No Way Home

***No Way Home*** is a digital novella that expands the universe of *Wasteland 3*, focusing on Angela Deth and her long way home to Arizona.

## Synopsis

The book chronicles the events leading up to Angela Deth's mission into Colorado, as an advance part of the Desert Rangers. Captured by the Children of the Citadel after her helicopter was shot down over Seal Beach, Deth has spent several years as a slave. A cybernetic replacement for the leg she lost in the crash and a headband disabling higher mental functions reduced her to a warehouse drone, only regaining consciousness when she damaged it. Captured each time she made an escape attempt, she is finally successful in 2104. The destruction of Cochise AI and loss of Dugan and Matthias was a blow the Children never recovered from, and Angela exploits one moment of lucidity to broadcast a distress call that attracts the attention of LA Rangers.

Extracted by them, Angela learns that she spent years in captivity and most of the crew returned to Arizona. After recovering at Rodia under Pistol Pete's guidance, she is joined by Neil Thomas at Hollywood. After having the cybernetic leg removed (out of distrust towards synth tech and revulsion at what they did to her), and obtaining a replacement, her posse dons radiation suits and begins the long march east through the radiation wall. Weeks of arduous travel finally bring them to Arizona, which is still reeling from the destruction of the Ranger Citadel. The Desert Rangers are on their ropes, the Red Skorpion Militia is ascendant, and things quickly take a turn for the worse. Kathy Lawson's cold welcome at the Ag Center is nothing compared to the welcome Sean Bergin gives Angela at a RSM checkpoint.

The tense situation devolves into a bloodbath, with Angela and her crew barely making it to the safety of the Rangers' camp at the radio tower. Surprised to see Wade Woodson in charge, Angela disobeys orders to stay put and let him talk Robert Danforth of the RSM down. She investigates the disturbances at Rail Nomads, discovering that the Skorpions enslaved the Topekans and Atchisons, and are forcing them to construct an armored train that Danforth will use to take vengeance on the Rangers for the death of Rex and his near death. Captured and placed in lockup, Angela and the Nomads' leadership are left for dead in a deathtrap, as Danforth leaves to destroy the Rangers.

Fortunately, the Nomads are resilient and Libby Parker's appearance through a technical tunnel saves the day. Carefully instructed in how to disarm the deathtrap by Takayuki, she manages to free them all. Deth's crew and the Nomads join forces, pursuing the train using a preserved camper uncovered by the Atchisons. Briefly overtaking the train, they manage to destroy a rail bridge and force the beast to halt. However, with the RSM assault on the Ranger Base already underway, there's no time to rest. Angela and the Nomads press on towards the camp, linking up with Ranger team Delta (originally sent to return Angela to camp). They arrive just as the RSMs penetrate the camp, taking down Danforth. With their leader dead, the remaining RSMs turn tail and flee into the wasteland.

Angela reunites and reconciles with Woodson. She refuses to be named General, believing that Woodson was the correct choice. He may have been a radio operator, but he kept the Rangers alive through the lean years after the loss of the Citadel and always had an eye for strategy. Instead, she offers to lead the advance team into Colorado and investigate the Patriarch's offer - setting in motion the events of *Wasteland 3*.