards Elijah and disappointed in Dean for getting captured. Most importantly, he felt rage at the fact Elijah was threatening his family. Dean was more or less an acquaintance, but to threaten Veronica, Christine, or Anja? That was a death sentence.

He packs up his shit, stores the files he'd been reading, and locks down the room by picking up and sliding the heavy Saturnite door back where it belonged. Elijah probably wouldn't be able to move it due to how heavy it was, but Afton wouldn't place all his hopes on it. Once done he races towards where the rest of his group is.